Time for some rankings based off stats. Also based off how I feel in the moment, so good luck.
Early Season Team Rankings:
Top Number One Team(so far) : Orange County Otters 4-0
Well, I have to pick the only undefeated team left. Plus they have a good points scored to points allowed ratio. They have put up 125 points on the board and only allowed 77 total. They have almost fifty points more scored than allowed through four games. They have scored the second most so far and allowed the fourth fewest. Sounds like a recipe for undefeated through four games. The have two wins at home and two wins on the road. Granted they do not have any wins over a team with a current winning record. The best they have faced are two teams with an even record at 2-2. Then they beat a team with a 1-3 record and they beat an expansion team with a current record of 0-4. So not the best competition, but still wins in every game so far. Their upcoming schedule will really tell the tale of how good they are, even though they have no games against any team with a current winning record, like not a single game all season. But some of those 2-2 teams will win.
Top Number Two Team : Colorado Yeti 3-1
A team many have projected to at least make it to the championship, if not win it outright. They have three wins and one loss so far, tied for the second best record in the league. They have a slightly better points scored to points allowed ratio than the other 3-1 team, so they get the nod at number two overall. They have scored 83 points total, which is the eleventh most(not very good), but they have only allowed 67 points scored on them, which is the least amount allowed. So, they are 3-1 because of their defense, if they can get offense figured out, they will be an ever scarier team. They have faced one team with a winning record so far, and that was the other 3-1 team, and they lost that game. They struggled on offense a lot, so while I know they lost the head to head, I still think they are the better team right now. The rest of their games were against two 2-2 teams and one 1-3 team. Most of their remaining games are against 2-2 teams.
Top Number Three Team : Chicago Butchers 3-1
The other team with a 3-1 record, one could easily argue for this team being ranked number two, but I went off points scored and allowed to break the tie. Here is another team relying on their defense holding teams to low numbers and outscoring them just enough to win. They have put up 82 points so far and allowed only 72 points. Only a difference of ten points, they had a close one against 1-3 Wraiths winning by only four points. There only loss so far came from the 2-2 sailfish, where they only put up seven points in the game. Is this a sign of the times to come, or just blip in the machine. Any way you look at it that still are sitting in first place in their division. With so many 2-2 teams at this point, most of their remaining games are of course against teams with an even record or a losing record. After tonight's games, we will know a lot more about where the league is at.
Top Number Four Team : Honolulu Hahalua 2-2
The first of many 2-2 teams out there. I give them the nod based on their points scored to points allowed ratio. They have scored a league leading 136 points so far, but they have also given up a tied for second worst 113 points on the other end. They may have put up 55 in one game(holy moly). The two losses are both decent losses, but they did manage to score over twenty in each, so not all bad. Not only are they 2-2 and but every team they have played so far are sitting at 2-2 as well. Their next two games are against an 0-4 expansion team and a 1-3 team. Followed by a game against the currently 4-0 Otters, so they could potentially take both of their next two games and be at 4-2 for the showdown with the Otters. Should make for some interesting football the rest of the week.
Top Number Five Team : Sarasota Sailfish 2-2
Another 2-2 team, now this is where it gets difficult to place teams with some many of them having the same record. I chose them because of one of their wins and considering one of their games was a super low score overall. They have only scored a total of 69 points(the lowest in the league), but also only allowed 74 points, which is third least overall. So you can see how they have managed to get to 2-2 with so few points scored. They did win one game with only ten points scored. But the most impressive thing they did, was hold the butchers in check with their defense and handed them their only loss so far. Their next two games are against the 1-3 wraiths and then the 4-0 Otters. I know the Wraiths are 1-3, but they had some close tough losses on the road, so not a team to over look, and then the have the top team next. Going to be a tough two games. They could end up 2-4 after these games.
Top Number Six Team : Philadelphia Liberty 2-2
This team could maybe be put ahead of the Sailfish based on their points for and against. They have a positive point ratio, scoring 115 points overall(third highest) and allowing 110 points, fourth most allowed. If they can get their defense figured out, they could definitely find a way to get in the positive side for the wins. Another team that is 2-2 and all the teams they have played so far are also 2-2. Next two games are against the Yeti, 3-1, and then the Wraiths, 1-3, so potentially a very tough two games. How they come out of this little stretch will be telling to where the team is going for the rest of the season. The fact that they can put up points is very encouraging going forwards though, hard to win if you aren't scoring points.
Top Number Seven Team : San Jose Sabercats 2-2
Yep, you guessed it, another 2-2 team. So many teams at .500. I guess that means there is some level of parity over all in the sim. They have had more points scored on them than they have scored, having scored only 99 points so far and allowing 106 points on defense. Not a great way to get the wins, but one of their losses did come at the hands of the current number one team, those pesky Otters. And one of their wins was against the Outlaws, so hard to say if this team can regain their winning ways from last season and get back to the playoffs. Their next two games are against the 2-2 copperheads and then the 0-4 Silverbacks, so they have a chance to at least try to maintain their .500 record or improve it even. I do not feel like this team is the same team that managed to win it all last season though, but again a few more games should help us all see where teams really are.
Top Number Eight Team : Yellowknife Wraiths 1-3
Yes, I am aware there are still multiple teams with a 2-2 record, but I feel this team is better balanced than the others and had some bad luck. They do have a close ratio, one of the closest in fact out of the 2-2 teams who had a negative ratio. They have scored 84 points but only allowed 90 total. So very close to a positive ratio, and if they can get their offense sorted out they have a shot at getting back on track towards a winning record. One reason I have them higher than some other teams, is they have already had three away games, let's be real, we all know the sim hates teams that are away. Surprisingly, all three losses happened while away, one of those against the 3-1 Butchers who only won by four points at home. So the team can compete, but a less than favorable opening schedule and some offensive hiccups early on have got them starting in the hole. They do face a string of 2-2 teams coming up, with three home games and one away game in the next four games. If they can win the home games and lose the away game they would get to .500 after those games and have a shot at moving up a bit on the big board.
That wraps up my super early season team rankings page. It is really hard to rank the middle nine teams, with eight 2-2 teams and the one included 1-3 team. You could argue different reasons why almost any team deserves to be higher or lower than they are and most likely have a good case. After the games the rest of the real week are played, we can do a mid season ranking that will hopefully be a little clearer who belongs where. Plus we will get to see more of the offenses and defenses playing more teams.
Early Season Team Rankings:
Top Number One Team(so far) : Orange County Otters 4-0
Well, I have to pick the only undefeated team left. Plus they have a good points scored to points allowed ratio. They have put up 125 points on the board and only allowed 77 total. They have almost fifty points more scored than allowed through four games. They have scored the second most so far and allowed the fourth fewest. Sounds like a recipe for undefeated through four games. The have two wins at home and two wins on the road. Granted they do not have any wins over a team with a current winning record. The best they have faced are two teams with an even record at 2-2. Then they beat a team with a 1-3 record and they beat an expansion team with a current record of 0-4. So not the best competition, but still wins in every game so far. Their upcoming schedule will really tell the tale of how good they are, even though they have no games against any team with a current winning record, like not a single game all season. But some of those 2-2 teams will win.
Top Number Two Team : Colorado Yeti 3-1
A team many have projected to at least make it to the championship, if not win it outright. They have three wins and one loss so far, tied for the second best record in the league. They have a slightly better points scored to points allowed ratio than the other 3-1 team, so they get the nod at number two overall. They have scored 83 points total, which is the eleventh most(not very good), but they have only allowed 67 points scored on them, which is the least amount allowed. So, they are 3-1 because of their defense, if they can get offense figured out, they will be an ever scarier team. They have faced one team with a winning record so far, and that was the other 3-1 team, and they lost that game. They struggled on offense a lot, so while I know they lost the head to head, I still think they are the better team right now. The rest of their games were against two 2-2 teams and one 1-3 team. Most of their remaining games are against 2-2 teams.
Top Number Three Team : Chicago Butchers 3-1
The other team with a 3-1 record, one could easily argue for this team being ranked number two, but I went off points scored and allowed to break the tie. Here is another team relying on their defense holding teams to low numbers and outscoring them just enough to win. They have put up 82 points so far and allowed only 72 points. Only a difference of ten points, they had a close one against 1-3 Wraiths winning by only four points. There only loss so far came from the 2-2 sailfish, where they only put up seven points in the game. Is this a sign of the times to come, or just blip in the machine. Any way you look at it that still are sitting in first place in their division. With so many 2-2 teams at this point, most of their remaining games are of course against teams with an even record or a losing record. After tonight's games, we will know a lot more about where the league is at.
Top Number Four Team : Honolulu Hahalua 2-2
The first of many 2-2 teams out there. I give them the nod based on their points scored to points allowed ratio. They have scored a league leading 136 points so far, but they have also given up a tied for second worst 113 points on the other end. They may have put up 55 in one game(holy moly). The two losses are both decent losses, but they did manage to score over twenty in each, so not all bad. Not only are they 2-2 and but every team they have played so far are sitting at 2-2 as well. Their next two games are against an 0-4 expansion team and a 1-3 team. Followed by a game against the currently 4-0 Otters, so they could potentially take both of their next two games and be at 4-2 for the showdown with the Otters. Should make for some interesting football the rest of the week.
Top Number Five Team : Sarasota Sailfish 2-2
Another 2-2 team, now this is where it gets difficult to place teams with some many of them having the same record. I chose them because of one of their wins and considering one of their games was a super low score overall. They have only scored a total of 69 points(the lowest in the league), but also only allowed 74 points, which is third least overall. So you can see how they have managed to get to 2-2 with so few points scored. They did win one game with only ten points scored. But the most impressive thing they did, was hold the butchers in check with their defense and handed them their only loss so far. Their next two games are against the 1-3 wraiths and then the 4-0 Otters. I know the Wraiths are 1-3, but they had some close tough losses on the road, so not a team to over look, and then the have the top team next. Going to be a tough two games. They could end up 2-4 after these games.
Top Number Six Team : Philadelphia Liberty 2-2
This team could maybe be put ahead of the Sailfish based on their points for and against. They have a positive point ratio, scoring 115 points overall(third highest) and allowing 110 points, fourth most allowed. If they can get their defense figured out, they could definitely find a way to get in the positive side for the wins. Another team that is 2-2 and all the teams they have played so far are also 2-2. Next two games are against the Yeti, 3-1, and then the Wraiths, 1-3, so potentially a very tough two games. How they come out of this little stretch will be telling to where the team is going for the rest of the season. The fact that they can put up points is very encouraging going forwards though, hard to win if you aren't scoring points.
Top Number Seven Team : San Jose Sabercats 2-2
Yep, you guessed it, another 2-2 team. So many teams at .500. I guess that means there is some level of parity over all in the sim. They have had more points scored on them than they have scored, having scored only 99 points so far and allowing 106 points on defense. Not a great way to get the wins, but one of their losses did come at the hands of the current number one team, those pesky Otters. And one of their wins was against the Outlaws, so hard to say if this team can regain their winning ways from last season and get back to the playoffs. Their next two games are against the 2-2 copperheads and then the 0-4 Silverbacks, so they have a chance to at least try to maintain their .500 record or improve it even. I do not feel like this team is the same team that managed to win it all last season though, but again a few more games should help us all see where teams really are.
Top Number Eight Team : Yellowknife Wraiths 1-3
Yes, I am aware there are still multiple teams with a 2-2 record, but I feel this team is better balanced than the others and had some bad luck. They do have a close ratio, one of the closest in fact out of the 2-2 teams who had a negative ratio. They have scored 84 points but only allowed 90 total. So very close to a positive ratio, and if they can get their offense sorted out they have a shot at getting back on track towards a winning record. One reason I have them higher than some other teams, is they have already had three away games, let's be real, we all know the sim hates teams that are away. Surprisingly, all three losses happened while away, one of those against the 3-1 Butchers who only won by four points at home. So the team can compete, but a less than favorable opening schedule and some offensive hiccups early on have got them starting in the hole. They do face a string of 2-2 teams coming up, with three home games and one away game in the next four games. If they can win the home games and lose the away game they would get to .500 after those games and have a shot at moving up a bit on the big board.
That wraps up my super early season team rankings page. It is really hard to rank the middle nine teams, with eight 2-2 teams and the one included 1-3 team. You could argue different reasons why almost any team deserves to be higher or lower than they are and most likely have a good case. After the games the rest of the real week are played, we can do a mid season ranking that will hopefully be a little clearer who belongs where. Plus we will get to see more of the offenses and defenses playing more teams.
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