The 2013 eSFL Regular Season ends with a bang….
As we close out another regular season in the eSFL, it looks like the playoff teams are almost set, with the exception of the Vintage, in particular the Appalachian Division. What a dog fight this has been over the last three or four weeks. We will take a look at each division, and have a small glance of each unit, and give ones expert opinion on what needs to happen to put them in the playoffs or not.
We start with the easiest division in terms of playoff spots, the Orion. The Houston Rams, Orange Crush, and Wallies Texas stars all with above .500 records are in the playoffs. The four remaining are the F.B Rubber Duckies (This is an excellent matchup for Luck who has started slow in the first half of games lately. The matchup against Arizona provides him with the ability to put up very high passing numbers and he'll pick up where he left off last Thursday night against Tennessee as a top QB for the week. He's always a threat on the ground as well to sneak in for a TD.), Flish’s Crazy Daizy’s, the surprising Brady Bunch, and the Bakken Oilers. All of these units failed to reach .500 and unless an unlikely blackjack situation, are on the outside looking in. Its no surprise, the Rams are led by QB Brees, and WR DeSean Jackson. The Orange Crush really don’t have a standout player, but the surprise play of TE Jordan Cameron has been a game changer almost each week. He is tough for opposing defenses to prepare for. Its amazing, but two of the three playoff teams in this division are led by TE’s and Wallies Texas Stars (Kaepernick got back on track last week, though he didn't have the fantasy points to show for it. Look for Kap to put up strong numbers through the air and he'll be able to run as well.) are in the same boat as the Crush. TE Julius Thomas, a bench rider until Peyton Manning made him a star in about two weeks. He is a solid performer each week, and has positioned Wallie in a playoff spot.
I cant spend a ton of time talking about the other four teams, but I will say a little something about them all that if you take a closer look, you will see it. These four teams all lack a solid running back each and every week with the exception of the Oilers. I see Maurice Jones Drew, CJ Spiller (A huge bust this season), Deangelo Williams, Pierre Thomas, Andre Brown, Danny Woodhead, Demarco Murray, Willis McGahee, LeVeon Bell, and so on. As many of these impact players have been hurt, that is unfortunate for these squads. What really beats you when these types of players go down, or have a bad game, you have to have big impact players from other positions step up, and it just hasn't happened enough for these teams to get a few extra wins. After all, this is the eSFL, and the competition level is very fierce. I can only say to everyone else, be aware of these teams in the Gunner Cup, because any one of them can still win it.
This division is still bottled up in the middle of the pack, with seemingly 5 teams making the playoffs and joining the three above from the Orion. Psycho Billicats have dominated the regular season with a 9-3 record, the highest scoring team in the conference by 90+ points to date, and are led by key players at each offensive position. Studs like Matt Stafford (Stafford and Megatron have been unstoppable, regardless of the secondary. So the matchup against Tampa should be no problem for Stafford who threw for 362 yards last week against Pittsburgh and has had 5 TDS and 2 INTs in his last two games. He has been under the radar and is a tough beat for the week.), Jamaal Charles , and Jimmy Graham (again, another TE). If this team got good production from the WR spot, he might not have lost a game. Joining the Cats in the playoffs, is the locked down spot held by Snoops Whiz Kings, led by Cam Newton, LeSean McCoy, and Jordan Reed (another TE, unbelievable) The trend with these TE’s in this conference is amazing to me. I, as an eSFL owner, never put this kind of stock into the TE position, and of course, I haven’t won shit. After the top two, this is where the division tightens up. 6-6 records from the Klimmer, Klimko K’s, Dlugiewicz’s Pollacks, and the Legendary Humanoids are all looking to get wins in Week 12, and avoid a blackjack situation that over half the Orion is looking for, as well as the bottom two in this division. We have discussed among the people, that points fielded is the dominating factor in fantasy football, and head to head is all about the luck of the schedule. If this division comes to a blackjack, it most likely will get the best team in the playoffs, regardless of the record. I feel if this league continues to be the best of the best, we need to mandate that the rules reflect. Blackjack playoff rules should apply every year, regardless of records, at least for the last playoff spot. It’s the wildcards’ wildcard so to speak. I will tell you this, the division winners, whom get to pick their opponents, will think twice before picking a blackjack candidate, you can bank on that. Enough of that, lets talk about the teams we think are on the outside looking in, and what the road ahead looks like. With the above teams said to be in the playoffs, that would leave the Money Team, and Miami Brownskins dropping into the Gunner Cup. Although most will not even care to play Miami, the lowest points fielded team in the eSFL this season, the Money Team could surprise some folks and make a Gunner Cup run. Although the reason they probably are not in contentions for the Ballistic Bowl, with inconsistent QB play from Eli and Dalton, you can never count out a man with AP on his roster, and the likes of Demaryius Thomas, and Vernon Davis(unreal, another TE).
What more can you say, about the Pardue Bruisermakers? The division leader at 10-2, fantasy guru atop the division yet again. This guy is an awesome fantasy coach, but the real question is what happens in the playoffs? His luck has not been the best, as many of you reading this already know. But give him credit, he will put together a top unit each and every year, and fight all the way till the end. I don’t like to break down entire rosters, but if anyone can find the winning formula from his, please let me know. It has no standouts whatsoever, just solid production all across the board. I can’t see a QB or a WR worth even naming, and his defense really doesn’t look that stellar. It’s mind blowing to me, but congrats to Pardue on another Division title. Moving on, we have the Zima Ruskies, with a Week 11 victory, has sealed another playoff spot and ready to take the Ruskies for another title run. Although his team does look weak at both QB and RB, his WR’s are pretty damn good. Calvin Johnson is one WR, you can probably ride to a playoff spot in any league. Amazing….. After Zima, the Frost Furrious Flurries have gotten into a pickle of late. Despite being the highest scoring team in the league, they are in dire need of a victory to gain a playoff spot that in week 7, looked like a lock. After week 7, Frosty was sitting at 6-2 and needing a win to all but lock what the experts said the magical number was. 7 Wins, and you are in. But with 4 straight losses including a 5 point loss to the Fields Fanatix, which ironically has them both battling headed to week 12 for the final playoff spot. Frost has enough points, to knock someone else outta the playoffs, with a win this coming week. The remaining teams in the Global, Rhodes Runners, R.R Rough Riders, Temps Texas Boys, and the D Crownholders, are all below .500, and looking forward to battling in the Gunner Cup. No real stellar units here, as many of them are well below the mid mark of points fielded. Busts like CJ Spiller (Runners, the TE importance evidently didn't matter here), Arian Foster (Rough Riders), Trent Richardson (Temp), and a horrible draft by DCrownholders, are the reasons these teams are outside the playoff picture.
Let me start off by saying, WTF? This division has been all over the place this season! Although Kav is still sitting on top, as he has most of the year, his division title is still not locked up yet. Whitmore has been at the bottom all year, especially after starting 0-6, and only has hopes of his team getting it together for a Gunner Cup run. The middle of the pack, is where all the action is. Lets start with one of the hottest teams in the division, the Texan Bruisers, winners of 7 in a row, after a sluggish 0-4 start. All the experts never gave him a chance, including myself, but the team has pulled it together, and all but locked a playoff spot. A miracle would have to happen in order for them not to make it but again, nothing is locked in this division, with the exception of Whitmore being in the Gunner Cup. The Perdew Pulverizers, who started the season 1-3 and looked to stumble a bit, have won 6 of the last 8 ballgames, and have locked up a playoff spot, and possibly a division title with a win and some help in the final week. The highest scoring team in the division, but that will only help to gain the playoff spot and avoid tiebreakers. Vial Vigilante’s and the Igama Sweaty Palms are both pretty much locked in as well, unless a miracle happens and they somehow end up in a tiebreak situation. Very unlikely though. Leaving Fields, and the he needs to win, to avoid blackjack, and needs a Frost loss, to lock it up. A few other scenarios are out, as you can read in the eSFL Insider, but the easiest way for him, is a late season victory in week 12. I am not going into all the rosters, because many of these teams are balanced with good play at each position. The Kavanators are the favorite to win the division this week and get that first round option to play whomever he chooses. This weeks article was supposed to be a season wrap up, but with the action heating up and the close playoff races, lets wait until week 12 is over, because this one is still too close to call!
eSFL Insider 2013, Season Wrap-up
Written by former eSFL Correspondent Josh Perdew, Owner and Head Coach of the Perdew Pulverizers.
