S2 - Ultimus Week

[manicmav36]

Offensive Comparison: Compare one offensive player from each team in a series. Can be completed at any point

For the offensive comparison, I chose to compare Darlane Farlane of the Baltimore Hawks and Reg Mackworthy of the Arizona Outlaws. At the beginning of the season, Farlane and Mackworthy were coming from very different places. Mackworthy was 1a in a running back by committee who was recently promoted to lead back with his 1b (Jack Durden) moving to San Jose, while Farlane was a fresh-faced rookie taken in the fifth round. Mackworthy was an Ultimus Bowl Champion while Farlane had never played a game. Now, 14 games later, they are facing off on the biggest stage, the second ever Ultimus Bowl.

After being only the second running back taken in the season 2 draft, Farlane quickly got to work in the Hawks facilities and showed the staff that he deserved to earn the starting spot, wrestling it away from incumbent Marcus Robinson who had rushed for over 800 miles in season 1, but had since gone inactive. Farlane quickly rewarded the Hawks front office for their faith by leading the NSFL in yards, with 1267 yards on 376 carries, and 5 touchdowns. HE also added 16 receptions for 122 yards.

Mackworthy also did his best to prove his believers were correct in sticking with him for their bell cow. He finished the year with 1089 yards on 333 carries. While he averaged .1 yards less per carry than Farlane, he scored more touchdowns (7), had more receptions (27), more receiving yards (206), and more receiving touchdowns (3). While Farlane has a fantastic season, especially for a rookie, the slight edge has to go to Mackworthy for his better all-around play.


Defensive Comparison: Compare one defensive player from each team in a series. Can be completed at any point

For my defensive comparison, I chose linebacker for the Arizona Outlaws Harrif Ernston and linebacker for the Baltimore Hawks, Erasmo Broadway. Ernston, who is the self-proclaimed “best linebacker in the NSFL” and Broadway, a quiet, unassuming man, could not be further from each other in personality, yet both have had a massive impact on the field this year.

Harrif Ernston finished the season with 110 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 16 sacks, and 9 passes defended. In the turnover department, Ernston finished with 5 interceptions, 1 forced fumble, and 2 fumbles recovered. Although he finished second on his team in tackles, he more than made up for it by his impressive all-around style of play.

Erasmo Broadway the season with 115 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, and 13 passes defended. In the turnover department, he finished with 3 interceptions, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovered, and 1 safety. Much like his counter-part, Ernston, Broadway finished second on his team in tackles (by only 1) but truly contributed in an almost reckless style of play, making plays all over the field.

Ernston has the edge in sacks, interceptions, and fumbles recovered, while Broadway has the edge in tackles, passes defended, and safeties. Although this competition in basically a wash, I would have to give an incredibly slight edge to Ernston.


Future Talent: Write about which S3 waiver pickup will or did have the biggest impact in the playoffs. Can be written at any time depending on if you choose to write about who already has or who will do good

JD Boom, a defensive end, that converted to defensive tackle for the Baltimore Hawks, will have the biggest impact of any season 3 prospect in the playoffs. Despite only playing in 11 games in the regular season, Boom finished with an impressive 40 tackles, 7 sacks, and 1 forced fumble. His 7 sacks led all season 3 prospects and is a fantastic sign of things to come. In his first post- season game ever, Boom finished third on the team in tackles with 4, and tied for first on the team in sacks with 1, while also continually pressuring the quarterback. Although his final test as a Hawk will be against the second rated offensive line of the Arizona Outlaws, Boom is up for the task.

The Hawks already had a good front 4 with Hendrix, Metas, and an occasional solid performance from Taylor but, with the addition of Boom, the Hawks front 4 became great. Add to that the phenomenal performance of linebackers Broadway and Harrison, and you have one of the best front 7s in the NSFL. Although the chances of Boom still being available when the Hawks take their first pick are low, I’m sure the Hawks would love to keep him. One defensive end (and Hawk) to another, I wish him the best of luck!


Playoff Recap Infographic: Make a graphic displaying the results of the playoffs. Must be completed after the Championship Game



Bottom Half: Write about why two of the four teams were not able to make the playoffs. Can be completed at any point
The Philadelphia Liberty were a trendy choice to finish in last place in the NSFL before the season started. Being an expansion team, they were clearly at an early disadvantage. While the other expansion team, the Las Vegas Legion, traded away their future for players that were already established in the league, the Liberty built a team the old-fashioned way, through the draft. At the end of their first seasons, it seems that the Liberty made the right choice. Although they struggled mightily early on, the young team built themselves up quickly and soon become a solid team in the NSFC. Unfortunately, they seemed to be missing a very important piece, an offensive line. The Liberty finished the season ranked sixth out of 8 teams in pancakes. Not terrible, right? It gets much worse. At the end of the season, the Liberty sat in dead last for sacks allowed. With 65 sacks allowed, quarterback J. Christ had been sacked 10 more times than the next quarterback, and more than triple the amount of times Yellowknife QB C. Orosz was. Their struggles on the offensive line are most likely the main reason they finished last in rushing yards as well.

The other team I would like to take a look at would be the Las Vegas Legion. Although they had a few bright spots on their team this year, their struggles are well known. Much like their fellow expansion team, a lot of their offensive woes can be blamed on a struggling offensive line. The Legion fared better than their fellow expansion team and allowed only 48 sacks on the year, good enough to put them in sixth place. However, they finished with least amount of pancake blocks in the league, with only 187. League leading Yellowknife had exactly 300. Another big contributing factor would be the play of quarterback Bercovici, who only completed 48.1% of his passes and threw 23 interceptions. Whether he or his line was more to blame for his play has yet to be seen.