(S24) - PT 2 - Rising Stocks

[yonggarius]

So far, this new ISFL season had been full of surprises. Many playoff caliber teams from the offseason- like the Butchers and the Otters- are having a rough time, while underdogs like the Sailfish and the Sabercats are in a hot streak. However, among those many surprises, the most intriguing one was the fall of Philadelphia Liberty. Liberty finished S23 with a 9-7 record, earning a playoff dpot as the 3rd seed in NSFC. After that playoff run was put to an end by the hands of Colorado Yeti, many people predicted that this will be a start of an ascent for the Liberty. Their quarterback Brock Phoenix was finally entering his prime after long years of waiting, and they had a good offense featuring Sam Torenson, Randy Vuxta and Nacho Vargo to support him. In the other side of the Ball, Liberty sported a yound and strong defensive backfield featuring stars like Brandon Booker and Matt Cross. And while their front seven lacked a little in TPE especially after departure of veteran linebacker Warren Stephens to the Yeti, those other units were viewed enough to carry the team high despite that. However, their results this season is the polar opposite to those rosy predictions. The reason is quite clear. Their weak front seven had been holding the whole team back. Liberty allowed 145 points through the first 5 games, which amount to almost 30 per game. And when you watch the games, you'll find that opposing teams literally 'ran them over' using run heavy strategies. Some sim errors didn't help, but the biggest problem here is clearly a lack of a strong defense line.
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