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Here's my quick take - hopefully Trivia Bytes (or anyone) will chime in with some in-depth analysis...
And just to copy TB's standard introduction...
At this juncture ... the playing conditions are the same for each team’s GM for the remainder of the season:
:arrow:You have ten games are under your belt and there remains only six games to help determine your destiny in the playoffs.
:arrow:You have played four of your six division games, so there is not too much wiggle room in that category.
:arrow:Trading has long past you by and you are stuck with what you currently have because there is absolutely nothing, and we repeat, zero, in the FA pool.
:arrow:There are no more bye weeks to heal an injury or two.
AC North:
Major Contenders: Cleveland (eight-2), Wichita (7-3)
Probably done: Iowa City, Montreal (4-6)
Week 15 will feature a huge Cleveland at Wichita match-up. Wichita needs that game more since they already lost to Cleveland and they are a game back. Both teams are playing great football, Cleveland riding a 7 game win streak and Wichita 5. Both teams also have to play a tough Vancouver squad:-?
This one should go down to the wire. IWC and MTL aren't completely out of it but neither team has made a move yet and it's almost too late.
AC South:
Contenders: Houston (all 7-3)
Hanging by a thread: Murfeesboro (4-6)
Spoiler role: Louisiana (2-7-1) and St. Louis (1-9)
A far cry from last year when it was a 3-way race, Houston has this division nearly locked up. The only possible stumbling block is that they already lost to Murf and they play them on the road to end the regular season.
AC East:
Contenders: Hartford (6-4) and West Virginia (5-5)
Spoilers: Norfolk (2-eight) and Chicago (1-9)
Both contenders still have to play 3 games with the tough NC East. Hartford lost to WVA but hosts them in week 17 with the division possibly on the line. WVA will also get Harvey Ingle back for the final stretch run.
AC West:
Contenders: Portland (eight-2), Anchorage (6-3-1) and Fresno (6-4)
Outside shot: Los Angeles (5-5)
Portland's slight stumble have given hope to the rest of the AC West. LA appears to be a very long shot with their schedule, especially closing out with 2 tough games on the road. POR has to play LAN, MAD and PEN which won't be a cake walk, but they have the cushion.
projections:
Division winners: Wichita, Houston, West Virginia and Portland
Wildcards: Cleveland and Anchorage
AC Champ: Wichita
NC North:
Contenders: Madison (6-4), Penn (6-4), and Lansing (5-5)
Spoiler: Dakota (1-9)
This division is really tough to figure out. All the teams have to still play Portland and Penn has to play LAW but I think PEN may have the edge with 4 home games including the last one with LAN which is likely a must win. Madison is the only team that has to play both other contenders.
NC South:
Contenders: Georgia (eight-2) and Tulsa (6-4)
Likely done: Texas (4-6)
Spoiler: Little Rock (2-eight)
Tulsa edged Georgia in 2022 but Georgia has the inside track this year. However, Tulsa appears to have a slightly easier schedule and hosts GEO the final week, so GEO would really like to hold on to that 2 game lead. TEX actually has 4 winnable games but would likely have to run the table which seems very unlikely.
NC East:
Contenders: Lawrence (9-1) and Newark (eight-2)
Outside shot: Vermont (6-4) and Orlando (5-5)
The loss by LAW at NWK likely sets the stage for a last week showdown for the division title in LAW. LAW will have to make their run without McBrayer anchoring the secondary. VER has had a tough 3 weeks and they need to figure out how to turn it around quickly. I'm surprised that ORL is only 5-5 but they've had a lot of injuries so maybe I shouldn't be. They also have probably the toughest schedule in the division and Nixon's hammy puts a damper on Orlando's already tenuous playoff hopes.
NC West:
Contender: Vancouver (9-1)
Outside shot: Salt Lake City (5-5)
Spoilers: Reno (2-eight) and OAK (1-9)
SLC's modest 2 game win streak has injected some hope into the Stallion faithful. They play their next 4 at home, however they play 4 pretty tough teams. They already beat VER and if they could beat LAN it would help them with potential wildcard tiebreakers.
projections:
Division winners: Penn, Georgia, Lawrence and Vancouver
Wildcards: Madison and Newark
NC Champ: Lawrence
And just to copy TB's standard introduction...
At this juncture ... the playing conditions are the same for each team’s GM for the remainder of the season:
:arrow:You have ten games are under your belt and there remains only six games to help determine your destiny in the playoffs.
:arrow:You have played four of your six division games, so there is not too much wiggle room in that category.
:arrow:Trading has long past you by and you are stuck with what you currently have because there is absolutely nothing, and we repeat, zero, in the FA pool.
:arrow:There are no more bye weeks to heal an injury or two.
AC North:
Major Contenders: Cleveland (eight-2), Wichita (7-3)
Probably done: Iowa City, Montreal (4-6)
Week 15 will feature a huge Cleveland at Wichita match-up. Wichita needs that game more since they already lost to Cleveland and they are a game back. Both teams are playing great football, Cleveland riding a 7 game win streak and Wichita 5. Both teams also have to play a tough Vancouver squad:-?
This one should go down to the wire. IWC and MTL aren't completely out of it but neither team has made a move yet and it's almost too late.
AC South:
Contenders: Houston (all 7-3)
Hanging by a thread: Murfeesboro (4-6)
Spoiler role: Louisiana (2-7-1) and St. Louis (1-9)
A far cry from last year when it was a 3-way race, Houston has this division nearly locked up. The only possible stumbling block is that they already lost to Murf and they play them on the road to end the regular season.
AC East:
Contenders: Hartford (6-4) and West Virginia (5-5)
Spoilers: Norfolk (2-eight) and Chicago (1-9)
Both contenders still have to play 3 games with the tough NC East. Hartford lost to WVA but hosts them in week 17 with the division possibly on the line. WVA will also get Harvey Ingle back for the final stretch run.
AC West:
Contenders: Portland (eight-2), Anchorage (6-3-1) and Fresno (6-4)
Outside shot: Los Angeles (5-5)
Portland's slight stumble have given hope to the rest of the AC West. LA appears to be a very long shot with their schedule, especially closing out with 2 tough games on the road. POR has to play LAN, MAD and PEN which won't be a cake walk, but they have the cushion.
projections:
Division winners: Wichita, Houston, West Virginia and Portland
Wildcards: Cleveland and Anchorage
AC Champ: Wichita
NC North:
Contenders: Madison (6-4), Penn (6-4), and Lansing (5-5)
Spoiler: Dakota (1-9)
This division is really tough to figure out. All the teams have to still play Portland and Penn has to play LAW but I think PEN may have the edge with 4 home games including the last one with LAN which is likely a must win. Madison is the only team that has to play both other contenders.
NC South:
Contenders: Georgia (eight-2) and Tulsa (6-4)
Likely done: Texas (4-6)
Spoiler: Little Rock (2-eight)
Tulsa edged Georgia in 2022 but Georgia has the inside track this year. However, Tulsa appears to have a slightly easier schedule and hosts GEO the final week, so GEO would really like to hold on to that 2 game lead. TEX actually has 4 winnable games but would likely have to run the table which seems very unlikely.
NC East:
Contenders: Lawrence (9-1) and Newark (eight-2)
Outside shot: Vermont (6-4) and Orlando (5-5)
The loss by LAW at NWK likely sets the stage for a last week showdown for the division title in LAW. LAW will have to make their run without McBrayer anchoring the secondary. VER has had a tough 3 weeks and they need to figure out how to turn it around quickly. I'm surprised that ORL is only 5-5 but they've had a lot of injuries so maybe I shouldn't be. They also have probably the toughest schedule in the division and Nixon's hammy puts a damper on Orlando's already tenuous playoff hopes.
NC West:
Contender: Vancouver (9-1)
Outside shot: Salt Lake City (5-5)
Spoilers: Reno (2-eight) and OAK (1-9)
SLC's modest 2 game win streak has injected some hope into the Stallion faithful. They play their next 4 at home, however they play 4 pretty tough teams. They already beat VER and if they could beat LAN it would help them with potential wildcard tiebreakers.
projections:
Division winners: Penn, Georgia, Lawrence and Vancouver
Wildcards: Madison and Newark
NC Champ: Lawrence
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