2021 Power Rankings: Week 12 - a podcast by LOC Films

Happy Turkey Day everyone! Welcome to your Week 12 edition of the Power Rankings and, as the season shows us its hand further, we get another step closer to deciding what looks to be a fabulous playoff chase. So, on this day of bountiful midweek football, let us first give thanks. Thanks, of course, that the rankings are on time for once. Enjoy!

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12. U R Gould (3-8) No Change

There’s nothing quite like starting to show signs of life after the entire world has given up on you. Boosting up these rankings would be no different to that oh so classic madden commentary line of, ‘rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic’, but they can take solace from the fact they are no longer the bottom overall seed.

11. Burdettinators (3-8) No Change

Speaking of which, we have a new bottom overall seed. It seems at this stage they are only playing to post new low scores on the season, and it is more or less a one horse race as they try to out do themselves. They have been a little unlucky with injuries but, for all the tinkering, haven’t managed to work it out this year. Maybe a low risk 2022 draft? Nah, no chance.

10. Tom’s Tyrants (3-8) No Change

At this stage of the seasons, we more or less expect a fork a week, and far be it for me to disappoint! Unless you count the fact that this is, of course, my team and they have been heavily disappointing all season. They actually sit 6^thin the points for table, showing what could have been, but would need to catch up nearly 30 points a week to get into that last playoff spot – too much.

9. Bear Necessities (5-6) No Change

Above the fork-zone, we have a very interesting situation. Thanks to a somewhat uninspiring win, and points accumulated in the early stages of the season, they’re only one game outside the playoffs at the moment. Do they look likely to make up that ground and hang on to their points advantage though? They need to get some consistency out of their RBs, but they are in with a far better shout than spot 9 suggests.

8. FTMAL (6-5) Down 2

And, that is why I didn’t boost them last week. The Pat Mahomes bye probably won’t make things any better either, right? They aren’t in a bad position league-wide, but they are clinging on to say the least. If they can find a way to win this week, in a favourable matchup form wise, they will restore some faith, but right now they seem like the most likely 6-5 team to miss out.

7. Patistan (4-7) Up 1

Another unlucky defeat for this team, but things actually didn’t go too badly for them. They put up some good points and reminded everyone why this roster looked so stacked to start the season. But more importantly, with the litany of floundering 6-5 teams above them, their biggest contender for the points for playoff spot looks like they could bust in on record instead, leaving the door wide open…

6. Buccing The Trend (6-5) Down 2

After exploding for the middle part of the season, they appear to have reverted to early season form, which is not good. Tua for Tannehill seems pretty meh at the moment, and a complete stake of the NOLA backfield doesn’t appear as valuable as it was. They’ll be relying on receivers again, receivers who went full M.I.A. last week.

5. Gridiron Gang (6-5) Down 2

Have I been cutting them a bit too much slack? Going even worse than the 60 pointer last week, they really did not deserve to get the win, and would have found themselves even lower if the record was the other side of .500. They need to get fit again, they’ve had too many starters out for too long and are at risk of missing out thanks to a 3^rdworst points for.

4. Napolitans (5-6) Up 3

The march goes on, nearly up into that best of the rest points position now, although also only 1 game outside the playoffs on record. They seem almost a certainty at this stage, which is crazy when you think where they were a few weeks ago. It would be remiss of me not to mention that 85 of the points this week came from two players (one DST), but who cares, it was 85 frickin’ points!

3. IKSAN (6-5) Up 2

It’s already been noted that there are a lot of 6-5 teams, but critically IKSAN have separated themselves from the rest with a better points total and better current form. They’re also healthier than their nearest rivals and, should it stay that way, look the most likely to still be in a playoff spot in 3 weeks time. 

2. Forge Flyers (10-1) Down 1

They hang on to top spot in the seedings, but the tides appear to have turned slightly. A classic championship team, they continue to churn out big points from big players, Rodgers and Mixon doing the heavy lifting this week. But with more role players being plucked from the street (don’t get me wrong, some of them are working out very nicely), they aren’t quite the powerhouse they were. Getting Patterson back healthy and continued growth from Mooney will help.

1. The Dream Team (9-2) Up 1

We’ve known which two teams were going to be top of the seedings for what seems like forever now. We still don’t know which of them will enter the playoffs as the favourite, however. Back-to-back high scoring weeks is a pretty good way to stake your claim though. They are healthier than their main rivals and more capable of winning from all over the roster right now. After a brief hiatus, they reclaim top spot.

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Well, this is shaping up for another excellent LOC playoff race. With 4 places still very much up for grabs, and the 4^th-6^thseeded teams all outside the top 6 in points for, anything could happen. And, for that, we must all indeed be thankful. Apart from the 3 forked teams of course, you have my permission to be bitchy. 

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