Hey E-N-D and/or another Rager, how about another pre-game review of the two playoff games this weekend and predictions. Last weeks comments were well done...even though you did pick against me to beat the CEO.

I'd like to put up another 110 and take my chances. I'm going with the same lineup as last week except for the kicker, even though its risky starting both Viking RB's. I do like their match up against the 49ers. Also like Portis against the Bears run defense if he can stay healthy for a whole game!! Almost went with Dallas Clark over Taylor but couldn't pull the starters that got me here.Edwards and Branch get the nod at WR's. Kicker is Gould (replacing Tynes this week since I can't trust the NY Giants offense) and the Df/SP is the Cowboys.e

Uhh, speaking of Playoffs, seems a shame a dominant team from the West has to actually play down in class to host a Central Division loser. Maybe we should change and just have the Division leaders make the playoffs?

LOL at putting up a "110" and seeing what happens. My top score for ANY week this year is 96. But of course I didn't have Adrian Peterson in my lineup all the time. Seeing his name at the top of the scoring lists makes me a little more confident.

But that's why they play the game.

I believe that's my A. Peterson at the top..... I knew that comment about the West would come back and kick me in the ____. Your lineup looks much better than earlier in the year, you've played the waivers great. It looks like most of your lineup was not an original draft pick, however, I could be wrong, I really don't analyze this stuff to much..... Good luck Beach .

Oh dammn, I was hoping MFL would get confused and give me both APs!

Brees, Norwood, and Holt were keepers - Norwood sure was a good one. Brandon Jacobs was 1st draft pick and Taylor and Bears were late picks. All the rest are strangers. Sure hope Jacobs is actually going to play, AND puts up some numbers like I hear projected. Brees needs a career day and Hester run a couple back, then maybe I can put up a 99 and see what happens. At least I'll stay alive til Monday night, when NO plays.

Good luck to you too.

OK g, here goes:

A little late to the party this week, but here’s my take on the first semifinal matchup between g and Beach, which already got underway last night. Gotta’ give a big edge to the Zone on last night’s results as they got a respectable 12 points from Portis and a very respectable 10-point outing from their kicker, while the Whales got two disappointing results last night – 4 from Adrian Peterson and 3 from the Bears defense. Could be tough to bounce back from that.

Big edge at QB to gspot – Manning comes off two solid outings in the past two weeks and now gets a very banged up Ravens defense. I believe that McAllister and Reed may both be out this week – that coupled with Addai’s mini-slump and the fact that the Ravens can still play the run better than most all adds up to what could be a very fine day for Peyton. Brees will have to play like he did back in weeks 8 and 9 just to keep pace, but the Falcons defense is surprisingly tough against the pass, definite edge to the Zone here.

At RB, gspot fields All Day and Chester Taylor against a forgiving 49ers defense, gotta’ figure on a minimum of 2 TDs combined for those 2 and it could be more. Killer Whales are hopeful that Jacobs can go against the Eagles, but a banged up RB against a tough Eagles run defense in a divisional matchup on the road – tough spot there. I do love the way Fred Taylor is playing lately however, and Carolina is only middle-of-the-road against the run. But seemingly Taylor is going to have to score on a long run because Jones-Drew continues to get all the goalline love from Del Rio and company. Given the headstart from last night with Portis over the other Adrian Peterson, and given that All Day Peterson is just a phenomenal talent in a phenomenal situation, I gotta’ give the nod to gspot here as well.

Beach is gonna have to make some hay at the WR spot in a big way to stay in this game. I don’t love starting two WRs from the same team, as he is doing with Holt and Bruce – but the matchup against the Bengals, arguably the worst pass defense in football, is a juicy one, and even better given reports that Bulger will be back. Holt comes off his best week of the season and has scored in 3 of his last 5, and has passed 100 yards in 3 of his last 5 as well, while the Reverend has been surprisingly dependable. On the other side, g rolls out Branch and Edwards. Branch has been miserable 2 out of 3 weeks since returning from injury, bet gets the Cardinals at home, I’d look for him to put in a solid effort. Edwards has been spectacular this season, but prior to last year was slowing down a bit, as has the entire Browns offense. I don’t love the matchup against the Jets in a windy meadowlands either, Jets’ pass defense has improved of late. I’m gonna’ guess that Edwards disappoints this week.

I’ll give Beach a slight edge at WR, but I don’t think it’s enough to stem the tide here, as g has a definite advantage at QB and RB. His 10 last night from Gould means he is unlikely to lose much if anything at that spot. Same at defense, where his Cowboys, even on the road, stand to outpace what the Bears gave Beach last night.

Prediction here is that the Zone moves on to a semifinal matchup with the Whoop Ass Warriors next week, while the Killer Whales can begin their migration south to warmer waters for the long offseason.

I’ll try to come back later to explain why Skippy is gonna’ beat the stuffing out of my grossly overmatched E n’ D franchise, and why we are blessed to even be permitted to take the field against them.

And in our other first round playoff game…

Skippy clearly has the advantage at QB, where he rolls out all-world Tom Brady, even against his beloved Steel Curtain. Steelers have the #1 pass defense in football and this is not a great matchup for Brady, even if Troy Polamalualamalu is out, as appears to be the case. But he’s at home and he’s devilishly handsome, he clearly has an advantage over David Garrard, who has been remarkably consistent this season, scoring between 14.8 and 20.3 in every week that he wasn’t injured. He was a week 12 free agent pickup and has started for the E n’ Ders ever since.

At RB, Skippy rolls out a resurgent Thomas Jones, an even more resurgent Ron Dayne, and some dude who calls himself Fast Willie Parker. Thanksgiving Day notwithstanding, Jones has shown signs of life of late and visited the end zone last week for the first time this season – he also gets a nice matchup against the Browns at home, where the Jets figure to run the ball as much as they can to keep Derek Anderson and friends on the sideline. Ron Dayne has hit double digit fantasy points three of his last four outings and could easily do so again against the Bucs. I wouldn’t be too concerned about the possible return of Ahman Green here, but I would worry that the Bucs could crowd the line and challenge Sage Rosenfels to beat them. As for Fast Willie, he’ll be ditching those rubber arm sleeves this week…BFD. His production has been pedestrian of late, but again the Steelers will try to run to keep Brady on the sidelines, a bit of a double-edged sword for Skippy there.

E n’ D starts Fargas and McGahee at RB this week, with Frank Gore riding pine due to just an embarrassment of riches on this star-studded roster. Fargas has been a stud since being picked up off waivers in week 9 and has made himself into a must-start, he gets an average matchup against the Packers. McGahee has been remarkably consistent, garnering double-digit fantasy points every game this season, he figures to keep that streak going against an average Colts run D. Throw Wes Wleker into this group as my flex starter – he has slowed a bit of late, much like the entire Pats’ offense, but he serves as a partial hedge against Brady and it seems like noone outside of the Ravens has really stopped him this season.

Tough call here across these three spots – let’s call FWP and McGahee RB1, and that’s pretty close to a push, although I do fear a letdown by the Ravens coming off that brutal loss to the Pats. I like Fargas a little better than T Jones, and Dayne and Welker is probably pretty close to a push also. Very tight here, not really sure which side I prefer.

At the other two WR spots, E n’ D fields Andre Johnson and Reggie Wayne. Johnson gets Sage Rosenfels instead of an injured Schaub, and also a tough matchup against the Bucs, but he’s only had one bad outing all season (against the Browns no less), figure he’s gonna’ get his. As will Reggie Wayne against the Ravens – ‘nother tough matchup, but Baltimore’s secondary is pretty banged up. And speaking of banged up, Skippy will be starting two of Lavernaeus Coles, Plaxico Burress, and Santonio Holmes, none of whom appears to be 100% right now. Gotta’ give E n’ D a pretty nice edge at this spot.

At defense, E n’ D starts the Jags against the Panthers, while the Wrathogs feature the Titans, with Haynesworth, against the Chargers. Both look to be solid defenses with average matchups, call it a push along with the kickers, who are just kickers after all.

Overall a tough one to call – Skippy needs a big game from Brady I think, but a big game from Brady could well mean a sub-par game from the sleeveless wonder. If gspot prevails in the other first round game, then the winner here gets NJ, and I think I’ve beaten NJ about once in our last ten confrontations, so perhaps it would be best if the Warthogs were to advance. Nevertheless, reverse mojo and all, I do think I like my lineup a little better in this one.

Another good read. Both playoff games this weekend will be tight, the game between Beach and I started Thursday but shouldn't be decided until Brees finishes Monday night, it'll be a nail biter. The E-n-D/skippy matchups looks like an even match-pick'em. Interestingly enough, I have the same identical receivers going this weekend in my home league as E-n-D does.

Great write up, EnD. Looks like you have this one under control unless Wayne and Magahee forget that there is a football game tonight.

Ah yes, the reverse mojo is alive and well in Skippy-land.

I'm down 29 with McGahee and Wayne to go - I figure McGahee's average score is maybe a 13 or 15, means if he hits that number I need a 15 from Wayne, which would be an above average day for him. SLight edge to Skippy IMO, but could still go either way. Good luck commish.

Looks like McGahee is out - I'm cooked.

Oh no, you are not going to try to pull that sheet. He is in and running wild. You are a lock. Start looking forward to next week. Congrats!

No Wayne is out too, to much of a blow out so Wayne and Manning are finished with 8:00 minutes left in the 3rd quater. I hate when that crap happens. Probably costing us both the win this week E-n-D. Manning was surely a lock for 8-10 more points. Now I've got to sit and watch Brees and Norwood light it up tomorrow night.

Well, that all worked out a little weird. It was really your game that I got all the breaks in, EnD. Congrats on a very solid season.

Now I guess we have to sit and wait for the outcome of the Beach/G game to see who goes where next week.

The real problem with having a bunch of 2nd tier players is that you never know who to start. So if I had (as I almost did after hearing that Bulger was out) dumped Bruce for Stokely, and ignored the aura of the Bears defense, and started Denver . . . then I'm in the game.

But now, I need an impossible bifecta of Brees with 30ish, and Norwood with 20ish.

Oh well, cudda, shudda, didddnt.

Congrats Skippy, and GL the rest of the way.

MAn Brees is doing his part to make this close huh. Congrats to you Beach, with Brees' continued play in the 2nd half like the first half, you deserve and earned the "W". Congrats. What a year.

I would have smashed all of you punk a$$'s this week!

You've got to learn to peak at the right time.

Hey, at least I ended up with the hisgest score of the year. We still pay out some cash for that don't we?

Yes sir we do but I don't have a clue how much that is.

Pretty funny - just like MY picking of a starting lineup, sometimes things just don't go the way you think! So G wins - good guess. BUT . . .

Brees actaully outscored Manning slightly; Norwood/Taylor outscored AP/Chester by 10; Def + PK was about equal; but then G's WRs outscored mine by 14. Right result, wrong reason!

Not that it makes it any more satisfying to me.

There's still 2 weeks left.

Last year the payouts were 1st = 210, 2nd = 90, 3rd = 30, Highest weekly score = 30

So I am looking at a chance for 30 next week in the third place game as I am the sacrifice to the mighty NJ this week. I might just give my normal starters the week off to get rested for next week since I stand no chance this week.

That jinxing effort was pretty weak for your normal standards. I'm assuming there will be a lot more by Sunday.

Man have I lost my touch. Congrats on a major stomping. Actually, maybe it was just my suckfest that you get congratulated for. Either way, congrats on the Super Bowl trip.

I had almost 60 points with Romo and Addai to go. I figured I'd end with at least 90 but even that wouldn't be enough. I ended up with a lot less than that.
Brady and Romo owners were living large all year, but those two picked the wrong week to lay an egg. Well, I guess that depends on your point of view.

Congrats G.

Thanks willy. This is a repeat of the Rage Superbowl from three or four years ago where NJ put a beating on me. Hopelipolymphohemangiomas hemihypertrophy!!!ly I can score 95-115 points this time and see what happens.

Good luck NJ, on paper it looks like you should handle me pretty easily for your 1000th Rage Super bowl victory (aren't you in the big game every year!).

I've been lucky enough to win the 4 that I've been to in Rage, but I think this is my worst team that I have sent to a Rage Bowl. Palmer and Green were wasted picks with my 1st/2nd rounders (I'm still a little sick at passing on Brady) and I've got nothing at WR after T.O. Pretty much my 3 keepers have carried me and I have no depth after that so I'm not expecting this one to end well.

Owens down...

Lost Parker on the first carry in my work league championship...

This is gonna be a fun championship week

I've got Brady, Addai, K. Jones, Wayne, A. Johnson and Engram going in my local big $$$ championship game if you guys want a preview of who the next player will be to not make it out of the 1st quarter this week.

Congrats NJ, well deserved bro. I'll have money sent to paypal accounts this coming weekend for:

1st - NJ, $210.00
2nd - G - hey that's me ! $90.00
3rd - skippy or willy ( I haven't looked to see who won that one yet), $30.00
AND
highest week score - Penguin, $30.00

Thanks G. Had some close ones this week. Won my work league by less than 2 points but lost my big $$$ local league by 4 pts.

Break up the East, this is just getting ridiculous!!!

Congrats NJ!

NJ- Congrats on your 198th championship or whatever that makes it.

btw G, you would have knocked NJ out last week and beaten me for the championship had you not noticed the seeding error. I guess it's true that no good deed goes unpunished.

gee thanks for that bit of info. Oh well. I'll take a second place finish this year. Here are the payouts:

1st - $210 to NJ
2nd - $90 to G
3rd - $30 to Willy
Higest weekly score - $30 Penuin.
Please let me know if paypal is the preferred method for payment, I'm assuming it is since that how your fees were paid.

BTW - G says paypal is fine with him.

Congrats to the above and all other teams for making this another great year to be in Rage.

Paypal is fine with me and once again, thank you very much for managing the Rage funds G...

NJ - I'm sending funds to your account in a few minutes.

G,
Just apply my $30 towards my 2008 dues.

OK, got it. Pengy is paid for 2008.

Put mine towards next year's dues too

done. Willy and Pengy are paid for 2008.

Ummm...just keep mine and put it toward 2008, G.

Aaahhh yeah, OK.

Made you look...