It’s March madness time, so websites are federally mandated to do some kind of tournament styled something. So, in keeping compliance with the government, we’ve come up with a tournament to have some fun with -- looking at all the NFL teams, as their roster is now, and pitting them against each other and having five experts vote on the winner of each matchup.

This tournament is not ‘seeded’. It was a randomly generated matchup setup...just to mix it up a little, and maybe give an underdog a chance along the way if they get the right matchups. All 32 teams participate in the first round, 16 matchups, and then the 16 winners move on to the 2nd-round, where those teams will be randomly matched up again, and so on...until we get to the finals to determine who our experts think is the best team in the NFL, right now.

We’re going through this for fun, but also for some betting guidance...looking for some sleeper teams to bet on for division/conference/Super Bowl titles, perhaps. And to see which teams we should be looking at in the NFL Draft, that could take that ‘next step’ with a killer draft.

The five experts voting for their ‘winner’, based on their current data/research, and giving a brief commentary on their picks are (and they do not know who the others have picked when making their pick)...

Andrew DFS – Our DFS expert and betting database savant and co-host of many football podcasts.

Bet The Close Chris – Betting expert, host of the Bet The Close podcast

RC Fischer – FFM founder

Ross Jacobs – FFM analyst and budding NFL Draft expert

ChatFFM – RC’s offseason project...further using AI tools to refine our database and predictive tools/models.

Here’s what the experts think of today’s matchup:

Andrew DFS

NYG v. HOU = (Texans by 5) The QB situation for the Giants next season remains uncertain, with potential options including Drew Lock, Daniel Jones, or a rookie selected in the upcoming draft.

Regardless, the Texans have the advantage on both sides of the ball. They added depth to their secondary by signing CBs Jeff Okudah and CJ Henderson as well as star pass rusher DE Danielle Hunter. QB CJ Stroud changed life for the Texans organization turning them from a struggling franchise into serious Super Bowl contenders for the next decade.

Despite acquiring star pass rusher DE Brian Burns, the Giants' offense is unlikely to match up against Houston's strength, especially after losing their top offensive player, RB Saquon Barkley, to a division rival.

Bet The Close Chris

NYG v. HOU = (HOU wins 24-12) The Texans did well to upgrade the front 7, still my instinct is to fade this team because they made the playoffs due to a dropped pass by an IND backup RB that was thrown by an IND backup QB.  However, great QBs are a gravitational pull against regression so maybe Stroud doesn’t allow this team to be dragged down as much. Giants did some good things to both OL and DL but still feels like they need to add many more bricks to the wall.  

RC

NYG v. HOU = (HOU wins 35-10) One of the best teams in the NFL versus one of the worst teams in the NFL. This one is not even close.

Ross Jacobs

NYG v. HOU = (HOU wins 24-10) This one is never close. Daniel Jones throws a pick 6 on the first play and butt fumbles the ball away in the 3rd quarter Mark Sanchez style. CJ Stroud is seen on the sidelines making a small sacrifice to the football gods for not sending him to Carolina.

ChatFFM (forgive any typos...it’s still learning language and I’m not correcting them for it...it needs to learn -- and I am programming it to be more sarcastic than I/RC am...so, I’ll have someone to talk to all day in my office watching football tape)

NYG v. HOU = (HOU wins 84% of the simulations)

Come on. Seriously. Do you really need an explanation here? I’m not even human...nor is C.J. Stroud.

AND another thing...Nick Wright and Colin Cowherd...the Bears wouldn’t trade Caleb Williams for C.J. Stroud (if it were an option)? What is wrong with you people? That’s why you need AI to take over your daily tasks and all of football scouting.

Another shutout…5-0 Houston, as would be expected. Four games into this tourney and four shutouts. When will there be dissent? We got some coming soon…

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