“We are who people think we are.”
– David Foster, House M.D., TB or Not TB, 2005
“That’s why we took the damn field! Now if you want to crown them, then crown their ass! But they are who we thought they were! And we let ’em off the hook!”
– Dennis Green, 16 October 2006
After last week’s season defining matches, the trade deadline has been and gone. And after this week’s games, there will be two weeks left until the quest to win the inaugural BFL Championship trophy begins. And all but one thing is settled, meaning every player and every point is important. Each of this week’s games brings with them some high steaks – the question some GMs will be asking on Tuesday morning was whether they were well done or not. Time to dial up The Dope once more…
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 Waterton Winos @ #1 Cleveland Clowns
#3 Orlando Rage @ #2 Maryland Cookies
Toilet Bowl: #6 Dezzy Does Dallas @ #5 Shotgun Shenanigans
Shenanigans (4-6) @ Clowns (7-3)
Previous Matchups: Week 3, Shenanigans 146.1 @ Clowns 229.9
Week 7, Clowns 275.1 @ Shenanigans 146.4
(Clowns lead season series, 2-0)
Despite a very disappointing performance from the two players highlighted in last week’s Dope Sheet, the Shannys continued their impressive winning streak, becoming the hottest team in the BFL. Had QB Andy Dalton and RB DeMarco Murray performed up to expectation, the beating they gave the Rage could have been much worse – of the team’s seven offensive players, only one player broke the 30-points mark. But that player was WR Antonio Brown, who has scored 71.5 points in his last two outings. Brown’s mid-season lull looks to be over and he is finally showing the kind of form that made him a priority for the Shanny’s GM in the draft. Brown is on a bye this week, leaving a massive hole for the team to fill. Calvin Johnson has been drafted in and he will relish the opportunity to face his former team – Johnson was a fifth round pick for the Cleveland Clowns.
The Clowns’s defeat last week would have dented their pride, but they remain top of the shop by two clear games and the only team assured of a winning record at this point in time. RB Devonta Freeman’s absence was certainly felt last week, as the Clowns missed the electrifying sophomore’s production. The team were also hurt by the pasting given to the Denver Broncos last week – had the Broncos kept it close, the team would have been within a shout of clinching the number 1 seed last week, but perhaps the Clowns wanted to delay the inevitable until this week. Outside the team’s certain points in You Know Who, expect a big game from RB Charcandrick West, who has the potential to cause some serious destruction this weekend. Keep your other eye on WR Eric Decker – last week’s late pick-up for the Clowns has played in 8 games this season. He has a TD in 7 of them.
The Dope’s Prediction: The Shannys hot streak comes to an end as the Clowns clinch the #1 seed and home advantage through the playoffs.
Winos (5-5) @ Rage (5-5)
Previous Matchups: Week 3, Winos 235.7 @ Rage 280.2
Week 7, Rage 171.4 @ Winos 161
(Rage lead season series, 2-0)
The Dope was told of an amusing joke this week and would like to share it with the readers. There are three certainties in life: death, taxes, and the Winos line-up.
Don’t look now, but are the team that topped the BFL Power Rankings for five weeks straight in trouble? The Dope certainly believes so. It’s been difficult for the Rage in the past few weeks as several key elements have been under performing, as well as head overruling gut decisions that could have perhaps improved the record and kept them within touching distance of the top of the leaderboard. None of the team’s front seven bettered 19 points last week and were it not for an outstanding performance from CB Walter Thurmond III, the team could have been staring at it’s second Turkey of the Week. However, this looks to be the perfect game for the Rage given the circumstances. The team remains the Winos kryptonite and a victory here would certainly get some momentum going as the team looks to avoid the dreaded Plunger Bowl matchup.
The Dope’s Prediction: The Rage snaps it’s losing streak, condemning the Winos to continue theirs.
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 (5-5) @ Dallas (4-6)
Previous Matchups: Week 3, Cookies 328.3 @ Dallas 157.1
Week 7, Dallas 172.4 @ Cookies 247.7
(Cookies lead season series, 2-0)
After a devastating late defeat the previous week, the Cookies got out the cane and gave the Winos a damn good thrashing to earn their second Hyundai Player of the Week award in three weeks. RB Adrian Peterson was undoubtedly the star of the show, running for 203 yards and grabbing a touchdown. Worryingly for everyone else – Peterson is ahead of his NFL MVP pace from 2012, when he gained 2097 yards. This made up for the decreased production from RB Todd Gurley, who dropped below 17 points for the first time since week 4. QB Derek Carr’s audition for the starting position has gone well as he is expected to start this week – a shock considering Philip Rivers hasn’t been terrible himself this season. But, it is true of two positions in all of sport that you will always go with the hot hand – a hockey goalie in the playoffs, and an NFL quarterback.
You maybe forgiven for thinking that facing that Murderer’s Row of talent would be a difficult task. However, despite losing to the Cookies in their previous two matches this season, the Dezzys enter this game with two consecutive wins under their belt. Not only that, the team might have timed their run for the playoffs perfectly, breaking the 200 points mark for the team total for the first time last week. It says a lot about the competitive nature of the BFL that a team like the Dezzys are last in the league but considered hot, whilst the Winos and Rage, who have dominated this season, are cold. The Usual Suspect himself, TE Rob Gronkowski, had his routine outstanding performance and the good news for the Dezzys is that with injuries to the rest of the New England team, they will rely on Gronk more than ever to help their chances. The bad news is that everyone of New England’s opponents have probably drawn the same conclusion and are likely to put their strongest defenders on Gronk to try and get them to cause as much devastation as possible. However, if there is one player who is more than capable of making it happen – it’s everyone’s favourite frat boy.
You couldn’t get a cigarette player between these two teams. Whilst the Cookies look to have the better QB, the RBs and WRs are split down the middle and with the D/STs and even the Ks so close together, it’s going to come down to a magical play from one of the IDPs and The Dope believes that one team has slightly more pixie dust than the other.
The Dope’s Prediction: The Dezzys are left heartbroken as it goes down to the wire and the Cookies’s pick up the win thanks to a late defensive play.
The Dope’s Week 10 Predictions: 2-1
The Dope’s Overall Predictions: 19-11
From the Commish’s Desk…
* Naturally after I quipped about the lack of trades last week, there were two within a matter of hours of the Dope Sheet going up and two days later. I’m sure if I had said I wanted to sleep with Shay Mitchell last week it might have happened. (if you don’t know who Shay is, do yourself a favour and Google…)
* The Trade Deadline has now passed. Waivers are still open, so you can sign and drop players. You cannot however swap players with another team until next season.
* Technically, you can organise trades by dropping players for waivers and making a claim, but of course, by being on waivers, they become available to everyone and the priority goes to whoever is highest on the claim sheet.
* I know it’s early, but during the BFL playoffs, I’d like to formulate plans on what we can do for the Super Bowl. Make sure that you book Monday February 8, 2016 off work to recover!
As always, good luck to all the owners and GMs this week. Except Mike. He can take a long walk off a short pier.