“Some people watch talent shows or singers. Others apparently like to see people lose weight and weep. I’ll take the sports, thank you.”
– Scott Van Pelt, 25 November 2013
This is, for my liking, the biggest week of the season. A few weeks ago, there were people who were talking about their seasons in the past tense at an early stage. But, things change in an instant. Players go on hot streaks, injuries ruin lineups, a reorder of the depth chart reinvigorates a stalling season. At the end of this week’s matchups, we will be days away from the trade deadline and every team would have played each other home and away. What would Alf Stewart of Summer Bay make of it all? Who knows. But, this could be a week that defines a season for many teams, so fasten up your seat belts, this one is going to be good. We now cross over live to The Dope himself for his weekly gaze into the crystal ball…
The Dope Sheet is brought to you by Verizon, the official wireless carrier of the BFL. Verizon. Better Matters.
If the playoffs started today…
#4 Maryland Cookies @ #1 Cleveland Clowns
#3 Waterton Winos @ #2 Orlando Rage (on tiebreaker)
Toilet Bowl: #6 Dezzy Does Dallas @ #5 Shotgun Shenanigans
Shenanigans (3-6) @ Rage (5-4)
Previous Matchup: Week 4, Rage 183.9 @ Shenanigans 156.4
It can’t be just a coincidence that since their name change, the Shenanigans have gone 2-0, can it? Or is it more to do with the fact that they have built an offensive juggernaut at last, discarding the under performing nucleus that ruined the early part of the season for the Shannys. The team’s first Hyundai Player of the Week award was well deserved after a rout of the reeling Waterton Winos last week, with WR Antonio Brown’s superb near 40-point haul being a particular highlight. Lead by QB Andy Dalton and RB DeMarco Murray showing signs of the form that got him a payday again, have the Shannys lulled the league into a false sense of security, given how post-draft they were second favourites, to time their playoff run perfectly?
Don’t look now, but the Rage are reeling. The decision last week to not waive or trade some of the players on byes could be one that will haunt the rabid Rage fanatics in 3 weeks time, as it has now opened the door for the Maryland Cookies, and if results go their way, the Shannys and the Dezzys into a playoff spot. Whilst being loyal to the players that got them to the dance is an admirable quality, if the Rage were as ruthless as some of their rivals, their playoff seeding wouldn’t be in doubt. To rub salt into the wounds, the team picked up it’s first Turkey of the Week in the last round – which they expected, but nevertheless, this would not have gone down well in the Sunshine State.
The Dope’s Prediction: The Shannys front six runs riot and the Rage’s free fall continues.
Dallas (3-6) @ Clowns (7-2)
Previous Matchup: Week 4, Clowns 146.8 @ Dallas 153
The Dope would not have wanted to be in the stands in Maryland last week, as the Clowns and Cookies bout (as predicted) went down to the wire and the Clowns escaped with a victory thanks to WR Alshon Jeffery’s brilliance in the late game of the week. RB DeAngelo Williams, who was picked up by Dallas earlier this season, but dropped when LeVon Bell returned into the line-up, has replaced Bell for the Clowns and his near 40-point haul helped put the Clowns over the edge last week. Williams is projected to pick up some valuable points this week, but The Dope understands that the Clowns’ GM is expecting a big performance from QB Tom Brady this week after scoring less than 26 points for the first time last week. The rest of the league, The Dope understands, are clubbing together to buy the Clowns GM a small violin. A developing story, more on that as it comes in…
You could argue that however played the Rage last week was at an advantage, given the questionable decisions made, but, you can only beat who is put in front of you. Dallas’s front 5 failed to break the 20-points barrier, but the inspired late pickup of WR Michael Crabtree made up for a disappointing week from the usual suspect, TE Rob Gronkowski. An awesome performance from LB Jordan Hicks would have raised expectations for the squad, but his season-ending injury has seen a reshuffle of the team’s D, who face Tom Brady for the first time this season – Brady was on his bye week when the two teams first met, a potential factor in the Dezzys upset victory over the Clowns early in the season.
The Dope’s Prediction: Clowns continue their incredible winning streak, preventing Dallas’s lightning from striking twice.
This week’s Game of the Week is presented by Advance Auto Parts, the official automotive replacement parts supplier of the BFL. Service is our best part…
Cookies (4-5) @ Winos (5-4)
Previous Matchup: Week 4, Winos 173.1 @ Cookies 144.7
You may wonder why Advance Auto Parts selected this game, but read on…
The Cookies’ win streak came to an end last week, but in one of the most nail-biting finishes to a game this season, the Clowns ensured that the team returned to a below .500 record once more. The Cookies would have been disappointed with the team’s front seven failing to break the 20-point mark and it was the New England Patriots who kept the team in the game thanks to a good score by their defence. The Pats continue to be on a roll, but considering the impressive record their opponents this week have on them, certain points are not guaranteed. With that in mind, there is a change at QB, with Derek Carr replacing Philip Rivers, who is on a bye week. However, given Carr’s recent performances, could this be an audition for a starting job?
The TV show that the Winos will base themselves on has now changed from ER to Cheers, as the Winos have been propping up the bar in between Cliff Clavin, Dr. Frasier Crane and Norm Peterson since week 6. With their lead seemingly insurmountable, the concrete lineups seemed a good bet. After all, it’s what has got them there. But, with injuries and bye weeks piling up, the former league leaders are heading on a downward spiral worse than Britney Spears’ infamous 2007. The likes of Aaron Rodgers, who broke the 40-points barrier again last week, must be wondering what they must do to get on a winning team.
This game has playoff implications. If The Dope’s previous two predictions stand, then Maryland has a chance to go from the fourth seed into the second seed. Consequently, a Winos victory would solidify their second place, and leave the Rage twitching in the next few weeks.
The Dope’s Prediction: The Cookies pour out a glass and out drink the Winos, who are left awaiting an AA meeting.
The Dope’s Week 9 Predictions: 2-1
The Dope’s Overall Predictions: 17-10
From the Commish’s Desk…
* Turns out spending a few weeks doing some half-arsed marketing gets the league some big name sponsors. Who knew?
* If you can’t see the awful coloured box on the league home page, we are one week away from the trade deadline, which is next Thursday (19 November) at 12:00 EST, or 17:00 for those of us with a dragon on our flags. This means absolutely nothing to any of you as the fact we have had 82 days without a trade means I doubt we will see one before next week.
Good luck this week everyone! (except Mike)