Chris' Playoff Outlook: Updated After Week 12

After the first of our divisional deciders, you can already throw last week’s article out of the window. Situations have changed across the board and I for one, am so F*****g here for it. Let’s have another look, shall we? To follow will be a view of who can win each division, who can make playoffs via best record, who can make playoffs as the Highest Points Scorer, and who could be this season’s Johnny.

We start in the North

North

The North Division has gotten even more straightforward. The Wigan Wombats are now pretty much just needing a single win over the next 2 weeks to secure the division. While not mathematically done with a win, they have a strong advantage in terms of the Points For Tiebreaker over the Bandits which makes it almost impossible for Nottingham to get ahead if records are tied. All eyes will still be on their Week 14 showdown, especially if the Lurgan Leopards can throw another spanner in the works this week by beating the Wombats.

Onto the Midlands

Midlands

The “Someone has to win it” Division of the league is continuing its meander to mediocrity. The only division without a winning record and its leader only just making it into the top half of the league for Points For by 9.34 says everything you need to know about the Midlands. The Derby Otters and Cymru Cobras are currently tied for the division lead with 2 weeks remaining and a showdown this week which could decide it all. At least one of them ‘should’ have a winning record this time next week. Is this division going to boil down to “Who can set a full lineup?”

And the South

South

The situation in the south hasn’t really changed a great deal. The Oxford Pythons require a single win to claim the division, but with the Oxford derby on the cards this week, and both the Andover Sandslashers and Oxford Seahawks breathing down his neck, is a famous Pythons Choke really on the cards here?

Best Records

As we get into the best record conversation, it feels like our best course of action is to take the overall table and remove our current division leaders from the conversation. This would leave us with the current situation being that the Andover Sandslashers and Oxford Seahawks are our current #4 and #5 Seeds, respectively.

Overall

This order was thrown all over the place with a Bandits loss to the Leopards. We see the Seahawks sneak into the 5th seed; all he needs to do is keep 1 game ahead of the Bandits to stay in his spot. That’s where the conversation ends really. There will be 2 spots filled by either the Sandslashers, Seahawks, or Bandits. It is worth noting that based on record alone, there are still no teams guaranteed a playoff spot. Even the Pythons have the mathematical possibility to drop out of the playoffs. Eliminated Teams are the Leopards, Spartans, Beavers, Eagles, and Fireflies.

Highest Points Scorer

As you will all know, our 6th and final playoff spot goes to the highest remaining points scorer, so let’s see the overall table, without our current playoff spot holders.

Race for #6

As the table shows, the Bandits currently occupy that spot, but this race is close starting to look like a very Northern Affair. 2 weeks remain, and it’s starting to look like a 4-horse race for the final spot. However, things could be thrown in the air again if any more movements occur within the best record spots. If by the end of the season either the Pythons (1530.98 PF), Wombats (1346.08 PF), or the Sandslashers (1263.50 PF) were to drop out of the top 5, they would be clear winners of the #6, but it gets a little more interesting if the Otters or Seahawks were to drop back out of the top 5, as you can see with them highlighted in red above. There are too many situations to break down as of now. Look out for a thrilling conclusion and breakdown come week 14.

Johnny

Our Johnny Race is still quite up in the air, 4 possible teams could be taking Johnny home.

Race for Johnny

Johnny has narrowed his view but is looking on more intently than ever. One contender has realistically saved themselves from a potential date with Jason’s Sloppy Seconds as the Leopards winning has put them 2 wins and over 100 points clear of the Fireflies. The Spartans will likely only need 1 win over the next 2 weeks to make themselves safe also, but it could be a nervy 2 weeks for the Coventry Eagles and Chippenham Beavers. The Fireflies outscored both of their adversaries in week 12 and widened their Points advantage over the 2. If they can win against either the Cobras in week 13 or the Eagles in week 14 it will put this race strongly onto the others. Going into week 14 with potentially 4 teams scrapping it out on points alone for who gets to go home with Johnny is a party I hope to have no part in but is fantastic entertainment for the rest of the league watching on in horror.

Final Thoughts

I didn’t think 1 week would throw up so many surprises and change so much landscape for the end of the season, but here we are. This is why I love this league; the drama is second to none and I can’t wait to see how it pans out. Who is going to make playoffs? Who is going to win the league? Who is going to win Johnny’s heart for a year? Who fucking knows?