Match-Up Build-Up Week 16 (Semi-Finals)

 #1. Njokus On You (14-1) vs #4 The Dingos Ate Your Babies (8-7)

The playoffs are finally here. For NJOY, they've known they would be dancing for a long time. They set many records this season. They are the first team to win 14 straight games. They are the first team to enter the playoffs with only one loss. They have scored the most points in the league. They are dancing in the playoffs for the first time since 2014, a 9 year gap. Not a single human alive could have predicted a season such as this.

Led by Allen, Evans, Moore, CMC, and Kamara, they have dominated the league, perhaps like no other team before them. Two seasons ago, TPD carried a super star cast of Allen, Kupp, Adams, and Taylor into the playoffs, all four of them finished in the top 6 of overall scoring. While NJOY only has two top six scorers, and three top 15 scorers, the sheer dominance of this squad cannot be denied. They are the prohibitive favorites. They have not lost a game since week 1.m Will they conclude this magical season as the most dominant ever, or will the MFFL's long standing tradition of knocking off top seeded playoff teams continue once more. 

The Dingos clawed their way into the playoffs, finishing one game above (.500). It marks another storied chapter, in a deep rooted MFFL history. This marks their 7th playoff appearance in 12 years. Their team last year had a better record, but this year's squad is a far better team. They scored almost 300 more points, than the total they put up last season. While their schedule this year remained incredibly soft, their points scored ranks in the top 3. Guys seem to be coming on late, like Kupp and Kyren. But they continue to search for answers at the QB position, as they have all season. They will likely start two TEs this week, which speaks to two things; their great depth at TE, and the lack of depth at RB and WR. This team will come to play, even as the underdog. There is no way NJOY will take them lightly. The Dingos will be hoping NJ falls flat like so many previous #1 seeds. Throw the records out. The playoffs are about to begin. 

#2 Imposing Monstrosity (10-5) vs #3 The Peaking Dynasty (9-6)

Stros is back in the playoffs once again. They are trying to defend their co-championship from a year ago, and this marks their fourth playoff appearance out of the last five seasons. Even more impressive is the fact that they drafted from the 9 slot in this years draft. They won Yahoo's best draft award, and the results validate the title. The results have been good overall, but there are a few red flags. They had the league's easiest schedule, and are the lowest scoring team in the playoffs. 

They will now match-up with their rival, a team they beat twice in the regular season. The lineup has been slowly playing better, after a mid season lull, and they look healthier this week than they have almost all season. There isn't a bad start across their entire lineup, and the match-ups look juicy. They have multiple stars going on Monday, and TPD does not. So Stros will be hoping to keep it close on Sunday, in hopes of leading a magical comeback on Christmas Day. Oh what a game this will be. 

TPD changed their name once before, and that season ended with a title. This year marks the first season as a Peaking giant, and the results could be the same. After a terrible season a year ago, TPD predictably turned things around. They were (9-3) at one point, before losing three straight to enter the playoffs. They are East Division champs once again, and have now made the playoffs an insane 9 times in 12 seasons. 

They have been weathering poor circumstance once again, with injuries to Chase, Andrews, Taylor, and Jefferson. But their dominance has remained, as they have scored the league's second most points. What team scores the 2nd most points when Justin Jefferson is hurt all season? This franchise does. 

Even having a three game losing streak, they have only scored under 120 once in their last six games. They have had by far the toughest road to make the playoffs. In fact, the other three playoff combatants had the three easiest schedules in the league, while TPD had the league's 4th toughest schedule. They are battled hardened, and are trying to win their fourth league title. Like Stros, the lineup looks ready to throw down this week. This match-up looks to be cataclysmic.