Week 11 Preview

This is the last week for non-divisional regular season games.  The 2nd round of divisional games begins next week.

With the trade deadline come and gone, we now turn our focus squarely on the free agent pool, circling like sharks around a pool of blood.  Who will that player be that arises at the end of the season to lead a team to the championship?  Who will be the team that picks that player before anyone else can snag him?  With only four weeks left in the regular season, it is now crunch time.  Every loss spells certain doom, while every win gives hope for at least one more week.  Too dramatic? Yeah probably.

On to this weeks match-ups...


Thomas (1-9, 823) Vs Laron (8-2, 1161)

Thomas is now, officially, in an all out quest to win the Chris Johnson sweepstakes, assuming that's who he'd pick with the first pick.  Thomas has lost 6 straight and hasn't scored 100+ since week 6.  Worse yet, the last two weeks have been just horrific, scoring 52 & 48.  But as I noted a couple of weeks ago, Thomas hasn't give in just yet and don't be surprised if he knocks off one or two opponents over the next four weeks.  Laron continues to roll, scoring 126 & 144 the last two weeks, both wins.  Even though he looks to be in control of his division, Chad or Kyle could still challenge him.  In other words, he still needs this win before divisional games begin next week.  Yahoo has Laron favored by 19 points.

Matt (5-5, 999) Vs Randy (8-2, 968)

Matt suffered a dud last week, after scoring 100+ three weeks in a row, he scored 80.  Hines Ward getting knocked out of the game (literally) didn't help his cause.  5-5 after 10 weeks ain't bad though and the playoffs are still in sight and obtainable.  Randy is coming off a season highlight win over Jimmy last week.  That makes 6 wins in a row, though he did give up 100+ points for the 2nd time this year.  Same position as Laron, as far as division record, Randy needs this win to fend off his challengers during the 2nd round of divisional games.  Yahoo has Randy as an 18 point favorite.

Chavez (5-5, 1026) Vs Kyle (5-5, 1144)

Good match-up here.  After 10 weeks, Chavez leads his division.  Well, it's a three way tie and he currently leads in points.  After back to back 70ish point weeks, Chavez dusted himself off and got a win last week, scoring 106.  That's not a lot of points but it was enough to win and that's what he needed.  Seeing how he is in a three way tie, every game over the next four weeks is huge within the Texas division.  Somebody is going to win it and somebody is going to be left out.  Kyle has won 3 of his last 4 and, at times, looks really good.  In a season where so many teams have made so many moves, is it possible the best team is the one that has made so few?  With a win, Kyle will be the second team this year to reach the 80 career wins mark. Yahoo has Kyle favored by 6 points.  Kyle leads the overall series 9-6-1, they split last year.

Rick (5-5, 984) Vs Chad (6-4, 1077)

After scoring 100+ and winning 3 weeks in a row, Rick has scored below 100 and lost 3 weeks in a row.  Like most of us, when he wins it looks good and when he doesn't it looks bad.  Interesting, if you take those two 3 weeks and swap them with each other, he would have gone 5-1.  Scheduling is a bitch.  5-5 though, that means tied for the division lead and destiny in your own hands.  Chad is 5-2 in his last 7 and 4-1 in his last 5, scoring 100+ the last 7 weeks.  He is strong and consistent.  The last three weeks, 121, 123, 125.  He needs this win and a strong showing in divisional play to make a run at Laron.  It's possible.  Yahoo has Chad favored by 19.  With a win, Chad will pass the legend known as the DOC on the career wins list.  Upon hearing that Chad has passed him, I'm sure that Doc will have nothing but nice, complementary things to say about Chad.

Bang (3-7, 860) Vs Kurt (6-4, 869)

It's not easy being a one pony circus, just ask Bang.  He's got Drew Brees and a pack of bubble gum.  Evidence, he has scored 100+ twice this year, both wins.  The rest of the time, 1-7.  He is probably out of the playoff race, not mathematically but in reality.  That wont stop him from trying to drag down others.  Bang is historically really good at that.  I was unaware that Kurt knew E Wood, but recently I've began to wonder.  It seems Kurt has begun using a strategy often used by E Wood, Voodoo Magic.  Kurt has managed two wins recently because players from the other team have gotten injured.  Coincidence?  Maybe, but I've seen this before and it has E Wood's Voodoo Magic written all over it.  Anyone else see where Drew Brees's knee is "acting up"?  Overall series is tied 2-2.

Pitch (4-6, 1027) Vs Rojo (5-5, 935)

Pitch began the season 4-2 and has since lost his last 4.  That's a bit of a slide.  That makes sense, he hammers me scoring 151 points and then loses 4 straight topping 100 only once.  He is probably not going to win his division so he'll be chasing one of the wild card spots.  To do so, he'll have to get on a roll starting this week.  Even with the turbulent season Rojo is having, he is tied for the division lead.  Rojo just needs to find some consistency, of course, we've been saying that all year.  Still, the winner of the Texas division wont likely be decided till the final week, so all three have a shot.  Just like the other two, Rojo needs this win going into the 2nd round of divisional games.  Yahoo has Rojo as an 6 point favorite.  Rojo leads the overall series 6-3, they split last year.

AD (4-6, 1130) Vs Cow (4-6, 981)

DWYDMVDWYD!!!  I'm 2-1 the last three weeks, scoring 100+ in all three.  A resurgent Mike Vick has the eternal flame of hope burning bright, however, a loss will essentially piss all over it.  Speaking of resurgent, the COWboy began this season 0-5, since then, he is 4-1 and in the chase for a wild card position.  Loser of this one is playing for pride for the rest of the season.  The winner is still alive.  I lead the overall series 13-5, but Cow has won the last three match-ups.

Jimmy (6-4, 1237) Vs Dustin (5-5, 1136)

The Battle of the Bulls... Bull Bowl 2010... Bullfest 2010... Bullapalluzza...Bullarama...  What ever one wants to call it, it's a good one.  It's a match-up of two of the top scoring teams in the league.  It's number 1 in the Power Rankings Vs number 3 in the Power Rankings.  It's Brady Vs Manning.  Jimmy has scored 100+ 8 weeks in a row, that's a league best, but has gone 5-3 during that streak.  Dustin has hit some rough waters lately, going 1-4 over his last 5, even scoring 120+ three times.  Jimmy leads the overall series 4-3, winning in 08 & 09.