2013 TransGriot NFL Predictions Week 12

Well, I ended my two game losing streak, but the Texans streak has now reached eight games and tensions are high in their locker room as witnessed by Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson jawing at each out after that fourth down red zone play to win the game failed  

Gary Kubiak returned from his mini stroke to coach the Raiders game from the press box under doctor's orders and like us, some of the things that happened in this surreal loss made us wonder if Kubiak would have another stoke watching them make stupid mistakes that cost them another game.   

That coaches chair is also getting warm under Gary Kubiak's behind, too.

Even though I'm in San Antonio right now to speak at their TDOR event tonight , the NFL prognostication contest between me, Eli and Mike continues as we all endure this unpredictable rollercoaster called the 2013 NFL season.

Mike and I both rebounded from lousy Week 10 results to have a better Week 11 and Eli kept pace as we all ended up with 9-6 records

So let's get to Week 12.  Four teams on their bye week, so only fourteen games  to select.  My picks are in underlined bold print     Mike's and Eli's are here.


Week 11 Results
TransGriot      9-6
Eli Blake        9-6
Mike Watts    9-6

2013 Season Record
TransGriot      90-72
Eli                  104-58
Mike              100-62 

NFL Week 12
Bye Teams: Buffalo, Cincinnati, Philadelphia,  Seattle 

Thursday Night Game
New Orleans at Atlanta

Sunday Noon Games
Tampa Bay at Detroit
Minnesota at Green Bay
Jacksonville at Houston
San Diego at Kansas City
Carolina at Miami
Pittsburgh at Cleveland
Chicago at St. Louis
NY Jets at Baltimore

Sunday Afternoon Games
Tennessee at Oakland
Indianapolis at Arizona
Dallas at NY Giants

Sunday Night Game
Denver at New England

Monday Night Game
San Francisco at Washington

2013 TransGriot NFL Predictions Week 11

Another week has passed, my Texans still haven't won a game since September and had another ugly prognostication week in the worst season ever for me doing this.  

First time I've ever had back to back sub .500 weeks but Mr. Watts also joined me in sub .500 territory as Mr. Blake rebounded from his less than stellar Week 10 to go 9-5.

Serves him right for that crack about me being just ahead of the Washington Generals last week   May I remind you who won the 2012 NFL prognostication battle last year 

Since Veterans Day falls during this month, November has been the NFL's 'Salute To Service' month that honors veterans and active duty military personnel.

For every point scored during the NFL's 32 designated 'Salute to Service' games, the NFL donates $100 to each of its three military non-profit partners, the Pat Tillman Foundation, the USO and the Wounded Warrior Project.   They are also selling NFL camouflage merchandise on their website 

Now let's segue to this week's prognostication business since last week sucked  and I need to put it behind me. Teams I'm picking to win in underlined bold print.   Mike and Eli's picks are here.

Week 10 Results
TransGriot      6-8
Eli Blake        9-5
Mike Watts    6-8

2013 Season Record
TransGriot      81-66
Eli                  95-52
Mike              91-56 

NFL Week 11
Bye Week Dallas, St. Louis.



Thursday Night Game
Indianapolis at Tennessee

Sunday Noon Games
NY Jets at Buffalo
Atlanta at Tampa Bay
Detroit at Pittsburgh
Washington at Philadelphia
Arizona at Jacksonville
Oakland at Houston
Baltimore at Chicago
Cleveland at Cincinnati

Sunday Afternoon Games
San Diego at Miami
Green Bay at NY Giants
Minnesota at Seattle
San Francisco at New Orleans

Sunday Night Game
Kansas City at Denver

Monday Night Game
New England at Carolina

2013 TransGriot NFL Predictions Week 10

This is now officially the worst year I've ever had in NFL punditry.    I had another lousy week in this wild and crazy NFL season in which surreal things have been happening this year.  

That even extends to my fave NFL squad who last week were beating the Colts like a drum 21-3 only to have their head coach have a mini stroke at halftime and subsequently fall victim to another Andrew Luck comeback.

Arrgh.  My frustration over the Texans 2-6 season you can read here.   Since my chance to defend my prognostication title is way over, I'm just aiming lower.  Time to at least shoot for a winning record this week with my NFL picks since there's no way I can make up group on Eli and Mike saddled with a double digit deficit.  

Then again they had a lousy Week 9 too.. So lets get to it.  Teams I'm picking to win in underlined bold print.   Mike's and Eli selections here. 

Week 9 Results
TransGriot      6-7
Eli Blake        5-8
Mike Watts    7-6

2013 Season Record
TransGriot      75-58
Eli                  86-47
Mike              85-48 

NFL Week 10
Bye Week:  Cleveland, Kansas City, New England, NY Jets

Thursday Night Game
Washington at Minnesota

Sunday Noon games
Seattle at Atlanta
Cincinnati at Baltimore
Detroit at Chicago
Philadelphia at Green Bay
St Louis at Indianapolis
Oakland at NY Giants
Buffalo at Pittsburgh
Jacksonville at Tennessee

Sunday Afternoon Games
Carolina at San Francisco
Houston at Arizona
Denver at San Diego

Sunday Night Game
Dallas at New Orleans

Monday Night Game
Miami at Tampa Bay

2013 TransGriot NFL Predictions Week 9

We're now starting the second half of the NFL season and the NFL prognostication contest between me, Mike and Eli continues. 

Last week birthday boy Mike was happy that he'd finally caught up with Eli after that hot start and Eli obviously cooling off for several weeks.

But Eli awakened out of that prognostication slumber with a vengeance as he nearly had a perfect week, with the only game he misfired on being the Philadelphia-NY Giants one. 

I rebounded from my lousy Week 7 to go 9-4 in the games that were played last weekend.  Meanwhile, hoping my fave NFL team does the same when they come out of their bye week to play the Indianapolis Colts with the bright lights of the NBC TV cameras coming to Reliant Stadium. 

And since Texans head coach Gary Kubiak has now handed the starter's job to Keenum that he earned against Kansas City, that means this game will not only be his first start at Reliant Stadium.in front of the home fans, it'll be Case Keenum's NBC Sunday Night Football debut.

And yep, it's fitting that's also Battle Red night    Eat 'em up...er Go Texans!

So time to pick the Week 9 Games.   Once again since there are six teams enjoying their bye week, only 13 games to select.  My picks as usual in underlined bold print, Mike's and Eli's are here.

Week 8 Results
TransGriot     9-4
Eli Blake        12-1
Mike Watts    9-4

2013 Season Record
TransGriot      69-51
Eli                  81-39
Mike              78-42 

NFL Week 9
Bye Teams  Arizona, Denver, Detroit, Jacksonville, NY Giants, San Francisco 

Thursday Night Game
Cincinnati at Miami

Sunday Noon Games
Atlanta at Carolina
Minnesota at Dallas
New Orleans at NY Jets
Tennessee at St Louis
Kansas City at Buffalo
San Diego at Washington

Sunday Afternoon Games
Philadelphia at Oakland
Tampa Bay at Seattle
Baltimore at Cleveland
Pittsburgh at New England

Sunday Night Game
Indianapolis at Houston

Monday Night Game
Chicago at Green Bay

2013 TransGriot NFL Predictions Week 8

It is the halfway point of the 2013 NFL season and the prognostication contest I'm in with Mr. Blake and Mr. Watts.  As you probably guessed, I'm not happy with where I am at this stage of the season 

Mike finally caught Eli, and the next eight weeks of the season are going to be interesting in this prognostication contest between these two.  Can I get back into the thick of this contest and erase a nine game deficit to both of them with 8 weeks to go in the 2013 NFL season? 

Maybe, since my tendency has been to get stronger as the season progresses.  But in order to make that comeback happen, I need a string of double digit wins starting now.    

I'm also not happy with where my hometown NFL team is, and neither is Texans owner Bob McNair, the fanbase or the players. At least I can say with absolute certainty the 2-5 Texans won't lose this Sunday because they're on their bye week

The good news is the Texans finally did what me and half of Houston wanted them to do and start Case Keenum.  He performed admirably in their 17-16 loss to the unbeaten Chiefs.   The bad news is we lost Brian Cushing for the season.

Last week I achieved a dubious distinction.  I've never had happen to me in all the years I'm prognosticated  NFL games and done so on this blog had two sub.500 weeks.  First time for everything.   

While I'm pissed off about the subpar Week 7 record, Mike and Eli were only marginally better.  

So let's get to work. In addition to the Texans there are five other teams on their bye week so only 13 games to select.  Teams I'm picking this week are in underlined bold print.   Eli and Mike's picks are here. 

Week 7 Results
TransGriot     7-8
Eli Blake        8-7
Mike Watts    9-6

2013 Season Record
TransGriot      60-47
Eli                  69-38
Mike              69-38 

NFL Week 8
Bye Teams: Baltimore, Chicago, Houston, Indianapolis, San Diego, Tennessee

Thursday Night Game
Carolina at Tampa Bay

Sunday Noon Games
San Francisco at Jacksonville
Cleveland at Kansas City
Miami at New England
Buffalo at New Orleans
Dallas at Detroit
NY Giants at Philadelphia

Sunday Afternoon Games
Pittsburgh at Oakland
NY Jets at Cincinnati
Atlanta at Arizona
Washington vs Denver

Sunday Night Game
Green Bay at Minnesota

Monday Night Game
Seattle vs St Louis

2013 TransGriot NFL Predictions-Week 7

It's NFL Week 7 and we're getting closer to the midpoint of the 2013 season.  

While I got out of my prognostication slump for now by tying Mr Watts for Week 6 honors with an 11-4 record, my Texans haven't corrected whatever ails them football wise after four weeks and they head to unbeaten Kansas City.

Meanwhile Mike has almost erased that deficit between him and Mr. Blake and is one game behind him   I'm in single digit deficit territory now and climbing out of that hole I dug with the less than stellar weeks.

Speaking of erasing deficits, let me cut the jibber-jabber and get started on trying to get back into this contest. Teams I'm picking are in underlined bold print.   Eli and Mike's picks are here.

Because only two teams are on their bye weeks, only 15 games to pick.  So like my hometown NFL ballers, don't have much room for error with an eight game deficit to make up.

Week 6 Results
TransGriot     11-4
Eli Blake          9-6
Mike Watts    11-4

2013 Season Record
TransGriot      53-39
Eli                  61-31
Mike              60-32

NFL Week 7
Bye Teams: New Orleans, Oakland   

Thursday Night Game
Seattle at Arizona

Sunday Noon Games
Tampa Bay at Atlanta
Chicago at Washington
Dallas at Philadelphia
New England at NY Jets
Buffalo at Miami
San Diego at Jacksonville
St Louis at Carolina
Cincinnati at Detroit

Sunday Afternoon Games
Houston at Kansas City
Baltimore at Pittsburgh
Cleveland at Green Bay
San Francisco at Tennessee

Sunday Night Game
Denver at Indianapolis

Monday Night Game
Minnesota at NY Giants

2013 TransGriot NFL Predictions-Week 6

The slump continues as I had a below .500 week prognosticating games to go with my pissivity over the pathetic Texan offensive performance in San Francisco.

Incredibly, Matt Schaub is probably going to start this weekend against the St Louis Rams.  If he throws another pick six at Reliant during that game they will hear the booing all the way on the other end of I-45 and Gary Kubiak may need to start considering updating his resume. 

I stunk up Week 5 with an unacceptable 6-8 record and gotta get out of this funk because we're almost at the halfway point of the season.  Fortunately I had company as Eli seems to have cooled of from his hot start but Mike is starting to get hot now and chopped Eli's lead down to three games over him. 

Anyway, before I get to this week's picks, October is the NFL's 'A Crucial Catch' breast cancer awareness campaign in which the NFL logo appears with the pink breast cancer ribbon, players wear gear with pink trim and the referees throw pink penalty flags at many of the games this month.

Week 6 has only two teams on their bye week, the 3-2 Dolphins and the 1-4 Falcons, so only 15 games to pick this week.  As per usual, my picks for this week's games are in underlined bold print.   Eli's and Mike's are here. 
.
Week 5 Results
TransGriot      6-8
Eli Blake        7-7
Mike Watts    9-5

2013 Season Record
TransGriot      42-35
Eli                  52-25
Mike              49-28

NFL Week 6Bye Week: Miami, Atlanta

Thursday Night Game
NY Giants at Chicago

Sunday Noon Games
Green Bay at Baltimore
Cincinnati at Buffalo
Detroit at Cleveland
St Louis at Houston
Oakland at Kansas City
Carolina at Minnesota
Pittsburgh at NY Jets
Philadelphia at Tampa Bay

Sunday Afternoon Games
Jacksonville at Denver
New Orleans at New England
Arizona at San Francisco
Tennessee at Seattle

Sunday Night Game
Washington at Dallas

Monday Night Game
Indianapolis at San Diego

 

2013 TransGriot NFL Predictions-Week 5

This was a good news-bad news week for me in this 2013 prognostication contest that has now hit Week 5.  The good news is I didn't have another sub-.500 week.   The bad news was I had to go 4-1 in my Week 4 afternoon and Sunday-Monday night games to go a pitiful 8-7.

Okay, I'm really getting tired of this slow start, and I'm not just talking about me in this 2013 NFL prognostication contest.    

The Texans played 3.5 quarters of football last Sunday against the Seahawks.   When I left the house to go to the Race Relations Forum they were comfortably up 20-3.   By the time I arrived at Resurrection MCC they were tied and in OT for the third game this year and subsequently lost 23-20 to go 2-2 on the year. 

There were some Texans fans (myself included) who were not too happy about the Matt Schaub fourth quarter pick six that tied the game.  It's the third consecutive game he's thrown a pick six and at 2-2 in the middle of a brutal stretch of their schedule we are concerned about our NFL ballers inside Loop 610, especially since the Bulls on Parade defense has played lights out save the Baltimore game.  

One disgruntled fan expressed himself in a beyond nekulturny way by paying $200 for a Matt Schaub jersey he subsequently burned.  

Dude, I get it you're PO'd at Schaub, but I can think of better ways to spend $200   

Schaub better step it up this Sunday night on national TV against the 49ers or else he may find himself in Week 6 on the bench looking at TJ Yates or Case Keenum in his spot.

It's now NFL Week 5 and only have fourteen games to pick because four teams are on their bye weeks.  The 1-3 Vikings and the 0-4 Steelers who played last week across The Pond, the 1-3 Redskins, and the 0-4 Buccaneers.  Speaking of stepping it up, same goes for me in this prognostication contest.  

Teams I'm picking to win this week are in underlined bold print.   Eli's and Mike's picks are here. 

Week 4 Results
TransGriot     8-7
Eli Blake        8-7
Mike Watts  10-5

2013 Season Record
TransGriot      36-27
Eli                  45-18
Mike              40-23

NFL Week 5
Bye Week: Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Washington, Tampa Bay

Thursday Night Game
Buffalo at Cleveland

Sunday Noon Games
New England at Cincinnati
Detroit at Green Bay
Seattle at Indianapolis
Baltimore at Miami
New Orleans at Chicago
Philadelphia at NY Giants
Kansas City at Tennessee
Jacksonville at St Louis

Sunday Afternoon Games
Carolina at Arizona
Denver at Dallas

Sunday Night Games
Houston at San Francisco
San Diego at Oakland

Monday Night Game
NY Jets at Atlanta

.

2013 TransGriot NFL Predictions-Week 4

NFL Week 3 was ugly as I had a sub-500 week no thanks to all the upsets.  While I still have time to get back into this contest, I'd better do it fast because we're now a quarter of the way into the season and Eli is showing no signs of cooling off form his hot start.   I can't afford any more 7-9 weeks.

And yeah the Texans return to cha-cha football on offense against the Ravens didn't help me avoid a sub.500 week either. What do I mean by cha-cha football on offense? 

One, two, three, kick.  One, two, three, kick.

Moving the ball at will until you get to the red zone and you come away with field goals instead of touchdowns will get you beat against upper echelon NFL teams.  If the Texans consider themselves an upper echelon Super Bowl contending club, better start scoring TD's when they get it in the red zone especially since their schedule for the next two weeks ain't no picnic.

This NFL Week 4 we see the first two teams get their bye week as Carolina and Green Bay get to watch 'errbody' else play while they chill on the couch. 

The winless Steelers and Vikings are in London to play their regular season game at Wembley Stadium with the loser facing a long depressing plane ride back across The Pond pondering an 0-4 start and increasing chances of missing the 2013 NFL playoffs. 

We are starting to get a feel for which teams look like Super Bowl contenders, which ones look like pretenders, and which ones will be playing for the number one pick in the 2014 NFL Draft next May.

So I have some work to do to get back into this prognostication contest and only 15 games to select due to the bye week.  My picks as usual are in underlined bold print while Eli's and Mike's are here.

Week 3 Results
TransGriot    7-9
Eli Blake     12-4
Mike Watts   9-7

2013 Season Record
TransGriot      28-20
Eli                  37-11
Mike              30-18

NFL Week 4
Bye Week  Carolina, Green Bay

Thursday Night Game
San Francisco at St Louis 

Sunday Noon Games
Seattle at Houston
NY Giants at Kansas City
Baltimore at Buffalo
Arizona at Tampa Bay
Indianapolis at Jacksonville
Cincinnati at Cleveland
Chicago at Detroit
Pittsburgh at Minnesota (London)
NY Jets at Tennessee

Sunday Afternoon Games
Dallas at San Diego
Washington at Oakland
Philadelphia at Denver

Sunday Night Game
New England at Atlanta

Monday Night Game
Miami at New Orleans

 

2013 TransGriot NFL Predictions-Week 3

Now that's more like it!

I rebounded from my sorry for me Week One 9-7 NFL prognostication performance to have a much better 12-4 week.   But so did Eli who continues his hot start to his rookie NFL prognostication campaign with a 13-3 week while Mike slipped a bit to 10-6. 

But it's still early in this 2013 NFL prognostication contest.  As I and Mike both know it's a marathon, not a sprint.  We're only in Week 3 of the young NFL season despite Eli opening up an early four game lead on both of us.

I had a seven game lead last year that Mike erased, and in 2011 I erased a four game deficit with two weeks to go to tie Mike for the title.   One bad week from Eli (and it's coming) or a hot streak from either me or Mike and we'll be right back in it.    


While I was in Oakland I got to see parts of the Raiders home opening win over the Jaguars before Trans* H4CK judging duties called. 

I missed my fave NFL ballers beating the Tennessee Traitors at Reliant Stadium 30-24 in overtime to go 2-0 on the season.  The Texans as a result of that win took over sole possession of first place in the AFC South and the Colts loss to Miami.

But the Texans begin a brutal three week stretch of their schedule by playing the Not So Angry Birds in Baltimore this weekend and following that up with games against the Seahawks at Reliant and the defending NFC champion 49ers in San Francisco.   

Enough jibber-jabber, let's get to the Week 3 NFL picks since that's what y'all surfed over here for.

Teams I'm picking to win are in underlined bold print on the weekly schedule while Eli and Mike's picks are here at these links.

Week 2 Results                                                    

TransGriot    12-4
Eli Blake       13-3
Mike Watts   10-6
 .
2013 Season Record

TransGriot      21-11
Eli                  25-7
Mike              21-11

NFL Week 3

Thursday Night Game
Kansas City at Philadelphia

Sunday Noon Games
Houston at Baltimore
NY Giants at Carolina
Detroit at Washington
San Diego at Tennessee
Arizona at New Orleans
Tampa Bay at New England
Green Bay at Cincinnati
St Louis at Dallas
Cleveland at Minnesota

Sunday Afternoon Games
Atlanta at Miami
Buffalo at NY Jets
Indianapolis at San Francisco
Jacksonville at Seattle


Sunday Night Game
Chicago at Pittsburgh

Monday Night Game
Oakland at Denver

2013 TransGriot NFL Predictions-Week 2

Like every other Texans fan in H-town I was up late Monday night watching my hometown NFL ballers stink up Qualcomm Stadium in the first half, then flip the script and outscore the Chargers 24-7 in the second half for a historic 31-28 comeback win 

That comeback win helped me go 9-7 for the opening week of the 2013 NFL season.  While that's above .500, not good enough if I want to repeat as the NFL prognostication champion, especially with two people in the mix this year.

It's also a trip that our newbie Eli beat both me and Mike this week  

So it's time to get busy with my Week 2 NFL picks.  Team I'm picking to win is in underlined bold print  Eli and Mike's picks are here.

Week 1 Records

TransGriot     9-7
Mike Watts  11-5
Eli Blake      12-4

NFL Week 2

Thursday Night Game
New England at New York Jets

Sunday Noon Games
Tennessee at Houston
Baltimore at Cleveland
Carolina at Buffalo
St. Louis at Atlanta
Minnesota at Chicago
Dallas at Kansas City
Miami at Indianapolis
Washington at Green Bay
San Diego at Philadelphia

Sunday Afternoon Games
Jacksonville at Oakland
Detroit at Arizona
Denver at NY Giants
New Orleans at Tampa Bay

Sunday Night Game
San Francisco at Seattle

Monday Night Game
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati

2013 TransGriot NFL Predictions-Week 1

Was it just a mere seven months ago we were watching the Ravens knock off the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII to hoist the Lombardi Trophy?

The Ravens weren't the only peeps winning a championship for the 2012 NFL season.  The TransGriot also won her season long prognostication battle with Michael Watts on the last day and last game of the NFL season thanks to RGIII knocking off the Dallas Cowchips Cowboys.

So yep, it's that time again and Moni gets to defend her hard won championship now that the 2013 NFL season kicks off in a few hours with the defending champion Ravens in a rematch in Denver of their Divisional Round playoff game upset with the Broncos.

We have a new challenger joining the fun in Deep Thoughts blogger Eli Blake.

Both teams will have changed since January with the most glaring ones for the Ravens being not having Ed Reed, the retired Ray Lewis and Anquan Bolden on the sidelines.

And speaking of changes, my hometown NFL ballers are retooled and reloaded for another run at their third consecutive AFC South title and in the process hope to finally kick the playoff door down to their first AFC Championship game for a Houston pro football team since the 1980 Oilers did so.

The Texans not only want to get to and win the AFC title game, but want to be playing in Super Bowl XLVIIII at Met Life Stadium on February 3.

The Texans will get their chance to show the nation in prime time how good the 2013 edition is when they play the San Diego Chargers and Matt Schaub will get another chance to prove he's an elite quarterback. 

And we hope to see another appearance of the Bulls on Parade that lifted the Texans to an opening 11-1 record before they lost Brian Cushing for the season.  

And need I remind 'errbody' (and especially you Arlington Cowchips fans) that the best defensive end in the NFL wears a Houston Texans uniform in one JJ Watt? 

I also get the opportunity starting today to defend my NFL prognostication title

Rules are the same as they have been the last two years.  Mike, Eli  and I pick the winners of regular season games (no spread) with whoever having the best record after Week 17 getting bragging rights until the 2014 NFL season.   Team I'm picking to win the game is in underlined bold print.  

Sounds simple, but it isn't.  The first year (2011) Mike and I shared the title.  2012 I'm the champ!

And yeah, I not only want to get off to a great 2013 NFL prognostication season start, but get that elusive perfect week this year.  So let the prognostication begin!

2012 Final Season Records
TransGriot  163-92-1
Mike Watts 162-93-1

NFL Week 1

Thursday Night Game
 
Baltimore at Denver

Sunday Noon Games

Atlanta at New Orleans
Cincinnati at Chicago
New England at Buffalo
Tennessee at Pittsburgh
Tampa Bay at New York Jets
Kansas City at Jacksonville
Seattle at Carolina
Miami at Cleveland
Minnesota at Detroit
Oakland at Indianapolis

Sunday Afternoon Games

Green Bay at San Francisco
Arizona at St Louis

Sunday Night Game

NY Giants at Dallas

Monday Night Games

Philadelphia at Washington
Houston at San Diego

2012 TransGriot NFL Picks-Super Bowl XLVII

Well, I'd hoped my fave NFL ballers would be at the Mercedes Benz Superdome playing for an NFL title tomorrow, but unfortunately that isn't happening.

That game will take place between the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers and be a coaching battle between the Harbaugh brothers.   It'll also be Ray Lewis' last NFL game after 17 seasons and maybe Ed Reed's last in a Ravens uniform

It'll definitely be an interesting one in terms of both teams having stellar defenses and explosive offenses. 

The Ravens and Joe Flacco like to go deep and hand it off to Ray Rice while the 49ers have a dangerous read option attack triggered by the speedy and strong armed second year quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

The Ravens have been on a hot streak ever since they entered the playoffs.   So have the 49ers.  But the Angry Birds had the tougher playoff road that saw them take down Andrew Luck's Colts, Peyton Manning's number one AFC seeded Denver Broncos and the number two AFC seeded Brady Bunch to get to New Orleans. 

Granted, the Niners sent Arron Rodgers and number one seeded Atlanta packing in the NFC title game and were on a mission to get to the Super Bowl after their bitter overtime loss in the NFC title game at home to the New York Giants.   The 49ers are 5-0 as an organization in the Super Bowls

So who's going to win?    This is what Mike Watts had to say about it.   Ravens send Ray Lewis out in style hoisting the Vince Lombardi trophy again  
 

 

2012 TransGriot NFL Picks-Championship Sunday

When the Texans lost I considered my NFL season over, but know it has a few weeks left to run that include Championship Sunday and the Super Bowl in New Orleans.  

Had a 1-3 Divisional round.  I was going for an Texans upset with one of the picks, was surprised about  Denver's late game collapse and even more surprised about Colin Kaepernick showing up and showing out for the Niners in his debut playoff game against Mr. Discount Double Check and his Packers.

Mike's picks are here, so let's get busy with the Championship Sunday NFL picks.


AFC Championship Game
Baltimore at New England

It's the Angry Birds vs The Brady Bunch in a rematch of last year's AFC championship game which the Ravens should have won.   The Ravens won the regular season matchup 31-30 back during Week 3 at M&T Bank Stadium but it's now January and they are playing this game in Foxborough.

The 12-6 Ravens beat the precocious Colts and the number one seeded Denver Broncos in double overtime to get to this championship game while the13-4 Patriots beat the Texans after a week off.

The Ravens have played a lot of football to get to this point, so the question is do they have enough in the tank to get them through another game with New England's high octane offense?   Speaking of offense, will good Joe Flacco continue to play well?   Will Ray Rice get the touches he needs for the Angry Birds to be successful on offense?  Will Ray Lewis' last game be played in New Orleans?

The way the New England offense has been going lately, I'd say no. Patriots to win this one.


NFC Championship Game

San Francisco at Atlanta

After nearly coughing up a 20 point lead and the game last week against Seattle, the 14-3 Atlanta Falcons have another tough test at the Georgia Dome with a 49ers team that demolished the Green Bay Packers behind a record setting 181 yard rushing performance by quarterback Colin Kaepernick.   

Atlanta has  some offense firepower of their own with their twin wideout threats of Julio Jones and Roddy White and ageless tight end Tony Gonzalez who would like to close out his career with a Super Bowl trip to New Orleans.

The 49ers however are coming to the ATL on a mission of erasing the pain of their overtime loss to the Giants in last year's NFC title game, and frankly, I think they'll do it.

At least one Harbaugh brother will get to coach in the Mercedes Benz Superdome February 3.   49ers to beat the Dirty Birds.

2012 TransGriot NFL Picks-Wild Card Weekend

The regular season prognostication contest between myself and Mr. Watts is over, and it came down to the last week and the last game of the 2012 NFL season.  

Specifically the Dallas Cowboys-Washington Redskins one.   I went with RG3, Mike went with TR3 (Tony Romo, three interceptions).  I prevailed by one game after having as much as a seven game lead during the season. 

Best of all, I have the bragging rights over my fellow Texan until we crank this NFL prognostication competition up in September 2013 with me as defending champion.  

Week 17 records 
TransGriot  11-5
Mike Watts 10-6

2012 Final Season Records
TransGriot  163-92-1
Mike Watts 162-93-1

Speaking of champions, the road to next month's Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans gets started with Wild Card weekend.  Just to keep my championship NFL prognostication skills sharp I'll predict who I think will come out on top in these playoff games like last year all the way until the Super Bowl on February 3.  If Mike Watts puts his picks up on his blog I'll link to them as well. 

So let's get started with the 2012-13 TransGriot NFL playoff predictions, shall we? . 


Saturday NFL Wild Card Playoff Games 

Cincinnati at Houston

My 12-4 hometown NFL ballers weren't supposed to be playing this weekend.   They were 11-1 and had a stranglehold on the number one seed for the entire AFC playoffs until they dropped three of their last four games to play their way into Wild Card weekend. 

That means they stumbled their way into a deja vu rematch of their 2012 NFL wild card playoff matchup with the Bengals.   

And yeah, Mr Watts and the media had to bring up a painful memory for longtime Houston NFL fans. January 3 was the 20th anniversary of the Oilers playoff collapse against Buffalo that sowed the seeds of NFL civic discontent that led to them moving to Nashville in 1996.

Meanwhile the 10-6 Bengals enter this deja vu rematch on a bit of a roll   They won three of their last four and seven of their last eight in the second half of the season with only a 20-19 loss to Dallas on December 9 marring their record.  Houston area homeboy Andy Dalton will be motivated to flip the script of last year's playoff game and end their playoff futility streak.  The Bengals haven't won a playoff game since 1990. (ironically against against the Oilers) .

However, this game is being played at Reliant Stadium and the AFC South champion Texans, with 8 Pro Bowlers on this squad, are more than a little pissed off about their play down the stretch and making their NFL road to New Orleans harder.   This will be Matt Schaub's first playoff game as the Texans QB and he will be motivated to play well and show he is worthy of his Pro Bowl selection after a lousy December.  So will future defensive MVP JJ Watt and the Bulls on Parade defense. 

Despite what the NFL national pundits and haters like Shannon Sharpe and Keyshawn Johnson say, Texans in this one. 

Minnesota at Green Bay

The 10-6 Vikings won their last four games to edge the Bears for a playoff spot and beat Green Bay at Mall of America Stadium 37-34 in their 2012 regular season finale to get in.  They have the NFL's leading rusher in Adrian Peterson, who missed breaking Eric Dickerson's single season rushing record of 2105 by 9 yards.  AP has compiled 210 and 199 yard games in both NFC North divisional encounters with the Packers which the teams split.   

But the 11-5 Packers are playing this rubber match at Lambeau Field and have Aaron Rodgers on their sideline.  The Packers were 6-2 in the second half of the season and the NFC North Champs are getting healthy on the defensive side at the right time.  Peterson will probably rush for another 150 plus yards on the less than stellar Packers rushing defense, but if Vikings QB Christian Ponder doesn't play as well as he did last weekend and Aaron Rodgers is at his usual MVP level, it won't matter how many yards AP gains because their season will be over. 

Packers to take this one

Sunday NFL Wild Card Playoff Games


Indianapolis at Baltimore

Intriguing game on many levels.   The precocious rookie dominated Colts team that went 6-2 down the stretch and 9-3 under interim coach Bruce Arians as Pagano was on medical leave versus the injury plagued AFC North champion Ravens 4-4 second half season record.

Chuck Strong vs the Ravens being motivated to play well for their inspirational leader in LB Ray Lewis. 

Lewis announced he is retiring after a stellar NFL career, has an ESPN commentary job waiting when he does and returned for the playoffs after spending most of the season rehabbing a torn tricep muscle.   

There's the interesting note that this is the first time the 11-5 Colts will be playing a playoff game in Baltimore since sneaking out of town under cover of darkness to move to Indianapolis in 1984.  Longtime Ravens fans still haven't forgiven or forgotten that episode..  

You have the dynamic of former Colts head coach Jim Caldwell who is now the Ravens offensive coordinator. Chuck Pagano, the guy hired to replace Caldwell, spent several seasons in Baltimore and was the Ravens defensive coordinator prior to taking the Colts job

It's Houston homeboy Andrew Luck's first ever playoff game versus the inconsistent but playoff battle tested Joe Flacco.   They have quick strike capability with speedy rookie WR TY Hilton, veteran Reggie Wayne and a defense with playoff vets Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis still terrorizing NFL quarterbacks.    

But the Angry Birds have the playoff experience and made it to the AFC Championship game last year.  Can their defense carry this team one more time for their leader before he hangs it up or will Indy's youth be served before a hostile M&T Bank crowd?   And yeah, which Joe Flacco will show up?   How many carries will Ray Rice get? .  

Ravens will be motivated to win this one for Ray, the M&T Bank Stadium crowd will be fired up, and it will be the Ravens in a close one.


Seattle vs Washington

The most anticipated playoff game of the weekend involves two rookie quarterbacks spectacularly leading their teams in Rookie of the Year candidates Russell Wilson and Robert Griffin III

2011 Heisman trophy winner RG3 is all that and four bags of chips.  Thanks to a 7-1 stretch run Griffin led the Redskins to a 10-6 record and their first NFC East title since 1999.  Seattle also went 7-1 in the second half of the season to finish 11-5.  One of those games was a 42-13 beat down of the NFC West champion San Francisco 49ers at CenturyLink Field mere days after the Niners beat the New England Patriots in Foxborough.

The Seahawks defense is slightly better and especially their defensive secondary.   The Redskins D-line, like Seattle's has caused teams headaches during the second half of the season.   The Redskins offense is explosive and has rookie running back sensation Alfred Morris along with wide receivers Santana Moss and Pierre Garçon to complement RG3's world class sprinters speed.  

Seattle's offense isn't slouchy either.  Wilson is a better than average runner, and you have RB Marshawn Lynch and WR Golden Tate to throw into the offensive mix.  

The Seahawks were the only team to run the table at home, and two of the teams they beat there in addition to the 49ers were the New England Patriots (24-23) and the Green Bay Packers in that controversial 14-12 'Fail Mary' game that hastened the merciful end of replacement refs calling games.

But this playoff game will be at FedEx Field, it will be jumping, and we should be hearing 'Hail To The Redskins' when this close one is over.  

Redskins to win this one.

2012 TransGriot NFL Picks-Week 17

Last week of the 2012 NFL regular season and all of the games are being played on Sunday.   

Many of them have playoff ramifications.  Some teams are playing for NFL playoff seedings or just to make the playoffs.  Others have players and coaches trying to impress since it will be the last games in their current NFL locales. 

They are auditioning either for their own coaches and owners or the coaches and owners of other teams so they will be collecting a fat NFL paycheck for the 2013 season. 

All Kansas City and Jacksonville are playing for the number one and number two picks in the 2013 NFL draft and which team gets which pick.

Speaking of playing for NFL seedings, my hometown NFL ballers stunk up Reliant Stadium last week and now find themselves in a must win game against the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium to clinch the number one seed throughout the AFC playoffs and that precious week off.   If they lose to the Colts, they could potentially slide all the way to the number three seed.  I'd rather be playing Denver or New England at Reliant, not there in January.

Me and Mr. Watts are still tied after 16 weeks of picking games.  I thought the 49ers would play a more competitive game than they actually did but correctly picked the Saints taking out the Cowboys even if they did need overtime and a holy roller style fumble recovery to do so .  Mike changed his pick in time for the Jets-Chargers game otherwise I'd have a one game lead on him going into today.

This it is.  Drama once again in the final week of our 2012 NFL prognostication contest just like last year..  Which one of us will be the winner?  Or will we tie for it once again?

Mike's Week 17 picks are here, mine are in underlined bold print.  . 

Week 16 records 
TransGriot  12-4
Mike Watts 12-4

2012 Season Records
TransGriot  152-87-1
Mike Watts 152-87-1

Week 17

Sunday, December 30

Jets at Bills
Ravens at Bengals
Browns at Steelers
Texans at Colts
Jaguars at Titans
Eagles at Giants
Bears at Lions
Buccaneers at Falcons
Panthers at Saints

Sunday Afternoon

Dolphins at Patriots
Packers at Vikings
Chiefs at Broncos
Raiders at Chargers
Cardinals at 49ers
Rams at Seahawks

Sunday Night
Cowboys at Redskins

2012 TransGriot NFL Picks-Week 16

With Christmas rapidly approaching the usual Thursday night game has been shifted to Saturday and there's no Monday night game this week because it's Christmas Eve.   That gives me a few extra days to ponder how this weekend's NFL games will play out. 

You can call my favorite NFL ballers the back to back AFC South Division Champions after beating the Indianapolis Colts 29-17.   

Thanks to the early Christmas present we Texans fans received from the San Francisco 49ers when they beat New England 41-38 Monday night, the Texans can clinch home field throughout the AFC playoffs with a win tomorrow against the Minnesota Vikings or in their regular season finale next week against the Colts.

And speaking of beating people, after Mr Watts erased my seven game margin and took a two game lead going into Week 15, he (cough, cough) gave it right back and we're tied once again.  

So with just two weeks left in the season it's a fight to see who will emerge victorious in our 2012 NFL prognostication battle.  Yes, I plan to do this again during the 2013 NFL season, but now it's time for Moni to handle her 2012 NFL prognostication business. 

Mike's picks are here, mine are as usual in underlined bold print.   May the best Texan (pun intended) win.


Week 15 records 
TransGriot  10-6
Mike Watts 8-8

2012 Season Records
TransGriot  140-83-1
Mike Watts 140-83-1

Week 16

Saturday, December 22
Falcons at Lions

Sunday, December  23
Titans at Packers
Raiders at Panthers
Bills at Dolphins
Bengals at Steelers
Patriots at Jaguars
Colts at Chiefs
Saints at Cowboys
Redskins at Eagles
Rams at Buccaneers
Giants at Ravens
Vikings at Texans

Sunday Afternoon
Browns at Broncos
Bears at Cardinals
Chargers at Jets

Sunday Night
49ers at Seahawks

2012 TransGriot NFL Picks-Week 15

Well, was not a good Week 14 for me or my Texans.   They took a 42-14 buttkicking at the hands of the New England Patriots.  After holding as much as a seven game lead for most of the season I'm now trailing Mike by two games with three weeks to go no thanks to the Buffalo Bills expensively sorry defense blowing their lead against the St. Louis Rams.

But as Mr Watts painfully remembers,  I erased a four game deficit last season in less time.  I have three weeks left starting with this one.

I know what happened the last time the Texans embarrassingly lost a nationally televised game.  They took out their frustrations at Reliant on the Angry Birds.   This time it's Andrew Luck coming back home as the quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts and the Texans needing a win to clinch their second straight AFC South division title and needing to just win baby to stay ahead of the Patriots for the number one AFC playoff seed.

Let's just say the Colts picked a bad week to be coming to Reliant for this crucial game.

Well, gotta handle my Week 15 business and stop the bleeding  Tired of the mediocrity that's allowed him to inch ahead and erase my lead in the first place.   Mike's picks are here, mine are in underlined bold print.

   
Week 14 records 
TransGriot  8-8
Mike Watts 10-6

2012 Season Records
TransGriot  130-77-1
Mike Watts 132-75-1

Week 15

Thursday, December 13
Bengals at Eagles

Sunday, December 16
Packers at Bears
Giants at Falcons
Buccaneers at Saints
Vikings at Rams
Redskins at Browns
Jaguars at Dolphins
Broncos at Ravens
Colts at Texans

Sunday Afternoon  
Lions at Cardinals
Panthers at Chargers
Seahawks at Bills
Steelers at Cowboys
Chiefs at Raiders

Sunday Night
49ers at Patriots

Monday, December 17
Jets at Titans

2012 TransGriot NFL Picks-Week 14

My hometown NFL ballers have clinched their AFC playoff spot with their 24-10 win last week against the Tennessee Titans Traitors to move to a franchise best 11-1.  But this upcoming Monday night game with the 9-3 New England Patriots will be a titanic challenge for them.  

They'll march into Gillette Stadium clad in their liberty white road uniforms with a 6-0 road record. They are attempting to clinch home field advantage all the way through the AFC playoffs against a team that rarely loses games at home in December..

If the Texans handle their business they will also clinch the AFC South Division title for the second straight year with a Colts loss.   The Colts are playing the Tennessee Traitors this week in Indy.  . 

Speaking of handling my business, the seven game lead I once had over Mr Watts is gone thanks to the Colts beating the Lions on the last play of their game, the Browns winning their first road game against the Raiders and me going 9-7 last week while Mike went 10-6.   So we're all even with this week and three more to go.  

Arrgh.   Well, I knew this wasn't going to be easy when I had that seven game lead, so let's get to work    Mike's picks are here, mine are as usual in underlined bold print.

Week 13 records 
TransGriot  9-7
Mike Watts 10-6

2012 Season Records
TransGriot  122-69-1
Mike Watts 122-69-1

Week 14

Thursday, December 6
Broncos at Raiders

Sunday, December 9
Ravens at Redskins
Chiefs at Browns
Chargers at Steelers
Titans at Colts
Jets at Jaguars
Bears at Vikings
Falcons at Panthers
Eagles at Buccaneers
Rams at Bills

Sunday Afternoon

Cowboys at Bengals
Dolphins at 49ers
Saints at Giants
Cardinals at Seahawks

Sunday Night
Lions at Packers

Monday, December 10
Texans at Patriots

2012 TransGriot NFL Picks-Week 13

The 2012 NFL regular season is three quarters completed. In the final weeks we will have the AFC and NFC division leaders trying to nail those titles down and jockey for top seeds in their conferences while others will make their last push just to get into the playoffs.  

Once you get to the playoffs, anything can happen and you could get hot enough to earn that trip to New Orleans and be hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy in February.   Ask the New York Giants about that.

Then there are the also rans and hard luck teams who will be competing to see who gets the number one pick in the 2013 NFL draft.

My hometown NFL ballers are 10-1, are having their best season in franchise history and despite battling injuries on the defensive side are in good shape to have home field throughout the AFC playoffs.  But some challenging games remain on their schedule that include one huge one against the New England Patriots, three remaining AFC South Division games starting with the Traitors this weekend, a home and away series with the Indianapolis Colts and the last NFC North game with the Vikings.

Speaking of challenges, Mr Watts has creeped up on me to the point where my once formidable seven game lead is down to one game with four weeks to go in the regular season.  I didn't help the situation by not following my instincts in the Cowboys-Redskins game.   Got to do better than the 8-8 I had in Week 12 because I know Mike is going to have another bad week before this season ends.

Let's see if it's this week.  Mike's picks are here.   Mine are in underlined bold print. 


Week 12 records 
TransGriot  8-8
Mike Watts 10-6

2012 Season Records
TransGriot  113-62-1
Mike Watts 112-63-1

Week 13

Thursday, November 29
Saints at Falcons

Sunday, December 2
Seahawks at Bears
Vikings at Packers
49ers at Rams
Cardinals at Jets
Panthers at Chiefs
Colts at Lions
Jaguars at Bills
Patriots at Dolphins
Texans at Titans

Sunday Afternoon
Buccaneers at Broncos
Steelers at Ravens
Browns at Raiders
Bengals at Chargers

Sunday Night
Eagles at Cowboys

Monday, December 3
Giants at Redskins