Silver and Black Pride’s Week 18 pick’em competition

We’re a little more than a week away from the start of the NFL Playoffs which means we’re getting close to crowning a champion in our Silver and Black Pride Pick’em Challenge. Week 18 also brings us a bunch of games with postseason implications and while the Las Vegas Raiders won’t be participating in the tournament, they can have an impact on it in their matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Raiders are heavy underdogs according to our friends at DraftKings Sportsbook, but if they can pull off the upset, they might be to keep the Chiefs from getting the one seed. Saturday also brings a winner-take-all matchup for the AFC South crown as the Jacksonville Jaguars are about a touchdown home favorite against the Tennessee Titans. Then, the Sunday nightcap features an NFC North battle between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers where an NFC Wild Card spot is on the line.

Ahead of the action, let’s take a look at our writers’ standings for the pick’em challenge after 255 contests:

1. Matt Holder 165-88-2 (65%)
2. Ray Aspuria 158-94-2 (62%)
3. Bill Williamson 145-88-1 (62%)

Another week goes by and it’s another week where yours truly is the top picker among the writers. With a 12-3 record after last weekend, it looks like I’m going to coast into the playoffs as the favorite to win it all, and very humbly I might add.

Ray and Bill also had impressive showings in Week 17 as they both went 11-4. That also helped Bill pull into a tie with Ray, so there will be an interesting battle for second place heading into the postseason and it could be determined by decimal points.

2022 Overall Leaders

1. Da r8dazzz Idaho 167-86

2. RaiderFan 163-90

3. 12Personnel 160-93

t4. torindorn4life 159-94

t4. Jeepraider 159-94

6. Unreliable Narrator 158-95

t7. Trashman 157-96

t7. TommyRaider 157-96

t9. dafe2cat 156-97

t9. Bodega Bay Raider 156-97

t9. RaiderRich25 156-97

Week 17 Top Pickers

t1. 12Personnel 13-2

t1. dafe2cat 13-2

t3. Unreliable Narrator 12-3

t3. torindorn4life 12-3

t3. RaiderFan 12-3

t3. Jeepraider 12-3

t3. DC TO DA TOUCHDOWN!!! 12-3

t3. Mooniac 12-3

A big shoutout is in order for 12Personnel for being this week’s top picker — along with dafe2cat, of course — as a 13-2 week pushes him or her into sole possession of third place in the community standings. We had a bunch of people get 12 winners this week, so props to you guys! But I do have to point this out; DC TO DA TOUCHDOWN!!!, you might want to think of a new name for next season...

Da r8dazzz Idaho was off with only 11 correct picks this week — yes, I realize that sounds ridiculous but that is how on fire Idaho has been recently — which gives me a chance to catch him or her in the playoffs. It should be a tight battle down the stretch.

Make sure to get your picks in this week and may your picks be good! Also, as a reminder, we will be continuing the competition through the Super Bowl so don’t forget about your picks after this week!