S2 - Ultimus Week

[HalfEatenOnionBagel]

Playoff Series MVP: Choose an MVP for one of the playoff series and write about why you chose them. Must be completed after the playoff series you write about

Whenever a defense plays lights out in a game like the Outlaws did in the Ultimus, it can be very difficult to select an MVP. A performance like that requires a full team effort and it’s hard to say it all fell on one player unlike when a QB rallies a team to a comeback or a running back carries the team on his back throughout a game. But, if there was one player who did the most in this game on defense it has to be Outlaws DE Dental Dam. Dam is a huge inspiration to his teammates and is very active in the league; he has been a leader for his team the whole season and a big part of why they made it to the Ultimus Game in the first place. In the Championship he had 3 tackles, including one TFL, one sack and a safety. And this came against a Baltimore team that prided itself on the strength and depth of its offensive line, but against Dam and this feisty Outlaws defense, it was all for naught. Dam’s safety came late in the game and at that point it was the nail in the coffin. A safety alone is difficult to get, but the Outlaws were able to get two in this game!


Bottom Half: Write about why two of the four teams were not able to make the playoffs. Can be completed at any point

It seems silly to me to write about the two expansion teams missing out on the playoffs because we knew both if those teams are still building up and had a low chance of a playoff run, so I will be discussing the Yeti and Sabercats.

The Yeti have to be disappointed with the way their season ended, being left out of the playoffs due to a tiebreaker after making it all the way to the Ultimus game last season. Statistically, the defense was still fantastic and the addition of Blaster Blade in the S2 draft definitely helped to push this defense to the next level. The reason this team really struggled comes down to troubles on offense. The offensive line was one of the worst and certainly led to the poor season Noble had despite being one of the most gifted quarterbacks in the league. Hendrix and Tweed still had pretty good seasons, but it was clear that when another team was able to jump out to a lead, the Yeti just couldn’t keep up.

The Sabercats struggled this season for perhaps the complete opposite reason that the Yeti did. Lots of reports claimed that the team was having trouble keeping players active in the locker room and just dealing with a dark cloud that hung over the team in general. Despite a poor showing in S1, there was a lot of optimism for this season and new talent on both sides of the ball in the draft. But, that hope dissolved quickly and when two of the team’s best players departed for Yellowknife via trade with one being by demand, you could tell there was trouble. The newly acquired Smallwood looks like he is becoming a capable leader to rally this team through some tough season ahead before they can rebuild and help in the form of a new co GM could have this team on track, but for now only time will tell.


Playoff Review: Write a short review of the playoffs and each of the matchups. Must be completed after the Championship Game

The NSFC Championship game was likely the most anticipated matchup of the playoffs. So much controversy surrounded the Hawks season and despite a hot start, the Hawks had fallen off recently compared to the Wraiths who added quite a bit of talent with some trades during the season. But, the Hawks defense came to play in Baltimore, absolutely smothering the usually prolific Yellowknife offense and leading to a very narrow victory to push the Hawks to the Ultimus Game.

Although most people expected the ASFC championship to be much less exciting, it also ended up being a very close game with the Outlaws winning by only 4 points. A late touchdown by Westfield gave the Otters some hope of a comeback, but it was all for naught. The Otters defense really gave everything they could, picking off King Bronko three times, but in the end the Outlaws showed why they’re still the team to beat in the NSFL.

The Ultimus game was an atrocity. Outlaws came out firing and didn’t let the foot off the gas in this one, absolutely embarrassing the Hawks. The Baltimore offensive line couldn’t block their way out of a paper bag as Arizona was able to get TWO safeties in this game, but by the time they had gotten the first one you could tell the game was basically over. If it wasn’t for Turkleton and the Outlaws resting their starters to finish the game, this could have easily been a shutout. After two straight Ultimus victories in dominating fashion, a stash of first round draft picks for the future and a dedicated roster, you have to wonder if this is going to become the norm for the league for the foreseeable future no matter who the NSFC sends.


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

One of the best S3 waiver pickups of this season is a player whose name is pretty well known in the league in just a short time and that is J.D. Boom. In a league where top offensive and defensive line talent can be hard to come by, winning the battle in the trenches is a key part of being successful. Boom started in every game for the Hawks this season, posting 40 tackles, 7 sacks and a forced fumble. He has also been very active in the league and has had a great showing so far in the S3 prospects series.

But, when it really mattered in the playoffs, Boom continued to shine. In the NSFC championship game, the Hawks defense had a difficult assignment going against the best offense in the league which boasts an amazing offensive line. The Hawks defense was up to the challenge though, holding the Wraiths to what has to be one of their lowest yardage totals of the season. Boom was able to get four tackles but also managed to get a sack against a team that barely gave up more than one a game in the regular season. Boom didn’t fare as well in the Ultimus game, but the entire team looked flat against the dominant Outlaws. However, Boom is going to be extremely high on draft boards for the S3 draft and he should continue to dominate wherever he lands.


Championship Game Recap: Do a recap of the best play from the championship game. Must be completed after the Championship Game

The most important play of the game came in the second quarter. Already down, the Hawks were in a tight spot after a bad kickoff return had them starting their drive within their own ten yard line. Despite their great rushing attack this season, the Hawks opted to pass on first down, but Kyubee was taken down hard on a sack by Isaiah Rashad. Now at their own 2 yard line, you would have expected the Hawks to try and make some room with a run, but again they decided to try through the air. Whether this was a foolish decision by a distraught coaching staff or simply a result of a clearly concussed quarterback from the last hit he took is still unsure, but it was clearly the wrong choice in this situation. Kyubee took the snap on second down, but his receivers were all completely covered. Kyubee could sense the pressure coming, but when a beast of a defensive tackle like Arbin Asipi gets through the line there's not much you can do. Kyubee was taken down hard again for a safety. Although the Outlaws put this one away pretty quickly, there was still a lot of hope for the Hawks to get back in the game until this safety. At this point, it was pretty clear that the Hawks were completely and hopelessly overmatched in this contest. This score put the game out of reach for Baltimore as they failed to score even 7 points in the game. Asipi was recently extended by the Outlaws and plays like this are why the team loves him so much.