# 14th Annual SDMB Early Super Bowl Pick Contest **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 2, 2017, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14th-annual-sdmb-early-super-bowl-pick-contest/776124 "2017-01-02T03:13:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14th-annual-sdmb-early-super-bowl-pick-contest/776124/41 "2017-01-04T21:00:34Z")
Wow, the Cowboys are 1-13 in 37 picks. Talk about being 13-3 in the regular season but getting so little respect that **Dallas Jones** will not pick them to win even 2 playoff games ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14th-annual-sdmb-early-super-bowl-pick-contest/776124/42 "2017-01-04T21:35:59Z")
I haven’t ever entered in previous years. Can you briefly describe the algorithm by which the winner is determined? ---
**Author:** ![mikeargo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/858c86/32.png) [@mikeargo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikeargo)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14th-annual-sdmb-early-super-bowl-pick-contest/776124/43 "2017-01-04T21:56:54Z")
> [@Hal\_Briston](#): > > That’s much closer to result I _wanted_ to make. The only reason I didn’t was, as I said in my OP, that the pick I made has won this for me twice before. Of course, that’s because I was the only one to pick NYG over NE. > > So basically, if you win, I’m going to be so goddamn pissed off at you. > > (Of course, that’ll be tempered by the Giants whupping up on the Pats again.) Sorry, Hal. As you can see, I don’t post much, but as a daily lurker I should know better to read the whole op BEFORE I reply. Living in Patriots Nation, I’m getting the feeling that the last team the Pats want to face in the Super Bowl is the Giants. Dan Shaughnessy devoted an entire column to it in the Boston Globe last week. I cleaned up on a few bets the first SB they faced off, taking almost two touchdowns and the Gi’nts. Wonder what the spread will be if it comes to that again? ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14th-annual-sdmb-early-super-bowl-pick-contest/776124/44 "2017-01-04T23:25:39Z")
**Detroit Lions 24, Houston Texans 21** Yes, I live in a fantasy land with pink unicorns and flying pigs. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14th-annual-sdmb-early-super-bowl-pick-contest/776124/45 "2017-01-04T23:47:15Z")
> [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](#): > > I haven’t ever entered in previous years. Can you briefly describe the algorithm by which the winner is determined? There is [a lengthy discussion in the 2011 thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=13364135#post13364135) that begins before post #85 (linked) that may help you understand how the tiebreakers work. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14th-annual-sdmb-early-super-bowl-pick-contest/776124/46 "2017-01-04T23:55:27Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > There is [a lengthy discussion in the 2011 thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=13364135#post13364135) that begins before post #85 (linked) that may help you understand how the tiebreakers work. So, I was getting ready to write out all the tiebreakers only to find out I already did it 6 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14th-annual-sdmb-early-super-bowl-pick-contest/776124/47 "2017-01-05T00:00:32Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > So, I was getting ready to write out all the tiebreakers only to find out I already did it 6 years ago. Except, according to that discussion, you got the last two backwards: O/U apparently supersedes MoV. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14th-annual-sdmb-early-super-bowl-pick-contest/776124/48 "2017-01-05T00:10:43Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Except, according to that discussion, you got the last two backwards: O/U apparently supersedes MoV. No, I had total score first, then margin of victory. Which is what I think we’ve stuck with? That’s how I won. ---
**Author:** ![UberArchetype](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/2bfe46/32.png) [@UberArchetype](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UberArchetype)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14th-annual-sdmb-early-super-bowl-pick-contest/776124/49 "2017-01-05T00:20:02Z")
**Steelers 27** **Giants 14** ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14th-annual-sdmb-early-super-bowl-pick-contest/776124/50 "2017-01-05T00:29:11Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > No, I had total score first, then margin of victory. Which is what I think we’ve stuck with? That’s how I won. Last year we went with number of points the prediction was off from winning team score plus the number of points off from the losing team score (proposed by **SenorBeef** in [post #48](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=19001813#post19001813) and approved by **Hal** somewhere on page 2). ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14th-annual-sdmb-early-super-bowl-pick-contest/776124/51 "2017-01-06T01:45:39Z")
We changed the tiebreaker system last year, I think: > [@13th Annual SDMB Early Super Bowl Pick Contest](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/13th-annual-sdmb-early-super-bowl-pick-contest/742184/48): > > Tiebreaker rule (total score, then closest to winner score, then closest to loser score) should be changed, assuming that’s the plan from last year. > > If team A wins a game 33-30, the guy who guessed Team A wins 62-0 will beat the guy who said Team A wins 30-27. Or make up your own absurd examples. > > Tiebreaker should simply be number of points the prediction was off off from winning team score plus the number of points off from the losing team score. > > So in the previous example, the guy who predicted 30-27 is off by 6. 3 off from 33, and 3 off from 30. The guy who predicted 62-0 is off by 29 + 30 = 59. Makes a lot more sense. > [@13th Annual SDMB Early Super Bowl Pick Contest](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/13th-annual-sdmb-early-super-bowl-pick-contest/742184/72): > > As to the tiebreaker, yes, I’m good with **SenorBeef** ’s proposal. I had always gone with total score, simply because that’s the standard pool tiebreaker – you make you picks, and you pick a score total – but since we’re looking for _individual_ team scores, his proposal does make more sense. Lets roll with this. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14th-annual-sdmb-early-super-bowl-pick-contest/776124/52 "2017-01-06T11:35:27Z")
Seahawks 21, Patriots 20. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14th-annual-sdmb-early-super-bowl-pick-contest/776124/53 "2017-01-06T14:16:48Z")
Patriots 29 Packers 19 ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14th-annual-sdmb-early-super-bowl-pick-contest/776124/54 "2017-01-06T16:33:01Z")
Chiefs 27, Cowboys 22 ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2017, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14th-annual-sdmb-early-super-bowl-pick-contest/776124/55 "2017-01-07T01:15:34Z")
Steelers 24 Cowboys 14 ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2017, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14th-annual-sdmb-early-super-bowl-pick-contest/776124/56 "2017-01-07T01:24:32Z")
Cowboys 27 Patriots 24 ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2017, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14th-annual-sdmb-early-super-bowl-pick-contest/776124/57 "2017-01-07T09:00:36Z")
Patriots 31 Cowboys 20 ---
**Author:** ![Jahiegel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ea924/32.png) [@Jahiegel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jahiegel)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2017, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14th-annual-sdmb-early-super-bowl-pick-contest/776124/58 "2017-01-07T09:18:27Z")
Patriots 28, Falcons 24 ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2017, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14th-annual-sdmb-early-super-bowl-pick-contest/776124/59 "2017-01-07T18:04:19Z")
Cowboys 31 Patriots 15 ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2017, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14th-annual-sdmb-early-super-bowl-pick-contest/776124/60 "2017-01-07T19:43:12Z")
Giants 28, Patriots 17 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14th-annual-sdmb-early-super-bowl-pick-contest/776124.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14th-annual-sdmb-early-super-bowl-pick-contest/776124.md?page=4)