1) PLAYOFF REVIEW: Give a short write-up of one playoff match.
This season’s Ultimus matchup featured two perennial favorites: Orange County and Baltimore. In this particular clash, two aspects of the game were clearly on display: stopping the run, and the pass-heavy offense. Let’s start with defense. Both teams struggled to convert on third-down opportunities (Orange County converted 3/10 attempts, while Baltimore converted 6/16). Even more telling was each team’s inability to run the ball. Despite the presence of talented running backs like Dorfus Jimbo, Vander Jones, and Apollo Reed, neither team was able to establish a solid running game: Orange County picked up just 122 yards on the ground, while Baltimore only managed to get 66. Orange County did have a slight edge here, however, as one of their rushing yards came from quarterback Franklin Armstrong on a goal-line push that resulted in the game’s first touchdown. Because of these struggles on the ground (or, perhaps, in spite of it), the offense of both teams relied heavily on the pass. Both teams have quarterbacks who are talented passers, and while both players put on a show for the Ultimus spectators, in the end it was Orange County who came out on top. It will be interesting to see how this game affects the league going forward. As I said above, both teams had very strong running backs, and yet neither side was able to use those players effectively. In the end, it was the passing game that determined this season’s Ultimus winner. Will the league continue its shift towards a more pass-heavy game? Will receiving running backs become more common, and will traditional, “grit ‘n grind” running backs become more rare? I suppose only time will tell, but it is very possible that this game will someday mark a turning point in the history of the league.
3) ALL ABOUT THE QBS: Write about one of the QB matchups in this year’s playoffs. What are you most excited to have seen, who played better, etc.
The Ultimus matchup of Franklin Armstrong and Corvo Havran made for an electric game. Both quarterbacks had a fantastic day, but in the end Havran got outplayed by the younger (by a season) Armstrong. While Havran had an impressive 376 yards and two touchdowns on 25 completions, Armstrong took his game to another level: he threw for 287 yards on just 17 completions, completed three touchdown passes, and ran in another touchdown himself. Looking at the final score, Armstrong was directly responsible for all four touchdowns that Orange County scored in the Ultimus. I remember being floored when I saw the details of Armstrong’s rookie contract, which he signed shortly after being drafted by Orange County: $24 million over three years, including $16 million in his first season. “Yeah, this guy is good,” I remember thinking to myself, “But is he that good?” Well I will be the first to admit that I was wrong: yes, Armstrong is just that good. Orange County have the luxury of having a young franchise quarterback, so I expect them to remain competitive for quite some time. But don’t discredit Havran either: Baltimore certainly has their guy as well. Like I mentioned earlier, both of these guys are fairly young: Havran is Season 14, while Armstrong is Season 15. They’re clearly both going to be around for their respective teams for a long time, so I expect the two of them to have many more fantastic shootouts like this one in the years to come.
7) NEXT YEAR: If your team has been eliminated, why will the next year, or the year after that, be the year that your team is going to win the Ultimus.
At a glance, the Second Line seem to be struggling badly. They finished with a league-worst record (4-9) and had the second-highest total points allowed (367). It’s definitely a step back from their 6-7 record in season 16, and many people have already written off New Orleans for next season. But upon closer inspection, this team is primed and ready for a championship run. The team is made up of young players--many of the team’s defensive standouts are entering their prime, and the rookies have already begun to make an impact on the field. This ensures that the Second Line will remain competitive for seasons to come. Additionally, due to the foresight of the front office, this team is positioned to have an excellent draft: New Orleans has five picks in the first three rounds of a massive draft class, including the first overall pick. The team’s success in recent drafts will only continue, adding to their young and talented core. But the biggest reason that this team will find success is the hiring of Tijuana GM Jimmy Dugan. Success in the DSFL is hard to come by, but Dugan has proven that he has what it takes to build winning teams and keep them at the top. Now Dugan has an NSFL roster to work with, and a very talented one at that. If he can succeed at bringing his leadership style to the New Orleans front office, there’s no reason to believe that the Second Line won’t be a contender very very soon. So, to sum up my answer: deep and talented roster, fantastic draft positioning, and a brilliant front office and coaching staff. With all that New Orleans has for them right now, it’s only a matter of time before they bring home an Ultimus.
8) DRAFT FOCUS: What areas of your team has the biggest holes that you are hoping get filled in the upcoming gigantic S18 draft? What round are you hoping it’s filled?
The easy answer to this question is to say that New Orleans needs help on defense. And I can understand that, because that defense should be playing a lot better than it did this past season. But take a quick look at some of the players the Second Line have on defense: defensive linemen Brayden Ennis and Lo Rax, linebackers Quenton Bode and Pro Bowler Johnny Slothface, corners Deon Taylor and Pro Bowler Jordan Andrews, and Pro Bowl safety William H. Harrison. This is an extremely good lineup, and one with a lot of potential to be a top-tier defense in the league. And yet, these players gave up 367 points over the season, second-worst in the league. It just doesn’t seem to make sense. But the more concealed answer to this question, and the correct one, is that New Orleans needs help in the front office. Having a lot of talented players can only help so much: what’s really important is just how those players are used, and making sure that each player is living up to their full potential. Obviously New Orleans’ issues are not a matter of on-field talent, but of game-planning and strategizing. Fortunately, these issues seem to be a thing of the past with the recent hiring of Jimmy Dugan to the New Orleans front office. If there’s anybody who can get the most out of New Orleans’ defense, it’s Mr. Tijuana himself. Of course, someone so skilled at building through the draft will certainly use New Orlean’s great draft position to add onto the already deep roster; whatever holes remain on the Second Line defense will undoubtedly be solved very quickly come draft night, and I expect to see the Second Line of Season 18 become the lockdown defense they have the potential to be.
This season’s Ultimus matchup featured two perennial favorites: Orange County and Baltimore. In this particular clash, two aspects of the game were clearly on display: stopping the run, and the pass-heavy offense. Let’s start with defense. Both teams struggled to convert on third-down opportunities (Orange County converted 3/10 attempts, while Baltimore converted 6/16). Even more telling was each team’s inability to run the ball. Despite the presence of talented running backs like Dorfus Jimbo, Vander Jones, and Apollo Reed, neither team was able to establish a solid running game: Orange County picked up just 122 yards on the ground, while Baltimore only managed to get 66. Orange County did have a slight edge here, however, as one of their rushing yards came from quarterback Franklin Armstrong on a goal-line push that resulted in the game’s first touchdown. Because of these struggles on the ground (or, perhaps, in spite of it), the offense of both teams relied heavily on the pass. Both teams have quarterbacks who are talented passers, and while both players put on a show for the Ultimus spectators, in the end it was Orange County who came out on top. It will be interesting to see how this game affects the league going forward. As I said above, both teams had very strong running backs, and yet neither side was able to use those players effectively. In the end, it was the passing game that determined this season’s Ultimus winner. Will the league continue its shift towards a more pass-heavy game? Will receiving running backs become more common, and will traditional, “grit ‘n grind” running backs become more rare? I suppose only time will tell, but it is very possible that this game will someday mark a turning point in the history of the league.
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299 words3) ALL ABOUT THE QBS: Write about one of the QB matchups in this year’s playoffs. What are you most excited to have seen, who played better, etc.
The Ultimus matchup of Franklin Armstrong and Corvo Havran made for an electric game. Both quarterbacks had a fantastic day, but in the end Havran got outplayed by the younger (by a season) Armstrong. While Havran had an impressive 376 yards and two touchdowns on 25 completions, Armstrong took his game to another level: he threw for 287 yards on just 17 completions, completed three touchdown passes, and ran in another touchdown himself. Looking at the final score, Armstrong was directly responsible for all four touchdowns that Orange County scored in the Ultimus. I remember being floored when I saw the details of Armstrong’s rookie contract, which he signed shortly after being drafted by Orange County: $24 million over three years, including $16 million in his first season. “Yeah, this guy is good,” I remember thinking to myself, “But is he that good?” Well I will be the first to admit that I was wrong: yes, Armstrong is just that good. Orange County have the luxury of having a young franchise quarterback, so I expect them to remain competitive for quite some time. But don’t discredit Havran either: Baltimore certainly has their guy as well. Like I mentioned earlier, both of these guys are fairly young: Havran is Season 14, while Armstrong is Season 15. They’re clearly both going to be around for their respective teams for a long time, so I expect the two of them to have many more fantastic shootouts like this one in the years to come.
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255 words7) NEXT YEAR: If your team has been eliminated, why will the next year, or the year after that, be the year that your team is going to win the Ultimus.
At a glance, the Second Line seem to be struggling badly. They finished with a league-worst record (4-9) and had the second-highest total points allowed (367). It’s definitely a step back from their 6-7 record in season 16, and many people have already written off New Orleans for next season. But upon closer inspection, this team is primed and ready for a championship run. The team is made up of young players--many of the team’s defensive standouts are entering their prime, and the rookies have already begun to make an impact on the field. This ensures that the Second Line will remain competitive for seasons to come. Additionally, due to the foresight of the front office, this team is positioned to have an excellent draft: New Orleans has five picks in the first three rounds of a massive draft class, including the first overall pick. The team’s success in recent drafts will only continue, adding to their young and talented core. But the biggest reason that this team will find success is the hiring of Tijuana GM Jimmy Dugan. Success in the DSFL is hard to come by, but Dugan has proven that he has what it takes to build winning teams and keep them at the top. Now Dugan has an NSFL roster to work with, and a very talented one at that. If he can succeed at bringing his leadership style to the New Orleans front office, there’s no reason to believe that the Second Line won’t be a contender very very soon. So, to sum up my answer: deep and talented roster, fantastic draft positioning, and a brilliant front office and coaching staff. With all that New Orleans has for them right now, it’s only a matter of time before they bring home an Ultimus.
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298 words8) DRAFT FOCUS: What areas of your team has the biggest holes that you are hoping get filled in the upcoming gigantic S18 draft? What round are you hoping it’s filled?
The easy answer to this question is to say that New Orleans needs help on defense. And I can understand that, because that defense should be playing a lot better than it did this past season. But take a quick look at some of the players the Second Line have on defense: defensive linemen Brayden Ennis and Lo Rax, linebackers Quenton Bode and Pro Bowler Johnny Slothface, corners Deon Taylor and Pro Bowler Jordan Andrews, and Pro Bowl safety William H. Harrison. This is an extremely good lineup, and one with a lot of potential to be a top-tier defense in the league. And yet, these players gave up 367 points over the season, second-worst in the league. It just doesn’t seem to make sense. But the more concealed answer to this question, and the correct one, is that New Orleans needs help in the front office. Having a lot of talented players can only help so much: what’s really important is just how those players are used, and making sure that each player is living up to their full potential. Obviously New Orleans’ issues are not a matter of on-field talent, but of game-planning and strategizing. Fortunately, these issues seem to be a thing of the past with the recent hiring of Jimmy Dugan to the New Orleans front office. If there’s anybody who can get the most out of New Orleans’ defense, it’s Mr. Tijuana himself. Of course, someone so skilled at building through the draft will certainly use New Orlean’s great draft position to add onto the already deep roster; whatever holes remain on the Second Line defense will undoubtedly be solved very quickly come draft night, and I expect to see the Second Line of Season 18 become the lockdown defense they have the potential to be.
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301 words![[Image: BODE.png]](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/800790374204571721/893650710489628732/BODE.png)
