If there’s one thing sure to split opinion quickly it’s the age-old battle of who knows more about the NFL, the players or the staff?
To try and resolve the issue once and for all players take on coaches and backroom staff one on one to see who really knows their stuff.
The concept is pretty simple: each week one Eagles player and one staff member will go head to head predicting the outcome of the weekend’s NFL games, and by the end of the season the true power houses will emerge.
Heading into this week where Running Back Paul Settle meets Defensive Coordinator Darren Hill, the players have the edge with a score of 67-49 to 66-50.
Let’s see what the weekend has in store…
Bills @ Jets (Thursday Night Football)
SETTLE: I’m gonna go with the Jets just because I like their name as it sounds fast and I hate getting bills! I’m also feeling Christmassy at the moment and New York is a great place to Christmas shop so I’ve heard!?!?! So Jets it is!!
HILL: A difficult game to start with. I’ve always had a soft spot for the Bills, back in the day they lost 4 Super Bowls in a row, which takes some doing and my father in law lives just outside Buffalo. The Jets have also routinely sucked and haven’t been to the Super Bowl since the 1960s. However they are playing at home. Jets to win a close one.
Lions @ Packers
SETTLE: I kinda like both the outfits and I’m gonna base most of my decisions on kits I like and the odd player I know. It has to be the Packers for the win mainly because I’ve always had a man crush on Christopher Parr and he follows the Packers!! And I like to eat cheese!! They have something to do with cheese right??!
HILL: Easiest pick of the week. Detroit are awful, Green Bay aren’t. Green Bay will win by loads.
Cowboys @ Buccaneers
SETTLE: Can’t stand Pirates they’re thieves so definitely going with the Cowboys for the win, and my mum loved the TV show Dallas so it’s gotta be Cowboys for the win without a doubt!!
HILL: Nellie is blaming me for his loss last week because he picked Tampa Bay on the strength of my recommendation of Tampa Bay and ex-Florida State Quarterback Jameis Winston. The Buccaneers QB was great, his Wide Receivers, and in particular first round pick Mike Evans (6 drops) were awful. It doesn’t matter, they are playing Dallas and they were bad without Dez Bryant and Tony Romo, Bryant is back Romo isn’t. Jameis is going to have a sore back after carrying his team to their fourth win of the season.
Panthers @ Titans
SETTLE: Now I’m no expert but I know that guy Cam Newton plays for the Panthers as he keeps flashing up in NFL videos on my FB page. He looks pretty good, a bit selfish but hey, you know what them QB’s are like!! So Panthers to take this one…
HILL: Carolina are undefeated and this week they face the other Heisman winning rookie QB in Marcus Mariota. The reason he was taken second in the draft is because Tennessee weren’t very good, they still aren’t. Cam Newton keeps the Panthers undefeated.
Bears @ Rams
SETTLE: Got to be the Bears, right? As they are big and scary in the wild and seeing as teams must be named after what they think they’re gonna play like they must be good!! And that massive Fridge guy used to play for them!! So Bears it is…GRRRRRRRRRRR!!!
HILL: Another team from the eighties having a tough year are the Bears. St Louis aren’t great but they win this one comfortably.
Saints @ Redskins
SETTLE: Redskins. Not sure why I’m going for these – probably cos their QB has dreads hanging out the back of his helmet which always looks pretty cool (ED – do you want to tell him or shall I?).
HILL: I’ve been a Redskins fan for more years than I care to mention, we’ve had our ups and downs, and recently it’s been more down than up. The Saints, despite having a better record are a terrible team and over the last two weeks their once vaunted defence has allowed back to back QBs to have career games. This continues and the Redskins win at home.
Dolphins @ Eagles
SETTLE: I’m going select the Dolphins just because I’ve seen the TV show Ballers with the Rock and it looks like a nice place to live if you’re rich and in the NFL and own a yacht!!! Remember to buy tuna not using the nets which trap Dolphins though kids!!!
HILL: As a Redskins fan it has been interesting to watch the Chip Kelly experiment from afar. He started off well but didn’t trade up to get his college QB Mariota and I think this comes back to haunt him. He seems to have lost the players and he doesn’t have a decent QB. Having said all that Miami were one of the 6 teams to play in London this year…they were awful. Eagles win.
Browns @ Steelers
SETTLE: Steelers sounds like they’re thieves but I’m going to go for the Steelers to take this one mainly because in the Batman film when the ground opened up after Bane rocked up in the stadium that receiver kept on playing whilst a major super hero baddie was trashing the field he was on!! So surely beating the Browns will be no problem?!?!
HILL: Currently one of the only saving graces of being a Redskins fan is that you aren’t a Browns fan. The franchise has been a model of ineptitude for as long as I can remember. Everything they do turns to rubbish. When Johnny “Football” Manziel was picked late in the first round a couple of years ago I was asked why he dropped so far. I replied that was because he was a good college QB but would achieve nothing in the NFL. That the Browns gave up draft picks to go and get him tells you everything you need to know about the Browns. The Steelers are having a poor year by their high standards but they still have enough to beat the Browns.
Vikings @ Raiders
SETTLE: Purple who plays in purple?!?!?! Raiders look far harder than the boys in purple and it would be embarrassing to lose to a team playing my wife’s favourite colour!! (Ed – do you want to tell him…oh forget it)
HILL: Another tough one to call. Minnesota are on a four-game winning streak. Oakland lost their last one but are having a decent season after years of struggling under old owner Al Davis whose pick of JaMarcus Russell with the first pick of the 2007 draft and subsequent signing of him to a $61 million deal was so awful that the NFL and the NFL Players Association agreed to completely restructure rookie contracts. I slightly favour the home team to win a close one. Raiders win.
Patriots @ Giants
SETTLE: I have a Giants t-shirt and am feeling Christmassy still so for the same reason as the Jets I’m gonna go with Giants to upset the Patriots. Any Given Sunday and all that!!
HILL: Bill Belichick is one of the best coaches in the game. He sometimes takes “gamesmanship” to the edge but he and Tom Brady have been at the top of the game for years. Unfortunately for the rest of the league the Commissioner decided to wind them both up during the off season. They are both on a mission and are destroying everyone they play. Their offence has played 32 quarters of football. They have scored in each of the last 31. They are too much for the Giants of New York and make the short trip back to New England with the win.
Chiefs @ Broncos
SETTLE: Just watched Christian Okoye A Football Life documentary so I’m gonna say Chiefs!!!
HILL: Similarly Peyton Manning has been one of the best QBs in the league for a lifetime. After several neck surgeries he struggled at the start of the year but his offensive co-ordinator has adjusted and played him in his more familiar shotgun formation and the Broncos defense is playing absolutely lights out. Denver will be too strong for the Chiefs at altitude, Denver wins and Denver joins Indianapolis and Tennessee as places where an extraordinary percentage of the population name their children Peyton (boys) or Payton (girls) after the QB.
Cardinals @ Seahawks (Sunday Night Football)
SETTLE: Running back with dreads hanging out the back of his helmet and I love skittles so Seahawks will take this against the Cardinals! And they’ve incorporated rugby tackling into their program so they must have some sense.
HILL: Another close game. Arizona are playing really well, as their record shows. Seattle have been in back to back Super Bowls, winning one and losing the other. Early in the season they struggled with the way they lost the last Super Bowl and the expectations of their players to get paid. However they have started coming into their own and at home they will be too much for Arizona.
Texans @ Bengals (Monday Night Football)
SETTLE: Texans. JJ Watt that’s why…
HILL: An easy one to finish. The Texans have the best defensive player in the league in JJ Watt, in the last 4 years the only player to average more than a sack per game, and 3 sacks off NFL Legend Lawrence Taylor’s 63 sack 4 year record, and they are still rubbish. The Bengals are on a rare winning streak and to be honest most people, even their own fans , aren’t expecting it to last, but it won’t finish against the Texans. Cincinnati to win easily.
Summary
| Match | Settle | Hill |
|---|---|---|
| Bills @ Jets (TNF) | Jets | Jets |
| Lions @ Packers | Packers | Packers |
| Cowboys @ Buccaneers | Cowboys | Buccaneers |
| Panthers @ Titans | Panthers | Panthers |
| Bears @ Rams | Bears | Rams |
| Saints @ Redskins | Redskins | Redskins |
| Dolphins @ Eagles | Dolphins | Eagles |
| Browns @ Steelers | Steelers | Steelers |
| Jaguars @ Ravens | Ravens | Ravens |
| Vikings @ Raiders | Raiders | Raiders |
| Patriots @ Giants | Giants | Patriots |
| Chiefs @ Broncos | Chiefs | Broncos |
| Cardinals @ Seahawks (SNF) | Seahawks | Seahawks |
| Texans @ Bengals (MNF) | Texans | Bengals |
Previous Results
Wide Receiver Chris Cowley 6-10 vs Offensive Coordinator Neale McMaster 6-10
Tight End Jack Judge 11-5 vs Head Coach Will White 13-3
Offensive Lineman Danny Cousins 8-7 vs Vice Chairman Mark Chilton 9-6
Running Back Matt Duffin 10-4 vs Running Back Coach Neil Duffy 10-4
Wide Receiver Jack Davis-Fletcher 6-8 vs Treasurer Michael Dilley 8-6
Offensive Lineman Jon Amokah 11-3 vs Youth Team Head Coach Nick Benning 8-6
Lineman of the Year John Rudgard 9-5 vs Special Teams Coordinator Gary Villiers 7-7
Defensive MVP Gareth Pullen 6-7 vs Chairman and Offensive Coordinator Neale McMaster 5-8
You can let us know what you think of their predictions by leaving a comment in the box below, by posting on our Facebook page, or by sending us a Tweet. Be sure to check back to Tuesday to see how they got on.