With 12 hours left before the cut deadline, most QFL3 teams have put their teams in compliance. Nick still has a whopping 11 players to cut or move though. In a slow year thus far for trades, Duncan & Kalb jumped at the chance to upgrade QBs. They first shipped a just average Dallas DEF and their 2nd rounder to Lombardi for Eli Manning. Then, hoping to get something out of their previous two QBs, moved Vince Young to Mike for his 2nd rounder. All this with the net effect of trading V.Y for Eli AND potentially a higher 2nd round pick. (Mike is currently 1-3, Duncan / Kalb 4-0). For Mike, he wisely franchised Rodgers coming into the year, but has only Moore & Clausen as QB2s and needed a fill in QB that could score more than 2 points on GB bye week.
#1 Balti-Morons — (4-0; 69.85 avg. points) Another week and another win, although this time more convincingly. Where would this team be without Arian Foster? For all the knocks Eli may take, he’s a vast improvement from what this team had. Is a move to 5-0 in the cards? Nick has 2RBs on bye, Vick on the shelf, and potentially McFadden there as well – half of his starting lineup from week 4 could be gone.
#2 Raging Alcoholics – (3-1; 78.68 avg. points) Did you know that this team was within 3 points of being undefeated if not for a narrow defeat in week one? Dan has to be hoping the Moss trade doesn’t tarnish his investment in Wes Welker, especially since he only has Boldin and newly signed Lance Moore at WR. This writer doesn’t think the matchup with Quimby will be their last, as both are early playoff favorite teams.
#3 Golden Smoot – (3-1; 76.75 avg. points) Whoa. The lucky beneficiary of a whopping 31 points out of the SD defense, Richman & Co almost didn’t need the rest of the team to show up to notch a win. They’re even luckier to have Mike Bell picked up from the draft behind the now injured McCoy. Tack on a now injured, though a bit surprised it took this long, Clinton Portis and without Bell there wouldn’t be much left at RB.
#4 Qutane — (2-2; 79.77 avg. points) This team has always been able to put points on the board, but needed the win last week to come even. The matchup with Mexiq didn’t quite turn out as planned though, winning by just under 50 points. There’s still a need to cut 3 players, and they might be a bit better than scrubs. Picking up Brandon Tate this week may indicate where the cuts will come from.
#5 Vote Quimby – (2-2; 73.56 avg. points) A definite team on the rise. Wise & Co have made solid moves in picking up Torain and Green-Ellis for $1 each, and we know one of them looks to be a starter for the rest of the season. How good will Peterson be with Moss on the Vikes? There’s a ton of RB depth on this team. A win this week would be huge.
#6 Quickly Eliminated – (2-2; 73.38 avg. points) Oh so close to a win last week. Remember that Houston defense? It’s gone now. Philly and Dallas make a nice defensive duo. With not one, but two Viking WRs (Rice & Harvin), this team is another winner from the Moss trade.
#7 Ron Mexiq – (2-2; 70.81 avg. points) Where did this team go last week? Putting up just 37 points won’t go down as the lowest point total this year, but it’s close. This team should get a shot in the arm with Big Ben coming back when Dan plays Wallace. Anything is better than the goose eggs Sims-Walker has been laying.
#8 Qtopia — (2-2; 69.47 avg. points) Charlie Batch wasn’t the answer as a fill in QB, and Steve Smith came out of the game injured, so Doug was behind the 8 ball early into week 4. With everybody off bye weeks and healthy, the wishbone is back as the lineup of choice. Let’s hope that this week the rest of the team puts up more points than Kaeding this time.
#9 Revenge of the Cox – (2-2; 65.10 avg. points) It’s a mixed bag for Chase. The move to the Vikes for Moss means he gets 17 active games rather than 16. Unfortunately, there’s no taking back the 0 points from this past Monday night. Moss in Minnesota means Chase won’t lose 2 of his 4 big name players at once on bye, but at what cost? Will Brady’s production fall off? Can Moss be productive in Minnesota? Perhaps no QFL3 team has more to lose/gain than Chase. On a different note, at least Vick’s injury puts Kolb back in the driver seat so a desperate play for a fill in QB was not needed.
#10 Al Toon All Stars – (1-3; 61.17 avg. points) A nice win for the rookie owner. The trade of Lynch to Seattle should make Fred Jackson a bit more playable on this team. Side bar: What’s Dustin Keller doing on the practice squad!?
#11 The Russing Russians – (1-3; 65.70 avg. points) Nick should be able to handle the loss of Vick by plugging in one of his other 5 QBs. (Who knows how many stick around after today though?) Is now the time to roll with Bradford, or stash him away in Europe? There’s no doubt this team will have the most free agent money left to spend after cuts. It’s just a matter of time before we’re all outbid for this year’s version of Ryan Grant 2008.
#12 Goonie Goo Goo – (0-4; 63.40 avg. points) Only 3 points away from win #1. Paul had the lead going into Monday night, but that Green-Ellis TD sealed the loss. On the plus side, Favre should finally quit complaining and throw some TDs, and Santonio Holmes comes off suspension this week.
Shades