Big Ben Banishers,
We have an early frontrunner for 2017's "Worst Survival Team." @BigDaddy said it himself, in last week's power rankings: "If Big Ben doesn't have a good game, they lose. If the throws three picks, they lose. Pittsburgh's built that way."
How about five picks?
Pittsburgh's annihilation at the hands of a very Bortles-less BORTLEMANIA!!! highlights what's been an absurd start to this NFL season:
- Favored teams are just 24-22 over the past three weeks. Underdogs are winning nearly half the games.
- 23 of the NFL's 32 teams have 2 or 3 wins.
- Last week, 10 of 14 road teams won.
- The winning margin in Week 5's first seven games: 5, 3, 3, 3, 6, 4, 5.
- BFIG is down to 1,085 people - 17 percent of the original 6,250.
- The Jets and Patriots have the same record.
- The Browns are 0-5.
... OK, so that last one doesn't fit. Love you, Browns fans.
WEEK 5 HEALTH CHECK: WE'RE DOWN TO JUST 17 PERCENT
Damage done: 2,231 started the week; 12 picked teams lost, knocking out 1,148 people; 1,085 of us are moving on to Week 6. (Second Chance lost nearly 3,000 people and is down to 2,105.)
Could it have been worse? 38 percent of us backed the Steelers, who threw five interceptions en route to a 30-9 loss at home to BORTLEMANIA!!! So, no, not really. The Pats, who garnered 5 percent of picks, nearly lost to the Bucs. Still, over half our picks going down is a bad, bad week.
Closest call: Pats over Bucs. The Bucs missed three field goals, and still, if O.J. Howard catches this pass, they would have beaten the Pats.
Easiest win: Wentz over all other ginger QBs. There's been fierce debate as to whether Carson Palmer is, indeed, a ginger. Regardless, Carson Wentz's Eagles absolutely crushed Palmer's Cardinals, and with Andy Dalton fading fast, it's clear we're all living in Wentz's ginger world.
Toughest loss: Chargers beat Giants. The Chargers don't win close fourth quarter games... except when they're facing Eli. Ahead with the ball and just four minutes to play, the only thing you can't do is turn the ball over. And thus, Eli promptly produced one of the weirdest looking fumbles you'll see, the Chargers converted that into a touchdown, and the Giants fell to 0-5.
Team SZN record: 3-0. Commish and GM both won AND GM is now engaged to @TheGMs_GF! (Go change your username!)
THREE IMPORTANT THINGS FOR YOU
1. Join BRANDO!!! Weeden (Third Chance) Survivor >>
This is free for you. Your NFL SZN payment includes all competitions we do. Third Chance kicks off in Week 11. $5K to the winner. Same survivor format, only you pick *three* teams per week. GET IN >>
2. Your profile now shows your pick history
Relive your best (and worst) picks, and see any pick comments you've made. If you haven't added your favorite teams and customized your profile images, go make it happen.
3. Do a free NFL Week 6 pick'em with your group >>
We offer this every week now. Many groups are doing $5 side pots. Many groups are just playing for bragging rights. GET YOUR PICK'EM GOING >>
WEEK 6 SURVIVOR PICK POWER RANKINGS ARE LIVE
With favorites losing everywhere, the past two weeks have been brutal. But Commish is less concerned with our power ranking performance, and more concerned with @BigDaddy's plan to sell millions of Jim Caldwell t-shirts:
HOUSEKEEPING
- New friends can play in Third Chance Survivor. It's $9.99 for the rest of the NFL SZN. Send 'em your referral link
- If you need to join BRANDO!!! Third Chance Survivor, join it now.
- BFIG and Second Chance both move to TWO picks per week in Week 10. Plan ahead as you wish.
- Picks lock THURSDAY at 5:20pm PDT. There are zero exceptions. Make a pick early; change it if needed.
- Selecting your team DOES NOT LOCK IN YOUR PICK. You have to click "Submit picks." Your pick isn't locked until you see the pick confirmation page.
- Your "Active Competitions" section is now on the Competitions page, too. (On mobile, that's the only place it is!)
- You can add already-started competitions (like BFIG) to your group. If you aren't in a group with friends or family yet, go do it!
- Commish and GM play in all SZN competitions, but we can't win any money. This isn't DraftKings amateur hour.
- The Green Bay Packers will win the Super Bowl
- Commish loves you