09-12-2019, 05:03 PM
(This post was last modified: 09-15-2019, 12:59 PM by Fordhammer.)
There seemed to be a lot of interest in the new format for week eight, which was really exciting. As a result, we're getting a new edition of Game Changers and Disappointments. Lets dive in and take a look at the exceptional and those who didn't quite meet expectations.
@ 
Cooter Bigsby: Game changer. Few teams in the NSFL lean on their quarterback as much as Yellowknife leans on Bigsby. He has the highest volume of pass attempts in the league and for better or worse, it currently has the Wraiths ranked second in the NSFL. He has some games where the volume results in more mistakes than average, but then he has some games where the volume allows him to put together an impressive campaign. This was one such game. He completed 20 of 33 passes for 284 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. Four touchdown games are rare in this league and Cooter achieved this one by carving up a Butcher's secondary that never did figure him out. He likely could have run the score up more, but the Wraiths had this game well in hand before the fourth quarter and he wasn't forced to throw the ball 50 times in this one.
Jerrod Canton: Game changer. Every time Canton touches the ball, he makes plays. He's been electric to watch all season long and this game was no different as we saw him go for 121 combined yards and a score. This wasn't even close to his most explosive game of the season, but it was still enough to be a very good game for mere mortals. Canton did just enough in this one to keep himself leading in both receiving yards and receiving touchdowns as a running back. Every week that passes, Canton proves that he is capable of being a weekly highlight reel for the Wraiths. I imagine Wraiths fans are ecstatic about the season he has put together.
Lightsout Lewis: Game changer. Lewis has been one of the best coverage guys in the league this season. You might even say he's been lights out. Last night he was one of the lone bright points on a defense that struggled to contain Cooter Bigsby. He led the team in tackles, managed to get a sack in pass rush duties, and had a pass defended. Lewis has been a big player on this defense all season long and he does whatever Chicago asks of him. Unfortunately, he can only cover so many players and Bigsby was able to put together an entire reel of big plays by passing away from Lewis' direction. Lewis is still young and this won't be the last good game he puts together. Hopefully his next one comes with a win.
Sam Torenson: Pleasant surprise. After a disappointing appearance last week, Sam Torenson was able to bounce back in this one. He rushed for 109 yards, 4.5 yards a carry, and a touchdown in a campaign where he looked like the only cog in this offense still spinning. Despite his best efforts, he simply could not put this Chicago team in a position to succeed. More often than not, this offense runs through Torenson's success and I thought in a rebound game for him they'd have a chance, but this game showed he can only do so much alone. If he keeps grinding and keeps producing though, I still think Chicago can make a decent playoff run.
Johnny Snuggles: Pleasant surprise. Snuggles played a relatively quiet night on defense for the Yellowknife Wraiths. He didn't make any big plays and he seemed to fill his role perfectly without making many mistakes. No real stat line to speak of at all. That's why he's not on here for his defensive play. Snuggles had two kick returns in this game that combined for 105 yards. One of these returns was a massive 64 yard sprint that most of us thought had a chance to go all the way. Snuggles covered more ground than any offensive player not named Canton last night and he set the Wraiths up to succeed two separate times. This was impact special teams that you rarely see and it was a treat getting to see Snuggles show off.
Ricky Adams: Disappointment. After last week where Adams had a bit of a breakout day, he went back to the mean in this one. He caught five passes for 50 yards and found the end zone in this one, but it wasn't remotely enough. Chicago needs someone in this offense to step up. They can't make a playoff run with it just being the Torenson show. He needs help and he needs it sooner than later. Someone, anyone needs to produce yards and points and I thought Ricky Adams might could fill that role. He only has a few more games to show he is capable of that.
@
Gekyume Stokeley: Game changer. Stokeley has been a run stuffing machine all season long. He leads the league in tackles and games like this 15 tackle campaign against the Yeti are why. He was all over the field showing speed and range as he stopped Yeti ball carriers time and time again. This performance was one of the few fun things to watch in a game that seemed to be overwhelmed by mistakes and sloppy play. Philadelphia needed someone like Stokeley to step up and show some life in this one because otherwise I don't know what positivity they leave this game with.
Terry Taffy: Game changer. Perhaps the only thing consistent about this entire season for the Yeti has been the play of Terry Taffy. He combined for 119 yards and a score in the game in what looks to be average for him these days. Luckily for the Yeti, his average boxes well above the weight class of most of the other running backs in the league. Taffy is who this team leans on to win games and as long as he is consistent, they'll find one or two here or there. Taffy has been one of the key reasons why the Yeti are competitive this season and if can continue this pace as McDummy develops, Colorado could be looking at having a pretty threatening squad this time next season.
Wolfie McDummy: Pleasant surprise. McDummy did not have a terrible game this week. In a rare turn of events, the Colorado Yeti were able to pull off a competitive game with McDummy actually contributing to ather than sabotaging their chances for a win. McDummy went 29 of 43 for 278 yards, a touchdown, and only one turnover. He was able to efficiently move the ball through the air and had one of his best games as a quarterback with his 83.3 quarterback rating. Colorado has been fairly competitive this season when McDummy is merely average. That is all they need from him. More games like this from McDummy and these results will stop being upsets.
Adriana Falconi: Disappointment. I feel like I'm beating a dead horse at this point, but it simply cannot be repeated or emphasized enough. Falconi is simply not playing well enough for the Liberty to win football games. She was one of the best in the league last season and her plays in the clutch were the only reason this Philadelphia squad ever made it to the finals. When Falconi plays well, this team is one of the most explosive and fun to watch in the entire league. Unfortunately for Philadelphia, she simply hasn't played anything but average all season. This week saw her campaign a game in which she barely completed half of her throws, had less than 200 yards, threw two scores, and threw two interceptions to match them. Her 64.5 quarterback rating was catastrophic for a team that relies on her to win games and when she plays like this, there is no chance of the Liberty pulling out a victory.
Marquise Brown: Disappointment. Its official. I can't keep stopping myself from saying it. Marquise Brown is one of the biggest disappointments on this season and is one of the biggest reason why Philadelphia has stopped being competitive. Philadelphia needs their running game to churn out yards to allow Falconi to open up holes and expose weaknesses in defense. So far this season, they've not had that. Brown has been a top play through his career, but as of now he's not on pace to break 1000 yards or 10 touchdowns. He's dropped to below average and after another game of Brown rushing for less than 100 yards and another loss, I have to start questioning what Philadelphia plans for the future of Brown and his tenure with the team.
Jordan von Matt: Disappointment. The reason Brown has only been one of the biggest disappointments is because his teammate von Matt has been the single biggest disappointment in the NSFL so far this season. After leading a 1338 yard, 10 touchdown campaign that saw him as the second ranked receiver in the NSFL in season 16, von Matt has fallen off of a cliff that there is not enough time left to climb in this season. He just posted a 59 yard game that saw him manage a score, but games like that aren't enough to bring him back to the stardom and fanfare he saw this past season. If von Matt finishes this season ranked in the top 15 receivers, I think he should count himself as lucky. Currently he's not even on pace to reach that goal. Philadelphia's decline between seasons is definitely in part to games like this from their biggest stars.
@ 
Ben Horne: Game changer. Horne has absolutely exploded in the last two weeks and has become a monster play maker. He's gaining steam as we head into the end of the season and that can only possibly mean good things for Baltimore. After a two sack campaign last week, Horne followed it up with another pair of quarterback hits in this one. Tack on his team leading 12 tackles and his efficiency in the secondary and Horne had a near perfect game. As playoffs near, Baltimore will need more and more of their play makers on the defensive side to step up as they face more dangerous offenses. Horne is a leader on this team and having him come into form is a good start.
Grayson Kuusela: Game changer. Kuusela's season 16 campaign was completely underwhelming as he found himself struggling to get anywhere near the quarterback all season long. Only three times all season did he get the quarterback on the ground, but he managed it twice last night. He has completely changed opinions of himself in a single season as he has become one of the most productive pass rushers in the NSFL. At 11 sacks, he's had multiple games these season with multiple quarterback hits and it showing a level of dominance that just didn't exist last season. Kuusela is one of the players about to hit his prime for this Copperheads squad and is another reason why they may be terrifying once their young players get adjusted to the league.
Jaylin Hobbs: Pleasant surprise. As it often happens, when it rains, it pours. That was what happened in the Baltimore versus Austin match up as we had multiple players have a multiple sack game. Hobbs was one of two on Baltimore alone. Hobbs has had a slow start to the season as a whole as this defense has struggled to find its identity. He's found difficulties making his present known throughout the season 17 campaign, but finally he got to make himself heard in this one. Hobbs is still one of the key pieces to this defense and when he is efficiently getting after the quarterback, it can be hard to move the ball against these guys. Hopefully for both Baltimore and Hobbs, they'll see more of this production as they make the final push for the post season.
Ahri Espeeyeeseetee: Pleasant surprise. Ahri Espeeyeeseetee has become a reliable weapon for the Baltimore Hawks. In this game against the Copperheads, Ahri managed four catches for 99 yards. That is a massive 24.8 yards a catch as he managed to burn the Copperheads for multiple deep balls. At this point in the season, Ahri has either matched or passed ever single mark he set for himself in season 16 and has done it with less catches. This is a player that consistently makes the best of every opportunity they get and the Hawks need that going forward. If Espeeyeeseetee can keep producing in the final weeks of the season, Baltimore just might end up with a top 10 receiver on their hands to help contribute to their ultimus hunt.
Verso L’Alto: Disappointment. It's always a bit bitter to see a veteran player in regression and it will be tough for the Copperheads to deal with and potentially replace a giant like L'Alto. He still has some of the best hands on the team and is a big body safety net for a young quarterback, but he simply isn't capable of making much of his opportunities. Five catches for 36 yards with a long of nine isn't the production the Hawks need. They need to be able to extend drives, they need to be able to get down the field, they need to score points and L'Alto just is not that player anymore. He is still a great locker room presence and has his own ways to contribute to the team, but I think seeing numerical production from this guy is a thing of the past.
Easton Cole: Disappointment. Austin doesn't ask much from Cole at this point in his young career and instead tend to rely on their running backs as Cole develops. He's been a pretty solid piece so far this season as he is often accurate with the ball and doesn't tend to force passes that can lead to turnovers. He's a solid game manager that works well in this Austin offense most of the time. Until they fall into a hole. When you get behind, you have to pass a bit more and move away from your run game. Austin had to lean on Cole late in this one to hope for a comeback and Cole showed that he isn't quite there with his development. 23 of 39, 214 yards, and a turnover resulted in a 63.4 quarterback rating in one of his worst performances of the season. Cole will continue to develop and will certainly have more chances to prove to Austin that he can be their guy.
Dermot Lavelle Jr.: Honorable mention. Lavelle has been a steady pass coverage option for Austin all season long. He's knocked down 10 balls and picked off two so far, but in this game he found it a struggle to put up impact numbers in the secondary. It may have been because Corvo Havran was avoiding passing in his direction, but he just didn't find himself around the ball often. As a result, he found a new and exciting way to get involved in the game. A 78 yard punt return taken to the house for a touchdown showed more life in a single play than the entire Austin offense did the entire game. Lavelle tried to turn the game with this one, but it just wasn't enough to carry the lifeless Austin attack to victory.
@ 
Slim Shady: Game changer. Shady may finally be rounding into dominant form as the season nears the end. He's now had two dominant, impressive outings in a row on his quest to prove that he can be that consistent play maker for Arizona. He was a key part of why they were able to compete and win the Ultimus in season 16, so it is good to see him getting back into that shape. His 151 yards and two touchdown game should have been enough to win him MVP of this game as his absolutely manhandled the Second Line defense at every turn. They couldn't slow him down as led his team through the air and on the ground. Unfortunately, Andrew Reese had other ideas and the Outlaws couldn't pull out the win.
William H. Harrison: Game changer. Harrison has been a consistent play maker in the Second Line secondary so far this season. He's continued to produce despite the team being down on their luck and has been one of their few highlights on the season as he shows everyone that he still has some left in the tank and is a top coverage guy. His hard work and determination paid off today as it looked like he absolutely had Andrew Reese's number. He shadowed receivers all day long and it was like he knew where Reese was going with the ball before Reese did. Three passes defended, two interceptions, and a sack added in for bonus points. Harrison just had his best game of the series and it was exactly why New Orleans came out with a win in this one. It was a stunning performance and I hope we get to see more of the same from him as this season moves on and the Second Line try to recover their campaign.
Tyler Swift: Pleasant surprise. What a monster game for running back Tyler Swift. In an offense that emphasizes teammate Forrest Gump, it is usually Gump that gets all the praise and accolades. Often times it is easy to overlook the kind of impact that Swift has on this offense. In this game? Swift left no question. 89 all purpose yards and three touchdowns. Tyler Swift by himself almost outscored the entirety of the Outlaw's roster as he absolutely destroyed Arizona's defense. They've been playing good football all season, but they simply didn't seem capable of containing Tyler Swift as he caught everyone off guard. This was absolutely Swift's biggest game of the season and it couldn't have come at a better time as the Second Line desperately needed a win.
Jordan Andrews: Pleasant surprise. In his rookie season, Jordan Andrews has absolutely impressed for this New Orleans squad. He's established himself as a top 10 cover guy in the league as he always finds himself in the area of the ball to knock it down. He's had a big impact and has been a highlight and source of hope for the Second Line. This game was no different as he knocked down another two passes and picked off Andrew Reese. He has been an absolute lock down coverage guy and it is good to see him have success so early in his career. If he can keep it up, New Orleans might be working on having the best secondary in the league next season.
Vladimir Fyodorovich: Disappointment. Fyodorovich has led a campaign that will see him as a top 10 receiving threat again this season, but was working his way into earning a top five spot when this game happened. The New Orleans secondary made Fyodorovich look absolutely pedestrian. He was blanketed all game long and had issues finding any separation as he was targeted 12 times and only hauled in 5 balls. Four of the misses passes were deflections, showing how tightly he was covered. Even on the passes that did find his hands, he didn't have room to move as he was tackled almost immediately, gaining only 46 yards with his opportunities. After being a shining star for a struggling off season, it seemed disappointing that he dimmed out during a rare win for New Orleans.
Andrew Reese: Disappointment. Who was that on the field and what did the Arizona Outlaws do with Andrew Reese? Prior to this game, Andrew Reese was racing for an MVP nod at a breakneck pace as he was coming out as the clear front runner for best quarterback in the league. He'd been putting on a dominant campaign in which Reese rarely looked like he was even breaking a sweat. He made it look easy against all the top teams in the league and he was molding Arizona into a terrifying behemoth that no one wanted to face. And then New Orleans happened. A 43% completion rating, only 260 yards, and three turnovers. This 34.7 quarterback rating was one of the worst displays I've ever seen from a quarterback in this league. Even McDummy was impressed in Reese's ability to sabotage his own team. With Slim Shady playing the way he was, all Reese had to do was get out of his own way for Arizona to pull out the win. Instead, he let New Orleans absolutely terrorize him in a game that the Outlaws hope he forgets quickly.
@ 
Thorian Skarsgard: Game changer. Skarsgard was one of the top pass rushers in the NSFL during the season 16 campaign and he has officially decided to continue his legacy by being even better in this one. He had a multiple sack game against the SaberCats as he got Christ to the ground twice including once in the end zone for a safety. He set the tone early for the Otters in the first half, helping his defense keep this game close until their offense could get themselves together and explode in the second half. With this game, Skarsgard marks his sack total from last season and now he can only be better in his current push. The Otters are in the middle of a small rebuild, but they've remained competitive and players like Skarsgard are why.
Chad Pennington: Game changer. Pennington hadn't really shown up as much in pass coverage this season as he had been schemed much more around rushing the passer and stuffing the run. He's been playing near the line and so it was quite surprising to see him single handedly ruin Franklin Armstrong's day. Armstrong played an incredible game as long as you completely ignore what Chad Pennington did to his stat line. Throwing under 50% completion? Pennington did that. One turnover? Pennington did that. He knocked five passes out of the air and got one to go the other way as he terrorized a young rookie who should have come out of this game with a smile on his face after a win. Pennington was the ruiner of dreams in this loss for the Sabercats.
Joliet L. Christ: Pleasant surprise. Looking at this game, you wouldn't think most people would see this as a big game for Christ. He completed 17 of 28 passes for 224 yards and a score without turning the ball over a single time. He posted a 97.9 quarterback rating in a loss and if you look at it in a bubble, it was average at best. I'm not looking at it in a bubble. Christ is coming off of one of the worst games of his career. Things took a turn for the worst in week eight for the young signal caller and I wasn't sure if it was a fluke or a sign of things to come for the SaberCats. If San Jose takes any positivity out of this game, it will be that Joliet L. Christ is still in form and should be able to close out this season strong as they race for the playoffs.
Johnny Blaze: Pleasant surprise. Blaze is one of those players that is down one week and up the next. After having a poor showing in week eight, Blaze decided to show up in week nine when the Otters needed him the most to help lead them to a win. He had 105 all purpose yards on offense and managed 80 yards in kick returns to boot. He gained a third of Orange County's yardage production completely on his own as he helped to carry this team to victory. Armstrong didn't even manage a 50% completion rating, but he had three scores as Blaze set him up for success time and time again. If Blaze can find some consistency in his week to week production, Orange County might hit their stride at the perfect time in the season.'
Hugh Mongo: Pleasant surprise. First year starter Hugh Mongo is finding a way to produce in a relatively crowded receiver room. Everyone knows Sunnycursed is the clear number one in Orange County and that Johnny Blaze will always be featured heavily. Those guys will always be the first two reads and yet Mongo found a way to haul in three passes for 52 yards and a score. On a day when Armstrong struggled with his accuracy, Mongo found a way to create separation and get himself open on a few big plays that helped will this team to victory. Seeing the third guy get to have a real impact in the game is always fun and Mongo is beginning to carve himself out a role in Orange County. As Armstrong develops and the coaches allow his attempt to rise, I think you're going to see a lot more out of Hugh Mongo in the next season or two.
Ludicolo Bigby: Disappointment. The SaberCats have two wins and three losses over their last five games with their two wins coming off of the last seeded New Orleans Second Line and the second to last seeded Austin Copperheads. This team has been struggling against any team close to the top of the standings and I stand by the fact that it is completely to be blamed on Ludicolo Bigby and the play calling in San Jose. Joliet L. Christ is a spectacular quarterback. He's a do it all kind of guy who can make the tough throws or tuck it and run when he needs to. That said, he cannot do it all himself. He is one man. He needs help. 35 rushing yards from your lead back? 35? San Jose may be the worst rushing team in the entirety of the NSFL and there are backups in this league that have run for more than Bigby. Bigby is supposed to be a feature back. Let him feature. I don't know how many more games the SaberCats can win with Christ being expected to carry the entire load of the offense on his own.
Keep in mind that everything here is all opinion based on stats and in game observations from watching the sim! Nothing is meant personally and I hope everyone has enjoyed my dive into the week 9 player performances!









































Keep in mind that everything here is all opinion based on stats and in game observations from watching the sim! Nothing is meant personally and I hope everyone has enjoyed my dive into the week 9 player performances!
![[Image: Untitled_Artwork.png]](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/732271706806419517/769550826225795102/Untitled_Artwork.png)
![[Image: sketch1596853902954.png]](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/732271706806419517/741483802865696870/sketch1596853902954.png)