After Week 3, the Grid Picks standings are tightening up.

Yours Truly and Handy Andy Steinmentz at 35-10 still hold onto first-place with Hot Rod Heckman a game back. Both Justin “The Voice” Carlucci and reigning champion, Bad Brad Hurley leap frogged over Pat the “Mat” Matsinko into a tie for third place, just two back of the leaders. Carlucci had a rough Week 1, but since then has made up a lot of ground on the leaders.

Chuck “Good Luck” Hixson also had a stellar week at 12-3, and moved into a tie for fourth.

Slip sliding away

“Mercy Rule” McCall and Sam “the Hangman” Matta again had disappointing pick weeks at 9-6. McCall can’t climb out of the Pundit Pit and Matta is doing his worst to try to join him there. They need to go undefeated in Week 4 to get back their confidence, but they will unlikely gain ground if they pick the same winners as mostly everyone else.

A look back and a look ahead

In Week 3, all staffers lost when Bangor clipped Northern Lehigh. Only Ford won after Wyomissing ruined any chance for a good North Schuylkill team of having an undefeated season. Yours Truly and Hixson jumped a game on everyone when Saucon Valley upended Palmerton.

Week 4, at least on paper, is loaded with mismatches. Jim Thorpe and Tamaqua should remain unbeaten. The Olympians will try to spin their third shut out in a row against Kutztown, and if so will have won four games while allowing just seven total points. The 3-0 Blue Raiders shouldn’t have a problem with Panther Valley, who at this time in their rebuilding progam, could use a few games on the schedule where they can be more competitive.

Lehighton, Emmaus, and Pottsville are heavy favorites. There are unanimous picks across the board, and even with a few upsets, the standings will show little change.

Standings to remain status quo?

Of the 15 games on the docket, and as mentioned, 12 are unanimous picks, which means, win or lose, no one moves anywhere in the Week 4 standings.

Liberty travels to Easton to take on the Rovers, who have put up 141 points on the scoreboard in three games and have shown an ability to score at will this season. They are led by running back Nahjee Adams, who has been virtually unstoppable thus far. Here’s where Hurley and Carlucci can climb into the top spot if the 2-1 Hurricanes can hold back Adams and storm into the upset.

The only other two games that could move pickers up are East Stroudsburg South against Stroudsburg and Palisades versus Catasauqua. Hixson likes Stroud (2-1) at home to knock off the undefeated Cavaliers. Matta, clinging with both hands at the edge of the Pundit Pit so he doesn’t fall in, seems to always go with Catasauqua that is winless and allowing 43 points a game. Matta makes a bold pick here to pull further away from McCall, but he could slide right in there with him if Catty and Liberty don’t come through.

And the beat goes on …

We don’t have any rules and regulations for our prognostications, but that might have to be a future consideration. It ‘s been said that Steimentz has a group of three or four helpers who might be utilizing analytics to aid him make his late night picks. Heckman, always at or near the top, makes apologies each week for saying he has no confidence in his selections. McCall, well, he’s just trying to save face and prove he has something left with his football prowess.

Yours Truly called Hurley out for his bad start last year. He then went on a run and carried the ball right to the Grid Picks Cup and is seriously challenging again. Ford still keeps a spot open on his desk for the return of the Cup in hopes his crystal ball makes a comeback.

My dark horse is Matsinko who slipped a bit last week, sits quietly in the pack ready to pounce as soon as we leaders choke up a bad week.

Meanwhile, Yours Truly is enjoying the view from my throne on top of the mountain, no matter how short or how long my stay here will be!.