I’m going to keep this simple as possible as our playoff clock is ticking.
Welcome, one and all, to SportsChump’s first ever NFL (and college) playoff eliminator!!!
The rules are easy to follow but please pay attention as THEY WILL REQUIRE A RETURN VISIT… if, of course, you are fortunate enough to advance in the first place.
First of all, what’s an eliminator?
You must pick ONE winner (only one) out of the four games this weekend. Easy enough, right?
No point spreads. Just pick one team you are sure will win.
Here are your four weekend games:
Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans, 4:35 pm Saturday
Seattle Seahawks at Dallas Cowboys, 8:15 Saturday
Los Angeles Chargers at Baltimore Ravens, 1:05 pm Sunday
Philadelphia Eagles at Chicago Bears, 4:40 pm Sunday
You must log your pick in the comments section below prior to kick off of that particular game. So, for example, if you like the Cowboys to beat Seattle, you can wait until 8:15pm Saturday to get your pick in. If you like Chicago, you can wait until Sunday night but you MUST PICK ONE GAME THIS WEEKEND to participate in the contest.
If you pick the winner correctly, you advance. If you choose the wrong team, you’re done.
Please keep note, after this weekend, if you survive, I WILL BE ASKING YOU TO PICK THE WINNER OF THE CLEMSON-ALABAMA GAME (8:00 pm Monday) before we move onto next weekend’s NFL divisional matchups. Choose the national champion correctly and you advance to next week. Pick the wrong team and it is better luck next year.
Never has picking winners been so damn tough.
The winner of this contest will receive not only some sensational SportsChump swag but also a hardcover copy of Wil Haygood’s Tigerland: 1968-1969: A City Divided, A Nation Torn Apart, and a Magical Season of Healing.
I’ll be honest. As fabulous as these prizes are, I’m not convinced a single one of us can make it through this contest all the way to Super Bowl Sunday picking only one winner a week unscathed.
Here’s to proving me wrong.
Any questions? I didn’t think so. Again, pick ONE winner from this weekend. If you pick correctly this Saturday/Sunday, don’t forget to return to this very same post and list your national champion or YOU WILL BE ELIMINATED!
I will list everyone’s picks next week to announce how many of us have made it through to the third round.
Good luck, all, and happy picking!
Bears over Eagles.
Give me the Seattle Seahawks.
I can’t believe I’m going to do this considering I have lost countless dollars betting against the Ravens this season ever since Lamar Jackson took over… but I just can’t see how an experienced quarterback like Phil Rivers, and an MVP candidate, and a guy who hasn’t sniffed a deep playoff run in ages, loses this opportunity against an opposing quarterback who hasn’t playing a single down of NFL playoff football.
But what the hell do I know.
Give me the Chargers to advance this weekend.
Bears over Eagles
Da Bears
I like all the visitors… plus the points! But, I don’t like any enough to pick them to win outright. I also want Rivers v Brees in the SB this year. BUT, the Ravens will break P Riv’s heart this weekend. Ravens win outright!
In case I don’t get back before the NCG— Bama wins by double digits!
Houston Texans…
The chicken way out would be to pick the Bears. (Surely nobody but an Eagles fan thinks the Eagles have a chance…) But I’d rather go with a chance to be wrong. I’ll pick the Chargers over the Ravens
Chargers
Chargers
Everyone who is taking the Bears better be ready for an upset. Trubisky can choke if he’s not ready because Foles and the Eagles will be. I will take Cowboys tonight because I’m stoned ???
Los Angeles Chargers
Cowboys
The Baltimore rookie QB has been hot but the points are close and I don’t see Rivers and that offense which is back to full strength losing. Give me some Chargers.
Lamenting po’ Phillip Rivers losing on the big stage again but…he knows it’s now or never. Most likely never but what do we have to lose? Except the season..LOL
1) Quiggy – This Eagles fan took the Bears
2) This whole thing was concocted so Chump can find out who I’ve got in the championship game Monday Night.
Bears
I like Mack and the Chicago Bears
I like picking good defenses over bad defenses, and that’s what we have with the Bears v Birds. Defending SB MVP has bruised ribs, which won’t help against a defense that gave up an average of 14 points at home this season. My main concern is that we get bad Trubisky and have to trust a bad kicker. But Eagles D has more holes than Chump’s underwear. Bears win a boring one.
Chargers win. Now it’s time to Roll Tide. I pick Alabama.
Firstly, congrats to the Eagles, even though I thought they’d get booted by the end of the first quarter.
As far as Alabama/Clemson. I had to consider certain factors, not the least of which was whether Notre Dame could beat Oklahoma or vice versa (the two preceding opponents for each team). I think ND would have defeated OU in a playoff game, so I think ND is a tougher opponent in the loser bracket. This game may end up being a lot different than most people expect. I’m picking Clemson. (And since I went only 1 and 3 in the pro football weekend I may end up bowing out after tonight…)
As a Dolphins fan I hate to do this but…
Alabama
So far that’s three picks for Alabama and only one for Clemson.
Wait, I take that back. Make it four picks for the Crimson Tide. SportsChump is going with ‘Bama as well.
Still waiting on Fibbs, One Ball Kall, Erin, Donny C & Capn Tree to get their picks in before game time.
I take that back. Capn Tree has sent me and e-mail picking Bama.
I’ve asked for him to post it here in the comments section to make it official.
Here’s what he wrote…
“Chumpy,
Thanks.. it seems too easy to pick ‘Bama and I ‘want’ to see Clemson win.. but …
Bama in a tough game”
As much as I would rather see Clemson, I’ll pick Alabama on this one.
Thanks Chumpy.. repeating… it seems too easy to pick ‘Bama and I ‘want’ to see Clemson win.. but …
” ‘Bama in a tough game”
Bama wins by 4 doesn’t cover but it’ll be a great game. Saban gets another one tonight. So it’s either one guy eliminated looks like or he wins it all on this game.
College…psh…
Good Contest Chump
So… ‘if’ Quiggy is the ONLY Clemson selector then this whole ‘playoff contest’ might be over before I sign in again.. ..stat geeks in Chumpland quietly unite rooting for Quiggy.
Throw out the defenses in this game. Bama will score and score again and the Clemson offense can’t keep pace. Liar Saban and the Tide cover the 5 1/2.
Just wondering. If Clemson does manage to pull it off am I going to be the last chump standing?
I’ll take Bama even though I think Clemson is going to win.
C’mon Chumpy… let me give props to Quiggy… and for calling it in advance. LOL too bad ole Capn left his stones in a far away anchorage and didn’t stick with his gut on Clemson. Quiggy FTW.
So does this end the contest? Or are we free to swear about Rivers 0-7 streak against Brady?
Chumpy,
No need to post this as Mod but you might wish to clarify your ‘final’ selection criteria. Are we still thinking about next weekend? Or did Quiggy win outright? Is it ‘fewest losses oveall’ or ‘last man undefeated’? I understood ‘last man undefeated’ an salute Quiggy… unless YOU define the rules as otherwise. Thanks for being a good sport.
Tree…
The powers that be are currently deciding what to do in this case so stay tuned.
Let’s just say, though, that they might just rule in Quiggy’s favor.
“I’m not convinced a single one of us can make it through this contest all the way to Super Bowl Sunday picking only one winner a week unscathed.”
Well, even if the Chump-meister decides to award the prize outright, I’m still up to the challenge. If only for my own ego.
Yes, I know the Eagles surprised a hell of a lot of folks, not including the entire Bears staff, but I’m still not sold on them. But picking the Saints seems to be easy pick again… (Now watch the Eagles serve me another slice of humble pie…) I refuse to pick the Cowboys even though I think they’ll probably win because I refuse to put myself in the position of having to root for the Cowboys. I’m going with another upset and a potential AFC West playoff game for the championship. The Chargers over the Patriots.
My two cents–
Here is what you said in the original post:
“I’m not convinced a single one of us can make it through this contest all the way to Super Bowl Sunday picking only one winner a week unscathed.”
Based on that statement, it seems to me that Quiggy must continue to pick correctly for the remainder of the playoffs in order to be declared the winner.
Congrats to Quiggy for having the courage of his convictions. I like some others wanted to see Clemson win, but didn’t have the courage to make the call.
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