Second half of the season starts tonight as the Texans prepare to get shredded by the Eagles
Band Aids TE Mark Andrews should garner a lot of trade interest despite the fact that he has a sore knee and a banged-up shoulder. He could miss this weekend's game.
OK, while I bobbing along the Pacific coastline last week in a cruise ship and out of touch with the world, some very clear lines of demarcation began to take shape in the JSFL as my esteemed colleague, Ron Hender, pointed out in his post on Tuesday. The Blazing Saddles opened up a one-game lead in the ST Division, while the Recliners opened up a two-game edge in the Silent Division.
As we enter the second half of league play, the question now is: “Which teams will separate from the six-way logjam for the final two playoff spots?” That is assuming, of course, that the Saddles and Recliners are able to hold on to those leads. And, that is a very big leap to make with 7 weeks left before the playoffs start in Week 16.
Then, there are those pesky Gerbils, sitting at 3-5, and still in the thick of things. God help us all.
And Week 9 is usually the turning point for those teams ready to go all-in on a playoff push this season, or for those team owners who start to fold and rebuild for next year – I am looking at you, Bob, and me, the guy writing this blasted preview. The trade deadline, Dec. 2, is just four weeks away.
Several teams in that 4-win dogpile play each other in Week 9, and then there is the featured clash with those aforementioned Saddles taking on the Packers.
Game of the Week
Saddles (-1) vs. Packers: Can Blayze keep his lead, or will he fall back into a two- or three-way tie for first? Jeff always seems to find a way to ruin a great story line. ESPN and Vegas have no clue who to take in this battle of wily owners. Blayze is on a roll with the second-longest current win streak. And with six more NFL teams on vacation this week, lineups are getting stressed. The Packers will be without WR Deebo Samuel. Jeff snagged Allen Lazard this week from the waiver wire to plug that hole. Josh Allen (Pack) vs. Justin Herbert (Saddles) will highlight this match. Running back and wide receiver pairings look to be fairly even. Pick ‘em. Blazers are a 1-point underdog. And, Jeff always seems to find a way. Take the Pack, in a nail-biter
Rest of the Best
Recliners (-13) vs. Rangers: Which is the team with the longest current win streak, you ask? It is those charging Recliners (OK, that metaphor sucks). Maybe, we can call them the lounging Recliners? The Barca bombers? OK, I give up. But, at 6-2, and riding a three-game win streak, Chris Zimnoch’s team has found the recline mode and is trying to pull away from the division.
He should add to that win total this week despite the challenge of having half of his regular starters on bye this week as the banged-up Rangers come calling. The Recliners lose Saquon Barkley, Tony Pollard and George Kittle but his replacements are still favored in almost every pairing against the Rangers. At press time, the Rangers, one of those six teams at 4-4, still had not replaced their tight end (Pat Freiermuth) and the Recliners were posted as 13-point favorites. We will assume the Rangers brain trust will correct that and plug and play someone who can cut into that edge. Recliners by 8
Tirades (-10) vs. Invalids: Good news for the Tirades. It looks like they only have to score 80 this week to improve to 5-4. Despite having half of his starting lineup (live by the 49ers, die by the 49ers) on bye this week, the Tirades are still double-digit favorites in this one with favored matchups at every position except TE and second WR (so, you are saying I have a chance?). No, Vern. You don’t stand a chance. In fact, you are going to get pummeled this week, and then you are going to have to take another beating at the hands of the Tirades again in another two weeks. Start prepping for the fire sale now. Are Travis Kelce and Cooper Kupp both on the trade block if this turns south quickly? Who makes up this schedule anyway? All the Invalids can hope for is the Tirades to sputter and only score 60 and then this one could get interesting. Until then, bet the house. Tirades by 10
Potential Blowouts of the Week
Gerbils (-19) vs. Pillow Biters: The Gerbils are favored big in this one. The byes are blasting the guts out of Huey’s team as three starters – the Dallas QB, RB Nick Chubb and WR Ceedee Lamb – are sunning themselves on a beach somewhere. Huey will be scraping the barrel to put a team on the field this week. He won’t lose much with the Arizona QB Kyler Murray at Seattle, but the grinding sound of metal scraping metal begins when he starts looking for the replacements at RB and WR. Could Terry “No Scorin’” McLauren or Adam Thielen get the start this week? Will it be A.J. Dillon alongside Alvin Kamara? Chuck also loses a key starter this week – RB Christian McCaffrey – but has plenty of horses, like Austin Ekeler, to turn to. A win here could throw the Gerbils right back into the mix of teams looking for a playoff berth. I can't believe I just wrote that. As of this writing, neither team had declared their starters for those players on bye this week. I still don’t think it will matter.
Take the Gerbils and at least 15
Spread Beaters (-25) vs. Band Aids: Ok, we saw the early line on this one and thought, “Bob has not replaced his bye week players.” Well, we were wrong. Bob has replaced them. They just stink compared to what he is facing. Maybe Bob’s odds would be better if he played his players on bye this week? It couldn’t be worse, could it? Apparently, it can. The Beaters are favored in every matchup that matters. The only edge Bob has is a banged-up Mark Andrews at TE and Jason Myers kicking for Seattle. So, unless Andrews hauls in 4 TDs (if he even plays) and Myers hits 5 field goals from 50-plus, this one could get ugly and quickly. At 2-6, the Band Aids are still the clubhouse leader for the first pick in 2023. And expect the trade offers for Andrews to tick up significantly this week (assuming he can lift his arm).
Take the Beaters and 20
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