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+---- Thread: *Season 28 (/showthread.php?tid=31875)
*Season 28 - deadlunatic - 05-05-2021
Welcome to one of the many Season 28 posts about the season. With the ultimus coming up soon, I am sure plenty of people will be dropping articles on what ever they feel is important. Good news, none of it is important.
So for starters, let's go over the teams that made the playoffs and the general way they got there.
Teams still alive : Conference Championship Teams
So we got two teams that (since my arrival) always seem to be in the playoff mix.
Arizona Outlaws
Yellowknife Wraiths
And then we have two teams that are both on the newer side.
Austin Copperheads
Berlin Fire Salamanders
Let's start with the number one seeds on each side, since they managed to win their conferences
Arizona Outlaws - 12-4 record
The Outlaws did a good job of staying at or around the top the whole season, not including the first four weeks, they lost their two opening games then rattled off nine straight wins, then two more losses, then ended with three wins. Definitely a streaky team, to start 0-2, then go 9-0 is pretty impressive turn around. They score a lot of points, second most in the league, and they don't give up very many points, second least. As I have said before, that is a solid way to get a winning record, top two in points scored and top two in least points allowed. They are the second leading rushing team in the league, and middle of the pack for passing.
Berlin Fire Salamanders - 12-4 record
Equal record with the Outlaws, just in the other conference. Berlin did the opposite of the outlaws and went on a six and zero start to be in first place. Then they lost one, won one, lost one, then managed four wins in a row, then another loss, another one and ended the season with a loss. Not as streaky as the outlaws, but a solid list of teams beat, but a lot of those wins came in early season meetings with the teams. Berlin wasn't the offensive powerhouse that the outlaws are, but they a solid offensive team finishing fourth, and finishing as the top defensive team according to points allowed. Well, top four in offense and top in defense, yea I can see how they managed to finish at the top of their conference. The are third in passing and bottom middle for rushing.
Austin Copperheads - 9-7 record
Austin is still a fairly new team, not nearly as new as New York or Berlin, but still a new franchise compared with Yellowknife and Chicago. They finished in third place in their conference behind the New York Silverbacks, and managed to beat them in the wild card round in a close 21-18 game. Austin has been up and down the entire season, they started off pretty good, then a loss, then some wins, then a loss, then the second half of the season they lost more than they won. I am surprised they pulled off the win in the playoffs after losing three straight to end the season. But, a win in the playoffs always counts, doesn't matter how you got there, only that you made it and stay in it. They have a solid top half offense and a solid top half defense. Neither one is amazing, but both good enough to get some wins when they really need them. Upper middle for rushing and near the bottom in passing.
Yellowknife Wraiths - 11-5 record
The Wraiths had the third best record in the league, only one game back of the top two teams. Wraiths started off two and two through the first four games of the season, not exactly ideal, but then went on to win five of the next six games to get themselves solidly in the hunt for the playoffs. They went on to win the last three games of the season to enter the wild card game on a roll, that they continued in beating the Sailfish 23-14 to move on to the conference championships. They held the Sailfish to thirteen points, they were the leading scoring team throughout the regular season. The wraiths had the third highest points scored during the regular season, and the sixth best points allowed in the league. Basically, a team with a really good scoring potential and a solid defense that has stepped up big in a few games against some really good offenses. They were a middle of the pack in both passing and rushing.
On to the two teams that made the playoffs and then decided to watch from the stands after one game :
Sarasota Sailfish
New York Silverbacks
New York Silverbacks - 10-6 record
One of the other expansion teams that just recently appeared, and that means both of the two newest teams made the playoffs this season. Quite impressive. Through week seven they were four and three, then they went a little run with five wins in a row to get in the hunt. They did finish the regular season with two losses in a row. And based on where they are in this article they also lost the wild card game. But as an expansion team, I would say this was a successful season, they had the second best record in their conference and almost won their playoff game against another good team. Of the top six team, record wise, they had the lowest points scored out anyone, which could explain their loss in the playoffs, and they had one of the better defenses as far as points allowed goes. Second to last in the passing game and fifth in rushing.
Sarasota Sailfish - 10-6 record
Sarasota seems to always have a shot at the playoffs, and seems to be able to beat any team at any point during the season. I know from personal experience, they beat the Wraiths twice in the regular season by a combined 53 points in two games.... Literally both games were blowout wins for the Sailfish, but then in the wild card game, they were held to only 13 points. Both times they played Berlin, they lost in a one possession game, all around a really good team. They started off 2-2 after four games, before they went on a 8-1 run, then they finished the season with a three loss effort. I do feel that the way you finish a season can carry over to the playoffs. They were the number one scoring team in the league with a middle of the pack scoring allowed. Third in rushing and bottom half in passing.
So there are the playoff teams for season 28. A solid group of teams, and honestly the two new expansion teams making it, not really a big surprise with the talent they started off with and have since added. The not expansion teams are all teams that have a shot any given season it seems like. The three of those teams are all going to be getting hit with regression this coming season pretty decently, so who knows what next season will hold for those teams. The Austin Copperheads have a good mix of newer players and some older veterans, so they seem to be poised for another run. And of course the two true expansion teams have a good core of younger guys, but also both have some more veteran players that will be getting hit with the regressions stick soon.
So, on to season 29. It is very hard to truly predict which team will do what from season to season, even with knowing who is on each team and when their regression will hit. So, I am not even going to try and figure out who will be good next season. Good luck to all the teams.