week 7: the recap
Well, we’ve managed to make it through Week 7 and are in the midst of the trade deadline … so I’d say this is one of the most insane weeks for me to emotionally keep up with. You’ll see in the rankings that a few trades involved some of my favorites, and I’m questioning all together who I root for.
We finally had a week where the quarterbacks were some of our top scorers. They say Cam Newton and Drew Brees are both almost ready to come back - although my feeling is only one of them really has a job to come home to.
We also got to see pre-snow storms weather football with the 49ers game looking like the most fun slip and slide situation I could think of.
I will also admit that I spent the two weeks in California, and spent the entire Sunday one weekend somewhere without service (which frankly still confuses me that that is still a thing.) - so my recap will do its best with limited information.
BroNation Power Rankings
Marcus Peters | There was a moment last week when the Rams traded Peters away where I was convinced they’d just given up for the season. With fellow BroNation OG Aqib Talib on IR - why were they shipping Peters off to Baltimore? It only took another hour for me to hear that they’d actually made moves to get Jalen Ramsey from the Jags to understand that they had in fact not given up. I’m just sad I don’t get to see Peters and Ramsey together. Peters makes the top of the list because he not only moved to Baltimore on Tuesday, he got himself an interception and a touchdown. I like it when people get their revenge successes. Just in case anyone doesn’t know why I love Peters so much - act like this and I’m hooked:
Don’t like the call? Get rid of the evidence.
2. Emmanuel Sanders | Well - this one both makes me happy and confused at the same time. I am happy that I no longer need to watch Sanders near tears talking about being in a world of suck, but confused that Von Miller is now my only OG BroNation member left on the Broncos. I already was committed to my love for the Rams, and now I’ve got my eye on the 49ers … I feel like California is making a hard play for my heart and I might be here for it. BroNation has their eye on you Sanders, make us proud:
3. Jalen Ramsey | The other part of the trade that got Peters on the top of the list, we couldn’t leave Ramsey off of the power rankings this week. I’ve always been a fan of his taunting, primarily because it results in so many of the good fights I like to cheer for. I have mixed feelings that he took Peters away from the Rams … but I’m excited to see the Talib and Ramsey combo, just accepting that I have to wait a year for it. Maybe in the meantime we can get some flops like this:
4. JuJu Smith Schuster | Well, in case any of you missed it, JuJu’s dog Boujee had a birthday last week. In case anyone was worried - he got plenty of gifts, shoutouts, AND a party I was a little bummed I wasn’t invited to. I’m waiting on JuJu being back on this list for scoring touchdowns and dance celebrations, but in the meantime his nugget pup will keep him relevant. In case anyone wanted to know how they should show up to hang out with me - JuJu has it nailed:
5. Julio Jones | Julio never gets on to these lists for his antics, besides his one liners about being the best which are too rare as it is. This week Julio spoke out in their locker room defending their coach, and the number of responses from teammates who said that when Julio speaks, everyone listens, is why we keep him on this list. I also went digging for a good gif for him this week and found this petty move mocking Cam Newton when they played the panthers and his BroNation star immediately shined a little brighter:
PreGaming BroNation
Darren Waller | I debated letting Waller jump straight into the power rankings, but I don’t trust the Raiders so I need to see that he can kill it another week. First, love a good breakout from a tight end, and I am so pleased that he was actually started in our no-tight-end league. Second, if you watched Hard Knocks and DIDN’T fall in love with Waller, I think we need to talk about a few things. We all know I’m a sucker for a slow motion workout scene, add in his tug-at-your-heartstrings-comeback story and I’m here for it. Who am i kidding, he’s doing more than pre-gaming BroNation:
Montez Sweat | Now, if you talked to me at all during the combine you know that Sweat has been on my radar since I watched him do a series of ridiculous workouts in a spandex onesie. If you remember from the BroNation intro, I love a good endorsement, and I have to say Sweat really made some moves with this Old Spice ad. I’ve been waiting for it.
The Stats
Highest Score: Billionaire Club (Craig) - 124 points
Lowest Score: Back that Pass Up (Kelly) - 39.1 points
Biggest Whoops: Drop Deebo!!!! - I’m gonna give this to Chirag for NOT playing Marvin Jones while he got 33 points. Yes, that would have made Chirag win, we also should probably assume the Giants are on par with the Dolphins for making their opponents look amazing.
The Matchups
Trillionaire Club (Richie) 88.3 points
Back that Pass Up (Kelly) 39.1 points
Well, despite a somewhat unexciting week, Richie is now officially undefeated. My brain still hasn’t been able to process that he’s any good, so hopefully I’ll catch up. I don’t really have to say though that this week Kelly did not put up much of a fight. It was my favorite kind of awful performance with Kelly’s kicker being her second highest scoring player with a whopping 12 points. If i were her I’d want the Texans to be a little more gentle with one of her only scoring players.
Now, Richie was really lucky that Lamar Jackson played to the critics and became his own running back to get some points on the board. I tend to root for any team that is playing against the Seahawks, but Baltimore really had me in this game and I loved watching it unravel to a total domination at the end.
Richie might also benefit more than this week from Adam Theilen getting hurt, and the Vikings still being on a recovery from the wide receivers going on a complaining campaign. Seems like they remembered how much we all love Stefon Diggs and need to see more of his work.
JPugh What-It-Do (Jason) 86 points
Drop Deebo!!!!!! (Chirag) 56.6 points
Now I love Mahomes as much as Jason likely does, so I’m also bummed to see him out for a few weeks. Let’s all hope it means we have a chance to knock Jason down from the top spots before Mahomes comes back better than ever.
What I DID like to see was BroNation hopeful Waller being Jason’s top scorer. I think I emotionally pushed all tight ends out of my radar with our roster changes, and I’m feeling like I left some good ones behind. Let’s see if he can be un-raider like and be consistently good for Jason.
Now, I still don’t understand why in a league where you don’t need to play a TE Chirag is playing two? I’m here for Kittle being of value but you’re really testing it. I might be willing to consider Kittle as a BroNation candidate, but we all know I’m just a sucker for tight ends.
Mitches Get Stitches (Diane) 107.5 points
Houston, We Have a Problem (Ross) 85 points
So I will admit that I came into this recap ready to really hand it to Diane. She traded away Michael Thomas last week and I am not sure I’ll ever understand that or forgive her. I’m hoping that this win means she isn’t fully giving up and throwing anyone else away.
Overall Diane’s entire team crushed it, including Cousins sitting on her bench with 29.2 points. Some of the highest scoring players on both rosters were their defense. I am pleased that the Jags can continue to survive without Ramsey … but much more of an effort was from the Patriots who destroyed the Jets.
I also think that Josh Allen’s stellar game is proof that we should all just be grabbing any player that is matched up against the Dolphins. Because it’s not that this guy is a good choice for someone to Diane to keep starting…right?
Billionaire Club (Craig) 124 points
Hot Chubb Time Machine (Neil) 103.3 points
I don’t want to condone any of Neil’s bitching, but I do think he has a point that he keeps being matched up against the people who score the most points. I’m going to ignore the fact that Aaron Rodgers had an absolutely insane game that pretty much single handedly made Craig win, and instead focus on this taunting celebration by Maxx Crosby (because one X isn’t enough in Max…) from sacking Rodgers:
Field of Bros (Me) 84 points
Chicago Placeholder (Sarah) 57.9 points
Not going to lie, I definitely didn’t expect to win this week. With Saquon Barkley’s return I for sure thought my motley crew wouldn’t be able to pull it together. What I am happy to report back is that Gardner Minshew was my highest scoring player. Just needed to have faith. When the week started with me deciding to start three Broncos and barely getting 10 points this was indeed a surprise.
Even with her loss I still think Barkley stole the show of this match up with his pre-game quad warm ups:
Just My Luck (Julie) 87.2 points
Ezekiel 23:19-21 (Sean) 80.1 points
GUYS. Julie WON. And she beat Sean. What a good matchup this week. It came down to Michel vs. Edelman. And not going to lie - I’d never assume that Michel would win out in that match up, but it was easier for him to just run all over the Jets and get 3 touchdowns.
Jacoby Brisset is who really got Julie her win, and I think we’re all confused that Luck leaving the Colts didn’t result in them having any struggles? Ross in particular felt that as a confident Texans fan going in to watch the Colts take a divisional win. I think maybe its time we take him seriously.
Well we are onto Week 8! Will Richie manage to stay undefeated? Will there be more group celebrations? Let’s hope.
I’ll leave you with my favorite thing I saw this week. Eric Ebron - you’re making me pay attention:
