WEEK 10 PREVIEW
It’s Week 10, can you believe it? Only 5 weeks left in our regular season, it’s time to get serious! Two teams have already cliched their spot in the Bundy Bowl playoffs, who will be next to punch their ticket to the dance? Here’s what to watch for this week in the ICLAFF…
The LAS VEGAS SUN WORSHIPERS head up to Brooklin for a showdown with 3RD AND LONG. At 8-1 Ryan is in first place and has won 5 matches in a row, while Rich is just 3-6 and currently in 10th place. Even though it was another tough loss for the Worshipers last week, they actually scored more points than 3&L did in their win, and that’s even without having a player in their Flex spot. A lot of Vegas’ fire power comes from their Cowbitches, and they have a very favourable match against the Giants this week. Last time these two teams met Dallas made the G-Men look more like the G-Strings winning 40-0, so Rich should get some huge points if that game goes anything like it did back in Week 1. Ryan has already clinched a playoff spot, but still has plenty to play for. Finishing first and being top seed going into the playoffs would give them a better matchup, and he knows his cousin and father are right on his heels. One slip up and he’s in danger of getting passed in the standings.
MARC’S FUNKY BUNCH makes the trip to the nation’s capital to face the OTTAWA ROSS RIDERS. The Bunch have dropped 3 straight and are getting some big pieces back in their lineup back from byes last week, but with his only TE Dallas Goedert off Marc will need to find someone to fill that spot before Sunday. There doesn’t seem to be anything anyone can do to slow down Ross these days. Having safely secured a spot in the playoffs the Riders are now fighting for that top seed, and if they win again this week that would be 8 in a row - just one behind the Slasher’s all time record for consecutive victories. You can expect them to come out as motivated as ever this week at home.
The league’s highest scoring team HOOKED ON A THIELEN will be hosting a struggling ERIC’S E-ALLS. The Purple T’s are looking to pickup their 4th straight win and are hoping Joshua Dobbs can repeat his performance from last week and lead them to the post season. They would almost certainly become the third team to clinch a spot with a victory. The Eazy E’s need to turn things around quickly. They’ve lost 4 in a row, and to avoid making it 5 they will need to get out to a sizeable lead after Sunday. Don could have a big Monday night with key players in action on both sides of the ball - WR Stefon Diggs for the Bills, and RB Javonte Williams for the Broncos.
The CRYSTAL LAKE SLASHERS visit the unfriendly confines of the Shwa trying to knock off a hot J-OSHAWA ALLEN team. I think they’ll have to shut down the entire city ahead of this one - Mike has won 3 in a row and the J-Oshawa Mafia can taste the postseason. Look for their namesake QB Josh Allen to have a big week against the 26th ranked Denver pass defence. Glen’s Slashers won last week, but they are still just 3-6. Their loyal fans just aren’t used to this, last season at this time they were still undefeated. This week QB Jalen Hurts is off and he is usually the engine that runs their offence, but his backup CJ Stroud was the top rated QB in all of fantasy football last week with 42 points. With another effort like that, Glen might have a shot at stopping the streak in the Shwa… this match could be very close.
A very interesting matchup will be taking place this week between PURDY GOOD and the DARTH RAIDERS. We all know how things have gone for Shawn over the last 5 weeks and Howie is coming off a huge win last week, just his second of the season. Despite being in last place, the D-Raiders have scored over 100 points more than PG who are tied with the Worshipers for the fewest points in the league. It’s been a nightmare for them since they were 4-0, and they are barely hanging on to that last playoff position. Howie is still determined to get his squad into the top 8, and he still has an outside shot with all his remaining matches being against teams who currently have losing records. Winning this match against PG would be a huge step towards getting him out of the ICLAFF basement.
The STAND ALONE AMERICAN battles STRAIGHT OUTTA COUGHLIN in the Balashi Bowl… our annual neutral site matchup that takes place in Aruba, sponsored by the official beer of the Happy Island. Last season Matt captured the first Balashi Bowl in a defensive battle 87-79, but this year it looks like Rick might be catching his cross border rival on a good week where he will be without the services of Tua, Waddle, Mostert, and Kelce. Matt has been forced to make some adjustments to his lineup - Purdy is in at QB, LaPorta will start at TE, and Montgomery is set make his SO-CO debut in the RB2 position. They might also finally have RB James Conner back after 4 weeks on the IR, which could really add depth to their backfield and give them some strong Flex options down the stretch. Rick is coming off two straight losses to Matt’s dad and brother, and will be happy to have his San Fran weapons Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel back from a bye to help trying to avoid falling to a Mitchell for the third straight week. It’s tough to predict how this one will go, but either way you can count on another legendary after party taking place at Hooters when it’s all over, the hottest spot to be in Aruba.