Last Fan Standing: Week 5
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Eagles are murdering Sundays. They are trying to take all that optimism and positive momentum that starts building up Friday afternoon and flush it right down the drain. Every week has been the week they are going to turn this around, and every week they come out and ruin the last leg of the weekend. Stop this cycle of pain and disappointment.
I'm not saying all hope is lost or stop watching your team. Maybe this week will be the week it all comes together, and when it does it'll make your Sunday night feel less you're living in an episode of The Leftovers. What a dream to dream. Until then, thank the football gods for fantasy, gambling, picks and pools.
Pools like the Last Fan Standing! I know that appeals to a very small percentage of the Philadelphia football-watching population, but a couple weeks ago it looked like this pool would be over by now. There are 1,282 fans left and wow am I jealous of those with something to root for other than Sam Bradford.
Last week I suggested riding the 3-0 teams to victory and all but one took care of business. The Arizona Cardinals slipped up in a divisional game, knocking out 224 people in the process. My bad? Every other undefeated team improved to 4-0 and I'm betting that has a lot to do with the less than 500 told to sit down after Week 4.
The last two weeks I have gone with the Patriots and Panthers. Carolina is on the bye. If you haven't used New England yet, and I probably say this every week, go ahead and lock it in. The Pats were off last week, which means Bill Belichick has been preparing for Brandon Weeden longer than any human has every even thought about Brandon Weeden.
The Pats will likely win every game leading up to their Sunday night matchup in Denver (the Jets in two weeks could pull an upset, and they play the Bills again on Monday night before their trip to Denver, which could be a "we were looking ahead" game. Oh right, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Tyrod Taylor, never mind), but using them this now means you advance AND it comes at the expense of the Cowboys.
Elsewhere, Ray Didinger ranked his five best and worst teams in the NFL right now, and picking one of his five best or against the five worst is where I would go.
The Dolphins, Bucs and 49ers are all in his bottom five, but Miami is on the bye and the Bucs are playing the Jaguars. You never want to rely on Jacksonville. San Fran is now dead last in total DVOA, and they are traveling east to play the Giants. Eli and Co. might be the best team in the NFC East, but I don't know if that's a tagline to be proud of. That game makes me nervous, even though I have no reasons for why.
Looking at his five best (minus the aforementioned Panthers and Pats), the Broncos have a divisional road game in Oakland, pass, and the Bengals are hosting Seattle, pass again.
That leaves the Packers at home. Does it matter who they are playing? It's Nick Foles and the Rams. Aaron Rodgers is a fire-breathing monster at Lambeau Field. If you don't use Green Bay this week or next week (at home vs. the Chargers), you'll have to hold off until mid-November because they play back-to-back road games against the Broncos and Panthers. Now is the time. The Packers over the Rams.
Back to Ray's five worst for two more picks. The Browns are in Baltimore, and the Ravens are coming off a Thursday night win in Pittsburgh. Thursday winners are 3-0 the following week and the Browns are still starting Josh McCown over Johnny Manziel. Both teams are 1-3 and neither has been all that impressive, but my money is on the Ravens to turn things around before the Browns do. I'd take the points, but no spreads here. The Ravens over the Browns.
The Chicago Bears got their first win at home against the Raiders. Wow, congrats. Didinger has the Bears ranked 31st, just ahead of the only team to already fire their coach. They play the Chiefs this week who just finished up a murderous stretch losing to the Broncos, Packers and Bengals. KC's rushing attack and home field will carry them this week. Hopefully the Eagles can find a similar formula to resurrect our Sundays. The Chiefs over the Bears.
