We are proud to bring you the return of the Footballguys.com Staff Confidence Pool Challenge. 20 Staff members will pick the winner of each NFL game, and rank each choice from most confident (16 points) to least (1 point). As a tie-breaker, the person who is closest to the total points scored on the last Monday Night game will be the winner. Winners will be announced from week to week and the best overall record will be crowned Confidence pool Champion. Picks and ranks are due on Wednesday, so any late-breaking news may not be reflected in the choices. Also please note that no point spread is taken into account with these picks – it is a straight up pick of which NFL team will win this week. See the other confidence pools for picks against the spread (ATS) or Survivor / Eliminator style.
RESULTS FROM LAST WEEK
For the third time this season, Andrew Garda found himself at the top of the leaderboard after the Monday Night game is complete. Andrew only missed three games this week, and avoided losing big points on the 'landmine' games of New Orleans and San Francisco. Cummings missed three games as well, but lost a few more confidence points.
Staffer | DAL | NYG | STL | PIT | IND | CAR | HOU | TB | NYJ | BAL | BUF | KC | SEA | SF | NE | ATL | TOT |
CHI | TEN | WAS | CIN | CLE | NO | JAX | DET | MIN | MIA | DEN | ARI | PHI | OAK | SD | GB | Pts | |
Garda | DAL | NYG | STL | CIN | IND | NO | HOU | DET | MIN | BAL | DEN | ARI | SEA | SF | NE | GB | 116 |
12 | 2 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 9 | 13 | 8 | 3 | 16 | 7 | 4 | 14 | 10 | 15 | ||
Cummings | DAL | NYG | STL | PIT | IND | NO | HOU | DET | MIN | BAL | DEN | ARI | PHI | SF | NE | GB | 113 |
5 | 10 | 13 | 3 | 12 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 7 | 2 | 11 | 14 | 1 | 16 | 4 | 8 | ||
Rudnicki | DAL | NYG | STL | CIN | IND | NO | HOU | DET | MIN | BAL | DEN | KC | SEA | SF | NE | GB | 104 |
6 | 4 | 9 | 5 | 13 | 12 | 8 | 11 | 10 | 2 | 16 | 1 | 3 | 14 | 7 | 15 | ||
Bitonti | DAL | NYG | STL | CIN | IND | NO | HOU | DET | MIN | BAL | DEN | KC | SEA | SF | NE | GB | 104 |
6 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 9 | 13 | 10 | 14 | 11 | 3 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 7 | 16 | ||
Wood | CHI | NYG | STL | PIT | IND | NO | HOU | DET | MIN | BAL | DEN | ARI | PHI | SF | NE | GB | 102 |
16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | ||
Hicks | DAL | TEN | STL | CIN | IND | NO | HOU | DET | MIN | MIA | DEN | KC | SEA | SF | NE | GB | 101 |
10 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 1 | 11 | 2 | 12 | 6 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 15 | 16 | ||
Larkin | DAL | TEN | STL | PIT | IND | NO | HOU | DET | MIN | BAL | DEN | ARI | PHI | SF | NE | GB | 101 |
12 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 15 | 11 | 16 | 10 | 5 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 14 | ||
Holloway | DAL | NYG | STL | CIN | IND | NO | HOU | DET | MIN | BAL | DEN | ARI | SEA | SF | NE | GB | 101 |
4 | 2 | 5 | 14 | 9 | 11 | 8 | 12 | 7 | 1 | 15 | 13 | 3 | 10 | 6 | 16 | ||
Grant | DAL | NYG | STL | CIN | IND | NO | HOU | DET | MIN | MIA | DEN | ARI | PHI | SF | NE | GB | 100 |
6 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 12 | 13 | 8 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 15 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 10 | 16 | ||
Miglio | DAL | TEN | STL | CIN | IND | NO | HOU | DET | MIN | MIA | DEN | ARI | PHI | SF | NE | GB | 100 |
9 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 15 | 7 | 1 | 10 | 3 | 16 | ||
Pasquino | DAL | NYG | STL | PIT | IND | NO | HOU | DET | MIN | BAL | DEN | KC | PHI | SF | SD | GB | 100 |
4 | 15 | 7 | 14 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 10 | 3 | 13 | 11 | 16 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 12 | ||
Buzzard | DAL | NYG | STL | CIN | IND | NO | HOU | DET | MIN | MIA | DEN | ARI | PHI | SF | NE | GB | 97 |
8 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 13 | 10 | 14 | 11 | 5 | 16 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 6 | 15 | ||
Gray | DAL | NYG | STL | CIN | IND | NO | HOU | DET | MIN | MIA | DEN | KC | PHI | SF | NE | GB | 94 |
5 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 14 | 11 | 15 | 12 | 4 | 13 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 9 | 16 | ||
Hindery | DAL | NYG | STL | CIN | IND | NO | HOU | DET | MIN | MIA | DEN | KC | PHI | SF | NE | GB | 94 |
5 | 4 | 9 | 2 | 10 | 13 | 6 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 16 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 7 | 14 | ||
Wimer | DAL | NYG | STL | CIN | IND | NO | HOU | DET | MIN | MIA | DEN | KC | PHI | SF | NE | GB | 94 |
7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 15 | 3 | 13 | 12 | 2 | 14 | 11 | 1 | 9 | 8 | 16 | ||
Lee | CHI | NYG | STL | CIN | IND | NO | HOU | DET | MIN | MIA | DEN | KC | SEA | SF | NE | GB | 93 |
7 | 4 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 15 | 8 | 14 | 13 | 3 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 10 | 16 | ||
Haseley | DAL | NYG | STL | CIN | IND | NO | HOU | DET | MIN | MIA | DEN | ARI | PHI | SF | NE | GB | 91 |
3 | 10 | 6 | 13 | 9 | 16 | 7 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 11 | 8 | 15 | ||
Heiser | CHI | NYG | STL | PIT | IND | NO | HOU | DET | MIN | BAL | DEN | KC | SEA | SF | SD | GB | 88 |
1 | 5 | 11 | 3 | 14 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 13 | 9 | 2 | 12 | 16 | 15 | ||
Brimacombe | DAL | NYG | STL | PIT | IND | NO | HOU | DET | MIN | MIA | DEN | KC | PHI | SF | SD | GB | 79 |
2 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 4 | 13 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 8 | ||
Tremblay | DAL | TEN | WAS | CIN | CLE | NO | HOU | DET | MIN | MIA | DEN | ARI | SEA | SF | SD | GB | 70 |
7 | 14 | 9 | 10 | 2 | 13 | 8 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 15 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 3 | 16 | ||
Away | DAL | NYG | STL | PIT | IND | CAR | HOU | TB | NYJ | BAL | BUF | KC | SEA | SF | NE | ATL | |
Total Pts | 111 | 86 | 148 | 51 | 186 | 0 | 166 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 0 | 56 | 23 | 220 | 113 | 0 | |
Home | CHI | TEN | WAS | CIN | CLE | NO | JAX | DET | MIN | MIA | DEN | ARI | PHI | OAK | SD | GB | |
Total Pts | 24 | 32 | 9 | 94 | 2 | 227 | 0 | 244 | 166 | 44 | 270 | 62 | 43 | 0 | 27 | 276 |
Home teams lost a majority of the games this week, and the biggest road favorite (San Francisco) also lost. The Saints and the 49ers were the toughest losses, taking down almost 450 confidence points between the two of them. The Bengals, Dolphins and Eagles were all weighted higher than their opponents this week, and their losses also took down a chunck of points.
OVERALL RANKINGS
Hindery lost a little ground on Buzzard and Miglio, but still maintains a five point lead on the overall board with just three weeks to go. Miglio, Larkin and Cummings all made up ground, but it may be too little, too late for them.
Staffer | W1 | W2 | W3 | W4 | W5 | W6 | W7 | W8 | W9 | W10 | W11 | W12 | W13 | W14 | W15 | W16 | W17 | Total |
Hindery | 95 | 85 | 115 | 47 | 103 | 87 | 92 | 71 | 68 | 70 | 56 | 106 | 104 | 94 | 1193 | |||
Buzzard | 87 | 74 | 95 | 54 | 105 | 87 | 94 | 93 | 71 | 74 | 57 | 103 | 97 | 97 | 1188 | |||
Miglio | 91 | 66 | 102 | 50 | 108 | 79 | 79 | 83 | 73 | 74 | 63 | 98 | 111 | 100 | 1177 | |||
Larkin | 91 | 82 | 110 | 60 | 100 | 79 | 84 | 86 | 63 | 63 | 50 | 96 | 97 | 101 | 1162 | |||
Cummings | 75 | 75 | 121 | 53 | 93 | 91 | 71 | 77 | 62 | 67 | 58 | 111 | 95 | 113 | 1162 | |||
Haseley | 81 | 83 | 120 | 48 | 92 | 98 | 86 | 81 | 60 | 74 | 55 | 98 | 94 | 91 | 1161 | |||
Grant | 94 | 65 | 95 | 58 | 102 | 90 | 77 | 87 | 69 | 66 | 60 | 94 | 102 | 100 | 1159 | |||
Gray | 80 | 87 | 108 | 40 | 101 | 88 | 89 | 79 | 61 | 76 | 52 | 101 | 102 | 94 | 1158 | |||
Bitonti | 87 | 69 | 104 | 65 | 94 | 82 | 82 | 83 | 69 | 67 | 53 | 100 | 97 | 104 | 1156 | |||
Rudnicki | 86 | 70 | 97 | 49 | 100 | 85 | 88 | 77 | 69 | 67 | 50 | 101 | 112 | 104 | 1155 | |||
Holloway | 78 | 62 | 107 | 44 | 106 | 89 | 85 | 85 | 74 | 71 | 56 | 102 | 90 | 101 | 1150 | |||
Pasquino | 85 | 68 | 100 | 49 | 96 | 96 | 76 | 77 | 73 | 75 | 64 | 89 | 95 | 100 | 1143 | |||
Garda | 73 | 57 | 102 | 48 | 110 | 95 | 73 | 88 | 78 | 71 | 52 | 85 | 80 | 116 | 1128 | |||
Lee | 87 | 51 | 108 | 50 | 105 | 88 | 81 | 87 | 57 | 68 | 60 | 105 | 82 | 93 | 1122 | |||
Wood | 82 | 91 | 94 | 37 | 72 | 91 | 70 | 88 | 70 | 72 | 62 | 86 | 105 | 102 | 1122 | |||
Brimacombe | 76 | 60 | 111 | 39 | 93 | 97 | 68 | 78 | 69 | 75 | 49 | 102 | 91 | 79 | 1087 | |||
Wimer | 78 | 45 | 91 | 44 | 103 | 91 | 78 | 82 | 68 | 65 | 41 | 85 | 82 | 94 | 1047 | |||
Hicks | 77 | 82 | 98 | 48 | 82 | 75 | 69 | 74 | 66 | 37 | 45 | 81 | 97 | 101 | 1032 | |||
Heiser | 98 | 55 | 99 | 42 | 97 | 96 | 76 | 60 | 51 | 72 | 57 | 69 | 46 | 88 | 1006 | |||
Tremblay | 68 | 60 | 77 | 39 | 66 | 54 | 81 | 107 | 57 | 66 | 38 | 104 | 103 | 70 | 990 |
And Tremblay falls back into the basement again. Rough week for him and Heiser, but more so for him..
THIS WEEK'S PICKS
Here are the picks for this week.
Staffer | ARI | OAK | MIA | PIT | HOU | WAS | CIN | JAX | TB | GB | NYJ | DEN | SF | MIN | DAL | NO | MNF |
STL | KC | NE | ATL | IND | NYG | CLE | BAL | CAR | BUF | TEN | SD | SEA | DET | PHI | CHI | TOTAL | |
Rudnicki | STL | KC | NE | PIT | IND | NYG | CIN | BAL | TB | GB | NYJ | DEN | SEA | DET | PHI | NO | 52 |
11 | 12 | 13 | 7 | 14 | 9 | 4 | 15 | 1 | 16 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 3 | ||
Miglio | STL | KC | NE | PIT | IND | NYG | CIN | BAL | CAR | GB | TEN | DEN | SEA | DET | PHI | NO | 53 |
3 | 9 | 13 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 11 | 16 | 2 | 15 | 1 | 8 | 14 | 12 | 7 | 5 | ||
Garda | STL | KC | NE | PIT | IND | NYG | CLE | BAL | CAR | GB | NYJ | DEN | SEA | DET | PHI | NO | 60 |
8 | 6 | 16 | 14 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 12 | 3 | 15 | 2 | 13 | 4 | 9 | 10 | 7 | ||
Hicks | STL | KC | NE | ATL | IND | NYG | CIN | BAL | CAR | GB | NYJ | SD | SEA | DET | DAL | CHI | 58 |
7 | 14 | 15 | 6 | 8 | 16 | 9 | 13 | 10 | 12 | 4 | 5 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 2 | ||
Heiser | STL | KC | NE | ATL | IND | NYG | CLE | JAX | TB | GB | NYJ | DEN | SEA | DET | DAL | CHI | 52 |
16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | ||
Gray | STL | KC | NE | PIT | IND | NYG | CLE | BAL | TB | GB | TEN | DEN | SEA | DET | PHI | NO | 56 |
2 | 15 | 13 | 3 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 16 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 14 | 10 | 9 | 5 | ||
Hindery | STL | KC | NE | PIT | IND | NYG | CIN | BAL | TB | GB | NYJ | DEN | SEA | DET | PHI | NO | 58 |
7 | 14 | 10 | 2 | 12 | 13 | 3 | 16 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 9 | 15 | 11 | 6 | 5 | ||
Larkin | STL | KC | NE | ATL | IND | NYG | CLE | BAL | CAR | GB | TEN | DEN | SEA | DET | PHI | NO | 45 |
11 | 9 | 15 | 3 | 12 | 14 | 8 | 16 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 13 | 10 | 6 | 1 | ||
Cummings | STL | KC | NE | ATL | IND | NYG | CIN | BAL | CAR | GB | NYJ | DEN | SEA | DET | PHI | CHI | 48 |
5 | 14 | 12 | 2 | 13 | 10 | 4 | 16 | 9 | 11 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 6 | 3 | ||
Brimacombe | |||||||||||||||||
n/a | |||||||||||||||||
Wood | STL | KC | NE | PIT | IND | NYG | CIN | BAL | CAR | GB | NYJ | DEN | SEA | DET | PHI | NO | 57 |
16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | ||
Haseley | STL | KC | NE | PIT | IND | NYG | CLE | BAL | CAR | GB | NYJ | DEN | SEA | DET | PHI | CHI | 51 |
14 | 11 | 16 | 9 | 8 | 15 | 3 | 13 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 12 | 10 | 6 | 1 | ||
Pasquino | STL | KC | NE | PIT | IND | NYG | CLE | BAL | CAR | GB | NYJ | DEN | SEA | DET | PHI | NO | 51 |
2 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 3 | 15 | 16 | 12 | 6 | 11 | 1 | 9 | 7 | 13 | 14 | ||
Lee | STL | KC | NE | ATL | IND | NYG | CLE | BAL | TB | GB | NYJ | DEN | SEA | DET | PHI | NO | 50 |
8 | 15 | 13 | 4 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 16 | 5 | 12 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 3 | ||
Wimer | ARI | KC | NE | PIT | IND | NYG | C | BAL | CAR | GB | TEN | DEN | SEA | DET | DAL | NO | 66 |
10 | 14 | 13 | 9 | 12 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 6 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 16 | 1 | ||
Bitonti | STL | KC | NE | PIT | IND | NYG | CLE | BAL | CAR | GB | NYJ | DEN | SEA | DET | DAL | NO | 63 |
7 | 14 | 15 | 8 | 13 | 12 | 1 | 16 | 4 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 11 | 2 | 3 | ||
Tremblay | STL | KC | NE | PIT | IND | WAS | CLE | BAL | CAR | GB | TEN | DEN | SEA | DET | PHI | CHI | 52 |
9 | 14 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 16 | 10 | 2 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 13 | 4 | 1 | ||
Holloway | STL | KC | NE | PIT | IND | NYG | CLE | BAL | CAR | GB | TEN | DEN | SEA | DET | PHI | NO | 62 |
6 | 12 | 14 | 3 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 16 | 7 | 11 | 2 | 8 | 15 | 13 | 4 | 5 | ||
Buzzard | STL | KC | NE | PIT | IND | NYG | CLE | BAL | CAR | GB | NYJ | DEN | SEA | DET | PHI | NO | 51 |
7 | 15 | 11 | 3 | 12 | 10 | 1 | 16 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 8 | 13 | 14 | 5 | 4 | ||
Grant | DAL | NYG | STL | CIN | IND | NO | HOU | DET | MIN | MIA | DEN | ARI | PHI | SF | NE | GB | 57 |
6 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 12 | 13 | 8 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 15 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 10 | 16 | ||
Away | ARI | OAK | MIA | PIT | HOU | WAS | CIN | JAX | TB | GB | NYJ | DEN | SF | MIN | DAL | NO | |
Total Pts | 10 | 0 | 0 | 88 | 0 | 7 | 41 | 9 | 16 | 169 | 52 | 116 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 57 | |
Home | STL | KC | NE | ATL | IND | NYG | CLE | BAL | CAR | BUF | TEN | SD | SEA | DET | PHI | CHI | |
Total Pts | 139 | 226 | 227 | 28 | 210 | 168 | 55 | 253 | 88 | 0 | 27 | 5 | 185 | 162 | 84 | 8 |
HEAVY FAVORITES
Big Vegas lines means lots of confidence points. Kansas City, New England, Indianapolis, Baltimore, Green Bay, Seattle, and Detroit all come in with big confidence points compared to their opponents. St. Louis tonight, the Giants, Denver and the Saints also drew strong support.
DUAL SUPPORT
The Browns and the Bengals are almost too close to call with Cleveland getting the home field advantage but just a few points. The Jets are actually favored on the road against the Titans, but not by much. The Cowboys drew a little support, but the Eagles are still a strong favorite there.
ODDS AND ENDS
With just three weeks to go, every point counts. If you're in the overall hunt for your office league, make sure to minimize your risk and downplay the closer games as much as possible. Since these picks came out on Wednesday night, late injury news like how much Cam Newton will play in Carolina do not factor into the picks. If your league allows it, you should make changes right up until game time based on how players are practicing and who is expected to play.
Good luck this weekend!