WOW! Nineteen 10-for-10s this week! The stars aligned, both for the Star (Cowboys - alone in first place, and in clear control of destiny) and for us (BTBers trying to achieve the impossible dream and pick 10-for-10).

I almost don't need to write this FanPost, because of all the updates I put on KD's current week #12 contest page.

If you didn't have enough for which to give thanks this past week, give thanks for all the games that went according to expectations. Normally, each week there are one to three games that I call "trap games" - games where most of us pick a team, expect them to win, and are surprised when they lose. I will have more to say about these trap games.

The worst traps this week were Seattle losing at home to Washington and San Diego losing at home to Denver. Twenty-two missed each of these. Our cumulative score this week - 669-86 (average score 8.9; our highest ever).

After the break - the usual tables and analysis, plus a bunch of accolades.

I was worried this week that guys wouldn't be able to get picks in because of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. KD and I did a lot to make life easy on you. Many of you submitted picks as early as Tuesday morning on my last FanPost. KD put his contest page up at 5:00 am (CST) on Wednesday, and by the time I woke up and went online, many had posted there as well. Many posted Thursday-Game-Only picks, and had to remember to come back and get the rest of their picks in. Others posted all ten early in the week.

Without further ado, here we go.

First, we added one new player this week, and had seventy-six picking (one more than last week). Here's the participation. We appear to have plateaued as far as active players and total players (including several one-timers).

I have a few comments about results:

• As a consensus, we got the first ten right (majority picked all three Thanksgiving games right, and all seven early games on Sunday); we cooled off later, missing Seattle at home against Washington, and San Diego getting "Tebowed" at home; we were on fire on the two night games, getting both right by a combined margin of 130-2
  
• The consensus only missed two games, and each had low volume (22 wrong, and 5 or 6 right); that 14-2 record is our best consensus record all year
  
• We only had nine people make selections on Cardinals-Rams (6 right, 3 wrong); I suspect that is a record (for lack of participation or interest)
• Our fourteen wins averaged near-unanimity - four were unanimous, only one picked against the Cowboys, and there were only forty-two picks against those winners (three per game picked against the majority)

This week, we escaped getting trapped by the typical trap games:

• 72-1 – Dallas was close to losing on Thanksgiving; if that had happened, there would have been no talk about anyone going 10-for-10
• 73-0 – close game late in the fourth quarter as Falcons hold off the Vikings
• 70-0 – as inept as the Chiefs were offensively Sunday night, they were one play away from winning the game last night
• 64-0 – monster play by A.J. Green pulled out this narrow escape by the Bengals
• 59-0 – Panthers kept the Colts winless by: one touchdown; WOW!
• 55-3 – Eagles roll over and die, despite 400 yards from Vince Young; Eagles have only won one home game all year (against ???)
• 51-3 – late Jets score turns a home loss into a narrow escape
• 38-3 – Texans hold off Jaguars without a quarterback

In previous weeks, one-to-three of those above games would have become a "trap game" that most of us would lose. Every one of those fell "the right way" (for most of us). Those eight games only had a combined ten misses. Incredible! Those who missed getting their picks in this week have to be kicking themselves.

Look at our two biggest "losses" this week – how few played each game and how few actually lost these "mini-trap games":

• 22-5 – Redskins score late to upset Seahawks in Seattle
• 22-6 – Chargers fail in regulation and overtime, and leave just enough time to get "Tebowed" for their sixth loss in a row (4-1 pre-bye, 0-6 on the current "bye, bye Norv" tour)

Now, finally, here is the updated leaderboard - both for week #12 and the overall. First, congratulations to Jebediah Flibberbrush, who inched back into the overall lead. He was one of this week's 10-for-10s, so no one is gaining any ground on the leaders.

Also, I need to offer special congratulations to another one of our 10-for-10s - mdlusk. This week is his second 10-for-10 - the first time that has happened in KD's contest.

KD, expand your Hall of Fame. Look who is getting inducted this week. Wow, again, and congratulations to all.

Thursday games are continuing. If you want to get in an advance Thursday only pick on the Eagles picking up the pieces from their demolition on Sunday and flying across the country to play Seattle, you may submit that pick on my FanPost. I will transfer it to KD's new contest when it appears.

Please put Thursday Game Only in the subject, copy and paste the line below into the body of your comment.

Philadelphia vs SEATTLE

All in all a good week - much for which to be thankful; great scores here this week; Giants and Eagles both lose badly, and appear almost dead; Redskins show a little life, but are buried as well.

Go, Cowboys! See you next month (December).