After a chaotic weekend (and what may be referred to as the best NFL regular season game of all time on Monday night), we have finally reached the playoffs.
This ranking will serve three purposes:
1. I will highlight the teams - how they got here, and how they can win. Also, predictions!
2. I'll bring you some hot stats from so far this season.
3. I will be making a SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT that has major positive $$$ implications for the winner of the consolation bracket.
POWER RANKINGS - Presented by ranking, predictions below that
12-5: Eh. But check the special announcement below!!!
4) Crazy Train (Sean Alumbaugh): 8-3, 1353.8 PF
For the first time since the inaugural season of 2014, Charter Member Sean Alumbaugh has made it to the playoffs. It took some serious work: he had to surpass Brandon Gaede in the Points For statistic this week to win the fourth seat in a massive five-team tie-breaker for second place.
Although he had a slower start to his season, Pittsburgh WR Antonio Brown was a huge part of Sean's success. The Texans' D/ST unit (ranked only behind DA BEARS!) also helped Sean over the weeks as he built a resume of success.
Brown has to continue his stellar ways if Sean hopes to win a playoff game, and return to the championship match. The other key to victory for Sean is consistency: on his current starting roster, only two players reside outside of the Top 12 in their positional rank (and one of those two is 14th).
3) I'm Bringing Rexy Back (Kenneth Pancake): 8-3, 1432.5 Points For
Year on, year off: in a predictable pattern, I have returned to the playoff after failing to make it last year.
Having studs like RB Saquon Barkley and QB's Drew Brees and Ben Roethlisberger sure helped the Rexy squad. And surprisingly, the Bears D/ST (DA BEARS!!!) came through with Khalil Mack in a breakout season to contribute.
My key to victory is health: I have no depth on my roster. I am one injury away from chaos.
2) Avant Gardeyns (Alex Annan): 8-3, 1275.2 Points For
Gurley. That explains any question that you have about this jazzy crew. Who was his star? Gurley. Why is he in the playoffs? Gurley.
The bad news? Gurley's on a BYE this week!!!
Alex's key to returning to his second title match in two years is to manage without Gurley for one week. That's going to be very hard for a RB tandem that's ranked 31st and 40th in their position. Someone will have to break out - or, Gurley will have to pick up Annan's slack in Week 13.
1) Frost Advisory (RJ Dechow): 9-2, 1375 Points For
It's kinda wild - when it came right down to it, RJ was facing either a regular-season championship... or a failure to make the playoffs. Fortunately, the Rams focused on their passing attack all game long against the Chiefs, and Gurley didn't score enough points. RJ held on to defeat Alex, who had already locked up a spot.
What is it with this team? It's probably that five of his starting nine are in the top seven for their respective position rankings. That's one solid group, week in and week out. The key to victory for RJ is to just stay the course.
PREDICTIONS!
In the semifinal match-up between #2 Avant Gardeyns and #3 I'm Bringing Rexy Back, Todd Gurley's BYE week will be a deciding factor. My quarterback is playing better football than ever before in his hall of fame career, and Alex won't be able to catch up. #3 Rexy takes the win, 225-190.
When #1 Frost Advisory takes on #4 Crazy Train, BYE weeks will also factor in to this match-up. Sean will be without his star QB, Jared Goff for Week 12, AND without WR Robert Woods as well. For a squad as solid as RJ's, this is going to backfire. #3 Frost wins it in a landslide, 215-165.
That will lead to a championship game between two rivals: #1 Frost Advisory and #3 I'm Bringing Rexy Back. RJ's unit is just too solid all the way across, and at this point in the season, Drew Brees will be slowing down to prepare for the off-season. There's just no way that RJ doesn't win this game. #1 Frost defeats #3 Rexy, 210-195, and RJ wins his first-ever Breakfast League Championship.
HOT STATS FOR THE SEASON SO FAR
The class of '16 (RJ Dechow, Al Ohlinger and Alex Annan) is DOMINATING the league since their arrival. What do I mean? Here's what I mean:
- Since their arrival in the season of 2016, this class has placed two members into the playoffs in EVERY YEAR. Al and RJ played in the 2016 playoffs, Alex and Al competed last year (while Alex played for the title), and this year, Alex and RJ will represent the toughest class to compete in the Breakfast League.
- The Breakfast League's all-time win percentage is a runaway tie at the top: way above everyone else, RJ, Al and Alex tie with 64.1%. The next closest with more than one year of membership are Kaelan Carlson and Kenneth Pancake, tied with just above 55%.
- This class holds four shutout all-time records against four charter members: Maas has never defeated Annan, neither Green nor Gaede have found a way to defeat Ohlinger, and Carlson remains winless against Dechow.
- Individually, all three have more wins than Eli Thompson all-time - who, by the way, has had one more year in the league.
Here are some other stats I found interesting:
- I have moved to the top of the playoff appearances list with 3.
- RJ Dechow is the FIFTH different owner in our five seasons to win a regular season title.
- But RJ has to fight history: the class of '16 is 0-2 in titles when winning the regular season title. The rest of the league is 2-0.
- Sean Alumbaugh scored the league's highest weekly score all-time last week against Al Ohlinger, with 170.9 points.
- After this week's loss, Kaelan's lead of the all-time win board is under threat: he is now tied with me at 38 all-time wins.
- The same is true of the all-time points scored statistic: I now lead that. Kaelan led the statistic prior to the season.
- But don't be under the impression that Kaelan is inferior: He is still the only league member with multiple titles. I am the only person who can challenge that this year, as the other three playoff competitors have no titles between them.
- Next week's round will be the Charter Members' 70th game in the Breakfast League.
THE ANNOUNCEMENT
If you are in the consolation ladder, you're probably feeling pretty low on yourself. You may even be ready to quit. BUT, I am adding a little incentive.
Whoever finishes at the top of the consolation ladder after Week 15 - that's fifth place - wins HALF my personal share of the winnings.
That's right - if I lose both my playoff matches, you get $10, and I get $10. If I make it to the title match but lose, you get $30, and I get $30. If I lose my first match, but I win the third-place game, I'll split my winnings with you $20/$20. AND, yes, if I win the Breakfast League Championship this year... I'll split the grand prize with you, $60 to $60.
Again, if you win the consolation ladder, you win money. Just let me know you saw this, and that you're going to try to win.
Have fun! - KP
EDIT: I'm upping the ante even further. For those of you in the ninth-twelfth range, THE SAME OFFER EXTENDS TO YOU - except you are aiming to beat the other three. That's right, the best finisher out of those currently ranked 9th through 12th wins the OTHER HALF of my share of winnings! Same rules apply.
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