PLAYOFFS!!!!!!
A dud of an end to the regular season will hopefully result in an exciting postseason.
Playoffs Round 1 Kickoff
What an anti-climactic ending to a season that looked like it was going to go down to the wire. Through the first ten weeks, we had 8 teams still in reasonable contention for a playoff spot. By Week 13, we had 5 teams still fighting for the final three spots with Flanders being the only team to clinch. So that should have led to some exciting finishes this Thanksgiving weekend, right? Right?!?
But no. It was not meant to be. It became apparent during the day games on Thursday that Stick Rock might have left his best shot for winning a wild card on the bench as Jordan Love (34) and Christian Watson (20) combined for 54 points. How bad was it? Rocky’s bench outscored his starters 143-113. They went into the week needing to outscore the Bandits by 14 points and the Bandits did their best to cooperate by failing to crack 130 points. But the Bandits did just enough to grab the 2nd Wild Card spot.
In the other sad ending to a playoff race, MKBA needed only to win a game to eliminate Wrath of Kahn. But the team that came into the season as the odds-on favorite to win it all continued their sputtering ways and lost to the probable 2025 Champions – Springfield Flanders. But do not worry, Peter. Jim was equally inept failing to kick the door that you left cracked open. Needing just 136 points to defeat Dark Helmet and grab the division title, the men of Kahn were not up to the task. His last-ditch hope for a big game from Stephon Diggs came up short and now Kahn finds himself in the loser’s bracket hoping to snag the first pick in round 5 of next year’s KAOS Draft.
So, with that our playoff lineups are set. An anxious Glenn Spoto selected to play Skoal Bandits at 5:28 PM on Sunday. Don’t believe me? Here is the text:
Let me take you back to a conversation that took place last September after the draft.
Me: Craig. You and I have a bye week problem with our QBs. Both of mine have a Week 8 Bye while yours both have a Week 14 Bye. Let’s work out a trade beforehand so we do not get stuck.
Craig: Eh. I probably won’t make the playoffs. I’ll ride it out and worry about it when I get there.
Welp. Here we are. Week 14. Start worrying. Your best-case scenario is playing Week 14 with Marcus Mariota (assuming Jayden Daniels doesn’t come back) and either Geno Smith or Kirk Cousins at the QB position. Good luck with that.
The other matchup will pit Dark Helmet vs. Mel Kiper’s Best Available. This is a rematch of last year’s first round game that MKBA won 360 – 259.
High Score🏆
Milford Football Team led the league this week with an impressive 144pts
Bottom of the Pile😬
It wasn’t the finest week for John’s Scary Team, who was left in the dust with a lowly 96pts
Bragging Rights💪
Milford Football Team blew out Peeping Tomlins by 29.26pts (143.66pts to 114.4pts)
Bad Beat🤕
John’s Scary Team had a painful week, losing to Black Ghostbusters by just 8.82pts!
Lucky Break🍀
Black Ghostbusters owes a gift to whoever made the schedule. They stole a W this week despite John’s Scary Team being the only team they would have beaten! 🤯
Not So Lucky...😡
Wrath of Khan had a 5-4 all-play record, but still ended up taking the L
Sharp-Shooter🎯
Take a bow, Mel Kiper’s Best Available. You led the league this week with a 96.4% accuracy score!
1. Springfield Flanders (Last Week #1)
This is the team to beat. Everything went right for Glenn as he fields the most balanced team in the league. The QBs have been solid (Dak and Goff), the RB’s (Achane and Etienne) dependable and the WRs (Waddle and Nacua) are good enough. If Brock Bowers can regain his 2024 form at TE, this team will be unstoppable.
Championship Odds: -250
2. Mel Kipers Best Available (Last Week #2)
Definitely not the juggernaut we all expected this year, but they were able to eke out a division championship in a weak Adams Division. Lamar Jackson is still here, but he looks like a different player in 2025. CeeDee Lamb has become the WR2 on his own team and Jayden Daniels is hurt. Luckily, the 4th keeper (Jahmyr Gibbs - RB3) has delivered on the preseason hype. IF Jayden Daniels can come back healthy and IF Lamar Jackson and CeeDee Lamb can revert back to their former selves, MKBA has a chance to repeat. More likely though, this team looks like a one-and-done.
Championship Odds: +475
3. Dark Helmet (Last Week #3)
Everybody’s auto-draft darlings are back in the playoffs led by a monster trio of Running Backs - James Cook (RB6), Javonte WIlliams (RB7) and Saquon Barkley (RB14). When Barkley is the third best RB on your team, maybe auto-draft is the way to go. Add in the Davante Adams (WR6) revival and the best TE in the game (Trey McBride - TE1) and you have a team that is probably hte best equipped to knock off Flanders. As long as the QBs don’t kill them (Bo Nix - QB11 and Sam Darnold - QB15)
Championship Odds: +200
4. Skoal Bandits (Last Week #4)
As stated above, the Week 14 Byes are going to kill any hope of an upset. When this roster is whole, they sport the best 1-2 RB punch in the game with CMC (RB1) and Bijan Robinson (RB4). Drake Maye (QB6) has been a revelation in his 2nd season. Unfortunately the WRs have been a bust. Both Ladd McConkey (WR17) and Brian Thomas Jr (WR49) have failed to live up to their pre-draft hype. Maybe Jakobi Myers could provide a spark off the bench. He has looked good since the trade to the Jags, averaging 14 points/game.
Championship Odds: +800
5. Stick Rock (Last Week #5)
For the second year in a row, this team has crashed and burned in the 2nd half after leading the league in scoring through October. Rocky has petitioned the league to end the regular season on Columbus Day and wrap up the playoffs before Halloween. Motion REJECTED!
What went right: Jonathan Taylor (RB2) had a great season and Emeka Egbuka was having a solid start to his career until derailed by injuries.
What went wrong: Injuries. In addition to Egbuka going down, Malik Nabers suffered a season-ending injury early and Brandon Aiyuk never saw the playing field. The QB situation was a mess all season long.
Path forward for 2026: Two late season trades have set them up nicely. Will go into next year with four keepers among Joe Burrow, Jonathan Taylor, Derrick Henry, George Pickens, Garrett Wilson and Emeka Egbuka.
6. Milford Football Team (Last Week #7)
One of the blandest teams in KAOS in 2025. Not good enough to be taken seriously and not bad enough to be interesting. CJ’s rule change suggestion for 2026 is to exclude rookie players from the draft pool. Motion REJECTED!
What went right: The QBs were great. Keeper Josh Allen (QB1) was his usual reliable self and Daniel Jones (QB7) shocked the football world by putting up elite numbers.
What went wrong: Once again, too dependent on Rookies. Ashton Jeanty (RB12) was okay, but not spectacular. Same for Tetairora McMillan (WR8). Solid, but did not live up to the pre-draft hype. AJ Brown (WR15) had a super disappointing season by his standards and was unplayable at times throughout the year.
Path forward for 2026: Keep Josh Allen and throw everyone else back. There looks to be a lot of talent in the first four rounds of 2026 and at worst you will be able to grab back the players you do not protect.
7. John’s Scary Team (Last Week #6)
It was an up and down year for JST that ultimately ended up on a downer. John’s rule change suggestion for 2026 is adding another QB slot. Motion REJECTED!
What went right: QBS! John had three of the top five QBs this year with Patrick Mahomes (QB2), Matthew Stafford (QB3) and Jalen Hurts (QB5). Too bad you can only use 2 in your lineup. Should have traded one for a reliable RB. JSN (WR1) finally had the breakout year everyone was expecting. Surprisingly, Travis Kelce ended the regular season as the TE2!
What went wrong: Everything else. The RBs were unreliable and any of the WRs not named Jaxon Smith-Njigba were a disaster.
Path forward for 2026: This is one of the easiest fixes. Talk to your dad (I know, nobody wants to do it) and trade one of your 3 QBs for one of his 3 RBs prior to next years draft. Both teams would have a much better roster construction heading into the 2026 season.
8. Peeping Tomlin’s (Last Week #9)
Shhh... It’s been awhile since we heard form Jared. Should somebody wake him? Surely Audra would have called if he died, right?
Jared’s rule change suggestion for 2026 is going back to 16-player rosters so the draft does not drag on and on. Motion PASSED! I agree. Nobody wants a 20-round draft.
What went right: Nothing. Jared is the only team that does not have a top 10 player at ANY position!
What went wrong: Let’s see. The Vikings QB situation (Justin Jefferson - WR19). Bucky Irving (RB38) could not stay on the field. Using a high draft pick on DK Metcalf (WR27). The Sam Laporta (TE16) injury.
Path forward for 2026: Throw everyone back.
9. Ghostbusters (Last Week #8)
This team could not get anything right all year. When they tried to compete, they stumbled to a 4-6 record. When they decided to tank and traded away half the roster, they went 2-1. The Ghostbuster suggested rule change for 2026 is allowing teams to use WRs in any slot in the lineup. Motion REJECTED!
What went right: WRs. This team drafted three top five receivers. George Pickens (WR2), Amon-ra St Brown (WR4) and Jamarr Chase (WR5). Throw in Stephon Diggs (WR23) and you would think they had a good season. The TE Tyler Warren (TE3) was a steal in the 10th round.
What went wrong: Every position except WR. Two keeper spots were wasted on Joe Burrow and Kyler Murray who played a COMBINED total of 6 games this year. YIKES!
Path forward for 2026: Keep Chase, St. Brown and Malik Nabers and throw the rest back.
10. Wrath of Khan (Last Week #10)
And the most polarizing team in 2025, the guy who went form a possible division title to the losers bracket. Jim’s rule change suggestion for 2026 is finalizing the schedule on a weekly basis after the games are played so he can decide who he plays based on the final results. Because that is the only way he can possibly have better scheduling luck than he had this year.
What went right: Did I mention the scheduling god’s smiling face shined down on Jimmy all year?
What went wrong: Wrath of Kahn was only slightly better than Peeping Tomlins with one player in the Top 10 at his position (Rico Dowdle - RB9)
Path forward for 2026: Throw everyone back and start over. There will be at least 15 players better than anyone you would consider keeping for 2026.