Since we are at the official half way point, I decided to take a shot at one of these. (First time, so bear with me).
There are basically 10 teams in the hunt at the moment for a playoff spot (and number 10 is hanging on by a thread). There will be some interesting races for the 2 spot, the 4 spot and the 8 spot. I think the 4 spot will be the most hotly contested spot of the three with several teams competing for that spot. I will go by current standings with a team by team report and analysis.
#current standing (projected finish)
#1 (1) Dakar. Remaining schedule is pretty easy with opponents having a combined record of 27-37. Dakar also owns the tie break with SoA and Cairo, so would essentially have to fall into some sort of 3 way tie for first to lose their spot and I just don't see it happening. Dakar has the top conference passing attack and is also #2 in ints and points allowed. Remaining quality opponents are Congo, Tanzinia, Malelodi, and Rhodesia. I project them to pull the 16-0 season.
#2 (3) SoA. Nasty team that has pretty much crunched everyone so far except Dakar. They are #2 in the conference in both the pass and run and also sport the top sack and INT totals as well. They are currently 1st in scoring and in points allowed. Remaining opponents have a 32-32 record. Two games stand out on the schedule left and that is Mamelodi and Cairo. The winner of the Cairo/SoA game will likely determine who gets second place as the winner will likely be the only 1 loss team in the conference. Other quality opponents remaining are Rhodesia, Swaziland, and Mogadishu.
#3 (2) Cairo. That second week 4 point loss to Dakar looms huge now for Cairo as it appears that Dakar is going to run the table. Cairo will likely slug it out with SoA for the second spot and the two teams will face each other late in the season. Cairo is currently #1 for running, #2 for points scored and points allowed and #3 in Ints. The Cairo defense hasn't been on the field much since the offense plays a ball control game that keeps the other teams offense on the sidelines for much of the game for many of the games they have played. Cairo's remaining opponents have a 31-33 record and in addition to SoA, they also face Mogadishu, Swaziland, and Lome.
#4 (8) Congo. If Dakar has one of the easiest schedules left, Congo faces one of the toughest to go with remaining opponents sporting a 40-24 record. Games against Dakar, Cairo, Tanzania, Mogadishu, Malme, Lome, and Swaziland are all coming up. Congo has managed to position themselves as the #3 passing team while also being #3 in INTs. I don't see how they hold onto the 4th spot and I believe they will slide down.
#5 (5) Mamelodi. The combined record of 30-34 for the teams remaining on Mamelodi's schedule is a bit deceptive because it is mostly peaks and valleys. Mamelodi must still face a key game with SoA and has yet to play Dakar. Those two teams account for 15 of the 30 wins so the other 6 teams are a combine 15-33 meaning they will face a lot of bottom feeders as well. Other quality opponents include Tanzania and Congo. The winner of the Tanzania-Mamelodi could well decide who gets the 4 spot.
#6 (4) Tanzania. These guys lead a pack of 5-3 teams and has one of the easiest schedules left with remaining teams having a combined record of 27-37. They do have to face Dakar still, but a big game with Mamelodi also looms and will help decide the pecking order. Other quality opponents include Congo and Rhodesia.
#7 (7) Mogadishu. On the surface, this team has a tough schedule remaining as opponents have a 37-27 record. Having to face both SoA and Cairo account for 14 of those wins, so remaining opponents have a 23-25 record, which is a lot easier to take. Mogadishu has been delivering the heat on the QB being ranked #2 in sacks in the conference. Other games left include Rhodesia, Congo, Swaziland, and Lome.
#8 (6) Lome. The record of the remaining teams is 32-32. They still have to play 2 of the 3 5-3 teams, so they have a chance to claw their way up the standings and put the direct hurt on their competitors. Other opponents include Congo, Swaziland and Cairo. Lome has managed to run the score up over all and are currently second in scoring.
#9 (9) Rhodesia. The road up the standings is going to be a tough one as remaining teams have a 36-28 record and games with SoA and Dakar remain along with Mogadishu, Swaziland, Lome and Tanzania.
#10 (10). Swaziland. While in the 10 spot, Swaziland has a shot to knock off some of the teams in front of them because they will certainly be playing enough of them. Teams have a combined record of 37-27 and include Rhodesia, Cairo, Mogadishu, Congo, Lome and SoA. Unfortunately, I think this leaves Swaziland on the outside looking in.
There are basically 10 teams in the hunt at the moment for a playoff spot (and number 10 is hanging on by a thread). There will be some interesting races for the 2 spot, the 4 spot and the 8 spot. I think the 4 spot will be the most hotly contested spot of the three with several teams competing for that spot. I will go by current standings with a team by team report and analysis.
#current standing (projected finish)
#1 (1) Dakar. Remaining schedule is pretty easy with opponents having a combined record of 27-37. Dakar also owns the tie break with SoA and Cairo, so would essentially have to fall into some sort of 3 way tie for first to lose their spot and I just don't see it happening. Dakar has the top conference passing attack and is also #2 in ints and points allowed. Remaining quality opponents are Congo, Tanzinia, Malelodi, and Rhodesia. I project them to pull the 16-0 season.
#2 (3) SoA. Nasty team that has pretty much crunched everyone so far except Dakar. They are #2 in the conference in both the pass and run and also sport the top sack and INT totals as well. They are currently 1st in scoring and in points allowed. Remaining opponents have a 32-32 record. Two games stand out on the schedule left and that is Mamelodi and Cairo. The winner of the Cairo/SoA game will likely determine who gets second place as the winner will likely be the only 1 loss team in the conference. Other quality opponents remaining are Rhodesia, Swaziland, and Mogadishu.
#3 (2) Cairo. That second week 4 point loss to Dakar looms huge now for Cairo as it appears that Dakar is going to run the table. Cairo will likely slug it out with SoA for the second spot and the two teams will face each other late in the season. Cairo is currently #1 for running, #2 for points scored and points allowed and #3 in Ints. The Cairo defense hasn't been on the field much since the offense plays a ball control game that keeps the other teams offense on the sidelines for much of the game for many of the games they have played. Cairo's remaining opponents have a 31-33 record and in addition to SoA, they also face Mogadishu, Swaziland, and Lome.
#4 (8) Congo. If Dakar has one of the easiest schedules left, Congo faces one of the toughest to go with remaining opponents sporting a 40-24 record. Games against Dakar, Cairo, Tanzania, Mogadishu, Malme, Lome, and Swaziland are all coming up. Congo has managed to position themselves as the #3 passing team while also being #3 in INTs. I don't see how they hold onto the 4th spot and I believe they will slide down.
#5 (5) Mamelodi. The combined record of 30-34 for the teams remaining on Mamelodi's schedule is a bit deceptive because it is mostly peaks and valleys. Mamelodi must still face a key game with SoA and has yet to play Dakar. Those two teams account for 15 of the 30 wins so the other 6 teams are a combine 15-33 meaning they will face a lot of bottom feeders as well. Other quality opponents include Tanzania and Congo. The winner of the Tanzania-Mamelodi could well decide who gets the 4 spot.
#6 (4) Tanzania. These guys lead a pack of 5-3 teams and has one of the easiest schedules left with remaining teams having a combined record of 27-37. They do have to face Dakar still, but a big game with Mamelodi also looms and will help decide the pecking order. Other quality opponents include Congo and Rhodesia.
#7 (7) Mogadishu. On the surface, this team has a tough schedule remaining as opponents have a 37-27 record. Having to face both SoA and Cairo account for 14 of those wins, so remaining opponents have a 23-25 record, which is a lot easier to take. Mogadishu has been delivering the heat on the QB being ranked #2 in sacks in the conference. Other games left include Rhodesia, Congo, Swaziland, and Lome.
#8 (6) Lome. The record of the remaining teams is 32-32. They still have to play 2 of the 3 5-3 teams, so they have a chance to claw their way up the standings and put the direct hurt on their competitors. Other opponents include Congo, Swaziland and Cairo. Lome has managed to run the score up over all and are currently second in scoring.
#9 (9) Rhodesia. The road up the standings is going to be a tough one as remaining teams have a 36-28 record and games with SoA and Dakar remain along with Mogadishu, Swaziland, Lome and Tanzania.
#10 (10). Swaziland. While in the 10 spot, Swaziland has a shot to knock off some of the teams in front of them because they will certainly be playing enough of them. Teams have a combined record of 37-27 and include Rhodesia, Cairo, Mogadishu, Congo, Lome and SoA. Unfortunately, I think this leaves Swaziland on the outside looking in.
