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+---- Thread: (S1) - Ultimus Week (/showthread.php?tid=1764)
(S1) - Ultimus Week - RainDelay - 07-06-2017
1) Bottom Third: The inagural season of the NSFL has come and gone, and my San Jose Sabercats have been left on the outside looking in. While its fortunate that I can write this part of the point task based off my own experiences, it is quite unfortunate in the same way. I wish my team had been in the playoffs, of course. The problem starts with issues with the signal callers. Jameis Christ struggled mightily to the tune of a 1 and 7 record, digging the 'Cats a hole they couldn't climb out of. While Ethan Hunt had a better go of it at the end, they only managed to split the games he started, finishing the dismal season at 4 and 10. With the exception of player/manager Ben Longshaw, there was a serious lack of commitment in areas like the O-line, which also struggled to protect the aforementioned quarterbacks, Jameis Christ and Ethan Hunt. Speaking of lines, the defensive line's dedication to training was also pretty pitiful, save for top team player Dan Miller. Some highly touted prospects such as Josh Cameron and Greg Taylor went inactive, and hung the front four out to dry. TPE was not aplenty in those positions, but the team will look to shore that up in the future, and hopefully avoid missing the playoffs again!
2) Playoff Review: Let's start with Game 1. Honestly, I thought the Yellowknife Wraiths were going to come through and advance. But the Yeti were up to the task. While the Canadian side had a lot of trouble moving the ball, especially early on, the Yeti, led by Logan Noble and Luke Tiernan found success. The early assault proved to be a difference maker in what would send Colorado to the Ultimus Cup. Game 2 was a heated one, based on a rivalry that had been culminating all season. Mike Boss, the much maligned Orange County Otters quarterback had an alright game, but was unable to stave off the onslaught of Outlaws, who ran rampant on defense. Otters lineman Angus Winchester, often regarded by many as the best in the game, picked the wrong time to give up his first ever sack, as Blaster Blade was able to overpower him. Finally, the championship game saw the Outlaws on top for essentially the whole contest, something that I predicted correctly before the stream started. I would never have pegged these two teams in the finals when the season started, but once they got there, I figured Arizona would walk away victorious. And they did, in what was an overall pretty interesting game.
3) Championship Game Recap: To set the stage, we are early on in the first quarter in the Ultimus Cup between the Colorado Yeti and the Arizona Outlaws. The Yeti have the ball at their own 24 yard line and are looking to do some aerial damage, where they have enjoyed great success throughout the season. Logan Noble has had an MVP type year, and is a major reason they are here. The ball is snapped. Noble drops back to pass. He looks at D.J. Law. He's covered. He glances at his running back Luke Tiernan who also happens to be in no man's land. Noble scans a bit more and finds a seam. Rich Gucci is open over the middle. Noble fires...oh! He took too long and the ball was read perfectly by Ryan Flock. Interception! Flock backtracks a bit, then starts up the sideline. The Colorado offense is trying to get him down, but Flock is too quick, as he streaks down the right sideline and tumbles into the end zone for an emphatic pick six. He really beat the offensive players who were turned into defenders on that one. I'm not sure what went wrong, but Logan Noble telegraphed that one a bit. Adrien Nugent follows it up with an easy extra point, thrusting the Outlaws out to a 7-0 lead over the Yeti.
4) Offensive Player Comparison: When it comes to leading a team to a shot at the Ultimus Trophy, one must start by looking at the quarterback. Logan Noble of the Colorado Yeti was the first player to sign with the team and has been hailed as the golden boy who also adds to staff board room discussions. Vincent Draxel of the Arizona Outlaws had some off the field drama this season, threatening to retire, and then briefly going inactive. But both these guys are here in the finals anyways, so let's look at the stats, and give some insight into how they truly reached this point. Leading his team to an 8-6 record, which was tied for the division lead, Logan Noble completed 56.5 percent of his passes, throwing 15 touchdowns and 8 interceptions en route to a 77.2 QBR. The Outlaws were also tied for their division lead, but this time with a 9-5 record, one-upping Colorado during the regular season. Vincent Draxel completed 51.3 of his passes, and threw 14 picks, but led the league with 20 touchdowns thrown. Draxel's QBR ended up being 73.6. With both guys having solid showings in the semifinals, the Ultimus Trophy should prove to be an interesting QB battle.
5) Defensive Player Comparison: We already looked at the quarterback comparison between the two final teams standing, so now it is time to switch gears to the other side of the ball. The scope will be focused on the linebackers, specifically the best on each roster. For the Colorado Yeti, Jonathan Saint is the defensive captain. This many leads the team in both tangibles and intangibles, and always makes his presence known. For the Arizona Outlaws, Jaylon Lee has been the unsung hero. It is a shame that these guys don't get more praise, since they are both killing the show out there. Jaylon Lee has made twenty more tackles (121) than Saint (101), but they both possess the same number of tackles resulting in a loss of yardage (3). However, Lee has only sacked the opposing quarterback 4 times, whereas Jonathan Saint has absolutely destroyed O-Lines, tallying 14 sacks on the year, more than triple his Arizona counterpart. Saint also added two forced fumbles, but failed to recover either, whereas Lee only forced one fumble, but recovered it himself. Those numbers aren't too crazy, but it does show they both possess big-play capabilities. Both these players have some extravagant stats, and ball carries should be aware of running towards them, especially with something such as the Ultimus Trophy on the line.
(S1) - Ultimus Week - DrunkenTeddy - 07-06-2017
Task #1: Offensive Comparison: Compare one offensive player from each team in a series. Can be completed at any point
Phelps vs Stormblessed
Robert Phelps had an outstanding regular season. Up until the final week, he was leading the entire league in receiving yards and he ended the season with the most catches of any receiver. Stormblessed on the otherhand managed 7 touchdowns, and had the longest reception in the league at 50 yards. He also was no slouch on receiving yards, finishing the season 6th in total yards gained. In the playoffs you can expect this head to head battle to really matter as both teams will be pushing for every point and every oportunity to get through to the championship.
Looking at each players ability, we can see that Stormblessed is much faster than Phelps, which should explain the difference in yardage per carry during the regular season. Phelps is a more well rounded receiver. He is significantly better in several areas including Strength, Intelligence, Agility, Hands, and Endurance. This one will really come down to a battle of which is better, a speed build versus a balanced build. With Phelps' high hands stat he should be able to hold onto more catches than Stormblessed, but you can expect a few more yards per carry for Stormblessed.
Conclusion: Phelps' well rounded build will allow him to beat out Stormblessed in total yards and catches, but Stormblessed is more likely to get a touchdown for his team in this match up.
Task #2: Defensive Comparison: Compare one defensive player from each team in a series. Can be completed at any point
J.J. Reigns vs Arbin Asipi
As far as Defensive Tackles go, the Outlaws don't have a lot of great options. They have both Asipi and Pierce available at the position, and both are servicable players, but neither really lines up with what J.J. Reigns of the Orange County Otters can do. During the regular season Reigns managed 46 tackles and 14 sacks. He was tied for the 2nd most sacks in the league. Asipi was the better Tackle for the Outlaws, but only managed 37 tackles and 4 sacks through the regular season. It has been clear for most of the season that the Otters have one of the best defenses in the league, but making a comparison of the defensive tackles on these two teams is barely even possible. The Otters win this matchup by a landslide. Asipi started the season strong and looked to be a decent player for Arizona on the defensive side of the ball but seemed to lose focus part way through. Some have said that he stopped coming to practice and there have been rumors that he will be retiring at the end of only his first season in the league. We will see in the playoffs if Asipi can bring back some of that drive that he had early in the season and use the energy of the playoffs to make some tackles and sacks and help the Outlaws along.
Conclusion: Reigns wins this match up hands down. While Asipi might be a serviceable player, he doesn't have the drive to be a top defensive tackle like Reigns.
Task #3: Bottom Third: Write about why the Baltimore Hawks and/or San Jose Sabercats were not able to make the playoffs. Can be completed at any point
The San Jose Sabercats had a rough season finishing with 4 wins and 10 losses. They were especially bad against teams in their own conference, managing only 1 win out of 8 games. The team juggled a few Quarterbacks through the pre-season and tried to get some consistency at the position, but had issues from the start of the regular season. In week 9 the Sabercats made a trade for Ethan Hunt of the Orange County Otters. Hunt had been a 3rd string Quarterback for the Otters but was believed to be the 2nd best of the three QBs on the team. Hunt came in and made an immediate impact getting 3 wins out of the next 6 games. Had the season started with Hunt in the QB position you can be assured that the Sabercats would have finished with a much more appealing record. As it stands, Hunt helps the situation in San Jose if he re-signs there, but that isn't the only issue faced by the team. Aside from Ben Longshaw, they don't have anyone who really stands out on the offensive line, and this is a team that needs to do a better job of protecting it's quarterback.
Task #4: Future Talent: Write about which S2 waiver pickup will or did have the biggest impact in the playoffs. Can be written at any time depending on if you choose to write about who already has or who will do good
Gregor Clegane has had a dominating season as a season 2 waiver pickup for the Orange County Otters and hopefully that continues into the playoffs. When he joined the team he was one of the first waiver players available and as such basically played the entire season with the Otters outside of some training time before the season started. In the 14 games he played he managed 40 pancakes and allowed 7 sacks. That might only be 3rd best on the Otters club, but considering he will be a whole season "behind" his competition when all things are said and done and that he will get to play one more season before hitting regression is going to make Greg Clegane one of the best players this league has seen. Clegane has been talked about a lot recently after he came out and said that he only wants to play for the Otters, I can understand why he feels that way though, he played the whole season with us and has become part of the Otters family. If we lose him and some others in the expansion draft, it's going to be a sad day for the Orange County Otters players, fans and management team.
Task #5: Playoff Series MVP: Choose an MVP for one of the playoff series and write about why you chose them. Must be completed after the playoff series you write about
It's not often you consider a line backer a MVP of a game, but in this case I would choose Jaylon Lee, a line backer for the Arizona Outlaws. Lee had himself a game to remember, tallying 9 tackles, 1 sack, 1 interception, and 1 touch down. Lee solidified the Outlaws defense and made the game a living hell for the Otters. This blow out of a game seems pretty one sided, but if you took Lee off of the defensive line for Arizona this would have been a completely different game. Not to mention Lee's offensive contribution. Catching an interception and running in a touchdown while playing the line is pretty impressive. A case could be made that Stormblessed running in a 97 yard return for a touchdown could make him a candidate, but his receiving numbers for this game were just not outstanding. Williams might get a few nods for catching two interceptions, but again, his defensive game aside from the two interceptions doesn't really stand out. All this said and done, the real "MVP" for the Outlaws might have been somewhere between Boss throwing 4 interceptions and the refs calling any and every penalty they could think of against the Otters.
(S1) - Ultimus Week - 7hawk77 - 07-06-2017
PT Task #1 Offensive Comparison: 239 words
The ASFC QB showdown, Draxel versus Boss.
Both the Otters and the Outlaws have 9 wins and 5 losses.
Draxel has 20 TDs with 2858 passing yards with a pass completion percentage of 51.4% in 14 games. This means that Draxel is averaging 204 yards thrown per game.
Boss on the other hand has thrown 11 TDs, 2334 passing yards with a pass completion percentage of 59.7% in 11 games. This means that Boss is averaging 211 yards thrown per game.
Now lets focus on the bad, Boss has thrown a grand total of 19 interceptions this season compared to Draxel's 14. Boss is averaging about 1.7 interceptions per game compared to Draxel's 1.3.
Now from these stats, it looks like Boss is definitely more efficient, however was very accident prone early on in his career, enough to get benched for a double header. Draxel appears to be a stronger red zone threat with more touchdowns thrown in the end-zone.
Now lets compare TPE earned: Mike Boss has 172 TPE compared to Draxel's 107. Now where is the greatest difference? They seem to be even on arm strength, however Boss edge's out Draxel on accuracy 81 to his 80. The big game changer is intelligence. Boss has 80 intelligence compared to Draxel's 71.
Now who would I rather have throwing? I'd choose boss, he's all around better and with the protection that Angus Winchester brings, it gives me more confidence.
PT Task #2 Defensive Comparison: 272 words
The ASFC Defensive Linemen Showdown, Tuck versus Reigns and friends.
Tuck has an impressive 16 sacks and 17 tackle for loss, he is the defacto league leader in sacks. Reigns isn't no slouch though. He has 14 sacks but a meager 4 tackles for loss. One thing I'd like to mention is Reigns plays defensive tackle while Tuck plays Defensive End.
Next lets compare stats. The two are almost identical in many regards, except Jayce Tuck is Stronger (80 vs 72), faster (80 vs 79) and is better at securing tackles (64 to 42).
So Tuck is the better defensive linemen. Now one thing to note is Tuck is really a 1 man army. He is doing all the heavy lifting for the defensive line. The otters have a much more balanced front and have a very well rounded defense.
Now the big question for when the playoff game starts is, can J. Tuck carry his defensive line by himself? He will need to make a many great plays to ensure his team the victory. The main reason for this is because if his fellow defensive linemen aren't up to par, the opposing team can exploit that and gain many yards by going through the weaker players. Even if Tuck picks up a couple of sacks, the otters are still could be getting first downs by attacking the weaker linement. Meanwhile Reigns just needs to stay cool and rely on his other teamates like Harris and Tomlinson.
My guess is that Tuck will outperform Reigns but I just don't see it being enough compared to the better defensive line of the Otters.
PT Task #3 Bottom Third: 200 words on San Jose not making the playoffs
San Jose missed the playoffs and was regarded as one of the worst teams in the league for a while. There are a few reasons for this. The first reason is the coach had something happen and he had to step away and focus his attention else where. This occured during the middle of the season which spurred a massive losing streak. Secondly we had Jameis Christ as our QB. He was doing alright, but from what the media has gathered, he would just show up, do his job and leave without any enthusiasm. He wasn't trying to improve and get better, just trying to collect a pay check. Both of these issues caused the sabercats many problems. They ended up changing management as well as trading away bert metas (a defensive tackle) for Ethan Hunt (a quarterback). This ended up doing pretty well because since then, they've had a 50% win rate instead of the like 20% or lower they had earlier in the season. The final week of the season is when they really kind of figured things out. They ended up blowing out the hawks by a massive point differential. One player was quoted: "Yeah we had some problems, yeah we fixed them and you better be ready for us next year because we are going to bring it."
PT Task #5 Playoff Predictions: 223 words
Otters vs the Outlaw
I believe the otters will take this. I've already typed up comparing QB and defensive line above, Both of which I think I'd prefer the otters. Next lets compare the offensive lines. The otters have the much better offensive line. Angus Winchester is the best offensive linemen in the league. He's been serving up more pancakes than IHOP without blowing coverage. Gregor clegane is also a great offensive linemen for the otters. They have some other players that aren't too notable. Now for the Outlaws, really they don't have any star offensive linemen. I think this combined with Draxel being worse than boss gives the otters a huge edge. Not to mention the balanced defensive line being able to get through this very weak outlaw offensive line. One thing that outlaws do have is stars, Tuck is great and so is Stormblessed. If these specific studs can really carry the offense and defense, then maybe the outlaws have a shot.
Wraiths vs Yeti
I believe this is a very close game, but the Colorado Yeti will take it.
The biggest reason is they played each other during week 14, and the Yeti won 20 to 10. Not much is going to change between now and playoffs so I'm not sure how the wraiths will be able to change this.
PT Task #6 Playoff Series MVP: 203 words on angus winchester
I believe that Angus Winchester will be the playoff series MVP. I know what you are thinking, An offensive linemen for MVP? Yeah it's hard to quantify that position because they aren't directly adding points, yards or subtracting them. However, I think that he will maintain his 0 sacks allowed and continue pancaking any opposition. He is currently leading the lead in pancakes and sacks allowed for his position. From what I've noticed, most of the defensive linemen have been stacking speed to get to the play whether that is a sack or a tackle, however I think that Angus is just immovable and impenetrable. Also when these speedsters line up against him, he just knocks them down and laughs. I think that maintaining a strong defense is how teams need to go about winning play off games. The problem is I just don't see how teams can pressure the quarterback with Angus on the line. All of the other positions will have good games and bad games. However, there is only one player that can definitively say they have had a perfect season for themself so far, and if he closes that out in post season, he should be awarded the MVP.
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5 Written point tasks for 10 TPE total(S1) - Ultimus Week - Silver Fox - 07-06-2017
Offensive Comparison:
For the offensive comparison, I went with Yellowknife’s primary RB, Bubba Nuck, and the 3-headed monster that makes up the Yeti RB crew, O’Connell, Tweed, and Tiernan.
Nuck – 1217 yards on 277 carries, 4.4 avg, 6 TDs. 14 receptions for 56 yards and a TD.
O’Connell – 599 yards on 167 carries, 3.6 avg, 6 TDs. 9 receptions for 71 yards.
Tweed – 547 yards on 147 carries, 3.7 avg, 1 TD. 7 receptions for 52 yards.
Tiernan – 391 yards on 107 carries, 3.7 avg, 3 TDs. 13 receptions for 89 yards and a TD.
You can see right off the bat that the 3-headed monster has significantly worse yards per carry across the board, by far the biggest margin of success an RB has over time. On the touchdown side, Nuck has 6 rushing TDs and a receiving TD, while the 3-headed monster has 10 rushing TDs and 1 receiving TD. It’s worth noting that the other Wraith RB has 2 rushing and 2 receiving TDs. Thus, on a team basis, Wraith and Yeti RBs total 11 touchdowns each. It’s also apparent that the Yeti run the ball more often than the Wraiths by a significant margin – 421 carries vs 277 from Nuck, though other Wraith RBs ran 74 times. That’s still a 70 carry difference in 14 games. In conclusion, we can expect Nuck to put up the better stats between the two teams in the playoffs, but the Yeti’s three-headed monster might make up the difference in volume alone.
Defensive Comparison:
For the defensive comparison, I put the focus on the two MLBs for the Yeti and Wraiths.
Johnathon Saint – 101 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 14 sacks, 1 interception, 4 passes defended.
Lindarius Shelton – 118 tackles, 3 forced fumbles with 1 recovery, 1 sack.
The first thing that comes to mind when putting these guys against each other is the passing game. It’s clear that Saint is more active defending against the pass than Shelton is, which is to say, at all. That said, Saint’s true advantage is in sacks, with a whopping 13 more sacks in the 14 games this season over Shelton. It’s not all one-sided though. Shelton has one more forced fumble than Saint, and he managed to recover 1 of the 3 fumbles he did force. Shelton also has 17 more tackles over the 14 game season.
Though I’m a Wraith myself and it pains me to do so, I have to give the advantage here to Johnathon Saint. When you put 13 more sacks against 17 more tackles, I think it’s clear who has the added value advantage. A slight edge in the passing game tilts the win further in Saint’s favor. That being said, both men play a critical role in keeping opposing offenses honest and each could provide game-winning value in the playoff game.
Bottom Third:
Gotta write about the Baltimore Hawks here. The biggest knock against them has got to be that abysmal offensive line. Of the primary 5 linemen, only the two tackles are actually people; Vincent Sharpei and Jordan Weal. Of those two, only Sharpei is active – and he’s a season 2 rookie! He goes back into the draft pool at the end of the season! The Hawks will have NO ONE for the primary OL. This is a significant disadvantage – there’s a reason the Hawks have the worst yards per carry in the league, despite Robinson and Novel’s best efforts. Can’t run very far when there’s never a hole open for you, and if you’re waiting for a block to develop so you can run, good luck. How Scrub Kyubee even gets the ball off half the time before being sacked I’ll never know. Defensively, the Hawks are slightly better off, but again many of their players have gone inactive. No defense can stop the opposing team every time, and the Hawks just can’t get the ball going often enough to come out ahead. If they want to contend, they need to start selling off assets for picks, or even the expansion teams will come out ahead. Long term, only a fresh crop of active players can turn this team around.
Future Talent:
I really wanted to write about Vincent Sharpei, otherwise known as “The Hawks OL”, but they didn’t make the playoffs for reasons noted in “Bottom Third” above. I’d also love to write about myself, but given the number of targets I’ve seen over the last couple games on the Wraiths, odds aren’t great that my 1 or 2 catches turn the tide. Thus, I had to narrow it down further. My list included:
Rich Gucci, Yeti TE
Dermot Lavelle, Wraith CB
Blaster Blade, Outlaw DE
Greg Clegane, Otters OL
In the end though, I had to go with Dermot Lavelle. Rich is 3rd, maybe 4th on the Yeti target list – there’s a chance, sure, but in the end the WRs on the team will probably have more of an impact. Blaster Blade and Greg Clegane have made it clear they won’t play unless it’s for their chosen team for a variety of reasons. While I can respect that, Lavelle has been nothing but positive throughout his career. So, the meat of the writeup. Why Dermot Lavelle? Well, for one, he’s barely a season 2 rookie at all. Having joined up early, he’s played the full 14 game season for the Wraiths. One of four corners to have forced a fumble and recovered it, and tied for 2nd with 6 other corners with 4 interceptions. He’s also defensed 18 passes, tied for 1st, and put up 57 tackles, tied for 5th among corners. This man has speed to spare, decent hands, and good agility. What’s not to like?
In the playoff game, Lavelle is going to have plenty of opportunities to make a difference. An interception at a critical time could change the course of the game, resulting in a division win…or an Ultimus Cup in our hands. Here’s to you, Dermot Lavelle…keep those opposing receivers honest and help lead us to a cup and some rings.
Playoff Series MVP:
Narrowing this down was an interesting process. I looked at each team for a potential MVP – starting with the Wraiths. Man, I hate to say it, but what a shitshow that was. The only guy I could even consider was Offensive Lineman D’Brickashaw Ferguson, with 6 pancakes, but frankly his name is a pain to say and he had THREE penalties. No wonder the Wraiths traded him immediately after the game. Looking at the Otters, it’s tough to name an MVP when your team gets stomped into the dirt. I’d choose a receiver, but Mike Boss was busy throwing interceptions the whole game, so that’s right out. That leaves the Outlaws and Yeti – the Outlaws won by a significant margin, but no one player really stood out aside from maybe Jaylon Lee, with a pick six and 9 tackles, but the whole team contributed admirably. Thus, I knew my MVP had to come from the Yeti. Beating the Wraiths 13-6, the defense performed well as a whole but with no interceptions or fumbles I was left choosing from the offense. Initially, I wanted to give it to D.J. Law, who caught the only touchdown of the game, but looking at the receiving stats really a lot of pass catchers did well. Thus, you can only give it to the man who made sure they had the opportunity to succeed, QB Logan @
Noble threw 37 times for 25 completions. Of the 12 incomplete passes, only 2 were defended and 5 fell short of the mark. No interceptions, and a QB rating of 93.2, the best rating in the playoffs by any QB. He also threw for 229 yards, the highest of all QBs in the playoffs. 10 of those 25 completions resulted in 1st downs, and of course the 1 touchdown was a pass. 4 different Yeti pass catchers had 4 receptions or more, while sadly even Josh Garden only had 3 receptions on the Wraiths side. Thus, my vote for playoff MVP goes to Logan Noble – he did an exceptional job and deserved that Glacies Trophy.
(S1) - Ultimus Week - Bzerkap - 07-06-2017
Ultimus Week - Point task #1 - Future Talent
@`7Sports`
I think everyone knows which young buck is going to make the biggest impact this playoffs, Yeti TE Rich Gucci! He sprung forth as a talent ready to enter the league early this season, starting by Week 2 and in that time he's emerged as one of the better all around TE talents.
He isn't QB Logan Noble's favorite QB with only 41 receptions on the season, ranking him 5th at the position, he definitely makes the most of his opportunities. He has gained 294 yards for a 7.2 YPC average, raking him 1st in YPC for TEs and 5th in yards. The lack of production isn't due to a lack in talent, simply opportunity. This seems to be more of a scheme issue than anything as the Yet have run the ball the 2nd most this season.
This leads into the second part of Rich Gucci's talent, his blocking acumen. Due to the Yeti's aforementioned proclivity to run the ball this season, Rich has been called on as a blocker quite a bit. Now the stats are nothing to run home about, 14 pancakes ranking 6th at his position, and 3 sacks given up ranking tied for last. However, if we look closer at the situation we can find that he has actually performed quite admirably considering. First and foremost, he is a vertical receiving threat, more of a plus sized WR than smaller lineman, so his skills aren't really suited for the blocking game. This isn't an excuse however, part of a TE's job is to block, but it is something to consider. Second, for the majority of the season there has been a complete and total lack of offensive line talent on the Yeti. They were starting only one human lineman for the first two games, two for the next 10, and three for the final four. However in actuality only one of these lineman are worth much more than a robot at this stage. The lack of assistance on the offensive line has put far too much on the plate of a player who was never really expected to carry much of a blocking load.
All of this being said, Rich Gucci is someone I expect to be featured heavily in the playoffs.
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377 WordsUltimus Week - Point task #2 - Bottom Third
As in the NFL there is never only one reason for why a team performs poorly or well. The SabreCats and the Hawks are no different in the first season of the NSFL.
Both were in the bottom three of quarterback play by several measures. The quarterback rating supplied by the sim gives a good overall indication of their play with the SabreCats ranked 4th with 68.8, and the Hawks ranked 5th with 68.3. These are far lower than the top 3 with the third best team, Arizona, posting a 74.3 rating, and not much better than the Mike Boss experiment in Orange County, holding a rating of 67.4. So, if we dive into the stats a little more we can see that they each had an even or negative TD:Int ratio, while the top three all had positive ratios. SabreCats were 4th with 13:13, and the Hawks were 5th with 12:17. Another good indicator of quarterback efficiency is Yards per Attempt, and once again they were both in the bottom three. The Sabrecats were last with 5.79, and the Hawks were 4th with 5.94, although that was fairly close to the third place team Yellowknife with 6.18.
Quarterback play was clearly a problem, but where else did these teams struggle? Running the football
Both were in the bottom three in yardage, average, and longest running play. The SabreCats ranked 4th in yardage, average, and tied for 4th in longest running play. The Hawks were last in yardage, average and longest running play. Clearly the run game did not provide their quarterbacks with any help to relieve pressure.
It's too bad both offenses were so poor, as their defenses were actually quite strong, both producing many negative plays overall and turnovers specifically. Perhaps season 2 will bring them more luck.
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300 WordsUltimus Week - Point task #3 - Playoff Series MVP - Yellowknife vs Colorado
This game was a defensive struggle and it came down to the second half to determine a winner as the game was close throughout. Yards were at a premium in this game and everyone knows that when they are it's the big boys up front on the offensive line that need to perform. My MVP for this game was Bender Rodriguez and the rest of the offensive line for the Colorado Yeti.
Rodriguez kept his quarterback upright and the offense moving forward for the two key drives that won them the game in the second half. Rodriguez stonewalled a very formidable Wraiths defensive front, producing 8 pancakes and giving up 0 sacks. He also did not produce a single penalty in a game that was littered with them. This is even more impressive when you realize the defense he was facing. The Wraiths were second in the league with 43 TFLs, and tied for 2nd with 56 sacks. They were also middle of the pack in Forced Fumbles, Interceptions, and Pass Deflections.
The time he gave to Logan Noble was invaluable as the quarterback did not make many mistakes on the day. He completed 25 of 37 passes for a 52% completion percentage, 1 touchdown and no interceptions. Now the stats really aren't great but Noble was able to dink and dunk his way down the field and, critically, made no mistakes. I attribute this to the time Rodriguez and his teammates were able to give Noble.
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247 WordsUltimus Week - Point task #4 - Playoff Series MVP - Orange County vs Arizona
This game was closer in the first half than the score indicates, however it got out of hand in the second half. There was one man who pulled double duty and ensured one team would win, going above and beyond. I think that a good definition of the term Most Valuable Player, is that without this player they would not have won the game. The MVP for this game is MIKE BOSS.
Now I know what you're thinking, how can you pick an MVP on the losing squad? His team didn't win so clearly he couldn't have been the best player on the field. Well, that's where you're wrong, he played so spectacularly well for the Outlaws it was confusing seeing him in an orange uniform.
He started the game off very strong, even with all world lineman Angus Winchester, baby Winchester Gregor Clegane, and three other human linemen blocking for him up front he managed to record a safety for the outlaws. This was important as the outlaws were down 3 and needed to score in order to not fall behind. Boss gave them the points and the ball. The Outlaw couldn't capitalize on the next possession but it was still an important confidence booster. Mike Boss didn't stop there though as he threw four interceptions in the game, even having one run back at the end of the game to ensure the Outlaws victory.
Boss didn't want to leave any doubt who was 'Da Real MVP'.
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248 Words(S1) - Ultimus Week - Bgreene21 - 07-06-2017
PT 1) Offensive comparison:The Wraiths running back Nuck will be going up against O’connell of the yeti this week in the conference finals! Nuck has the clear advantage here. He was able to carry the ball for twice the yardage of O’connell this season, averaging 4.4 yards a carry and carrying the ball a league leading 1,217 yards. O’connell just couldn’t find his grove this year when running the ball. Carrying the ball only 599 yards and only averaging around 3.6 yards a carry. This gives the Wraiths a clear advantage on the ground, which could end up giving the Wraiths the conference title, and an appearance in the first ever title game! When you look at just far apart both runners were this season it is important to note however that they were both only able to pound it into the endzone 6 times a piece this season. That could prove to be Nucks downfall this weekend if he can’t finish near the goaline. It would probably be expected by Nuck that if you run the length of the field twelve times in length, you should be expected to have the minimum of twelve rushing touchdowns. On the flip side O’connell did meet this minimum expectation, pounding in six touchdowns over six hundred yards.
PT 2) Defensive Comparison: The Wraiths linebacker Shelton was one of the top linebackers in the league this past season, racking up one hundred and eighteen tackles throughout the fourteen games. Alongside of these tackles he got one for loss, and he also managed to force three fumbles for the wraiths, efficiently leading their defense. Shelton’s one tackle for loss ended up being a clutch sack. His opposition on the Yetis defense in the upcoming conference title game is the yeti’s linebacker Saint. Saint wasn’t as efficient as Shelton when it comes to tackling, but he did manage to force two fumbles. Saint also came up bigger than Shelton in terms of sacks, cumulating four total on the season. Question is which defensive leader will come up bigger for their defense in the upcoming conference title game? In my opinion we are looking at Wraith linebacker Shelton. He is a more efficient tackler and seems to get better positioning more often. He doesn’t get into the backfield as much as Saint, but he makes up for it by delivering more bone shattering hits. That in turn has led to more fourth downs, as well as more turnovers in form of forced fumbles. Look out for Shelton to make his mark on the conference title game.
PT 3) Bottom Third: The San Jose Saber Cats couldn’t seem to get it done this year. On paper, the team did not really look that bad. But one look at their record and you can see they definitely need to improve. They were Mid-table in just about every team statistical category. Simply said, if you cant excel in any statistical categories as a team, you can expect to struggle. With really no outstanding weaknesses on the San Jose team, there were really no outstanding strengths. Their offensive line played well, but not great. They were in the bottom half as far as rushing and passing go. Their defense seemed to play below league standards. I don’t really know what I would try to target first if I was in the San Jose front office. I can only assume you start with defense. Defense wins championships, and with a defense that played as poorly as the Saber Cats, there is really no where to go but up. They have to significantly improve on their defense this offseason. And perhaps as new players come in mid season next year, they should try to be more aggressive on the waiver wire. Here’s to hoping the saber cats can improve and become competitive in the upcoming season!
PT 4 Future Talent: Leading into the conference championship matchup between the Yellow Knife Wraiths and the Colorado Yetis, everybody should keep their eyes peeled for how Ben Green performs. He hasn’t had a stellar four games since he was claimed by the Wraiths, however his play time has been limited. He has managed to pick up a sack, and his sheer strength and size open up opportunities for his teammates to rush the backfield. He has been steadily improving week by week, adjusting to the team needs and improving as an over all player. His playtime has slightly increased over the course of his past four games, and that can only go to show just how much work the Wraiths see him putting in on the practice field. This upcoming conference playoff game could potentially be his last chance at showcasing his talents on the field, as the last game between the yeti and the wraiths ended in a Yeti win. That being said I’m sure you can expect a breakout game for Green as he tries to attract the attention of the NSFL scouts. Either way, Green’s ceiling is high, and that is due to his high work ethic and his will to improve.
PT 5 Playoff Predictions:The Wraiths and the Yeti face off in this years NSFC championship game. The upper hand here looks like it will go to the Wraiths in terms of both offense and defense. Even if only slightly. On paper this matchup is a very close one. The Yeti have a three headed giant in their backfield and that is the only clear advantage throughout for them. The Wraiths have seemed to be a more consistent threat offensively and defensively throughout the season, so look out for the Wraiths to advance to the Championship game.
In the ASFC, the Outlaws and the Otters meet up to challenge it out for the conference title. While very even on paper, the Outlaws have the clear advantage here to me. They have hit the end zone more than any other team in the league while passing the ball, and they clearly have the best defense in the league. The Otters have a great rushing attack, but they seem to struggle making plays on defense, and I feel that defense will be the difference in this game.
That leaves us with the Wraiths taking on the Outlaws In the Ultimo! As Much as I hate to do it (I love my wraiths) the Outlaws are the clear winners here. There is too much of a defensive advantage and offensively, while the Wraiths are great, there is still enough of an advantage that the Outlaws seem like the sure favorites to come out Champions in the first Inaugural Ultimo Bowl! There is still hope for the Wraiths though, they will just have to make some plays!
(S1) - Ultimus Week - bovovovo - 07-06-2017
Offensive Comparison
Orosz v. Noble
The Wraith’s Orosz and the Yeti Noble are two of the better QBs in the league, and they will be facing off in the NSFC Final game. The two are also very similar stats-wise. Orosz touts a completion percentage of 57.8%, 2788 yards, 14 TD, 9 INT, and a 77.6 passer rating. Comparatively, Noble has a slightly lower completion percentage, total yardage, and passer rating, with a 56.5% completion, 2603 yards, and 77.2 passer rating. But Noble has one more TD and one less interception than Orosz, putting Noble’s TD:INT Ratio at 1.88:1 and Orosz’s at 1.55:1.
The similarities don’t stop at their respective builds, though Noble edges out Orosz in measurable. Orosz has 72 arm strength and 80 arm accuracy compared to Noble’s 76 arm strength and 80 arm accuracy, though Orosz’s intelligence is 80 while Noble’s is 73. You can see these differences reflected in the stats: The accuracy is extremely similar but Noble’s intelligence is shown in his better TD:INT ratio. What is interesting is that despite Noble’s superior arm strength, it is Orosz who has more yards, though Orosz does have 11 more passing attempts and 12 more completions on the year than Noble, so that likely accounts for the yardage difference.
(209 words)
Defensive Comparison
Lee v. Bavitz
Lee and Bavitz are the leading tacklers on their respective teams, the Outlaws and the Otters. Lee finishes the year with 121 tackles (3rd in the league), 3 TFL, 4 Sacks, and 5 Passes defended. Bavitz finishes with 100 tackles, 3 TFL, 4 sacks, 1 Int, and 5 passes defended. While Lee obviously has superior tackling stats, the two are actually very equal stats-wise, but Bavitz has an interception while Lee does not. As far as measurable go, both of these LBs have a 76 OVR according to their teams rosters. Bavitz has more strength, with 73 compared to Lee’s 70, though Lee is more agile with 69 compared to Bavitz’s 56. Their tackling and speed measurable are similar, though Bavitz edges out in both with 76 tackling and 81 speed, while Lee has 75 tackling and 79 speed.
Could this indicate that agility is actually very important for LBs tackles? Despite Bavitz having better measurable in everything except agility, Lee has 21 more tackles than him. Perhaps it has something to do with the two teams’ defensive schemes? What is also interesting is that Stropko, the LB on the Outlaws beside Lee, has 113 tackles, even more than Bavitz does, and the next Otter with the most tackles only has 69. But we know the Otter’s defense is dominant. This could indicate that the Otter’s don’t ask as much as the Outlaw’s do of their linebackers, or that the Outlaws have designed a scheme that allows their linebackers to make more plays.
(256 words)
Bottom Third
The Baltimore Hawks may have been the streakiest team in the league this year, and that is absolutely not a good thing. Whether or not this is because they were unable to stay motivated, to overcome disappointments, or some other issue is unknown to anybody outside of the locker room, but whatever the issue was, it is reflected in their season record. The Hawks started off stronger than anybody, finishing 4-0 in the preseason. But we all know how indicative preseason success is of regular season success (spoiler alert: it isn’t at all). The Hawks would start the season 0-3, the first two games being very close and competitive. But the Hawks bounced back to win week 4 and week 5, before losing two more in a row. Once again, the Hawks won two games back-to-back and just when their season was looking to improve they lost to their rivals, the Wraiths, three times in a row. The Wraiths effectively put the last nail in the Hawk’s coffin, and they lost out the rest of the season, including an embarrassing 3-31 point loss against the other non-playoff team, the SaberCats. The Hawks were unable to make the playoffs because they were unable to overcome emotional losses.
(206 words)
Future Talent
Buster Brownce
Offensive Linemen are often the unnoticed heroes of football games. By winning the trenches, offenses are able to have their way with defenses. On the other hand, without a reliable offensive line, even the most electric offenses can crash and burn. Brownce joins one of the more dominant offensive lines in the league, and when the Wraiths added Brownce they told the league that they were going to prioritize protecting their star QB Orosz. In order to win the championship, the wraiths must get past either the Otters or the Outlaws, two teams defined by their rampaging defense and their dominant defensive lines. In the playoffs, where every game is sudden death, having a solid offensive line to protect your quarterback is imperative.
Buster Brownce is also turning out to be a very good lineman, even as a rookie. In only 5 games played with the Wraiths he has recorded 8 pancakes and only allowed one sack, which is very respectable for a rookie. In a class full of linemen making demands, refusing contracts, and causing drama even before the draft, having the consistent Buster Brownce would be a great asset to any team. The obvious downside is that he has had less time to develop as a player, but the foundation is there of a role player that will help anchor any offensive line.
(227 words)
Playoff Predictions
Otters v. Outlaws
This heavyweight matchup between the outstanding Otters and Outlaws should be a fantastic game. The Otters tout the best defense in the league, allowing only 196 points all season. Will they be able to stop the Outlaws high-octane offense, which leads the league in 277 points scored? Probably not, if history has anything to say about it. Despite winning their last matchup 23-16, the Otters have lost to the Outlaws the past 3 times they have played, including a 23-3 blowout. The Outlaw’s 2nd-best-in-the-league defense should be the deciding factor in this game. I would put the odds of the Outlaws winning this game at 60-40.
Wraiths v. Yeti
This game will be a close one. The Wraiths and Yeti at first glance appear quite equal, but I believe the Wraiths will narrowly squeeze out the win thanks to their (slightly) better defense. The Wraiths also have a slightly superior offense, scoring more points per game (18.3 v. 17.9) and gaining more total yards per game (308.9 v. 297.1) than the Yeti. I don’t believe the odds are significantly in the Wraiths favor, however. I would put the Wraith’s odds at just 51-49.
Championship: Outlaws v. Wraiths
I believe whoever wins between the Outlaws and the Otters will take home the championship. Both teams are a few steps above the rest in terms of overall talent and performance, though my prediction has the Outlaws winning. However we all know the old saying “Any Given Sunday,” and there is definitely a chance that the Wraiths overcome the Outlaws to take home the championship themselves.
(266 words)
(S1) - Ultimus Week - 124715 - 07-06-2017
Will be edited later (this is my "idea dump")
Offensive Comparison: Compare one offensive player from each team in a series.
Logan Noble and Chris Orosz are two of the best pocket passers in the league. Logan Noble boasts gaudy TPE totals over 200, but Orosz can keep up with high numbers in Arm and Accuracy. Here's a comparison of their stats:
(MAX: ##) Attribute: Orosz | Noble
(MAX: 65) Strength: 35 | 38
(MAX: 75) Agility: 45 | 52
(MAX: 95) Arm: 72 | 76
(MAX: 95) Intelligence: 80 | 73
(MAX: 100) Throwing Accuracy: 80 | 80
(MAX: 35) Tackling: 15 | 17
(MAX: 65) Speed: 40 | 59
(MAX: 35) Hands: 15 | 17
(MAX: 25) Pass Blocking: 1 | 3
(MAX: 25) Run Blocking: 1 | 3
(MAX: 100) Endurance: 50 | 50
(MAX: 25) Kick Power: 1 | 3
(MAX: 25) Kick Accuracy: 1 | 3
(MAX: 158.3) Passer Rating: 77.6 | 77.2
(MAX: 100) Comp%: 57.8 | 56.5
As you can see, Noble leads every attribute except for Intelligence, in which Orosz has a significant 7-point lead. Noble is far more mobile, with 59 speed and 52 agility. However, Orosz' 7 extra points into Intelligence pay off, as his Comp % is noticeably higher than Noble's. Orosz' 6.1 yards/attempt edge out Noble's 5.6.
In conclusion, it's really hard to pick a QB between the two QBs in the battle for the Glacies trophy, but both quarterbacks are fully capable of driving a powerful offense.
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219 wordsBottom Third: Write about why the Baltimore Hawks and/or San Jose Sabercats were not able to make the playoffs.
The Hawks finished their season on a sour note, losing five straight to drop to the worst record (tied) in the NSFL. Their defense is partially to blame for this, allowing 26.2 points per game over that disastrous stretch. However, their offense was just miserable. Averaging 12.6 points per game is a good way to end up 0-14. Scrub Kyubee was 92/159 for 822 yards, and 2 TDs with 1 TD rush. However, his 8 interceptions, which included a pick-6, put his QB rating at a pitiful 55.1. Despite this, it's not all his fault. His offensive line only has one active player - and it's Vincent Sharpei, a S2 waiver player. Sure, Jordan Weal is pretty good, averaging 3 pancakes per game over the Hawks' stretch of five games, but he's an inactive. This means that the Hawks have three robots on their line! If you recall, the O-Line robots are created by taking the worst score on every attribute of all the archetypes in that position. For example, the Pass Blocker and Technician archetypes have 65 strength, where as the Run Blocker and Athletic Lineman have 70. This means the robot would have 65 strength.
It's not hard to imagine how much it would hurt a team to have these horrible players on it. So what do the Hawks need to do to bolster their team for next year? Adding more OL-men would give Kyubee time to think before throwing. Bolstering their pass-rush could anchor down their secondary. The Hawks are closer to the playoffs than it might seem.
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265 wordsFuture Talent: Write about which S2 waiver pickup will or did have the biggest impact in the playoffs.
Yeti TE Rich Gucci came through in a big way during Colorado's first playoff game. He hauled in 6 passes, second most of anyone in the game, for 32 yards averaging 5.3, including an 11 yard reception which was his longest for the day. He was also excellent out of the spotlight, forcing 3 pancake blocks without allowing a single sack. He didn't have a single penalty. TEs are inherently important, as they can block and receive, making them hard to plan against. Gucci's deep threat style makes him incredibly dangerous to secondaries, because he is hard to cover and is fast. He has 70 speed and 73 hands, both of which are very good marks. His total TPE is impressive for a S2 player as well: 114 points. It's kind of hard to earn that much TPE in the time that @`7Sports` has.
His role in the Championship game against the Arizona Outlaws is quite clear at this time. He will run deep, forcing a safety to help over the top. This will open up opportunities for other Yeti receivers, such as DJ Law, and will prevent Arizona from stacking the box, making it easier for Boss Tweed and Luke Tiernan to pick up yards.
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209 words
vs The Yeti won 13-6 in a defensive battle. Josh Garden was wide open for most of the game but DPOG Johnathon Saint and others prevented QB Chris Orosz from making throws his way. Meanwhile, Logan Noble had lots of time to throw. His running game took a lot of pressure off of him, and he completed lots of short passes, primarily on the outside. His receivers had tons of YAC and hauled in several long receptions on short bubble screens.
vs. 
In an embarrassing moment for the Otters, Vincent Draxel led the Outlaws' offense to 36 points against the Otters' famed defense. Pretty much everything that could go wrong for Orange County, did. Angus Winchester even allowed a sack. The Otters kept it close for over 3 quarters despite Mike Boss throwing 3 interceptions through that time. The tide of the game went back and forth multiple times. For example, Boss threw an interception late in the fourth quarter, causing many viewers to assume Arizona had clinched victory. However, Outlaws QB Vincent Draxel endured a strip sack on the very next play, causing Orange County to have a chance at the Solis trophy once again. The Otters scored on that drive on a 10-yard pass to Westfield. This tightened the score at 15-13 in favor of the Outlaws. However, when Stormblessed returned a kick for 97 yards on the ensuing kickoff, the game was closed. There was little to no realistic way the Otters could come back from a 22-13 deficit with only 3 minutes left. Arizona clinched the game in its favor with two more touchdowns, including a Mike Boss pick-6 (he had a really bad game).
vs It's never a good sign when Zobot Bigboy## leads your team in pancakes. Sure, he was tied in the the Yeti's championship embarrassment, but the fact that the Yeti collapsed can't be ignored. Logan Noble suddenly forgot how to be an accurate pocket passer, but Vincent Draxel took his place while still boasting a 13.6 average depth of completion that stayed true to his gunslinger roots. The Yeti's weak Offensive Line held the team back, as poor Logan Noble was sacked 6 times, 3 of which were Jayce Tuck's fault. Lincoln Jefferson and Stormblessed had monster games, combining for 11 receptions for 196 yards. That's an impressive 17.82 yards/reception.
All in all, the Yeti were quite disappointing in the battle for the first ever Ultimus Trophy.
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417 wordsJaylon Lee did it all for the Outlaws in the battle for the Solis trophy. He had 9 tackles, one of which was a sack, 1 interception, and he even had a TD on defense. This is nothing short of incredible. First, the 9 tackles. The NSFL season leader in tackles, Kendrick Hendrix, averaged just over 10 tackles a game. 9 tackles, therefore, is obviously elite, especially in a playoff game where the quality of play is much higher. A sack is capable of stopping a drive easily, so even 1 sack is a tremendous thing. Interceptions are perhaps even more valuable to a defense than a sack, and Lee had one of those, too! The regular season leader in INTs for a LB was Sinjin Flimjollywop, who averaged 'just' .2 INTs a game. So once again, elite performance from Lee. But last, and most important, was his pick-6 on Mike Boss. The touchdown came at a crucial time in the game. With a sliver of time left on the clock, Orange County had a tiny chance left to tie the game and force overtime. However, when Mike Boss' pass fell into the hands of Jaylon Lee, the Outlaws took an insurmountable 36-13 lead to clinch the Solis trophy in their favor.
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212(S1) - Ultimus Week - ErMurazor - 07-06-2017
Offensive Comparison
I did something a bit different for the offensive player comparison. I made a little graphic comparing the Arizona Outlaws and Orange County Otters offensive lines, by position.
![[Image: D0Vq65n.png]](http://i.imgur.com/D0Vq65n.png)
Bottom Third
Here's a little comparison of the Hawks defense and wraiths defense on "impact" plays.
![[Image: YnVPfPs.png]](http://i.imgur.com/YnVPfPs.png)
Playoff Predictions
The first match-up is going to be the NSFC title where the Wraiths will travel to Colorado to take on the Yeti. The Yeti are 3-1 in the series thus far, including a win at home to close out the season. In the one win of the season the Wraiths brought their A-game on defense and claimed victory on 15 points from their kicker Booter. Offensively, the teams are pretty close. Separated by just 6 points on the season, both are led by two of the best quarterbacks in the league. In terms of offensive skill players the Wraiths have the league’s receiving leader Josh Garden and the top rusher in Nuck. Their offense focuses on these two guys while the Yeti use a committee approach to both receiving and rushing. The separation between the teams comes out on the defensive side of the ball. The Yeti aren’t to be taken lightly, but their defense has been inconsistent over the course of the season. The Wraiths have several playmakers that I think are going to show up in the playoffs and have an impacts: Jason Spearhead, Tyler Varga, and Dirk Cutter are just some of the great players that I think can and will play better in this must-win game on the road. I’ll give the edge to the Wraiths.
The next match-up is going to be the Outlaws and the Otters who will duke it out for the ASFC title in Arizona. These match-ups have been some of the best of the season, with the Outlaws having the edge at 3-1. The Otters team is built around the trenches. They have the best offensive and defensive lines in the league. Despite it not always showing on the score board they have the number scoring defense and have two of the league’s best rushers. They’re biggest weakness is probably in their secondary, where they don’t have a lot of players that jump out at you like the rest of the team. The Outlaws are the opposite on offense; they’re a pass heavy team with receivers that like to get down field. Their defensive strength is in their line backing core and secondary, where they lead the league in defensive points and turnovers. I wouldn’t sleep on the Otters, they’re going to try their hardest to win on the road against their rival. I think the deciding factor is going to be home many interceptions Mike Boss throws, if he can protect the ball better than the Outlaws, the Otters have a good shot at the win. I’m taking the Outlaws to get one more win against their rivals at home.
The championship game is left with the Outlaws and Wraiths. These teams are currently tied 1-1 and haven’t played since week 6. These are two high powered offenses with solid defenses to back them up, but I’m going to take the Outlaws here. The Wraiths haven’t played the Outlaws or Otters since the first half of the season, I think the Outlaws defense is going to dictate the game with pressure from the front 7 and opportunistic plays by the secondary. If the Outlaws play their style of football by winning the field position battle and turnover battle, while also containing Josh Garden on big plays, they’ll get the W.
Playoff Matchups
![[Image: IGyGphj.png]](http://i.imgur.com/IGyGphj.png)
Future Talent
Finding a player that is going to have an impact in these playoffs was easy, Gregor Clegane is going to be key to any success the Otters have in the post season. Sure, he’s lining up next to the favorite to win the MVP, but it takes two to tango…or something like that. Clegane is helping Winchester sure up the left side of the Otters’ offensive line, which likely also improves Winchester’s play. I don’t think there is a better duo on any offensive line. The Otters’ offense is built on the back of power running and having a good combination of guard and tackle is key to success on the ground. The Otters are sure to face teams that are capable at stopping the run and having Clegane around to keep them on schedule is a huge boon. If you stop the Otters run game, their offense is likely to struggle. Mike Boss is probably an underrated quarterback, but at this point in his career you don’t want to put the pressure of carrying an offense on his shoulders. If Leroy Jenkins and Omar Wright continue their regular season success in the post season it will be on the back of, or behind the back of, Gregor Clegane as much as Angus Winchester. @automatic
(S1) - Ultimus Week - enigmatic - 07-06-2017
Bottom Third: Write about why the Baltimore Hawks and/or San Jose Sabercats were not able to make the playoffs.
The Baltimore Hawks are one of the biggest enigmas of this first season. They went undefeated during the preseason, even crushing teams like the Yeti and the Wraiths. Everything seemed to be on point. Their offense and their defense was working. However, as the preseason went, the difference of points between them and their opponents became slimer and slimer. A win is still a win, though, so all around the League, people started to wonder if they had underestimated the Hawks.
What probably killed the Hawks' chances at a playoff spot is their offense, which is dead last in most categories in the League. Where most teams could compensate for an average passing game with a great rushing game, the Hawks excelled at neither. Their kicker did alright and lead the League in field goal percentage but when you need to rely on your kicker to win games, you don't make the playoffs (unless you're the Yeti, I guess). Their defense did well statistically speaking, even if most of their losses weren't close matches. Indeed, while they did not lead the League in any category, they were usually in the middle of the pack, which would be sufficient to make the playoffs usually, but their offense was so mediocre that they'll have to watch the playoffs from the stands this season.
Offensive Comparison: Compare one offensive player from each team in a series in a side by side graphic.
![[Image: dZ8nIO0.png]](http://i.imgur.com/dZ8nIO0.png)
Defensive Comparison: Compare one defensive player from each team in a series in a side by side graphic.
![[Image: GWzcuJ7.png]](http://i.imgur.com/GWzcuJ7.png)
Playoff Recap Infographic: Make a graphic displaying the results of the playoffs.
![[Image: 937QccY.png]](http://i.imgur.com/937QccY.png)
Championship Banner: Make a banner (sig style) featuring the MVP of the Championship Game and another player of your choice from the winning teams and S1 Champions or something similar to that.
![[Image: XrWFjz1.png]](http://i.imgur.com/XrWFjz1.png)