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*Reese Excels in Final Week of S14 - SwagSloth - 04-20-2019 [div align=\\\"center\\\"]Reese Excels in Final Week of S14 [/div] Many of Andrew Reese’s struggles have been documented in S14 recently, particularly following an embarrassing loss against the Orange County Otters in week 12. Reese rebounded with a decent game in week 13 and has had a few decent games this season, but has fallen well behind the bar set by his competition. As rumors began to swell around the storied QB’s long-term future in the league, many eyes settled in on the week 14 between the Arizona Outlaws and New Orleans Second Line. It was a game with no real stakes, but for fans of both teams, it was one of the most competitive match-ups this season and a game between two division rivals. The Second Line had previously defeated the Outlaws in a week 7 home game that saw them emerge triumphant in a crushing 51-3 win. This next match-up was scheduled to take place on Arizona’s turf, but the experts still had it written off as an easy win for the team in purple and gold. That match was easily one of Reese’s worst this season, resulting in 3 Interceptions and 0 Touchdowns. By any normal measure, there wasn’t much reason to believe the score would be any closer. But criticism can drive a man. Reese has struggled to win over the sports critics his entire career, but the move was to Quarterback during the previous off-season left a lot of critics doubting his chances of success. Week after week of losses, Reese found himself on a team surrounded by a mediocre Offensive Line and backed by a defensive squad mostly compiled of filler players better served by the DSFL. Arizona had traded almost a third of its cap space to opposing teams in return for S15 draft picks, but that road to that draft has been a hard one to watch as the team was left with a nearly insurmountable gap between themselves and the competition. The few star players still left on the team have tried to find ways to keep fans invested, but their odds of winning seemed to shrink with each week. The team’s only win this season, a 28-21 home game victory over the Yellowknife Wraiths in week 11, came well after the team’s chances of making the play-offs were long gone and many wrote it off as simply a fluke victory. Still, in the mist of a losing season, fans can be known to hold onto any small blimp of hope they can find. And, for the Arizona faithful, a potentially close game against the Second Line was scheduled to be their last glimpse of football heading into the offseason. Fans showed up ready to cheer on their loyal team. And the Outlaws did not let them down. Sam Hardwick, Steven Moore, and Felix Hasselhofff put up strong receiving numbers as the team found ways to exploit the New Orleans Secondary’s weaknesses. Long-time NSFL star Trey Willie even found his way to the end zone in the final game of his career, cementing his impressive legacy with one more Touchdown celebration. Slim Shady pounded the rock with an efficient ground attack, totaling almost 100 yards and joining his fellow RB Borro Gore in finding the end zone with a pair of rushing Touchdowns split between them; like Willie, Gore is also playing his final game and seemed pleased to end it on a high note. The offense was effective, but that wasn’t necessarily the shocking part. Many expected a shoot-out between the two teams. To our surprise, the Arizona defense dominated, holding the Second Line to zero Touchdowns and only three Field Goals. Raymond Vans picked up a sack and a pass deflection. Safety Shannon Hobbs secured a sack of his own and Avery Woodham was especially effective with 2 Tackles for Loss. One can only imagine what these three will do alongside a proper squad of defenders. Of course, we can’t forget about kicker Dean Jackson, who was not only perfect in this game, but in the mist of the team’s struggles, managed to somehow put up a perfect season. This win proved that, even among a team clearly in rebuild mode, there are some shining gems. However, the most surprising of them all was Reese himself, who seemingly came into the game with a fire lit under him. Reese threw 28 completions for 319 yards and was able to find the endzone twice with Touchdowns to Hardwick and Willie. He held a 63.6% completion rate and a Quarterback Rating of 100.5. Not performance of the year by any stretch, but for a QB averaging a much lower QBR, it was enough to prove that he was capable of a lot more than we had seen out of him this season. Reese joined team officials in speaking to the media after the game and appeared to be in much better spirits than the last time we saw him. Media Reporters: What does this win mean to the team? Andrew Reese: At this point, it means everything. Obviously, this was not our best year and we knew it wasn’t going to be long before the first game was played. The team was in need of a reset and management felt that this was the right time for that. As players, we’re programmed to play with everything we’ve got and always push for the win, so it’s been frustrating knowing that we weren’t in a position to do that. This was the last time we were going to take the field for a while and whatever happened tonight was going to be the last image that stayed with us through the off-season. Being able to end it on a win, regardless of the overall record, is something that’s going to change the tone of these next few months. A lot of guys in that locker room are excited about what we’re going to be able to do next season and this adds to that excitement. To be honest, we haven’t been whole in a while, but the future is promising and we’re looking forward to getting back into a spot where we can compete on a weekly basis. MR: What do you feel was the biggest factor in your success tonight? And do you think it’s something you can continue to build off of going into the next season? AR: I definitely feel blessed to have been able to go out there tonight and play at the level I did. I don’t think we’re in a place where we can compare me to someone like Joliet L. Christ or Micycle McCormick, but I’m working harder to get better every week and a game like this is a nice step toward being involved in that conversation someday. As far as what it means for next season, I don’t know if we can say for sure, but I’m pretty certain that we’re going to be looking at tape from this game a lot over the next 8 months. At the end of the day, this whole season has been a learning process and it’s been a chance for us to try new things. Our job in the Spring is going to be to assess what worked and what didn’t work, then make adjustments based on that. MR: News broke prior to the game that Sam Hardwick has committed to two more seasons with the team. What does that mean for the team’s WR line-up next season? AR: Hardwick has been absolutely phenomenal this season and I’m really excited to see him return. I feel like we have a good chemistry and another season or two together is only going to build on that. He’s a guy that I think a lot of people overlooked prior to joining our team and, if anyone can appreciate being overlooked, it’s the Outlaws. So, to me, it was a natural fit and I’m very excited that we were able to make him a long-term part of the team. MR: For the last few seasons, Arizona has been known for being a high-volume rushing offense. Do you feel any pressure to try to change that? AR: I think, if it were up to me, we’d be probably throw the ball more. If it were up to Slim, we’d probably run the ball more. Ultimately, as Quarterback, I obviously do have some say so, but that’s all going to depend on the type of guys that we bring in. The right picks have the chance to swing this offense in one direction or the other. I’m committed to whatever scheme and set-up is going to put us in the best spot to win. I don’t mind Slim is getting 40 carries a game as long it means we’re able to produce results. He’s an incredible runner with the endurance necessary to put up some serious volume and that’s not something that I think we can afford to simply dismiss. I’m perfectly comfortable with us being dubbed as a running team. I just want to make sure that I’m in the best position to do my job when it comes time to throw the ball. MR: What changes do you feel need to be addressed over the offseason for Arizona to compete? AR: It’s a hard thing to say because the line is always moving. I can tell you what it would take to compete with the S14 Sabercats or the S14 Otters, but the next incarnation of those teams may be even better. Unfortunately, we never really know what we’re up against until the preseason comes. I do think there are several changes that need to be addressed, though. We moved a lot of talent in the offseason. Viggo Squanch and Balthazar Crindy left major holes in our receiving core and, personally, I wasn’t excited to see them go elsewhere given that they were two of my predecessor’s favorite targets. Bucky Barnes and Alex Selich were both traded as well. I don’t think anyone can replace those two, but we did pick up an impressive pair of Linebackers in the S14 Draft in Gekyume Stokeley and Leighton Lee. From everything I’m seeing, they’re doing a lot of great work down in the DSFL and I think we’re going to have an explosive trio when they come up to join Raymond Vans. Safety is obviously a big need for us. When you go from Bucky Barnes to John Springfield, that’s not a comparison that I feel comfortable making, but that’s the way rebuilds go. Overall, it’s been a wild ride for us this offseason and it just comes down to “next man up”. If the next guys that get brought in through the draft or free agency are young and hungry, I think they’re going to fit in well because this is a group of guys with something to prove and we’re not going to let S15 be a repeat of S14. MR: Typically, with rebuilds, the hope is to develop a team with several winning seasons in mind. Do you feel that the upcoming expansion is something that could hurt Arizona’s long-term chances? AR: It’s difficult to predict. I know that’s not the answer you want to hear, but unfortunately, it’s the best answer I have. It feels like we find out new information every day. I wish I could stand here and tell you that it won’t be an obstacle, but that’s simply not true. The one blessing grace here is that, while it is an obstacle for us, it’s also an obstacle for every other team in the league. I do feel that it’s a move that increases parity and, for a rebuilding team, parity is exactly what you want. I’m really excited for this next group of guys to come in and, while I’m sure we’ll lose some great guys to the new expansion teams, that will create new opportunities for someone else. There’s a lot Tight Ends and Wide Receivers that are coming up that I’d love to be throwing the ball to. There are even a few Running Backs that specialize in catching the ball. While the expansion is a blow to us, this next draft has a lot of upside and I’m optimistic that it’s going to all work out for the best. 2196 Words Ready for Grading [div align=\\\"center\\\"][/div] *Reese Excels in Final Week of S14 - gucci - 04-20-2019 Way to end the season with a strong showing AZ.