QUESTION 21

ENTRANTS
This was the 5th-easiest question, with 70 correct entrants, and 27 incorrects.
The average entrant score was 24.23, which was 2nd-highest.

INCORRECT ANSWERS
New England (2), Seattle (1), Houston (12), Kansas City (7), Pittsburgh (3), Green Bay (2)

CORRECT ANSWERS
Washington (30), Denver (15), Minnesota (14), Cincinnati (7), Arizona (2), Carolina (2)

UNPLAYED ACES
None

THOUGHTS ON THE QUESTION
This question has returned for 2017, and it remains at Q 21.

Houston was the most popular incorrect (12), as just under 28% of the field got this one wrong. Two other incorrects were taken twice, while esad ace-hunted with Seattle, but came up with 7-2 offsuit instead.

Washington SHEEPed here, but they weren't eliminated from playoff contention until Week 17. Both clubs from Super Bowl 50 missed the playoffs, and the two teams that met in the 2015 NFC title game were the best answers (at 2 points apiece).

ENTRANT COMMENTS
First, our champion (who took Minnesota for 14) noted the "theme" of the 2016 game:

And myself and our 2015 champ had this exchange regarding the Ravens-Steelers Christmas Day game. It hurt us both - I thought Baltimore would make the playoffs and chuckles thought Pittsburgh would miss them:

KRAZYKRIS' PICK
The Denver Broncos (correct - 15 points)

I figured Washington would SHEEP here, so there was some value in taking Denver. But I certainly wasn't thinking that when the team started off 4-0.

This was part of my thought process - Denver became champs thanks to an outstanding season from their defense, and we all knew they would be downgrading at QB. I just didn't think their defense could have that type of season again, and drag the whole team into the playoffs.

Denver sat at 8-4 going into Week 14, but a 13-10 loss at Tennessee kickstarted a 3-game losing streak. They finished 9-7, but only went 2-4 against the AFC West (including an 0-3 record on the road).

KRAZYKRIS' AFTER-THE-FACT PICK
The Arizona Cardinals

Our best answers here were a pair of 2-pointers; Nofear3838 and TakiToki took Arizona, while TJ Eckleburg12 and trollface selected Carolina. Given that I thought Carolina would be leading the NFC South with 3 regular season weeks left, I cannot take them here. By default, that leaves Arizona.

The 2015 NFC runners-up started off 1-3, and never really got into a rhythm in 2016. Despite going 4-1-1 within the NFC West, and recording big wins over Tampa Bay and the Jets, they were eliminated from playoff contention after a Week 15 home loss to New Orleans. The Cards went 3-5 on the road in 2016, allowed 23 points/game, and didn't have a winning streak longer than 2 during the year.

My actual score after Question 21 was 298 points. My after-the-fact score after Question 21 is 26 points.

NEXT RECAP: QUESTION 22

As a hardcore sheep/peehs microanalyst, reading through this postmortem is enormously entertaining. Kris, you're like the college professor who is so entrenched in his course, he knows more about the students' thoughts about it than the students themselves. Love it.

And yeah that Deone Bucannon overtime game was one of the great meaningless sweats of my sports watching lifetime.

It was a great recap. Personally, I think a 1% chance was too high:

QUESTION 22

ENTRANTS
This was the 8th-easiest question, with 64 right entrants, and 33 wrong entrants.
The average entrant score was 25.82, which was the highest of all 25 questions.

INCORRECT ANSWERS
Tampa Bay (1), Indianapolis (1), Cincinnati (8), Jacksonville (2), New Orleans (15), Carolina (6)

CORRECT ANSWERS
Oakland (29), Kansas City (20), San Diego (10), Atlanta (2), Tennessee (2), New England (1)

UNPLAYED ACES
None

THOUGHTS ON THE QUESTION
The "beat the defending champ" question has returned for 2017 - it remains as Q # 22.

New Orleans was the most popular incorrect, taken by myself and 14 others. BenjaminAO and TheNoodleMan ace-hunted with Tampa and Indy respectively, but both came up empty.

59 of the 64 corrects took an AFC West opponent. Both Atlanta and Tennessee were worth 2 points, while legend42's answer of New England was the best answer of the game, relative to field average.

ENTRANT COMMENTS
First, ashley12 rooted for the wrongest of wrong answers:

eyebooger looked for the another 'worst of the worst' from xander:

And our eventual champ (who took KC for 20) with the first rule of PEEHS club:

KRAZYKRIS' PICK
The New Orleans Saints (incorrect - 35 points)

The Broncos visited the Saints during the early slate in Week 10 (the Broncos were coming off a Week 9 road loss at Oakland, and were about to head on their bye). The game was tied 23-23, but what should have been a 1-point Saints lead turned into a 2-point lead for Denver. The Broncos won 25-23.

DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, RELY ON THE NEW ORLEANS SAINTS AT HOME!

KRAZYKRIS' AFTER-THE-FACT PICK
The New England Patriots

legend42 played the only ace here, so I will take this answer by default.

New England hadn't won in Denver since 2011. The teams met twice in Denver in 2015, with the Broncos winning both times (30-24 in the Week 12 OT affair, and 20-18 in the AFC title game). At the time of the matchup, the Pats were 11-2 (having won 4 straight), while Denver was 8-5 (coming off a loss). The Pats forced 3 Bronco turnovers, winning comfortably 16-3.

Denver losing 3-16 is somewhat appropriate I guess; I'm sure we all put up middle fingers when we realized New England was an ace here. I know I did.

My actual score after Question 22 was 333 points. My after-the-fact score after Question 22 is 28 points.

NEXT RECAP: QUESTION 23

QUESTION 23

ENTRANTS
This tied for easiest question, with 81 correct entrants, and 16 incorrects.
The average entrant score was 12.13, which was 3rd-lowest.

INCORRECT ANSWERS
J Watt (1), R Gronkowski (1), T Eifert (1), B Walsh (3), K Forbath (2), L Murray (1), C Barth (2), M Nugent (1), D Carpenter (1), R Aguayo (2), C Boswell (1)

CORRECT ANSWERS
S Gostkowski (14), C Santos (12), C Catanzaro (10), S Hauschka (10), M Crosby (8), D Bailey (6), G Gano (6), J Tucker (6), B McManus (3), S Janikowski (2), N Folk (1), J Lambo (1), M Prater (1), A Vinatieri (1)

UNPLAYED ACES
L Blount, M Bryant, D Hopkins, D Johnson, W Lutz, J Myers, N Novak, C Sturgis, R Succop

THOUGHTS ON THE QUESTION
This question has returned for 2017 - and it remains as Q # 23.

Our most popular incorrect was Blair Walsh, chosen by 3 entrants. Four incorrect non-kickers were taken, including trollface's choice of J.J. Watt. Wat?

14 of the 23 potential correct answers were taken here. Stephen Gostkowski SHEEPed, while three other kickers were worth 10 or more. At the other end, four aces were played, including TheNoodleMan's choice of Adam Vinatieri.

ENTRANT COMMENTS
First, wes' comment directed at Chris Boswell and the LOLSTEALERS:

Nofear3838 offering advice, even though Blount and David Johnson were correct:

And lastly, xander aced with Josh Lambo:

KRAZYKRIS' PICK
Mason Crosby (correct - 8 points)

2016 marked the 10th time Crosby reached the 100-point plateau. Given that the Pack always generate points (thanks to good QB play), and given Mike McCarthy's love for a 20-yard field goal, Crosby was a lock to get there as long as he stayed healthy. He finished with 122 points despite missing 4 FG's and 3 PAT's.

KRAZYKRIS' AFTER-THE-FACT PICK
Matt Bryant

Bryant led the NFL with 158 points in 2016. This was his 9th 100-point season, and 6th with the Falcons.

He has a good leg, kicks indoors, and always seems to be good for 8-10 points /game. What's not to like? I mean, everything went right for Atlanta in 2016, right?



My actual score after Question 23 was 341 points. My after-the-fact score after Question 23 is 29 points.

NEXT RECAP: QUESTION 24

QUESTION 24

ENTRANTS
This tied for 6th-easiest question, with 67 right entrants, and 30 wrong entrants.
The average entrant score was 15.62, which was 8th-highest.

INCORRECT ANSWERS
Hamilton Tiger-Cats (1), Cleveland (1), NY Giants (2), Oakland (4), Cincinnati (5), Carolina (4), Chicago (1), NY Jets (1), Washington (3), Jacksonville (3), Tennessee (3), Kansas City (2)

CORRECT ANSWERS
Arizona (16), Pittsburgh (13), New England (12), Seattle (12), Green Bay (5), Indianapolis (4), New Orleans (3), Atlanta (1), Baltimore (1)

UNPLAYED ACES
Buffalo, Minnesota, Philadelphia, and San Francisco

THOUGHTS ON THE QUESTION
This question did not return for the 2017 game.

Just over 30% of the field got this one wrong. trollface joined THE CLUB by picking the CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and Cincinnati was the most popular incorrect. A team with a 28-point win was needed to be correct, and Kansas City was the best of the incorrects (23).

Four separate teams were worth 12 points or more. 9 of the 13 potential correct answers were chosen, and two aces were played; Atlanta (by vixticator), and Baltimore (by True North).

ENTRANT COMMENTS
First, Priptonite lamenting his SHEEP result with Arizona:

72off took the 'best of the worst', Kansas City:

And lastly, our Swami sensation bluntly assessed his pick of Cleveland:

KRAZYKRIS' PICK
The New England Patriots (correct - 12 points)

The Pats seemed as safe a pick as any here. On their schedule, they had 6 games against the AFC East, and 4 against the NFC West. They beat Houston 27-0 in Week 3, and just as that victory was going to get pushed out of the Top 15, they beat the NY Jets 41-3 in Week 16.

KRAZYKRIS' AFTER-THE-FACT PICK
The Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles had 2016's 7th-easiest schedule, and played the AFC North. However, it wasn't Cleveland or Cincinnati they qualified against, but Pittsburgh. The Eagles' Week 3 34-3 win was the biggest win of any of the 4 unplayed aces.

Philly went 7-9 last year, but their Week 3 triumph was enough to qualify here.

My actual score after Question 24 was 353 points. My after-the-fact score after Question 24 is 30 points.

NEXT RECAP: QUESTION 25 (FINAL RECAP)

QUESTION 25

ENTRANTS
This was the 9th-easiest question, with 63 correct entrants, and 34 incorrects.
The average entrant score was 14.90, which was 10th-highest.

INCORRECT ANSWERS
Washington Sentinels (1), Atlanta (3), Dallas (1), Denver (2), Philadelphia (3), NY Giants (1), Baltimore (5), Buffalo (1), New Orleans (4), Washington (4), Tennessee (9)

CORRECT ANSWERS
Cleveland (14), Chicago (13), San Diego (11), San Francisco (10), Detroit (4), Miami (3), Tampa Bay (3), Jacksonville (2), Los Angeles (2), NY Jets (1)

UNPLAYED ACES
Carolina and Houston

THOUGHTS ON THE QUESTION
This has been Question 25 since 2013, and I don't see it moving anytime soon.

35% of the entrants closed with an incorrect, and trollface joined THE CLUB yet again, this time with Shane Falco and the Washington Sentinels. Tennessee was the most popular incorrect, as they went from -4 to +3 in the Week 17 game.

After years of going under the radar, Cleveland finally SHEEPed this question, followed closely by the Bears, Chargers, and 9ers. And one last ace was played, as trigstarr finally went full Jets at the appropriate time.

ENTRANT COMMENTS
Our champion, upon winning after picking the Chargers:

The quote of the reveal came from sixfour, who ace-hunted with Buffalo:

And our 2015 winner was also 2016's last-place finisher:

KRAZYKRIS' PICK
The Cleveland Browns (correct - 14 points)

Cleveland SHEEPed, but was also the best answer to this question, at -188. Just for fun, here is what Cleveland pickers scored in Question 25 in previous games:

2013 game - unplayed
2014 game - 1 (alwarde4)
2015 game - 3 (asb165, rmthawk64, TehBankertin)

In years past, Cleveland was both a safe pick and a low score. In 2016, the Browns were only a safe pick.

KRAZYKRIS' AFTER-THE-FACT PICK
The Houston Texans

I thought Carolina would be leading the NFC South after Week 14; there's no way I can pick them in hindsight here to finish the year with a negative PD. That leaves Houston.

The Texans went 9-7, won the AFC South, and beat the David Carr-less Raiders in the playoffs. Despite all of that, their PD in the 2016 regular season was -49. By the end of Week 7, they had already lost to New England by 27, to Minnesota by 18, and to Denver by 18.


My actual and final score after Question 25 was 367 points.

My final after-the-fact score, after Question 25 is 31 points.

AFTER-THE-FACT FINAL SUMMARY
As we've seen thanks to the reveals, the best possible after-the-fact score is 31 points. Here is one final look at that entry:

Question	Answer	Score
1	Arizona Cardinals	2
2	Minnesota Vikings	1
3	Buffalo Bills	1
4	Eric Decker	1
5	Cam Newton	1
6	New York Giants	1
7	K.J. Wright	1
8	Giovani Bernard	1
9	Tennessee Titans	1
10	Nick Novak	1
11	LeGarrette Blount	1
12	Anquan Boldin	1
13	Baltimore Ravens	1
14	Tennessee Titans	1
15	Sam Bradford	1
16	Miami Dolphins	1
17	Marcus Mariota	2
18	Le'Veon Bell	1
19	Greg Olsen	1
20	Detroit Lions	2
21	Arizona Cardinals	3
22	New England Patriots	2
23	Matt Bryant	1
24	Philadelphia Eagles	1
25	Houston Texans	1

That concludes the 2016 game! And not a moment too soon, as 2017's first reveal is tomorrow.

Thanks everyone! Good luck if you entered the 2017 edition.

KK

Thanks for all your work. Glad I stumbled onto the funness that is PEEHS from the 2016 MLB edition of it. I run a 2p2 fantasy baseball and football league and I know the effort that goes into herding the cats, so thanks again!

Well based on the first few answers I remember, I know I'm already in trouble for 2017. I will enjoy my last day being on top!