(S25) - PT 5 - Playoffs? You Kidding Me?

[Cincyfan96]

In Berlin, while the players and fans undoubtedly wanted to make a splash in their inaugural season, the expectation was not that they would be a playoff team this year. It is year one of an expansion team with a first year quarterback and many "green" players just getting their feet wet in the ISFL. There is, however, much to be excited for about this team. The defense, for one, has played above their years, keeping the team in many games they were no supposed to be competitive in. Holding the Sailfish to 10 points week two was a huge win for the defense, highlighting just how dominant this group looks to become. However, in that game and so many others the offense was unable to uphold its end of the bargain, scoring only 6 points. This brings us to the needed improvements on the team. While the defense surely has some shortcomings, the offense needs to be a priority this offseason. While Nick Kaepercolin promises to be better with a full ISFL season and offseason under his belt, he needs better protection on the offensive line and more production from his running backs in order to take some pressure off of him, both mentally and literally! When you look at this roster, there are very few holes; it is just a young team that needs more experience to be able to get over the hump. If management can keep this young core together through a couple of difficult, learning seasons, this could truly be a team worth watching as a perennial playoff contender for the next decade. I have high hopes for this crew; we'll see if we can make it happen!