Over the past few years, we have given the subscribers of Footballguys.com the Staff Confidence Pool Challenge, where numerous staffers try and pick the winners each week with a confidence ranking, and Jeff Pasquino’s “For The Win” column where Jeff attempts to pick each and every NFL game against the Las Vegas spread. Both of these have been very popular features, so this year Footballguys is proud to bring you the combination of the two. The Footballguys.com Staff Against the Spread Pool Challenge. Multiple staff members (23) will pick the winner of each NFL game against the Las Vegas line. As a tie-breaker, the person who is closest to the total points scored on the last Monday Night game will be the winner. Winners will be announced from week to week and the best overall record will be crowned Against the Spread Champion. Picks and ranks are due on Wednesday, so any late-breaking news may not be reflected in the choices.
LAST WEEK'S RESULTS
Here are the results from last week:
Road Team: | PHI | CAR | CHI | STL | MIN | SD | OAK | NO | MIA | BUF | NYG | TB | AZ | PIT | NE | BAL | ||||
Home Team: | DET | DAL | GB | CIN | ATL | JAC | TEN | HOU | NYJ | KC | WASH | IND | SF | SEA | DEN | CLE | ||||
Favorite: | PHI | CAR | GB | CIN | ATL | JAC | OAK | HOU | NYJ | KC | NYG | IND | AZ | SEA | NE | CLE | ||||
Point Spread: | -1.5 | -1.5 | -9.5 | -8.5 | -2.5 | -4.5 | -2.5 | -3.5 | -3.5 | -4.5 | -2.5 | -3.5 | -10.5 | -4.5 | -5.5 | -2.5 | ||||
Staffer | The Picks | MNF | LW | YtD | Win% | |||||||||||||||
Alessandro Miglio | DET | CAR | CHI | STL | ATL | JAC | OAK | HOU | NYJ | KC | WASH | IND | SF | PIT | NE | CLE | 41 | 10 | 90 | 51.1% |
Andy Hicks | PHI | CAR | CHI | STL | MIN | SD | OAK | HOU | NYJ | KC | NYG | TB | AZ | SEA | NE | BAL | 41 | 10 | 96 | 54.5% |
Aaron Rudnicki | DET | CAR | GB | CIN | MIN | JAC | OAK | HOU | NYJ | BUF | NYG | IND | AZ | PIT | DEN | CLE | 40 | 9 | 91 | 51.7% |
Andrew Garda | DET | CAR | GB | CIN | MIN | SD | OAK | NO | NYJ | KC | NYG | TB | AZ | SEA | NE | CLE | 21 | 9 | 87 | 49.4% |
Dan Hindery | DET | CAR | CHI | CIN | ATL | JAC | OAK | HOU | MIA | BUF | NYG | IND | AZ | PIT | DEN | BAL | 48 | 9 | 81 | 46% |
Dave Larkin | PHI | DAL | GB | CIN | MIN | SD | OAK | HOU | NYJ | BUF | WASH | TB | SF | PIT | DEN | CLE | 38 | 9 | 91 | 51.7% |
James Brimacombe | DET | CAR | GB | CIN | ATL | SD | OAK | NO | MIA | KC | WASH | TB | AZ | PIT | DEN | BAL | 50 | 9 | 81 | 46% |
William Grant | DET | CAR | CHI | CIN | ATL | JAC | OAK | HOU | NYJ | KC | NYG | TB | AZ | PIT | NE | BAL | 41 | 9 | 94 | 53.4% |
Jeff Pasquino | DET | CAR | GB | CIN | MIN | JAC | OAK | NO | NYJ | KC | NYG | TB | AZ | PIT | DEN | CLE | 41 | 8 | 87 | 49.4% |
Bear Heiser | DET | CAR | CHI | CIN | MIN | JAC | OAK | NO | MIA | KC | NYG | TB | AZ | PIT | NE | BAL | 36 | 8 | 90 | 51.1% |
Chris Feery | DET | DAL | CHI | CIN | MIN | JAC | OAK | NO | NYJ | KC | NYG | IND | AZ | PIT | NE | CLE | 40 | 8 | 84 | 47.7% |
Jason Wood | DET | CAR | CHI | CIN | MIN | JAC | OAK | HOU | MIA | KC | NYG | TB | AZ | PIT | NE | CLE | 41 | 8 | 98 | 55.6% |
Jeff Haseley | PHI | CAR | CHI | STL | MIN | JAC | TEN | NO | NYJ | KC | WASH | IND | AZ | PIT | DEN | CLE | 43 | 8 | 85 | 48.2% |
John Lee | DET | DAL | CHI | CIN | ATL | JAC | OAK | HOU | NYJ | BUF | NYG | TB | SF | PIT | DEN | CLE | 40 | 8 | 96 | 54.5% |
Justin Bonnema | DET | CAR | GB | CIN | MIN | SD | OAK | NO | NYJ | KC | NYG | TB | AZ | PIT | NE | CLE | 46 | 8 | 96 | 54.5% |
Justin Howe | DET | DAL | CHI | STL | ATL | SD | OAK | NO | NYJ | KC | NYG | TB | SF | SEA | NE | CLE | 41 | 8 | 100 | 56.8% |
Steve Holloway | DET | DAL | GB | CIN | MIN | JAC | TEN | HOU | NYJ | KC | NYG | IND | AZ | SEA | NE | CLE | 34 | 8 | 78 | 44.3% |
Clayton Gray | DET | DAL | GB | CIN | ATL | JAC | OAK | HOU | NYJ | KC | NYG | TB | AZ | PIT | DEN | CLE | 45 | 7 | 90 | 51.1% |
Mark Wimer | PHI | CAR | GB | STL | ATL | JAC | OAK | HOU | NYJ | BUF | NYG | IND | AZ | SEA | DEN | CLE | 562 | 7 | 89 | 50.5% |
Matt Bitonti | DET | CAR | CHI | CIN | ATL | JAC | OAK | NO | NYJ | KC | NYG | TB | AZ | PIT | NE | CLE | 48 | 7 | 90 | 51.1% |
Maurile Tremblay | DET | CAR | CHI | CIN | ATL | JAC | OAK | HOU | NYJ | KC | NYG | TB | AZ | PIT | NE | BAL | 44 | 7 | 92 | 52.2% |
Danny Tuccitto | DET | DAL | GB | CIN | ATL | SD | OAK | NO | MIA | BUF | NYG | TB | SF | PIT | NE | CLE | 49 | 5 | 88 | 50% |
Phil Alexander | PHI | DAL | GB | CIN | ATL | SD | TEN | NO | NYJ | KC | NYG | TB | AZ | PIT | DEN | CLE | 40 | 5 | 93 | 52.8% |
Another dead heat this week with two of our staffers getting both 10 out of 14 picks and the same Monday Night Football total. Alex Miglio and Andy Hicks split the title for Week 12 with this result, as they suffered the least amount of damage of all the staff in the final six games of Week 12. The late games (Pittsburgh / Seattle, New England / Denver and Baltimore / Cleveland) created a lot of red on the results table this week as the Steelers (18 of 23 picks) failed in their upset bid and New England (13 picks) lost their first contest of the year. The unbelievable Monday Night Football finish gave the staff 17 more losses, which only added to the damage for the week. Jacksonville (15), the Giants (19), Tampa Bay (16) and Arizona (18) helped the group limp to a .500 week (184-184). The staff is still above 50% correct picks for the year at 2,067-1,981 (51.1%), which is not quite enough for the entire staff to be beating Las Vegas. Here's hoping that the winning ways continue for Week 13.
THIS WEEK'S PICKS
Here are the picks for this week:
Road Team: | GB | CIN | BAL | ATL | SEA | AZ | SF | NYJ | JAX | HOU | DEN | KC | CAR | PHI | INDY | DAL | |
Home Team: | DET | CLE | MIA | TB | MIN | STL | CHI | NYG | TEN | BUF | SD | OAK | NO | NE | PIT | WASH | |
Favorite: | GB | CIN | MIA | TB | SEA | AZ | CHI | NYJ | TEN | BUF | DEN | KC | CAR | NE | PIT | WASH | |
Point Spread: | -3.5 | -7.5 | -5.5 | -2.5 | -0.5 | -5.5 | -7.5 | -2.5 | -2.5 | -3.5 | -4.5 | -3.5 | -7.5 | -9.5 | -7.5 | -4.5 | |
Staffer | The Picks | MNF | |||||||||||||||
Jeff Pasquino | GB | CIN | BAL | ATL | SEA | AZ | CHI | NYJ | TEN | HOU | DEN | OAK | CAR | NE | PIT | WASH | 44 |
Aaron Rudnicki | DET | CIN | BAL | TB | SEA | AZ | CHI | NYJ | JAX | HOU | SD | KC | NO | NE | INDY | WASH | 44 |
Alessandro Miglio | GB | CIN | BAL | TB | SEA | STL | SF | NYG | TEN | HOU | DEN | OAK | NO | PHI | INDY | WASH | 47 |
Andrew Garda | GB | CIN | BAL | ATL | SEA | AZ | CHI | NYJ | TEN | HOU | DEN | OAK | CAR | NE | PIT | DAL | 40 |
Andy Hicks | GB | CIN | BAL | TB | SEA | STL | CHI | NYJ | JAX | HOU | DEN | OAK | CAR | NE | INDY | WASH | 49 |
Bear Heiser | GB | CIN | MIA | TB | SEA | AZ | CHI | NYJ | JAX | HOU | DEN | KC | CAR | NE | PIT | WASH | 48 |
Chris Feery | DET | CIN | BAL | TB | MIN | AZ | SF | NYJ | JAX | BUF | DEN | KC | CAR | NE | INDY | DAL | 45 |
Clayton Gray | DET | CIN | BAL | TB | MIN | AZ | SF | NYG | TEN | HOU | SD | OAK | CAR | PHI | INDY | WASH | 38 |
Dan Hindery | DET | CIN | MIA | TB | MIN | AZ | SF | NYJ | JAX | HOU | DEN | KC | CAR | PHI | INDY | WASH | 41 |
Dave Larkin | GB | CIN | BAL | TB | SEA | AZ | SF | NYJ | JAX | HOU | DEN | OAK | CAR | NE | INDY | WASH | 41 |
James Brimacombe | GB | CIN | MIA | ATL | SEA | AZ | SF | NYG | JAX | HOU | DEN | OAK | NO | NE | PIT | DAL | 50 |
Jason Wood | GB | CIN | BAL | ATL | SEA | AZ | CHI | NYJ | JAX | HOU | DEN | OAK | NO | NE | INDY | WASH | 49 |
John Lee | DET | CIN | MIA | ATL | SEA | STL | SF | NYG | JAX | HOU | DEN | OAK | NO | NE | INDY | WASH | 46 |
Justin Bonnema | GB | CIN | MIA | ATL | SEA | AZ | SF | NYG | JAX | HOU | DEN | OAK | NO | NE | PIT | WASH | 48 |
Justin Howe | DET | CIN | BAL | TB | SEA | STL | SF | NYJ | JAX | BUF | SD | OAK | CAR | NE | INDY | DAL | 43 |
Mark Wimer | GB | CIN | BAL | ATL | MIN | AZ | CHI | NYJ | JAX | HOU | DEN | OAK | CAR | NE | PIT | WASH | 38 |
Matt Bitonti | DET | CIN | MIA | TB | MIN | AZ | CHI | NYJ | JAX | BUF | DEN | KC | CAR | NE | PIT | WASH | 51 |
Phil Alexander | GB | CIN | BAL | ATL | SEA | STL | SF | NYG | TEN | BUF | SD | KC | NO | PHI | PIT | WASH | 33 |
Steve Holloway | DET | CIN | MIA | TB | MIN | AZ | CHI | NYG | TEN | HOU | DEN | KC | CAR | NE | PIT | WASH | 52 |
William Grant | DET | CIN | BAL | TB | SEA | AZ | SF | NYG | JAX | HOU | DEN | OAK | CAR | NE | INDY | WASH | 40 |
Danny Tuccitto | DET | CIN | MIA | TB | MIN | AZ | SF | NYJ | JAX | HOU | DEN | KC | CAR | PHI | INDY | WASH | 41 |
Jeff Haseley | DET | CIN | BAL | ATL | SEA | STL | CHI | NYJ | TEN | HOU | DEN | OAK | CAR | NE | PIT | WASH | 43 |
Maurile Tremblay | DET | CIN | BAL | TB | SEA | STL | SF | NYJ | JAX | BUF | DEN | OAK | NO | PHI | PIT | DAL | 45 |
CONSENSUS WINNERS
Most of the season is now behind us, and we finally have our first consensus pick for 2015! All 23 staff members pushed all of their chips onto the Bengals to win and cover the 7.5 spread against the Browns this week. I think this is as much a vote for Cincinnati as it is against Austin Davis and Cleveland. Several teams were heavily selected this week, led by Denver (19), Washington (18), Houston (18) and New England. Houston represents the top underdog selection, with three other non-favorites (Jacksonville - 16, Oakland - 15, Baltimore - 15) receiving the majority of votes for Week 12. Seattle and Arizona (16 each) were also top choices, as were the Jets and Carolina with 15 each. Las Vegas would love these sets of picks on two games that are nearly dead even (Green Bay / Detroit and Pittsburgh / Indianapolis) as the choices were split almost exactly in half for these contests. It should be very interesting to see how it plays out.
ODDS AND ENDS
We are getting deeper into the season so we should know more, but picks are due by Wednesday night. Most of the staff would agree that picking this weekend's games on Wednesday night is very difficult because you don't have much information about injuries and practice. If your league allows you to pick the later games separate from the rest, take advantage of it and make your Sunday and Monday picks as close to the weekend as possible.
A reminder that these picks are against the Las Vegas lines – so getting above 50% is respectable, above 52.3% gets you into the “profitable zone” (accounting for the Las Vegas house odds of taking 10% of every losing wager) – and anything above 60% is outstanding. That may sound easy enough, but it is much, much harder that it might seem.
Good luck this weekend!
Questions, suggestions and comments are always welcome to pasquino@footballguys.com.