Sometimes, those that have been there can explain it far better than you can ever dare.
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If the playoffs started today…
#4 Shotgun Shenanigans @ #1 Cleveland Clowns
#3 Orlando Rage @ #2 Maryland Cookies
Domestos Plunger Bowl: #6 Waterton Winos @ #5 Dezzy Does Dallas
Playoff implications:
* The Clowns are assured of the #1 seed after the Orlando Rage were defeated last week.
* Victory for the Cookies would assure them home advantage in the first round of the playoffs, but they could still potentially be the #2 seed if the Rage also lose due to their superior points for. Barring a collapse that would put the 2005 AC Milan Champions League team to shame, the Cookies are assured a playoff position.
* The Rage could finish anywhere from #2 to #6, depending on the results of other games. Victory would assure them of their current standing, but depending on a potential margin of defeat, they could fall further down the standings.
* At least one of the 5-7 teams will get into the playoffs – likely to be either the Shenanigans or the Winos as they face each other this week – but, if the Dezzys beat the Rage and they do not score many points, another team could potentially get into the winner’s ladder and avoid the Domestos Plunger Bowl.
Shenanigans (5-7) @ Winos (5-7)
Previous Matchups: Week 5, Shenanigans 173.6 @ Winos 200.4
Week 9, Winos 167 @ Shenanigans 236.9
(Series tied 1-1)
The Shannys will be feeling confident this week, knowing that a victory will assure them of a playoff place and meaning they avoid the Domestos Plunger Bowl which they seemed a near certainty for earlier on this season. Andy Dalton has been derided for much of his career for his averageness, but his exceptional play this season has helped steady a ship that was sinking fast under the legendary stewardship of Peyton Manning. Dalton was the Shannys Offensive MVP last week, whilst Kurt Coleman’s pick-six assured him of defensive honours. The only two players that the Shannys will look to combat this week are the Winos Aaron Rodgers and Greg Olsen, who are both among the top players at their respective positions this season.
By contrast, the Winos’s collapse has been one of the greatest collapses in sporting history. 5-2 at just over halfway, they have failed to win a game since the baseball season ended. However, their demise has been met with much glee from the rest of the league, largely as a result of their absenteeism from the league’s weekly caucuses. A defeat here would vindicate the other GMs and Owners that despite a good draft, the failure to manage their team through the ebbs and flows of a BFL season has cost them.
The Dope’s Prediction: The Shannys end their season on a high, giving the Winos a complete pasting.
Clowns (9-3) @ Cookies (6-6)
Previous Matchups: Week 5, Cookies 231.9 @ Clowns 245
Week 9, Clowns 201 @ Cookies 199.4
(Clowns lead season series, 2-0)
You could forgive both of these teams for perhaps wanting to take it easy this week, given both of them are assured playoff berths. But, these two teams have provided some of the most entertaining games in the league this season and both teams will look to gain a psychological advantage.
The Clowns were almost upset by the Winos last week, but, right at the death, they managed to pull through by the skin of their teeth – it need not have mattered as the Rage’s defeat confirmed that they will not be leaving their home stadium during the playoffs and will gain the crucial home field advantage. Carson Palmer was favoured over You Know Who in last week’s game, but a disappointing performance by him means that the Clowns GM is intending to stick with Tom Brady from here on out. “After all”, one other BFL GM told me, “you stick with the girl that got you to the dance, even if in the right light, a prettier girl may show up on the dance floor”. After being sidelined last week as a part of the league’s concussion protocol, the Clowns will be delighted that the league’s leading rusher, Devonta Freeman looks good to return to the line-up this week and he will look to give a good account of himself ready for the first round playoff bout next week.
The Cookies were splendiferous in their shellacking of the Rage last week, but found themselves thinking that even their high powered offense could have been better – had Philip Rivers and LB D’Qwell Jackson started, they would certainly have picked up the Hyundai Player of the Week award. But, another W in the column, means they look to be the favourites to get the important home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs. The Cookies will be looking to avoid a regular season sweep from the Clowns and it would certainly give them momentum should these two teams meet for a fourth time in the Bridgend Bowl. The Clowns also boast a league leader in their ranks – the receiving leader in Julio Jones. Jones came back down to earth from his spectacular season last week, but he will hope to put his disappointing performance behind him.
This one is a pretty even tie and The Dope wouldn’t be at all surprised to see another close encounter between these two. The Clowns will have Brady and Freeman, whilst the Cookies will have Adrian Peterson and Jones.
The Dope’s Prediction: The Clowns squeak by, getting their winning record into double digits.
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…
Dallas (5-7) @ Rage (6-6)
Previous Matchups: Week 5, Dallas 188.2 @ Rage 210.5
Week 9, Rage 160.8 @ Dallas 197.5
(Series tied 1-1)
Whilst there is a match up between two teams with better than .500 records this week, the playoff implications for that game are not as significant as this one…
Outside of The Usual Suspect, Dallas’s front seven were disappointing last week, with only Eli Manning breaking into double digit points. It was a monster performance from Ezekiel Ansah that impressed everyone last week. Ansah tallied four tackles, 3.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery for one of the outstanding defensive performances of the season. At press time, there is ongoing concern about the fitness of The Usual Suspect and Everybody’s Favourite Frat Boy. After being carted off the field last week with a right knee injury, it was feared that Gronk would be done for the season. However, as the week went on, details surfaced that the injury was minor and Gronk would not miss any game time. But, the cards are being kept close to the chest at the moment and the uncertainty regarding Gronk’s fitness will not be doing the Dezzys any favours – whilst there have been good performers up and down the team, Gronk has carried the team and has been consistent since day 1. Whether he plays or not will make a real difference as to who wins this game.
The attention on Gronk will be good news from the Rage for the simple reason that it draws away critics from their tragic performance last week. Only the Dezzys in week 6 have scored less points during a game. Matters were made worse by the performance of Rage draft pick Luke Kuechly, who racked up seven tackles, an interception and a pick-six – all for their opponents after he was dropped earlier this season. LeGarrette Blount had an awful performance and as his star continues to wane, he has been cast aside – the loss of Jamaal Charles, the team’s top drafted RB, has hurt as this area of the Rage’s offense has been hurting ever since. The Dope isn’t optimistic of their chances if Gronkowski does play this week – if he does, the Rage could be looking potentially at joining the other fast starter in the league in the Domestos Plunger Bowl, an incredible turn around. The Rage’s GM will be joining the Clowns GM in representing the league at the annual conference of Football américain groupes in Genève next week, and The Dope is sure that the Rage GM’s attitude to the conference will be determined by the result of this particular game.
The Dope’s Prediction: If Gronk plays, the Dezzys are victorious. If not, the Rage might have enough in the tank. This one could be very close.
The Dope’s Week 11 Predictions: 3-0
The Dope’s Overall Predictions: 24-12 (.666)
From the Commish’s Desk…
* The German one and I will be heading to Genève on Tuesday until Sunday evening (nothing league related in honesty), so, the Dope Sheet cruelly takes a brief sabbatical next week (at least from me) as I very much doubt that I will have the time to write a preview in amongst la dolce vita. If anyone fancies replacing The Dope next week, by all means, let me know. It can be as short or as long as you want it to be, and it doesn’t even have to be in the format I adopt. Unhappy with what The Dope has had to say? Now is your chance to get revenge!
* Glad to see that the Super Bowl plans are at least being formulated. It looks like the BBC will have the Super Bowl rights as well as the usual Sky Sports team, so that will open up the possibilities of where to watch it for those without a cable/internet/satellite subscription.
This is the week where playoff dreams live or die, so I’d like to wish everyone the very best of luck this week. Except Mike, who can take a slow walk through fast traffic.