40 MIN Q 7, Smith 8, Faulk 7, Freeman 2 Bennett 0, Alexander 0, Petersen 6, SEA D 10
17 CJ BUF Q ADelGreco 8, RMoss 0, JRice 0 FTaylor 7, JMorton 0, WDunn 0, MIA D 2

47 TAL SF Q 20, Watters 13, Means 0, ESmith 2, Mathis 1, JReed 0, Cunningham 10 TB D 1
25 DP OAK QB 6, Elam 9, DEN D 3, TBrown 0, Metcalf 0, Stokes 6, LSmith 0, Murrell 1

Peil is not in too bad of shape despite the loss. He is only two games behind 5-5 JK for second place

23 BST GB Q 2 Asmith 0, Enis 0, Avery 7, Kjohnson 6, Pickens 0 Stoyanovich 7, MIN D 1
16 JK NE Q, BSanders 2, Sharpe 0, Rison 0, Lewis 0, RBrooks , MHollis 6, SF D 2

After a setback last week, (7-3) Best continues to win ugly. The 39 total points is the second lowest combined total this year. (#1, 35, Best 20 Outlaw 15 wk 7) Brett Favre may be struggling, as have all high picks by Best in recent drafts, but it hasn't effected Best two much. He's 3-0 in games where Favre's Packers have lost.

30 BUD NYJ 18, CMartin 6, Irvin 0, TMartin 0, RMoore 0, *RBarlow 0 Vinatieri 4, KC D 2
20 WAL QB** 0 TDavis 12 Lane 0 Kauffman 0 Glenn 0 RSmith 0, K** 0 GB D 8

Wallace did not leave a lineup and does not have a default lineup logged. The league appoints a default based on your drafted team. Since Wallace's QB and kicker that he drafted are no longer on his team these positions are vacated. His current QB NY Giants and kicker Mike Vanderjagt didn't score anyway.

31 STP TEN Q 7, Dillon 1, CCarter 6, MHarrison 0 Chrbet 6, Engram 0, GAnderson 7 DAL D 4
31 BAR DEN Q 12, Kasay 12, NYG 0, Bettis 1 Edwards 0, Coates 6, Jett 0, Alstott 0

It's a tie! The first in the BRFL since Outlaw tied Peil in week 8 of 1996.

And it is involving Stroupe. The former "tiemaster" has his first tie in five years (Week 3, 93 vs Peil). He earned his reputation as the tiemaster after tying three of his first four games in is inaugral and championship season of 1990. It is also his 7th overall tie, matching Peil for the league record.

It is the second time victory was snatched away from Stroupe on virtually last play of the Monday night game. In week 5, he lost to Best in a garbage time Green Bay TD. This week, it was the run by AB's Jerome Bettis that pushed Bettis over 100 yards to earn a bonus point and cause the tie. The irony is that Stroupe won his BRFL championship on the last TD of a Monday Night Game when the Rams's Flipper Anderson scored against the Saints.

Serious Splinter Squad: Barry left two 14 point receivers in Terrell Owens and Oj McDuffie on his bench. Barry quietly scooped up the discarded McDuffie several weeks ago from Outlaw. Owens has been are real find, if only Barry would play him. He would be tied for second the BFRL with 45 points had he been started every week.

30 OUT SEA Q 0, JAnderson 13, Hearst 0, HMoore 0, McCaffery 7, ISmith 0, Longwell 6, ARZ D 4
24 CZ JAX Q 6, Hanson 10 NE D 2, JSmith 6, Abdul-Jabbar 0, Galloway 0, Moulds 0, Jefferson 0

Despite the loss, CZ still clings to a slot in the points chase. He actually gained a few points over Wallace. They play next week and also in week 14.

East Division
JACKSON            7   3    0  382  323    1     1    0 BST        CZ, STP,BUD,OUT,DP,BAR
BEST               7   3    0  374  312    1     1    0 CJ         WAL,BAR,STP,MOS,OUT, BUD,JK
WALLACE            4   6    0  349  360    1     1    0 CZ         CJ,STP,BAR,OUT
CZUPRYNA *         2   8    0  354  391    1     1    0 WAL        BST,STP

Central Division
OUTLAW             6   4    0  341  328    2     0    0 JK         BAR,DP,MOS,TAL,STP, CZ
JONES/KLINGMAN     5   5    0  317  339    2     0    0 OUT        DP,BAR,WAL,STP
BARRY *            3   6    1  367  458    0     2    0 DP         BUD,TAL,CZ
PEIL               3   7    0  284  348    0     2    0 BAR         BST,WAL,CZ

West Division
MOSAKOWSKI-HALE    8   2    0  480  365    2     0    0 STP        BUD,TAL,CZ,BAR,JK,DP,WAL, CJ
TALBOT             6   4    0  449  426    0     2    0 BUD        CZ,WAL,CJ,JK,BST, DP
DEITRICH           5   5    0  309  337    0     2    0 TAL        JK,OUT, CZ, DP, WAL
STROUPE            3   6    1  329  348    2     0    0 MOS        TAL,BUD,DP

Top two teams in each divison make playoffs plus two points leaders from rest of field

*Current Point leaders: Czupryna and Barry

So far, we played 10 of the 11 other teams. This remaining team will be very familiar. You'll see them again in three weeks. This is because the NFL chooses to put a bye in the third week of the season, and the BRFL likes to play its divison games when there is a full schedule.

Among this weeks games are many intense rivalry games. so in addition to picking the game, I will focus on the rivalry.

Wallace Leads Series 8 - 5

This season, Wallace and the Old Man are hoping to get into the playoffs as one of the two points qualifiers. Currently, CZ has a five point lead over Wallace for one of those slots, a position Wallace would have occupied had he left a lineup last week that included Charles Johnson.

This week Wallace is on the ball. He SR'ed Miami QBs who will face the Panthers. Look for Wallace to win and grap a points slot.

Series tied 8-8

The most memorable game occurred in 1994, week 12. The game stood at 30-30 thanks to a 12 point connection for Jackson between Warren Moon and Qadry Ismail. Each team had one player left. In the Sunday night game, Best's Rickey Watters failed to score, but earned two bonus points. In the Monday night game, it was down to CJ's Lorenzo White. White was all over the field, including a 40 yard carry down to the goal line but he would not score. Instead, he would accumulate 205 yards in running and recieving and thus Jackson would win the game 33-32.

This week, they line up for the divison lead. In the history of the series, Best usually has the upper hand late in the year. Since they play again in week 14, it will be Jackson's turn this week.

Outlaw leads series 5-3

However a game in 1995 sticks out as a classic. JK was an emerging power. At midseason, they acquired Jerry Rice for peanuts from Gates and in this game with Outlaw, the SF/Rice combo combined for 30 points. Norm Johnson, cut this week by JK (these guys have no sentiment), kicked in 12. For Outlaw, Atlanta's QBS had 17 (this was the year of the 4pt QB TD) and Ricky Watters had 13. The deciding TD was on the bench, JK perennial Tony McGee's 6 points couldn't factor in the 56-51 Outlaw win.

Both teams have been struggling of late, but Outlaw a little less so. However, I like JK's chances this week, as New England may finally pay him a little dividend.

DP Leads Series 2-1

This could be considered one of those "budding rivalries". These teams have met three times, with this 1995 classic as the most memorable.

DP 33 BAR 32 This was a BRFL nail biter: tied 28-28 in the 4th QTR of the Monday night game, DP's Lin Elliot kicked a 49 yard FG to put him up by 4. Then BAR's Shawn Jefferson hauled in a bomb down to the four and BAR had to settle for just a John Carney extra point on the ensuing TD. DP 32 BAR 29. Later San Diego drove and Carney kicked a field goal and the game was 32-32. The Chiefs scored a late TD and the extra point put DP back on top 33-32. In overtime, the Vanover punt return allowed DP to escape after SD made a couple forays near field goal range.

Back then, poor AB was still paying his dues enroute to an 0-10 start. Always a slow starter, AB usually get better as the weather turns cooler. I expect him to win big this week.

Talbot Leads Series 3-2

You don't see Bud and Talbot woofing on the forum, nor do they exchange "YGDs" (Your going downs) in the halls at work, yet because of one classic 1995 playoff game, this series has to be considered a rivalry.

In perhaps the most perfect game ever played top to bottom in a BRFL playoff, TAL has upset previously undefeated and top ranked BUD, 69-48. Each of TAL five starting players scored; his defense scored, his QB threw three TDs and his kicker hit double digits. It was the only game this year that this happened and the result was a playoff record 69 points (Old record 63, CJ v DP 1993). The combined score is a playoff record and the third highest combined total in league history. 69 points is TAL personal high score.

For BUD, it brings a premature end to one of the most remarkable seasons in league history. BUD set records for winning streak, 14; Points in a season, 706; points in a game, 86; and now sadly fewest losses, 1. Scoring 48 for BUD was about average (47), yet it just seemed that he couldn't get untracked. Emmitt and Curtis Martin only scored once, Mathis and Early got him bonus points. His QB choice, BUF, could have been better, but a QB to BUD was never a factor, just a required spot in the lineup. In the end, with Carter padding his (and TAL's) totals, it looked like BUD had experienced something he had not come across at all this year: BAD LUCK.

This season, it would appear that BUD would be the one to play the perfect game to beat Talbot. Talbot has won three straight vs BUD. Make it four.

Mos Leads Series 2-1

I expect Stroupe to upset the motormouths. The keys are Cris Carter and Gary Anderson. Although Stroupe is 1-2-1 over the last 4 games, he is averaging 38 points a game (Best is 3-1 and averaging 27), so it is just a case of bad luck. Mos is due for a let down. Here it comes.