Week #17 Crapshoot

Week #17 Crapshoot Can anyone provide thoughts on the card this weekend ... 13 of 16 games have some meaning for those involved and Tagliabue gets his wish for meaningful last week of season games. What's the best way to handicap this scenario? Also, suggestions for a suicide pool play? No restrictions ... any team ... straight up win does it. Three teams left, one with five members, one with four, and one with two ... right now a share is worth $17K with a three-way split ... on a meager $200 team entry. Two teams aren't interested in split. Leaning toward SEA and NO. Thanks

All the games are division games. Yuck. I like Denver and New Orleans. I think Seattle is a square pick because "they have to win." The 2013 NFC West has the highest winning percentage of any division in NFL history, which I mention because the Rams aren't bad considering they have no quarterback. Anyway, I think of Denver because I have a lot of bias against the Raiders. I get to see the Raiders suck every week, but then again this is a road game. Also, Andy Reid in KC has a long history of resting players in Week 17, but it still means San Diego has to perform. You could see Rivers throw four picks and lose 14-10. There are several double-digit favorites, which makes it harder to anticipate who other teams would pick as well. I bet they will pick Seattle, both of them. If the money is meaningful, pick a team like New Orleans and hedge $2,000 with TB ML. Suicide leagues are my favorite but I have never seen one where you get to pick any team.

As far as handicapping the actual games, I feel like Chicago and Dallas are basic strategy plays.

Thanks Joel ... Concur with your analysis. This is the third week with the same three survivors so we have made a ML play on the other side of our pick as "protection" as well as something on the other teams play to get some ammo for our plays. Sad to say, the other two were on NE the week CLE had them on the ropes and went down in smoke when they couldn't recover the onside kick. In all fairness, we had SF last Monday and received a governor's pardon as ATL couldn't convert their good fortune at the end. Agree the others will take SEA ... oddly enough I have STL under 7, 7' and 8 season wins so it would be nice if SEA can win, but if the others are on SEA, it would be a pleasure to give that up for the much bigger prize. The pot is $52K, thus somewhat significant. Yes, NO is the better overall option as the ML will be very good on TB +500 and if the others take SEA even more so. One last note ... it is unlike most survivor pools, in that any team can be picked more than once at any time during play.

Week 17 is certainly the most volatile week of the year, both on the sides/totals and the props. Just this past hour it was learned that Adrian Peterson will not play and that throws that entire games props, totals etc into the air. For that one I'd hit the various fixed cards in LV with some Lions bets. Other big players who may/may not play are Calvin Johnson, Shane Vereen (looks like he won't play) and Jordan Cameron (still not cleared medically). That and some of the "goals" like those of Josh Gordon can mean extra work for certain players. Add in Andy Reid and his reputation for resting starters in a spot like this and lots to consider on game day as the news flows out.

By the way ... the pot was split three ways or $17K+ each ... nice way to end the season