Halfway through the YFFL season, the path to December looks very different depending on the conference. Five winning teams are fighting for three playoff spots in the AFC, while the Dragons have opened a three-game division lead in the NFC. The Orangutangs made the loudest statement of Week 7, scoring 71 points to keep the league-leading Refugees within reach.
Tony Pollard supplied 24 points as the Orangutangs beat the White Guys 71-45, posting the week's highest score and their third straight victory. Pollard's 155 combined yards and three touchdowns set the pace, Dak Prescott added 20, and Omar Cooper Jr. and Trey McBride chipped in 10 apiece. Four starters produced 64 points. The White Guys' 45 points never had much of a chance.
At 5-2, the Orangutangs remain one game behind the Refugees in an AFC East that keeps getting more crowded. Seven games into a 14-game regular season, all four division leaders won, five AFC teams have winning records, and the Dragons have found something increasingly rare elsewhere: breathing room.
A Crowded House
The Refugees reached 6-1 with a 41-32 victory over the Boys, protecting the league's best record without needing its biggest score. Ollie Gordon II and Luther Burden III delivered 10 points apiece, while newly acquired Jacoby Brissett contributed six. The Refugees lead the Orangutangs by one game and the Llamas by two, which is comfortable only if nobody looks at the schedule.
The Llamas have followed a 1-3 start with three straight wins, the latest a 58-52 decision over the Mallards. Caleb Williams scored 16, Wil Lutz added 12 and Zay Flowers supplied 10. The Mallards, meanwhile, have turned a 2-0 start into five consecutive losses. Scoring more than 10 of the league's other teams this week offered remarkably little consolation.
The Merry Men stopped their two-game slide by edging the Huskers 42-37 in the week's closest game. CeeDee Lamb's 14 points and Kyren Williams' 10 helped the defending champions reach 5-2, but the Eaters remain just half a game behind in the AFC West.
Bucky Irving scored 16 as the Eaters beat the Beans 60-51 and improved to 4-2-1. Joe Burrow's 24 points and Jameson Williams' 14 kept the Beans competitive, but seven Eaters starters contributed points. The Beans' three-game winning streak ended, and their share of first place disappeared with it.
That leaves five winning AFC teams chasing three playoff berths. Even the Thugs have started stirring, beating the Chickens 46-34 for their second win in three games after an 0-4 opening. C.J. Stroud, Brandon Aubrey and Cam Skattebo supplied 36 of their 46 points. At 2-5, the climb remains steep.
Breathing Fire
The Dragons followed last week's 97-point eruption with a more economical 49-36 victory over the Poop. Michael Penix Jr. threw three touchdown passes for 18 points, Chase McLaughlin added 11, and the Dragons improved to 5-2.
With the White Guys, Mallards and Boys all losing, the Dragons now lead every NFC East rival by three games. Their 419 points also lead the league, eight ahead of both the Brothers and Merry Men. Halfway through the season, the Dragons have the strongest combination of scoring power and divisional elbow room.
The Brothers reclaimed sole possession of the NFC West lead by routing the Buddies 60-24. Jared Goff scored 16, Javonte Williams added 12 and Christian McCaffrey supplied 10 as the Brothers bounced back from their loss to the White Guys. At 5-2, they lead the Beans by one game, with the Chickens and Huskers both 3-4. The Buddies have lost three straight and sit 2-4-1.
Seven More
The second half opens with the Orangutangs and Brothers meeting at 5-2, while the Refugees face the Beans. Further ahead, the final three weeks are entirely divisional rematches, including Refugees-Orangutangs in Week 14.
There is plenty of football left before anybody can book December plans. The AFC contenders may want to keep those plans refundable.