Round 1 Match up - Cottonwood Hills Pricks vs. Wings of Pastrami

Cottonwood Hills Pricks versus Wings of Pastrami

The Pricks have annoyed teams with a core of studs unmatched by any team this year. Now the 2nd highest scoring team in the league, they have not scored under 155 in the past 5 weeks after “The Trade” and have high expectations for the playoffs. The WOPs have flown close to sun a few times with big scores and lots of trades. Overall, thier scoring has been middle of the pack due to some under performing “big guns” and few injuries. Can they bring all the ingredients together to make a playoff upset sandwich?

QBs
Drew Brees v. Kurt Warner
The key to the Pricks success will hinge on Brees. No matter how many other players on his team do their job, how Brees does each week will determine how long the Pricks playoff run lasts. This week versus a beat up and lost looking ATL D/ST, Brees should flourish. The only worry is that a blow out could mean a 4th quarter benching. Anything less than the bonus and 2 TDs would be bad news. Kurt “Captain Stubble” or “My wife is now a hottie” Warner should be considered an elite QB; when he isn’t being an old man and sitting on the bench. Though he didn’t do to well against a SF team in week 1, Warner has looked great and played great and should be his old self – expect yardage close to a bonus and at least 2 tds.

Prediction – Brees does his thing; you can’t stop him, you can only hope to contain him. Not happening this week. He’ll get 50+ points. Warner makes things happen as well and comes close to matching Brees with 45+ plus himself.

RBs
Steven Jackson/Rashard Mendenhall v. Frank Gore/Pierre Thomas
All SJAX has done is rattle off 5 bonuses in 6 games, even with a messed up spinal cord. Tennessee D/ST could present a small resistance, but what other choice does St. Louis have then to shove Steven down their throat? It’s a rhetorical questions, but umm, none. Mendenhall has looked great and faces the weakest of weak this week versus Cleveland, who apparently still has a team. The weather outside, and around, Cleveland is frightful with snowstorms and crazy wind. And the Steelers are going with a banged up Hines Ward. Could this mean 20+ carries again for Mendenhall? We’ll see. Gore and Thomas have been the definition of average these past weeks. Sure they get a TD and some catches, but neither has hit the bonus in at least 3 weeks and both are in the middle of confusing game plans within their offenses. Gore faces a team in ARI that stuffed AP last week and Frenchy is going against an ATL team that you have mucho success through the air, not the ground.

Prediction – SJAX once again hits the bonus in a big way but doesn’t find the endzone. Mendenhall will have trouble in the slop in Cleveland. He want get the bonus and will have a fumble lost to boot. Gore will surprise as a new game plan in SF will help him get back to normal; no bonus but a TD and lots of catches, think close to 20 points. Frenchy will get a score thanks to some garbage time in the Dirty South. He’ll get his normal 12 points.

WRs
Larry Fitzgerald/Sidney Rice/Robert Meachem v. Randy Moss/Calvin Johnson/TJ Housh

Both squads boast a strong trio that any week can put together 90 points between them. The Pricks rely on some new, hot players but also count on their first round pick, Fitzgerald, to bring the pain each week, and he usually does. Meachem has been hot, but will that last in an offense that has so many weapons? The same could be said of Rice Rice Baby, though he has fast become a Farve Favorite®. WOPs have a strong name recognition group that has underwhelmed as a unit in the past month. Moss has had a great game, Megatron has had a great game, and even TJ has. But all three once? It could happen given the matchups, but it hard to count on.

Prediction -
If the WOPs have any edge overall, it’s at this position. Moss and Johnson both hit the bonus and TD jackpot, but TJ “Whose Your Momma” falls short once again, but better than his last 3 weeks. Larry Fitzgerald gets its going with a big game, but teams suffocate Rice and Meachem, and neither of them get more than 12 points a piece.

TEs
Jason Witten v. Greg Olson
Looking like a bust for the first 10 weeks of the season, Witten has once again shown why he needs to be considered elite. 2 huge back to back games give him some “Uncle Mo” going into the playoffs and he strikes TE Fantasy gold facing the SD Chargers who have given the 3rd most TDs to TE this season. Olson was in the same boat earlier in the year; up the river to “Bustville.” He has been a nice safety valve for Cutler the past 2 months, but has no bonuses and hasn’t scored in over a month. So while he's coming off a miserable week 13, he faces the Packers who have allowed the second-most touchdowns to tight ends (7).

Predication –
Witten will actually get shut down to an extent; he’ll grab a TD but will lack in yardage and get around 13 points. Olsen does what he does every week; above average yardage, a handful of catches, no TDs and around 8 points.

Ks
Dan Carpenter v. Matt Prater
Both of these kickers are top notch; neither has missed in over 2 months. Carpenter gets a lot of chances to due to MIAMI team that stalls in the red zone. Prater gets his because of the turnovers the Denver D/ST creates.

Prediction – Dan the Man should see at least 8 points and maybe upwards of 12. Prater is kicking indoors for a team that has been clicking on offense lately; expect another double digit game, like 12-15 points.

D/STs
NO Saints v. NY Jets
The Saints have turned things around big time this year. Though they can be scored on a lot and teams end up doing some damage in garbage time, this unit generally can force the QB into some picks and has the most TDs in the NFL. The Jets are coming off back to back big games from their D/ST and now face one of the worst teams in the NFL, the Tampa Bay Bucs, and a rookie QB. Good things should happen.

Prediction –
“Who ‘Dat?” brings a solid score to the table thanks to Chris Redman having to throw all day. Most of their points, around 19 or so, will come from INTs, not low scores. The Jets make a super sonic noise with a big game. They should grab a bunch of pirate booty, at least 2 INTs, 2 fumbles, and will drop a 25+ point game this week.

FINAL PREDICTION
For not being a #1 seed, the Pricks sure are scary. They boast above-average to great players in each slot. You won’t be able to beat them by scoring 125 points and hoping they falter. You simply have to outscore them. And it won’t happen this week. While WOPs can bring the goods with a few players, they’ll need a bonus from everyone and their mom to make a score of 180+ happen. Cottonwood Hills Pricks -189 to Wings of Pastrami - 165