Gridiron Gazette: Goal Line Stand (Week 12)

DeAngelo Williams and the Busch University running game have come up huge this season. Even without a TD the backfield solidified a victory in Week 11 and clinched a playoff birth for the Lattes, and for that they are thankful.





Goal Line Stand (Week 12)
Cam Pannalist, Gridiron Gazette



There has been a lot of disappointment for some teams this season. A 10-game losing streak, two franchise running backs out for the season, forgetting when the trade deadline is; Sometimes, things just don't go right.

And so, on this Thanksgiving Day, we should try to find the silver lining in an otherwise cloudy year. Sure you're 1-10, but your team has loads of potential AND the #1 pick next year. So what if you have 3 running backs and only one of them actually knows how to run, your guy has a great shot at Player of the Year honors. Find the good amongst the bad, eat some turkey... and pray you don't have to face Busch in the playoffs.


Rakeville is thankful for...
2010. The U-Rake offense is young and loaded with potential, especially with a receiving corps of Michael Crabtree, Calvin Johnson, and Jeremy Maclin. If the Grays find a back to compliment Kevin Smith, this team will be sniffing a playoff spot in 2011. In 2010, anything more than 1 win will be nice.

Stardust is thankful for...
excess roster space. If it weren't for a lost season and a gigantic bench, S.U.C.H. wouldn't be able to keep QB Michael Vick on their roster. What they plan for the 29-year old felon is beyond me (with Stardust's roster, he is not worth a keeper spot), but the steady paycheck looks good in mailbox of Vick's halfway house each week.

Weymouth is thankful for...
a chance. Their 2008 rookie campaign was nothing to brag about, yet the Islanders still managed 4 wins. The 4 wins they already have this year (most notably Week 6 vs. Golden) is a testament to their hard work and dedication to success. While Weymouth has struggled, the rest of the conference has seen they truly have a plan, and its finally coming to fruition.

Mexico is thankful for...
2005 and 2007. Remember those years, when Mexico was good? 2 championships in 3 years, a running game that could not be stopped, and receivers that caught every ball. Those receivers (Torry Holt, TJ Houshmandzadeh) don't have the speed to get open anymore, and those backs (LaDanian Tomlinson, Willie Parker) are now shells of their former selves. Thankfully, whoever wins the championship this year will be able to see Mexico's name on the FAC-10 plaque.

Dublin is thankful for...
Chris Johnson. In a season when the running back trio in Dublin was supposed to conquer the conference, Johnson has been the only one showing up. Brian Westbrook is concussed, Brandon Jacobs is splitting carries, and Glen Coffee gave his job back. DUBA lives and dies in the shoes of Chris Johnson, and lucky for them, those shoes haven't stopped moving all season.

Arizona-Kickery is thankful for...
revenge. In Week 2 they lost a tough one to Mexico by 2 points, and with just 3 weeks left in the season Kickery needed to come up big in their Week 11 rematch. Greg Jennings, Vernon Davis, and Joseph Addai all found the end zone, and Drew Brees threw 3 scores of his own. In the end, the Kickers won a barn burner, 97-94, and gave a huge boost to their playoff chances.

Golden is thankful for...
their next 2 games. Not only do the Gryphons have the most points scored in the league (the #1 playoff tiebreaker), but their remaining opposing clubs are a combined 5-17. Which Weymouth club shows up in the season finale remains to be seen, but with the Golden offense clicking on all cylinders, they have all-but locked up a postseason berth.

Bud Heavy is thankful for...
injuries. Not to their own players, but those that The King's players have replaced. When Brian Westbrook went down with a concussion, RB LeSean McCoy slid into the starting role seamlessly. The season-ending injury to Ronnie Brown killed Golden, but for Bud Heavy it was just more opportunity for RB Ricky Williams. These two backups are now the focal point of the team's offense, and thankfully they're taking advantage of the opportunity.

Gillespie State is thankful for...
Maurice Jones-Drew. Over the last 4 weeks, MJD is averaging 14.57 PPG. On the season he's averaging 13.62, which is tops in the conference among non-QBs. The Black Diamonds are 7-4, and nobody on the team has contributed more to that than Jones-Drew.

Twin City Tech is thankful for...
regular season football. The Red Raiders have had the best offense in the league over the past two seasons, winning two regular season titles, yet have faltered in the playoffs. Tech finally has a roster that won't be taking weeks off in December, so this just might be the year they don't get bumped early... and that would truly be something to be thankful for.

Athol A&M is thankful for...
their Week 11 matchup. Not only did A&M bench QB Brett Favre (22-25, 213 yards, 4 TD), but only one of their starters actually broke 10 points against lowly Stardust. Luckily, S.U.C.H. is terrible and the Alchys won their 8th game, 57-50.

Busch is thankful for...
Stardust University. The Crazy Horses still got a good deal out of their Wide Receiver swap on October 27th, but when you're 5-2 and can add a top-3 receiver to your roster, you're in pretty good shape. The Larry Fitzgerald-Brandon Marshall tandum have rattled off 4 wins in a row, as well as a clinched playoff spot.

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Week 12 Matchups
(4) Gillespie State over (1) Busch
(2) Athol A&M over (10) Weymouth
(3) Twin City Tech over (8) Dublin
(9) Mexico over (5) Bud Heavy
(6) Golden over (11) Stardust
(7) Arizona-Kickery over (12) Rakeville


Last Week: 3-3
Season: 37-29

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Week 12 Power Rankings
1. Busch ( - )
2. Twin City Tech (+2)
3. Athol A&M ( - )
4. Golden (-2)
5. Arizona-Kickery (+2)
6. Bud Heavy (+2)
7. Mexico (-2)
8. Weymouth (+2)
9. Gillespie State (-3)
10. Dublin (-1)
11. Stardust ( - )
12. Rakeville ( - )

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League Notes
- After going 6-7 last season and 1-10 thus far in 2009, Stardust A.D. Adam Howe may be out of the job soon. Apparently, Vegas actually DOESN'T like it when the house loses.

- Weymouth eliminated themselves from contention for the 2010 top draft pick with a win over DUBA last week. This was a relief for potential #1 pick Sam Bradford, who doesn't own a boat.

- Bud Heavy signed QB Mark Sanchez on Monday, and he's already thrown 2 interceptions.

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