by A.J. Hiller (January 12, 2012)

The Thunderbirds may be the champions, but it’s Detroit who leads the league in superstars, as they placed three players on the first team of our annual all-stars.  Runner-up Springfield had two players on the top tier, while Las Vegas, despite their fall, got three on the second team.  QB Drew Brees of New England came on furiously down the stretch, but in the end, Houston’s Aaron Rodgers held on to be the first team quarterback.  We also salute this year’s best rookies and for the first time, a special set of awards.

The 6th edition of the Maniak Monthly All-Stars:

First Team

QB-Aaron Rodgers, Houston

RB-LeSean McCoy, Detroit

RB-Ray Rice, Detroit

WR-Calvin Johnson, Springfield

WR-Wes Welker, Detroit

TE-Rob Gronkowski, Santa Fe

Flex-Arian Foster, Springfield

K-David Akers, Washington

Second Team

QB-Drew Brees, New England

RB-Adrian Peterson, Las Vegas

RB-Michael Turner, Springfield

WR-Jordy Nelson, New England

WR-Larry Fitzgerald, St. Louis

TE-Jimmy Graham, Las Vegas

Flex-Maurice Jones-Drew, Las Vegas

K-Stephen Gostkowski, Santa Fe

Honorable mention

QB-Tom Brady, Detroit; Matthew Stafford, Oakland; RB-Marshawn Lynch, Washington; WR-Roddy White, New England; Vincent Jackson, Oakland; Percy Harvin, Santa Fe; Mike Wallace, Tampa Bay

The top rookies:

QB-Cam Newton, New Orleans

RB-DeMarco Murray, New York

RB-Roy Helu, Tampa Bay

WR-A.J. Green, Tampa Bay

WR-Julio Jones, St. Louis

The Maniak Monthly Awards

- In honor of a favorite TV show of several league owners, it’s time to hand out the first Maniak Monthly Awards:

The “Man of Science” Award-Quarterback of the Year

Aaron Rodgers, Houston: The Mustangs star passed for over 4,600 yards and 45 TD in 15 games while leading Houston to their first outright division title.

The “Born to Run” Award-Running Back of the Year

LeSean McCoy, Detroit: A huge season for the 3rd-year back, rushing for over 1,300 yards as well as 17 TD rushing and three more receiving.

The “Confidence Man” Award-Wide Receiver of the Year

Calvin Johnson, Springfield: Megatron exploded to start the season (11 TD in the first 5 games) and the dominance continued all the way to the end, as he finished with more than 1,600 yards receiving and 16 TD for the 12-2 Isotopes.

The “Everybody Loves Hugo” Award-Tight End of the Year

Rob Gronkowski, Santa Fe: This was a competitive race with Jimmy Graham, but Gronkowski’s closing kick made the difference.  One of the few bright spots for the struggling Patriots, Gronkowski set a league record for TD by a tight end, accumulating 18 in total.

The “Man of Faith” Award-Kicker of the Year

David Akers, Washington: It seemed like every week Akers was booting another four or five field goals, and indeed, the Warlords kicker had his best season.  Making a league-record 44 FG including 7-9 from 50+ yards, Akers set the league on fire with a new scoring record not likely to be broken any time soon.

The “Constant” Award-Most Valuable Player

Aaron Rodgers, Houston: Many players had great seasons (Brees, Brady, McCoy, Foster, Johnson), but in the end, it was Rodgers who carried the biggest burden.  When Jamaal Charles went down in Week 2, Rodgers picked up the slack, especially in Week 4 against powerful Detroit when he tied a league record with 46 points.  He then proceeded to lead Houston to a 8-2 start and they held on for the division title and a second straight playoff berth.  Although he didn’t deliver a championship, it was still one of the finest seasons the MFL has seen and he should continue to star for years to come.

The “Man Behind the Curtain” Award-GM of the Year

Bill Parcells, New England: Bold moves paid off in a huge way for the Thunderbirds GM, starting immediately after the lockout.  Trades brought in Drew Brees, who had one of the best seasons ever; Jordy Nelson, who became a top receiver almost immediately upon his arrival; and Jimmy Graham, who became a star and formed a great connection with Brees before moving on to Vegas.  Meanwhile, traded Andre Johnson struggled to stay healthy in Vegas, and Matt Ryan and Rashard Mendenhall had their ups and downs in St. Louis.  The end result of all the deck shuffling was New England’s first title, and one that deserves a ton of credit.

The “Live Together, Die Alone” Award-Coach of the Year

Bill Belichick, New England: In a close three-way race with Springfield’s Homer Simpson and Houston’s Mike Holmgren, Belichick earns the nod for perhaps his finest coaching effort.  The Thunderbirds came into the season with lowered expectations and it seemed, not an abundance of talent.  As it turned out, the talent was there, courtesy of Parcells, and Belichick brought it all together.  Despite injuries to Kenny Britt and Fred Jackson, as well as on defense, New England kept rolling along, all the way to a championship.

by A.J. Hiller (January 5, 2012)

It’s a new year, and a fresh start for everyone, so even though it has not been long since the Thunderbirds’ victory in the championship, every team will be trying to figure out what they can do to win the 2012 title.  I’ll try to keep the optimism high in the column, but I will be looking back on the last month of the season and ahead to the next season.

The big story: New England’s first championship.  The Thunderbirds faced lower expectations at the start of this season, after trading away several of their stars.  I won’t get into all the details again since I’ve mentioned their moves in a couple other columns, but I think it’s more than fair to say New England silenced all the critics (myself included) who thought they wouldn’t sniff the playoffs this year.  Not only they did win their division, they stomped through the bracket, led by Drew Brees (one of the players they got back, by the way) and took down league-leading Springfield for a second time to win the championship.  And there is no reason to think they can’t do it again.  The roster is not only talented, but deep.  RB Ryan Mathews showed good potential in his second season, WR Roddy White continues to be one of the league’s top wideouts and Brees is not dropping off any time soon.  Plus, they’ll have young WR Kenny Britt returning from injury, Jordy Nelson (see below), and two good young TE’s in Aaron Hernandez and Jermaine Gresham.  The only sticking point could be the salary cap once everyone gets their dough, but something tells me they can figure out how to make it work.  Congratulations, New England, and enjoy your title because you earned it.

The studs: QB-Drew Brees (New England), Aaron Rodgers (Houston), Tom Brady (Detroit), Cam Newton (New Orleans); RB-Marshawn Lynch (Washington), LeSean McCoy (Detroit), C.J. Spiller (Washington), Ray Rice (Detroit); WR-Roddy White (New England), Percy Harvin (Santa Fe), Calvin Johnson (Springfield); TE-Rob Gronkowski (Santa Fe)

Breakout players: If you can find players like this, your chances of a championship get that much better.  With salaries continuing to rise due to franchise tags and extensions, it’s important for every team to find the right bargain.  The Thunderbirds were a perfect example this year.

Here are my top six breakouts:

QB Matthew Stafford, Oakland - Everyone knew he had the talent, it was just a matter of staying healthy.  Will Oakland build around him like Houston has done with Rodgers, or will they look to capitalize on his value and trade for a bounty?

RB Marshawn Lynch, Washington - Started slow, but finished the year on an absolute tear.  Was league’s best back in Nov./Dec.  At the league minimum salary for two more years, he’s a huge steal.

RB Chris Wells, Washington - Not as flashy as his teammate, but was very consistent all season.  The best could be yet to come.

RB Michael Bush, Detroit - While the WolfPack already had the best ground attack in the league, they may not have qualified for the playoffs without Bush.  Management is getting last laugh for spending a top pick on him.

WR Jordy Nelson, New England - After coming over in a trade with St. Louis, Nelson really took off, ranking #1 in scoring for receivers in the second half.  Expect the Thunderbirds to reward him with a big extension; a trio of Nelson, Roddy White and a healthy Kenny Britt is a scary thought for the league.

TE Jimmy Graham, Las Vegas - A lot of his damage was done for New England in the first half, but Las Vegas got him back and they’re glad they did.  (Why they traded him originally is still a mystery)  He and Santa Fe’s Rob Gronkowski went back and forth all year in the TD column, and while Gronkowski emerged on top, Graham may have the better future.  Having spent his college years playing hoops, he is just starting to show what he can do.  Whoever the Clowns pick to quarterback the team next year will be lucky to have Graham to throw to.

What’s to come in 2012: It’s never too early to start predicting next season, so I’ll wrap this season’s Minutes with a fresh look at 2012*.

*Note: predictons may not be accurate

August: Las Vegas shocks everyone by offering all their first round picks to load up for the 2013 draft.  Rumors buzz that they are lining up for a run at one of the elite quarterbacks.  Amazingly, other teams take the bait and soon Las Vegas holds every #1 pick for 2013.  “I believe this gives us our best chance at another dynasty,” owner Erfan Karim says.  Tampa Bay gets the #1 pick in 2012 for Hakeem Nicks and Roy Helu and uses it on rookie Trent Richardson.

September: Santa Fe gets off to a much better start, led by a healthy Peyton Manning.  First, a ten-point victory over New Orleans in Week 1, then an upset of defending Western champ Springfield, as Rob Gronkowski catches three TD’s.

New York signs Terrell Owens after being impressed by a recent workout at a sidewalk cafe.  “We believe he’s ready to put the team first,” coach Steve Spagnuolo says.

Oakland cuts RB Ryan Grant and signs 2nd-year back Alex Green.

Aaron Rodgers opens season with five TD’s as Houston holds off improved Washington.  Week 2 against St. Louis is the first of many shootouts for the Mustangs, as Rodgers throws for another five TD’s and 425 yards.  However, Reggie Bush runs for 231 and three TD’s in the Sting’s 112-107 win.

Detroit continues to put up huge points as they did in 2011, but with even worse luck.  Despite a combined five TD’s from Ray Rice and LeSean McCoy, Detroit loses by 30 to defending champ New England, then after a win over New Orleans, the WolfPack falls again to St. Louis despite four Tom Brady TD’s to Wes Welker.

October: The Clowns’ losing streak reaches 12 going back to last season, as they fall to 0-4 after a loss to Oakland, boosted by another big game from Matthew Stafford (393 yards, four TD). GM Jon Gruden is fired and replaced by Jerry Jones.

Springfield also shows signs of trouble, with Tony Romo starting the season with only five TD vs. eight INT in his first four games.  Michael Turner and Steven Jackson suddenly show their running back age, while DeMarco Murray re-injures his ankle and is done for the season.

New Orleans, after another so-so start, benches last year’s star rookie Cam Newton and signs another rookie QB, Robert Griffin III.  He promptly throws for 350 yards, passes for two TD’s and runs for two more in the next game.  Newton sees limited action for the rest of the year.

New England improves to 6-0 after a thorough beating of Santa Fe.  While Drew Brees no longer sits in the stratosphere of the elite QB’s, he has limited his turnovers and his receivers are catching everything, led by a now 100% Kenny Britt, who has 532 yards and 6 TD so far.

Meanwhile, division rival New York sits at 0-6 with the locker room in turmoil.  T.O. demands more attention from Big Ben despite having only 15 catches for 111 yards thus far.  A brawl erupts, led by Steve Smith and LeGarrette Blount (who are both known to punch), and the unlucky recipient is last year’s breakout star Victor Cruz, who shuts down his salsa dance for the time being.

Aaron Rodgers throws for 456 yards and four TD’s and runs for another, as Houston takes the division lead at 5-2 with a 101-60 win over Las Vegas.  The Clowns’ losing streak is now at 15 games.  Adrian Peterson, still struggling to regain his quickness after a devastating knee injury, decides to sit down for the rest of the year.  Meanwhile, Andre Johnson is told to stay in Houston, as the Clowns work out a deal after the game to make Johnson a Mustang for a 2nd round pick and Anquan Boldin.

November: New Orleans falls to last place in the Central despite another great game from RG III, who throws for 295 yards and two TD’s, and runs for another.  RB Chris Johnson carries 11 times for 30 yards, the 4th time this year he’s been under 50.  Chants of “CJ NoK!” shower down after the game, and Johnson is cut a week later.

Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford engage in an epic battle, setting a league record for combined scoring as Houston holds off Oakland, 141-139.  Both Rodgers and Stafford enter the 4th quarter with five TD’s each, but Rodgers delivers in the end with three more TD’s to Stafford’s one.  A revitalized Reggie Wayne catches two of the three, including the game-winner.  Las Vegas immediately offers four 1st round picks for both QB’s and is rejected by both teams.

The Clowns get their first win of the season, over Washington.  One of their remaining stalwarts, RB Maurice Jones-Drew, leads the way by running for 150 yards and two TD’s.  TE Jimmy Graham returns to 2011 form with two TD’s from Michael Vick.

New England is up to 9-0 after dominating St. Louis, 121-88.  But the big shocker comes a couple days later, as the Thunderbirds send Drew Brees to the WolfPack for Tom Brady.  Brees, who had gotten an extension in the offseason, is heard mumbling as he exits the locker room, “So much for the statue.”

Oakland seizes control of the Western division after a victory over St. Louis, also knocking the Sting from the wild card lead.  Reggie Bush’s three TD’s are not enough, as Stafford throws for four and Alex Green runs for 124 yards and a TD in his 2nd start.

December: The Thunderbirds continue their run at perfection, improving to 11-0 after winning a shootout with Springfield.  The Isotopes fall into a five-way tie for the wild card lead with Tampa Bay, Detroit, St. Louis, and Santa Fe.

Aaron Rodgers throws four TD’s as Houston clinches a playoff spot with a win over rival New Orleans.  He leads the league with 44 TD as two games remain in regular season, but Stafford remains close behind with 41.

Oakland becomes the second team to win their division, knocking off Santa Fe.  Despite five TD’s from Peyton Manning, the Patriots are eliminated from the playoff race.  Meanwhile, Stafford connects on three TD’s, two to Vincent Jackson and new sensation Alex Green runs for 205 yards and two TD’s.

Washington pulls off the stunner of the year, dealing the Thunderbirds their first loss, 91-87.  Marshawn Lynch totals 255 all-purpose yards and three TD’s to lead the upset.  A petition is later circulated to rename their place Skittles Stadium, and the measure is quickly approved.

Springfield comes back to steal the last playoff spot from Detroit, knocking off Las Vegas in their regular season finale.  Tony Romo throws five TD passes to Calvin Johnson, including the game-winner with three seconds left.  “I just threw every pass as high as I could,” Romo said postgame.  Johnson’s shoes are later examined by the refs after a complaint by the Clowns.  “No human being can jump that high,” Coach Jim Harbaugh scowls.  No evidence of cheating is found, and the Isotopes book their playoff ticket.

Playoffs: The Mustangs’ bad luck in the playoffs continues, as Rodgers goes down in practice with a high ankle sprain.  He is replaced by none other than Brett Favre, who has been serving as an assistant to OC Antonio Freeman.  Favre plays solidly, but the spectacular season of Matthew Stafford continues, and Oakland moves on to face New England in the title game.

The Thunderbirds repeat as Brady throws five TD passes, two each to Jordy Nelson and Roddy White, and another to Kenny Britt.  Stafford throws for “only” three and Alex Green is held to his lowest yardage (63) since becoming a starter.  Stafford loses in the final TD count, 54-51, as Rodgers comes back to fire four touchdowns in the consolation round, leading Houston to their 3rd straight third place finish.

All-stars: 1st team-Rodgers, Reggie Bush, Jones-Drew, Calvin Johnson, Roddy White, Jermichael Finley, Sebastian Janikowski

2nd team-Stafford, LeSean McCoy, Lynch, Jordy Nelson, Julio Jones, Aaron Hernandez, Stephen Gostkowski

Rookie of the year-RB Trent Richardson

Offseason: The Clowns finally get their man as they send six #1 picks to Houston for Aaron Rodgers.  When the league was asked why the trade was allowed to go through, council member Loren Adler said, “Any trade where Las Vegas is giving up #1 picks is good for the league.”

Houston immediately goes to work with the picks, trading two for Julio Jones, one for C.J. Spiller, one for Ryan Mathews, and one for Rodgers’ replacement, Matt Flynn.

Tampa Bay also deals with a surprising trade of a QB, as rookie Andrew Luck asks to be dealt after sitting on the bench all season.  He goes to New Orleans for two #1’s and WR Miles Austin.  “We decided to corner the market on rookie quarterbacks,” GM Tony Hayward says.  True to his word, he later drafts Matt Barkley and Landry Jones with his first two picks.

by A.J. Hiller (December 29, 2011)

Another great MFL season concluded with the league’s top two teams squaring off for the championship.  It was a close contest for the first three quarters, but our new champion showed their determination in the final quarter, pulling away for a well-deserved victory.

And now to recap each of the three playoffs:

Toilet Bowl: The Clowns’ struggles continued into the final stretch, losing first to Washington and getting hammered by St. Louis in the consolation game.  Not only that, they lost star back Adrian Peterson to a devastating knee injury, one that could keep him out for part of next season.  In the end, it was Santa Fe who emerged as the winner of the Toilet Bowl, closing their season strong after losing their first nine.

Most Outstanding Player (Toilet Bowl): C.J. Spiller, RB, Washington.  The second-year back is beginning to show why a lot of teams wanted him in the draft, as he rushed for over two hundred yards and three touchdowns in the playoffs.  The Warlords will be looking for this kind of production next season as they look to climb out of their division cellar.

Run of the Mill Bowl: Another surprising final pitted New York against Oakland, as both New Orleans and defending champ Tampa Bay fell flat after being eliminated from playoff contention in the final week of the regular season.  With Big Ben hobbling, the Rockets turned to Tim Tebow to pilot the offense.  While he did not post similar numbers, contributions from the whole team gave New York a 63-49 win.

Most Outstanding Player (Run of the Mill Bowl): Matthew Stafford, QB, Oakland.  An easy call despite Oakland’s loss to New York.  Even before the injury to Matt Schaub, Stafford has clearly been the Outlaws’ best quarterback and should go into 2012 entrenched as the starter.  His playoff numbers: 764 yards, 7 touchdowns and no interceptions.  As long as he stays upright, Oakland will have a stud under center for the next several years.

Fantasy Bowl: After the four best teams qualified for the playoffs, our hope was to see a couple of epic contests.  Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, especially in the first semifinal.  In a rematch of the 2004 championship, New England avenged their defeat to Houston with a dominating 126-68 win.  Meanwhile, Springfield and Detroit engaged in a fireworks display, but eventually the Isotopes emerged with a 124-101 win.  So #1 and #2 moved on to the title game, and after a long wait, it was New England finally taking their very first title, 91-69.  Congratulations to the Thunderbirds on their win, and we look forward to seeing how well they can defend it.

Most Outstanding Player (Fantasy Bowl): Drew Brees, QB, New England.  He was brought in to change New England’s fortunes after an underwhelming 2010, and he definitely didn’t disappoint.  First, he bested the league’s likely POY Aaron Rodgers in their semifinal showdown, passing for five touchdowns in the easy win.  Then in the second half of the championship, he passed for four more TD’s to bring New England back and give them their first title.  It was a dazzling display of efficiency all year from a QB who seems to just keep getting better, and has cemented his place in Thunderbirds history.

by A.J. Hiller (December 14, 2011)

Player of the Week: Tom Brady, QB, Detroit.  The star quarterback wins his second award, passing for 357 yards and three touchdowns in helping the WolfPack clinch the final playoff spot.  After a bit of a lull midseason, he’s on fire again and if not for Houston’s Aaron Rodgers, he might be the favorite for MVP.

Honorable mention: Matt Ryan, QB, St. Louis; Shonn Greene, RB, New Orleans; Marques Colston, WR, Springfield; Rob Gronkowski, TE, Santa Fe; Tampa Bay defense.

Team of the Week: Detroit WolfPack.  New Orleans and Tampa Bay did their best to steal the wild card, but in the end, Detroit held them off by beating St. Louis 105-98.  It’s been a up and down season since their great start, but Detroit is clicking at the right time and they should be considered a strong threat to take home their first title.

The team has faced adversity like never before, and karma has come back to haunt them. The season looked promising, with the acquisition of Andre johnson and Mark Ingram. However, injuries have limited each to only 4 games played. Over the course of the season, they have lost Antonio Gates to injury, as well as Denarious Moore and several other players. Within the last few weeks, it only got worse. Michael Vick, Adrian Peterson, Jimmy Graham joined the list of injured.

“We are looking forward to next season, and hoping to come back strong” said coach Harbaugh. We would have loved to have had our own first round pick, so that hurt that it will be going to a divisional foe, but we are hoping to come back stronger next year. Despite rumors, the lockout did not have anything to do with the plague of injuries. The team will be looking towards making changes, including listening to offers for Andre Johnson and Maurice Jones-Drew in the off season.  The Clowns are expected to franchise Mike Vick in the off season. Expect the Clowns to trade their draft picks for veteran players, mainly quarterback, in a quest to get back to the playoffs next season.

by A.J. Hiller (December 7, 2011)

Player of the Week: Cam Newton, QB, New Orleans.  The rookie has been flying high since replacing Michael Vick, and this week he did it by ground and air, accumulating four touchdowns.  The Sharks needed every one of them as they squeaked by Detroit, 89-88, and now have a decent shot at getting in the playoffs.  If Newton can do this against Houston, you have to like their chances.

Honorable mention: Aaron Rodgers, QB, Houston; Philip Rivers, QB, Tampa Bay; Percy Harvin, WR, Santa Fe; Rob Gronkowski, TE, Santa Fe.

Team of the Week: Houston Mustangs.  The third playoff spot belongs to Houston as they clinched the Central, beating St. Louis 90-53.  It’s been an unexpected run for the Mustangs after losing Jamaal Charles in Week 2, but with Aaron Rodgers continuing on an historic season, the Mustangs have a shot in every game.  Next step: trying to deliver a second title.

Playoff watch: It’s down to three teams for the wild card, which should make for an exciting final week.  Defending champ Tampa Bay has won three straight to get back in it, while New Orleans edged Detroit at the last second to put all three teams at 7-6.

Springfield: Still need a win to hold off New England.  A loss combined with a blowout win by the Thunderbirds could relegate Springfield to the second seed.

New England: Could still finish 1, 2, or 3.  A loss and a big win by Houston could drop them, but that’s the most unlikely scenario.

Houston: Finally clinched the division; odds are high they will be the #3 seed.

Detroit: They’re walking a fine line, but a win over last place St. Louis still gets them in.  Also qualify if New Orleans and Tampa Bay both lose.

New Orleans: Sharks continue to rise with Newton, now must beat division champ Houston and have Detroit lose to get in.

Tampa Bay: Still a long shot, but the formula is simple: a win over New England and losses by Detroit and New Orleans, and they get a chance to defend.

Oakland: Loss to Springfield doomed their chances (technically, they can still tie if the three teams above them lose, but they won’t win the tiebreaker). So they will try to finish .500 with a win over Vegas.

Las Vegas: The Clowns’ success should be celebrated, and they won’t be down for long.  But it’s still hard to believe they might fall all the way to the Toilet Bowl if they lose a sixth straight game.

New York: Also trying to avoid Toilet Bowl, if they can beat Washington and Las Vegas loses, mission accomplished.

St. Louis, Washington, Santa Fe: All eliminated.

by A.J. Hiller (November 30, 2011)

The final edition of Maniak Monthly Minutes for 2011 has us on the verge of the playoffs, but still a lot of excitement remaining as teams jockey for position.  The wild card belongs to Detroit for now, while everyone else with the exception of Santa Fe is still trying to avoid the dreaded Toilet Bowl.  What is guaranteed at this point is Springfield and New England competing for the championship in about two weeks.

The big story: The Las Vegas Clowns have been the dominant force of the league for nine seasons, winning four championships and making the playoffs every year.  Barring a miracle, that will come to an end this season.  The Clowns have lost four straight to fall to 5-7 and now must beat Santa Fe and Oakland, plus get help from several teams.  Las Vegas management has conceded that this is not their year, and have focused on rebuilding their dynasty.  Still, you’d have to think they would like to get back to .500 before the season ends.  Some of what has happened this year can be attributed to injury, most notably WR Andre Johnson, who has been out since Week 4.  Their quarterback play, which has always been so strong, suffered a lot this year with Ryan Fitzpatrick tailing off quickly and Josh Freeman regressing.  Then the trade for Michael Vick turned out to be a bust with his rib injury, but he was struggling before that.  The Clowns will have several #1 picks to rebuild the roster, and you can bet that they will be right back in the mix in 2012.  Memo to the other eleven teams: enjoy this while you can.

Rising: Oakland.  The Outlaws have won two straight, including a beatdown of Central leader Houston to climb back into wild card contention.  Matthew Stafford had his best game of the season in Week 11, earning POTW honors.  The defense is carrying much of the load as well, scoring nine sacks last week as Oakland ended Santa Fe’s modest winning streak.  The remaining two games are difficult (Springfield, Las Vegas) and they need Detroit to drop at least one, maybe two to get in, but it is possible.

Falling: St. Louis.  Matt Ryan has come on strong but the rest of the team has not followed suit, dropping four of their last five to fall to last in the Central.  Like Vegas, some things have not worked out, as RB Rashard Mendenhall continues to be average and injuries have dented the seasons of RB Jahvid Best and rookie WR Julio Jones.  They’re also following the Clowns’ model for the 2012 draft, accumulating eight picks, two of which are #1’s.  With a couple breaks, they could be a serious threat next year.

The studs: QB-Aaron Rodgers (Houston), Tony Romo (Springfield), Tom Brady (Detroit), Drew Brees (New England); RB-Michael Bush (Detroit), Marshawn Lynch (Washington), Arian Foster (Springfield); WR-Jordy Nelson (New England), Vincent Jackson (Oakland), Larry Fitzgerald (St. Louis); TE-Rob Gronkowski (Santa Fe), Antonio Gates (New Orleans), Jimmy Graham (Las Vegas), Tony Gonzalez (Santa Fe)

What’s to come: One division, the Central, is left to be settled, and it may be the only division to get two playoff teams as well.  Houston leads by one game at 8-4 and will face St. Louis and New Orleans.  Detroit at 7-5, will face New Orleans this week and St. Louis in the finale.  It also remains possible to have a three-way tie at 8-6 if the Sharks win both and the WolfPack wins against the Sting.  Of the three, the Mustangs would seem to have the most to lose.  After starting 8-2, the thought that they would miss the playoffs seemed very unlikely.  It would still take a lot to knock them out, but closing with a four-game losing streak is something no Houston fan wants to witness.  The good news is that they have the best player in the league this season, and he has carried them on his back multiple times.

Here are my final predictions for the regular season and playoffs:

Eastern

1. New England (11-3)

2. Tampa Bay (7-7)

3. New York (6-8)

4. Washington (4-10)

Central

1. Houston (9-5)

2. Detroit (8-6)

3. New Orleans (8-6)

4. St. Louis (4-10)

Western

1. Springfield (12-2)

2. Las Vegas (7-7)

3. Oakland (6-8)

4. Santa Fe (2-12)

Toilet Bowl: Santa Fe defeats New York, St. Louis defeats Washington.  Championship: St. Louis defeats Santa Fe.

Run of the Mill Bowl: New Orleans defeats Oakland, Las Vegas defeats Tampa Bay.  Championship: New Orleans defeats Las Vegas.

Fantasy Bowl: Springfield defeats Detroit, New England defeats Houston.  2011 MFL Championship: New England wins their first title, defeating top seed Springfield.

by A.J. Hiller (November 30, 2011)

Player of the Week: Drew Brees, QB, New England.  When the Thunderbirds needed it, there was Brees, throwing four touchdowns and running for another to lead them back for their ninth win.  With the win, New England clinched the Eastern Division and will return to the playoffs for the first time in four years, most likely to face Houston or Detroit.  Could Brees be the one to deliver New England’s first title?

Honorable mention: Tom Brady, QB, Detroit; Victor Cruz, WR, New York; Wes Welker, WR, Detroit; Oakland defense.

Team of the Week: Detroit WolfPack.  They’re in great shape to return to the playoffs after beating Houston 90-67 in their rematch.  Detroit now sits only one game behind Houston in the Central and leads the wild card by one over New Orleans, Oakland, and Tampa Bay.  With Brady and Welker clicking again, plus Michael Bush stepping up, this is once again a team no one wants to face.

Playoff watch: Two more teams out, and this week could very well settle the top four.

Springfield: In line for the top seed if they win out.

New England: Looking like the #2 seed, but an outside shot at #1 if Springfield goes down.

Houston: Need a win to stop the bleeding; still likely to make playoffs, but Detroit is charging fast.

Detroit: Very simple: win out and they’re in.

Oakland: Perhaps the best chance at unseating Detroit for the wild card, maybe they could even catch Houston if everything breaks right.

New Orleans: Passed first test, now another elimination game with Detroit this weekend.

Tampa Bay: Two narrow wins in a row, but need to continue winning and get help to defend title.

Las Vegas: All but over for the perennial favorites. Need two wins first, then two losses from Detroit and probably several others.

New York: Loss to Tampa has them planning for next year.  Like Vegas, they need to win out but it’s hard to see them getting all the help they need.

St. Louis, Washington, Santa Fe: All eliminated.

Trading: It’s most painful, but can be highly rewarding. There are several teams that have used this route to build a great team. New England remade the whole team after being in the Toilet Bowl last year. In order to gain in the long run, NE had to trade some valuable pieces, after all nothing is free. Teams might have lost a couple of deals but they will be able to make a couple of great deals as well. This is an easy route to rebuild, even when one doesn’t have options, they can trade for an expiring contract to Franchise, similar to what New Orleans did with Mike Vick, last year. The price for the right was trading a 1st round Draft pick, which ended up netting, the trading team a running back for the championship run(Terps Cedric Benson), and later draft pick a young WR names AJ Green.

That leads us to the 2nd way to build a team: The Draft. This is the most volatile and can lead to huge failures or big success. As mentioned the pick that was traded for turned out to be the 5th overall, which ended up being traded to Terps for a future 1 and 2; Netting a stud WR. Cedric Benson, who was acquired with the pick, went with the next pick, 6th overall. Harvin, Lynch, Ingram and Jones went before Green, but none has been better. The draft is an inexact science. Teams can use the draft as currency to rebuild, to refocus and to add ammunition for the rebuilding process. This leads to relative success, as long as the GM has a keen eye for talent. While always difficult, it has turned into a great way for Toilet Bowl teams to get back to playoffs. Houston once traded the top pick for a player that led them to the Championship. Other teams have used the picks to stay at the top, Las Vegas has made several greats picks over the years.

Free Agency has been a good place to get great bargains. Teams have been really successful in picking up players over the last two years, and it has helped teams get better in a hurry.

Last year several top players were picked up off the Free Agency market at cheap prices. Let’s take a look at the players and where they ended up in total points.

QB: Michael Vick (4th overall/12 games); Josh Freeman (9th overall)

RB: Arian Foster (1st overall); Peyton Hillis (4th overall); Darren Mcfadden (9th overall); Mike Tolbert (16th overall)

WR: Dwayne Bow(1st); Brandon Lloyed (2nd); Steve Johnson(9th); M. Manningham (16th); Kenny Britt (18th)

TE: Rob Grownkowski(6th); Jimmy Graham

That is some top players that came straight off free agency, and most at cheap prices. Let’s take a look at some of the players that were picked up off Free Agency this year:

QB: Cam Newton(5); Ryan Fitzpatrick(10)

RB: Darren Sproles(12); B. Green-Ellis(15);  DeMarco Murry, Willis McGahee

WR: Jordy Nelson(3), Eric Decker(9), Victor Cruz(11), Laurent Robinson(13), Antonio Brown

TE: Fred Davis(6)

As you can see there was tons of value in free agency, where many bargains can be picked up for a fraction of the cost. Teams that pay close attention, can turn these gems into life savers. Houston facing a staggering amount of injuries, made it a point to get several of the players, and now are rewarded with a trip to playoffs. St. Louis has turned some of the pickups into future draft picks, and New England which missed out on original bidding, has made a point to be the trading partner for the Sting. New Orleans, has found several bargains, including Robinson, McGahee and Newton. Furthermore the Newton claim allowed the team to deal Vick for draft picks and Antonio Gates. Last year the Clowns looked ahead to future and signed Jimmy Graham and Kenny Britt, who were packaged together in the off-season to get Andre Johnson. This year, we had Terrapins signing Jamaal Charles and Sting signing Antonio Brown in order to prepare the hunt for Fantasy Bowl 2013.

There is more than one way to build a team but there is definitely one way to ruin a team: Not doing anything. The two worst teams this year Patriots and Warlords have made the least amount of moves, which has led them to have a combined 6 wins for the year. As we go forward keep evaluating the different paths teams are taking in order to build their teams, and re-assess how others can improve.

The Return of the Power Rankings:

12: Patriots

11: Warlords

10: Clowns

9: Sting

8: Rockets

7: Terrapins

6: Sharks

5: Outlaws

4: Thunderbirds

3: Wolfpack

2: Mustangs

1: Isotopes

by A.J. Hiller (November 23, 2011)

Player of the Week: Matthew Stafford, QB, Oakland.  The breakout third-year QB had his finest effort yet, throwing for five touchdowns and handing the Central front-runners their worst loss of the season, 108-59.  He has taken the starting role from Matt Schaub and is keeping the Outlaws in contention for a wild card.

Honorable mention: Aaron Rodgers, QB, Houston; Jordy Nelson, WR, New England; Rob Gronkowski, TE, Santa Fe.

Team of the Week: New England Thunderbirds.  New England wasn’t desperate with a three-game lead in the Eastern division, but it had to be reassuring for them to beat the league’s top team.  Yes, Springfield was missing Arian Foster and Marques Colston, but New England won without Drew Brees’ services as well.  Also, coupled with Houston’s loss to Oakland, the Thunderbirds are back in contention for the #1 seed in the playoffs.

Playoff watch: The “game to watch” feature takes a break for the rest of the season with practically every game having playoff implications from now on.  We’ll look at each team and what needs to be done the rest of the way:

Springfield: Clinched division; now it’s time to book that top seed.  Two more wins should get it done.

Houston: Simply put, beat Detroit this weekend and this division is theirs.  Lose, and it suddenly gets dangerous.

New England: Basically locked up the division, but a couple more wins could go a long way.

Detroit: Win out and not only are they in the playoffs, they might steal the division from Houston.

Las Vegas: It’s jarring to see Vegas with a losing record, but a sweep of their division might be enough to get them in the playoffs for a tenth straight year.

Oakland: Started off well at 3-1, perhaps they have a closing finish in them as well. Suddenly hot Santa Fe looms next.

New Orleans: Basically an elimination game with St. Louis this weekend. Even with a win, they still must beat Detroit and most likely Houston to get in.

Tampa Bay: The defending champs saved their season for the time being with a one-point win over New Orleans, but still a lot of work to do.

New York: Very dangerous right now, but it’s still most likely going to take a sweep to get in as a wild card.

St. Louis: Needs a sweep of the division and lots of help.

Washington: See St. Louis.

Santa Fe: They may have been eliminated long ago, but they are playing spoiler after consecutive wins over TB and Detroit.  Oakland is next on their hit list.