We're getting down to it now that teams are dropping out of playoff contention. Show Me Your TDs became the first team in the league's history to be mathematically eliminated after week 11 (small sample sizes make certain stats fun, don't you think?). Land O' Nutts will need a miracle, but they are still technically in contention. They'll need to win the next two weeks while also needing both Sicarios and BgDkDdy to lose. The latter two along with ACL are still within a game of each other going for the two wildcard spots, and Runner Runner still has a shot if they win out as well. Both divisions also have ties for the bye, so the next two weeks will matter quite a bit for just about everyone!
Week 11 Review
Even with Winston having a surprisingly monster game, the match between TDs and TBs went about how you'd have expected. The TDs have just had a rough year getting anything going, and the bEARs have had a completely opposite season. Hopkins' huge game neutralized Winston, and the rest was mostly cleanup. The loss puts TDs out of contention for the 2015 season, so they'll be going back to the war room to start planning for next year.
What a roller coaster of a week for Runner Runner! A consensus pick against the recently struggling Julio and Friends, the favorites suffered an early letdown with Freeman's concussion. Newton and Rudolph gave them renewed confidence after their respective huge games. All they had to do was fade Cincinnati, which seemed easy enough as the team has been underperforming and they were up against AZ's staunch defense. It just wasn't to be, though, as Dalton and Eifert connected for two TDs. Green's continual lukewarm performance didn't matter, as that was enough to give the Friends the win. The loss puts Runner Runner in a difficult spot. They will need to win the next two weeks while other teams suffer crucial losses to get into the playoffs.
Only 7pts ended up separating the two must-win teams, BgDkDdy and Land O' Nutts. Cobb finally caught a touchdown again! Unfortunately for the Nutts, however, the two-TE approach did not pay dividends, as their combined 6pts put the team in a difficult spot. The Ddy's had better luck with their TEs, as Walker put up a respectable 15pts, enough to give them an edge over the continually down-on-their-luck Nutts.
ACL seemed to be in a good position against Sicarios after the Sunday morning games. Brock was the guy they needed with Ben and Eli on bye. Everything was roses with Carr's unexpected stinker and Lynch still sitting in the starting lineup even after being declared out. That was only until 2 minutes before kickoff, though, as Sicarios subbed in Rawls just in time, and what a last minute miracle move that would prove to be! It would have been Philbin Award worthy if that 42pts was left on the bench. Instead, Jones' and Lockett's combined 40pts on ACL's bench earns them this week's award.
Cooper's unexpected goose egg might have spelled the end for The Futures, if it wasn't for Palmer's 4TD game against the Bengals. That put them in a dominant lead against the E-Munnies going into Monday night's New England game, but that's nothing Brady and co. haven't been able to overcome in the past. The loss of Edelman and Lewis proved too much, however, and Brady ended up with a lowly 15pts, almost none of it going to Gronk. While the team has still already made the playoffs, they will need to put some of the pieces back together to pose an end-game threat.
Week 12 Preview
At almost any point in the season, this would have been a no brainer pick for the E-Munnies, but the team has fallen on hard times. They've been forced to rely on guys like Moncrief and Adams to fill the voids left by their fallen stars. Meanwhile, the Nutts are looking at a Green Bay team that might be pulling things back together. Cobb got his long awaited TD and Lacy looks like he got his job back from Starks. The experts still favor big E with Brady at the helm, but this match will be closer than it should have been.
Brown, Fitzgerald, Decker, Yeldon. If you had a roster of those guys in any league this year you'd probably think you'd be having a pretty decent season. Unfortunately for TDs, that just didn't happen. Injuries and bad start decisions have placed them in rebuild mode, as they attempt to play spoiler for the remainder of the season. And what a juicy matchup to start the spoiler tour! BgDkDdy just found themselves in 6th place and in possession of a wild card spot, but their hold on the position relies on a tie with Sicarios, so every win matters. With both Flacco and Forsett out for the Ravons, Buck Allen finds himself alone as the only legitimate offensive weapon remaining in Baltimore. Whether that works in his favor or against him will determine the result of this matchup.
Can anyone stop Sicarios from bruising their way through every unfavorable matchup? Fresh off their victories against The Futures, Runner Runner, and ACL, they have two more underdog games between them and the playoffs. This week it's against the incredibly consistent tEDDy bEARs, who have been in the top 3 point scorers 7 out of 11 weeks this season. They are also the last team to survive a season-ending injury, since the worst they've suffered is missing Forte for two weeks. Sicarios will need to keep their winning streak going to contend with BgDkDdy for the last wild card spot, and even though the experts are against them once again, they've proven time and again they can pull off the upset.
The Futures have secured their playoff spot, but the coveted bye is still in reach if they can break the tie with Julio and Friends. Runner Runner is in must-win mode, as even a single loss will spell the end of their season. Both teams seem dominant and poised for a big game, but it all comes down to a single question: how bad was Freeman's concussion? If it's bad enough to sit this week, Coleman will take the lead back duties, and will do so for The Futures. Runner Runner needs their star to come back from concussion protocol this week, or they'll be playing an uphill battle.
Game of the Week: Bye weeks are over and teams are solidifying their rosters for the final push. No more excuses, no more lucky breaks, these are the kinds of matchups that preview the playoffs. Julio and Friends' dominance of Colorexico Division is being threatened by The Futures, and ACL's control of the 5th place wildcard is at risk without a win in the next two weeks against one of the two. Big Ben is starting for ACL for the first time since his injury, backed up by Williams against the scary Seattle defense. Dalton and Friends have their own difficult matchup against the Rams. If Cincinnati or Pittsburgh have a big day, that may decide this matchup as well as indicate a likely championship contender.
Seasonal Stats
