Alternative Picks – Week 5, 2017

Tony has won the first four weeks, though it wasn’t until the last one that he started pulling away.

Of the first 10 games they picked, he got nine correct, en route to an 11-5 week. Andy’s starting to run the risk that what started out as a fun little wager might turn into a bank account draining blowout.

Here are the standings:

While Andy is stubborn and persistent, he apparently is done banging his head against walls. With bye weeks and a bunch of toss-up games in play, he decided to pick first this week.

1. Andy: Pittsburgh over Jacksonville – Which Jaguars team is going to show up? Which Steelers team is going to show up? Hell, after being bludgeoned the last two weeks, I don’t even feel good about my first stab at a game in week five. This could be a long week.
2. Tony: Philadelphia over Arizona – I don’t know that Philadelphia is that good, but I do know the Cardinals have been that bad.
3. Tony: New England over Tampa Bay – With a lack of obvious selections, I’ll take the defending champions to finally start stepping on some teams.
4. Andy: NY Giants over Homeless Chargers – I remain stunned by the ineptitude of the Giants. I am less stunned by the same in the Homeless Chargers. The former has shown at least some signs of life the last couple weeks. The latter just keeps inventing new ways to lose.
5. Tony: Dallas over Green Bay – Dallas hasn’t one of the best lines in the league still (I think), and the Packers are hurting on theirs. With two suspect defenses, I’ll take the better line.
6. Andy: Tennessee over Miami – Even if Matt Cassel has to start for Tennessee, Miami just seems lifeless with Jay Cutler at the helm. They’ve almost become a better team to bet against right now than Cle… well, maybe I won’t go that far.
7. Tony: Detroit over Carolina – This pick was before Cam Newton tried to set females in the media back 4 decades. Of course, my initial reaction was that it was funny that any reporter would ask him about routes.
8. Andy: Oakland over Baltimore – Hmm. Tony’s a lot more confident in … well, Tony probably should be a lot more confident in a lot of games than I should right now. Nonetheless, I don’t think he’s right on Detroit. As far as my pick, Joe Flacco looks done. I don’t love this pick. E.J. Manuel isn’t a lot better, but I just think the Ravens are going to have to move on at the QB position after this year.
9. Tony: Buffalo over Cincinnati – I realize Cincinnati is at home, and the Bills aren’t really going to win the AFC East, but how are the Bungles favored in this one?
10. Andy: Indianapolis over San Francisco – No confidence in this one. Jacoby Brissett has been competent and the Colts are at home. Could be a shootout?
11. Tony: LA Rams over Seattle – If you’d said in week 5 I would be picking the Rams over the Seahawks, I’d have said you’re nuts. But here we are.
12. Andy: Houston over Kansas City – Hmm. Gutty on the Rams pick. I guess Tony has some margin for error, but damn, that’s gutty. I’m going with the new phenom in Houston to end the Chiefs’ winning streak. Not quite as gutty, I don’t think, but if I am going to get back in this thing, I need to start hitting on some upsets.
13.  Tony: Cleveland over NY Jets – Who knows…and who cares? I just refuse to pick the Vikings…even over a rookie QB.
14. Andy: Chicago over Minnesota – So, Sam Bradford comes out in week one and has the game of his life, then pulls up lame with another knee issue. Then Dalvin Cook emerges as one of the stud rookie RBs of the 2017 draft class, only to tear his ACL in week four. What’s next? Mitch Trubisky makes his debut as the Bears’ starter and proceeds to shred this near-elite defense for 350 and four TDs, all to WRs nobody has ever heard of? Sounds like the Vikings way.

For those scoring at home:

And for our more traditional picks, here you go (Tony leads these too):