January 22, 2016

NFL Playoff Pick 'Em: Conference Championship Round: The NFL conference championship games pit Arizona against Carolina and New England against Denver. Tommytrump holds the lead in our contest by six points, but there are more bonus-point opportunities this time around. Pick the winners, choose bonus players and teams and make any game a stone-cold lead-pipe lock.

posted by rcade to football at 02:31 PM - 34 comments

Current Standings

SportsFilter is holding an NFL Playoff Pick 'Em contest with a first prize of Gregg Easterbrook's new book The Game's Not Over: In Defense of Football.


PlayerTotalW1W2PlAvg
tommytrump793940239.500
howard_t733043236.500
goyoucolts722547236.000
grum@work693039234.500
ic23b682543234.000
cixelsyd623032231.000
bender612041230.500
cl593227229.500
tron7572532228.500
holden572037228.500
beaverboard562135228.000
rcade532825226.500
mrk124512328225.500
yerfatma492029224.500
nomich472522223.500
tahoemoj462323223.000
ufez jones401030220.000
billsaysthis3030--130.000
rumple281315214.000
jagsnumberone231013211.500
rock steady1515--115.000
hincandenza1515--115.000

Tommytrump's lead narrows, but only by a single point. Goyoucolts wins the week and Jagsnumberone and Rumple have a fight on their hands for the Costanza.

Jonathan Stewart and Larry Fitzgerland earned bonuses for many players with their rushing and receiving totals, respectively. One player hit a lock perfectly: Beaverboard on Denver's 7-point win. Jagsnumberone took some risks and broke locks on both Kansas City and Seattle. Rumple broke a lock on Seattle.

These players nailed spreads: New England by 7 (yerfatma, howard_t, tommytrump, bender), Denver by 7 (tommytrump), Carolina by 7 (tommytrump) and Arizona by 6 (mrk124)

Wildcard Week Results

New England by 7 over Kansas City
Arizona by 6 over Green Bay
Carolina by 7 over Seattle
Denver by 7 over Pittsburgh

Wildcard Week Bonuses

Most passing yards: Russell Wilson, 366 (no one)
Most rushing yards: Jonathan Stewart, 106 (grum@work, tahoemoj, Goyoucolts, mrk124, Ufez Jones, bender)
Most receiving yards: Larry Fitzgerald, 176 (cixelsyd, tahoemoj, tron7, Howard_T, jagsnumberone, tommytrump, bender)
Players who got interceptions: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, GB; Damarious Randall, GB; Rashad Johnson, Ari (ic23b); Luke Kuechly, Car; Cortland Finnegan, Car

This Week's Games

New England at Denver
Arizona at Carolina

Bonus Categories

Pick the team with the most total yards.
Pick the team that gives up the most turnovers (no bonus if there are no turnovers).
Pick the quarterback with the most passing yards.
Pick the player with the most rushing yards.
Pick the player with the most receiving yards.
Pick a player who will get a sack or partial sack.
Pick a player who will get an interception.

Make your picks and a spread for this week's games to score 5 to 10 points. Pick one or more games as a stone cold lead pipe lock (optional) and double your score in victory or lose 5 points in defeat. Hit a bonus for 3 points. Full contest rules here.

If SportsFilter is down and you need to submit your picks, you can send them in email to me.

Check your score last week on the results spreadsheet at Google Docs.

posted by rcade at 02:31 PM on January 22, 2016

Denver by 6 - Lock
Carolina by 6 - Lock

Pick the team with the most total yards. - Denver
Pick the team with the most turnovers - Arizona
Pick the quarterback with the most passing yards. - Brady
Pick the player with the most rushing yards. - CJ Anderson
Pick the player with the most receiving yards. - Demaryius Thomas
Pick a player who will get a sack or partial sack. - Von Miller
Pick a player who will get an interception. - Luke Kuechly

posted by tron7 at 03:02 PM on January 22, 2016

Like I said in the last thread, this would pretty much be over if tommytrump had used locks. He would have an extra 20 to 30 points right now.

This weekend is a nightmare for me and the AFC game.

I'm torn.

I want Roger Goddell to have to smile when he hands over the trophy to Brady/Mr.Hoody/Kraft.
I want Peyton Manning to go out with a Super Bowl win, so I want him to win.
But I think Manning/Denver will get chewed up by whoever comes out of the NFC, and Manning losing his last game in the Super Bowl will add too much to that stupid "losing compiler" narrative that I keep hearing.
I also think that the NFC winner could beat the Patriots, and I'd like to see Belichick get knocked down a peg or two.

So if I pick with my heart, I don't know what to do.

If I pick with my head, I have to think that Brady (and a healthy team) can beat the Broncos (and a fading Manning).
But Brady hasn't done well in Denver, and the Broncos defense could give him fits.

Ugh.

New England by 3 - Lock
Carolina by 6 - Lock

(I need the points to make up any ground, so I have to choose locks on games I'm not confident about at all.)


Pick the team with the most total yards: Carolina Panthers
Pick the team with the most turnovers (no bonus if there are no turnovers): Denver Broncos
Pick the quarterback with the most passing yards: C. Palmer (Arizona)
Pick the player with the most rushing yards: J. Stewart (Carolina)
Pick the player with the most receiving yards: L. Fitzgerald (Arizona)
Pick a player who will get a sack or partial sack: V. Miller (Denver)
Pick a player who will get an interception: R. Johnson (Arizona)

posted by grum@work at 03:04 PM on January 22, 2016

Denver by 7 - Lock

Carolina by 6 - Lock

Pick the team with the most total yards. - Denver

Pick the team with the most turnovers - NE

Pick the quarterback with the most passing yards. - Brady

Pick the player with the most rushing yards. - CJ Anderson

Pick the player with the most receiving yards. - Fitzgerald

Pick a player who will get a sack or partial sack. - DeMarcus Ware

Pick a player who will get an interception. - Kurt Coleman

posted by cixelsyd at 03:32 PM on January 22, 2016

Denver by 6 - lock
Carolina by 10 - lock

Bonus Categories

Pick the team with the most total yards. Arizona
Pick the team with the most turnovers (no bonus if there are no turnovers). Given away or taken away? Arizona gives the most, Carolina takes the most.
Pick the quarterback with the most passing yards. Brady
Pick the player with the most rushing yards. Stewart
Pick the player with the most receiving yards. Gronkowski
Pick a player who will get a sack or partial sack. Ware (Den)
Pick a player who will get an interception. Coleman (Car)

posted by tahoemoj at 03:37 PM on January 22, 2016

Tomlin's men
Were down by ten
He opted to go for three
They got it to seven
Which put me in heaven
Where do I send his fee?

posted by beaverboard at 03:44 PM on January 22, 2016

New England by 3
Carolina by 7 - LOCK

Pick the team with the most total yards. Denver
Pick the team with the most turnovers (no bonus if there are no turnovers). Denver to give them up, New England to get them
Pick the quarterback with the most passing yards. Carson Palmer
Pick the player with the most rushing yards. CJ Anderson
Pick the player with the most receiving yards. Demaryius Thomas
Pick a player who will get a sack or partial sack. Thomas Davis
Pick a player who will get an interception. Devin McCourty

posted by yerfatma at 03:56 PM on January 22, 2016

New England by 16

Carolina by 11

TWMY Arizona

TTCMT Denver

QB Palmer

RB Stewart

WR Fitzgerald

Sack Ware

Int Butler

posted by tommybiden at 04:07 PM on January 22, 2016

The turnover bonus is to pick the team that gives up the most turnovers. I've revised that question.

posted by rcade at 04:08 PM on January 22, 2016

Denver by 7
Arizona by 14

(yes, both games are locks)

Most total yards: Arizona
Most turnovers: Carolina
Most passing yards: Carson Palmer
Most rushing yards: Jonathan Stewart
Player with a sack: Charles Johnson
Player with interception: Patrick Peterson

posted by NoMich at 04:14 PM on January 22, 2016

NoMich, you missed a player for Most Receiving Yards

posted by tommybiden at 04:46 PM on January 22, 2016

Thanks tommy.

Player with most receiving yards: Larry Fitzgerald

posted by NoMich at 04:49 PM on January 22, 2016

I think my picks from last week were not tallied.

Denver by 3 LOCK
Carolina by 7 LOCK


Most total yards - NE
Most turnovers - ARI
Most passing yards - Brady
Most rushing yards - Stewart
Most receiving yards - Fitzgerald
Sack - Von Miller
Interception - Peterson

posted by holden at 06:13 PM on January 22, 2016

New England by 7 (Lock)

Arizona by 3 (Lock)

Most Total Yards - Arizona

Most Turnovers - Denver

Most Passing Yards - Carson Palmer

Most Rushing Yards - Stewart

Most Receiving Yards - Larry Fitzgerald

Player with a sack - DeMarcus Ware

Player With Interception - Rashad Johnson

posted by ic23b at 06:19 PM on January 22, 2016

I think my picks from last week were not tallied.

Fixed. Lo siento.

posted by rcade at 09:43 PM on January 22, 2016

New England by 9 (lock)
Carolina by 15 (lock)

Team yards: Carolina
Team turnovers: Arizona
Passing: Cam Newton
Rushing: Jonathan Stewart
Receiving: Julian Edelman
Sacking: Kawann Short
Intercepting: Kurt Coleman

posted by cl at 10:40 PM on January 22, 2016

New England by 10 - LOCK

Carolina by 7 - LOCK


Team yards: New England

Team turnovers: Denver

Passing: Brady

Rushing: Stewart

Receiving: Gronkowski

Sacking: Bucannon

Intercepting: Butler

posted by rumple at 01:28 PM on January 23, 2016

Denver by 3 (lock)

Carolina by 7 (lock)

Pick the team with the most total yards: Arizona

Pick the team that gives up the most turnovers: Arizona

Pick the quarterback with the most passing yards: Carson Palmer

Pick the player with the most rushing yards: Jonathan Stewart

Pick the player with the most receiving yards: Larry Fitzgerald

Pick a player who will get a sack or partial sack: Star Lotulelei

Pick a player who will get an interception: T.J. Ward

posted by Goyoucolts at 05:08 PM on January 23, 2016

I find myself in second place (by some miraculous combination of dumb blind luck and actual football knowledge) to the illustrious T (not D) Trump. Wait! Is El Donaldo really involved with SpoFi and just can't stand to lose? Tommy, is it really you or is it Donald's alter ego? What sort of deviltry have we invoked here?

New England by 6 LOCK in the Rockies
Arizona by 7 LOCK in the Tarheel State

Total yards (team): Arizona
Most turnovers (team): Denver (alas, Peyton's arm betrays him)
Most passing yards (QB): Carson Palmer
Most rushing yards (individual): Stewart
Most receiving yards (individual): Edelman
Sack, or partial sack: J. Collins
Interception by: D. McCourty

Gotta ride with Patriots. I cannot sit in front of the flat screen and root for Denver, no matter what is on the line.

posted by Howard_T at 08:00 PM on January 23, 2016

New England by 7
Arizona by 10 (lock)

Total yards (team) - Arizona
Most TOs - New England
Passing Yards - Brady
Rushing Yards - J. Stewart
Receiving Yards - L. Fitzgerald
Sack - Dwight Freeney
Interception - Rashad Johnson

posted by Ufez Jones at 11:35 PM on January 23, 2016

Rough two weeks/lol. So here goes nothing (hopefully, I'll get more then nothing in the points category--could I possibly finish with the Costanza?)

Denver by 3--why not Lock it
Arizona by 13--why not Lock it also

Pick the team with the most total yards. --Arizona

Pick the team that gives up the most turnovers (no bonus if there are no turnovers). --Carolina

Pick the quarterback with the most passing yards. --Brady

Pick the player with the most rushing yards. --Stewart

Pick the player with the most receiving yards. --Fitzgerald

Pick a player who will get a sack or partial sack. --Von Miller

Pick a player who will get an interception.--Patrick Peterson


Can I put locks on the bonus picks? If so, Lock them all--going for broke!!!

posted by jagsnumberone at 02:23 AM on January 24, 2016

N.E. by 10 Lock
Caro by 13 Lock

Most total yards - Carolina

Most TO's - Denver

QB passing - Palmer

Rushing yards - Newton

Receiving yards - Olsen

Player with sack - Ware

Player with INT - Kuechly

posted by mrk124 at 03:48 AM on January 24, 2016

LOCK Denver 7 LOCK
LOCK Carolina by 14 LOCK

Total Yards: Carolina
Turnovers: Arizona
Passing: Tom Brady
Rushing: Jonathan Stewart
Receiving: Larry Fitzgerald
Sack: Rob Ninkovich
Interception: Jamie Collins

posted by bender at 10:54 AM on January 24, 2016

Patriots by 3
Shootout at the O-KBall Corral. Two capable kickers...field goals as far as the eye can see. Last hombre standing with a 54 yd. bullet left in the chamber wins.

Panthers by 3 (Lock)
Wish that Kevin Mack and Leroy Hoard were playing in this game. Field conditions will seem like home to anyone who played a late season game at Cleveland's old Municipal Stadium.

Total yards: Arizona
Most turnovers: Denver
Passing yards: Palmer
Rushing yards: J. Stewart (Car.)
Receiving yards: Floyd (Ariz.)
Sack: D. Ware (Den.)
Interception: Logan Ryan (N.E.)

posted by beaverboard at 11:27 AM on January 24, 2016

My picks are a hail mary pass (preferably an Aaron Rodgers, not a Teddy Bridgewater that doesn't reach the 20).

Denver by 10 <-- lock

Arizona by 7 <-- lock

Most yards: Denver

Most turnovers: New England

Passing: Tom Brady

Rushing: C.J. Anderson

Receiving: Rob Gronkowski

Sack: Kawann Short

Interception: Kurt Coleman

posted by rcade at 11:52 AM on January 24, 2016

Player with most rushing yards, with 8 minutes left in second quarter of game 1: Tom Brady.

posted by rcade at 04:13 PM on January 24, 2016

Results

Denver by 2

Carolina by 34

Bonus categories

Most total yards: Carolina, 476

Most turnovers given away: Arizona, 7

Most passing yards: Cam Newton, 335

Most rushing yards: Jonathan Stewart, 83

Most receiving yards: Rob Gronkowski, 144

Sack or partial sack: NE: Jamie Collins, Alan Branch; Den: Derek Wolfe, Von Miller, DeMarcus Ware; Ari: Ed Stinson; Car: Kawann Short, Charles Johnson, Kyle Love

Interception: Den: Von Miller, Darian Stewart; Ari: Patrick Peterson; Car: Luke Kuechly, Kurt Coleman, Tre Boston

posted by rcade at 06:43 PM on January 24, 2016

We have some worthy Denver believers and game lockers.

posted by beaverboard at 06:55 PM on January 24, 2016

I would count the interception on the 2-point conversion as an individual stat (for Bradley Roby), but I would not count it as a turnover, since the Broncos did not take possession because of it.

posted by bender at 07:31 PM on January 24, 2016

According to the NFL Guide for Statisticians, "No rushing, passing, receiving, interception, fumble or sack statistics shall be credited during an extra-point attempt." So New England gave away 2 turnovers and Roby doesn't get a pick. I edited my comment.

posted by rcade at 08:04 PM on January 24, 2016

HaHa I don't care if my picks lost, I wanted Panthers to WIN. Totally destroyed Arizona.

posted by ic23b at 09:51 PM on January 24, 2016

I'm pretty sure it's only academic now, but my week two total is 4 points short. Got the spread in the ARI win.

posted by cl at 10:18 PM on January 24, 2016

How do you figure that? I have you picking Arizona by 9 and they won by 6, which gives extra points for a margin from 4 to 8.

posted by rcade at 10:45 PM on January 24, 2016

Whoops, ignore me. I was mistakenly took 9 as the spread, which would have a margin of 6 to 12.

posted by cl at 11:52 PM on January 24, 2016

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