So here we are at the 3 quarter point and the leaders of the pack have become just that, the leaders of the pack!
Tier 1: PO teams
1. Queensland Exiles: Nobodies dethroning these guys, and they are my pick to get back to the WL this season. Top notch team with a good agent base = 'ship. One thing that stands out to me is they stop the run better than anyone else around, forcing teams to be one-dimensional. Which is especially impressive when you consider they have played all the top teams in the conference already. Cruise control right now to an undefeate regular season and a no1 overall ranking.
2. MOntreal Rulers: Not a lot of movement at the top end of these rankings, since the teams up here are taking care of business. I see montreal as the team to watch in the POs, as they have played all the top teams except St Johns, who they should be favoured against, and have done so ranked no3 or higher in all statistical yardage categories offensively and defensively. I see them winning out and securing the second seed here.
3. Dallas Longhorns: Have taken care of business the last few weeks, shoring up offensive and defensive mistakes. The game against St Johns will decide the top 4 seeding in the POs. I see this team as a year away, but be careful of them in the POs, they may cause some serious damage before bowing out.
4. St Johns Salty Dogs: similar to Queensland, excellent history in CPL, great agent base and team. Can they turn it on in the POs after not really giving a fuck in the regular season? That would be my biggest Q for them. A good good team at rushing the ball, but with a poor receiving cast can be easily gameplanned against, as was shown in the Queensland game - i.e. 36 rushes for 1 yard a pop aint gonna cut it. Funny enough when they passed in that game they lit it up. Although I dont advocate going pass heavy with 4 wide outs!
5. LAWN!!!: I have to say, the drop off in teams here is pretty big, at least record wise, but LAWN have come on strong as of late with that geriatric roster. SLZ and his crew have been going against father time all season, and it seems that chemistry was the actual issue! They have been on fire, going 6-1 in the last 7 games, whilst beating teams that were initially above them in the actual rankings. That loss to Beantown will signal them being not as legit as I say, but in all honesty, play that game again now, and I think LAWN come away with the all important W.
6. Beantown Bastards: team has overacheived, and kudos to them for it.Odd team statistically, since they run really well, but dont stop the run at all, and pass really badly, but stop the pass real well. If these guys could ever get a lead on the top teams, they might have a chance
. They make the POs in a season they thought they would be trounced is a nice debut in CPL.
7. Quebec War Eagles: Plotting this teams season is as easy as distinguishing the difference between sliced ham and spam (hint: its really fucking hard - depending on the cut
). here are some direct quotes from yours truly on them this season:
ranking 1. Quebec War Eagles: Underrated team who I believe at this stage anyway, will be the seventh seed or better in CPL this season. Their passing numbers are skewed from a blowout win over Hub City in the interconference game, but nonetheless a team to watch out for during the season.
ranking 2. Quebec War Eagles: Again this team gets into shootouts it cant seem to win. I still think they have a great shot at the POs, but they have to pull out those wins against Miami, Detroit and Kingston. If they won those games, we are looking at a no 3 seed right now. Have underacheived for their talent level this season, but again, still have a shot.
Have beaten JetNation which is a huge win for PO seeding, but now comes the hard part. They are going to have to take that passing game on the road at Montreal and at home against Dallas and Beantown, whereas the road frogs (who own the tie breaker over QWE) only have Dallas as a potential loss. Therefore Quebec needs to win the same amount of games as Miami to qualify. This basically means that QWE need to win two of the remaining 4 games to be a shoe in. can they do it? Like I said in ranking 2, watch this team!
8. Miami Roadfrogs: Should make the POs with that record and remaining games, lets hope they take care of business and rest players (lolGLBnoBACKUPplayersLIKEjimTHEtankSORGI) against Dallas in game 16. Have the tie breaker over QWE so QWE have to keep fighting.
Tier 2: Tough out contenders
9-11:
(in no particular order)
Moss point tigers: have showed some life as of late, but cant seem to get over that hump. Have games against Beantown and Montreal, so I cant see them putting up a fight for a spot, but they are matematically not eliminated.
Jet Nation Pride: direct quote from the first rankings:
Jet Nation Pride: solid team, but with three wins over nobodies like Beantown and Kingston I cant see them getting over LAWN and into the POs. They play LAWN and Quebec mid season so we will see where they stand then.
well lets review this scenario: that win over beantown looks great right now, but they lost to both LAWN and Quebec, virtually sealing their fate here. Theres always next year. Still not mathematically eliminated but realistically eliminated.
Houston Vikings: direct quote from the second rankings:
Houston Vikings: Despite the record, this team is on a 3 game losing streak against top teams and Beantown (sorry I just had to!). They will have to win a lot of games and try and not lose much more, but 9-7 is a possibility, which puts them squarely in the PO hunt.
Well 9-7 is an IMpossibility now, but this team had a chance at one stage, close to tier 3 here however, no chance really.
Tier 3. FINISH HIM!
Kingston Days and Nights in Alabama Fighting crimson Hawks: GUT
Tier 1: PO teams
1. Queensland Exiles: Nobodies dethroning these guys, and they are my pick to get back to the WL this season. Top notch team with a good agent base = 'ship. One thing that stands out to me is they stop the run better than anyone else around, forcing teams to be one-dimensional. Which is especially impressive when you consider they have played all the top teams in the conference already. Cruise control right now to an undefeate regular season and a no1 overall ranking.
2. MOntreal Rulers: Not a lot of movement at the top end of these rankings, since the teams up here are taking care of business. I see montreal as the team to watch in the POs, as they have played all the top teams except St Johns, who they should be favoured against, and have done so ranked no3 or higher in all statistical yardage categories offensively and defensively. I see them winning out and securing the second seed here.
3. Dallas Longhorns: Have taken care of business the last few weeks, shoring up offensive and defensive mistakes. The game against St Johns will decide the top 4 seeding in the POs. I see this team as a year away, but be careful of them in the POs, they may cause some serious damage before bowing out.
4. St Johns Salty Dogs: similar to Queensland, excellent history in CPL, great agent base and team. Can they turn it on in the POs after not really giving a fuck in the regular season? That would be my biggest Q for them. A good good team at rushing the ball, but with a poor receiving cast can be easily gameplanned against, as was shown in the Queensland game - i.e. 36 rushes for 1 yard a pop aint gonna cut it. Funny enough when they passed in that game they lit it up. Although I dont advocate going pass heavy with 4 wide outs!
5. LAWN!!!: I have to say, the drop off in teams here is pretty big, at least record wise, but LAWN have come on strong as of late with that geriatric roster. SLZ and his crew have been going against father time all season, and it seems that chemistry was the actual issue! They have been on fire, going 6-1 in the last 7 games, whilst beating teams that were initially above them in the actual rankings. That loss to Beantown will signal them being not as legit as I say, but in all honesty, play that game again now, and I think LAWN come away with the all important W.
6. Beantown Bastards: team has overacheived, and kudos to them for it.Odd team statistically, since they run really well, but dont stop the run at all, and pass really badly, but stop the pass real well. If these guys could ever get a lead on the top teams, they might have a chance
. They make the POs in a season they thought they would be trounced is a nice debut in CPL.7. Quebec War Eagles: Plotting this teams season is as easy as distinguishing the difference between sliced ham and spam (hint: its really fucking hard - depending on the cut
). here are some direct quotes from yours truly on them this season:ranking 1. Quebec War Eagles: Underrated team who I believe at this stage anyway, will be the seventh seed or better in CPL this season. Their passing numbers are skewed from a blowout win over Hub City in the interconference game, but nonetheless a team to watch out for during the season.
ranking 2. Quebec War Eagles: Again this team gets into shootouts it cant seem to win. I still think they have a great shot at the POs, but they have to pull out those wins against Miami, Detroit and Kingston. If they won those games, we are looking at a no 3 seed right now. Have underacheived for their talent level this season, but again, still have a shot.
Have beaten JetNation which is a huge win for PO seeding, but now comes the hard part. They are going to have to take that passing game on the road at Montreal and at home against Dallas and Beantown, whereas the road frogs (who own the tie breaker over QWE) only have Dallas as a potential loss. Therefore Quebec needs to win the same amount of games as Miami to qualify. This basically means that QWE need to win two of the remaining 4 games to be a shoe in. can they do it? Like I said in ranking 2, watch this team!
8. Miami Roadfrogs: Should make the POs with that record and remaining games, lets hope they take care of business and rest players (lolGLBnoBACKUPplayersLIKEjimTHEtankSORGI) against Dallas in game 16. Have the tie breaker over QWE so QWE have to keep fighting.
Tier 2: Tough out contenders
9-11:
(in no particular order)
Moss point tigers: have showed some life as of late, but cant seem to get over that hump. Have games against Beantown and Montreal, so I cant see them putting up a fight for a spot, but they are matematically not eliminated.
Jet Nation Pride: direct quote from the first rankings:
Jet Nation Pride: solid team, but with three wins over nobodies like Beantown and Kingston I cant see them getting over LAWN and into the POs. They play LAWN and Quebec mid season so we will see where they stand then.
well lets review this scenario: that win over beantown looks great right now, but they lost to both LAWN and Quebec, virtually sealing their fate here. Theres always next year. Still not mathematically eliminated but realistically eliminated.
Houston Vikings: direct quote from the second rankings:
Houston Vikings: Despite the record, this team is on a 3 game losing streak against top teams and Beantown (sorry I just had to!). They will have to win a lot of games and try and not lose much more, but 9-7 is a possibility, which puts them squarely in the PO hunt.
Well 9-7 is an IMpossibility now, but this team had a chance at one stage, close to tier 3 here however, no chance really.
Tier 3. FINISH HIM!
Kingston Days and Nights in Alabama Fighting crimson Hawks: GUT
