No more big laughs at the Cowboys expense either.
There have been other meltdown candidates. The Raiders come to mind, but they were already in a liquid state before the season. The Giants are teetering with a suspect coaching staff, a confused child at QB, and a pack of attention loving loudmouths everywhere else. The Falcons will meltdown once Mike Vick realizes it's his best shot at being traded.
But the biggest meltdown of the year, well, that honor belongs to...
Results
...Me, versus the spread. Spread picks were 3-6 and I have for all intents and purposes become a negative indicator. That makes me 16-21 for the year for a total loss of $710. Based I my performance, I should stop making fun of every team in the NFL, even the Lions. But I won't.
The line picks fared better. Only 3-3, but our bias towards underdogs puts us up by $90 for the week and 515.78 for the year.
Here's the thing: Had Philly lost Monday night, my reserve of money line winnings from the first couple of weeks would have been pretty much depleted, and you know my state of mind since the Vegas beatdown of last week. So on Monday night, before the game even started, I wrote up this section as if Philly lost, just to save time. I even closed with this line, "This is probably the last we see of anything on the plus side this year."
So what happens? The Eagles win on a last minute interception. Can you believe it? I actually caught a break! Lucky I'm such a rationalist or I would be writing entire columns as if every pick was wrong before the games even start, just in the hopes of extending this little bit of good mojo.
Other Notes
There is no clear favorite in the NFL anymore. Last week, Aaron Schatz of Football Outsiders identified six teams with a realistic shot at the Lombardi trophy: Ravens, Cowboys, Colts, Bears, Chargers, and Pats. To wit: "I would give 100:1 odds against any other team winning it all, maybe more." Of those six, the Bears and Pats won, but stank like dead skunks in the middle of the road; the Cowboys and Chargers won, but failed to cover. The Ravens lost nobly and the Colts lost ignominiously. I have ask, do the Seahawks and Saints now figure into the mix now? What about the Bengals who seem to be cruisin' easy these days? I'd take Aaron's 100-1 on the field any day. (More on this next week.)
Article comments
1 - themurph544
I like the added review of the 3 ring circus called Monday Night Football. I feel like I am watching the View (yes I said it) or Letterman, someone is always pitching a movie or book, and now pretending to know something about football. And watching the giddy school girls interview these “stars” is classic. If Mick was still alive he would have never let the Rock eat that last cheese steak.
2 - Matthew T. Sussman
Know what would stop Tony Romo?
Field of rakes.
3 - Matthew T. Sussman
As for MNF's guest next week?
You guessed it. Frank Stallone.
4 - RJ Elliott
"Browns +7.5"
Jesus Christ.
I'm willing to reconsider my ideological opposition to waiting periods for handguns, just so Mazzotta doesn't do anything foolish... :-/
5 - Matthew T. Sussman
It's a final: Vegas 7.5, Browns 7
6 - david mazzotta
Oh, it's long past that stage RJ.
Although Rambo IV is coming... Charles Manson blamed the Beatles, maybe I could blame Stallone.
7 - Nigger
"Packers +5"
Are you kidding me?
Once the niners beat the packers crazy, you'll learn!
8 - david mazzotta
Hey, everybody! It's Cosmo Kramer!
9 - RJ Elliott
"I'm Cosmo Kramer, The Assman."
10 - david mazzotta
5-4 vs. the spread. Not great but I'm glad for one in the "W" column.
Looks like 6-1 on the money line. Wowie zowie! That's huge!
11 - RJ Elliott
Great job!
I correctly picked a few 'dogs (Baltimore, Tennessee, Jacksonville, and Arizona), but I'm still at a miserable 7-8 for the week so far... :-/