Well, it’s been a hot minute since I’ve written a single piece of media, and I’m feeling a little left out, ESPECIALLY when we’ve got some double media bonus going on! As a quick aside – where was our draft bonus for Season 25 when I put out like 9 articles about all of my fellow draft mates in the class? Huh? What’s that I smell? More collusion against me? I see how it is.
So, I’ve done a whole slew of power rankings and awards projections and season previews and recaps and all of that, but what I’m yet to do is a THEMED power rankings! Oh, no one care? Well, as all the famous people say: “two for you, one for me.” This piece is going to be a bit of a less serious one where I’m going to do the NSFC power rankings, but each team is going to be given a corresponding season of Game of Thrones. Why the NSFC only, you ask? Because there are only eight Game of Thrones seasons. Why Game of Thrones, you ask? Because there are only eight seasons and I am amazed I even paid attention long enough.
Before you continue, be warned, there are going to be lots and lots of spoilers for Game of Thrones in this article. You should also know that Game of Thrones finished airing over a year and a half ago, so at this point if you haven’t watched it ask yourself if you’re really planning on doing so.
Number 7 – Baltimore Hawks
Record: 4-9
Season stats
O: 21.1 PPG (13th) | 381.1 YPG (8th) | 89.7 Rush YPG (13th) | 291.4 Pass YPG (2nd)
D: 25.7 PPG (11th) | 402.7 YPG(12th)|141.4 Rush YPG(14th) | 261.3 Pass YPG (8th)
Game of Thrones season equivalent – Season Five
Now before you all get bent out of shape about me putting Baltimore last in the power rankings instead of Philadelphia, hear me out: these are my power rankings and I can do whatever I want. In all seriousness you could easily put Philly down here, too, as these teams are clearly the bottom tier of the NSFC. So, why is Baltimore last in my rankings when they have the same record and are 1-1 against each other? Quality of wins. Baltimore has not beat a single team with a winning record this season, and really haven’t had a real statement game at all. They’ve been competitive in most of their games, but when you look at their season compared to last when they were very much a surprise of the league, with one of the best seasons by a wide receiver in league history (Doug Howlett, savior of many fantasy teams in S25), it’s hard to say they’ve been anything but a disappointment. The offense has only added talent, with Mathias Hanyadi combining with Mai Fukushu to create a lethal 1-2 punch, and the rushing game has been anemic at best.
The Baltimore Hawks’ season reminds me a lot of Season Five of Game of Thrones. Season Four was a very strong season in my opinion, with the penultimate episodes Watcher on the Wall being one of the best in the series, and it left open to many exciting storylines for Season Five to explore. Unfortunately, what we got in Season Five was, well, nothing really. After all the build up of Arya heading to Braavos to train with the Faceless Men, all we got out of it was her just kind of vibing. Daeneryrs Targaryen made it to Meereen where she did absolutely nothing. They killed off one of the best characters, Barristan Selmy, in a pointless back alley fight with the Sons of the Harpy. The biggest highlight of Season Five was definitely Hardhome, but it just wasn’t enough to save the season.
Number 6 – Philadelphia Liberty
Record: 4-9
Season stats
O: 23.5 PPG (7th) | 364.0 YPG (12th) | 122.5 Rush YPG (8th) | 241.5 Pass YPG (11th)
D: 30.1 PPG(13th)| 415.5 YPG (13th) | 126.3 Rush YPG (7th) | 289.2 Pass YPG (13th)
Game of Thrones season equivalent: Season Eight (final season)
I have to say before I get too far into this section that having to write about your own team in a negative fashion hurts. When looking at Philadelphia’s record and stats, however, there really isn’t any place that you can put them other than the bottom of the NSFC. While the offense has definitely caught fire the last few weeks (averaging nearly 31 PPG over the last four games) the defense, which is full of Season 25 players, still has not been able to hold off teams reliably. That being said, it hasn’t been all bad for Philly in Season 26. They’ve managed to pull off two nice road wins at New Orleans in Week 2 and at Sarasota in Week 10. The team has also managed to hang in there with tough teams, undoubtedly giving some GMs early grey hairs. They even had Chicago and Yellowknife, the two top teams in the NSFC, on the ropes in their most recent meetings. The team is still working to piece everything together but given the new leadership (shameless plug) and the general quality of their young players, the future looks like it might be bright for the Liberty.
When comparing teams to Game of Thrones seasons, the Liberty’s season corresponded so well with the final season of the show. Both had some great highlights, and both have had some really big flops. Unquestionably the biggest highlight of Season 8 was the second episode – A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms – which is arguably one of the best episodes in the show’s entire run. A good comparison to this episode would be not only the Liberty’s signature wins against NOLA and Sarasota, but also the emergence of Killian Chambers as a true deep threat WR, who for my money’s worth should be in the driver’s seat as a leader for Breakout Player of the Year. The season also boasted one of the most uneven episodes in the show’s history – The Long Night (also known as the Battle for Winterfell) – which for all of its fan service and great scenes, just felt empty and shallow at the same time. It’s similar to the promise Philadelphia showed in Week 11 on the road against Chicago when they had a 24-20 lead until the very last play of the game. At which point The Butchers scored on a 27 yard pass to Sean O’Leary as time expired.
Number 5 – Berlin Fire Salamanders
Record: 5-8
Season Stats
O: 23.0 PPG (10th) | 396.5 YPG (4th) | 125.0 Rush YPG (6th) | 271.5 Pass YPG (5th)
D: 28.5 PPG (12th) | 398.8 YPG (9th) | 116.8 Rush YPG (4th) | 282.0 Pass YPG (12th)
Game of Thrones season equivalent: Season One
When discussing Berlin’s season the general consensus seems to fall somewhere between, “right about where I pegged them” or, “tiny bit of a letdown.” On paper the Fire Salamanders have a lot to be proud of this season – their offense is in the top half of the league for every yardage metric, and they’ve got one of the most exciting young running backs in the league on their roster – Joe Petrongolo. Toss in other young playmakers on offense, WRs Susan Cash, Jr and Dre Matthews, and TE Clark Boyd, and Berlin has been potent, to say the least. On defense the team has had some growing pains but has a lot of promise, especially with the additions of Day 1 starters the last two seasons, CB Swantavius Jones and LB Bambam McMullet. At times this season Berlin has simply had the look of a team that is just right on the cusp of being a good team. They’ve shown flashes of what their future can look like, and I would be more than surprised if they don’t take a big jump forward next season.
Now I am sure I will get some flak for comparing the Fire Salamanders to the first season of Game of Thrones, but give me a chance to explain myself before you burn me at the stake. The first season of the show is definitely great, but I think where it suffers is that it had to spend so much time building the massive world of the books. While it did an admirable job of doing so, it still led to many plotlines feeling plodding at some points. What the first season did expertly, however, was lay the groundwork for a great show which made fans everywhere excited for the future. That’s what Berlin has done this season – got people excited and expecting more from them in the near future.
Number 4 – Sarasota Sailfish
Record: 7-6
Season stats
O: 23.8 PPG (6th) | 391.5 YPG (5th) | 85.5 Rush YPG (14th) | 306.0 Pass YPG (1st)
D: 23.4 PPG (6th) | 372.3 YPG (6th) | 126.4 Rush YPG (8th) | 245.9 Pass YPG (5th)
Game of Thrones season equivalent: Season Four
Talk about a tale of two half seasons for Sarasota. The first eight games of Season 26 Sarasota looked like they might be the class of the league as they started of 6-2, winning five games in a row between Weeks 2 and 6 – including a 43-10 beatdown of Berlin and a statement 34-20 win against the Outlaws in Arizona. After Week 8, however, their fortunes changed as they suffered a three game losing streak, including giving up 52 points to the Sabercats in San Jose and an embarrassing home loss to the Philadelphia Liberty in Week 10. The Sailfish are definitely not out of it yet, as they’re currently tied with the Yeti for the third and final playoff spot, but they do have their work cut out for them as two of their final three games are against the Butchers and the Wraiths, the two top teams in the conference.
The biggest story coming out of Sarasota undoubtedly has to be the insane rookie season by first year Quarterback, Mike Boss, Jr. There were a lot of experts out there who wondered if Sarasota would be able to replace legendary QB Dexter Banks II, and if this first year is any indication, they’re in good hands. Boss Jr currently leads the league in passing yards by over 200 yards and is tied for second most passing touchdowns with 23 on the year.
Season Four of Game of Thrones is the perfect mirror to Sarasota’s season. Both the team and the show came hot out of the gate – the Sailfish winning 5 of their first 6 and the show showing the aftermath of the Red Wedding and killing Joffrey both in the first two episodes. After about the third episode of the season the show began to dull a little with a highlight here and there – the fight against the Mutineers at Crastor’s Keep being one such highlight – much like Sarasota stumbling in weeks 9, 10, and 11. Season four did finish very strong, with episodes The Mountain and the Viper and Watchers on the Wall being the season’s two best. Sarasota is hoping their season matches Season Four and ends on a high note.
Number 3 – Colorado Yeti
Record: 7-6
Season stats
O: 23.4 PPG (8th) | 357.8 YPG (13th) | 128.0 Rush YPG (5th) | 229.8 Pass YPG (13th)
D: 21.2 PPG (3rd) | 399.2 YPG (10th) | 117.3 Rush YPG (5th) | 281.8 Pass YPG (11th)
Game of Thrones season equivalent: Season Seven
Despite being in the midst of yet another playoff appearance, I think if you asked anyone in Colorado to define their season they would say it’s been a bit of a letdown. This is a team that fresh off of an Ultimus berth was almost unanimously picked by users to run the table in the NSFC, and while they’ve had a fine season so far you have to imagine that the team might be feeling just a little deflated with the way it’s been so far. The team lost some key members of its offense heading into Season 26, as legendary Quarterback Wolfie McDummy and Tight End Earl Sauce both decided to hang it up. On defense they lost Defensive tackle Rotticus Scott to the Otters, and Strong Safety Greedy Sly decided to put on about 200 pounds and take a stab at Offensive Line. What this left us with is a team that while good by its own merits, is still markedly different in feel and has many fans wondering what their future holds.
That’s not to say it’s been a bad season by any means in Colorado. Rookie QB Matthias Caliban has been more than serviceable for the Yeti, completing over 60% of his passes for a great 20 Touchdown to 7 INT ratio, as well as the second best QB Rating in the league (94.8). The team moved to a much more run-heavy offense and it shows as RBs Darrell Williams and Richard Gilbert have thus far combined for over 1,500 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground.
Season Seven of Game of Thrones seems like a great comparison to the Yetis’ season. Season Seven was the first one to completely venture away from George RR Martin’s books as he is still yet to release Winds of Winter, and as such the season’s tone felt much different than the earlier seasons. There were also many complaints from fans that the show felt rushed and crammed too much into the story line, as it was an abbreviated season. Much like the Yeti this season, it is regarded with mixed emotions from fans, as in a vacuum it had some great scenes and storylines, but compared to the whole of the series it was not seen as great. Colorado is a team coming off of a lot of recent success, so even with a chance for a playoff bid firmly in grasp it’s easy to see why the team and its fans might be a little disappointed with the season so far.
Number 2 – Chicago Butchers
Record: 8-5
Season stats
O: 25.0 PPG (5th) | 404.9 YPG (3rd) | 116.4 Rush YPG (11th) | 288.5 Pass YPG (3rd)
D: 23.7 PPG (8th) | 379.1 YPG (7th) | 110.4 Rush YPG (2nd) | 268.7 Pass YPG (10th)
Game of Thrones season equivalent: Season Three
A trendy pick by many to be a playoff team in Season 26, Chicago has quietly had a great season. Not ones to get the same fanfare that the Yeti and Sailfish do, the Butchers have just been playing solid football all season. This season they have only lost back to back games once, and that streak ended at two, losing on the road to Orange County and Yellowknife in successive weeks. They started the season off with a three game winning streak, and have even had lady luck on their side from time to time, such as in Week 11 when they scored a touchdown on the last play of the game to steal a win from the Philadelphia Liberty. For many seasons now it has felt like Chicago was destined to be one of the also-rans instead of one of the true contenders, as they always seemed to have issues against Colorado. Well, this year, the Butchers finally showed their years of building and drafting have paid off as they swept Colorado, including a 34-24 win in Colorado.
Chicago’s season 26 is very similar in that regard to Game of Thrones’ third season. Regarded by many fans as one of the best in the series, Season Three took all of the world building and winding plots from the first two years and put them all together, culminating in the Red Wedding, hands down the most culturally impactful episode of the entire series. Chicago is hoping to end their season with a bang in the same way, but if they have their way they won’t be playing the role of Robb Stark.
Number 1 – Yellowknife Wraiths
Record: 10-3
Season stats
O: 25.8 PPG (3rd) | 417.5 YPG (2nd) | 150.5 Rush YPG (1st) | 266.9 Pass YPG (6th)
D: 16.5 PPG (1st) | 236.1 YPG (1st) | 101.8 Rush YPG (1st) | 224.3 Pass YPG (1st)
Game of Thrones season equivalent: Season Six
What a season they’re having north of the border. Yellowknife has all the makings of a championship team, as they lead the league in EVERY defensive team statistic, and their offense is just as strong, posting the number three scoring offense and the best rushing attack. As they say in real life football, this is a team built for (cue Rex Ryan voice) PLAYOFF FOOTBALL. Their three losses have all been to teams with winning records, and the worst of which was a 14-6 snoozer against Arizona at home. They’ve swept Chicago and have beat Sarasota on the road, and finish out their season with two home games (vs Berlin and Sarasota). Yellowknife is about as firmly in the driver’s seat the end the season as you can be, as one win in their last three seals the top seed in the NSFC playoffs.
Much in the way that Season Three of Game of Thrones was a great payoff to the work put in the first two seasons, Season Six was abound with payoff for the entire series up to that point. I had to actually go look it up to remember all of the highlights of Season Six because there were so many. To recap, in Season Six we had:
• Jon and Sansa reunite
• Battle of the Bastards
• Jon comes back to life
• Hold the Door
• Danaerys crosses the sea towards Westeros
• The “KING IN THE NORTH” scene
• Lyana Mormount steals every scene
• Learn about the creation of the White Walkers
• White Walkers attack the Three-Eyed Raven’s hiding place
• Tower of Joy scenes
The sixth season was the first one where the show finally moved past the books, and after the unevenness of the fourth and fifth seasons it was great to have a season full of great episodes. After back to back disappointments in Seasons 24 and 25, Yellowknife is hoping that Season 26 is when it all comes together for them once again.
Well there you have it folks! Pat’s back with another super cool and not nerdy article. I swear this wasn’t a shameless cash grab to take advantage of the double media payout bonus!
As always, I welcome any feedback or conversation!
Thanks for reading!
So, I’ve done a whole slew of power rankings and awards projections and season previews and recaps and all of that, but what I’m yet to do is a THEMED power rankings! Oh, no one care? Well, as all the famous people say: “two for you, one for me.” This piece is going to be a bit of a less serious one where I’m going to do the NSFC power rankings, but each team is going to be given a corresponding season of Game of Thrones. Why the NSFC only, you ask? Because there are only eight Game of Thrones seasons. Why Game of Thrones, you ask? Because there are only eight seasons and I am amazed I even paid attention long enough.
Before you continue, be warned, there are going to be lots and lots of spoilers for Game of Thrones in this article. You should also know that Game of Thrones finished airing over a year and a half ago, so at this point if you haven’t watched it ask yourself if you’re really planning on doing so.
Number 7 – Baltimore Hawks
Record: 4-9
Season stats
O: 21.1 PPG (13th) | 381.1 YPG (8th) | 89.7 Rush YPG (13th) | 291.4 Pass YPG (2nd)
D: 25.7 PPG (11th) | 402.7 YPG(12th)|141.4 Rush YPG(14th) | 261.3 Pass YPG (8th)
Game of Thrones season equivalent – Season Five
Now before you all get bent out of shape about me putting Baltimore last in the power rankings instead of Philadelphia, hear me out: these are my power rankings and I can do whatever I want. In all seriousness you could easily put Philly down here, too, as these teams are clearly the bottom tier of the NSFC. So, why is Baltimore last in my rankings when they have the same record and are 1-1 against each other? Quality of wins. Baltimore has not beat a single team with a winning record this season, and really haven’t had a real statement game at all. They’ve been competitive in most of their games, but when you look at their season compared to last when they were very much a surprise of the league, with one of the best seasons by a wide receiver in league history (Doug Howlett, savior of many fantasy teams in S25), it’s hard to say they’ve been anything but a disappointment. The offense has only added talent, with Mathias Hanyadi combining with Mai Fukushu to create a lethal 1-2 punch, and the rushing game has been anemic at best.
The Baltimore Hawks’ season reminds me a lot of Season Five of Game of Thrones. Season Four was a very strong season in my opinion, with the penultimate episodes Watcher on the Wall being one of the best in the series, and it left open to many exciting storylines for Season Five to explore. Unfortunately, what we got in Season Five was, well, nothing really. After all the build up of Arya heading to Braavos to train with the Faceless Men, all we got out of it was her just kind of vibing. Daeneryrs Targaryen made it to Meereen where she did absolutely nothing. They killed off one of the best characters, Barristan Selmy, in a pointless back alley fight with the Sons of the Harpy. The biggest highlight of Season Five was definitely Hardhome, but it just wasn’t enough to save the season.
Number 6 – Philadelphia Liberty
Record: 4-9
Season stats
O: 23.5 PPG (7th) | 364.0 YPG (12th) | 122.5 Rush YPG (8th) | 241.5 Pass YPG (11th)
D: 30.1 PPG(13th)| 415.5 YPG (13th) | 126.3 Rush YPG (7th) | 289.2 Pass YPG (13th)
Game of Thrones season equivalent: Season Eight (final season)
I have to say before I get too far into this section that having to write about your own team in a negative fashion hurts. When looking at Philadelphia’s record and stats, however, there really isn’t any place that you can put them other than the bottom of the NSFC. While the offense has definitely caught fire the last few weeks (averaging nearly 31 PPG over the last four games) the defense, which is full of Season 25 players, still has not been able to hold off teams reliably. That being said, it hasn’t been all bad for Philly in Season 26. They’ve managed to pull off two nice road wins at New Orleans in Week 2 and at Sarasota in Week 10. The team has also managed to hang in there with tough teams, undoubtedly giving some GMs early grey hairs. They even had Chicago and Yellowknife, the two top teams in the NSFC, on the ropes in their most recent meetings. The team is still working to piece everything together but given the new leadership (shameless plug) and the general quality of their young players, the future looks like it might be bright for the Liberty.
When comparing teams to Game of Thrones seasons, the Liberty’s season corresponded so well with the final season of the show. Both had some great highlights, and both have had some really big flops. Unquestionably the biggest highlight of Season 8 was the second episode – A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms – which is arguably one of the best episodes in the show’s entire run. A good comparison to this episode would be not only the Liberty’s signature wins against NOLA and Sarasota, but also the emergence of Killian Chambers as a true deep threat WR, who for my money’s worth should be in the driver’s seat as a leader for Breakout Player of the Year. The season also boasted one of the most uneven episodes in the show’s history – The Long Night (also known as the Battle for Winterfell) – which for all of its fan service and great scenes, just felt empty and shallow at the same time. It’s similar to the promise Philadelphia showed in Week 11 on the road against Chicago when they had a 24-20 lead until the very last play of the game. At which point The Butchers scored on a 27 yard pass to Sean O’Leary as time expired.
Number 5 – Berlin Fire Salamanders
Record: 5-8
Season Stats
O: 23.0 PPG (10th) | 396.5 YPG (4th) | 125.0 Rush YPG (6th) | 271.5 Pass YPG (5th)
D: 28.5 PPG (12th) | 398.8 YPG (9th) | 116.8 Rush YPG (4th) | 282.0 Pass YPG (12th)
Game of Thrones season equivalent: Season One
When discussing Berlin’s season the general consensus seems to fall somewhere between, “right about where I pegged them” or, “tiny bit of a letdown.” On paper the Fire Salamanders have a lot to be proud of this season – their offense is in the top half of the league for every yardage metric, and they’ve got one of the most exciting young running backs in the league on their roster – Joe Petrongolo. Toss in other young playmakers on offense, WRs Susan Cash, Jr and Dre Matthews, and TE Clark Boyd, and Berlin has been potent, to say the least. On defense the team has had some growing pains but has a lot of promise, especially with the additions of Day 1 starters the last two seasons, CB Swantavius Jones and LB Bambam McMullet. At times this season Berlin has simply had the look of a team that is just right on the cusp of being a good team. They’ve shown flashes of what their future can look like, and I would be more than surprised if they don’t take a big jump forward next season.
Now I am sure I will get some flak for comparing the Fire Salamanders to the first season of Game of Thrones, but give me a chance to explain myself before you burn me at the stake. The first season of the show is definitely great, but I think where it suffers is that it had to spend so much time building the massive world of the books. While it did an admirable job of doing so, it still led to many plotlines feeling plodding at some points. What the first season did expertly, however, was lay the groundwork for a great show which made fans everywhere excited for the future. That’s what Berlin has done this season – got people excited and expecting more from them in the near future.
Number 4 – Sarasota Sailfish
Record: 7-6
Season stats
O: 23.8 PPG (6th) | 391.5 YPG (5th) | 85.5 Rush YPG (14th) | 306.0 Pass YPG (1st)
D: 23.4 PPG (6th) | 372.3 YPG (6th) | 126.4 Rush YPG (8th) | 245.9 Pass YPG (5th)
Game of Thrones season equivalent: Season Four
Talk about a tale of two half seasons for Sarasota. The first eight games of Season 26 Sarasota looked like they might be the class of the league as they started of 6-2, winning five games in a row between Weeks 2 and 6 – including a 43-10 beatdown of Berlin and a statement 34-20 win against the Outlaws in Arizona. After Week 8, however, their fortunes changed as they suffered a three game losing streak, including giving up 52 points to the Sabercats in San Jose and an embarrassing home loss to the Philadelphia Liberty in Week 10. The Sailfish are definitely not out of it yet, as they’re currently tied with the Yeti for the third and final playoff spot, but they do have their work cut out for them as two of their final three games are against the Butchers and the Wraiths, the two top teams in the conference.
The biggest story coming out of Sarasota undoubtedly has to be the insane rookie season by first year Quarterback, Mike Boss, Jr. There were a lot of experts out there who wondered if Sarasota would be able to replace legendary QB Dexter Banks II, and if this first year is any indication, they’re in good hands. Boss Jr currently leads the league in passing yards by over 200 yards and is tied for second most passing touchdowns with 23 on the year.
Season Four of Game of Thrones is the perfect mirror to Sarasota’s season. Both the team and the show came hot out of the gate – the Sailfish winning 5 of their first 6 and the show showing the aftermath of the Red Wedding and killing Joffrey both in the first two episodes. After about the third episode of the season the show began to dull a little with a highlight here and there – the fight against the Mutineers at Crastor’s Keep being one such highlight – much like Sarasota stumbling in weeks 9, 10, and 11. Season four did finish very strong, with episodes The Mountain and the Viper and Watchers on the Wall being the season’s two best. Sarasota is hoping their season matches Season Four and ends on a high note.
Number 3 – Colorado Yeti
Record: 7-6
Season stats
O: 23.4 PPG (8th) | 357.8 YPG (13th) | 128.0 Rush YPG (5th) | 229.8 Pass YPG (13th)
D: 21.2 PPG (3rd) | 399.2 YPG (10th) | 117.3 Rush YPG (5th) | 281.8 Pass YPG (11th)
Game of Thrones season equivalent: Season Seven
Despite being in the midst of yet another playoff appearance, I think if you asked anyone in Colorado to define their season they would say it’s been a bit of a letdown. This is a team that fresh off of an Ultimus berth was almost unanimously picked by users to run the table in the NSFC, and while they’ve had a fine season so far you have to imagine that the team might be feeling just a little deflated with the way it’s been so far. The team lost some key members of its offense heading into Season 26, as legendary Quarterback Wolfie McDummy and Tight End Earl Sauce both decided to hang it up. On defense they lost Defensive tackle Rotticus Scott to the Otters, and Strong Safety Greedy Sly decided to put on about 200 pounds and take a stab at Offensive Line. What this left us with is a team that while good by its own merits, is still markedly different in feel and has many fans wondering what their future holds.
That’s not to say it’s been a bad season by any means in Colorado. Rookie QB Matthias Caliban has been more than serviceable for the Yeti, completing over 60% of his passes for a great 20 Touchdown to 7 INT ratio, as well as the second best QB Rating in the league (94.8). The team moved to a much more run-heavy offense and it shows as RBs Darrell Williams and Richard Gilbert have thus far combined for over 1,500 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground.
Season Seven of Game of Thrones seems like a great comparison to the Yetis’ season. Season Seven was the first one to completely venture away from George RR Martin’s books as he is still yet to release Winds of Winter, and as such the season’s tone felt much different than the earlier seasons. There were also many complaints from fans that the show felt rushed and crammed too much into the story line, as it was an abbreviated season. Much like the Yeti this season, it is regarded with mixed emotions from fans, as in a vacuum it had some great scenes and storylines, but compared to the whole of the series it was not seen as great. Colorado is a team coming off of a lot of recent success, so even with a chance for a playoff bid firmly in grasp it’s easy to see why the team and its fans might be a little disappointed with the season so far.
Number 2 – Chicago Butchers
Record: 8-5
Season stats
O: 25.0 PPG (5th) | 404.9 YPG (3rd) | 116.4 Rush YPG (11th) | 288.5 Pass YPG (3rd)
D: 23.7 PPG (8th) | 379.1 YPG (7th) | 110.4 Rush YPG (2nd) | 268.7 Pass YPG (10th)
Game of Thrones season equivalent: Season Three
A trendy pick by many to be a playoff team in Season 26, Chicago has quietly had a great season. Not ones to get the same fanfare that the Yeti and Sailfish do, the Butchers have just been playing solid football all season. This season they have only lost back to back games once, and that streak ended at two, losing on the road to Orange County and Yellowknife in successive weeks. They started the season off with a three game winning streak, and have even had lady luck on their side from time to time, such as in Week 11 when they scored a touchdown on the last play of the game to steal a win from the Philadelphia Liberty. For many seasons now it has felt like Chicago was destined to be one of the also-rans instead of one of the true contenders, as they always seemed to have issues against Colorado. Well, this year, the Butchers finally showed their years of building and drafting have paid off as they swept Colorado, including a 34-24 win in Colorado.
Chicago’s season 26 is very similar in that regard to Game of Thrones’ third season. Regarded by many fans as one of the best in the series, Season Three took all of the world building and winding plots from the first two years and put them all together, culminating in the Red Wedding, hands down the most culturally impactful episode of the entire series. Chicago is hoping to end their season with a bang in the same way, but if they have their way they won’t be playing the role of Robb Stark.
Number 1 – Yellowknife Wraiths
Record: 10-3
Season stats
O: 25.8 PPG (3rd) | 417.5 YPG (2nd) | 150.5 Rush YPG (1st) | 266.9 Pass YPG (6th)
D: 16.5 PPG (1st) | 236.1 YPG (1st) | 101.8 Rush YPG (1st) | 224.3 Pass YPG (1st)
Game of Thrones season equivalent: Season Six
What a season they’re having north of the border. Yellowknife has all the makings of a championship team, as they lead the league in EVERY defensive team statistic, and their offense is just as strong, posting the number three scoring offense and the best rushing attack. As they say in real life football, this is a team built for (cue Rex Ryan voice) PLAYOFF FOOTBALL. Their three losses have all been to teams with winning records, and the worst of which was a 14-6 snoozer against Arizona at home. They’ve swept Chicago and have beat Sarasota on the road, and finish out their season with two home games (vs Berlin and Sarasota). Yellowknife is about as firmly in the driver’s seat the end the season as you can be, as one win in their last three seals the top seed in the NSFC playoffs.
Much in the way that Season Three of Game of Thrones was a great payoff to the work put in the first two seasons, Season Six was abound with payoff for the entire series up to that point. I had to actually go look it up to remember all of the highlights of Season Six because there were so many. To recap, in Season Six we had:
• Jon and Sansa reunite
• Battle of the Bastards
• Jon comes back to life
• Hold the Door
• Danaerys crosses the sea towards Westeros
• The “KING IN THE NORTH” scene
• Lyana Mormount steals every scene
• Learn about the creation of the White Walkers
• White Walkers attack the Three-Eyed Raven’s hiding place
• Tower of Joy scenes
The sixth season was the first one where the show finally moved past the books, and after the unevenness of the fourth and fifth seasons it was great to have a season full of great episodes. After back to back disappointments in Seasons 24 and 25, Yellowknife is hoping that Season 26 is when it all comes together for them once again.
Well there you have it folks! Pat’s back with another super cool and not nerdy article. I swear this wasn’t a shameless cash grab to take advantage of the double media payout bonus!
As always, I welcome any feedback or conversation!
Thanks for reading!
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