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Reliable sources report today is Sunday (based on such factors as yesterday being Saturday and tomorrow being Monday — provided that you are reading this on Nov. 18 or some subsequent Sunday). Armed with that reality, then it must be time for another week of Jaime Edmondson’s NFL picks and pics.
A sampling of William Lopa’s artwork at the Sun-Times Collectibles Convention.
The Playboy Playmate is in the Chicago area. Which means it is the civic duty of the editorial staff at elliottharris.com to make every effort to locate Jaime during his visit to the Midwest. Her presence in Chicago has to do with boyfriend Evan Longoria of the Tampa Bay Rays appearing at a collectibles show Sunday at the Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont. He is scheduled to be there from noon to 1:30 p.m. The show itself starts at 10 a.m. and runs through 4 p.m. For a link to the show about who else is appearing Sunday and when, you can click here.
Your humble correspondent did go to the Chicago Sun-Times Sports Collectibles Convetion on Saturday and wandered around. In doing so, I was fortunate enough to come across a familiar face, artist William Lopa. He was working on a Chicago Blackhawks piece at the show as well as displaying some of his other paintings. The highly acclaimed artist was gracious enough to take time to chat:
Hey, this may be the only Blackhawks coverage around here for a while, given the NHL lockout that has created a giant void in the hockey world.
If things go as planned (which they occasionally do around here), Jaime’s NFL picks will be posted slightly before — or slightly after — the early games kick off. The later games might not be posted here until well after they start (possibly not even before they end). But you always can access Jaime’s selections through her Twitter page, which is available by clicking @jaimeedmondson.
UPDATE: Jaime did not post any picks/pics before the early games kicked off. Leading to the likelihood that she is otherwise engaged and won’t be posting any for Week 11.
From the NFL department of information/keeping hope alive:
Since the current playoff format was instituted in 1990, 16 clubs with a losing record after nine games have made the playoffs. [Editor’s note: For some reason, the NFL department of optimism does not list teams that have winning records after nine games and fail to make the postseason; oh, well.] The 16 clubs to qualify for the playoffs since 1990 with a sub-.500 record through nine games:
1990 Houston Oilers (4-5) finished 9-7 and advanced to Wild Card
1990 New Orleans (4-5) finished 8-8 and advanced to Wild Card
1992 San Diego (4-5) finished 11-5 and advanced to Divisional
1994 Detroit (4-5) finished 9-7 and advanced to Wild Card
1994 New England (3-6) finished 10-6 and advanced to Wild Card
1995 Detroit (3-6) finished 10-6 and advanced to Wild Card
1995 San Diego (4-5) finished 9-7 and advanced to Wild Card
1996 Jacksonville (3-6) finished 9-7 and advanced to AFC Championship
1997 Detroit (4-5) finished 9-7 and advanced to Wild Card
2001 Tampa Bay (4-5) finished 9-7 and advanced to Wild Card
2002 Cleveland (4-5) finished 9-7 and advanced to Wild Card
2002 New York Jets (4-5) finished 9-7 and advanced to Divisional
2003 Green Bay (4-5) finished 10-6 and advanced to Divisional
2008 San Diego (4-5) finished 8-8 and advanced to Divisional
2009 New York Jets (4-5) finished 9-7 and advanced to AFC Championship
2011 Denver (4-5) finished 8-8 and advanced to Divisional
This photo of Nicolette Novak is semi-gratuitous. Mainly because her Playboy Amateurs video below is listed as gratuitous.
Denver quarterback Peyton Manning needs 295 yards against San Diego for his 14th season with at least 3,000 passing yards to pass Dan Marino for second place on that list. Brett Favre is first with 18 seasons with at least 3,000 passing yards. John Elway is fouth on the list with 12 such seasons.
Atlanta QB Matt Ryan is 30-4 (.882) during the regular season at home, the best home winning percentage of any NFL quarterback who began his career in the Super Bowl era (minimum 25 starts).
The best records at home among quarterbacks who began their career in the Super Bowl era (minimum 25 starts):
Matt Ryan* (30-4) .882
Joe Flacco* (32-5) .865
Tom Brady* (72-12) .857
Terry Bradshaw (67-12) .848
Roger Staubach (49-10) .831
*Active
Quarterbacks with the best records in November in the Super Bowl era (minimum 20 starts):
Tony Romo* (20-3) .870
Daryle Lamonica (19-4-2) .826
Jim McMahon (18-5) .783
Tom Brady* (31-10) .756
Joe Flacco* (15-5) .750
*Active
Note: Ties before 1972 did not count in winning percentage.
Denver linebacker Von Miller has 21.5 sacks and will play in his 25th career game on Sunday against San Diego. ith two sacks, Miller can tie San Francisco linebacker Aldon Smith (23.5), who played in his 25th game last week, for the second-most sacks through a player’s first 25 games since 1982. The players with the most sacks in their first 25 games since sacks became an official statistic in 1982:
25: Derrick Thomas, Kansas City (1989-1990)
23.5: Aldon Smith, San Francisco (2011-2012)
22.5: Shawne Merriman, San Diego (2005-2006)
21.5: Clay Matthews, Green Bay (2009-2010); Von Miller*, Denver (2011-2012)
*Through 24 games
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron ROdgers needs 251 yard passing to reach 20,000 career passing yards. Appearing in his 79th career game Sunday, he can reach 20,000 career passing yards in the fourth-fewest games in NFL history. The fewest games to reach 20,000 career passing yards in NFL history:
74: Dan Marino
76: Kurt Warner
78: Peyton Manning
Time for some gratuitous video:
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