Championship Week 2009 features three new faces from last year, including two teams that failed to even make the postseason in 2008. The one holdover, of course, is Jody's Colossal Waste of Time, who is making its fifth straight appearance in Championship Week and record 10th overall. They'll be hosting the sixth-seeded Piana Raze at The Vortex in the 2009 Eastern Championship Game.

The Raze crushed the defending Super Bowl Champion Thomas' Bock Boys 55-30 last week to become just the second No. 6 seed since 1999 to advance to the second round of the playoffs. (Anderson did it in 2007, eventually winning it all by besting Jody in Super Bowl XI.) After somewhat limping into the playoffs, Piana put together its second-best effort of the season against the Bockers, with four players reaching double-digits. Of course, inconsistently prevented Piana from finishing the regular season with a better record than 6-6-1, and the Raze won consecutive games only once all year (Weeks 7 and 8).

The Eastern Division Champion C.W.O.T., by contrast, have won consecutive games three different times this season, including three straight heading into their playoff bye week. Jody started the season strong enough, going 3-0 out of the gate. They slipped a bit heading into Neutral Site Week, falling to 4-3 before reestablishing complete control of the Eastern Division with a 5-1 finish. The C.W.O.T. have been in the playoffs so often that it might come as a surprise to know their 9-4 record is their best since 2002. The continued growth of Aaron Rodgers is one reason for the jump in wins, as is a deep running back rotation. In the offseason, Jody dealt for the Steelers defense -- and they've certainly helped as well -- but this week they'll be lining up against their very own Aaron Rodgers.

History favors the C.W.O.T., of course. Jody has the same number of Championship Week victories (six) as Piana has appearances. This is the third ever playoff meeting between these two clubs, with all three occurring during the season's penultimate week. The C.W.O.T. are a perfect 2-0 thus far when the Raze stand between the Pewter & Black and a Super Bowl berth. Also favoring Jody is the C.W.O.T.'s dominating home record. Jody is a perfect 6-0 at The Vortex this season, and a seventh win will put them in Miami for yet another shot at that elusive Super Bowl ring.

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The Western Division Champion Irwin Hellions host Pirk's Wicked Oil Profiteer$ in the 2009 Western Championship Game. This matchup seems fitting, as these two clubs were the class of the division over the first half of the season, only to slip back into the pack by the regular season's end. Irwin may have ultimately won the title, but both now sit with 8 wins on the year and are just one more win away from Super Bowl XIII in Miami. These two clubs have already met twice before, with each winning on the other's home turf. In their most recent encounter, the Profiteer$ knocked off the Hellions here at Purgatory Field in Week 9.

P.W.O.P. dismissed the Abstract Machines from the playoffs last week with a 37-19 victory in Oil Town. Dallas Clark – drafted by Pirk in the third round this year – helped deliver the Wild Card victory with a team-leading 11 points. The Profiteer$, having never won a division title and earning the bye that comes along with it, have now played their way into Championship Week for the fourth time. They've lost all three previous appearances; the last two in rather embarrassing fashion: 25-6 to Irwin (2001) and 52-2 to Jody (2007). Is this the year they finally break through to a Super Bowl, or will a deteriorating ground game do them in?

One thing the Irwin Hellions do not lack is a formidable rushing attack. The pairing of DeAngelo Williams and budding superstar Ray Rice (a fifth round pick in this year's draft) make for an impressive 1-2 punch, reminiscent of Irwin's Edgerrin James and Curtis Martin pairing from earlier in the decade. The Hellions' ground game is one of the reasons they were able to keep pace with Jody and win the franchise its sixth division title. That crown gives Irwin its eighth appearance in Championship Week and first since 2005. The Hellions would like nothing better than to send the P.W.O.P. packing and return to the Super Bowl for a shot at their fourth League title.

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