For this week I would like to pick the Dallas Cowboys.

I know I am a bit late to mention last week's events (the all-time TD-record although was not a common one), but the final moments of the Rams-Seahawks match brought up an interesting question:
Is the performance of the referees discussed heavily among the fans in the US or is it neglected beside the events of the match? I just ask it because in the European football ("soccer") sometimes the faulty or seemingly faulty decision/s of the referee is criticized heavily after an important match (like "Oh, that was not a fault/ goal/ etc.", even the coaches saw the reason of a loss in there), and the criticism is much heavier among the fans, so I am curious if the same thing applies in the NFL as well. Or the NFL fans just say that there is everything the referee can get for help, so its decisions are correct. To put it another way: do you ahve discussions after the match starting with "Oh, that ref always decided in favor of the other team and we lost because of that"?

There are better bets out there, but I'm going Pats at home this week.

Definitely the performance of refs gets discussed, but mostly in relation to blown calls rather than corruption or favoritism. In the NFL you have replay reviews too, so that also offsets some of the human error. But just look up "replacement refs" for some recent NFL drama ;)

Heh, it's amusing how cavalier some people are this week with the Browns. Hope it works out, folks ;)
For my money, I still can't get out of the non-repeating pick mode, so I'll go with the Packers over the Saints!

I wouldn't say cavalier. Picking the Browns is always a dicey decision, but it saves better teams for other weeks. Consider that I picked the Redskins last week...

which for my money was as risky as the Browns last week... I came very close to picking Buffalo instead, and it shows out that I should have, but I get the Browns pick. clearly one wouldn't think they would allow 2 teams in a row their first wins?

Thanks for the info, from your reply I assume you are a bit more lenient (in a positive way) against the "zebras". The replacement refs were also a bad joke, I remember they were so incompetent that the teams, fans and everyone watching an NFL match criticized them heavily. :)

Then you my friend don't understand the Cleveland Browns.

With so many of you picking my beloved Browns, if we lose today, I am blaming it all on you guys for jinxing us. ;)

Well, I do have to say I'm a bit torn with the pick being a Steeler fan...but I learned long ago to separate one's heart from predictions.

Hooray, Browns! There was a bit of pessimism that had me worried, but the team pulled through 0_O

Apparently they were only Jinxed when I picked them.. though I did pretty much predict my own folly along with it.

Get in line, buddy :P

Wow, this Monday Night Football must have been thrilling!
Despite the match kicking me into the second chance league, it is amazing that a backup QB can beat one of the top teams. I like these "fairy tales" in this league. :)

I was really close to picking the Cowboys as well, but I try to stay away from rivalry games. Some teams are such rivals that the record doesn't seem to matter. Steelers/Ravens; Cowboys/Redskins...

Called it XD

There was a lot of talk on Philadelphia sports radio yesterday and today about the refs and their terrible performance in the Eagles vs. Cardinals game. The Eagles didn't lose because of bad calls, they blew the game themselves, but the officiating was awful.

The NFL refs are terrible and they seem to get worse each year. You would think a multi-billion dollar enterprise could manage to correct the issue. Though the NFL itself is part of the problem as they play around with penalty definitions every year. The NFL needs to create some type of referee academy which brings in young, athletic people - perhaps college players who couldn't make it in the NFL - train them, then employ them full-time. Currently the NFL relies on refs obtaining experience in the lower levels: high school and college. By the time they get to the NFL, they are old and cannot keep up with the speed of the game.

Ok, my little rant is over. :)

With pirateoftheah being eliminated, the two suicide pool prizes have their owners. Now its a matter of who gets first and who gets second.