Week 13: QWQ follows a predictable path | Cold Hard Football Facts

Week 13: QWQ follows a predictable path
Cold, Hard Football Facts for December 4, 2005

The Quality Wins Quotient has stormed back to life in recent weeks, highlighted by a 13-3 performance in Week 12. It was the second-best week of the season for the QWQ, and it shows that the indicator is following the path we laid out for our readers earlier this season.

The performance of the Quality Wins Quotient is chronicled each week on TheMirl.com, where our picks, which we base solely upon quality standings, are stacked up against those of 33 other football Web sites and writers. This week's picks and to-date results can also be seen there. (We realize that TheMirl page is often f*cked up, and many of you have asked us to post our picks here, so we've done it at the bottom of the page.)

The Quality Wins Quotient raced through the first few weeks of the season. We expected some sort of midseason doldrums, which we witnessed, as the quotient attempted to find solid footing. But we also said that the QWQ should come on strong by Weeks 10 to 12. Once again, our formula has proved to be as solid, steady and predictable as the path of the sun: It's 23-9 (.719) in the past two weeks. The Quality Wins Quotient will never steer you wrong, especially if you know where and when to use it.

After the first 12 weeks, we have a highly respectable season-long mark of 116-60 (.659). (TheMirl.com puts our mark at 115-61. There is a reason for the one-game discrepancy, which you can see here.)

Since introducing the world to the Quality Wins Quotient before the 2004 postseason, the formula has gone 126-61 (.674) picking every single NFL game. It remains particularly adept at picking outright victories by underdogs.

We are picking winners based solely upon the Quality Wins Quotient, even when we have reservations. Our goal is to find the patterns in the Quality Wins Quotient. So, for the purposes of scientific experiment, we remain blindly devoted to what the Quality Wins Quotient tells us. Use it judiciously, and it will treat you well.

Here's how we've fared each week this season. We used final 2004 quality standings from Week One through Week Five, and switched to current 2005 quality standings in Week Six.

Week One: 11-5 (using 2004 standings)

Week Two: 10-6

Week Three: 12-2

Week Four: 8-6

Week Five: 8-6

Week Six: 10-4 (using 2005 standings)

Week Seven: 7-7

Week Eight: 8-6

Week Nine: 11-3

Week 10: 8-6

Week 11: 10-6

Week 12: 13-3