He’s a Hot Rod with a Ford Mustang right on his bumper.

Rod Heckman, with an astounding 36-7 record over the past three weeks, has a one-game lead over Bob Ford going into Week Seven in the chase for the 2020 Grid Picks Cup.

Heckman’s only Week 6 losses came on Mahanoy’s win over Nativity that everyone got wrong and Easton’s defeat of Freedom, which was also a Ford loss. Wilson’s win over Bangor is the game that dropped our award-winning photographer a game back.

Despite an 11-3 mark, Yours Truly dropped to three games off the pace and I was tied by Justin “The Voice” Carlucci, who finished at 12-2.

‘Mat’ splat and Chuck’s lucky 13

Outside the front four, the rest of the pack is playing for pride. Pat “The Mat” Matsinko and his Pigskin Kid assistant had a five-loss week, dropping him six games behind Heckman. Kudos to Chuck “The Luck is Back” Hixson. He had a week best 13-1 record and safely pulled himself farther away from the Pundit Pit.

Bad Brad Hurley, an early season frontrunner, has nearly fallen out of contention and Emmett “Bossman” McCall is now a game up on Andy “The Chump” Steinmetz and seven games ahead of Sam “The Sham” Matta. Sam is mired so far down the Pit, he should fire his general manager, throw out his crystal ball, and stay away from every casino he drives by. Sorry, Sam, but I know you’re laughing with me!

Hands up

The Week Seven ledger has us throwing our hands up as to which teams win and which teams lose. Only three of the 15 games are unanimous picks, so there could be a huge scramble in the standings heading into Week Eight.

Jim Thorpe finally gets a legitimate home game on their brand-new turf field. The O’s host Pottsville. This should be a physical battle in the trenches, and I’m betting Coach Mark Rosenberger gets his team a late fourth quarter win to inaugurate the new green carpet.

Lehighton takes on Pine Grove. There remains a question as to whether Cardinal star QB Josh Leininger, a Covid scratch last week, will play. Yours Truly says it’s time for Tribe receivers, Hunter Crum and Zack Hunsicker, to pull a few balls down in the end zone and get the Maroon and White back on the winning track.

Palmerton has been scoring points in bunches, but has given up bigger bunches to their opponents. One of my upset specials has Bombers’ QB Cole Serfass lighting up the scoreboard and beating a 4-2 Palisades team to get their second win.

Pleasant Valley hasn’t won a game since October of 2018 when they beat East Stroudsburg North. Here come the Timberwolves again, so how about the Bears get off the snide and beat them again!

Split decisions

A couple of out of area matchups will push the pickers’ pack one way or another this week. It’s strange to see perennial powerhouses Easton and Northampton with 1-2 records. This will be a good one and I like the Konkrete Kids to get revenge against Easton - who beat them in the district playoffs last year.

Undefeated Tri-Valley battles 5-1 Williams Valley and one thing’s for sure. Valley will win! These teams can put up basketball scoring numbers on the board so look for WV to edge the Bulldogs by a three-point basket, I meant to say a field goal in the waning seconds of the game.

Separation anxiety

Heckman and Ford disagree with each other on five picks so next week there will be a wider gap between the two, and one or the other is going to be looking up at the king on the throne.

Yours Truly is making a move against the leaders with two picks in particular. If Saucon Valley and Salisbury win, I might get to the top. Carlucci has picked seven different winners than me which will certainly open a wider distance between us.

Will it still be a race between a Hot Rod and a Ford Mustang or will someone jump out of the dark shadows and into the bright lights of the leader board?

A shakeup of the Cup standings looms for Week Eight.