Key Week 14 Matchups ----- Predictions: 3-1 ----- Score Differential: -56 ----- (+18) + (-1) + (-49) + (-24)
#1 - Gods vs. Kava Sharks (IC has the third easiest schedule remaining and the tiebreaker -- Gods need an upset and some help for a home game, though its unlikely to happen this season.)
BOLD PREDICTION: Kava Sharks 27, Gods 24
ACTUAL RESULT: Kava Sharks 24, Gods 3 (Well, not even close on this one other than for Vanuatu's score...Gods offense couldn't do much all day.)
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#2 - Stingers vs. Incinerators (Fiji wants to bring home a playoff spot and hold the tiebreaker over the Crimson Auha, while IC wants to secure a home game in the playoffs. With two tough games left on the schedule, Fiji needs an upset somewhere, but it doesn't come this week.)
BOLD PREDICTION: Incinerators 33, Stingers 23
ACTUAL RESULT: Incinerators 23, Stingers 14 (Overestimated what each offense would do for this one, but pretty much had the margin of victory on lock down.)
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#3 - 'Nites vs. Titans (The 'Nites will be foaming at the mouths after what many will consider being upset by Vanuatu in week 13. There is no good time to catch the 'Nites, but the Titans catch them at the absolute worst time. I'm predicting a bloodbath.)
BOLD PREDICTION: 'Nites 52, Titans 13
ACTUAL RESULT: Nites 17, Titans 27 (Not even close...I tip my hats to the Titans for this one!)
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#4 - Heat vs. Blitz (The Heat are looking to wrap up 1st place and homefield advantage over the last three weeks, while the Blitz need wins and some help to keep their playoff dreams alive. Unfortunately for Co-op, the end of the road is week 14.)
BOLD PREDICTION: Heat 62, Blitz 3
ACTUAL RESULT: Heat 52, Blitz 17 (If only I had used my Game #3 prediction for this game...big Heat win regardless.)
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Toughest Remaining Schedules
Brisbane Gods (24-4)
- Key Matchups: Week 15 Nites, Week 16 TIT's (WOW!)
Big Island Growas (23-5)
- Key Matchups: Week 15 Heat, Week 16 Mustangs (WOW!)
Tongan Crimson Auha (18-10)
- Key Matchups: Week 15 Titans, Week 16 Burning Pride
Rawle Tech Titans (14-14)
- Key Matchups: Week 15 Auha, Week 16 Strike
Easiest Remaining Schedules
Brisbane Heat (6-22)
- Key Matchups: Week 15 Growas
IC Incinerators (9-19)
- Key Matchups: Week 16 Pioneers
Vanuatu Kava Sharks (12-16)
- Key Matchups: Week 16 Sea Turtles
Fiji Stingers (12-16)
- Key Matchups: Week 16 Fighting Squirrels
Melbourne Thorny Devils (12-16)
- Key Matchups: Week 16 Invaders (slightly tougher than VKS & Fiji due to OOC match)
Banzai Pipeline 'Nites (13-15)
- Key Matchups: Week 15 Gods
Eliminated
- Co-op City Blitz (loss in week 14 officially sends them to the links)
- Nauru Tiger Sharks (loss in week 13 officially sends them down the pipe)
- Saipan Fighters (1-5 vs. the teams they can catch with a 4-0 finish. With only 1 meaningful conference game left, they can't even play the role of spoiler this season)
- Jakarta Men O'War (Can't catch any current playoff teams, looking to next season)
- Cleveland Dawg Pound (Can't catch any current playoff teams, looking to next season)
- Great Barrier Reef Sharks (Relegation pending to AAA)
Key Week 15 Matchups
#1 - Gods vs. 'Nites (The Nites have dropped two in a row now, but I can't expect this trend to continue. I think it will be a tight game and this is the best chance the Gods have for an upset.)
BOLD PREDICTION: Nites 24, Gods 10
#2 - Crimson Auha vs. Titans (The Titans are riding high after a big upset over the Nites, but the Crimson Auha really need a win here as they lose the tiebreaker to Fiji.)
BOLD PREDICTION: Titans 37, Auha 34
#3 - Growas vs. Heat (The Heat are scoring the most and allowing the least in Zeta. The Growas are playing better and fighting for their playoff lives, but its too little, too late)
BOLD PREDICTION: Heat 56, Growas 16
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BOLDER PREDICTION:
Zeta Conference Final Regular Season Standings
1. *Brisbane Heat (15-1)
2. *Vanuatu Kava Sharks (15-1)
3. *IC Incinerators (13-3)
4. *Banzai Pipeline 'Nites (13-3)
5. Rawle Tech Titans (11-5)
6. *Brisbane Gods (10-6)
7. *Melbourne Thorny Devils (10-6)
8. Fiji Stingers (8-8)
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9. Tongan Crimson Auha (8-8)
10. Big Island Growas (6-10)
11. Saipan Fighters (6-10)
12. Co-op City Blitz (5-11)
13. Nauru Tiger Sharks (3-13)
14. Jakarta Men O' War (3-13)
15. Cleveland Dawg Pound (1-15)
16. Great Barrier Reef Sharks (0-16)
*clinched playoff spot
Eliminated
What teams need to get in
Rawle Tech Titans - Winning this week vs. the Crimson Auha is key and will lock Rawle Tech into the playoffs. A loss this week leaves the Titans with H2H losses against the Gods, Thorny Devils, Crimson Auha and Stingers, all four of which are fighting for bottom half of the playoffs position. And to think, after an upset win over the 'Nites, they haven't clinched.
Fiji Stingers - They are praying for RTT to beat Tongan this week, as the Stingers beat the Crimson Auha earlier this season. Fiji can get in if they win out and Tongan goes 0-2 or 1-1. If Fiji goes 1-1, they need the Crimson Auha to go 0-2 to secure a trip to the playoffs. Obviously if the Stingers lose out, they aren't getting in.
Tongan Crimson Auha - While they don't have the tiebreaker with Fiji, they do have a game in hand. That said, they have a tougher schedule ahead of them. Winning out guarantees them a spot, but losing even one game could be costly. There is also a scenario which could see RTT, TCA & FS all tied at 9-5, in which case the tiebreaker currently goes to Tongan, but that scenario is highly unlikely.
Big Island Growas - They have the worst odds of any team to get in, and not just because they are 6-8 and have to win out. They have the Heat this week which will likely eliminate their chances.
#1 - Gods vs. Kava Sharks (IC has the third easiest schedule remaining and the tiebreaker -- Gods need an upset and some help for a home game, though its unlikely to happen this season.)
BOLD PREDICTION: Kava Sharks 27, Gods 24
ACTUAL RESULT: Kava Sharks 24, Gods 3 (Well, not even close on this one other than for Vanuatu's score...Gods offense couldn't do much all day.)
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#2 - Stingers vs. Incinerators (Fiji wants to bring home a playoff spot and hold the tiebreaker over the Crimson Auha, while IC wants to secure a home game in the playoffs. With two tough games left on the schedule, Fiji needs an upset somewhere, but it doesn't come this week.)
BOLD PREDICTION: Incinerators 33, Stingers 23
ACTUAL RESULT: Incinerators 23, Stingers 14 (Overestimated what each offense would do for this one, but pretty much had the margin of victory on lock down.)
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#3 - 'Nites vs. Titans (The 'Nites will be foaming at the mouths after what many will consider being upset by Vanuatu in week 13. There is no good time to catch the 'Nites, but the Titans catch them at the absolute worst time. I'm predicting a bloodbath.)
BOLD PREDICTION: 'Nites 52, Titans 13
ACTUAL RESULT: Nites 17, Titans 27 (Not even close...I tip my hats to the Titans for this one!)
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#4 - Heat vs. Blitz (The Heat are looking to wrap up 1st place and homefield advantage over the last three weeks, while the Blitz need wins and some help to keep their playoff dreams alive. Unfortunately for Co-op, the end of the road is week 14.)
BOLD PREDICTION: Heat 62, Blitz 3
ACTUAL RESULT: Heat 52, Blitz 17 (If only I had used my Game #3 prediction for this game...big Heat win regardless.)
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Toughest Remaining Schedules
Brisbane Gods (24-4)
- Key Matchups: Week 15 Nites, Week 16 TIT's (WOW!)
Big Island Growas (23-5)
- Key Matchups: Week 15 Heat, Week 16 Mustangs (WOW!)
Tongan Crimson Auha (18-10)
- Key Matchups: Week 15 Titans, Week 16 Burning Pride
Rawle Tech Titans (14-14)
- Key Matchups: Week 15 Auha, Week 16 Strike
Easiest Remaining Schedules
Brisbane Heat (6-22)
- Key Matchups: Week 15 Growas
IC Incinerators (9-19)
- Key Matchups: Week 16 Pioneers
Vanuatu Kava Sharks (12-16)
- Key Matchups: Week 16 Sea Turtles
Fiji Stingers (12-16)
- Key Matchups: Week 16 Fighting Squirrels
Melbourne Thorny Devils (12-16)
- Key Matchups: Week 16 Invaders (slightly tougher than VKS & Fiji due to OOC match)
Banzai Pipeline 'Nites (13-15)
- Key Matchups: Week 15 Gods
Eliminated
- Co-op City Blitz (loss in week 14 officially sends them to the links)
- Nauru Tiger Sharks (loss in week 13 officially sends them down the pipe)
- Saipan Fighters (1-5 vs. the teams they can catch with a 4-0 finish. With only 1 meaningful conference game left, they can't even play the role of spoiler this season)
- Jakarta Men O'War (Can't catch any current playoff teams, looking to next season)
- Cleveland Dawg Pound (Can't catch any current playoff teams, looking to next season)
- Great Barrier Reef Sharks (Relegation pending to AAA)
Key Week 15 Matchups
#1 - Gods vs. 'Nites (The Nites have dropped two in a row now, but I can't expect this trend to continue. I think it will be a tight game and this is the best chance the Gods have for an upset.)
BOLD PREDICTION: Nites 24, Gods 10
#2 - Crimson Auha vs. Titans (The Titans are riding high after a big upset over the Nites, but the Crimson Auha really need a win here as they lose the tiebreaker to Fiji.)
BOLD PREDICTION: Titans 37, Auha 34
#3 - Growas vs. Heat (The Heat are scoring the most and allowing the least in Zeta. The Growas are playing better and fighting for their playoff lives, but its too little, too late)
BOLD PREDICTION: Heat 56, Growas 16
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BOLDER PREDICTION:
Zeta Conference Final Regular Season Standings
1. *Brisbane Heat (15-1)
2. *Vanuatu Kava Sharks (15-1)
3. *IC Incinerators (13-3)
4. *Banzai Pipeline 'Nites (13-3)
5. Rawle Tech Titans (11-5)
6. *Brisbane Gods (10-6)
7. *Melbourne Thorny Devils (10-6)
8. Fiji Stingers (8-8)
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9. Tongan Crimson Auha (8-8)
10. Big Island Growas (6-10)
11. Saipan Fighters (6-10)
12. Co-op City Blitz (5-11)
13. Nauru Tiger Sharks (3-13)
14. Jakarta Men O' War (3-13)
15. Cleveland Dawg Pound (1-15)
16. Great Barrier Reef Sharks (0-16)
*clinched playoff spot
Eliminated
What teams need to get in
Rawle Tech Titans - Winning this week vs. the Crimson Auha is key and will lock Rawle Tech into the playoffs. A loss this week leaves the Titans with H2H losses against the Gods, Thorny Devils, Crimson Auha and Stingers, all four of which are fighting for bottom half of the playoffs position. And to think, after an upset win over the 'Nites, they haven't clinched.
Fiji Stingers - They are praying for RTT to beat Tongan this week, as the Stingers beat the Crimson Auha earlier this season. Fiji can get in if they win out and Tongan goes 0-2 or 1-1. If Fiji goes 1-1, they need the Crimson Auha to go 0-2 to secure a trip to the playoffs. Obviously if the Stingers lose out, they aren't getting in.
Tongan Crimson Auha - While they don't have the tiebreaker with Fiji, they do have a game in hand. That said, they have a tougher schedule ahead of them. Winning out guarantees them a spot, but losing even one game could be costly. There is also a scenario which could see RTT, TCA & FS all tied at 9-5, in which case the tiebreaker currently goes to Tongan, but that scenario is highly unlikely.
Big Island Growas - They have the worst odds of any team to get in, and not just because they are 6-8 and have to win out. They have the Heat this week which will likely eliminate their chances.
Last edited Oct 19, 2008 13:32:55