Week 7: Almost Perfect

This week:

1. Jonathan (12-1 + 2.5 bonus) - 14.5 points

1. Jeremy (12-1 + 2.5 bonus) - 14.5 points

3. Jarrett R. (11-2 + 0.33 bonus) - 11.33 points

3. Bob (11-2 + 0.33 bonus) - 11.33 points

3. Nathan (11-2 + 0.33 bonus) - 11.33 points

6. Joel (10-3) - 10 points

6. Patrick (10-3) - 10 points

6. Jarrett M. (10-3) - 10 points

6. Roger (10-3) - 10 points

"I'm not perfect."--Brett Favre

Jonathan and Jeremy came close to perfection in week 7, both posting a 12-1 record (with identical picks). After their big weeks, Jeremy is back in first, and Jonathan is now within striking distance.

First place for week 7 wasn't determined until after the Bears' victory over the Lions on Monday night. Jonathan and Jeremy won't mention to Joel that this was definitely the most fun game of the week. (Jarrett R. would have finished first with a Detroit win.)

Each week in Joel's weekly recaps, he give us his (sometimes logic-defying) best pick of the week, worst pick of the week, and most critical game of the week. Here's how were doing so far according to Joel. (Joel has not yet sent out his week 7 recap, so this covers only the first 6 weeks.)

Best pick of the week: Patrick (4), Jarrett R. (2), Jarrett M. (2), Jeremy (1), and everyone else has zero. Worst pick of the week: Nathan (4), Jarrett M. (3), Jarrett R. (2), Bob (2), Joel (2), Jeremy (2), Jonathan (1), Patrick (1), and Roger (1). Most critical game of the week: Jarrett R. (5), Patrick (3), Jarrett M. (3), Jeremy (3), Bob (2), Jonathan (2), Roger (2), Joel (1), and Nathan (1).

Week 7 notes: (1) only 0.8 points separate Patrick, Jarrett M., Jarrett R. and Jonathan. (2) I've got nothing else, sorry.

So far:

1. Jeremy (65-39 + 7.7 bonus) - 72.7 points

2. Patrick (63-41 + 6.33 bonus) - 69.33 points

2. Jarrett M. (63-41 + 6.33 bonus) - 69.33 points

4. Jarrett R. (62-42 + 6.83 bonus) - 68.83 points

5. Jonathan (63-41 + 5.53 bonus) - 68.53 points

6. Joel (61-43 + 4.37 bonus) - 65.37 points

7. Nathan (59-45 + 2.53 bonus) - 61.53 points

8. Bob (57-47 + 3.53 bonus) - 60.53 points

9. Roger (57-47 + 1.83 bonus) - 58.83 points

Week 6: A Tie at the Top

This week:

1. Jarrett R. (7-7 + 2 bonus) - 9 points
1. Joel (7-7 + 2 bonus) - 9 points
1. Jarrett M. (7-7 + 2 bonus) - 9 points
4. Bob (6-8) - 6 points
4. Patrick (6-8) - 6 points
4. Jeremy (6-8) - 6 points
4. Roger (6-8) - 6 points
8. Jonathan (5-9) - 5 points
8. Nathan (5-9) - 5 points

"If at the end of the season there is a first place tie between two or more participants, the aforementioned participants shall compete in a head-to-head football trivia contest. The questions of this quiz shall concern the most recent NFL season."--Jonathan McLeod, The (Imaginary) Football Pool Rulebook

After six weeks, there is a tie at the top of the Football Pool. Patrick and Jarrett M. both have the same number of wins and bonus points: 53 and 6.33 respectively. And there is also a three-way tie for total wins: Patrick, Jarrett M., and Jeremy all have 53 wins. (In honor of the tie at the top of the pool, see the video below: "Top 10 NFL Overtime Games.")

Commissioner Joel's goal of having greater parity in the pool appears to be succeeding. Take heart, those of you who are at the lower end of the pool standings. All it takes is one good week to get right back into the thick of things.

Week 6 notes: (1) Four out of five of the consensus picks were wrong (Steelers, Eagles, Patriots, and 49ers). This is one more piece of evidence that this season's games have been very difficult to predict. (2) Jarrett R. is leading in total bonus points (6.2). (3) Jeremy has the most points-for (2326).

So far:

1. Patrick (53-38 + 6.33 bonus) - 59.33 points
1. Jarrett M. (53-38 + 6.33 bonus) - 59.33 points
3. Jeremy (53-38 + 5.2 bonus) - 58.2 points
4. Jarrett R. (51-40 + 6.5 bonus) - 57.5 points
5. Joel (51-40 + 4.37 bonus) - 55.37 points
6. Jonathan (51-40 + 3.03 bonus) - 54.03 points
7. Nathan (48-43 + 2.2 bonus) - 50.2 points
8. Bob (46-45 + 3.2 bonus) - 49.2 points
9. Roger (47-44 + 1.83 bonus) - 48.83 bonus

Week 5: Insurance

This week:

1. Patrick (12-2 + 3 bonus) - 15 points

2. Nathan (11-3 + 2 bonus) - 13 points

3. Jonathan (10-4 + 0.33 bonus) - 10.33 points

3. Joel (10-4 + 0.33 bonus) - 10.33 points

3. Jarrett M. (10-4 + 0.33 bonus) - 10.33 points

6. Jeremy (9-5) - 9 points

6. Roger (9-5) - 9 points

8. Bob (8-6) - 8 points

9. Jarrett R. (7-7) - 7 points

"It's Patrick! He took out life insurance! Good for you, son!"--Norwich Union commercial, circa 1990

Congratulations to Patrick on another great weak. His two highlights in week 5 were his picks of the Rams and Dolphins. The Mighty Morand started the season slowly, but now he's in first.

Whenever I hear the name "Patrick," I think of an old Norwich Union life insurance commercial (see video below). Back when I was in high school, this commercial seemed to be shown constantly during broadcasts of CBC's Hockey Night in Canada. I was always amazed at how Patrick was able to tell his father in a fraction of a second that he had taken out life insurance.

Just like in life, it never hurts to have insurance in the Football Pool. A few extra wins in week 5 provide insurance for Patrick in case when he has a terrible week later in the season (like Joel's recent 12-loss week).

Gain all the points you can now because you don't know what will happen later on.

Week 5 notes: (1) All of this week's loner picks were unsuccessful: Chiefs (Jarrett R.), Redskins (Jarrett R.), Eagles (Bob), Titans (Nathan), and Jets (Jeremy). (2) In the "real" standings, Patrick and Jeremy are in first with 47 wins. Jonathan and Jarrett M. are next with 46 wins. (3) Jonathan has the best points differential so far, but, once again, luck has not been on his side. (4) Last night's Texans vs. Jets game was the 666th Monday Night Football game in NFL history. At the end of the game, Mark Sanchez's 2012 quarterback rating was 66.6. He's also thrown 6 touchdowns, 6 interceptions, and his longest completion of the year is 66 yards. By the way, Sanchez wears number 6.

So far:

1. Patrick (47-30 + 6.33 bonus) - 53.33 points
2. Jeremy (47-30 + 5.2 bonus) - 52.2 points
3. Jarrett M. (46-31 + 4.33 bonus) - 50.33 points
4. Jonathan (46-31 + 3.03 bonus) - 49.03 points
5. Jarrett R. (44-33 + 4.5 bonus) - 48.5 points
6. Joel (44-33 + 2.37 bonus) - 46.37 points
7. Nathan (43-34 + 2.2 bonus) - 45.2 points
8. Bob (40-37 + 3.2 bonus) - 43.2 points
9. Roger (41-36 + 1.83 bonus) - 42.83 bonus

Week 4: Miracles Do Happen

This week:

1. Jarrett M. (14-1 + 3 bonus) - 17 points
2. Patrick (12-3 + 2 bonus) - 14 points
3. Bob (11-4 + 0.2 bonus) - 11.2 points
3. Jonathan (11-4 + 0.2 bonus) - 11.2 points
3. Joel (11-4 + 0.2 bonus) - 11.2 points
3. Nathan (11-4 + 0.2 bonus) - 11.2 points
3. Jeremy (11-4 + 0.2 bonus) - 11.2 points
8. Jarrett R. (10-5) - 10 points
8. Roger (10-5) - 10 points

"Do you believe in miracles? YES!"--Al Michaels

Jarrett M., last season's last place finisher, finished week 4 with an improbable 14-1 record, vaulting him from eighth to third in the pool standings. All that stood between Jarrett M. and a perfect week was a last-second field goal by the Redskins.

The Human 10-Second Delay's near-perfect week overshadowed an outstanding performance by Patrick. Unfortunately, his gutsy foolish pick of Buffalo and his loyal foolish pick of Jacksonville prevented him from tying Jarrett M.

Week 4 notes: (1) If Patrick had not surpassed Joel in the standings, all of the "J" names would have occupied the top five spots. (2) There was only one loner pick in week 4: Jarrett R.'s incorrect pick of the Jets to beat the 49ers. (3) If you ever want rain on a particular fall weekend, ask Joel and Jeremy to plan their Fundy trip that weekend.

So far:

1. Jeremy (38-25 + 5.2 bonus) - 43.2 points
2. Jarrett R. (37-26 + 4.5 bonus) - 41.5 points
3. Jarrett M. (36-27 + 4 bonus) - 40 points
4. Jonathan (36-27 + 2.7 bonus) - 38.7 points
5. Patrick (35-28 + 3.33 bonus) - 38.33 points
6. Joel (34-29 + 2.03 bonus) - 36.03 points
7. Bob (32-31 + 3.2 bonus) - 35.2 points
8. Roger (32-31 + 1.83 bonus) - 33.83 points
9. Nathan (32-31 + 0.2 bonus) - 32.2 points