Match-Up Build-Up Week 9

Week 8 saw a massive increase in point scoring, with many teams garnering huge wins while others were left reeling. The playoff picture is starting to take shape and it is make or break from here on out for many MFFL franchises.

1. The Perpetual Dynasty (7-1) vs La Flama Blanca (4-4)
This is the only match-up this week between two teams at or above .500 respectively.
TPD has been on a roll this season. They are 4th in points scored but sit only 19 points below the top point scorer. Their 2nd easiest league schedule has helped matters as well, though over the last two weeks, when teams have come to play against them, they have met the challenge and obtained key victories. They have scored below 135 points only twice this season, putting together consistent weeks with low variance between performance, another important element to their success so far. They will look to keep it rolling in week 9 against an opponent that is better than their record.
LFB is 3rd in points scored but currently checks in at 6th in the standings. Unlike TPD, LFB has had large variances between performances which has led to instability of performance week to week. Still, they remain a key player in the playoff race. They have won the last two weeks without the services of Alvin Kamara. Even more impressive they won last week with Kamara inactive in their starting lineup. It is an embarrassing mishap, and a giant no no in the MFFL world, but it did not affect them as the rest of the team carried the torch. They have relied on a stellar draft all season, only spending $5 of their waiver budget half way through the season. Ultimately their limited activity has likely led in part to their .500 record, which could impact them moving forward.
This is a crucial game in the East Division, but more so for LFB. The lineups this week look razor close, but TPD could get a boost if Adams finally returns from injury. Kamara is on bye for LFB, while Johnson is hurt for TPD. This game will be super close folks.

Loco vs Tavon is a must win for both franchises. The rest of the match-ups feature favorites going against teams trying to hang on. There is still time for teams to go on late season runs but it has to start now and there is no margin for error. Don't be surprised if a dark horse team makes a run, it has happened multiple times throughout MFFL history.

Match-Up Build-Up Week 8

Scoring was down across the board last week and the bloodbath that is the MFFL continues to pick itself apart. There are currently six teams that are either (4-3) or (3-4). It is anyone's game at the moment; everyone is fighting for scraps.

1. El Pollo Loco (4-3) vs GrabbingThemTDs (4-3)
Two of the main teams battling it out are the featured match-up in this week's game of the week.
Loco has lost two straight games and three of four overall. After starting the year with three straight 160+ performances they have scored over 130 only once since. Bye weeks and injuries were expected to hit this team hard and they have. Mahomes has been injured all year and it looks like the Chiefs may be rushing him back perhaps too soon after a dislocated knee. This is a critical game for this team. If they can somehow win without the services of Zeke and Mahomes it would be a huge boost in confidence and a spark for the rest of the season.
TDs lost last week but remained somewhat competitive in a down week for the league as a whole. They have now tied their best start to a season. Players are just playing better for this squad at RB and WR in particular. They currently sit 2nd in the East and are just as likely as anyone to make a playoff run. Not having Cooper this week is tough, but that trade has more than paid off for them already.
This game is so big because of what is at stake for both teams. It has the feel of a must win, setting up a bloody clash come Sunday.

2. Unstopa-Bo (5-2) vs The Real McCoy (3-4)
UB survived last week in a game they probably should have lost. Their (5-2) record has them sitting in 2nd overall and they maintain a small leash of room between the many teams behind. Their RBs have performed much better than expected which has led to some dominate performances. The injury to Matt Ryan could impact them going forward but QB is a deep position on the wire. A win this week for Bo would put some serious separation between them and the pack.
McCoy won last week, but like Bo probably did not deserve it. Gameday managing has been a weakness for this team all season and they continue to struggle to score points having scored the 2nd fewest in the league to date. They are the only team yet to score 140 points in a game this season. They're fighting weekly but they need some serious change in performance to keep pace with the rest of the pack.

LFB and Morgans are in a must win battle. TPD and Stros hope to win in match-ups where they would be deemed favorites.

Match-Up Build-Up Week 7

Don't look now but the West Division has three (4-2) teams, none of which are TRM. The East conversely has three (2-4) teams. 

1. El Pollo Loco (4-2) vs The Real McCoy (2-4)
Loco played well last week but lost to Stros in a heartbreaker. They went into Sunday night with a strong chance at victory but Vance Mcdonald could not hold up his end of the bargain. As mentioned previously, injuries and bye weeks hit this roster hard, and it was displayed last week. Still, nothing is lost for this team. Their starting lineup can go toe to toe with anyone and they remain at the top of the West division currently. Mahomes has to get healthy if this team wants to reach its full potential.
McCoy is off to their worst start in franchise history. Losing to a previously winless team a week ago has put them in dire straights. They made a questionable lineup decision a week ago benching Beckham in favor of DJ Chark, and it did not pay off. Not all hope is lost however. Their trade for Hunter Henry could end up being a steal, and they still boast strong WRs and solid RBs. Do not count this team out, but it is fair to wonder how this team will respond after finally dealing with poor MFFL circumstance that they've seemed to avoid for so long. The West division in particular is stepping up this year, so climbing out of this hole would put another notched in the belt of this franchise.
Loco's star player Chris Godwin is on bye this week, while McCoy will have to wait a week before absolving a mistake and putting Beckham back in the starting lineup after his bye. This is a much bigger game for McCoy but Loco needs the win as well. Over the last two seasons these two teams have been the best in the West and this week will be a measuring stick game for both.

2. The Perpetual Dynasty (5-1) vs The Glorious Morgans (2-4)
Believe it or not this is TPD's best start in franchise history. Long the dominant force in the league, it is easy to forget just how much poor circumstance that has burdened this franchise each and every season. This season however has been different. They have survived due to an easy schedule and circumstances falling their way for once. Time will tell how long something so rare can last, but giving this typically slow starting team wins this early in the season is a scary thought to all.
The Morgans have been trying to get out of an early season hole but are struggling to do so. Last week they started two TEs, while leaving a solid RB with a great match-up on the bench. It did not work, and was a key factor in the eventual loss. The injury to Brees and JuJu's poor QB situation have hamstrung this team into difficult plays each week. Add in the return of Gordon impacting Ekeler, and it is no secret why this team has been struggling. Look for them to keep fighting. The task ahead is daunting but they have been here before and will never give up.
TPD has been surviving without Adams, but needs him back in a bad way. JuJu is on bye but The Morgans will likely be excited to test different guys in their WR lineup.

Stros is red hot having won four in a row after an (0-2) start, but this week they are without Evans and McCaffrey. LFB is better than their (2-4) record, and they hope to prove it by catching Stros on a down week.

TDs is (4-0) in the East division, but have scored the fewest points in the East Division. That is nuts. Tavon has struggled to find consistent production from most everyone in their lineup, but when it does happen they have the talent to beat anyone.

UB is (4-2) and needing to beat Baker this week before facing their difficult match-ups against the rest of the West division.

Match-Up Build-Up Week 6

Two huge games are in store for week 6 of the MFFL season. The top two match-ups feature each of the top 4 teams in the league currently.

1. The Perpetual Dynasty (4-1) vs Unstopa-Bo (4-1)
TPD secured a victory in last week's mega match-up against McCoy. It was a crucial one in order to keep pace in this year's wild wild west nature of the MFFL. They have now scored over 135 points in every game except one. More impressive was the fact that they secured a win without the services of Adams due to injury, but that can largely be traced back to the blow up week by Watson. Nuk has yet to get going for this team but it is only a matter of time. Typically a slow starter, this ties TPD's best start to a season. Though in 2017 when they last started this well they went on a cold spell garnering only two wins in seven weeks from week 6-week 12.
This is UB's best start to a season since 2016 when they started (7-0) and made the championship game. They blew up last week scoring 186 points and had an opportunity to go over 200 but failed to do so in the Sunday night game. Leading the charge this year has been Matt Ryan and unexpected strong play from their RBs. They have very few weaknesses at the moment, with one of the better starting lineup + bench combos in the league. A possible regression this week is certainly possible, they failed to scored 125 points in any of their previous three games before last week's explosion.
TPD is dealing with bye week issues with Waller and Montgomery and the health of David Johnson and Davante Adams is in question. UB may be catching TPD at a good time, as they have no health or bye week issues to contend with themselves.

2. El Pollo Loco (4-1) vs Imposing Monstrosity (3-2)
The two highest scoring teams in the league battle for supremacy in the West.
Loco bounced back last week after a loss the previous. They've scored the most points in the league and that's with Mahomes only throwing one touchdown in his last two games. Chris Godwin has been unworldly to start this season, carrying Loco each of the last two weeks. They benefited last week from LFB's poor gameday managing, that had two players on the bench go over 50 points each. They need Zeke and Mahomes to start playing to their ability, as Godwin is bound to slow down at some point. Not having Mack this week due to bye is a big loss. Their bench struggles producing replacements for the starting lineup.
Stros cannot be stopped, and this week they will probably get Hill back. Christian McCaffrey is on fire, putting this team on his back to begin the season.  No team wants to play Stros right now, though it is fair to wonder if they will have the dreaded "Best weeks behind them" scenario late in the season. Wilson, McCaffrey, and Andrews could all see a drop in efficiency at some point moving forward. Right now that is not of any concern. After two losses to start the year this team needs to keep winning. This is a crucial Western division clash.

3. GrabbingThemTDs (3-2) vs The Glorious Morgans (2-3)
TDs ran into a buzzsaw last week but played well overall. Amari Cooper led the charge as their trading away of Adams for Cooper and two other quality WRs looks like an unbelievable steal at the moment. This is a tough team to figure out. They have a great divisional record, (3-0), but have scored in the bottom four of points. Their early season luck has carried the day but the improved play and depth make them contenders from here on out.
The Morgans are hot, winning two straight after an (0-3) start. They are fighting to remain above water. Carson and Ekeler have carried them, but everyone else has struggled to produce at the levels needed of them. They have no idea what to do with JuJU and are patiently waiting for the return of Brees. Similarly to TDs it is tough to guess where the season will go for this perennial titan.

The last two match-ups feature LFB vs Tavon, two teams better than their records indicate; and McCoy vs Baker, which features the two lowest scoring teams in the league. Baker has once again become the sacrificial lamb this season, but they may get Barkley back next week. Still, not much one can do after an (0-5) start. McCoy is really struggling to score. They are holding on to Beckham hoping beyond hope that the Browns find a way to turn it around. Never count this team out, they could go on a huge winning streak at any moment.

Match-Up Build-Up Week 5

For only the 2nd time in league history, four teams sit at (3-1) or better heading into week 5. It has been a solid start for some but those who are currently struggling should not panic. There have been multiple instances in league history where teams have started very poorly but rallied off long win streaks. Nothing is even close to being settled in the ever competitive MFFL.

1. The Perpetual Dynasty (3-1) vs The Real McCoy (2-2)

One could bet this match-up would be the most anticipated of the week anytime these two franchises square up. They're the top two franchises in the league and have met in the championship each of the last two seasons. 

TPD has played well to start this season and their record reflects that. They have benefited from a soft early season schedule, the easiest in the league, but continue to be a force of dominate each week. They've scored below 140 points just once this season, an impressive feat considering many of their players have yet to show their full potential. This is evidenced by the poor play of Hopkins, and the fact that Adams, Fournette, and Waller have yet to score a touchdown this season. Similarly to each of the last three seasons, TPD's players aren't wasting their best weeks of the season early on, which has helped them capture titles late in the season when they still have big performance left in the tank. It is a scary thought knowing that this team has room to improve. 

McCoy scored 61 points last week. It is easily their worst game of their entire MFFL career. They have struggled to find consistent production at RB and their stud WR Beckham has been alternating good and bad weeks. Typically in these situations previously McCoy has stayed the course and trusted their guys, which has paid off, but after such a poor performance it is fair to wonder how much leash they will be giving their players. Expect a major bounce back in performance this week. unfortunately for them the West looks like it will actually pose a challenge for them this season, making their necessity for early season wins that much more important. 

It is tough to tell which way this match-up will shake out. Both teams are due for some better play in their own ways. TPD is waiting on the Watson/Hopkins connection to go supersonic. McCoy gets Bell back this week and has very exploitable match-ups across the board. TPD may be without injured Adams which would be a huge loss. Throw conventional wisdom out the window whenever these two play, it is always a slug-fest. McCoy had the match-up edge in the early going of the league, though the tides have shifted heavily towards TPD over the last three seasons. All eyes will be transfixed on this match-up come Sunday. 

2. El Pollo Loco (3-1) vs La Flama Blanca (2-2)

A match-up featuring the two highest scoring teams in the league currently is sure to set off fireworks.

Loco fell to earth this past week scoring below 160 points for the first time all season. They scored 105 points but were carried by a 42 point performance from Chris Godwin. We wouldn't read to much into this. A regression was always expected and the team remains loaded with weapons. An injury to Mack could limit them as they have little to replace him on the bench. 

LFB has scored the 2nd most points in the league but hold a (2-2) record. They struggled last week putting up a 106 point total. Just like Loco, there is no need for LFB to panic. They are as talented as any team in the league. Still, this is a bigger game for LFB considering that a loss would put them at (2-3). 

This is a colossal match-up between two teams that know how to score. Loco is likely to bounce back, so is LFB. Neither teams match-ups are all that imposing so expect a high scoring affair. This will likely be an anxiety provoking contest for each team. Both would like a win to keep pace in the early going. 

3. GrabbingThemTDs (3-1) vs Imposing Monstrosity (2-2)

TDs is off to their best start since the 2015 season. They saw improved play across the board last week and finally reflected their record with performance on the field. Question marks remain at QB and RB but overall this team should find a way to compete considering the depth at their disposal. TDs is well on their way to having their best season since the inaugural season in 2012. 

Stros is on fire. They are getting healthy and everyone's game is picking up. Imagine this team once Hill gets healthy. After a slow start they have turned things around and are not looking back. The West looks much more competitive this year than it has in any of the past three seasons, and Stros is absolutely a contender. Both divisions may pick themselves apart this season.