Sorry for your loss, MM. You deserve better.

Sorry to the rest of you GMs that I haven't been around much this season. It's more than the lack of being reliably competitive - but more that I haven't contributed to the banter and collegiality of this group.

GG g-men
Payback is a *****..........you got me back so we finish with a split decision for the season!

In reference to the above mentioned post, yes I agree as well in saying, Meatman you deserve better, you have a helluva good team that should easily make the playoffs. I guess the Meatman got shredded like ground beef on this finish....

GG Titans. In a game that didn’t matter, I played my 4th string qb. He played fine, but throwing a pick in your own end in the final minute of a tie game is a bit silly.

Looks like my first two picks will be 5th and 7th.

Congrats to all the playoff teams - this is a tough league and an accomplishment to make the post season.

I've been frustrated with this league this season. I had a QB with nearly perfect attributes, yet still had a season of 1:2 TD:INT's ratio and a QB rating in the low 60's. I participate in other leagues, and know there is no good reason for this team to be this bad. I can't even blame it on 4.5. Even though this engine has quirks and imperfections - it has them for both teams. Since I've had a whole season of playing like **** - it has to be something I'm doing (or not doing.)

I have been cutting back on teams as seasons end, because 4.5 has really lessened the enjoyment of this game. However, it really sticks in my craw to walk away from a horrible season like this. Now I'm leaning on giving next season another go at it.

GG Seattle and good luck in the playoffs.

GG Philly/john, hope you have a productive off-season. Ive posted a couple of times in this thread about noticing an increase in both the variability of performance and outcome from one game to another. This last game of the season produced several games with results that were not expected, by either team/owner. Making it more intense than usual was the importance of several games that had playoff importance. Ive watched the Pack ride a roller-coaster of performance this season, and were able to put together a conference best record. 4.5 is brutal on QB performance, which is one of the most variable results. 4 or more picks thrown in a game is not an unusual result, no matter how good the QB's rating & attributes are. My starter, Sullivan, who I have rated at 90, finished ranked 7th in rating with a 76.79, and threw the 2nd most picks out of the top ten rated QBs with 23. Oakland's Curtis threw 26. Both teams have first round byes, go figure, lol. The primary reason for that result is that both teams defenses were able to compensate for and overcome the high # of interceptions and low QBR's in 4.5. Like many or most on here, I'd like to see more variability in the game and play results, and I think that would only be possible with a required minimum play selection, like a full 40 offense and 30 defensive play selection. Then, to ensure an even spread of play calls across the play selection and that all or most of the plays are used in a game, the coaching should be more important in that regard, where the "owner" gameplanning is reduced and the Ai coaches are increased. Other than that, to be competitive, we are going to continue to have games where 5-7 defenses are called 70% of the time and the 20 offense plays that have the consistently best avg/play are going to be used the most. That's my 2 buck opinion, used to be 2 cents a long time ago. Reduce the "owners" ability to limit the play selection, both in specific play call and number of uses, whether intentional or not, and that will produce games with more variability where you're not watching a bunch of throws to the RB in the flat. Selection of players based on ratings & attributes should have a strong impact on game play & outcome. Selection of coaches should have more importance on both player development and play selection/gameplanning. Overall, I think it would be better for the game if we were more "general manager" and less "coach", cheers, gdb

GG Dallas

Sorry for knocking the defending division champs out of the playoffs on the last day...........no im not. jk

You had a great run there at the end of the season. Getting a slow start out of the gate was all the difference. There are some playoff teams in the NFC that are glad you didnt make it.


Edit:
Wait a minute, Dallas still is in . That takes the celebration down a notch. My bad OT. Good luck in the playoffs.

I can understand. I had a game against Seattle like that. My qb had been sacked 5 times all season, but was sacked 7 times. The complete absurdity about my San Fran game is this. They had scored over 20 points IN A GAME twice this season, it didn’t matter who they played. The team averaged 9.7 points per game. The had the worst defense and was 28th worst offense, but in the final QUARTER of the season played like super bowl contenders and score 20 points. The scored 10 percent of their total points OF THE SEASON in the final quarter. I can accept losing it has happened before, but this season will forever stand as the year 4.5 stole the playoffs from me, it wasn’t game planning or talent levels, but flat out random events created by the game engine. I am done talking now, thanks for listening.

The Paydirt Report: Week 16

Oh what a way to finish the 1978 regular season. Some teams streaked in and some streaked out of the playoffs. One historic victory, a heartbreak loss and a miraculous end to a season for one team. You want a lil drama heading into Wild Card Weekend, you got it.

The Defending Super Bowl Champion Miami Dolphins scream into the post season with an 11 game win streak. Starting out the season 3-2 the Dolphins made some adjustments and rattled off 11 consecutive to capture the AFC East over a surging Buffalo Bills who will settle for a Wild Card spot. I can see a Miami / Buffalo rivalry shaping up in the division. Add in New England who had been pushing Miami up til this season and the New York Jets under new GM Otterpop who is no stranger to titles and you have a division that can rival the Wild Wild West of the AFC. Miami will have home field advantage throughout.

Speaking of the Wild Wild West, the Oakland Raiders captured their 2nd division title. They secure the other first round bye in the conference. The San Diego Super Chargers grabbed the last ticket to the ball while the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs must stay home and watch on the telie. Denver's rookie GM broncos7nuggets had a stellar year in a extremely tough division. The heart break story of 1978 was the Kansas City Chiefs. They have been so close under Meatmen but have just fallin short each year. It seems to come down to a single game to get the Chiefs over the hump and into the playoffs.

The Cleveland Browns cruised to their 6th AFC North crown. But the big story of week 16 was Cincinnati Bengals GM voegma's 100th Paydirt victory. Congrats. Pittsburgh and Baltimore will be looking for answers in the off-season. Dont expect them to be a push over game in the seasons to come.

The biggest story of the year for Paydirt in 1978 was the Houston Texans. Talk about a GM who adjusted to the new MFN version. The Texans under GM Salty_Watermelon has righted the ship that has struggled since Paydirt opened its doors in 1970. Houston who had not won more than 5 games in any year leading up to 1978 goes 13-3 and takes home some AFC South hardware. Jacksonville challenged early but was no match for the Texans and faded. After starting 4-1 the Jags went on a 5 game losing streak that they could not recover from. Indianapolis and last years AFC South champs Tennessee are headed back to the drawing board.

The NFC East had been dominated by the Washington Redskins for 7 straight years before the Dallas Cowboys wrestled away the title last season. This year Dallas got off to a slow start and it looked like it was gonna be a battle between Washington and the New Giants for the crown. But the Giants started to struggle and Dallas got red hot down the stretch to challenge Washington right down to the end. Washington led by 2 time the Super Bowl Champion blackflys would hold on to capture their 8th division title. The Giants and Eagles look to rebound in 79'.

The Seattle Seahawks surge at the end of the season once again records their 6th AFC West banner. Arizona came on hard at the end to try and get into the playoffs but fell just short by a week 16 OT loss to you guessed it........Seattle. With 12 weeks to go it looked like the Los Angeles Rams were gonna be the team to beat. Both the Seahawks and the Rams would trade positions for that top spot as the Cardinals quietly gained ground little by little. The Rams lost their last 3 games to knock em out of the hunt. The big story in the NFC West in week 16 was no doubt the miraculous come from behind win by the 49ers over the Rams. Down 18-7 going into the 4th quarter the 0-15 49ers were looking at losing their coach for a winless season. At the brink of being fired I imagine the 49ers GM zdowntime felt like heading for his car and driving out of the Candlestick Park parking lot never to return. But San Francisco rallied and put up 20 points in the 4th to save his job as Candlestick Park went wild.

The Green Bay Packers resurged to NFC dominance in 1978 not only taking the title which is GrandadB's 5th but also grabbed home field advantage throughout. The pack was never challenged as Detroit fell flat from a great 77' season and Minnesota and Chicago are searching for answers.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers win their 3rd straight NFC South championship. But it didn't come easy. Both the Atlanta Falcons who struggled out of the gate and the rise of the New Orleans Saints made them earn it. The Falcons discovered they had a kicking problem the first two games and after straightening that out they won their next 8 out of 9 games. But that would come to an end there as they would not win another game to close the season out on a 5 game losing streak. New Orleans meanwhile, started the year out 1-4. With GM Mcarovil's job on the line and having to win 5 games to secure a contract extension, the Saints finished the season 10-1 and was rewarded with a trip to the Wild Card Round. Is anyone scared of the Saints? They should be. Carolina had their first losing season in franchise history. One of the top GM's and leading Wheeler n Dealer at Paydirt, expect jouameng to make adjustments and jump right back into that South battle which is turning out to be one of the toughest divisions in the NFC.

Games on Tap for Wild Card Weekend

San Diego @ Houston
Does the Houston Cinderella ride continue or does San Diego make another run at an AFC Championship.

Buffalo @ Cleveland
This is an intriguing game. Two MFN legend GM's going up against each other in round one. Buffalo has been stout all year and Cleveland knows a thing or two about Playoff football. This should be a good one.

Dallas @ Washington
A rivalry game on Wild Card Weekend? Wow. Dallas snatched away the division from Washington's dominance last year. The Redskins punch back by taking it back after a huge run at the end of the year by the Cowboys going 7-2 in their last 9 games to fall short. Grab your popcorn cause this could be a slug fest.

New Orleans @ Seattle
Seattle has been a mainstay in the playoffs with awest827 at the helm. A 9-3 record is the best playoff record in Paydirt history. The Saints come marching in by winning 10 of their last 11 games. Somethings gotta give. Two locomotives on the same track on a collision course. It's not going to be pretty.

Good Game Tampa, Good Luck in the playoffs!