WEEK 13 RESULTS

I would need a miracle win.  And, if I wasn't mathematically eliminated already, about a half-dozen other miracles.

Player of the Week : 

Torrey Smith was the only player worth mentioning this week...

This team simply fell apart.

BIG THREE
WR	Torrey Smith	24.5
RB	Roy Helu	16.6
	P. Manning	14.5

Team THUNDER closes the season at 6 - 7.

WEEK 12 RESULTS

After losing Brandin Cooks for the season, the fun possibility of Mark Ingram versus Steve and Torrey Smith was irresistible -- and really my best option.

Player of the Week : 

But Ingram got stood up on a goal-line stand early in the game.  It became very clear at the half that Team THUNDER wasn't going to be able to overcome the 70-point deficit.

I guess if there's good news, it's my 94% efficiency rating.  

BIG THREE
QB	P. Manning	28.1
WR	Steve Smith	18.9
WR	T. Smith	14.8

At 6-6 I'm all but out of the race.  It would take a win an a few small miracles...

My glimmer of hope has faded.

Week 12 : Roster Moves : Kenny Britt

In this week's special edition of "Roster Moves" I decided that I couldn't, in good conscience, single out any moves I could feel good about.  Basically, I picked up players that are "trending" a little better than the ones I released -- minor mathematical upgrades.

Ben Tate was dropped by the Browns and picked up by the Vikings.  Hopefully he'll shut his big trap and start performing.  Not that he'll actually make it back into my starting lineup, even as bad as it is.

Obviously, the team is a mess.  When players like Kenny Britt and Roy Helu are upgrades, you know you have your work cut out for you.  If I manage to split the last two games and sneak into the playoffs, I'd be thrilled.

When Brandin Cooks went down I immediately inserted the struggling Steve Smith.  Really, he's as good an option as any.  And how fun will Monday Night be -- with Ingram on one side and the Smith Brothers on the other?!  Whether or not I can win, it is a fun idea!

WEEK 11 RESULTS

If my opponent was an absolute genius, he might have started this week's top scorer...

Player of the Week : 

Instead, he chose Tre Mason to replace the injured Arian Foster.  His tight end, Dwayne Allen, got injured.  This would keep me in the game, going into Sunday Night with a slim lead and Reggie Wayne going at his teammate, Andrew Luck.  On the very last drive Wayne would make a meaningless catch to seal the deal!

A one-point victory!  One might say the Dwayne Allen injury was lucky, but I'd counter by saying one of my starters was injured, as well -- Brandin Cooks.  A season-ending broken-thumb injury may have prevented him from having a big game.

I might also mention my 100% efficiency rating!  I believe that's my first perfect score ever.

BIG THREE
QB	P. Manning	19.5
RB	Mark Ingram	16.7
TE	L. Donnell	14.4

I'm barely back in the mix again at 6-5. 

And it's clearly an uphill battle.  As my team continues to fall apart, I get to take on Benchwarmers in Week 12 as a huge underdog. Brandin Cooks is just the tip of the iceberg.  I'll go into more specifics in my Roster Moves post as I'm cleaning house.

Only a glimmer of hope...back to the drawing board!

WEEK 10 RESULTS

Peyton Manning certainly did his job, as did the Saints duo of Mark Ingram and Brandin Cooks. Unfortunately, my opponent had the Player of the Week...

Player of the Week : 

It's difficult to overcome a performance like that.  Although it would have been nice to know everyone on my bench was going to score a touchdown...

Yup.  All five of my active bench players scored! I have to happy with Torrey Smith.  He'll probably make the lineup when he comes back from his bye.

BIG THREE
QB	P. Manning	33.6
WR	Brandin Cooks	20.0
WR	Torrey Smith	18.5

I'm really falling behind now
at 5-5.  

Winning 2 of the next 3 is a must if I'm going to have any chance of extending my season.

I don't have many moves at my disposal.  With the Smith Brothers on bye this week and Gio Bernard still injured I'll have to hope for a repeat performance from Frank Gore and a little magic from Reggie Wayne on Sunday Night.  

Week 10 : Roster Moves : Torrey Smith

My first move was to unload Louis Murphy and pick up Torrey Smith.  Despite getting shut out in Week 8, he managed to put up scores of 16+ points three of the last four weeks -- including 4 touchdowns!  That's good enough to sit on my bench one week.

I decided to unload Cecil Shorts.  My next selection is a receiver that's not having a great year but has posted around 12 points each of the last 3 games.  Dwayne Bowe is still the go-to guy in Kansas City. Perhaps he's getting ready to hit his stride.

Lorenzo Taliaferro has been inconsistent.  He also lost a fumble last week.  Hey you don't last long on Team THUNDER when you do shit like that.

My next pick is more of a curiosity more than anything.  Theo Riddick has averaged 20 points the last two games.  Yes, Reggie Bush is coming back.  But Riddick is strictly a receiving back, anyway! Isn't there a fair chance, that with his recent success, he'll continue to thrive?  There's a chance...

And, when you're a bottom-feeder with no money to spend on waivers, you simply can't wait until someone is a sure thing -- you have to make speculative guesses.

WEEK 9 RESULTS

Mark Ingram gets his first start this week.  I opted to start Bobby Rainey over Taliaferro...

Player of the Week : 

Ingram got things cranking with a 24-point performance on Thursday Night.  It would be a precarious lead, though.  My kicker and Brandin Cooks had mediocre performances.  Peyton Manning and the Miami Dolphins defense carried Team THUNDER on Sunday afternoon -- the Dolphins turning in 2 consecutive double-digit efforts!

I would take a 36-point lead into Monday Night.  I had Larry Donnell versus Odell Beckham and Eli Manning.  It's a decent lead, but I prepared for a nail-biter...

And was it ever a nail-biter!  Both Eli and Beckham had big nights during garbage-time.  I thought it would never end but, by the skin of my teeth, I came out a one-point victor.

BIG THREE
QB	P. Manning	25.8
RB	Mark Ingram	24.0
WR	Reggie Wayne	17.0

Team THUNDER remains in 3rd place but only 1 game behind both leaders.

Of course, I'm really shooting for a wildcard spot.

Currently, Goody Three Shoes is in the 6th playoff position.  With four regular-season games remaining I can realistically only hope to win two of them -- and then cross my fingers with a 7 - 6 record. I realize that doesn't sound optimistic but my mediocre team truly is a huge underdog Weeks 11 and 12.  I'm "optimistic" I may be able to win the other two and sneak into the playoffs.