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+---- Thread: *DSFL Players to Watch (Week 7 & 8) (/showthread.php?tid=12957)
*DSFL Players to Watch (Week 7 & 8) - nickyvmlp - 04-05-2019
We're more than halfway through the DSFL season. We've got a good feeling about who the best teams in the D-League are, and who are the players to watch. But there's surprises every week, so let's go into them.
San Antonio Marshals RB Morgan Marshall (@`EnfysNest`)
I wanted to double up on defense again for the Marshals, and I would have if Nero Alexander did pretty much anything in their Week 8 loss (their first one of the season), but it's really hard to look past what Morgan Marshall is doing. He is the Marshal offense (along with Max Vaz to a lesser extent). In Week 7 vs. Norfolk, he was both the leading rusher (133 yards) and the leading receiver (54 yards) FOR BOTH TEAMS with a touchdown to go into both columns as well. And in Week 8, he scored two more times, and led the Marshals down the field for a potential game tying or winning score, before Cooter Bigsby threw a back-breaking interception. Makes me wonder what Marshall's passing ratings are.
CB Vander Jones (@`Vander Jones`)
Jay Longshaw is going to be seeing Marshal defenders in his nightmares, especially Vander Jones. He snagged two more interceptions in San Antonio's Week 7 victory over Norfolk, bringing his season total to seven. This puts him in a tie for first in the interception leader-boards alongside his partner in crime, Walt Green. As I've said before, the all-time DSFL record for interceptions in a season is eight. I'd bet money that that record will fall by the end of this season. Just do what Portland did and run the ball more than you pass, that's apparently the trick to beating San Antonio.
Speaking of Portland...
Portland Pythons RB Beauregard Smallwood-Chess (@4D Chess)
BSC has to split carries in the Portland backfield with Kermit Stronglegs and Rkansaw, but why? Smallwood-Chess is definitely the most complete running back that Portland has to offer. In both of his last two games, he scored on the ground and through the air, and led the team in receptions in both games. Especially considering that the Pythons have the best passer in the D-League, you'd think they'd prioritize a running back who excels at receiving like Beauregard does. I know Portland is already one of the league's best teams, and if it ain't broke, don't fix it. But if BSC ever got the bulk of the work, this Portland team could be nightmarish.
LB Leighton Lee (@youngcricket)
Leighton Lee is playing like a man among boys, and the way he's racking up both tackles and TPE lead me to think he could go very early in next year's draft, maybe even #1 overall. In his last two games, Lee has racked up a staggering 31 tackles. No one is better at getting to the ball-carrier than Lee, who's got a healthy lead on the D-League's tackle leaders list. Throw in two forced fumbles and a deflection in Portland's Week 7 victory over Palm Beach and Lee should definitely be considered among the favorites for Defensive Player of the Year.
Tijuanan Luchadores RB Forrest Gump (@TomHanks)
Luchadores QB Corvo Havran had a pretty disastrous Week 8, but Tijuana still got the W, thanks to the former Alabama star Forrest Gump. Apparently, Forrest found that elite speed he was flashing in college, as he broke off an 80 yard run for a touchdown late in the first quarter. He finished that game with one of the league's best performances of the week: 19 carries for 160 yards and a touchdown. Throw in Gump's two score game the previous week, and it's easy to see who's contributing the most to this recent run of success for the Luchadores. Their other Running back Zoro Roronoa is producing well, and the two backs compliment each other well, but Gump is playing at another level right now.
S Troy Humuhumunukunuku?pua?a (@Sir Earl)
If these posts paid by the character, I'd be talking about this guy every week, but we saw a lot from Troy Humuhumunukunuku?pua?a these last couple of weeks. The Tijuana defense was on the field for a long time in Week 8 (Norfolk held the ball for more than 40 minutes), and Troy showed his endurance and helped the Luchadores survive a late drive by the Seawolves. He notched ten tackles in that game, and had a couple of good kick returns to boot. He didn't have quite as much do to in Week 7, but he still registered six tackles and a sack. The former U of Hawai'i star is really making some waves out there.
Norfolk Seawolves RB Apollo Reed (@NylarthePhoenix)
I guess the schedule for the Seawolves just got dramatically more difficult, but the once beastly Seawolves have now lost four of their last five games, with their only win in that span coming against the one-win Coyotes. But even when things are leaking bleak, in the D-League, you can usually rely on your running game to bail you out. Apollo Reed scored three times in the last two games, and has produced some quality kick returns too. Given Jay Longshaw's inconsistencies the last few games (five picks in two games, after just one in the first six), Reed may need to play a larger role in the Seawolves' attack.
LB Allen Josh (@NamelessNate)
Despite the fact that this rookie class was absolutely stacked, Allen Josh might be the best defensive rookie in this class. I will admit to trying to find other Seawolves to talk about in previous articles, just so I wouldn't be mentioning Josh every single week. But the fact is, he produces. EVERY. SINGLE. WEEK. In the last two games, he led the team in tackles, with 24 between the two games. Week 8's performance also included a sack, a forced fumble, and a deflection. Look near the top of the leaderboard in nearly any defensive category and you're bound to find Josh there. He's just too good right now.
Palm Beach Solar Bears RBs Ludicolo Bigby and Ben Bortboy (@TheWoZy and @spinarnie)
There is reason to be excited in Palm Beach, besides everything else in Palm Beach. The Solar Bear offense is on fire right now, averaging nearly 26 points per game over their last four, after averaging a paltry nine per game over the first four. And in that time, Palm Beach's promising running back duo has morphed into the best one-two punch in the D-League. Week 8's thumping of Kansas City was their magnus opus so far this season. Bigby ran it 18 times for 165 yards and two TDs. Bortboy ran it 19 times for 156 yards and two scores. Both runners took one of those scores in from more than 75 yards out. And to top it off, those performances put them second and third on the top performances list, behind only Morgan Marshall's 187 total yard game in Week 7 (and that took him 38 touches to get to those numbers, but I'm unbiased, I swear.)
LB Tony Gabagool (@shipwreckrising)
If you don't say Tony Gabagool's name with an offensive Italian mafia voice, you're not doing it right. Palm Beach's front seven is scary business. Guy Nikko still leads the D-League in sacks, and he isn't the only one who gets them. Normally, Gabagool's more of a run stopper, ranking second on the team in tackles, but lately, he's been getting more involved in the pass game. He picked up 17 tackles between the two games as well as a sack in each. This is basically the opposite of the San Antonio defense. Go to the air to get past Palm Beach, provided you can get the passes off, that is.
Kansas City Coyotes QB Rose Jenkins (@Jiggly_333)
Hey, I can finally talk about someone besides a running back in the offensive part of these posts. Rose Jenkins didn't put up mind-bending numbers for the Yotes, but she was efficient, completing about 60% of her passes, and throwing three touchdowns to one INT between the two games. That's good numbers, and there is hope that it can get better, as Ryan Leaf Jr. has been placed on the trade block. Kansas City might not be putting up with his distractions for much longer, and that can only improve the Kansas City offense.
LB Buddha Lebowski (@BuddhaLebowski)
There are not very many standouts on the Coyote defense, and the one guy who is standing out is standing really far out. Buddha Lebowski is listed as the front-runner for Defensive Player of the Year, and while I don't agree with that, I can understand why he's there. He racked up 27 tackles in his last two games, including two TFLs, a sack, and a forced fumble. He's second in the D-League in tackles and has done a little bit of everything for the Kansas City defense. I would just prefer the Defensive Player of the Year to be someone who participates more in the league.
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*DSFL Players to Watch (Week 7 & 8) - shadyshoelace - 04-05-2019
(04-05-2019, 01:00 PM)nickyvmlp Wrote:I wanted to double up on defense again for the Marshals, and I would have if Nero Alexander did pretty much anything in their Week 8 loss (their first one of the season)
such is life on the defensive line
*DSFL Players to Watch (Week 7 & 8) - nickyvmlp - 04-05-2019
(04-05-2019, 03:05 PM)shadyshoelace Wrote:such is life on the defensive line
Sorry dude, if it's any consolation, you killed it in Week 7
*DSFL Players to Watch (Week 7 & 8) - Jiggly_333 - 04-05-2019
(04-05-2019, 04:00 PM)nickyvmlp Wrote:Oh, that boi ain't on the block. That boi gone.
QB Rose Jenkins (@Jiggly_333)
Hey, I can finally talk about someone besides a running back in the offensive part of these posts. Rose Jenkins didn't put up mind-bending numbers for the Yotes, but she was efficient, completing about 60% of her passes, and throwing three touchdowns to one INT between the two games. That's good numbers, and there is hope that it can get better, as Ryan Leaf Jr. has been placed on the trade block. Kansas City might not be putting up with his distractions for much longer, and that can only improve the Kansas City offense.
![[Image: giphy.gif]](https://media1.giphy.com/media/IYXgNNh3t8Ou4/giphy.gif)
*DSFL Players to Watch (Week 7 & 8) - Duilio05 - 04-05-2019
(04-05-2019, 03:00 PM)nickyvmlp Wrote:I'd bet money that that record will fall by the end of this season. Just do what Portland did and run the ball more than you pass, that's apparently the trick to beating San Antonio.
If Vander Jones and I finish the season without breaking that record because you've told everyone to just run against us, I'm gonna come for you. #MarshalLaw
*DSFL Players to Watch (Week 7 & 8) - PSanchez55 - 04-05-2019
Why does BSC split carries?
1. Endurance is a thing. Yards per rush decreases when you get tired.
2. Mainly #1, but also BSC is inactive and we need to award actives.
Also Leighton Lee has already been drafted 9OA.
Good article tho
*DSFL Players to Watch (Week 7 & 8) - Guest - 04-05-2019
thank you for recognizing my dominance
*DSFL Players to Watch (Week 7 & 8) - SDCore - 04-06-2019
Rod Tidwell gets no love...
*DSFL Players to Watch (Week 7 & 8) - shadyshoelace - 04-06-2019
(04-05-2019, 01:10 PM)nickyvmlp Wrote:Sorry dude, if it's any consolation, you killed it in Week 7
Appreciate the shoutout, but no need to be sorry. I know DL doesn't get the flashy stats, and I'm super proud of my guys for showing out every week!
*DSFL Players to Watch (Week 7 & 8) - nickyvmlp - 04-06-2019
(04-05-2019, 09:28 PM)Guest Wrote:thank you for recognizing my dominance
I recognize the dominance, but I don't recognize you, Mr. guest.