Week 3 kicks off with an Eastern Divisional bout between Jody's Colossal Waste of Time and the winless Naughty Figs. The C.W.O.T. are making their first road trip of the young season following a two-game stand at the Vortex, while the Figs are finally making their own home debut. After losing two close games on the road, life isn't getting any easier for the Figs, who are facing their third straight playoff team from a year ago.

Jody is coming off a solid team performance in the wake of its Week 1 loss to Anderson. Aaron Brooks and Deuce McAllister posted double-digit points in last week's win and will be looking to keep it up against the Figs. Newcomer Laveranues Coles has had an immediate impact with a team-high 17 points. Surprisingly, the weakest link for the C.W.O.T. thus far has been its Dolphin defense, which has netted only 1 point in the first two games.

The Figs are just happy to be home. Second-year man Clinton Portis and placekicker Sebastian Janikowski have been the offense for the Figs thus far, scoring 20 and 21 points, respectively. Other players have been solid but not spectacular in the two narrow defeats thus far, and they will have to contribute more for the team to break into the win column. At 0-2, the franchise's fourth attempt at qualifying for the playoffs is already off to a rough start.

victims of the bye week:
Jody - RB Thomas
Figs - none

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The only Week 3 pairing featuring winners from a week ago has The East-leading Pimps visiting the West's Abstract Machines. The series has been fully dominated by The Pimps, who had won seven of the last eight before settling for a 15-15 tie with the Mechanical Ones a year ago.

The Pimps have been successful thus far operating out of the run-and-shoot to steer the offense. Shaun Alexander has been more than adequate as the lone halfback, scoring a team-high 19 points in the first two games. Quarterback Tommy Maddox has also delivered, throwing for 18 points in leading his club to its 2-0 start.

The Machines are hoping to build a winning streak off of last week's road victory over Irwin. Their first round draft pick, the Baltimore defense, came up huge in that win with 23 points. A similar defensive performance might be needed to slow down The Pimps. Offensively, Marshall Faulk and Marvin Harrison are off to uncharacteristically slow starts, and are looking to break out in their second home game of the season.

victims of the bye week:
Pimps - RB Staley, DEF Dallas
Machines - none

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The Anderson Brewmeisters make their second career visit to the Hellhole to take on the Irwin Hellions in a battle of Week 2 losers. Both clubs dropped their home openers last week to divisional opponents and are looking for instant redemption in Week 3.

The Brewmeisters are back to their mediocre ways. A week after up-ending the favored C.W.O.T. on the road, they came home and were beaten by the Stereco. Perhaps thankfully, they now head back out on the road to meet a team they've defeated in four of their five career meetings. While Anderson may still waiting for Peyton Manning and LaDainian Tomlinson to pick up the level of their game, Charlie Garner, Torry Holt, and Eric Moulds have been solid for the Brew Krew thus far.

The Hellions have done wonders in building up their receiving corps. Chris Chambers and draftees Chad and Andre Johnson have been three of the most productive players in the lineup. Yet the quarterback play has been spotty, and the ground game stalls behind Edgerrin James. Irwin will need better production from these positions if they're to turn back the Brewskies and stop their current four-game home losing streak.

victims of the bye week:
Anderson - none
Irwin - QB McNabb, RB Foster

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The defending Super Bowl Champion Sims Stereco begin interdivisional play when they visit the Piana Raze at En Fuego Field. The Raze have historically dominated the series but were brushed aside last season during Sims' unstoppable seven game march to the Championship.

Sims' halfback duo of Ricky Williams and Stephen Davis have combined for 32 points in the first two games, but the Stereco will have to go without Davis (bye) this week against the Raze. Tight end Jeremy Shockey will likely get the start in place of Davis and provide yet another target for interim quarterback Drew Bledsoe. Bledsoe has embraced his latest stint with the Stereco, scoring a team-high 12 points in last week's win over Anderson.

Piana's quest to start the season 2-0 fell short last week against the visiting Profiteer$. Jamal Lewis rushed for an astounding 295 yards in the loss, accounting for nearly half of Piana's scoring. A repeat performance would perhaps be asking too much from Lewis, so Piana will need Tiki Barber and the young receiving corps to step it up if the team's to have a shot at upsetting the defending Super Bowl Champions.

victims of the bye week:
Sims - RB Davis, K Akers
Piana - RB Hambrick, REC Booker, DEF Carolina

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It was Week 13 of last season that Thomas' Bock Boys marched into Oil Town, USA and routed the Profiteer$ 37-5 to claim the Western Division title. Both clubs made the playoffs but neither advanced to the Super Bowl. In fact, the Bock Boys have gone 0-3 since that Week 13 visit to Oil Town, while Pirk has started the season 2-0 following wild wins over the Figs and Raze.

Thomas' frustrating 0-2 start certainly can't be pinned on Daunte Culpepper or Priest Holmes. Together, they've combined for an astounding 51 points in the season's first two games. The letdown comes after that, where only scatback Warrick Dunn and kicker Jeff Wilkens have averaged more than 5 points a game. Making wins even more elusive, the Bock Boys' Eagles defense has only accounted for 7 points in the two losses.

By contrast, P.W.O.P.'s new Titan defense has averaged over 7 a game. The real reason for the team's undefeated start, however, is on offense. Three players -- Jeff Garcia, Ahman Green, and Travis Henry -- have averaged over 10 points in each of their first two games while a forth -- Hines Ward -- has averaged over 9. Such a strong and balanced attack could make it hard for the visitors to keep up.

The defending Western Division Champs need this win in the worst way, as a loss would give the Profiteer$ a three-game lead over the Bock Boys three weeks into the season. P.W.O.P., of course, wants nothing more than to avenge last season's Week 13 rout while earning the franchise its second-ever 3-0 start.

victims of the bye week:
Thomas - REC Galloway, DEF Philadelphia
P.W.O.P. - REC Thrash

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