Will Romney Win Because Of "Redskin Rule?"

There are many "sure-fire" indicators of how an election will go: unemployment numbers, the economy, approval rating, debate performance. But one of the most reliable indicators of the last 18 election cycles has to do with something right in Washington, DC - namely, the Washington Redskins.

OK, so the Redskins technically play in Landover, MD, but the football team has been a surprisingly accurate barometer of how an election will end, despite the fact that they are simply chucking around a pigskin.

The "Redskins Rule" states that, if the Redskins win their final home game before Election Day, then the incumbent president (or the political party of the incumbent president, if he is not running) will win the election. If the Skins lose, so will the prez. Ever since Franklin Delano Roosevelt won in 1940, the rule has worked - save for 2004, when George Bush defeated John Kerry days after the Redskins lost at home to the Green Bay Packers.

For those of you scrambling to check Sunday's scores, I can save you the trouble. The Carolina Panthers defeated the Redskins at home, 21-13, which should mean that Mitt Romney will pull off a big upset on Tuesday. Of course, if you believe Nate Silver, there's less chance of Mitt winning tomorrow than the Redskins, with a 3-6 record, making the playoffs.