The Sanderson Gazette - 2023-10-25 - Upsets II

"In the next Gazette, Ed will have to let us know how many times 1 & 2 have fallen to 13 & 14 in the same week." - Mike R.

The answer: never before.

For a little more context, the first and second place teams have lost in the same week (including playoffs) 37 times. But only ten times have both upsets been pulled off by teams that had been out of the playoff picture:

  • Week 2, 2009: Mike R. (9th) def. Matt (1st), Dave (12th) def. Kevin (2nd)
  • Week 10, 2009: Pulley (12th) def. Rabbit (1st), Kevin (8th) def. Matt (2nd)
  • Week 3, 2010: Babel (9th) def. Dave (1st), Pulley (11th) def. Mike R. (2nd)
  • Week 12, 2016: Mike R. (13th) def. Kevin (1st), Ed (9th) def. Pulley (2nd)
  • Week 12, 2018: Ed (10th) def. Mike R. (1st), Rabbit (7th) def. Pulley (2nd)
  • Week 7, 2019: Dave (14th) def. Pulley (1st), Mike R. (9th) def. Rabbit (2nd)
  • Week 13, 2019: Pat (10th) def. Schertz (1st), Rob (14th) def. Pulley (2nd)
  • Week 12, 2020: Mike R. (10th) def. Kevin (1st), Ed (13th) def. Matt (2nd)
  • Week 9, 2022: Babel (14th) def. Rob (1st), Kevin (8th) def. Scott (2nd)
  • Week 7, 2023: Kevin (14th) def. Babel (1st), Scott (13th) def. Mike R. (2nd)

Week 7 Recap

Kevin def. Babel, 91.44-89.71

Fourteenth-place Kevin got the points necessary to take down first-place Babel on the very last non-kneeldown of the week, when the Vikings defense (10.00) intercepted Brock Purdy. Kev got good games from Jerome Ford (16.07) and Taysom Hill (14.47), as well.

Babel continued to ride the Puka Nacua (20.53) train, but disappointing results from Keenan Allen (7.33), Brandon Aiyuk (7.60), and Aaron Jones (6.43) doomed him to his second loss of the year.

Scott def. Mike R., 86.10-81.55

The other big upset also came down to Monday night. While it looked like Scott had it in hand prior to the game, a middling performance from Brock Purdy (15.00) alongside a huge game from Jordan Addison (28.40 for Mike) resulted in him nearly blowing it.

James Cook (17.73), Jakobi Meyers (12.67), and Rachaad White (12.07) played well for Scott, while Justin Herbert (10.95) and Keontay Ingram (zero) were duds for Mike.

Matt def. Derrek, 110.92-108.07

There was nearly one more upset decided on Monday night, but Alexander Mattison (4.30) didn't do enough for Derrek to surpass Matt. D got so close thanks to Patrick Mahomes II (37.60) and Dallas Goedert (16.27). Matt enjoyed 20.40 from Mark Andrews and 24.55 from Jalen Hurts.

Dave def. Pat, 144.61-110.68

Dave had seven starters hit double figures, led by Travis Kelce's 29.87 and A.J. Brown's 24.27. Pat had the overall high scorer, Lamar Jackson (37.45), but also had matching 7.60 disappointments from Davante Adams and Chris Olave.

Rabbit def. Schertz, 123.75-94.26

There was a clear path for this one to go the other way Monday night. But Christian McCaffrey (21.30) was healthy for Rabbit, and the 49ers defense (2.00) was bad for Schertz. Josh Downs (22.67) and Jaxon Smith-Njigba (14.40) were also great for Rabs, balancing out Saqon Barkley (17.17) and Kareem Hunt (15.10) on the losing side.

Pulley def. Richie, 100.81-68.21

Unlike the first and second place teams, third place Pulley cruised to victory behind Travis Etienne, Jr. (20.50), Courtland Sutton (16.13), and the Browns defense (14.00). Richie got a big game from Darren Waller (19.07) and newcomer George Pickens (14.27), but Josh Jacobs (4.30) was mediocre and Gabe Davis failed his way to a score of 0.80 for the second straight week.

Ed def. Rob, 84.94-62.17

The Gross brothers put up the worst collective game of the week. Josh Allen (26.45), Mike Evans (16.93), and Christian Kirk (16.00) made up for the mediocrity across the rest of Ed's roster, while Jamaal Williams (1.40), Calvin Ridley (0.67), and Cole Kmet (zero) all busted hard for Rob.

Trades

Trade between Dave and Derrek

Dave received:

  • Jonathan Taylor - from Derrek - keeper cost: 1st
  • Marquise Brown - from Derrek - keeper cost: 3rd
  • Kyler Murray - from Derrek - keeper cost: 11th

Derrek received:

  • Zay Flowers - from Dave - keeper cost: 7th
  • C.J. Stroud - from Dave - keeper cost: 9th
  • Tank Dell - from Dave - keeper cost: 9th

Derrek made another future-looking trade, getting three rookies with keeper potential. On the other side, Dave decided to load up for a playoff push.

Taylor's 19.50 would have made the difference in D's game this week, no matter which RB or flex player he benched. And Dave would have won both his game and Team Blangums handily no matter which set of players he'd had.

Standings

  1. Pulley, 5-2, 827.75
  2. Babel, 5-2, 802.56
  3. Rabbit, 5-2, 767.02
  4. Mike R., 5-2, 757.15
  5. Matt, 4-3, 815.28
  6. Dave, 4-3, 706.34
  7. Schertz, 4-3, 677.03
  8. Ed, 4-3, 647.32
  9. Pat, 3-4, 691.61
  10. Rob, 3-4, 663.58
  11. Derrek, 2-5, 645.90
  12. Scott, 2-5, 586.64
  13. Kevin, 2-5, 555.19
  14. Richie, 1-6, 640.34

Blingalytics Ratings

  1. Matt, 762
  2. Pulley, 714
  3. Babel, 663
  4. Rabbit, 645
  5. Mike R., 627
  6. Pat, 505
  7. Dave, 494
  8. Rob, 451
  9. Schertz, 432
  10. Derrek, 405
  11. Ed, 396
  12. Richie, 387
  13. Scott, 287
  14. Kevin, 232

Weekly Awards

Team Blangums

Dave's 144.61 took home Team Blangums by more than twenty points.

Slapped Heartbeat

Rob's 62.17 was the low mark this week.

Weekly MVP

The two highest scorers of the week were on losing teams, so this'll go to Travis Kelce, who scored 29.87 for Dave.

Dud of the Week

Calvin Ridley scored 0.67 for Rob.

Start of the Week

Playing Kendrick Bourne (12.40) and Jaylen Warren (9.07) over Jaleel McLaughlin (4.63) led to a win for Matt.

Misplay of the Week

Mike R. left the Baltimore defense's 16.00 on his bench in favor of Tampa Bay's 8.00 and lost by less than five points.

Pickup of the Week

Taysom Hill joined Kevin's roster and immediately put up 14.47 in a close win.

Blessed Cahoots

Ed got less than five points combined from Austin Ekeler (4.63) and Bijan Robinson (0.30), but still won thanks to Rob's horrendous week.

Pryor Play of the Week

Patrick Mahomes II scored 37.60 for Derrek. That's his high on the season by nearly ten points, and he hadn't scored more than 21.05 since week three.

D'Ernest D'oh

Two rivals will share this award.

Rob picked up Jamaal Williams (1.40) and played him over Gus Edwards (23.07). Pulley picked up Riley Patterson as his kicker and got zero out of the deal.

Week 8 Preview

Game of the Blingaweek

Pullman's MondoSquad (Pulley, 5-2, 1st) vs. Double Digits (Dave, 4-3, 6th)

Dave leads all-time series, 9-8.

Pulley's in first place, so he's obviously a contender. There are really only two players you can definitively say are better than Stefon Diggs (vs. TAM) as a fantasy player right now, and Travis Etienne, Jr. (@PIT) has also emerged as a stud. But the MondoSquad is not without weaknesses. Sam Howell (vs. PHI) / Deshaun Watson (@SEA) at QB is a mess, and George Kittle (vs. CIN) has been wildly inconsistent at TE. Will Pulley make another deal or two to shore up his contender status?

Dave has two top-tier players in Travis Kelce (@DEN) and A.J. Brown (@WAS), and new addition Jonathan Taylor (vs. NO) has been there in the past, too. There's no way a team with those three guys is not a contender, but Dave's lack of depth - and current record - likely means his long-term outlook relies on his big three being elite nearly every week.

Pick: Double Digits.

Other Blingamatches

schertzopotamus (Schertz, 4-3, 7th) vs. Live Commish (Ed, 4-3, 8th)

Schertz leads all-time series, 9-3.

Neither of these two really deserves their current record, but the winner will be in good shape to make a playoff push. Schertz probably won't have Justin Fields (@LAC) again, which also hurts his top WR, D.J. Moore (@LAC). Saquon Barkley (vs. NYJ) is back, and coming off a good week, but faces a tough defense. Najee Harris (vs. JAC) and Kareem Hunt (@SEA) have been solid plays, even if they aren't that explosive. Summing it all up, it's likely Schertz is a pretender for the fourth straight year, as even at full strength, his team will inevitably have some Slapped Heartbeat-level weeks and fail to win enough to reach the postseason.

Ed's team looks better on paper than by production, so I'll put on my homer pants and call him a contender - but a very weak one. Josh Allen (vs. TAM) has been one of the top QBs, and Christian Kirk (@PIT) and Mike Evans (@BUF) are a solid WR duo. The commissioner's future prospects come down to Bijan Robinson (@TEN) and Austin Ekeler (vs. CHI) playing up to expectations; if they do, he'll make the playoffs, but if they don't, his also-ran streak will hit a depressing ten years.

Pick: Live Commish.

Pralines & Dick (Rabbit, 5-2, 3rd) vs. The Vistas are Back (Pat, 3-4, 9th)

Rabbit leads all-time series, 14-4.

Rabbit is Rabbit - and Christian McCaffrey (vs. CIN) is Christian McCaffrey - so he's a bona fide contender. The fact that Sam LaPorta (vs. LV) and Rashee Rice (@DEN) are among the best rookies so far is just icing on the cake. Sure, Geno Smith (vs. CLE) has been mediocre as a QB, but that hasn't mattered much.

Pat is just 3-4, but both Yahoo and Football Guys absolutely love his team. It does make sense: Lamar Jackson (@ARI), Ja'Marr Chase (@SF), and Alvin Kamara (@IND) all have fantastic track records. Davante Adams (@DET) has not been worth the first round draft cost, but if he does turn it around, there's no reason Pat also can't.

Pick: Pralines & Dick.

Bernie's Bullies (Mike R., 5-2, 4th) vs. Rob for Today (Rob, 3-4, 10th)

Rob leads all-time series, 10-8.

A 5-2 record means Mike is a contender, even if he looks like a pretender on paper. And hey, that was a recipe for success last year. Adam Thielen (vs. HOU) has been a pleasant surprise and Jordan Addison (@GB) has been a great rookie WR to this point; will they sustain their success? Amon-Ra St. Brown (vs. LV) almost certainly will, and Justin Herbert (vs. CHI) should bounce back from a bad week seven against the Bears this week.

Rob's record doesn't automatically make him a pretender, but when you combine it with the injuries he's suffered through, that is the right label. Despite rostering CeeDee Lamb (vs. LAR), Jaylen Waddle (vs. NE), Calvin Ridley (@PIT), and Tee Higgins (@SF), it's Joshua Palmer (vs. CHI) who's emerged as Rob's most reliable player. His team isn't that bad, but that's not a situation you want to find yourself in.

Pick: Bernie's Bullies.

Keep Calm & Dameon (Babel, 5-2, 2nd) vs. Slap it Again! (Scott, 2-5, 12th)

Scott leads all-time series, 3-2.

Babel's two-game losing streak is not enough to drop him from the contender group. And he'll only get stronger once Justin Jefferson (IR) comes back. For now, Keenan Allen (vs. CHI) and rookie sensation Puka Nacua (@DAL) are more than capable of carrying his team, and Brandon Aiyuk (vs. CIN), Kirk Cousins (@GB), and yes, even Kyle Pitts (@TEN) are better than what a lot of the Blingaleague is trotting out as a second tier of players.

Scott is yet again a pretender, but James Cook (vs. TAM), Breece Hall (@NYG), and, surprisingly, Jakobi Meyers (@DET) make him a feisty one.

Pick: Keep Calm & Dameon.

D's Nuts (Derrek, 2-5, 11th) vs. The Chocolate Donuts (Kevin, 2-5, 13th)

Derrek leads all-time series, 11-6.

Derrek came very close to winning his third straight, so there's a small temptation to not label him a pretender. And while Patrick Mahomes II (@DEN) looks like he might be returning to elite QB status and Isiah Pacheco (@DEN) has solidified himself as the Chiefs' primary RB, D has traded a little too much talent to extend his six year playoff streak.

Kevin is on a two-game win streak, but remains firmly planted as a pretender. Losing Jerome Ford (@SEA) to injury doesn't help.

Pick: D's Nuts.

Harrison Hammers (Matt, 4-3, 5th) vs. Ed Gross (Richie, 1-6, 14th)

All-time series tied, 6-6.

Matt has always been a contender, even when he was sitting at 1-3. Tyreek Hill (vs. NE) is nearly in the Christian McCaffrey tier of singlehandedly making a team competitive, and Kenneth Walker III (vs. CLE) and Mark Andrews (@ARI) add more star power. Even guys like Kendrick Bourne (@MIA) and Jaylen Warren (vs. JAC) have gotten in on the act. Matt looks like he might be our Monster Heel again.

Richie's in last place, and it's clear he's a pretender. While his schedule has been brutal, he hasn't broken 80 points the past two weeks. Will he start looking for more keepers? Or is he set with a combination of George Pickens (vs. JAC), David Montgomery (vs. LV), and Tua Tagovailoa (vs. NE)?

Closing Thoughts

Since I don't have anything more notable to cover in this section, here's each team's future strength of schedule.

  1. Babel, -14.2%
  2. Pat, -9.4%
  3. Scott, -7.7%
  4. Mike R., -6.5%
  5. Matt, -4.7%
  6. Pulley, -1.7%
  7. Kevin, -0.9%
  8. Derrek, -0.4%
  9. Rabbit, +0.6%
  10. Dave, +1.7%
  11. Richie, +2.5%
  12. Schertz, +6.7%
  13. Ed, +10.6%
  14. Rob, +23.4%