In what some have already dubbed a potential Draft Bowl preview, the Sims Stereco and Pirk's Wicked Oil Profiteer$ meet up in the Texas Panhandle at Odessa's Ratliff Stadium. Says P.W.O.P. coach Paul Pirkle on playing the game in Odessa: "The presence of oil wells in the parking lot will make the Profiteer$ feel like home. Odessa being a real s#$t hole will make the Stereco feel like home. Should be a good game."

Sims certainly will be happy to see the likes of Terrell Owens, Larry Fitzgerald, and Robert Ferguson return to the lineup following their bye weeks. After nearly getting shut out a week ago, any additional offense is bound to help. P.W.O.P. is suffering similar offensive woes, with injuries to rookie Carnell Williams and Hines Ward putting a serious dent in production. At least the Eagles defense will be back on the field following a bye. Both of these clubs are desperate for a win, and desperation often makes for good viewing.

victims of the bye week:
Sims - RB Taylor
P.W.O.P. - QB Leftwich, RB Williams, K Kasay

back to scoreboard

Jody's Colossal Waste of Time and the Piana Raze will meet at the storied Astrodome in Houston, Texas, for a battle of 3-3 teams. Both clubs were division champions in 2003, but neither made the playoff cut last season. Before the draft, Piana sent Marc Bulger to Jody in exchange for the rights to select Julius Jones, but both players are hurt and unlikely to suit up for this one.

With last week's win over the Figs, Jody has already matched his 2004 total for regular season wins. Those three "W"s have all come in the comfort of The Vortex, however, so it's yet to be seen if the C.W.O.T. can win away from home. Extended history does tell us that Jody owns the Raze, having won 9 of 11 career meetings. Piana comes into Neutral Site Week having just lost consecutive games to Anderson and Irwin, and is looking to avoid their first mid-season three-game losing streak since 2002. Most importantly, the winner will emerge from the Dome with a 4-3 mark, just two wins shy of becoming playoff eligible once again.

victims of the bye week:
Jody - REC Givens, DEF Carolina
Piana - K Vinatieri

back to scoreboard

The Pimps and Thomas' Bock Boys should keep Austin rocking on Sunday, playing at DKR Memorial Stadium a day after the No. 2 Longhorns host the No. 10 Red Raiders. These two clubs share the same 2004 fate, that is, being ousted from the playoffs during Wild Card Week. Thomas started the new season strong, but has dropped two of three heading into the season's midpoint. The Pimps struggled out of the gate, losing four of their first five before scoring a confidence-building rout over the Stereco last week.

If The PImps hope to build off of that win, they may have to do it short-handed; the bye week is stripping them of four starters from a week ago, including the fourth-ranked Jacksonville defense. Of course, they'll still have Shaun Alexander, who's established himself as the second most-feared halfback in the league (behind Tomlinson). The Bock Boys have run hot and cold of late. Drew Bledsoe seems to alternate great efforts with mediocre ones, and the receivers have practically disappeared. Yet the Cowboys defense has been strong all season, and could be the key in keeping The Pimps down.

victims of the bye week:
Pimps - QB Delhomme, RB Dillon, REC Galloway, REC Smith, DEF Jacksonville
Thomas - RB Davis

back to scoreboard

The Naughty Figs and Abstract Machines travel to Abilene, Texas for a match of 2004 Championship Week bridesmaids. Last season, both clubs fell a win shy of reaching the Super Bowl, raising expectations for the new season. Yet both the Figs and the Machines have gotten off to a slow start in '05. The Figs have almost lost as many games in a half a season that they did all of last year, while it took four weeks for the Machines to record their first win.

The Naughties are banged up and underachieving. As a franchise notorious for taking chances on unproven, injured, or suspended players, they've had more misses than hits this season. Defensively, with the Colts and Steelers, they remain a force, but they're already offering up their best offensive payer (Willis McGahee) in hopes of adding some proven talent at receiver and quarterback. The Machines are familiar with misses as well. After a boffo 2004 draft, only one pick (Jeremy Shockey, fourth round) from this year has made any significant contribution to the team. As a result, the Machines went out and made wholesale changes after Week 2, and have yet to lose since.

victims of the bye week:
Figs - REC Branch
Machines - QB Brady

back to scoreboard

The lone Neutral Site Week contest outside of the Lone Star State comes from the campus of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. There, under the watchful eye of Touchdown Jesus, the Anderson Brewmeisters will meet the Irwin Hellions in a very special Game of the Week.

The fact this is a Super Bowl rematch from a year ago is the obvious angle, but what makes this return bout so engaging is that both clubs have reestablished the momentum that took them to the League Championship Game a year ago. When they met in Jacksonville in December, Anderson was riding a six-game winning streak and Irwin had won five straight. Coming into this week's game, both clubs have won their last four, dispensing of opponents with relative ease.

Anderson started the season 0-2, perhaps hungover from their Super Bowl loss. Then Peyton Manning, LaDainian Tomlinson, and Torry Holt shook free the cobwebs and started mauling teams. During their current four-game winning streak, the Brewskies have averaged 52 points per game. LaDainian Tomlinson leads the world in points scored, and newcomers Steve Smith and Santana Moss have come on strong as well.

The defending champs have been winning in 2005 with more individual big games than a with a consistent and balanced effort. Case in point: Irwin defeated Jody and Piana in the past two weeks despite having only 1 of 3 receivers record even a single catch. As is the Hellion way, the defense has been huge, recording double-digit efforts all season long. Throw in at least one or two double-digit efforts on offense, and the Hellions have been tough to beat.

The Hellions have won four of the last five meetings with the Brew Krew, including three straight. Not only are mid-season bragging rights on the line, but the winner of today's contest would have the inside track in the race for the No. 1 playoff seed.

victims of the bye week:
Anderson - REC Smith
Irwin - RB Foster, DEF Tampa Bay

back to scoreboard