So, because it's midseason (or real close, since there's an extra week this year) click on this to keep in the mood while you read through this week's Notes:
So we're starting to get a little separation in the standings, and we're also starting to get some injuries that are rendering a couple of teams basically helpless. It's a pretty tough spot to be in, and COVID sure ain't helping.
Also interesting to note: only 3 teams topped 100 points this week, which is 7 fewer than three weeks ago. This week was also our lowest total league points for a week this year. I feel like we have one of these weeks every year. There's a high outlier and a low outlier. Week 5 was 1306.5 points (or 179 higher than the second highest week); Week 8 was 963.5 points (84.5 points lower than the second lowest week. All these stats are kept on this Google Sheet.
RECAPS!
Team Provost climbs to 6th, tops Pedro Pickles 130-85.5
It's Provost's first Tidwell of the season, which is helping him lead the pack of 3-5 teams, thanks to being the 4th highest scoring team in the entire league. And this year, that sixth spot is a playoff spot, so teams will be angling to get there (the 6-10 seeds all currently have 5 losses, so there will be some major jockeying). He boasts the current QB2, WR2 and the K1, all of whom had good weeks this week. Pickles has had tough luck with QBs (trading for Dak followed by Dak missing a game is a tough pill to swallow), but has had good luck with his waiver wire pickups. He's still in the hunt for that 6th spot.
Hardcore Sacks takes sole possession of first, beats Utah Falco 118-90.5
As it's been almost every other week for Hardcore, it was Cooper Kupp szn. He's the overall WR1 and there's no sign of slowing down. Once CMC comes back (he's been designated to return from IR) the rest of the league will be effed. At least until he gets hurt again. For Falco, it's the first time all year he hasn't topped the century mark for points. These two teams are probably the deepest we have in the league this year. But Falco just made some bad lineup decisions this week.
Jeff Fisher Effect escapes MNF, takes out Iron Ryan, 104-99.5
It was a 104-60.5 lead going into Monday Night Football, and I-Ry had Mahomie and Tyreek. JFE figured, "it's over." But I'm old enough to remember when the Chiefs offense was unstoppable. This year, that's not the case. I mean....20 points? Against the Giants? Wow. JFE is the third highest scoring team to this point, and got big days from Darrell Henderson and Chris Godwin. Her'es actual footage of JFE on Tuesday morning, checking the score:
Death Valley Driver vanquishes Hamilton Rod and Gun, 95-60.5
I'd say DVD had one of those weeks where he scored a low total and won because he played the right opponent, but in this case, he had the 4th highest total of the season. It is interesting to note that he's 4-4 and has scored the FEWEST points in the league (811.5), while Provost has almost 100 more points, and a worse record. But ultimately, it's about wins. Win have been harder for HRG to come by, and figure to be harder to come by for a bit. Kyler Murray is injured, Davante Adams has/had COVID, Calvin Ridley needs a mental health season, and the one guy you never expected to get injured (Derrick Henry) finally got injured. HRG is in trouble.
Bishop Sycamore pulls off Monday Night comeback, best Released Dix On Boobies, 91.5-89
Trailing by 30 going into Monday Night Football, it seemed a tall order for BS to come back. But then the Giants managed to keep the game close, and Daniel Jones and Devontae Booker took just enough advantage of a bad KC D that let Sycamore pull off his second come from behind Monday night non-loss. That doesn't sound very impressive, but it's really the difference between Sycamore being in second place (where he is right now) and fourth place (where he'd be without that Monday night come-from-behind tie). He's got a leg up in the playoff race. Now if only his players stay healthy. Boobies (heh) certainly could have used some more production from Dalvin Cook, but got a bunch from Joe Mixon and Amari Cooper.
Standings and Playoff Stuff
So I don't know if ESPN had this in previous years, but they have a playoff percentage on the standings page. Right now, the top 4 teams (Hardcore, Sycamore, Falco, The Effect) have no worse than a 96% chance to make the playoffs. After that, Boobies (heh) has the highest remaining percentage at 46% (which is odd when you consider he's currently 9th of 10, having the lowest point total of the 3-5 teams). I'd be pretty interested to know how ESPN figures this. I assume there's something to do with the league schedule and projections for the rest of the season.
So we're off to Week 9. Anyone starting Mike White this week?
Come on. The dude even LOOKS like a Madden created player.
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