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+---- Thread: *Mellott’s DSFL Midseason Rankings W1-W7 (/showthread.php?tid=25315)
*Mellott’s DSFL Midseason Rankings W1-W7 - GuitarMaster116 - 09-02-2020
Note: I realize this is late and that week 8 and 9 in the DSFL has happened. I am sorry I did not get this done sooner, but it took me a very long time to do. This is still my midseason ranking so this list basically will ignore week 8 and week 9.
Well, it is that time again for everyone to start doing midway season power rankings, myself included. On Thursday, august twenty-seventh, the Developmental Simulation Football League hit its midway point with every team playing seven games. Some teams are clearly ahead, while others are definitely still struggling to figure things out. But every team is actually much closer than people think. This year there isn’t really any one definitive worst team, as at this point pretty much every team still is in contention to still make it to the playoffs. So here is my list and explanation of the eight teams and where I place them currently.
How this listing is going to work is I am going to give a summary and explain why I think each team is at each ranking, I’ll then proceed by going over team stats, and talk about the key players, specifically 6 players which will normally be 3 offensive and 3 defensive players. This is not going to be super in depth as it would take too long, but I may consider doing a deep dive into every team in the future separately. Let’s get started!
TL;DR
1: Tijuana Luchadores
2: Norfolk Seawolves
3: Myrtle Beach Buccaneers
4: Portland Pythons
5: Kansas City Coyotes
6: London Royals
7: Dallas Birddogs
8: Minnesota Grey Ducks
1: Tijuana Luchadores
Summary
Now I know that this may seem like a biased pick since I do currently play for Tijuana, but in my personal opinion, they are the best team in the league regardless if I play for them or not. I am also going to write way more about Tijuana since I do play for them and I know this team the most compared to the other teams in the DSFL. Now, this pick would’ve gone to Norfolk originally, but after Tijuana beat Norfolk 23-14, I believe that Tijuana put themselves on top of the league. Now I know that home field advantage is a huge thing in the sim, so maybe if Norfolk were playing at home they would have won, I don’t know, and we won’t see that happen until week 14. Until then though, as it stands, Tijuana beat what I and probably many others considered the best team in the league in Norfolk and propelled themselves into first place.
Going through the games they have played so far, Tijuana has won every game at home, they have one away game, then lost two away games. Now it is pretty widely known that the sim takes home field advantage seriously, and the home team will almost always have a higher percent chance of winning. So naturally, it makes sense that they have won all of their home games. But what stands out to me is that the two away games Tijuana lost were the week three loss in overtime at Kansas City Coyotes, 41-35 (which I still consider the best game of the season so far), and then the week 4 loss at the Minnesota Grey Ducks, 30-25. Both of these away games were really close, and both really were lost because of the special teams units and defenses of Kansas City and Minnesota, both forcing a couple of turnovers and both having over 100 yards in punt return and kick return yards. Kansas City had a total of 111 punt return yards, 88 of which came off of one play and that same play was a touchdown. For Minnesota, they had 156 kick return yards, with the longest kick return being 73 yards long. I believe personally that without those two big special team’s performances, Tijuana could really be 7-0. But Kansas City and Minnesota both had great games against us regardless.
Looking at the wins, there has been a couple of things I see when it comes to our wins, and that is special teams, and our run game. In two of our wins, we had a special team touchdown. One in week 1 vs Dallas, and then another in week 6 at Portland. In three games we have been really close to either 100 kick off return yards, or 100 punt return yards. On top of Tijuana’s excellent special teams, they have probably the deadliest two headed back field in the league, currently having the number 1 and number 2 running backs on the team. It is honestly astonishing to me that Tijuana is second in Rushing yards, but I guess that is to be expected when Myrtle Beach has a Owen Holloway on the team. But with Mills and Theeks, and also the 2nd best offensive line in the league, I foresee the run game to continue dominating.
I also have to give a shout out to our defense. They may give up a lot of points a game, but overall they are a really good unit. Leading the league in pass deflections, 3rd in interceptions, and 2nd in sacks. While the tackles and TFLs are lower, the defense has shown it can make big plays, even winning the game for us in week 7 at Norfolk when rookie Mason Gillion got an interception and pick six at our goal line to save the game.
If there is one major flaw in our team I would say it is the turnovers. We may have one of the best offense currently, but we have had 5 fumbles and 9 interceptions in 7 games. Mike Boss Jr. has been having a good season, but he is basically going full gunslinger and it has hurt us in some of the games we played.
Team Stats
Pts (Cnf/Lea) Yds (Cnf/Lea) Rush (Cnf/Lea) Pass (Cnf/Lea)
Offense 26.4 (1/1) 376.7 (1/1) 190.3 (2/2) 186.4 (1/3)
Defense 21.6 (3/5) 314.4 (2/3) 134.9 (1/1) 179.6 (3/6)
Looking at Tijuana’s team stats, I think they are one of the most balanced teams in the league. They are top 3 in the league with every metric excluding Defensive points and Pass Defense. They have one of, if not the best overall offense in the league currently, leading the league in points per game, as well as yards per game, while also staying relatively balanced with running and passing the ball, which is second and third in the league respectively. So, while not technically having the best running attack or passing attack, the offense is really effective, nonetheless.
Defensively speaking, according to the stats we are more middle of the park, although I actually believe our best players on the team are on the defensive side of the ball. It’s weird to me that Tijuana is currently number 1 in rushing defense, but 6th in passing defense, when Tijuana leads most of the passing defensive stats, being first in pass deflections and third in Interceptions. Where I think our run defense is so strong because of the amount of sacks we get and also just our defensive line blocking up holes. We also have one of the lowest tackle amounts in the league, but I think that is more of the fact that our offense usually is playing more often than the defense, leading to less defensive snaps. I also think from what I have seen, our defense is more of a bend but don’t break type defense. We give up a big play every now and again, but usually the defense can almost always come up with a big play when the team needs it.
Overall, I would say based on the team stats, Tijuana is one of the top teams in the league with a really deep roster that I wish I could talk more about. Here are some key players involved in the success of Tijuana.
Key Players
Adam Schell, LB – Was the second best LB in the league a couple of weeks ago, but is now currently the third best (not including Chainbreaker since he is banned). Don’t be mistaken though, he is still a huge part of this team, and is probably the best overall player on our team. He can do it all, with 61 tackles, 4 TFLs, 2 forced fumbles and 1 fumble recovery, 4 sacks, and 3 passes defended. While not leading any stats, he is within the top 10 of every relevant linebacker stat, and is also the leader of our defense.
Broko Mills, RB – The rookie that is part of the two-headed running attack and currently the number 1 running back in the league. He currently has 667 yards on 110 attempts with 6.1 yard per carry average and 4 TDs. In my opinion probably the best offensive player on our team currently.
Crowbar Theeks, RB – The other half of Tijuanas 2 headed monster. While Mills is more of our big play machine, Theeks is ol’ reliable. He is the second best running back in the league currently with 131 attempts, 653 yards, 5 yards per carry, and 6 TDs. Mills and Theeks play off each others abilities so well and it shows on the field.
Doug Howlett, WR – I had to have our number 1 reciever on this list, I mean we have one of the best passing offenses in the league, and a lot of that is because of this man. Currently the second best wide receiver in the league, with 38 catches, 513 yards, 13.5 yards per catch, and 2 TDs of the year.
Terry Tate, LB – Tijuana is currently second in the league when it comes to sacks, and this man is the main reason why. He is currently tied for first in sacks in lead with 6 sacks, but he is more than just a great pass rusher, as he is also pretty good in coverage as well with 5 pass deflections. Tate’s total stats are 24 tackles, 2 TFLs. 6 sacks, and 5 PDs.
Tex Wrecks, DE – The last player I am going to talk about is Tex Wrecks. He is a huge reason why Tijuana has the best run defense, racking up 10 TFLs so far which is tied for the highest amount in the league. He truly does wreck opposing offensive linemen. His total stats are 18 tackles, 10 TFLs, and 2 sacks.
2: Norfolk Seawolves
Summary
The Norfolk Seawolves have fallen to second place in my power rankings after losing to Tijuana in week 7. Before that, I had Norfolk as the clear number 1 team in the league. Every time I watched them play, they would just dominate their opponents. Even their loss against my current number 1 team Tijuana, they almost came back and one the game, but they were thwarted by a pick 6 from Tijuana defender Mason Gillion in the redzone. I mean looking at there first 5 wins, they were dominant, no way around it. They scored over 30 points in 3 of their first 5 games, won each game by more than 2 scores, caused a shutout, and also proved that they could win even if they weren’t at home. I am honestly surprised that Norfolk doesn’t have the number one offense, especially with how good their offense has played. There has been only 1 game they hadn’t scored more than 20 points, and that was the Kansas City game, which huge props to Kansas city for taking on the number 1 team in the league at the time and holding them to only 10 points. Unfortunately for Kansas City, there defense may have held Norfolk high powered offense, but they didn’t realize that their defense is even better.
There really isn’t that much to say about Norfolk in general, it is pretty much known that they are a super talented roster and one of the best teams in the league. Honestly, I kind of have Tijuana and Norfolk as a 1A and 1B situation. Sure, Tijuana beat them at home, but I won’t really be completely convinced that Tijuana is the best until they head to Norfolk and face off at their house on week 14.
Team Stats
Pts (Cnf/Lea) Yds (Cnf/Lea) Rush (Cnf/Lea) Pass (Cnf/Lea)
Offense 24.1 (2/3) 351.1 (2/2) 182.9 (3/4) 168.3 (2/5)
Defense 16.3 (1/1) 299.9 (1/1) 166.7 (3/4) 133.1 (1/1)
So, as we can see from the chart, statistics wise Norfolk is pretty much the opposite of Tijuana. Norfolk’s defense is by far the best defense in the league, but their offense is just pretty good, a top 3-4 unit in the DSFL. What is strange though is, there isn’t really any standout players on defense. When looking at their defense, they are actually one of the worst teams for individual defensive stats. They have the lowest amount of tackles at 311, second lowest amount in TFLs at 16, second lowest amount of sacks at 9, fifth lowest amount of interceptions at 5, and the lowest amount of passes defended at 17. Really, the only good team stats they have is they have caused 5 fumbles, recovered 6 fumbles, and have 2 defensive touchdowns, making them second and first in each of those fields respectively.
It is kind of crazy to see, because based on the team and individual stats, this team doesn’t really have any major performers and doesn’t have impressive numbers. But they all somehow work together so well that numbers don’t matter to this team. Regardless of not having that one or two major powerhouse players on defense, this is still the best unit in the league, bar none. They are first in every major defensive team stat except for run defense, which they still are fourth in the league in, so its not like their run defense is terrible.
Offensively, I honestly don’t understand how Portland is ahead of Norfolk in points since apart from like two games, Portland’s offense has not looked as explosive as Norfolk’s, but that is what the stats say. This unit is a power house, led by a top 3 QB who in my opinion has slowed down a little throughout the season since he was the number 1 QB after their first 5 wins, a great running back who is in the top 5, and a Top 5 wide receiver as well. Not to mention an offensive line that has given up only 2 sacks this entire season. Really looking through Norfolk’s stats currently, I would be completely shocked if they didn’t make it to the playoffs this year. This team has just played so well and doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. The playoff race is really strong in the SFC South, but I would be really surprised if Norfolk doesn’t make it to the playoffs this year.
Key Players
Suleiman Ramza, QB – The man who leads one of the best offenses in the league. He may no longer be at the number one spot, but he currently is the most accurate QB in the league with a 67.5 completion percentage, as well as the highest QB rating in the league at 96.1. I would rank him as the third QB currently, but he still has been having a phenomenal season and I expect him to continue playing well. His total stats are 110 completions, 163 attempts, 1178 yards, 67.5 completion percentage, 10 TDs, 5 interceptions, and a 96.1 QBR.
Captain Rodgers, RB – Captain America himself is solidifying himself as one of the premier running backs in the league. Currently the fourth best running back in the league, he is the main reason why this team is in the top half of the league. He currently has 116 touches, 630 yards, 5.4 yards per carry, and 4 TDs total.
Dre Matthews, WR – I mentioned him earlier, and since this is such a great offense, I had to give love to the fourth best wide receiver in the league. With the combination of Ramza’s accuracy and Matthews reliability, they have created a deadly pair. His total stats are 34 catches, 474 yards, 13.9 yards per catch, and tied with the most TDs for any wide receiver in the league at 6 TDs.
Rusty Rucker, LB – It was honestly a lot harder to pick defensive players for this team as the whole team acts as a single unbreakable unit, no one really shines but no one fails at the same time. One of the players ahead of the pack though is rookie Rusty Rucker, he currently leads the strongest defense in the league with an impressive stat line. He has 46 tackles, 3 TFLs, 1 forced fumble, 2 sacks, and 2 passes defended.
Jimi DeSoto, LB – Another rookie who is making a big impact on this team, while Rusty Rucker is more of the pass rusher, DeSoto is definitely the pass coverage LB. He has a solid stat line of 35 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 fumble recovery, 1 sack, 2 interceptions, 3 passes defended, and 1 defensive TDs. He is currently tied for first in interceptions and defensive TDs.
Rickie Vaughne, CB/PR – Now Vaughne might have a great stat line and is probably the best CB on the team, but I actually wanted to highlight him because of his special teams ability. He is the starting CB and starting PR, and he is excellent at both. For CB, he has 30 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 2 interceptions, 5 passes defended, and 1 TD. For PR though, he has 12 attempts, 198 yards, 16.5 yards per average, his longest PR was 71 yards, and he is the only player to have 2 punt return touchdowns. Vaughne is easily one of the most versatile players in the league.
3: Myrtle Beach Buccaneers
Summary
Honestly this team is weird in my opinion. They really are just an average, middle of the park team. Except for one thing, and that is their running game. Because of one man really, and that mans name? OWEN HOLLOWAY. He was drafted by Tijuana initially, but Tijuana traded him to Myrtle Beach since Tijuana already had a starting QB. Man, I hope we don’t come to regret that decision, because so far Owen Holloway is the white Lamar Jackson in this league currently. Myrtle Beach honestly deserves props for implementing him into the field, cause as of right now, I think he is by far the most dangerous player on the team. He splits snaps with the other rookie QB Myrtle Beach took in Jackie Daytona, and honestly, they both have player pretty well with the snaps they have gotten. They might have one of the lowest passing offenses in the league for this reason, but really, who needs to pass when you have two good running backs and a Owen Holloway? Tijuana might have the two best running backs in the league, but Owen Holloway is the reason they are number 1. No offense to the two running backs 3’ Jeffrey and P. Ramos, but they both are just a good running back tandem, although 3’ Jeffrey is on the outside looking in to the top 5 spot.
Even though I said this team just looking at the stats are average, the only two losses they have suffered were from Tijuana and Norfolk, both of those were away games and both of those teams are ahead of Myrtle Beach. They have proven that they can defend their home, so we shall see how they fair against both of those teams the next time they face them. One thing that isn’t average though is the defense, which is one of the better units in the league, holding most teams to only 17 points per game. Really the only thing holding them back is their offense outside of the run game. This team has never scored more than 30 points per game even when home against way worse opponents. Unless they can figure out there offense, I just don’t see them beating out Tijuana and Norfolk.
Team Stats
Pts (Cnf/Lea) Yds (Cnf/Lea) Rush (Cnf/Lea) Pass (Cnf/Lea)
Offense 19.1 (3/6) 348.7 (3/3) 226.9 (1/1) 121.9 (4/7)
Defense 17.0 (2/2) 320.9 (3/4) 138.9 (2/2) 182.0 (4/7)
Looking at the team stats, like I said earlier, they are fairly average stats. This team just really struggles to pass the ball and score, and also the pass defense is one of the worst in the league as well. But that is balanced out by the rest of the defense and the ridiculously strong rushing attack. I think I have gushed over the running back room enough already and explained why their offense has the stats they do. To recap though, it’s because this team is really only good at running the ball. The two QBs aren’t actually that bad at passing, its just that the run game is so ridiculously better that there really is little reason to pass. It has worked for them so far; we will see if it works for them the rest of the season or not.
Defensively, I find it weird that they have the seventh pass defense, but they have the second most passes defended at 29. This defense also is really good at turning the ball over and causing havoc. They lead the league in forced fumbles and fumbles recovered, which are both at 6. They also are the only team in the DSFL so far to have a safety, so that’s pretty cool as well. But apart from that this team is average to below average when it comes to defensive stats. They are fifth in tackles at 340, fifth in TFLs at 19, first in forced fumbles and fumble recoveries, forth in sacks with 15, forth in interceptions with 5, second in passes defended with 29, and 1 safety. Like I said, this isn’t a bad defense, in fact they are actually a fairly good defense, but similar to Norfolk, they don’t have really stand out stats, yet they have the second best rush defense and points allowed. This is just a unit that works really well together, and while I think there are some more standout players in Myrtle Beach than Norfolk, they mainly succeed based on how the unit works as a team.
Key Players
Owen Holloway, QB – Did you expect anyone different? Honestly, I could just put only Holloway on this list, and I think most people would still be okay with it. If Myrtle Beach does succeed and win the championship, I think a solid MVP candidate will be Owen Holloway. He is literally playing like a poor mans Lamar Jackson in the DSFL. His stat line is 99 attempts, 508 yards, 49.5 completion percentage, 5 TDs, 5 interceptions, a 60.5 QBR, as well as 46 rushing attempts, 470 rushing yards, 10.2 yards per carry, with 4 rushing TDs.
3’ Jeffery, RB – I can’t really leave out the running back on the number 1 rushing team can I? Jeffery is currently the sixth best running back, but he is right on the cusp of breaking the top 5. Some might even say he is a top 5 RB since he is the lead running back on the best rushing team in the league. His stat line is 136 carries, 624 yards, 4.6 yards per carry, with 3 TDs.
Ne Mo, TE/FB – Finding a third best offensive player was a little difficult for this team, as most of the players were good, but not a lot stand out like the other two. But I decided to give it to Mo, who is a TE/FB hybrid. He currently leads the team in yards and is the number one receiving threat on Myrtle Beach, and he has also stepped back and blocked for this amazing rushing team. I think that Ne Mo plays an integral part in this offense and he has helped this team go 5-2. His stat line is 26 catches, 316 yard, 12.2 yards per catch, 2 TDs, 4 pancakes, and 0 sacks given up.
Tyrone Woods, LB – The head honcho of this defense, he is having a great year so far. He has been all over the field, being a tackling machine, while also assisting in the passing and run game. Is a great mentor for some of the new LBs on this team. Full stats are 56 tackles, 2 TFLs, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, and 2 passes deflected.
Teddy Utterstruzen, SS – This guy is one of the best pass coverage safetys in the DSFL right now, also he has a fun name to say, but that is besides the point. He is currently the only SS that has 2 interceptions, and he is tied for second in passes defended. He is a dangerous player in the secondary. Full stats are 29 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 8 passes defended, and 2 interceptions.
Arlington Heights, DE – As much as I wanted to put Goat Tank on here, Arlington is just having a better season and it would be disrespectful to not put him on here. He is a key piece to this defensive line which has helped bring the team to the second-best run defense. He is an absolute freak and will probably only get better. His stats are 20 tackles, 7 TFLSs, 4 sacks, and 1 forced fumble.
4: Portland Pythons
Summary
Honestly, teams 4-6 were by far the hardest teams to rank. I kept on going back and forth between which team I think is the best one and who I think will end up winning the conference. But eventually I realized that this is only a midseason ranking, and right now at midseason, Portland is the forth best team. The only reason I have them that high is because they did beat Kansas City and the Royals, and both those wins were when Portland was away! The home team always has the advantage, but Portland has turned that on its head and are actually better playing away then they are at home. Really also, out of all of there losses, the only head scratching lose was to Minnesota at home, but to be honest Minnesota isn’t a bad team, they beat the number one team Tijuana after all.
So I am going to put them at forth in the league currently, but honestly the teams going forth through sixth could be arranged any way. Portland has beat some good teams even when they were away which is not an easy task, they also are second in the league scoring wise, only behind Tijuana. Apart from that they are really just average. The main reason why they score so much is because of the number of turnovers the Portland defense creates and also the special teams. They are currently tied for first in the league with 8 interceptions and also attaching 3 forced fumbles with 3 fumble recoveries, allowing them to have 11 extra chances to score, and with the second best special teams unit in the league when it comes to kick returns, they seem to have good field position more often than not. Another reason why they are successful is because of there amazing kicking game, a pretty good offensive line with two top 10 players on it, and also one of the most careful and efficient quarterbacks in the league with Sam Howitzer.
This really isn’t a bad team, but they really need a better running game to take some of the pressure off of Howitzer and help the team get more yardage, that way Portland can keep possession of the ball longer and chew some clock, while also keeping the defense off the field as much as possible to let them rest. Currently, I fell like that defense plays a lot and that is one of the reasons why there team has such low stats. This defense is great at making the big plays, but when they are consistently out on the field, its no wonder they give up so many yards.
Team Stats
Pts (Cnf/Lea) Yds (Cnf/Lea) Rush (Cnf/Lea) Pass (Cnf/Lea)
Offense 24.3 (1/2) 298.1 (3/7) 127.9 (4/8) 170.3 (3/4)
Defense 20.1 (2/4) 344.1 (3/7) 177.0 (2/5) 167.1 (3/5)
I know I mentioned already that the reason why Portlands offensive yards per game was so low is because of turnovers and special teams, but do you know what also helps when you have good field position? You don’t have to get very many yards before you are in range to let the best kicker in the DSFL kick field goals. I think this is the biggest reason why this team has such low yardage, but scores so much. If you don’t know who Pseudo QB is, you better start learning. His stats this year are 17/18 extra points made, and 15/15 field goals made. He has only missed one kick this season so far which is really impressive.
Whats even more impressive though, is where his field goals were at when he kicked them. He is 2/2 in the 20-29 yard range, 7/7 in the 30-39 range, 5/5 in the 40-49 range, and 1/1 in the 50+ yard range. He actually gets more accurate the farther away he is, which I believe is the biggest reason why Portland can’t seem to get yardage, but still is such a high scorer.
The passing attack is surprisingly low for this team, because honestly, they have arguably a top 3 quarterback in Howitzer on this team. No other starting QB has thrown as many touchdowns with as little interceptions as he has. He currently is tied for first with 12 TDs thrown with 2 interceptions, which is pretty absurd. He is probably the best just pure pocket passer in the league, with his only flaw being he doesn’t seem to take a lot of chances, which is funny to say as it is also his biggest plus. He has so many touchdowns and so little interceptions because he is careful, but if he would let the ball rip a little more, I think he could be the best quarterback in the league. Now I am not saying he should be an absolute gun slinger, but he currently has the worst yards per catch of any starting quarterback (that doesn’t include Myrtle Beach and Minnesota since they have two QBs) at 9.6 yards per completed catch. That isn’t that bad, but like I said, it is worse than all the other starting QBs. He also has a top 5 WR in Korbin Brown, so it is not like he doesn’t have a reliable play maker. I still think that this can be a really good passing team going down the stretch.
The running attack on the other hand though, yikes. This team just really cannot run the ball. I mean they are even behind London in rushing yards per game, and London basically only throws the ball. I don’t want to be mean towards the two running backs that are in Portland because they really aren’t that bad, but I don’t know if it is the offensive line that can’t get them blocks or these two running backs can’t make plays or what. They have Darren Pama as their number 1 back, a converted TE, and also Anders Christiansen behind him. They are currently the number 11th and 15th running backs respectively. Like I said, that’s not that bad, but when considering that there is only 8 teams in the DSFL, that means most teams have more than two or even three rushers ahead of them. The only team with a worse number 1 running back is London, but they also have a three headed running back attack going on, and they also basically just pass the ball. Hell, even Owen Holloway, a QB, has better rushing stats than both of the running backs at Portland. I am not trying to bash on these guys, I actually hope they can figure out because I think these two can really help make or break the team.
Finally, lets talk about the defense. I actually do think this defense is better than the numbers say. I mean this defense just creates big plays. Like I said earlier, they have a total of 11 turnovers already this year: 8 interceptions and 3 fumble recoveries. They have given the offense many chances to score and be successful, but the offense has just let them down so many times. I think the reason this defense has such low stats is because there are just consistently on the field, and they get gassed because of it. They have a really good linebacking core, and some good ball hawking players in the secondary. But out of there entire defensive line, there are only a few good players who have a decent amount of TFLs. There is very little pressure and sacks coming from the front. With that, including the fact that the defense is playing tired a lot, it makes sense they are below average and give up a lot of yards. The defenses total stats currently are third in tackles with 361, sixth in TFLs with 18, sixth in forced fumbles and fumble recoveries with 3/3 respectively, tied for fifth in sacks with 11, tied for first in interceptions with 8, and also one of only four teams to have scored a defensive touchdown.
Key Players
Sam Howitzer, QB – Arguably a top 3 QB in the league, if he can get his yards up then I think he can end the year as the best QB. Has an amazing TD to interception ratio, and basically has to carry the offense since the run game is so poor in Portland. Definitely one of the most important players in Portland. Full stats are 124 completions out of 207 attempts, 1192 yards, a completion percentage of 59.9 percent, 12 TDs, 2 interceptions, and a 91.3 QBR.
Korbin Brown, WR/KR – The number 1 target for Sam Howitzer, he is very reliable and has a high volume of targets. He may not be a huge playmaker, but he is one of the best redzone WRs in the league as he is tied for first in WR TDs in the league. Did I mention he is also one of the best kick returners in the league? Him alongside Darren Pama really play a huge part in getting the offense great field position. Full stats are 35 catches, 450 yards, 12.9 yards per catch, and 6 TDs, as well as 20 kick returns, 507 yards, 25.4 yards per kick return, with a 98-yard kick return that went for a TD.
Matty Martinsson, LB – I mentioned that Portland had some really good linebackers, and this man is one of the best in the league. He is currently the second best LB in the league (not counting Chainbreaker since he is banned). He may not have a lot of individual stats, but he is a tackling machine and leads the great linebacking corps that Portland has. His full stats are 63 tackles, 1 pass defended.
Donald McBobby, LB – I wanted to give a quick shout out to Myles Smith, because really this spot was between these two players. Honestly all three deserve to be on the key players list, but there is another defensive player I want to give a shout out to, and I decided to go with McBobby for one reason mainly. McBobby may not have the same amount of tackles as his two linebacker teammates, but there is one thing he does better than both of them, and that is getting sacks. For a team that struggles so hard to get sacks, McBobby is the one bright spot on the team for that. He also has proved he is not bad in pass coverage either getting an interception. His full stats are 46 tackles, 1 TFL, 5 sacks, 1 interception, and 3 passes defended.
Joel Drake, FS – This team is tied for first in interceptions, so it seemed wrong to leave out the player with the most interceptions on the team, and that is Joel Drake. He is having a really good season and is a ball hawk, he also has a fair amount of tackles for a safety and is one of the few defensive players in the league who has scored a touchdown. He is a really good player in the secondary and he is a big reason why Portland has so many interceptions. Full stats are 36 tackles, 1 fumble recovery, 2 interceptions, 3 passes defended, and 1 defensive TD.
Psuedo QB, K – How could I make this list and not include the best kicker in the league. I honestly think he is probably the best player on offense, and his only real competition is Howitzer and Brown. I mean he is the reason why this team has scored as much as they have. They have so few yards because they don’t need many yards with this kicker. He rarely misses, and he actually is more accurate the farther away he is. Also, he is the only kicker so far in the league to kick a 50+ yard field goal. Definitely deserves this spot in the list. Full stats are 17/18 extra points made which is a 94.4% rate, and 15/15 field goals made which is a 100% rate, specifically has 0/0 in the <20 range, 2/2 in the 20-29 yard range, 7/7 in the 30-39 range, 5/5 in the 40-49 range, and 1/1 in the 50+ yard range.
5: Kansas City Coyotes
Summary
I can’t understate how hard it is to pick between the best teams between Portland, Kansas City, and London. These teams are all really close to being that breakout team the runs away with it all, but I am currently going to rank them 5th. There are two reasons I have them ranked them above London, and the main one is because they beat London in a close game week 7, and also, I am just really high on this team. Watching this team play in the sim makes me think of Norfolk lite. They seem to play really well, they have an explosive offense, a killer OL, and a ball hawking defense. Now are they as good as Norfolk? No. But watching this team play does give me those same dominance vibes, like this team is ready to break out any second. They had a rocky first couple of games, but I could see this team having a good second half performance and taking the conference. I also may just be a little high on them because of that amazing game they had against Tijuana where they came back, and they both duked it out, going all the way to overtime before KC got a pick to help them solidify the win. I was upset that Tijuana lost, but that is still my favorite game of the season by far. That game really showed that Kansas City can be a power house if they can get everything clicking. They even held Norfolk, a normally super explosive offense, to only 10 points. They lost that game, but I am trying to just show that Kansas City has the potential to be one of the best teams in the league, we will see if they can turn it around in the second half of the season.
On the offensive side of the ball, you have to talk about the OL of the team, and in particular Clay Stallworth. It really pains me to say this, but he is definitely the number 1 offensive lineman in the league. Before week 7 I was only 3 pancakes behind him and the race for first was still close. But then week 7 happened, and he absolutely destroyed London’s defensive line, gaining 13 pancakes, setting the DSFL record for most pancakes in a game. Now he is way ahead of everyone else, including me. I am in second currently, and he is 11 pancakes ahead of me. He really could break the season pancake record, and I know that is what he is aiming for. I am aiming for the same thing, but Stallworth had a game like that, he definitely has the best chance to break the record.
I also want to talk about why their offense is explosive, and that is because of their QB and WR combo. Reginald Covington III the second QB in yards, but he is arguably the best starting QB currently in the league, and alongside him is Joshua Campbell, the best WR in the league. These two, along side an amazing OL that keeps Reginald safe, are the ones who make the magic happen. Honestly, if they had a solid running attack, then this team probably would have the best offense in the league. But as it currently stands, Kansas City has one of the worst starting running backs in the league, which is strange to me since they have such a good OL. Sergio Kitchens is currently the eighth overall running back, and some teams actually have two running backs that are ahead of Sergio. Now that’s not saying he is having a bad year or anything, he is actually having a pretty good year, its just with the passing attack being what it is, Sergio is kind of the odd man out. He does add another dynamic to the team, but really the best part about this team is the passing attack. Although I will say Sergio has gotten a lot of TDs for this team.
Defensively, very much like Portland, this team has a bunch of ball hawks. They currently are tied in the league with 8 interceptions, but apart from that, the defensive unit is kind of average to below average in the league. There are definitely some promising rookies on the defense, but what this team really lacks in a pass rush. They have only recorded 7 sacks, that is the worst in the league. They also don’t force many fumbles and have only recovered one fumble. The passing defense is by far the best part of the defense, and that is a good thing because with how many sacks this team gets, the QB has nearly all day to throw, so at least this team can contend with that.
Team Stats
Pts (Cnf/Lea) Yds (Cnf/Lea) Rush (Cnf/Lea) Pass (Cnf/Lea)
Offense 23.3 (2/4) 338.9 (2/5) 137.1 (2/6) 201.7 (2/2)
Defense 25.4 (4/7) 341.4 (2/6) 181.6 (3/7) 159.9 (2/3)
Let’s talk about the obvious first, this is a really good offense, regardless of there rankings. Honestly, their game against Norfolk really hurt this teams overall team stats, because if Kansas City scored what they usually scored in all of their other games, they would have the second most points in the league and also probably would have jumped up in yardage. So, these ratings are a little misleading. People might look and see they are forth in points and fifth in yards and not think much, but you have to remember that the reason they are that way is because they faced off against the number 1 defense in the league with Norfolk and that lowered their team stats by a lot. Really the two team stats that make a lot of sense are the rushing attack and the passing attack. This is a pass heavy team, and it should be having really amazing players at QB and WR, but because of that their rushing attack is a little lower. That doesn’t mean they have bad running backs though, as their leading back is a top 10 RB, much like London they just don’t utilize him as much. But he can still perform and give this offence a good dynamic to keep people on their toes.
Defensively there leaves a lot to be desired. The reason why this team gives up the seventh most points and sixth most yard in the league is because the pass rush and run defense is almost nonexistent. There are some good players on the defensive line, one of them being Mordecai Morrisey who is bolstering up KCs third ranking in TFLs of 22, 7 of which he has alone. The other 2 DEs, Crozier McCoy and Lawrence Bledsoe both have 4 (which by the way keep an eye out on Lawrence Bledsoe, he has only played 3 games and already has 4 TFLs). Those 3 players together combine for 15 out of the 23 TFLs on the team, and only four players on the team have sacks. Not being able to stop the run or get to the QB really hurts this team, and that is why I think they are currently sixth in yards given up. When they QB can stand in the pocket all day, of course they are going to give up yards. Luckily, the secondary doesn’t make it easy, only being third in passing defense while still giving up the most points. You can have the best secondary in the league, but if you can’t get to the QB, then there really isn’t much you can do, eventually someone will get open. They still try though, being tied in first with interceptions at 8, and forth in passes defended.
Key Players
Reginald Covington III, QB – With such a strong passing attack, there is no way I couldn’t have Reginald on this list. He is currently second in yards and is arguably the best QB currently. He is the ringleader to this powerful offence. Full stats are 129 completions, 211 attempts, 1412 yards, a 61.1 completion percentage, 12 TDs, 6 interceptions, and a 88 QBR.
Joshua Campbell, WR – Can’t have batman without robin right? The best WR in the league currently, he plays a huge part on this offense, making it one of the strongest. Full stats are 31 catches, 521 yards, 16.8 yards per catch, and 5 TDs
Clay Stallworth, OL – I know he is an offensive lineman, but he 100% deserves this spot. With 43 pancakes and 0 sacks allowed, he is on the path to becoming a generational talent at offensive line, and he is the leader of the best OL in the league.
Mac Griddle, FS – The ball hawking safety and one of the three members on defense who have two picks. This defenses strength is its pass coverage, and you would be hard pressed to find another safety like this guy. Also has some pass rushing ability. Full stats are 21 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 passes defended, and 2 interceptions.
Gary Goodman, LB – The leading tackler on this defense, he is especially good in coverage, being one of the few LBs to have 2 picks, and he is only a rookie! Definitely a premier player in the league currently. Full stats are 51 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack, 3 passes defended, and 2 interceptions.
Peter Patterson, CB – I really wanted to put Thomaslacher here, but with this defense’s strength being pass coverage, I couldn’t not put Patterson. He is becoming a dangerous rookie CB in the league and teams should start to fear throwing his way. His full stats are 32 tackles, 6 passes defended, and 2 interceptions.
6: London Royals
Summary
Hey, do you like to pass the ball? If you do, then you might like the Royals. There offensive game plan every week has been to pass the ball, then pass it again, and again, and again… you get the idea. It might sound silly, since everyone knows what London is going to do before the game starts, but yet defenses can’t stop them. Try and try as they might, the dynamic duo of Cortez and Thorbjornsson will not be stopped. Corners can’t cover Gunner, and Cortez is trigger happy and loves to throw the ball. I feel bad for the running back on this team because he is just forgotten about. Rookie Terry Yaki is the starting RB of the team, but either the Royals just don’t care about running whatsoever, or Yaki just doesn’t bring the sauce and doesn’t tear it up on the field. He is currently the worst starting running back on the team, being thirteenth at the position, which isn’t actually that bad considering he isn’t put into the game plan often. The OL of this team is pretty good at third place, there only problem is they lead the league in sacks given up. That might be a little high though since they are always passing which gives the defense more chances to get a sack. But like I have stated over and over again, the start of this team is the passing offense. I mean it makes sense when you have two top ten WRs and the top pass catching TE, Thorbjornsson, J’Vathon, and Michell are all mismatch problems and just know how to get open. Cortez just rewards them by throwing them passes all the time.
You would think, hey they have a great passing game, but they probably don’t have a great defense, right? Wrong. This defense is elite and probably a top 3 unit, and it is the reason why they are still in the contention of being the fourth or fifth best team. I just have them under Portland and Kansas City since they lost to both teams, but they still have a shot to have a good back half of the season and make the playoffs. This defense has some crazy pass rushers, leading the league in 29 TFLs and 23 sacks. They also have added on 391 tackles, 4 forced fumbles, 3 interceptions, and 24 passes defended. If you face this team, you better hope you have a good OL.
Team Stats
Pts (Cnf/Lea) Yds (Cnf/Lea) Rush (Cnf/Lea) Pass (Cnf/Lea)
Offense 20.1 (3/5) 346.1 (1/4) 130.9 (3/7) 215.3 (1/1)
Defense 17.1 (1/3) 313.0 (1/2) 165.7 (1/3) 147.3 (1/2)
I think I have stated enough, the big stat this team has is the passing offense. With a QB willing to fling the ball all day long, and receivers who get open regardless of who is covering them, it just makes the perfect combination. What is surprising though, it the lack of points and yards this team can muster. There is an easy explanation with this though, since they don’t ever run the ball, they rely on getting 3 catches to get 10 yards. Well what happens if they throw three check downs, or the passes are incomplete, or they are defended well? Well then, the team just has to punt and let their defense keep the game close. With no running attack, they don’t really have a way to get easy yardage. There are some good secondaries out there, and with this team giving up the most sacks in the league, most teams don’t need to cover very long before someone makes their way to the QB. If they had a more balanced offense, I think that their numbers would be slightly better, as having a reliable running back who can potentially get you three easy yards to keep a drive from stalling is a very important thing. We will see if they involve the running back more in the second half of the league.
Defensively, this team is just great. They hold teams to a really low number of points, never even allowing a team to score more than 26 points, and they even shut out Dallas once. On top of that they are they given up the second least number of yards in the league, as well as having the third best run defense and second-best defense. The surprising thing about the pass defense though, is the fact that they actually tied for the second worse in interception, only gaining three in 7 games, two of which came by one player. They also are fifth in pass deflections, so their secondary really isn’t that crazy. I think though, the reason why all of their defensive stats are high, is because of their insane pass rush. This team is bar none the best pass rushing team in the league. They are first in sacks with 23, first in TFLs with 29, and they also have 4 forced fumbles as well. The players on this defense just get to the backfield so quickly that basically no one has the time to throw the ball, and when the opposing team runs, they get stuffed behind the line. This team’s ability to get in the backfield is elite, and because of that the rest of the team improves. Teams have a hard time running or passing at London because the pass rush breaks through almost instantly. I would be trembling if I was a team with a bad Oline and I had to face this team.
Key Players
Charlemagne Cortez, QB – The leading passer in the league. I do not think he is the best QB in the league, but the sheer amount of yards he has is really impressive. London has the number 1 passing offense in the league, and this guy is why. He is definitely a baller. Full stats are 137 completions, 256 attempts, 1507 yards. With a 53.5% completion rate, 8 TDs, 5 interceptions, and a 73.5 QBR.
Gunner Thorbjornsson, WR – Not only does he have the most badass name in the league, he is also WR1 in the number one passing offense. He is currently the third best wide receiver in the league, and he is just a total freak. His full stats are 34 catches, 511 yards, 15 yards per catch, and 1 TD.
Macaroni Elephant, OL – I was going to give this award to another wide receiver at first, but I thought that if I were to give more mention to an offensive lineman, this would be the guy I recognize. Currently the third best OL player in the league, he currently has 28 pancakes and 0 sacks given up. He plays a big role in helping his QB not get touched and moving the passing game along.
Busch Light, LB – One of the best linebackers in the league and leader to this top defense. Can do it all. Is a good mentor for the other linebackers on this team. Currently the fifth best LB. Full stats are 60 tackles 1 TFL, 5 sacks, and 1 pass defended.
Juan Domine, LB – The second LB on the team currently and is a excellent pass rusher, and even a really good player in coverage. Full stats are 52 tackles, 5 TFLs, 6 sacks, and 5 passes defended.
Tayshawn Crunk, FS – Only player on the team with 2 interception, for being a rookie, he has a nose for the ball. Also is versatile, not only excelling in the passing game, but also has shown some proficiency in the running game as well. Full stats are 25 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack, 4 passes defended, and 2 interceptions.
7: Dallas Birddogs
Summary
Now we are down to the two last teams. Really this shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone, as these two teams are easily the worst teams currently in the league. But the crazy thing is, if both Dallas and Minnesota turned it around in the back half of the season and sneaked into the playoffs, I would not be surprised. The DSFL teams have been really competitive this year and I think the S25 draft class has been a strong one and has brought a lot of good rookies. But, at the time of this post, the Dallas Birddogs are tied for the worst record at 2-5, while the rest of the teams in their conference are 5-2. Like I said, I could see this team going on a run, or being the worst team in the league. It is a weird team.
Their offense is one of the worst in the league. In my opinion they have the worst full time starting QB and have basically no passing attack at all, they do have a pretty good running game, with a stud running back in Zoe Watts, but like, that’s it. They have the second worse offensive line in the league so its not like Zoe Watts has much to work with, but they do at least have a pretty decent special teams unit and kicker, being both forth in punt and kick return, and having a kicker who has made all of his extra points and has only pissed 3 out of his 11 field goals. They both aren’t great, but at least it is a positive.
The offense is so bad that I actually feel bad for the defense here, the offense can only run with Zoe and Bob Murphy, so when the run is plugged up, the offense just can’t move. So, the defense has to go out and play all the time, but the defense is filled with brand new rookies still learning, so they basically get destroyed consistently. They give up the most points, but I am actually led to believe that is more because Dallas’s lack of offense makes the defense play way more and it gives other teams the opportunity to score more. But don’t think I am trying to defend the defense; they have the lowest amount of interceptions by a team at only 2. Byron Maxwell is probably the most impactful defender on the team currently and is a big reason why the pass offense is forth in the league. He has both the interceptions on the team, 6 of the 21 passes defended, and also the only defensive touchdown. But it doesn’t end there, they have the second least amount of tackles with 337, an abysmal 8 TFLs, and only 11 sacks. They also are the only team in the league who has not forced a fumble. This defense is not good, and neither is this offense. But on the bright side, the defense has a lot of rookies who are still growing, so maybe they can figure it all out in the second half of the season. As of right now though, they deserve the 7th spot on the list, and should consider themselves lucky there is another team who is currently worse.
Team Stats
Pts (Cnf/Lea) Yds (Cnf/Lea) Rush (Cnf/Lea) Pass (Cnf/Lea)
Offense 15.0 (4/8) 316.3 (4/6) 157.6 (4/5) 158.7 (3/6)
Defense 25.7 (4/8) 340.0 (4/5) 178.6 (4/6) 161.4 (2/4)
I already went over pretty much all of these stats and why they are the way they are but let me just recap. The Mattathias Caliban is probably the worst full time starting QB, he has very little to throw to even if he was good at throwing. Only two teams below Dallas is Myrtle Beach and Minnesota, both who use two QBs. Zoe Watts and Bob Murphy are basically the entire offense, which sucks because the offensive line is not very good, so it is hard for them to do well rushing. Since the Oline the run game isn’t very good regardless of the two running backs talents. Since the running game sucks and the passing game sucks, the entire offense pretty much stinks.
The defense is not good because they are always on the field because the offense can’t finish drives and score. They can’t get any pressure on the opposing QB or get in the backfield. Which means teams can just basically walk all over them. The biggest redeeming factor to this defense is the linebacker room and Byron Blackwell, who pretty much is single handedly keeping the team an average pass defending team.
I know I basically just bashed the entire team and was a little mean, but honestly like I said, I could see this team really turning it around. Do I think they will win the conference right now? No, of course not. Even their chances of making the playoffs are pretty slim. But this team is ridiculously young. They basically rebuilt the entire team with brand new players who are still learning and growing. This team doesn’t really have the luxury of other teams and have a lot of second- and third-year guys. So, even though they have been disappointing now, don’t be surprised if they pick it back up in the second half of the season.
Key Players
Zoe Watts, RB – Pretty much the best playmaker on offense. Currently the third best running back in the league behind the two Tijuana RBs. Honestly is probably the only reason that there rushing offense is so high in the first place. Phenomenal running back who could still become the best RB in the league. Full stats – 122 carries, 637 yards, 5.2 yards per carry, and 4 TDs.
Taro Raimon, WR/KR/PR – For a team that has a very week passing offense, Raimon at least brings a bit to the table. He is a top 10 receiver despite being on a team with probably the worst starting QB. He is also pretty effective in the return game, being the fourth best punt returner and kick returner. His stats are 15 punt returns, 139 punt return yards, at 9.3 yards a returne, also 20 kick returns, 374 yards, at 18.2 yards a return. On top of that he has 26 catches, 343 yards, 13.2 yards per catch, and 3 TDs.
Bob Murphy – The best part about Dallas’s offense is their run game. I know the stats say they are the sixth passing offense, but Myrtle Beach runs a special offense that doesn’t rely on passing much, and Minnesota… I honestly don’t know what Minnesota is doing. But the starting QB for Dallas is probably the worst fulltime starter in the league, so instead I am gonna give a shout of to Zoe’s backup. He has actually been playing really well in the back up role, getting 95 carries, 436 yards, 4.6 yards per carry, and 2 TDs.
Guy Fields, LB – The leading LB on a relatively weak defense. He is a rookie and is on a team with a lot of rookies, so they are still learning. But he is in the forefront of the team and is keeping the defense relatively competitive. Full stats are 54 tackles, 1 TFL, and 2 passes defended.
Byron Blackwell, CB – The only player on the team with any interceptions. One of the few veterans on this team and he is definitely showing all the rookies how it is done. His full stats are 27 tackles, 6 passes deflected, 2 interceptions, and one defensive TD.
Richard Leaking, LB – Another rookie on this team, and he is having a great year. He is a total utility player, being able to do well in tackling, pass rushing, and even coverage play. Can’t wait to see what this kid can do in the future. Full stats are 44 tackles, 1 TFL, 3 sacks, and 6 passes defended.
8: Minnesota Grey Ducks
Summary
Ah here it is, the final team. What can you really say about Minnesota, other than what are they doing? They have by far the weirdest QB room in the league, it is like they are trying to copy what Myrtle Beach is doing but they just don’t have the personnel to do that. They have not had good QB play from Sim Snowbow, and even though he is a rushing threat he really hasn’t been that deadly in the running game. They also have Matt Peterson who has played a couple of snaps here and there, but I just don’t really know what this team is trying to accomplish. This team is basically like a failed offensive experiment. Maybe they can get it all figured out and then run a successful offense like Myrtle Beach, but right now it just doesn’t look good. They can’t score, they can’t gain yards, they can’t pass. Really the only thing Minnesota has going for them is a actually really solid running attack. I actually think this backfield is probably the most underrated in the league. The combination of two top ten running backs with Vermillion and Rotchburns is pretty deadly. To make it more surprising, they are behind the worst OL in the league, yet they still succeed. Add on some help from Snowbow, this team has an exceptional running game. If Snowbow can figure it out and perform more, this teams run game can rival Myrtle Beaches.
On the other side of the ball we have the defense. This is a little surprising to see as this defense has some big-name players and has one of the best linebacking cores in the league. Chainbreaker is still gonna be playing, but his user got banned so Chainbreaker can no longer win awards and improve, but he still is playing. He is currently the best LB in the league, followed close behind by Wasrabi Gleel. With the ban of Chainbreaker, Gleel is now the number one LB in the league, and he deserves it. They also have another good LB in Mongster Mash. When it comes to the passing game, they have pretty much no one but Rashard Hilliard, who leads the league in pass deflections. Also, they have two DEs, Ranger and Van Sanzo, who are really good run stuffers, coming up with a lot of TFLs. So, this team has a lot of really good starting players, but it just has no depth behind it. That is why it is pretty much the worst defense in the league. Because no matter how good the stars of the defense are, they can’t do it all by themselves, and the stats reflect that.
The conference is still competitive, if Minnesota can get their running attack figured out and a better passing game, they could still be contenders. Another to note is that this team has a ridiculously good special teams’ unit with Akerlele and Vermillion leading the way. That’s why it is so disappointing seeing the offense fail, as the special team’s unit helps set up the offense for success, but they just let them down. The kicker isn’t that bad either, making all of his extra points and only missing 3 out of 13 field goals. I feel like this team really should be better than what they are now, but I just don’t think they have been able to get everything to click.
Team Stats
Pts (Cnf/Lea) Yds (Cnf/Lea) Rush (Cnf/Lea) Pass (Cnf/Lea)
Offense 15.3 (4/7) 284.1 (4/8) 186.7 (1/3) 97.4 (4/8)
Defense 24.4 (3/6) 386.4 (4/8) 196.9 (4/8) 189.6 (4/8)
Here’s a fun fact, I actually originally had Dallas as the worst team originally. But how could I not put Minnesota as the worst team with these stats? I mean, they are literally worst in the league in 5 different categories, and bottom 3 in the league in two others. Like I already stated, the only good thing about this team currently is the rushing attack. The QB is not a good passer, and he isn’t a very good runner either. They have really good running backs here, but it really is difficult to be successful only running the ball. Unless Snowbow can step it up, I don’t see this offense really improving.
The defense on the other hand was really shocking to me. Like I said before, they have some really good super stars on this team, but with the offense not performing well, as well as the depth of the defense being very slim, it leads to a league worst defense. I really do feel bad for Minnesota, because I think they really could be a good team. But it just isn’t happening. The defense leads the league in tackles currently because of how often they are on the field, they are also third in TFLs, third in sacks, and tied for third in forced fumbles. Their downfall is the passing game, only having 3 interceptions, 2 of which were from LBs, and only having 19 passes defended. This defense is put under a lot of pressure, and the front seven does seem to perform, but they really don’t have a great secondary and with them always being on the field, eventually they get tired, and then they get to where we are now.
Really this defense has the potential to be a top 5 unit, but unless the offense improves, the defense will consistently play more and give up more yards and points. It is a tough situation for Minnesota to handle, we will see what they can do in the second half of the year.
Key Players
Noah Akerele, WR/KR – I have to give a shout out to this guy. In a Minnesota team that doesn’t get a lot right, their special teams is elite. Not only Akerele, but Vermillion as well have over 400 KR yards, but I am giving the nod to Akerele since he has more yards, and even has a KR TD. He is also the second-best receiver in a pretty dreadful passing offense. Full stats are 15 catches, 142 yards, 9.5 yards per catch, 1 TD, 19 kick returns, 495 kick return yards, 26.1 kick return average, and 1 kick return TD.
Jameson Vermillion, RB – Minnesota is pretty much terrible at everything, but Vermillion is one of the lone bright spots. He is a major part in making this team the third best rushing team in the league. He is also currently the fifth best RB in the league. If there is anyone on this team that people need to keep their eyes on, it’s this guy. Full stats are 108 carries, 629 yards, 5.8 yards per carry, and 4 TDs.
Mike Rotchburns, RB – There isn’t much offense in this team aside from the running attack, so might as well but the secondary running back here. Now don’t get it wrong, Mike is not the second running back, him and Vermillion share an equal amount of workload, and also deliver an equal amount of pain. This team has been relying on these two, and they have been able to get the job done on occasion. If only they could get a little bit of help. Full stats are 104 carries, 494 yards, 4.8 yards per carry, and 3 TDs.
Wasrabi Gleel, LB – Because of his teammate getting banned, Gleel has been propelled to the best LB in the league. He has been absolutely dominant, and he is really one of the young new players who I foresee becoming an amazing leader and player. Full stats are 67 tackles, 3 TFLs, 3 sacks, 3 passes defended and 1 interception
Rashad Hilliard, CB – Even with the worst passing defense in the league, this man still finds a way to shine on this team. He is a rookie, but he is playing like one of the top corners, leading the league in passes defended. Don’t throw his way. Full stats are 33 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 9 passes defended, and 1 interception.
Azarius Ranger, DE – One of the stronger run stuffing DEs in the league. He may not have really flashy stats, but he is one of the bright spots on the defensive line which helps the LBs perform so well. Full stats are 18 tackles, 8 TFLs, and 2 sacks.
Conclusion
There you have it! An in-depth review of all of my midseason power rankings. I know it is a ridiculously long read, but I put a lot of work and effort into this, so I hope you all enjoy. I know I probably got some things wrong, or some people may not agree with me and that is fine, this is just my list.
I know I shouted out a lot of players on here, but really, I want to shout out every player on a DSFL team currently. No matter what your stats say, you are all doing great and I can’t wait to see all of us become the next generation of ISFL stars in the future! Just keep working at it and improving your player, but most of all just have fun in this league and in this great community!
Now if you excuse me, it is time for me to drink away the memory of making this article.
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Word Count: 12318RE: DSFL Midseason Rankings W1-W7 - Swanty - 09-02-2020
This is unbelievably in depth and really well researched! Thanks for putting it together
RE: DSFL Midseason Rankings W1-W7 - Crodyman - 09-02-2020
Fantastic write up. Super in-depth! You've given us all a gift, brother.
RE: DSFL Midseason Rankings W1-W7 - GuitarMaster116 - 09-02-2020
I realized I forgot to change the TL;DR so I just fixed that so sorry about that. Also, notice as farther into the article you go, you can almost tell the point when this went from being a fun project to me hating myself for attempting it lol. Sorry if the last couple of teams were written up poorly.
RE: Mellott’s DSFL Midseason Rankings W1-W7 - Cody - 09-02-2020
Wow this is in depth. Great write up and thanks for the mention!