Highest Scoring Team ($15)
Curtis’ Bronco Coat
Coach Nick
174.13 pts
Highest Scoring Player ($7)
Scallon Express
Coach John (2nd time this season)
Deebo Samuel - 38.2 pts
Current Playoff Seeds
Qualley’s DSM Football Team (10-3) [PJ Division Champ] *Clinched Playoffs & Top 2 Seed
Hunt’s Groovers (9-4) [X-IA Leader] *Clinched Playoffs
Nick’s Curtis’ Bronco Coat (7-6) [Cul-de-Sack Leader]
Aaron’s No Nonsense Nelson (7-6) [BSC Leader] *Clinched Playoffs & Top 4 Seed
Ewoldt’s Course Rangers (8-5) [Wildcard Leader] X-IA
(+3) Jord’s Shirt Brothers (8-5) [Wildcard Leader] Papa Jord’s
Austin’s Goffpocalpyse (6-7) [PPG Leader - 115.0 PPG] Papa Jord’s
(+5) Zach’s Dierks’ Heathens (5-8) [PPG Leader - 114.8 PPG] CdS
Bubble Teams
(-3) Jesse’s La Bamba (7-6) 105.0 PPG X-IA (Can still make wildcard)
Curtis’ 3-Peat Pick ‘Em Champ (6-7) 110.5 PPG CdS (Can still win CdS division)
Drew’s SPUDS (5-8) 111.7 PPG BSC (Can still grab PPG slot)
(-4) Jack’s Tuna with Mustard (6-7) 111.0 PPG X-IA (Can still grab PPG slot)
John’s Scallon Express (6-7) 110.0 PPG BSC (Can still grab PPG slot)
TC’s TC Schefter (5-8) 109.7 PPG BSC (Can still grab PPG slot)
Would you believe there is only one week to go and not a single playoff seed is determined?
We did have three teams clinch, however:
The first - Qualley and the Des Moines Football Team. Despite finally cooling off with 118 points this week, it was more than enough to bury the Course Rangers, who could only muster 86 points. And I guess it wasn’t so much a cooling off as it was his rookie phenom Tank Dell breaking his fibula early on in the Broncos game, and posting a gooseegg in his final game of the season. Though Tank was Qualley’s 6th best scorer this season, he had averaged 24.9 PPG over the last 4 weeks, explaining some of the DSM Football Team’s recent dominance. He’ll definitely be missed as we approach the playoffs, but Qualley began his win streak well before Tank Dell broke out. And this win over Ewoldt makes it 8 consecutive games won, tying for the 3rd-longest win-streak in the regular season all-time. It also means that Qualley is the 2023 Papa Jord Division Champ, the first time the Des Moines Football Team has been able to claim that title. With that Qualley has officially clinched the playoffs, and one of the top two seeds.
The second - Hunt and the Groovers. Though Curtis had the miraculous comeback last night in MNF with Zay Jones and Evan McPherson combing for 26 points to give the 3-Peat Pick Em Champ the win, and snap Hunt’s 6-game win streak, Hunt had a series of fortunate breaks allowing him to clinch the playoffs in the loss. The aforementioned Ewoldt loss, and Jesse and La Bamba losing the “Somebody Must Win It / Game of the Week” to Brady and ALL-TIME D 79-111, clinches Hunt’s playoff prospects for 2023. Amazingly, where Hunt can from here, though, is a wide range. Though unlikely, if Qualley were to lose next week, and Hunt were to win and outscore Qualley but 76.7 points, Hunt would take the one seed. If Hunt wins next week and those other two things don’t happen, Hunt will still win the X-IA division for the first time since 2015 (keep in mind he played in the BSC from 2018 to 2021) and claim the #2 seed in the playoffs. Hunt could also lose next week, and if Ewoldt were to win, Ewoldt would re-claim the X-IA division lead, pushing Hunt down to the 5 or 6 seed, depending on whether or not Jord wins next week (Jord holds the tiebreaker over Hunt). So technically speaking - 1 to 6 are all possible.
The third - No Nonsense Nelson. Fittingly, TC’s freshly minted Brian Ferentz team scores their lowest total in 6 weeks, and gives Aaron an easy win 88-107, and since Aaron holds the tiebreaker over Scallon, he is the 2023 Boy Scout Cyclone Division Champ. This marks back-to-back seasons as the BSC champ and his 3rd division title in 4 years. He also ties Drew at 4 division title wins, most in the BSC. This gives Aaron either the 3rd or 4th seed, depending on what happens next week.
Still up for grabs is the Cul-de-Sack division title, but with a win this week, in convincing fashion over SPUDS (HEATHEN EDITION), Nick and Curtis’ Bronco Coat get one step closer, giving Drew the People’s Elbow this weekend 174-122. It was the second most points by any team this season and came curtesy of THREE thirty-burgers from Metcalf, LaPorta, and Chase. The win knocked Cul-de-Sack foe Brady out of division title contention (Brady doesn’t hold any of the head-to-head tiebreakers) despite his win this week, and leaves just Curtis as the lone rival with claim to the throne. Curtis, who upset Hunt this week, is still a game back against Nick, but has the dreaded head-to-head tiebreaker that he won over Nick in Rivalry Week. Nick controls his destiny; however, win and he’s in, but both coaches will have tough matchups next week. Nick plays Hunt and Curtis plays Jord, two teams that have been red hot of late.
A bevy of teams were eliminated from traditional playoff contention this week, as only Curtis and Jesse lay claim to division or wildcard playoff slots, respectively. Jesse will need a win and will need Jord to lose next week to grab the final wildcard slot (he holds head-to-head tiebreaker over Jord).
That said, the final two playoff slots, which are purely PPG-based, keep everyone’s hopes alive, just needing to be one of the two playoff unqualified but highest scoring teams remaining. So get out there and ball out. It’s now or never.
$20 BOUNTY
Hunt earned this year’s bounty Week 1 by posting the lowest score of the week. He would beat Jesse Week 2, and TC Week 3, before losing the bounty to Jord in Week 4. Jord would then turn around and lose the bounty to TC in Week 5 and TC would hand it off to Drew in Week 6. Drew would lose it to the then undefeated Ewoldt in Week 7, who would lose his first game, and the bounty to Jesse in Week 8. Jesse would keep it in Week 9, beating Austin but then score the 3rd lowest point total in IFL history in Week 9, 48.76 points, and lost the bounty to Curtis in Week 10. Curtis lost the bounty to Qualley in Week 11, Qualley beat Scallon in Week 12, and Ewoldt in Week 13, carrying it on to the Bounty Showdown between him and Chris in Week 14.
Bounty holder record this season: 5-7.
TOP DIVISION
A massive week for the Cul-de-Sack moves them from third to second place, but with just one week to go in the regular season, Papa Jord’s appear to be sailing towards back-to-back years as best division in the IFL.
PICK ‘EM
Another slim week in Pick ‘Em and last year’s champ Chris takes advantage, taking the lead from Qualley by one.
