Lets make some stray observations on our playoff teams:
-The #4 Orgrimmar Horde are the only team in the championship bracket likely to see players go tonight, with linebacker Telvin Smith and cornerback Logan Ryan set to start. Smith has been a bonafide LB1, scoring double digits in nine of twelve matchups and seven of his last eight, with his 21 points last week a season high. This would be a good time to up that season high. Ryan has also showed remarkable consistency for a cornerback, especially of late: He's put up double digits in four of his last six games. The Horde's defense is a key factor to their success, so if tonight goes quietly, it will be a concern.
-The #6 Binghamton Snipers lost Emmanual Sanders to a torn achilles in practice yesterday, further depleting a skill corps that previously lost Cooper Kupp and Devonta Freeman; The team will have to line up three random dudes behind DeAndre Hopkins, and hope their marquee running back Joe Mixon is healthy enough to play. Gambling with Jameis Winston, the Snipers are aware that they'll need to go big or go home, taking big risks for big rewards: Aforementioned dudes Dante Pettis and John Ross are capable of major points in a single week. If it happens to be this week, the Snipers could get their first ever playoff victory.
-#5 Hill Valley's running back situation will be a key to their quarterfinal game. With Jamme Conner felled for the moment, the team brought on five possible replacements to pair with James White. Previously unknown UDFA Jeff Wilson is the expected starter coming off a big week and likely to shoulder a considerable workload, but we could see touchdown specialist LeGarrette Blount, a scatback like Chris Thompson or Theo Riddick, or one time bellcow Stevan Ridley step up instead. With a win, the LBVIII champs will be happy with any of them making a cameo. A loss would lead to a long off season of second guessing.
-The #4 Orgrimmar Horde are the only team in the championship bracket likely to see players go tonight, with linebacker Telvin Smith and cornerback Logan Ryan set to start. Smith has been a bonafide LB1, scoring double digits in nine of twelve matchups and seven of his last eight, with his 21 points last week a season high. This would be a good time to up that season high. Ryan has also showed remarkable consistency for a cornerback, especially of late: He's put up double digits in four of his last six games. The Horde's defense is a key factor to their success, so if tonight goes quietly, it will be a concern.
-The #3 Pawnee Pride may be the team to beat in these playoffs. Despite South Park and Phoenix securing bye weeks by virtue of nine wins, neither team would have beaten the Pride in any of the season's last three weeks. If Julio Jones' injury turns out to be serious enough for him to miss time, we'll revisit this- but all things being equal (and healthy) it will probably take a poor Pawnee effort and a great effort from their opponent to knock them off. The big guns on offense are gonna do damage, but the ancillary systems will be the key: if jags like Marcell Ateman and Cameron Brate score too, there's not much hope for the opposition.
-The loss of AJ Green would hurt any team, but the #2 Phoenix Uprising should be able to mitigate its effects; They went 4-1 in his absence and Amari Cooper, Allen Robinson, and Doug Baldwin have all been WR1s at various times in recent years. However, the team will have to count on rookie DJ Moore or recent waiver claim Zay Jones to contribute at the flex spot, hampering the team's floor in the coming semifinal.
-Dropping their final two games should not be a major concern for top seeded #1 South Park, as Todd Gurley and Lamar Miller have both been superb, and the rest of the offense shows no chinks in the armor. The Cows have been so good this season that they're almost an after thought this week- as long as Todd Gurley doesn't get 'rested' in weeks fifteen or sixteen, the LBVII champions have a great opportunity to add a second trophy to their mantle.
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