predicate.

So much for that! After enjoying one brief week among the cadre, the Beefalo Balls were summarily banished back to the ranks by those unruly Hooligans, thus restoring Pigskin's status quo ante.

It was quite a loss for poor Cy Guy -- moving to 4-3-1 dropped him from 4th place all the way down to 10th, since competition in the cut-throat Your Mom division remains fierce. Indeed, even The Pantywaists are momentarily out of playoff contention despite their 5-3 record, thanks to a deficit in total scoring of only 5.8 points.

Special Saturday edition of couplets starts...right now!

Their stud QB needed a week of rest,
But those Headbangers are still Pigskin's best.
      Final Score: Army of Darkness 65.9 -- The Headbangers 86.7.

Oblivious pfox gets his sixth loss
As Bulger and Ted Ginn show him who's boss.
      Final Score: The Iron Yuppies 51.5 -- Grim And Frostbitten 74.2.

The Rhyparographers came roaring back
By knocking off Ghost Of Roger Staubach.
      Final Score: Chicago Rhyparographers 94.8 -- Ghost Of Roger Staubach 52.6.

The Steamers shoved a finger in mule's eye:
They're now ranked 8th, while mule is stuck in 9th.
      Final Score: Great Lakes Steamers 102.8 -- The Pantywaists 92.4.

Twenty-two from Manning made Fargo's day,
Though two would have sufficed to beat Arcane.
      Final Score: Fargo Arborists 80.6 -- Arcane Nitehawkez 60.3.

Short on bodies, Miah's team dropped Game 8.
A couple more of those will seal their fate.
      Final Score: Pacific Coast Pirates 86.8 -- The Defenestrators 56.

The Fustigators won their third straight clash --
Los Tastiks' season, too, is almost cashed.
      Final Score: Edgewater Fustigators 79.7 -- Los Tastiks 61.9.

The Hooligans asked Cy Guy, "Where's the BEEF?"
Proceeding then to kick them in the teeth.
      Final Score: Beefalo Balls 43.8 -- The Hooligans 80.4.

Oak Ridge regained their crown at 5-3;
They're 4-1 against other Stabbies.
      Final Score: Oak Ridge Trinities 101.7 -- Amherst The Show 88.5.

Those Cheatahs sure give off a bitter stench --
All three QBs they drafted have been benched.
      Final Score: Baystate Wicked Cheatahs 27.8 -- The Wrong Petersons 67.5.

Ol' Samurai Mike dropped trou in San Fran;
Could light a spark, or it could get him canned.

With the middle three weeks of the season over and done with, we're back to mostly divisional games in Week 9, with more to come as we close out the season. Next week features two division leaders taking on their closest contenders, plus another throw-down between potential playoff teams in the tough Your Mom division.

While the Oak Ridge Trinities are favored over the recently defeated Beefalo Balls by a little over 13 points, a dominant performance by Buffalo over the Jets could erase that margin in a hurry. And the Pirates/Pantywaists game could also go either way, with both teams enjoying several favorable matchups. Colin has a 2-game win streak going, but also has the albatross of the Oakland D/ST unit around his neck. Mule's QB gets to face an awful Denver pass defense, but TE Jason Witten missed practice on Friday and may be a game-time decision.

My pick for Game of the Week is the Windy City/Caption This matchup between the Chicago Rhyparographers and the Edgewater Fustigators. Both teams are 6-2, but Edgewater is riding a 3-game win streak and is favored -- by all of half a point -- even without a starting defense. The projected score is surprisingly low, but there should be more than enough drama to go around.

Tune in next week for more Pigskin!