9/5/2024
The ESN office is always abuzz with chatter about the NFL and what team is the sleeper, whose the best, what player does a team need and on and on and on. So this year we went on the record with our predictions to 4 questions. It is important to state that anyone inclined to place a wager on sports…well the last place to look for advice is from the bullpen of the Eli Sports Network office.
To cement our brilliance and how to avoid it, last year in our Fantasy football league 6 ESN announcers vs 6 non-ESN personnel and the ESN crew finished 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th with the lone bright spot a 4th place finisher.
If that doesn’t convince you to avoid our advice and insight then here is a picture of the brain trust….
That should do it!
Now that’s been stated clearly, the crew does have their opinions and “best” guesses. The 4 questions or predictions each of our cracked..oops I mean crack crew had to answer was:
- Your Super Bowl match-up and winner?
- Which team will go from missing the play-offs last year to making the play-offs this year?
- Which team in the play-offs last won’t be this year?
- A BOLD prediction.
Our “Experts” answers
Director of Operations Matthew King
1. Super Bowl match-up and Winner
Green Bay vs Houston with Packers winning it all
King bleeds cheese for his beloved Packers and couldn’t control his “Love” affair for the Green and Gold. You would have thought a WSU grad wouldn’t have such an affinity for those colors but guess not…Quack!
2. Team in the play-offs that missed last year
Atlanta Falcons
King being a Packers fan always knew how good Kirk Cousins was as he handled them time and again from Minnesota and on top of it a U-W Husky as the back-up QB. I mean as a die-hard Packers and Cougars fan how could you not pick a team with a Viking and a Husky leading the way? Wow, does he even like the Packers or Cougs?
3. Team out of the play-offs that made it last year
Pittsburgh
King says it’s all the name.
4. A BOLD prediction
Chiefs won’t win a play-off game
Feels like a panic prediction here and more wishful thinking than anything.
President of ESN Tony Davila
1. Super Bowl match-up and Winner
Cincinnati vs Philadelphia with the Bengals winning.
Davila is heavy with Eagles players in his Fantasy league and very hopeful Joe Burrow can go the full season. So you can tell a lot of thought went into this one.
2. Team in the play-offs that missed last year
Jacksonville Jags
The Prez is not impressed with the AFC south and loves Trevor Lawrence and company to reverse fortunes, if they don’t shrivel up and suffer significant shrinkage late in the season….again.
3. Team out of the play-offs that made it last year
Tampa Bay Bucs
Davila not a believer in the surprise Bucs last year wants to see if Mayfield can still bake in 2 straight years.
4. A BOLD prediction
Dallas Kicker Brandon Aubrey boots a 70-yard+ field goal to shatter the NFL longest field goal record
Davila falls back to his favorite team and the lone bright spot for the upcoming season might just be their field goal kicker Brandon Aubrey deep in the heart of Texas. Of course when he does it with 2:10 left to play in the game that will pull the Cowboys within 14 points of the Giants who will be leading 17-0 at that point.
ESN Website Editor Tyler Hergert
1. Super Bowl match-up and Winner
Kansas City vs San Francisco with the Chiefs winning their 3rd straight
Let’s just say that Tyler is the one that would have bet a $2 show bet on Secretariet in the Belmont and been thrilled with his 10-cent profit.
2. Team in the play-offs that missed last year
Arizona Cards
Hergert is a big believer in the 5’3 QB. He better hope they let him play from inside a hamster ball if he plans on lasting the season.
3. Team out of the play-offs that made it last year
Miami Fins
Hergert oddly doesn’t believe in Tua’s durability but is a big believer in Kyler Murray.? The Fins have the fastest receiving corps are deep at RB, plus look at the strength of AFC east, the mighty New England Pats, the geriatric Jets and the biggest chokers in NFL history the Bills. No wonder he thinks the Fins have no shot.
4. A BOLD prediction
Bills QB Josh Allen will get benched and Buffalo will still make the play-offs.
We’ll just say that Bold and Stupid are not synonyms.
Lead Broadcaster and Reporter Danny DeBock
1. Super Bowl match-up and Winner
San Francisco vs Cleveland and San Francisco wins it
DeBock is a true red and gold 49er fan and can’t help himself even though his head coach is way overrated especially in big games. And the Browns…that will go against the entire NFL Super Bowl history, good luck.
2. Team in the play-offs that missed last year
LA Chargers
DeBock originially said the San Diego Chargers would make the play-offs. Well that still is more likely than after his correction.
3. Team out of the play-offs that made it last year
Houston Texans
DeBock says CJ Stroud is over-rated and lets see what he does when Stefon Diggs cries for not getting the ball enough and they have to play a winners schedule.
4. A BOLD prediction
The Cleveland Browns will go 15-2 in the regular season
DeBock is a big DeShaun Watson fan until it comes to the big game where his unreasonable affiliation to the loser 9ers was too much to overcome.
Receptionist and Ditto machine operator Paul Beattie
1. Super Bowl match-up and Winner
Detroit vs Cleveland and Detroit wins it all
Beattie says he loves losers and hated when the Chicago Cubs finally won a World Series. Well Detroit and Cleveland have neither sniffed a Super Bowl appearance so the figuring is they will both advance forcing one of them to win it ruining both losing streaks in one fell swoop.
2. Team in the play-offs that missed last year
The Washington Commanders
He takes the Commanders because Dan Quinn always has a good year before he collapses like a cheap folding table.
3. Team out of the play-offs that made it last year
The Dallas Cowboys
Why this team?…Jerry Jones, nothing else needs to be said.
4. A BOLD prediction
Jets Head Coach Robert Salah will either be the NFL’s Coach of the Year or will be fired. No inbetween.
It’s do or die with a 40-year-old QB whose weird and has a bad achilles. Salah might want to update the ol’ resume.
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