Gentlemen,

I hope you were able to get comfy in your favorite chair to view the 2 games yesterday, as both were statements that promise to make the upcoming Super Bowl a dandy.  Before I get into the game analysis, a couple of observations on your HSBT competition, which has really taken a dramatic shift:

Greg the Great shattered the mark for points in a single non-Super Bowl game, with 401 in the late game.  Some of this is due to the new 8-team format, and some is due to the fact that his variance (17) was half of the other 7 participants.  The former single game high was 299 (Buffalo Bill in 2000).

Greg the Great also set the new mark for total points in the Conference Finals, with 520.  That eclipsed the prior standard of 415, also set by Buffalo Bill (2006).

The average variance for all participants in the Green Bay meltdown was 4.75; the average variance in the no-Colts game was 31.625.

Rookie jitters (as expected as the playoffs deepen and the pressure increases) were evident, as JTB slipped to 8th place with a sub-par 74 point weekend.

Mathematically speaking, however, all participants are still in contention.  With the largest comeback in the history of the HSBT at 226 points (Comeback Kid in 2003 – hence, the name), coupled with the expansion to the 8-team format, I fully expect some fairly wild game scores in 2 weeks.

So, with only the SB to be played, here are your current standings:

• Greg the Great – 756 points
• Ben the Butler – 643 (with a 2nd best 259 point Sunday)
• Buffalo Bill – 634 (with identical game score picks…)
• 2015 Winner – 480 (right where he wants to be at this point)
• Comeback Kid – 459 (poised for another record-setting comeback?)
• Pete the Terp – 405 (gonna need to be bold with his next pick)
• Henrico FiveOh – 392 (very quiet weekend for the 6-time winner)
• JTB – 267 (rookie seasons are always tough, but still could win…)

To make sure you have the most unbiased and accurate information to help you make your HSBT winning pick on Feb 1, stay tuned for The Commish’s analysis and game preview in a couple weeks.  Now to the games:

#1 Seattle Seahawks 28, #2 Green Bay Packing It In and Going Home 22
A phenomenal comeback.  Who would have thought that the Packers could be up 16-0 at the half?  And that the Seahawks looked like they lost maybe both wings?  The 12th Man got a penalty (one of 6 during the first half for Seattle) for having 12 on the field.  Did these teams switch uniforms before the start of the game?  Sure looked like it.  And then, just when it seemed that all of Seattle was going to be sleepless, the Seahawks woke up and not only staged a great comeback, but also forced Packer K Mason “Bing” Crosby to make a 42-yard FG to tie the game and send it into OT.

And before you knew it, the game was over.  It took longer to explain the OT rules than it took to play it.  Re-Pete for coach Carroll.  A very long flight back to Green Bay, especially for Brandon Bostick, who muffed the Seattle desperation on-side kick with 2 minutes remaining in the 4th quarter.

A nice win for Ben the Butler, with 140 points and a personal best variance of 1.

#1 New England Patriots 45, Indianapolis No Show’s 7
Before it started, this game was primed to be the coming out party for Colt QB Andrew Luck.  When all was said and done (and everyone was thoroughly drenched by the unrelenting rain), the party is gonna have to wait until the miserable Colts get some help for luck-less Andrew.

Who’s gonna stop Gronk?  Again, that question seemingly has no answer.  In fact, who’s gonna stop the Patriots?  They were clinically effective and it was one of the best showings for Coach Belichik (I’m sure his post game interview comments were singularly, “We’re on to to the Super Bowl”) and Tom Terrific.

Will this be Super Bowl trophy #4 for the Patriots?

Enjoy the next 2 weeks as you prepare for that all-important game pick.  I know it will be difficult to focus on anything else.  Until then, I am,

~~ The Commish