Week 12 of the 2024 NPIFL season is in the books and we saw the contenders separate themselves from the pretenders at a crucial stage. We saw the Originals, WWC and Old England Pats eliminated from the Super Bowl bracket with losses, perhaps not mathematically, but there is no room for hope in their hour of darkness.
While the Leviathans’ survive, the margin for error is as thin as a razor’s edge, and as for the Storm, winning out might not be enough for “Brymbo’s Team” to make it. You are in Chubble have all but booked their ticket to the postseason with a dominant win, and the Love Train and SW 49ers are one win away from that level of comfort themselves.
Nathan’s Pix saw the O’s HC go 3-3 for an incredible third game in a row, bringing his totals to 32-40 on the year. Interestingly, NFLFQS went 5-1 on the week, getting only the Love Train’s victory over the 49ers wrong. As for the Best Bench of the Week, that honor goes to the St. Lewis Rams, who had a remarkable 83.9 points on their bench.
Let’s look at the NPIFL table and examine Week 12 in more detail:
YAI Chubble (9-3) 161.08 – 115.36 Brymbo Originals (5-7)
The O’s are the streakiest team in the NPIFL this season, as after going 0-5, went 5-5 and are now on a two-game losing streak. That said, some good performances by Brymbo were eclipsed in Week 12 by a herculean showing from You are in Chubble.
Crazily, this one was over before Chubble’s high-powered stack of Lamar Jackson (22.58) and Derick Henry (14) took the field, although their points have made YAIC almost impervious to dropping out of the playoffs.
The highlight of the day was 44.2 points from Saquon Barkley, who had 302 total yards and 2 TDs against the Rams. Add 20.7 from Terry McLaurin, 18.5 from Nick Chubb, 10 from the Broncos D and 12.8 from TE Zach Ertz and Chubble was the best team of the week.
Meanwhile, the O’s had a decent day and were very much in the fight until Saquon Barkley ran away with the game. 20.16 points from Baker Mayfield, was complimented by 21 from kicker Will Lutz, while Kyren Williams (11.2), Kenneth Walker (11.3), Kareem Hunt (10.2), the Packers D (12) and Leonard Williams (10.5) all broke 10 points.
Chubble’s Oliver Bailey was confident his team could go all the way this year:
“The win…. it’s so close……I can taste it……”
O’s HC Nathan Adams spoke to NFLFQS after the game and also mentioned Chubble’s Super Bowl-caliber offense:
“Disappointed but Chubble is going all the way this season and he’s on fire, he deserves it this year.”
It was a good day for Brymbo but just not enough and the O’s slump to 0-6 against their Plas Coch rivals in 2024. Week 13 will see the Originals try to rectify that, with them looking to right the ship against the 49ers. Meanwhile, Chubble looks to take revenge on a Storm team that hung a season-high 166 points on them in Week 2.
SW 49ers (8-4) 93.36 – 146.62 Love Train (8-5)
The San Wrexham 49ers had the postseason in sight but took their foot off the pedal in Week 12. The Love Train ran them over in spectacular fashion, although QB Patrick Mahomes did his part, leading the team with 28.76 points.
The issue was for San Wrexham that only kicker Brandon Aubrey (10) and Nick Cross (10) hit 10 points, with the entire remaining roster having a dud week. The 49ers will be hoping this is but a blip as if they put up similar numbers and lose in Week 13, they might find themselves in trouble in the postseason race.
On the other side of the ball, the Love Train were magnificent. After Nathan’s Pix and NFLQS+ predicted the 49ers to win this week, TLT showed up, showed out and showed off a little. The Train was powered by their RBs this week, as while Puka Nacua (16.2) and Jordan Love (14.720 had decent days, Bucky Irving (24.1), Josh Jacobs (28.6) and Aaron Jones (19.4) were the game winners.
Love Train HC Damen Griffiths was ‘unavailable for comment’ this week, although a spokesman from the franchise gave a statement to NFLFQS on Wednesday:
“We here at the Love Train feel we have once again been disrespected by the media in what is a crucial time for our team. We will therefore be taking a one-week break from our media duties after our complete and utter dismantling of the San Wrexham 49ers, who quite frankly, let down what should have been a real showstopper of a matchup for our fans.
“We here at The Love Train hope that the media will take a long hard look at themselves and in future give us the respect we deserve. Thank you.”
As is a tradition for San Wrexham, HC Chris Blockley could not be contacted after a defeat.
Next, San Wrexham will look to all but stamp their ticket to the postseason against the streaky O’s, while the Love Train are overwhelming favorites to pile on the misery against the ERS.
Tyreek or Treat (1-11) 87.98 – 141.06 Leviathans (6-6)
Tyreek or Treat are going through a terrible 2024 NPIFL season, but one nugget of good news is that it’s almost over. ToT has been eliminated from Famous Idaho Potato Bowl contention and Week 12 was another sad performance.
C.J. Stroud’s 15.68 points was a highlight, which says a lot about his performances this season. This was Stroud’s best performance since Week 6, and other than him, only kicker Cameron Dicker (15) broke 10 points.
The Leviathans, however, are very much in the discussion for the postseason. While standing at 6-6 might make many puzzle as to how that can be, given the six teams with better records, Lloyds could win the Metro if they win out (+Rams losing to XI), and that division will get at least one ticket to the playoffs.
The Levs played some scintillating football on Sunday, with a huge 30 minutes in the second window seeing 2 TDs for Courtland Sutton (15.70), along with some great volume for George Kittle (17.20) and Jakobi Meyers (17.10). The Screamin’ Eagle combining for almost 34 points underlined this team’s potential, and they now have the most points scored in the Metro.
Levs coach Tom Lloyd told NFLFQS on Thursday:
“A fine effort from the whole team this week. Really pulling together when it counts. Hoping to continue with this effort as we approach the end of the season.
“Leviathans rise!”
Lloyds looks to continue their uphill battle for the postseason with a crucial game against St. Lewis. If the Leviathans win they live another week, but if they fall they are finished. Meanwhile, ToT will once again pick themselves up and pray for rain, this time against the WWC.
Brymbo Storm (7-5) 120.08 – 100.80 ERS (3-9)
The Brymbo Storm got off to a good start in Week 12, with their many Steelers starters getting close to 50 points on Thursday. This was a necessary win for Brymbo, as although the results above them didn’t go their way, a narrow path to the NPIFL Super Bowl remains open.
Jaylen Warren (13.90), DeAndre Hopkins (12), Cooper Kupp (16), DeShon Elliott and TJ Hockenson (14.80) all broke 10 points, and the Storm got their best QB performance on the season in Anthony Richardson (16.98). As such, a shorthanded ERS was never truly a threat. Richardson almost had a huge day, but was hampered somewhat by his receivers and penalties.
The ERS almost threatened on Sunday, with Caleb Williams (26.90) and Jahmyr Gibbs (23.40) giving Brymbo fans an uncomfortable hour or so, but starting Alexander Mattison after he had been ruled out was decisive.
Storm HC John Maxwell told NFLFQS:
“While we won, we didn’t score enough points to really give ourselves a chance. Our road to the postseason is now all but closed, and we have to beat the best teams in the league and get a little help from our rivals to make it. Still waiting on an MRI on JK, hopefully, it comes back all clear and we can get him back on Sunday.”
John Maxwell of NFLFQS spoke to HC Dan Gittins too, who said the following before slamming down his office phone:
“F*ck you Maxwell! F*ck you! You know my thoughts! I actually could have just beat you if I’d have had a different team on the field.”
While having a different team might have been beneficial for the ERS at many stages throughout the season, they were alas, stuck with what they had in Week 12.
The Storm now prepare to host Chubble with grim faces, with the knowledge that fortune seems to have closed the door on their playoff ambitions. Meanwhile, the ERS will look to rain on the Love Train’s parade in what projects to be a trap game for TLT.
Santos XI (7-5) 130.76 – 87.90 WWC (5-7)
Santos XI recorded another dominant display, with the NPIFL perennial playoff contender putting up points when dearly needed. The XI are in control of their own destiny this season, and are confident they can get the job done.
Week 12 saw them demolish the WWC, with D.J. Moore leading the team with 23.40 points. Add the consistently good performances of David Montgomery (16.80) and De’Von Achane (19.10) and Santos had the backbone for a big score.
While they didn’t quite raise eyebrows around the league, this is the second week in a row the XI have passed 130 points, and if they can do that hereon they are a true contender.
As for the WWC, a disappointing display saw their two-game winning streak end and their slim postseason hopes evaporate. Kyler Murray’s 10.30 points underlined a poor day at the office, with only Chuba Hubbard (14.50), Jerry Jeudy (11.50), Xavier McKinney (11) and Spencer Shrader (12) really making the highlights.
The XI are gearing up to host the Pats, eager in the knowledge that a win and a Leviathans’ victory could put them in pole position in the Metro. As for the WWC, they look to enter the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl bracket but need to put in a professional display against a ToT reeling from their 11th consecutive defeat.
“Pleased with a big win. I’ve a lot of respect for Coach Ward, but we need to stamp our authority with the playoffs in sight.
“I can tell from the noise coming from other organizations that they can see us gathering momentum. I can smell the fear. We’re a much bigger franchise than some of these that noisy coaches work for; There’s a reason we’re always in the playoffs.”
Meanwhile, WWC coach Chris Ward discussed the team’s chances going forward:
“It was always going to be a tricky week what with several players out with byes, but, the truth is, my lads just didn’t turn up this past week. It’s very disappointing, but I’m confident we can finish the season strongly still.”
OE Pats (5-7) 71.26 – 95.72 SL Rams (8-4)
In what was the second-lowest scoring game of the 2024 NPIFL season, the Rams slimed past the ERS. St. Lewis has a reputation for managing to match up against the right teams when they have a bad week, and that was the case in Week 12.
The Rams would have lost to seven NPIFL teams this week but were fortunate to come up against an Old England Pats that put up a very disappointing display. The Pats saw only Jaxon Smith-Njigba (16.7), Jason Sanders (12) and Ladd McConkey (11.30) really get going, with QB Jared Goff’s 10.76 points underlining a poor day at the office.
Meanwhile, St. Lewis saw a good day from QB Bo Nix (19.42), WR Nico Collins (17.70) and TE Trey McBride (19.30). Danielle Hunter (12.5) and Ka’imi Fairbairn (11) did their part on a day where five players failed to break 5 points.
Rams HC Lewis Done seems to have been feeling the pressure when he spoke to NFLFQS on Wednesday. Not only did he suggest his Rams, which rank 7th for points scored in the NPIFL, were the only Metro team deserving of a playoff spot, but he also said a host of conspiracies were at play and took aim at the NPIFL commissioner:
“We are into the end game of the season and can’t afford to lose another game with four teams in the running for the last playoff spot. So it’s must win every week from now on. We’ve had an amazing season to be in 4th and currently the only Metro team worthy of a place in the playoffs.
“Tom’s legacy (Leviathans) is steeped in failure but I think this side might be ready to turn that around. Even a broken clock is right twice a day. Especially given the favorable trading conditions the commissioner and his close friends have managed to create in recent weeks.”
Pats HC Aminul Hassan was more grounded with reporters, saying:
“No comment from me as – seemingly like my players – I’ve also started my holidays early.”
Week 12 will see the Pats look to cancel the playoff party Santos is planning, while the Rams will have to raise their standards if they are to slay a Leviathans team that refuses to die.