The Field is Set! This season we kick off our own version of the legendary Stardust contest, in which you have sixteen notable handicappers go head to head until the final winner is left standing. Half the field is made up of notable experts, the other half came from Subscriber Qualifying Round Winners.
Best of all, we'll post the actual contest picks and reasoning behind them for each of the contestants rounds by round so you can follow along.
Contest lines are the lines posted on the Spread Quick Picks page each week.
K.Aird
Well as I head into my quarter final match, I must say it is thick with
irony. I am not much of a reader, but I find myself now up against the
second author of the three books ( and if Dan Gordon entered this contest, I
could be three for three) I have read this year. Enjoyed the book very much
Kevin and to those subscribers that have not read it as of yet, I highly
suggest you put it on your Christmas list. But back to business, from your
neighbour to the North, let us begin.
1) It was funny earlier this year listening to all the fearless pundits,
mentioning how they thought that Carolina was lucky to be where they were
last year, in the Super Bowl. No doubt they came out on the fortunate end of
a few games last year (just ask Tampa fans) but they were definitely no
fluke. Now we have a well coached team, who is getting healthier, and has
finally found a running game, going up against a grizzled, veteran
quarterback, with a banged up running tandem. Momentum is on the side of the
Panthers, and I see them taking this turf team, to task this weekend. Muhsin
continues his dominance and Rucker and Peppers have a field day in the back
field chasing Chandler. If Buckner and Morgan can play, it makes this pick
that much better.
CAROLINA -5.5
2) For those of you that were unfortunate enough to have had to watch the
Bears and the 49ers on that dreadful Sunday night game earlier this year,
you will know where I am going with this one. Dorsey at quarterback, Barlow
out ( he has to be better than what he has shown hasn't he?) going into
Arizona, where McCown has his chance to prove Denny wrong. Redemption game
for the Cards, they handle the 49ers easy.
ARIZONA -6
3) Alright enough with the favs. After watching the Chargers hold on for
dear life against Denver, I am convinced they are for real, but at the same
time still human. Have a hunch on a let down here, even though Tampa hasn't
been very dominant on the road. Tampa now has a vertical game, which will
help them on Sunday against the Chargers pass defense. Gruden will carry his
success from his Raiders days in San Diego, through to this game. Field goal
game when it is all said and done and now that Tampa has rid themselves of
Martin (still the funniest skit Jimmy Kimmel ever had on the Fox Pre Game
show), they may actually win this game.
TAMPA BAY +5.5
4) May get a few chuckles with the next pick, but if I can take almost a
double digit dog at home, with one of the best defense's in the NFL, I have
to run with it. The Eagles looked monstrous against the Packers, so hoping
to catch them taking the foot off the gas pedal a little in this one.
Redskins finally put some points up last week, Portis remembered what a 100
yard rushing effort felt like, and with not a lot else to play for this
year, Joe will have them up for this one. Eagles by a touchdown.
REDSKINS +9.5
5) I really want my fifth pick to be the Saints, as I can't believe the
Cowboys are a seven point favorite, but I am worried the Saints may have
packed it in on Jim, so we will leave that as an honorable mention and
instead go with the Falcons. Off a shutout, that was there wake up call and
they will put the Raiders away this week. Raiders are so banged up, and I
just don't see them containing Vick. A big half point but nonetheless, don't
see the Raiders pulling this one out.
FALCONS -7.5
Good luck to all and hope to see you in the semi's. Happy holidays.
Washington +9.5 over Philly
Redskins are playing well of late and matchup well with Philly having played a much closer game than the score would indicate earlier in the season. Expect a lot of Portis and a couple Eagles turnovers giving the Skins an outside shot at an upset.
Arizona -6 over SF
No Rattay… No Barlow… No Newberry… No Petersen… No Plummer… add in the Arizona home heat advantage and the return of McCown and revenge and this one will get ugly.
Carolina -5.5 over St. Louis
St. Louis is a bad team and Carolina is an amazing story. With the Panthers at home and Rams still coached by Martz you’d have to think the Panthers win by over a TD.
TB +5.5 @ SD
Superchargers won last week because Plummer and the Broncos could not hold on to the ball. The matchups this week do not play out well for them and although the Bucs have not played well on the road you’d have to think this is a game that they could and need to win.
NY Jets +5.5 @ Pit
Just think the Jets can keep this game close against a Pit team which has played some close games of late. Pennington shakes off the rust and pulls a shocker.
Quarter-Final Matchups
First Round Matchups
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WEEK
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Expert
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TMW Subscriber
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WINNER
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3
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Sports Insights: every wager placed offshore registers at SportsInsights.com
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R.Shine (CA)
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R.Shine
see Picks
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4
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Mike Orkin: statistics professor, author, and creator of the Optimizer NFL software.
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J.Kelly (CA)
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Mike Orkin
see Picks
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5
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Brandon Funston: Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Expert, Brandon knows the scoop on the NFL.
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T.Corpis (CA)
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Brandon Funston
see Picks
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6
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Aaron Schatz: The founder of acclaimed NFL stats site FootballOutsiders.com
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"Wunderdog"
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Aaron Schatz
see Picks
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7
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Benjamin Eckstein: co-founder of America's Line and authority on all things gambling.
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S.Penhos (Mexico)
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S.Penhos*
see Picks
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8
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Roland: The founder of TwoMinuteWarning and winner of last season's H2H Challenge.
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J.Palazzolo (NV)
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J.Palazzolo
see Picks
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9
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Stanford Wong: legendary Blackjack expert, author, founder of SharpSportsBetting.com
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K.Aird (Canada)
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K.Aird
see Picks
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10
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'Kevin Lewis': MIT grad, million dollar winning blackjack player, star of Bringing Down the House
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M.Gargone (AL)
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Kevin Lewis*
see Picks
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* same overall record, won tiebreakers
