#like this throw is crazy!! the footwork!! and quick decision making and the accuracy!

[cementcornfield]

[jrsechelon]

Where’s Your Crown King Henry?

Final Power Rankings 1. VanillaGorillas (10-4-0) ↑ [Up 1 Spot] 2. Evolution (10-4-0) ↓ [Down 1 Spot] 3. Hyrule Empire (8-4-1) — [Remains 3rd] 4. Yuba City Sultans (8-6-0) ↑ [Up 2 Spots] 5. LilShupeScoresBIGPoints (8-6-0) ↓ [Down 1 Spot] 6. The Canadian Cripplers (8-6-0) ↑ [Up 4 Spots] 7. Black Hole Son (7-7-0) ↓ [Down 2 Spots] 8. The Busy Killers (7-7-0) — [Remains 8th] 9. Straight Edge Society (7-7-0) ↓ [Down 2 Spots] 10. Ultimate Savages (6-8-0) ↑ [Up 2 Spots] 11. PURPLEHAZE (6-8-0) — [Remains 11th] 12. Thunderbuddy4Life (6-8-0) ↑ [Up 1 Spot] 13. Rainelo Hawks (6-8-0) ↓ [Down 4 Spots] 14. Balls Deep (5-8-1) — [Remains 14th] 15. Buds Bums (6-8-0) — [Remains 15th] 16. BroncosTillDeath (3-11-0) — [Remains 16th]

It's happening again. Derek Henry has established himself as one of the most dominant and impactful offensive players in the league as he heated up and carried Yuba City Sultans all the way from one of the worst records in the league to a Wildcard playoff team. The bruising Alabama product is tearing it up during the home stretch and continues to be overlooked because the Sultans aren't a flashy team. Henry now has 586 rushing yards and six touchdowns in his last four games. It was also his fourth game with 130-plus rushing yards since Week 6 and his eighth 100-plus-yard game of the year. It's such a quarterback-driven league that the Super Bowl race is often framed by comparisons of Aaron Rodgers, Ben Roethlisberger, Josh Allen, Rusell Wilson, and Tom Brady but Henry is such a force that he has game and race-changing ability even at a significantly devalued position. With attendance limited by the COVID-19 pandemic, these playoffs just as the regular season have limited home-field advantage. "This year especially, with no fans, the home-field advantage is really going to be out the window," The Canadian Cripplers head coach Bruce Arians said recently, per The Athletic. "It's just going to be lining up and playing in empty stadiums. What has been a big, big part of the playoffs in the past is home-field advantage, [but] I don't think it's going to be an advantage this year. It's just a matter of getting in." Meanwhile, Henry has gone over 100 yards in nine consecutive road games and also tore up three of the teams in the playoffs clinching a Wildcard berth. Altogether, 64 percent of the 110-plus-yard performances in his career have come outside of home. That all bodes well for the Sultan's chances of making a run even though all their games will possibly all have to be on the road. Henry won't be afraid of that PURPLEHAZE run defense in a near-empty U.S. Bank Stadium.

Henry Focused On Super Bowl Run

So the path is as clear as imaginable for Henry to set the tone in the postseason for a Yuba City Sultans Super Bowl run despite the fact he's not Rodgers, Allen, Roethlisberger, Wilson, or even Brady, the greatest of all time. Justin Herbert, on the other hand, has been lighting it up every week. Solidifying himself as the Rookie of the Year - as well as possibly the Offensive Rookie of the Year. PURPLEHAZE begins the season with the 80-million dollar man at the helm, this was Kirk Cousins team, but losing five of the first six games gave way for the young rookie out of Oregon. “I think it’s another opportunity for us to go play football and get better and build off a win,” Herbert told reporters. Being only the second team to win their division with a losing record, they will have their hands full against the Sultans on Wildcard Weekend. PURPLEHAZE nor the Sultans faced one another in the regular season - but the record favors Yuba City Sultans in previous match-ups. Although this will be their first playoff match and Justin Herbert looks to help his team take the first postseason match between these two clubs. PURPLEHAZE, although the Mountain-West Champions and hosting a playoff game, come into this Wildcard Weekend as the underdog. Herbert can make all the throws and is extremely mobile at 6-foot-6 and 236 pounds. He ran a 4.68 40-yard dash at the Scouting Combine and was the MVP of the Senior Bowl.

Herbert Looking Like A Vet

Now that he is looking like Rookie of the Year, along with putting his team in the postseason (thank you, Ultimate Savages). Justin Herbert now has to silence the naysayers who don't believe his team has a chance. Herbert has put up historic numbers in his first season and his ceiling only continues to grow. Through this season, Herbert has showcased improved footwork and deep-ball accuracy. Winning when it mattered most is what Herbert has done. Going 4-1-0 in the division - Justin Herbert has proven why PURPLEHAZE has made the right decision in choosing the youngster to lead this team for possibly years to come. In a match that will showcase a young rookie against a fierce passing defense - Herbert will need to continue that veteran vision and accuracy to maintain an equal opportunity for his team against what is possibly the most difficult match-up in Wildcard Weekend. PURPLEHAZE has relied heavily on the arm of Herbert due to a weak rushing game. A team usually known to run the rock has changed their system to benefit their strengths. It's paramount they keep Herbert protected and upright - the receiver's routes must be run precisely, any slip up can cause turnovers or sacks. An intriguing match-up that will showcase tough defense on both sides with offensive fire-power through the air and on the ground. It's important to note that even though Derek Henry is the man on the Sultans, Nick Chubb is equally elusive and equally dangerous. PURPLEHAZE will need a perfect game on the arms of their quarterback and a defensive mentality that they're going to be punched but they'll be ready to punch back.

While Yuba City Sultans is riding the back of Derek Henry and the assistance of Nick Chubb, the top-seeded VanillaGorillas equally has their own running backs bruising the hearts of defenders. Two rookie running backs, but one in particular has taken the league by storm over the last month or so. He has 55 carries for 331 yards and two rushing touchdowns while adding nine receptions for 83 yards and a touchdown in the passing game over three games. VanillaGorillas Offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni attributes the improvements Johnathan Taylor has made to an increase in reps and confidence for the rookie. "Confidence and reps. That is as simple as it can be – confidence and reps. He just keeps getting reps, keeps getting better. He just keeps seeing it over and over and over again, and he is building confidence from that. You can see that,” Sirianni said. “Confidence is a crazy thing, and momentum and confidence is a great thing to have. He’s got that and he’s playing really good football right now.” At one point in the season, Taylor endured a three-game stretch in which he was essentially benched as VanillaGorillas rode the hot hand in the backfield. This leads me to D'Andre Swift, Swift was racking up the yards and damaging the front four of many defenders until having concussion-like symptoms that held him out for almost a month. Just in time for the postseason, VanillaGorillas will have Taylor and Swift who brings a boost to their offense, both in the run game and the passing game, as they continue to be able to get him more involved in the offensive rotation this week, it could spell problems for Black Hole Son. VanillaGorillas have been winning with rookies and these rookies have looked veteran savvy since day one.

Taylor Grinding To Sucess

Although VanillaGorillas is a majority of rookies, they are led by DeSean Watson who continues to do things that always leave us with our jaw on the floor. There have been recent rumors that VanillaGorillas general manager Kacey Sanders would like to see Tua Tagovailoa get the nod in what would be a shocking move. Tua has been riding the bench the majority of the year and if he gets the green light on Sunday, it'll be a very interesting decision. Tua has all the poise, talent, and knowledge to be great in this league but throwing him in there in a playoff game - where if you lose that's it. I'm not so sure it would be a good idea. What favors VanillaGorillas no matter who they play at the most important position of the game is with home-field throughout the playoffs, VanillaGorillas has a total home-field advantage - as for what that means, we've already clarified that. But remember, VanillaGorillas play in Chicago, with frigid temperatures. With home-field in Chicago in late December, there is a factor of weather that favors that ground and pound style of offense that they love to run. Black Hole Son will most definitely have something to say about it though. The defending Super Bowl Champions have stumbled and staggered into the postseason losing three straight to fall from the 1-seed last postseason to the 8-seed. Although they haven't been the same team since watching Dak go down earlier in the year, making the trade for Ben Roethlisberger who has been steady enough and a few stout defensive players before the trade deadline, has garnered formidable attention. The second-year safety, Khari Willis may have been overshadowed by rookie Julian Blackmon this season, but don’t mistake that for a lack of development from the Michigan safety. Willis has been turning in a strong season, showing improvements in both phases of the game. Once he landed in Las Vegas, his play on the field and poise off the field has been turned up a notch. "He’s just been special since he’s been here, just to be frank. He’s a great young man, he has high character. He brings energy and enthusiasm to the practice field. He’s very serious about his business, meaning that he’s a true pro," said defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. "He’s a good player. That’s the one thing you have to be. He’s quick and explosive. He’s a good tackler and plays well in space. We’ve been having him primarily as the guy that drops down for us, that covers guys and fits the run game, but he can play in the deep part of the field too. He does a lot of things well for us, but I would say the main thing is the way he practices and the way he prepares and his energy and enthusiasm all the way through the week and into the game time. He’s pretty impressive." Willis had an impressive rookie campaign but he’s been even better in Year 2.

Black Hole Son's Defense Is Key To Victory

His improvements against the pass are shining through while he continues to be a play-maker against the run. A younger unit than many around the league, Black Hole Son's defense has gelled with the additions of DeForest Buckner and Xavier Rhodes into a group that has 22 takeaways, good for 3rd in the EFL. Although Black Hole Son has stumbled into the postseason they have all the key pieces they need to make another run to a Super Bowl repeat. The match-up against the top-seed though will be a task they are familiar with. These two teams met in Week 6 where VanillaGorillas destroyed Black Hole Son. The coaching staff of Black Hole Son admits they've been watching a ton of film on that game and previous games VanillaGorillas has played leading up to this Wildcard Weekend. Focusing on the mistakes made in the previous match-up will be key for the defending Super Bowl Champions to have a better outing over this weekend.

Another team that is hoping to return to the Super Bowl for the third straight year in what they hope will be a winning effort this time around is LilShupeScoresBIGPoints. LilShupeScoresBIGPoints have a franchise quarterback in place with Josh Allen as he continues outstanding play. With a potential MVP candidate behind center, LilShupeScoresBIGPoints took what looked good on paper this spring and has made it a reality. The third-year quarterback's adjustments have propelled him to the top tier of quarterbacks in the league. Through hard work, due diligence regarding his mechanics, and a system set up for him to succeed, LilShupeScoresBIGPoints have found something special in arguably the most unrefined yet tantalizing talent in recent memory. His size (6'5", 237 lbs), mobility, and ridiculous arm strength are only good if they're harnessed properly, which they have been.

Josh Allen Continues To Build

With two touchdown passes Sunday, Allen has a franchise-record 35 total touchdowns, he's consistently winning from the pocket with a completion percentage hovering near 70 percent while retaining those same qualities that made him such an intriguing developmental option. A player's situation matters more than most are willing to give credit. Allen has benefited greatly from working with the same head coach and offensive coordinator for the last three seasons. LilShupeScoresBIGPoints continued to develop Allen and the strides are paying off. Returning to the postseason once again they are looking to continue taking those steps toward another Super Bowl Title for their franchise. LilShupeScoresBIGPoints did exactly what was expected of them this offseason. High expectations didn't cause this team or its quarterback to falter under the pressure. They are who many of us thought they would be thanks to Allen finally realizing his full potential and not looking back to past struggles. Although the ceiling is high for Allen and LilShupeScoresBIGPoints, the recent news of surgery for Ronald Jones as well as falling onto the COVID-reserve list is a stub in the toe for this team. Julio Jones is still a non-participant in practice and if can't go they will again hope for big performances from Cole Beasley and the cheetah, Tyreek Hill. The running game will have to be led by the double Johnson duo with Ronald Jones unlikely to go. So like many weeks now, Tyreek Hill and Josh Allen will once again be asked to shoulder the load in a pivotal Wildcard Weekend match-up against the 2-seed, when they travel to South Florida and battle Aaron Rodgers and Evolution. Rodgers leapfrogged any other quarterbacks in Week 14 to sit atop the EFL's Total QBR rankings. He has done it by throwing a league-high 39 touchdown passes against only four interceptions, the fewest picks by any quarterback who has played the maximum of 14 games this season. Rodgers' completion rate of 69.6%, meanwhile, is the highest through 14 games of any season in his career. Evolution's quarterback Aaron Rodgers is one of just nine players to have ever won Most Valuable Player honors twice, winning a third MVP and joining an even more exclusive club is still a goal for the 37-year old Rodgers as he is one of the favorites to win the award heading into the postseason, but winning a Super Bowl is his top priority. "Super Bowl is number one, when you start the season your top goal is to win the division. We did that, now it's getting to the Super Bowl. MVP can come along the way." Rodgers said, Wednesday after practice. Rodgers is having one of the best seasons of his career. He leads the league in passing touchdowns with 39 and could break his single-season record of 45 by the end of the year. He’s accomplished that while throwing just four interceptions and racking up 3,685 yards through 13 games. He also leads the league in passer rating at 119.7.

Rodgers Playoff Focused

Evolution hasn't been to the Super Bowl since Super Bowl II - since then they have been trying to build a team to get them over that hump of postseason misery. Entering the postseason for the thirteenth straight season is an accomplishment in itself but when you haven't been able to return to the Super Bowl since your first postseason run, that accomplishment only goes so far. "We know what’s in front of us, what’s at stake. But that’s not going to change our approach. We’re going to still go one game at a time. You just can’t take anything for granted in this game. No matter who you’re playing. You’ve got to go out and earn it each and every week." Evolution's head coach, Matt LaFleur said, regarding the postseason and a match-up against LilShupeScoresBIGPoints. Through this season, Aaron Rodgers has been near perfect. A half-dozen guys registered multiple catches. The run game was solid, and the defense has done its job late, playing situational football and forcing opponents to bleed the clock on its way down the field. They know that the job isn't finished and they know the opponent in front of them isn't one to take likely. While Evolution has been unable to reach that Super Bowl since Super Bowl II, they are 2-0 against LilShupeScoresBIGPoints in the postseasons past, and at home with 30% capacity crowd allowed, you've got to believe Evolution will fight to the final whistle to try and extinguish those postseason heartaches of seasons past toward their ultimate goal. LilShupeScoresBIGPoints is no slouch and we already see that Josh Allen versus Aaron Rodgers is the marquee match-up of the Wildcard Weekend. So here we go and get ready because it'll live up to the hype!

The final Wildcard match which can equally hold up to the Allen/Rodgers main-event match would have to be the Brady versus Wilson co-main-event of this weekend. Tom Brady’s first season with the Cripplers has been a mixed bag of wins and uncharacteristic losses. As one of the biggest names in the game, criticism has been constantly hurled at Brady. This is understandable. But head coach Bruce Arians doesn’t understand why people continue to slam Brady. "I don’t know why anyone’s criticizing Tom," Arians told reporters on Wednesday, "What he did at the end of the half and to start the second half [against] The Busy Killers — very, very few teams can do what he does and how he's helped us. He’s not getting enough credit for what he’s doing." After all, without Brady, The Canadian Cripplers wouldn't have been able to get into field goal range as fast as they did, which allowed for a Mason Crosby 58-yarder game-winning kick that would have been good from 63. With Crosby's leg and Brady's ability to execute the 2:00 minute drill, The Canadian Cripplers have now found themselves in the postseason for the first time in five years. On paper, this is a playoff team. It might even be a Super Bowl team. But the games aren’t played on paper, and the Cripplers absolutely have to take care of business in a way that is sloppy, incoherent, and even head-scratching at times. Even if they don’t look like Super Bowl favorites on the field right now, they have to get to the dance and give themselves a chance. The odds are in this team’s favor, they've already defeated Hyrule Empire earlier in the year, they have all the key pieces in place too, but as we’ve seen, the odds have been good before only for the team to defy them and fall flat on its face. But this year—with this team—it has to be different. What's most important is to keep Brady upright, we know how he crumbles under pressure and lucky for The Canadian Cripplers, Tristan Wirfs is exceeding expectations. After 14 games of watching Tristan Wirfs lock down the right tackle spot, Crippler fans have seen exactly what the Cripplers’ decision-makers saw when they made that deal to trade up and draft him. Wirfs has played 861 snaps in his rookie season so far, allowing just one sack and committing three penalties, all while going up against some of the EFL’s best pass rushers. Keeping Tom Brady protected has been the most important task for the Cripplers offense this season, and they’re doing a phenomenal job through 14 games.

Wirfs Robin To Brady

Wirfs is a big reason why, and it makes this management look pretty smart for landing arguably the best offensive tackle in an extremely deep class. Sunday Wirfs will have his hands full. Not only does he and the rest of the offensive line have to protect Brady and allow him time to put together plays down the field. They are going to have to do it against a top-3 pass-rushing defense. The defense prides themselves on hard-nosed football, hitting their opponents with full force and getting to the quarterback in spy packages. The early morning report shows that several key players have been limited in practice. Safety Anthony Levine (abdomen), and cornerback Tramon Williams (thigh). Peters returned to the field and finished Monday’s loss against Thunderbuddy4Life after hobbling off with that calf injury, but Smith did not see action after leaving in the first half. Marlon Humphrey and Anthony Averett were the only cornerbacks on the roster who practiced without limitations Wednesday. Williams’ return to the field, albeit in a limited fashion, might offer some relief in the defensive backfield. The 37-year-old corner missed the past two games with his thigh injury and hadn’t practiced in weeks. Campbell, a five-time Pro Bowler, played 34 defensive snaps Monday, his most since suffering a calf strain on November 8th. He said Wednesday he is still not fully healthy but has been improving. Welch, an undrafted rookie linebacker, has contributed on special teams this season. The severity of his foot injury is not known. With all of these injuries coming at a time that you need your best players to contribute, The Canadian Cripplers offensive line and offense in general may be coming into a favorable situation. Although, we cannot forget who is on the other side. Russell Wilson. This is Hyrule Empire's first postseason appreance. They won their division four weeks ago and now have a chance to continue their success story. Much like Black Hole Son, Hyrule Empire stumbled into the postseason losing two straight. Winning their division was what gave them a chance to rest some of their star atheletes and after the injuries we saw on Monday, I'm sure they wish they would have rested even more. Hyrule Empire was basically locked up as the 3-seed so for them getting right and healthy was key for their first postseason match-up. Quarterback Russell Wilson was off his game over the course of the last few games and it was unclear what the issues were. Wilson put together a solid performance against the Thunderbuddy4Life, though, completing 21 of 27 passes for 206 yards and four touchdowns with one interception. It was thought to be one of his more excellent games this year. Tom Brady is the Greatest Quarterback of All Time, but Russell Wilson is on his way there. Wilson is already one of the greatest athletes we have ever seen in American sports. He came up short in his first two meetings with Brady.

DangeRuss Ready To Cook

The third will be Wilson's chance to show the GOAT what's up. And unless Brady plays four more seasons, or gets a rematch next season, this will be the last time Brady and Wilson face off in a game. Wilson is having the best season of his career, with 27 passing touchdowns to just two interceptions (neither of which were his fault). The sheer confidence that Russell has when he starts cooking is scary, that they can score from anywhere on the field at any time. When Hyrule Empire and Wilson become that insync Hyrule Empire is no longer just a well-oiled machine. They are software. Their speed and efficiency is effortless. "We're out here having fun, doing what we love." Russell Wilson said, Wednesday after practice. "It's a give and take - you have to know when to give and let other guys take control, I can't do it all alone, I have ten other guys out there to lean on, and who expect they can lean on me." The mentality Wilson pocesses is something his father instilled in him long before he was lacing up his cleats for professional football games, it's a mentality that is never breaking and ever enduring through all trials and tribulations. Hyrule Empire and Wilson have been married to one another season, after season, after season. The consistency is paying off. Season's past we thought, this is the year that Hyrule Empire makes a run - only for injuries to occur or for the team to not gel until after being eliminated from postseason contention. This was a different year, they came out of the gate hot! Winning three straight, with two being divisional games, they stumbled against Evolution but came back the next week to defeat VanillaGorillas and defending Champions, Black Hole Son. Week 7 they lost by 10-points to The Canadian Cripplers which should give them confidence that they will have a tight game which they can win in the final drive. Wilson is confident and he isn't scared about who is across the field on the opposite sideline. Tom Brady isn't worried about the hype or what the media spins leading up to this match-up; Brady is concerned at getting the job done and putting this franchise back on top. The Canadian Cripplers haven't been relevant since they won Super Bowl II - it's been five years since they even made the postseason, where they were one-and-done. Believe me, neither Brady nor Wilson want to see their season end Wildcard Weekend, unfortantely for one, it will happen. The ride though, the battle, the grit, and the blood, sweat, and tears we will see are going to againt be another classic between two of the greatest to ever lace up those cleats.

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2021 Draft Order 1. BroncosTillDeath (4-10-0) 2. Balls Deep (5-8-1) 3. Rainelo Hawks (6-8-0) 4. Buds Bums (6-8-0) 5. Ultimate Savages (6-8-0) 6. Thunderbuddy4Life (6-8-0) 7. The Busy Killers (7-7-0) 8. Straight Edge Society (7-7-0) 9-16 Yet To Be Determined