3) QB Matchup
This year's Ultimus pitted the two best teams if the season against each other in the Baltimore Hawks taking in the San Jose SabreCats. It also show cased a matchup between two quarterbacks that have established themselves as a couple of the leagues best.
San Jose's Joliet Christ put together a monster season last year both in the air and on the ground, combining for 33 touchdowns to just 8 picks. While putting up those stats and taking care of the football like he did, the SabreCats were able to last year's Ultimus. They made it back to championship game this year, however Joliet Christ had a slightly down year by his standards, as he combined for just 23 touchdowns and his picks bumped up to 13. It seemed this struggle would manifest it self in the Ultimus.
On the other side of the field, QB Childish Gambino helms a Baltimore Hawks team that boasted one of the best offensive seasons in league history, and Gambino himself put together perhaps the best QB performance ever. He broke the single season passing touchdown record with 45 and also set the single season QB rating mark with 105.7. He absolutely shredded defenses all year, but a couple of losses left some doubt if he could continue that dominance over an elite San Jose defense.
Unfortunately for San Jose, Joliet Christ, their fans, and fans of competitive football everywhere - Childish Gambino put on a clinic while absolutely curb stomping a hapless San Jose team. He led the team on three consecutive scoring drives to open the game, and had his team leading 17 - 0 at half with two passing TDs. Gambino was only getting started and proceeded to slaughter the SabreCats, personally scoring 4 more TDs to end up with a stat line of 5 passing TDs, one Rushing TD, and 421 yards.
Joliet Christ, well, had a bad if a game as Gambino had a legendary one. He completed just 12 of 33 passes for 131 yards, while adding just 30 more on the ground - most of that on a 19 yard scamper. Not only was he shut out, scoring no touchdowns in the air or on the ground, he also couldn't lead the the SabreCats to a single point an embarrassing 49 - 0 shut out. The entire offense looked hapless and one would wonder if the beat down could permanently shake the confidence of the SabreCat quarterback.
1) Game Review
In what would end up being the closest game of the season 15 playoffs, the Orange County Otters traveled to San Jose to take in the reigning champions.
The first quarter began with things going the Otters way, as two 40+ long passes to Johnny Blaze and N Sunnycursed led to an early 10 nothing lead. San Jose immediately punched back after the second score with a deep pass to star WR Oles, and the drive culminated into a touchdown. The SabreCats picked off QB Showbiz on the ensuing drive, and used their three headed rushing attack to tie the game at 10 early in the second quarter. The SabreCats defense woke up, and allowed only 1 first down for the rest of the half as big plays by QB Joliet Christ and Oles led to 10 more points and a 20 to 10 halftime lead.
The SabreCats used the momentum to put together a long drive to open the third quarter, however it only ended in a field goal. The Otters had, after jumping out to a 10 early lead, given up 23 consecutive points and needed to respond. They came through, putting together a 75 yard drive capped by a touchdown to Apollo Reed to pull the Otters within a touchdown, trailing 17 - 23 late in the third.
That would be as close as the game would get, as the SabreCats pounded the rock and let their standout defense another the Otters. They scored two more touchdowns, and shut out the Otters in the final frame to win the game 37 - 17. While the Otters offense looked explosive at times, the SabreCats dominated time of possession and wore the Otters defense out with 41 rushing attempts. It would be the second year in a row San Jose knocked off the Otters, although they would not go on to repeat their season 14 championship as they followed up this impressive victory with a clunker in the Ultimus a week later.
7) Next Year
The Arizona Outlaws were unquestionably the worst team in the league last year, posting a 2 - 12 record in a rough season. However, under the guidance of GM Swagsloth, the Outlaws went to work fortifying their roster with a haul of 6 of the top 41 picks, as well as aquiring stud receiving back Ricky Adams via trade. Those moves, among others, paid immediate dividends as the Outlaws squad was no farther than a game out of the playoffs until a late season three game slide. However, they still improved their record to 7 - 9, improving by 5 wins over the previous season.
It is not out of the question that the team can take a similar step forward next season. First of all, that season 15 draft haul looks even better in retrospect, as 5 of those top 6 picks have at least 383 TPE, are constantly updating and looking to win as Outlaws. This leads to the next point, as with the expansion draft looming the team is in a great position - these players are automatically protected. With the probability that the top teams lose many quality peices to expansion, the Outlaws should lose more than one or two starters. The team is young, hungry, and ready to take the expansion diluted league by storm next season.
9) Enemies
Airzona Outlaws rookie tight end Jammerson Irving has only been in the league for a single season, however he has already has already made two enemies in his eyes: fellow rookie tights ends Cameron Olsen and Dan Wright, aka the Large Lads ??, the San Jose SabreCats duo. The reasons for the budding rivalry are two-fold and relatively strait forward. First, both tight ends were selected before Jammerson in the in the draft, he ended up falling all the way to round five in what he percieved as a major slight to a prospect of his talent. Secondly, and less petty, is that both play for division rival and championship caliber San Jose. If Jammerson and the Outlaws are going to breakout next year, they are going to have to overtake San Jose and the Large Lads.
So Jammerson has a personal interest in seeing the two struggle. In the regular season, both Jammerson and Olsen both played big roles as rookies, and finished with similar stat lines, and Wright preformed well in a back-up role. Unfortunately for Jammerson's ego, the duo preformed well in the conference championship, helping third team to an Ultimus Berth. In an embarrassing loss, Olsen actually aquitted himself well and was the best offensive player for the SabreCats.
With all three players active TPE earners, the three soon to be sophmi tight ends will continue an interesting Outlaw vs. SabreCat rivalry next season.
This year's Ultimus pitted the two best teams if the season against each other in the Baltimore Hawks taking in the San Jose SabreCats. It also show cased a matchup between two quarterbacks that have established themselves as a couple of the leagues best.
San Jose's Joliet Christ put together a monster season last year both in the air and on the ground, combining for 33 touchdowns to just 8 picks. While putting up those stats and taking care of the football like he did, the SabreCats were able to last year's Ultimus. They made it back to championship game this year, however Joliet Christ had a slightly down year by his standards, as he combined for just 23 touchdowns and his picks bumped up to 13. It seemed this struggle would manifest it self in the Ultimus.
On the other side of the field, QB Childish Gambino helms a Baltimore Hawks team that boasted one of the best offensive seasons in league history, and Gambino himself put together perhaps the best QB performance ever. He broke the single season passing touchdown record with 45 and also set the single season QB rating mark with 105.7. He absolutely shredded defenses all year, but a couple of losses left some doubt if he could continue that dominance over an elite San Jose defense.
Unfortunately for San Jose, Joliet Christ, their fans, and fans of competitive football everywhere - Childish Gambino put on a clinic while absolutely curb stomping a hapless San Jose team. He led the team on three consecutive scoring drives to open the game, and had his team leading 17 - 0 at half with two passing TDs. Gambino was only getting started and proceeded to slaughter the SabreCats, personally scoring 4 more TDs to end up with a stat line of 5 passing TDs, one Rushing TD, and 421 yards.
Joliet Christ, well, had a bad if a game as Gambino had a legendary one. He completed just 12 of 33 passes for 131 yards, while adding just 30 more on the ground - most of that on a 19 yard scamper. Not only was he shut out, scoring no touchdowns in the air or on the ground, he also couldn't lead the the SabreCats to a single point an embarrassing 49 - 0 shut out. The entire offense looked hapless and one would wonder if the beat down could permanently shake the confidence of the SabreCat quarterback.
1) Game Review
In what would end up being the closest game of the season 15 playoffs, the Orange County Otters traveled to San Jose to take in the reigning champions.
The first quarter began with things going the Otters way, as two 40+ long passes to Johnny Blaze and N Sunnycursed led to an early 10 nothing lead. San Jose immediately punched back after the second score with a deep pass to star WR Oles, and the drive culminated into a touchdown. The SabreCats picked off QB Showbiz on the ensuing drive, and used their three headed rushing attack to tie the game at 10 early in the second quarter. The SabreCats defense woke up, and allowed only 1 first down for the rest of the half as big plays by QB Joliet Christ and Oles led to 10 more points and a 20 to 10 halftime lead.
The SabreCats used the momentum to put together a long drive to open the third quarter, however it only ended in a field goal. The Otters had, after jumping out to a 10 early lead, given up 23 consecutive points and needed to respond. They came through, putting together a 75 yard drive capped by a touchdown to Apollo Reed to pull the Otters within a touchdown, trailing 17 - 23 late in the third.
That would be as close as the game would get, as the SabreCats pounded the rock and let their standout defense another the Otters. They scored two more touchdowns, and shut out the Otters in the final frame to win the game 37 - 17. While the Otters offense looked explosive at times, the SabreCats dominated time of possession and wore the Otters defense out with 41 rushing attempts. It would be the second year in a row San Jose knocked off the Otters, although they would not go on to repeat their season 14 championship as they followed up this impressive victory with a clunker in the Ultimus a week later.
7) Next Year
The Arizona Outlaws were unquestionably the worst team in the league last year, posting a 2 - 12 record in a rough season. However, under the guidance of GM Swagsloth, the Outlaws went to work fortifying their roster with a haul of 6 of the top 41 picks, as well as aquiring stud receiving back Ricky Adams via trade. Those moves, among others, paid immediate dividends as the Outlaws squad was no farther than a game out of the playoffs until a late season three game slide. However, they still improved their record to 7 - 9, improving by 5 wins over the previous season.
It is not out of the question that the team can take a similar step forward next season. First of all, that season 15 draft haul looks even better in retrospect, as 5 of those top 6 picks have at least 383 TPE, are constantly updating and looking to win as Outlaws. This leads to the next point, as with the expansion draft looming the team is in a great position - these players are automatically protected. With the probability that the top teams lose many quality peices to expansion, the Outlaws should lose more than one or two starters. The team is young, hungry, and ready to take the expansion diluted league by storm next season.
9) Enemies
Airzona Outlaws rookie tight end Jammerson Irving has only been in the league for a single season, however he has already has already made two enemies in his eyes: fellow rookie tights ends Cameron Olsen and Dan Wright, aka the Large Lads ??, the San Jose SabreCats duo. The reasons for the budding rivalry are two-fold and relatively strait forward. First, both tight ends were selected before Jammerson in the in the draft, he ended up falling all the way to round five in what he percieved as a major slight to a prospect of his talent. Secondly, and less petty, is that both play for division rival and championship caliber San Jose. If Jammerson and the Outlaws are going to breakout next year, they are going to have to overtake San Jose and the Large Lads.
So Jammerson has a personal interest in seeing the two struggle. In the regular season, both Jammerson and Olsen both played big roles as rookies, and finished with similar stat lines, and Wright preformed well in a back-up role. Unfortunately for Jammerson's ego, the duo preformed well in the conference championship, helping third team to an Ultimus Berth. In an embarrassing loss, Olsen actually aquitted himself well and was the best offensive player for the SabreCats.
With all three players active TPE earners, the three soon to be sophmi tight ends will continue an interesting Outlaw vs. SabreCat rivalry next season.
![[Image: Jipic.jpg]](http://sim-football.com/wiki/images/2/20/Jipic.jpg)