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+---- Thread: (S1) - Ultimus Week (/showthread.php?tid=1764)
(S1) - Ultimus Week - youngcricket - 07-06-2017
Offensive Comparison
Two players that I would look at regarding the Otters and Outlaws series would be Vincent Draxel vs Mike Boss. They say that on offense you can't win without a competent QB, and Mike Boss has been anything but competent when playing against the Outlaws, whom the Otters hold a 1-3 record against. Vincent Draxel has arguably been the best QB this year, boasting a league leading 2858 yards and 20 TD tosses to go along with it. He does not have has talented of a WR corp as Orange County, but he has found a way to spread the ball even with one of the most unreliable OL in the game. Mike Boss, on the other hand, has only thrown for 2334 yards and has tossed 19 interceptions to 11 TDs. While struggles are normal for a rookie QB, this kind of performance is rather unexpected for a player who has one of the best run games in the league as well as one of the best OL's in the game. Boss does boast a better completion rate and has thrown fewer passes, likely due to the deadly tandem in their backfield. The nod likely goes to Draxel here, but there is no doubt that Boss could end up having a breakout game.
200+ words
Defensive Comparison
Two of the best Defensive Ends in the league are going to be going at it in the first round of the NSFL playoffs. Arizona Outlaws' Defensive End, Jayce Tuck, is the sack leader in the NSFL right now and causes havoc to all Offensive Lines in the NSFL. He has 47 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, and 16 sacks which have caused many to believe that he is the best Defensive Lineman in the entire NSFL. One issue for him, however, is that he will be going up against the best Offensive Line that the league has to offer with Cliff Hamilton, Angus Winchester, and Gregor Clegane holding down the line. On the other side, Adamle Tomlinson has broken out of an early slump to have quite a great performance to close out the season. Tomlinson is regarded as one of the top DE's and he has managed to rack up 15 tackles for loss and 10 sacks for the Otters. Some might argue that his stats look worse because of spending less time on the field, but I would argue Tuck is just barely the superior player. He will be facing an Offensive Line that has been rather weak throughout the season so Outlaws fans should be worried that he might be able to get some serious pressure in the game.
223 words
Bottom Third
Many people will ask, "Why did the Sabercats finish at the bottom of the division when many people expected them to finish first or second after the draft?" The answer is probably that they were extremely average in every single category and didn't have one thing that stood out for them. The Outlaws and Otters also had 2 of the top defenses in the league and two very solid offenses, while the Sabercats just had average collections of both. One thing that kept them from falling off the edge was the acquisition of Ethan Hunt, who was very solid in his limited time with the Sabercats, but joined too late to give them a push for the playoffs. He was able to connect with Bailey Cook quite a bit and was very effective with Vick Bowers Jr. running behind him, which could give the team a very solid nucleus moving forward. With that said, their lack of a solid defense also hurt them quite a bit in their process. They, simply put, were unable to get a nucleus on defense and relied a lot on Alexander Selich to carry the team when they needed help. Players like Ja Brill and some defensive linemen will need to step up if they hope to take a leap and make the playoffs next season.
221 Words
Future Talent
I think that there is going to be a lot of talent in this draft, but not all of them will be participating in the playoffs. I think a guy who could have the biggest impact is going to be the Defensive End Blaster Blade from the University of Texas. A late addition to the league, he has proven at every stop that he is capable of being a top tier defensive lineman in the NSFL. He had 17 tackles for loss and 7 sacks in his first season and I think that he will need to give Angus Winchester and the Orange County Otters' Offensive Line some trouble if the Outlaws hope to stop the lethal attack of the Otters. He has also forced two fumbles, which could be really big for the Outlaws to find a way to get extra possessions. If the Outlaws hope to win Blaster Blade will show up. Having played in many leagues with him before, I can assure you that the best Blaster Blade shows up in the big time moments because there is nothing he loves more than the feeling of winning. As a linebacker on his team, I am hoping that Blade will be able to stop the ball and if he can't, force the runner to me. He is a waiver player to keep an eye on during the playoffs.
230 Words
Playoff Predictions
I know for a fact that the inaugural NSFL playoffs will be very exciting and a fun game for all to watch. I believe that the
will end up beating the 
in their first round due to the fact that they have a good track record against them and have one of the most powerful defenses in the NSFL as well as an incredible LB corp. I think that this could prove to be an exciting game, though.I think that in the NSFC, the
will come out on top over the 
due to their hot streak. They are riding a hot wave into the playoffs and there is no doubt that they want to pound the rock right at the Yeti and beat them with the play action. I don't think that the Yeti D will be able to stop this attack and they will ultimately lose a tight one to the Wraiths. In the championship, I believe it will be a very defensive game with not many long drives, but ultimately Stormblessed will have a long catch to seal the deal for the
while the find it very difficult to run against the Outlaws' stout run defense. I think we will see the same thing that we have seen all season, the Outlaws just find a way to win a game. 225ish words
(S1) - Ultimus Week - Jogn - 07-06-2017
Offensive Comparison (245 words)
Rodriguez v Akselsen might not be the matchup on everyone’s mind, although it would probably be the best actual fight among offensive player comparisons, but it’s one of the most important for the NSFC Championship Game.
Bender Rodriguez has had a monster season, and while I don’t have the access to the Yeti’s depth chart to be able to confirm this, he’s likely done most of it at Left Tackle, given his high pancake numbers. His 50 pancakes rank second among Offensive Linemen, and 6 sacks against is respectable in the sack-happy NSFC - only 3 Offensive Linemen have surrendered fewer. Akselsen has had one fewer pancake, but one more sack allowed, a trade any offensive lineman would make.
In the 5 games the Yeti and Wraiths have played, the team with the most sacks has won every game - the Yeti currently lead the series 3-2 and lead the sack count 24-23. Akselsen has the advantage of a better supporting cast, and a more obvious threat - Yellowknife is likely to line him up against the LEO rush, likely to come from Jonathan Saint, the Yeti’s sack leader. Rodriguez’s assignment is less obvious - will the Yeti line him up against Jason Spearhead, or kick him to the interior to face Mark Ramrio or Trent Bender?
In any case, smart eyes will be in the trenches to see which team can better protect their Quarterback, and the men to watch on the line will be Rodriguez and Akselsen.
Defensive Comparison: Compare one defensive player from each team in a series (284 words)
There are 3 linebackers in the NSFL with double digit regular season sacks, and all 3 will be playing in the NSFL championship game. Today we’ll look at the matchup between Jonathan Saint and Harrif Ernston, with a special mention to Wyatt Fulton and Brady Stropko.
Saint has had a nose for the opposing quarterback all season racking up 14 sacks, good for second in the league. He is one of only 7 players to record more than 100 tackles, and has forced 2 fumbles. This has allowed his partner, Wyatt Fulton, to cheat back and play coverage with more certainty - he is second among linebackers in coverage, with 8 pass deflections and an interception. This dominance showed itself in the NSFC Championship Game - Saint and Fulton both tallied 8 tackles, they combined for 3 sacks, with Saint picking up 2 and Fulton picking up the other, and Fulton deflected a pass - all key plays in what finished as a one-score game.
On the other side of the field, Harrif Ernston finished the season with 12 sacks, 5 pass deflections and an interception, while Stropko tallied 9 sacks, a safety, and 3 pass deflections. It is clear that the Outlaws use their pairing in a more balanced role, expecting both to do a little bit of everything. The Arizona pairing also recorded 16 tackles in their Championship game, with Stropko recording 3 tackles for a loss, and Ernston recording a sack and a safety.
Saint and Ernston, and their partners in Fulton and Stropko, will be difference makers that the Outlaws and Yeti will have to plan around. The story of the Ultimus Cup could well be which Linebacker is shut down the best.
Bottom Third: Write about why the Baltimore Hawks and/or San Jose Sabercats were not able to make the playoffs (226 words)
Much has already been made about the Baltimore Hawks’ offensive struggles, but it is important to also highlight another area that cost them the second berth in the NSFC Championship game - a lack of stars on defense.
By far the biggest disruption by a position group on defense has come from the line - 11 of the 14 players with double digit sacks are defensive linemen, and linemen are the top 6 for tackles for loss. While the draft is a bit of a crapshoot, Baltimore began season 1 with a lineup of two solid players in Bisquiteen Crocker and Franklin Harris, who would later be traded one for one to Orange County for Burt Metas. However, with only a single Defensive End and Tackle worth writing home about, other teams could gameplan around Crocker and Metas, leading Baltimore to be last in the league in sacks by 17, and 5th in the league in tackles for loss with 38.
All is not lost for the Hawks - all 3 of their linebackers have shown the development and production that could bring them to the next level, and they ranked second in the NSFL in forced fumbles and fumble recoveries, as well as 3rd in Interceptions, but Baltimore must make steps to shore up their defensive line before they can think about a run at the Glacies Trophy.
Championship Game Recap (205 words)
One of the most important things that a player can do in a ‘win or go home’ game is to set the pace. That’s why the play of the game, in my eyes, happened a minute and 16 seconds into the game.
The Yeti recieved the opening kickoff and rushed for 7 yards on 2 attempts. On 3rd and 3, 7 yards from the halfway line, Logan Noble tripped a pass rusher pushing the Yeti back to 3rd and 13 at their own 35 yard line. To commit a penalty less than a minute into the biggest game of your life is hard for any quarterback, and Noble would have been desperate to keep the momentum going. He took a modest drop back, looked for a receiver and found himself flat on his back. Sack, Jayce Tuck. 6 yard loss.
On the next offensive drive, Noble would throw an interception to Ryan Flock, opening up the floodgates for the Outlaws, who would storm to a 29-6 victory. It may be seen as lineman bias, but I think just as much credit should go to Jayce Tuck for getting in Noble’s head, and not letting the All-Pro quarterback to settle in the early minutes of the game.
Playoff Series MVP: Choose an MVP for one of the playoff series and write about why you chose them (212 words)
The story of the NSFL’s first Ultimus Cup was one of the Arizona Outlaws taking control early, and the Colorado Yeti being unable to catch back up. I’ve already written about the play of the game - a Jayce Tuck sack 1 minute and 16 seconds in - and I would be remiss to not call him the player of the game.
The Yeti completed 2 of their 14 first downs, in no small part due to the pressure put on by the defensive line. Jayce Tuck picked up where he left off at the end of the regular season, personally killing 2 of the 12 failed drives, and forming part of blitzes that ended another 6 - while he didn’t personally record the sack, a linebacker cannot work a blitz without a lineman opening up the other side of the pocket.
Tuck finished the game with 6 tackles, one for a loss and 3 on the line of scrimmage, no huge shock given that he finished second among all players in tackles for loss in the regular season. No matter how the Yeti attempted to claw back into the game, Tuck was there to put a stick in their spokes, no small feat when lining up against offensive catalysts like Noble, Luke Tiernan, and Boss Tweed.
(S1) - Ultimus Week - Daybe - 07-06-2017
Playoff Predictions: Give a short write up on each of the playoff matches (including the championship game).
Otters v. Outlaws
Ah, the classic offense versus defense fight! This matchup should be an exciting one, and it is also extremely interesting. The Otters allowed the least amount of points in the regular season, while the Outlaws scored the most points. It should be a hard-fought game, but the odds are on the Outlaws' side. The Outlaws won the season series 3-1, and carry home-field advantage for this matchup. The Outlaws are 6-1 at home while the Otters are 3-4 on the road.
Wraiths v. Yeti
The Wraiths look better on both sides of the ball. The Wraiths have a fantastic offensive line and a great quarterback-receiver duo in Orosz-Garden. Although the Wraiths are playing in Colorado, even the toughest defenses might not derail the high-powered Wraiths offense. Also, one of my favorite parts is the extreme confidence that the Wraiths are going to win, which surely is a good sign that they're ready.
Wraiths v. Outlaws
Both teams have a great shot to win this game, but I have to lean in the Outlaws' favor. When looking at the stats, the Outlaws are better on defense, and as they say, defense wins championships. But who knows what will happen? The Wraiths are a dangerous team. The hype is building up!
203 words
Offensive Comparison: Compare one offensive player from each team in a series.
Orosz v. Noble
While looking at this matchup, we see two elite quarterbacks. In the regular season, Orosz threw for 2788 yards, while Noble threw for 2603. Orosz was slightly better decision-making wise as well, with a completion percentage of 57.8 as opposed to Novel's 56.5. While Orosz did throw 9 interceptions compared to Noble's 8, that could be accredited to the fact that he threw more passes. However, Noble threw 15 touchdowns compared to 14. Orosz had arguably better receivers as well. It's been noted that the Colorado offensive line is slightly better, giving up 41 sacks, while Yellowknife offensive lineman have given up 43. Nonetheless, the Wraiths' situation on offense is more favorable compared to the Yeti's. The Yetis are more run heavy, as they had 437 carries to the Wraiths' 359. The Yetis had a better defense slightly, and that has helped get the ball back in Noble's hands. When looking at pure talent, Orosz looks to be slightly better, but as of S1, Noble has the slight edge. It should be a great battle though, and it's nearly impossible to determine who will win this matchup offensively. Both teams recorded a lot of sacks in the season, and the offensive lines will be a key factor to see which team can get their passes off successfully and as accurately as possible.
222 words
Bottom Third: Write about why the Baltimore Hawks and/or San Jose Sabercats were not able to make the playoffs.
The Baltimore Hawks were an absolute mess this season. On offense they scored 254 points, which is good for third most in the league, but even then, the offense wasn't nearly close to their full potential. A big problem was the quarterback situation. Kyubee threw a whopping 17 interceptions in the regular season, and his TD/INT ratio was 0.71. Kyubee has to have better decision-making if the Hawks want to make a serious playoff push. The ground game was another problem. The Hawks only rushed for 1369 yards this season, which puts them in dead last in the league by a lot. They averaged only 3.4 yards per carry, also last in the league. But the defense was awful. Their defensive line was nonexistent, with only 36 sacks on the year. In comparison, the second last team had 53 sacks. They allowed 23.6 points per game, another league last. They allowed 357.6 yards per game, 125.6 rushing yards per game, and 232.1 passing yards per game, all league lasts. With the S2 draft coming up soon, the Hawks will likely need to use many high draft picks defensively, to try to solve their biggest problem. But until they acquire multiple high-caliber defensive players, they aren't going anywhere.
207 words
Defensive Comparison: Compare one defensive player from each team in a series.
Saint v. Flimjollywop
These two linebackers have played key roles in their respective defenses. Both players are elite tacklers. Saint has recorded 101 tackles in the regular season, and Flimjollywop has 96. Saint has 4 tackles for loss and Flimjollywop has 5. The biggest difference between these two players is their roles. Saint is more of a pass rushing linebacker, as he recorded 14 sacks, second best in the league. In comparison, Flimjollywop is more of a coverage linebacker, as he snagged 3 interceptions and deflected 5 passes in the regular season. When we look at the actual team itself, we see that the Wraiths are much better defensively, only allowing 225 points, while the Yetis allowed 253. The Wraiths also had 729 tackles, and the Yetis had 700. Both teams had an equal amount of sacks, 56. The Wraiths forced 9 fumbles and the Yetis forced 12 fumbles. The Wraiths had 14 interceptions and the Yetis had 17. However you slice it, these two linebackers play key roles in their team's success and it will be interesting to see how well they both fare in the playoffs. As of now, we are unsure of who will win as this matchup is virtually a toss up. I believe that whichever team plays better defense will win the game and compete for the championship.
220 words
(S1) - Ultimus Week - Muford - 07-06-2017
Offensive Comparison: Compare one offensive player from each team in a series.
Two players that are going to come up huge for their respective teams during the playoffs are going to be none other than Angus Winchester of the Orange County Otters and Tim Pest of the Arizona Outlaws. Both men are leaders for their respective offensive lines, and they both put in countless hours into the gym. Angus Winchester has over 175 hours total in the gym, while Tim Pest is at 118.
Angus Winchester was drafted 25th overall to the Orange County Otters and has been a force to be reckoned with since the start. Throughout 14 games this year, he has a staggering 65 pancakes and 0 sacks allowed. Mr. Winchester is a building block for years to come in Orange County, and even thought as to be the MVP of the league with his amazing play and continued carry of the Otters line.
The thing about Mr. Pest is that he is a Season 2 Waiver pick up. This means that Mr. Pest was a late comer to the league, and already put in that many hours in the gym for the Outlaws. Tim has already put in a lot of hours in the gym and even though his stats are not the best in the world, in 13 games he has 42 pancakes with 12 sacks allowed. The numbers game isn’t nearly as good as Winchester but he is another Offensive Lineman that will help push Arizona far.
Both of these players will try and keep their offensive lines afloat during the playoff match-up between the Outlaws and the Otters this week, and one can only watch in amazement as these two men will try and lead their team father into the playoffs.
(286 Words)
Defensive Comparison: Compare one defensive player from each team in a series.
A position that has not gotten a lot of love this year is one position that will play a huge role in the upcoming matchup between the Yellowknife Wraiths and the Colorado Yeti. The Safety position, which is headlined by Alex Hansen in Yellowstone and Vikian Marmeladov in Colorado will be one that can help push either team to a chance to play for the Ultimus Trophy.
Alex Hansen, through 14 games this year, has recorded 74 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 3 sacks, 1 interception and 1 pass deflection. Mr. Hansen is number 3 in total tackles for Yellowstone, meaning he is there on a lot of the plays going on in the backfield. He may not be getting the big stats like interceptions, but he will always make sure you are going down and going down hard.
Vikian Marmeladov through 14 games has 62 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 2 forced fumbles, 1 sack, 4 interceptions, 4 pass deflections and a Defensive Touchdown. Marmeladov is more of a ball-hawking safety, and it can help turn Colorado shut down Chris Orosz and his passing game. Marmeladov will be hawking throughout the secondary for Colorado against Yellowstone, and it will be a game to remember on the defensive side.
Both these players are not the leader of their respected defenses, but both are part of the glue that holds them together. Look for both Hansen and Marmeladov to make a difference in their playoff matchup.
(244 Words)
Bottom Third: Write about why the Baltimore Hawks and/or San Jose Sabercats were not able to make the playoffs.
A big problem for Baltimore this year comes on both fronts. The Offensive Line could not keep Scrub Kyubee up on his feet, or give him enough time to make the right play. The Offensive Line alone let up an abysmal 39 sacks during the 14 game season. Even though that only averages to 2.78 sacks a game, it really did hurt the team. A major reason to that happening, is probably the lack of help on the Line. The only active Lineman in Baltimore is Vincent Sharpei. The team averaged 15.6 Pancakes a game, which is towards the bottom of the league.
Another problem that Baltimore faced this year was the defense, or lack thereof. The Hawks defense allowed 330 points throughout the whole season, which averages to 23.6 points a game. The points allowed throughout and per game is the most in the league! No team is going to win giving up that many points a game, especially when your Offensive line cannot keep your Quarterback on his feet. A big problem that the Baltimore Hawks had, was the lack of ability to get to the quarterback. They only had 36 sacks on the season, which is only 2.5 sacks a game, which is lowest in the league. There is going to have to be a lot addressed in the offseason, along with the Season 2 Draft to get the team back in contention for going to the playoffs.
(241 Words)
Future Talent: Write about which S2 waiver pickup will or did have the biggest impact in the playoffs.
One Season 2 Waiver pick up that will have a huge impact for their team has to be Greg Clegane of the Orange County Otters. Throughout 14 games he has had 40 pancakes and allowed 7 sacks. His stats aren’t like the great Angus Winchester, but being on the same line as him, someone is going to allow the sacks. Greg has been a major workhorse, already logging in over 136 hours in the gym, and he is one of the strongest men in the league. Look for Clegane to be a road block against The Outlaws Defense which is leading the league with 61 sacks. Hopefully Clegane can help put a stop to that.
Look for Mr. Clegane to help open up the line to push Leroy Jenkins through. Look for Mr. Clegane to help win the trench war against the Outlaws and keep their defense off the field, allowing the Otters to continually push. The biggest battle on the football field is always between the lines, and Greg brings a lot to the table for the Otters. Clegane is looking forward to smash some heads against the Outlaws, and I for one would not be out there trying to stop him as he rampages throughout the game.
(209 Words)
Playoff Predictions: Give a short write up on each of the playoff matches (including the championship game).
Otters vs. Outlaws
This game will go down as one of the most anticipated games in the History of the League. People will be talking about it for years, The Otters, who are 1-3 against the Outlaws on the season, bring possibly the best defense of the season to the game. Allowing only 196 points throughout 14 games, the Otters are going to have to do a lot to try and contain a potent Arizona Offense that is leading the League with 277 Points. It is going to be a tough game, and one that comes down to the wire, but I believe the Otters win a close one.
Final Score – Otters-21 Outlaws-20
Wraiths vs. Yeti
Another close game will be happening in the playoffs this year. The Wraiths, before week 14, were riding a 5 game winning streak, before seeing it snapped against the Yeti. Even though the Wraiths just lost to the Yeti, it is not something that the Wraiths are worried about. The potent Wraiths offense is second in the league, scoring 18.2 points per game, and only allowing 16. It will be a close game, but the Wraiths have the slight edge.
Final Score – Wraiths-28 Yeti-21
Championship: Otters v. Wraiths
The ASFC has been the strongest division this year, and that is saying a lot. Having both the Otters and the Outlaws come out of the ASFC is scary. The Wraiths do have the GM of the league, and there could be some trickery involved going into the Championship game. It will be another close one, with the Wraiths edging out the Otters on a last second field goal to win the First Ever Ultimus Trophy.
Final Score – Wraiths-24, Otters-21
(301 Words)
(S1) - Ultimus Week - Roshambo - 07-06-2017
Written Points
Playoff Predictions: Give a short write up on each of the playoff matches (including the championship game). Must be completed before the simulation of the Conference Finals
AFSC
Otters v Outlaws
The rivalry takes new life as the Otters travel back into the Bandit Pit to face the Outlaws, yet again, but this time for the ASFC title. Arizona has had the Otter’s number for most of the regular season - The Outlaw’s won the first three meetings before the week 14 matchup, where the Otters took down their rival 23-16 in front of a pumped up home crowd. There’s no love lost here between these sides - expect more of the same hard fought, defensively led, smacktalk filled action with more on the line. The Otter’s will look to keep and use their new momentum while the Outlaws are itching to prove it was a pre-playoff fluke.
POTG : Mike Boss
.Final Prediction : Otters 27 - Outlaws 20
NSFC
Wraiths v Yeti
Seemingly mirroring the one sided head-to-head rivalry of the Otters and Outlaws, it’s the Wraiths who have had the upper hand all season in this matchup. The Wraiths too are 3-1 on the year versus the Yeti… and lost their only game in the season finale. Most of the similarity ends there however, and this meeting will be settled through the air. Chris Orosz and Logan Noble are two of the most efficient passers in the league, (77.6% and 77.2% passer ratings respectively) and will no doubt be putting on a clinic for us when all is on the table for the NSFC title.
POTG : Josh Garden
Final Prediction : Wraiths 28 - Yeti 24
Ultimus
Otters v Wraiths
A lot can change by the time the Championship comes around. These predictions could be ass-backwards. The gameplans may be flipped. Clegane might punch through an Outlaw during Media Day and the game will be postponed. Time will tell, but I feel the Otters are hitting their stride at exactly the right time. Lead by a stout defense, the most dangerous 1-2 punch backfield, and all-star locks Phelps and Westfield on the outside, they will prevail. Otters up.
POTG : JJ Reigns
Final Prediction : Otters 24 - Wraiths 21
(Words: 341)
Graphic Points
Offensive Comparison / Defensive Comparison (I kind of combined this, hope it works) : Compare one offensive player from each team in a series in a side by side graphic. Can be completed at any point
![[Image: kGnVZWQ.jpg]](http://i.imgur.com/kGnVZWQ.jpg)
Bottom Third]
![[Image: e2kHBuD.jpg]](http://i.imgur.com/e2kHBuD.jpg)
Future Talent: Make a sig for a S2 player who you feel will or did make a large impact for their team 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
![[Image: RlZHwdK.jpg]](http://i.imgur.com/RlZHwdK.jpg)
Playoff Recap : Make a graphic displaying the results of the playoffs. Must be completed after the Championship Game
![[Image: j3SRGLf.jpg]](http://i.imgur.com/j3SRGLf.jpg)
(S1) - Ultimus Week - Darnellthebeast - 07-06-2017
-Placeholder-
Offensive Comparison: Compare one offensive player from each team in a series. Can be completed at any point
Today we'll be comparing two of the top receiver's in the league: Robert Phelps, of the Orange County Otters, as well as Stormblessed of the Arizona Outlaws. Over the course of the season, the players have overall performed similar to each other, with Phelps out gaining Stormblessed by around 170 yards and Stormblessed outscoring Phelps by four touchdowns. Stormblessed leads the league in average yards per catch with 18.7, whereas Phelps leads the league in receptions with 84. This is likely due to Phelps being the clear cut number one receiver on the Otters, while Stormblessed loses catches to Jefferson. Because these players have performed so similar over the course of the season, we'll need to dive into the stats per game against each other. In the four battles between the Otters and Outlaws, Phelps has caught 22 passes for 329 yards while Stormblessed has only caught 9 passes for 151 yards. However, Phelps has scored 0 times while Stormblessed has scored three. Despite his lack of scoring, Phelps has consistently performed better overall than Stormblessed, who only has shown up for a few plays each game. You can expect Phelps to prove he is the most dominant receiver on the field in the coming week.
Words: 206
Defensive Comparison: Compare one defensive player from each team in a series. Can be completed at any point
As the Otters and Outlaws gear up for battle, every player from both sides will need to make sure they perform their best. This is especially true for the defensive lineman. JJ Reigns of the Orange County Otters and Jayce Tuck of the Arizona Outlaws will both hope to lead their teams to a playoff victory. When you first look at the stats, the players seem very similar. They are only one tackle apart at 46 and 47, respectively. However, what sets the two players apart is impact plays. Tuck has 17 tackles for loss on the season, while Reigns has a meager 4. The reason being seems to be unknown, since Tuck only beats Reigns in sacks 16 to 14, showing Reigns can make it to the backfield just as much. It may be due to their position difference, as Tuck is a defensive end whereas Reigns is a tackle, so Reigns likely faces more double teams. Tuck also outperforms Reigns in both forcing fumbles and recovering them; Tuck has one of each whereas Reigns has zero in both categories. Finally, Tuck also is the only one of them to have scored this season, recording a one safety to JJ's zero. Expect Tuck to make more impact plays and help the Outlaws towards victory in the upcoming game.
Words: 219
Bottom Third Graphic:
![[Image: E1zjH91.jpg]](http://i.imgur.com/E1zjH91.jpg)
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.
In a six team league with four playoff teams, usually a team missing the playoffs means there is something seriously wrong with that organization. For the San Jose Sabercats, that problem is their offense. The Saber Cat's offense is pretty bad overall; passing wise, the Sabercats are fourth in yards with 2835, fifth in completion percentage with 53.8, fifth in touchdowns with 13, and fourth in passer rating with 68.8. San Jose has also suffered from a lackluster rushing attack. They rank fourth in rushing yards with 1521, fourth in rushing yards per game with 3.8, and last in touchdowns with 6. Overall, the Saber Cats rank dead last in offensive touchdowns, only scoring 19 in 14 games. While San Jose suffered from a weak offensive game, the Baltimore Hawks-the other team that didn't make the playoffs-suffered from a lack of defensive pressure. The Baltimore Hawks only had 36 sacks the entire season, which was 17 sacks worse than the second to last team(which happened to be the Saber Cats). The Hawks were fairly bad at tackling the running back in the backfield too; they ranked fifth in tackles for loss with 38. Overall, both these teams will need to make great picks in the draft, with San Jose picking up more offensive weaponry and Baltimore drafting some fast defensive linemen.
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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
As the playoffs continue on, every team is looking to perform at their highest level in order to win the Ultimus cup. For the Outlaws, their secret weapon is Tim Pest. Tim Pest is a season 2 player who got picked up at the beginning of the season and has proven to be a great signing ever since then. Pest, an offensive lineman, had 42 pancakes in the regular season, which means he averaged three pancakes a game, which is great. In the beginning, Pest struggled with pass blocking, allowing 12 sacks, however he seemed to have cleaned that part of his game up as in his last playoff game against the Outlaws, Pest got six pancakes and allowed zero sacks. His performance last week was especially impressive due to the competition he was facing; Pest was going against top defensive linemen like JJ Reigns and still managed to show out. While the defensive line isn't quite as fierce next week, Pest will still need to be on the top of his game. Nasher and Saint of the Colorado Yeti both excel in getting into the backfield, so Pest will need to protect his QB well. Expect Pest to have a great stat line against the Yeti this week.
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(S1) - Ultimus Week - PigSnout - 07-06-2017
Offensive Comparison:
I decided to make a graphical comparison between Logan Noble and Chris Orosz. They are probably the league's two most efficient quarterbacks and even after comparing the stats, it is hard to decide who is better. Quarterback play is always a huge factor in playoff outcomes and these two should provide a great matchup.
![[Image: UoyZFm0.png]](http://i.imgur.com/UoyZFm0.png)
Defensive Comparison:
![[Image: JyvJm3Q.png]](http://i.imgur.com/JyvJm3Q.png)
Future Talent:
Tight End prospect Rich Gucci had the second most receptions among all Yeti players in the playoffs.
![[Image: byJoAcO.png]](http://i.imgur.com/byJoAcO.png)
Playoff Predictions:
@ The Wraiths beating the Yeti appears to be the popular pick based on this thread as well as the Week 14 predictions thread. People are very high on the Wraiths as they are packed with flashy playmakers and had a recent 4 game winning streak. However, I am personally skeptical about the Wraiths hype. I predicted that the Yeti would beat the Wraiths in Week 14, and I believe the Yeti will beat the Wraiths again in the NSFC championship game. Why do I think the Wraiths are overrated? They have not beaten a playoff team in 6 weeks. Their big 4 game winning streak involved 3 wins against the Hawks and 1 against the Sabercats. While the streak was impressive, it was related more to the Wraiths having four easy games in a row than them suddenly getting hot. The winning streak was sandwiched between a 20-10 loss to the Yeti with playoff seeding on the line and a 24-0 blowout loss against the Otters. I think the Yeti and the Wraiths are on more equal footing than the recent Wraiths hype would suggest. Looking at the statistics, they favor a Yeti victory. Week 14 played a huge role in the playoff outcome because it determined home field advantage. The Wraiths are a mighty 6-1 in Yellowknife, but a measly 2-5 on the road. Likewise, the Yeti are 5-2 at home and 3-4 on the road. The Wraiths have not won a single road game against a playoff team while the Yeti have not lost a single home game against a playoff team The Wraiths would be heavily favored if they had home field advantage, but the Yeti now have a massive advantage since the game will be in Colorado. In addition to the location advantage, the Yeti also have the matchup advantage. The Yeti are 3-1 against the Wraiths so far this season. The Yeti are the only team the Wraiths have a losing record against this season and are the only team who has beaten the Wraiths in Yellowknife. The Yeti seem to have the Wraiths’ number, which does not bode well for the Wraiths in this playoff matchup. These trends could certainly change, but I am going to go against the flow and predict a Yeti victory. Prediction: Yeti win 23-13
@ For the ASFC matchup, I am leaning toward the popular opinion of an Outlaws victory. The Outlaws have dominated the Otters so far this season. They are 3-1 in the season series with the Otters’ only victory coming in a meaningless Week 14 matchup when the Outlaws had already clinched home field advantage. It’s possible the Otters finally found a solution to beating the Outlaws, but it seems more likely the Outlaws are saving their strategies for the big playoff matchup. The most shocking stat between these teams is the fact that 13 of Mike Boss’s 19 interceptions have come against the Outlaw’s secondary. Boss threw 10 interceptions in his first two games against the Outlaws compared to 3 interceptions in his next two games against the Outlaws. Perhaps he has found a solution to the Outlaws, but the Otters will need top quarterback play in order to overcome the Outlaws’ ferocious defense and Boss’s history against Arizona is very concerning. The Otters may be able to limit turnovers by leaning on their league-best running game, but they will need a complete offensive attack in order to beat the Outlaws’ defense. In addition to the Outlaws’ past advantage against the Otters, they also have home field advantage. The Outlaws have one of the best home fields in the league as they have gone 6-1 at home this year and the Otters are 3-4 on the road. These are the league’s two best teams record-wise, but past trends suggest that the Outlaws will beat the Otters again. Prediction: Outlaws win 24-10
vs I’m not sure whether the championship game will be played at a neutral site or if the Outlaws will have home field advantage. Obviously if the game is in Arizona, the Outlaws will have a big advantage. Either way, I think the Outlaws will have the advantage. I want to make the homer pick and favor the Yeti, but the Outlaws have both scored more points and allowed less points. The Yeti’s offense has struggled a lot lately due to issues with the offensive line and I think we will struggle to put up points against the Outlaws’ defense, in fact the Yeti did not score any points during their last matchup with the Outlaws. I think the Yeti will put up a good fight, but will need to play their best game of the season if they hope to win the Ultimus. I predict the regular season champion takes home the trophy. Prediction: Outlaws win 16-10
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Bottom Third:
To analyze the struggles of the Baltimore Hawks and the San Jose Sabercats, I decided to rank all of the teams by Points For and Points Against in order to determine the source of their struggles.
![[Image: kOfm8IC.png]](http://i.imgur.com/kOfm8IC.png)
The most glaring statistic is the fact that the Sabercats trail drastically in points for. This is a bit of a surprise as the Sabercats have one of the league's top running backs in Vick Bowers Jr. Vick was one of just two running backs to surpass 1000 yards in Season 1. However, his yardage did not always translate to points. He only had two rushing touchdowns, which may suggest that the Sabercats struggle to execute in the red zone. In addition, quarterback play appears to be an issue for the Sabercats. Jameis Christ started the Sabercats first 8 games and finished with a 63.3 quarterback rating, which is currently the lowest quarterback rating in the league. The Sabercats were 1-7 with Christ starting. They traded for Ethan Hunt and finished the season 3-3. It seems that upgrading their quarterback helped them to fix some of their issues and finish the season on a stronger note. Unfortunately for the Sabercats, Ethan Hunt has announced that he plans to leave the Sabercats. It looks like their quarterback carousel will continue, but finding a long term starter may be the key to getting back on track. Finding stability at the quarterback position may help the running game convert more in the red zone or allow the quarterback to convert red zone drives for touchdowns. The other peculiarity with this stat is the Hawks' ranking. They rank 3rd in points for and are actually ahead of the Yeti and the Otters and just 2 points behind the Wraiths, yet they did significantly worse. Why is that? Let's look at the next stat.
![[Image: wBZW2Nc.png]](http://i.imgur.com/wBZW2Nc.png)
The Hawks have allowed the most points in the league by a very large margin. This explains why they struggled so much despite being in the top half of the league in terms of points scored. It is a bit harder to address this than to address the Sabercats faults because defense works more as a unit rather than being as impacted by individual performances. However, it seems clear that the Hawks should look to go heavy on defensive playmakers in this year's draft and may even consider trading an offensive player for a defensive player. Also of concern is the fact that the Sabercats have given up the second most points. This is extremely worrying given that they also score the least points in the league. The Sabercats will have to rebuild on both offense and defense in order to contend while the Hawks should be able to compete as soon as they rebuild their defense, however it will need some very major improvements because it is drastically worse than even the Sabercats defense.
Quote:483 Words
(S1) - Ultimus Week - Stormblessed - 07-06-2017
Defensive Comparison:
![[Image: 8T4Lgr1.png]](http://imgur.com/8T4Lgr1.png)
Offensive Comparison:
![[Image: j21sqbG.png]](http://imgur.com/j21sqbG.png)
Playoff Matchups:
![[Image: 7eKBIU5.png]](http://imgur.com/7eKBIU5.png)
Rookie:
![[Image: NLxDQRh.png]](http://imgur.com/NLxDQRh.png)
Solis MVP
![[Image: 9xvdw3i.png]](http://imgur.com/9xvdw3i.png)
(S1) - Ultimus Week - daBenchwarmer - 07-06-2017
Bottom Third: Why the San Jose SaberCats couldn't make the playoffs
Short answer: They sucked, didn't have a proper QB and were more inconsistent than a frat boy's GPA.
Long answer: Obviously the SaberCats came into the season with one of the more weaker rosters in the NSFL. Their offensive line, despite a stud in Ben Longshaw, sucked, to put it gently. Additionally, Jameis Christ went from a decent starter quarterback to flat out mediocre. The team in general struggled and even the addition of highly touted QB Ethan Hunt couldn't do anything about it. Sure, Hunt had a game or two where he stole a game and the SaberCats played out of their minds, but the majority of the time, they were ASFC's laughing stock and punching bag.
This, and the fact their defense was easily playing some of the worst football in their careers. With the inability to prevent their opponents from advancing, to prevent passes from getting through, stopping receivers and going for those critical sacks, it should not be any surprise that the SaberCats struggled through mediocrity and fell out of the playoff picture within the first few weeks. They were outclassed, out performed and out done by their opponents.
While next season may look more promising for the SaberCats, they will probably have to figure out a way to replace the QB powers of Hunt now that there have been rumors about him wanting out of San Jose.
(232 Words)
(S1) - Ultimus Week - veritas - 07-07-2017
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