 |
| Lamar Jackson led the Midtown Browns to their first division title. |
By R.E. Porter
Associated Web Press
The NFFA 2023 championship playoff picture is coming into focus with one division champion already crowned and four other teams still in contention for playoff berths.
With their razor-thin win over the East Nashville Black Dogs (6-8) last weekend, the Midtown Browns (9-5) clinched the Linardo division title and eliminated the Blacks Dogs from playoff contention. Even though they could still finish in a tie with the Village Green (8-6), the Browns swept the Green this season and therefore own the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Three teams still have a chance to claim the Jorge division crown. The Cambridge Animals (9-5) are currently ranked first by virtue of having a higher season point total than the West Nashville Beelzebubbas (9-5), with whom they split their two regular-season meetings. The two-time defending division champion London Bakers (8-6) still have a path to their third straight Jorge title if they defeat the Animals this weekend and the Bubbas lose to the Black Dogs.
Here are the playoff scenarios for the four teams still in contention:
• Cambridge Animals: The Animals can clinch the Jorge division title with a win and a Bubbas’ loss. If both the Animals and Bubbas win, the Animals can clinch the division if the Bubbas’ point total is not 111 points greater than theirs. The Animals can even clinch the division with a loss of less than 50 points to the Bakers and a Bubbas’ loss. If the Animals lose and the Bubbas win, the Animals would still be in contention for a wild-card berth. They would finish in a tie with the Bakers, and possibly with the Green, as well. As the overall points leader, they would have the inside track for a wild-card spot.
• West Nashville Beelzebubbas: The Bubbas can clinch the Jorge division with a win over the Black Dogs and an Animals’ loss. The Bubbas can also win the division even with an Animals win if they outpoint the Animals this weekend by 111 points. Either way, the Bubbas will clinch a playoff berth with a win. And like the Animals, they would still be in strong contention for a wild-card spot even with a loss this weekend. If the Bubbas lose and the Bakers lose, the Bubbas would clinch a wild-card spot.The Bubbas would also clinch a wild-card berth with a loss by the Green.
• London Bakers: The Bakers can clinch the Jorge division title with a 50-point win over the Animals and a Bubbas’ loss. They can clinch a wild-card spot with a win over the Animals fewer than 50 points and a Green loss. If both the Bakers and Green win and the Bakers don’t win the Jorge division, the Bakers would finish in a three-way tie with the Green and either the Animals or Bubbas. The first tiebreaker, head-to-head competition, would be all even, which would bring the second tiebreaker of total points scored into play, and the Bakes are well-positioned as the second-highest-scoring team. The Bakers could still make the playoffs even with a loss if the Green lose and don’t outpoint the Bakers by 109 points.
• Village Green: The Green can clinch a wild-card berth with a win and a Bakers loss. If both the Green and the Bakers lose, as previously noted, the Green would have to outpoint the Bakers by 109 points to earn the final wild-card spot. If both the Green and the Bakers win, the Green would finish in a three-way tie with the two Jorge teams contending for a wild-card berth. The second tiebreaker of total points scored would determine which two team makes the playoffs, and with the lowest point total among the contending teams, the Green would have the longest odds to win the tiebreaker and secure a playoff spot. So the Green need to win to give themselves a real chance at the playoffs.
* * * * *
The first three picks in the 2024 draft are already set. The Ballers (3-11) will have the first pick, followed by the Boca Chica Daddies (4-10) and the Black Dogs. The fourth pick will go to the odd team out in the wild-card race.
It should be noted that there have been some rumblings on the NFFA grapevine of instituting an NBA-style draft lottery next year to determine the first four picks of the draft. The idea got legs as suspicions grew that the Ballers were intentionally tanking to secure the first pick in the 2024 draft.
The issue came to a head this past weekend when those suspicions seemed to be confirmed by the Ballers starting lineup which featured an inactive QB, Geno Smith, and five regular starters on the bench.
According to league sources, there have been discussions among the other owners about the situation. One league insider, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said one of the owners was especially “disgusted” by the Ballers poor sportsmanship and advocated for a draft lottery. Another lamented “they aren’t even trying,” while a third owner was infuriated “by [Ballers owner] Mojo D’s assault on the integrity of the league.”
One owner, the Village Green’s Dave Goodrow, was willing to speak on the record about the Ballers’ alleged tanking.
“There’s nothing I enjoy more than crushing Mojo D,” Goodrow said. “But if I crush him because he tanked, that takes all the joy out of it.”
Mojo D appeared to confirm his tanking with a comment earlier today on the league chat, writing, “Geno understood the assignment.”
Besides instituting a draft lottery, another possible outcome is for the Ballers to be penalized by the Integrity Court with the loss of their first-round pick being one of the punishments that has been suggested.
An employee at Club Gitmo said Mojo D had not been seen in a week. He added the Club Gitmo Sports Book was considering taking bets on whether the Ballers will be penalized for tanking.
This is a developing story.
