Berries look to avoid eighth straight loss to Horsemen

Well, it was a lot closer than most thought it would be.

The mindblowingly awful Drunken Aces mustered 78 points in this snoozefest, surpassing their season average of 74.0 PPG and failing to score more than 80 points for the 6th straight game. After burning up the scoreboard, the Aces upped their average to 74.4 PPG – the least in the history of the franchise (through 9 games), and the 3rd least in the history of the league (behind 2017’s finest, Legs With Holes and Closet Hillbilly).

Barring a miraculous turnaround, they look primed to contribute to the bar tab for the fourth time in the last six years and challenge Extreme Baby Throwers for the largest bar tab investment in the league. Since their flash in the pan championship victory of 2014, the Aces have finished with less wins each season than the one before.

Todd Gurley continues to claw his way up the all-time leaderboard for the Horsemen – and sits only 2 points behind Julian Edelman at 14th in scoring. This is after only seven starts.

That offseason trade looks to be working out

Week 10 welcomes a matchup that has not been kind to Bumpy’s Berries.

In the 5 years prior (including consolation matchups and championship games), the Berries have not once claimed victory against the Electric Horsemen. Despite averaging just over 100 PPG in the series, it just hasn’t come together. The Horsemen have averaged more points against the Berries than any other opponent at 117.14 and there has not been a single digit margin of victory since 2013.

The 122-90 slaughter in the 2015 championship game was the most lopsided in league history.

The Berries have a lot more on the line in this game than just breaking up a massive losing streak against the Horsemen. At 5-4 they are tied with the Extreme Baby Throwers for what would be the four seed in the playoffs – with the tiebreaker going to XBT. Aside from that, 3rd and Unpredictable and the Nosebleeds are clawing back from 4-5 and well within reach of the sluggish pair of 5-4 teams.

With XBT playing the Drunken Aces and with a chance to take the lead over the Berries, this game is a must win.

Leading up to the matchup was one of the most dramatic weeks since Vetogate of 2015 – and this time it was Bumpy’s Berries that held the cards and denied Strictly Southern the opportunity to re-roster the #1 kicker after he made the unfortunate decision to drop him as part of a late trade that didn’t clear until Tuesday. The Horsemen would use their coveted #1 waiver pickup to pick up Greg ‘The Leg’ Zuerlein to replace Justin Tucker – and to form the most powerful kicker duo in league history once Tucker returns from bye.

The Berries’ denial, which led to the subsequent rostering by the Horsemen, could prove to be a huge strategic mishap.

The Horsemen are still tight end-less because the Nosebleeds have been taking trade lessons from Closet Hillbilly – and apparently forgot that they needed the Berries to lose.

They may remain without a tight end depending on the injury statuses of Michael Thomas and Julio Jones.

The Horsemen come into this game a 20.5 point favorite with a 77.5% chance of victory.

Last week’s picks were 2-2 for a poor 17-19 overall record.

This week…

• Drunken Aces will shatter the dreams of the Extreme Baby Throwers, who will fail to break 70 points.
• The Nosebleeds will fall to 3rd and Unpredictable who will make an unlikely run to the playoffs despite giving up last week.
• Straight Laced will sleepwalk to victory against Closet Hillbilly, nearly clinching their first playoff berth.
• Strictly Southern will sleepwalk to victory against Legs With Holes, nearly clinching their first playoff berth.