Thursday:
Carolina @ Tampa Bay
Sunday:
San Francisco @ Jacksonville
Cleveland @ Kansas City
Miami @ New England
Buffalo @ New Orleans
Dallas @ Detroit
New York Giants @ Philadelphia
Pittsburgh @ Oakland
New York Jets @ Cincinnati
Atlanta @ Arizona
Washington @ Denver
Green Bay @ Minnesota
Monday:
Seattle @ St. Louis

I'm always really busy on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so I like to be a little early.

Week 9

Thursday:
Cincinnati at Miami
Sunday:
Kansas City at Buffalo
Minnesota at Dallas
Tennessee at St. Louis
New Orleans at NY Jets
San Diego at Washington
Atlanta at Carolina
Philadelphia at Oakland
Tampa Bay at Seattle
Baltimore at Cleveland
Pittsburgh at New England
Indianapolis at Houston
Monday:
Chicago at Green Bay

Yeah if I put it off I never make it in time. >_>

Also, lol NY Jests.

Thursday:
Cincinnati at Miami
Sunday:
Kansas City at Buffalo
Minnesota at Dallas
Tennessee at St. Louis
New Orleans at NY Jets
San Diego at Washington
Atlanta at Carolina
Philadelphia at Oakland
Tampa Bay at Seattle
Baltimore at Cleveland
Pittsburgh at New England
Indianapolis at Houston
Monday:
Chicago at Green Bay

Of course the second half of the season could go terribly awry... but its looking like the Bengals have a really good chance of winning AFC North and not having to rely on a Wildcard. Steelers are pretty worthless this year, but I'm not convinced the REIGNING SUPERBOWL CHAMPS the Ravens are totally out of it yet.

Cumulative Pool standings:

bookworm - 77
Knight Fisher - 72
The Top Crusader - 72
Eugene the second - 71
American Eagle - 70
godisawesomeness99 - 66
Skylerbuck - 59
Jehoshaphat - 36
EK - 12

(I didn’t count Eugene’s Thursday pick.)

-- 30 Oct 2013 10:22 am --

Week 9:

Thursday:
Cincinnati @ Miami
Sunday:
Atlanta @ Carolina
Minnesota @ Dallas
New Orleans @ New York Jets
Tennessee @ St. Louis
Kansas City @ Buffalo
San Diego @ Washington
Philadelphia @ Oakland
Tampa Bay @ Seattle
Baltimore @ Cleveland
Pittsburgh @ New England
Indianapolis @ Houston
Monday:
Chicago @ Green Bay

Record: 7-6

Thursday:
Cincinnati @ Miami
Sunday:
Atlanta @ Carolina
Minnesota @ Dallas
New Orleans @ New York Jets
Tennessee @ St. Louis
Kansas City @ Buffalo
San Diego @ Washington
Philadelphia @ Oakland
Tampa Bay @ Seattle
Baltimore @ Cleveland
Pittsburgh @ New England
Indianapolis @ Houston
Monday:
Chicago @ Green Bay

Thursday:
Cincinnati @ Miami
Sunday:
Atlanta @ Carolina
Minnesota @ Dallas
New Orleans @ New York Jets
Tennessee @ St. Louis
Kansas City @ Buffalo
San Diego @ Washington
Philadelphia @ Oakland
Tampa Bay @ Seattle
Baltimore @ Cleveland
Pittsburgh @ New England
Indianapolis @ Houston
Monday:
Chicago @ Green Bay

Thursday:
Cincinnati @ Miami
Sunday:
Atlanta @ Carolina
Minnesota @ Dallas
New Orleans @ New York Jets
Tennessee @ St. Louis
Kansas City @ Buffalo
San Diego @ Washington
Philadelphia @ Oakland
Tampa Bay @ Seattle
Baltimore @ Cleveland
Pittsburgh @ New England
Indianapolis @ Houston
Monday:
Chicago @ Green Bay

Sunday:
Atlanta @ Carolina
Minnesota @ Dallas
New Orleans @ New York Jets
Tennessee @ St. Louis
Kansas City @ Buffalo
San Diego @ Washington
Philadelphia @ Oakland
Tampa Bay @ Seattle
Baltimore @ Cleveland
Pittsburgh @ New England
Indianapolis @ Houston
Monday:
Chicago @ Green Bay Blech. >_>

Thursday:
Cincinnati @ Miami
Sunday:
Atlanta @ Carolina
Minnesota @ Dallas
New Orleans @ New York Jets
Tennessee @ St. Louis
Kansas City @ Buffalo
San Diego @ Washington
Philadelphia @ Oakland
Tampa Bay @ Seattle
Baltimore @ Cleveland
Pittsburgh @ New England
Indianapolis @ Houston
Monday:
Chicago @ Green Bay

This season has been pleasantly quiet rant-wise, possibly because the refs are improving, more likely because I’ve been watching fewer games than usual, but either way the peace had to end eventually. Two separate incidents from the Sunday Night game left me shaking my head incredulously.

Late in the first half the Texans fumble a kick return. After the ball is batted along the sideline, but amazingly doesn’t go out of bounds, the Colts recover and are given good field position. The play is then flagged for review, because it’s a turnover. Which is the right call. This was right at the sideline, definitely make sure it all stayed in bounds.
While they’re taking a look under the hood, the broadcast goes through all the camera angles. You can see where the question is: the Colt that bats it back toward the field was in the process of sliding out of bounds. If he touches out before touching the ball, that makes the ball out. That would be a fumble out of bounds before any recovery, meaning Houston retains possession. But as it’s played over and over, there is never a shot that shows the ball touches him after he goes out, the bat back was clearly before he came down on the white. There’s no question, this is a fumble recovery to the Colts.
The umpire comes out and to the shock of both commentators overturns the ruling saying the ball touched the Colt after he went out. Houston gets the ball back.
This kind of incident angers me in a unique way. It’s different than when a call is blatantly wrong. This is an issue of replay procedure. As we all probably know, and the refs definitely know, when reviewing a play you can’t just go ‘Looks like maybe we were wrong - change it.’ there is a scale you have to use. To reverse the call made on the field, the replay has to conclusively show that the call was wrong. If it does, then the call is reversed. If the replay conclusively shows that the call was right, then the call is confirmed. And if the replay doesn’t necessarily confirm that it was right, but doesn’t conclusively show it was wrong, then the call stands as made on the field. This was without question one of the latter two incidents. From everything shown, you have a solid basis for confirming the call of Colts recovery. But at the very least this call stands as made, because there was absolutely nothing to indicate that the ball hit him after he was out. You can clearly see when he hits out, and never after that point does the ball show any sign of contact. Again, the call on the field was recovery in bounds, so there has to be indisputable evidence to overturn that. There absolutely was not here.
Not only does this take at least 3, and very likely the full 7, points off the board for Indianapolis, but the Texans capitalize on this second chance and march down the field for a score of their own! That’s a 14 point swing caused by refs not following the procedure that’s clearly outlined and just making their personal opinion the call that matters.

That was bad enough, but what’s truly bizarre is that the exact same thing happened again! The only difference was that this time the other team got burned. In the second half, a Houston player made a diving catch which led to questions of retained possession. The refs eventually ruled that he did and the catch was good, which Indianapolis promptly challenged.
Like the previous replayed play, this one had some questionable areas, but nothing clear enough to overturn the call. Again, the call on the field was a completed pass, you need to see something that undeniably counters that to overturn. There was nothing here. It was questionable, maybe, a little, but nowhere near indisputable. This call will undoubtedly stand. Not be confirmed, but it will stand. There’s no clear sign that it was indeed incomplete.
The umpire comes out and, once more to the shock of both commentators, once more announces the call is overturned.

Twice in one night?! You have to be kidding me! This team of officials clearly has no understanding of how they are to handle replays. Or maybe they have the understanding, but don’t care about it and just do their own thing. Either way, it’s unacceptable. The only way you can try to spin this away from indefensible incompetence is to say that since they did it once each way maybe neither team got a real break, but that’s a weak argument at best, if not outright false. It doesn’t matter that eventually each team got one, the timing of it is what determines if there was an advantage. And besides, are you really going to try to defend a mistake by saying it’s a good thing they made another one?

The replay scale is there for a reason. Refs know it and know how to use it, they need to be held accountable when they choose to ignore it. They are given the power of judgment calls in many areas, but replays are not one of them.

I don't think I was paying attention the second time, but when the call went against the Colts I think FORMER BENGAL SUPERSTAR Chris Collinsworth was about to storm out of the broadcast booth and bunch the official who reversed the call.

Punctual as ever.

Week 10

Thursday:
Washington at Minnesota
Sunday:
Detroit at Chicago
Seattle at Atlanta
Philadelphia at Green Bay
Jacksonville at Tennessee
St. Louis at Indianapolis
Oakland at NY Giants
Buffalo at Pittsburgh
Cincinnati at Baltimore
Carolina at San Francisco
Houston at Arizona
Denver at San Diego
Dallas at New Orleans
Monday:
Miami at Tampa Bay

There are two Monday games?

OOGGSTW (Out Of Game and going to stay that way): Nope one is played on Thursday. MODS!

Oh, look at you guys being observational and stuff.

Ya observant is good.

Cumulative Pool standings:

bookworm - 84
The Top Crusader - 79
American Eagle - 78
Eugene the second - 78
Knight Fisher - 78
godisawesomeness99 - 71
Skylerbuck - 59
Jehoshaphat - 42
EK - 12

-- 06 Nov 2013 10:23 am --

Week 10:

Thursday:
Washington @ Minnesota
Sunday:
Philadelphia @ Green Bay
Jacksonville @ Tennessee
Buffalo @ Pittsburgh
Oakland @ New York Giants
St. Louis @ Indianapolis
Seattle @ Atlanta
Cincinnati @ Baltimore
Detroit @ Chicago
Carolina @ San Francisco
Houston @ Arizona
Denver @ San Diego
Dallas @ New Orleans
Monday:
Miami @ Tampa Bay

Record: 6-8

Thursday:
Washington @ Minnesota
Sunday:
Philadelphia @ Green Bay
Jacksonville @ Tennessee
Buffalo @ Pittsburgh
Oakland @ New York Giants
St. Louis @ Indianapolis
Seattle @ Atlanta
Cincinnati @ Baltimore
Detroit @ Chicago
Carolina @ San Francisco
Houston @ Arizona
Denver @ San Diego
Dallas @ New Orleans
Monday:
Miami @ Tampa Bay

Thursday:
Washington @ Minnesota
Sunday:
Philadelphia @ Green Bay
Jacksonville @ Tennessee
Buffalo @ Pittsburgh
Oakland @ New York Giants
St. Louis @ Indianapolis
Seattle @ Atlanta
Cincinnati @ Baltimore
Detroit @ Chicago
Carolina @ San Francisco
Houston @ Arizona
Denver @ San Diego
Dallas @ New Orleans
Monday:
Miami @ Tampa Bay

Thursday:
Washington @ Minnesota
Sunday:
Philadelphia @ Green Bay with Nick Foles in, and Rodgers out.
Jacksonville @ Tennessee my team has to win at some point, right?
Buffalo @ Pittsburgh
Oakland @ New York Giants
St. Louis @ Indianapolis
Seattle @ Atlanta
Cincinnati @ Baltimore
Detroit @ Chicago
Carolina @ San Francisco
Houston @ Arizona
Denver @ San Diego
Dallas @ New Orleans
Monday:
Miami @ Tampa Bay keep TB at no wins