Week 13

Looking Back:

On top by a point! Who would have thought that after 13 weeks, less than 10 points would separate the top three. Mr Horsey had a nail come out of his hoof last week, dropping a game to end up behind DommyBear in 5th. At this point it looks like Raiderettes and (obviously) The A Team are out of the playoff race, and it looks like Team Hurricain will likely end up in the bottom three as well. It looks like the most important question will be Mr Horsey or DommyBear, and both could very easily end up with identical records. This thing could be decided on points alone.

Looking Forward:

Sons of Anarchy v. Mr Horsey:

A lot will be determined by the status of Kurt Warner and DeSean Jackson. If both are out, Sons of Anarchy will look like a very different animal than that which has dominated lately. The Horse is healthy this week, and has a very good chance in my opinion, especially considering what we saw his QB do last week. My Pick: Monsieur le Cheval comme gagnant. (<-- trying to facilitate a little intra-office fantasy discussion for ActionKacton...)

The A Team v. Raiderettes:

Wouldn't it be great if The A Team actually won a game? This week is probably as close as he'll get. Roughly 10 theoretical points separate these two... well within the realm of possibility for an upset victory. Both teams are out of the playoff race, but ill be watching this one closely. My Pick: Raiderettes

DommyBear v. Team Hurricain:

This week will have major implications for the playoff picture. I think Mr Horsey wins, and DommyBear loses. Team Hurricain is not looking good overall in terms of position, but this week, with Michael Turner questionable and no real star to replace him, DommyBear could be in trouble. In weeks past I would have thought Pittsburgh's DEF was being undervalued against OAK, but with Palomalu out and some key injuries, they have not looked dominant lately. My Pick: Team Hurricain

M240 vs. Air it Outtt:

I would feel pretty confident, but there are too many unknowns. Forsett's status is a big deal, whether he starts for Jones again. Similarly, Maclin becomes a great play if DeSean Jackson is out (which i think he should be, given the caution Phi. has shown with Westbrook.) Air it Outtt looks to be starting a very strong lineup, but if my receivers wake up this week, and either Forsett or Maclin takes a big role, I hope to eek out a victory here. My Pick: ME

Week 12

Looking Back:

Four for Four in last weeks picks! We've now got a three-way tie at 7-3, and Mr. Horsey is only one game off the pace at 6-4. The playoff race is heating up big time. Injuries also played a factor last week, with several teams running into depth-issues, especially at the RB position.

Looking Ahead:

Mr. Horsey v. DommyBear:

The word of the week here is going to be 'injuries.' DommyBear has Julius Jones and Michael Turner in his RB spots, both of which are not healthy. Jones practiced again with the team on Wed. but with Justin Forsett very ably filling in, it is unlikely he will get much, if any, playing time. Turner might also play, but its not definite, and if he does, he'll be limited. Mr. Horsey is not plagued by injuries this week, but his team isn't looking exceptionally good either. Cleveland showed last week they knew how to score, and Cincinnati LOST to Oakland... That Defensive matchup is not looking as good as it did before last Sunday. Also, none of his WRs are projected to have huge days, and Detroit is going to fall behind so fast Kevin Smith will not be getting a lot of touches. My Pick: Mr Horsey to continue his trot up the ranks.

Sons of Anarchy v. Raiderettes:

Sons of Anarchy is obviously the pick here. It seems like Raiderettes has been following in the A Team's footsteps these last few weeks, fielding less-than-ideal matchups. The only bright spot has been Brandon Jacobs, who really seemed to be running well last week against Atl. Unless there is a line-up change, I don't think Raiderettes can close this gap - nowone looks explosive enough to make the difference. My Pick: Sons of Anarchy

Air it Outtt v. The A Team:

As has often been the case, if The A Team fielded a complete team this week, they would have a decent shot at this game. Air it Outtt got hurt with injuries last week, especially at the RB spot. They have maneuvered into a decent position, but don't look quite as dominant as they did before they lost certain starters. The A team has good matchups this week for players. Of course, they wont start a complete team, so this one looks to be going fairly easily into the Win column for Air it Outtt. My Pick: Air it Outtt

M240 v. Team Hurricain:

Looking forward to playing Justin Forsett against StL, who gave up both of Hightower's 100yd+ games this season. Forsett got almost 15 pts. against Min. last week, and I expect a huge performance from him against the Rams. Steve Smith (NYG) against Denver should be a good matchup for Hurricain, but on the other hand the top corner should be on him, leading me to think that Eli will be targeting Manningham more. I have the edge in theory, but its too close to feel really squared away on this one. My Pick. Me

Week 11

If anyone needed proof that the standings were not yet set-in-stone, just take a look at what happened last week. Air it Outtt rebounded from a seemingly impossibly deficit to win, while M240 failed to close a seemingly very realistic gap once his opponent had mostly played. I went into Monday night with a 10 pt. lead over Mr. Horsey - not nearly as much as I would have liked it to be - and lost because the Cleveland Browns have now scored 5 touchdowns in 15 games. I suppose it's not surprising the Ravens' DEF dominated them.

Looking Ahead:

Sons of Anarchy v. Air it Outtt:

Undoubtedly the Game of the Week. Sons of Anarchy has been a scoring machine of late, and I doubt this week will be any different. Warner and Fitzgerald against STL, and Ray Rice projected to get big points against Indy. The only issue with Rice is if Baltimore falls behind early, but otherwise it looks like a strong lineup. Opponent Air it Outtt seems unstoppable, but there are cracks in his armor this week. Cedric Benson is not 100% by any stretch of the imagination, and while he'll likely play, he is not a sure thing. Similarly, Randy Moss could have a much worse week than he has lately, as the JETS held him in check last time they met, and will certainly be focusing on him this week as well. My Pick: Sons of Anarchy. DommyBear almost got Air it Outtt last week, and Sons of Anarchy is on a roll right now.

Mr Horsey v. Team Hurricain:

Mr Horsey trampled me last week, but I'm not sure about this week. Cleveland's DEF put on a pretty good show against BAL on Monday Night, and if ever there was a team that's due... Maybe Brady Quinn finally scores a touchdown and Stafford has to throw, limiting Kevin Smith? Weirder things have happened. But in all seriousness folks... I think Steve Smith has a good week for Hurricain, with the Giants in a truly must-win position, and fresh off the BYE. Chad 85 should have a good time against OAK, and Miami has some backup DEF personnel in right now, which should be to Jonathan Stewart's advantage. Roddy White might run into trouble if the NYG DEF is fresh enough to get all up in Matt Ryan's grill. My Pick: Mr Horsey. He's playing a team that has seen an RB take a knee on the goal-line, while he has been looking like a blue-ribbon winner these last few weeks.

DommyBear v. Raiderettes:

Yikes! Lots of injuries in this matchup. Some seemingly not possible to shuffle-out of the lineup. Without knowing the moves to be made this one is tough to call. Both teams will need to do some serious thinking. As of now, DommyBear looks a little stronger. My Pick: DommyBear, but if ever there was an unfounded, arbitrary guess, this is it.

M240 v. The A Team:

Just what I need coming off 2 tough losses. Im also looking forward to seeing how the Giants come out of the BYE week, since I'm carrying 2 NYG WRs that haven't seen action in my lineup for over a month. It would be nice to see Eli come out guns-blazing against ATL this week. The only worry, and it's not a major one, is that NE has one of THOSE games that has almost driven The A Team, its owner asleep at the helm, to victory. Some insurance in the fact that if they go big, Welker goes big along with them. My Pick: M240

Final Thoughts: As the league tightens, this weekend holds the potential for even more shake-ups. Mr Horsey is galloping up the standings, and Air it Outtt's duel with Sons of Anarchy will have a big impact, whichever way it goes. Good luck.

Week 10

In the words of Queefy Queef, Its game time.

Week 10, only 4 weeks left in our regular season. Last week air it outtt pulled even for first place with M240. Sons of Anarchy is alone in second, and then there are 3 teams with 4-4 records all fighting in 3rd. One week can change a lot at this point. We've seen some serious action on the Waiver Wire this week, suggesting that owners are starting to obsess even more (if that were possible) about their lineups. Injuries start to rear their head at this point in the season, and the spectre of unreasonable upsets becomes ever nearer.

Looking Forward:

Raiderettes v. Team Hurricain:

I like Raiderettes here, but Hurricain isn't fielding a full roster as of now. If they do, things could change. I feel not so confident in picking these things since my record hasn't been much better than 50%... Even so, Favre should have a good, possibly great, game against Detroit, IF he doesn't get up by 3 touchdowns in the first half and then just hand the ball to A.P. for the rest of the game. This could also affect Berrian. On Hurricain's side we have Roethlisberger. He's a winner, but he hasn't been a fantasy football stud this season in the way that other, less-winning QBs have. My Pick: Raiderettes

Air it Outtt v. DommyBear:

LET THIS BE THE WEEK. Air it Outtt has been pretty much unstoppable this season, but Thurs. game has yielded a seriously underwhelming performance for Vernon Davis in the low-scoring contest with Chicago, whereas Dommy has gotten what points he deserves out of the D. Last week the Giants made San Diego look like the class of the league, but that is not, I believe, the case. This week against Philly should be tough, while SDs D didn't look good enough last week to seriously harm McNabb's game. Although I very much hope they do... In Air it Outts favour: Reggie Wayne and Randy Moss should benefit from the shootout. My Pick: Air it Outtt. But C'mon Dom, I'll buy a bottle of Gin we can drink with Mr. Kacton, in front of his much finer half, if you make me wrong this week.

Sons of Anarchy v. The A Team:

Sons of Anarchy take their turn against The A Team this week. A strong showing is projected for Sons, and it could move him into second place if Air it Outtt or M240 have a bad week. My Pick: The A Team. Just kidding.

M240 vs Mr. Horsey:

Less than a point separates the projected matchup. This has been a head-scratcher for me all week, although I dont really have many options in the way of lineup changes, with 5 players on the BYE week. The best news, in spanish: El senor caballo quiere ver el futbol americano con sus amigos, y su novia lo permite (problamente). That means that ActionKacton himself wants to watch this game, and Riley will probs let him. Party in Margaret's basement this Sunday, and no Dom that's not a euphemism. My Pick: ME

Week 9

Looking Back:

DommyBear did what I didn't think likely, getting a blowout victory over Sons of Anarchy, thanks in large part to amazing performances by Chicago's DEF and Tennessee's Chris Johnson. Air it Outtt beat Mr. Horsey, which is not the outcome I was hoping for. The equestrian can blame it on some very lackluster performances by his WRs, with 3 combining for less than 7 pts, although Steve Smith finally had a decent game in Carolina's surprising victory over Arizona. Team Hurricain beat the now 0-7 (soon to be 0-14), A Team. The game between M240 and Raiderettes was the most exciting fantasy game i've watched yet. 2 of my RBs combined for -1.1 pts. I went into the afternoon game down 35-98. I didn't think there was any hope, and I was already dejected from watching the Giants crash and burn against the Eagles. Aaron Rodgers looked awful in the first half of the Vikings game, but Vincent Jackson was doing his usual thing and picking up good numbers. Rodgers picked it up BIG TIME in the second half, throwing well over 200 yards. I watched the score become 50-98, 60-98, 70... ending up at 92-98 in 4th quarter of that game. A screen pass to Peterson that he took for some 40 yards, a few more desperation completions by Rodgers, and it was all over. Gonzalez then tacked on another 9 pts. on Monday Night. A very satisfying comeback!

Looking Forward:

DommyBear v. The A Team:

Looks like Dom should be going on a W-2 streak here. It just isn't fun thinking about anything to do with The A Team anymore... My Pick: DommyBear

Team Hurricain v. Air it Outtt:

Air it Outtt's N.O. players ought to have a good week against Carolina, but on the other hand Carolina is coming off a big win against another strong offensive team, Arizona. It is not outside the realm of possibility that they upset the favored Saints. Similarly, I could see Philadelphia's DEF having trouble with Dallas. I hate Dallas (and Philly), but the Cowgirls have looked very strong on offense in recent weeks. On the other side... actually, the projected stats look more realistic for Team Hurricain, with the possible exception of several points less for Denver's D, and perhaps Maurice Jones-Drew. Im hoping this is the week that takes Air it Outtt down a peg... they're way too close (and good) for comfort. My Pick: Team Hurricain to play better than they spell.

Mr Horsey v. Raiderettes:

Mr. Horsey hasn't looked very good lately, despite having a big-time QB and some good depth at RB to choose from. Steve Smith has been a (very) slow starter but he did OK last week, and he might keep it up. Raiderettes are looking pretty mediocre this week, although Hou. will be throwing all day to try to keep up with Indy., which should give Andre Johnson lots of looks, especially since Owen Daniels (another big Schaub-target), is out for the season. Brandon Jacobs hasn't looked great lately, but with the overall problems the Giants are having, it isn't really his fault... I hope against hope he has a big game this week... meaning the Giants aren't getting blown out and having to throw constantly... My Pick: Mr. Horsey is due.

M240 v. Sons of Anarchy:

Looks like a big win for Sons of Anarchy. Adrian Peterson is out for me this week, but I get Welker back, which is great news. As much as I hate to say it, SD should be able to exploit the Giants this weekend, and Vincent Jackson could have a bigger game than he is projected. It seems like a number of the projected stats for my side are low, but I'm not convinced they mean much anymore. I think this one will be closer than it looks right now, and as always My Pick: M240

Week 8

Looking Back:

Sons of Anarchy and Team Hurricain was the close game last week, with the three others being pretty much blowouts. DommyBear's last player left the field with the team down by roughly 20, and it only got worse. In furtherance of the argument that projected stats are useless, Hines Ward and Fred Jackson combined for less than one point (!), and defense for both Dom's and my team nearly tripled the projected stats. Gov got a great performance from Ryan Grant to push him over the top in that contest. Air it Outtt also saw great play from Philip Rivers and Vernon Davis, with the former hitting Vincent Jackson for franchise's new receiving record, catching 142 yards in 30 minutes of play.

Looking Forward:

Sons of Anarchy v. DommyBear:

First things first. Dom has depth-problems this week. His D is on a bye, and he needs to fill Hines Ward's WR spot. He has some decent benched players, but the best are RBs, and that would require some shifting to free up the flex spot instead. Gov on the other hand has Warner/Fitzgerald teeing off against Carolina, and is at full strength. This one looks pretty one sided, with the players that DommyBear does have going up against teams like N.O. and Indy. Barring some very skilled roster-shifting/adding/dropping of players, and maybe Matt Ryan rebounding from last weeks loss for a huge comeback, (and a Miles Austin repeat of last week...), I think the only part of this battle worth watching will be which manager gets to cuddle with Queefy. My Pick: Sons of Anarchy to catch snippets of victory in-between T.V. cutouts.

The A Team vs. Team Hurricain:

Uh-Oh. We all knew this week would come... New England is on a BYE! That means half the A-Team is on a BYE too, and my best guess says that there will not be any roster-shifting to correct for this. This one isn't even worth discussing. My Pick: The A Team to be forced to forfeit because half the team didn't show up, giving Team Hurricain the win without his players even having get out of their warm-up gear.

Mr Horsey v. Air It Outtt:

I should start by saying I really want Mr. Horsey to win. Nothing would be better for me than having the No. 5 team knock the No. 2 team down a bit. Brian Westbrook got hurt last week, and while he'll probably play against NYG, I think that D. will get after him early and hard, and he won't be 100% either. Antonio Gates should do well against OAK, as should Boldin against Carolina. Nothing needs to be said about Brees. Rivers should do better against OAK than is currently projected, but on the flip side I did see OAK beat the Eagles a few weeks ago... We'll see. My Pick: Mr Horsey won't lead wire-to-wire, but I hope he wins by a nose.

M240 v. Raiderettes:

Andre Johnson didn't practice today with a lung contusion, and Hou. is apparently designing more and more plays with Slaton as a receiver. Im hoping this mitigates Johnson's production, even slightly. Romo is playing Seattle, which could be a big day out for him. Look for him to keep hitting Miles Austin... Matt Forte and Ronnie Brown are both solid backs, but on the flipside so are Peterson and Slaton, with the former OVERDUE for some big breakout runs. I've just picked up Shonn Greene of the Jets, who should be getting a lot more carries now that Leon Washington is out with a broken leg. I don't know which D to start, which QB, or how much I trust Maclin as an up-and-comer. This is going to be a close one I think. Once again, I don't feel exceptionally confident having lost Welker for a week to the BYE, but I'm hoping to come away with this. My Pick: M240

Week 7

Looking Back:

Sons of Anarchy took a second straight loss to Mr. Horsey last week, which is good news for the Caballero, but potentially troubling for the Anarchists. That being said, Drew Brees' domination in the Giants game was a major factor for Mr. Horsey, as was Sons decision (which I heard considerable consternation surrounding) not to start Ray Rice. Hindsight is 20/20, but one can't be too judgmental. If last week showed me anything its that projected stats OFTEN MEAN NOTHING. The A Team, with an absentee owner and 2 unfilled starting spots almost defeated the well-coached Raiderettes. In doing so, they scored more than DOUBLE their projected total. Granted, games with a margin of victory north of 55 pts. are exceedingly rare, but in this same week Matt Hasselbeck scored less than 2 pts, while Wes Welker and Randy Moss both exceeded 30 pts. thanks to the misfortune that befell Tennessee. Projected points may let you feel confident during the week while you set your lineup and dream of an upcoming 8.7 point margin of victory over your opponent, but in reality I think last week proved that gut-feeling is worth at least as much as the Rotowire numbers.

I want to move on to the look forward, but I would also like to point out my narrow margin of victory over air it outtt last week. I was pretty sure I was going down against a very strong opponent, but i escaped. I've also learned my lesson. While its good to give your picks a few weeks to get going, players like Santana Moss, and Steve Smith (Car.), and T.O. need a serious second look.

Looking Forward:

Air it Outtt v. Raiderettes:

This one is tough to call as an inside source tells me Raiderettes isn't entirely set on its starting roster. As it stands, the Projected Stats favour Air it Outtt, but im not sure. I like Randy Moss against Tampa, Reggie Wayne against StL, and Vernon Davis in general. That said, I think New Orleans is due for a loss, and might have to throw more than hand it to Pierre Thomas. Also, Benson seems over-valued against Chicago. Its week 7, some of these teams are due... On the other side, I really like Brown against N.O. I think that game should be close, and I'm hoping that Miami comes out on top, to be honest. Jacobs is my favorite RB, but against Ari. I see New York exploiting the high yards-allowed situation by the Cardinals.

My Pick: These are two teams coached by true fans of the game, and this is tough to call. Lets go crazy... Ill call 2 straight losses for Air it Outtt. Raiderettes.

Mr. Horsey v. The A Team:

Mr. Horsey is playing the un-managed 'A Team', but according to the stat-rats, he has a game in his hooves. Both D's are predicted to OWN their opponents, and both teams are starting stud quarterbacks. I hope Boldin has a bad day out because they're playing the G-Men, and I think the projected stats are legit in this case. Fitzgerald and Breaston will get the majority of the grabs over the injured (Questionable) Boldin. On a second note, Mr Horsey needs to get rid of T.O. He's not performing. It was an OK idea when he was a F.A., but things have changed. There are lots of better W/R candidates. My Pick: Mr. Horsey because i'm hoping The A Team goes all Detroit '08 on us.

Sons of Anarchy v. Team Hurricain:

This is a matchup. Two RBs on bad teams going up against good teams. Two kickers slated to kick often and well. Its all tied up... I like Team Hurricain because I think Peyton does better than Warner against his little brother, and Collie has the potential to gain from that matchup too. That said, Addai should get a lot of touches IF Indy gets off to a huge lead at the half. Of course, StL is due, and sometimes the teams with the worse records can come out and get you... or they can lose another. I think Hurricain because I anticipate Sons' Defence to have a worse week against Pittsburgh than the statisticians. Big Ben (rarely) falls hard. My Pick: Sons of Anarchy to seek comfort in Indian desserts after taking a hard-fought loss to Team Hurricain

M240 v. DommyBear:

Statistically Im looking good. Schaub is leading the league in TD passes, and is going up against S.F. which has allowed >320 yds/game of offense. Combined with Slaton catching a bunch of those passes, and Peterson due for a breakout run, Im feeling OK. Not sure which Defence to start... How much do I trust the Giants? Jets have been disappointing but everyone is great against Oakland. Im thinking I let them have a go against Jamarcus Russell. That said, Dallas Clark should have a good week, and Michael Crabtree is an unknown entity. Could be great, could be horrible. My Pick: ME

Ending Thoughts:

This should be a good week for ActionKacton football. The standings are close, and the results have been often upsets and/or blowouts.

Also, we should work out some sort of beer-drinking, football viewing, stats-on-laptop-tracking Sunday in the weeks to come.

Good luck everyone!