Hedgehog’s Power Rankings – Week Twelve
I’m back everyone. A quarter of the season left remaining and as the dust settles six teams in the league will get in the playoffs no matter what happens in the last four games. In the top-heavy Eastern Conference the playoff teams already look decided; it’s not who is going in there but at what place that matters now. The Western Conference’s top five teams should are sure bets for a playoff spot while below them, eight teams in total jockey for those last three playoff spots.
Movers and Shakers:
Best Risers: Vinland Vikings (+4)
Biggest Drops: Iqaluit Arctic Wolves (-3)
Week Twelve Power Rankings
The Championship Contenders
1.-X (1/-) – Saskatchewan Sasquatches – (12-0)
-With this team unbeaten after The Battle for Saskatchewan, pencil in the Saquatches for the playoffs as they’ve secured their spot. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it now this team will finish the season undefeated and have only the formality of securing the #1 seed as the season closes. They should easily win the next games ahead of them with only two opponents, the In Jose Pimpin Ain’t Easy and the Saskatoon Guerillaz, that could score against them.
2.-X (2/-) – Queen City Black Cats – (11-1)
-The Queen City Black Cats suffered their first loss of the season against the St. John’s Salty Dogs and then licked their wounds beating back the Flint Tropics 51-6. The team with still the best rushing game in town, the Black Cats was exposed when given a taste of their own medicine by the Salty Dogs. Now will their opponents capitalize in the highly competitive Eastern Conference? The Halifax Hashishim and the Nebraska Husker Maniacs will be waiting for their chance to do just that in Weeks 14-15.
3.-X (3/+1) – Sudbury Spartans – (10-2)
-The Spartans take the #3 spot in the ranks after two major victories, defeating both the Halifax Hashishim and the Nebraska Husker Maniacs. In both cases the Spartans snuffed the opposing team’s run and proved more efficient in the air, completing 58% of passes against the Assassins and 74% against the Husker Maniacs. This team should easily get home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs; the Spartans face the easiest remaining four games of the top teams in the East; their only real challenge is next week vs. the Red Deer Blue Elk.
4.-X (8/+4) – Vinland Vikings – (10-2)
-The other team in the Western Conference this week to clinch a playoff berth, the Vinland Vikings climb to fourth place in these rankings as other teams fall below them. It looks as if they’ve fixed their passing defense. Since the loss to the Winnipeg Warriors, their secondary hasn’t given up a long-yardage TD pass since. And just in time as well, they have two difficult challenges with the Hillbillies and then the Vindicators in the next couple weeks.
5.-X (3/-2) –Halifax Hashishim – (10-2)
-Victory against the Boreal aside, the Hashishim dropped a game against the Spartans and slides two spots in this week’s rankings. Their next four games should prove very winnable except for the one matchup against the Queen City Black Cats. In a game that can could change the playoff picture for both squads, the second best rushing game of the Hashishim meet the league leading one of the Black Cats. Will Brian Loybycuatro have a better day than Ben Jeudah? Find out Week 14.
6.-X (5/-1) – Cheyenne Mountain Air Force – (10-2)
-The quality of opponent is the cause of this team to slop a spot to #6 for Week 12. In the middle of their cupcake vacation, the Cheyenne Mountain Air Force secured their playoff berth with an easy victory against the Bloodweiser Bugle All Stars. Their fight to win home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs should is going to be a challenge: after the victory next week against the Preachers is the Salty Dogs, the Canadiens, and the Western Conference Hillsburgh Hillbillies.
7. (7/-) – Nebraska Husker Maniacs – (9-3)
-An up-and-down four weeks leaves the Husker Manaics rooted in the #7 position. The Husker Manaics have proven to be a balanced squad that is pretty sound in all departments but is it enough to get home-field advantage? They have two easy games before the big two games against the Black Cats and the Manitoba Icemen. If they’re going to grab home-field advantage coming into the playoffs they’re going to need to beat the Black Cats Week 16 and the Icemen thereafter. And they might need help.
8. (6/-2) – Hillsburgh Hillbillies – (9-3)
-Hillbillies’ last four weeks went the same way as the Husker Maniacs, drawing even in for the past four games. It’s not a matter of making it to the playoffs; they should be able to get in with their remaining schedule that includes the Cold Lake Wolverines and the Revelstoke Revoltution. The difficulties lie with the Vinland Vikings next week and their last game against the Cheyenne Mountain Air Force. If they go 2-of-4 or worse and the Icemen go undefeated in the next four games, the Hillbillies could be losing that prized home-field-advantage.
The Dark Horses
9. (10/+1) – Vancouver Vindicators – (9-3)
-Give the game ball to the defense here. A forced fumble and a pick both converted to touchdowns helped the Vindicators edge pass the Thunder in their 27-24 OT win. It also kept their dreams of home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs alive. In these rankings the Vindicators are lower than the Hillbillies, but looking forward to the playoffs this team has the easier schedule compared to the Hillbillies. Of the four teams they’ve yet to face only the Vinland Vikings carry a winning record.
10. (12/+2) –St. John’s Salty Dogs – (8-4)
-That’s it: the Salty Dogs are legit. Seven straight wins must be sweet for the Salty Dogs after a disastrous first five games. And to top it off they extracted revenge on the Queen City Black Cats, a cause of their Season 3 woes. They’re locked into the playoffs now with two easy games and challenges in the form of the Calgary Thunder and the Cheyenne Mountain Air Force. Factoid: in terms of yardage this team now leads the Eastern Conference in passing currently and is #3 for rush yards.
11. (9/-2) – Manitoba Icemen – (8-4)
-The solid performance against the In San Jose Pimpin Aint Easy makes up for the loss to the Beavers. If you want to check out something interesting, look to the team stats for a moment and check them out: you’d think a team with middling numbers in just about every category wouldn’t but up this high in the standings but they are. Not to the level of the Vikings or the Sasquatches but they’re pretty good. And they have a good opportunity to steal home-field advantage as well; they have three winnable games left in their conference and need to beat the Husker Manaics to achieve it.
12. (11/-1) – Montreal Canadiens – (8-4)
-Inconsistent should be the other name of this team. They beat teams on the losing track handily but get blown-out by better competition, except for one case. They manage the upset against the Husker Maniacs and then lose soundly against the Red Deer Blue Elk. And they’ve racked up the least points of any team facing the Bulldawgs that’s not in the conference’s cellar. With two of their remaining four games versus cupcakes this team will head into the playoffs. Just don’t expect them to enter it with any momentum: they could easily lose to the Cheyenne Mountain Air Force and the Saskatchewan Beavers in their final two games.
On the Bubble
13. (13/0) – Calgary Thunder – (7-5)
-Three tough games after Castlegar make their last four one of the most difficult. Should go at least 2-of-4 to avoid that dreaded last playoff spot.
14. (14/-) – Saskatchewan Beavers – (7-5)
-Tough loss to the best team in the Western Conference. No easy victories coming up as all of their next four games will be challenges.
15. (16/+1) – Red Deer Blue Elk – (7-5)
-The win against the Arctic Wolves should net them the playoffs. But like Dan said, this is the least of the competitive eight teams in the Eastern Conference and will go one-and-done in the playoffs.
16. (15/-1) – Cold Lake Wolverines – (6-6)
-This is a team in transition and it shows; expect their next sure win to come against the Bulldawgs.
17. (19/+2) – Revelstoke Revolution – (5-7)
-Found their groove early enough to potentially make it to the playoffs; too late in that if they do, they’ll could face the Sasquatches.
18. (17/-1) – In San Jose Pimpin Ain’t Easy – (5-7)
-Drawing the Sasquatches next means at best an 8-8 season; not a guarantee to make the playoffs.
The Longshots
19. (18/-1) – Winnipeg Warriors – (5-7)
-Whatever deal with the devil they made to beat the Vikings, they need to do it again. That’s because they aren’t up to the task to go 4-of-4 to have a chance at making the playoffs.
20. (20/-) – Flint Tropics – (5-7)
-Only somewhat significant win was against the Destruction Bay Dragons. Better chance of an elephant slipping through the eye of a needle than making it to the playoffs.
21. (22/+1) – Calgary Wrestlers – (5-7)
-The middle of their season wrecked them. Their situation is like the other 5-7’s of the Western Conference: need to go undefeated and need help to get in the playoffs.
22. (23/+1) – Saskatoon Guerillaz – (5-7)
-Expect losses in the final three to put them out of the running.
Better Luck Next Season
23. (24/+1) –Destruction Bay Dragons – (5-7)
-Nice pickup from the Cavaliers. Their next four is brutal.
24. (21/-3) – Iqaluit Arctic Wolves – (4-8)
-They lost the critical game of their season. Even with the easiest remaining schedule their playoff chances are over.
25. (25/-) –Portsmouth Cavaliers – (4-8)
-A soon-to-be 4-12 team.
26. (29/+3) – Toronto Smoke – (2-10)
-Their season is over but the big story about them is that new management has taken over.
27. (26/-1) – Barkmere Bulldawgs – (2-10)
-At least they’ll be 3-13 this season.
28. (30/+2) –Quebec Boreal – (2-10)
-Bad sign when you have CPU players in the starting line-up, and totally outclassed-ones at that.
The D-League – Castlegar Crusaders vs. Peterborough Preachers in a friendly! Now there’s a game I’d watch.
29. (28/-1) –Kelowna Outlaws – (1-11)
30. (31/+1) – Bloodweiser Bugle All Stars – (1-11)
31. (30/-1) –Casltegar Crusaders – (0-12)
32. (32/-) – Peterborough Preachers – (0-12)
-X – Clinched Playoff Berth
I’m back everyone. A quarter of the season left remaining and as the dust settles six teams in the league will get in the playoffs no matter what happens in the last four games. In the top-heavy Eastern Conference the playoff teams already look decided; it’s not who is going in there but at what place that matters now. The Western Conference’s top five teams should are sure bets for a playoff spot while below them, eight teams in total jockey for those last three playoff spots.
Movers and Shakers:
Best Risers: Vinland Vikings (+4)
Biggest Drops: Iqaluit Arctic Wolves (-3)
Week Twelve Power Rankings
The Championship Contenders
1.-X (1/-) – Saskatchewan Sasquatches – (12-0)
-With this team unbeaten after The Battle for Saskatchewan, pencil in the Saquatches for the playoffs as they’ve secured their spot. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it now this team will finish the season undefeated and have only the formality of securing the #1 seed as the season closes. They should easily win the next games ahead of them with only two opponents, the In Jose Pimpin Ain’t Easy and the Saskatoon Guerillaz, that could score against them.
2.-X (2/-) – Queen City Black Cats – (11-1)
-The Queen City Black Cats suffered their first loss of the season against the St. John’s Salty Dogs and then licked their wounds beating back the Flint Tropics 51-6. The team with still the best rushing game in town, the Black Cats was exposed when given a taste of their own medicine by the Salty Dogs. Now will their opponents capitalize in the highly competitive Eastern Conference? The Halifax Hashishim and the Nebraska Husker Maniacs will be waiting for their chance to do just that in Weeks 14-15.
3.-X (3/+1) – Sudbury Spartans – (10-2)
-The Spartans take the #3 spot in the ranks after two major victories, defeating both the Halifax Hashishim and the Nebraska Husker Maniacs. In both cases the Spartans snuffed the opposing team’s run and proved more efficient in the air, completing 58% of passes against the Assassins and 74% against the Husker Maniacs. This team should easily get home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs; the Spartans face the easiest remaining four games of the top teams in the East; their only real challenge is next week vs. the Red Deer Blue Elk.
4.-X (8/+4) – Vinland Vikings – (10-2)
-The other team in the Western Conference this week to clinch a playoff berth, the Vinland Vikings climb to fourth place in these rankings as other teams fall below them. It looks as if they’ve fixed their passing defense. Since the loss to the Winnipeg Warriors, their secondary hasn’t given up a long-yardage TD pass since. And just in time as well, they have two difficult challenges with the Hillbillies and then the Vindicators in the next couple weeks.
5.-X (3/-2) –Halifax Hashishim – (10-2)
-Victory against the Boreal aside, the Hashishim dropped a game against the Spartans and slides two spots in this week’s rankings. Their next four games should prove very winnable except for the one matchup against the Queen City Black Cats. In a game that can could change the playoff picture for both squads, the second best rushing game of the Hashishim meet the league leading one of the Black Cats. Will Brian Loybycuatro have a better day than Ben Jeudah? Find out Week 14.
6.-X (5/-1) – Cheyenne Mountain Air Force – (10-2)
-The quality of opponent is the cause of this team to slop a spot to #6 for Week 12. In the middle of their cupcake vacation, the Cheyenne Mountain Air Force secured their playoff berth with an easy victory against the Bloodweiser Bugle All Stars. Their fight to win home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs should is going to be a challenge: after the victory next week against the Preachers is the Salty Dogs, the Canadiens, and the Western Conference Hillsburgh Hillbillies.
7. (7/-) – Nebraska Husker Maniacs – (9-3)
-An up-and-down four weeks leaves the Husker Manaics rooted in the #7 position. The Husker Manaics have proven to be a balanced squad that is pretty sound in all departments but is it enough to get home-field advantage? They have two easy games before the big two games against the Black Cats and the Manitoba Icemen. If they’re going to grab home-field advantage coming into the playoffs they’re going to need to beat the Black Cats Week 16 and the Icemen thereafter. And they might need help.
8. (6/-2) – Hillsburgh Hillbillies – (9-3)
-Hillbillies’ last four weeks went the same way as the Husker Maniacs, drawing even in for the past four games. It’s not a matter of making it to the playoffs; they should be able to get in with their remaining schedule that includes the Cold Lake Wolverines and the Revelstoke Revoltution. The difficulties lie with the Vinland Vikings next week and their last game against the Cheyenne Mountain Air Force. If they go 2-of-4 or worse and the Icemen go undefeated in the next four games, the Hillbillies could be losing that prized home-field-advantage.
The Dark Horses
9. (10/+1) – Vancouver Vindicators – (9-3)
-Give the game ball to the defense here. A forced fumble and a pick both converted to touchdowns helped the Vindicators edge pass the Thunder in their 27-24 OT win. It also kept their dreams of home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs alive. In these rankings the Vindicators are lower than the Hillbillies, but looking forward to the playoffs this team has the easier schedule compared to the Hillbillies. Of the four teams they’ve yet to face only the Vinland Vikings carry a winning record.
10. (12/+2) –St. John’s Salty Dogs – (8-4)
-That’s it: the Salty Dogs are legit. Seven straight wins must be sweet for the Salty Dogs after a disastrous first five games. And to top it off they extracted revenge on the Queen City Black Cats, a cause of their Season 3 woes. They’re locked into the playoffs now with two easy games and challenges in the form of the Calgary Thunder and the Cheyenne Mountain Air Force. Factoid: in terms of yardage this team now leads the Eastern Conference in passing currently and is #3 for rush yards.
11. (9/-2) – Manitoba Icemen – (8-4)
-The solid performance against the In San Jose Pimpin Aint Easy makes up for the loss to the Beavers. If you want to check out something interesting, look to the team stats for a moment and check them out: you’d think a team with middling numbers in just about every category wouldn’t but up this high in the standings but they are. Not to the level of the Vikings or the Sasquatches but they’re pretty good. And they have a good opportunity to steal home-field advantage as well; they have three winnable games left in their conference and need to beat the Husker Manaics to achieve it.
12. (11/-1) – Montreal Canadiens – (8-4)
-Inconsistent should be the other name of this team. They beat teams on the losing track handily but get blown-out by better competition, except for one case. They manage the upset against the Husker Maniacs and then lose soundly against the Red Deer Blue Elk. And they’ve racked up the least points of any team facing the Bulldawgs that’s not in the conference’s cellar. With two of their remaining four games versus cupcakes this team will head into the playoffs. Just don’t expect them to enter it with any momentum: they could easily lose to the Cheyenne Mountain Air Force and the Saskatchewan Beavers in their final two games.
On the Bubble
13. (13/0) – Calgary Thunder – (7-5)
-Three tough games after Castlegar make their last four one of the most difficult. Should go at least 2-of-4 to avoid that dreaded last playoff spot.
14. (14/-) – Saskatchewan Beavers – (7-5)
-Tough loss to the best team in the Western Conference. No easy victories coming up as all of their next four games will be challenges.
15. (16/+1) – Red Deer Blue Elk – (7-5)
-The win against the Arctic Wolves should net them the playoffs. But like Dan said, this is the least of the competitive eight teams in the Eastern Conference and will go one-and-done in the playoffs.
16. (15/-1) – Cold Lake Wolverines – (6-6)
-This is a team in transition and it shows; expect their next sure win to come against the Bulldawgs.
17. (19/+2) – Revelstoke Revolution – (5-7)
-Found their groove early enough to potentially make it to the playoffs; too late in that if they do, they’ll could face the Sasquatches.
18. (17/-1) – In San Jose Pimpin Ain’t Easy – (5-7)
-Drawing the Sasquatches next means at best an 8-8 season; not a guarantee to make the playoffs.
The Longshots
19. (18/-1) – Winnipeg Warriors – (5-7)
-Whatever deal with the devil they made to beat the Vikings, they need to do it again. That’s because they aren’t up to the task to go 4-of-4 to have a chance at making the playoffs.
20. (20/-) – Flint Tropics – (5-7)
-Only somewhat significant win was against the Destruction Bay Dragons. Better chance of an elephant slipping through the eye of a needle than making it to the playoffs.
21. (22/+1) – Calgary Wrestlers – (5-7)
-The middle of their season wrecked them. Their situation is like the other 5-7’s of the Western Conference: need to go undefeated and need help to get in the playoffs.
22. (23/+1) – Saskatoon Guerillaz – (5-7)
-Expect losses in the final three to put them out of the running.
Better Luck Next Season
23. (24/+1) –Destruction Bay Dragons – (5-7)
-Nice pickup from the Cavaliers. Their next four is brutal.
24. (21/-3) – Iqaluit Arctic Wolves – (4-8)
-They lost the critical game of their season. Even with the easiest remaining schedule their playoff chances are over.
25. (25/-) –Portsmouth Cavaliers – (4-8)
-A soon-to-be 4-12 team.
26. (29/+3) – Toronto Smoke – (2-10)
-Their season is over but the big story about them is that new management has taken over.
27. (26/-1) – Barkmere Bulldawgs – (2-10)
-At least they’ll be 3-13 this season.
28. (30/+2) –Quebec Boreal – (2-10)
-Bad sign when you have CPU players in the starting line-up, and totally outclassed-ones at that.
The D-League – Castlegar Crusaders vs. Peterborough Preachers in a friendly! Now there’s a game I’d watch.
29. (28/-1) –Kelowna Outlaws – (1-11)
30. (31/+1) – Bloodweiser Bugle All Stars – (1-11)
31. (30/-1) –Casltegar Crusaders – (0-12)
32. (32/-) – Peterborough Preachers – (0-12)
-X – Clinched Playoff Berth
