Week 1 NFL Picks: Welcome to the Post-Parity Era (The Ringer) (1 Viewer)

[Carey]

Oakland (+1) 33, NEW ORLEANS 27

Let’s talk about sleepers for a second, because we hear that word often this time of year. Oakland is not a sleeper. If the Raiders fail to win 10 games, their season should be considered a disappointment. They have a defensive force, Khalil Mack, who was an All-Pro at two positions last season. They have a quarterback, Derek Carr, who put up 32 touchdowns last year. And they have a wideout, Amari Cooper, who broke 1,000 yards as a rookie. Add in their offensive line and their improved secondary (Reggie Nelson and Sean Smith were inspired pickups), and the Raiders look like the team that should legitimately win the division.

Based on the talent of the rosters and the situations these teams are in, the Raiders should not be the underdog. The Saints are favored by one because they’re home and the Raiders have been bad for more than a decade. In the next few weeks the widespread assessment of both teams will turn on its head, but for now, Oakland remains a sneaky value pick. Oakland may be the “sleeper” at the moment — but New Orleans is going to stay asleep all season.

https://theringer.com/week-1-nfl-picks-812cde5f583d

That's a bit of an ouch.

 

[showtimesaints]

His headline is "Good teams are staying good with increasing regularity, so choose your winners wisely", so of the 15 games, he selected only 5 teams that have an above average ats win success last 3 years, move on.

 

[JSR]

https://theringer.com/week-1-nfl-picks-812cde5f583d

That's a bit of an ouch.

I know the article's not his, but Bill Simmons is no nicer on his podcast. With Cousin Sal they called Drew's extension "hefty," he went on to say "that's just a 'I once won one, give me more money' deal, cross them off (of contention) for the rest of the decade."

 

[Carey]

Simmons is no nicer on his podcast. With Cousin Sal they called Drew's extension "hefty," he went on to say "that's just a 'I once won one, give me more money' deal, cross them off (of contention) for the rest of the decade."

Rough. I like Simmons but will experience deep schadenfreude when Brady retires and the Patriots will no longer be the Patriots as we know them.

 

[Saint Jack]

I wouldn't say that's the end of parity. Are there certain team dominanting? Yes, particularly the Patriots. Look at Minnesota, last season, everyone picked Green Bay and the Vikings ended up taking the North.
And the Panthers' results are skewed to a degree. One of their division titles was won during a sub .500 season.

 

[JPPT1974]

Well MN season is do or die now that Teddy B gone for 2016!

 

[dapperdan]

Everyone is picking against us. I love it. What did the raiders do during preseason? The national media doesn't recognize us one bit much like 06 and 09. We have the better coach and our Oline will be top 10. I also expect 6 new starters on the defense to play a lot better than last year. Heck were two games better just by kicking Ryan to the curb. That man isn't qualified to run a hot dog stand.

Brees may start a little slow Sunday but I fully expect a 32-24 win. Look for Spiller to make at least one big play on Sunday.

 

[SunshinePumper]

Post-parity era, that's why there hasn't been a two-time super bowl champion yet this decade. By this time in every other full decade of the super bowl era, there had been a team that had won multiple championships that decade. The nineties and aughts already had their team of the decade. But this is the post-parity era. Ok.

 

[CountWhoDat]

This is a pretty bold proclamation with a short and small dataset to back it up. Might it be true that parity in the NFL is at a modern low right now? Sure. But are we really "post-parity" because a few teams have made the playoffs consistently for a few years? Seems pretty specious to me.

With all the coaching and personnel changes that teams experience entirely out of their control, many of these seeming stalwarts will be back to mediocrity or worse very soon. The NFL chews up and spits out teams, and if this trend with less great QBs coming into the league continues, parity is going to be at all time high in the near future, especially when some of the greats start retiring.

In the next few weeks the widespread assessment of both teams will turn on its head, but for now, Oakland remains a sneaky value pick.

What is up with this? I'm guessing he means Oakland will become a scary dark horse SB contender and we will become...? Where is the widespread assessment that the Saints are going to be good this year? I haven't seen many national sportsdoofs picking the Saints to do anything of substance this year, and I don't even think most of us see a great season in the offing. I really don't know what he was going for here. Perhaps that we'll be completely awful?

 

[TurboWhoDat]

wow. i'm more shocked that someone is actually reading/listening to the ringer. they should rename that site "bill simmon's myopic take on everything".

 

[Houmaboy]

I had to look up the definition of parity.....It really didn't help. I guess he is saying all records will be equal to last year.