No Sissies - Week#15, Playoff Preview

The Final Four Is Set, and Consolation Round Continues

by Paul Pearson

It wasn't a good week to be a previous champion in the No Sissies. Several of the teams that have lifted the league trophy in the past were handed losses in the first round of this year's playoffs. Four teams remain alive for the championship, but there's still plenty of competition in the lower ranks.

CHAMPIONS BRACKET

Weezies Weezles vs. BUD GUZZLER

The fifth-seeded Guzzlers (8-6) annihilated the two-time champion Team Bud Light by a score of 221-156. The top-seeded Weezles (10-3) didn't have to worry about upsets; they had the week off. Guzzlers have a formidable defense, especially at linebacker, where Brian Urlacher and Stephen Tulloch are tied for second place in their position in fantasy scoring (19.2 points per game). Unfortunately, the Weezles counter with Jerod Mayo, the top-scoring fantasy linebacker (20.2), who not even have to worry about the concussed Aaron Rodgers on Sunday night. Arian Foster trades the Baltimore Ravens defense for the Tennessee Titans, and Peyton Manning has gotten his groove back just in time to save the Indianapolis Colts' playoff chances. Even if Chris Johnson finally regains his mojo, the Guzzlers should savor last week's upset; the Weezles won't allow them to repeat it.

Anna's Annihilator's vs. steel lions

The second-seeded Annihilators (11-3) dispatched the three-time champion TEAM HEAVY last week by a score of 138-111, while the third-seeded Lions (9-5) took care of business in a 164-151 win over Barbara's Barbarians. Michael Vick and LeSean McCoy both have proven lethal lately, and Kellen Winslow gets to line up against the Detroit Lions, who are due for a letdown after last week's upset of Green Bay. The Annihilators have a pair of top 10 defensive backs (Brent Grimes and Bernard Pollard). More importantly, they have a pair of running backs who seemed destined for big afternoons. Peyton Hillis has been nothing short of a revelation, and he gets a Cincinnati Bengals team on the brink of collapse. Steven Jackson reached double digits in fantasy points for the second straight week, and he gets a Kansas City team that let San Diego run all over them last week. Look for the Annihilators to reach the championship game.

Team Bud Light vs. Barbara's Barbarians

The fourth-seeded Lights (7-7) got resurgent outings last week from Maurice Jones-Drew and Sidney Rice, but Julius Peppers got plowed by the New England Patriots. The sixth-seeded Barbarians (also 7-7) need to replace the injured-and-out-for-the-season Gerald McCoy, and they need Eli Manning to stop giving the ball away. (He's thrown 8 picks in his last 5 games.) The Lights have the advantage at most positions this week, especially at receiver with Roddy White and Sidney Rice. They should prevail her.

LOSERS BRACKET

I am NFmeL vs. ATLANTA IRONMAN

The eighth-seeded NFmeLs (7-7) just missed out on the playoffs but edged the DOOMSDAY DEFENSE last week by a score of 139-137. The 11th-seeded Ironman (6-8) prevailed in a 134-133 squeaker against the #1 MemesBoyz. Drew Brees and Reggie Wayne have carried the NFmeLs this far, and Terrell Thomas is the top scorer among cornerbacks. But the Ironman have the more balanced attack. Joe Flacco and Michael Turner are every-week starters. Matt Forte will continue to catch screens from Jay Cutler, and Michael Huff has reached double digits in fantasy points three weeks in a row. The Ironman should continue their winning ways this week.

Shake N Bake vs. DOOMSDAY DEFENSE

The 12th-seeded Shakes (6-8) hammered phily's phlunky's last week by a score of 184-138. They get the ninth-seeded Defense (also 6-8), who may be undone by Aaron Rodgers' concussion. The Defense has both Greg Jennings and Donald Driver, who would have to hope Matt Flynn can figure things out quickly of Rodgers is unavailable for the Sunday night game at New England. The Shakes are riding the coattails of a strong defense; three defensive starters (Haloti Ngata, London Fletcher and Quintin Mikell) are in the top 10 for their position. Add DeSean Jackson, who turns short out passes into length-of-the-field touchdowns, and you have an easy victory for the Bakes as they continue their quest for the title Best of the Rest.

#1 MemesBoyz vs. The Easy Riders

By finishing 14th and dead last in the standings, the 4-9 Riders got to take last week off. Now they have to figure out the 10th-seeded MemesBoyz (5-9), who are getting points by the bushel from Ndamukong Suh. Adrian Peterson clearly will need to carry the Minnesota Vikings the rest of the way this season. The two Baltimore Rays (Lewis and Rice) will help keep things close for the Riders, but the MemesBoyz should be able to rebound from last week's heartbreaker with a win this week.