Contenders vs Pretenders Edition

Primetime vs Gators

Primetime – Contenders

This team really has come out of no where this season. They weren’t supposed to exist but here they are! They’re 4-1 with the 4^th best net point differential in the league. They’ve had a relatively easy schedule so far. They’ve also come very close to beating AK this year. Why are they a contender? They’ve got good leadership, excellent athletes, a calm QB and a record to back it up! And guess what, they’re statistically the best defense in the league.

Gators – Contenders

The Gators are yet again a top 3 team halfway through the season. They’ve added a few more athletes with a lot of speed that have given this team a new dimension. Their net point differential is 3^rd best. They’re also the 2^nd best offense in the league. QB Dean is a top 3 MVP candidate. They’ve also put an impressive beating on the Browns this year!

Matchup

This is a huge test for both teams. They’re both 4-1 and looking to separate themselves into a top tier team. They’re also very similar in style of play, leadership and defense. Who has the edge? We gotta go with the Gators. They’ve had a tougher schedule and they’re more battle tested.

Gators 32 – PrimeTime 24

Elites vs Renegades

Elites – Contenders…jk!! HUGE PRETENDERS

This is by far the most disappointing team to start the season. They’re 1-4 and just got the luckiest win of the season against the lowly Thunder. They have all this talent on the team with below average QB play. Perhaps the last victory will propel this team on a winning streak?? This team has 1 and done written all over them. We don’t think they’ll get 4 wins but we can see them sneaking into the playoffs.

Renegades

Renegades – Pretenders

This is a team that needs a lot of bodies. They have a thin roster and they’re desperate for legit talent. They do have Anwar though…a top QB in the league that can tear apart a defense. This is clearly a rebuilding team. This year is really about building chemistry and becoming familiar with one another. They’re just not ready yet to be a top 7 team. With Anwar as a key building block, something tells us this team will be dangerous next year. This year is likely a lost cause for them. There’s a lot of good teams here and we can easily see the Renegades finishing as the 10^th seed. Thunder vs Renegades will be a game to watch later in the season!

Matchup

The Elites beat the Thunder in a must win game. Their offense was very pedestrian at best. Anwar is clearly the better QB in the matchup. Defensively, the Elites are slightly better. The Elites also have better playmakers.

Elites 20 – Renegades 12

Bandits vs Browns

Bandits – Pretenders

This is such a tough team to figure out. They started out 3-0 and looked like a real contender. Then they lost 2 games in a row. One against the Savages and the other against AK. QB Jay has struggled a lot lately. Defensively they’re excellent, but offensively, they’ve struggled to score. The 3 wins are the product of an easy schedule. They also narrowly defeated the Thunder in their first game. We had a feeling that it might be a sign of things to come. Another issue is their attendance. If they’re missing Miguel or Dheeraj, they struggle to find their appropriate replacements. They have decent depth at best. Can Jay and this squad pull it together and find more creative ways to score? We were so close to deeming them contenders since they play very well in the playoffs. We have to asses them for what they are at the current moment – an above average team.

Browns – Contenders

The Browns will always be contenders as long as Shu is their QB. Have they looked formidable this season…NO! That’s largely due to an average defense and a key injury to Nafi. At times they look a bit slow on defense. But this team is always in a game. It’s rare they get blown out and it’s rare they don’t compete. Something is slightly off with this team thus far. Shu looks great of course, but we don’t see that same dominant Shu we’re accustomed to seeing. He’s just looking forward to the playoffs. Player performance is mainly measured in the playoffs and not the regular season. This team will be dangerous in the playoffs like they always are. The Browns will be right there at the championship game! Count on it!

Matchup

This is a very tough game for the Bandits. Historically, the Bandits don’t play very well against the Browns. The Browns clearly have their number and Shu knows how to attack their defense. The Browns have appeared to be a bit vulnerable of late. They were very close to losing against the Savages. Can the Bandits capitalize on a vulnerable team? Can Jay keep up with the offensive juggernaut?

Browns 38 – Bandits 19

AK vs CK

AK – Contenders

They’re the only undefeated team remaining. They’ve looked dominant for the most part. They have the 3^rd best offense and defense. The only question remaining for this team is – can they beat the Browns in the playoffs? The Browns have flat out owned them in the playoffs. For AK, it’s really a matter of mental toughness. Listen, they’re a mentally tough team in the regular, but when playoffs come around, we believe they become over confident and talk too much smack. If they exclude themselves from the competitive banter and focus more on x and o’s, this team can beat the Browns. We still see them going to the championship game yet again.

Cobra Kai – Pretenders

They’re arguably the most improved team from last year. QB Yash has made a huge difference for this team. He’s unrattled, accurate and quiet. Their defense has also gotten better and they’re IQ has increased. However, they’ve had a very easy schedule and have caught a few breaks especially in the Elites game. Their schedule will continue to get harder. They’re also going through some significant injuries at the moment. Seeding is going to be very important for this team. They want to avoid the top tier teams if they want to see a victory in the 1^st round. This team is definitely playoff bound and may upset a team in the playoffs if healthy.

Matchup

This is a difficult matchup for CK. AK and CK talk a lot of smack. CK believes they can beat them. We just don’t see it. AK is too good and CK isn’t ready for them just yet. CK is going through some significant injuries and AK is healthy. Sims is still a great QB and Yash is in his rookie season. AK has way too many playmakers and we can’t see CK holding this team to less than 30 points. AK will look to run up the score.

AK 43 – CK 19

Savages vs Thunder

Savages – Pretenders

We’re all aware of the infamous split. We still don’t know why this happened. The Savages also lost their best player Hashim. This team looked really bad to start the season and now they’re beginning to click. They beat the Bandits a few weeks ago and nearly upset the Browns. This team turned on a switch and is playing a lot better right now. They have some good athletes on defense and offense. It looks like they’re starting to gel and headed in the right direction. We can see this team winning another 2 games.

Thunder

This team disappoints year in year out. We know what to expect from this team. Poor execution and bonehead mistakes on both sides of the ball. They’ve been a laughing stock for many years now. They keep bringing back the same core with additional talent, but with the same outcome. The key piece of this team is Jawid. Believe it or not, their defense hasn’t been that awful. They’ve actually looked better than they have in previous years. Their biggest problem is their offense. It’s anemic and flat out abysmal. It’s extremely painful to watch this team on offense. This team has scored 39 points in 5 games. That is less than 8 points a game. We understand they didn’t have their QB earlier, but 8 points per game is a disgrace. There’s no way around it.

Matchup

The Savages are finally clicking and some of their talent is beginning to take shape. QB Tom has looked better and is making fewer mistakes. The Thunder continue to struggle and lose games in every way imaginable. The Savages are just a better team right now.

Savages 38 – Thunder 13