Week 9 Power Rankings

 

Stevie, Ziggy says there's an 89.4 % chance your just here to stop a domestic dispute, you can't alter the stock market crash

Week 8 started to look a little bit top heavy as four teams sit at 5-3, five at 4-4 and three at 3-5.  Average score dips a bit for the super bye week to 106.4.  Five teams passed 120 and 9/14 were over 100.  With five weeks left in the regular season, there's still a chance for the 3-5 teams to pull out a wild card and the 5-3 teams to shit the bed.

1. (1)  Polk High Panthers  (7-1) - America's Family cemented their role as the team to beat moving two games ahead of the nearest competition.  They needed a historic day for Calvin to do it.  Megatron and AJ are #1 and 5 on the receiving points list.   As long as F-Jax can cover for a ground game here, the Panthers will give anyone a battle.  Could Reed be about to unseat Tony Gonzales at TE?

2. (6) TakingTigerMountain (5-3) - Game-time decision Jimmy Graham got in the game and won a big one for the Tigers.  Still undefeated when the Crescent City Connection links up,  the Mountain Men blew up for their 2nd biggest number of the season. With limited snaps for Graham going forward the Mountain will be more boom or bust.  The high score is just as important as a win as the Tigers rock up to 2nd on the points list. Time-traveler Stevie Johnson returned to catch a TD pass on the bench here, could his long journey be over?

T. 3.  (T.4) Pelican Brief - (5-3) - the Legal Eagles rock another best seller and move two over .500.  Welker is (quietly?) #3 on the receiving points list.   Brady continues to struggle to put up big numbers, but we're entering his part of the year.  Game ball to Dre Ellington who put up 22 on the ground.  Winning on CJ?K's bye is huge and the Pelicans will control their own destiny on a rocky upcoming schedule.

T. 3. (2) Tusken Raiders (5-3) The Raiders couldn't climb the Mountain on a tough bye week and take a step backwards for playoff-bye contention.  Charles didn't hit full beast this week and only managed 12 pts, Tusken FC will hope it's not his workload weighing on him. TTM's blowout hides a four turnover, single digit day for RGIII.  He's the key to their top-flight offense, if he can't run it then they're stuck in the sand.

5. (7)  Dijonaise All Stars  (5-3)  - Let's hear it for the n00bz.  A rookie with pole position for a playoff spot?  In a 14 team field. Picking up a win on Arian's bye week?  Not exactly expected.  The Mustard Men beat 120 again and checked BDT into playoff purgatory.  Tolbert vultured another TD.  Rodgers is finding improved rhythm with his new receiver corps.  Two double digits in the IDPs really put them over the top here. 

6. (10) SanFranciscoFerries (4-4)  - 0-4 to 4-4  -- the Ferries went from sunken ship to sub commander as the bye weeks hit.  They keep a hold on the Bolt and popped Trichs in a battle of 3 W streaks  to move into playoff position.  Only Gronk was held out of double digits, as SFF hit b345t mode bye week.  Workhorse lacy picked up his third straight week in double digits.  The Ferries can leave Morris on the bench and still have three higher scoring RBs ahead of him.  That's deep.  They get the Stylez to finish the season, which could be a security blanket as the season continues.  
 
T. 7. (9) Phat Girlz (4-4) - Monique's club is back in the middle of the pack with a win over the Nauts. There were a whole mess of points on the bench here, but luckily the Girlz didn't need them against the sinking Aethers. Sproles has been weeks without a big game and seems to have unofficially fallen on the Saints depth chart. The Girlz take their Stylez points next week and will aim for a plus size to fill out their playoff form here.
  
T. 7. (3) Trichs  (4-4)  - The Trichs put up one of the high numbers of the week but got beat by the red hot Boatmen.  Kaepernick and Gore did everything they could in London, combining for 45. Julius' early departure at TE kept the Trichs from a 2nd half TD chance that could have made this one close.  The loss ends General Far East's streak, but the Trichs are still looking frightening.  #1 in points and a deep RB stable. Marshall's return should shore up their air attack next week.

8. (T.4) Aethernauts (3-5) - The Nauts perceived fortunes have sunk quite a bit, taking two losses in one week on a recalc and a beating by the Girlz. Fauria didn't get a target at TE and let the air out of the balloon here. The Cam-dy man showed up early for Halloween but didn't need to hit Smith to curb-stomp the Bucs.   They're seventh in points, by no means out of it, but there's a tough schedule ahead.

9. (8) Grossman Sachs (3-5) - The g0dbank is leading the victims race,  holding fifth in points and 11th by record.  We're still hedging on a turn around, but time is running short. Good news is the Stylez are still upcoming as are several other teams without a winning record.  Peyton is still QB1 by a few lengths and will take a much needed bye this week.  Still no Harvin, and S-Jax did not exactly impress in his return.  They're all in to save their season next week in the Desert.

10. (T. 11) Homespun Neckbloodz  (4-4) A nightmare bye week, just best to go back to sleep here.  With Forte and Johnson on bye the Cyclotron spun Mendy and Jacobs just in case they were surprise actives.  The Bloodz are 2nd to last on points and more than 50 behind the next team.  They'll probably need four out of five to go. 

11. (T. 11) BuildingDwellingThinking  (3-5) -  BDT took a clear shot at the Mustard Men and came up a bit short.  Romo and Bryant's positive passion combined for 42, but the Colonel had too much juice in the jar.  A tough bye week minus Rice and Hilton, but the loss hurts as it means the German Philosophers will need a streak to go dancing this year.  The good news is they're in the top half on points and not totally outclassed for a tiebreaker.  Also the Stylez are still ahead, but nobody else is a walkover. 

13. (12)  Goslings (4-4) - Disrespected?  The Yahoo rankings has the Driver 9th. The Goslings got two wins in one week on a recalc and their Stylez points victory.  Unfortunately they couldn't manage to break 100 (thanks Geno Smith at -.84) and will remain on the outside in a tie-breaker scenario.  Jordy continues to shine in the absence of other Packer weapons, and Luck will be back next week, but there's nobody here to make up for Wayne's injury.  Four out of their five remaining opponents are over .500.

14. (14)  PrimordialLifestyles (0-8) A super bye week and the Muscle Hamster's shoulder injury make for another historic low.  If there was anyone at the wheel here there'd surely be some futures trade partners on the horn.