04/25/24
January 02, 2020
Enter the SportsFilter NFL Playoff Pick 'Em: The NFL Playoff Pick 'Em has returned. Pick the four winning teams in the wild card round along with five prop bets. The first prize for the winner is absolutely pants.
How This WorksSportsFilter is running an NFL Pick 'Em contest for the playoffs and awarding a prize to the winner: Zubaz NFL camo print casual active pants for the team of your choice ($34.99 value).
To play, pick who you think will win and by how many points. You then get points based on the result:
Picked the winner? You get 5 points
Picked the winner and a spread within the margin of error? You get 3 more points
Picked the winner and the exact spread? You get 2 more points
There are also bonus categories to pick each week worth 5 points each.
What's the Margin of Error?
A window around the spread that's defined as the following:
spread - round(0.3 * spread) <= Margin of Error <= spread + round(0.3 * spread)
You get rewarded for being close to the spread. The bigger the spread, the bigger the margin of error, so you don't have to be as accurate predicting a blowout as a close game.
Examples:
| Actual Spread | Margin Starts at | Margin Ends at |
| 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 4 | 3 | 5 |
| 7 | 5 | 9 |
| 11 | 8 | 14 |
| 20 | 14 | 26 |
| Outcome | Your score |
| Miami by 20 | 8 points (winner + spread within MoE) |
| Miami by 10 | 5 points (winner only) |
| Miami by 15 | 10 points (winner + nailed spread) |
| Miami by 5 | 0 points |
Stone Cold Lead Pipe Locks
You can choose any game as a stone cold lead pipe lock. This doubles the points you win for that game, but if that team doesn't win, you lose 10 points (even if you get the spread). You can make as many picks a lock as you like or pick no locks at all.
The Small Print
In order to receive the prize, you must respond to our email within 14 days of the winner announcement. Make sure you have a valid email address on SportsFilter or contact me within that time period. The prize does not include international shipping, so in that situation you can pay the cost or receive an equivalent cash prize over Paypal.
This Week's Games 1
Buffalo at Houston on ABC (Saturday)
Tennessee at New England on CBS (Saturday)
Minnesota at New Orleans on Fox (Sunday)
Seattle at Philadelphia on NBC (Sunday)
Picks must be submitted in this discussion before the game's kickoff. So if you miss Saturday's opener you can still choose the remaining games.
rcade extending the pain for Pats fans by using Miami in the MOE tutorial.
Hope Brady didn't have one of those alma mater bets on the Michigan - Bama bowl game.
posted by beaverboard at 04:18 PM on January 02, 2020
Seattle by 7 LOCK
NO by 10 LOCK
Tenn by 3
Buffalo by 7
QB Yds: Brees NO
Rush Yds: Henry Tenn
Rec Yds: M.Thomas NO
Int: T.White Buff
Most Points: NO
posted by cixelsyd at 05:24 PM on January 02, 2020
I have a few minutes before I have to put some food together to feed a starving wife, so I guess there's time to lead off the proceedings. Perhaps I will have a bit more success in the playoffs than I had in the regular season. Perhaps the blind hog will find the acorn.
This rivalry goes back to the days when the Houston team wore oil derricks decals on their helmets. Much has changed since those days, but there will be 2 very good teams on the field. This one is the upset special of the wild card round. Buffalo by 6
Titans do all the things on offense for which the Patriots have problems on defense. This could see the wild card team advancing, but the Foxborough, Brady, Belichick combination might just be enough to keep it from happening. New England by 4
Vikings were in the running for a chance to rest this week but failed at the end. Saints were likewise looking at a week of rest, but were betrayed by another questionable pass interference call, this time against Seattle. Vikings will pay for it. New Orleans by 16 LOCK
The back alley brawl that was the NFC East has been settled, and the Eagles have survived. Another bird comes to town to steal the nest. Seattle by 12 LOCK
Now for the prop bets:
Passing yards: Drew Breese, Saints
Rushing yards: Derrick Henry, Titans
Receiving yards: Michael Thomas, Saints
Interception: Johnathan Jones, Patriots
Most points: New Orleans
posted by Howard_T at 05:32 PM on January 02, 2020
GAMES
Houston by 3
New England by 5
New Orleans by 7
Seattle by 2
PROP BETS
Passing yards: D. Brees (NO)
Rushing yards: S. Michel (NE)
Receiving yards: M. Thomas (NO)
Interception: S. Gilmore (NE)
Most points: New Orleans Saints
posted by NoMich at 06:32 PM on January 02, 2020
Houston by 7
Tennessee by 3
New Orleans by 12 (LOCK)
Philadelphia by 4
Passing Yards: Drew Brees
Rushing Yards: Derrick Henry
Receiving Yards: Michael Thomas
Interception: Tre'Davious White
Most Points: New Orleans
posted by ic23b at 08:01 PM on January 02, 2020
Buffalo by 5
Tennessee by 7
New Orleans by 11
Seattle by 14
Passing: Brees (N.O.S.)
Rushing: Henry (T.T.)
Receiving: Thomas (N.O.S.)
Interception: Byard (T.T.)
Points: New Orleans Saints
posted by tommybiden at 08:32 AM on January 03, 2020
Buffalo by 3
NE by 6
NO by 6
Seattle by 4
Passing yds: Brees, NO
Rushing yds: Henry, TEN
Receiving yds: Thomas, NO
Int: J.C. Jackson, NE
Most Point: New Orleans
posted by prof at 10:12 AM on January 03, 2020
Buffalo by 6 - LOCK
New England by 7 - LOCK
New Orleans by 6 - LOCK
Seattle by 3 - LOCK
Passing: Russel Wilson
Rushing: Derrick Henry
Receiving: Michael Thomas
Interception: Stephon Gilmore
Points: Saints
posted by tron7 at 11:27 AM on January 03, 2020
Buffalo by 3
New England by 9
New Orleans by 10
Seattle by 3
Passing: Brees (New Orleans)
Rushing: Henry (Tennessee)
Receiving: Thomas (New Orleans)
Interception: White (Buffalo)
Points: Buffalo
posted by grum@work at 04:20 PM on January 03, 2020
Games:
Houston by 10
Tennessee by 3
New Orleans by 14
Seattle by 17
Passing: Russel Wilson
Rushing: Derrick Henry
Receiving: Michael Thomas
Interception: Stephon Gilmore
Points: Saints
posted by Boaz at 08:42 PM on January 03, 2020
Buffalo by 4 (lock)
New England by 4 (lock)
New Orleans by 7 (lock)
Seattle by 3 (lock)
Passer: Drew Brees
Rusher: Dalvin Cook
Receiver: Michael Thomas
Interception: Tre'Davious White
Points: New Orleans
I'd like to pick Tennessee to upset New England in the 40-degree drizzle Saturday night, because I think that's favorable to Derrick Henry playing a key factor in deciding the outcome, but I can't believe that the Titans will win their first game ever in Massachusetts like this. The dynastic Pats will live to fight another day.
posted by rcade at 08:59 PM on January 03, 2020
Buffalo by 12 LOCK
New England by 17 LOCK
New Orleans by 13 LOCK
Seattle by 14 LOCK
Passer: Wilson
Rusher: Michel
Receiver: Lockett
Interception: Gilmore
Points: Seattle
posted by rumple at 11:01 PM on January 03, 2020
Houston by 4
Tennessee by 4
New Orleans by 5
Philadelphia by 7
Passer: Russell Wilson (SEA)
Rusher: Derrick Henry (TEN)
Receiver: Michael Thomas (NO)
Interception: Stephon Gilmore (NE)
Most Points: New Orleans
posted by gridironarizona at 02:15 AM on January 04, 2020
Houston by 3
Tennessee by 7
New Orleans by 10 LOCK
Seattle by 7
Passing: Brees
Rushing: Henry
Receiving: Thomas
INT: McCourty
Most points: New Orleans
posted by jagsnumberone at 03:28 AM on January 04, 2020
Seattle by 3
NO by 14 lock
NE by 3
Buffalo by 3
QB Passing Yds: Drew Brees NO
RB Rush Yds: Henry Tenn
Rec Yds: M.Thomas NO
Int: JC Jackson NE
Most Points: NO
posted by gloglu at 08:06 AM on January 04, 2020
Buffalo by 3
Tennessee by 2
New Orleans by 4
Seattle by 7
1. Drew Brees (Saints)
2. Derrick Henry (Titans)
3. Julian Edelman (Patriots)
4. KJ Wright (Seahawks)
5. New Orleans
posted by bender at 11:08 AM on January 04, 2020
Houston by 6
Tennessee by 3
Brees
Henry
Thomas (NO)
White (Buff)
New Orleans
posted by tahoemoj at 03:44 PM on January 04, 2020
I may of picked Houston but I would love to see Buffalo win.
posted by ic23b at 04:58 PM on January 04, 2020
OK. So far, so good. How about New Orleans by 13 and a lock; Seattle by 7.
Mrs. Moj has been admiring my fancy Zubaz trousers since I won them in 16. She needs some of her very own for more formal occasions.
posted by tahoemoj at 11:56 AM on January 05, 2020
Pick these five prop bets for the entire weekend (not for each game):
1. The quarterback with the most passing yards. +5 points
2. The player with the most rushing yards. +5 points
3. The player with the most receiving yards. +5 points
4. A player who will get an interception. +5 points
5. The team that will score the most points. +5 points