The Sanderson Gazette - 2024-01-02 - Out Like a Lamb

Blingabowl XVI Recap

Rob def. Ed, 125.15-110.55

The most exciting Blingabowl since the first one ever came down to a kicker. Harrison Butker (25.20) personally made up Rob's ten-point deficit at kickoff of the late games (and then some!), bringing the younger Gross his first championship ever.

Breece Hall (20.00) had started the week off very well for Ed, but CeeDee Lamb (34.77) turned it all around on Saturday night for Rob. Cole Kmet's "healthy" zero, along with Ed's early Sunday players doing well, put Rob in a tough position, but Austin Ekeler (3.13) failed badly for the commish while Butker flourished.

Ed's score is the third highest losing score in Blingabowl history, and Rob now has been part of four of the six closest championship matchups.

Third-Place Game Recap

Matt def. Rabbit, 95.54-95.16

As dramatic as the Blingabowl was, the third-place game was even better. Matt looked to be in control after the noon games thanks to Isaiah Likely (17.60) and Deebo Samuel (14.43) and Christian McCaffrey (10.00) being just OK for Rabbit. But Geno Smith (19.30), DK Metcalf (14.13), and Rashee Rice (16.93) broke out late for Rabs, which meant that Tyler Lockett's lone catch - worth 1.33 points - was the difference-maker (in Matt's favor) for third place.

Final Standings

  1. Rob
  2. Ed
  3. Matt
  4. Rabbit
  5. Babel
  6. Pulley
  7. Scott
  8. Mike R.
  9. Schertz
  10. Dave
  11. Pat
  12. Derrek
  13. Richie
  14. Kevin

Final Payouts

  • Rob: $292 (Blingabowl champion plus two Team Blangums awards)
  • Ed: $146 (second place plus one Team Blangums award)
  • Matt: $62 (third place plus one Team Blangums award)
  • Pulley: $60 (three Team Blangums awards)
  • Babel: $40 (two Team Blangums awards)
  • Mike R.: $40 (two Team Blangums awards)
  • Scott: $20 (one Team Blangums award)
  • Schertz: $20 (one Team Blangums award)
  • Dave: $20 (one Team Blangums award)

Annual Awards

Team Blangums

Rob's season wasn't dominant, but he finished third in points, fourth in expected wins, and fifth in all-play record. That's in addition to winning the Sanderson Cup.

Slapped Heartbeat

Kevin finished last by every metric we have.

Annual MVP

CeeDee Lamb was the top overall WR (by 0.30 points over Tyreek Hill!) and performed best in the biggest game of the year for Rob.

Dud of the Year

There were plenty of underperformers in the first round this year, but Austin Ekeler - who was taken second overall by Richie and cost Ed a combination of Isiah Pacheco and George Pickens to acquire later - will take this one home.

Pickup of the Year

Babel snagged Puka Nacua early, and even though he traded him later in the year, that's worth calling out here.

Season Postmortems

Ed, 11-3 (0.786), 1,435.66 points, 1st place (regular season), 2nd place (playoffs), 7.42 expected wins

Ed ended his nine-year playoff drought in convincing fashion, winning the regular season title by two games and averaging more than 120 points in his two playoff matchups. He just couldn't finish it off in the end.

For 2024, it looks like Ed'll take advantage of the ability to keep two first rounders (which will remain in place, as the proposal to change it failed); Breece Hall (keeper cost: 1st), Jonathan Taylor (1st), and Austin Ekeler (1st) all might retain first round value next year, and there isn't much lower down the roster for him.

Rob, 8-6 (0.571), 1,554.64 points, 5th place (regular season), Blingabowl XVI champion (playoffs), 8.65 expected wins

Rob finally got over his Blingabowl hump! What else is there to say?

CeeDee Lamb (keeper cost: 1st) looks like a steal for the 14th overall pick, but after that, nothing seems super obvious. Calvin Ridley for a 7th?

Blingapower Rankings

14. Scott (last year: 14th)

  • 2023: 8-6, 1,296.31 points, 5.59 expected wins
  • Last three years: 17-25, 3,800.16 points, 15.68 expected wins
  • All-time: 34-47, 7,783.84 points, 35.45 expected wins

Scott stays in last despite coming oh-so-close to the playoffs.

NFL equivalent: Houston Texans, still alive with a week left in the regular season.

13. Pat (last year: 12th)

  • 2023: 5-9, 1,340.79 points, 6.15 expected wins
  • Last three years: 16-26, 3,990.90 points, 18.32 expected wins
  • All-time: 77-121, 17,840.48 points, 76.76 expected wins

Pat couldn't follow up his breakthrough 2022 with a strong year, so he'll slide back into 13th.

NFL equivalent: New York Giants.

12. Richie (last year: 11th)

  • 2023: 4-10, 1,290.73 points, 5.41 expected wins
  • Last three years: 19-23, 4,197.46 points, 20.60 expected wins
  • All-time: 67-92, 15,062.83 points, 69.11 expected wins

Richie's 2023 was one to forget, but he's just two years removed from setting the single-season total points record.

NFL equivalent: Arizona Cardinals.

11. Kevin (last year: 8th)

  • 2023: 4-10, 1,220.54 points, 4.50 expected wins
  • Last three years: 15-27, 3,928.88 points, 17.48 expected wins
  • All-time: 100-111, 20,779.38 points, 104.39 expected wins

Kevin won the Sanderson Cup as recently as 2020, but he hasn't made the playoffs since then... and has the fewest wins over the past three seasons.

NFL equivalent: Tennessee Titans.

10. Schertz (last year: 7th)

  • 2023: 6-8, 1,340.53 points, 5.91 expected wins
  • Last three years: 21-21, 4,331.41 points, 22.28 expected wins
  • All-time: 79-80, 15,991.75 points, 80.85 expected wins

Schertz, like Kevin, has no playoff appearances in the past three years. In fact, he hasn't made it since his championship in 2019. But he's actually 4th in points and 5th in expected wins from 2021-2023, while Kevin is 13th in both.

NFL equivalent: Denver Broncos.

9. Pulley (last year: 10th)

  • 2023: 8-6, 1,622.22 points, 9.57 expected wins
  • Last three years: 20-22, 4,146.20 points, 20.12 expected wins
  • All-time: 121-90, 21,590.53 points, 114.03 expected wins

Pulley returned to the playoffs after a two year drought, but given he was on the verge of missing out as late as week fourteen, and then bowed out in the quartefinals, he'll only move up one spot.

NFL equivalent: Los Angeles Rams.

8. Ed (last year: 13th)

  • 2023: 11-3, 1,435.66 points, 7.42 expected wins
  • Last three years: 24-18, 4,319.27 points, 23.04 expected wins
  • All-time: 105-106, 21,211.34 points, 110.42 expected wins

Ed is one of our two biggest risers. His wasn't as good as his record this year, but on the whole, he's 4th in expected wins and 5th in points from 2021-2023, so this feels about right.

NFL equivalent: Detroit Lions.

7. Dave (last year: 3rd)

  • 2023: 6-8, 1,298.54 points, 5.32 expected wins
  • Last three years: 24-18, 4,265.38 points, 21.67 expected wins
  • All-time: 95-116, 20,780.17 points, 105.13 expected wins

Dave had a disappointing year, though not an awful one. And his 2021-2022 run is still fresh in our memories.

NFL equivalent: Cincinnati Bengals.

6. Mike R. (last year: 5th)

  • 2023: 7-7, 1,453.29 points, 7.62 expected wins
  • Last three years: 20-22, 4,133.45 points, 20.36 expected wins
  • All-time: 103-108, 20,752.89 points, 104.19 expected wins

Mike started 5-1 in defense of his title, but then the wheels came off. He finished ahead of Dave in this year's standings, so he'll stay ahead of him here, too.

NFL equivalent: Philadelphia Eagles.

5. Derrek (last year: 1st)

  • 2023: 5-9, 1,248.34 points, 4.90 expected wins
  • Last three years: 25-17, 4,357.81 points, 23.45 expected wins
  • All-time: 116-95, 20,828.29 points, 105.59 expected wins

Derrek is still in the top five based on how good he was from 2017-2022. Another year like this one, though, and he'll take a tumble.

NFL equivalent: New England Patriots.

4. Babel (last year: 9th)

  • 2023: 9-5, 1,529.84 points, 8.40 expected wins
  • Last three years: 22-20, 4,296.81 points, 22.18 expected wins
  • All-time: 108-103, 21,523.15 points, 112.94 expected wins

Babel moves up as many spots as Ed thanks to his big turnaround from last year. His overall up-and-down record always makes him hard to place in these rankings.

NFL equivalent: Miami Dolphins - out in front all year, but at risk of falling to a wild card spot in the final regular season week, just like Babel fell out of bye position.

3. Rob (last year: 6th)

  • 2023: 8-6, 1,554.64 points, 8.65 expected wins
  • Last three years: 20-22, 4,200.44 points, 21.25 expected wins
  • All-time: 112-99, 21,356.80 points, 111.56 expected wins

Rob's horrendous 2021 keeps him below .500 over the past three years despite his consecutive Blingabowl appearances.

NFL equivalent: Dallas Cowboys - it's not the best team fit, but Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb make it work.

2. Rabbit (last year: 2nd)

  • 2023: 8-6, 1,533.82 points, 8.82 expected wins
  • Last three years: 25-17, 4,439.59 points, 23.77 expected wins
  • All-time: 125-86, 21,946.69 points, 118.55 expected wins

1. Matt (last year: 4th)

  • 2023: 9-5, 1,604.45 points, 9.73 expected wins
  • Last three years: 26-16, 4,442.26 points, 23.78 expected wins
  • All-time: 121-90, 21,903.34 points, 117.87 expected wins

What's old is new again. At the end of the 2012 season, these were the top two teams in the power rankings. At the end of 2023, they are once again. Just like...

NFL equivalents: San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens.

Draft Lottery

As a reminder, here are the odds at getting the #1 overall pick:

  • Kevin: 19%
  • Richie: 18%
  • Derrek: 15%
  • Pat: 14%
  • Dave: 11%
  • Schertz: 11%
  • Mike R.: 7%
  • Scott: 5%

Closing Thoughts

Thank you everyone for contributing to yet another Blangums season! See you next year!