Semifinals Preview

I failed to preview the Quarterfinals, but half of those teams don't matter anymore!
Sorry Revis Islanders and Toronto LTP, you've both been found wanting! Here are the four that are still in the race:

Here's a rundown of each year's final four, in their respective order:

• 2014: New York, Phoenix, South Park, Savannah
• 2013: Phoenix, Hill Valley, Deputy, Toronto
• 2012: Islanders, Hill Valley, Phoenix, New York
• 2011: Phoenix, Orgrimmar, Liberal, Hill Valley
• 2010: Phoenix, Oklahoma, Orgrimmar, HCM City
• 2009: Orgrimmar, New York, Alabama, Hill Valley

Three of these teams were here last year; The Pride are the newcomer. Phoenix has now appeared in the semifinals six years in a row. With their return this year, New York has tied Hill Valley at four- the McFlys were semifinalists in four of their first five years, but have not made the playoffs in back to back seasons. The defunct Orgrimmar Horde visited three times in four seasons- South Park has now made it in both of their initial forays. No other team has made it to the semifinals more than once in seven years.

#1 New York's Finest (12-1) versus #5 South Park Cows (7-6)

The Finest put up their finest performance of the season in week six, dropping a megaton 242 score on the Cows' middling 174. South Park has won three in a row, four out of five, and five out of seven... but they remain the clear underdogs in this fight.

ADVANTAGES:

• QUARTERBACK: Carson Palmer is rated third on the year, Aaron Rodgers fifth. Both have favorable matchups, and the numbers favor Palmer. But on the big stage, I expect the more mobile QB to have the advantage against swarming pass rushers. This is close to a push, but if I have to discount double-check, I'm going with the big Cheese.
• RECEIVERS: New York's group has been exceedingly reliable, the key to their 12-1 regular season record. Michael Crabtree and Eric Decker have exceeded expectations, Martavis Bryant returned from suspension with a chip on his shoulder and an appetite for touchdowns, and Doug Baldwin is suddenly the most explosive player in the league. He keeps question mark Davante Adams on the bench next to quality depth Robert Woods. Tyler Eifert going down is unfavorable, but Julius Thomas has scored in four straight games, nullifying the impact. Still, the edge is going to the Cows: Julio Jones has been shutout of paydirt for awhile, but is the most talented WR taking the field. Fellow dynamos Jarvis Landry, Brandin Cooks, and John Brown are all playmakers with gusto and the volume to make a difference. Picking between Vernon Davis and Richard Rodgers might be a make or break decision for the Cows.
• RUNNING BACKS: Well, Todd Gurley seems fine. Matt Forte too. Frank Gore is as good of a third running back as there is in this league. And Rashad Jennings just had his best game of the season. Any of these four running backs could start for South Park, who have three running backs that are typically on the short end of the plow share: RB Jeremy Hill backslid last week, RB Jeremy Langford is Forte's understudy once again, and Duke Johnson's quality performance was still just complimentary. Any of the three could put up numbers, but there's no sure bet.
• KICKER: Nick Novak has not exceeded 9.5 points in a game all year. While Catanzaro has 9.5 or more in four of his last five.
• DEFENSE: Jamie Collins has finally returned, to join all-universe LBs Luke Kuechly and CJ Mosley to form the best defensive core in the league. The rest of New York's D is somewhat suspect, but while Aaron Donald is on a tour de force, the Cows don't have one difference maker of the same caliber as NY's big three.

#3 Pawnee Pride (8-5) versus #2 Phoenix Uprising

The Pride took a tight one in week twelve, defeating Phoenix 217-206. They have not lost in a month, scoring 197, 217, 238, and 206 in that span. Meanwhile, after starting the year 7-1, the Uprising are just 2-3 since. They have been able to maximize their health during the bye week, and should be able to shake off the rust to be the point spread favorites, at least.

ADVANTAGES:

• QUARTERBACK: This was supposed to be the Pride's Achilles heel, but don't tell them that: Since installing Russell Wilson behind center, he's been unstoppable. Eli Manning is coming off a virtuoso performance of his own, but with the favorable matchup and the red hot numbers on his side, it's the little guy with the big advantage.
• RECEIVERS: The Uprising are not a bad group of WRs, but they lost their number one guy Keenan Allen, and they never really replaced him. Dez Bryant could be that guy any given week, but he's not been the same since his injury. Jeremy Maclin seems to have recovered from his midseason slump, but he's typically a complimentary weapon rather than a force unto himself. Jordan Matthews and Stevie Brown are a couple of reasonably competent WRs dealing with injuries, making them questionable at best. The only place Phoenix can claim a victory is at Tight End, where a healthy Gronk is the best in the game. Pawnee's vaunted quadrant of Odell Beckham, AJ Green, Mike Evans, and Emmanuel Sanders is unparalleled, though the latter two are coming off quiet games- Sanders, a couple of them. Gary Barnidge and Antonio Gates are both better than Uprising backup TE Heath Miller. 
• RUNNING BACKS: Just when Pawnee had things figured out, everything got jumbled up again. Doug Martin and Mark Ingram were a dynamic duo all year, but Ingram came up with a bum shoulder in the final week of the season, and is out the rest of the way. The Pride seemed to have an answer for that in Thomas Rawls, but he fractured his ankle; They'll be counting on his replacement's replacement, Bryce Brown this week in a plum matchup behind a respected offensive line. Meanwhile, Phoenix has an embarrassment of riches that create something of a conundrum: Dev Freeman is the #1 Running Back on the year, but has struggled in the past month. Fat Eddie has dominated in three of his past four matchups, but was benched early in the other game. Lamar Miller has dazzled with playmaking ability, but finds his touches mysteriously limited. The team claimed Denard Robinson, mostly to keep him from ending up on Pawnee.
• KICKER: Determining a kicker matchup is usually a tough call, but this week we've got some polarity at play: Phoenix kicker Justin Tucker has the worst matchup in the league, while Pawnee kicker Mason Crosby has the best. 
• DEFENSE: Phoenix has the #1 defensive lineman, the #1 linebacker, and the #1 safety in the game. Stephone Anthony and Preston Brown are solid linebackers, but tend to be more floor than ceiling. Phoenix can expect to dominate this side of the ball- if Pawnee's D can make some big plays, they'll tilt the odds in their favor. (I have it on good authority that the Uprising will have two cornerbacks in place before 1pm on Sunday.)

If the favorites both win, we could see a rematch of the 2014 Larkspur Bowl. If the underdogs each persevere, we will see a brand new champion hoist the Silver Chalice. All four teams have a reasonable shot at doing this- and it all starts Thursday night, with New York's Todd Gurley, and Pawnee's Mike Evans and Doug Martin some of the marquee names set to strike first.