Titans| #1 Seed (7 points)
Bills | Division Title (3 points)
Rams | Division Title (3 points)
Raiders | Playoff Berth (1 point)
49ers | Playoff Berth (1 point)
Steelers | Playoff Berth (1 point)
Sponge Mom (32 points) has a four point lead over her closest competitor — more than a *lame* Trifecta or division title (each 3 points). Wise Orangutan (28 points) and B-Reezy (27 points) round out the leader board, but over half of the field is within 12 points of the current leader.
All Analysts are eligible for the *bonus* points awarded to teams that clinch better playoff seeding. The leaders then have the advantage of Boxing Out the Analysts who trail them. Fortunately, there are literally hundreds of permutations for Pick Threes worth 17 or more points!
The Clearinghouse encourages each Analyst to review the Week 18 playoff-clinching Scenarios for themselves, here: https://www.nfl.com/news/playoff-clinching-scenarios-for-week-18-of-2021-nfl-season. Briefly, the Seeder *bonus* points up for grabs in Leg 4 of The Seeders’ Cup are (listed in order of control of own destiny, meaning the first team listed is “Win and In” — see nfl.com Scenarios):
Pick one of Titans, Chiefs, Bengals, or Patriots
Pick Bills or Patriots
Pick Rams or Cardinals
Pick 49ers control their own destiny over Saints (not a Pick option)
Pick Colts, Steelers, or Ravens
The maximum points are 19 for a *base* Trifecta that Correctly Picks the #1 Seed in the AFC, the AFC East Division Winner, and the NFC West Division Winner — UNLESS the Patriots take the #1 Seed in the AFC then the maximum is 17 points. Other combinations will yield less, but still may be enough to surpass the current leaders.
Coming around the near turn, the Analysts set a blistering pace as half of the field adds double-digit Trifecta points to their totals!
Sponge Mom (32 Trifecta Points) widens her lead over the competition with a *base* Trifecta with 10 *bonus* points. She takes a 4 points lead into the home stretch over her closest rival, Wise Orangutan (28 Trifecta Points) who tripled his total with a 19-point *base* Trifecta in Leg 3. After two solid weeks, B-Reezy (27 Trifecta Points) climbs breezily into third place.
None of the leaders, however have a comfortable lead over the middle of the field!
In fourth place, Roxy Trot (26 Trifecta Points) separates from the rest of the field. Craft Brew and Little Tuna (25 Trifecta Points each) vie for fifth place. Both have 2 Correct Home Team Picks and 16 Seeder points after three Legs, so it’s a dead heat! Not far behind, Jimmy V (23 Trifecta Points) holds seventh place, trailed by Big Tuna (22 Trifecta Points) in eighth and Woody (20 Trifecta Points) in ninth.
In the back of the field, KateTDid (15 Trifecta Points) and Bookie (14 Trifecta Points) remain mathematically alive for the Win and Place from tenth and eleventh position. Atwork and Mo Money (13 Trifecta Points) are also able to close the distance on Sponge Mom down the home stretch, but it may take something of a miracle for either to Win or Place.
And, lastly, The Strategist (11 Trifecta Points) has been eliminated from the Win, but remains mathematically alive for the Place with an extraordinarily strategic Pick Three — more extraordinarily strategic than last week in any case!
Packers | #1 Seed (7 points)
Bengals | Division Title (3 points)
Titans | Division Title (3 points)
Patriots | Playoff Berth (1 point)
Bills | Playoff Berth (1 point)
Eagles | Playoff Berth (1 point)
Down the back stretch, the Analyst find their strides, portending a dramatic conclusion to The Seeders’ Cup VIII!
Sponge Mom (16 Trifecta Points) holds onto her early lead with a *base* Trifecta with 7 Seeder *bonus* points. Trailing closely, however, after a perfect Seeder Leg, Craft Brew and Jimmy V (15 Trifecta Points each) move into Place and Show, respectively (Craft Brew leads on second tiebreaker: 2 Correct Home Team Picks).
B-Reezy adds 13 Trifecta Points to move into sole possession of fourth place. One length behind (12 Trifecta Points each), five Analysts jockey for fifth place (in order of scoreboard): Woody, Big Tuna, Little Tuna, Roxy Trot, and KateTDid. Tiebreakers suggest Big Tuna and KateTDid have the edge in this competition (third tiebreakers), but plenty of race remains!
The Strategist (11 Trifecta Points) falls to tenth place. Wise Orangutan, Atwork, and Bookie find themselves at the back of the field once again with 9 Trifecta Points! Mo Money (5 Trifecta Points) is seeing more horses’ asses in this silly game than she has seen at any other point this season!
Stumbly, bumbly start to the Eighth running of The Seeders’ Cup!
Wise Orangutan, The Strategist, Atwork, and Sponge Mom jump out to the early lead with 3 Trifecta Points.
All other Analysts have 0 Trifecta Points.
The Analysts have submitted their papers and claimed their Home Teams. No Analysts has released or claimed a new Home Team for the next Crown Race.
The Claim Box for The Seeders’ Cup VIII is:
Remember: Every Analyst has a bias for his or her Home Team and may NOT pick their Claimed team to lose. Analysts do not have to pick his or her Home Team to win, but *bonus* trifecta points are won only if Analysts include the Home Team in a *base* or *lame* Trifecta. Analysts must Pick Three games from the official Slate of Games. See The Seeders’ Cup Rules for more.
Email picks in private to The Bookie before each Leg (week) of the Race. Thursday games are due by 4pm EST on Thursdays. All Sunday and Monday Picks are due on Saturdays at 5pm EST. Both deadlines may be extended at the discretion of The Bookie. No Picks for games after kickoffs are accepted.
No revisions (Re-Picks) are possible after the Picks have been released to all Analysts by The Bookie.
Packers | Division Title (3 points)
Atwork: Packers*/Chiefs/Seahawks Jimmy V: Colts*/Chiefs/Saints Craft Brew: Colts/Titans/Packers B-Reezy: Dolphins*/Bears/Chiefs Roxy Trot: Packers/Titans/Cowboys Sponge Mom: Saints*/Titans/Colts The Bookie: Seahawks/Chiefs/Titans Big Tuna: Packers/Cardinals/Titans Woody: Titans/Packers/Saints The Strategist: Packers/Seahawks/Colts Wise Orangutan: Seahawks/Colts/Buccaneers KateTDid: Titans*/Seahawks/Saints Little Tuna: Buccaneers*/Titans/Packers * Denotes home team
1. Hopefully 2021 is good to me!! Happy New Years 2. Hello 2021 3. Hopefully I can break my own curse and actually win the Seeders Cup! I've come so close so many times to winning a cup but the last leg always gets me. 4. Stay tuned to WFTL for food picks tomorrow. 5. Good luck!!! 5. I will soon be the San Diego Chargers of World Football sports analysis!
Atwork: Packers* (7)/Chiefs/Seahawks (10 points)
Jimmy V: Colts* (1)/Chiefs/Saints (4 points)
Craft Brew: Colts (1)/Titans (3)/Packers (7) (17 points)
B-Reezy: Dolphins*/Bears (1)/Chiefs (0 points)
Roxy Trot: Packers (7)/Titans (3)/Cowboys (13 points)
Sponge Mom: Saints*/Titans (3)/Colts (1) (10 points)
The Bookie: Seahawks/Chiefs/Titans (3) (6 points)
Big Tuna: Packers (7)/Cardinals/Titans (3) (13 points)
Woody: Titans (3)/Packers (7)/Saints (16 points)
The Strategist: Packers (7)/Seahawks/Colts (1) (14 points)
Wise Orangutan: Seahawks/Colts (1)/Buccaneers (8 points)
KateTDid: Titans* (3)/Seahawks/Saints (9 points)
Little Tuna: Buccaneers*/Titans (3)/Packers (7) (16 points)
* Denotes home team
Packers clinched NFC #1 Seed
Titans clinched AFC South
Browns clinched playoff berth
Colts clinched playoff berth
Three Analysts scored in every Leg in the seventh running of The Seeders’ Cup, but only one takes home Purse after a slow starter finishes on a blistering pace! Could the front runner give up her third lead of the season in the final Leg???
And the Winner is….
Woody with 48 points total! Accumulating 2 *Base* Trifectas and 30 Seeder points over four Legs, she breaks maiden with her first career Win!
Entering the homestretch in second place, Atwork and Jimmy V hit a rough spot in the Missouri mud, creating an opening for another Analyst to Place. From out of fourth, Craft Brew (42 points total) Places after adding 33 Trifecta points in the final two Legs! Atwork (40 points total) then adds to his entries in the Winner’s Circle with a Show.
Roxy Trot (35 points) finishes in fourth place. In a tie at 33 points each, Little Tuna takes fifth place on 3 Correct Home Team Picks, while The Strategist takes sixth place on third tiebreaker (20 Seeder points) over Jimmy V (18 Seeder points) in seventh place. KateTDid climbs into eighth place with 31 Trifecta points.
At 29 points each, The Bookie (23 points) edges out Sponge Mom for ninth place on Correct Home Team Picks (2 vs. 1). Wise Orangutan (24 points) swings into eleventh position at the line, Big Tuna (23 points) wades into twelfth place, and B-Reezy (16 points) finishes in last, seeking the answer blowing in the wind!
