The Tailgate

Happy Holidays everyone! Though, to me, there is one part of the holidays that I never look forward to – then end of the NFL season…and here we are. We have seen a lot over the last three months, and we are not done yet.   The last week of the season will bring us a game to decide a division, one last playoff spot to be filled, and teams looking to the future. This may be a harder week to pick than week 1 was. Several factors need to be taken into account in the last week of the season. How hard will teams that have locked up playoff spots play? How will teams do who start new quarterbacks?   Well, it is sure to be another exciting week, just like it has been all year. Thank you for following along this season and I look forward to helping you...

                This is when things start to get tricky.                   A lot of teams are locking up playoff spots and divisions. Now you have to factor in whether or not starters will be playing the entire game. Based on the playoff scenarios this year, we are pretty lucky. Not too much has been determined as far as seeding go, so teams are still fighting to move their way up.                   Next week will probably be a little more difficult. There is a chance that Atlanta and Houston can both clinch the number one sports in their conferences this week, so they are sure to still play full speed this week, but next week could be a different story. So take advantage of what could be the last week where you just have to worry about the quality of the teams.                   Week 16…Happy Holidays!!   (HOME TEAM IN...

Now we are getting down to the nitty-gritty. The regular season is winding down which means if you are not sitting at the top of your confidence pool season standings, you have some work that needs to be done…quickly! Lucky for you, this is a week to make a move. There does not seem to be a clear-cut 16 point game this week. In fact, the top two lines this week have teams that are more than likely on their way to the playoffs losing. These are the kind of risks that need to be taken to gain ground on the leader though. If you come up with a high score this week, you are bound to make up some much needed ground. WEEK 15…LET’S ROLL!!!(HOME TEAM IN CAPS) 16 – NEW ENGLAND over San Francisco – Yes, the defending NFC runner-up is the most likely to lose this week....

                The Playoff picture is starting to take shape. When filling out your sheet, don’t underestimate the motivation of the possible playoff spot. Teams like Seattle, Washington, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh will be playing as if their seasons depended on every game…mainly because they do.                   It may sound a little cliché, but don’t be hesitant to raise one of these teams a point or two (if you think they will win, of course). All four have winnable games this week, which will just continue to make things more interesting as the season winds down.                   WEEK 14 – LET’S GO!   (HOME TEAM IN CAPS)   16 – SAN FRANCISCO over Miami – Is it me, or is it odd to have more respect for the 9ers for losing the game in St. Louis last week than if they would have tied again? Either way, the San Francisco defense...

                We are coming to the end of the fantasy football season. Many people are now realizing that their playoffs hopes have ended and should just start looking towards next season. Yet another reason to verify your decision to join a confidence pool!                   Some may have no shot of winning season long pools by this point (my chances are actually slipping away after last week’s disaster!) but every week is its own contest – some of which involve payouts. You are never out of it in a confidence pool. If anything, you get to have bragging rights with your friends for the next seven days!                   So hang in there, and here’s hoping for a weekly win!                   Week 13 – HERE WE GO!!!   (HOME TEAM IN CAPS)   16 – GREEN BAY over Minnesota – The Vikings just can’t catch a break. For the second...

No more bye weeks! From here on out, we have a full slate of 16 games every week! This means more points available every week to help you catch up to the top spot of your league. Of course, it’s not the greatest news if you’re currently in first…ah well!   More games means more choices to make; and we are jumping right into the fire with this week. I cannot remember the last time having such a difficult time picking the top spots. While they 16 point line was pretty easy to fill (even for a Raiders fan), 15 on down is a bit of a struggle. What does this mean for you – it’s your chance! Several close games this week means that other players in your pool will have different picks. A high score this week could very well propel you towards the top of your pool, if...

This is going to have to be a quick one, folks.. on the way out the door as we speak to buy a six-pack and some dignity. So.. lightning round time. What is good about the Miami Dolphins? Tannehill is looking like he actually belongs in the NFL, Brian Hartline continues to fill the void where there used to be a good WR (we're looking at you, Brandon Marshall!) and the defense has been stopping teams surprisingly well this year - especially on the ground.   What's good about the Buffalo Bills? Ryan Fitzpatrick - 50% of the time, C.J. Spiller who tonight runs unopposed by Fred Jackson.. Ryan Lindell? Maybe, since no team has allowed more field goal attempts than Miami. Interesting.. Stevie Johnson? Donald Jones? I'll go with Johnson on this one and say that Jones' positive trend in the passing game will take a little hit this evening....

                As a Raiders fan, I have to thank the concept of a confidence pool.                   At the bar last week, I walked in, found where they were showing the Raiders and sat down right in front of that TV. Carson Palmer put together a decent opening drive, and then fumbled the snap on fourth down (something that he would also repeat later in the game). That, plus a couple quick Baltimore touchdowns later, I knew this was going to be a game I would not mind being distracted from.                   Thanks to the confidence pool, I was able to just turn my chair around and watch several other games that I had a vested interest in. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t just turn my back on Oakland (well, technically I did, but you get what I mean) I still kept tabs on what was going on in...

Can't wait to get home, flip on the TV and drink an ice cold beer while watching Thursday Night Football. This season has been even better than previous ones because football is never more than two days away! Granted, this isn't the best, or the most exciting matchup that we've seen this year - but damn it that doesn't have to make it any less fun.   Jacksonville has one of the league's worst passing defenses and both JAX and IND have pretty awful rushing defenses, so we should see some points go up on the board tonight. Not a bad night to have some fantasy players going with Andrew Luck, Reggie Wayne, Rashad Jennings, Vick Ballard and the IND D/ST poised to make some noise. Personally, I think that the game will be dominated by Andrew Luck and the Colts' down-the-field passing game with Donnie Avery and T.Y. Hilton both...

The unexpected can be exciting…and maddening at the same time!   While seeing something out of the blue creates the drama that keeps you in front of the TV every Sunday, it can make a confidence pool pretty stressful. When you are filling out you’re sheet for the week, you do so based on what you know, but in the back of your head you know that something will happen in at least one of the week’s games that will just drive you mad!   Last week, I don’t think too many people factored in a rookie running back breaking out for over 250 yards and four touchdowns against a defense that had stopped the run pretty well over the last few weeks. The logical thought is that a defense can’t score a touchdown EVERY week, so this has to be the week that ends. A team flew in on gameday,...