Week 14 - Games in the Balance

We are coming into the final week of the regular season of the SWWFFL, and some things aren't quite yet settled. What is left to settle before we start the playoffs?

Let's start with two teams playing that didn't make the playoffs. The City 17 Freemen are playing The Sharks this week, both with 4-9 records. This game is all about draft position, with the loser possibly clinching the number one draft pick. Now, we all know that the Freemen got the first pick this year and had a huge bust with LT. Maybe getting the two or three pick is better. I imagine if the Freemen keep Drew Brees as their franchise player and The Sharks keep Chris Johnson, any position (1,2 or 3) is going to make them tough to beat next year. Think about those players paired with a Micheal Turner or a Aaron Rodgers. Scary, huh?

Next up is the Vikings vs the Broncos. The Vikings are playing for a playoff spot, the Broncos for respect. All the things written about the Freemen V Sharks game, applies to the Broncos, though their total points might keep them firmly in the number three draft spot.

The Vikings are making a run at the playoffs, which is pretty impressive for a team that started 0-5 and didn't have 90+ point performance until Week 10. They reached this penultimate game by scoring 130 in Week 13. To make a playoff spot, The Vikings need a win, a loss by the Elune Sentinels and need to score 26 more total points then the Sentinels. It's a long shot, but it could happen.

The Gotham City Dark Knights are playing the Elune Sentinels. This game is for the number 5 or 6 spot in the playoffs. If the Sentinels win, the Dark Knights fall to the sixth spot. If the Dark Knights win, the Sentinels risk missing the playoffs. There is also an outside chance that the Dark Knights could move to the 4 spot with a win.

Playing for the 3 & 4 spots will be the Bearpaws and the Watchmen. Both teams have a .615 winning percentage, but the Watchmen have a 77 point total lead. The Bearpaws have been scoring well, but two weeks of ties, have put them into a tie. A win by either team places them in the 3 spot. A loss, coupled with a Dark Knights win, could move them down to the 5 spot, though both teams have a commanding total points lead on the Knights.

A win by the Watchmen could move them up into to the number 2 spot, depending on how many points they score. The Watchmen are currently 73 points behind the Wildcats, but only 29 points behind Ragazzi Pazzi. With the right set of circumstances, The Watchmen could have a first week playoff bye.

Finally, the game of the week. The matchup we have all been waiting for. A game so big it needs it's own name. Something like 'The Thrilla for the Whole Tortilla' or 'The E-Towns Battle of Putdowns'*. The Wildcats and Ragazzi Pazzi both looked to be assured a first round bye in the playoffs two weeks ago when they first clinched, but with both teams playing the Bearpaws to a tie, their playoff positions hang in the balance.

Simply put, a win and you get the 1 seed in the playoffs. A loss, especially for Ragazzi Pazzi, and you may end up playing in week one of the playoffs. This game, however, is about more than that. The two most dominant teams are meeting with identical 9-3-1 records, separated by 44 points to be the regular season winner. Both teams have beat everyone in the league at least once, except oddly, The Bearpaws, which beat each team once and tied them each once (Quick get the stats guys on the probability number of that one).

So game on. To the victor goes the spoils and as the great Coach Lombardi once said: 'Winning isn't everything – it's the only thing.'

The Commish.
*The E-town thing.. Ellensburg Washington & Evanston Wyoming? Get it. I know, if you have to explain the joke, it's not funny.

Update: I may have been wrong about the Watchmen moving into second place.... my math she eez not always so good...