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Published by MKFFL MAGAZINE, 2019-12-05 00:44:13

MKFFL Magazine - December 2019

DEC2019Mag

PLAYOFF PREVIEW

DECEMBER 2019

FIGHT!

THE FIELD IS SET FOR MORTAL1 |KP aOgMe BAT X.
WHO WILL FIGHT THEIR WAY TO THE TOP?

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THE LINEUP

MKFFL PLAYOFF LOSER’S BRACKET

5 PREVIEW 14 What will last be called in 2020?
Who will step up to claim the
Gronk?

TEAM REPORTS

October reports for all 10 teams

16

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MKFFL PLAYOFF PREVIEW

CHOOSE YOUR
FIGHTER

AND THEN THERE WERE SIX.
The MKFFL Playoffs are back, and this year’s rendition features
everything: a record-setting team, two consistent performers,

a late-season slider, and two epic turnarounds.
Only one can win The Gronk…

Who is stepping up in Mortal Kombat X?

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THE KRAKEN #1

BENEFITTING from odd-year magic (The Kraken won The Gronk
in 2013, 2015 & 2017), Kraken owner Alex Edwards enters the
2019 MKFFL Playoffs fearless. With MVP finalist & 2019 MKFFL
RB of the Year Christian McCaffrey in tow, the league’s highest-
scoring team is bound to make noise in the playoffs. If they are
able to continue their magic, they would lay claim to their
fourth Gronk – putting them in the conversation for “Team of

the Decade”. Gronk Odds: 9/2 (Favorite)

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#2 HIGH FIVE WORLD CHAMPS

STARTING out 1-3 typically doesn’t instill confidence, yet that’s exactly what Danny
gained as the High Five World Champs tore through the league in the fall, finishing
8-1 down the stretch & clinching the Trump Division Title. With a first-round bye
secured, the HFWC find themselves in the Final Four yet again, with a chance to
advance to Mortal Kombat for the fourth time in team history. With just one Gronk
on their mantle, the HFWC will hope for torrid performances from Deshaun Watson
& Ezekiel Elliott in order to gain their second title.

Gronk Odds: 8/1

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GUNSLINGERS #3

FOR the entire 2018 offseason, Gunslingers owner Jared Edwards schemed of ways
to avenge his loss in Mortal Kombat IX. No team was more driven to make it to the
playoffs than the Gunslingers, and an 8-2 finish helped propel them to a share of
the Russian Division Title. Drafted as a consistent juggernaut, the Gunslingers’
roster carries a mix of both star power (DeAndre Hopkins, 2019 MKFFL TE of the
Year Travis Kelce) as well as up-and-comers (Courtland Sutton, Aaron Jones,
Kyler Murray). This team is versatile, and has all the makings of a title contender
going into the playoffs – with an eye on Mortal Kombat X.

Gronk Odds: 12/1

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#4 TUPACCA WOOKIES

AFTER Week 6, the Tupacca Wookies sat alone atop the MKFFL, with a five-game
streak of 117-plus points per game. They featured a top defense, stars at all
positions, & a healthy roster. Since then? A 3-4 finish to miss out on a first round
bye, nagging injuries to WR Adam Thielen & TE Hunter Henry, and underperforming
campaigns from QB Carson Wentz & Todd Gurley. Owner Ryan Wolkey hasn’t seen
much from midseason acquisition Julio Jones, but there is still time for this team
to ramp back up heading into the playoffs. Their Wild Card matchup features a
third meeting vs. the Grand Poobahs, with a chance to avenge two regular-season
losses & end their rival’s year in the process.

Gronk Odds: 16/1

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GRAND POOBAHS #5

NO team was as frustrated as the Grand Poobahs in 2019: a league-record ten 100-
point games led to just six total victories. A 1-4 start put them behind the 8-ball &
in full-on panic mode throughout the season. Injuries to star RB Saquon Barkley &
TE Evan Engram had them playing the waiver wire, while they faced an MKFFL
record for points against. Still, the defending champs snuck into the playoffs with
a strong 2-1 finish, and will reset with a Wild Card rematch vs. the Tupacca
Wookies. As the 2nd-highest scoring team in the MKFFL in 2019, the Poobahs are
thankful that regular season wins don’t matter in the playoffs – giving them a
clean slate to re-write their 2019 story on.

Gronk Odds: 16/1

10 | P a g e

#6 MEAN MACHINE

RARELY do you see the type of season-turnaround that the Mean Machine showed
in 2019, but Tyler Davis delivered just that. Powered with tough-luck draft duds
Cam Newton, Le’Veon Bell & Antonio Brown, the Machine sat at 0-4 when they
swung a monstrous deal for QB Lamar Jackson. The result? Jackson is the newly
christened MKFFL MVP, and the Mean Machine are in the playoffs thanks to a 6-3
finish. Their reward? A first-round date with the Texas Gunslingers in the Wild
Card round. Jackson has been hot of late – three-straight MKFFL Player of the
Week awards in Weeks 10-12, and with a supporting cast featuring the likes of
Mark Ingram, Amari Cooper & Sony Michel, this team could be prepped for a title
run of their own.
Gronk Odds: 16/1

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PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS

HIGH FIVE WORLD CHAMPS MEAN MACHINE
MEAN MACHINE
GUNSLINGERS
MEAN MACHINE

TUPACCA WOOKIES GRAND POOBAHS
GRAND POOBAHS
KRAKEN

KRAKEN

MORTAL KOMBAT X CHAMPIONS

KRAKEN

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LOSER’S TABLE

A ROUND-ROBIN FORMAT AWAITS THE BOTTOM FOUR
TEAMS IN THE LEAGUE, WITH THE WORST RECORD
EARNING THE RIGHT TO RENAME “THE ZACH”

PREDICTION:
“THE FORREST”

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TEANMEWR&EPORTS

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FOUR-PLAY?

A DIVISION TITLE, #1 SEED & 1ST-
ROUND BYE MAKE KRAKEN MKFFL

FAVORITES

WHAT WENT RIGHT: How about a record-
setting season? The Kraken shattered the
all-time MKFFL scoring record set by the
Shockers in 2017, reclaiming their original
record from 2013. Christian McCaffrey, an
MKFFL MVP Finalist, led the way during an
historic season, while Dak Prescott &
Michael Thomas were among the league’s
best at their respective positions. That
doesn’t even take into account the seasons
of Mike Evans, Austin Hooper & Marlon
Mack. This team was stacked.
WHAT WENT WRONG: Back-to-back losses in
October stalled their tear through the
league, and the team hasn’t been the same
since Marlon Mack went down. RB2/Flex
concerns will carry into the playoffs.
WHAT LIES AHEAD: A first-round bye puts The
Kraken just two wins away from a title.
They have favorable matchups in Week 15,
and will likely have a chance to earn Gronk
#4 in Mortal Kombat X as the clear
favorites entering the playoffs.

17 | P a g e

DERAILED

TALENTED ROSTER CAN’T
OVERCOME LUCK, INJURY

WHAT WENT RIGHT: This team ripped off some
nice wins and looked to hit their stride with
Patrick Mahomes’ return. They were one of
two MKFFL teams to score 160 this season,
but didn’t pick up enough steam to avoid
the Loser’s Table.
WHAT WENT WRONG: Injuries to Patrick
Mahomes & T.Y. Hilton, David Johnson’s
disappearing act & other issues plagued
the team all season, but they still could’ve
salvaged a playoff run had they not dealt
MKFFL MVP Finalist Lamar Jackson & RB
Sony Michel to the Mean Machine in Week
Four. Melvin Gordon – acquired in the
trade – eventually produced for Raiden, but
it was too little, too late for their playoff
hopes.
WHAT LIES AHEAD: An inconsistent-yet-potent
offense enters the Loser’s Table. QB
Patrick Mahomes, RB Derrick Henry, RB
Melvin Gordon & company will look to
provide more boom than bust, avoiding the
titular last-place game. With their track
record, they have a good chance to play for
consolation..

18 | P a g e

SLIP-N-SLIDE

AN UNPRECEDENTED 0-5 FINISH
SENDS THE SHOCKERS HOME

WHAT WENT RIGHT: Not one thing.

WHAT WENT WRONG: Injuries to James
Conner, Keenan Allen & others,
disappointing play from key starters…none
of that matters if the Shockers could’ve one
one game. Instead, they dropped their final
five games following a 5-3 start, and
missed the playoffs by one game.
WHAT LIES AHEAD: The coldest team in the
MKFFL, the Shockers look to try to capture
some of the magic they held in their 3-1
start. They will need healthy returns from
a number of stars if they wish to make it
out of the Loser’s Table without The Forrest
waiting for them in 2020.

19 | P a g e

BACK FOR MORE

THE GUNSLINGERS VOW TO RETURN
TO MORTAL KOMBAT IS LOOKING
GOOD

WHAT WENT RIGHT: A successful season –
they were the second team to clinch a
playoff spot and were not eliminated from a
division title until Week 13. They won
games they needed to, and while panned on
draft day, needed all three QB’s (Drew
Brees, Matt Ryan, Kyler Murray) during the
season. A midseason trade to acquire
Aaron Jones propelled them to much-
needed wins. Overall, multiple low-scoring
wins early in the season gave the
Gunslingers room for error in the fall.
WHAT WENT WRONG: Unable to score a
barrage of points, and an 0-2 record vs.
rival Kraken, as well a late-season missed
opportunity vs. The Grand Poobahs. The
Gunslingers.
WHAT LIES AHEAD: A first-round matchup
presents a challenge for the Gunslingers,
who must match last season’s three-round
run. They have a consistent team across
the board, but will need more from their
stars & avoid picking the wrong QB along
the way – something that cost them the
Gronk in 2018.

20 | P a g e

GRAND FINALE

LEFT FOR DEAD IN OCTOBER, THE
POOBAHS FIGHT THEIR WAY INTO

THE PLAYOFFS

WHAT WENT RIGHT: They treaded water all
season despite the entire league rooting
against them, and won when they had to.
QB Jimmy Garoppolo filled in nicely during
the bye weeks, Devin Singletary emerged
as a viable RB2, and consistent play from
stars like Dalvin Cook & Russell Wilson
helped the defending champs extend their
playoff streak to 10 seasons.
WHAT WENT WRONG: The Poobahs slowed
towards the end of the season, and an
inexplicable loss to the Bad Hombres
nearly cost them the season. Vikings stars
Dalvin Cook & Stefon Diggs both suffered
Week 13 injuries on the same play,
something worth monitoring.
WHAT LIES AHEAD: An instant rematch from
Rivalry Week vs. the Tupacca Wookies. The
Poobahs swept the regular season with a
2-0 record, but will have to avenge their
only playoff loss vs. the Wookies if they
wish to keep the dream alive for a 5th
Gronk.

21 | P a g e

TRUMPED

SAD SHOWING IN YEAR ONE KEEPS
HOMBRES HUMBLE

WHAT WENT RIGHT: A 2-0 start gave this
team hope early on. They also went 2-0 vs.
the rival Grand Poobahs, and saw MKFFL
Rookie of the Year Josh Jacobs star all
season long.
WHAT WENT WRONG: Inconsistent QB play,
injuries to WR Julio Jones, and a flopped
trade for Cooper Kupp & Devonta Freeman
that failed to provide a spark with playoff
hopes on the line.
WHAT LIES AHEAD: They have a tough road to
navigate if they wish to avoid being
crowned “The Bryce”. The Loser’s Table is
stacked with tough competition, so the
Hombres will need to bring their A-game to
avoid the worst outcome in the league.

22 | P a g e

STILL ON HOLD

SAME OLD STORY LEAVE HMD IN
FAMILIAR TERRITORY YET AGAIN

WHAT WENT RIGHT: WR Tyreek Hill lived up to
his draft billing, while TE’s Zach Ertz &
Mark Andrews both finished top-5 at the
position. HMD won games they needed, but
fell just short of surviving the regular
season.

WHAT WENT WRONG: Far too many draft fails
plagued this team yet again: Tom Brady,
Damien Williams, LeSean McCoy, Miles
Sanders, Adrian Peterson, Davante Adams,
Josh Gordon, & Tevin Coleman all fell short
of expected production.

WHAT LIES AHEAD: HMD will finish outside of
the Final Four for the seventh-consecutive
season, and outside of the playoffs for the
fifth time in that span. HMD owner &
MKFFL Commissioner Matt Davis has never
held the title of last place – to avoid that
fate, he will need multiple injury
replacements to provide some big-time
numbers in the final weeks.

23 | P a g e

WANTED WOOKIES

NOVEMBER SLOWDOWN HAS
WOOKIES ON EDGE ENTERING

PLAYOFFS

WHAT WENT RIGHT: Clinching their first
winning season in team history, the
Wookies saw the highs their team can
achieve by scoring over 620 points during a
5-0 stretch in the fall.
WHAT WENT WRONG: The Wookies failed to
score 100 points in any November contest,
losing 3 of 4, blowing a prime chance at a
division title. Todd Gurley, Carson Wentz &
Adam Theilen have all disappointed in the
second half, while Chris Carson’s fumble
issues have returned. WR A.J. Green never
returned for them, and WR Julio Jones,
acquired in a midseason deal with the Bad
Hombres, has been injured as well.
WHAT LIES AHEAD: A team that is as good as
any in the league when they are “on’”, the
Tupacca Wookies certainly have the
firepower to win their second Gronk. If that
is going to happen, however, they will need
to see more production from Wentz & co. A
good start will be to get Julio Jones, A.J.
Green & Adam Thielen healthy to provide a
strong WR core in the final weeks of the
season.

24 | P a g e

RAGING MACHINE

A 4-1 FINISH CAPS OFF AN EPIC
COMEBACK

WHAT WENT RIGHT: The Mean Machine may
have made the trade of the decade,
acquiring MVP Lamar Jackson following an
0-4 start. The Machine ran a 4-1 record in
the second half to finish the season and
clinch their 5th consecutive playoff berth in
the process.

WHAT WENT WRONG: Poor showings from
Amari Cooper, Mark Ingram & Sony Michel
led to a season-low 69.3 points in Week 13,
losing to rival HMD.

WHAT LIES AHEAD: A Wild Card matchup vs.
the Gunslingers. Equally cold in Week 13
with 70 points, the Gunslingers present a
fair-but-challenging start to the playoffs.
With Jackson on board, there can be no
counting out the Mean Machine – and with
former Mortal Kombat VII MVP Le’Veon Bell,
they have the firepower to win their first
Gronk.

25 | P a g e

TRUMPING THE
LEAGUE

DIVISON CHAMPS CAN REST IN
DECEMBER

WHAT WENT RIGHT: Wins when they needed
to happen, the HFWC’s clinched a Trump
Division Title in Week 12. QB Deshaun
Watson & RB Ezekiel Elliott led the way,
consistently producing for Danny. While
never blowing away the competition, they
went 7-1 in an eight game stretch to seal
their first-round bye.

WHAT WENT WRONG: Without a solid RB2 to
take over for Kerryon Johnson, the HFWC
will have a glaring weakness that could
hurt them in the playoffs. RB Joe Mixon
hasn’t been that guy, but a spike in
production would solidify their offensive
output.

WHAT LIES AHEAD: Thanks to their division
title, they are just one win away from
Mortal Kombat X. With favorable WR
matchups & consistent talent, they have as
good a shot as anyone to make it. A spot in
Mortal Kombat is theirs to lose.

26 | P a g e

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