A special Wild Card Week featuring Bowl rematches from a year ago kicks off with the No. 3 seeded Sims Stereco hosting the No. 6 seeded Pirk's Wicked Oil Profiteer$. These two met on this very field in Draft Bowl IX last December, with Pirk scoring a 38-12 road victory. There's much more on the line this time around, with a trip to Championship Week up for grabs.

After two straight years of finishing the season as the No. 9 seed (and splitting a pair of Draft Bowl appearances), Pirk's Wicked Oil Profiteer$ are back in the playoffs, albeit barely. Following a promising start, the Profiteer$ dropped four of their last six, but they managed to clinch the final playoff berth with a 11-0 win last week over the Figs. Reggie Bush – the prize pick won in last year's Draft Bowl – may see action against the Stereco, but playing time has been hard to come by in a crowded Profiteer backfield that also features Rudi Johnson and Warrick Dunn. The receiving corps, having been thinned out by injury, has the opposite problem. Hines Ward is definitely out for this contest, and undrafted rookie sensation Marques Colston is also questionable, leaving only Chris Chambers and Mike Furrey ready to go. Yet if the Seahawk defense can have another 20+ point game, P.W.O.P. may not need a complete offense.

The last playoff game the Stereco took part in was way back in 2002, when they had their memorable run to a Super Bowl Championship. Three losing seasons followed, but Sims has made a banner year of 2006, posting franchise bests in wins (9) and postseason seeding (No. 3). This will be only their second home playoff game ever, and the Stereco faithful will be out in full force. Much of Sims' season success should go to the growth of both Mike Vick and Drew Brees at quarterback. Both athletes are capable of putting up a big number and leading the Stereco down the field. While they may lack a true playmaker at running back, the Stereco are deep at receiver and have one of the league's most surprising kickers in Robbie Gould.

Last year's Draft Bowl aside, these two clubs are certainly not postseason strangers. P.W.O.P. and Sims met during Wild Card Week in both the 2001 and 2002 seasons, splitting the two games; Pirk took the first 20-18 but lost the rematch 34-31. That victory in 2001, in fact, was P.W.O.P.'s last playoff win, yet history will be working against them this week. Only once in nine seasons has a No. 6 seed upset a No. 3.

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The Abstract Machines visit Jody's Colossal Waste of Time in a Wild Card rematch of last year's Super Bowl, won by the Machines 31-24. Like last year, the Machines had to win in Week 13 just to score a spot in the playoff bracket. And they did so by the slimmest of margins, clipping the Bock Boys 18-17. Jody was rolled up by The Pimps last week in a meaningless game, but the C.W.O.T. will need to refocus quickly if they're to get back into Championship Week.

The Machines' first title defense has been a bumpy one. As one would expect, most teams saved their best for the champs, and the Machines actually lost four straight during the season's first half. They rebounded in down the stretch, however, winning four of their final seven, including their last two just to make the cut. Super Bowl IX MVP Willie Parker and the Ravens defense are a big reason for the Machines' return to the playoffs, posting numerous double-digit scores down the stretch. Tom Brady and Marvin Harrison have been more inconsistent this season, but the Machines will be a force to be reckoned with should they get it together.

The C.W.O.T. have been the forgotten team this season. Coming off a division title and Super Bowl appearance, the spotlight left Jody early on to chase the Brewmeisters' hot streak and the Stereco's impressive run. Which is probably well and good, as Jody has struggled to regroup from their latest Super Bowl loss and Carson Palmer's knee injury. Palmer has returned, of course, but he's been slow to post the same numbers from a year ago. Perhaps of greater concern, the receiving corps is particularly shallow at the expense of a crowded backfield. Frank Gore and Steven Jackson are unquestionable threats to break a game open, but Jody's youth movement has come at a price; only three of Jody's seven victories came against playoff teams.

The C.W.O.T. have already downed the Machines once this season, and that victory essentially led to this game being played at The Vortex. Can Jody shake off their Super Bowl hangover and get back to Championship Week, or will the Machines – who have won four playoff games in the past two years – rekindle some of that magical No. 5 karma that took them to the title a year ago?

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Thomas' Bock Boys host the Naughty Figs in the tenth installment of the FLF's Draft Bowl. The connection between these two franchises has been well documented, having been the two clubs invited into the league during the expansion of 2000. Yet they've taken radically different paths upon joining; the Figs have made the playoffs only once in seven seasons, whereas the Bock Boys have missed the playoffs for just the first time this season. Thomas has a division title and a Super Bowl trophy to its credit, while the Figs have none. Regardless of these differences, the Figs and Bock Boys will be drafting 1 and 2 come next Summer, just as they did in 2000.

The Figgies have been plagued by injuries this season. A full eight members of their roster have missed games at one point this season, leaving a largely unpredictable lineup on the field week-in and week-out. At time, the Figs have dominated their competition, including a 71-9 Week 3 crushing of the Bock Boys. But mostly they've been handled rather easily. Their last three losses, in fact, were by an average of 30 points.

Thomas can't easily blame injuries for their league-worst record. Rather, they simply don't have the depth to compete. Two of their three quarterbacks on their roster haven't taken the field in months, and only one halfback sees action on a regular basis. It may be time to blow it up and start again. Dating back to last season, they've lost 16 of their last 19 games. They certainly proved in 2000 that they can start from scratch and build a winner, and securing the first overall pick in next year's draft would be a step in the right direction.

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