Congrats

Sean Planck's GiveLAaTeam won Week 3, with it again going to the tiebreaker. It's important to realize that in a pool of 41 teams (that's right!), it is almost always goes to the tiebreaker. As a reward, here's a photo of a player that Sean probably likes - searching for Los Angeles Rams I could stomach was not an easy task, but by Sean's team name, I think that's what he'd appreciate. By the way, it's not easy to find a picture of Flipper Anderson on the web. I'm not sure why that is - it's not like he was an all-pro, but he was a well known receiver, yes? The dude went into hiding or something...for a guy who notched 336 yards in a single game (!) that's hard to do.

For reference points, here are the tiebreaker rules, also available at this link:

In any week where two or more players finish with the same number of points, the following system will be used to break the tie:

1. Closest to the total points for Monday night's game.

2. Closest to the home team points for Monday night's game.

3. Closest to the road team points for Monday night's game.

4. Closest to the total points for Sunday night's game.

5. Closest to the home team points for Sunday night's game.

6. Closest to the road team points for Sunday night's game.

7. Closest to the city whose team scores the most points.

8. Closest to the city whose team scores the fewest points.

9. Whichever user had more points in the previous week (or the week before that if still tied, etc.)

You will be able to determine each weekly winner by looking at the Weekly Performance page, where the person winning the week will be shown in bold.

I think we've only gone to the second or third tie-breaker once or twice but it's worth focusing on those items as you likely won't ever win without getting that part right. And you definitely won't win if you only choose 3 correct games.

I knew the Chiefs were toast once I realized I'd picked them to win. Chew on that thought for a moment.

And while you are...here's another: Everyone continually talks about the Denver running game as a system. People say, with great authority, that you could plug anyone in there and he'd rush for 1000 yards at least. Terrell Davis to Mike Anderson to Olandis Gary to Clinton Portis to...and so on.

I don't buy it - for one main reason. The NFL is predicated on copy cats. Look at the re-emergence of the 3-4 defense. After Bill Parcells won the Super Bowl with Ottis Anderson, everyone changed their game to ball control. And don't get me started on the West Coast Offense. So coaches copy. And they also almost universally think that the running game is the most important thing in the game.

So if that is true...why has no one else installed a Denver running system? If they have, it hasn't worked.

Makes me think, perhaps, that it's not just a system, and instead some good coaching and better evaluation of talent.