Shake it Off

No Taylor, I will not "shake it off"

Not sure if there is much of anecdote for this week. It was definitely one of the more exciting weeks in the league this season; the games, for the most part, were close going into the primetime games and it was more personal with a majority of us together to watch the games. We have officially reached the halfway point of the season and in the words of Matthew Berry "it's time to take a look in the mirror." Teams need to be honest with themselves and decide whether they have a chance at the playoffs or if they are more in survive and advance mode. Most teams still have a shot at the playoffs (FYI it's back to a 4 team playoff), therefore need to look at the mirror and decide what they need to do going forward. Some are probably comfortable with what they have and others need to tweak somethings to make a playoff push.  

A team that may need to take a quick look in the mirror is Seagrape Security, it wouldn't be a long look in the mirror. They have been able to score points at a huge clip, but it has not translated into wins recently. Currently on a three game skid their opponents have averaged somewhere around 150 points. Just terrible luck. Seagrape Security may want to evaluate their quarterback position, asking the question "Can Nick Foles take us to the promise land?" There are currently two teams in the league with three QBs so maybe that's where they will look. They certainly have the depth to consider this move. 

After eight weeks, Smooth Saddles, are surprisingly in first place. They have had their share of close games, yet they continue to find a way to win. They have taken the idea of streaming to the next level. Week 8 and Week 9 it appears they are finding a QB with a favorable matchup and plugging them in as a starter. Perhaps this is the formula they may want to consider going forward, Matt Stafford and Matt Ryan don't scream reliability. Smooth Saddles probably have their fingers crossed the Brandon LaFell lives up to the hype and that RG III turns Pierre Garcon's season around. 

Probably the most surprising team at the halfway mark is AND I JUST WENT OFF. Practically overnight they not only have become a contender for a playoff spot, but also for the Burgerson trophy. The team is loaded with talent, they have four receivers who are the number one option for their respective teams. All of AND I JUST WENT OFF's starters are starters on their own team. They certainly have a target on their back with Yahoo projecting them to win out the rest of the season. The team could potentially improve at RB 2 if Ryan Matthews ever comes back from injury. 

Keeping pace with their previous championship season LastCupChris has been impressive so far. Despite the disappointment of LeSean McCoy's season, they currently sit at third place. Andrew Luck and Le'Veon Bell have been keeping the pace for them. Mark Ingram appears to be a revelation and Emmanuel Sanders has put in himself in the high-end WR2/low-end WR 1 conversation. Overall they are equipped with a solid team, however they may want to consider an upgrade at the other receiver positions; Roddy White, Reggie Wayne, and Marques Colston do not provide the most confidence.   

Also impressive has been Gentle Vibrations, three weeks ago their season was on the brink at 2-3 but they have managed three wins in a row. They have been led by the three-headed monster that is: "The Bad Man Himself" Aaron Rodgers (as Stephen A. Smith notes), Arian Foster, and Randall Cobb. Unfortunately, the Packers are on a bye this week so they will need to make adjustments. They have done well on the wavier wire with pickups like Ronnie Hillman, who appears to have taken over the lead back role in Denver. Gentle Vibrations has also stashed Josh Gordon, so if they can hang around for the next few weeks they maybe able to make a late push for the playoffs. 

The team that might benefit the most from a trade is Dickle Pickle. They are hurting at the RB 2 position since CJ Spiller went, who wasn't doing that much to begin with. This is a team that can score points but they need more help at that position. Dickle Pickle have depth at receiver so they arguably could use it to make a deal for a running back. They sure hope the recent disappointing performances of Julius Thomas and Julio Jones were just flukes. 

House Hodor find themselves in a difficult position: they have talented players, but they have not lived up to their potential. For example, Marshawn Lynch has quietly been putting up average numbers in recent weeks. Peyton Manning, Ahmad Bradshaw, and Jordy Nelson continue to put up solid stats. DeSean Jackson is always a threat for a big play and has woken up over the last few games. House Hodor is looking for the change of scenery to boost Percy Harvin's performance. There's always a chance that Keenan Allen awakens from his slumber and they have players like Justin "Big Game" Hunter and Martavis Bryant who could become fantasy factors the rest of the season. 

A team that always sees themselves as one move away is LOADING...They have constructed themselves a solid team through a series of crafty moves whether on the trade block or the wavier wire. The argument can be made that they have the most depth in the league. They probably had a minor scare when it was misreported that Doug Martin was traded to the Dolphins, because it would've hurt Lamar Miller's value. I'm sure if they were asked, they would say that they are one or two players away from making a serious run at the league title. Teams looking to improve may want to contact LOADING... first. 

Those magic fingers are in a tough position. Their first order of business is to improve their depth, because they still have a shot at the playoffs. Perhaps they can package one of their elite quarterbacks for some depth and the relieve themselves of the burden of picking between the two week after week. Their best case scenario is that Alfred Morris turned the corner after a solid performance on Monday, that Jimmy Graham plays like Jimmy Graham, and that Brandon Marshall becomes an elite receiver after the bye. If those three come alive, they fill out the roster, and their quarterback plays at a high level then this team can make some noise. 

Without further ado...

Take a look at the Twitter handle in the right hand corner

With the season from hell Slightly Buzzed is trying to turn over every stone to find answers. Their season ended on draft night when Kopko looked at their roster and said "that's a pretty solid lineup." Slightly Buzzed is heading to be given this award at the end of the season:

Just change Raiders to Slightly Buzzed