Fantasy Football: A Cruel Game

In football, like any sport, one roots for their home team, and always roots against its rivals. This is something very simple about sports, that most people have a grasp on. I, however, have had some trouble lately, because of fantasy football. I am in a league with ten other friends, and most everyone is into it. So, when I'm watching games I find myself getting mad at players I love.

One example comes from a couple of weeks ago, when I was watching the Patriots and Jets. I hate the Jets, and I have no one on that team so it was easy to root against them, but the trouble came with a player on the Patriots: Rob Gronkowski. Gronk. Who doesn't like this guy. He is one of the best tight ends in the league, and set multiple records for a tight end receiving last year, trust me, he was on my team. This year I do not own him, my opponent did. To make it even worse my quarterback is Tom Brady. So when Brady threw to Gronk not once, but twice for a touchdown, I had mixed feelings. At first I was happy the Patriots scored, then ecstatic that Brady threw a touchdown, then brought back to reality when I realized it was to Gronkowski. The worst part about all of this was that I ended up losing that week, and I don't think I can ever forgive Gronk. 

I guess the point here is that I'm an idiot. I really should not get that into fantasy football that I am rooting against players on my favorite team. But the reality is that I am, so I mine as well keep enjoying it.

An October Glance at the NFL

   The National Football League has taken over my Sundays, and I don't mind a bit. As the season approaches the midway point, the games become more and more intense. The level of competition throughout the league become greater it seems as most teams still believe they can make a run at the playoffs. Of course that is not really the case. In the next couple of weeks teams will either remain in contention, or slowly fall back. The Minnesota Vikings may be a team that falls back. The Vikings were 5-2 going into this weeks Thursday Night matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but they came out flat and got  handled at home 36-17. The Vikings got off to a fast start, however, it would not surprise me at all if they drop their next 5 games, which include two games with the division rival, and now 6-1, Chicago Bears. So, while some teams may begin to fade, others should get on a roll.

The team that seems most prime to get on that roll, is the New England Patriots. After traveling to London to take down the St. Louis Rams 45-7, the Patriots sit at 5-3, and atop the AFC East. Besides back to back prime time games against the Houston Texans, and San Francisco 49ers at home, the rest of the schedule looks promising. Don't be surprised if the Patriots end the season with the second best record in the AFC, or even home field advantage throughout the playoffs. 

   Whatever happens, it's sure to be another exciting finish to the regular season, and we all know come January how much more the games intensify. So if there is one thing I'm trying to say here, it's that there will be teams that have promising starts, who end up one of the worst teams in the league. Likewise there are also teams that come out of the gates slow, and take time to get going. However, once they do get going they are very hard to stop, as we saw last year. All you have to do is get in, and then ride that momentum to the Super Bowl. 

   I would also like to take this time to announce that next I will be making my predictions for the upcoming NBA season, which will include my NBA champion. So check in soon to see who I think will be making it to the NBA Finals, and yes that James Harden trade does affect my decision.

NFL Season Predictions

My predictions for the upcoming NFL season. This is before week one, where I was surprised to see the Steelers and Seahawks get big wins to start off the season. Also here are the playoff predictions and Super Bowl Champion. (* Wild Card Team)

AFC Standings:

AFC East              AFC North          AFC South       AFC West
Patriots 11-5          Ravens 11-5        Colts 12-4        Chiefs 11-5
Jets 11-5 *             Steelers 10-6       Titans 11-5 *    Chargers 9-7
Dolphins 7-9         Bengals 9-7         Texans 8-8       Raiders 6-10
Bills 2-14              Browns 3-13       Jaguars 3-13     Broncos 6-10


NFC Standings:

NFC East              NFC North        NFC South         NFC West
Cowboys 11-5      Packers 13-3      Saints 11-5         49ers 10-6
Giants 8-8             Vikings 11-5 *   Panthers 11-5 * Cardinals 7-9
Eagles 7-9             Bears 6-10         Falcons 8-8        Seahawks 6-10
Redskins 5-11       Lions 5-11         Buccaneers 7-9  Rams 1-15


AFC Wild Card Round:                                        NFC Wild Card Round:
#6 Jets 13 at #3 Patriots 21                                    #6 Panthers 17 at #3 Cowboys 31
#5 Titans 27 at #4 Chiefs 17                                 #5 Vikings 24 at #4 49ers 10

AFC Divisional Round:                                        NFC Divisional Round:
#5 Titans 14 at #1 Colts 24                                   #5 Vikings 24 at #1 Packers 27
#3 Patriots 21 at #2 Ravens 24                             #3 Cowboys 31 at #2 Saints 24

AFC Championship Game:                                  NFC Championship Game:
#2 Ravens 21 at #1 Colts 17                                 #3 Cowboys 13 at #1 Packers 27

                     SUPER BOWL XLV:

                  Packers 31        Ravens 24

Green Bay Packers Super Bowl XLV Champions

So those are my predictions, I picked the Chiefs to win the division because of their running back duo of Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones (who the Jets should not have released coming off a career year in New York). The Packers will win the Super Bowl over the Ravens because their secondary will make more plays than the Ravens young inexperienced secondary. With players like Collins, Bigby, and defensive player of the year Woodson, they should be able to make just enough plays on d to defeat the Ravens new-look offense. This is my first post so I would like to thank any of you that read this. I will be posting more on the new seasons of professional and college football; the playoff races in baseball; the NBA; college basketball; and from time to time a little NHL and soccer or "futbol".

-Max Belleau