URK 2011: Week 9 Power Rankings
With only one month to go in the regular season, it’s starting to become critical for that whole mess of us looking to make the playoffs. It’s been an extremely competitive year, with not a whole lot separating the best from the worst. Let’s assess the chances of the each of the league members over the next four weeks to see where they might stand on the day of reckoning.
12. Minions (Chris)
W-L: 1-8
Last Week: 12
Average Ballot Position: 12.0
The Minions have hit rock bottom again, and they’re three games behind the number 8 seed, the last playoff spot. Probably have to win out to make it, and I just can’t see that happening. They can still play the spoiler role, however. Verdict: Out.
11. The Dyin' SharkLions (Danny)
W-L: 3-6
Last Week: 9
Average Ballot Position: 9.7
Right now, this 11th place team is one game and about 20 points out of 6th place and two games out of 4th place. In other words, it’s extremely tight for the next seven teams and it would hardly be shocking to see any of them in (or out) of the playoffs). The bad news for the SharkLions is that they’re a game back in the win column so the margin for error is thin; the good news is that they’re done with the clear top three teams in the league, so have a great opportunity to play their way in against not-quite-as tough teams. Verdict: In, barely.
10. SayHi2YourMother4Me (Kenan)
W-L: 4-5
Last Week: 11
Average Ballot Position: 9.3
The Biggest Blowout each week has some fascinating results; SayHi has won this 3 times, more than anyone else – and they only have 4 wins. So, they’ve ridden the easiest schedule in the league (by far) to only 9th place in the standings and still have matchups with Z’s and Rostrum, not to mention the high scoring Sheep, left. That’s a tall order. Verdict: Out.
9. A Sheep at the Wheel (Jaron)
W-L: 3-6
Last Week: 6
Average Ballot Position: 8.5
A very similar situation to the SharkLions, but with 20 more points to give them the edge. The schedule is slightly more difficult, however, with a rematch remaining against the Z’s. And if both the Sheep and SharkLions are still on the edge in Week 13, wouldn’t that de-facto play-in game be exciting? Verdict: In, barely.
8. Jehovah's Jockstrap (Brett)
W-L: 4-5
Last Week: 5
Average Ballot Position: 7.3
Jehovah’s been solid throughout the year with the exception of the dreadful Week 8 performance which dropped them behind a bunch of similar teams points-wise. McFadden’s recent injury also really hurts the running game, so they’re in a tough situation especially with a rough end-of-season schedule. It’s not looking too good for God. Verdict: Out, barely.
7. Stars (Dan)
W-L: 4-5
Last Week: 4
Average Ballot Position: 6.7
The once-high-flying-early-season-surprise has fallen like a rock with their 5 games-and-counting losing streak. It looks like some injured starters might find their way back into the lineup soon, but will it be in time? The schedule looks easy on paper with the three bottom teams in the league plus the Z’s, but two of those bottom teams have actually outscored the Stars on the season. I’m having trouble finding a spot for them in the dance. Verdict: Out, barely.
6. Cupcakes of DOOM! (Adam)
W-L: 4-5
Last Week: 10
Average Ballot Position: 6.5
This looks like a strong team that suffered a horrific early season stretch but now is back on track with three straight victories. Their scoring profile is solid, and while they go up against the Z’s this week, they also have a gimme against the Minions. I feel more confident about the Cupcakes’ chances than I do about the next two teams on the list. Verdict: In.
5. Obese Geese (Steve)
W-L: 5-4
Last Week: 7
Average Ballot Position: 6.5
The Geese have ridden a tremendous amount of good fortune to fifth place in the standings despite being the second lowest scoring team. That means they have built up a bit a leeway, but it also means they have to take at least one more game to make it in. Luckily, the Minions sit on tap in two weeks. That should be enough to get them through. Verdict: In, barely.
4. The Schmuckernators (Jason)
W-L: 5-4
Last Week: 8
Average Ballot Position: 5.5
Similar boat as the Geese – easy schedule, and not many points but a few more than the Geese to give them that tiebreaker edge. One more win should be sufficient, though, and surely they can get that somewhere in the next month, right? Verdict: In.
3. Rostrum Records (Luke)
W-L: 6-3
Last Week: 2
Average Ballot Position: 2.7
Now we’re up to the real front runners. The Records have been a bit up and down this year, but with Rodgers leading the way, they’ve been mostly up. The schedule down the stretch looks a bit more challenging than the two leaders, but the Records are also right in contention for the overall points lead which would be a nice tiebreaker. They might need to win out if they want a chance at the number one overall slot; this week’s rivalry game is a good place to start. Verdict: In, easily.
2. Bacon Cheeseburgers (Andy K.)
W-L: 7-2
Last Week: 3
Average Ballot Position: 2.2 (1)
The Burgers-comma-Baconcheese have been rolling lately as the team comes back to full power. Don’t foresee too much trouble ahead, but the Week 12 matchup against Rostrum looks to be a great matchup, perhaps even with top seed implications on the line. Verdict: In, easily.
1. Z Power (Andy G.)
W-L: 8-1
Last Week: 1
Average Ballot Position: 1.2 (5)
The Z’s bounced back solidly, if not overwhelmingly, from their first loss to remain in full control of their destiny. They’ve slipped a bit scoring-wise over the past few weeks which takes a bit of shine off their aura of invincibility, but they still boast a killer QB-receiver setup with enough support from the running game to be really hard to take down. Verdict: In, easily.
W-L: 1-8
Last Week: 12
Average Ballot Position: 12.0
The Minions have hit rock bottom again, and they’re three games behind the number 8 seed, the last playoff spot. Probably have to win out to make it, and I just can’t see that happening. They can still play the spoiler role, however. Verdict: Out.
W-L: 3-6
Last Week: 9
Average Ballot Position: 9.7
Right now, this 11th place team is one game and about 20 points out of 6th place and two games out of 4th place. In other words, it’s extremely tight for the next seven teams and it would hardly be shocking to see any of them in (or out) of the playoffs). The bad news for the SharkLions is that they’re a game back in the win column so the margin for error is thin; the good news is that they’re done with the clear top three teams in the league, so have a great opportunity to play their way in against not-quite-as tough teams. Verdict: In, barely.
W-L: 4-5
Last Week: 11
Average Ballot Position: 9.3
The Biggest Blowout each week has some fascinating results; SayHi has won this 3 times, more than anyone else – and they only have 4 wins. So, they’ve ridden the easiest schedule in the league (by far) to only 9th place in the standings and still have matchups with Z’s and Rostrum, not to mention the high scoring Sheep, left. That’s a tall order. Verdict: Out.
W-L: 3-6
Last Week: 6
Average Ballot Position: 8.5
A very similar situation to the SharkLions, but with 20 more points to give them the edge. The schedule is slightly more difficult, however, with a rematch remaining against the Z’s. And if both the Sheep and SharkLions are still on the edge in Week 13, wouldn’t that de-facto play-in game be exciting? Verdict: In, barely.
W-L: 4-5
Last Week: 5
Average Ballot Position: 7.3
Jehovah’s been solid throughout the year with the exception of the dreadful Week 8 performance which dropped them behind a bunch of similar teams points-wise. McFadden’s recent injury also really hurts the running game, so they’re in a tough situation especially with a rough end-of-season schedule. It’s not looking too good for God. Verdict: Out, barely.
W-L: 4-5
Last Week: 4
Average Ballot Position: 6.7
The once-high-flying-early-season-surprise has fallen like a rock with their 5 games-and-counting losing streak. It looks like some injured starters might find their way back into the lineup soon, but will it be in time? The schedule looks easy on paper with the three bottom teams in the league plus the Z’s, but two of those bottom teams have actually outscored the Stars on the season. I’m having trouble finding a spot for them in the dance. Verdict: Out, barely.
W-L: 4-5
Last Week: 10
Average Ballot Position: 6.5
This looks like a strong team that suffered a horrific early season stretch but now is back on track with three straight victories. Their scoring profile is solid, and while they go up against the Z’s this week, they also have a gimme against the Minions. I feel more confident about the Cupcakes’ chances than I do about the next two teams on the list. Verdict: In.
W-L: 5-4
Last Week: 7
Average Ballot Position: 6.5
The Geese have ridden a tremendous amount of good fortune to fifth place in the standings despite being the second lowest scoring team. That means they have built up a bit a leeway, but it also means they have to take at least one more game to make it in. Luckily, the Minions sit on tap in two weeks. That should be enough to get them through. Verdict: In, barely.
W-L: 5-4
Last Week: 8
Average Ballot Position: 5.5
Similar boat as the Geese – easy schedule, and not many points but a few more than the Geese to give them that tiebreaker edge. One more win should be sufficient, though, and surely they can get that somewhere in the next month, right? Verdict: In.
W-L: 6-3
Last Week: 2
Average Ballot Position: 2.7
Now we’re up to the real front runners. The Records have been a bit up and down this year, but with Rodgers leading the way, they’ve been mostly up. The schedule down the stretch looks a bit more challenging than the two leaders, but the Records are also right in contention for the overall points lead which would be a nice tiebreaker. They might need to win out if they want a chance at the number one overall slot; this week’s rivalry game is a good place to start. Verdict: In, easily.
W-L: 7-2
Last Week: 3
Average Ballot Position: 2.2 (1)
The Burgers-comma-Baconcheese have been rolling lately as the team comes back to full power. Don’t foresee too much trouble ahead, but the Week 12 matchup against Rostrum looks to be a great matchup, perhaps even with top seed implications on the line. Verdict: In, easily.
W-L: 8-1
Last Week: 1
Average Ballot Position: 1.2 (5)
The Z’s bounced back solidly, if not overwhelmingly, from their first loss to remain in full control of their destiny. They’ve slipped a bit scoring-wise over the past few weeks which takes a bit of shine off their aura of invincibility, but they still boast a killer QB-receiver setup with enough support from the running game to be really hard to take down. Verdict: In, easily.
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