2012 Regular Season NFL Picks Recap

KNOCKOUT POOL/ESPN.com ELIMINATOR CHALLENGE

The Patriots came through with a shutout in Week 17.  It helped that the Patriots were playing for a chance at a bye-week.  It also helped that the Dolphins were ready for the offseason.  A very good 16-1 season could have been an extraordinary undefeated season if the Eagles did not come back against the Buccaneers, but a 16-1 season is by far the best we have ever done.  We’ll try to get it right next year.

PAST PICKS

Week 1: Houston (W vs. MIA)

Week 2: N.Y. Giants (W vs. TBY)

Week 3: Chicago (W vs. STL)

Week 4: Baltimore (W vs. CLE)

Week 5: San Francisco (W vs. BUF)

Week 6: N.Y. Jets (W vs. IND)

Week 7: Minnesota (W vs. ARZ)

Week 8: Green Bay (W vs. JAX)

Week 9: Seattle (W vs. MIN)

Week 10: Pittsburgh (W vs. KCY)

Week 11: Dallas (W vs. CLE)

Week 12: Indianapolis (W vs. BUF)

Week 13: Denver (W vs TBY)

Week 14: Tampa Bay (L vs PHL)

Week 15: Miami (W vs JAX)

Week 16: Washington (W at PHL)

Week 17: New England (W vs. MIA)

GAME PICKS/ESPN.com PIGSKIN PICK ‘EM

The goals for game picks are to hit on at least half of all games against the spread and at least two-thirds of all games where you only pick the winners.  We picked very well in the three Big Games, the biggest games on the schedule which do not involve local teams.  We had some success picking the local games.  Overall, we just missed our two-thirds target on winners (.664 winning percentage) and we finished 13 games over .500 picking against the spread.

LOCAL GAMES: 39-21 straight up (.650), 30-29-1 against the spread (.508)

Last Week: 2-1 straight up, 2-1 against the spread

Season: 39-21 straight up, 30-29-1 against the spread

BIG GAMES: 38-14 straight up (.731), 30-22 against the spread (.577)

Last Week: 2-1 straight up, 1-2 against the spread

Season: 38-14 straight up, 30-22 against the spread

OTHER GAMES: 93-51 straight up (.646), 74-70 against the spread (.514)

Last Week: 8-2 straight up, 4-6 against the spread

Season: 93-51 straight up, 74-70 against the spread

START ‘EM/ANTI-START ‘EM/ESPN.com GRIDIRON CHALLENGE

We had a mixed season for our Start ‘Em/Anti-Start ‘Em competition.  We started terribly (1-5), had a nice streak in the middle (6-0-1), and finished so-so (2-2).  There were eight weeks where we crossed the 100-point barrier and six weeks where my Anti-Start team also finished with 100 points or more.  Overall, the 9-7-1 record was okay and in head-to-head categories, we finished a shade over .500 (.503).

Week 1: Head-to-Head – L, 107-124; By Position – 2-6-1

Week 2: Head-to-Head – L, 73-98; By Position – 3-6

Week 3: Head-to-Head – L, 103-139; By Position – 3-6

Week 4: Head-to-Head – L, 105-118; By Position – 4-5

Week 5: Head-to-Head – W, 110-56; By Position – 7-2

Week 6: Head-to-Head – L, 98-127; By Position – 2-6-1

Week 7: Head-to-Head – W, 119-80; By Position – 6-3

Week 8: Head-to-Head – T, 75-75; By Position – 3-5-1

Week 9: Head-to-Head – W, 138-105; By Position – 4-4-1

Week 10: Head-to-Head – W, 145-43; By Position – 9-0

Week 11: Head-to-Head – W, 100-65; By Position – 5-4

Week 12: Head-to-Head – W, 98-95; By Position – 5-4

Week 13: Head-to-Head – W, 92-81; By Position – 5-4

Week 14: Head-to-Head – L, 54-110; By Position – 1-6-2

Week 15: Head-to-Head – L, 75-91; By Position – 3-5-1

Week 16: Head-to-Head – W, 99-51; By Position – 5-4

Week 17: Head-to-Head – W, 86-63; By Position – 6-2-1

TOTALS: W-L: 9-7-1, PF: 1677, PA: 1511, By Position: 73-72-8 (.503)

Catch me on "Sports With The StatMan" on Wednesdays at 11pm ET and Saturdays at 11am ET. We'll break down these picks and look ahead to next week on our This Week in Fantasy Sports segment, Saturday morning at 11am ET.