Outlaws wide receiver Thomas Passmann described the last two games as one step forward, one step back, which seems to be pretty accurate. They managed to edge out a win in Week 7 over the Austin Copperheads by just 3 points in a 20-17 nailbiter. Neck and neck through the first half, Arizona eked out a small 3 point lead in the 2nd quarter. But starting the back half of the match, the Copperheads surged and left the Outlaws scoreless in the 3rd quarter while claiming a touchdown. Arizona needed to find their groove or they would lose this must win game. If they couldn't beat Austin, they could kiss their playoff hopes good-bye. But they found their game and reversed the tide....how the turn tables! In the 4th quarter, the Copperheads were held scoreless while the Outlaws ran for a touchdown to win the game.
But all that progress was thrown out the window when they lost an important inter-divisional game to the Baltimore Hawks. Their offense faltered you could say, only putting up 13 points; not even the equivalent of two touchdowns. The Outlaws got out to a 7-0 lead after the first quarter, but the Hawks dominated from there. Racking up 14 points in the 2nd quarter and not allowing Arizona to score a single point in the second half, they turned this into an embarrassing defeat that looked like pure lack of effort from the team in red. They were outclassed in every way, outplayed for every quarter but the first, and it's not how you start, it's how you finish. Arizona will really need to regroup and change their game plan after that one, especially if they want to beat the Sarasota Sailfish in Week 9.
Arizona has now put themselves in 4th place in the standings, tied with the Honolulu Hahalua and the San Jose Sabrecats. They need to show that they want it more and break out of this win one lose one pattern if they can make the climb. It is still very possible to pass them, though the undefeated Orange County Otters are pretty safe in first place; but second place is not out of the question. Shoot for the moon, even if you miss you'll land in the stars, Arizona needs to take that mantra to heart. Go big or go home, they should try to be the runner-up in the division and get a decent seeding position. Beating the Sarasota Sailfish is an absolute necessity, so all eyes will be on that up-coming game. A more convincing performance is in order if they want to show that they belong in the postseason frenzy that is soon to come.
The favorites for the playoffs now though are definitely Orange County. They have crushed everyone like ants underfoot, making easy work of some of the strongest and fiercest teams in the ISFL. What a season it has been, and they have looked formidable in every aspect of their game. They score, they make strong tackles, they run like the wind, they connect passes that most quarterbacks couldn't even see, they convert those field goals and extra point chances ten out of ten times. I don't know if anyone can beat them, they don't look human, and that's coming from the person who's an agent for a vampire. When they're on their game, the result is pretty much decided in their favor from the opening kickoff. Maybe there is a way to throw them off and beat them, but so far nobody has found it if it exists. The Otters are the team to beat and their Ultimus hopes are rightfully sky high.
Looking to beat Orange County would be too lofty of a goal, but Arizona can still put up a strong campaign and give their fans something to be hopeful about for the future. It would be great to see the Outlaws ride high into the playoffs and put on a show; but before they can get to that, they need to get the work done here in the regular season. They need to surpass the other teams who are neck and neck for this playoff spot, they need to fend off a bunch of playoff hungry squads and start stringing some wins together. You can't win them all, but you can win more than a game here and a game there. Fans will be cheering energetically for the Outlaws as they square off against the Sailfish next week, and it should be an exciting match to watch.
But all that progress was thrown out the window when they lost an important inter-divisional game to the Baltimore Hawks. Their offense faltered you could say, only putting up 13 points; not even the equivalent of two touchdowns. The Outlaws got out to a 7-0 lead after the first quarter, but the Hawks dominated from there. Racking up 14 points in the 2nd quarter and not allowing Arizona to score a single point in the second half, they turned this into an embarrassing defeat that looked like pure lack of effort from the team in red. They were outclassed in every way, outplayed for every quarter but the first, and it's not how you start, it's how you finish. Arizona will really need to regroup and change their game plan after that one, especially if they want to beat the Sarasota Sailfish in Week 9.
Arizona has now put themselves in 4th place in the standings, tied with the Honolulu Hahalua and the San Jose Sabrecats. They need to show that they want it more and break out of this win one lose one pattern if they can make the climb. It is still very possible to pass them, though the undefeated Orange County Otters are pretty safe in first place; but second place is not out of the question. Shoot for the moon, even if you miss you'll land in the stars, Arizona needs to take that mantra to heart. Go big or go home, they should try to be the runner-up in the division and get a decent seeding position. Beating the Sarasota Sailfish is an absolute necessity, so all eyes will be on that up-coming game. A more convincing performance is in order if they want to show that they belong in the postseason frenzy that is soon to come.
The favorites for the playoffs now though are definitely Orange County. They have crushed everyone like ants underfoot, making easy work of some of the strongest and fiercest teams in the ISFL. What a season it has been, and they have looked formidable in every aspect of their game. They score, they make strong tackles, they run like the wind, they connect passes that most quarterbacks couldn't even see, they convert those field goals and extra point chances ten out of ten times. I don't know if anyone can beat them, they don't look human, and that's coming from the person who's an agent for a vampire. When they're on their game, the result is pretty much decided in their favor from the opening kickoff. Maybe there is a way to throw them off and beat them, but so far nobody has found it if it exists. The Otters are the team to beat and their Ultimus hopes are rightfully sky high.
Looking to beat Orange County would be too lofty of a goal, but Arizona can still put up a strong campaign and give their fans something to be hopeful about for the future. It would be great to see the Outlaws ride high into the playoffs and put on a show; but before they can get to that, they need to get the work done here in the regular season. They need to surpass the other teams who are neck and neck for this playoff spot, they need to fend off a bunch of playoff hungry squads and start stringing some wins together. You can't win them all, but you can win more than a game here and a game there. Fans will be cheering energetically for the Outlaws as they square off against the Sailfish next week, and it should be an exciting match to watch.
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