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+---- Thread: *Facing the Giants (/showthread.php?tid=6026)
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*Facing the Giants - HalfEatenOnionBagel - 11-14-2017
The Outlaws in their current iteration are the stuff of legends. Their three Ultimuses (again ultimi?) in a row, unmatched management and game planning and just general excellence are things that anyone who has ever played in a sim league would be envious of. With the signing of Garden in the offseason to an already loaded offensive unit as well as the rate at which this team continues to improve their TPE totals, it's very hard to see them not winning the whole thing again this season. But, despite all that they have going for them, the Outlaws continue to stumble once every season in a matchup with the Baltimore Hawks, their seemingly now perpetual rival in the championship game.
Whereas the Outlaws won early on in the history of the league and just haven't stopped winning since, the Hawks have taken a very different path to reach their current home as two time NSFC champs. After season 1, the Hawks were looked at as the worst team in the league. Had it not been for the fact that the Legion and Liberty came around for people to shit on, it's likely that Baltimore would have been completely written off in S2 and may have not even been able to improve like they have. But, you have to give some major props to HENDRIX for the way he has turned this team around, brining in some major talent through recent drafts such as Blocksdale, Taylor, Sandoval, Willie and others that make up the core of this team. Amidst all the "scandals" and constant naysayers, this team pulled itself up by its bootstraps and has made two great playoff runs in the last two seasons. However, when making it to the Championship they have gotten blown out by the Outlaws and tend to not have that much better of a record than the rest of the competition in the regular season. So, even if they are marginally better than most teams, how have they consistently been able to beat the Outlaws each season when all other teams still struggle to do so?
I took a look at the games that the Hawks have won against the Outlaws over the past four seasons and what it seems to me is that the Hawks have simply been able to out Outlaw the Outlaws by winning games with defense and special teams.
It's no surprise to anyone in the league anymore that the foundation of the Outlaws success has been their defense, but their offense has come a long way and now features one of the best running backs in the game and one of the best receivers. However, there is still one weak link on this offense that the Hawks have been able to exploit in their wins: King Bronko. Bronko is a solid quarterback in the league. He has all the measurables that you could want and when he's on, he is really on. But, if you can get pressure on him and force him to make some bad throws, his entire game goes down hill in a hurry. With Pest and Pancake on the line and now the upgraded bots, it's very difficult to get after him.
Luckily for the Hawks, their defensive line might just be their strongest unit. With Taylor and Hendrix being forces on the DL for a long time and now new players like Sandoval, who is quickly establishing himself as an elite talent, filling in the rotation, it's no wonder the Hawks have had so much success in this area and continue to do so. Add in an opportunistic secondary that swarms to the ball and you'll give any QB nightmares, let alone Bronko. In the past three games the Hawks have beaten the Outlaws, Bronko has thrown 6 interceptions and only finally managed to throw a TD pass in the latest matchup. Pair that with ratings of 26.8, 60.6 and 70.6 and it's easy to see the formula that the Hawks have for winning these games on the defensive side of the ball. Even in season 1, when the Hawks beat the Outlaws, Draxel had a great game but still threw three interceptions.
So, it's obvious that the defense has played a big role for the Hawks, but I think most people could tell you that if you play good defense you could beat any team. Where the Hawks have taken their game to the next level against the Outlaws is in their special teams play. This latest game was a bit more surprising because the Hawks offense and Blocksdale has completely transformed this season and clearly is capable of beating one of the best defenses in the league. But look at the games from seasons 1-3 and you'll see that in close games, the Hawks either managed to get a special teams touchdown or relied on the foot of Turkleton to help them secure a close win.
In fact, if you think about it, Turkleton may just be the most important factor for the Hawks in these wins against the Outlaws. In a close game like this field position determined by punting as well as having a kicker that you can reliably count on to get you points when they may be hard to come by can help to boost the rest of the team. Turkleton has been with this team from the beginning and his role cannot be understated enough.
It's clear that the Hawks have the pieces and game plan to take down the Outlaws as they continue to be able to do it both at home and on the road. But, they just haven't been able to do it for one reason or another when it counts the most. Maybe they've just been lucky in these games, though it's hard to believe they could get lucky that many times. Maybe the Outlaws let some of these games slip to keep the Hawks in contention since they keep choking away the Ultimus. Whatever it may be, most fans around the league would agree that seeing the Hawks finally pulling off one of these wins in the championship would be a breath of fresh air for a league quickly going stale under the oppressive rule of the Outlaws regime. The Hawks offense now led by Blocksdale seems like it could be legit and the other side of the coin that this team needed for the complete package. There's still a lot of football left to be played this season, but it's hard not to pencil in the Hawks and Outlaws for another Ultimus showdown, but hopefully this year with a different ending.
GRADED
*Facing the Giants - HENDRIX - 11-14-2017
Great piece @HalfEatenOnionBagel , thanks for the kind words.
*Facing the Giants - HalfEatenOnionBagel - 11-14-2017
(11-14-2017, 02:08 PM)HENDRIX Wrote:Great piece @HalfEatenOnionBagel , thanks for the kind words.
Hey it's well deserved. Every time I think you guys are close to slipping up, one way or another you pull off a win.
*Facing the Giants - DeathOnReddit - 11-14-2017
F.L.U.K.E
*Facing the Giants - HalfEatenOnionBagel - 11-14-2017
(11-14-2017, 03:21 PM)DeathOnReddit Wrote:F.L.U.K.E
I mean if it happened once sure but it happens every season
*Facing the Giants - manicmav36 - 11-14-2017
(11-14-2017, 01:45 PM)HalfEatenOnionBagel Wrote:Maybe the Outlaws let some of these games slip to keep the Hawks in contention since they keep choking away the Ultimus.
Why do this though? The Outlaws man-handle every other team in the NSFC. They had one loss all last season... to the Hawks. In season 2 they lost only 2 games, the Hawks and a juiced up, Noble-led Yeti. The idea of throwing a game to ensure you play the one team that has routinely beat you is asinine.
*Facing the Giants - HalfEatenOnionBagel - 11-14-2017
(11-14-2017, 04:06 PM)manicmav36 Wrote:Why do this though? The Outlaws man-handle every other team in the NSFC. They had one loss all last season... to the Hawks. In season 2 they lost only 2 games, the Hawks and a juiced up, Noble-led Yeti. The idea of throwing a game to ensure you play the one team that has routinely beat you is asinine.
Outlaws have won three Championships in a row. I'm not going to question their methods. Just echoing ideas I have heard in various forms haha don't take it too seriously
*Facing the Giants - manicmav36 - 11-14-2017
(11-14-2017, 05:45 PM)HalfEatenOnionBagel Wrote:Outlaws have won three Championships in a row. I'm not going to question their methods. Just echoing ideas I have heard in various forms haha don't take it too seriously
Repeating it makes it sound more plausible though. Besides, how would they throw a game, exactly? The depth charts are publically available. If they were trying to throw the game but putting subs in more often, we would know.
Regardless of all of that, it was a great article. Thanks for the kind words about us.
*Facing the Giants - DeathOnReddit - 11-14-2017
(11-14-2017, 03:57 PM)HalfEatenOnionBagel Wrote:I mean if it happened once sure but it happens every season
We agree to try less
*Facing the Giants - cosbornballboy - 11-14-2017
(11-14-2017, 02:53 PM)manicmav36 Wrote:Repeating it makes it sound more plausible though. Besides, how would they throw a game, exactly? The depth charts are publically available. If they were trying to throw the game but putting subs in more often, we would know.
Regardless of all of that, it was a great article. Thanks for the kind words about us.
And then Asspie uses those speculations as an excuse for why we can beat them...