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Bryan Paul’s Puzzling NFL Predictions: Week 3

September 20, 2012 2 Comments

On Sunday night, the 64th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards will recognize excellence in television programing. The National Football League has a strong partnership with television. According to The Washington Post, the NFL receives $3 billion annually in broadcast revenue from CBS, FOX and NBC. Last year, NBC Sunday Night Football topped the Nielsen Media Research as the highest rated program of the 2011-12 broadcast season, the first sports program to earn the distinction.

Television has helped popularize football. Ed Sabol and his son Steve, who passed away on Tuesday, founded NFL Films in 1962 and influenced the way fans view the action and emotion of the sport on television. Under the Sabols’ leadership, NFL Films has produced television programs such as NFL Films Game of the Week, NFL’s Greatest Games and Football Follies and earned 107 Emmy Awards. The Sabols received the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003.

To celebrate the Emmy Awards and Steve Sabol, the prediction theme for Week 3 is television.

New York Giants (1-1) at Carolina Panthers (1-1)

Sept. 20-8:20 p.m.-NFL Network

The Apprentice, a reality television show, primarily takes place in New York City. Kwame Jackson, a Charlotte, N.C. native, was the runner-up of the show’s first season in 2004. The Giants will tell the Panthers “you’re fired!” on Thursday night. New York is 3-2 against Carolina since 2004.

Bryan Paul’s Pick: New York

Pollock’s Pick: Carolina

New York Jets (1-1) at Miami Dolphins (1-1)

Sept. 23-1 p.m.-CBS

HBO televised Sex and the City’s final episode in 2004. The Jets were 9-3 against the Dolphins during the show’s six-year run. New York’s success has continued with a 10-6 record against Miami since 2004.

Bryan Paul’s Pick: New York

Pollock’s Pick: Miami

Buffalo Bills (1-1) at Cleveland Browns (0-2)

Sept. 23-1 p.m.-CBS

Sex and the City won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2001. The Sopranos, another HBO show, won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series in 2004 and 2007. The Bills had a 19-27 record in those three seasons. The Browns were 21-25. The nominees for Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Comedy Series at the year’s Emmys include five HBO programs. That’s not good for Buffalo.

Bryan Paul’s Pick: Cleveland

Pollock’s Pick: Buffalo

St. Louis Rams (1-1) at Chicago Bears (1-1)

Sept. 23-1 p.m.-FOX

Bob Barker, host of the game show The Price Is Right for 35 years, retired in 2007. The price won’t be right for the Bears this week. St. Louis had a 306-266-2 record while Baker hosted the show. The Bears were 280-280-1.

Bryan Paul’s Pick: St. Louis

Pollock’s Pick: Chicago

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-1) at Dallas Cowboys (1-1)

Sept. 23-1 p.m.-FOX

St. Louis native Jenna Fischer plays Pam Halpert on The Office. The Cowboys are 4-0 against the Buccaneers since NBC began broadcasting the show in 2005. That’s not what she said. That’s what I say.

Bryan Paul’s Pick: Dallas

Pollock’s Pick: Dallas

Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2) at Indianapolis Colts (1-1)

Sept. 23-1 p.m.-CBS

Greg Daniels developed The Office for American television based on the original BBC show that aired from July 9, 2001-Dec. 27, 2003. Jaguars fans likely prefer the United States version. The Colts were 3-1 against the Jaguars during the British version’s broadcast run.

Bryan Paul’s Pick: Indianapolis

Pollock’s Pick: Indianapolis

Kansas City Chiefs (0-2) at New Orleans Saints (0-2)

Sept. 23-1 p.m.-CBS

The British sketch show Monty Python’s Flying Circus premiered on Oct. 5, 1969. That day, the Chiefs defeated the Broncos 26-13 and the Saints lost to the Rams 36-17. But that was 42 years ago.

Bryan Paul’s Pick: New Orleans

Pollock’s Pick: New Orleans

San Francisco 49ers (2-0) at Minnesota Vikings (1-1)

Sept. 23-1 p.m.-FOX

Sesame Street premiered in 1969. The Vikings will be as welcoming to the 49ers on Sunday as Oscar the Grouch is to visitors. In the program’s 42-year history, there have only been four years the show didn’t win an Emmy Award (1974, 1975, 1978 and 1982). San Francisco went 16-37 in those four non-Emmy seasons. Minnesota was 39-25-1.

Bryan Paul’s Pick: Minnesota

Pollock’s Pick: San Francisco

Cincinnati Bengals (1-1) at Washington Redskins (1-1)

Sept. 23-1 p.m.-CBS

Wheel of Fortune debuted in 1975. Pat Sajak became the show’s host in 1981. The Bengals are 3-2 against the Redskins since 1981. Plus, “Cincinnati Bengals” has six vowels. “Washington Redskins” only has five.

Bryan Paul’s Pick: Cincinnati

Pollock’s Pick: Washington

Detroit Lions (1-1) at Tennessee Titans (0-2)

Sept. 23-1 p.m.-FOX

Sajak made an animated cameo on the Rugrats episode “Chuckie Is Rich,” which originally aired on Jan. 9, 1994. Since 1994, the Lions are 9-27 on the road against AFC teams, while the Titans are 23-13 at home against NFC teams.

Bryan Paul’s Pick: Tennessee

Pollock’s Pick: Detroit

Atlanta Falcons (2-0) at San Diego Chargers (2-0)

Sept. 23-4:05 p.m.-FOX

Friends debuted in 1994. The sitcom’s theme song was called “I’ll Be There for You,” but victories weren’t there for the Falcons in 1994. Atlanta had a 7-9 record during the 1994 season. San Diego went 11-5.

Bryan Paul’s Pick: San Diego

Pollock’s Pick: San Diego

Philadelphia Eagles (2-0) at Arizona Cardinals (2-0)

Sept. 23-4:05 p.m.-FOX

Friends and Mad Men both take place in New York City. Jon Hamm, who plays Don Draper on Mad Men, is a Cardinals fan. Eagles fans might need some liquor to deal with a difficult day like Draper sometimes does. Arizona defeated Philadelphia 32-25 in the 2009 NFC Championship Game. They’ll win this game too.

Bryan Paul’s Pick: Arizona

Pollock’s Pick: Philadelphia

Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1) at Oakland Raiders (0-2)

Sept. 23-4:25 p.m.-CBS

NBC aired the finale of Late Night with Conan O’Brien in 2009. The Steelers were 6-9 in West Coast games during O’Brien late night reign from 1993-2009. However, Pittsburgh was 2-1 at Oakland.

Bryan Paul’s Pick: Pittsburgh

Pollock’s Pick: Pittsburgh

Houston Texans (2-0) at Denver Broncos (1-1)

Sept. 23-4:25 p.m.-CBS

Television transmission in the United States switched from analog to digital on June 12, 2009. The Texans prefer this format. Since the switch, Houston is 28-24. Denver is 22-30.

Bryan Paul’s Pick: Houston

Pollock’s Pick: Denver

New England Patriots (1-1) at Baltimore Ravens (1-1)

Sept. 23-8:20 p.m.-NBC

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon premiered in 2009. Fallon was a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1998-2004. New England went 7-2 against AFC North teams during Fallon’s SNL tenure. However, this is a Sunday night game.

Bryan Paul’s Pick: Baltimore

Pollock’s Pick: Baltimore

Green Bay Packers (1-1) at Seattle Seahawks (1-1)

Sept. 24-8:30 p.m.-ESPN

The game show Hollywood Squares returned to television in 1998 after nine years off the air. The Packers had a 93-64 record during the show’s hiatus, while the Seahawks were 60-84. It also doesn’t help Seattle that the show hasn’t been on the air since 2004.

Bryan Paul’s Pick: Green Bay

Pollock’s Pick: Green Bay