Jaime Edmondson’s Week 9 NFL Picks (updated)

November 4, 2012 @ admin → No Comments

This time change thing isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. You gain an hour of sleep because you turn the clocks back? Well, that does work in theory but falls apart big-time when you stay up a couple of hours later than usual. Some of us will look forward to springing forward in a few months and feeling as well-rested (not!) as right now.

On the bright side of all this, Jaime Edmondson is back with her weeekly NFL picks and pics (not necessarily in that order of importance to some out there in cyberspace). The Playboy Playmate has adjusted to the time change and provided her pigskin prognostications for Week 9. Of course, you can find her picks on Twitter at @jaimeedmondson.

Jaime likes: Chicago over Tennessee, Houston over Buffalo, Detroit over Jacksonville, Carolina over Washington, Green Bay over Arizona, Baltimore over Cleveland, Denver over Cincinnati and Miami (she once was a cheerleader for the Dolphins and never will pick against them) over Indianapolis.

In the late-afternoon games, Jaime picks Tampa Bay over Oakland, Minnesota over Seattle and the New York Giants over Pittsburgh. For the night game: Atlanta over Dallas.

She already correctly picked the Thursday night game with San Diego defeating Kansas City.

And now, for some NFL facts and figures (other than Jaime’s).

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From the NFL department of keeping-hope-alive for even teams with losing records and other stuff:

Since 2000, 29 teams have reached the halfway point of their season with a .500 or below winning percentage and reached the playoffs, including at least one in each season. Of those 29 clubs, five have advanced to the Conference Championship Game, including the 2001 New England Patriots, who won Super Bowl XXXVI.

The five teams since 2000 to start .500 or worse halfway through the season and advance to the Conference Championship Game:

2001 New England (4-4): Won Super Bowl XXXVI
2002 Tennessee (4-4): Championship Game
2002 Oakland (4-4): Lost Super Bowl XXXVII
2007 San Diego (4-4): Championship Game
2009 New York Jets (4-4): Championship Game

On Sunday Night Football, two prolific tight ends will face off as Tony Gonzalez and the Atlanta Falcons (7-0) play host to Jason Witten and the Dallas Cowboys (3-4). Gonzalez and Witten rank among the top three tight ends in all-time receptions and receiving yards:

Tony Gonzalez: 1,195 receptions for 13,797 yards
Shannon Sharpe: 815 receptions for 10,060 yards
Jason Witten: 747 receptions for 8,396 yards

With four receptions, Golzalez will have his 15th consecutive season with 50 catches. Only Jerry Rice had more (17). With five receptions, Gonzalez will join Rice as the only players with 1,200 career receptions. With a touchdown catch, Gonzalez can become the first tight end and the eighth player in league history with 100 TD receptions.

With four receptions, Witten can surpass Michael Irvin (750) for the most receptions in franchise history.

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Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford (9,948) needs 52 passing yards on Sunday at Jacksonville to reach 10,000 for his career. Stafford will play in his 37th career game Sunday. The fewest games to reach 10,000 career passing yards in NFL history:

Kurt Warner, St. Louis: 36
Marc Bulger, St. Louis: 38
Dan Marino, Miami: 38
Peyton Manning, Indianapolis: 39

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Pittsburgh oach Mike Tomlin has a 59-28 (.678) record in six seasons. With a victory at the New York Giants, Tomlin (88) can tie Chuck Knox (88) for the fourth-fewest games to reach 60 career victories among coaches who began their career since 1970. The coaches who began their career since 1970 to win 60 games in the fewest games:

George Seifert, San Francisco: 75
Joe Gibbs, Washington: 84
Mike Ditka, Chicago: 85
Chuck Knox. Los Angeles Rams, Buffalo: 88
Bill Cowher, Pittsburgh: 90
Andy Reid, Philadelphia: 90