Entering Week 7, 52.2 percent of NFL games (47 of 90) have been decided by seven points or fewer. At this pace, the league will play the highest percentage of seven-point games since 1970 (1994, 115 of 224, 51.3 percent).
You would think that with these kind of numbers and with the constant talk about parity, it would be hard picking winners every week. But that's not the case. Not in the least. Our own BTB consensus pick (which is slightly hampered by always picking the Cowboys) is running at an impressive 71% rate (64-26). And we're not alone in that. Many others who regularly publish their picks are in a similar range and are enjoying nearly unprecedented levels of success this season.
Games may be closer than in previous years. Doesn't mean the favorites are winning any less games though. After the break, we look at the picks the BTB writers put together. Will the favorites come through again, as they've done with regularity this year, or did I just jinx the whole thing?
Parity is good for generating excitement. Parity is good for merchandise sales. Parity is good for generating ratings and clicks. That's why the NFL machine keeps giving us stats like the one in the intro. And with that in mind, spoken in my best imitation of a soap opera voice-over:
"In a panel ruled by parity, the race for BTB bragging rights will go down to the wire. Will KD finally return to form? Has Tom the Newbie finally had enough of the rookie hazing? Can OCC and rabble settle their blood feud? Will Dave pull rank? Tune in next week as we find out the answer to these and other questions in another episode of As The Picks Turn."
Cue the organ music.
Here are our week 7, 2011 picks:
