We set the clocks back this weekend, but apparently nobody told Wrath of Khan or Milford Football Team. They must have arrived at the stadium an hour early, found it empty, and gone home. How else do you explain those stunning no-shows? MFT scored just 85.42 points, and Khan somehow did even less with a minuscule 77.28. How bad was it? Even if they had teamed up against Stick Rock, they still would have lost 221–162. They would have needed John’s Scary Team’s 104 points to beat Rock, 266–221. Yikes!
Playoff picture: The division races
The realistic playoff field is down to seven teams, but John’s Scary Team and Dark Helmet are barely making the cut as so many teams struggle to score. Stick Rock has all but clinched, leaving MKBA, Skoal Bandits, Flanders, and the Ghostbusters in a four-way battle for the remaining three playoff spots. Week 9 should bring the Adams Division race into sharper focus: Flanders and the Ghostbusters meet for division supremacy. Flanders holds a one-game lead, but the Ghostbusters won their first meeting. Another win would put America’s Team in a tie for first, with the head-to-head tiebreaker over Flanders.
In the Patrick Division, the drama is pretty much over. Stick Rock has a three-game lead over MKBA and won both head-to-head matchups. Not even Rocky can blow that lead.
Wild-card watch: Contenders and long shots
The wild-card race is shaping up as a three-way clash for the fourth and final playoff spot. I currently have MKBA in firm control of the first spot, but mounting injuries could loosen that grip. Pete is 120 points ahead of fifth-place Flanders, yet Lamarr Jackson is now out for the year, leaving a gaping hole in MKBA’s lineup. (Psst, I have a QB I can trade you for the right price.) The Skoal Bandits are also slipping back toward the pack: their leads over Flanders (50.4 points) and the Ghostbusters (55.34 points) have shrunk dramatically.
John’s Scary Team (82.96) and Dark Helmet (103.22) are struggling to stay relevant in the playoff race. The Hart family is still in the picture—but only barely.
The Peeping Tomlins (-218.02), MFT (-234.64), and Wrath of Khan (-240.5) are distant playoff long shots. They need the Hubble Telescope just to catch a glimpse of the hopefuls ahead of them.
Trade deadline and league news
All trades must be agreed to and submitted by noon on November 18th. The deadline is fast approaching, so get those offers moving. Congratulations to Glenn and CJ for completing the first trade in over three years that involved neither Jim nor me. Thank you for having the testicular fortitude to try something different.
Now on to our rankings.
