jimmy mac:
Almost every year, Northcoast uses the second week of the playoffs to release their Playoff GOY. The reason is marketing. They don't want to come in early, i.e. Wild Card weekend, as they won't get additional sales for the remainder of the playoffs and next week they only have two games remaining. This is all predetermined before the football season starts. It doesn't matter who is playing, this will be the weekend most years. Same way they choose the second or third week in November to release their College GOY. All marketing. This year, as you said, they are 3-3 on their 5* releases, but 0-3 on those that are rated their GOY's, namely College GOY on Oregon (lost), College Bowl GOY on Memphis (lost), NFL GOY on Denver (lost). If today, it is on Pittsburgh as you say, it's just another game that they have chosen to release as a GOY. Could have been any of the four games. Nothing special about this game. Might cover. Might not. Just like every other game.