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:

RC

WSH v. CIN = (CIN wins 31-10) When Joe Burrow is healthy/normal...the Bengals are arguably one of the 3-5 best teams in football. So, a healthy Joe will mow through the new look Commanders.

Bet The Close Chris

WSH v. CIN = (CIN wins 55-0). Can I get a “heck yeah” for Burrow making though his first training camp without a debilitating injury?!  S. Rankins for Reader up front is likely a tick down, but the Bengals addressed their biggest issue on D, the disastrous safety play.  V. Bell returns and Stone was awesome for BAL.  Fingers crossed they draft OL help and maybe Myles Murphy spends the offseason developing a pass rush plan.  

The Commanders signed a bunch of old guys to one-year deals on D and will be going with a likely talented rookie QB.  This feels like year 1 of a 3-year plan with a coach I don’t have a ton of confidence in.  

AndrewDFS

WSH v. CIN = (CIN by 8) My DFS instincts are tingling with anticipation for this Bengals vs. Commanders matchup. Bengals' QB Joe Burrow seems poised to capitalize on the absence of CB Kendall Fuller from the Commanders' mediocre secondary, making it a significant advantage for Cincinnati.

The Commanders will most likely start the second overall pick at QB (probably QB Drake Maye), but the Bengals' defense is primed to exploit any weaknesses. The Commanders have made additions that should improve their roster such as signing Dorance Armstrong, Frankie Luvu, and Tyler Biadasz. On the other hand, Cincinnati lost DT DJ Reader and OT Jonah Williams in free agency and there's uncertainty surrounding the potential trade of WR Tee Higgins. Nonetheless, the Bengals should win this game in convincing fashion.

Ross Jacobs

WSH v. CIN = (CIN wins 27-24) Two former record-breaking LSU QBs square off in this one: Joe Burrow vs Jayden Daniels. Daniels has the Commanders feeling good for the first time since 2012 with his electric mix of running and play action passing. They finally have their franchise QB! Then in the 3rd quarter Daniels gets blasted on an outside run and knocked out of the game. Fellow rookie and 4th round pick Michael Pratt comes into the game to replace him. The Commanders only drafted him as insurance for just this situation, but Pratt plays a steady, if unspectacular game, and comes up just short in the end. Somewhere in Minnesota Kwesi Adofo-Mensah feels a disturbance in the Force.

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)

WSH v. CIN = (CIN wins 73% of the simulations) I’m assuming it’s Jayden Daniels at QB for Washington, but the Commanders are still not in Cincy’s class with the talented Daniels. And if Washington takes anyone but Daniels at QB...then they will get crucified versus the 2024 Bengals.

Cincinnati rolls to a 5-0 vote victory and moves on to the next round.

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