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Who To Root For – Or Against
Week Nine 2009 Edition
This seemed to be a pretty good bye-week topic last week, so I figured I would try this once again. Obviously the top choice is for the Patriots to beat Miami, so I’ll just start the list with my second choice. Teams in Bold are the ones I want to Win, while those that are Underlined are the ones that I want to Lose; a lot of not-so-easy choices with this week’s games.
(2.) 5-3 Texans at 7-0 Colts
Although both teams have winning records and are in the same conference, this is an easy call: root for the Colts to lose. Indy currently holds the top spot in the AFC for home field advantage, so Pats fans want them to lose a few games. On top of that if they lose, it will put an end to their quest to top the Pats’ record of consecutive wins in the regular season as well as end the talk of the Colts’ equaling the Pats’ 2007 16-0 mark. As an added bonus it could put a dent in the Colts’ confidence heading into their game against the Pats, and maybe even distract them just a little bit when they try to focus on that game. And if Houston plays well, the Pats coaching staff might be able to take something from that game in terms of attacking a weakness of the Colts next week – as well as being better prepared for Houston when the Pats meet them later this year.
(3.) 1-6 Chiefs at 3-4 Jaguars
The AFC North games were so hard to choose I just went with this game instead. The Pats have a Jacksonville draft pick so we want them to lose whenever possible, plus there is the rooting interest for Kansas City due to the number of former Patriots that left on good terms that are now with their organization; root for KC to win and the Jags to lose.
(4.) 1-6 Titans at 3-4 49ers
Similar to above, we’re looking for Tennessee to lose every week because the Pats own one of their draft picks. As an added bonus there is the wishing bad things on Jeff Fisher angle, after he led his team’s cheering of Rodney Harrison’s season-ending injury a few years ago, as well as his comments about Bill Belichick after spygate.
(5.) 5-2 Steelers at 6-1 Broncos
This game was tough enough to call that I had to drop it two spots on this ranking. I probably should be wanting Denver to lose since they have a better record than the Pats (and also hold the head-to-head tiebreaker), but I’ll take my chance with the Pats catching up to them later this season. In exchange that will put the Pats a game ahead of Pittsburgh – and if combined with a Cincinnati win it puts the Steelers a game behind a team they have already lost to. As much as I would relish beating Pittsburgh in the playoffs again, I think I would enjoy their missing the playoffs entirely even more. So I’ll go not so much as for Denver to win, but for Pittsburgh to lose this game.
(6.) 4-3 Ravens at 5-2 Bengals
This is actually Part B of the game above. Again I probably should be rooting for the team with the better record to lose, but I think I’ll take more satisfaction in seeing Baltimore lose another game. After all the whining after the last two Pats-Ravens games, I just can’t get myself to pull for Baltimore. On top of that, I like the Pats chances better against the Bengals if they should meet in the playoffs.
(7.) 4-3 Chargers at 5-3 Giants
This is yet another very difficult game to decide on. If San Diego wins it increases their chances of catching Denver, and it sure would be nice to see Mr. Classy and crew miss the playoffs entirely – which could possibly lead to a complete dismantling of their roster. But while the thought of the Chargers, Steelers and Ravens all missing the playoffs is certainly appealing, I have almost no concern with the thought of facing San Diego in the playoffs. Then there are the Giants. Do we really want to hear any more about how great any team from New York is? Do we really want the media to revive talk of a Manning versus Manning Super Bowl? Do we really want to subject ourselves to watching any more slow motion replays of Tyree’s catch? Of course not; therefore I’ll root for the Giants to lose.
(8.) 3-4 Panthers at 7-0 Saints
Enough already with this undefeated talk, and how the Saints offense is the greatest of all-time and New Orleans is the best team in NFL history. I want Carolina to give the Pats coaches some tips on how to beat the Saints, for a little bit less confidence in the minds of the Saints players when they meet the Pats, and for this undefeated talk to end now; I’m rooting for the Saints to lose.
(9.) 2-5 Redskins at 4-3 Falcons
First of all I can’t root for the Redskins as long as Dan Snyder is their owner. Second, the Falcons fans that visited our site earlier were probably the coolest of any fans to come here so far this year. Third, I’d like to see Thomas Dimitroff and Matt Ryan do well. And fourth, an Atlanta win will help stop, in just a very small manner, some of this stupid ‘you haven’t beaten anybody’ talk that inevitably occurs every week.
(10.) 4-3 Cardinals at 4-3 Bears
No dog in this fight, but Arizona fans deserve a bone after coming so close to winning it all last year.
(11.) 1-6 Lions at 2-5 Seahawks
Should I root for Matt Hasselbeck? Should I root against Deion Branch? I guess after all those losses Detroit fans deserve more than just one win, so I’ll go with the Lions in this one.
(12.) 5-2 Cowboys at 5-2 Eagles
Who do you dislike more, Cowboy fans or Eagle fans? I’d say that’s a draw, so how about the owners? That settles it; root for the Eagles to win and Cowboys to lose.
(13.) 4-3 Packers at 0-7 Bucs
On one hand I feel bad for Aaron Rodgers and Packer fans for having to watch Brett Favre and the Vikings beat them twice this season. On the other hand Tampa Bay fans have already suffered enough, from the 0-26 start to all those non-playoff, double-digit losses during the creamsicle winking pirate years. Nobody deserves to have a winless season; root for the Bucs to win.
Okay those are mine; what are yours?
