(S5) - Ultimus Week

[manicmav36]

Written Points

New Talent: Write about which S5 trade will or did have the biggest impact in the playoffs. Can be written at any time depending on if you choose to write about who already has or who will do good

The Baltimore Hawks trade for wide receiver Alexandre LeClair looks like it will have a big impact on the season 5 playoffs. Normally one of, if not the most, balanced offenses in the NSFL, the addition on LeClair helped to bring the Hawks into the 21st century of the NSFL, a pass first, pass second, and maybe run the ball at some point type league. But with running being shown as highly ineffective, why wouldn’t they? The Hawks had a solid passing offense in season 4 with first year quarterback Avon Blocksdale under center, and star wide received Trey Willie split out wide. Unfortunately, there was a sharp drop-off to their number 2 receiver, Stormblessed, who has tons of speed, and not much else. Once a top wide receiver in the league, LeClair has been keeping his skills sharp, but was massively underutilized in Las Vegas. The addition of LeClair gave them a solid 1-2 punch combination on the outside, while rookie John Wachter operated out of the slot and tight end positions. Of the three wide receivers, LeClair has shined the brightest so far this season, finishing with 83 receptions, 1567 yards, and 11 TDs. Look for LeClair to keep his breakout season going against a very good Wraiths defense.



Hate the player or the game: Tell us which team made the playoffs and shouldn't have, or which team didn't and should have? (Can be completed at any point)

Since I joined the league between seasons 1 and 2, I’ve been told very season that this is the year the SaberCats take the next step and make their first playoff appearance. Every year, they just narrowly miss. Much like the old saying goes, “Always a bridesmaid, never the bride.”, the Thunder Cats, I mean SaberCats, just can’t quite get over that hump, and today was no different. I want to say that they should be in the playoffs over the Arizona Outlaws, but that’s tough to say by any metric. Despite finishing the season with an 8-6 record, they have a -31 point differential, 1 of only 3 teams in the NSFL to do so. They finished 2-4 in their conference, and lost both contests against the Outlaws. They finished in the bottom half of the league in points scored, points against, total yards, and passing yards per game and finished the season ranked above third in the league in only 1 statistic, rushing yards allowed per game. From a positive standpoint, Orosz was a very efficient passer, tying for the lead of least interceptions thrown, while Smallwood nearly doubled the next closest man in number of rushing touchdowns. I know the point was to prove that the SaberCats belonged in the playoffs, but to be honest, they didn’t.



Root for the Underdog: Pick an away team in an upcoming game and try to convince yourself (and us) why they can win. (Must be completed before the playoff series you write about)

Although they may not like to admit it, the Yellowknife Wraiths are the clear underdog in the season 5 Ultimus. The Orange County Otters finished with the best record in the league at 11-3, and have already beaten the Wraiths in Orange County once this season. The Otters are the league’s best in points against, total yards per game, total yards allowed per game, passing yards per game, and passing yards allowed per game. The offense is lead by the best QB/WR duo in the league in Boss and Westfield, and the top 5 players in sacks all come from the Otters. The Wraiths aren’t exactly what I would call pushovers though. They fished second in the NSFL in points scored, points against, total yards, and passing yards, all while finishing below fourth in only 1 statistic, rushing yards per game. Askelsen threw for the exact same number of touchdowns as Boss, while throwing 4 less interceptions, and Eric Kennedy led the league in receptions. These teams are near identical on paper in all but two categories, sacks and fumbles forced/recovered. This is where the Wraiths pull ahead in my book. The Otters leave and die by the pressure they put on the quarterback. They’re fantastic at it, but when they don’t succeed, they struggle to win. Askelsen is a master at avoiding the sack, having only been sacked 15 times this season (least in the league) with throwing the ball nearly 700 times. Next we have the fumbles. The Wraiths defense was incredibly opportunistic this season, leading the league in both fumbles forced and recovered. In fact, the have more than triple for each of these when compared to the Otters. Timely turnovers and neutralizing the Otters pass rush will win this game for the Wraiths.



Matchup Nightmares: Pick an offensive and defensive player who will be going up against each other and why it will be a nightmare for one of them. (Must be completed before the playoff series you write about)

With as many high-profile players that there are in the Ultimus, I honestly struggled narrowing it down to just one matchup. However, in the end, I decided on Orange County wide receiver, Bradley Westfield, versus Yellowknife cornerback, Phillipe Carter. As is tradition, Westfield is in the midst of yet another monster season with 79 receptions, a league leading 1756 receiving yards, a league leading 22.2 yards per reception, and 14 touchdowns. Carter isn’t exactly what you would call a scrub though either. Finishing the season with 69 tackles, 1 interception, and 13 passes defended (good enough for 19th in the league), he’s having a solid season. But let’s be honest, it’s clear these two are performing at vastly different levels. Stats like receiving yards and pass breakups can be misleading though, so it’s always a good idea to take a look at their measurables. Unfortunately, Carter doesn’t fare any better here either. Westfield is rated higher in strength, speed, agility, and hands. From a pure athletic standpoint, Westfield is the better athlete. Carter does have a sizeable advantage in intelligence, however, which may help to balance out the other differences. In an ideal world, Dermot Lavelle would be on Westfield all night, but with another standout lining up at wide receiver on the other side in Robert Phelps, that just isn’t possible.