2020 Power Rankings-Bowl Week

## Introduction

And so it comes to this. An improbable season full of question marks. Trades that had the people talking. Upset wins, crushing losses. It was a dramatic season and it culminates in a meeting of the two strongest teams from 2020. One started the season so hot that there was good reason to believe they'd break the record for most points in a season. The other broke their own franchise record for most consecutive games over 200 points. Both had a major cooldown in December, with one team failing to break 140 in the season finale and the other falling below 200 for just the second time all year. But Duck Punchers and Paddock 9 both lit it up in the semifinals and now get a chance for their second Eternal Cup of Glory. They will join The Shotti Bunch in the rare club of multiple championships.

Elsewhere, we have three other Bowl games. 2021 draft order is on the line and there are plenty of reasons to be paying attention to all eight remaining teams in the final week of the 2020 LOC season.

## THE GUY Update

It certainly seems like Derrick Henry is picking up the torch of "THE GUY." The only thing remaining is for him to finish the deal in week 16 with a win for Duck Punchers.

## Cinco De Lose-O Results

The Fantasy Gods obviously feel VERY bad about Pain Train. Usually when a team refuses to set their lineup, they are punished accordingly. But after years of punishment, the Gods decided to give him a break with a W in the Cinco De Lose-O. This, despite starting Julio Jones. It was the second lowest winning score of all-time in the 5th place game.

## Stat Chat

* Duck Punchers becomes the first team to reach 90 combined wins. He does so in 150 games. Shotti, at 86 wins through 138, will have 12 games to try and beat that record.
* Duck Punchers becomes the 2nd team to break 300 points in four different games, joining GBM.
* Sweet Dee has 49 combined wins through 121 games. Stupid Idiots is just over halfway there through almost exactly half as many games (25 wins through 60 games). Time will tell if Idiots can outpace Dee to 50 wins.
* Paddock 9 has scored over 253 points in six consecutive matchups vs. The Stupid Idiots.
* Paddock 9 is the only team to have a postseason win in all ten seasons of LOC's history.
* RIPDab logs the 3rd highest postseason score for a losing team and the 6th highest overall score for a losing team in LOC history.

## 300-Point Club Statistics

Duck Punchers' margin of victory was just 45.90, breaking the previous record (held by RIPDab) for the narrowest margin of victory ever for a team scoring over 300 points.

## Matchup Recaps

* Duck Punchers breaks 300 and needed it in his win against a spectacular performance by RIPDab (7-7).
* Paddock 9 casually walks into back-to-back Glory Bowls with an easy win vs. The Stupid Idiots (5-3).
* Pain Train doesn't show up but still somehow beats a demolished Sweet Dee team (11-5).
* The Shotti Bunch remains undefeated in the consolation tournament in three career games and takes another postseason win from ma ma momma said (10-8).
* Papa's Posse completes the trilogy with a sweep of Garoppoblow Me (6-11).

## Trade Tracker

Starts:

* Mixon: 1
* CEH: 8

Starts (Pain Train):

* Metcalf: 10

Starts (Sweet Dee)

* Chark: 9
* Kelley: 1
* Slayton: 8

And so we say goodbye to the highest profiled trade of the season. Neither team will play week 16 this year. Perhaps the implications of the trade were not what we thought, but there is one factor that has not been mentioned. Pain Train may not have won the Glory Bowl, but DK Matcalf now becomes a valuable keeper for 2021.

Starts:

* Patterson: 4
* Bernard: 7

 30.43 points on the bench for Bernard.

## Updated Playoff Game Victory Droughts

Updated through 2020 Semifinals.

Sortable table, click on header arrows.

## All-Time Franchise W/L Postseason Records

Updated through 12/23/20

GBM continues their reputation of postseason choke artist, having lost double the games they have won in their franchise history. Their 0.333 win% is the lowest among all teams who have played more than one season.

## All-Time Franchise Playoff Records

Updated below

Sweet Dee is now 1-1 in the Cinco De Lose-O, while Pain Train avoids going 0-3 in both Cinco and Glory Bowls. Either Paddock 9 or Duck Punchers will tie momma for 2nd most playoff wins in LOC history.

## 2020 Festival Semifinal Performances

Festival Semifinal Performances
 Paddock 9
 RIPDab
 The Stupid Idiots

What do you think stings more? Being Idiot and putting up the worst score in the semifinals in ten years? Or being RIPDab and putting up the 8th best score ever but having their L count the same as Idiots L?

## All-Time Franchise Consolation Tournament Records

Updated through 12/23/20.

Shotti ties GregCincoDos for most wins without a loss in the consolation tournament. Papa has a chance to tie Sweet Dee for the most consolation wins this week whe nthey take on Shotti.

## Power Rankings

APT = Record against playoff teams

ACT = Record against consolation teams

### 1(1). Paddock 9 (11-3)

* APT: 6-2

In order to become the 2nd team to win back-to-back Glory Bowls, P9 will have to manage his ass off with the RB corp. He has Gibson limited and McKissic ready to go, and Henderson or James Conner ready to replace Akers in the RB2 spot.

### 2(5). Duck Punchers (9-6)

* APT: 7-3

Consecutive monster mash performances has me thinking this team is hot at the right time, similar to Sweet Dee in 2018. Can this all come crashing down on them at the worst possible time? Maybe. But the way this team has looked gives me flashbacks to September, when Duck was unbeatable.

### 3(4). RIPDab (8-6)

* APT: 6-3

Bad beat for RIPDab. Just brutal. And now he comes home to the bowl that bears his name.

### 4(7). Papa's Posse (6-8)

* ACT: 4-2

Team has played great and could have done some damage in the Festival of Champions had they gotten it together earlier this season. They may have deserved it more than the team below them...

### 5(2). The Stupid Idiots (8-7)

* APT: 3-6

Absolutely embarrassing.

### 6(3). Pain Train (8-7)

* APT: 3-7

Not a great look for Pain Train to not set their lineup. Sort of insulting, but I can understand that after three years of letdowns, including two consecutive years of benching the championship, it may get a bit disheartening. I think I'll give them a pass for this one.

### 7(6). Sweet Dee (8-7)

* APT: 4-4

The team was sputtering out towards the end and finishes 2020 having lost four of their last five games. They'll have to make due with a mid-round pick in 2021.

### 8(8). Garoppoblow Me (3-11)

* ACT: 3-3

Blow a dick, you fuck.

### 9(8). Ma ma momma said (7-7)

* ACT: 2-3

Gets George Kittle back, becaues of course he does.

### 10(10). The Shotti Bunch (4-10)

* ACT: 2-3

Shotti will be back and stronger than ever with a top-four pick next year and I am NERVOUS for it.

## The History of the Top Seed

Every top-seeded team that won the semifinals has won the Glory Bowl that season. That would indicate that history is on Paddock 9's side, but there is another stat that favors Duck Punchers.

## 300-Point Playoff Performances

As you can see above, there is only one team that scored 300+ in the playoffs and did not win the Glory Bowl. It just so happens that another team also scored over 300 that postseason, and THEY won the Glory Bowl. This bodes quite well for Duck Punchers heading into week 16's big game.

Shotti is the only team to break 300 two times in three weeks, and he managed it in the 2013 playoffs. It was an impressive run to his first title.

## The History of the 5th-Seed Redux

Updated with Zach's performance in the semifinals.

## 2020 Million Dollar Game - ma ma momma said (7) vs. Garoppoblow Me (9)

The fitting week 13 rematch of the heated rivals momma and GBM. MMS was a win away from the playoffs, now they are a loss away from last place. MMS has won both previous post-season matchups with GBM, but GBM swept Momma in the regular season by winning both week 1 and week 13. Commish has also won five of the last six against Momma.

### The Million Dollar Game (2011-Present)

This will be GBM's second consecutive Million Dollar Game, having won the bowl for the first time in 2019. Momma has lost this bowl three times and is the only team to be playing a fourth Million Dollar Game. Last season, both Million Dollar Game participants outscored the Glory Bowl champion.

## 2020 Heart and Soul Bowl - Papa's Posse (8) vs. The Shotti Bunch (10)

Shotti and Papa is a one-sided matchup, with Shotti having won ten games to Papa's four. However, the teams are 4-4 over their last eight meetings dating back to September 2016. Papa had the superior team all season, especially after Shotti traded Josh Jacobs to this week's Glory Bowl hopeful Paddock 9. The teams split the season series, with Papa winning the most recent matchup on November 16th. Both teams are hoping to win their second Heart and Soul Bowl, and in doing so have control over the first four picks of the 2021 draft.

### The Heart and Soul Bowl (2011-Present)

Paddock 9 (2-0), and Sweet Dee (2-1) have won the most Heart and Soul bowls with two, while GregCincoDos (1-0), Pain Train (1-2), JarJar Stinks! (1-0), Papa's Posse (1-1), The Shotti Bunch, and Sweet Dee (1-1) have won one. Pain Train, Sweet Dee, and Papa's Posse have the most Heart and Soul appearances with three. Paddock 9 and Pain Train are tied for the most consecutive appearances (2). Pain Train and RIPDab have lost a record two Heart and Soul Bowls. The record for consecutive wins is two and is held by Paddock 9.

### Draft Order Selections by Year

This will be the first time since 2017 that someone who does not live at Nate and Chan's house will have the first pick.

## 2020 Salty Dolphin Bowl - RIPDab (2) vs. The Stupid Idiots (6)

The namesake returns. RIPDab comes home to the Salty Dolphin Bowl for a record fifth time, a 50% appearance rate.
Somehow, RIPDab has just ONE victory against Stupid Idiots in franchist history. That happened back in September of last year. Idiots has won five times. RIPDab is coming off a great game while Stupid Idiots is coming off one of his worst.

### Consecutive Winners

One franchise has won consecutive Salty Dolphins:

* RIPDab (2015 Salty Dolphin Bowl and 2016 Salty Dolphin BowlI)

### Salty Dolphin Bowl Appearances by Team

RIPDab is the only team that has won more than one Salty Dolphin Bowl, and it will remain that way no matter the outcome. The question is if he can win an astonishing fourth time, making him the saltiest of dolphins.

## Glory Bowl X - Paddock 9 (1st) vs. Duck Punchers (5th)

Two former champions, one the defending champ and the other the all-time wins leader in the league. This is the only matchup where both teams have ten wins against the other. Fierce, competitive, full of intrigue. It's ex-roommate vs. ex-roommate. Duck vs. Paddock.

This is the SIXTH time these two teams have met in the postseason and Paddock 9 has won all five previous matchups. They split the season series, each dropping a dud against the other at some point in the regular season. Eight of their 20 matchups were won by a team that failed to break 200. Seven were won by a team that broke 220.

Both teams will be able to take a deep breath for the Christmas game, with no players on either NO or MIN going for the championship contenders.

On Saturday, things get wild. Duck with kick things off with a pair of DeAndres, although one has an apostrophe halfway through their name. Swift will go at 1pm, a poetic start considering he is RB1 ahead of Adrian Peterson, who Duck Punchers has rode to the playoffs more than once. At 430, the other DeAndre will go, this time Hopkins. Overshadowed by Derrick Henry, Hopkins has "quitely" put up 76.48 over the last two weeks. His performance is critical to Duck's success. In the night window, Paddock 9 will join the fray with Josh Jacobs. Acquired from Shotti at the deadline, Josh Jacobs has at times been disappointing but another 28+ like he gave P9 in the semifinals will be a good start for the defending champ.

On Sunday, Paddock 9's greatest weapons will go at 1pm. That would be the Mahomes/Kelce tandom. It is also when both defenses, Cleveland and Baltimore, will play. Paddock 9 is benching Buffalo, the defense that got them here, in hopes that the Jets will give up plenty of late Xmas gifts to the Browns.

At 425, the bulk of the players will take the field. The big story in this window is Jalen Hurts, who Duck is opting to start over Russ Wilson. Both players kick off at 425, giving Duck ample time to mull over his decision. It is a gutsy call, but Hurts is coming off 40.03 and 59.85 in his first two starts. Hard to argue that he is the hot hand as opposed to Russell Wilson (37.47 and 21.64 in his last two). It is notable that Paddock 9 had Hurts on his bench and dropped him for

That window will conclude Duck Punchers scoring for the 2020 season. No player currently on the roster is scheduled to go after Sunday afternoon. Barring a late pickup, we will know the score to beat by the time GB and TN kick off on SNF. That is when Paddock 9 must get busy on making up any potential deficit, and he will certainly have the weapons to do it. Sunday night is when AJ Brown, first time pro-bower, hopes to fight through a nagging injury. He did not practive on Thursday, which is typical of late.

Whatever is left to gain (or lose), it will be down to Stefon Diggs on Monday Night Football against a Gilmore-less secondary for New England. The Bills WR is having arguably the best season ever for a Buffalo receiver.

Glory Bowl X will be forever known as "The Improba-bowl." Gun to my head, I would not have gambled very much on a full 16-game season being played this year. And my team only showed up like five times so it is confusing to look back and see that we've been playing for four whole months. But it all worked out, and one of these teams will be taking home the Eternal Cup of Glory.

The Shotti Bunch (4-0) has won the most Glory Bowls with four championships, while Papa's Posse (1-0), Paddock 9 (1-1), Sweet Dee (1-0), Duck Punchers (1-1), and ma ma momma said (1-2) have one win. The Shotti Bunch has the most Glory Bowl appearances with four, followed by ma ma momma said, Duck Punchers, and Pain Train with three each. The Shotti Bunch has the most consecutive appearances (3). Paddock 9, Ma ma momma said and Pain Train each have played in consecutive Glory Bowls. Pain Train holds the record for most Glory Bowl losses (3). The record for consecutive wins is three and is held by The Shotti Bunch. The only team with multiple Glory Bowl appearances and no losses is The Shotti Bunch. One current LOC team has never appeared in a Super Bowl, including franchise relocations and renaming: The Stupid Idiots.

### Consecutive Winners

One different franchise has won consecutive Glory Bowls

* The Shotti Bunch (Glory Bowls V, VI, and VII)

## Team Championship Droughts

It has been just over a year since Paddock 9 took home his first Eternal Cup of Glory, and it has been 2197 days since Duck Punchers claimed victory in 2014. It had been six seasons since his last appearance in the big game. While nine current teams will add another 365 days to their championship drought (with someone destined for other 4,000 days of failure), either Paddock 9 or Duck Punchers will add their name to the pantheon of champions.