S16: Pennsylvania Classic Tiebreaker
Week 12 in the Super 16 brings the Pennsylvania Classic to the League’s Game of the Week, and this year’s version is a tiebreaker of sorts. It’s the 4th annual edition of this rivalry match-up between Eagle Has Landed (6-5-0) and Steel Curtain (3-8-0) and it brings with it unfinished business from last year’s game. In 2016, this pair met in the first inistallment of this rivalry, and the Eagle won handily, 200-114. The following year, Steel Curtain returned the favor, winning 182-154. In last year’s Classic, these two clubs played to an exciting 216-216 tie. That leaves the Pennsyvania Classic all tied up at 1 win each, and last season’s draw setting the stage for this year’s game.
The pair haven’t taken the field against each other since that tie game, making the stakes in this rivalry loom large. Steel Curtain has won 2 other meetings between the two over the years, outside of the Classic, to hold the historical advantage with a 3-1-1 record. Eagle has Landed, however, is a clear favorite this year, having outscored the black and yellow by a hundred points on the season. The normally high scoring Steel Curtain has been plagued by poor performance and injuries – including their flagship QB – all season and has nothing left to play for but pride, The Eagle, on the other hand, is in a tight race to win their first ever East Division Championship and would love to use rival Steel Curtain as a stepping stone on the way to that podium. Adding drama to the already dramatic, Pittsburgh will be starting former Eagle Nick Foles at QB against the Eagle’s Wentz….this should be interesting. Order up some cheesesteaks and pierogies for this one, it sure loks like fun.
6-5-0 – 3-8-0
All-Time
43-45-1 – 26-27-1
Head To Head
1-3-1 – 3-1-1
Spread
+1 – -1
Results
W 174 – 128
UPDATE: Eagle Has Landed has taken possession of the Commonwealth Trophy with their defeat of Steel Curtain in the 4th edition of the Pennsylvania Classic, but more importantly, they’ve taken control of the S16 East with the win as well. They advance to 7-5-0, while Northern Fins lost to The Dawg Pound and fall to 6-5-1, a half game back. The tie could come into play as The Eagle and Fins face each other head to head in the season finale. Making the match-up even more exciting is that it’s a SimulPlay Game that will decide the East Division Championship and send one of these two to the playoffs.
Elswhere in the league, defending league and 2019 North Division Champion WRATH OF ODIN, along with the Who Dat Saints and Birds of Prey all won to move to 9-3-0. That leaves the league’s Saints-Falcons rivals to play for the South Division title and a first round bye in their own SimulPlay Division Championship finale on Thanksgiving night. The loser will secure the #5 Wild Card seed.
ODIN meanwhile, though having wrapped up their division, cannot secure a first round by until next week thanks to SF BowMen’s 100 point win over Dem Bucking Broncos. The win pushes the Archers up to 8-4-0 and gives them their own path to a first round bye – a week 13 win and an ODIN loss.
1 Eye Til I Die suffered an upset loss to the Jawbreakers, but still have a path to the West Division crown thanks to their week 9 win over BowMen, giving them the tiebreaker should they tie records with a week 13 win and a loss by SF. A 1 Eye win and an SF win will give BowMen the division, but put 1 Eye into the #6 Wild Card, while a loss by 1 Eye and an SF loss to season finale oponent Arizona, will give the Firebirds a 7-6-0 record and put them into the #6 seed thanks to the head to head tiebreaker over 1 Eye. (The Dawg Pound can finish 7-6-0 with a win, but will miss the Wild Card spot based on total points tiebreakers).