Gators VS Browns
GATORS
The Gators defeated CK 28-14. As usual, the Gators had just enough guys show up to notch a victory. As long as Ritchie shows up, this team will always have a shot at winning a game. The winds played a huge factor in this game. Both teams had to resort to short/intermediate passes. The Gators are who they are. They have a great QB, they barely field 6 players and they just can not defeat the top tier teams. They gave the Browns all they can handle in that great OT game earlier in the season. This is a sleeper team that no one wants to play in the first round. Can they go on a winning streak and knock the Browns off the 3rd seed?
BROWNS
The Browns lost by 14 points against a ferocious AK defense. This was by far Shu’s worst game as a QB in this league. He had 5 picks…YES 5 PICKS!! That’s how good the AK defense was! Some of the picks were due to poor route running, but Shu made a few bad decisions in this game. Did the wind have an impact on those throws? It’s tough to say. Shu is a great bad weather QB. We were shocked he threw 5 picks…we didn’t see that coming. Let’s give credit to the AK defense. They played very tight man defense against the Browns. It’s evident that the Browns are missing a few athletes or 2. They have solid players across the board. Unfortunately, they’re missing a solid/star playmaker on offense. That stud player they’re missing was Nafi. If he played, this game would’ve been a lot closer. Perhaps the Browns would’ve won this game. Our sources tell us Nafi is resting due to an injury. At the same time, AK didn’t defeat the Browns at full strength. Nafi is a HUGE weapon for this team and he was definitely missed. Browns and AK always put on classic performances. Guess what? They play again to close out the season!
MATCHUP
The Gators and Browns game earlier this season was one of the best games we’ve seen all year. This game really depends on what personnel will be available this week for the Browns and if they’ve recovered from their loss against AK. Can Shu bounce back from a poor performance? He shredded the Gators offense earlier this year and we have no doubt he will come out determined to put the Gators to sleep immediately. Will the Gators play man defense on the Browns and take a page out of AK’s playbook? If we look at QBs – both are great. Ritchie throws a better deep ball and Shu is as accurate as they come. Advantage – Browns. Surprisingly, the Gators have given up the 2nd fewest points in the league. In this matchup, we don’t see the Gators playing well against the Browns. They won’t have enough personnel to keep up. Offensively, the Browns are much better. Look for the Browns to implement a hurry up offense on a few drives. We expect the Browns to bounce back here and solidify a top 3 seed.
Browns 42 – Gators 32
Underdogs vs CK
Underdogs
The Underdogs are coming off a much needed bye week. They’ve played a fairly difficult schedule. Players like Waleed and Rob needed much needed rest. Now they’re back on the field and ready to notch 2 wins to position them to the 4th/5th seed. It’s very unlikely the Underdogs will capture the 3rd seed. They’re almost guaranteed a matchup against the Gators. If the Gators win BIG against the Browns, then the Underdogs may play the Browns…although highly unlikely. We can tell you this much, the Underdogs would rather take their chances with the Gators instead of the Browns. They matchup very well against them. However, the Underdogs are looking better than what they’ve looked like to start the season. Waqas looks much better, including the defense. Right now they’re the 4th best defense in the league.
CK
CK lost a big game against the Gators. The reason why it was a big game was due to the playoff implications. They actually had a shot at creeping up the 6th seed if they beat the Gators. Also, with the weather playing a huge factor in their game, this was their best shot at pulling an upset. We have to admire their heart and effort in games, but this was a game they really needed. Teams like CK, Bandits, Thunder and Elites are looking to avoid the 8th and 9th seeds at all costs. CK has the league leader in receptions with Anthony. Although our sources confirmed that he is dealing with a bad foot injury and he’s likely out for this game. And Fabio is a good QB with very good leadership skills. This team is no pushover and they will give the Underdogs all they can handle.
MATCHUP
The Underdogs have too many playmakers and just too much athleticism for CK. They’re well rested and lately they’re playing very good defense. How does CK defeat the Underdogs? They must select a zone and attack it. Just keep attacking that zone until the Underdogs adjust. Also, control the clock. Get positive yards and keep that ball moving. The Underdogs are heavy favorites. CK will likely play without their best receiver. Can CK find enough guys to step up and contribute? There’s really no need to look at matchups. Underdogs are better in every category. Fabio and CK will have their hands full and they’ll need a miracle to come out victorious.
Underdogs 46 – CK 12
Thunder vs Elites
THUNDER
The Thunder arguably played their best game of the season against the Bandits. Their defense was suffocating and they just had a different look/attitude to them. Where was this attitude and enthusiasm in the last 6 games?? What killed this team was their drops. They had 11. ELEVEN drops in a single game. There are games played amongst teams where their combined drops don’t equate to 11 drops. When you’re a losing franchise like the Thunder, you find ways to lose instead of ways to win. We’ve bashed this team for a while so let’s look at some bright spots. Their defense was very good. They had great coverage schemes and only gave up a big play or 2. If the defense continues to play like this, they may be able to pull off a 2 game winning streak and perhaps move all the way up to the 6th seed. Thunder in the 6th seed you say??? It’s absolutely possible. A few other positives, Jesse returned and notched another TD. Boy is he super important to this team. How important? They haven’t scored a single td when he doesn’t play. They also look a lot healthier as Mo Soliman was seen playing defense. He’s also another important piece to their defense and it showed. The Thunder now are in a battle for the 6th and 7th seeds. Can they defeat the pesky Elites who’ve had their number the past few games? Can this team put together another solid defensive performance? Are they better than the Elites and CK?
ELITES
The Elites have now lost 6 games in a row after starting the season with such promise. They’re 6th on offense and defense. However, they’re slipping in the standings quickly. What once looked as a promising season is looking like a struggle to the finish line. They’ve had mediocre QB performances especially from Aldo. Although, to be fair, Aldo has an elbow injury. Based on our sources, he will no longer QB this season due to his injury. Defensively, they’re not too bad. They’re barely average. Our concern right now is their confidence. They don’t seem like the same energetic bunch right now. They’re also another team that has way too many drops. We’ve seen how drops come back to haunt a team. As mother nature starts producing cold weather, it’ll be much harder to catch a ball. The real question right now is whether they’re better than the Thunder and CK. This is a huge game for playoff seeding purposes. If they defeat the Thunder, they’d practically be guaranteed a 6th or 7th seed. If they lose, they can actually fall all the way to the 9th seed. This game right here is their playoff game. This is a MUST win.
MATCHUP
This is going to be a GREAT game. If we look at their rosters, the Thunder are more talented. However, the Elites are more disciplined and play better defense. They also score more, but with the absence of Aldo, can Anas carry this team on his shoulders. If the Thunder apply the same defensive schemes against the Elites, Anas will have a long day as QB. Both teams have lots of youth and speed. Believe it or not, the team that has the fewest drops will win this game. The team that makes the fewest mistakes will win this game. Can the Thunder avenge last year’s shocking playoff loss? The Thunder will need to bring that same intensity on defense and not give up big plays. Justin will need to throw more than 2 tds for the Thunder to have a chance at winning. The Thunder also have a dangerous weapon in Jesse. We don’t see anyone on the Elites that can matchup with him. Anas vs Justin is a fairly even matchup. Defensively and offensively the Elites are better. However, we expect the Thunder to utilize their defensive schemes in an upset.
Thunder 24 – Elites 18
SAVAGES vs AK
SAVAGES
Savages are still the last undefeated team in the league. This can be a curse or a mental edge over their opponents. As we all know, no undefeated team has ever won a championship. There’s just too many good teams and too much pressure on a team to remain undefeated. The mental edge that the Savages have over everyone is their confidence. Right now it’s sky high and they believe no one will defeat them. That’s the championship mentality that’s required to go deep in the playoffs. They also have an abundance of two way players with great leadership. Their 2 leaders Anwar and Hashim are doing a great job at getting the best out of their players. They are organized, poised and very dangerous. Is this their year?
AK
AK defeated the Browns in a shout-out game with heavy winds. Their defense gave up 32 points, but they picked off Shu 5 times. This team played great defense and weren’t leaving that field unless they beat the Browns. The Browns didn’t have their biggest weapon in Nafi which made life easier for AK. We mentioned this before, if teams hold the Browns to 35 points or fewer, there’s a good chance that team will come out victorious. AK’s man defense was truly suffocating. Some of those picks Shu threw were due to bad route running and some were due to great defense. If they can make Shu look like this in the playoffs, AK will go very far. AK’s offense also looks incredible. They have arguably the best overall QB in the league and they have the speed to get open whenever they want. It’s very hard to see a team defeat AK moving forward.
MATCHUP
This is one hell of a matchup. The talent on the field is so evenly distributed amongst both teams. Savages and AK both have elite QBs and playmakers. Both are star studded and looking to make a deep playoff run. It’s possible that this may be a finals preview. What do the Savages need to do to win this game? They need to find a way to get separation from the suffocating AK defense. They know man defense is coming, but do they have the creative plays to score against man defense? What AK needs to do is shut down Joey and Hashim. Do not let these guys catch passes and run all over the field. Anwar will have to be deadly accurate with the football in this game. Given the fact that the throwing windows will be tighter than usual…this game will really test his accuracy. AK made Shu look like an average QB. Can they make Anwar look average? This is such a compelling game on so many levels. Sims is a slightly better QB than Anwar. Defensively, AK is better. Offensively, AK is also better. All signs point towards an AK semi-upset.
AK 36 – Savages 26
