OFFL:  RollingSKull Issue 220
THE ROLLINGSKULL, VOLUME 17, ISSUE 220
November 18, 2020, 2023, Music by Girish and the Chronicles, "Loaded"
        
Week Eleven

     -  Romo and Witch Could Hose Up the Playoff Picture As It Stands
     -  Kalish Can Breathe Easy Now, So Why Show Up?
     -  Jimmy, Needs Another Week Before Buying That Box of Cigars
     -  The WILDCARD Is Closer Than You Think
     -  Thow That D Needs to Stop the Bleeding
     -  Not Even the Hoff and Kit can Save Chucky
    
As always, we appreciate your patronage.
 
E. A. Presley
Editor and Chief of the RollingSkull




 

We heard that the Juice needed some work to cover his green fees since becoming a free man in 2021.  Given the OFFL's long history of supporting retired athletes, we are here to help with trivia provided by O.J. Simpson.  This week's question is "This week's question, "In 1992, which team started the season 0-4 and went on to still win their division?" 

The answer is the 1992 San Diego Chargers, who started the year 0-4 and went on to finish the year 11-5. They won the AFC West and also beat the Kansas City Chiefs in the wild card round. The Chargers ended up losing in the next round to the Miami Dolphins. The Chargers didn’t win the Super Bowl but are still the only team in history to lose their first four games and still make the playoffs.

Feels like we are living in 1992 this season.

This week's question is a fastball,  "Who made more Pro Bowls during their career, Ray Lewis or Tony Gonzalez?"

Winners providing the correct answer will win passes to the screening of the lastest Knight Rider spinoff, "Scrub Rider," staring Soldier Chucky as he reprises David Hasselhoff's role of Michael Knight, but in fantasy football world...

"Scrub Rider, a shadowy flight into the dangerous world of a GM who does not exist. Soldier Chucky, a young loner on a crusade to champion the cause of the underachieving, the overrated, the limb armed, rubber legged, in a world of fantasy players who operate above the his level."
                                            
                                THIS WINTER ON THE HALLMARK CHANNEL, WHERE FANTASY FOOTBALL UNDERACHIEVERS GO.

 

 

 



 

This week's checklist:

1.  The lights will go out at the inaugural F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix at 10 p.m. local time Saturday (1 a.m. ET) on Sunday morning.

2.  It is the responsibility of all owners to update their roster for Thursday games.  The remainder of the roster locks in at 12:59am on Sunday. 
     This includes the Sunday late game players and Monday night players.
 
3.  Available Apps for MyFantasyLeague (MFL)
       a.  OFFL Game Day for PC, GAMEDAY APP. Use League ID 13439.
       b.  MFL Premium for iPhone.  League ID 13439
       c.  MFL Platinum for Android.  League ID 13439
            Side note:  The home page scoreboard at tmes is faster if you like to refresh and drill down on each game individually.
  
4.  Assistant Commissioner Jeff Kalish is Pete's backup in the event of a league emergency (i.e. go on the record, late moves, glitches, etc). 
     If you need to time stamp with an email for debate later--  Jeff's email is jeff.kalish@xsitedigital.com and Pete's is plpurvis@bellsouth.net.
  
5.  This week's NFL Schedule:


MATCHUP
TIME
TV
LOCATION 
Thursday, November 16, 2023
Cincinnati
  @  Baltimore
 8:15 PM
PRIME
M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD
Sunday, November 19, 2023
Pittsburgh
  @  Cleveland
 1:00 PM
CBS
Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, OH
Chicago
  @  Detroit
 1:00 PM
FOX
Ford Field, Detroit, MI
Los Angeles
  @  Green Bay
 1:00 PM
FOX
Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI
Las Vegas
  @  Miami
 1:00 PM
CBS
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL
New York
  @  Washington
 1:00 PM
FOX
FedExField, Landover, MD
Dallas
  @  Carolina
 1:00 PM
FOX
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
Tennessee
  @  Jacksonville
 1:00 PM
CBS
EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, FL
Arizona
  @  Houston
 1:00 PM
CBS
NRG Stadium, Houston, TX
Tampa Bay
  @  San Francisco
 4:05 PM
FOX
Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
New York
  @  Buffalo
 4:25 PM
CBS
Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, NY
Seattle
  @  Los Angeles
 4:25 PM
CBS
SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
Minnesota
  @  Denver
 8:20 PM
NBC
Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, CO
Monday, November 20, 2023
Philadelphia
  @  Kansas City
 8:15 PM
ABC/ESPN
GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO
BYE:  Atlanta, Indianapolis, New England, New Orleans

 
 

  
Talk is cheap with only three regular season games left.  The East and Central are too convoluded with proximity and points  to outlline all the scenarios, we will just cover the basics.

 Divisional races remain the same at the top with Gangsters, Hoffnuts, and Linguists leading the way.  It is important to note that the gap in the Central closed in last week.  Hoffman only has a one game advantage on Romo and the Birds.  With Zack being a strong favorite to win against the Fish and Chucky facing Kalish, Hoffnuts could be the odd man out next week.  Now the Central and the East dictate the entire playoff landscape at the moment.  The Birds, Dawgs, and TTD are all in play for the Wildcard!   The Wildcard lead differential is only 7 points at the moment.  This is such a tight race with teams at 500+ points ytd, this becomes a zero-sum game if a team like the Witch were to drop in the standings.  Meaning:  If Jake's overall record were to drop, Witch would still be a playoff team at the six seed while eliminating six other teams in contention (Zack's team can create a similar ripple effect).

Now with all that said...  East and West are the more defined divisions currently.  The East is firmly set at the moment with Gangster having a two point lead.  This all changes with a Gangster loss and a Witch victory which would create a one game differnce with two weeks to go.  Why is this imporant?  The total point qualifer for the Wildcard would drop and possibly create an 8 to 9 team battle for he six seed...  Have a lost you yet?  If I have, don't fee bad.  This took three CBD gummies, a Bible, and a Red Bull to figure out.  Admittedly, Romo taking over first in the Central will make this a lot easier to read by removing their points from the Wildcard. A Blackbird win still makes  this one hell of a calculus equation.  Oh and by the way, if the Dawgs, or TTD win out and everyone else loses here, scrap everything I just said... Shit!

The West is easy to quantify at the moment.  If Jeff continues to win out, Fish, Riders, and Gators need points and more points...

If an asteroid hit the planet on Sunday, here is the playoff picture.
Linguists, One Seed Gangsters, Two Seed
Hoffnuts, Three Seed  Romo, Four Seed
Rodgers Wich, Five Seed Riders, Six Seed 

The Current Order for the Wildcard Chase:  Staring with 11 points out--> Fantatics 549pts, Dawgs 545pts,  Blitzburgh 543pts, TTD 539pts, Blackbirds 527pts,  Machine 503pts, Gators, 495pts, Fish 470pts  (Soldier Chucky is about to join this race according to the crystal ball).

Now you see where the Flying Gators and the Fighting Fish are...  Let me remind everyone, both of these teams have been right here before.  With three games left, they took over the Wildcard in final weeks of the regular season.  AND  They went on to win the league at the at time.  To say Week 11 will be the most important week of the season other than Week 13 is an understatement.

BomB Out!

  
 

 
Last week, 5 for 7.  This leaves Pedro 39 for 70, batting at 557 for the season.  Week 11 picks are brought to you by cardboard cutouts, Carrie Underwood and Candice Crawford.  Yeah, Tony Romo has a type. Fans would troll him at his away games, just like the pic below.
 

SPOKESMODEL

                  MATCHUP PREDICTION


Cunning Linguists   vs    59 to 42:  Cunning Linguists 
   vs    Throw That tD, Win by Default?
Mean Machine may not have a full roster.
   vs    49 to 53:  Midnight Dawgs
class=   vs    54 to 56:  Blitzburgh
Flying Gators   vs    59 to 59.1:  Midnight Riders **
  vs   57 to 47:  Rodger's Witch 
   vs   40 to 67:  Romosexual Tendencies
  ** "Estradiol Game of the Week"


 
 


 
Zack's Fun Facts From Last Week

 Patriots being 2-8 is the first time a Bill Belichek-coached team has been six games under .500 since 2000; Belichek has never been 7-games under .500 as a head coach (1983 Giants were but he was DC). 

Cowboys outgained the Giants by 468 yards, the largest total yardage difference in 44 years. 

Five NFL teams converted a game-winning field goal with no time remaining, an NFL record for a single week. 

CeeDee Lamb is the first WR in history to have 3 straight games of 10 catches for 150+ yards. 

Giants and Jets are combined 4-30 in night games. 

Steelers have been outgained in every game all season; they have run fewer plays than their opponents all season; they have a -26 point differential; they are 6-3. 

Davante Adams had more receiving yards (59) in the first quarter than he did in any of the last five games. 

There are no teams above .500 in the NFC South after 10 weeks.  Chargers and Lions were a combined 7-for-8 on 4th downs. 

Total TDs this season: Zach Wilson 5, Tommy DeVito 4. 

Dak Prescott has 3 straight games with 300+ passing yards & 3+ TDs; the only other three players to do this are Steve Young (1998 – 5), Patrick Mahomes (2018 – 4), and Peyton Manning (2012 – 4). 

5 of the Steelers’ 6 wins are the result of the defense forcing a turnover in the final 2 minutes; in those 5 games they forced 8 turnovers in the final 3:32 of the 4th quarter. 

CJ Stroud currently leads the league in passing yards per game (291.8); the last time a rookie did this was 1939, Davey O’Brien at 120.4. 

Texans offense recorded 17 “explosive” plays in Week 10; tied for 4th most explosive plays by an offense in one game since 2000. 

Mike Evans surpasses Chad Johnson for 38th all-time in receiving yards. 

The only other 15-8 halftime score in history was September 10, 1961; also Broncos vs Bills.  League leader in INTs since 2018:
o    2023: Josh Allen
o    2022: Josh Allen
o    2021: Josh Allen
o    2020: Josh Allen
o    2019: Josh Allen
o    2018: Josh Allen


What's the best live TV streaming service overall in 2023?  -CNet Review

Cutting the cable cord might require you to substitute it with a live TV streaming service. Unlike on-demand platforms, live TV streaming services offer you a live channel lineup, but Hulu's live offering comes with the added perks of the Disney bundle and unlimited DVR. That's why we've chosen Hulu Plus Live TV as our top provider. No other service gives you live channels with blended on-demand content from Hulu and Disney Plus. Its user interface is comparable to its biggest competitor, YouTube TV, and the service is our current top choice because of its layout and content lineup.  These cancel-anytime live TV bundles listed here give you the ability to watch local and national news as well as live sports and events. All you need is a streaming device or smart TV.

Whichever you choose, you can stream live channels such as CNN, NBC, ESPN and Fox on a host of different devices. It's easy to get started. You don't even need a technician to stop by your home. We reviewed and tested these streaming services based on features, cost and channels. Pricing and channel availability are two things that are still in a state of flux. For instance, YouTube implemented an $8 increase, Fubo went up by at least $5, and Hulu Plus Live TV is now $77. Yet, change is all part of the brave new world of live TV streaming over the internet.

If you need help deciding on the best streaming service or streaming bundle, read on. We'll continue to update this best streaming service list periodically as things change (which they frequently do).

Best live TV streaming service overall:  Hulu Plus Live TV
Best channel selection:  YouTube TV
Best TV streaming on a budget:  Sling TV Blue
Best for channel flippers, sports fans:  DirecTV Stream. Read the full article here.

Best live TV streaming services compared
  Hulu with Live TV YouTube TV Sling Sling Orange
& Blue		 DirecTV
Stream ($75)
Price $77 $73 $40 $55 $75
Total Channels 85+ (with access to Disney
Plus, ESPN Plus, Hulu on-demand)		 100+ 30+ 45+ 75+
Number of
simultaneous streams		 2 (pay an extra $10/month
for more)		 3 1 for Sling Orange,
3 for Sling Blue		 4 Unlimited at home
(3 outside home)
Cloud DVR Unlimited Unlimited 50 hours (pay $5/month for 200) 50 hours (pay
$5/month for 200)		 Unlimited
4K No Some
content		 No No Some content



TAILGATING WITH MISTRESS BIANCA  

 HOT DOG BURNT ENDS

Even though these are “poor man's burnt ends” they are rich with flavor. Cooked low and slow, the hot dogs make the perfect vehicle for a dry rub and sweet and stick BBQ sauce. You can use these to feed a crowd without breaking the bank! They also stay good for up to 5 days so you can make them ahead of time and save yourself some prep time come game day. 

3 (8 count) packages of beef hot dogs
¼ cup mustard
½ cup light brown sugar
½ cup Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce
¼ cup butter
¼ cup light brown sugar
1 Tablespoon salt
1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

First, preheat the smoker to 250 degrees F and make your rub (combine the sweet rub ingredients and stir well).

COAT HOT DOGS:
Place the hot dogs in a large ziploc bag and pour in the mustard.Close the bag and shake until thoroughly coated.

SMOKE OR GRILL HOT DOGS:
Place the hot dogs on a high rack. Smoke or grill for 1 hour.

PREP HOT DOGS:
Remove the hot dogs and cut them in half or into thirds.

Use a 9×13-inch disposable metal pan or line a 9×13-inch pan with tinfoil.

Pour the bbq sauce, brown sugar, and half the rub over the hot dogs and toss well to combine and coat the hot dogs evenly.

Cut the butter into pieces and place it on the hot dogs.

GRILL OR SMOKE AGAIN:
Place the pan back on the grill or smoker and turn up the heat to 350°F.
Cook for 20-30 minutes, or until the hot dogs are caramelized.
SERVE: Remove the hot dogs and place them on a plate to serve.

Suggestion:  Instead of using mustard as the binder in this recipe you can use ranch dressing or olive oil.
                   Instead of making your own rub, you can use your favorite store bought rub.

    Flying Gators      Midnight Riders        Cunning Linguists