Week 6 Recap & Power Ranking

So the first week of my predictions...was a bit off. 4-2 is pretty bad...though to be fair, I almost called the Manos upset, and I possibly wasn't being objective when I picked my own team. Still, it was a pretty weak round of predictions- Schaffer escaped with a win in a game I thought was over before it began. Even Quinn, who started three people who didn't set foot on an NFL field, kept it somewhat competitive against the other half of Joja.

Jackson compared my predictions to Bill Simmons, while I am prepared to compare myself even a notch lower- I'm entering Shannon Sharpe territory. (Did anyone watch The NFL Today with him before the 1:00 games? He was trying to make a joke, and didn't know what number came after 500,000.) If I start bringing up rivalry games and saying how "these teams don't like each other" I want you all to impeach me posthaste.

It was a big week for running backs, but Maurice Jones-Drew, Clinton Portis, and Thomas Jones all went for a losing effort in our league. Someone named Patrick Cobbs had 138 receiving yards and two touchdowns, so TJ signed him right away (Commissioner Protip: one game != trend.) Two of the three top receivers, Marvin Harrison and Vincent Jackson, sat on the benches while their owners also went down to defeat.

No games will be decided tonight, unless Jamal Lewis gets negative points or Derrick Ward has the game of his life.

Power rankings:

1. Suit Killers (5-1)
Not their most dominating performance of the season, but the Homo-Barber combination gets it done again. Even when these two have a bye, they will be a tall order to take on. Next week they take on Team Marketing. Even my predictions won't sway how that one turns out.

2. Ja (5-1)
It wasn't the most impressive win, and it was against a cupcake. I still think this team has just above average talent, but they keep winning. If they play .500 from here on in, they could make the playoffs.

3. Beer to the Dean (4-2)
My prediction of the Beer Dean violating Jo in an unholy manner hardly proved accurate- Nate Kaeding's game against the 18-1*'s was the only thing that kept this from being the second big upset of the week. The marquee players- Campbell, Cotchery, Peterson, and Jackson, were all held to ten points or less, despite some favorable matchups.

4. SINS Bolden (3-3)
A weak effort in a big game that could have propelled them to elite status- Frank Gore was the only player in double digits (I'm going to go way out on a limb and say that Braylon Edwards won't do much tomorrow night either.) You would have never known Brett Favre just turned 39- if you didn't listen for more than three consecutive minutes to Enberg, Dierdorf, and Cross- and if you didn't see him throwing wounded duck picks to the miserable Bengals. This team has Eli Manning, but looks hesitant to put him in, for some reason. I saw they picked up Patrick Cobbs from the free agent cesspool- how do I signed fluke?

5. Rob College (4-2)
Remember how Skittles had a great team out of the gate that fell apart later in the season? This is why you want depth. A great game from Maurice Jones-Drew but nobody else contributed a thing. If he had any additional receivers, (even someone as bad as a waiver wire pickup or Chad Johnson) he could have won. Skittles' fast start looks eerily reminiscent of his 8-0 start last year, when he failed to even make the playoffs.

6. Soak-N-Suds (3-3)
Big games from places you don't expect , as Joe C got 16 and 21 point games, respectively, from the Tampa D and David Akers. Reggie Bush and Andre Johnson had big games as well, as he goes on to edge out Otten. This team has a good starting line, but probably not enough depth (backups include Derek Anderson and Michael Bush) to hang in during the bye weeks.

7. The Real Schafer (3-3)
Had John started Matt Jones instead of Bobby Engram, he would be 4-2 right now. Fail. They're an average team that can occasionally get big games out of the roster, so they aren't completely out of the picture, but .500 would be an accomplishment.

8. Taking the Reins (2-4)
8,9,10 are all pretty tightly bunched- they were the three teams, along with Haubert, that I saw competing for the title this season. While he has been nearly unbeatable, Taking the Reins keeps struggling. McNabb looked OK, but now the Patriots look miserable, with Wes Welker not being a great #2 receiver. LT is only an above-average performer at RB this season. They are still dangerous, and played close against a similarly talented team, so I give them a slight edge over the other 2-4 teams.

9. Megatron & Co. (2-4)
My reaction when I saw that Peyton Manning decided to put together a great game:
http://i38.tinypic.com/iqka2q.jpg
And then when Correll Buckhalter gained 186 total yards and two TDs:
http://i33.tinypic.com/27y0myo.jpg
Megatron not only won a must-win game- they put up the most points of any team this week (and that was with Patrick Crayton on the bench.) 2-4 is a big obstacle to overcome, but they are a deep enough team to run off some wins and get back in the chase. However, the upcoming schedule is not forgiving: games against Rob, Haubert, Joe C, and TJ in the next month.

10. Brooklyn Goldsmiths (2-4)
First to worst? The Goldsmiths' only wins this year came against the hapless Team Marketing, and against the Suit Killers, which was all because of DeSean "N-Bomb" Jackson- I could easily be managing the worst team in the league. A loss next week against the Real Schafer could break the camel's back, but the Smiths should come in with the full starting roster intact. Want to challenge the Suit Killers but need a pro bowl wide out? TJ Houshmanzadeh is yours for a young running back. Make it interesting and you can get Chris Cooley too. Aaron Rodgers is the only untouchable on the roster.

11. Who Dey (2-4)
Carson Palmer: 0/0, 0 yards passing, 0 TDs, 0 INTs, QB rtg: N/A
Chris Chambers: 0 catches, 0 yards, 0 TDs
Selvin Young: 0 attempts, 0 yards, 0 TDs, 0 catches, 0 fumbles
Injury reports are your friend

12. Team Marketing (1-5)
Even Elgin Baylor won the Executive of the Year one time. Not the prettiest win- just 66+ points; but enough to avoid the threat of going 0-14. I came really close to ranking them #11 this week though.