Full Contact: Playoff Preview

The Full Contact league has never seen a more competitive playoff field than this year's version. It took a few years from the 1999 inception for the league to throw off the training wheels and discover avenues of strategy for dealing with an unique playoff system. Past years have brought us a General McClelland speech chastising playoff owners for not going for the brass; complaints about borderline playoff teams trading off their key playoff chips for a prettier roster; and many owners choosing to keep their nucleus intact as opposed to putting forth the effort to field a full lineup.

This year, however, has built on last year's competitive vibe with a flurry of final week trading the likes of which the nine-year league has never seen. Every playoff owner will field a full strong lineup, and most owners knocked themselves out upturning every rock and stone for key playoff acquisitions. If things break right, this one could be anyone's ballgame. And, hell, that's the way it should be. Congratulations to all of the playoff owners for getting this far, and furthermore, for realizing that championship banners fly forever: swing for the fences.

*For a complete list of final week trades, see the previous Full Contact post here.
**For Full Contact Playoff Rules & Set-up, click here.

Playoff landscape:


#1 Seed: WARRIORS [+82]

Week 1 Lineup:
QB: Philip Rivers, SD - #3 vs. Tennessee [+7]
RB: Ladainian Tomlinson, SD - #3 vs. Tennessee [+6]
WR: Chris Chambers, SD - #3 vs. Tennessee [+4]
WR: Craig Davis, SD - #3 vs. Tennessee [0]
TE: #Antonio Gates, SD - #3 vs. Tennessee [0]
TE: Kevin Boss, NYG - #5 @ Tampa Bay [0]
K: Nate Kaeding, SD - #3 vs. Tennessee [+4]
D: Chargers, SD - #3 vs. Tennessee [+5]

Bench: Laurence Maroney, Rob Bironas [5]

Strategy: It's the Chargers-or-Bust strategy once again for the Warriors. With a roster comprised almost wholly of Chargers and Bengals, it's become an annual conundrum for Brad to find a way to make that work in the playoffs without osterizing his nucleus. After the Chargers stormed through the league like Sherman through the South to finish the season, the Warriors had but little choice other than to stick with the Chargers and hope their hot streak continues.

Outlook: The Warriors can build a nice lead with their homefield advantage points [+18] and a nice first week victory out of the Chargers, but how long can that last with Phil Rivers' happy feet rendition at the first sign of defensive pressure? The Chargers are talented, but they're likely one win and done unless Rivers reverses course and plays out of his ass throughout the playoffs.

Week 2 Lineup:
QB: Philip Rivers, SD - #3 @ Indianapolis [+14]
RB: Ladainian Tomlinson, SD - #3 @ Indianapolis [0]
RB: Laurence Maroney, NE - #1 vs. Jacksonville [+10]
WR: Chris Chambers, SD - #3 @ Indianapolis [+7]
TE: #Antonio Gates, SD - #3 @ Indianapolis [+1]
TE: Kevin Boss, NYG - #5 @ Dallas [0]
K: Nate Kaeding, SD - #3 @ Indianapolis [+3]
D: Chargers, SD - #3 @ Indianapolis [+3]

Likely Week 3 Lineup:
QB: #Philip Rivers, SD - #3 @ New England
RB: #Ladainian Tomlinson, SD - #3 @ New England
RB: Laurence Maroney, NE - #1 vs. San Diego
WR: Chris Chambers, SD - #3 @ New England
TE: #Antonio Gates, SD - #3 @ New England
TE: Kevin Boss, NYG - #5 @ New England
K: Nate Kaeding, SD - #3 @ New England
D: Chargers, SD - #3 @ New England


#2 Seed: BACKYARD ALL-STARS [+61]

Week 1 Lineup:
QB:
RB: Najeh Davenport, PIT - #4 vs. Jacksonville [+12]
WR: Hines Ward, PIT - #4 vs. Jacksonville [+7]
WR: Joey Galloway, TB - #4 vs. New York Giants [0]
TE: Chris Cooley, WAS - #6 @ Seattle [+4]
TE: Jerramy Stevens, TB - #4 vs. New York Giants [0]
K:
D:

Bench: Tom Brady, Todd Collins [9], Kevin Faulk, Jabar Gaffney, Donte Stallworth, Terry Glenn, Ben Watson, Alex Smith [8], Ben Troupe [3], Nick Folk, Jeff Reed [5], Patriots Defense

Strategy: The patented Piggyback Gambling strategy has been uncanny in its resistance to failure, but it will face its toughest test to date with a reliance on Pittsburgh, Washington, & Tampa Bay in Week One. With less than appetizing 2nd round receiving options, gambling on week one points at WR/TE was the smart move.

Outlook: Leaving Todd Collins and Jeff Reed on the bench in round one may well be the smart move as well with points-monsters Tom Brady and Nick Folk waiting in the wings, but will the lack of juevos on QB and kicker burn Wess in the long run? BYAS needs to grab those points in Week One in combination with the homefield advantage [+15] to hold off a strong field. If the Steelers, Redskins, and Buccaneers all come up short, so will BYAS.

Week 2 Lineup:
QB: Tom Brady, NE - #1 vs. Jacksonville [+15]
RB:
WR:
WR:
TE:
TE:
K: Nick Folk, DAL - #1 vs. New York Giants [+5]
D: Patriots, NE - #1 vs. Jacksonville [+3]

Likely Week 3 Lineup:
QB: Tom Brady, NE - #1 vs. San Diego
RB:
WR:
WR:
TE:
TE:
K:
D: Patriots, NE - #1 vs. San Diego


#3 Seed: UNDERPAID ACTION HEROS [+98]

Week 1 Lineup:
QB: Matt Hasselbeck, SEA - #3 vs. Washington [+5]
RB: Shaun Alexander, SEA - #3 vs. Washington [0]
WR: D.J. Hackett, SEA - #3 vs. Washington [+10]
WR: Nate Burleson, SEA - #3 vs. Washington [+2]
WR: Bobby Engram, SEA - #3 vs. Washington [+1]
TE: Marcus Pollard, SEA - #3 vs. Washington [+1]
K: Josh Brown, SEA - #3 vs. Washington [+9]
D: Seahawks, SEA - #3 vs. Washington [+17]

Bench: Michael Turner, Reggie Wayne, Wes Welker, Patrick Crayton, Matt Bryant [2], Buccaneers Defense [1]

Strategy: For the second time in three years, the franchise is going with a Seahawks-or-Bust strategy. Former owner and perennial contender Duane Pulliam went heavy Seahawks in '05 and came up just a few points short of his first championship. With just over a year's experience in the league, Boat has pushed all of the right buttons starting with a windfall in the draft. He did an impressive job consummating a few last-minute trades to solidify his lineup.

Outlook: Underpaid Action Heros have no choice but to start all Seahawks in Week One while praying that they hold off the Redskins and score big in the process. The Redskins come in as the unquestioned hottest team in the NFC, and considering the differences in schedule, could easily lay claim to being the better team in this matchup. On the flip side, there aren't many homefield advantages like Quest Field where Matt Hasselbeck enjoys a 21-3 career record.

Week 2 Lineup:
QB: Matt Hasselbeck, SEA - #3 @ Green Bay [+4]
RB: Shaun Alexander, SEA - #3 @ Green Bay [+6]
WR: Reggie Wayne, IND - #2 vs. San Diego [+10]
WR: Wes Welker, NE - #1 vs. Jacksonville [+10]
WR: Patrick Crayton, DAL - #1 vs. New York Giants [0]
WR: D.J. Hackett, SEA - #3 vs. Washington [0]
K: Josh Brown, SEA - #3 vs. Washington [+8]
D: Seahawks, SEA - #3 vs. Washington [+3]


Likely Week 3 Lineup:
QB:
RB:
WR:
WR: Wes Welker, NE - #1 vs. San Diego
WR:
WR:
K:
D:


#4 Seed: CHODA SODA [+46]

Week 1 Lineup:
QB: Ben Roethlisberger, PIT - #4 vs. Jacksonville [+11]
RB: Clinton Portis, WAS - #6 @ Seattle [+2]
RB:
WR: Santonio Holmes, PIT - #4 vs. Jacksonville [+6]
WR: Plaxico Burress, NYG - #5 @ Tampa Bay [0]
WR:
K:
D:

Bench: Joseph Addai, Ladell Betts [0], Anthony Gonzalez, Adam Vinatieri, Shaun Suisam [1], Colts Defense, Redskins Defense [3]

Strategy: It's an encore presentation of last year's strategy which rode the strong Week One games of one-and-outers like Plaxico Burress and Jerramy Stevens to an early lead while a couple of key Colts, Vinatieri and Addai, closed it out to seal an upset victory over Backyard All-Stars in the Super Bowl.

Outlook: Nobody expected the Colts to win last year either as they came back from an early deficit to knock off the Patriots in the AFC title game. This isn't last year's Patriots, however, and it's the Colts this time around who have key players banged up or missing as they travel to hostile New England (provided they make it past a squirrelly Chargers team). Chris is going to need breakout Week One performances again albeit with a stronger lineup this year, but can the Colts pull off the major upset two years in a row?


Week 2 Lineup:
QB:
RB:
RB: Joseph Addai, IND - #2 vs. San Diego [+4]
WR:
WR: Plaxico Burress, NYG - #5 @ Dallas [0]
WR: Anthony Gonzalez, IND - #2 vs. San Diego [+7]
K: Adam Vinatieri, IND - #2 vs. San Diego [+6]
D: Colts, IND - #2 vs. San Diego [+1]

Likely Week 3 Lineup:
QB:
RB:
RB:
WR:
WR: Plaxico Burress, NYG - #5 @ Green Bay
WR:
K:
D:


#5 Seed: BOPPERS [+62]

Week 1 Lineup:
QB:
RB: Maurice Jones-Drew, JAX - #5 @ Pittsburgh [+13]
RB: Fred Taylor, JAX - #5 @ Pittsburgh [+6]
WR:
WR:
WR:
K:
D:

Bench: Brett Favre, Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, Donald Lee, Heath Miller [14], Mason Crosby, Josh Scobee [6], Packers Defense, Steelers Defense [6]

Strategy: All Packers all the way. The Boppers have collected all of the Packers plus the highest scoring Jaguars players. Karen needs Jones-Drew and Taylor to run past Pittsburgh at which point she can plug in all of her Packers in Week Two for a full lineup. If the Packers go far, Karen may well be in the driver's seat.

Outlook: Jacksonville has to go into Pittsburgh and beat them for the second time in a month in the face of a history that has seen only two teams ever win in Pittsburgh twice in one season. This is not going to be as easy as the bandwagon talking heads are making it out to be. Beware of a homefield underdog with a proud history and a superior quarterback. This promises to be an old-school slobberknocker, but even if Jaguars come up short the Boppers will compete with anybody as long as the Packers stay in the hunt. A Packers/Jaguars Super Bowl would obviously be ideal, but they will be in it to the end as long as the Packers represent the NFC.

Week 2 Lineup:
QB: Brett Favre, GB - #2 vs. Seattle [+12]
RB: Maurice Jones-Drew, JAX - #5 @ @ New England [+2]
RB: Fred Taylor, JAX - #5 @ New England [0]
WR: Greg Jennings, GB - #2 vs. Seattle [+14]
WR: Donald Driver, GB - #2 vs. Seattle [0]
TE: Donald Lee, GB - #2 vs. Seattle [0]
K: Mason Crosby, GB - #2 vs. Seattle [+6]
D: Packers, GB - #2 vs. Seattle [+3]

Likely Week 3 Lineup:
QB: Brett Favre, GB - #2 vs. New York Giants
RB:
RB:
WR: Greg Jennings, GB - #2 vs. New York Giants
WR: Donald Driver, GB - #2 vs. New York Giants
TE: Donald Lee, GB - #2 vs. New York Giants
K: Mason Crosby, GB - #2 vs. New York Giants
D: Packers, GB - #2 vs. New York Giants


#6 Seed: THE FLORIDA FLASH [+55]

Week 1 Lineup:
QB:
RB: Ernest Graham, TB - #4 vs. New York [+8]
RB:
WR:
WR:
WR:
K:
D:

Bench: Peyton Manning, Marion Barber III, Julius Jones, Maurice Morris [0], Leonard Weaver [6], Kenton Keith, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Marvin Harrison, #Deion Branch [0], Matt Jones [0], Stephen Gostkowski, Cowboys Defense

Strategy: Like many of the owners mentioned above, The Florida Flash (nee Brew's Crew, then Slashers) have a history of a specific strategy as well. Scott always seems to have a passel of superstars on strong teams with Week One byes, and this year is no different. The Florida Flash boast four first ballot hall of famers on this year's playoff roster with Peyton Manning, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, and Marvin Harrison. Unlike previous editions, this year's squad enjoys the benefit of diversity as well, with players spread out fairly equally over the Cowboys, Patriots, and Colts.

Outlook: Despite his homefield disadvantage [+3], Scott has to be seen as the favorite provided the NFL playoff seeding holds form. The other owners can hang their hat on more than just homefield advantage and fuller Week One rosters, however. They can bask in the knowledge that upsets happen every year, thus making the specific Cowboys vs. Patriots/Colts Super Bowl matchup far less than a sure thing. An early Cowboys or Colts exit would hurt The Florida Flash as would the potential inability of T.O. and Marvin Harrison to recover from holdover injuries.

Week 2 Lineup:
QB: Peyton Manning, IND - #2 vs. San Diego [+19]
RB:
RB: Marion Barber III, DAL - #1 vs. New York Giants [+10]
WR: Randy Moss, NE - #1 vs. Jacksonville [0]
WR: Terrell Owens, DAL - #1 vs. New York Giants [+6]
WR: Marvin Harrison, IND - #2 vs. San Diego [0]
K: Stephen Gostkowski, NE - #1 vs. Jacksonville [+6]
D: Cowboys, DAL - #1 vs. New York Giants [+3]

Likely Week 3 Lineup:
QB:
RB:
RB:
WR: Randy Moss, NE - #1 vs. San Diego
WR:
WR:
K: Stephen Gostkowski, NE - #1 vs. San Diego
D:

WALL OF CHAMPIONS:

2007: 1st Place - Warriors, Runner-up - Underpaid Action Heros

2006: 1st Place - Choda Soda, Runner-up - Backyard All-Stars

2005: 1st Place - Backyard All-Stars, Runner-up - Aurora Casket Co.

2004: 1st Place - Backyard All-Stars, Runner-up - Chem Coach

2003: 1st Place - Warriors, Runner-up - Red Storm

2002: 1st Place - Cardinals, Runner-up - Backyard All-Stars

2001: 1st Place - Florida Flash, Runner-up - Backyard All-Stars

2000: 1st Place - Klein's Kleaners, Runner-up - Bob & Tom

1999: 1st Place - Red Storm, Runner-up - Bob & Tom