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:

Bet The Close Chris

IND v. KC = (KC wins 27-24). I wanted to pick IND here but I’m not 100% comfy with the defense.  Let’s not forget they were nip and tuck with the Texans in a game for the division and a playoff spot (and people can’t get enough of the Texans optimism).  Another up and coming super coach IMO and I can’t wait to see more out of A. Richardson. No big splashes I’m free agency but they did something few teams do, sign all of their good players. 

We can talk about the Chiefs in later rounds... What’s not to like with that young D except the loss of Gay and Sneed.  I think the signing of Hollywood Brown means KC is cooking up another defensive draft. 

Andrew DFS

IND v. KC = (KC by 4) The pivotal factor in this matchup hinges on the health of Colts second-year QB Anthony Richardson, who was placed on injured reserve after only 5 games last season. Richardson possesses electrifying talent that could take the league by storm next year. Unfortunately for the Colts, they’re going up against the back-to-back Super Bowl champions.

While the early years of the Mahomes era were marked by offensive prowess, last season saw Kansas City's defense play a crucial role in their championship success. Despite securing star DT Chris Jones, the Chiefs parted ways with shutdown CB L'Jarius Sneed in a trade with the Titans. Nonetheless, their defense should rank among the league's best, and the addition of WR Hollywood Brown will provide QB Patrick Mahomes with a dependable deep threat.

RC

IND v. KC = (KC wins 28-21) I like where the Colts are going, given the assumed healthy return of Anthony Richardson...but they are not ahead of the Chiefs just yet. KC moves on...one of the obvious favorites to take this whole thing. The Colts rue the day Jim Irsay made Chris Ballard trade up to #4 to take Marvin Harrison Jr...

.

Ross Jacobs

IND v. KC = (KC wins 41-38) With L'Jarius Sneed traded away and Chris Jones nursing a hamstring injury in an attempt to get healthy for the playoffs, Andy Reid has to get the Chiefs offense to party like it's 2018 to get a win. Mahomes and Anthony Richardson trade bomb TDs all game to speedsters Marquise Brown and Xavier Worthy. Welcome to Arena Football.

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)

IND v. KC = (KC wins 73% of the simulations) The Chiefs are too good, too balanced for the upstart Colts. There is no position group where the Colts are better than the Chiefs, except WR...and that’s not enough. Some day for Anthony Richardson/the Colts, but not today.

The Chiefs sweep the voting 5-0 and move on to the Sweet 16.

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