Match-Up Build-Up Week 13

Two playoff spots are secured; only two remain. The battle for the final two slots is heating up with only four teams remaining in contention. Let's break it down.

The Perpetual Dynasty (8-4)
The current front runner for one of the final two playoff spots is TPD. It has been another impressive campaign from the back to back champ, scoring the 2nd most points in the league so far. Once again though their strong play is hindered by a tough schedule and poor circumstance. Their SOS ranks in the top 5, with teams averaging 136 ppg against them in their last 5 contests. Still TPD has handled their schedule reasonably well. They are hoping the additions of Rudolph and Brate will finally squelch their poor TE play that has plagued them all year, and last week validated their hope. The teams around them in the standings will be hoping TPD's classic negative crazy circumstance will somehow keep them out of the playoffs, but that may only be wishful thinking. TPD could make it into the playoffs without even winning another game, and a win this week would officially book their ticket to the dance for a sixth time in seven seasons.

Tavon and Only (7-5)
Tavon is 4th in points and stands at 4th in the standings. Their 5 losses this season have come against the three teams ahead of them in the standings as well as one to LFB. They have beaten up on poor competition this season but have failed to secure wins against the blue bloods. They will be hoping for a rematch against McCoy if they can make the playoffs, after losing to them twice this season by a combined 11 points. They play UB this week, who are playing well, and they finish with The Morgans in the final game of their season. It's a tough schedule to close, but the playoffs are still well within reach.

La Flama Blanca (7-5) 
LFB holds the same record as Tavon, but once again have benefited from a soft schedule. They are 6th in points scored, but hold the league's 3rd easiest schedule. Three straight wins after a slow middle season run have them in direct contention for a playoff spot. Playing against TPD and Loco, two other playoff hopefuls, won't help matters, but anything is possible with this enigma of a team. They've scored under 100 points 4 separate times this season. They need to win out in order to have a shot at the playoffs, but even then they would need help in the form of teams ahead of them losing games.

El Pollo Loco (6-6)
Loco is the last team with a chance at the playoffs but it is a difficult road. They have to win out and hope for the same poor play from teams ahead of them like LFB is. They've been too inconsistent similar to years past and have been unable to take advantage of having the league's 4th easiest schedule. Their hope is all but finished, but a win against the thorn in their side McCoy may be enough to revitalize their hope heading into the final week.

McCoy and Morgans have glided into the playoffs on a wave of dominant play and hilariously easy SOS.

To put it in perspective, Loco, the team directly behind McCoy in the West, would be (9-3) had they had McCoy's schedule. Only four teams have scored over 120 points against McCoy all year, with 6 separate teams scoring under 105 this year against them. All that being said, McCoy has scored the most points in the league, so reversing the hypothetical and giving them other team's schedules would only give them a few more losses than the one loss they have. The injury to Gordon is troubling, as well as the trends for what has happened to dominant regular season teams when they reach the playoffs. With that in consideration, it will be hard for them to take it easy the rest of the way, even with them basically sleep walking through the regular season so far.

Similar to last season The Morgans are slowing down at the wrong time but their easy schedule has prevented it from affecting them. 7 of the last 10 teams to play them have scored below 115 points, including 6 of the last 8. That type of consistent ease of schedule makes it nearly impossible to lose many games, but like McCoy, they continue to score points and are still arguably the best team in the league capable of beating anyone.

The playoffs will tell the tale for each of these two teams. Will their regular season success over inflate the actual quality of the team, just like it has each of the last two seasons for both of them, or will they continue their momentum through the playoffs. It is a fascinating storyline considering McCoy and The Morgans have a combined (3-9) playoff record over the last three season's. This year's MFFL playoffs will once again be off the chain, with many a storyline to digest. This week will paint the picture with even more detail.