As we rush into Thanksgiving Week

For those who don't know, this is the week upon which the entire schedule is based.

I have two stock schedules (that admittedly need some tweeking for home game clumping) that I use for the season:  one for odd numbered years, and one for even numbered years.  The schedule is set up like this:

C1 @ C2
C3 @ S3
P1 @ M1
P3 @ P4

Etc.  the letters being the division, and the number being what place they finished in last season.  I have each week set up with a letter, A through N, for each of the 14 weeks.

When the NFL releases their schedule, I look for which week Thanksgiving will be, either week 13 or week 14.  I then find the game in the schedule where Toluca Lake is at Laupahoehoe.  Say it's week B.  Week B becomes Thanksgiving week.  Week C becomes the next week.  Week D becomes the next week.  Week E becomes opening week, Week F is week 2, and on down.  So if the standings hold in the Southwest, you'll see Myrtle Beach @ Charlotte Amalie, Barrow @ South Park, New York @ Gainesville, Sonoma @ Albuquerque, Tacoma @ Baltimore, South Bend @ New Orleans, and Tampa Bay @ Las Vegas during the Thanksgiving week.

Last week muddied things.

•  Myrtle Beach has clinched the Southeast, and holds a two game edge over South Bend for Home Field throughout.
• Gainesville, Tampa Bay, and Charlotte Amalie have not yet been eliminated but are hanging on by a thread.  The shame for Tampa Bay and Charlotte is that neither of them will win a tiebreak with Gainesville, but Gainesville will lose tiebreaks with the entire Crescent division.  This means that Tampa and Charlotte would win tie breakers against New York, but may not get the chance because a tie between Gainesville and New York is won by New York.  There are no three way ties.
• South Bend has clinched a wildcard, and has a healthy two game lead on Baltimore and New York with three to play.  They are in because they are guaranteed to have a better record than Gainesville, Tampa Bay and Charlotte Amalie, and would win a tiebreaker with New Orleans, who can only tie them.
• Baltimore is in an OK spot right now.  A loss to South Bend knocks them out of division contention, but a win strengthens them due to a sweep of South Bend.  A loss will cloud the playoff opportunities as well.
• New York, which has no right being above .500 at this point, has their toughest stretch of the season right now.  Games against Las Vegas, South Bend, and New Orleans will cause the finish to the season to be a nailbiter.  The losses to Tampa Bay, Charlotte Amalie, and Barrow hang on their head like an albatross.
• New Orleans has the gift of a good schedule.  Tampa Bay, New York, and Charlotte Amalie should lead to 2-1 and a 7-7 record.  This year that should be enough to get in.
• South Park has it tough for the rest of the season.  Going to Barrow is always tough, followed up by Toluca Lake and Las Vegas.  I suppose the theory is they will be battle tested for the playoffs, should they make it.
• Tacoma is in the same boat.  Sonoma this week, an apparent breather against Gainesville, followed by Toluca Lake.  
• Barrow is hanging on by a thread, and has a date with South Bend next week, which could end hope for this year.
• Albuquerque has done marvelously considering their cap problems.  Next year, they will be penalized on the cap, but 2-9 isn't all that bad.
• Toluca Lake has clinched a wildcard and continues to dominate, but the end of the schedule isn't easy.  Laupahoehoe will be tough.  South Park and Tacoma both need wins and both are very close in production to them.  A win this week sews up the division, but a loss gives Sonoma another shot.
• Sonoma is NOT a shoe-in to the playoffs. Tacoma, Las Vegas and Laupahoehoe, three teams also vying for a wildcard, are on the slate.  7-7 is not likely but it isn't out of the realm of possibility.  At the same time, it's possible for them to still snare the division from Toluca Lake.
• Las Vegas has possibility been eliminated from division contention, but I'm not sure how a 3 way tie with Toluca Lake, Sonoma, and Las Vegas would work, or if it's even possible given the rest of the schedule.  However, they definitely haven't been eliminated from the wildcard and while the schedule isn't helpful, three home games will make it uncomfortable for their opponents.
• Laupahoehoe is not out yet, though it doesn't look good.  Toluca Lake this week, Baltimore next week, and closing out with Sonoma all at home give them some hope.

Taxi Squad vs. Practice Squad

A refresher on these two.

The Taxi Squad consists of players that a team has drafted, but have never had available to start.  Their contracts count against the cap.  They are not available to be bid on as free agents.  A player becomes ineligible for the taxi squad if he is ever on an active roster or he is available to be bid on by other teams.

The Practice Squad consists of players signed to practice squad contracts.  These are players that, after two weeks on the practice squad, can be called up immediately to the active roster at the minimum.  Players can be signed to the practice squad without bidding, and can be waived from the active roster with the intent of placing them on the practice squad.  Players on the practice squad ARE free agents and can be signed to the active roster of another team.  However, once signed to the active roster from a practice squad, they cannot be put on the new team's practice squad.

A note about new players

For whatever reason, this season has brought on an abundance of players being added to the system.  I am working on a means for you to add players yourselves.  However, keep in mind that when this happens, if you add a player already in the system (there will be NO indulgence for misspelling of names) you will be fined heavily for the work I have to do to pull the player out.

Speaking of Player Updates

You have the ability to change the NFL teams of players on your roster.   I expect you to use it when you realize that a player is on the wrong team.