We have reached the halfway point in the season, and this is some of what we've learned thus far:

• We've learned that the Colts aren't going away easily, despite Andrew Luck's sudden retirement right before the season.  That is a testament to the good drafting by their FO, and good coaching by Reich.  They are a rugged, physical team on offense and a pretty fast unit on defense, a combination unlike previous, more glamorous iterations of that team.
  
• We've learned the Texans are determined not to repeat the mistakes made in their early days by trying to give sufficient blocking for Watson.  Adding Tytus Howard and Max Scharping early in the draft and trading for LT Laremy Tunsil shows a concerted effort to provide quality and quantity to the Texans' OL.  Considering they have added WR Kenny Stills (in the same trade that netted them Tunsil) and just now CB Gareon Conley, there is no mistaking the Texans are in win now mod.
  
• We've learned the Jaguars have better depth at QB than was initially thought to start the season.  When the Jaguars ended the preseason with a rookie at backup QB, most Jaguars fans, especially me, questioned the move.  I advocated the Jaguars sign a vet, concerned over the lack of experience behind Foles and with physical limits for Minshew.  But even though he has cooled off some, Minshew has been a find for the Jaguars, keeping the Jaguars within shouting distance of contention midway through.  Because of the experience and ability Minshew has shown, the Jaguars will be in better position than most of the divisional rivals down the stretch once Foles returns in 3 weeks.
  
•   We've learned the coaches no longer think Mariota is the answer in Tennessee.  Fans around the division have long suspected it, but as long as Mariota remained the healthy starter in Trashville, it was moot.  However, with the signing of former Dolphins' QB Ryan Tannehill this offseason, and the benching of Mariota for Tannehill last week, it's a foregone conclusion the tacks will be in the market for another QB this offseason.
  

Other thoughts:

AFCS Offensive rookies of the year:  Gardner Minshew II, Jaguars; A.J. Brown, Tacks.  Minshew has definitely exceeded expectations as a 6th round pick at the most important position.  Brown is 2nd on his team in receptions and leading the tacks in receiving yards.

AFCS Defensive rookies of the year:  Josh Allen, Jaguars, Rock Ya Sin, Colts.  Allen has had a sack in five straight games, and had a sack and a forced fumble negated by penalty in week one.  Is only scratching the surface, as most of his sacks are coming on power moves.  Ya Sin has been a starter at CB for Indy.

Coach of the year-Frank Reich, Indy

AFCS MVP-Right now I have to give it to Jacoby Brissett.  Took over the Colts a week before the season and has them in first place.

AFCS Offensive player of the year-DeAndre Hopkins-Houston- Biggest game changer in the division

AFCS Defensive player of the year-??


As for my weekly picks, after a short, fleeting move towards respectability, I lost whatever hround I gained with another sub par week.  I hope I can turn it back around, starting now.

Denver (2-5) at Indy (4-2)-Colts are a strong and balanced team playing well on both sides of the ball/  Denver?  Not so much.  Colts 24  Broncos 20

Bucs (2-4) at Tacks (3-4)-The Bucs have wild swings in quality within one QB.  Winston can have 5 TDs in a game one week, and five turnovers in a game the next.  The tacks have varying degrees of suck between two QBs, and they are now on QB 2.  Tacks are a better team overall than the Bucs though.  Derrick Henry gets going.  tacks 23 Bucs 17

Jets (1-5) at Jaguars (3-4)-This is a big game for the Jaguars, as a win here will get them to .500 at the midway point, which would be an absolute win considering we've been without Foles except for the opening quarter of the opening game.  Last Monday's loss to the Patriots was a morale sucker for the Jets.  The Jets have their share of offensive challenges, and the Jaguars can pose more problems for the Jets.  However, the Jets' O has a few things going for them coming into this game.  The Jaguars' secondary is a lot less experienced and talented than the Patriots, the Jaguars are really banged up, signing two LBs this week after a slew of injuries, and they don't have Belichick formulating the defensive game plan.  I look for the Jets to try to run the ball at Jacksonville.  Nevertheless, the Jaguars pull out this one 24-17

Oakland (3-3) at Houston (4-3)-Not sure why the Raiders would trade their starting CB to their next opponent when they are still very much in the AFC West race.  Houston is too strong and talented.  Texans win 31-20. 

Last week:  1-2

Overall:  7-16

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Worst to 1st.  Curse Reversed!

clots
tacks
jags
'horns

(10-13)

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On paper, all the home teams "should" win, but my gut tells me that at least one of them (read, us or Ten) will lose this week.  Officially, I'll roll with Bullseye's choices.


Jets @ Jags -->  Jags
Bucs @ Titans -->  Titans
Broncos @ Colts -->  Colts
Raiders @ Texans -->  Texans


Last week  3-0
Overall  14-9

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"We believe in victory!"   - Gus Bradley
"I don't want to believe.  I want to know."   - Carl Sagan

Colts
Texans
jags
Bucs
1-2 last week
10-11 overall

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Yes, it's improvement, but it's Blaine Gabbert 2012 level improvement. - Pirkster

http://youtu.be/ouGM3NWpjxk The Home Hypnotist!

http://youtu.be/XQRFkn0Ly3A Media on the Brain Link!
 

Peyton must store oxygen in that forehead of his. No way I'd still be alive after all that choking.

 

Jags Over Jets
Tenn Over Tampa Bay
Indy Over Denver
Houston over Oakland

3-0 Last week
13-10 overall

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Jags
colts
tacks
tinhorns

Last week 3-0
Overall 11-12

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12-11 coming in

Indy all over Den - This shouldn't be close, two teams heading in completely opposite directions. 26-10
TB over tacks - No idea why, but I can't help but see this as the upset of the week. Tannehill comes back down to Earth, 14-13
Jax over NYJ - This is going to be a challenge. Expect a lot of screen passes to offset the pressure from NYJ's front four. 20-14
Hou over Oak - I flip flopped on this one, Houston has home field and the added scouting from Conley, let's all hope this is a knock-down drag-out brawl, leaving Houston bruised and weary for next Sunday. 24-21

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12-11 overall.  this week i'll go with colts,tittans,oakland,and jags.

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snowwolf titans owner in madden.

note titans owner means im undeafted againest them. 

Hey Snowwolf, the Texans Play Oakland, you can't pick both now

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1-2 last week
8-11 overall

Colts over Broncos
Jaguars over Jets
Texans over Raiders
Titans over Buccaneers

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We learned in the Sunday School who made the sun shine through.  I know who made the moonshine too, back where I come from.

Hey Snowwolf, the Texans Play Oakland, you can't pick both now

He could be predicting the tie?  That would be bigger than his call of the colts over Chefs.

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12-11 overall

Colts
Bucs
Jags
Texans

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On paper, all the home teams "should" win, but my gut tells me that at least one of them (read, us or Ten) will lose this week.  Officially, I'll roll with Bullseye's choices.

Have you seen my record this year?!?

I would have to officially strongly caution against that.

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Worst to 1st.  Curse Reversed!

12-10 coming in.

Have to go with all the home teams here.

Jags (although the cynical part of me wants to take the jets and hope to win/lose accordingly)
Clots
Tacks
Horns.

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Hypothetically speaking, if one like myself misses a week, ties in the wins but has one less loss...who wins? Or are we just going by the number of wins?

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12-11 overall.  this week i'll go with colts,tittans,oakland,and jags.

Hey Snowwolf, the Texans Play Oakland, you can't pick both now

He could be predicting the tie?  That would be bigger than his call of the colts over Chefs.

no predicting a tie,it was supposse to be tittans,and then raiders. its fixed now.

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snowwolf titans owner in madden.

note titans owner means im undeafted againest them. 

I'll go colts, jags, tacks, and texans.

3-0 last week, 11-12 so far.

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2-1 last week now 11-12 overall

Of course I'm counting on Jags

Jaguars Over jets
bucs Over tacks
clots Over brokoes
raiders reach deep over 'horns

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Because Jaguars is our mantra 

2-1 last week, 13-10 overall.

Jets over Jags: Jets D too much for our O-line. Not getting suckered into the homer call this time
Indy over the Broncos: Better team wins this time, unlike last week
Texans tie the Raiders: Because the strange nexus of Snowy and Drifter in this thread has aligned the forces of the universe into making it so.
Bucs over the Tacks: Because screw the Tacks

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Week # 7 Results: 3-0
Overall: 13-10

Week # 8 Selections

Jacksonville
Tennessee
Indianapolis
Houston

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Overall 12-11

This week I'll take an AFC South sweep.

Jaguars
Colts
Texans
Titans

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There are 10 kinds of people in this world.  Those who understand binary and those who don't.