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Opening weekend is just around the corner and we kick off the time-honored BTB tradition of having the front-page writers embarrass themselves by publicly picking their winners for the coming NFL weekend.
Each week, the powerful minds behind BTB will get together and wrangle out both their individual picks as well as a consensus pick for each game.
Last year's round was dominated by the mighty rabblerouser, who finished with a highly impressive 167 correct picks for the regular season. The BTB consensus pick also managed a respectable 160 picks right. At the bottom of the scale, yours truly finished last with only 145 correct picks. I of course blame the fancy pants, good for nothing formula that I used to make my predictions. So this year I'll develop my own algorithm - and I am not finishing last.
Six of the seven front pagers pick the Cowboys to win this weekend, making a win a virtual certainty. KD Drummond is the only dissenting pick this week. The other unanimous picks by the panel this week: the Falcons, Texans, Browns, Chargers, Cardinals and Patriots.
After the break, we look at all the picks for week one and try to figure out which one of the frontpagers will win the season crown.
Who'll walk away with the BTB writers bragging rights this year?
- rabblerousr, the defending champion, who uses lots of non-of-your-business to make his picks.
- Dave, because he's the boss and can pull rank anytime he wants.
- KD, sports book insider and parlay wagering man of mystery has his fingers on the Vegas pulse.
- Brandon, who follows a groundbreaking methodology, "I simply pick the better team."
- OCC, who's ditching his hot garbage win-prediction formula and replacing it with a mathematical/statistical prognosticating tool based on a combination of passing efficiency and cheerleader attractiveness.
- Kegbearer, our resident expert for offensive and defensive line play knows that games are won in the trenches and will make his picks accordingly.
- Tom Ryle, front page newbie and former Lt. Colonel (Air Force), will approach this with a lot of military precisions and a little flying-by-the-seat-of-his-pants.
Here are our week 1, 2011 picks:
