Week 5 kicks off with a huge Eastern Division contest as the 3-1 Figs hit the road to meet up with the red hot Anderson Brewmeisters at Saint Arnold Stadium. The Figs and Brewmeisters met three times in 2003, with Anderson sweeping the regular season series by a combined score of 139-48 before clipping the Figs 36-35 in Draft Bowl VII.

The immediate product of Anderson's Draft Bowl victory – the New England Patriots defense – will be gunning for the Brewskies' fourth straight defensive effort of 20+ points. LaDainian Tomlinson and Peyton Manning are more than capable of posting big numbers on the scoreboard, as evident by the team's two straight league-high performances. The Figs, fresh off their first loss of the season, will lean on Chad Pennington and Clinton Portis to put the team's painfully weak performance from last week behind them. A second consecutive loss would essentially erase the Figs' hot start, dropping them to third in the Eastern Division.

victims of the bye week:
Figs - none
Anderson - RB Westbrook

back to scoreboard

Jody's C.W.O.T. is desperately searching for a win as they visit the on-again off-again Sims Stereco in another Eastern Division showdown. The C.W.O.T. have dropped three straight divisional contests; Sims hasn't fared much better in the East, having their only wins coming against Western opponents. So barring a tie – something has to give.

Jody remains the 2004 version of the walking wounded, but showed serious spark in last week's contest with Anderson. Draftees Chris Brown and Javon Walker continue to be solid if not spectacular, and they can only help to get this club back on track. Sims is basking in win over rival Irwin but will be without two of last week's heroes as Terrell Owens and David Akers will be sitting out this Super Bowl VI rematch on bye.

victims of the bye week:
Jody - DEF Kansas City
Sims - REC Owens, K Akers

back to scoreboard

The Pimps travel to Oil Town, USA for an old school, Hotard-4th Floor, interdivisional matchup with Pirk's Wicked Oil Profiteer$. Even though The Pimps remain the only undefeated team in the league and Pirk only has a single win on the year, don't count out the Profiteer$ in this one. P.W.O.P. has won 8 of 10 career meetings with the Pimps, including the last three.

The Pimps have played incredibly balanced football through the first quarter of the season, with the running game, receivers, QB, and defense all contributing directly to wins. Shaun Alexander makes his return to the lineup following the bye, and he hopes to keep the chains moving and the ball safely out of Pirk's hands. The Profiteer$ welcome back Randy Moss and possibly Steve McNair, but will have to go without Rudi Johnson as they try to avoid their worst start in franchise history.

victims of the bye week:
Pimps - QB Kitna
P.W.O.P. - QB Palmer, RB Johnson, REC Warrick

back to scoreboard

Western Divisional play kicks off with a pair of winners from a week ago as the defending Super Bowl Champion Bock Boys tangle with the Abstract Machines. Both clubs are 2-2, but the Machines are the only club in the West to already have multiple division victories.

Thomas will be welcoming back one stud (Daunte Culpepper) from bye but will be losing another (Priest Holmes) along with Thomas Jones and Tony Gonzales. The Machines broke back into the win column with Curtis Martin and Tom Brady back in the lineup, and now those two hope to lead the Mechanical Ones to their first victory over the Bock Boys since 2001.

victims of the bye week:
Thomas - RB Holmes, RB Jones, REC Gonzales
Machines - REC Smith, K Graham

back to scoreboard

The Week 5 Game of the Week returns to the West as the defending division champion Piana Raze look to stay in the race as they visit the Irwin Hellions at Purgatory Field. Dating back to Week 12 of last season, the Raze have only won 2 of their last 8 games. The Hellions, who were downed in the playoffs by the Raze last season, have cooled considerably following a 2-0 start.

Piana made several moves in the offseason to better position the team for a repeat run at the Super Bowl, but those transactions have yet to translate into wins. Marc Bulger is 1-3 as the Raze starter, and first-round pick Kevan Barlow will likely be benched this week in favor of veteran Tiki Barber. The receiving corps was gutted before the draft and has been slow to heal, leaving points for Piana hard to come by.

Unlike the Raze, Irwin kept his playoff team from a year ago mostly intact. Donovan McNabb has been the bomb so far this year, but he'll miss this rivalry game due to a bye; Longtime Hellions Brett Favre could make his first start of the season as a result. Domanick Davis is questionable, leaving all the pressure of the running game to Edgerrin James. Placekicker Todd Peterson has all but kicked himself out of a job over the last couple of weeks, so roster moves to jumpstart the offense wouldn't be a surprise.

victims of the bye week:
Piana - K Tynes
Irwin - QB McNabb, REC C. Johnson

back to scoreboard