Week 9 Recap (We've Almost Made It!)

I had unofficially pegged Week 9 as the point where I could say we've had a 'complete' season in 2020. And we are there. After this weekend's games, I'd have no problem declaring a champ if the NFL had to close up shop due to COVID-19. Luckily for us, the NFL has somehow maneuvered thru the minefield with relatively few problems. 

Week 9 is the second in a row that was pretty much in the books before the Monday Night game even began. That's what happens when two dud teams get the MNF spotlight. Four of our six games were final after Sunday. One game was awaiting the last player on a team that had won (the Legends). In the last game, Strawmenn-Holes, Jim would have needed 28 points from Lamical Perine for the Holes to pull out a win.  He got four.

Looking around the league, well, you can count the Nats out of any chance to run the table unbeaten. The Bliz reached up and smacked 'em with a 125-78 win. Paz has McCaffrey back and that trouble for all of us (although I see that he was dinged up again)...I'm not shedding any tears for the Nats, though. I'm still a believer despite their off week....the Bombers had a nice showing, 101 points, but the Legends were way too much for them. And don't look now but the Lincoln boys are 5-4, tied for the top of the Lombardi (it's a three-way tie!), and lead the league in points scored. I bet that little nugget snuck up on you. I know it did me...

The Bobbsey Twins (i.e. the Strawmenn and Sticks, who seem to have followed the same trajectory all season) are suddenly well within reach of the Wild Card slots. They both won in what was a very sunny weekend for the Kuhlmann Division... the Giants have now won three in a row and are only a hair out of the #6 seed now. The division title looks unlikely but they could slip into the playoffs and get the chance to defend their title. That didn't seem possible a few weeks back. The Holes stumbled after a two straight win rebound but on the whole (pun kinda intended), still look pretty comfy over in the Hamman.

Re-reading this one thing is obvious...there are a bunch of teams in contention, if not for the #1 seed, certainly for 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. It may become a very sticky situation sorting it all out after 13 weeks. I almost wish the NFL would collapse under the weight of + tests and I could just get a trophy made for Dan and call it a year. 

If the playoff started today...

Seed---Team---Reason (if necessary)
1...Nationals 8-1 (bye)
2...Blizard 6-3 (bye)
3...Flyers 5-4...own division tie break w/2-1 over Heroes and Legends
4...Holes 5-4...behind Flyers on PPG for 3/4 Seed tie break
5...Heroes 5-4...Tiebreak over Legends (and over Giants in 3-way tie break)
6...Legends 5-4...defeated Giants
Unlucky Dog ...Smenn (987 Points, 4th best in the league)

Assorted Thoughts...

And from the "Not All My Ideas Are Good Ones" Department... having some sort of reward for the consolation bracket winner garnered responses that ranged from a yawn to FU. LOL And that's fine, I always appreciate everyone's thoughts, even Rick's the goofy ones. 

The point of the 'conso' bracket was to motivate participation through the end of the season. And, at least in my mind, the stick is worthless without a carrot at the end of it. I'm perfectly happy to not have to mess with it so we will probably just move on. I may run it as an experiment for this year, possibly offer some waiver cash to the winner with a bonus to the league champ as well. 

(btw-->I thought my idea of an extra year for one player was genius, though, and I'll fight anyone that doesn't agree. LOL)

Dalvin Cook Update... 

McCaffrey played this week. That's his third game of the year. I figured he was good-to-go from this point but he's dinged again. He could conceivably qualify.  ... Chubb is practicing and set to play this week. He'd be off the DCR radar if he's out there... Godwin has now played five games and he's off the watch list... Michael Thomas is back on the field, he's played two games (I still think he's some sort of head case), but he wasn't IR'd so he won't get the Cook collar... and Barkley is done obviously.

I haven't posted a Johnny U. pic in awhile. Here he is with some other, vastly inferior quarterback.