Best Semi-finals Ever?
Only 4 games in AldenLeague playoff history have ever been decided by fewer than 2 points. This week, Yahoo! projections is calling for BOTH semi-final matchups to join that list. Of the four teams remaining, 2 of them just scored their first-ever playoff victories last week, while the other 2 are postseason veterans who met in Fantasy Bowl III. If these games are even half as even and exciting as they're laid out to be, this will still be one hell of a weekend.
Week 14 Recap
Woe is Andy! The regular season's top scoring team had gotten the season-long shaft in the W-L department, but finally as the season wound down the Fantasy Gods decided to make things right by getting him into the playoffs on the strength of a Week 13 win. But the post-season was no friendlier than the regular one, as QB Aaron Rodgers left his game early with a concussion (after being ineffective anyhow) and QB Jay Cutler shat the bed royally in the snowy conditions of his game. The result? The lowest playoff score and worst margin of defeat in AldenLeague postseason history at the hands of the Ice Cold Bruschi's, who ended up not needing most of their very respectable 150 points. Elsewhere, Sandridge Division Champion BountyHunters put up the highest score of the week across the league and shut down Most Murderous, who was forced to play shorthanded due to having no ACQs left to cover injured tight ends and reserve running backs.
Week 15 Preview
#1 C-Men vs. #5 Ice Cold Bruschis
Last Meeting: C-Men won 181.87 - 173.63 in Week 6.
Last Playoff Meeting: Never, but these teams met in Week 15, 2008 in the semifinals of the Consolation Bracket. I.C.B. won, 159.73 - 137.37 to advance to the Toilet Bowl.
Injury Report: C-Men: TE Heath Miller will return this week after missing last week's game with a concussion. WR Steve Smith (NYG) had been out for 4 weeks with an injury, only to return last week. Unfortunately, he re-injured himself, and is now declared to be out for the remainder of the season. WR Malcom Floyd missed practice Wednesday and is questionable for Sunday with a hamstring injury. Due to Floyd's injury, if Smith is unable to play this week, the C-Men will need to use one of their final 3 ACQs to add a new WR. Ice Cold Bruschi's: RB Joseph Addai hasn't played since Week 6, despite being a limited participant in practice. It looks as if nothing will change this week. WR Mario Manningham injured his hip during last week's game, but if he can play, he stands to play a bigger role in the Giants' offense due to the injury of C-Men's WR Steve Smith. WR Chad Ochocinco has an injured ankle that is limiting him, but he should be fine this week. WR DeSean Jackson left last week's game with an injured foot, but is planning on playing through the injury this week. The Bruschis have 2 ACQs left to use this season if they so desire.
Key Matchups: C-Men: RB Mike Goodson @ 30th-ranked Arizona rush def. QB Joe Flacco vs. 5th-ranked New Orleans pass def. New York Giants Defense vs. 2nd-ranked Philadelphia scoring offense. I.C.B.: RB Fred Jackson @ 7th-ranked Miami rush def. QB Matt Schaub @ 26th-ranked Tennessee pass def. QB Matt Ryan @ 30th-ranked Seattle pass def.
Key Questions: Who will Corey look to add at WR if Malcom Floyd can't play this week? Who will get the start at RB2 for C-Men? Options include upstart Mike Goodson (20+ pts in 3 of last 4, plus favorable Arizona matchup, but Jonathan Stewart is now back), LaDanian Tomlinson (workhorse who carried C-Men all year, but has been down recently and has a tough matchup), or Mike Tolbert (games of 17, 23, and 28 in 3 of last 4 games). Who will start at WR3 for Ice Cold Bruschis? Options include Mario Manningham (injured, but would have a big role in the offense due to injuries to other WRs), Chad Ochocinco (10+ points in 4 of last 5 games), or Derrick Mason (76 yards, 2 TDs last week). Can I.C.B. QBs take advantage of favorable matchups against poor pass defenses?
Yahoo! Projection: C-Men - 136.98 - I.C.B. - 135.36
#2 Fireseed vs. #3 BountyHunters
Last Meeting: Fireseed won 141.94 - 133.71 in Week 2.
Last Playoff Meeting: Never
Injury Report: Fireseed: QB Ben Roethlisberger (ankle) and WR Mike Williams (TB) (knee) both played through injuries last week, and neither appear on the injury report this week, so both should be fine. BountyHunters: QB Donovan McNabb (knee) and Jacob Tamme (hamstring) practiced fully and should be ready to go. WR Deion Branch (hamstring) was limited in Wednesday's practice, but doesn't appear to be in danger of missing Sunday's game.
Key Matchups: Fireseed: QB Peyton Manning vs. 9th-ranked New York Jets pass def. QB Roethlisberger vs. 28th-ranked Jacksonville pass def. RB LeGarrette Blount vs. 22nd-ranked Detroit rush def. BountyHunters: QB Tom Brady vs. 3rd-ranked Green Bay pass-def. QB Donovan McNabb @ 27th-ranked Dallas pass def. RB Rashard Mendenhall vs. 3rd-ranked New York Jets rush def. RB Knowshon Moreno @ 26th-ranked Oakland rush def. Green Bay Packers Defense vs. 1st-ranked New England Patriots scoring offense.
Key Questions: Which Roethlisberger will show up this week for Fireseed against the Jets - the one with 4 games above 30 points, or the one with 5 games below 21? Can Fireseed's Tampa Bay Duo rebound from last week's poor performance against Washington (WR Williams - 2 pts, RB Blount - 8 pts) this week against the Lions? Will QB McNabb (BountyHunters) be on a short leash in Dallas? Will (BountyHunters) WR Greg Jennings be able to find a way to score points with QB Matt Flynn (7 pts last week, breaking a streak of 7 straight games of 11+ points) if Aaron Rodgers can't play this week? Will (BountyHunters) QB Tom Brady throw more to (BountyHunters) WR Deion Branch for double points, or (Fireseed) WR Wes Welker, negating points? Is (BountyHunters) RB Brian Westbrook doing well enough (20+ points in 2 of 3 games since taking over for injured Frank Gore) to warrant consideration to start over RB Rashard Mendenhall (with games of 7, 9, 11, and 12 points in 4 of last 5 games, plus a tough matchup against the Jets)? Will Hank make Todd pay by picking up Brian Westbrook when (ex-Fireseed) RB Frank Gore went down?
Yahoo! Projections: Fireseed -144.63 - BountyHunters - 143.59
5th Place Game
#4 Andy's Red Hots vs. #6 Most Murderous
Toilet Bowl
#7 Stigs vs. #11 Tecmo All Stars
#8 Boys of Summer vs. #12 The Skyns
#9 Syn City vs. #10 CheektoWojo (11th Place Game)
Good luck to all!
