First a recap of the week just gone.
Results:
Black Sea Night Stalkers 0 Wildcats 14 (Prediction Stalkers win 10-7)
Fullerton Fury 21 New York Masons 0 (Prediction Masons win 14-7)
Dallas Annihilators 13 Charlotte Panthers 0 (Prediction Dallas win 17-14)
All Voracious Wolverines 7 Brisbane Bogans 44 (Prediction Bogans win 28-0)
Texas State Fightin Armadillos 0 Erkner Razorbacks 24 (Prediction Razorbacks win 21-7)
RFL Boys 3 Regina Rebels 13 (Prediction Regina win 17-0)
Thought all 6 were pretty sure tbh but Alpha division is turning into an absolute mess! Any of the 4 teams could win that division at the moment and unless one of the teams dominates its interdivisonal games then all teams could be in play in the final 3 weeks.
Beta and Gamma are shaping up mostly as planned with the only surprise being Regina but they now have a win on the board albeit over the worst team in the league.
1. Erkner Razorbacks (League 3-0, Ladder 36)
Another solid day out for the Razorbacks as they sweep their intial divisional games. If there is anything that would concern them it would be their sub par completion rate which stalled a few of their drives. But tbh I'm just being picky and they are still the clear top team though a week 9 match up with the Bogans begins to loom. A tricky match up this week against Fullerton who have had some good outings this season as well as poor. Expect the Razorbacks to take care of business as usual with their very strong ground game. Prediction (Razorbacks 24 Fullerton 10)
2. Brisbane Bogans (League 3-0, Ladder 51)
Not much to be gleaned from the mauling the Bogans gave the Wolverines apart from that the move to 3-0 cements them as the number 2 team in the league. They play the Wildcats this week a team who I've been bagging for their choice in O-Line depth and FB players. Will I be forced to eat my words? I doubt it. Prediction (Bogans 30 Wildcats 7)
3. Dallas Annihilators (League 2-1, Ladder 109)
With Charlotte still having chemistry woes Dallas had an easy win though certainly not a convincing one. They'll be happy with the outing from their defense but the big news is the benching of QB Troy Aikman. I'd say there was internal conflict in the team but unless stamango has some issues I doubt that. Over the next few weeks Dallas will be looking to keep pace with the Bogans in Beta div looking for their chance to pounce and take the lead. Should be an easy game for them this week against Regina who have disappointed immensely so far. Prediction (Dallas 17 Regina 6)
4. Black Sea Night Stalkers (League 2-1, Ladder 120)
Oh dear Alpha Division just what are you doing. The Stalkers whose defense has been strong all season allowed almost 400 yards through the air against the Wildcats who have no back ups O linemen. I mean these guys are on 1 morale and 20 starting energy by the 4th quarter! Even with all those yards allowed they only gave up 14 points but their offense was anemic once again with only 230 yards on the day and not a point to show for it. The only reason they're this high is that its hard to put any of the following teams above them at this point. As the interdivisional games start though we may find out just how bad Alpha division is this year. With all this said they should bounce back against Beta div easy beats the Wolverines. Prediction (Stalkers 10 Wolverines 3)
5. Fullerton Fury (League 2-1, Ladder 133)
A very nice win this week over the masons holding them to under 100 yards total offense whilst making over 450 themselves. No one is ever going to lose when they have more that 40min of possession either! After a poor first week showing these guys are playing very nicely but can it last the interdivisional games? My answer is no; there are too many glaring weaknesses on this team such as a CPU G, straight rookie players in at FB, G, OT and SS as well as a serious chemistry problem. Unless kpnawesome proves to be a d-coordinator genius I can't see these guys making any waves late in the season. They move to 2-2 next week after playing the Razorbacks. Prediction (Fullerton 10, Razorbacks 24)
6. Charlotte Panthers (League 1-2, Ladder 162)
A tough but expected loss for the Panthers this week however I expect them to bounce back strongly over the next few weeks and head into the Erkner game on a 3 win streak. Much better than their record suggests due to a very strong Beta Div this is not a team that those in Alpha and Gamma should take lightly especially as the season progresses and all of wine's players start gelling. Of course all of this relies on wine not rage quitting over chemistry issues before the season is out! Panthers are too much for the armadillos this week. Prediction (Panthers 20 Texas 7)
7. New York Masons (League 1-2, Ladder 149)
They may have made it to the playoffs last season but the Masons are in a huge downward spiral right now. Reapers promotion to head coach has not done them any good as the offense couldn't even travel the length of the field once with less than 100 yards on the day. The move from D-Coord to head coach also seems to have hurt the defense which has been keeping them in games up until this point. There is still time to arrest the dive and move to 2-2 next week after they play RFL though it may not be a pretty game. Prediction(Masons 7 RFL 3)
8. Texas State Fightin Armadillos (League 1-2, Ladder 141)
Nothing really to say about their loss against Erkner as ladder positions alone suggested the match result was forgone. Looking forward though and Texas can really try and emerge from the pack with some wins over the next 4 weeks. They have four tough games now against teams ranked top 6 but if they can emerge with 3 wins then they will be in a very strong position to challenge for a wild card spot. Prediction(Texas 7 Panthers 20)
9. Regina Rebels (League 1-2, Ladder 142)
How the mighty have fallen! Their win last week does nothing to improve their standings as it was against RFL. Unless other teams seriously trip up or Regina finds their Season 1 form I don't see them moving much further up this ladder.
Next weeks match will either move them into the mid tier teams or cement them as bottom feeders. Prediction(Regina 6 Dallas 17)
10. Montgomery Wildcats (League 1-2, Ladder 147)
Things are looking up for the Wildcats who seem to have found a way to make their roster strategy work! The next 3 games will be the test though against the Bogans, Razorbacks and Panthers. I would be very surprised if they emerge with even a single win tbh but if they come out with 1 or 2 they could even find themselves still within a game or two of the lead of Alpha division. No win for them this week though. Prediction(Wildcats 7 Bogans 30)
11. All Voracious Wolverines (League 0-3, Ladder 146)
They'll be glad to have the divisional games over and expect them to climb the rankings fast if the games against alpha and gamma start to go their way. Maybe Beta is just the cougar powerhouse and the Wolverines are the unfortunate team stuck at the bottom? Could be 2-3 before the razorbacks game but tbh I would place my money on 0-8 before the RFL game. Prediction(Wolves 3 Stalkers 10
12. RFL Boys (League 1-2, Ladder 152)
I said I wouldn't but them bottom until everyone had won a game but I lied these guys need to get their act together for next season to get some competition happening in Gamma div. Prediction(RFL 3 Masons 7)
Results:
Black Sea Night Stalkers 0 Wildcats 14 (Prediction Stalkers win 10-7)
Fullerton Fury 21 New York Masons 0 (Prediction Masons win 14-7)
Dallas Annihilators 13 Charlotte Panthers 0 (Prediction Dallas win 17-14)
All Voracious Wolverines 7 Brisbane Bogans 44 (Prediction Bogans win 28-0)
Texas State Fightin Armadillos 0 Erkner Razorbacks 24 (Prediction Razorbacks win 21-7)
RFL Boys 3 Regina Rebels 13 (Prediction Regina win 17-0)
Thought all 6 were pretty sure tbh but Alpha division is turning into an absolute mess! Any of the 4 teams could win that division at the moment and unless one of the teams dominates its interdivisonal games then all teams could be in play in the final 3 weeks.
Beta and Gamma are shaping up mostly as planned with the only surprise being Regina but they now have a win on the board albeit over the worst team in the league.
1. Erkner Razorbacks (League 3-0, Ladder 36)
Another solid day out for the Razorbacks as they sweep their intial divisional games. If there is anything that would concern them it would be their sub par completion rate which stalled a few of their drives. But tbh I'm just being picky and they are still the clear top team though a week 9 match up with the Bogans begins to loom. A tricky match up this week against Fullerton who have had some good outings this season as well as poor. Expect the Razorbacks to take care of business as usual with their very strong ground game. Prediction (Razorbacks 24 Fullerton 10)
2. Brisbane Bogans (League 3-0, Ladder 51)
Not much to be gleaned from the mauling the Bogans gave the Wolverines apart from that the move to 3-0 cements them as the number 2 team in the league. They play the Wildcats this week a team who I've been bagging for their choice in O-Line depth and FB players. Will I be forced to eat my words? I doubt it. Prediction (Bogans 30 Wildcats 7)
3. Dallas Annihilators (League 2-1, Ladder 109)
With Charlotte still having chemistry woes Dallas had an easy win though certainly not a convincing one. They'll be happy with the outing from their defense but the big news is the benching of QB Troy Aikman. I'd say there was internal conflict in the team but unless stamango has some issues I doubt that. Over the next few weeks Dallas will be looking to keep pace with the Bogans in Beta div looking for their chance to pounce and take the lead. Should be an easy game for them this week against Regina who have disappointed immensely so far. Prediction (Dallas 17 Regina 6)
4. Black Sea Night Stalkers (League 2-1, Ladder 120)
Oh dear Alpha Division just what are you doing. The Stalkers whose defense has been strong all season allowed almost 400 yards through the air against the Wildcats who have no back ups O linemen. I mean these guys are on 1 morale and 20 starting energy by the 4th quarter! Even with all those yards allowed they only gave up 14 points but their offense was anemic once again with only 230 yards on the day and not a point to show for it. The only reason they're this high is that its hard to put any of the following teams above them at this point. As the interdivisional games start though we may find out just how bad Alpha division is this year. With all this said they should bounce back against Beta div easy beats the Wolverines. Prediction (Stalkers 10 Wolverines 3)
5. Fullerton Fury (League 2-1, Ladder 133)
A very nice win this week over the masons holding them to under 100 yards total offense whilst making over 450 themselves. No one is ever going to lose when they have more that 40min of possession either! After a poor first week showing these guys are playing very nicely but can it last the interdivisional games? My answer is no; there are too many glaring weaknesses on this team such as a CPU G, straight rookie players in at FB, G, OT and SS as well as a serious chemistry problem. Unless kpnawesome proves to be a d-coordinator genius I can't see these guys making any waves late in the season. They move to 2-2 next week after playing the Razorbacks. Prediction (Fullerton 10, Razorbacks 24)
6. Charlotte Panthers (League 1-2, Ladder 162)
A tough but expected loss for the Panthers this week however I expect them to bounce back strongly over the next few weeks and head into the Erkner game on a 3 win streak. Much better than their record suggests due to a very strong Beta Div this is not a team that those in Alpha and Gamma should take lightly especially as the season progresses and all of wine's players start gelling. Of course all of this relies on wine not rage quitting over chemistry issues before the season is out! Panthers are too much for the armadillos this week. Prediction (Panthers 20 Texas 7)
7. New York Masons (League 1-2, Ladder 149)
They may have made it to the playoffs last season but the Masons are in a huge downward spiral right now. Reapers promotion to head coach has not done them any good as the offense couldn't even travel the length of the field once with less than 100 yards on the day. The move from D-Coord to head coach also seems to have hurt the defense which has been keeping them in games up until this point. There is still time to arrest the dive and move to 2-2 next week after they play RFL though it may not be a pretty game. Prediction(Masons 7 RFL 3)
8. Texas State Fightin Armadillos (League 1-2, Ladder 141)
Nothing really to say about their loss against Erkner as ladder positions alone suggested the match result was forgone. Looking forward though and Texas can really try and emerge from the pack with some wins over the next 4 weeks. They have four tough games now against teams ranked top 6 but if they can emerge with 3 wins then they will be in a very strong position to challenge for a wild card spot. Prediction(Texas 7 Panthers 20)
9. Regina Rebels (League 1-2, Ladder 142)
How the mighty have fallen! Their win last week does nothing to improve their standings as it was against RFL. Unless other teams seriously trip up or Regina finds their Season 1 form I don't see them moving much further up this ladder.
Next weeks match will either move them into the mid tier teams or cement them as bottom feeders. Prediction(Regina 6 Dallas 17)
10. Montgomery Wildcats (League 1-2, Ladder 147)
Things are looking up for the Wildcats who seem to have found a way to make their roster strategy work! The next 3 games will be the test though against the Bogans, Razorbacks and Panthers. I would be very surprised if they emerge with even a single win tbh but if they come out with 1 or 2 they could even find themselves still within a game or two of the lead of Alpha division. No win for them this week though. Prediction(Wildcats 7 Bogans 30)
11. All Voracious Wolverines (League 0-3, Ladder 146)
They'll be glad to have the divisional games over and expect them to climb the rankings fast if the games against alpha and gamma start to go their way. Maybe Beta is just the cougar powerhouse and the Wolverines are the unfortunate team stuck at the bottom? Could be 2-3 before the razorbacks game but tbh I would place my money on 0-8 before the RFL game. Prediction(Wolves 3 Stalkers 10
12. RFL Boys (League 1-2, Ladder 152)
I said I wouldn't but them bottom until everyone had won a game but I lied these guys need to get their act together for next season to get some competition happening in Gamma div. Prediction(RFL 3 Masons 7)
Edited by Thunderoo on Feb 7, 2014 18:12:24
Edited by Thunderoo on Feb 7, 2014 18:12:00
just being inflammatory
