The FLF returns to divisional play following an exciting Neutral Site Week. Kicking things off, the Eastern Division-leading Anderson Brewmeisters hit the road to take on the basement-dwelling Naughty Figs. At 6-1, the Brewmeisters have the best record in the league and are the first team to become playoff eligible following last week's win over the Piana Raze. The Figs are coming off an Alaskan loss to the Irwin Hellions and are flirting with a second straight season of watching the playoffs from home.

Anderson's backfield of Peyton Manning, LaDainian Tomlinson, and Brian Westbrook combined for 44 points last week, which was just two shy of the Figs' entire team production. The Brewmeisters beat the Figs back in Week 4 by a relatively close 5 points, but they was even playing a man down as Westbrook was a game-time scratch. The Figs have shown they're capable of putting up huge numbers in a game, but this probably won't be the week. Three of their biggest offensive contributors – Clinton Portis, Kevin Jones, and Roy Williams – will all be watching this one from the sidelines.

victims of the bye week:
Anderson – REC Moss
Figs – QB Kitna, RB Portis, RB Jones, REC Williams

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The Pimps stay out on the road for the fourth consecutive week as they visit the improbable Sims Stereco in an Eastern Division clash. Sims escaped the Astrodome last week with a 2-point victory over Thomas' Bock Boys, lifting their record to 5-2 and just one win away from playoff eligibility. After a slow start, The Pimps have won two of three and are squarely in the playoff race. The problem, however, is that they're 0-4 in the division and will need to win at least one of these Eastern contests to reach the six-win plateau.

The Pimps will welcome back their league-best Bears defense into the lineup (although some conspiracy theorists will suggest they played in Cards' clothing last week against the Machines). The offense, however, is still in shambles, with Shaun Alexander set to miss his fifth straight game due to injury. Despite the unimpressive victory over Thomas, the Stereco are riding high, having won four of their past five games. The defense has gone ice cold, however, producing just two points in the past two games. They will likely need some more production from that position if they're are to complete their first-ever season sweep of the Feathered Ones.

victims of the bye week:
Pimps – QB Brunell
Sims – none

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Jody's Colossal Waste of Time and the Piana Raze keep the interdivisional good times rolling with a rematch of last season's Eastern Championship Game. Jody won that contest, 37-31 at the Vortex, before bowing out to the Machines in Super Bowl IX. Although currently trailing Anderson by two games in the East, Jody is in good position to make a return trip to the playoffs, needing only two more wins for eligibility. The 3-3-1 Piana Raze come limping back from Idaho having taken a loss against the Brewmeisters, despite playing their best collective game of the season.

The C.W.O.T. were routed last week by the surprising Profiteer$, but two of their biggest weapons – Frank Gore and Steven Jackson – were sitting out on bye. Those two will be back in the fold and eager to help get their team back into the win column. From the other sideline, quarterback Marc Bulger also makes his return from the bye, and is eager to take the field against his former team. Both of these clubs made big second-half pushes in 2005; which one will get off to the hot start in '06?

victims of the bye week:
Jody – RB Brown
Piana – none

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The 2006 Pirkle Bowl series concludes this week from Bockville, where the 2-5 Thomas' Bock Boys look to avenge a Week 2 loss to Pirk's Wicked Oil Profiteer$. P.W.O.P. has won two straight and find themselves atop the Western Division for the first time in three years. The Bock Boys have dropped two straight, but a win will put them right back in the divisional race.

Pirk has been buoyed by a stingy Bronco defense, which has ravaged opponents for 42 points in the past two weeks. Additionally, draftee Philip Rivers may have won the quarterback job away from Byron Leftwich, meaning huge props should go to the Profiteer GM. With six games left to play, P.W.O.P. has already matched its win total for each of the past two campaigns. Thomas is also turning to young QB. Even after his (minus)-9 performance against Piana two weeks ago, Rex Grossman looks to be the man in Bockville, particularly with Daunte Culpepper and Drew Bledsoe riding the pine for the foreseeable future. He'll need to regain his confidence in a hurry if the Boys are going to extend their playoff appearance streak to seven.

victims of the bye week:
P.W.O.P. – REC Chambers
Thomas – QB Culpepper

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The Irwin Hellions host the Abstract Machines for the Week 8 Game of the Week. The Machines are in the midst of the league's longest losing streak of the season (4 games) and are in danger of missing the playoffs a year after winning the Super Bowl. As preposterous as that sounds, it has been done (Irwin in '02 and then Sims in '03). The Irwin Hellions are a game-and-a-half up on the Machines but still a half-game back of P.W.O.P. in the West. They're coming off a rubber stamped victory over the Figs, and would like nothing better than to earn a season sweep over the team that knocked them out of the playoffs a year ago.

The Machines' current slump is likely a result of their defense taking a big step back after the first three weeks. Their Ravens unit averaged 28 points per game in Weeks 1-3, but the Machines defense has averaged only 9.5 in the month since. They'll need to find that swagger again if they're to making a second half surge. The Hellions are led by Donovan McNabb, who's in the midst of a career season. Only once over the first seven weeks has McNabb failed to score at least 12 points (and even that was 9). Yet Irwin is no better than .500 in part due to a rather anemic running attack. Edgerrin James and DeShaun Foster are consistently average, putting the pressure on McNabb and the receivers to score the bulk of the points.

These two played a stellar game in Week 2, with Irwin overcoming the Machines' 38-point effort from their Ravens D to capture a 19-17 win. Now they return to Purgatory Field, where the Machines crushed the Hellions 53-15 last December.

victims of the bye week:
Machines – RB McGahee, K Hall
Irwin – none

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