The NFL’s best teams are preparing for the playoffs, but Powell’s sharpest football minds have already claimed their titles.

Conrad Sutton, Garvin Motors and Scott Mangold won their respective contests after Week 17’s action.

Each will receive prizes and payouts from the Powell Tribune.

Sutton won the individual contest with 165 correct picks throughout the season. Two players finished with a score of 164.

“I get in a lot of contests, and when I get in I always think I can win. But I don’t win very often,” Sutton said, laughing. “This was a tough year in the NFL. There was a lot of upsets.”

Sutton said that while he paid attention to player performance and injuries, he also kept up with coaching records and trends.

“I’ve always liked New England’s coach (Bill Belichick), and I’ve always thought pretty well of Arizona’s coach (Bruce Arians),” Sutton said. “You got to take into consideration a lot of these coaches are pretty new, they haven’t been there pretty long but you still have to look at their record.”

Dan Lemire picked the games for Garvin Motors, the winner of the business contest. Like Sutton, Garvin Motors pulled out a one-game victory, besting Fremont Motors 163-162.

Lemire said his picks were made without the help — and distraction — of analysts.

“It’s all gut feel for me, man. I don’t look at any of those expert picks, those just mess me up,” Lemire said.

While Lemire and Garvin earned bragging rights, Lemire said he’s not much for showboating.

“I just like to supply food for my family,” he said.

Lemire said he was going to split the Powell Chamber Bucks between two of his employees.

Far behind the likes of Sutton and Garvin Motors were two appointed “experts.”

Former Powell mayor Scott Mangold held off Tribune sports editor Dante Geoffrey for a 151-147 win and a growler of beer from WYOld West Brewing Company.

Mangold echoed Sutton’s words about it being a particularly tough year to predict in the NFL.

“I hate to say that I was an expert,” Mangold said. “I’m not bragging. I’ll brag to (Powell Tribune general manager) Toby (Bonner), maybe that’s it.”

Mangold said the biggest obstacle in picking games was himself.

“I was always thinking that I would overthink too much,” Mangold said. “And then I would look for a possible upset, but some of the games would be impossible to predict, like Atlanta beating Carolina.”

It was easier to predict everyone beating Mangold and Geoffrey.