2020 WEEKS 16 & 17

2020 WEEKS 16 & 17 - PLAYOFF MATCHUP PREVIEWS

A Father-Son showdown takes place with the Seel Invitational Championship on the line. 

Can Hammer Time make it a 3-peat? Or will the four headed monster rear it’s ugly head and crown a new champion with King Henry at his side.

THE SEEL INVITATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS
In a superhero clash, Peyton plays the role of Star-Lord to avenge himself and those who have been defeated by Thanos (Sledge Hammer). Peyton’s Gamora (Odell’s Rusty Hip) fell to Thanos in the championship game last year. It’s a Father-Son infinity war for the trophy in this endgame finale to the 2020 Seel Invitational.

THE BRADY BUNCH DIVISION CHAMPION

#1 Sledge Hammer (9-5, 5-2)

“You could not live with your own failures, and where did that bring you? Right back to me.” Sledge Hammer plays the role of Thanos in his 3rd consecutive championship appearance. Thanks to Darren Waller and Lamar Jackson, Hammer Time was able to narrowly sneak by his British foe and bring glory to his country. A late rally put the defending champion in danger of not being able to defend his crown, but a 4th quarter score by Alvin Kamara was enough to pull away with a victory. Despite being the experienced fantasy juggernaut when it comes to the narrative, the antagonist of this story is the pound for pound underdog at nearly every position. If we’ve learned anything over the years, it’s not to count the likable villain out. He’s got the upside to outshine Peyton, but he’ll need more than just Action Jackson and Darren Waller to step up if he’s to keep pace with Peyton. The crafty veteran doesn’t have any quit, and if there’s any manager that can find a way to put together a winning performance at any odds; it’s him. Week 16 couldn’t come soon enough. 

THE SEEL CURTAIN DIVISION CHAMPION

#1 Peytons Forehead Shiner (9-5, 4-3)

Peyton was able to officially pull off the upset, unseating the best regular season team in SI history to advance to his first championship. After putting up nearly 200 in Week 14, he had a similar performance in Week 15, coasting to a division championship. Now, his revenge tour can finally come to fruition, with his father being his last roadblock. Scoring the most points total and in the playoffs last year and missing the playoffs by only a few points the year before, he had to watch Sledge Hammer win a 2nd consecutive title from the consolation bracket and throw his love into the pit for a second infinity stone. Now, his quest for redemption and to avenge his previous shortcomings meets its ultimate conclusion. But he must also carry the hopes of the other 6 managers counting on him to stop Thanos on his back. Relying on King Henry, Calvin Ridley, Bobby Trees, and premium matchups, this is still his toughest opponent yet. Despite the difficulty of the matchup, Peyton seems to be the favorite, already beating Sledge Hammer twice this season. Even with the advantages he has, there’s no doubt this is going to be a difficult fight for championship glory. He aims to sweep his father in truly a matchup for the ages. 

WINNERS BRACKET CONSOLATION FINALS (3rd-4th)

Preview: Two very different but equally heartbreaking losses bring these two head to head for a chance at a 3rd place finish.

#2 Is This Soccer? (7-7, 3-4)

After his lead was effectively neutralized in the Week 14 MNF game, Week 15 saw Is This Soccer’s championship dreams brought to a permanent end in a nail-biting game that resulted in Alvin Kamara throwing his title hopes across the pond. With the win on his bench, he’ll have to put it behind him and suit up for another challenging opponent in Bradshank Redemption. He managed to beat Bradshank by 3 points in Week 7, and is hoping to get the stroke of luck that didn’t find him in Week 15. Although he had a much better playoff performance than his opponent, the overall track record would indicate he’s  certainly an underdog against the former #1 seed. If he can pull himself together after such a devastating loss, he’s more than capable of obtaining a 3rd place finish. 

#2 Bradshank Redemption (9-5, 6-1)

Bradshank put together a much better performance in Week 15 with help from Dalvin Cook, Kyler Murray, and Aaron Jones; but the points just weren’t there from the rest of the team. Bradshank has a chance to turn her aggression to the rookie Is This Soccer. The loss of Julio Jones still stings, but she has the firepower to kick the soccer ball while he’s down and take a respectable 3rd place for the second consecutive year. Though her championship aspirations may be gone, Bradshank has a chance at redemption this week after a tough loss. 

CONSOLATION BRACKET FINALS (5th-6th)

Preview: Week 16 sets the stage for a future in-law sibling rivalry between a white hot rookie and the 2019 SI Championship Finalist. Can Gronk surge past her and spike her #1 pick hopes into the ground? Or will Odell shine that rusty hip and show the newbie how it’s done?

#3 Odell’s Rusty Hip (7-7, 3-4)

Odell was able to hold on to her lead over G-Men and show up her father to move on. With only a 8 point lead headed into the MNF game of Week 15 with G-Men having one last crack at it with his WR2, she persevered. However,  the injuries just don’t stop coming as she’s lost Michael Thomas for the remainder of the season. With the points she was able to put in Round 1 despite all her fallen players, this is a team that could have competed for a 2nd finals appearance. She faces a rookie that’s been heating up the last several weeks. Odell will have to show her up in order to get the #1 pick and set her sights on a championship next year. 

#3 Pull the Lever, Gronk! (7-7, 4-3)

Down just 3 points coming into Week 15, Gronk stormed back with a vengeance to easily defeat SaQuads. A much better overall roster aided her greatly, putting up over 150 points in the second week of Round 1. With four performances over 20 points, she made quick work of her opponent and now moves on to the next round. Her next opponent won’t roll over as easily as SaQuads, being just 1 game off of a playoff appearance herself. Had she made the playoffs, she could have made waves depending on the opponent. To keep up the pace, she’ll have to go through a formidable, yet injured Odell’s Rusty Hip to cap off an impressive first season in the Seel Invitational.

LOSERS BRACKET FINALS (7th-8th)

Preview: A final matchup in the losers bracket between two troubled teams has the more consistent G-Men as the favorite for the 7th and 8th place decider. It’s a disappointing finish for two title contenders heading into the year, with a face off of who can pick up the pieces for next season. More effort was put into their matchup preview than the roster management of either squad this season.

#4 Team G-MEN (4-10, 2-5)

G-Men had two left feet in the dance against his daughter, losing a close game between the pair. It’s been a tumultuous season for the 2019 championship hopeful. He’s the favorite against his next opponent and will try to show that his team still has some fight left.

#4 SaQuads #1 (4-10, 0-7)

Becoming the first ever manager to be winless in division play, SaQuads finds himself in a similar place. He was once again let down by the volatility of his roster, getting thrashed in Week 15 and sent to battle for 7th place. He still has a roster with stars to help him pick up a win, but this is no longer the roster projected to finish 2nd in the ESPN post draft analysis. He’ll face another shaky team to try and regain some hope for a rebuild.