# NFL Yardage Pool competition

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [September 9, 2009, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386 "2009-09-09T03:22:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 21

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**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:** [December 27, 2009, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/401 "2009-12-27T11:23:09Z")

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My end of year scheduling with receivers didn’t turn out well. I have good, unused receivers like DeSean Jackson and Miles Austin, but they’re all playing in 20+ mph winds on the east coast. I may have to use Andre Johnson at Miami just for the weather, even though I’ve been saving him for his week 17 matchup against the weak Pats secondary at home. Bah. I don’t want to go through the year without using DeSean Jackson but against a good Denver secondary in bad weather is not ideal…

Ah screw it. Work your magic, DeSean.

It figures, I finally have a legitimate chance to pick my man-crush Harrison and my instincts are telling me not to. I’m tempted to go with Wells against St. Louis more Let this be a suggestion to you - whichever guys I almost pick, but don’t, end up having career yardage days. I can feel a Jerome Harrison 3 carries for 28 yards and benched for the rest of the game coming on, since it has happened every previous time he’s had a chance to show his talent.

I’m also gonna end up playing Alex Smith and missing out on using Roethlisberger or Favre this year… the weather is just too bad for both of them this week.

Bah. Alright.

Alex Smith  
Jerome Harrison  
DeSean Jackson

Subject to waivering and changing before kickoff!

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**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/402 "2009-12-27T18:20:37Z")

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> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#):
>
> It’s the Raiders. 5 carries ought to be worth 50-odd yards.

Well, I wasn’t off by much. His first six carries have gone for 40 yards, and one of them was a 9 yard loss.

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**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/403 "2009-12-27T18:42:10Z")

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And now he’s hurt… fielding a kickoff? What the hell is a guy who carried 35 times last week fielding fucking kickoffs for?

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**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/404 "2009-12-27T18:50:39Z")

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> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#):
>
> And now he’s hurt… fielding a kickoff? What the hell is a guy who carried 35 times last week fielding fucking kickoffs for?

What is this? Pick Jerome Harrison day?

Serves everyone right, you should not be copying my Running Backs picks. It is painfully obvious that I am clueless when picking Running Backs and Receivers.

Go Eli, Go Ocho!

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**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:** [December 27, 2009, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/405 "2009-12-27T18:53:09Z")

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> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#):
>
> And now he’s hurt… fielding a kickoff? What the hell is a guy who carried 35 times last week fielding fucking kickoffs for?

The Browns know how to utilize his skillset.

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**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:** [December 27, 2009, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/406 "2009-12-27T19:56:22Z")

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HE’s stIll blocking for kick returns. He just made a nice reurn himself. Brilliant.

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**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/407 "2009-12-27T20:00:15Z")

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He just returned a punt, too.

What. the. fuck.

ETA: What **SB** said.

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**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/408 "2009-12-27T21:27:47Z")

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Weeks 1-15 (so I don’t repeat)  
[del]Passing - Tom Brady, Kyle Orton, Joe Flacco, Jay Cutler, Peyton Manning, Matt Schaub, Brett Favre, Philip Rivers, Curt Warner, Tony Romo, Aaron Rodgers, Donovan McNabb, Drew Brees, Jason Campbell, Ben Roethlisberger  
Rushing - Reggie Bush, Ray Rice, Ray Rice, Chris Johnson, Adrian Petersen, Cedric Benson, Ryan Grant, Thomas Jones, Mike Bell, Ronnie Brown, Steven Jackson, Michael Turner, Rashard Mendenhall, Chris Johnson, Frank Gore  
Receiving - Terrell Owen, Tim Hightower, Dallas Clark, Reggie Wayne, Steve Smith (NYG) , T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Andre Johnson, Antonio Gates, Larry Fitzgerald, Hines Ward, Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Sidney Rice, Miles Austin, Brandon Marshall [/del]

Week 16

Passing - Eli Manning - NYG 296 yds  
Rushing - Jerome Henderson - CLE 148 yds  
Receiving - Chad Ochocinco - CIN 31 yds (my skill at picking receivers continues)

296 + 148 + 31 = 475

FTR - I didn’t think the Saints were as good as their record would indicate.

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**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/409 "2009-12-27T21:38:24Z")

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My picks this week (submitted via PM) were:

Ben Roethlisberger – 259  
Cedric Benson – 133  
DeSean Jackson – ?

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**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:** [December 27, 2009, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/410 "2009-12-27T21:57:23Z")

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> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#):
>
> He just returned a punt, too.
> 
> What. the. fuck.
> 
> ETA: What **SB** said.

Maybe Mangini is trying to break him. For whatever reason, after his 15 yard TD run last week at the end of the game, Mangini looked pissed off on the sideline. Last year Harrison ripped off a 75 yard TD against Buffalo and Crennel looked pissed on the sideline. I don’t know what the fuck it is that Harrison does to make coaches hate him, but they seem to be angered by his success.

So maybe Mangini was forced by pressure to play Harrison more, so he’s saying HA! FINE? YOU WANT HARRISON? I’ll give him 35 carries a game and make him play kickoffs and coverage and let’s see if he breaks.

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**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:** [December 27, 2009, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/411 "2009-12-27T23:40:23Z")

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Yeah I knew I shouldn’t have forced DeSean Jackson, but I didn’t want to go through the whole year without using him.

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**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:** [December 28, 2009, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/412 "2009-12-28T00:06:43Z")

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Bah, Alex Smith was doing fine too until he just stopped passing somewhere in the late third quarter. Crappy week for me.

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**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/413 "2009-12-28T00:10:25Z")

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Bloody hell. I just realized I never used McNabb.

[del]matt hasselbeck, santonio holmes, cedric benson, kurt warner, clinton portis, andre johnson, matt schaub, ryan grant, reggie wayne, kerry collins, darren mcfadden, jerricho cotchery, tony romo, rashard mendenhall, roddy white, tom brady, maurice jones-drew, nate burleson, ben roethlisberger, thomas jones, wes welker, david garrard, kevin smith, steve smith (car), peyton manning, brandon jacobs, vincent jackson, drew brees, thomas jones, greg jennings, eli manning, chris johnson, santana moss, Carson Palmer, Ricky Williams, Anquan Boldin, Brett Favre, Jonathan Stewart, Randy Moss, Aaron Rodgers, Ray Rice, Marques Colston, Jason Campbell, Laurence Maroney, DeSean Jackson[/del]  
Alex Smith - 230  
Jerome Harrison - 148  
Larry Fitzgerald - 48

Total - **426**

**nfm** is going to be within 50 yards of me going into the final week.

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**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/414 "2009-12-28T00:29:58Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> **nfm** is going to be within 50 yards of me going into the final week.

Yep, if my math is correct, the difference is 41 yds. **VarlosZ** has a shot, Jackson still has about 5 more minutes to get some more yards. At this moment, I think he is about 75 yds behind me.

I am already scouting for next week. I’ll probably take the cue from \*\*VarlosZ \*\*and “PM” my picks to **SB**.

The good news for me, is that I am guaranteed 298 yds, no matter what happens.

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**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/415 "2009-12-28T06:32:18Z")

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> [@varlosz](#):
>
> my picks this week (submitted via pm) were:
> 
> Ben roethlisberger – 259  
> cedric benson – 133  
> desean jackson – ?

259 + 133 + 33 = 425

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**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/416 "2009-12-28T07:19:37Z")

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> [@Omniscient](#):
>
> QB - Carson Palmer, Joe Flacco, Eli Manning, Matt Schaub, Mark Sanchez, Ben Roethlisberger, David Garrard, Matt Hasselbeck, Aaron Rodgers, Brett Favre, Tom Brady, Troy Smith, Drew Brees, Kurt Warner  
> RB - Thomas Jones, Ryan Grant, Cedric Benson, Ronnie Brown, Maurice Jones-Drew, Donald Brown, Matt Forte, Frank Gore, Ricky Williams, Rashard Mendenhall, Steven Jackson, Ray Rice, Fred Jackson, Adrian Peterson  
> WR - Marques Colston, Roy Williams, Santonio Holmes, Larry Fitzgerald, Wes Welker, Roddy White, Miles Austin, Vincent Jackson, Braylon Edwards, Andre Johnson, Dallas Clark, Donald Driver, Reggie Wayne, Randy Moss  
> QB - Donovan McNabb  
> RB - [del]Jerome Harrison[/del] Ahmad Bradshaw  
> WR - Michael Crabtree
> 
> I need to make up some ground and if everyone else is picking Harrison that’s not gonna happen.

322 + 53 + 68 = **443**

Big whup.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [December 28, 2009, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/417 "2009-12-28T09:16:54Z")

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Alex Smith 230  
Harrison - 148  
DeSean Jackson 33  
= 411

Blah.

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**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/418 "2009-12-28T16:37:38Z")

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Eli Manning - 296  
Jerome Henderson - 148  
Donald Driver - 33

lieu week 16: 477

> [@SenorBeef](#):
>
> Yeah I knew I shouldn’t have forced \<insert star performer\>

It’s easy to succumb to the temptation at this stage, not letting a high cumulative player go to waste. For me it was Donald Driver at Roddy White’s expense. I haven’t used Big Ben yet and imagine he’ll look mighty tempting this week for that very reason.

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**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:** [December 30, 2009, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/419 "2009-12-30T13:48:30Z")

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[Standings](http://members.cox.net/senorbeef/SDMByardagecomp.htm) should be updated by the time you read this. [Cox.net](http://Cox.net)’s personal webspace thing stops and starts working randomly, so it’s not updated yet.

We’re all pretty bunched up this week:

1. Lieu 477
2. notfrommensa 475
3. Omniscient 443  
4… RNATB 426
4. VarlosZ 425
5. SenorBeef 411
6. Wilson 352

There was some talk earlier in the season about the wide gap between QB and WR/RB scores, and it was suggested that next year we consider using a multiplier to WR/RB scores to balance out the importance of those positions.

Just to evaluate what would hypothetically happen, this is what our scores would look like if we gave RBs/WRs a 3x multiplier, so that a 100 yard rushing/receiving game is equal to a 300 yard passing game (seems reasonable, 2.5 would also probably be a good number). These don’t account for any dropped week.

RNATB  
QB 4063 + RB 4656 + WR 4320 = 13,039

VarlosZ  
QB 4534 + RB 4806 + WR 2571 = 11,911

SenorBeef  
QB 3702 + RB 4386 + WR 3750 = 11,838

Lieu  
QB 4085, RB 4371, WR 3288 = 11,744

notfrommensa  
QB 4964, RB 3714, WR 2610 = 11,288

Wilson  
QB 4050, RB 3441, WR 3060 = 10,551

Omni  
QB 3504, RB 3690, WR 2826 = 10,020

Surprisingly close, and I like those numbers. That’s something we can discuss for next year.

As it is, this year’s winner will be decided based on the criteria that we agreed upon, whoever has the biggest single scoring week of all wins the competition\*. Unless someone has a huge day this week, that’ll be me.

- not actually true.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\
**Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/420 "2009-12-30T16:42:52Z")

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Surprisingly Close? RNATB is over 1100 yds ahead of everyone.

Well, whatever is decided on for next year, I will probably play. But please, make it simple. 25% of the players in the bowl pool couldn’t follow the directions. I run pools at my Country Club all the time, and it amazing how the simplest pools are the most confusing for some people.

We have a Super Bowl party every year and naturally we sell “squares” for $10 a piece. Every year, there are about 8-12 people (same ones every year) who ask me how it works.

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