Week 9 Preview

A couple notes on this week:

-This preview is going to be shorter than normal. I'm going to try to stop stretching for material so much, and at this point in the season, we all know each other's teams and the matchups pretty well.
-After this week, everyone will have had a head-to-head with every other team.
-If you thought the middle of the standings have been crowded the last couple weeks, (7 teams within one game of one another) check this out: The three 3-5 teams all play a 4-4 team. The other 4-4 club plays a 7-1 club, and has a horrific bye week. It is 100% possible that we have 7 teams at 4-5 next week, fighting for what appears to be 2 playoff spots.
-We will be talking about this Thursday's reversal in Week 8's FLW-SP game for a long time. We might talk about the un-reversal even more. JR Radcliffe says "this will forever change the way we look at close wins."
-One reason we'll talk about it for a while is that it will have a MAJOR impact on the playoff race.
-On to the games:



Game of the Week

Sex Panther vs. Cellar Dwellars (-30)

This game loses a lot of luster after Berry decision, and loses even more considering SP's depleted roster...Still, these are two of the top teams in the league, and I feel both are playoff bound...Somehow, these two teams split the season series last season

News and Notes, SP

Last week sucks, but sucks far worse when you realize that they play a 7-1 team without their QB, RB1, RB2 and WR1...It is entirely possible that SP is below .500 again after this week, which is mind blowing considering their point total...Clinton Portis and Cadillac Williams are still an enviable tandem, but both are a little inconistent to count on to carry a club...The top scoring defender in the league is projected to score less than a point...Antonio Gates looks like the steal of the trade season, costing just the injured Ahman Green and the invisible Michael Clayton- plus Thomas Jones (who turned to Marc Bulger) was thrown in too...It wasn't a bad deal at the time, but the end result has that looking like it could break into the top ten best/worst...Key Players on Bye Week: Marc Bulger, Stephen Jackson, Willis MaGahee, Torry Holt

News and Notes, CD

Gets Shaun Alexander back after first loss of 2005, while Jake Delhomme is back QBing the team...Both have pretty good matchups...It's true that the insertion of Delhomme and Jerry Porter last week gives this team 113.50 points, good enough to win- but if you're going to do that, SKL gets to go back in time and insert Fred Taylor and Jeff Wilkins to win by 2...It's a weird three week span between the top 3 teams in the standings (SKL, CD, SP), as they all play each other in that time, yet no matchup will be remotely interesting because of bye weeks for just one of the teams...KPOBW: Shaun McDonald, 2 defenders

Prediction: CD wins, SP breaks.

The 2 Spot

Blaine Browns (-15) vs. Father Abraham

The eldest WVUR GMs and only husbands in the league do battle, with both team's playoff hopes hanging in the balance the next few weeks...Which team will be hurt more by the injury to Terrell Owens? BB, who subs TJ Houshmadzadeh for TO, or FA, where Donovan McNabb's numbers will suffer...Lincoln and Drew are 1-1 in head-to-head battles

News and Notes, BB

Unquestionably, has the hardest schedule down the stretch (facing FLW, CD, SKL and SP starting next week) which puts incredible importance on this week...Had a 4 game win streak snapped last week, thanks in large part to bye weeks...If Ruben Droughns sobers up on Sunday, he could be the difference in this game, as he could do BB a big favor by outscoring both Jamal Lewis and Tony Fisher...KPOBW: None

News and Notes, FA

Cannot survive if Priest Holmes is out this week, or any future weeks; if his head injury is remotely serious, they're sunk...It's bad enough Anquan Boldin is out this week...Still deep at WR, especially if Muhsin Muhammed continues to wake up...Made a move this week to fortify the roster, acquiring Joe Jurevicius and Tony Fisher for Ricky Williams and Ashley Lelie...Stretch schedule not as daunting as BBs, but after 4 losses, and only breaking 100 2x this year, every week has to feel like a must-win...KPOBW: Jake Plummer, Jason Witten

Prediction: BB wins, could move into third following a horrid start.

Game #3

Big Fat Guys vs. Fred Lane's Wife (-30)

Two teams that could have been left for dead a few weeks ago, are playing excellent ball and have playoffs on the brain...Without the Berry thing, FLW would have lost it's second game while scoring 119 points...The schedule makers so BFG no favors the next four weeks; FLW, CD, SKL and SP are on deck...First meeting between these two teams

News and Notes, BFG

Got a tremendous boost from Marion Barber last week, but with him on bye (and not being a starter really) Dominic Rhodes steps into the lineup, representing a significant downgrade...Nate Burleson in the starting lineup again, after registering a half point last week; the Vikings passing attack is putrid right now, so it doesn't look as if the #1 overall from this last draft will ever get going...Travis Henry is a guy who BFG is relying on pretty heavily, and that's a bad sign...Carson Palmer needs to have a huge game, especially as he lines up against Peyton Manning...KPOBW: Marion Barber, Terry Glenn

News and Notes, FLW

Can be considered a favorite for a playoff spot right now, considering their second half schedule features 0 teams from the top half of the league...Once desolate WR corps now boasts an abudance of talent, with Bobby Engram healthy, and Isaac Bruce recently claimed off of waivers...Running game, now the suspect- with Corey Dillon's health constantly in question, and Ricky Williams stealing yards from Ronnie Brown...Shouldn't be too big of a worry for now, however...KPOBW: Tatum Bell, Kevin Curtis

Prediction: FLW wins, could move into a playoff spot

Batting Cleanup

The Octagon (-14.50) vs. ChamPeons

This game features two of the hotter teams in the league...Seriously...OCT has scored exactly 109 points the last two weeks, and both lost by 35 and won by 34 with that same score...Both of these teams were affected by the reversal, as FLW leaps ahead of CHM, and out of a tie with OCT...JR is 2-0 against Champ in VUFSA Football

News and Notes, OCT

Made a deal this week, parting with a few complementary backs for a headliner; getting Mike Anderson for Tony Fisher and Chester Taylor...Got good news on the Tony Gonzalez front last week, as the keeper TE finally found pay dirt...Brian Westbrook looks like he'll never get to really run the ball, but he is heavily involved in the passing game, and should get some extra touches with no TO...Robert Ferguson has almost 6x as many fantasy points as Andre Johnson...KPOBW: Lee Evans

News and Notes, CHM

QB carousel stops on Kerry Collins this week, who has a great matchup against KC...Without Julius Jones, the RB situation is awfully thin, Shawn Bryson gets pushed into emergency duty this week...Heath Miller may rival Waiver Wire Willie Parker for pickup of the year when all is said and done...WR corps is depleted too...Even though the star power isn't there, this bye week is just as bad for CHM as SPs is to them...KPOBW: Drew Bledsoe, Julius Jones, Keyshawn Johnson, Rod Smith, Eric Moulds

Prediction: OCT pulls off a win, moves into a statistical tie with CHM and looms heavily in the nightmares of SP.

The 5 Hole

Madd Skillz (-55) vs. Who is Ron Mexico?

6 win differential between the two teams in this one...WIRM is on a league high (though not league record) losing streak, 6 games...WIRM has not outscored SKL on any single week this year...First meeting between these two franchises

News and Notes, SKL

Bounced back from first loss of the season, upending CD in an unimpressive game for both teams...Has shuffled Larry Johnson in and out of the starting lineup, LJ is in right now, at least until Domanick Davis' status is known...Will look for Jeremy Shockey to negate some of Eli Manning's numbers...KPOBW: None

News and Notes, WIRM

Active in the trade market this week, making small, yet smart deals...Acquired JJ Arrington, Ashley Lelie, Ricky Williams, Frank Gore, Chester Taylor and Tony Fisher...5 of those guys have considerable potential for next year...Lost Mike Williams, Joe Jurivicius, Tony Fisher, Marcel Shipp and Mike Anderson...Again, very smart moves, one or two should pay significant dividends down the road...Some should even help in the next few weeks...KPOBW: Ashley Lelie