HSBT

Participants,

First – please be sure to submit your Super Bowl Bonus Pick (along with your usual picks) before kickoff this afternoon.  It’s worth 100 points if you can pick the SB winner (it’s happened 32 times in HSBT history).

It’s shaping up to be a very interesting weekend with match-up questions in every game.  Let’s get to The Commish’s expert analysis and predictions (do not worry – if you have already submitted your picks, you can re-submit them after reading this insider information):

Kansas City Chiefs @ New England Patriots
The once and often feared Pats, losers of 3 of their last 4, are full of injury hopefuls (TE Gronk, WR Edelman and essentially the entire O-Line) for this late afternoon tilt.  The Chiefs are riding an 11-game winning streak.  The spectacular Chiefs D will be too much for the wounded and gimpy NE offense, forcing Tom Brady to “scrimble” (which means he’s a lousy scrambler).  KC Head Coach Reid (coming in at around 300 lbs.) has more room up his larger sleeves for trick plays than the “svelte” Belichick, so the home team playoff jinx will continue in this one.  Knile Davis will return another one for a TD.
… Chiefs 27, Patriots 26

Green Bay Packing It In @ Arizona Cardinals
If Aaron Rodgers pulls this one out, I will move 2 franchises to Wisconsin.  By every measure, the Cards will win in a blowout, as they did in the Week 16 drubbing, 38-8 (the 8 also stands for the # of times that Pack QB Rodgers was sacked).  Look for a repeat, as the Cardinals D will blitz even more than they did 3 weeks ago.  Even without the Honey Badger, the Cards are on a roll to SB50.  Finally, a win for the home team in the playoffs.
… Cardinals 34, Packers 16

Seattle Seahawks @ Carolina Panthers
The Sunday action starts with a dandy.  2 terrific QB’s.  2 terrific defenses.  The league’s highest scoring offense vs. the league’s lowest scoring defense.  The Seahawks have dominated the Panthers in the past, but were beaten by them in Seattle earlier in the season.  If Carolina QB Cam gets rolling, the 10am kickoff (west coast time) will catch the Seahawks sleepless in Seattle…  The Panthers are this year’s team of destiny, sporting a nifty 15-1 record.  Beast Mode is back…  ‘Nuff said.
… Seahawks 23, Panthers 20 (in an OT thriller)

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Denver Broncos
Steelers are playing without All-World WR Antonio Brown and their top 2 RB’s.  Big Ben has a dislocated shoulder.  The D is a sieve.  Peyton Manning is under center and appears to be healthy.  Home teams end up 1-7 in the playoffs.
… Steelers 20, Broncos 17 (the 2nd OT thriller of the day!  Has The Commish gone crazy?)

Participants – be sure to include your SB Bonus Pick (worth 100 points).  This is the best weekend of the playoffs, so get warm and comfy with a few adult beverages and enjoy the games on your big screen in the man cave!

~ The Commish

With 4 “one and done” wannabe’s now out of the running to compete for SB50 accolades, we reflect on the games from last weekend:

Kansas City Chiefs 30, Houston Texan 0
The A”Knile”ation started with an opening kickoff return for a 106-yard TD by Chiefs KR Davis and that was all it took.  Gone in 11 Seconds (that’s 49 seconds faster than any Nicolas Cage movie).  Texan QB Brian Hoyer looked like, well, Brian Hoyer.  A suffocating KC defense took over as the Chiefs won their 11^th straight.  Henrico FiveOh and Great the Great took honors in this one with 33 points each, while 2016 Winner clocked in the first goose-egg of the season.

Pittsburgh Steelers 18, Cincinnati Bungles 16
The “Burfict Storm” took over with another cheap penalty that resulted in the game winning FG for the Steelers late in the 4^th Quarter.  And everyone thought the Bagels had a chance to post their first playoff win in the last 9,134 days without QB Andy Dalton (who was 0-4 in previous playoff tilts).  Backup QB AJ McCarron didn’t hook up enough with WR AJ Green.  Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger is starting to remind some of us of former NY Knick C Willis Reed in the 1970 NBA Finals.  Barely limping on to the playing surface, then totally dominating.  Road teams go 2-0 today and the Bungles don’t advance, again.  Did you see Steeler WR Martavis Bryant’s amazing “pin it to your hamstring, then do a forward flip into the end zone while holding the ball with one hand” TD catch?  #2 all-time behind Giants WR Odell Beckham’s 2-fingered catch last season.  Comeback Kid is the winner in this one with 54 points (how was Costa Rica?).

Seattle Seahawks 10, Minnesota Vikings 9
The Vikes almost got a 3-run homer in the bottom of the 9^th to win it, but the ball curved foul into the stands.  Oh, wait – this was a football score, not baseball.  Seahawk QB Russell Wilson made some terrific plays when his team most needed them at clutch times.  Minnesota QB Teddy resembled an icy Bridge (over troubled) Water with a “few” errant passes in the 3^rd coldest playoff game of all-time.  The Seahawks stifling D always looks good against teams with mediocre offenses.  Pete the Terp runs up 70 points in a convincing win.  Home teams are now 0-3 this weekend.

Green Bay Packers 35, Washington Deadskins 18
Welcome back to your neighborhood, Mr. Rodgers!  He’s back to his old self, which spelled a whole heap of trouble for the hapless Redskins.  The Pack almost looked like SB contenders, with the 4^th road of the playoff weekend.  Balanced on offense and D.  The ‘Skins played like any 9-7 team that made the playoffs by default.  Again, Pete the Terp takes honors with 42 points and Comeback Kid comes back down to earth with the 2^nd goose-egg of the playoffs, as the Home teams wrap up a 0-4 record.

So, here is where we stand after the WildCard Games (which represent only 13% of all points amassed in the HSBT playoffs):

• Pete the Terp – 147 points (at least he doesn’t have to worry about the Ravens)
• JTB – 127 (nice start for the newest member)
• Buffalo Bill – 121 (he always has a good WildCard round)
• Ben the Butler – 110 (looking for trophy #1)
• Comeback Kid – 84 (all but 30 in one game…)
• Greg the Great – 79 (he does live 3 hours behind the rest of us)
• 2016 Winner – 70 (perfectly positioned)
• HenricoFiveOh – double nickel in a 70-mph speed limit

I promise to be more timely in my write-ups, but the fan adulation has kept me busy signing autographs and with speaking appearances.  Did you know we’re going to have 7 teams in LA before the end of this decade?

Look for my “expert” analysis of the upcoming weekend games and don’t forget to submit your scores and BONUS SUPER BOWL PICK before the action begins Saturday afternoon.

Until then, I remain

~ The Commish

OK, Participants – hopefully you have checked your Spam email and found an earlier communication from me to remind you that the fun is about to begin!  I also texted as many of you as I had cell numbers for in an attempt to verify that you’re good to go for the playoffs.

Strap on your comfy pants, grab a bite (or 2), get a few cold one’s out of the refrigerator (more on the frig in a bit) and let’s get ready for some football!!  The NFL playoffs that culminate in Super Bowl 50 start this weekend.  And – the teams that were in the first 2 Super Bowls (not called that at the time) are both in the playoffs.

Right now, the trophy resides on the fireplace mantle of Greg the Great’s home in the northern suburbs of Seattle (smart move there – get to root for the Seahawks instead of da’ 6-10 Bears).  3 participants are looking for their first trophy victory.  4 are looking for trophy #7.  One is vacationing in Latin America.  Who will win this year?  We’re not telling at this point, but let’s get to the eagerly awaited for predictions from the desk of The Commish:

#5 Kansas City Chiefs (11-5) @ #4 Houston Texans (9-7)

Winners of their last 10, the KC bunch is prepping for #11 in a row.  All this without the league’s premier RB, Jamaal Charles, who went down for the year with a knee injury.  And down in Houston, it took some help on the final Sunday of the regular season to win the hapless AFC South.  All this without their top RB, Arian Foster, who went down for the year with a knee injury (didn’t I just say that?).  A defensive slugfest in the works in a low (JJ) Wattage game.

Upset city for Kansas City

Chiefs 13, Texans 10

#6 Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6) @ #3 Cincinnati Bengals (12-4)

What would the playoffs be like without the Steelers?  It took some help on the final Sunday of the regular season to make the playoffs (didn’t I just say that?), in large part thanks to the Bumbling Bills victory over the NY Jets.  All this without their top RBs, Le’Veon Bell and DeAngelo Williams, who went down for the year with a knee injury (didn’t I just say that?).  Meanwhile, the Bungles may have finally made believers out of their fan base.  But time will tell and let’s see if QB Any Dalton can pull one out – but he’s not playing either – so the burden falls on AJ McCarron.  Big Ben set a league record for passing yards per game (over 325) and WR Antonio Brown is unstoppable.  However, the once-feared Steeler D is not any longer.  A shootout in the works.

Holy touchdowns, Batman!

Steelers 38, Bungles 35

#6 Seattle Seahawks (10-6) @ The North Pole

Yep, the wind chill in this night game will make the famous Lambeau playoff game vs. the Cowboys seem like the Hula Bowl.  Bud Grant is smiling from somewhere.  Da’ Seahawks made a late run behind dynamic QB Russell Wilson (who played his college ball at Wisconsin).  Beast Mode will not be on display (recovering from surgery).  The Vikes depend on the conservative Teddy Bridgewater, who hails from Louisville, KY.  This will be the “upset” of the weekend, as the furthest any kickoff will go is just past the 50 yard line.  No FG’s further than an Extra Point.  The frozen remains of Pete Carroll’s gum (from southern CA) will be shipped back west after it is separated from his frozen teeth.

The Iceman Cometh

Vikes 19, IceHawks 17

#5 Green Bay Packers (10-6) @ #4 Washington Redskins (9-7)

At least the Redskins aren’t playing against the Seahawks, as they have 3 of their last 4 playoff appearances.  QB Kirk Cousins set a league record for efficiency in home games this year.  Packer QB Aaron Rodgers had his worst year.  Injuries have ripped at both teams hearts (and playbooks), but both managed to find a way to make it to the post-season.  Don’t look for either team to make a deep run in the playoffs, especially the Packers.

One and Done

Redskins 27, Packin’ It In 20

Be sure to check out our site for up to the minute scores and points for each Participant!  My weekend summary will be forthcoming early next week.  Good Luck (not Andrew and the hapless Colts) to all Participants!!

~ The Commish

Participants,

Well, we finally have determined the 12 teams that will compete for this year’s Super Bowl (SB50), and the playoffs start this Saturday with the WildCard Weekend round.  A few reminders before the real action begins as the 8 participants prepare to battle it out for the 28th season of the Hewes Super Bowl Trophy competition:

RULES
Please read the “League Rules” tab (found on our home page at www.hewessbt.com) to become reacquainted with all you need to know.  I’m available to answer any questions.  Please don’t hesitate to ask!

MAKING YOUR PICKS
All picks are officially submitted on our site, using the “Submit Picks” tab.  Please type in the team name and respective score you believe will be the final game score.  Once you have submitted your scores, they will be time-stamped and sent via email to The Commish, who will load them to the site.  Please – no last minute frantic text messages with your scores.  Assuming you read this, please send me a test set of picks before this Saturday to ensure that the submission process works.

KEEPING TRACK OF THE GAMES
Visit the “Standings” tab to get real-time updates on game scores and your points as games are played.  This interactive feature was implemented 3 years ago and has received numerous kudos.

REMINDERS (As I Do Every Year)
Picks for ALL 4 WildCard Weekend games are to be submitted no later than 4:30pm EST on Saturday, January 9 (which is just prior to the kickoff of the 1st playoff game).  Please do not submit only your scores for the 2 Saturday tussles at that time and then expect to submit your scores for the 2 Sunday clashes on Sunday morning.  In fairness to all participants, I have been asked not to waiver from this rule (which you have all agreed to abide by as part of your acceptance into the HSBT).

Any pick not submitted on time will result in a 25 point penalty for that game (meaning you will get -25 points for each of those games).  So, for WildCard Weekend, if you submit only scores for the 2 Saturday games (assuming on-time), you will get -25 points for each of the 2 Sunday games (for a total of -50 points).

No “partial scores” are to be submitted.  We did had this occur several years ago and it went like this:  “Chicago 24, SF”.  This will also result in the aforementioned -25 points for each game submitted with a partial score.

It’s shaping up to be another great year, with no team a clear favorite to win the Super Bowl.  The highly-anticipated Commish’s expert and in-depth analysis of each WildCard game will be coming later this week (or early on Saturday, January 9).  Use this information wisely to solidify your thoughts before submitting your picks Saturday afternoon.  Greg the Great currently holds the trophy (which I visually verified in-person during a visit to his new hometown, Seattle, last May) and he has told me that he has no intentions of relinquishing it to any other participant (now, that’s a bold statement!).

With 8 participants, it could be another record-setting year for points (Greg the Great eclipsed that magical and elusive 1,000 point season mark last season).

Lastly – if you would like any updates to your profile (found in “The Participants” tab on our site), let me know and I’ll make the updates for you.

Until then, I remain

~~The Commish

In record-setting fashion, Greg the Great captured his 6th Hewes Super Bowl Trophy with the recent New England Patriot victory over the pass-happy Seattle Seahawks.  The 6 trophies tied him with Henrico FiveOh and 2015 Winner, and is his first in 6 years.

In the first year of the expanded competition (8 participants) Greg the Great’s margin of victory was a scant 69 points over Ben the Butler, who had his best season with 991 points, the 2nd highest all-time.  This year also marked the first time a participant earned over 1,000 points (1,060).

Final standings for HSBT27 are as follows:

• Greg the Great – 1,060 points (1st)
• Ben the Butler – 991 points (2nd), with lowest variance of 11.45 per game
• Comeback Kid – 735 points (3rd ), getting the trophy engraved and ready for shipment to the west coast
• Buffalo Bill – 690 points (4th), who held a commanding lead thru the 1st 2 rounds of the playoffs but just couldn’t put the nail in the coffin for win #4
• 2015 Winner – 536 points (5th), a sub-par performance for the 6-time winner will make him all that better next season
• Henrico FiveOh – 496 points (6th), 166 total points in the last 3 games spelled his doom
• Pete the Terp – 425 points (7th), just off the mark this season
• JTB – 267 points (8th), a reasonable start for the newest participant with obvious work to be done in the off-season
• Nobody won the Super Bowl Bonus Points

SUPER BOWL ANALYSIS
Greg the Great stated it best with 2 words: “Why pass?”  Everyone is still wondering.  This bitter loss will sting for several seasons.  Not sure who is the best quarterback of all time, but nobody has played the game better than Tom Brady.  From Deflated to Elated.

Enjoy the rest of winter.  SB50 is 50 weeks away…

~~ The Commish