Week 10 Power Rankings

Week 9 was a big return to parity with 6 teams now sitting a game over .500 at 5-4 and five teams a game back at 4-5. Average score dips slightly (105.6). Nine were over 100 and four were over 120.  13 teams are in the playoff picture with four games to play.  Could a pair of headline worthy injuries give the rookie Colonel indigestion?  Is it time to start chasing the Nick Foles points again?

1. (1)  Polk High Panthers  (7-2) - Without Megatron (bye) the Panthers offense sputtered under Matt Ryan and they dropped their second game of the year.  The ATL QB was held under 10 points for the second week in a row, but at least his one TD went to Gonzales.  Polk High's game plan remains the same -- 3 WR1s and shoot for the moon.  They're top half in total points and their ticket is all but punched.  Still with a tricky schedule (SFF, Dijon, Trichs and Raiders) the bye is not assured.

2.  (T. 3) Pelican Brief - (6-3)  - the Legal Thrillers took a big step toward a bye with a win over the Goslings in week 9.  Hiding several big bye week hole - this could have been a close one if Brady didn't explode in the 2nd half, four TDs and the Pats' offense looking healthier than anytime in the past two years.  Another retro Halloween performance from CJ?K who went as vintage CJ2k 2009, even a pair of TDs.  The Pelicans are middle of the road on points, but with a game lead on the field their chances for the playoffs are good and for a playoff bye is fair.  They'll earn it if so - they take on the Girlz, TTM, Grossman and BDT to finish out.

T. 3. (T. 7) Trichs  (5-4) - The Far East Brigade dug down and drew another ace in week 10, sporting a high number on Keeper-nick and Gore's bye.  2 TDs a piece for your RBs (Stacy and Ridley) will do that for you.  That and a Carolina D that's demolishing other NFC South squads and it's going to start to add up.  They've got the top slot in the points race by 80+.  They get Dijon, Gosling, Polk High and Phat Girlz to close out the 2013 campaign. 

T.3 . (6) SanFranciscoFerries (5-4)  - Bolt holders again at five straight the Ferries are climbing the ladder in style, handily putting away the Mustard Men in Week 9.  Halloween week scary? How about Gronk gronking up for the gronkth time?  The team with two candidates for career revival and the likely offensive ROY just got even hotter.  It's only a few points but we'd still like to point out that Wilson outgained Rivers on the bench.  The QB controversy lives!

5. (2) TakingTigerMountain (5-4) - the streak is over, the Mountain is officially vulnerable when the Crescent City Connection links up.  Brees and Jimmer locked up twice, no less, but the Tigers couldn't get anything else going.   Positive news that bench-riders Spiller and James outgained the starters by a quarter mile.  The Tigers will take their Stylez points in week 10 and hope to pad their position as the #2 team by points. Remaining they have the Styles, Bloodz, Pelicans and Goslings.

6. (3) Tusken Raiders (5-4) - The Desert People flubbed a prime opportunity to move into the top tier of the league against a Peyton-less Commish squad.  RGIII's knee concerns and vulture-happy playcalling kept the QB slot silent this week. Charles and Woodhead both failed to find the endzone, leaving D-Jax's big day as the lone elite spot here.  The Raiders have dropped two straight but are top half in points, but face three out of four teams with +.500 records.

7. (T. 7) Phat Girlz (5-4) - the Girlz took their Stylez points on the low end (80.86), preferring to leave three IDP on bye rather than sacrifice them to the open market. It's a strategy that makes sense since Monique had a lot of bye week players to stash.  Sproles continued his disapointing season by collecting a concussion in the first quarter.  However, Tate (and his half-a-ribcage) might have stumbled into RB2 status with Foster's hamstring acting up again.  The Miami O-line race war hasn't affected Lamar Miller's production, yet. The Girlz are below average on points and they get Pelicans, Bloodz, Goslings and Trichs to finish the season.

8. (9) Grossman Sachs (4-5) - The Sachs picked up a clutch MNF win with Ashlon howling at the moon and move within a game of .500.  Surviving the Peyton bye was a must for the Commish who sported a low-risk strategy for Tannehill's spot start at QB. AP and Nio-Gio did the heavy lifting, both running past 20 without issue. Run DMC on the other hand tweaked his hammy again, either S-Jax or Harvin should take his place at flex next week.  The g-dbank is top half in points with three of four remaining against sub .500 squads.

9. (8) Aethernauts (4-5) - The swirling winds of the Aether swept the Nauts to victory pushing two late TD passes into the hands of "X" Dobson. KC's defense put in two defensive TDs and Lynch continues to own the ground.  The Cowboys couldn't figure out a good moment to hand Murrray the ball, although he was on the field and that bodes well. Still the Newton-Smith - Queen City Expressway needs to connect for the Nauts to ascend to the next level. Middle of the road with points - the Nauts could be in the hunt for a 7-6 wildcard - expect some turbulence ahead though (Grossman, BDT, Ferries and Dijonaise)

T. 10. (5)  Dijonaise All Stars  (5-4) - The Mustard Men got punted by the Ferries to fall back to one game above .500.  More worrisome Arian and Rodgers were both injured and figure to miss at least some time.   It was a massive bye week for the Yellow and a victory here was tall order, but Foster is the only blue chip in the running game here. And Rodgers even with a cast of misfits is a QB1.  They'll put their faith in Dunkin Donuts pitchman Eli Manning's trademarked November uptick in production.  With games against +.500 teams, Trichs, Polk and Tuskens and the hard luck 4-5 Nauts - the Colonel is going to have to really earn a spot in this year's playoffs.

T. 10. (T. 11) BuildingDwellingThinking  (4-5) - the Chico All Starz perked up and cranked out a win over the Megatron-less Panthers. It wasn't Romo or Bryant or Rice, but how about a 32 point game from T.Y. Hilton?  BDT managed to pick up fantasy wraiths Ivory and Greene and wisely kept them on their bench where they racked up 30+ points.  It'll be interesting to see if they go chasing their points as so many hopeless wretches before them. The Philosophers are middle of the road in points and could threaten for a 7-6 tie-breaker if they can't run the table.

12. (T. 11) Homespun Neckbloodz  (4-5)  -  The Bloodz got a 42.9 from Andre Johnson and 23 from Forte to make things look respectable against the Trichs, but there wasn't enough depth here to overcome three RBs on bye. It's a rough break to sport your season high against the league's season high. But the b345tly game moves the Cyclotron within striking distance of the low-end tiebreaker.  They're still 13th in points, but if they can win enough to make use of a tiebreaker, chances are that'll change.

13. (12)  Goslings (4-5) - The Drivers dropped back under .500 with a loss.  Luck continues to be a premier comeback QB. Shady McCoy and Levon Bell are doing their jobs on the ground, but down Wayne and White the Pretty Boys are bruised up at WR.   12th in points currently, they'd need to win out to see the playoffs.

14. (14)  PrimordialLifestyles (0-9)  Keenum impressed the Texans but has yet to convince the Stylez he's better than pine-rider Schaub.