The White Pages

MCBL 2009 Preview

2009-03-22T18:04:00.003-05:00

Since the RayPI is long dead and gone, I have stepped up to the plate to fill the void in my life that results from the RayPI’s absence. I’ve broken down each team into six categories to determine who has the best shot at unseating the legendary HornDawgs and taking home the 2009 title. The infield grades are determined by evaluating starters at C, 1B, 2B, 3B, and SS. The outfield grades are determined by evaluating each starting OF. The starters grades are determined by evaluating all SPs, and the bullpen grade are determined by evaluating all RPs. The utility grade is determined by evaluating each starting UT, as well as any bench hitters. The history grade is determined by looking through the all-time standings and seeing who does well at adapting throughout the season to reach the playoffs.

Super Bad

One team defines "an exercise in futility." Historically, this team has not had a chance at the playoffs year in and year out, making them the Pittsburgh Pirates of the MCBL. 2008 did show an upward trend for the franchise, but will it continue?

Balls Out

Infield: C. Joe Mauer is doubtful for the opener as he tries to return from injury. Carlos Delgado was a beast in the second half of 2008 but has many doubters heading into this season. Chone Figgins is a great option at 2B and along with Rafael Furcal should provide the Balls with plenty of speed. Furcal was on his way to an MVP-type season before suffering an injury last year. Hank Blalock is a below-average option at 3B, and that might be putting it nicely.

Outfield: B+. A couple years ago, this group would be an easy A. However, Vladimir Guerrero has slowed down after aging an extra year over the offseason. Ichiro Suzuki might be beginning his decline. Magglio Ordonez doesn’t have much power left. These guys will hit for great average, though.

Starters: B. Rich Harden and Justin Duchscherer will be battling for the Balls Out DL slot all season long. Javier Vazquez has ace-quality stuff and will benefit greatly from a move to the NL East. David Price is the wild card, with the potential to carry this team out of the cellar. Matt Garza and Jered Weaver are steady, productive options. If Brandon Morrow doesn’t get healthy soon, he’ll find himself in the pen, which might actually benefit Balls Out.

Bullpen: C+. B.J. Ryan isn’t a top closer or a top keeper, but if he can stay healthy he’ll contribute some solid numbers. Frank Francisco is a good RP2 to have, as he should excel in the Texas closer role.

Utility: B+. Look for Paul Konerko to contend for the Comeback Player of the Year award. Mark DeRosa will probably slot into the Balls Out lineup somewhere eventually. Andruw Jones belongs on the waiver wire, and Dallas McPherson is a good gamble that will likely not pay off.

History: F. You have to think that Jake will be able to crawl into the playoffs eventually, but history is not on his side. Still, he got pretty close to .500 last year, so a playoff berth might be closer than you think.

Report Card: C, B+, B, C+, B+, F.

Final Grade: C+

The Not-Quite-Newbie Division

This division features the two sophomore managers, each of whom received a brutal inauguration into the league in 2008. Will 2009 be a stepping stone to greener pastures, or will these two teams join Balls Out as perennial bottom feeders?

Brew Crew

Infield: B. Victor Martinez, Adrian Gonzalez, and Aramis Ramirez are high-quality players, while Kelly Johnson holds his own at 2B. Miguel Tejada is on a steep decline and drags this group down. If Escobar turns into a quality SS or Joe finds one on the market, this group will keep him in contention.

Outfield: A-. Matt Kemp is due to break out this year and possibly become a top-five OF. Bobby Abreu is a steady, reliable producer and a great fit as a second OF. Hunter Pence looks to take a step forward this year and could reach 30 HRs and 100 RBIs.

Starters: B. Roy Halladay is as reliable as aces come, while Joba Chamberlain should pitch a lot of quality innings for the Crew. Max Scherzer, like Chamberlain, is a young arm with electric stuff. Adam Wainwright’s low WHIP will be a great addition to this rotation. I’m not a believer in Fausto Carmona, and I think Tommy Hanson might be a year away.

Bullpen: C+. Brian Fuentes should be a top-tier RP in Los Angeles with the team that gave K-Rod so many save opportunities. Manny Corpas is the preseason favorite to be the Rockies closer but was undependable the last time he had the job. Edwar Ramirez is likely to be cut when Joe makes his first move.

Utility: B+. Justin Upton should make a big leap this year and will see the bulk of the action at UT. Gary Sheffield and Nick Swisher are likely roster filler and will probably be free agents relatively quickly. Yunel Escobar might actually end up being a better option than starter Tejada.

History: D. Last year was an F for the first-year franchise, but the Crew received the all-important lesson in what not to do during 2008. If he can build off his mistakes, Joe has a shot at making the playoffs with this group.

Report Card: B, A-, B, C+, B+, D.

Final Grade: B-

Shockers

Infield: B+. A lot of good names in this group, but I feel a couple of them will fall short in 2009. Kevin Youkilis is due for a regression in his numbers, and Garrett Atkins would become irrelevant if traded from Colorado. Brandon Phillips regressed last year, but should still be solid. Chris Iannetta and Troy Tulowitzki are two building blocks in Colorado and have good fantasy outlooks.

Outfield: B+. Josh Hamilton is a great first OF, if just a tad overrated due to his inflated RBI total from last year. Shane Victorino is a five-tool threat and good as a third OF. Cameron Maybin will finally get a full-time job, though I wouldn’t bank on consistently-good production this year. His inclusion drags this group into B territory.

Starters: B. Josh Beckett is fantastic, if he can stay healthy. Ryan Dempster was a reach, as he’s unlikely to approach his 2008 numbers. Chris Young is a good bounce-back candidate in cavernous Petco Park. Ubaldo Jimenez will likely break through this year, even in Colorado. Andy Sonnanstine and Hiroki Kuroda are solid matchup options.

Bullpen: C-. Matt Lindstrom is already banged up, and since he is unproven in the closer role he is unlikely to get a crack at the job if someone else steps up and outperforms him. Joel Hanrahan is solid but not ready to be any fantasy team’s top closer. The clock is already ticking on George Sherrill, who might get the Shockers a handful of saves early before the Orioles turn to Chris Ray.

Utility: C. Pat Burrell is a good power bat when the team needs HRs/RBIs,and Willy Taveras will be in the lineup when the team needs SBs. Orlando Cabrera and Mike Lowell are cut candidates.

History: D. The Shockers were just as bad as the Crew last season, losing in the consolation tourney to finish dead last in the standings. A new year turns a new page for the franchise, and the outlook is bright, but this team is going to need significant upgrades during the season to contend.

Report Card: B+, B+, B, C, C, D.

Final Grade: B-

.500-ish

These teams could be playoff teams, or they could become lackadaisical in their day-to-day management and fall by the wayside. With the quality of the league as high as ever, it makes it even harder for middling teams to succeed. Who will catch the breaks?

DL Bound

Infield: C-. Michael Young doesn’t qualify at third yet, so this team is without a 3B. When Young is eligibile, his numbers still make for poor production from the hot corner. Mike Aviles isn’t going to hit for that high an average and doesn’t contribute much else. Dan Uggla adds big power at a power-starved position. Russell Martin and Justin Morneau keep this group from reaching D level.

Outfield: C+. Carlos Quentin probably won’t be able to repeat his 2008 numbers, making him a weak OF1. Curtis Granderson contributes across the board and is a great fantasy player. Chris Young, along with Dan Uggla, will keep this team’s average low.

Starters: C. Cole Hamels is an excellent ace, but there’s not much after him. I certainly wouldn’t trust Carlos Zambrano to regain form. Chris Carpenter looks good so far and will be a key to DL’s success. I’m not too high on Mike Pelfrey or Jesse Litsch.

Bullpen: B. Carlos Marmol is one of the best relievers in the game, and if he’s the closer in Chicago he should rack up a lot of saves. Francisco Cordero and Brian Wilson combine to give this team a great shot at winning saves every week.

Utility: A-. Johnny Damon is a great all-around player and will contribute across the board. Carlos Gomez is a speedster that can help with SBs. Coco Crisp is one of my breakout candidates this year, and James Loney could also play a prominent role. Hideki Matsui might need to be cut for a 3B.

History: B+. DL Bound finished third in the regular season last year, winning 57% of their games. I don’t see a repeat with this group, but I expect Dewey to make some smart adds throughout the season to contend for the playoffs again.

Report Card: C-, C+, C, B, A-, B+.

Final Grade: B-

Reverend Horton Heat

Infield: C+. Ian Kinsler is a top talent at 2B and a great keeper for the future. Ryan Doumit has a good shot at being in the top half of starting catchers. After that, the Reverend’s infield is filled with below-average infielders that are probably past their prime. All you can really count on from Derek Jeter now is a good average and a couple HRs and SBs. Derrek Lee doesn’t bring a lot of power to 1B, a position where you need to find a power bat. Adrian Beltre is in a walk year, so that’s good.

Outfield: A-. Carlos Beltran and Manny Ramirez are the backbone of this offense and will keep the Heat competitive in HR and RBI each week. Torii Hunter is a great, consistent third option in the outfield. If the good Reverend is to get back to the playoffs in 2009 after missing out last year, these guys need to stay healthy and productive.

Starters: C. John Lackey is a low-end SP1, but his consistency makes him a safe keeper. Cliff Lee is due for a regression, though I don’t think it will be as bad as some people predict. The rest of the rotation is pretty mundane, featuring the low-K numbers of Chien-Ming Wang, the limited upside of Jair Jurrjens and Oliver Perez, and the complete regression due from Joe Saunders (hint: don’t count on 17 wins). This team will struggle to win Ks each week, even if Mark Prior finds the time machine.

Bullpen: A. John Papelbon and Francisco Rodriguez give Chance the best 1-2 bullpen punch in the league. People are anticipating that Chris Ray takes back the closer job sooner or later. If the Heat finds another closer, they are the easy favorite to win saves.

Utility: B-. Conor Jackson has some upside, but not enough to call him a breakout candidate. Eric Byrnes might be on the D-Backs bench more often than not. Rick Ankiel is a good option to stick in at UT when the Reverend needs an extra HR or two.

History: B. Chance is good to play around .500 every year and to sneak into the playoffs more often than not. If he’s stuck keeping two closers again though, the future won’t look as bright as the past does. Manny is a likely keeper moving forward to add to the Kinsler/Beltran group, but who else will step up?

Report Card: C+, A-, C, A, B-, B.

Final Grade: B

Eradicators

Infield: A-. Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera give the ‘Cators an edge on anyone at the CI spots. Geovany Soto is one of the top catchers in the league after only one full year. Jhonny Peralta is an underrated SS that will bring some nice pop to the table. Howie Kendrick is the obvious weak link of this group, but his mediocrity can be overcome.

Outfield: B-. Vernon Wells has returned from his month-long absence caused by injury, but it’ll be a little while till he can regain his game. Jayson Werth is one of my favorite sleepers this year, and quality numbers are right there for him if he can stay healthy. Andre Ethier is a relative unknown but still starter-quality with some upside. This group needs a go-to number-one option.

Starters: A-. Tim Lincecum and Dan Haren are an enviable start to any rotation, but the talent dries up after them. Daisuke Matsuzaka isn’t nearly as good as his ERA would lead you to believe. Armando Galarraga came out of nowhere last year, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him go right back. Johnny Cueto is the interesting name here, a young guy who flashed superior skills at times last year. He and Randy Johnson keep this group in the A grade. Dana Eveland is an interesting sleeper and barely made my top 75 SPs.

Bullpen: B+. Joe Nathan and Joakim Soria are fantastic pieces of the pen, but the ‘Cators need to find one more closer to assure they win saves most weeks. Scot Shields is great for what he is, a guy that helps keep ratios low and vultures some wins.

Utility: C. Jorge Cantu is unlikely to repeat last year’s numbers, and with two big roadblocks at 1B and 3B, he is likely to be traded. Randy Winn and Steven Pearce should soon be free agents.

History: B-. With 2007 champion Snorting HGH out of the league, the Eradicators are the last current team other to win a championship other than the HornDawgs, with that title coming in 2003. The last few years haven’t been kind to Ray though, despite winning the consolation tourney. Robbing Jake of Albert Pujols could be a big step to getting back to the top.

Report Card: A-, B-, A-, B+, C, B-.

Final Grade: B+

DILLIGAF

Infield: A. Hanley Ramirez, Mark Teixeira, Brian Roberts, Evan Longoria. Bengie Molina could be Jose Molina and this would still be the best infield in the game.

Outfield: B-. Carlos Lee is a solid first OF. Ryan Ludwick has to prove that his 2008 explosion wasn’t a mirage. Jermaine Dye is a dependably good player, albeit with no upside.

Starters: C-. I’m a big Ervin Santana fan, but he’s due to be out for at least a month, and it will probably take him even longer to regain top form. He should be a weapon come playoff time, if Chris makes it that far. Justin Verlander and Aaron Harang have to prove they can rebound, and as the team’s second and third starter (and top two starters will Santana is injured), this is an overly weak rotation. Matt Cain is solid as a SP4 and has upside. With no other SPs on roster, this team could struggle for wins and strikeouts.

Bullpen: A-. Mariano Rivera and Jose Valverde make a great twosome at the top of the bullpen. Kevin Gregg could potentially close in Chicago. The club will be lucky to eek out any saves from Troy Percival, while Dan Wheeler will contribute good ratios.

Utility: B+. Brad Hawpe is consistently good and will bring some very nice numbers to the UT slot. Ivan Rodriguez could be cut if Bengie Molina starts out hot. Xavier Nady and Milton Bradley will be lucky to survive a month on the team.

History: B. This club has improved each of the last four years and made the playoffs in 2008 with a .548 win percentage. If the trend continues, Chris could compete for a top-two seed this year. It will be interesting to see how the league’s biggest streamer contends with the transaction cap.

Report Card: A, B-, C-, A-, B+, B.

Final Grade: B+

Contenders

These teams are either really strong heading into the season, or have a track record of regular season success that gives them the benefit of the doubt. In some cases, both of these axioms apply.

Crazy Spaniards

Infield: B. Ryan Howard keeps C-Span in contention for HRs and RBIs every week. Jose Lopez is an underrated 2B with some pop and good average. Chris Davis is the highly-touted breakout candidate for 2009. Even if he falls short of expectations, he should still be an above-average 3B. Manny Burris is a black hole at SS, and I don’t expect Matt Wieters to break camp with the team.

Outfield: A-. Ryan Braun and Alfonso Soriano are two of the top OFs in the league and are locked into the starting lineup. Denard Span has to fight for playing time in Minnesota, so it will be up to the Spaniards to find a quality third OF if Span fails.

Starters: A. CC Sabathia and Brandon Webb are great anchors to a rotation, and Roy Oswalt, Scott Baker and Felix Hernandez give C-Span the advantage in pitching against any team. Mark Buerhle and Andy Pettitte are reliable, low-risk guys, while Wandy Rodriguez has a ton of upside. Sean Marshall is an OK gamble but might be cut so the team can address other needs.

Bullpen: D+. Joey Devine is a decent sleeper this year but has had injury problems in the past. Anthony Reyes is due to finally become a quality starter, but the Spaniards would be better off with a top MR on the bench to use when Reyes doesn’t start.

Utility: C+. Ryan Zimmerman is solid as a 3B, but you can do better in the UT spot. Erick Aybar will see time if Burris fails. This team is missing at least one quality bat.

History: A. The Crazy Spaniards are always in the playoffs, and more often than not they have some measure of success, including last year’s second place finish. Cid can always be counted on for smart in-season pickups and remains a virtual lock to make the playoffs.

Report Card: B, A-, A, D+, C+, A.

Final Grade: B+

Cherry Poppers

Infield: A. Brian McCann and Chase Utley are tops at weak positions, giving the Poppers a big advantage. Jimmy Rollins is another elite option and gives this team the best MI in the league. Chipper Jones is a beast when healthy, and Carlos Pena’s power rounds out this impressive group.

Outfield: B-. Jacoby Ellsbury is a solid OF2, but as the team’s best outfielder, he’s a little weak. The speed will definitely be there though. Jay Bruce could join the elite at OF this year and be the OF1 this team needs. Raul Ibanez is solid but unspectacular.

Starters: B. James Shields isn’t a top SP1, but he’ll do just fine and be a quality arm. A.J. Burnett is a health risk and could put it on cruise control after signing a big contract. Josh Johnson came back strong last year and is primed for a great 2009. Clayton Kershaw is a top young SP who still needs refinement. Same goes for Chris Volstad. Derek Lowe is a great example of good pitcher, low ceiling.

Bullpen: A-. Brad Lidge is a great RP1, while Bobby Jenks is locked into the closer role in Chicago. Chad Qualls should do well with the job in Arizona, and Jason Motte was a shrewd pickup, as he’s now looking like the favorite for saves in St. Louis, with Chris Perez being the other main candidate.

Utility: C+. Lastings Milledge should be good for steals and some power. Josh Anderson is a likely waiver candidate.

History: B+. The Poppers rebounded from a poor 2007 to win third place last year, and the team is set up to contend yet again this year. I expect them to work the wire well and solidify the OF.

Report Card: A, B-, B, A-, C+, B+.

Final Grade: B+

LaBlais

Infield: A-. David Wright and Jose Reyes are elite fantasy players and the anchor of this offense. Lance Berkman proved he still has a lot left in the tank. Robinson Cano struggled last year but should be back to his normal numbers in 2009. Pablo Sandoval is a great pickup at catcher, as he should play more than regular catchers since he actually is in the field instead of behind the plate.

Outfield: A-. B.J. Upton is primed for a power breakout, and he could conceivably be a 25/40 guy. Nick Markakis and Alex Rios are both great young OFs that contribute across the board. The Blaze should be very happy with this entire offense.

Starters: B+. The team doesn’t have a fantasy ace, but if Francisco Liriano can regain form, he could be that guy. Jon Lester is another emerging young pitcher with a shot at making the leap. My favorite of this group is Zach Grienke, and I think his performance will be huge for The Blaze. Edinson Volquez is looking to build on a great rookie year. Erik Bedard has bounce-back potential.

Bullpen: B+. Jon Broxton has the opportunity to join the elite level of closers. Heath Bell has been consistently great and should transition into the closer role just fine. Brandon Lyon is the lead candidate for saves in Detroit, while Brad Ziegler will look to snipe some saves in Oakland.

Utility: B+. Nelson Cruz is the top sleeper of 2009, and could approach 30 HRs and 20 SBs in Texas. Alex Gordon is another good young bat but likely won’t play for The Blaze. Adam Jones is a waiver candidate, while Matt LaPorta is a year away from fantasy relevance.

History: B+. This team played well in 2008 but missed the playoffs. Consistently over .500, The Blaze should be back in the playoffs this year.

Report Card: A-, A-, B+, B+, B+, B+.

Final Grade: B+

Fear & Arrogance

Infield: A. It’s possible that all of these guys finish in the top-five at their positions in 2009. Mike Napoli has unmatched power potential at catcher. Prince Fielder and Dustin Pedroia are safe, reliable guys. Aubrey Huff blew up last year and has the skill-set to repeat. And Stephen Drew is one of the top, emerging shortstops in the game.

Outfield: A+. Even with Holliday’s expected regression from leaving Coors Field, this is still an amazing outfield. Grady Sizemore is the consensus top OF in fantasy baseball. Jason Bay had elite numbers hitting in Boston. And while Holliday will lose some power, he’s still starter-worthy and top-notch as a OF3.

Starters: A-. While the team doesn’t have a true fantasy #1, the combination of Chad Billingsley and Scott Kazmir makes up for it. Ricky Nolasco is undervalued pitching in Florida and would be a good second starter on a lot of teams. John Danks probably won’t have the same level of success but should be solid, while Kevin Slowey has great control and can sustain small ratios. John Maine and the health of Ben Sheets drags this group down just a bit.

Bullpen: D+. Mike Gonzalez is a solid second closer but shouldn’t be counted on for all a team’s saves. Jose Arredondo should help with ratios but doesn’t have a shot a closing. F & A should look to bring in one or two closing candidates to strengthen this weakness.

Utility: A. You won’t find a UT much better than Nate McLouth, who is like a light version of Sizemore. Edwin Encarnacion is likely trade bait. Ryan Theriot is a good sub for Drew when the team needs steals. Jeff Francoeur is a waiver candidate.

History: A. Fear & Arrogance is entrenched in the playoff picture every year, though last year’s sixth-place finish was lower than usual. This team has reached the title game in three of the last five years and should always be considered a favorite to win.

Report Card: A, A+, A-, D+, A, A.

Final Grade: A-

The HornDawgs

Infield: B. Alex Rodriguez’s absence will hurt, but it shouldn’t prevent this team from making the playoffs. Joey Votto is a great young 1B that’s only getting better. Alexei Ramirez has been compared to a young Soriano. J.J. Hardy has elite power at SS. Jorge Posada could bounce back and is a solid last-round selection. Mark Reynolds will fill in for A-Roid and offers great power and good SB potential.

Outfield: A-. Carl Crawford and Adam Dunn combine to give great power and speed numbers in the outfield, while Corey Hart fills up the stat sheet in both categories.

Starters: A. Johan Santana and Jake Peavy are arguably the best 1-2 combination of aces in the league. Yovani Gallardo is expected to break out after an injury-lost 2008. Ted Lilly has been consistently excellent since joining the Cubs. Brett Myers looked like his old dominant self in the second half. Gil Meche has turned into a reliably good SP. Manny Parra is the weak link and likely to be cut soon.

Bullpen: B+. Kerry Wood is a dominant closer if he can stay off the DL. Matt Capps has been excellent when called upon, though his save opportunities tend to be few and far between. Trevor Hoffman can still rack up saves. Huston Street is the wild card here.

Utility: A. David Ortiz’s power bat in the UT spot help make up for any deficiencies the offense might have.

History: A+. Four championships in the last five years. The HornDawgs have never finished lower than third nor had a sub-.500 winning percentage. Could this be the year the Dawgs finally fall? The quality of the league is better nowadays, so it’s definitely possible.

Report Card: B, A-, A, B+, A, A+.

Final Grade: A-

2008 NFFL Draft Review

2008-05-20T15:50:00.003-05:00

The (apparently) highly-anticipated review of the 2008 NFFL Draft is live! Here is a team-by-team look at the draft:

Washington Braves

RB Darren McFadden (1.01)
QB Erik Ainge (5.12)

The Braves took the consensus #1 pick in the NFFL Draft when they selected Darren McFadden #1 overall. McFadden has all the big-play potential in the world, but I worry about him holding up over a 16-game season as the feature back. Expect to still see plenty of Justin Fargas in Oakland. For the Braves, McFadden looks like the long-term replacement for Edgerrin James, who has entered the downside of his career. DeAngelo Williams doesn't look like he'll get a fair shot in Carolina, so it was critical for Washington to bring in another RB that can possibly be an every-week starter with LaDanian Tomlinson. Erik Ainge is a nice no-risk, potentially high-reward pick. The Jets still don't have a unquestioned #1 starter, so if Kellen Clemens doesn't develop into that player maybe Ainge can.

Bertrand Ground Force

Here's what the Ground Force draft could/should have looked like:

RB Jonathan Stewart (1.02)
QB Joe Flacco (2.02)
RB Ryan Torain (3.02)
RB Mike Hart (4.02)

Carson City Bandits

RB Jonathan Stewart (1.03)
WR James Hardy (1.11)
LB Dan Connor (2.01)
LB Jordan Dizon (2.03)
QB Brian Brohm (2.04)
WR Malcom Kelly (2.08)
WR Earl Bennett (2.09)
QB Josh Johnson (2.10)
DE Chris Long (2.11)
DE Derrick Harvey (2.12)
WR Limas Sweed (2.15)
RB Ryan Torain (3.06)
RB Steve Slaton (3.10)
WR Keenan Burton (4.10)
DT Sedrick Ellis (5.15)

How many of these guys can Carson City possibly sign? Even if they have to trade a few more of these players, the Carson City Bandits made out like a, well, bandit in the draft. Jonathan Stewart will be an instant starter and should quickly establish himself as a scoring threat. Stewart averaged over a TD a game in college. One of the best picks in the draft could turn out to be Ryan Torain, whom I had graded as a first-round NFFL pick. The Broncos staff sees visions of Terrell Davis in Torain, an ideal back for Denver's scheme. Stewart and Torain could wind up being an excellent 1-2 tandem as soon as this year. Steve Slaton was another great value pick, but has since been shipped to Japan.

The Bandits drafted several receivers, and my two favorites of the bunch are first-rounder James Hardy and late-second rounder Limas Sweed. Hardy measures six-and-a-half feet tall, giving him an advantage over every CB out there. Look for the Bills to utilize him in the red zone, which could lead to Hardy scoring double-digit TDs in his rookie season. Sweed was the victim of bad luck, getting injured in his senior year; otherwise he'd have mostly been the #1 WR in this draft and a sure first-round pick. He will only be a third WR to start his career but could eventually take Hines Ward's spot. He's been traded to the Raiders with the Bandits picking up a future first-round pick in the trade. Malcom Kelly has a shot at being an eventual producer for Carson City. Earl Bennett will struggle to adjust to the NFL and I think he'll end up being a wasted pick. I don't see Keenan Burton contributing either.

The Bandits selected two QBs in the second round, the first being Brian Brohm. Once a top-of-the-first-round projection, Brohm fell out of favor and landed in Green Bay at the end of the second round. He'll push Aaron Rodgers to start, but has no guarantee of playing time going forward. What made this a peculiar pick is that there was another QB on the board that is guaranteed a shot at being a starting NFL QB, so I think Carson City made a mistake by picking Brohm. Josh Johnson, the Bandits' other QB selection, could also develop into a starting NFL QB. His problem is as much athleticism and upside as he has, he's not a very good passer. This will limit his NFFL numbers even if he gets the starting gig in the future.

On defense, the Bandits came away with two potential starters on the defensive line and two more at linebacker. Carson City used their first two second-round picks on LBs Dan Connor and Jordan Dizon. Connor is the more highly-touted prospect, but suffered a free-fall in the NFL draft before landing in Carolina. He will be played at MLB, but the Panthers have rejected the idea of moving Jon Beason outside. If Connor is to have any playing time, it will likely have to be outside. Dizon is the reverse case, as the Lions drafted him while Dan Connor was on the board presumably because they wanted Dizon to play outside. It has come to light that Detroit plans on playing Dizon at MLB, making him a very good potential point-scorer behind the Lions' weak DL. I see Dizon getting a majority of starts for Carson City this year. Toward the end of the second round, the Bandits added pass-rushers Chris Long and Derrick Harvey. Both have a good shot at being successful NFL players, but Long has much more potential than Harvey, so it was a good move by the Bandits to stick with Long and trade Harvey. Sedrick Ellis is a fantastic gamble at the end of the draft as we know he'll receive a lot of playing time in New Orleans.

Boston Inferno
RB Rashard Mendenhall (1.04)
RB Ray Rice (1.15)
LB Xavier Adibi (3.01)
S Kenny Phillips (3.03)
RB Justin Forsett (4.15)

Rashard Mendenhall will be a fantastic pro, as he's good at the little things that come with being an NFL RB like pass-protection and moving the pile. He'll eventually supplant Willie Parker as the feature back and in my opinion will be the best player to come out of this NFFL draft. Ray Rice could be a nice complement to Willis McGahee, but he won't get more than 100 carries a year, making this a questionable use of a first-round pick to anyone but Boston. The Inferno of course have McGahee on their roster, so this was a case of locking up an entire team's backfield in case of injury. The next two Boston picks were used on defense with the Inferno adding Xavier Adibi and Kenny Phillips. Adibi will start his career as Morlon Greenwood's backup; however, the Texans have unproven Zach Diles starting on the strong-side so Adibi might eventually end up there, making him a solid pick in the third-round but with a lower ceiling than most LBs. Phillips on the other hand has the best scoring potential out of any DB in this draft and shouldn't have lasted to the third round. Justin Forsett doesn't have a future in the NFFL. The Inferno do have to be taken to task for not selecting a player with their fifth-round pick, missing the opportunity to add someone to their taxi squad. In my mind there were at least five undrafted rookies that could potentially develop into starters in the NFFL, so to pass on taking one is bad form.

Chicago Goodfellas

RB Matt Forte (1.05)
RB Felix Jones (1.07)
QB Matt Ryan (1.08)
WR Devin Thomas (1.09)
QB Joe Flacco (2.05)

When we look back on this draft in three years, I think Chicago might end up being the biggest winner of all. Matt Forte and Felix Jones will probably begin their careers in backfield-by-committees. Forte will battle highly-paid Cedric Benson with the Bears. With the consistently-underrated Forte having more talent than the former first-rounder, the rookie should eventually be the feature back for both Chicago teams. I was personally crushed that Forte was selected the pick before mine, though I knew it was nearly inevitable. Jones split time in college and will continue to do so in the NFL. But Marion Barber's contract is up after this year, so there's a possibility that Jones could get the lion's share of carries starting in 2009. The Goodfellas also drafted the top-rated WR in the draft with the selection of Devin Thomas. With the Redskins rebuilding the passing game (they used three second round picks on pass catchers), Thomas could see a lot of playing time immediately.

The Goodfellas won this draft with their picks at the QB position. With only the inconsistent Vince Young and the much-maligned Jake Delhomme at the position, Chicago brought in the draft's top two signal callers. Matt Ryan is as great off the field as he is on the field, which was very important to the Falcons when they drafted him to be the new face of the franchise. He'll be starting by 2009 at the latest and will get the opportunity to mature along a couple of young WRs in Roddy White and Laurent Robinson. Joe Flacco, the QB that had the Ravens hopping up and down the draft board, was a great value in the middle of the second round. If his game translates well to the NFL and he makes the necessary adjustments, he has the potential to be even better than Ryan. Either way, the Goodfellas likely received a future starter and a future solid QB2 for their team at worst.

Austin Predators

RB Kevin Smith (1.06)
RB Jacob Hester (4.07)
CB Leodis McKelvin (4.11)
CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (4.16)
RB Xavier Omon (5.05)

Never one to rely too much on the NFFL Draft, the Predators ended up trading a couple of their picks away for future draft picks, including first-rounder Kevin Smith and fifth-rounder Xavier Omon. Smith is walking into the same scheme he ran at college and he doesn't have a whole lot of competition, making his path to playing time much easier than most of the RBs listed above him. He's not without negatives though, as he's run into off-field problems and has been leaned on heavily in his college career, including a 400+ carry 2007 season. Omon was amazing in college but doesn't have a shot at starting behind Marshawn Lynch. The Chargers gave up quite a bit to move up and select Jacob Hester. News from San Diego has him sticking at tailback, meaning he's the likely replacement for Michael Turner. The Predators used two late fourth-round picks on the top two CBs in this draft, Leodis McKelvin and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, with the thinking that quarterbacks like to pick on rookie CBs. Both players should start for their NFL teams, meaning they could rack up quite a bit of tackles and/or interceptions early on, depending on how good they are in the NFL.

Utica Devils

RB Chris Johnson (1.10)
WR Donnie Avery (1.12)
LB Jerod Mayo (1.16)
DT Glenn Dorsey (2.06)
QB Chad Henne (2.07)
RB Jamaal Charles (2.16)
WR Eddie Royal (3.15)
DE Quentin Groves (4.06)
DE Lawrence Jackson (5.06)

A team in the midst of rebuilding, the Devils did a good job bringing in a lot of talent. Moreover, the players they selected for the most part have large roles with their NFL teams in the future, so that will mitigate bust potential somewhat. However, with a number of their picks I feel the Devils passed on better players at the same position they drafted. This wasn't the case with their first pick, as Chris Johnson was the last first-round RB on the board and drew consideration as high as #6 overall. He has been compared to Reggie Bush and the Titans plan to use him in a similar role. If Tennessee switches to an option attack, with LenDale White up the middle and Vince Young and Johnson on the outside, it could be potentially very difficult to defend. Not that it will happen. Donnie Avery was selected 12th overall, which is much too high for a guy I think has the ceiling of a #3 WR. Jerod Mayo is a solid end-of-the-first-round pick and should eventually rack up the points starting in New England.

In the middle of the second round, Utica picked up Glenn Dorsey, a player whom many considered the best player in the NFL draft. His upside is limited in our format as he won't get a whole bunch of sacks. Next came Chad Henne, a quarterback the Dolphins reportedly love. Henne is favored to eventually start in Miami, and with their offensive line being improved he has the potential to score some points and turn into a solid contributor down the line. Jamaal Charles won't have the chance to start in Kansas City, but he does have a nice skill set. Still, I would have liked to see Torain picked here for his starting potential. Eddie Royal was a great pickup at the end of the third round, and I think he'll end up playing more than Avery for the Devils. He'll start out as a return man but will be in the starting lineup in the future. The Devils used their last two picks on defensive ends. Fourth-rounder Quentin Groves has the higher big-play potential and could be a double-digit sack monster. Fifth-rounder Lawrence Jackson is the better all-around player and the better pick. Both should see action for Utica.

Fairfax Foxes

LB Keith Rivers (1.13)
WR Mario Manningham (3.08)
DE Phillip Merling (3.09)
RB Tim Hightower (4.13)
WR Arman Shields (5.07)
TE Dustin Keller (5.10)
LB Bryan Kehl (5.13)

While not expected to play in the middle, Keith Rivers is still filled with upside. As a high first-round pick, the Bengals will commit to using him as much as possible, which should lead to a bunch of tackles. He's a guy whom I wouldn't have been surprised to see taken in the top ten picks. Mario Manningham is likely one of those college players that doesn't have what it takes to be a good NFL player. He's a big name guy, though, so using a middle-third round pick on him seems about right. However, I don't see him succeeding. Phillip Merling probably won't get a lot of sacks, but he's a good run-stopping DE and could wind up with solid numbers based mostly on tackles. Tim Hightower was an excellent fourth-round pick, drawing comparisons to Marion Barber. He'll help lighten the load for Edgerrin James and could be worth a spot-start or two in the NFFL. Out of their three fifth-round picks, I only see Dustin Keller as possibly contributing for the Foxes. Arman Shields and Bryan Kehl are eventual free agents.

Halifax Armada

LB Curtis Lofton (1.14)
WR Jordy Nelson (2.14)
LB Taveras Gooden (3.11)
WR Early Doucet (3.14)
QB John David Booty (4.14)
RB Peyton Hillis (5.14)
RB Thomas Brown (5.16)

At the end of the draft, Halifax wasn't a team that stuck out in my mind as having a great draft. However, after seeing their group of players as a whole this has got to be one of my top-three favorite drafts. I love the Curtis Lofton pick and see him as the 2008 NFFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, barely beating out Jordan Dizon and Keith Rivers. He'll get a boatload of tackles behind a weak defensive line, and he has the talent to capitalize on the opportunity to start. Jordy Nelson is buried on the Green Bay depth chart. He is still learning the WR position after beginning his career on defense. With 122 catches last year, he looks like a quick learner. I see him and Greg Jennings as the eventual starters in Green Bay, meaning that the Foxes will have a very good WR on their hands if they can be patient with Nelson. Taveras Gooden was an absolute steal late in the third round, as he'll be a future starter on the Ravens (aka LB Heaven) for a long time. Early Doucet is another underrated player I really like. He'll fill Bryant Johnson's role in Arizona and could eventually start when the Cardinals decide they can't pay big money to keep Anquan Boldin.

I completely regret thinking John David Booty would make it to my fifth-round pick, passing on him twice in the fourth round. His skill set matches Minnesota's West Coast offense, and QB is the only big weakness in Minnesota. When the Vikings give up on Tarvaris Jackson, Booty will be there to possibly make a Tom Brady-like impact on that team. I don't like the pick of FB Peyton Hillis at all, but then again, Mike Anderson used to be a Denver fullback. Can't say I like Mr. Irrelevant Thomas Brown either.

Lower Saxony Patriots

WR DeSean Jackson (2.13)
DE Vernon Gholston (3.05)
WR Jerome Simpson (3.12)
LB Phillip Wheeler (3.13)
RB Jalen Parmele (4.09)
LB Geno Hayes (4.12)
RB Jerome Felton (5.07)

The Patriots used their first pick on spark plug DeSean Jackson. He won't make an immediate impact on offense for Philadelphia (though he'll save their horrid return game) but could develop into a big-play threat in the future. I don't think he'll ever be an every-week starter in our league. Vernon Gholston was a great third-round pick, a guy many think will be a sack machine in the NFFL. If he develops into a consistent double-digit sack player, this might end up being one of the best value picks in the draft. Jerome Simpson is an NFL project, coming from a small college. He should get the opportunity to at least fill Chris Henry's role in Cincinnati. If he's successful, he could develop into Chad Johnson's successor. He's been traded since the draft. Phillip Wheeler is a guy I was targeting for my fourth-round pick, and I see him as being a solid starter in the NFFL if the Colts send Gary Brackett on his way. I don't see any of the Patriots' final three picks (Jalen Parmele, Geno Hayes, and Jerome Felton) contributing.

California Xtreme

LB Jonathan Goff (3.04)
RB Tashard Choice (3.07)
LB Shawn Crable (4.04)
S DaJuan Morgan (5.04)

I don't see either LB California selected as making a meaningful contribution in the NFFL. Shawn Crable, the team's fourth round pick, has a better chance of being useful in New England, but I don't see Jonathan Goff having any impact. The Xtreme's other two picks were excellent. Tashard Choice has an opportunity to be Marion Barber's replacement in the Dallas running game in 2009, so to get him in the third round must feel like quite a steal. DaJuan Morgan is walking into a situation in Kansas City where he can start opposite another excellent young safety, Bernard Pollard. While Pollard will score more points, Morgan has a lot of upside and is as good a pick as you'll find in the fifth round.

Cincinnati Snake Keepers

WR Will Franklin (3.16)
RB Mike Hart (4.05)
WR Lavelle Hawkins (5.02)
S Hakuri Nakamura (5.11)

Cincinnati didn't pick until the end of the third round and understandably didn't come away from the draft with a whole lot. I like Will Franklin's long-term prospects: he enters the league with a team that's had a gaping hole at WR for a long time, he has good size being over six feet tall and 210+ pounds, he had an extremely fast 40-time (4.30). Franklin could eventually team up to start alongside Dwayne Bowe, and if Kansas City ever brings in a QB they could both be every-week starters. Mike Hart had an outstanding college career but most people feel he doesn't have a big future in the NFL. His outlook was also dampened when the Colts decided to bring back Dominic Rhodes. After watching Hart in college I wouldn't bet against Hart succeeding, but the road appears to be long and winding. Lavelle Hawkins dropped on the merit of his combine numbers, but he's proven himself as a big-time player in a big-time college conference (Pac 10). I wouldn't be surprised if he outperforms Cal teammate DeSean Jackson in the NFL. Hakuri Nakamura was an interesting pick, but one that I don't see panning out.

Osan Dark Knights

LB Beau Bell (4.01)
CB Brandon Flowers (5.01)

With Andra Davis and Leon Williams not performing like starters, the Browns will give Beau Bell a chance to win the ILB spot opposite D'Qwell Jackson. Bell is huge and still quick, notching double-digit sacks from the MLB spot in college. I can see him eventually being a solid starting NFFL LB. Brandon Flowers is a fantastic tackler and will get the opportunity to succeed playing in Kansas City, a team needing long-term answers at CB.

Glasgow Warriors

QB Colt Brennan (4.08)
QB Andre Woodson (5.09)

The Warriors took a couple long-term projects at QB that are behind solid NFL starters. Colt Brennan has a better chance to pay dividends. Once thought of as a first-round pick, he was picked apart by the NFL Scouting gauntlet and lands in Washington after being picked in the later rounds. It's up to him to adjust from the June Jones offense to a pro-style offense. If he does, he could eventually compete to start for the Redskins. Andre Woodson is another guy who was at one point graded as a first-round, with some placing him in the Top Ten! He lands in New York behind current Super Bowl hero Eli Manning, so his upside for our league is limited. If he can show enough in pre-season, maybe a QB-starved team takes a chance on him down the road. Both QBs find themselves on the Glasgow taxi squad.

New North Las Mexico Vegas Raiders

No picks.

Horrible draft. Didn't pick a single player that has a chance to contribute short-term or long-term. Better luck next year. But the Raiders did trade for Limas Sweed, who should help in the future and Derrick Harvey, whom I'm not really too high on.

Greenville Storm

No picks.

A way better draft than the Raiders. Greenville actually gave up a couple first-round picks to acquire Kevin Smith, who will immediately give them depth behind Marshawn Lynch and Thomas Jones. The Storm also brought in Xavier Omon to back up Lynch and Jerome Simpson to develop at WR.

The Playoff Preview: Week 4 Update

2007-12-20T14:05:00.000-06:00

Anglia Dark Knights
Player	Pts
Kitna, Jon DET QB	17
Graham, Earnest TBB RB	21
Taylor, Fred JAC RB	6
Cotchery, Jerricho NYJ WR	8
Mason, Derrick BAL WR	2
Witten, Jason DAL TE	16
Dawson, Phil CLE PK	4
Haye, Jovan TBB DT	4
Taylor, Jason MIA DE	8
Fujita, Scott NOS LB	10
Henderson, E.J. MIN LB	8
Pace, Calvin ARI LB	11
Clements, Nate SFO CB	6
Newman, Terence DAL CB	6
Harris, Chris CAR S	12
Total:	139

Washington Braves
Player	Pts
Hasselbeck, Matt SEA QB	25
Barber, Marion DAL RB	17
Tomlinson, Ladainian SDC RB	28
Engram, Bobby SEA WR	11
Johnson, Andre HOU WR	17
Johnson, Chad CIN WR	13
Vinatieri, Adam IND PK	6
Rogers, Shaun DET DT	2
Umenyiora, Osi NYG DE	9
Brooks, Derrick TBB LB	9
Crowell, Angelo BUF LB	6
Dansby, Karlos ARI LB	10
Phillips, Shaun SDC LB	8
Reed, Edward BAL S	5
Sanders, Bob IND S	10
Total:	176

The Playoff Preview: Week 3 Update

2007-12-15T15:00:00.000-06:00

I missed one prediction last week, as the Anglia Dark Knights are proving to be a tougher opponent than I initially thought. In fact, heading into the weekend the Dark Knights look like the favorite against the 2006 champion Austin Predators. Austin has dealt with major injuries all year, and this week will be no different. The receiving corps has been decimated by injury, but the big two of Joey Galloway and Tony Gonzalez look like they will be available for this week's game. RB Selvin Young threw up a dud on Thursday, and with Dark Knights RBs Earnest Graham and Fred Taylor playing well of late the Predators have a lot to overcome after Young's three-point game. Another factor against the Predators is the weather, with QB Derek Anderson due to battle the Bills in inclement conditions. On the flip side, Anglia QB Jon Kitna is playing in sunny San Diego this week. All this adds up to a Dark Knights victory in this game.

Brady vs. Hasselbeck. Peterson vs. Tomlinson. Johnson & Johnson vs. Wayne & Fitzgerald. This is undoubtedly going to be a high-scoring shootout between the top two teams in the NFFL. Halifax Armada QB Tom Brady might be dealing with bad weather in his game, but since the opponent is the Jets he'll definitely be looking to set passing records in that game. Don't be surprised if Brady sets NFFL records in this game either. The Washington Braves struck the first blow, with WR Andre Johnson scoring 14 points on Sunday. WR Chad Johnson is in for a big game tonight against the 49ers as well. The defenses look pretty even on each side. I'm going to have to give the edge to Washington. While Brady will probably outscore Hasselbeck, Braves RB Tomlinson will get a lot of those points back, and the team's other RB Marion Barber will have a big game against the rival Eagles. I'm also wary of Halifax WR Larry Fitzgerald, who's been limited this week. The injury didn't affect him last week, so don't count him out, but I have my doubts this week. I'll take the Braves to win this game by a few points as the teams combine for nearly 350 points.

The Playoff Preview: Week 2 Update

2007-12-08T12:57:00.000-06:00

Well, I correctly predicted the winners of the first-week games. I did have the second round matchup wrong in the NFC, which amounts to a slip-of-the mind by myself in regards to the rules.

AFC Update

Anglia vs California should still be a close game, but Cali is going to be hard to beat for the rest of the playoffs. Xtreme QB Drew Brees has a fantastic matchup on Monday night against Atlanta, so the Dark Knights will need a big lead heading into the game. Dark Knights LB Scott Fujita won't be able to keep up with the Cali QB. Will the offense be able to win the game for Anglia? The RBs have great matchups. QB Jon Kitna will be throwing all day in an attempt to keep up with the Cowboys (not that that team runs the ball much anyway). I'll stick with my original prediction of a Cali win, though this will definitely be a close game.

Austin LB Zach Thomas was finally put on the IR, ending his season, so the Predators will be lining up extra DBs for their playoff games. Austin WR Joey Galloway is injured and a game-time decision, as is Predators RB Jesse Chatman. With Selvin Young back to backup status, the Predators are going to struggle mightily to score points. Cincinnati suffered an injury to Reggie Bush, but the Keepers have enough solid backups with good matchups that it shouldn't be a problem. Cincy QB Phillip Rivers is ugly on the road. But the WRs will do enough to make up for any deficiencies from the rest of the offense. I'm flipping on my prediction; the injuries prove too much for the Predators and Cincinnati wins this game.

NFC UPDATE

OK, I swtiched the teams but it doesn't change the fact that Halifax and Washington have dominated this season and will be near impossible to beat. Boston has a lot of stars on offense, and if they all play to potential then this game will be a shootout. I'll still take the team with Tom Brady though. Glasgow got a nice game from WR Bernard Berrian, so this contest could be closer than originally expected. The Braves' offense just looks too dominant and I'll stick to my prediction of them winning this game and facing Halifax in the NFC Championship.

The Playoff Preview

2007-12-01T18:05:00.000-06:00

After a long layoff, I'm back to preview the 2007 NFFL Playoffs. Will the NFC be able to take the title away from the AFC this year? Or will the AFC come through with another NFFL Bowl championship?

Round 1

Cincinnati (9-7) vs Greenville (5-11)

The Keepers are rolling into the playoffs on a hot streak, winners of three straight games (all in their division). The Keepers' offense features a deep RB rotation and a stud trio of WRs. The Cincinnati defense suffered a big loss when LB Mike Peterson went down with a season-ending injury, and if LB Lofa Tatupu (currently questionable) can't overcome his injury problems then the defense will be the ultimate Achilles' heel that brings the Keepers down. The Storm suffered a one-point loss in the last game of the season. QB Jay Cutler is solid as the starter, but the team doesn't have enough depth to overcome the loss of RB Marshawn Lynch. The Storm WRs have been absolutely abysmal this season. The strength of the team is definitely on defense, where LBs Ray Lewis, Julian Peterson and Ernie Sims are all over 110 points. The secondary and D-Line are also solid. The defense is going to have to play flawlessly for the Storm to beat the Keepers, and I don't see it happening.

The pick: Cincinnati by 22.

New Mexico (9-7) vs California (6-10)

Last week, the Xtreme toppled the Raiders 162-137 and ultimately cost New Mexico the division title. And it hasn't gotten any better this week; New Mexico QB Brett Favre was injured in Thursday's game and ended up posting a total of -2 points. With California QB Drew Brees as hot as almost any player in the league, the Raiders might have dug themselves a hole they won't be able to escape. Of course, the rest of the Raiders offense (led by WR Randy Moss) could easily pick up the slack and outscore a California offense that has been mediocre most of the season. California has the best defensive player in this game, but New Mexico has a much deeper defense. Even with the California win last week, I'd be tempted to take New Mexico if I didn't already see a -2 at the QB position.

The pick: California by four.

Fairfax (11-5) vs Glasgow (8-8)

Despite the three game swing in the records, these are two evenly matched teams when healthy. Unfortunately for the Foxes, QB Donovan McNabb is out with an injury. A.J. Feeley looked decent in his last start but is anything but a lock for a repeat performance this week. RB Brian Westbrook should have another outstanding game for Fairfax, while the solid WR corps should rack up a good number of points as well. The defense is a little sparse at LB; Bradie James played on Thursday and only managed three points. The Warriors have lost two straight heading into the playoffs, but they have a great chance at knocking off the favored Foxes. QB Matt Schaub has played well and saves Glasgow from the inevitable Eli Manning meltdown. RBs Joseph Addai and Edgerrin James highlight a great running game that can match up to the Fairfax pair of Westbrook and Maurice Drew. Glasgow has a very good defense that should lead them to a victory here.

The pick: Glasgow by 10.

Lower Saxony (10-6) vs Boston (8-8)

The fireworks started early for this contest. Inferno WR Terrell Owens had a great game scoring 21 points, a total that Patriots RB Ryan Grant matched. Patriots WR Greg Jennings tacked on another 14 to give Lower Saxony the early lead. Lower Saxony QB Ben Roethlisberger has outperformed Boston QB Peyton Manning this season and has a far better matchup than his Inferno counterpart this week. The rest of the individual matchups in this game are pretty close, but the absence of DL Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila could cost the Patriots the game. Another critical matchup is Boston's Roy Williams and Antonio Gates versus Lower Saxony's Anquan Boldin and Jeremy Shockey. Since both those matchups favor Boston, I'll give them the slight edge to knock out the defending NFC champions.

The pick: Boston by eight.

Round 2

Anglia (11-5) vs California (6-10)

The Dark Knights weren't the best team in the AFC, nor did they score the most points in their division. But smart management and key personnel decisions propelled them to a late-season surge to the division title. But the playoffs might expose the Dark Knights as a good-but-not-great team. QB Jon Kitna is good. The RBs are good but missing a star-caliber #1 back. The WRs are O.K and definitely weakened by the loss of Jerricho Cotchery. The defense is good. But the Dark Knights can ill afford to have any players not show up against a hot California team. The Anglia defense should keep them in the game, but it will be up to the offense to win it.

The pick: California by two.

Austin (9-7) vs Cincinnati (9-7)

The Predators have been overcoming injuries all season. QB Marc Bulger goes down and the team turns to David Garrard and Derek Anderson, both having exceeded expectations. RB Ronnie Brown goes down and the team turns to a Jesse Chatman/Selvin Young platoon. WR Marvin Harrison goes down and the team turns to Reggie Brown and Joe Jurevicius. LB Zach Thomas goes down and the team turns to Leroy Hill and four-DB formations. It wasn't pretty, but Austin was able to win another division title. Even without Thomas, the Predator defense has been much better than the Keeper defense, so if Austin can keep up with that great Cincinnati defense they have a good shot at winning this game.

The pick: Austin by seven.

Washington (13-3) vs Boston (8-8)

Washington started the season as the favorite to win it all, and after a blazing start and a strong finish the Braves still stand as one of the only teams with a shot at winning it all. RBs LaDanian Tomlinson and Marion Barber are capable of running the team right to a huge lead, and the pass-first Seattle defense has greatly benefited Washington QB Matt Hasselbeck. With WR Andre Johnson back for the playoffs alongside Chad Johnson, it will be very difficult for most teams to match the Braves' offense step-for-step. The depth of the LB corps doesn't leave much room for opponents to catch up on defense. Boston is a good team, but Washington is a great team.

The pick: Washington by 20.

Halifax (12-4) vs Glasgow (8-8)

Tom Brady. Adrian Peterson. Reggie Wayne. Larry Fitzgerald. Kellen Winslow. An 11-game winning streak to finish the season. Halifax is the definitive favorite to win the championship this year, averaging 160 points a game. The defense hasn't been as dominant as the offense, but everyone on the Armada defense plays well and can definitely keep up with any other defense in the league. This game shouldn't be close.

The pick: Halifax by 32.

Round 3

Austin (9-7) vs California (6-10)

This will be a brutal game, but Austin has the defensive edge and should enter this game as the favorite.

The pick: Austin by three.

Washington (13-3) vs. Halifax (12-4)

Most probably feel like this is the actual championship game, and whomever wins this game will definitely be the NFFL Bowl favorite.

The pick: Halifax by nine.

NFFL Bowl

Austin (9-7) vs Halifax (12-4)

The Predators have played well, but they are no match for the juggernaut that is Tom Brady and the Halifax Armada.

The pick: Halifax by 25.

Eleven Games Down, Two More This Week!

2007-11-02T17:55:00.000-05:00

New Mexico pulled out a last second-win over California on Brett Favre's overtime TD, keeping the Raiders one game ahead of the Predators, who had no trouble dispatching of the Bandits. Bertrand's Aaron Kampman scored 18 points, but he and Atari Bigby came up five points short of completing the Ground Force comeback against the Keepers. Cincinnati remains two games behind Anglia as the Dark Knights easily defeated Greenville this week.

In the NFC, the Glasgow Warriors suffered a hard-luck loss to Halifax, with the Warriors scoring the fourth-most points in Week 8 but still adding a tick to the loss column. Halifax's QB Tom Brady was just too much yet again and Halifax remains tied with Boston for first place after the Inferno scored a nine-point victory over Chicago. The NFC East held the only upset of the week, as the Braves suffered their second loss of the season, falling to Lower Saxony. Fairfax pounded Utica in the other NFC East game this week.

Week 9 holds another AFC vs NFC showdown and this will be the last opportunity middle-of-the-pack teams have to make a move on the division crown. After this slate of games, three single-contest weeks loom before the NFFL playoffs, and all those games will feature intra-division contests.

NFC EAST vs AFC SOUTH

Washington and Fairfax vs Cincinnati and Greenville. The NFC has the clear advantage in these four games. Washington should probably sweep, though Cincinnati will definitely put up a fight. The Cincinnati/Fairfax should be pretty entertaining.

Lower Saxony and Utica vs Anglia and Bertrand. Can the Dark Knights keep it up? They average more points per game than both of their opponents this week. DL Jason Taylor's absence will sting for Anglia. Utica and Bertrand, two usual front-runners stuck in the division mud, match up evenly.

NFC NORTH vs AFC WEST

Halifax and Boston vs New Mexico and Austin. The marquee matchup of the week features the top two teams from these two divisions, including three 7-4 teams and one 6-5 defending champion. Halifax is favored for as long as Tom Brady is the QB. Boston and the two AFC teams score about the same amount of points. Boston LB Brian Urlacher is off. Austin will be without Jesse Chatman, so a Selvin Young start might be in the cards.

Glasgow and Chicago vs California and Carson City. Despite being at the bottom of the division, the Warriors and Goodfellas score close to 130 points per game. Inversely, the Xtreme and Bandits score around 100 points per game. Glasgow is a depleted team this week and could suffer a crippling loss or two to their AFC foes, with QB Eli Manning off among others.

Good luck to everyone this week!

Week 8 Preview: Division Time!

2007-10-27T14:23:00.000-05:00

Week 8 is a very important week for the contenders. As all games are being played within the division this week, this might be the game that decides a future tiebreaker for the division title and a first-round playoff bye.

AFC SOUTH

#1 Anglia (7-3) vs #3 Greenville (4-6)

With a two-game lead in the division and a 2-0 record in intra-division play, the Dark Knights are the odds-on favorite to win the AFC South. The Storm is also 2-0 in the division, and a win here would put them right in the hunt for the division crown. Anglia QB Jon Kitna and Greenville QB Brian Griese will be facing each other this week. Griese has been excellent as the Bears starter and should thrive against a weak Detroit secondary. Kitna is usually good for solid numbers regardless of the opponent, though the Bears have a lot of talent at DB. Anglia will be without leading receiver Derrick Mason this week. Greenville has to overcome the loss of four LBs to the bye, including top scorers Julian Peterson and Ray Lewis.

#2 Cincinnati (5-5) vs #4 Bertrand (3-7)

Both teams enter the game on losing streaks after being swept in last week's doubleheader and both teams are also winless in division play. Bertrand in particular has sunk to new lows; once the class of the AFC South and perpetual division champion, the Ground Force have lost five straight and sit in the division cellar. This week will also be difficult for the Ground Force, as their top rusher and top receiver are off in Week 8. Bertrand QB Carson Palmer will need a monster week against Pittsburgh to compensate for the loss of those two key players. Cincinnati will be without top LB Lofa Tatupu but will be able to overcome the loss thanks to their new-found RB depth and solid WR corps. Cincinnati WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh is as solidly consistent as they come and WR Kevin Curtis should have a great day against a bad Minnesota pass defense.

AFC WEST

#1 New Mexico (6-4) vs #3 California (2-8)

The AFC West is looking like a two-dog race, and if California is to have any shot at coming back and winning the division they'll need to beat the division-leading Raiders in Week 8. California QB Drew Brees has stepped up his game after being a weekly Dud of the Week contender early in the season. Facing the 49ers this week, Brees should rack up a great number of points and continue his hot streak. The Xtreme will be missing top DB Roy Williams and #3 LB DeMorrio Williams this week. Xtreme leading rusher Derrick Ward is injured and will miss the game against Miami, so Reuben Droughns might be called upon to start for California. New Mexico will be missing one guy at each defensive spot but has the depth to overcome the bye. New Mexico QB Brett Favre plays a tough Denver secondary.

#2 Austin (5-5) vs #4 Carson City (1-9)

In the midst of a nine-game losing streak, the Bandits will have a tough time turning it around against a Predators team that's currently undefeated in the AFC South. Carson City's best QB is off this week, meaning the team will have to start Cleo Lemon again. Bandits RB Travis Henry is a gametime decision. As the only good option at RB for Carson City, Henry needs to play this game. The Predators lost QB David Garrard to injury for a few weeks and suffered another poor performance from Marc Bulger. Lucky for Austin, they secured Derek Anderson in a trade after Week 6. He looks like the starter from here on out and faces a bad St. Louis defense this week. Austin also lost RB Ronnie Brown to a year-ending injury and backup RB Jesse Chatman will have to fill his shoes. Austin LBs Leroy Hill (bye) and Zach Thomas (injury) are out, leaving the Predators very thin at LB. Newly-signed DB Cortland Finnegan will start.

NFC EAST

#1 Washington (9-1) vs #3 Lower Saxony (5-5)

Washington has been steamrolling through the NFFL but faces a big challenge this week against defending NFC-champion Lower Saxony. The Braves only have one active QB this week, and Tarvaris Jackson is expected to miss that game due to injury. Washington will also be without starting RB Marion Barber and #3 WR Bobby Engram, leaving the usually potent offense weakened. A bulk of the responsibility will fall on Braves RB LaDanian Tomlinson's shoulders. Washington DB Ed Reed, the team's leading DB, is also off this weekend. The Lower Saxony offense is filled with players with good matchups. Patriots QB Ben Roethlisberger faces a horrible Cincinnati defense and Patriots RB Brandon Jacobs should run wild against the Dolphins. Lower Saxony WR Anquan Boldin is off, but the team has great depth at the position.

#2 Fairfax (6-4) vs #4 Utica (5-5)

Seven of the eight NFC teams are either 6-4 or 5-5, so this week will be an important part of sorting out the playoff picture. In the NFC East, Fairfax is looking like a solid bet for a playoff spot, but another loss for Utica would put them in danger of missing the playoffs. The Devils have been resurgent after a poor start to the season. Utica QB Tony Romo has been the biggest part of putting the Devils back in the playoff race, but he will miss the game and the team has no other QB that is guaranteed playing time. Starting LB Michael Boley and DB DeAngelo Hall are also off for the Devils. Fairfax RB Maurice Jones-Drew was injured in the Monday night game and will be a gametime decision, meaning the Foxes might have to turn to a backup WR like Andre Davis on Sunday. The bye has caused Fairfax to be thin at LB, so the team will start four DBs this week.

NFC NORTH

#1 Halifax (6-4) vs #4 Glasgow (5-5)

Despite being the first- and last-place teams in the division, only one game separates the Armada and the Warriors. The division standings are more indicative of team strength; despite the 6-4 record, Halifax is tied for the league lead in points scored with the 9-1 Braves. Halifax QB Tom Brady has been unstoppable, averaging over eight points more per game than the number two scorer in the league. Armada RB Adrian Peterson looks like the starting RB for Minnesota moving forward, which only increases his already sky-high value. Halifax suffers only one key loss this week, with WR Larry Fitzgerald on a bye. Glasgow will be without RBs Larry Johnson and Edgerrin James and leading DL Darnell Dockett. The Glasgow players have good matchups by and large but will have a tough time keeping up with Halifax.

#2 Boston (6-4) vs #3 Chicago (5-5)

This Boston lineup will have a lot of holes this weekend. Leading rusher Willis McGahee, RB Jerious Norwood, leading WR Terrell Owens, K Matt Stover, top DL Jared Allen, #2 LB Donnie Edwards and #2 Ken Hamlin are all off this week for the Inferno. Any team led by Boston QB Peyton Manning will always have a chance on Sunday, and Boston has great depth at WR, with Lee Evans entering the lineup this week with Antonio Gates, Roy Williams, and Calvin Johnson. But the team has no alternatives for Stover or Allen and only a struggling Nick Collins at DB opposite Ronde Barber. Chicago has a great opportunity to gain ground in the division in this game with all the Boston byes. Goodfellas QB Vince Young should be back and WR Plaxico Burress should have a field day against Miami. Chicago will be missing two DLs but still should have the upper hand in this game.

Good luck to all of you!

Can They Be Stopped?

2007-10-24T23:56:00.000-05:00

Another couple huge games from Washington and Halifax have them on top of the two NFC divisions and tied in points scored, averaging almost 160 points a game. No other NFFL teams are within 20 points-per-game of the Braves and the Armada. So, much like the NFL's Patriots and Colts, the rest of the league is trying to figure out how to stop these juggernauts.

On to the Weekly Review:

Washington over New Mexico 164-158
Washington over California 164-125

The Braves scored the most points in Week 8 but had a difficult time disposing of the AFC West-leading New Mexico Raiders. Washington was in a hole with four players starting on Monday night. One scored zero, but the other three combined for 34 points, led by DB Bob Sanders. Washington DL Osi Umenyiora returned a fumble for a TD and notched a sack to finish with 25 points, which led the team. New Mexico was led by Randy Moss's 24 points, and QB Trent Dilfer had a positive day scoring 13. Raider DL Elvis Dumervil was tops on defense with 16. The Xtreme played very well in the other Washington game, with LB DeMeco Ryans returning a fumble for a TD and finishing with 33 points, the high score on the team. Embattled QB Drew Brees had another solid game with 18 points.

Halifax over Cincinnati 153-131
Halifax over Bertrand 153-88

The Armada actually didn't play well as a whole. The team suffered two zeroes and only one great game. Fortunately for Halfax, that great game was one of the best of the season. QB Tom Brady, the leading candidate for league MVP, threw six TDs and scored 50 points in this game, easily the best performance of the week. RB Adrian Peterson and WR Reggie Wayne also crossed into double-digits on offense, while DL Andre Carter scored 13 to lead the defense. The Keepers got a strong performance from their running game, a facet of the Cincinnati game that's getting better as the season progresses. RBs Reggie Bush and Kevin Jones combined for 30 points. K Robbie Gould and DB Rodney Harrison had the next best point total with 12. Bertrand was a mess, with one WR in the negatives and only three players in double digits, led by QB Carson Palmer's 13 points.

New Mexico over Fairfax 158-150

While the Raiders couldn't hang on against the Braves, they were able to score a split by defeating the Foxes. Fairfax also had a huge point total this week but ran into an even bigger day from New Mexico. Foxes WR Wes Welker led the team with 25 points, and QB Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook combined for 27. LB Bradie James led the defense with 17. Not to be forgotten, the New Mexico kicking game was one of the keys to victory. Raiders K Josh Brown hit 7 total kicks for 15 points, outscoring the Fairfax kicker by eight, which was the final margin of victory. Fairfax missed big days from bench WRs Andre Davis (16) and Kevin Walter (15) as well as an interception return for TD from bench DB Jonathan Joseph (17).

Boston over Cincinnati 138-131
Boston over Greenville 138-131

Yes, you read that right. The Inferno scored just enough points to beat both opponents, winning their two games by seven points each. Boston QB Peyton Manning was nice and rested after his week off and put up 20 points to lead the team. RB Willis McGahee (17) and WR Terrell Owens (16) also had big games for the Inferno, while Boston DL Jared Allen led the defense with 17. Four Greenville defenders were above a dozen points, including LB Ray Lewis with 15. QB Brian Griese led the Storm with 18 points. But bench QB Jay Cutler had 27 and would have won this game for Greenville. While the Cincinnati backs had a solid day, the best RB effort was left on the bench. Kenny Watson had 33 points go to waste this week, as either he or WR Roddy White (17) could have given the Keepers this game.

Anglia over Glasgow 129-119
Anglia over Chicago 129-93

All Anglia knows how to do is win football games. The majority might not agree with the team's roster decisions most of the time, but the fact is this Dark Knights team is now 7-3, two games up in the AFC South and in the midst of a three-game winning streak. DL Dwight Freeney scored a team-high 22 points after getting two sacks and forcing two fumbles. DL Jason Taylor returned a pick for a TD to finish with 12. RB Earnest Graham led the offense with 18 points and five other Dark Knight players had at least 11 points. Not all was great for Anglia: K Neil Rackers finished with -1 point, while LB Victor Hobson scored zero. Glasgow RB Larry Johnson notched a team-high 19 points and his running mate RB Joseph Addai was also in double digits. Glasgow QB Eli Manning fared well, throwing for two TDs and 15 points. Chicago really struggled with starting QB Vince Young hurt and not playing. RB LenDale White led the team with 18. LB David Thornton (11) and DB Michael Huff (10) were the only other Goodfellas with at least ten points.

Lower Saxony over California 138-125
Lower Saxony over Carson City 138-103

The Lower Saxony offense really showed up to play this week. Everyone on offense had at least nine points, with WR Laveranues Coles scoring 25 after catching two TDs to lead the group. QB Jeff Garcia added 21 with 316 passing yards while RB Brandon Jacobs ran for 17. WR Anquan Boldin led the pass-catchers with 14, with most of those points coming on two short TD grabs. The defense only combined for 37 points, with LB Paris Lenon (11) the only defender over eight. While Garcia had a great day and the Patriots scored a sweep, the two backup QBs actually outperformed the starter, with Chad Pennington throwing three TDs for 26 points and Ben Roethlisberger throwing four TDs for 31 points. The Carson City players were either really good or really bad. Five Bandits had at least a dozen points, with TE Heath Miller and LB DJ Williams each scoring a team-high 17 points. Every other Carson City player scored five points or less.

Fairfax over Austin 150-113

The Predators started Marc Bulger at QB and were completely underwhelmed by the results. As he's done all season, Bulger struggled throughout the game and posted several turnovers, something a healthy Marc Bulger doesn't do. The Austin QB finished with -1 point and was one of the main reasons the Predators suffered two losses this week. LBs Patrick Willis and Leroy Hill each had a team-high 13 points. DL Robert Mathis was almost as bad as Bulger and scored zero. Fairfax also received a solid game from RB Maurice Jones-Drew, who had 12 points, but Jones-Drew suffered an injury in the game and might be unavailable for a period of time.

Utica over Austin 127-113
Utica over Carson City 127-103

The Devils have risen from the dead and now sit at .500 after sweeping their games this week. Utica LB London Fletcher was outstanding, finishing with 27 points after returning an interception for a TD and totaling 13 tackles. Utica QB Tony Romo was solid with 15 points to lead the offense after passing for just one TD. A surprising facet of the Devils' two wins were the lack of WRs. Utica started three receivers that didn't score any points, which in most matchups would be recipe for failure. DLs Michael Strahan (13) and Tommie Harris (11) combined with Fletcher and DB Madieu Williams (11) to carry the offense to victories. And from the Just When Things Weren't Bad Enough Department: K Rob Bironas, he of the eight field goals, spent this Sunday on the Carson City bench.

Greenville over Chicago 131-93
Glasgow over Bertrand 119-88

Greenville and Glasgow ran into the two lowest point totals of the week en route to earning splits in Week 7. Rookie RB Marshawn Lynch led the Storm ground game with 15 points in this easy victory against a depleted Goodfellas team. Chicago could have started QB Kerry Collins, but in the grand scheme it wouldn't have made a difference. Three Glasgow defenders were in double-digits, led by LB Will Witherspoon's 13.

Week 7 Preview: Interconference Doubles!

2007-10-19T22:42:00.000-05:00

The 7-1

Washington BRAVES

If there was ever a week to look forward to playing the Braves, this is it. Washington will be without leading scorer LaDanian Tomlinson, but QB Matt Hasselbeck has a cake matchup and a potential 30-point game on the horizon against the Rams. Andre Johnson and Terry Glenn still aren't ready to play though. While the Braves aren't a pushover by any means, they will be at least weakened this week. Washington faces New Mexico and California.

The 5-3s

Chicago GOODFELLAS

The Goodfellas might be in trouble this week. QB Vince Young, the only QB on the roster, is in danger of missing this week's game. RB Jamal Lewis and WR Braylon Edwards are off, as are three LBs including defensive leader Nick Barnett. Chicago will have to rely on questionable WR Plaxico Burress and one-point Hank Baskett. Chicago looks mighty vulnerable this week. Chicago faces Anglia and Greenville.

Anglia DARK KNIGHTS

Despite trading away their best players, the Dark Knights keep winning. Anglia sits in a tie for first in the AFC South. The bye week will be pretty kind to Anglia this week, with only their top DB missing among notable players and next-to-no injuries. The receiving trio of Jerricho Cotchery, Derrick Mason and Jason Witten should put up a lot of points as all have easy matchups. Anglia faces Chicago and Glasgow.

Austin PREDATORS

If Marvin Harrison is healthy enough to play, the Austin offense will be back to its original Week 1 lineup. Marc Bulger looks ready to get back on the field, and his matchup against Seattle is much easier than David Garrard's against the Colts. Recently-acquired QB Derek Anderson is off this week. Austin faces Fairfax and Utica.

Fairfax FOXES

The Foxes have amassed the same point total as the Predators and only two more than their other opponent. The Fairfax big trio of Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook, and Maurice Jones-Drew look back on track but face difficult opponents this week. The Foxes will only be without one notable player, DB Sean Jones. Fairfax faces AFC West co-leaders New Mexico and Austin.

New Mexico RAIDERS

The Raiders are one of the few teams to suffer big losses due to the bye week. Two of their three leading scores are off, QB Brett Favre and WR Steve Smith. The Raiders have great depth at WR and might be able to make do without Smith, but Trent Dilfer will have to start at QB if Alex Smith isn't ready. New Mexico will also be missing starting LB A.J. Hawk due to his bye and two of their four DBs due to injury. New Mexico faces Washington and Fairfax.

Cincinnati KEEPERS

The bye week will also be harsh for the Keepers. DeShawn Wynn is out, though Kevin Jones or possibly Kenny Watson will be a fine replacement. Unfortunately, starting QB Phillip Rivers is also off, and backup J.P. Losman has lost his job to a rookie. Thankfully for Cincinnati, that's all for off-week players and the team is relatively healthy, but they'll be hard-pressed to score without a QB. Cincinnati faces Halifax and Boston.

The 4-4s

Halifax ARMADA

The Armada will be without TE Kellen Winslow, WR Vincent Jackson, K Nate Keading and LB D'Qwell Jackson due to byes, but with Tom Brady and Adrian Peterson lighting up scoreboards, Halifax looks like the favorite in most matchups. Kaeding is the team's only kicker and Winslow is the team's leading pass-catcher, though the Armada has excellent depth in that area. Halifax faces Cincinnati and Bertrand.

Boston INFERNO

The Inferno have a few injuries on offense, with D.J. Hackett, Laurence Maroney and Sammy Morris all hurt. Maroney looks like he might play this week, but if not, Boston will turn to Jerious Norwood, who comes off a good game last week. The Inferno will also be missing TE Antonio Gates but have great WR depth. Boston faces Cincinnati and Greenville.

Glasgow WARRIORS

The Warriors will be without their top DB Eric Wright, starting DL Julius Peppers and WR Chris Chambers, who moved on to bye-week San Diego in a trade this week. Without Chambers, the team will have to start Michael Jenkins. LB Adalius Thomas is banged up, but Glasgow has great LB depth, rostering six LBs with at least 40 points on the season. Glasgow faces Anglia and Bertrand.

The 3-5s

Lower Saxony PATRIOTS

The Patriots leading RB is off this week, and both of their other prominent RBs are in danger of missing this week's games due to injury. Brandon Jacobs has the best shot to play and will be the starter. Two Lower Saxony WRs are off, so the team will be counting on injured WRs Laveranues Coles and Anquan Boldin to play and play well this week. Luckily for the Patriots, they play the league's two lowest scoring teams. Lower Saxony faces California and Carson City.

Bertrand GROUND FORCE

The top player at each defensive position is off this week, so the depth of the Ground Force defense will be tested. DL will be a problem, with Raheem Brock forced into starting. Bertrand QB Carson Palmer has an excellent matchup against the Jets as does struggling RB Shaun Alexander, who faces the Rams. Those two will be leaned on heavily with the holes on defense. Bertrand faces Halifax and Glasgow.

Utica DEVILS

Tony Romo, the league's second-highest scorer, should feast on Minnesota's abysmal pass defense. Top WR Donald Driver and RB DeAngelo Williams are off and much of the rest of the offensve is banged up, so Romo will probably get the lion's share of offensive points. The secondary will be without Quentin Jammer, so Rashean Mathis will start as the third DB. Utica faces Austin and Carson City.

Greenville STORM

Brian Griese looked great last week, so the team will start him over Jay Cutler, who faces a great Pittsburgh defense this week. RB Thomas Jones has a fantastic matchup against Cincinnati and should lead the team in scoring. TE Todd Heap is hurt and will probably miss this week. Two DBs are off this week and LB Ray Lewis might miss the game due to injury. Greenville faces Chicago and Boston.

The 2-6

California XTREME

The Xtreme will only be missing one player because of the bye week, but Shawne Merriman is the second-best scorer on defense and will be missed. Drew Brees finally had a great week and the team looks to stick with him and hope the big numbers are the start of a trend. I wouldn't put it past the team to sneak in an upset this week, though they do have some tough opponents. California faces Washington and Lower Saxony.

The 1-7

Carson City BANDITS

Despite season-high production from Kyle Eckel and Ben Obomanu, the Bandits only scored 63 points last week and suffered their seventh straight loss. Travis Henry is back to right the ship, and QB Kurt Warner won't miss much time after being injured last week. Warner has a shot at playing in Week 7, though Carson City will go with the more-athletic Cleo Lemon. The Bandits are another team without their top DB this week. Carson City faces Lower Saxony and Utica.

Good luck!

AFC South Nail-Biters in Week 6

2007-10-18T11:14:00.000-05:00

Two games this week came down to a couple points, both occurring in the AFC South:

Anglia 136, Cincinnati 135

The Keepers entered Monday night only seven points behind the Dark Knights with WR Roddy White to play. White notched for 64 yards, giving him six points and leaving Cincinnati one point behind Anglia, putting the two teams in a tie for first place in the division. The other two Cincinnati WRs combined for 44 points and LB DeMarcus Ware scored 14 to lead the defense. The player of the game for Anglia was QB Derek Anderson, who scored 34 points after having a part in four TDs. Anderson was shipped to the Austin Predators after the game for a draft pick.

Greenville 124, Bertrand 122

Much like the game above, Bertrand entered the Monday night game within striking distance of Greenville, facing a five-point deficit with DB Gibril Wilson to play. Wilson could only manage three tackles, which left the Ground Force two points shy of a comeback. QB Carson Palmer led the Ground Force with 18 points and DL Aaron Kampman led the Bertrand defense with 17. The Greenville pass-catchers struggled mightily, with all four of them combining for six points. The two players that led the Storm to victory were QB Brian Griese with 27 and DB Charles Woodson with 20.

Halifax 183, Chicago 119

The Armada was the beneficiary of two huge games in their blowout victory over Chicago. The point totals were so huge that if you took the QB and one RB from each side, Chicago would have won the game. Halfax QB Tom Brady continued his amazing season with 43 points, which was 43 more than Chicago QB Vince Young had. Halifax rookie sensation RB Adrian Peterson broke off three long TDs to score 40 points. Chicago's leading points scorer was WR Braylon Edwards, who scored three TDs as well and ended the game with 24 points.

Washington 159, Utica 110

We had one more huge individual effort this week, and it came from reigning Offensive Player of the Year LaDanian Tomlinson. The Washington RB had four TDs and scored 44 points to lead his team to an easy victory. Braves QB Matt Hasselbeck had an excellent game as well, scoring 25, and LB Shaun Phillips led the defense with 21. The Utica offense had a hard time scoring outside of QB Tony Romo, who finished with 17 points. The other five offensive players combined for ten points. DB DeAngelo Hall was the star on defense with 23.

Glasgow 136, Boston 106

With a lot of players missing with a Week 6 bye, Boston predictably struggled to score points, getting a zero from the QB position and one of the WRs. That said, Glasgow still had to play well to beat the Inferno, and with QB Eli Manning and RBs Larry Johnson and Edgerrin James all with 14 points or more, they did just that. Glasgow DB Sean Taylor led all players in this game with 23 points after nabbing two interceptions and forcing a fumble. Still, the Warriors left a lot of points on the bench, with DL Julius Peppers getting 1.5 sacks and 25 points.

Fairfax 144, Lower Saxony 85

Bad day to be a Lower Saxony fan as seven Patriots scored two points or less and the Foxes rolled all over the defending NFC champion. Faifax only had six players score under eight points, including all three WRs. The RBs made up for that, with Maurice Jones-Drew scoring 29 to lead the team and Brian Westbrook adding 15. Fairfax QB Donovan McNabb also had 15, as did LB Thomas Howard, who led the Foxes defense. Three Lower Saxony players were in double digits, led by QB Jeff Garcia's 16. LB Barrett Rudd and DB Darrelle Revis each had 11.

Austin 146, California 105

California finally got a great game from Drew Brees and Donte Stallworth, but it was all for naught as they fell to the Predators this week. Brees led the team with 21 points on the strength of two TDs and no interceptions. Stallworth had 136 yards and finished with 19 points. Xtreme LB Shawne Merriman notched 2.5 sacks and led the defense with 18. Austin was without RB Willie Parker and his substitute only scored two points. The rest of the offense was fantastic, with QB David Garrard and TE Tony Gonzalez each scoring 22 to lead the team.

New Mexico 102, Carson City 63

In what can only be described as the ugliest game of the year, the Raiders came away with a convincing victory over the Bandits, who scored an NFFL-low 63 points. Acutally, it could have been much worse for the Bandits if not for RB Kyle Eckel's garbage time TD and Ben Obomanu's career-high 13-point game. Carson City DB Leigh Bodden was the star on defense with 13. Raiders WR Steve Smith led all players in this game with 20 while LB A.J. Hawk led the defense with 16. WR Santana Moss scored -2 and is one of the favorites for Dud of the Week.

Week 6 Preview: Better Late Than Never!

2007-10-14T00:29:00.000-05:00

Cincinnati (5-2) vs. Anglia (4-3)

This is the only matchup this week that pits the top two teams in a division against each other. Cincinnati hopes that Kenny Watson gets most of the Bengals carries. The Dark Knights need a positive contribution from Earnest Graham from here on out.

Chicago (5-2) vs. Halifax (3-4)

Halifax's offense, featuring Tom Brady, Adrian Peterson, and Larry Fitzgerald, should again be a high-scoring force. Chicago sends a none-too-scary RB tandem of Jason Wright and Lendale White into battle, though Wright has a good matchup.

Austin (4-3) vs. California (2-5)

Austin rides in high after a sweep in Week 5 against two very good teams but is decimated by the bye. If Joe Jurevicius can't play, the Predators will be forced to start Jesse Chatman. California's Drew Brees has to break out sooner or later.

Fairfax (4-3) vs. Lower Saxony (3-4)

This should be an exciting one. Fairfax's Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook are back and face an easy Jets defense. Lower Saxony's chances might rest on the health of Rudi Johnson and/or a big game from the Patriot defense.

New Mexico (4-3) vs. Carson City (1-6)

Losing six of the first seven has caused the Bandits to make some wholesale changes to the team. The Carson City offense features Kyle Eckel, Kenneth Darby, Ben Obomanu, Chris Henry, and Ted Ginn Jr. Think someone's playing for 2008? Or 2011?

Boston (4-3) vs. Glasgow (3-4)

Boston's Peyton Manning is on a bye, leaving him vulnerable. Kellen Clemens might get some action against Philly so he should be the starter for the Inferno. The Inferno will be down a WR too, leaving Glasgow as the favorite this week.

Bertrand (3-4) vs. Greenville (2-5)

The only Week 6 game featuring two teams with losing records, this one could actually be one of the high-scoring contests this week. Both defenses should pile up points, but Bertrand's Carson Palmer gives the team a big edge.

Washington (6-1) vs. Utica (3-4)

Washington should get several big games this week from Matt Hasselbeck, Bobby Engram, Chad Johnson and, of course LaDanian Tomlinson. We know Utica's Tony Romo can score, but the rest of the Devils might have a problem keeping up with the league's best team.

Second Doubleheader in the Books

2007-10-10T17:58:00.000-05:00

The WINNERS

Halifax Armada - 188 points

After five games, the Armada sported a 1-4 record despite scoring the second most points in the NFFL. Well, they made sure their bad luck wouldn't continue this week by securing the high score of the week, outscoring the #2 team by 44 points. The RB-2WR-2TE offense was a success, and all offensive players scored eight or more points, led by QB Tom Brady's 28. DB Kerry Rhodes led the defense with 23, but the spectacular play of the defensive line was the story on that side of the ball, with DLs Andre Carter and Will Smith combining for 33 points.

Cincinnati Keepers - 144 points

Not only were the Keepers the only AFC South team to secure a sweep this week, they were the only team in their division not to get swept, resulting in Cincinnati's leap to the top of the division standings. QB Phillip Rivers led the team with 28 points. The LB corps played very well, with three players in double digits including two with at least 17 points. The Keepers could have scored even more points; their leading rusher was bench RB DeShawn Wynn.

Boston Inferno - 142 points

A Week 5 sweep allowed the Inferno to gain a game on their division's leader, and Boston played well as a team. Only five Boston players scored less than nine points. QB Peyton Manning led the team with 20 and TE Antonio Gates added 18. Both RBs, both DLs, and two LBs also were in double digits. What was surprising was the lack of production at WR; Terrell Owens and Roy Williams combined for five points. That's not going to happen too many weeks.

Utica Devils - 131 points

Mired in a season-long slump, the Devils needed a big game this week to turn around their season, and a big game is exactly what they got. Despite QB Tony Romo's five interceptions and three zeroes from Utica players, Utica pulled off a sweep that included a four-point victory over the AFC West-leading New Mexico Raiders. The defense gets the game ball; four Utica defenders scored 13 points or more, including Michael Boley's team-leading 21. No Utica offensive players topped Tony Romo's 12.

Austin Predators - 130 points

The Predators had one of the toughest doubleheaders in the league, facing undefeated Washington and defending NFC-champion Lower Saxony. But thanks to a few breaks, Austin swept the contests and moved back into a tie for first in the AFC West. RB Ronnie Brown continues to lead all RBs in points, scoring 20 this week. New starting QB David Garrard turned in a solid 14. K Nick Folk had a big Monday night and scored 13. Rookie LB Patrick Willis was the only defender to top 10 points and is leading the Defensive RoY race.

Fairfax Foxes - 106 points

The Foxes struggled to score points this week with QB Donovan McNabb and RB Brian Westbrook out, but often in the NFFL it's as much who you play as how you play. Neither of Fairfax's opponents reached triple digits, providing the Foxes with a sweep in Week 5. RBs Maurice Jones-Drew (17) and Brian Leonard (13) led the team in scoring. K Stephen Gostkowski and LB Bart Scott scored 10 and were the only other players in double digits. QB Trent Edwards got the start in McNabb's absence and scored five.

The LOSERS

Anglia Dark Knights - 132 points

This was definitely not the week to be a Dark Knight fan. Despite scoring a bunch of points, Anglia caught a little bit of the Halifax syndrome, losing both games to teams that had monster weeks (ironically, one of those teams was Halifax). The defense played well, four players scoring in double digits. LB Will Witherspoon led the team with 22 and DL Jason Taylor added 18. QB Jon Kitna was the main culprit, turning in a zero.

Lower Saxony Patriots - 111 points

Losing WR Santonio Holmes during warmups definitely hurt the Patriots and set the tone for the weekend. Beside K Kris Wilson leading the team with 16 points (and it's never good when a kicker leads a team in scoring), none of the players played all too well. QB Ben Roethlisberger and WR Greg Jennings were solid, scoring 14 points each. LB Barrett Ruud led the defense with 11. No one stepped up with a big game though, something the Patriots have relied on coming from the rushing attack in the past.

Carson City Bandits - 99 points

The Bandits sink further into the depths of the AFC basement after being swept in Week 5. The two TEs played fantastically, with Ben Watson scoring 23 to lead the team and Heath Miller adding 10. The other four players on offense combined for five points and were largely responsible for the loss. The Bandits also learned that QB Matt Leinart would be lost for the season. DB Ike Taylor had a great day, scoring 17 in the losses.

Bertrand Ground Force - 97 points

The Ground Force was another team without a lot of firepower this week. WR Patrick Crayton led the team with 13 points, and only two other players scored as many as 10 points. The other two WRs scored zeroes this week. RB Shaun Alexander also played poorly, scoring two. Bench RB Kenton Keith would have won one game for Betrand if he had started, as the backup scored 27 points on the bench. Two backup pass-catchers were also in double digits, meaning Bertrand left a lot on the bench this week.

California Xtreme - 87 points

The Xtreme failed to reach the 100-point plateau again this week, with a majority of the players scoring five points or less. WR Donte Stallworth led the team with 13 and DB Michael Lewis had the most points on defense with 10. QB Drew Brees continues to fail to justify his record contract; he scored only six points against a poor secondary. Backup Jason Campbell is clearly the better QB at this point. RB Reuben Droughns, WR Brandon Stokley and DL Alex Brown only scored a point each.

Greenville Storm - 85 points

The Storm had the worst week of any team in this doubleheader, and the blame can be placed on almost the entire team's shoulders. Only LB Julian Peterson with 14 points scored in double digits. One other player had nine points (RB Marshawn Lynch) and one other player had eight points (LB Ernie Sims). WR Mark Clayton and TE Todd Heap were both shut out. It might be time to give up
on Clayton. Backups Brian Griese (18) and Richard Marshall (15) both did well on the bench and might get to start in the future.

The SPLITS

New Mexico Raiders - 127 points

The Raiders really underperformed on offense and it led to the team getting only one win this week. RBs Frank Gore and Clinton Portis combined for only 13 while WR Randy Moss scored four, his first bad game this year. QB Brett Favre (14) and Steve Smith (10) were the only decent offensive players. In fact, the Raiders might have been swept if not for the stellar play of the secondary. Both Carlos Rogers and Aaron Ross returned interceptions for TDs and combined for 42 points. Ross had two interceptions in his game.

Washington Braves - 122 points

The winning streak is over for the Braves but by getting one win the Braves still have the best record in the NFFL at 6-1. RB LaDanian Tomlinson and TE Dallas Clark both scored in double digits while the rest of the offense combined for 11 points. The defense played very well, four players scoring at least a dozen points. QB Matt Hasselbeck had a very bad game and scored only two points, but with a primetime game against New Orleans on tap for next week he should turn it around quickly.

Chicago Goodfellas - 112 points

The Goodfellas still lead the division but two NFC North teams gained a game after Chicago only managed a split in Week 5. This was another team that had lots of problems on offense mixed with a great effort from the defense. WRs Plaxico Burress and Braylon Edwards combined for 29 points; the other four members of the offense combined for five points. The RBs scored one each. However, each of the three LBs scored 15 points while DB Charles Tillman returned to the lineup to score a dozen.

Glasgow Warriors - 108 points

Glasgow was the other team to end the day with one win and one loss, and the loss caused them to slip into a tie for last in the division, two games behind Chicago. QB Eli Manning led the team with 18 and WR Torry Holt scored 16. RB Edgerrin James was decent with eight points. The other three Warrior offensive players had one point each, and that includes former workhorse RB Larry Johnson. LB Jarret Johnson led the defense with a dozen.

Congrats to the winners! To everyone else, it's time to step it up! Next week marks the halfway point of the season and a few more off weeks could have you on the outside looking in.

Week 5 Preview: The Second Doubleheader

2007-10-06T11:09:00.000-05:00

Let's attack Week 5 with a different format:

AFC South

Anglia (4-1)

The Dark Knights enter Week 5 on a three-game winning streak, having swept their first doubleheader and defeated Austin in Week 4. The bad news is that Anglia might be without Travis Henry for the rest of the year, Henry having apparently failed another drug test. After trading away Frank Gore, this news would be doubly disastrous for the Dark Knights, who would then be forced into a rotation with Fred Taylor, Warrick Dunn and Earnest Graham. QB Jon Kitna will need to continue averaging 20 points per game to keep the offense afloat. WR Derrick Mason has been limited in practice and could be a late scratch. DL Jason Taylor needs to find the spark he had in 2006. Anglia faces Boston (2-3) and Halifax (1-4) this week.

Bertrand (3-2)

A slow start has the Ground Force sitting out of first place, a rarity for the franchise, but a sweep this week should give them at worst a tie atop the division. Unfortunately, leading point-scorer Carson Palmer is off this week and the team is forced to start Steve McNair at QB. RB Shaun Alexander has a tough match against the Steelers, but it looks like Ron Dayne will start again against Dolphins, which should lead to a double-digit performance provided the team doesn't call too many outside pitches this week. Besides Palmer, the rest of the team remains intact this week, and we should get our first look at DB Atari Bigby, whom the Ground Force signed this week. Bertrand faces Chicago (4-1) and Boston (2-3).

Cincinnati (3-2)

For those who don't know, the Keepers currently carry nine RBs on the roster. This means Cincinnati has had to sacrifice depth at other positions, and even in a week where only four teams are on bye, this Cincinnati squad is having to dig deep on their rosters to find a starting lineup. Luckily, injury hasn't struck the team fatally. At WR, the Keepers will be without their top two performers, instead starting Brandon Marshall, Roddy White and Devery Henderson, the last of whom only has four points this season. At DB, the Keepers will have to hope Rodney Harrison is on the top of his game returning from suspension. Cincinnati faces Chicago (4-1) and Glasgow (2-3).

Greenville (2-3)

Greenville rolls into the Week 5 doubleheader almost completely healthy, with DB Daneil Bullocks on the IR and only TE Todd Heap and DL Kalimba Edwards threats to miss the game. However, Heap is the team's best receiver after four weeks and losing him would make sweeping the doubleheader nearly impossible. Only one other Storm WR has as many as 20 points, so the running game, Thomas Jones and Marshawn Lynch, will be relied on heavily. The Greenville LB corps has been fantastic to this point, with Julian Peterson leading the team by scoring 60 points. Big days from all four Storm LBs will be essential to the team's success. Greenville faces Glasgow (2-3) and Halifax (1-4).

AFC West

New Mexico (3-2)

The AFC's leading point scorer, New Mexico will look to extend their lead in the AFC West in Week 5's doubleheader. WRs Santana Moss and Hines Ward will miss the game and Jerry Porter is off this week. That leaves Roscoe Parrish to join Randy Moss and Steve Smith in the starting lineup. Parrish will actually see his role increase in Buffalo due to the injury to Peerless Price. Only one starting defender has more than 21 points. New Mexico will be without LB Kirk Morrison due to his off week. The secondary has been hit the hardest though. With the top DB injured and the next two DBs off, the Raiders will start Carlos Rogers and Aaron Ross, who have combined for 31 points thus far. New Mexico faces Lower Saxony (3-2) and Utica (1-4).

Austin (2-3)

After a strong start, the Predators have been in a freefall heading into a difficult Week 5 doubleheader. Both Austin and St. Louis have benched Marc Bulger, though instead of Gus Frerotte Austin will turn to David Garrard fresh off his bye. Ronnie Brown has went from the trading block to the top RB in the league in four weeks time. He'll face an improved Texans defense. Marvin Harrison looks like he'll miss this game, so the team will have to decide between Joe Jurevicius and Arnaz Battle to play alongside Joey Galloway and Tony Gonzalez. Luckily for Austin, the team might be getting back LBs Zach Thomas and Matt Wilhelm. Thomas in particular would be a huge boost to the defense. Austin faces Washington (5-0) and Lower Saxony (3-2).

California (2-3)

The Xtreme head into this week's doubleheader fresh off a seven-point win in Week 4 that took them out of the AFC West basement into a tie for second. QB Drew Brees should explode after having a week off against a bad Carolina secondary. With the top WR on the team off this week, California will be forced to start Bryant Johnson and a questionable Donte Stallworth. Brandon Stokley will see an increased role this week due to Javon Walker's injury. The only kicker on roster has a bye, as does starting DL Mike Patterson and top DB Darren Sharper. The Xtreme have struggled to score points this season, and with so many people off it looks like this week will be difficult for the team as well. California faces Fairfax (2-3) and Utica (1-4).

Carson City (1-4)

Losers of four straight, the Bandits look to be in selling mode. With the increased competitiveness of the AFC South, it will be difficult for Carson City to rebound and earn a playoff spot. QB Matt Leinart gets another start and has a great matchup. Unfortunately, he hasn't been playing all of every game, with Arizona rotating Kurt Warner in in certain situations. The Bandits might want to look to Trent Green until Leinart starts getting all the snaps. Franchise Player Javon Walker will miss this week due to injury. The team will line up with two TEs, Heath Miller and Ben Watson, each having scored 24 points this year. The team is leaning toward starting Aaron Stecker as the lone RB over Tatum Bell. Carson City faces Washington (5-0) and Fairfax (2-3).

NFC East

Washington (5-0)

The league's top team will face a couple teams on the downslope this week, giving the Braves a great shot at starting the season 7-0. Four players on the Washington offense have scored over 60 points, and only one will be off this week. Without Chad Johnson (bye) and Andre Johnson (injury), Washington will start newly-signed Reggie Williams along with Bobby Engram and TE Dallas Clark. DL Osi Umenyiora is questionable and his absence would mean the Braves only have one DL playing this week. Top DB Bob Sanders is also questionable; if he can't go, Washington would lose another couple points this week switching to Antonie Bethea or Kenoy Kennedy. Washington faces Austin (2-3) and Carson City (1-4).

Lower Saxony (3-2)

Lower Saxony will get a rematch of each of the first two NFFL Bowls in Week 5, facing the AFC's top team of 2005 and 2006. With QBs Ben Roethlisberger and Chad Pennington limited in practice, the Patriots might have to start third QB Jeff Garcia against Indianapolis. The Patriots might get back RB Brandon Jacobs this week, which would be a huge boost with Rudi Johnson and Anquan Boldin out. WRs Laveranues Coles and Santonio Holmes should start, and Lower Saxony has to decide on Greg Jennings, James Jones and Jeremy Shockey, with Jennings looking like the favorite. LB Channing Crowder will miss this week's game, meaning the team might have to start three DLs. Lower Saxony faces New Mexico (3-2) and Austin (2-3).

Fairfax (2-3)

The Foxes have the good fortune of facing the league's two lowest-scoring teams in Week 5. Don't pencil them in for two wins; Fairfax will be without QB Donovan McNabb, RB Brian Westbrook, and LB Thomas Howard, the team's three top scorers. Trent Edwards will likely start against Dallas over David Carr. Fairfax currently plans on starting RBs Maurice Jones-Drew and Brian Leonard, but with excellent WR depth that could change. All five healthy WRs have over 20 points this season; the two RBs have combined for 19 points. The Foxes are also without LB Omar Gaither, the second-best LB behind Howard, meaning Bradie James and Bart Scott will be the only LBs this week. Fairfax faces California (2-3) and Carson City (1-4).

Utica (1-4)

Utica backs into the doubleheader losers of three straight. Despite owning the league's best player in QB Tony Romo, the Devils are struggling to score points. RB Ahman Green looks should miss this week, leaving DeAngelo Williams as the only RB option. With Isaac Bruce hurt, WR Drew Bennett should be a good start this week. Due to byes and injuries, Tommie Harris is the only available DL, though he's banged up as well. Top DB Madieu Williams is on a bye, and DeAngelo Hall and Lance Briggs are both questionable and in danger of missing this week's games. That means Utica's usually great defense will struggle to score points this week. It will be Romo's job once again to keep the Devils competitive. Utica faces New Mexico (3-2) and California (2-3).

NFC North

Chicago (4-1)

The Goodfellas swept the last doubleheader and eeked out a seven-point win in Week 4, giving them a three-game winning streak heading into Week 5. QB Vince Young is back from his bye and is a threat to put up huge numbers at home against Atlanta. RB LaMont Jordan is both hurt and on a bye, so LenDale White looks to get the start next to Jamal Lewis. Plaxico Burress is questionable, and Mike Furrey would start in his absence and still give Chicago a solid offense. The Chicago defense is hurting, with six of eight potential starters either questionable or out. The Goodfellas will have to pray that they can get production from the injured group of DBs Charles Tillman, Troy Polamalu, and DL James Hall. Chicago faces Bertrand (3-2) and Cincinnati (3-2).

Boston (2-3)

Boston has a losing record despite being the fourth-best scoring team in the league and ran into the Washington juggernaut last week. The Inferno will be close to full strength this week, with no notable players on byes and only Laurence Maroney, Calvin Johnson and Freddie Keaiho listed as questionable. Maroney's absence could mean a start for Sammy Morris. Johnson is the fourth option at WR. At this point, Boston looks to start Lee Evans over those guys this week, as Evans had a promising Week 4 with Trent Edwards at QB and faces a bad Dallas secondary this week. If Keaiho can't go, the team could go with Kamerion Wimbley or rookie Anthony Spencer. Boston faces Anglia (4-1) and Bertrand (3-2).

Glasgow (2-3)

Glasgow is coming off a win over Utica in Week 4 but suffered a potentially big injury in the game. RB Joseph Addai is questionable for this week and the Colts might opt to keep him out of their game to give him two weeks off (Indianapolis has a Week 6 bye). Fortunately, the Warriors have Edgerrin James and Larry Johnson, both great starting options. QB Eli Manning looks to be starting, though Matt Schaub has an easier matchup. Only one prominent Warrior has a bye this week, Landon Johnson who leads the LB unit in points. DB Erik Coleman will miss the game, leaving Glasgow with only two DBs this week, Dawan Landry and Sean Taylor. Glasgow faces Cincinnati (3-2) and Greenville (2-3).

Halifax (1-4)

Halifax is the hard-luck team of the NFFL, having the second-most points scored in the league despite a 1-4 record. The Armada has more points than the division-leading 4-1 Goodfellas. Number two scorer in the league Tom Brady should have a field day against Cleveland. Adrian Peterson is off and Cadillac Williams is hurt, so underperforming Cedric Benson will be by himself in the Armada backfield. Good thing for Halifax the top WRs are healthy, and Larry Fitzgerald in particular should be huge against St. Louis. The defense should excel as well, with no injuries and only one backup LB on a bye. Four Halifax LBs have scored 39 points or more, including Rocky McIntosh who comes off a bye in Week 4. Halifax faces Anglia (4-1) and Greenville (2-3).

Good luck to everyone this week! I'll need it!

Washington, Chicago continue to dominate

2007-10-03T14:51:00.000-05:00

The Washington Braves took their undefeated record into a battle with the Boston Inferno, a team projected to have a legitimate shot at the NFFL Bowl this year. The Chicago Goodfellas squared off against the Fairfax Foxes, a team that scored 179 points in Week 3 and seemed to be on the rise. These two games, along with a matchup of two AFC division leaders, were in the national spotlight this week, though only one of the games ended up being a close contest.

GAME of the WEEK

Chicago 121, Fairfax 114

Despite struggling to score points this week, the Goodfellas were able to hang onto victory due to the underperformance of the Foxes' best players. Fairfax RB Brian Westbrook was in the starting lineup but didn't play in the Sunday night game, and his absence clearly affected Fairfax QB Donovan McNabb, who scored only three points in the game. Fairfax rookie WR led all players in this game with 22 points, but the inability of the rest of the offense to score doomed the Foxes. Four Chicago offensive players scored a dozen points or more in the victory, including WR Braylon Edwards with a team-leading 15 points.

California 116, Cincinnati 109

California has scored the fewest points in the NFFL, leading to a 1-3 start, but struck a huge blow to Cincinnati's 3-1 start in this big upset. With Xtreme QB Drew Brees off this week, the team was able to put his poor play on hold for a week and started QB Daunte Culpepper, who scored five TDs and 35 points to lead California to victory. Cincinnati had only one offensive player in double-digits and got only two points from QB Phillip Rivers. The Keepers' Week 3 breakout WR Kevin Curtis also had only two points.

Washington 178, Boston 124

The Braves continue their dismantling of the NFFL with a 54-point win over one of the better teams in the league. Washington DL Osi Umenyiora notched six sacks and finished the day with 38 points to lead the team. Three Washington offensive players scored at least 19 points, including 21 each from QB Matt Hasselbeck and RB LaDanian Tomlinson. Boston QB Peyton Manning was his usual spectacular self, scoring 31 points in the defeat, but the rest of the team couldn't keep up with him. No one else on the team scored over 13 points and only three other players were in double digits.

Anglia 138, Austin 93

The first game of the post-Frank Gore era is a success for Anglia as they destroyed the defending champion Austin Predators in Week 4. Seven Dark Knights were in double digits, with QB Jon Kitna's 19 leading the team. While none of the Anglia players had huge games, the team got solid efforts from almost everyone on the team to score the win. The Austin offense scored only 34 points, with RB Ronnie Brown getting 26 of them. QB Marc Bulger had another off day with two points and the Austin WR crew combined for one sole point.

Lower Saxony 155, Halifax 142

Eight Lower Saxony players, including all three WRs, scored double digits as they took sole possession of second in the NFC East in Week 4. The Patriots WRs scored 46 points, led by Santonio Holmes' team-high 24. Patriot LB Derrick Johnson led the defense with 17 points. Halifax also played very well but fell in this tough matchup. QB Tom Brady led the team with 25 points. The Armada scored only two points between their two DL.

New Mexico 138, Greenville 128

The Raiders staved off a hungry Greenville team to leave Week 4 with a ten-point win and the AFC West lead. New New Mexico QB Brett Favre scored 23 points to lead the team and new RB Frank Gore added nine points. Raider WR Jerry Porter caught two TDs and finished with 17. The top three Greenville performances were all on defense, with LBs Julian Peterson and Ernie Sims combining for 45 points and DB Marcus Trufant scoring 19. Seven Storm players scored four points or less.

Glasgow 117, Utica 89

Utica's tough season continues as the Devils score the least amount of points in Week 4, giving the Warriors an easy win. The breakdown for Utica's 89 looks like this: 37 from the league's best player, QB Tony Romo; 13 from LB Michael Boley; two players with nine points each; two players with five points each; one player with three points; two with two points; four with one point; two with zero points. The Warriors only had three players in double digits, but most of the team scored in the five to nine points range. Glasgow DL Darnell Dockett led the team with 22.

Bertrand 135, Carson City 98

The Ground Force dealt Carson City its fourth consecutive loss and moved to 3-2 with a 37-point victory. Bertrand WR Patrick Clayton exploded for 30 points and easily led all players in this game. Bertrand DB Antoine Winfield added 14 and Carson City LB D.J. Williams scored 13. The rest of the players on both sides had a dozen points or less. Carson City DL Trent Cole struggled, scoring only two points, and was traded to Austin after the game for a package including DL Luis Castillo and draft picks.

Week 4 Preview: Aftereffects of the Trades

2007-09-28T19:52:00.000-05:00

GAME of the WEEK

Austin (2-2) vs Anglia (3-1)

Not only does this game feature two co-division leaders, it also features two teams greatly affected by this week's trade frenzy. Anglia, despite winning three of their first four games, traded away QB Brett Favre, RB Frank Gore and WR Reggie Brown. The benefactor of this purge? Austin's biggest rival, the New Mexico Raiders. Austin in turn completed a trade of their own, trading injured WR Hines Ward to New Mexico for Brown and others.

Former Raiders WR Jerricho Cotchery and LB Victor Hobson will start for the Dark Knights and should have good games against the Bills. Look for Cotchery to score in the 15-20 range. Anglia QB Jon Kitna will get to pick on the depleted Chicago secondary and could be in for a 30+ game. DL Taylor will try to rebound against the Raiders and the prospect of sacking former teammate Daunte Culpepper will have him at the top of his game.

In Austin, Brown will get the start against a poor Giants secondary while RB Ronnie Brown will look to build on last week's great game when he faces the Raiders. QB Marc Bulger has struggled but should excel against Dallas. If he doesn't, his next stop could be the bench. On defense, the Predators will be without LB Matt Wilhelm and LB Zach Thomas is a gametime decision. Austin will start newly-signed LB Leroy Hill.

The winner: Austin.

Boston (2-2) vs Washington (4-0)

Both these teams entered the season looking like good bets to go deep into the playoffs. Boston hasn't risen to the expectations yet, while Washington has looked like the class of the league. If the Inferno are to take down the undefeated Braves, they'll need a few outstanding performances and several great games.

Boston QB Peyton Manning draws a very tough opponent in Denver, a team with two excellent CBs. Both Inferno RBs should have good games, while WR Roy Williams could be in for a 25-30 point game against Chicago. LB Brian Urlacher will be busy as virtually the only healthy player on the Chicago starting defense. DB Ronde Barber is a very good bet for a pick or two this week against Carolina.

Washington RBs LaDanian Tomlinson and Marion Barber should dominate this week and will probably outscore their Boston counterparts. In a game filled with superstars, the winner might depend on the performance of WR Bobby Engram, who will start due to the injury to Andre Johnson and the ineffectiveness of Troy Williamson. Both Washington DB should pile up tackles as should LB Derrick Brooks against the run-first Panthers.

The winner: Washington.

Chicago (3-1) vs Fairfax (2-2)

Chicago sits alone on top the NFC North as a result of scoring the second most points in the league behind Washington. Fairfax started 0-2, but a big doubleheader total in Week 3 has them red-hot and in second place in the division.

Chicago will start in a big hole by getting zero points from their QB. Starter Vince Young is on bye and backup Jake Delhomme is injured. RB Jamal Lewis plays his old team and is more likely to score five points than 15. The secondary, much like the QB position, will be a problem due to injury and the bye. DBs Chris Hope and Charles Tillman are out, so Michael Huff will be asked to start along with Troy Polamalu.

With QB Donovan McNabb and RB Brian Westbrook facing the Giants, another big game from Fairfax is to be expected. The RB2 will be rookie Brian Leonard, who's getting the start for the Rams thanks to injury. LB Thomas Howard has recorded a big play in each of the first three games, and could easily make it four in a row against Miami. Fairfax's tough secondary should dominate Chicago's weakened unit.

The winner: Fairfax.

Greenville (2-2) vs New Mexico (2-2)

Greenville has posted a decent record but will need to start scoring more points if they want to make the playoffs in the suddenly-strong AFC South. The New Mexico Raiders made a couple trades mid-week and are the favorites to win the AFC.

Greenville QB Jay Cutler will need to throw early and often in an attempt to keep up with the Colts and should end the day with great numbers. RB Marshawn Lynch faces a bad Jets run defense. WR Mark Clayton is still recovering from injury but remains in the Storm starting lineup. DL Mario Williams has been mediocre after a huge Week 1, but facing the Falcons is the dream of many DL in the league. LB Ray Lewis is a gametime decision and would be sorely missed.

New Raider QB Brett Favre will probably get to start along with RB Frank Gore. With the Redskins on a bye, New Mexico will start a RB with no points on the season. WR Randy Moss should continue to post great numbers, but WR Steve Smith might become frustrated early with his new weak-armed QB. This week the Raiders signed DB Anthony Henry, one of the league leaders at the position, and he will start.

The winner: New Mexico.

Cincinnati (3-1) vs California (1-3)

A couple huge performances led to a Cincinnati sweep in Week 3, and the Keepers should extend their AFC-leading three-game winning streak against California. The Xtreme have scored the fewest points in the league, averaging 17 points less than the next-closest team.

With the starting Bengals RB out, the Keepers will start RB Kenny Watson, though New England is a very tough matchup for him. While WR Kevin Curtis won't score 40 again, he should have a good day against the Giants on Sunday night. With LB Mike Peterson and DB Reggie Nelson off, the Keepers will look to DB Sean Considine and LB Eric Barton. Barton has struggled this season but could have a big day against the Bills, who will be running the ball at Barton a lot.

California's top two QBs are off, so the Xtreme will be starting the Oakland QB this week. Josh McCown is currently listed as the starter, but he's not expected to play due to injury. Look for Daunte Culpepper to be in before the game starts. WR Ronald Curry has a nice matchup against Miami. LBs Shawne Merriman and DeMeco Ryans should both get to double-digits this week, with Merriman probably notching a sack or two.

The winner: Cincinnati.

Lower Saxony (2-2) vs Halifax (1-3)

The Patriots shook up their roster, trading Larry Johnson away after a doubleheader split. Halifax has lost three straight including both games last week, but a high point total suggests the losses are just a product of bad luck.

The remaining stud RB on Lower Saxony, Rudi Johnson, will miss the game Monday night due to injury, and the Patriots will have to start new addition DeShaun Foster as their sole RB this week. The WRs will be led by Laveranues Coles, who has a big game on the horizon when he plays Buffalo. LBs Barrett Ruud and Paris Lenon have been great thus far, and Channing Crowder might get another start in the middle. All three should have double-digits.

QB Tom Brady could score 30+ points on Monday night for Halifax. RB Cedric Benson has ben disappointing, but he'll get an easy matchup against Detroit. WRs Larry Fitzgerald and Reggie Wayne face top-tier CBs this week. DB Terrence McGee should be healthy enough to play this week and should have a solid game. Due to byes, the Armada will have a gap at DL, with Dwayne White being the only active player.

The winner: Halifax.

Utica (1-3) vs Glasgow (1-3)

These two teams are at the bottom of their respective divisions, and the loser of this game will be the odds-on favorite to miss the playoffs. As such, this is a critical game for both franchises.

Utica QB Tony Romo has been one of the best players in the league this season and should continue to excel against St. Louis. The rest of the offense is hurting. Both starting RBs will miss this week due to injury, leaving DeAngelo Williams as the only healthy RB. Two of the top three Utica WRs are on bye. LB2 Lance Briggs has missed practice and might not play this weekend either. LB1 London Fletcher is off this week.

Glasgow RB Joseph Addai will be leaned on heavily by the Colts and should score 20+. WR Torry Holt is a good breakout candidate this week agasint Dallas. WR Bernard Berrian will look to establish a rhythm with his new QB against a poor Detroit secondary. The only player missing from the Glasgow defense is Sean Taylor, but the other two DBs have outscored Taylor this season. Only one Warrior is out due to injury.

The winner: Glasgow.

Carson City (1-3) vs Bertrand (2-2)

These two teams are tied for last in their respective divisions. Bertrand has actually outscored the first-place Keepers, while the Bandits are in danger of missing the playoffs, having scored the second-fewest amount of points in the league.

Bandits QB Matt Leinart struggled last week and spent some time on the bench. Carson City might want to do the same, with Trent Green averaging 15 points per game. WR Shaun McDonald should have another good game against Chicago. DL Trent Cole has been fantastic in the first three weeks and could have another big game against the Giants. With one DL injured and another off, the DL2 spot will be a weakness this week.

Ground Force RB2 Ron Dayne will get to start for the Texans this week and makes a solid play for Bertrand. WR has been a big weakness, but all three starters have good matchups in Week 4. Even against a tough team, Carson Palmer should be able to score 20+. The DL tandem of Aarons Schobel and Kampman will do what they do best: score points. LB Stephen Cooper is a sleeper pick for Defensive Player of the Week.

The winner: Bertrand.

The Trade That Rocked The World

2007-09-26T18:34:00.000-05:00

Before we recap Week 3 of the NFFL, let's go over the two trades completed this week. Both involved the most valuable commodities in the NFFL, starting RBs, changing hands.

Lower Saxony trades RB Larry Johnson, RB Michael Bennett, and two 5th-round picks to Glasgow.
Glasgow trades RB Brandon Jacobs, RB Deshaun Foster, LB Derrick Johnson, one 1st-round pick and two 2nd-round picks to Lower Saxony.

The Patriots decided it was time to sell one of their cornerstones. RB Johnson has struggled this year, and I was down on him this season. I felt the Patriots should have tried to trade him during the off-season, as I didn't see his value getting any higher. But even though he waited a few weeks, he still got a considerable haul. RB Jacobs doesn't have the upside of Johnson, but he should still be a solid RB2 once he returns from injury. The impressive performance of Derrick Ward might reduce Jacobs' role moving forward. Foster has been great so far, but DeAngelo Williams will eventually become the starter. Foster is the RB2 of now, Jacobs is the RB2 of the future and Rudi Johnson is the RB1 when healthy. LB Johnson is a very good LB signed for three years at a reasonable price and should remain a starter for the Patriots for all three years. Glasgow has a great 1-2 punch in Johnson and Addai now and enough LB depth to trade Derrick Johnson. Edgerrin James is a starter on most NFFL teams, so it's not like Glasgow is lacking in depth.

In my opinion, this was a great trade for both sides. Since I'm not sold on a Johnson rebound, I give the slight edge to Lower Saxony in this deal. If the Warriors' first-rounder that the Patriots acquired ends up being a high pick, they'll have won this trade. If Johnson rebounds and becomes a top-ten back again, the Warriors will likely have improved their starting RB attack and still have good depth at both RB and LB.

Anglia trades RB Frank Gore, QB Brett Favre, QB Aaron Rodgers, WR Reggie Brown to New Mexico.
New Mexico trades RB Fred Taylor, QB Damon Huard, WR Jerricho Cotchery, LB Victor Hobson, a 3rd-round pick and a 5th-round pick to Anglia.

Is this a even trade? Not at all. If he actively shopped the players he traded on the open market, he would have seen a far greater return, especially considering that he didn't even acquire his initial target in the trade talks. Can I see Anglia's reasoning in making the trade? After talking to him a little bit, yes I can.

He wanted to get rid of Gore. He thinks the bottom is going to drop on Gore and wanted to sell while his value was still astronomical. Like I explained above, if I had Larry Johnson I probably would have done the same type of thing. Unfortunately, he misjudged Gore's value to the rest of the league and it cost him a great opportunity to either sell his most valuable asset for several veterans in an attempt to win this year or for several first-rounders and young players that would be integral in a rebuilding project.

This trade was essentially Gore for Taylor, Cotchery and the picks. With the struggles of Maurice Jones-Drew, Taylor should stick as the starter in Jacksonville barring injury. He definitely doesn't have the upside of Gore, but he should be OK as the RB2 in Anglia. Cotchery is seen as an up-and-coming WR with big play ability. He already has one game of 150+ yards this season. He's also signed to a five-year deal, so Anglia owns him for the future. Is he a known quantity, an established stud that you can rely on as an WR1? Definitely not, and the Dark Knights should have been able to get one by dealing Gore, especially since the team he was trading with has two WR1s on the roster and another good WR2. The picks are seen as worthless now, but Anglia might be able to land a very good RFA with each of the picks. Also if you do your homework, the fifth round is where you can take a chance on finding a potential stud for next-to-no salary. If that pans out, that pick could be the key to this deal.

The Dark Knights needed to clear salary, and decided QB was the place to do it. Favre is definitely in his last or next-to-last year. Rodgers isn't a known quantity; he could be great or he could stink. With Jon Kitna locked in as the Anglia starter, the team was using $5.36 million and eight years of cap space on these two backups. Favre was terrific against two bad secondaries and horrid against a good secondary this year. His next four games are against Minnesota, Chicago, Washington and Denver. All four of those teams have outstanding secondaries, though Chicago will be much easier since all of their starters are hurt. Favre's value will likely drop considerably in the next few weeks and now was definitely the time to trade him if you're not sold on his rejuvenation. Huard isn't any better, though he was great last year as the starter. But he costs significantly less and he'll only be the backup to Kitna. JaMarcus Russell is still the long-term answer for Anglia at the position.

Anglia probably made a hasty move dismissing Brown so quickly, but since he was going to cut him anyway it makes sense to rid him completely from the books. He was also able to get Hobson, who has started slow this year but did end last year with 100 tackles and six sacks. New Mexico is the unquestioned winner in this deal, but those that say there is absolutely no way Anglia gained anything from this deal are wrong.

Moving on to recaps of the week:

The WINNERS

Washington Braves (4-0)

The Braves are looking like the favorite to win the league, despite a subpar start from RB LaDanian Tomlinson. Washington got 23 points from both QB Matt Hasselbeck and RB Marion Barber en route to scoring 159 points and sweeping the doubleheader. Andre Johnson missed the game and scored as many points as his replacement, Troy Williamson. Washington obviously has fantastic starters, but depth looks to be a problem. LB Keith Bulluck tallied three interceptions and scored 22 points to lead the defense.

Anglia Dark Knights (3-1)

Lost among the trade outrage is the fact that Anglia has started 3-1, sweeping the doubleheader and scoring 138 points. QB Jon Kitna posted 23 points to lead the team while DB Adam Archuleta's 13 led the defense. TE Jason Witten and WR Derrick Mason also had good games in the victories. Backup QB Brett Favre scored 32 points on the bench, but RB Frank Gore struggled and finished the day with four points and WR Reggie Brown only had two.

Chicago Goodfellas (3-1)

Nine Chicago players reached double-digits this week, led by RB LaMont Jordan's 21. Jordan has continued to succeeded and should garner most of the playing time when Dominic Rhodes returns from suspension. QB Vince Young continues to impress, scoring 18 on Monday night. On defense, the normally reliable DB Chris Hope only scored three points and DL Jevon Kearse was shut out, but the rest did a great job picking them up and scored 64 points.

Cincinnati Keepers (3-1)

The Keepers' offense played out of their minds this week in leading the team to a sweep and 166 points. WR Kevin Curtis scored 40 points to lead the team and QB Phillip Rivers added 28. WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh (18), RB Reggie Bush (15) and WR Brandon Marshall (13) also had good games. Only two Cincinnati defenders scored more than five points, but the offensive explosion masked the deficiency.

Fairfax Foxes (2-2)

The only winless team after two weeks, Fairfax was eager to prove they weren't the worst team in the league. With 179 points scored, mission accomplished. QB Donovan McNabb and RB Brian Westbrook overcame the ugly uniforms and combined for 77 points to lead the team to the sweep. DB Sean Jones led the defense with 18 points. Backup DB Marlin Jackson had 15 tackles on the bench and will probably be in the lineup next week as a result.

The LOSERS

California Xtreme (1-3)

The slow start by the Xtreme got worse in the doubleheader. Not only did they manage just 86 points, but they also lost RB Deuce McAllister for the year. McAllister did score any points in the game and teammate QB Drew Brees had -1 in the losses. K Sebastian Janikowski led the team with 14 points. On the bench, RB Reuben Droughns scored two TDs, and California can only hope he can repeat that performance next week.

Carson City Bandits (1-3)

Despite a big game from DL Trent Cole, the Bandits could only score 101 points and were swept in Week 3. Cole had three sacks and ended the game with 21 points, which led the team. QB Matt Leinart scored two points and was sat in favor of Kurt Warner during the game. Backup QB Trent Green had 16 points and will probably be looked at as a short-term solution. WR Shaun McDonald scored 13 points, but the other two WRs each scored one point.

Glasgow Warriors (1-3)

Like the Bandits, the Warriors only got one big game and as a result were swept this week. RB Joseph Addai scored 20 points to lead the team. LB Adalius Thomas was good with 11 points to lead the defense and three other players chipped in to score ten each. RB Edgerrin James scored six points. QB Eli Manning was also mediocre, scoring nine points. On the bench, RB Deshaun Foster scored 25 and would have led Glasgow to a split if started over James.

Halifax Armada (1-3)

Halifax is the hard-luck loser of the week, scoring 140 points but still getting swept in the doubleheader. QB Tom Brady scored 34 points to lead the team and RB Adrian Peterson added 18. DB Kerry Rhodes was the only other player over ten, though only two players scored less than six. Backup LB Mathias Kiwanuka scored 21 after tallying two sacks. Backup DL Andre Carter also had a sack and scored 12. Backup WR Vincent Jackson scored 15.

Utica Devils (1-3)

Five Utica players score one point or no points at all as the Devils scored 120 points and were swept in the Week 3. QB Tony Romo scored 23 and LB London Fletcher scored 20 to lead their sides of the ball. WR Donald Driver also had a big day and scored 18 while RB Steven Jackson added 12. Jackson did suffer an injury and has been ruled out for next week. LB Michael Boley also did well, scoring 11 points.

The SPLITS

Austin Predators, Bertrand Ground Force, Boston Inferno, Greenville Storm, Lower Saxony Patriots, New Mexico Raiders (2-2)

The Predators had a rough day and scored 127 points, with the biggest letdown coming from QB Marc Bulger and his -2 points. RB Ronnie Brown had 40 points and was the main reason that Austin wasn't swept. Only four Bertrand players scored over ten points, led by QB Carson Palmer's 15, as the team scored 113. Playing the lowest score of the week, that total was enough to win one game. Boston had a great week scoring 160 but ran into the best score of the week and received a split. Boston WR Roy Williams scored 26 and returning DL Jared Allen scored 24. Greenville only scored 113 with RB Marshawn Lynch's 13 leading the team. The Storm bench played poorly as well, so a sweep was almost out of the question for Greenville. Lower Saxony scored 128 points, which was good for an eight-point victory over Glasgow. Patriot WR Anquan Boldin was huge with 30 points, while RB Larry Johnson scored only four and was promptly traded. New Mexico scored 132 points, but that wasn't good enough for management and the team traded for as many Anglia star players as humanly possible. WR Randy Moss had another great game and DL Elvis Dumervil led the defense after scoring 20 points with two sacks.

Check the NFFL Weekly for the Week 3 awards!

Week 3 Preview: Two for the Price of One

2007-09-21T14:22:00.000-05:00

Here's a team-by-team look at this week's 16-game bonanza, the first of four in 2007:

Anglia Dark Knights

The Dark Knights are averaging 131.5 points per game with strong QB and RB play and no production out of the WR corps just yet. TE Jason Witten leads all pass-catchers with 19 points, and only WR Derrick Mason has over 10 points at the position. WR Reggie Brown is a good bet to get going against a poor Detroit secondary. With LB Manny Lawson out for the year and two DBs dinged up, Anglia looks to start all three of their DL this week. Luckily, the Dark Knights will face two teams they have outscored thus far, California and Carson City.

Austin Predators

The Predators are averaging just under 150 points per game, but this will be a very difficult week for the banged up team. LBs Zach Thomas and Matt Wilhelm and DB Brian Dawkins will all miss this week's doubleheader. With Thomas and Dawkins being the best players at their position on the team, the usually high-powered defense will struggle to score points. Despite outscoring starting QB Marc Bulger, there is no plans to insert backup QB David Garrard into the lineup. Austin will face Cincinnati and Greenville this week.

Bertrand Ground Force

The Ground Force, coming off a win in Week 2, are scoring 140 points per game. RB Shaun Alexander gets to play a defense that just allowed Jamal Lewis to score 200 yards, so his ceiling this week is officially lifted. QB Carson Palmer has look fantastic thus far, but the Bertrand WRs haven't produced in the first two weeks, and Darrell Jackson is dealing with injury problems yet again. Injured LB Stephen Cooper looks like he'll be able to play this week, as will DL Aaron Kampman. Bertrand will face New Mexico and California in Week 3.

Boston Inferno

The Inferno are also coming off a big win and have averaged 144.5 points per game. QB Peyton Manning should have a big week against the Texans as should RBs Willis McGahee and Lawrence Maroney, who also have favorable matchups. Maroney didn't play last week, but with WR Lee Evans struggling, we should see either Maroney or rookie WR Megatron Johnson play this week. Boston will face Utica and Fairfax, with the latter team looking for its first win.

California Xtreme

The Xtreme are the only team to average less than 100 points per game, but that's due more to slow starts by their stars than a lack of talent. QB Drew Brees and RB Deuce McAllister should break out of their mini-slumps on Monday night in their first home game of the season. A huge game from DB Darren Sharper pushed California to a Week 2 win, and Sharper has been practicing despite being limited due to injury. This team looks in line for a breakout this week against Bertrand and Anglia.

Carson City Bandits

The Bandits will look to rebound this week from a three-point loss that prevented them from starting the season 2-0. Carson City averages 114.5 points per game. Backup QB Trent Green has outscored starting QB Matt Leinart thus far, and with Leinart facing the Ravens, Green could get the start. The defense lost starting DL Trevor Pryce for a few weeks and should be replaced by DL Charles Grant. Carson City will face Anglia and Greenville in Week 3.

Chicago Goodfellas

The Goodfellas have had one of the best starts in the league, averaging 154.5 points per game to tie for first in the division. Backup QB Jake Delhomme has scored over twice as many points as starter Vince Young; the team will probably stick with Young this week due to his easy matchup. Starting RB LaMont Jordan will be a game-time decision this week. The defense has been great all around, led by LB Nick Barnett. Chicago has a tough task this week, facing Utica and Lower Saxony.

Cincinnati Keepers

The Keepers have averaged 110.5 points per game, and the main reason for the low number is the poor performance of the offense. Only WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh is off to a good start, and no other offensive players are averaging ten points or more. WR Brandon Marshall has been good but not great and seems on the verge of breaking out. The defense has played well, especially the LB unit, with three of the starters averaging over ten points per game. Cincinnati has a tough Week 3 doubleheader as they play Austin and New Mexico.

Fairfax Foxes

The league's only 0-2 team, the Foxes come off a ten-point loss to Glasgow averaging 125.5 points per game. QB Donovan McNabb has looked horrible thus far, but he'll get to pick on an easy Lions secondary. If he doesn't have a good game this week, it will be time for Fairfax to panic. RB Brian Westbrook should be able to play through injury. The Foxes will try to get their record up to 2-2 when they play Boston and Halifax in Week 3.

Glasgow Warriors

The Warriors have averaged 148.5 points per game and won last week to even up their record. Backup QB Matt Schaub has been tabbed as the starter this week and will face the Colts without his best WR. RB Joseph Addai is in line for a monster game against the Texans. The Glasgow defense has been effective thus far, with LB Landon Johnson leading the Johnson Trio of LBs with 32 points. LB Adalius Thomas had an interception return for a TD last week and gets a good matchup against the Bills. Glasgow faces Washington and Lower Saxony in Week 3.

Greenville Storm

Greenville is currently averaging 117.5 points per game and has lacked WR production in the first two weeks. WR Marty Booker and TE Todd Heap are the only two wideouts with over ten points. QB Jay Cutler could be benched this week in favor of Rex Grossman, who has an easy matchup against the Cowboys secondary. LB Julian Peterson leads the team with 30 points scored this season. The Storm will play Austin and Carson City this week.

Halifax Armada

Halifax is off to a hot start, averaging 154.5 points per game. QB Tom Brady has been his normal high-scoring self and plays a decimated Bills team this week. Four other offensive players are over 20 points scored, including rookie RB Adrian Peterson with 33 points. He plays the Chiefs this week. Three defenders have over 30 points including LB Roger McIntosh, who has a sack in each of his first two games. The Armada sqaure off (or would it be triangle off?) with Washington and Fairfax in Week 3.

Lower Saxony Patriots

The Patriots have averaged 136 points per game so far this season. QB Ben Roethlisberger should have an easy time scoring points against San Francisco as should RB Rudi Johnson against Seattle. LB Barrett Ruud leads the defense with 44 points and is an early contender for Defensive Player of the Year. Lower Saxony also just added Detroit LB Paris Lenon, who has been a tackle machine in his first two games. The Patriots play Glasgow and Chicago this week.

New Mexico Raiders

New Mexico has averaged 146.5 points per game in 2007 and come off a big win against Anglia. With the top two QBs on the depth chart struggling, the Raiders have turned to Derek Anderson in an attempt to create a spark. The WRs have been amazing, with Steve Smith and Randy Moss combining for 96 points in two weeks, but Santana Moss is the one to watch this week against the Giants secondary. LBs Kirk Morrison and Napoleon Harris are the standouts on defense. New Mexico will take on Bertrand and Cincinnati in Week 3.

Utica Devils

Coming off an exciting one-point win, the Devils are averaging 139.5 points per game. QB Tony Romo has 64 points in two weeks but will be tested this week against Chicago. The rest of the offense has had trouble getting on track and star RB Steven Jackson has only ten points in two weeks. LB Lance Briggs is the star of the offense with 34 points, and London Fletcher is primed for a huge game against the Giants. Utica plays Chicago and Boston this week.

Washington Braves

Washington is the only undefeated team in the NFFL after two weeks and leads the league in scoring, averaging 166.5 points per game. QB Matt Hasselbeck gets to pick on the Cincinnati defense this week, but the team will be without WR Andre Johnson. Backup Troy Williamson will be counted on to start, though he is also in danger of missing the game due to injury. DB Bob Sanders has been earning his "Playmaker" moniker, notching 2.5 sacks last week. Washington looks to keep the streak alive against Glasgow and Halifax.

Good luck to all of you this week!

Last-Second Wins in Week 2!

2007-09-19T18:37:00.000-05:00

Close calls were the story of Week 2; four games were decided by ten points or less, including a one-point win that came down to Monday Night Football. That thrillfest will obviously be this week's...

GAME of the WEEK

Utica 147, Halifax 146.

As Monday wore on, the Armada drew closer and closer to the Devils thanks to 13 points from LB Rocky McIntosh, nine from DB LaRon Landry and five from LB Takeo Spikes. Utica WR Antwaan Randle-El scored four points, but missed part of the game due to injury. It came down to Devil LB London Fletcher, who last year was good for double-digits almost every week. This week he only scored six points, but it was just enough to give Utica the one point win. Utica LB Lance Briggs led the team with 26 points and QB Tony Romo had another great week by scoring 22 points. Halifax QB Tom Brady led all Armada players with 27 points and TE Kellen Winslow added 16 points. The Armada ran well, with the two RBs combining for 21 points, but an 18-point effort by RB Cadillac Williams stayed on the bench and cost Halifax the game.

Cincinnati 114, Carson City 111.

The Carson City 111-point total came from a lot of average performances: all but six players scored between seven and 11 points, with QB Matt Leinart's 15 being the only higher score from the Bandits. Cincinnati was more boom-or-bust: five players scored a dozen or more, kicker Robbie Gould scored eight, and everyone else scored six points or less. Keeper LBs Lofa Tatupu (18), Mike Peterson (17) and Paul Posluszny (12) combined for 47 points and were the difference in attaining victory and suffering defeat. The Bandits only left three points on the bench, meaning if they played all the right players they would have only tied the Keepers.

California 116, Greenville 110.

California DB Darren Sharper forced three turnovers, added eight tackles and two defensed passes and scored 24 points to lead the Xtreme to a six-point victory over the Storm. California LB Shawne Merriman also had an outstanding game, finishing with 17 points, while QB Drew Brees led the offense with 15 points. Fill-in RB Derrick Ward got the start for the Xtreme and scored 12 points in the victory. For Greenville, three players tied for the team lead with 13-point games. Among them were two Ravens, LB Ray Lewis and TE Todd Heap. Storm WR Muhsin Muhammad scored no points in defeat, while K Olindo Mare only put one point up after missing a FG. Playing backup WR Derek Hagan, who scored a TD, and K Joe Nedney would have given the Storm the victory.

Washington 186, Chicago 164.

When you score 164 points, you have to figure you'll get the win, but Chicago didn't even have a chance as Washington scored 186 points to jump to a 2-0 start after this game. Goodfellas/Browns RB Jamal Lewis and WR Braylon Edwards combined for 53 points in the Ohio Shootout. Only one Chicago defender cracked double digits, DB Charles Tillman with 14. As unlikely as two Browns scoring over 25 points each, it's even more unlikely that Washington would score 186 points without a big day from RB LaDanian Tomlinson, but the reigning MVP scored only five points in the victory. The WR combo of (Chad) Johnson & (Andre) Johnson combined for 56 points to top the Goodfella pair, and DB Bob Sanders added 21 points after sacking the QB 2.5 times on Sunday.

Glasgow 157, Fairfax 147.

Nine Warriors scored in double digits, led by RB Edgerrin James's 20 points and LB Derrick Johnson's 19 points, as Glasgow defeated Fairfax by ten points in Week 2. Backup QB Matt Schaub had 21 points on the bench, but the Warriors (in a fashion befitting their name) went with injured QB Eli Manning, who scored 12 points. Glasgow WR Bernard Berrian was the only weak spot on offense, managing just four points, while Glasgow LB Adalius Thomas ran an interception back for a TD and scored 15 points. Fairfax LB Thomas Howard also returned an interception for a TD and scored 24 points to lead the team. Foxes QB Donovan McNabb and RB Brian Westbook combined for 25 points, though McNabb looked erratic on Monday night.

Bertrand 165, Austin 140.

The Ground Force got one huge performance from QB Carson Palmer to easily defeat the Predators by 25 points. Palmer threw for six TDs and finished the day just shy of 50 points. On defense, Betrand DB Antoine Winfield recovered a fumble and added several tackles, finishing with 15 points and Bertrand K David Akers booted four FGs for 12 points. Austin received a big game from WR Joey Galloway, who hauled in two TDs and scored 25 points for the Predators. Austin RB Willie Parker and QB Marc Bulger each scored 18 points. The Predators defense had a below-average day, with only LBs Zach Thomas and Patrick Willis scoring in double digits. Bench DL returned a fumble for a TD and notched 1.5 sacks, scoring 20 points on the bench.

Boston 152, Lower Saxony 128.

It was a hard week for both 2006 conference champions as the Patriots fell to the Inferno this week. Nine Boston players scored 10+ points, led by QB Peyton Manning's 16. WRs Terrell Owens and Roy Williams had matching 15-point games and LB Donnie Edwards also had 15 to lead the Inferno defense. Lower Saxony LB Barrett Ruud added 11 tackles to two forced fumbles (with one recovered) to lead all players in the game with 23 points. RB Rudi Johnson added 18, but his Johnson counterpart in the backfield had his second subpar day, as Larry only scored eight points. Boston got zero points from DL Jared Allen, who has been in the starting lineup despite a suspension, and the Inferno got good news when his suspension was lifted by Commissioner Roger Goodell.

New Mexico 168, Anglia 123.

The New Mexico Raiders thrashed the Anglia Dark Knights after getting huge games from three particular Raiders. New Mexico WR Steve Smith couldn't be stopped, scoring 33 points on the strength of three TD catches. Raiders WR Randy Moss and LB Napoleon Harris each scored 22, with the former catching two TDs and the latter sacking the QB and intercepting a pass to go along with 12 tackles. But QB still remains a problem for the Raiders; QB Alex Smith only scored three points in a very good matchup against the Rams. It's worth noting that the New Mexico backups scored 128 points (or more than the Anglia starters), highlighted by QB Derek Anderson's 41. Anglia's HenryGore monster combined for 32 points, with RB Frank Gore's 20 leading the team. On defense, DB Nate Clements forced a fumble and added a sack to finish with 14 points.

Next week: Doubleheaders! You'd better bring your "A" game!

Monday Update (Week 2)

2007-09-17T17:03:00.000-05:00

There's really only two games coming down to the wire this week.

Carson City and Cincinnati have battled to a virtual stalemate, with the Bandits leading the Keepers 107-106 heading into the final game. Carson City has DL Trent Cole, a sack machine that has had 20+ point games in the past. Cincinnati has WR Kevin Curtis, who seemed to connect with his QB in the first game and could have a big game tonight, as well as DB Sean Considine, who will need to pick up the slack left by rookie DB Reggie Nelson's one-point performance. With a 2-to-1 player advantage, Cincinnnati probably has the edge in this game, but with T Jon Jansen out for the season you definitely can't count out Cole having another great game.

Glasgow has jumped out to a 28-point lead over Fairfax, and the Warriors have DB Sean Taylor playing tonight. But the deficit could evaporate quickly, as the Foxes two best players will start tonight, QB Donovan McNabb and RB Brian Westbrook. Ironically, the game could come down to Taylor's ability to tackle Westbrook in the open field. As Taylor is a DB that aims for the big hit and Westbrook is a wizard in open space, I have to like the chances of a Fairfax comeback.

Long shots:

New Mexico has a 27-point advantage over Anglia as well as WR Santana Moss. The Dark Knights need WR Reggie Brown to have a huge game and for Moss to get shut down. The latter might happen, but nothing short of a three-TD day and big yardage will save Anglia.

Bertrand leads Austin by 19 and will send out kicker David Akers, who should score somewhere in the 5-to-10 point range. Austin still has DB Brian Dawkins and will need 10+ tackles and a couple sacks and/or turnovers to take the lead. Running a pick back for a TD sure would make this game a lot closer.

Utica sits on an 18-point lead over Halifax, but the Armada has three players going, LBs Takeo Spikes and Rocky McIntosh and DB LaRon Landry. Unfortunately for Halifax, none of those players measure up to Utica LB London Fletcher-Baker, who starts tonight. The Devils also have WR Antwaan Randle-El, a threat to score every time he touches the ball.

Week 2 Preview: Short and Sweet

2007-09-14T18:29:00.000-05:00

I wrote a helluva lotta material last week, and I've vowed to make things shorter from here on out. So here's a quick preview of Week 2 in the NFL.

Washington (1-0) vs. Chicago (1-0)

This NFC contest is the only game this week that pits undefeated teams against each other. The Washington offense is chock-full of good matchups, with RB LaDanian Tomlinson drawing the toughest game against the Patriots, but he should be able to get his points every week regardless of opponent. Two of Chicago's three WRs could be catching passes from inexperienced QBs (Braylon Edwards and Plaxico Burress). RB Jamal Lewis is a black hole; could we see LenDale White? The pick: Washington.

Anglia (1-0) vs. New Mexico (0-1)

Anglia's two-headed rushing monster, called the HenryGore, is due for a big week and 30+ points. I actually like Raider QB Alex Smith over Dark Knight QB Jon Kitna this week. Reggie Brown should bounce back for Anglia and Witten was great last week, but they face probably the best 1-2 WR attack in the league, New Mexico's Steve Smith and Randy Moss. The three starting Raiders DL combined for five points. Ugh. The pick: Anglia.

Boston (0-1) vs. Lower Saxony (1-0)

Lower Saxony QB Ben Roethlisberger looked like Boston QB Peyton Manning last week, throwing four TDs and no interceptions. Inferno WR Lee Evans should bounce back this week and score at least a dozen points. Patriot RB Larry Johnson should be limited again against the Bears, but the rest of the offense has good matchups. An injury to Boston LB Freddie Keiaho will probably force the team to move away from the 2-4-2 matchup this week and opt for a 2-3-3. The pick: Boston.

Greenville (1-0) vs. California (0-1)

The Storm had good games from QB Jay Cutler, RB Marshawn Lynch and nothing from the rest of the offense. WR Muhsin Muhammad and TE Todd Heap need to step it up to push the team to 2-0. The Greenville defense had a lot of big plays last week, but with Ray Lewis' injury the defense might struggle to score points. California QB Drew Brees and RB Deuce McAllister should rebound well this week. Too bad none of their six QBs can play WR. The pick: California.

Halifax (1-0) vs. Utica (0-1)

The entire Armada offense should be huge this week, though it will be interesting to see how QB Tom Brady performs amidst all the controversy. I'd like to see Cooley instead of Winslow, though. Utica QB Tony Romo should have another great game against Miami, and RB Steven Jackson should be back to his normal stud self. WR Donald Driver will need to carry the WR unit. The pick: Halifax.

Bertrand (0-1) vs Austin (1-0)

Bertrand QB Carson Palmer and RB Shaun Alexander have great matchups and could combine for 50+ points. The Ground Force also traded for Week 1 stud Chris Brown, giving the offense a much-needed second option at RB. With Orlando Pace on the IR, Austin QB Marc Bulger will have a difficult time staying off the turf this season. Austin RB Ronnie Brown did not look too good in Week 1. The defense is still a force and will likely keep Austin in the game. The pick: Austin.

Fairfax (0-1) vs. Glasgow (0-1)

The Foxes should get better performances out of QB Donovan McNabb and the running game this week. The WRs are still a little weak, and I wouldn't be surprised to see the team go with Wes Welker over Isaac Bruce or Amani Toomer. Glasgow has a very solid scoring offense, but the defense needs more scoring, especially from the secondary. A Three-Johnson LB unit can't hurt! The pick: Fairfax.

Carson City (1-0) vs. Cincinnati (0-1)

Wait, the Bandits won last week? Isn't that the same team that signed Tiki Barber? Do they know he retired? Anyway, QB Matt Leinart and WR Javon Walker look good on the Carson City offense for this week. Cincinnati QB Phillip Rivers looked bad last week and gets the Patriots this week. The Keeper running game should be stout in this contest, and WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh (he should have changed his name to Johnson like he thought about doing years ago) is in line for another great game. The pick: Cincinnati.

Good luck this week!

And They're Off!

2007-09-12T14:04:00.000-05:00

The anticipated moment has come and gone
the new season has dawned, and
we are now left with the long road ahead.

Some taste victory still sweet on the tongue
the heads of others hung, but
all look forward to the long road ahead.

For now each of the divisions is divided
half dejected, half excited, though
we all focus on the long road ahead.

In the end only one completely satisified
the rest have been denied, so
look to next year and the long road ahead.

NFC GAME of the WEEK

Chicago 145, Glasgow 140

The Goodfellas defense, challenged throughout the week by the coaching staff to step up their game, featured three players in double digits and led Chicago to a narrow defeat over the Glasgow Warriors. Nick Barnett notched 13 total tackles and picked off a Donovan McNabb pass to score 19 points.

The game featured teammates competing against each other, and both had amazing games thanks in large part to the other. Glasgow QB Eli Manning threw for 34 points and four TDs, with three of those scores going to Chicago WR Plaxico Burress, giving the Goodfella WR 32 points in this contest.

Glasgow's heralded rushing attack was held to 21 points, due in large part to a Brandon Jacobs injury early in the game. The Chicago RBs scored 23 points, with the main contribution being LaMont Jordan's 21. If losing the game wasn't bad enough, Glasgow will be without Jacobs for a long time, and Manning could also miss significant time.

AFC GAME of the WEEK

Austin 158, New Mexico 125

One of the NFFL's greatest rivalries captured the Week 1 spotlight, with the Predators defeating the Raiders and extending their winning streak to five games, dating back to last season and including the Predator's playoff run.

The Austin running game faltered, but the passing game put up solid numbers and the defense dominated the matchup. Predator LB Zach Thomas and DL Robert Mathis scored 17 points each, DB Jermaine Phillips put up 14 points, and rookie Patrick Willis made an impressive debut, racking up 15 points including one forced fumble.

The Raiders lost despite huge performances from WRs Randy Moss (24 points) and Steve Smith (17 points). QB Alex Smith had a chance to make the game close on Monday night, but only managed six points. New Mexico LB Kirk Morrison had 17 points, but the next highest defensive score from the team was eight points.

Lower Saxony 144, Utica 132

The other 2006 NFFL Bowl participant also debuted with a win, with Lower Saxony coming through in the clutch and scoring enough Monday night points to win the game over Utica, including RB Rudi Johnson's seven, WR Anquan Boldin's nine, and DB Adrian Wilson's 12.

Lower Saxony QB Ben Roethlisberger threw four TDs on his way to a 30-point game, and WR Laveranues Coles caught two TDs while scoring 17 points. But Big Ben was overshadowed in the game by Utica QB Tony Romo, who torched the New York secondary for four TDs and ran for another TD, ending the game with 42 points and the crown of Offensive Player of the Week.

Along with Wilson, one other Patriot defender had a great game with LB Barrett Ruud forcing and recovering a fumble and racking up 13 tackles to score 21 points. Utica DL Kevin Williams intercepted a pass and returned it for a TD on his way to scoring 16 points, which led Utica defenders. Both Utica DBs made interceptions as well and combined for 15 points.

Anglia 140, Bertrand 115

In what could become the passing of the torch in the AFC South, the Dark Knights of Anglia beat Bertrand, historically the division's best team, with a combination of good games from the QB, RBs and defense. Bertrand had a solid day from those positions as well, but the lack of a startable RB2 hurt their chances, and the extra WR that started for the Ground Force was held scoreless.

Anglia's passing attack was led by QB Jon Kitna, who despite throwing two interceptions finished with a healthy 26-point game. Anglia RBs Frank Gore and Travis Henry combined for 30 points and picked up the WRs, two of which only managed to score one point. LB E.J. Henderson led the Anglia defense with two sacks and 16 points, and DL Jason Taylor and LB Will Witherspoon each scored at least a dozen points as well.

Bertrand's secondary highlighted the team scoring, with both DBs getting interceptions and Antoine Winfield running his back for a touchdown. Bertrand QB Carson Palmer threw for two TDs against Baltimore and scored 19, while Shaun Alexander ran for another TD and scored 17. The rest of the team struggled mightily, with seven points being the next best game.

Halifax 163, Boston 137

The Inferno's 137 points would have beaten half the teams in the league this week, but Boston ran into the Halifax Armada and their league-leading 163 points weekend. With such a large point total, one would assume that the Armada attack was firing on all cylinders and points were coming from every which way, but this is not so.

Five Halifax players scored at least 20 points, while the other 10 players scored a total of a combined 43 points. Armada QB Tom Brady threw three TDs and tied for the team lead with 29 points; joining him was DL Dwayne White, the Defensive Player of the Week, who recorded a sack, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and an interception.

Boston QB Peyton Manning had three TDs, nearly 300 yards, and 29 points or what he likes to call "a day at the office." Inferno WR Terrell Owens caught two TDs, proclaimed himself the second coming of Jesus Christ, shook the devil's hand and lived to tell the tale, and scored 20 points. LB James Farrior had a sack and a forced fumble to lead the Boston defense.

Greenville 125, Cincinnati 107

Two monster performances on defense were enough to give the Greenville Storm a win over the Cincinnati Keepers in their NFFL debut. Greenville DL Mario Williams and LB Julian Peterson combined for 46 points, highlighted by four sacks, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, and a Williams fumble return TD.

On offense, the Storm received a 300-yard game from QB Jay Cutler, with the signal caller finishing with 17 points. Rookie RB Marshawn Lynch, a favorite for the new franchise as he's also making his debut, ran for 15 points and reached the end zone once. The WR corps only scored two points for the Storm, with both coming from TE Todd Heap.

Cincinnati's two best performances also came on defense, with LB Lofa Tatupu leading the team with 16 points and two forced fumbles. Rookie DB Reggie Nelson also had a forced fumble as well as a sack and scored 15 points in his debut. Keeper QB Phillip Rivers turned the ball over twice and threw no TDs while scoring only three points, and RB Reggie Bush also scored only three points.

Washington 147, Fairfax 104

The Braves saw eight players reach the double-digit marker in their win over the Fairfax Foxes, led by reigning MVP RB LaDanian Tomlinson's 19 points. Tomlinson had trouble in the first half of his game, but threw for a TD to get the juices flowing and ran for another to seal the victory.

Washington WR Andre Johnson caught a long TD pass to highlight his 18-point performance, and WR Chad Johnson aka Ocho Cinco was apparently inducted into the Hall of Fame over the weekend after scoring one touchdown. If Cinco can catch one more TD, he'll be the unquestioned best player to ever play football.

Fairfax LB Ahmad Brooks had a forced fumble and a sack to lead the Foxes with 14 points in what has to be a disappointing day all around. QB Donovan McNabb threw a TD and an interception to finish with 11 points and teammate Brian Westbrook added 12 points. RB Maurice Jones-Drew disappointed against a supposedly-bad rush defense.

Carson City 118, California 77

Wait, did all the new managers collect wins in the first week? Who invited these guys? While the Bandits' total of 118 wouldn't have beaten many NFFL teams, it is generally enough to beat a team whose QB and RB combine for four points. California QB Drew Brees was the Dud of the Week but figures to not be a repeat winner for the rest of the year.

Carson City QB Matt Leinart threw two interceptions en route to an unimpressive nine-point outing. The rushing attack of Tatum Bell and Chris Brown combined to score 31 points and shock the world! Bandit DL Trent Cole notched 1.5 sacks and score ten times as many points, while DB Walt Harris defensed three passes and picked one off to also finish with 15 points.

The highlight for California was the 19 points scored by WR Ronald Curry, who looks like an every-week starter and a great find by the Xtreme. The rest of the offense combined for nine points, and that includes (or excludes, for that matter) the goose egg turned in by K Sebastian Janikowski.

4th Quarter Update (Week 1)

2007-09-09T23:08:00.000-05:00

With the Cowboys hanging on to defeat the Giants after New York couldn't overcome a bevy of injuries, most of Week 1 is in the books for the NFFL. Here's a look at what to watch for in the final games Monday night:

- Chicago holds a 23-point lead over Glasgow, but the Warriors still get points from TE Vernon Davis, LB Jarrett Johnson, DB Dawan Landry and DL Darnell Dockett. The Goodfellas only have K Shayne Graham left as a scoring possibility. The Warriors are down, but they're still in excellent position to come away with a win.

- The Devils are sitting on a 16-point lead over last year's NFC Champs, despite a 30-point game from Lower Saxony's QB Ben Roethlisberger. But Utica is all out of players, while the Patriots are starting RB Rudi Johnson, WR Anquan Boldin and DB Adrian Wilson. Not only is this one not over, but Lower Saxony seems like a good bet to earn the victory.

- The Predators have jumped out to a 27-point lead over the Raiders of England. Both have one defensive player left (Austin's LB Patrick Willis and New Mexico's DL Terrell Suggs) but the Raiders also have their QB Alex Smith waiting in the wings. Against the Arizona secondary, Smith could potentially make up a lot of ground and pull off the comeback.

- Anglia has a 13-point lead over Bertrand with five players still left to play, the most prominent of which being RB Frank Gore. Bertrand has three more players to go, including QB Carson Palmer and WR Darrell Jackson. Anglia should put the game out of reach with good production from Gore, but there's still a lot of game left to play at this point.

Games that look out of reach:

- Halifax 161 (and WR Fitzgerald), Boston 119 (and RB McGahee, K Stover).

- Washington 102 (and WR C.Johnson, LB Dansby, DB Reed), Fairfax 85 (and LBs Brooks and Scott).

- Greenville 105 (and WR Clayton, TE Heap, LBs Hayes and R.Lewis), Cincinnati 92 (and WR Housh, DL Berry).

- Carson City 91 (and QB Leinart, DL Pryce, DB Harris), California 74 (and LB Banta-Cain).

Week 1 Preview: Let's Get It On!

2007-09-06T15:57:00.000-05:00

After months upon months of off-season transactions and weeks upon weeks of training camps and roster tweaking, the 2007 NFFL season starts tonight. I'm here to give you a few things to watch for this weekend and a little insight as to how things might turn out. As Week 1 is chock full of intra-division matchups, let's break the games down by division.

NFC NORTH

Boston Inferno vs. Halifax Armada

The Inferno are predicted to have one of the best offenses in the NFFL this year, boasting a passing attack of Peyton Manning, Lee Evans, Terrell Owens and Roy Williams. Manning should have a big game against the Saints in what figures to be a high-scoring affair. While Willams and Evans have tough matchups, both are top-tier receivers and are threats to score against any secondary. Owens could have multiple TDs against the Giants.

The Halifax passing game can almost keep up with their Boston counterparts. Tom Brady might be the best QB this side of Manning, and figures to throw a lot against the Jets. Larry Fitzgerald and Reggie Wayne both have favorable matchups. The number three option for the Armada has less big-play potential than any of the Inferno receivers, but Chris Cooley is playing against Miami and should be targeted early and often by his QB.

The running attacks on both teams are good-to-great. Boston has Laurence Maroney against the Jets, and I have a feeling he could struggle or Belichik could look to Kevin Faulk to try and surprise the Jets throughout the game. The other Inferno back is Willis McGahee, and if Jon Ogden proves to be in good health than McGahee should have a big game against Cincinnati. In Halifax, Cedric Benson takes over for the Bears and will face the Chargers, so he might be in for a rough game. On the other hand, Cadillac Williams faces a bad Seattle run defense and could have a 100-yard game to go along with a TD or two.

Defensively, the teams look pretty close, but Boston should have a slight edge. Jared Allen and Brian Urlacher are dominant at their positions, and Halifax doesn't have anyone quite as good as those two, although Antonio Pierce is close to Urlacher. Halifax DB Kerry Rhodes is probably the best DB in this matchup, but Boston has two good players in Ronde Barber and Ken Hamlin.

Boston was the best team in the NFC North in 2006 and improved their squad in the offseason. I think they jump out to an early division lead and win this game. Boston 141, Halifax 122.

Glasgow Warriors vs. Chicago Goodfellas

This matchup features the storied Chicago franchise against new addition Glasgow as well as different formations on offense and defense. In Chicago, they'll lineup up in a 2 RB, 3 WR set and while LaMont Jordan and Jamal Lewis aren't exactly spectacular plays every week, I love Jordan this week against Detroit. I think he can reach 100 yards and with any luck score a couple TDs. The WRs will be the strength of the offense unit most weeks, with Deion Branch, Plaxico Burress, and Braylon Edwards starting this week. Vince Young is in line for an up-and-down year, and against the Jaguars this might be one of the down weeks.

Glasgow will go with a 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE formation, with second-year TE Vernon Davis making the start for the Warriors. Davis faces a Cardinals defense ripe for scoring against and could score twice to go along with a decent amount of yardage. Torry Holt looks healthy, and he should have an excellent game against a bad Carolina secondary. It remains to be seen how well Chris Chambers will click with Trent Green, but until he proves last year was a fluke he can't be looked at as a great play most weeks. RBs Joseph Addai and Brandon Jacobs lead a promising, young rushing attack, although due to matchups this week both of their offenses figure to throw the ball more in their games. As such, Glasgow QB Eli Manning should have a stellar game against a banged up Cowboys secondary.

Defensively, Chicago has decided to employ the 2-3-3, sending out Charles Tillman, Troy Polamalu and Chris Hope at DB. All three are fine plays each week, with Hope expected to lead the group in scoring this year. Glasgow will go with the 2-4-2, with new addition Adalius Thomas lined up at LB along with Derrick Johnson, Jarrett Johnson and Cato June. June in particular could have great game, reaching a dozen points or more.

Glasgow appears to have the edge on offense, with Chicago's Young in a tough matchup and the Warriors having the best WR and the best running game. I don't think Chicago's defense has enough to make up the difference. Glasgow 128, Chicago 118.

NFC EAST

Lower Saxony Patriots vs. Utica Devils

The defending NFC champion Lower Saxony Patriots take on the Utica Devils in a game featuring three top-10 RBs. The Patriots have always excelled at RB, and the normal bruisers take the field again, with Larry Johnson lined up against the Texans and Rudi Johnson facing the Ravens. Larry's matchup might look easy, but coach Herm Edwards has vowed to rest him more during the game and as a result his RB could see less carries than he's used to. Not many RBs are better than Larry Johnson at the top of his game, but Utica's Steven Jackson is one of them. He takes on Carolina and should be good for at least 20 points. Ahman Green is the other RB for Utica and will face Kansas City this week.

Both quarterbacks in this game are good-but-not-great QB1s, but both have very favorable matchups. Patriots QB Ben Roethlisberger faces Cleveland, who will be without one of their starting CBs, making an already weak secondary even weaker. Devils QB Tony Romo faces the Giants, a team that was bad against the pass last year. The Patriots have a big edge at WR, with Anquan Boldin and Lavernanues Coles probably scoring more than Donald Driver and Drew Bennett.

Utica LBs London Fletcher-Baker and Lance Briggs should dominate the defensive scoring as the Patriots don't have any players as good as those two. Lower Saxony does have one of the best DBs in the business, Adrian Wilson, and his presence should close some of the gap that the Utica LBs will create.

This promises to be a close game, with Lower Saxony having the edge on offense and Utica having the edge on defense. It all might come down to how the QBs play, and I'll take Roethlisberger over Romo, who should have a good game but is very hit-or-miss. Lower Saxony 130, Utica 126.

Fairfax Foxes vs. Washington Braves

Fairfax's Philly connection of QB Donovan McNabb and RB Brian Westbrook were insanely productive last year before McNabb succumbed to injury, but he's back this year and they figure to pick up right where they left off. Green Bay, Philly's opponent, actually should have a pretty good pass defense this year, but McNabb is capable of putting up big points on anyone. Fairfax also will start Maurice Jones-Drew, and while he might not start against the Titans, all he needs is 10-12 carries and he should get a decent number of yards and a TD or two. Washington's superstar RB LaDanian Tomlinson has a pretty tough opponent this week, but like McNabb he can potentially dominate against any team in the league. Julius Jones is the other starting RB for Washington, and Matt Hasselbeck will start at QB. He faces a solid Tampa defense and could be in line for a mediocre day if Shaun Alexander gets hot early.

Washington picks up a huge advantage at WR, with a one-two combination of Chad Johnson and Andre Johnson (Washington is the third team to start two guys named Johnson at one position). Fairfax only has Marques Colston as far as big threats go, but both of Fairfax's other WRs are mediocre guys with great matchups, Isaac Bruce taking on Carolina and Amani Toomer facing Dallas.

Washington has the bigger names on defense, with Keith Brooking, Derrick Brooks and Keith Bulluck leading the team at LB. But Fairfax has some sleepers that have landed in good positions. Foxes LB Omar Gaither replaces Jeremiah Trotter at MLB in Philadelphia, and Bart Scott was an unheralded breakout star last season that should only improve. Fairfax also has two excellent DBs, Champ Bailey and Sean Jones.

Johnson, Johnson and Tomlinson give Washington a huge edge no matter who they play, but I can see the Fairfax WR unit stepping up to have a big game this week. This should come down to Monday night; both teams have two defensive players, but Chad Johnson could ice the game with a big performance for Washington. Washington 134, Fairfax 129.

AFC SOUTH

Bertrand Ground Force vs Anglia Dark Knights

The battle of "Best Team with Two Words in the Team Name" is on! The Ground Force might be looking into a name change, as they line up in a 1 RB, 4 WR formation in what might become the norm this year. Shaun Alexander is definitely capable of scoring enough points to make up a Force by himself. The Bertrand aerial attack (what about that for a new name?) is led by QB Carson Palmer, who faces a potentially difficult Baltimore squad on Monday night. After this week, Bertrand might secede the team name to Anglia, who will start Frank Gore in a very easy matchup against Arizona and Travis Henry, who faces the Bills. Anglia QB Jon Kitna will throw multiple touchdowns, but could also turn the ball over multiple times. Neither WR set is great, with both featuring one top option, Bertrand's Darrell Jackson and Anglia's Reggie Brown, and a bunch of average guys. Jackson is still recovering from injury and might not be able to take advantage of an easy matchup.

On defense, the Ground Force will trot out the 3-3-2, with top DEs Aaron Kampman and Aaron Schobel leading the defense up front and Jonathan Vilma roaming around the middle. Anglia has the best DE in the game, Jason Taylor, as well as a solid group of LBs led by A.J. Hawk and Will Witherspoon. Dark Knight DB Nate Clements should see a lot of opportunities against Arizona this week.

Alexander might be the best RB on the field in this game, though Gore is definitely challenging him. But the lack of a second option hurts Bertrand, especially when Anglia starts a back as good as Henry as the RB2. The Ground Force will need a couple big games from WRs and defensive players to win this one, but I think Anglia is the stronger team here. Anglia 129, Bertrand 106.

Greenville Storm vs. Cincinnati Keepers

Speaking of teams starting one RB, with the uncertainty of the Green Bay rushing attack in Week 1, the Keepers are looking to start four WRs in their game against Greenville to go along with RB Reggie Bush. Having better WRs than Bertrand, the Keepers might be able to get away with it. T.J. Houshmandzadeh is the number one and could have a big game even against the Ravens. Devery Henderson and Brandon Marshall are young guys with breakout potential, and both will probably see a lot of looks this week. Cincinnati QB Phillip Rivers might struggle to score points against Chicago. The Greenville signal-caller, Jay Cutler, should have a much easier time against Buffalo, but RBs Thomas Jones and Marshawn Lynch face teams with good defenses and could be held out of the end zone this week. The Greenville WRs are a solid group, though they lack a stud to burst through and potentially score 20 points.

Both teams have a great set of LBs, with Ray Lewis leading the Greenville squad and Mike Peterson leading the Cincinnati group. Both have young guys that should rack up points in bad defenses, Paul Posluszny for Cincinnati and Ernie Sims for Greenville. Cincinnati might have a little bit better defensive line, but the Storm has a better secondary.

This could be the best Week 1 matchup in the AFC, with both teams fighting it out until the last second. Greenville has more players on Monday, so if they can keep it close and get good production from both backs, they should get the victory. Greenville 135, Cincinnati 132.

AFC WEST

Austin Predators vs. New Mexico Raiders

Last year's top two AFC South teams square off in Week 1 with the NFFL-Champion Austin Predators facing the New Mexico Raiders of England. New Mexico swept the series last year, and the Predators have been anticipating this matchup all off-season, looking to settle the score. Austin QB Marc Bulger has an excellent matchup and should score 20+ points. But New Mexico QB Alex Smith also should put up points against the Cardinals. Raiders RB Clinton Portis is still recovering from injury and is expected to be limited on Sunday, but Fred Taylor could pick up a lot of the slack when he faces Tennessee. Austin RB Willie Parker could easily score the most points in this game as he faces the Browns, and Austin RB2 Ronnie Brown will get the start despite reports that his job was in jeopardy. The two WR units match up well, with top-notch WR1s (Austin's Marvin Harrison and New Mexico's Steve Smith), excellent WR2s (Austin's Hines Ward and New Mexico's Randy Moss) and solid WR3s (Austin's Joey Galloway and New Mexico's Jerricho Cotchery).

Austin has an advantage of defense, with LB Zach Thomas the star of the matchup on that side of the ball. New Mexico will start the 3-3-2, and DL Elvis Dumervil could potentially lose time in Denver to newly-signed Simeon Rice. Raider DLs Terrell Suggs and Derrick Burgess are two of the best DLs around, though Austin's pair of Robert Mathis and Luis Castillo are pretty good as well.

With Austin's advantage at QB and RB1 and the injury concerns of Portis and Moss, Austin looks like the favorite in this game. But you can throw out the lineups (almost) when these two teams play, as they throw the entire playbook at each other and fight till the last second each and every time out. Austin 145, New Mexico 129.

California Xtreme vs. Carson City Bandits

It's pretty hard to win when you don't start anyone, and it looks like Carson City hasn't even submitted a lineup for this contest. As such, I'll take a stab at who I think they'll go with if they do get a lineup in.

California will employ the singleback offense this week, sending Deuce McAllister out against the atrocious Indy rush defense. Xtreme QB Drew Brees should also have a solid game against the Colts. The Bandits figure to play Matt Leinart, who could have a multiple-TD game in a potential shootout with the 49ers. At RB, the Bandits will probably start Detroit RB Tatum Bell with Kevin Jones still a few weeks from playing. T.J. Duckett or Chris Brown could also see playing time in the Carson City backfield. The Xtreme WRs aren't the cream of the crop, but they are much deeper than their Carson City counterparts. The Bandits have a top-notch WR1 in Javon Walker who should score double digits, but there isn't much scoring potential behind him. California has two solid starters, Santana Moss and Donte Stallworth, and at least one of Jerry Porter and Ronald Curry should have a good game against a poor Detroit secondary.

Xtreme LBs DeMeco Ryans and Shawne Merriman are candidates to win the Defensive PoY award, and DBs Oshiomogho Atogwe and Roy Williams are fine starters in the secondary. The Bandits have a couple of good scorers on the line in Trent Cole and Trevor Pryce, and a few good options at LB with DJ Williams, Tedy Bruschi and Larry Foote. They'll have a tough time getting points from their DB2 slot though.

It's hard to pick a team that could potentially score zero points, and they're even tougher to pick when their best RBs are Bell, Brown and Duckett. California will get out to a big lead behind Brees and McAllister tonight, and I don't think Carson City will be able to catch up. California 122, Carson City 101.

Player of the Week Predictions:

Offense

AFC: Anglia RB Frank Gore (26 points)
NFC: Boston QB Peyton Manning (31 points)

Defense

AFC: Austin LB Zach Thomas (21 points)
NFC: Fairfax DB Sean Jones (17 points)

Garrard on the Move

2007-09-05T15:21:00.000-05:00

Just days after being announced the starting quarterback by Jacksonville, the Glasgow Warriors sent QB3 David Garrard to the Austin Predators for starting LB Adalius Thomas and a 2009 draft pick. Garrard is expected to be the primary backup to starting QB Marc Bulger, while Thomas should be an every-week starter for the Warriors.

Glasgow is left with two solid young QBs on their roster, with Eli Manning the expected starter and Matt Schaub likely to play the QB2 role. With Manning and Schaub having different bye weeks, the team felt comfortable with its QB situation and wisely brought in the playmaker Thomas.

In Austin, team officials decided that bringing in a reliable QB2 was worth sacrificing some LB depth the team had built up. Andra Davis and Matt Wilhelm, both recovering from injury, are the leading candidates to fill Thomas' starting spot in Week 1. The team is very high on Wilhelm, but Davis' familiarity with the Austin defense will likely land him the LB4 slot moving forward until Wilhelm proves himself.

Austin Adds Six Players

2007-09-04T23:42:00.000-05:00

As expected, the Austin Predators shook up the roster just a few days before the regular season. Fan favorite Michael Strahan and third quarterback Josh McCown were released on Tuesday, ending Strahan's long tenure with the team. This comes just one day after Austin released Corey Dillon. Both Dillon and Strahan played integral roles in last year's championship season for the Predators, and letting go of both players was difficult.

"When you have players of their caliber, you never want to have to cut them in training camp," said Austin GM R.J. White, "but this is a business, and both players' salaries outgrew their production."

McCown is a potential starter in Oakland, but team officials have been notified that he's expected to back up Daunte Culpepper. With Charlie Frye, Austin's other backup QB, being named the starter, McCown was sent packing.

Releasing Strahan, McCown and Dillon saved the Predators over $3 million dollars and put them well under the caps. Strahan took the news hard, but he shouldn't be out of work for long. He's already had contact with officials from two teams, and could sign a contract within the next few days.

Strahan was deemed expendable with the addition of two young defensive lineman, Bobby McCray and Ray Edwards. McCray was inked to a $550,000, one-year contract and Edwards was signed to a league-minimum, one-year deal.

"With [Robert] Mathis and [Luis] Castillo entrenched as starters, we felt it was wise to bring in a couple of kids with potential that could breakthrough this year," said White. "Michael was obviously a fantastic player in his time here, but with retirement on the horizon for him and the prospect of being relegated to the bench, we think this works out best for both Michael and the organization."

In addition to the two linemen, the Predators also signed two backup RBs, Selvin Young and Jesse Chatman. With Chatman an option to steal carries from Predator RB Ronnie Brown, the team took him off the market should Brown lose his job.

"Ronnie isn't losing his job," White said. "He's a former high first-round pick being paid to play football, and you're not going to sit a kid like that. That being said, no player is immune to injury, and with the buzz surrounding Chatman, we decided to lock him up before he grew out of our price range."

Also joining the team is Arnaz Battle, a starting receiver with an easy schedule in a growing offense. Team officials aren't expecting Battle to see a lot of playing time, but he could serve as a valuable piece down the road for the franchise.

Austin also signed undrafted rookie Nick Folk, who won the kicking job in Dallas. This allowed the team to release the overpaid Lawrence Tynes, who's hold on the Giants kicking job is tenuous, and Rian Lindell, who shared a bye with the team's top kicker, Jason Hanson. Austin also released rookie Michael Griffin, whom the team soured on in training camp.

Team officials are reportedly in discussions to complete a trade, so the roster shakeup might not be over. The team has been fielding offers for Brown, but the asking price is reportedly too high for the teams interested in acquiring the running back. Austin appears to be looking for a comparable starting RB at this time.

2007 NFL Predicitions

2007-09-04T18:17:00.000-05:00

I'm going to take a stab at predicting the 2007 NFL Standings here. Crazy things happen every year. Who knew the Saints would turn into a title contender so quickly? Who knew the Colts actually had what it took to win a title, especially without having a semblance of run defense? And yet, years like 2006 are the norm, with random teams stepping up to win division titles and previously-elite teams falling by the wayside due to poor coaching or injury.

The preceding paragraph was basically an excuse for my very strange-looking predictions. But I'm tired of predicting the norm. Here we go!

AFC EAST

1. New England 11-5
2. Buffalo 8-8
3. New York Jets 7-9
4. Miami 4-12

New England is the obvious pick to take the division crown. The Jets are close to contending, but Chad Pennington isn't going to suddenly become a good QB. Once they find an above average QB, the Jets should begin to give the Pats a run for their money. J.P. Losman is a better option than Pennington, and you get the feeling that he could continue to progress and become a solid QB in the NFL one day. Miami is a mess; they need help at QB, WR, CB, and all along the offensive line.

AFC NORTH

1. Pittsburgh 12-4
2. Cincinnati 9-7
3. Cleveland 7-9
4. Baltimore 7-9

Pittsburgh has a great defense, an excellent RB, a great young Super-Bowl caliber QB, great pass-catchers, and a top-notch offensive line. They're a team that can win a bye, make a Super Bowl run, and the masses would look back and say, "Of course. Why didn't we see this coming?" Cincinnati has all the offensive pieces in place, but their defense is still below average. Cleveland will be an interesting team this year. I could see them starting 2-4 and turning to Brady Quinn, who leads them to a 5-5 record and hypes up the hometown. Baltimore still has a great defense, but Steve McNair is a below average QB now and Willis McGahee isn't a sure thing to jump-start the offense. Plus, their end-of-season schedule is brutal. They could conceivable lose five of their last six games.

AFC SOUTH

1. Indianapolis 10-6
2. Jacksonville 8-8
3. Tennessee 7-9
4. Houston 5-11

As difficult as it is to win a Super Bowl, it's extremely difficult to be an elite team the year after. In a better division like the North or the West, Indy would be in danger of losing the division crown. Despite a solid defense, Jacksonville doesn't have the firepower to catch the Colts, especially after jettisoning their franchise QB in favor of an unproven, barely-tested QB. Vince Young will win the Titans a few games by himself, but the complete mediocrity of the rest of the team will hold back his progression. They need to quickly get some talent in Tennessee. Houston looks the same as Jacksonville, without the solid defense. Hopefully they can land Darren McFadden in 2008 to make up for passing on Reggie Bush.

AFC WEST

1. Denver 12-4
2. San Diego 9-7
3. Oakland 6-10
4. Kansas City 4-12

Like Pittsburgh, Denver has all the pieces in place to make a championship run, yet due to playing in the same division as San Diego, you don't hear a lot of hype surrounding the team. San Diego made a big leap forward, but still couldn't win the Super Bowl last year. Since LaDanian Tomlinson won't score 30 TDs again this year, and Phillip Rivers is likely to throw a few more interceptions as a result, this team could definitely underperform. With a solid defense, Oakland probably should have won a few more games than they did last year. I expect a rebound from LaMont Jordan and an improvement across the board for the Raiders. Kansas City is moving in the opposite direction; uncertainty at QB, a RB with a lot of miles on the odometer from last year, no big receiving threats and a subpar defense will lead to a season full of all the Hard Knocks Herm Edwards can stand.

NFC EAST

1. Philadelphia 11-5
2. Washington 9-7
3. Dallas 7-9
4. New York Giants 6-10

Philadelphia won the division last year with their franchise-QB sidelined for the second half of the season. Washington is an up-and-coming team with a young, emerging QB. They even have an outstanding number two RB in case Clinton Portis can't stay healthy again this season. Tony Romo might be the QB-du-jour in Dallas, but I'd like to see how he responds after he struggles. He tailed off at the end of last season, and that playoff botched-FG might haunt him the rest of his career. The Giants need a lot of help on defense, and losing their best offensive weapon will cost them a few wins in the standings. I like Brandon Jacobs, but he's not going to step in and replace Tiki Barber's production in 2007.

NFC NORTH

1. Green Bay 9-7
2. Chicago 9-7
3. Minnesota 7-9
4. Detroit 6-10

This will finally be Brett Favre's last year, which means he'll bring it all together and do everything possible to win one more title. The offensive line has improved and the defense is making strides. Chicago lost their reliable #1 RB, and Cedric Benson has proven nothing thus far. The Chicago defense and special teams won a lot of games in spite of Rex Grossman; that's not something you can count on from year to year. Minnesota has a great team in place; now they need to find a QB to come in and lead them. I hear Byron Leftwich is looking for a job. Detroit has a fantastic passing offense, but the rushing offense still has a ways to go before they can turn this group into a well-rounded scoring machine. Detroit will need to concentrate on bringing in great defensive players in the next year or two, as they have a chance to jump to the top of a mediocre defense if they can grab the opportunity.

NFC SOUTH

1. Carolina 11-5
2. New Orleans 10-6
3. Tampa Bay 7-9
4. Atlanta 3-13

Carolina has two solid QBs, two solid options at RB (though they'll be much more dangerous when they switch to DeAngelo Williams), one of the best WRs in the league and a solid defense, the last of which might be the difference between them and New Orleans in their games this year. The Saints defense was nothing to sneeze at last year, but I think their offense takes a step back this year. Tampa has a decent defense and a solid new QB in Jeff Garcia. If Cadillac Williams can stay healthy and rebound from a bad 2006, this group could make a run at the division title. Atlanta has had to deal with a lot of off-the-field issues this year in the person of one Michael Vick. You get the feeling that the season is already lost with the Falcons.

NFC WEST

1. Seattle 12-4
2. San Francisco 8-8
3. St. Louis 8-8
4. Arizona 7-9

Seattle's Shaun Alexander had a excellent end-of-the-season run after coming back from injury, and the offense is in capable hands with him and Matt Hasselbeck. The defense is good enough to keep them in games. San Francisco is a popular sleeper, but the additions of Patrick Willis and Nate Clements aren't quite enough to vault them from the NFC's worst defense to playoff-caliber. St. Louis has an excellent offense, but with Torry Holt admittedly not at full strength the Rams might not have enough firepower to make up for the defense's shortcomings. Arizona is improving slowly but still needs more solid players on defense to compete for the division title.

MVP: Tom Brady, New England
Coach of the Year: Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh

AFC Playoffs

Round 1: #3 New England over #6 San Diego, #5 Cincinnati over #4 Indianapolis
Round 2: #1 Denver over #5 Cincinnati, #3 New England over #2 Pittsburgh
AFC Champ: #1 Denver over #3 New England

NFC Playoffs

Round 1: #3 Carolina over #6 Washington, #5 New Orleans over #4 Green Bay
Round 2: #1 Seattle over #5 New Orleans, #2 Philadelphia over #3 Carolina
NFC Champ: #1 Seattle over #2 Philadelphia

Super Bowl

Seattle 27, Denver 16

2007 AFC West Preview

2007-09-03T21:13:00.000-05:00

Austin

2006: 12-4 overall record, 4-2 division record, 129.1 ppg, NFFL championship

Every team is competing with one ultimate goal in mind: the championship. The Austin Predators were lucky enough to win it last year. A 12-4 record was enough to win the division, and the Predators scored 152 in the AFC Championship and 140 in the NFFL Bowl to take home the crown. The only thing tougher than winning the title is winning back-to-back titles, and the Predators are wearing a big target that all the other hungry teams see.

QB1 Marc Bulger stayed healthy in 2006 and scored nearly 300 points on the season, limiting mistakes and solidifying a place in the top-five at the QB position. Solid QB2 Jon Kitna is gone, so Charlie Frye and Josh McCown will battle for the QB2 role, with neither being inspiring options.

Fast Willie Parker ran wild on defenses last year, tallying nearly 250 points and earning a four-year extension. Ronnie Brown was acquired to fill the RB2 role, and while he’s had a mediocre preseason, he should still score enough points to be solid in his role. Rookie supersleeper Selvin Young offers the only appearance of depth at the position.

The WR unit was seen as a weakness heading into the offseason, and the Predators spared no expense going after the top wideout on the market, former Bertrand WR Marvin Harrison, locking him up with a five-year, $33 million deal. Austin also acquired former New Mexico WR Hines Ward and former Chicago WR Joey Galloway. These three are the expected starters and could be one of the top scoring trios in the league. TE Tony Gonzalez is the main backup.

Needing a boost on the line, the Predators signed Luis Castillo and traded for Robert Mathis. These two should be the starters, and anything Michael Strahan can give the team is icing. The strength of the Austin team, as always, is the LB unit. Zach Thomas was a potential Player of the Year candidate before missing a game with injury. He settled for 200+ points anyway. Adalius Thomas and Gary Brackett also chipped in with good years, and the team traded for rookie Patrick Willis, signing him to a five-year, $10.25 million deal on his first day with the team. Andra Davis and breakout candidate Matt Wilhelm round out the unit. The leaders of the secondary are incumbent DB1 Brian Dawkins and new addition Jermaine Phillips.

A repeat isn’t out of the question, but the AFC is unquestionably tougher this year than it was last year. The starting WRs are all eligible for their AARP cards mid-season, and there’s no good depth at all at RB or QB. That said, a great defense will do enough to keep the team in games even if the offense struggles.

California

2006: 5-11 overall record, 2-4 division record, 103.8 ppg, Lost in Rd 1 of Playoffs

A team historically known for its high-flying offense, the Xtreme will look much different this year. Still around are a couple of stars from New Orleans, but the offense doesn’t have much depth behind them. The team traded for one of the top rookies in the league in an attempt to bolster the defense and he should do just that.

QB1 Drew Brees outperformed everyone’s expectations, leading the Saints from doormat to the NFC championship. He scored over 300 points, putting him in the elite at the position. The Xtreme QB was handsomely rewarded, as he signed a five-year, $51 million contract, making him the highest paid player in the league. QB2 Jason Campbell is now the starter in Washington, and the early reviews are giving him two thumbs up.

The other big threat on offense is RB Deuce McAllister, who enjoyed a 178-point season in 2006 despite the addition of Reggie Bush. McAllister should be consistent enough to capably fill the RB1 slot, though he lacks the upside of many other RB1s. The big problem comes after Deuce. Reuben Droughns is the main candidate for the RB2 role, but he’ll need injury to strike to have much value.

Former Devil Santana Moss is the new WR1, and he seemed to start clicking with Campbell late, scoring three times in the last five games. But take away a 31-point game early in the season, and Moss was pretty average overall. He’ll have a difficult time as a WR1 for California. Donte Stallworth should get enough looks from Tom Brady to warrant starting every week, and Jerry Porter is a great rebound candidate playing under a new coaching staff. Ronald Curry is a nice sleeper as well. With no solid RB2, California might have to rely on all four of these guys.

Alex Brown emerged out of nowhere to have a 100+ point season, but Dwight Freeney didn’t have a nearly good enough season to live up to his name. These two enter the season as starters, though Simeon Rice could become a starter later in the season if he finds a team and playing time. LB DeMeco Ryans ended up being the steal of the 2006 draft, and Carson City was rewarded with 196 points from the rookie. He’s now with the Xtreme and established as one of the top LBs in the NFFL. Sack artist Shawne Merriman returns to play LB2, and he has the ability to make a run at the single-season sack record if offensive coordinators aren’t careful. Oshiomogho Atogwe had a breakout year of his own and also comes over from Carson City. He’ll join Roy Williams as a starter in the secondary.

The Xtreme will be much better on defense, but lack too much talent on offense and will need huge years from Brees, McAllister, and Moss to compete for the division title. It’s unlikely both Curry and Porter become starter-worthy, and Droughns is stuck behind a good young running back in New York.

Carson City

2006: 3-13 overall record, 1-5 division record, 112.4 ppg, missed playoffs

By any measure, 2006 was a lost year for this franchise. But they made a lot of moves in the offseason, adding a few good young players and a lot of draft picks with an eye toward the future. They’ve definitely improved on several fronts, but still have quite a path to go to become perennial threats in the AFC.

Desperately needing a good QB1, the Bandits swapped a few first round picks to get Matt Leinart from the Inferno. Leinart has progressed well, and is due for a big jump forward within the next year or two. Once he reaches his potential, Carson City will have one of the better QB1s in the league. QB2 Trent Green isn’t worth nearly $4.2 million, but he’ll fill the role of veteran backup for the Bandits.

The Bandits brought in four RBs in an attempt to corner the Detroit running game. Congratulations, you’ve done it. Tatum Bell will be the starter early on, but when Kevin Jones is healthy enough to play again he should get a majority of the carries. Chris Brown should get enough carries in Tennessee to be a halfway decent RB2.

Looking for a solid WR1, the Bandits traded for Anglia WR Javon Walker. If Walker can stay healthy again, he should match his numbers from last year, maybe even improve on them if Cutler progresses well. He’s a good WR1 to have. Beyond that, it’s a toss up at the position. Ted Ginn Jr. won’t see enough time to be a reliable option at first, but should develop into a solid WR3 in the future. Nate Burleson looks like he could see some playing time in Seattle, but neither of these guys are reliable starters. TEs Heath Miller and Ben Watson are expected to contribute heavily on offense.

Carson City brought in Trent Cole and Trevor Pryce to be the starters on the line. Cole has the makings of an excellent DL1, and Pryce scored over 100 points last year. Tedy Bruschi signed with the Bandits for the minimum, and he should combine to start with Larry Foote and DJ Williams in a completely revamped LB unit. Walt Harris had a fantastic 2006 season, and he’ll be an every-week starter along with Brodney Pool.

This is another young team that hasn’t quite gotten over the hump but is definitely headed in the right direction. They’ll be even younger next year, as they hold half the picks in the second round of the 2008 rookie draft and five more in the third round to go along with a first-round pick. With a good draft, they’ll be a threat to contend by 2009.

New Mexico

2006: 9-7 overall record, 5-1 division record, 123.2 ppg, Lost in Rd 2 of Playoffs

The defending AFC-champion New Mexico Raiders of England sponsored by Boddington’s Beer and Cingular part of the New AT&T Wireless had high hopes of a repeat as AFC Champion. A sterling 5-1 division record should have led to just that, but by winning only four out of ten games in inter-division play, the Raiders missed out on the AFC West title and ultimately fell to Bertrand in the second round of the playoffs.

The Raiders brought in Alex Smith from Chicago to be the QBI, and the kid has a bright future. He still has a lot to learn, so New Mexico will have to suffer through the growing pains of starting a developing QB. He did throw for almost 3,000 yards and had more TDs than INTs, so the talent is definitely there. Damon Huard and grossly-overpaid Daunte Culpepper will compete to be QB2.

Clinton Portis is a great RB1 when healthy, but injury has been a major problem for him. Good thing New Mexico was smart enough to lock up his backup, Ladell Betts. Between the two, they scored 273 points, and Betts was a big part of New Mexico’s late season success. RB2 Fred Taylor always carries injury concerns, but he’s good enough to be a solid starter. Dominic Rhodes will look to get involved after serving a suspension.

Steve Smith is one of the top WR1s in the league when healthy, and Randy Moss could potentially be explosive as a WR2, but he carries enough question marks that it’s anything but a sure thing. The WR3 spot belongs to Jerricho Cotchery, a nice waiver-wire find last season.

No one in the league has better depth at DL than New Mexico. Terrell Suggs and Derrick Bur form a formidable 1-2 attack, and rookie Amobi Okoye could develop into a starter. Kirk Morrison and Victor Hobson lead a group of good-but-not-great LBs. Nnamdi Asomugha and Carlos Rogers are the starters at DB, with Dwight Smith and rookie Aaron Ross looking to get playing time as well.

This team will be relying on a lot of injury-prone guys and a rookie QB on offense, meaning this could just as easily be a 4-12 team as a 12-4 team. The defensive unit is solid top-to-bottom, though it's missing that one stud to make it elite. Never count out the Raiders in December, but a lot of things will have to break (or not break) right to win the championship.

Predicted order of finish:

1. Austin
2. New Mexico
3. California
4. Carson City

2007 AFC South Preview

2007-09-03T18:53:00.000-05:00

Anglia

2006: 7-9 overall record, 3-3 division record, 113.5 ppg, Lost in Rd 2 of Playoffs

The Dark Knights are a team on the rise, with an abundance of veteran and rookie talent at QB to use as trading chips and a top notch rushing attack. There are a few holes, but nothing that a well-timed trade or free agent acquisition can’t patch up.

The QB1 heading into the season is Jon Kitna, who threw for 4,000+ yards with a lot of interceptions thrown in. He should match his 2006 numbers, making him a solid every-week starter. Brett Favre is the QB2, with his backup Aaron Rodgers behind him and rookie JaMarcus Russell still negotiating his Raider contract.

Frank Gore burst onto the scene in 2006, and the team wisely slapped the franchise tag on him. Gore has a bit of an injury risk to him, but when healthy he has top-five ability on an improving offense. RB2 Travis Henry moves into a sweet situation in Denver, though there are injury concerns with him thus far. While not the best running attack in the league, this tandem is definitely upper-echelon. Veterans Warrick Dunn and Michael Pittman are the main backups.

The weakness of the team is at WR, where they’re missing one top-notch option. WR1 Reggie Brown is more suited to a WR2 role, and there’s not much on the squad behind him, with Joe Horn and Derrick Mason the early favorites to start. TE Jason Witten is a decent backup. Rookie Craig Davis would help the club immensely if he can make a smooth NFL transition and become an Anglia starter.

League-leading DE1 Jason Taylor joins the team from Utica and should lead the defense in points this season. Ty Warren does well enough each week to be relied on as the DE2. Will Witherspoon and second-year LB A.J. Hawk should start every week in the middle, with E.J. Henderson and Manny Lawson rounding out the unit. The secondary’s best player is suspended for the year, so the Knights brought in Nate Clements, Adam Archuleta and Terence Newman. All three will need to contribute immediately, as returning DB Antrell Rolle is slated for less playing time this year.

Anglia did a great job of bringing in talent for 2007, but there remains work that needs to be done. The AFC crown is probably out of reach, but with a few breaks the division title is a possibility. After that, anything can happen in the playoffs.

Bertrand

2006: 9-7 overall record, 5-1 division record, 131.4 ppg, Lost in AFC Championship

The 2006 edition of the Bertrand Ground Force started slow, made a big trade for a franchise QB, and overcame an injury to the star RB to reel off three wins and take the division crown. The 2007 edition has a few superstars, but not a lot of great players on offense. The defense remains solid as always, but without a couple hidden gems coming out on offense, the Ground Force will be hard-pressed to win against much improved competition in the South.

QB is the spot on offense where Bertrand has no troubles at all. QB1 Carson Palmer is one of the top passers in the league and even coming off a bad injury he scored 284 points. QB2 Steve McNair isn’t a top QB anymore, but he’s solid as a backup.

Franchise player Shaun Alexander was fantastic coming off his injury at the end of 2006. If he can stay healthy this year, he should return to being a top RB. He will be leaned on heavily either way, as the best option to play RB2 is the uninspiring Ron Dayne.

The story at WR is much the same, with one bona fide star and a lot of questions. Darrell Jackson is definitely an injury concern, but if he can stay relatively healthy, he’ll be a fine WR1. Behind him on offense are Patrick Crayton, Dennis Northcutt, rookies Jason Hill and TE Greg Olsen, and second-year men Chad Jackson and TE Marcedes Lewis. All are good enough to contribute at some point during the season, but none can be relied on as starters. Two will have to step up.

The Ground Force has a very good pair of DL bookends in Aaron Kampman and Aaron Schobel. The two combined for over 300 points last year, outstanding numbers for the position. The LB unit needs depth, but Jonathan Vilma and Morlon Greenwood are solid as starters. The secondary will rely on Antoine Winfield and Gibril Wilson, both 150-point scorers from a year ago. Young DBs Tye Hill and Leon Hall will join them.

While not many teams can boast the resume the Ground Force has put together in their first two seasons, it’s going to be extremely difficult to win with this unit. Expect Bertrand to watch the wire like a hawk for free agents that have big weeks and use as much of their $10 million cap space as they need to bringing in complimentary pieces to join their stars.

Cincinnati

2006: 4-12 overall record, 2-4 division record, 99.5 ppg, missed playoffs

2006 is a year that won’t be fondly remembered by Keeper fans. Winning two games by less than five points, this team could have easily been 2-14. Not that 4-12 is much to brag about. Tired of the hate mail pouring in, ownership stepped up and started dealing. As a result, the Keepers are expected to be a contender in the South this year with a much-improved squad.

With J.P. Losman more suited to be the QB2, Cincinnati went out and acquired Phillip Rivers, who shined in his first year as starter of the Chargers. These two might not be top-tier options, but with a combined salary of barely $1 million, they should do a solid job at a discounted price.

The Keepers couldn’t find a running game in 2006 no matter where they looked, but that shouldn’t be a problem in 2007. Enter Reggie Bush, one of the league’s most exciting young talents and a lock to be this team’s RB1 for a long time. The RB2 will be the winner of the GB timeshare out of Vernand Morency and Brandon Jackson, though both have battled injuries this preseason.

The unquestioned WR1 is T.J. Houshmazilly, the franchise player for Cincinnati. Hoshmazode, while a solid consistent weapon, isn’t quite good enough to carry the unit. So a couple of breakout candidates will have to come through to help Houshzyamama. Brandon Marshall should emerge as the #2 weapon in Denver and has the potential to be a solid WR2. Devery Henderson moves up the depth chart in New Orleans and is a good home run threat as a WR3. Kevin Curtis, now a starter in Philly, and Maurice Stovall, a possible starter in Tampa Bay, are also good bets to contribute this year.

Sack machine Mark Anderson will need to come up with even more sacks this year, as he doesn’t accrue many tackles. Cincinnati will be looking for Bertrand Berry to rebound back to his pre-injury form. The Keepers traded for LB1 Mike Peterson, who is also coming off injury but is a top-ten LB when healthy. He’ll team with Rookie-of-the-Year candidate Paul Posluszny, monster DeMarcus Ware and the ever-so-solid Lofa Tatupu to form one of the league’s best LB units. Eric Barton is no slouch as a fifth option either. The Keepers will be looking for secondary help, though. Rodney Harrison is the only top option, and even he has red flags. A couple rookies round out the paper-thin secondary.

It’s not there yet, but it’s definitely much improved. Watching these Keepers, you won’t even remember the sub-100 ppg performance from 2006. Unless I keep reminding you. Rivers-Bush-Housh is a solid core on offense, and those LBs are scary good, capable of taking over a game and hanging 50+ points on their opponent. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Greenville

2006: 5-11 overall record, 2-4 division record, 116.2 ppg, Lost in Rd 1 of Playoffs

A Greenville is brewing. Wait, that’s not right. The Storm enters 2007 with a lot of work to do to catch the powerhouse Ground Force and the rest of the division. With Cincinnati much improved, this team might struggle to stay out of the cellar if it doesn’t make some quick pick-ups and build some young talent and depth going forward.

QB1 Jay Cutler looked impressive in his first stint as starting QB, and his continued maturation is paramount to a successful Greenville season. Otherwise, they will be forced to rely on wild-card Rex Grossman. You don’t know what you’re getting with Grossman, but you can pretty much be guaranteed he’ll wind up in the top-five or bottom-five QB performances each week.

Thomas Jones returns as the RB1, and now he’ll be running with the Jets. He’ll still split time with the young guys in New York, so he’s not a lock for more carries this year, but he’ll be well worth starting each week. The RB2 is rookie Marshawn Lynch, who might face a steep learning curve dealing with on-the-job training, as he’s expected to be an every-week starter right away.

The WR unit lacks a true WR1, but Mark Clayton is the best of the bunch. He’ll need to step up and produce top-15 numbers to keep the unit competitive. TE Todd Heap is a reliable starter, and Muhsin Muhammad is the expected WR3 to start out. Rookies Sidney Rice and Aundrae Allison would do wonders for this team if either can emerge as a starter.

The defensive line only goes two deep, with second-year Mario Williams proving unworthy of the #1 overall pick in his first season. Leonard Little is a fine starting DL, and if Williams improves this unit will be O.K., provided the owner signs a little depth. LB Ray Lewis, while not the monster he’s been in the past, is still a reliable option and every-week starter. Ernie Sims had a productive rookie year and is back as the LB2. Julian Peterson and Akin Ayodele should see a lot of playing time as well. Richard Marshall had a great year, scoring 150+ points, and he’ll team with Charles Woodson as the expected secondary starters.

Landing Lynch was a big step in the right direction for the Storm, but the lack of superstars on offense will be difficult to overcome. If the team can add a WR1 and maybe another solid RB, watch out. Otherwise, a division title looks like a little too much to ask.

Predicted order of finish:

1. Cincinnati
2. Anglia
3. Bertrand
4. Greenville

2007 NFC North Preview

2007-09-03T17:12:00.000-05:00

Boston Inferno

2006: 12-4 overall record, 5-1 division record, 133.4 ppg, Lost in Rd 2 of Playoffs

A very successful 2006 season ended prematurely with a loss to the Devils in the 2^nd round of the playoffs. The loss was made even more surprising by the fact that the Inferno won their last five games in the regular season and seemed primed to make a run at the league title. Boston went out and got a couple pieces to add to an already-stacked offense, in hopes that it would make the difference in 2007.

QB Peyton Manning returns to throw for 20+ points a week for another season with Boston. He’ll be leaned on even more with no proven backup behind him. John Beck, Kevin Kolb and Kellen Clemens will all compete to be Manning’s backup.

Both Laurence Maroney and Willis McGahee saw changes that should immensely help their 2007 numbers. Maroney’s platoon-mate Corey Dillon is gone from New England, and that could lead to a leap to the 200-point range for Maroney. McGahee is going to a much better offense for RBs with the move to Baltimore, and it would surprise no one to see him also score 200 points. Jerious Norwood is a fantastic RB3; the new scheme in Atlanta favors him over Dunn and he should be the starter by mid-season, giving Boston another weapon.

Roy Williams and TE Antonio Gates return to the team as pass-catchers, but the real story lies with the two players Boston brought in during the offseason. Terrell Owens seemed to hit his stride when Romo was QB, and that bodes well for his 2007 stats. Lee Evans emerged as one of the most exciting young receivers in the league, proving capable of scoring from anyway on the field. With sleeper D.J. Hackett and rookie Calvin Johnson also joining the fold, the Inferno WR corps is an embarrassment of riches, and will prove to be very valuable if injury causes the Inferno to need to trade for help somewhere.

Stud DL Jared Allen is back for another run and should continue to dominate, while DL2 Kyle Vanden Bosch also had a great year in 2006, leading Boston to snag him from Chicago in the offseason. No depth exists on the Inferno line. Donnie Edwards comes off another great year, but it’s yet known how the move to Kansas City will affect him. Brian Urlacher and James Farrior are expected to do most of the damage on defense along with Edwards. Ronde Barber is the big threat in the secondary, with Ken Hamlin as the DB2.

Three good RBs, six excellent receivers, and Peyton Manning. With that kind of formula, the offense will be one of the best in the league in 2007. If the playmakers on defense repeat what they did last year, this team should win the NFC and probably the NFFL. In any case, they’ll prove to be a difficult opponent each and every week.

Chicago Goodfellas

2006: 7-9 overall record, 1-5 division record, 115.9 ppg, missed playoffs

A late-season losing streak combined with the lowest points scored in the NFC led to a losing record and an early end to the season for Chicago. Injuries played a big part, as they always do, as the Goodfellas lost their franchise player and he still hasn’t recovered fully.

Six teams passed on QB Vince Young on draft day, and as a result the Goodfellas have an excellent young QB to lead the team for the next 10 years. Young will have a very up-and-down season in 2007, but if the Titans can get him some help on offense he should develop into one of the league’s best QBs. Jake Delhomme is a solid QB2 for now, but if he struggles he may be out of a job.

RB was a big problem for the Goodfellas last year, with the team forced to rely on part-time players at the end of the season. As a result, Chicago spent every effort bringing in talent this year to replace oft-injured Kevin Jones and part-timer Leon Washington. LaMont Jordan and Jamal Lewis join the team in 2007, and they are expected to be the starters in week 1. The team is hoping 2007 draft pick Michael Bush can develop into a starter and eventually take over for Jordan.

Though they don’t have a dominant WR1, the Goodfellas have a lot of talent at the position. Plaxico Burress, Braylon Edwards and Deion Branch are a solid group, with Burress leading the unit last year. Mike Furrey returns and should score a decent amount of points until the Lions bench him in favor of the rookie. Both Robert Meachem and especially Steve Smith are rookies with very promising futures.

DL Tamba Hali is proving the Chiefs and Goodfellas right for drafting him, scoring 122 points last year and looking to improve even more this year. He’ll be joined by a group of three DLs, all looking to rebound from injury. At LB, Brandon Moore will likely lead the unit in points, with Nick Barnett looking to put up solid numbers again. Chad Greenway returns from an injury last year that ended his season before it started and could emerge as an every-week starter. Former Copperas Cove (TX) CB Charles Tillman had another excellent year, and he’ll line up at DB2 playing opposite of Chris Hope, who finished last year with 181 points. Troy Polamalu and Danieal Manning are also capable of putting up points.

Chicago once again will trot out an above-average defense, but the key to winning the league has been RB, and without any inspiring options at the position it will be difficult for the Goodfellas to advance far in the postseason. Without consistency from Young, it will be difficult for this team to finish the season at the top of the division.

Glasgow Warriors

2006: 8-8 overall record, 2-4 division record, 133.8 ppg, missed playoffs

Despite scoring more points than the 12-4 Boston Inferno, the Cleveland Rocks lost five games in a row at the end of the 2006 season and missed the playoffs. Rather than deal with the ridicule and shame, Cleveland closed up shop and sold the team. The Rocks relocated to Glasgow and were re-christened the Warriors. Ironic, huh? The Warriors did everything they could to ship out every former Rock and ended up with a pretty good squad as a result.

The Warriors traded away Michael Vick in a deal to land Eli Manning, a move that looks very good at this juncture of the Vick proceedings. Manning should be the starter early on, and had a pretty solid year in 2006. Matt Schaub is being groomed to be the long-term QB1, and should see some action this year as well. Glasgow made an adept pickup of David Garrard, the new Jacksonville starting QB, giving them a solid, deep QB position.

Glasgow traded the exciting Reggie Bush for the #1 pick in this year’s draft, and used that #1 pick and another two picks to land Joseph Addai and Brandon Jacobs, immediately giving them an excellent young combination at the position. Edgerrin James is an excellent RB3, but with DeShaun Foster also in toe it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Warriors trade James and his hefty contract to a team in need of RB help.

WR1 Torry Holt returns to lead the WR corps, with second-year TE Vernon Davis expected to make a leap forward and begin to contribute. The Warriors signed big-play threat Bernard Berrian and traded for Austin WR Chris Chambers to round out the important players at the position.

Julius Peppers had an excellent year and was kindly rewarded with a new contract. He’ll join top rookie Gaines Adams on the Warrior line. Derrick Johnson returns at LB, and joining him are Leroy Hill (from Cincinnati), Cato June (from Carson City), Jarrett Johnson, Landon Johnson and rookie David Harris, who should blossom into an every-week starter by year’s end. Sean Taylor returns in the secondary, and Eric Coleman and Dawan Landry were brought in, with the latter the leading candidate to start Week 1.

A lot was done to this team in the offseason, and it definitely looks like a team on the rise. The Warriors might be a player or two away both on offense and defense from winning a title, but they should definitely make the playoffs in their first year and could make quite a bit of noise before bowing out.

Halifax Armada

2006: 10-6 overall record, 4-2 division record, 129.3 ppg, Lost in Rd 2 of Playoffs

The Armada used a balanced attack to piece together a 10-win season in 2006. Despite the success of rookie back Joseph Addai, Halifax traded him away for the #1 pick in the draft. Like it or not, Addai and rookie Adrian Peterson will be linked by this connection and will ultimately be compared against each other for years to come.

A committee cannot lead the Armada. Their fate must lie in the hands of one man. For that reason, QB Tom Brady is the beginning, middle, and end of the position for Halifax. He’s a good one to have; with a bunch of new toys to play with, Brady should easily be a top-five QB if healthy.

Peterson comes into the Halifax fold and joins real-life platoon partner Chester Taylor, who had an excellent year in 2006. Along with the Minnesota backs, Cedric Benson, Cadillac Williams, and yet another Adrian Peterson enter the season on the team, as well as 2008 breakout star Michael Turner. This group has a lot of potential to go along with just as many question marks. At least two of these guys should emerge as starters, but that could take several weeks to sort out.

One of the best WR1-WR2 combinations in the league resides in Halifax. Reggie Wayne and Larry Fitzgerald combined for over 300 points, and Fitzgerald should be much better in 2007 after failing to reach 1,000 yards and only scoring six TDs in 2006. WR3 Vincent Jackson is a prime breakout candidate in a high-powered offense and rookie Jacoby Jones has “sleeper” written all over him. The unit gets even deeper, with TEs Kellen Winslow and Chris Cooley sitting on the bench as reliable options.

The defensive line isn’t very deep but features a good bit of talent. Will Smith recorded 113 points last year, and new addition Dewayne White will battle Andre Carter to start. Second-year LB D’Qwell Jackson was hurt late last year and didn’t quite live up to pre-season hype, but 2007 will be his year to shine. Even if he doesn’t perform, the team still has Antonio Pierce, Takeo Spikes and Mike Vrabel at the position. DB Kerry Rhodes is an every-week starter and will be one of the top DBs again this year, and rookie LaRon Landry should join him near the top of the list before too long. Terrence McGee is the other option for DB2 until that happens.

How this team performs will depend on whether a star or two emerges from the pack at RB. Another key is keeping Brady healthy as only real-life backup Matt Cassell is on the team to pick up the slack. Both of those things are likely to happen, and the Armada has a solid shot at winning the NFC this year if they can get back last year’s division champ Boston.

Predicted order of finish:

1. Boston
2. Glasgow
3. Halifax
4. Chicago

2007 NFC East Preview

2007-09-03T14:53:00.000-05:00

Fairfax Foxes

2006: 9-7 overall record, 2-4 division record, 138.1 ppg, Lost in Rd 1 of Playoffs

Fairfax was a snake-bitten team in 2006. Despite scoring the second most points in the league, the Foxes were met with a 9-7 record thanks to having the most points scored against a team in the league. This bad luck extended to the playoffs, where the Foxes lost their first-round game to the only team to outscore them in that week. But all this is in the past.

QB Donovan McNabb returns at (mostly) full-strength, ready to pick up where he left off in 2006 before being injured. Despite being hurt at the beginning of his tenth game, he still scored 222 points on the year. With backup QB David Carr now the #2 in Carolina, a McNabb injury this year would be even more catastrophic for Fairfax.

McNabb notwithstanding, the Fairfax offense relied heavily on a couple of outstanding rookie finds. Maurice Jones-Drew, the #14 overall pick in 2006, scored 217 points splitting time with Jags RB Fred Taylor. That point total was good for third on the Fairfax team behind McNabb and RB1 Brian Westbrook. If Taylor succumbs to injury this year, Drew and Westbrook could combine for close to 500 points. With Warrick Dunn traded out of town, these two need to perform for Fairfax to be successful.

The other returning rookie is expected to carry the receiver unit this year. Undrafted rookie Marques Colston exploded on the NFFL scene in 2006, and he’s back with a four-year deal at less than $500,000 a year, one of the best bargains in the league. The rest of the Foxes wideouts are a bit unimpressive, with veteran Isaac Bruce the likely WR2 and Wes Welker, rookie Dwayne Bowe, Amani Toomer and TE Randy McMichael fighting for playing time as the #3 option.

The two highest paid members on the Fairfax defense play, unbelievably, on the line. Justin Smith and John Abraham, making $4.7 million this year between them. But $400,000 Cullen Jenkins could be the hidden gem of the unit. The LB unit features Bart Scott and Omar Gaither, and both are expected to see increased roles on their NFL teams thanks to the departure of veterans. The superstars of the defense are in the secondary, as Sean Jones, a restricted free agent in 2006, returns with Champ Bailey and Asante Samuel to solidify the defense.

Despite the weakness at WR, this is a team that should again make the playoffs if McNabb, Westbrook and Jones-Drew stay healthy. And with a reversal of fortune from 2006, the Foxes could potentially make a serious run in December.

Lower Saxony Patriots

2006: 11-5 overall record, 4-2 division record, 132.9 ppg, NFC Champion

A very successful 2006 ended in another NFFL Bowl appearance for the storied Lower Saxony franchise. Behind a powerful rushing attack and solid defense, the Patriots rolled through the NFC playoffs, scoring 150 in the NFC championship game, before ultimately falling to the Austin Predators in the NFFL Bowl. Another NFC Championship would be too much to ask, right?

QB Ben Roethlisberger returned from a horrible motorcycle accident to score 211 points. The Patriots turned to Roethlisberger mid-season, and he responded with five games of 16-18 points, two of 20+ points, and two of less than a dozen points. He enters the season as the QB1 for Lower Saxony but has outstanding help waiting in the wings. Chad Pennington, the former Bandits backup, is the QB2. While he could possibly lose his job as Jets’ starter, he’s a top-notch backup at this point. As is Jeff Garcia, the former Predator backup who could work himself into a rotation with Big Ben if he impresses.

The Patriots have always built around the running game, and two of the top backs in the league are back for 2007. Larry Johnson and Rudi Johnson are arguably the best 1-2 attack in the league, combining for over 500 points last year. Larry started camp late due to a holdout, and there are going to be injury concerns after a huge workload in 2006. If they both stay healthy, Johnson & Johnson are a good bet to be the league’s best tandem, and the Patriots are a good bet to win the East again.

A lot has been made of the ground attack, but this year’s WR corps could be equally as impressive. Anquan Boldin and Laveranues Coles return as the WR1 and WR2, both coming off 139-point seasons. Santonio Holmes is expected to step up and be the WR3, but rookie James Jones has the ability to make a Colston-like splash on the league. Throw in Greg Jennings, TE Jeremy Shockey and bounce-back candidate Ernest Wilford and this unit is as deep as it is talented at the top.

Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila and Adewale Ogunleye (say that three times fast) are coming off sub-par seasons, and looking to address the problem of depth and underperformance, the Patriots added Atlanta DL Jamaal Anderson through the draft. The LB unit lost their two best players in Chris Draft and Cato June, and it’s unclear whether any of the remaining players will seize the opportunity and step up as an every-week starter. Free agent signing Channing Crowder could end up leading this unit. DB Adrian Wilson is another new addition for 2007, and he could be the #1 DB in the league this year. The other DB spot will be fought for between two rookies, Darrell Revis and Brandon Meriweather.

The Patriots will once again be electric on offense, but the defense has a lot of holes and could be a problem for Lower Saxony all season. Look for them to watch the waiver wire like a hawk for defensive playmakers, land a couple, and be a dangerous playoff team yet again.

Utica Devils

2006: 9-7 overall record, 4-2 division record, 143.6 ppg, lost in NFC Championship

Ladies and Gentlemen, your 2006 champion. That’s what we would be saying if we ranked performance by points instead of win-loss records. The Utica Devils scored five-and-a-half points more per game than any other team in the league, relying on a stud RB and an excellent well-rounded defense to score 190 points or more three times in 2006, including back-to-back 212-point weeks.

Tony Romo is the new QB1, signed to a five-year, $32.5 million contract in the offseason. He only saw NFFL action once in 2006, but the Devils are confident he can lead the team to the division crown. In case he was just a flash in the pan, the Devils drafted QB Brady Quinn, and he had better get on the field quickly as he’s expected to be the QB2 this season after Byron Leftwich was cut by the Jaguars.

Franchise-player Steven Jackson was one of the elite last year, topping 300 points on the season while leading the Devils’ running game. Ahman Green is back as the RB2, with second-year man DeAngelo Williams waiting in the wings to take over should Green falter. With only three RBs on the roster, the Devils don’t have a lot of leeway should injuries strike, but this is an excellent trio of RBs should they stay healthy.

Donald Driver led all Devil WRs in points last year, and he’s likely to do the same in 2007. TE Alge Crumpler will compete for one of the other two starting spots with St. Louis slot Drew Bennett, Tennessee’s Brandon Jones and rookie Anthony Gonzalez. This would be an excellent group of receivers to compete for the WR3 spot if Utica had another reliable target to fill the WR2 slot. As it is, this could be the Achilles’ heel of the team.

DL Kevin Williams opted to return to the Devils for the minimum rather than try to latch on somewhere else. He should be an every week starter on the Utica line, with Tommie Harris expected to play the DL2 role. The strength of the Devils remains the LBs, with London Fletcher-Baker and Lance Briggs returning to lead the squad. These two combined for nearly 400 points last year and are threats to attack that plateau again. Michael Boley and Chris Draft were signed to push Lemar Marshall, and rookie Lawrence Timmons might see significant time as well. DeAngelo Hall and Rashean Mathis are back as starting DBs.

Can they repeat as scoring champs? It’s possible, but Romo will have to prove that he’s the real deal, a couple WRs will have to step up and compliment Driver and one or two of the defensive acquisitions will need to emerge as starters. If that happens, the Devils should easily win the division.

Washington:

2006: 8-8 overall record, 2-4 division record, 134.9 ppg, Lost in Rd 1 of Playoffs

With as much talent as the 2006 Braves had, it’s a wonder they didn’t run away with the division and the conference. On the contrary, they finished at the bottom of the NFC East and exited stage right after losing a heartbreaker in the first round of the playoffs. Despite the underperformance, the GM didn’t feel the need (wisely) to jettison players and start fresh.

Matt Hasselbeck is back as QB1. He was very inconsistent in 2006, scoring 28, 30, and 33 points when at his best and four points (three times) at his worst. After finishing with less than 2,500 yards and 20 TDs last year, he is an excellent bounce back candidate and could make this powerful offense even stronger. Joey Harrington and Tarvaris Jackson will fight to be the QB2, with Harrington looking like the stronger option.

Player-of-the-Year LaDanian Tomlinson was briefly placed on the trade market in the offseason. With no one willing to give up their top five players for LT, he returns to the Braves. While 400+ points is unlikely for a second year in a row, another PoY trophy is a distinct possibility. The Dallas tandem of Marion Barber and Julius Jones make up the other half of the ground game. Washington would like to see Barber emerge as the sole go-to guy in the offense, as he’s being paid $3 million less a year.

Chad Johnson and Andre Johnson had excellent 2006 numbers, and they are joined by Carson City retread Terry Glenn to make up a potent WR corps. Between Tomlinson and the two Johnsons, it’s going to be hard for any other team to match up with the Braves on offense. Mark Bradley and Troy Williamson are two youngsters that could potentially step up in 2007 and take playing time away from Glenn.

With only two DL, the line could pose a problem for Washington as the season progresses. Luckily, that’s one position where viable starters appear on the market throughout the season. LB1 Keith Bulluck returns for another season as a Brave, looking for a new multi-year contract as his is up at the end of 2007. Keith Brooking, Derrick Brooks, and Shaun Phillips make up the rest of the starting unit, with Angelo Crowell and Karlos Dansby providing depth to this outstanding LB unit. Ed Reed, Shawnte Spencer, Kennoy Kennedy and “Playmaker” Bob Sanders all return to make up the secondary.

With Tomlinson, Johnson, Johnson, Hasselbeck, and a great group of LBs, this is a team to watch out for in 2007. They also have a couple sleepers at WR and QB that can step up and provide a big boost should the need arise. Of course, should something happen to the best player in the game, the team’s chances could go out the window.

Predicted order of finish:

1. Washington
2. Fairfax
3. Lower Saxony
4. Utica

Welcome!

2007-09-03T00:31:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the brand new version of "The White Pages." Check back later Labor Day for a full-fledged NFFL preview. The 11th hour is upon us; are you ready for some fantasy football?!?