My mom picks the NFL Week 2 games
Last week we decided to run an experiment where we would ask my mom Nina Scott, an English instructor at a boarding school in Massachusetts with a slightly less than passing knowledge of football, to pick the NFL games of the week. Because this is how these things go, my mom went 11-5 with her picks, better than three of Paste BN Sports' five NFL experts.
Let's keep this train rolling. This is our phone call for the Week 2 games, very slightly edited for length.
FTW: We're gonna do the games again. You're currently at 11-5, beating several NFL experts we employ here.
Nate's mom: Really? Wow. OK.
FTW: Let's do it.
Nate's mom: Oh my god. OK.
FTW: Jets - Bills.
Nate's mom: Bills.
FTW: Any reason?
Nate's mom: Who's the quarterback of the Jets?
FTW: Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Nate's mom: And the Bills?
FTW: Tyrod Taylor.
Nate's mom: Oy. I may switch. Jets.
FTW: Why?
Nate's mom: Not sure. Got a feeling.
FTW: Saints - Giants.
Nate's mom: Saints. I know they're not going to win, and I don't care. I always root for the Saints. I'm loyal.
FTW: Titans at Lions.
Nate's mom: I still remember the Titans. Did they win last week?
FTW: No.
Nate's mom: Did the Lions?
FTW: Yep.
Nate's mom: Oh! Ok well I remember the Titans. The Lions still don't win.
FTW: Cowboys - Redskins.
Nate's mom: Ooh, I might say again Redskins.
FTW: Even though they lost?
Nate's mom: Even though they lost, and despite the name.
FTW: OK. Chiefs - Texans.
Nate's mom: Texans and who?
FTW: Chiefs.
Nate's mom: The Chiefs. Kansas City Chiefs. I choose Kansas City.
FTW: Dolphins - Patriots.
Nate's mom: Oh, darling, the Dolphins are gonna lose! The Patriots, always.
FTW: Ravens at Browns.
Nate's mom: Who are the quarterbacks?
FTW: Joe Flacco for the Ravens and the Browns quarterback is Josh McCown.
Nate's mom: Flacco's team.
FTW: 49ers at Panthers.
Nate's mom: Hm. How'd the 49ers do last week?
FTW: The beat a bad team.
Nate's mom: Panthers!
FTW: Bengals at Steelers.
Nate's mom: Steelers.
FTW: Any reason why?
Nate's mom: They're strong.
FTW: Buccaneers at Cardinals.
Nate's mom: Who at the Cardinals?
FTW: Buccaneers.
Nate's mom: Tampa Bay those pirates! And the Cardinals remind me of a baseball team. I must go with the Buccaneers.
FTW: OK. Seahawks at Rams.
Nate's mom: Seattle is good, aren't they? So are the Rams. Who is their quarterback?
FTW: The Rams got killed last week. I don't even remember who's starting for them this week at quarterback. I think it's Case Keenum.
Nate's mom: Ok I want the other one.
FTW: The Seahawks.
Nate's mom: The Seahawks, and they're terrific, right?
FTW: Right. Falcons at Raiders.
Nate's mom: I'm gonna do a throwback to the Raiders.
FTW: Good one. Jaguars at Chargers.
Nate's mom: Ooh, the Jaguars are the ones who were very good right?
FTW: No, you're mixing them up with the Panthers again.
Nate's mom: We've got the Jaguars, we've got the Panthers. Oy. And they are playing the …
FTW: Chargers.
Nate's mom: I'm gonna go with the Jaguars.
FTW: Colts at Broncos.
Nate's mom: Oh my god, how could you pick? Two horses.
FTW: I don't know.
Nate's mom: Um, and who's the quarterbacks?
FTW: Andrew Luck for the Colts, and Trevor Siemian from Northwestern University for the Broncos.
Nate's mom: Oy. This is a tough one for me. Can I have a hint?
FTW: No, I think it's going to be a pretty even game. I don't even know.
Nate's mom: OK I go for the bucking Broncos.
FTW: OK. Packers at Vikings.
Nate's mom: Green Bay.
FTW: OK, last game. Philadelphia Eagles at the Chicago Bears.
Nate's mom: Oh the Bears! God I want the Bears, but I don't know, are they good?
FTW: No? But Eagles aren't great either.
Nate's mom: I don't have a good feeling about the Bears that I want. So I'm going with the Eagles.
FTW: OK. That's it. You're done.
Nate's mom: Does anybody else's mother get to pick?
FTW: No. You did so well, you went 11-5, so we're going to keep you going.
Nate's mom: OK, let's see, until I tank and everyone makes fun of me. I love you.
FTW: OK, love you.