"NOBODY BELIEVES IN US!!!!" - Bill Simmons picks the Saints

[Reaneypark]

Simmons picks with the spread. He'll count it as a win if the Hawks fail to cover but still win. He's also been awful at picks this year and will say he reversed jinxed the Hawks with his pick if the Hawks cover. It's his schtick and likely some wishful thinking because he does not want his Pats to face Seattle in the Super Bowl.

 

[Penman96]

Saints offense gets 20 points? Late time they were here it was Saints offense 7 - Seahawks defense 7. I'm not a math major, but that's a net point total of zero I think.

Now what's happened since Dec 2? The Seahawks defense has remained elite, we haven't gave up 20 points to another team since our bye week. Meanwhile the Saints have lost to the Panthers, got hammered by the Rams, and squeaked by Philly with Brees not getting much going. They won a garbage game against TB. They blew their division and ended up 6th seed. Clearly the Saints are a team having a disappointing second half.

Realize that a lot of media coverage is provided for entertainment only - this certainly qualifies as that because there isn't much honesty in regards to how the Saints are playing.

 

[theENGLISHseahawk]

Arizona's defense is on a different planet to New Orleans'.

And let's be right here, our offense had a classic stinker that day. I'd be more concerned about that loss if they'd been average and still not produced. They were way below average. Usually a four pick performance from our defense = blow out. This was a crazy game, where we get the ball on the five to start a drive and come away with zilch.

Can the Saints win? Sure. But they'll not win for any of the reasons listed by Bill Simmons here.

They can win if Drew Brees has an elite, brilliant performance. No need to write anything else.

 

[Sac]

 

[Hasselbeck]

If you followed Simmons this year, you'd know how terrible he was at picking games this year. This is not a bad omen. Believe me.

 

[loafoftatupu]

We have heard all this before, we have heard the "experts" talking up the close competition of the game long before it starts, then when the picks come in during the pregame, most of these guys talking up the underdog change their tune to something like "it will be a close one, but I think the Seahawks still pull it off".

Then destiny sets in after the first few series and shit gets real.

 

[TheWallE]

I think its comical how "experts" keep comparing the Arizona defense to a beat up, backup filled Saints defense.

That beat up, back up filled defense just went on the road to a MUCH better offense and held them in check... The Saints can play defense. If the Seahawks win, it wont be because the Saints defense sucks.

 

[rjdriver]

Here's all you need to know


Last Week: 1-1-2
Season: 109-141-10


If your an 80's product, don't know how you don't love Simmons. Great mix of sports and pop/culture. He was also a very vocal supporter of the Sonics for the longest time. Fun writer who happens to be wrong again.

 

[2_0_6]

I think its comical how "experts" keep comparing the Arizona defense to a beat up, backup filled Saints defense.

That beat up, back up filled defense just went on the road to a MUCH better offense and held them in check... The Saints can play defense. If the Seahawks win, it wont be because the Saints defense sucks.

If the hawks played in a cupcake division like the NFC east, our offensive stats would be larger than life too. Unfortunately we play in the toughest division in football, with three of the top six overall defenses all coming from this conference.

I'm not saying your defense sucks, but its nowhere near what Arizona has.

 

[plyka]

I think its comical how "experts" keep comparing the Arizona defense to a beat up, backup filled Saints defense.

Sorry but the saints defense is god awful when you compare them with any NFC west team. Even the rams.

Saints are the one team left in the NFC which have ZeRo chance of beating Seattle. I would take the hawks in New Orleans.

That beat up, back up filled defense just went on the road to a MUCH better offense and held them in check... The Saints can play defense. If the Seahawks win, it wont be because the Saints defense sucks.

 

[BlueTalon]

This guy has a horrible writing style. Just don't like it. It's almost as if he is writing on the back of a notepad. This is supposed to be an article? This rambling, nonsensicle and barely legible pile of manure?

I only made it about halfway through it before my stomach couldn't take any more.

 

[RolandDeschain]

Guys, Simmons is trolling. He picked incorrectly so many times during the regular season, he's just messing around, now. He loves Russell Wilson.

 

[Hasselbeck]

I think its comical how "experts" keep comparing the Arizona defense to a beat up, backup filled Saints defense.

That beat up, back up filled defense just went on the road to a MUCH better offense and held them in check... The Saints can play defense. If the Seahawks win, it wont be because the Saints defense sucks.

If the hawks played in a cupcake division like the NFC east, our offensive stats would be larger than life too. Unfortunately we play in the toughest division in football, with three of the top six overall defenses all coming from this conference.

I'm not saying your defense sucks, but its nowhere near what Arizona has.

Philadelphia had a ton of playmakers, and the Saints slowing down LeSean McCoy was largely impressive.. however, the offense did what they had to do to win. The defense gave up the game.

The Saints aren't scoring 26 points on the Seahawks at CLink. In contrast, the Seahawks can easily score 24 points against that defense.

 

[MidwestHawker]

Simmons is purely an entertainer. He is a monkey put there for our amusement, and in general he's awfully good at it.

But he's not a sports mind. Superstition and voodoo are the lights that guide his picks. The moment that he asks to be taken seriously is the moment that you should ignore him. Either that or send him a message saying "dance, monkey, dance!" Regardless, definitely don't get worked up by him picking against us.

 

[BlueTalon]

Fair enough. But is it too much to ask for some decent writing?

Apparently it is.

 

[StorytellerMatt]

In January 2010, the Cowboys went into the playoffs having not won a post-season game since 1996. Then they beat the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card Round. Suddenly, the Cowboys were back! Woo-hoo! ESPN was dancing in the streets!

Then Ol' Man Favre punked them in the next round.

All this hype about the Saints finally winning a road playoff game is ludicrous. They beat the Eagles. I'm an Eagles fan, and even I knew they weren't winning that game before it even started.

 

[MidwestHawker]

Fair enough. But is it too much to ask for some decent writing?

Apparently it is.

He's a good comedy writer.

 

[Sarlacc83]

Guys, you're missing the connection between the Saints and the Red Sawx! They're like the Wire, greatest of all time but so underappreciated. NO ONE DENIES THIS!

 

[HawkRiderFan]

Yeah Simmons has been horrible this year. Cowherd picked the game to go to OT. Sometimes I think these guys pick the upset when noone else does so that if they are right they get to brag but if they are wrong, noone remembers.

BTW, for those who read the Barnwell article, I listened to his Grantland podcast yesterday and in the end he picked the Hawks to win and cover.