Looking to dominate your office pool this season? 18 Footballguys.com staff members are here to help you out. Each week they will pick the winners of every NFL game, and rank their selections based on how confident they are that the team will win. The most confident pick gets 16 points, and the least confident gets just 1. We'll even total up everyone's picks so you can get an 'overall consensus' on who our staff think will be the most likely winners. Each week we'll announce the weekly winners, and track the overall record for the entire season. A couple of things to note before we get to the picks:
- Picks for this pool are straight up (no point spread considered).
- Picks are due on Wednesday nights, and may not reflect late-breaking news. If your league allows for last minute changes, please make adjustments to your office pool accordingly.
- Our staffers also play in weekly picks Against The Spread, and Survivor Style 'Pick one Winner each week' formats as well. Check out the other weekly articles for more help with those type of games.
WEEK 1 RESULTS
Dave Larkin CRUSHED it right out of the gate. While the rest of the staffers failed to reach 100 total points, Larkin posted 120 points for the opening week contest. Larkin only missed two games last week, and both were less than 10 points each. Chris Kuczyns did pretty well, only missing four games and finishing with 98 total confidence points for the week.
Staffer | CAR | TB | SD | CIN | CLE | GB | CHI | OAK | BUF | MIN | MIA | DET | NYG | NE | PIT | LAR | MNF | TOT |
DEN | ATL | KC | NYJ | PHI | JAX | HOU | NO | BAL | TEN | SEA | IND | DAL | ARI | WAS | SF | TOTAL | Pts | |
Larkin | DEN | TB | KC | CIN | PHI | GB | HOU | NO | BAL | MIN | SEA | DET | NYG | ARI | PIT | SF | 37 | 120 |
8 | 2 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 9 | 10 | 5 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 1 | |||
Kuczynski | CAR | TB | KC | CIN | PHI | GB | HOU | OAK | BAL | MIN | SEA | IND | NYG | ARI | PIT | LAR | 38 | 98 |
9 | 5 | 13 | 7 | 1 | 14 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 15 | 6 | 10 | 12 | 16 | 11 | |||
Bitonti | DEN | ATL | KC | NYJ | PHI | GB | HOU | OAK | BAL | TEN | SEA | IND | NYG | ARI | PIT | SF | 38 | 90 |
4 | 14 | 16 | 1 | 12 | 3 | 10 | 7 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 15 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 2 | |||
Roberts | DEN | TB | KC | NYJ | CLE | GB | HOU | NO | BAL | TEN | SEA | IND | NYG | ARI | PIT | LAR | 40 | 88 |
1 | 4 | 15 | 2 | 3 | 14 | 12 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 16 | 13 | 5 | 8 | 11 | 7 | |||
Knotts | CAR | ATL | KC | CIN | PHI | GB | HOU | NO | BUF | TEN | SEA | IND | NYG | ARI | PIT | LAR | 41 | 88 |
12 | 5 | 14 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 15 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 16 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 10 | 3 | |||
Miglio | DEN | ATL | KC | CIN | PHI | GB | HOU | NO | BAL | TEN | SEA | IND | DAL | ARI | PIT | LAR | 45 | 88 |
1 | 2 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 14 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 16 | 13 | 5 | 11 | 4 | 3 | |||
Garda | CAR | ATL | KC | CIN | PHI | GB | HOU | NO | BAL | MIN | SEA | IND | NYG | ARI | PIT | LAR | 40 | 87 |
4 | 14 | 12 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 8 | 5 | 11 | 6 | 15 | 16 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 1 | |||
Wood | CAR | TB | KC | NYJ | PHI | GB | HOU | OAK | BUF | TEN | SEA | DET | NYG | ARI | WAS | LAR | 35 | 86 |
16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |||
Gray | CAR | ATL | KC | CIN | CLE | GB | HOU | NO | BAL | MIN | SEA | DET | NYG | ARI | WAS | LAR | 41 | 85 |
8 | 10 | 1 | 13 | 2 | 14 | 15 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 16 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 3 | 11 | |||
Tuccitto | DEN | TB | KC | NYJ | PHI | GB | HOU | OAK | BUF | TEN | SEA | IND | DAL | ARI | WAS | SF | 49 | 85 |
9 | 1 | 15 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 13 | 8 | 12 | 5 | 6 | |||
Pasquino | CAR | ATL | KC | NYJ | PHI | GB | HOU | OAK | BAL | MIN | SEA | IND | NYG | ARI | PIT | LAR | 39 | 84 |
8 | 2 | 13 | 6 | 3 | 11 | 15 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 16 | 14 | 9 | 12 | 7 | 10 | |||
Wimer | CAR | ATL | KC | NYJ | PHI | GB | HOU | OAK | BAL | TEN | SEA | DET | NYG | ARI | WAS | SF | 49 | 83 |
11 | 10 | 12 | 9 | 1 | 16 | 13 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 15 | 5 | 4 | 14 | 3 | 2 | |||
Heiser | CAR | TB | KC | CIN | PHI | GB | CHI | NO | BAL | TEN | SEA | DET | DAL | ARI | PIT | LAR | 38 | 82 |
13 | 5 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 16 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 14 | 2 | 1 | |||
Mamula | CAR | ATL | KC | NYJ | PHI | GB | HOU | OAK | BUF | MIN | SEA | IND | DAL | ARI | PIT | LAR | 27 | 79 |
9 | 10 | 12 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 15 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 16 | 11 | 2 | 13 | 14 | 1 | |||
Grant | CAR | ATL | KC | CIN | PHI | GB | HOU | NO | BUF | TEN | SEA | IND | DAL | ARI | PIT | LAR | 44 | 75 |
12 | 10 | 15 | 5 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 8 | 2 | 14 | 6 | 4 | |||
Brimacombe | CAR | ATL | KC | CIN | PHI | GB | HOU | NO | BUF | MIN | SEA | IND | NYG | ARI | PIT | LAR | 44 | 74 |
9 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 14 | 15 | 3 | 16 | 2 | 1 | |||
Feery | DEN | ATL | KC | NYJ | CLE | GB | HOU | OAK | BUF | TEN | SEA | IND | NYG | ARI | PIT | LAR | 45 | 72 |
9 | 5 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 4 | 8 | 11 | 7 | 10 | 16 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 1 | |||
Hicks | DEN | ATL | KC | NYJ | PHI | JAX | HOU | NO | BAL | TEN | SEA | IND | DAL | ARI | WAS | SF | 35 | 64 |
7 | 4 | 11 | 8 | 1 | 9 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 3 | 16 | 10 | 5 | 13 | 6 | 2 | |||
Away | CAR | TB | SD | CIN | CLE | GB | CHI | OAK | BUF | MIN | MIA | DET | NYG | NE | PIT | LAR | ||
Total Pts | 111 | 32 | 0 | 82 | 17 | 188 | 9 | 48 | 30 | 34 | 0 | 21 | 66 | 0 | 95 | 55 | ||
Home | DEN | ATL | KC | NYJ | PHI | JAX | HOU | NO | BAL | TEN | SEA | IND | DAL | ARI | WAS | SF | ||
Total Pts | 39 | 96 | 233 | 67 | 120 | 9 | 207 | 79 | 90 | 62 | 260 | 158 | 25 | 183 | 19 | 13 |
There were a couple big upsets this week, but all of the teams that had 200 or more confidence points won their respective games. The biggest upset was Arizona's loss to New England, which took down the entire field. The Panthers started off the week on a down note for a majority of the field, with only 39 total confidence points going to teams that picked Denver. Finally, Detroit's upset of Indianapolis took down 158 confidence points for the field.
OVERALL RANKINGS
Each week we'll review the overall rankings in this space. For now, the Week 1 rankings just carry forward.
Staffer | Wk01 | Wk02 | Wk03 | Wk04 | Wk05 | Wk06 | Wk07 | Wk08 | Wk09 | Wk10 | Wk11 | Wk12 | Wk13 | Wk14 | Wk15 | Wk16 | Wk17 | Total |
Larkin | 120 | 120 | ||||||||||||||||
Kuczyns | 98 | 98 | ||||||||||||||||
Bitonti | 90 | 90 | ||||||||||||||||
Roberts | 88 | 88 | ||||||||||||||||
Knotts | 88 | 88 | ||||||||||||||||
Miglio | 88 | 88 | ||||||||||||||||
Garda | 87 | 87 | ||||||||||||||||
Wood | 86 | 86 | ||||||||||||||||
Gray | 85 | 85 | ||||||||||||||||
Tuccitto | 87 | 87 | ||||||||||||||||
Pasquino | 84 | 84 | ||||||||||||||||
Wimer | 83 | 83 | ||||||||||||||||
Heiser | 82 | 82 | ||||||||||||||||
Mamula | 79 | 79 | ||||||||||||||||
Grant | 75 | 75 | ||||||||||||||||
Brimacombe | 74 | 74 | ||||||||||||||||
Feery | 72 | 72 | ||||||||||||||||
Hicks | 64 | 64 |
THIS WEEK'S PICKS
Here are the picks for this week
Staffer | NYJ | BAL | MIA | DAL | TEN | KC | SF | CIN | NO | TB | SEA | ATL | JAX | IND | GB | PHI | MNF |
BUF | CLE | NE | WAS | DET | HOU | CAR | PIT | NYG | ARI | LAR | OAK | SD | DEN | MIN | CHI | TOT | |
Miglio | BUF | BAL | NE | WAS | DET | HOU | CAR | PIT | NYG | ARI | SEA | OAK | SD | DEN | GB | CHI | 46 |
2 | 12 | 11 | 3 | 9 | 5 | 16 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 1 | ||
Garda | NYJ | BAL | NE | DAL | DET | HOU | CAR | PIT | NYG | ARI | SEA | OAK | JAX | DEN | GB | PHI | 45 |
2 | 14 | 15 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 13 | 8 | 12 | 11 | 16 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 4 | 10 | ||
Hicks | BUF | BAL | NE | WAS | DET | HOU | CAR | PIT | NYG | ARI | LAR | OAK | SD | DEN | MIN | CHI | 41 |
3 | 1 | 16 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 15 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 2 | 14 | 10 | 5 | ||
Heiser | NYJ | BAL | NE | WAS | DET | KC | CAR | PIT | NO | ARI | SEA | OAK | JAX | DEN | GB | CHI | 42 |
12 | 11 | 16 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 15 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 6 | ||
Feery | NYJ | BAL | NE | WAS | TEN | KC | CAR | PIT | NYG | ARI | SEA | OAK | JAX | DEN | GB | CHI | 42 |
2 | 9 | 12 | 1 | 7 | 10 | 16 | 5 | 4 | 15 | 11 | 14 | 6 | 13 | 8 | 3 | ||
Kuczynski | NYJ | BAL | NE | WAS | DET | KC | CAR | PIT | NYG | ARI | SEA | OAK | JAX | DEN | GB | PHI | 44 |
5 | 13 | 11 | 4 | 10 | 6 | 15 | 8 | 3 | 14 | 12 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 16 | 1 | ||
Gray | NYJ | BAL | NE | WAS | DET | HOU | CAR | PIT | NYG | ARI | SEA | OAK | JAX | DEN | GB | CHI | 45 |
5 | 15 | 13 | 3 | 12 | 4 | 16 | 8 | 6 | 11 | 14 | 9 | 1 | 10 | 7 | 2 | ||
Tuccitto | NYJ | BAL | NE | DAL | DET | HOU | CAR | PIT | NYG | ARI | SEA | OAK | JAX | DEN | GB | CHI | 49 |
4 | 10 | 14 | 3 | 13 | 1 | 16 | 9 | 8 | 15 | 11 | 7 | 2 | 12 | 5 | 6 | ||
Larkin | NYJ | BAL | NE | DAL | DET | HOU | CAR | PIT | NYG | ARI | SEA | OAK | JAX | DEN | GB | CHI | 47 |
10 | 13 | 16 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 15 | 7 | 6 | 12 | 14 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 2 | 1 | ||
Knotts | BUF | BAL | NE | WAS | DET | KC | CAR | PIT | NYG | ARI | SEA | OAK | JAX | DEN | GB | PHI | 44 |
1 | 15 | 8 | 2 | 11 | 3 | 13 | 9 | 6 | 12 | 16 | 7 | 4 | 14 | 10 | 5 | ||
Brimacombe | NYJ | BAL | NE | WAS | DET | HOU | CAR | PIT | NYG | ARI | SEA | OAK | JAX | DEN | GB | PHI | 45 |
1 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 11 | 16 | 10 | 9 | 15 | 14 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 2 | ||
Wood | NYJ | BAL | NE | WAS | DET | HOU | CAR | PIT | NYG | TB | SEA | OAK | JAX | DEN | GB | PHI | 46 |
16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | ||
Pasquino | NYJ | BAL | NE | DAL | DET | HOU | CAR | PIT | NYG | ARI | SEA | OAK | JAX | DEN | GB | CHI | 43 |
2 | 12 | 14 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 16 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 6 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 1 | ||
Mamula | NYJ | BAL | NE | DAL | DET | HOU | CAR | PIT | NYG | ARI | SEA | OAK | JAX | DEN | GB | CHI | 42 |
12 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 16 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 15 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | ||
Roberts | NYJ | BAL | NE | WAS | DET | KC | CAR | PIT | NYG | ARI | LAR | OAK | JAX | DEN | GB | CHI | 40 |
5 | 14 | 15 | 1 | 10 | 4 | 16 | 12 | 7 | 9 | 3 | 11 | 6 | 8 | 13 | 2 | ||
Wimer | NYJ | BAL | NE | WAS | DET | HOU | CAR | PIT | NYG | ARI | SEA | OAK | JAX | DEN | GB | PHI | 52 |
9 | 14 | 12 | 8 | 13 | 7 | 15 | 6 | 5 | 10 | 16 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 2 | 1 | ||
Bitonti | NYJ | BAL | NE | DAL | DET | KC | CAR | CIN | NO | ARI | SEA | OAK | SD | DEN | GB | CHI | 48 |
9 | 16 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 15 | 3 | 11 | 4 | 14 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 13 | 2 | ||
Grant | BUF | BAL | MIA | DAL | DET | HOU | CAR | PIT | NYG | ARI | SEA | OAK | SD | DEN | GB | PHI | 41 |
1 | 11 | 14 | 2 | 10 | 8 | 16 | 5 | 7 | 13 | 9 | 12 | 3 | 15 | 6 | 4 | ||
Away | NYJ | BAL | MIA | DAL | TEN | KC | SF | CIN | NO | TB | SEA | ATL | JAX | IND | GB | PHI | |
Total Pts | 94 | 221 | 14 | 36 | 7 | 43 | 0 | 3 | 15 | 7 | 212 | 0 | 57 | 0 | 123 | 24 | |
Home | BUF | CLE | NE | WAS | DET | HOU | CAR | PIT | NYG | ARI | LAR | OAK | SD | DEN | MIN | CHI | |
Total Pts | 7 | 0 | 210 | 56 | 164 | 71 | 262 | 137 | 121 | 189 | 16 | 148 | 17 | 154 | 10 | 30 |
HEAVY FAVORITES
Baltimore, Carolina, Oakland and Denver were all unanimous choices for the staffers this week and over 700 combined confidence points wagered on these four teams. The Jets, Lions, Steelers and Cardinals are also heavy favorites this week.
DUAL SUPPORT
The Monday night contest is about as close as it gets this early in the season. Chicago gains just a four point 'home field advantage', and there were only 52 total confidence points risked on this game. Odds are, the staffer leading after the Sunday night game will be next week's winner. Dallas at Washington, and KC at Houston were also closer games, with the home teams being a slight favorite in both of those games as well. in your office pool, you might not want to risk a lot of points on any of these games.
ODDS AND ENDS
136 is still the maximum amount of points that a staffer can get until we have a bye week for the NFL teams. It's easy for a player like Larkin to build a big lead with a couple solid weeks. In your local pools, try not to fall too far off the overall pace before we get into the bye weeks. Look at the tougher games, and even if you have a strong feeling on one of the teams, consider lowering your overall confidence points on the contest in case things go wrong.
Clayton Gray missed the cut-off for this week, but his picks will be included in next week's totals.
Good luck this weekend!