(S1) - Ultimus Week

[kckolbe]

With the Ultimus Trophy up for grabs this week for the first time in league history, two players have an unprecedented chance for immortality in the NSFL: Logan Noble and Vincent Draxel. Every once in a while, I feel a sharp pain in my side at two realizations.

Painful realization number one: There is way too much focus on quarterbacks in pro football.
Painful realization number two: I am part of that problem.

Both the Yetis and the Outlaws have had success in the passing game, both in moving the ball and getting into the end zone, but the two captains have gotten their in different ways that define their approach and even team philosophy. The Yetis, led by Noble, have plodded down the field like the lumbering beasts of their logo, opting for shorter, higher percentage plays and avoiding unnecessary risks. The Outlaws, as their name would suggest, have gone the other route, airing it downfield and gambling for big plays. As a result, Noble has fewer yards and touchdowns (despite more attempts), but also a great deal fewer interceptions. Draxel, meanwhile, has had the bigger plays, with more yards and touchdowns, but also a lot more interceptions.
Come game time, the question will be not which quarterback is better, but whether success is attained through avoiding mistakes or through making plays. I can’t wait to find out.

*****

Does defense win championships? If so, then the Arizona Outlaws certainly seem to have the advantage, but having just looked at the opposing quarterbacks, let’s change sides of the ball and look at the two people looking to shut down those passers, the Colorado Yetis’ Alex Hayden and the Arizona Outlaws’ Jason Williams.

Hayden has been all over the field in Season One, amassing 63 tackles with one tackle for loss (both second among cornerbacks), 4 interceptions (also second among cornerbacks) and 18 passes deflected (first among cornerbacks). It shouldn’t surprise anyone to hear that Hayden is a premier player at his position, arguably THE premier cornerback. Just as with quarterbacks, Hayden is as imposing a player that the Yeti logo brings to mind.

However, let’s talk about Jason Williams. Despite having the superior defense, many feel that Williams is nowhere near the cornerback that Hayden is, and I understand why. His 44 tackles place him 11th among cornerbacks (though a large part of this is that his teammates tend to just get there first), his 10 passes deflected rank him 6th, and his 5 interceptions (highest overall) is only one more than Hayden has. If the two of these players had another 14 games to match up, I’d agree that Hayden would be superior. However, this championship will be decided in one game, and over the course of one game, Williams is scary. There is one other stat I haven’t mentioned, and it is a big one: touchdowns. Williams leads the league in defensive touchdowns with three, giving him about a 21% chance of scoring a touchdown in any given game. Hayden has 0. When you think Outlaws, you have to think of Williams. He’s not going to try and get you off the field so someone else can score, he is going to take that ball from you and do it himself. He will take a single mistake and change the game with it. And if I am under center, that scares me a lot more.

*****

In a six team league, there were only two teams that didn’t get to experience the playoffs this year, only two teams that didn’t get to feel the rush of single elimination. Only two teams that went home early.

Only in pro sports does the term “going home early” connote disappointment. It’s a phrase that players of the Baltimore Hawks and the San Jose Saber Cats know all too well. But why were only they hit by this misfortune? Was it bad luck? Lack of talent? I would argue it was poor preparation and a culture of short-sightedness.

It’s tempting to leave it at that and go home early myself. In sports, that phrase may mean sadness, but for a sports writer, it means a nap before dinner. However, there is something that “going home early should mean for both myself and the front offices in Baltimore and San Jose, namely, getting ahead for tomorrow.

Which teams would you say would be the most prepared for Season Two? Did you say the Hawks and Saber Cats? I hope not, because articles can’t hear. Also, you’d be wrong. There are only two teams that existed last year that have not started interviewing players for the coming year. Only in Baltimore and San Jose have future rosters not been addressed. Despite having the longest offseason, those two teams haven’t had the time to prepare. How much do you think they prepared for their opponents?

[Bengals1Fan]

Bottom Third

The San Jose Sabercats have missed the first playoffs of the NSFL history and do so with heavy hearts. At 4-7 the San Jose faithful expected more from the team, but with a QB and GM controversy striking mid-season, understood what happened and look forward to next year. With GM Perkrules going inactive mid-season the Sabercats future was in jeopardy. The QB for the Sabercats would be taking a step back from the NSFL as a whole, and with the season already looking on the downside, management in San Jose decided to try and prevent future losing seasons by acquiring quarterback Ethan Hunt, however, Hunt has no loyalty in San Jose and has decided to leave the organization high and dry. This has no doubt affected other aspects of the team, as they have been informed by back Vick Bowers Jr. that he would like to move on from the organization. While the team is on the outside looking in now, strong leadership like CK and Ben Longshaw will look to lead the Sabercats into the playoffs in Season Two, and will need to fight hard if that is their intention. The draft will also be a big factor for the team, as they will need to reload on offensive weapons.

211 Words

Offensive Comparison

Today we'll look at the comparisons between the two backs in San Jose last season, and what the reasoning the Sabercats had for keeping both of them. Vick Bowers Jr. will be leaving the team through free agency, and Demetrius Wiley has retired from the NSFL all together. The backs accounted for a large chunk of the Sabercats offense, but why have both of them on board?

Vick Bowers Jr. was a quick cut back who also could lower the head and get the yards that he needed when he needed them. As a larger back, Bowers Jr. was quick in the breakaway burst, but needed to have someone to off-set this power in order to keep opposing defenses from stacking the box against him. Howe did the Sabercats do that?

They added Demetrius Wiley, the smaller and more agile quick cut back. Wiley provided a much needed change of pace for the Sabercats offense, and gave the unit and Bowers Jr. a break at times, which would allow him to keep his legs fresh. Wiley also was more of a recieving threat then Bowers Jr. out of the backfield, and gave the team the option to spread the defense so the box wouldn't get loaded.

NFL Comparions: Legarrette Blount and James White

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[RavensFanFromOntario]

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

Josh Garden and Kendrick Hendrix are among the top receivers in the league. Each is their team's number one guy and posted fantastic numbers. A little known controversy is that each receiver represents an opposing rival cleat brand. Garden represented the BBB (Big Baller Brand) being sponsored by LaVarr Ball calling him the "GREATEST FOOTBALL PLAYER OF ALL TIME, JERRY RICE AIN'T GOT SHIT MOTHA F*CKA!" The more humble Hendrix quietly represents Under Armor alongside names like Steph Curry. While one is powered by crack cocaine the other is powered by hard work and dedication. Garden posted nearly 1200 yards this year, leading the league despite his obvious nutritional deficiencies, Hendrix saw 868 yards with his excellent training regime. Not only did Garden, the naturally talented, if troubled receiver, lead the league in receptions, no, if that wasn't enough he led the league in touchdown receptions with 7. A do-it-all man Garden took over in every way imaginable and it's essentially impossible to even compare him to anybody, league wide. Hendrix is a fantastic player in his own right but Garden has taken over and will likely be the most memorable wide receiver in league history but Kendrix is on his way to a hall of fame career path.

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

The defensive MVPs of each team in the Colorado Yeti and Yellowknife Wraiths series play vastly different roles but fill their team's needs to a tee. Mark Ramrio, now of the Las Vegas Legion, was arguably the best defensive tackle in the league, if not top two. He posted incredible numbers of 14 sacks, 57 tackles, a tackle for a loss, a forced fumble, and last but certainly not least, a blocked punt. Ramrio put up incredible numbers, the likes of which he hopes to repeat again on a new expansion team, especially with the premium price paid to acquire him from the Wraiths. The Yeti Defensive MVP played a different position, and a slightly different style, but his main priority was the same, get to the quarterback. Johnathon Saint of the Colorado Yeti was a defensive monster and, in this writer's opinion, the defensive MVP of the season. An overall monster, Saint took the league by storm despite his low draft position and put up numbers nobody expected. Now firmly entrenched in a monstrous linebacker corps, Saint figures to continue to be in the running for DPOY season by season with the amazing supporting cast around him. Watch out for both players as they progress further into their respective careers.

Bottom Third: Write about why the Baltimore Hawks and/or San Jose Sabercats were not able to make the playoffs. Can be completed at any point

The San Jose Sabercats did not make the playoffs for a myriad of reasons. Among them, a lack of motivation by players and inspiration by team leaders seems to be chief. Many Sabercat players seem to have spent the season cashing their cheques and giving up on the season as it slowly turned from maybe we'll be kind of halfway decent to oh god, this is a shit show make it stop kind of season. New management CKRoyal has done an excellent job recouping picks for his disappointing players in an attempt to change the faces of the franchise and the overall attitude problems that permeated a stink across his franchise's overall name. No matter how you see it this franchise needed a face lift from their disappointing season, where talent did not lead to production as some may have expected. This team was essentially the Jacksonville Jaguars of the NSFL. Being, primarily, a hockey sports writer, when it comes to teams like this there's a word bandied about that many feel is overused or un-quantifiable is character. There's certain characteristics that help a team band together through tough times and prevail over odds, seemingly unstoppable, that was definitely lack with the Sabercats this season.

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

The NSFC championship for the Glacies Trophy was between two fierce competitors in the Yellowknife Wraiths and the Colorado Yeti. These are two teams who all year were battling for the top of the division and home field advantage came down to the last game of the year. The game's first points were tallied by Archibald Booter, the kicking phenom for the Wraiths who nailed a 43 yarder. Bojo Kicksit matched that to tie it up. Booter nailed a 32 yarder to give his team the lead. DJ Law caught an 11 yard pass to put the Yeti ahead. Then Bojo nailed a 57 yarder to seal Yellowknife's fate. The AFSC Championship was between the Otters and Outlaws. It was an incredibly close affair until the final 3 minutes. Westfield caught a 10 yard pass from Boss to put the Otters within 2 at a score of 15-13. Then the impossible happened. Kickoff return by Stormblessed, the speed phenom now of the Las Vegas Legion, returned for 97 yards. 2 picks thrown, 1 pick 6. Another touchdown by Reg Mackworthy and it became 36-13 in that tiny 3 minute 1 second time frame as the Outlaws punched their ticket to the finals vs the Yeti. The Ultimus Trophy battle wasn't even close. The Outlaws smashed the Yeti around like ragdolls. Noble who has been a good game manager all season threw a pick 6 right off the bat and it only went down hill from there. Noble ended up with a 49.3 quarterback rating and had a dismal affair of the entire night and was essentially the reason his team lost.

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

Logan Noble drops back in the pocket, during the most important game of his life. He goes through the progressions, switching from Hendrix to Law. He sees Gucci streaking up the middle and tosses a bullet pass right to him. If he gets this, it will be a touchdown, nobody can stop Gucci now... EXCEPT RYAN FLOCK OUT OF NOWHERE! The free safety Ryan Flock after an outstanding first season in the league has come out and snagged a first quarter interception in the finals! It does not get bigger than this. He's at the 24 yard line and running, the blocking looks incredible. Jaylon Lee has tied up two opposing players by himself! Noble throws his hands up in the air, in disbelief. Flock is running, he jukes left past Law, spin moves past Hendrix, he points at opposing GM Wyatt Fulton as he strides into the end zone for a first quarter interception touchdown in the first ever Ultimus Trophy showdown, the NSFL finals. It does not get any bigger than this folks, what a play by Ryan Flock. You'll be betting this is going to come up during contract time. This type of play is going into the history books as the most clutch moment this league has seen so far!

[jordan327]

Offensive Comparison:

Offensive Comparison(written): Throughout the 2017 season, running backs of the league have shown that compared to the NFL, runningbacks are much more important than quarterbacks. No QB threw for over 3000 yards, however two back ran for over 1000. I'll be comparing Bubba Nuck, one of the 1000 yards barrier breakers, along with Boss Tweed of the Colorado Yeti. While they are the top two backs in the league, it seems as though Nuck has a clear edge. Nuck outgained Tweed 1218 rushing yards to 547, a gap of over 600 yards. This disparity wasn't just due to more carries because Nuck averaged a solid 4.4 yards per carry while Tweed only earned 3.7 yards per carry. Nuck also ran into the end zone six times compared to a disappointing one for Tweed. The players are relativity similar on the receiving end, with both catching for 50 something yards. Overall, Nuck is definitely the superior back, and likely going to carry his team to victory. Words: 205

S2 Impact Player
Each team in the league has a few players they've picked up from the waiver wire. These players are all future professional athletes who didn't fill out paper work in time for the draft so they'll have to play for smaller one year contracts and enter the league next season. One of these players is Dermot Lavelle, cornerback for the Yellowknife Wraiths. Lavelle has been one of the top defensive backs during this season, despite not having all the opportunities of the players who were in the season one draft. Lavelle will be one of the top performers during these playoffs because of the great play that he's shown during the regular season. During the regular season, Lavelle was tied for second in interceptions for all cornerbacks. Lavelle was also tied for second in passes defensed in the league, and was first for cornerbacks. Lavelle was also 5th in tackles for cornerbacks with 57 tackles. All of these statistics are reasons why Lavelle will make a huge impact in the season one playoffs. Expect him to be part of a strong defensive back squad against the Yeti that will take the ball away. I expect Lavelle to have at least 2 passes defensed and an interception in every playoff game he plays.
Words: 212

Defensive Comparison
While they don't always get all the glory, defensive leaders are essential for teams to be successful in the National Simulation Football League. Two of these players that have helped lead their teams to battle in the playoffs are Harrif Ernston of the Arizona Outlaws and Johnathon Saint of the Colorado Yeti. Both of these linebackers are considered to be top defensive players in the league. Johnathon Saint of the Yeti has fourteen sacks on the year, which puts him at first for linebackers and second for all defensive players. Ernston isn't far behind, with 12 sacks putting him at second for linebackers. Both of these players are also tackling machines. Saint is at 6th in tackles while Ernston is at 10th. These players can also make bit time, game changing plays. Saint has forced two fumbles on the year, giving his team an extra two opportunities to get on offense. Ernston is even better in this department, with an amazing three fumbles forced and three fumbles recovered. Just the recovered fumbles give the offense an extra 21 possible points if they can use the field position and turn it into a touchdown. Tonight, we'll see which of these fantastic linebackers can lead their team to victory and earn the very first Ultimus cup.
Words: 214

Playoff Recap:

[jparks98]

Bottom Third
The Baltimore Hawks were absolutely atrocious this season. They ended the season with a 4-10 record and missed out on a playoff berth. A strong preseason had many people thinking that the Hawks would be a shoe-in for the playoffs. That was not the case though as the Hawks performed terribly on every level, especially on defense. They allowed 330 points through 14 games which was by far the worst points allowed in the league. One of the main problems the team had was creating pressure on the quarterback. They were in last place in terms of sacks with 36. The next best was the San Jose Sabercats, who was 4-10 also, with 56 sacks. On offense, the Baltimore Hawks were very middling at most. This was due to a terrible run game which can completely break down an offense. They were the worst rushing team in the league. They were last in rushing yards and yards per carry with 1369 and 3.4, respectively. They managed to end 3rd place in the points scored with 254. This at least shows that the Hawks did some things right and that they have something to build off of for next season. The Baltimore Hawks had a middle of the road offense and a horrific defense and that is definitely not the makings of a good team

Offensive Comparison: Tim Pest vs Bender Rodriguez
In the inaugural championship game, people will be looking at the defenses in the game, but you can't win 0-0. So now you need offense and but the offense can't move without an offensive line. So for the inaugural Ultimus trophy, the Arizona Outlaws vs the Colorado Yeti will come down to the trenches. With sack and tackle artists on both teams, the line will be the players to watch in the game. The entire game will be reliant on Tim Pest vs Bender Rodriguez. These two players are the pseudo-leaders for their teams' respective lines. Both had great seasons this year. Bender Rodriguez picked up 57 pancakes this year to help the Yeti have a good, consistent offense. Tim Pest was a waiver pickup for the Outlaws and he managed to get 41 pancakes this year. What Bender has in consistently good play, Tim has in dynamic play. Bender Rodriguez only gave up 6 sacks this and Tim Pest gave up 12. Both are great run blockers and good pass blockers but I have to give the edge to Bender Rodriguez due to experience but Tim Pest has unlimited potential. Games are won in the trenches and Bender Rodriguez and Tim Pest are looking to lead their team to victory

Defensive Comparison: Phillipe Carter vs Myran Jackson
Myran Jackson vs Phillipe Carter. The 6th overall pick vs the 3rd. Safety vs Cornerback. They were the first two defensive backs taken in the 1st ever NSFL draft. Myran Jackson was on the best team in ASFC. Phillipe Carter was on the best team in NSFC. They will meet on Monday to see who will host up the inaugural Ultimus Trophy. Before the regular season, they were expected to be great players on bottom dweller teams. During the regular season, they had similar statistics as there was only one tackle that separated Carter and Jackson with 56 and 55 respectively. When the season ended it became clear that Phillipe Carter was the better player; he had 4 interceptions while Jackson did not get a single pick. They were on the two best teams in the league and again performed similarly in their respective playoff games. The Colorado Yeti and the Arizona Outlaws had some of the best defense in the league; Jackson and Carter were the leaders of those teams. With one last game in the season, both players are looking to prove they deserve their high selections in the draft and that they are better than the other. I imagine this season was only a glimpse of one of the great rivalries to come.

S2 Impact Player: Rich Gucci


Playoff MVP: Vinny Cox
The Colorado Yeti shocked many when they made it not only to the playoffs but all the way to the championship game. Even though the Yeti preaches a team atmosphere, one guy deserves all of the credit for their amazing playoff run. That player is Vinny Cox. Cox had a great regular season and he will be a pro-bowler. In the playoffs, he was even better and was unquestionably their playoff leader. In the first playoff game against the Wraiths, the Yeti defense held the players of Yellowknife without a touchdown. In that game, Cox recorded 5 tackles, a tackle for loss, and a sack. This performance helped the Yeti win against the Wraiths 13-6. In the Championship game, Vinny Cox once again had an outstanding defensive performance against the Arizona Outlaws. He racked up 6 tackles, 3 sacks, and a tackle for loss. One of those sacks was a game changer for the defense. They only gave up 7 points after Cox made that play. Unfortunately, Vinny Cox’s performance was not enough because the Yeti lost 29-6. Vinny Cox’s play showed that he is an unquestionable leader for the Colorado Yeti and he was their playoff MVP for this season. After a performance like that, it not surprising at all that the Yeti gave him a contract extension.

[deadendpath27]

5/5

Offensive Comparison: TEs Ricky Maddox and Rich Gucci: NSFC Conference Championship

This conference championship between the Wraiths and Yeti looks very one-sided from the stat-sheet. The Yeti dominated with 17 first downs, 10/21 3rd down conversions, and around 13-minutes longer time of possession. The scoreboard, however, tells a different story. The game ended in a 13 - 6 victory for Colorado and they went on to the NSFL Championship.

The game was up for grabs until the Yeti sealed the deal in the 3rd quarter, and a big reason for the Yeti's success was their passing game. TE Rich Gucci and QB Logan Noble were on the same page all day, connecting 6 times for 32 yards. Rich Gucci was a big factor in the Yeti picking up so many 1st downs by constantly moving the chains a bit, and his sure hands helped to get Noble's passer-rating to a nice 93.2 for this game Gucci's 3 pancakes ultimately helped lead a potent Yeti rushing attack which gained 132 yards on the day. A very well-rounded multi-dimensional performance for the young TE.

For the Wraiths, it was hard for QB Chris Orosz to find his receivers, having only completed 11 passes in the outing. Ricky Maddox, while only being targeted a few times, still managed to haul in two solid bombs for 18 and 11 yards. He ended his day with a loss and maybe a disappointing performance by his standards, but it goes to show that while under pressure, his QB could rely on him and he could convert each of his receptions into 1st downs at 14+ yards per reception. Ricky Maddox is a serious threat in the passing game, and with more targets, could put up scary numbers.

278 words

Defensive Comparison: CBs Philippe Carter and Dirk Cutter: NSFC Conference Championship

On defense, this was a showdown between some of the top Cornerbacks of the NSFL. The potent aerial attack of the Wraiths coming to town meant Colorado's CB Philippe Carter had to prepare. Carter put in a lot of work at the training facility and upgraded speed (80) and intelligence (72) before the beginning of the playoffs. This proved to be a great improvement for Carter as he had lock-down coverage all day, whether lining up against All-Pro Josh Garden, or one of the better #2's in LeClair. Carter stepped up to the challenge, and with fellow CB Alex Hayden, they were able to completely shut down the volatile passing game of the Wraiths in a dominant fashion.

This was somewhat of a coming out party for Carter, having been overshadowed and sometimes being unfavorably matched up with explosive WRs. In this playoff meeting, Carter showed why he was picked in the first round, and why his work ethic can make a difference.

In contrast, Wraiths CB Dirk Cutter has not trained his intelligence, and it showed when the Yeti passing game which is sometimes anemic still managed to toss up 229 and a TD. Cutter was not entirely absent from the meeting as he did manage to draw two penalties which made big differences for the Yeti, and also managed to swat down one of Logan Noble's passes. If I'm Cutter heading into S2, I'm going to put everything I've got into intelligence.

244 words

Defensive Comparison: Dirk Cutter vs. Philippe Carter



Playoff Series MVP: CB Jason Williams: ASFC Conference Championship

If you didn't know it by now, Jason Williams of the Arizona Outlaws is the most prominent playmaker in the league, taking 2 of his 5 interceptions during S1 to the house for pick-sixes. He has a knack for being in the right place at the right time, and ultimately plays the ball better than some of the receivers he's tasked with covering. He's not the most athletic guy by any means, but can read a QB like a picture-book. His success wasn't just limited to the regular season...

In the ASFC showdown between powerhouses Arizona and Orange County, Williams was simply the difference maker. While teammate Jaylon Lee also had a huge game, I would give the game ball to Williams as he consistently got the best of opposing QB Mike Boss. It seems like whenever the Outlaws can put a decent amount of pressure on opposing QBs, Williams is there to take advantage of the bad passes and bad judgement. If you're facing this Outlaws defense, you better take notes from some of the more intelligent passers and learn to throw the ball away or try to scramble for a positive gain.

Let this be a lesson for other CBs to work on their football IQ (intelligence) as well at their athleticism. Jason Williams is a great example of a player who took the path less traveled and ended up benefiting hugely.

234 words

Championship Game Recap: Flock pick-6

This entire post is full of defensive backs, this DB arguably made the biggest difference for his team in the most important game of his career. FS Ryan Flock moved up in the box to cover WR Kendrick Hendrix in the slot. Quarterback Logan Noble was scrambling out of the pocket and evading would-be sacks while trying to find an open receiver downfield. A defender wrapped up Noble and as he was going down, he noticed his favorite target Hendrix was attempting to get open behind the LOS for a screen pass. This looked like a prime opportunity to convert on 3rd and long after forcing Arizona to punt the series before. With the game still tied at this point, Noble pulled the trigger and Hendrix was in a great position to possibly take it for a 1st down with a run-after-catch. At the last second, FS Ryan Flock swooped in and grabbed the pass right from Hendrix's hands and took it to the house while Hendrix desperately chased behind.

This set the tone for the rest of the game, as the Yeti failed to do much of anything in the passing game. Noble seemed shook by the pick-6 and looked like a shell of himself thereafter. This play was demoralizing, but shined a bright light on the Yeti's problems while facing the league's top defense.

226 words

[37thchamber]

Bottom Third
Despite boasting a reasonably strong offensive line -- rated middle of the pack by most pundits -- the Baltimore Hawks' failure to reach the playoffs seems to stem, at least in part, from a particular deficiency in that area. The significantly lower than average yards per rush attempt -- worst in the league, in fact -- picked up by the Hawks owes something to their questionable offensive line, it seems. While Sharpei and Weal are both accomplished tackles, providing solid protection to Scrub Kyubee under center from all but the best edge rushers in the league, the interior of the line does not boast such strength. This failure to establish the run placed additional pressure on the quarterback to produce, and we see a large number of failed third down conversions from the Hawks -- many coming from failed rush attempts leaving the offense in a tough situation.

Of course, the offensive line is not the only area of the team where improvement could be made, and especially with the departure of number one corner Matthew Peterson, the Hawks' secondary could use an upgrade. For all the talent he has, Antoine Delacour simply has not produced to the level many hoped he would, and though he leads all defensive backs in tackles, many of those are the result of repeatedly allowing (admittedly much taller) receivers to get the better of him. Should the Hawks address their offensive line concerns, however, and replace Peterson at the very least, they certainly have the personnel to make a run at the Ultimus.

(254 words)

Future Talent
Vincent Sharpei (OL) - @Muford
One of the best measures of a talented player is how they respond to adversity. In the case of Vincent Sharpei, that would be "very well". Spending this year on the struggling Hawks side, where he effectively single-handedly prevented the line from being categorically bottom of the league despite giving up eight sacks (joint third highest in the league among tackles) will have equipped the young offensive tackle for whatever lies ahead. Sources within the Hawks' locker room report that Sharpei's attitude has not once wavered, despite the difficulties the team has faced, making him a standout candidate for a future leader. It remains to be seen whether Sharpei will remain with the Hawks after the draft -- though it's perhaps a safe bet to assume the new GM will try to retain his talents -- but what is certain is that a difficult rookie year has now prepared him for the mental difficulties that he will inevitably face in professional football. Should he wind up at an expansion team, they will be picking up a highly rated tackle and a well-liked locker room presence which could be invaluable in their attempts to make the post-season. As for the post-season itself, the Hawks' offensive line was not terrible, and the highly intelligent Sharpei -- he is said to be one of the three most intelligent players on the Hawks' roster, and ranks in the 90th percentile in the entire league -- was their best all-round blocker. It's hard to imagine he wouldn't improve any team's line.

(252 words)

Offensive Comparison
Phelps (OCO) v Stormblessed (ARI)



Defensive Comparison
Shelton (YWK) vs Saint (COL)





Championship Game Recap

The inaugural NSFL Championship game was contested by the unlikely pair of the Arizona Outlaws and Colorado Yeti. Both teams had seemingly been widely considered underdogs for their conference championships against the Otters and Wraiths respectively, but nobody could argue they hadn't earned their places. Things started perhaps roughly as expected, with the two teams trading punts before Ryan Flock returned a Logan Noble pass for a touchdown. With the Yeti on the back foot, Noble attempted to pass on his next six touches of the ball, completing two, but being hindered by a series of dropped passes, followed by a chop block penalty on Rich Gucci. Gucci's eleven yard catch on the following play was not enough to give Noble a chance to get back into the groove of things. Before the quarter was done, the Yeti had held the Outlaws in the redzone, but couldn't prevent Arizona extending their lead to ten points.

This opening period perhaps set the tone for the entire game, as Noble -- perhaps out to prove a point, perhaps instructed by his coaches as the Yeti chased the game -- threw a total of thirty-four pass attempts, completing just sixteen for an accuracy rating just 47%, marginally higher than his 44% rate through the first quarter. Interestingly enough, the Outlaws also relied heavily on the passing game, though. Their rushing attempts rarely yielded much, making the game primarily an aerial duel. When Stormblessed hauled in a five yard pass to put the Outlaws three scores ahead -- Nugent's missed PAT not having much impact at this point -- it was hard to see how the Yeti would come back.

Two field goals before halftime would shorten the gap, but it was still a two score game, and Noble, struggling to connect with his passing already, was going to have to keep forcing the issue. The three-headed monster at runningback that the Yeti have simply failed to show up. The Outlaws have a fantastic linebacker corps, though, and between Stropko, Lee and Ernston, Tiernan and Tweed -- note the conspicuously absent O'Connell -- simply couldn't establish the run to help out their quarterback. Meanwhile, Stormblessed and Jefferson kept making decent gains through the air for Arizona, frequently getting the better of Hayden and Carter. In fact, the Outlaws' wideouts were so good on the day, the Yeti secondary failed to defend a single pass. It does beg the question, "What if the Outlaws hadn't dropped thirteen passes?"

Adrienne Nugent tacked on two more field goals in the third quarter, to give the Yeti a mountainous sixteen points to overcome in the final quarter, but two successive three-and-done possessions effectively ended things. Wes Washington made it a near certainty with a late touchdown before two sacks on the Yeti's next possession drove the point home.

It was a surprisingly lacklustre performance from the Yeti, though it was perhaps all shaped by those poor drops in the first quarter. Had the Yeti been able to play a little more freely on offense, establishing the run, mixing things up a bit, they may not have been so convincingly shutdown in the air.

(519 words)

[DollarAndADream]

Reserved

Written Points

Offensive Comparison: Compare one offensive player from each team in a series. COMPLETED
In the semi-finals between the Otters and Outlaws, both quarterbacks came out with very different results, despite having similar yardage and completions. For the Outlaws, Vincent Draxel was 19/33 on his attempts. He managed to put forth 183 yard, averaging 9.6. On top of that, he scored 1 touchdown, and in the end came out with a rating of 83.3.

Meanwhile, over on the Otters, we have QB Mike Boss. He was 17/41, and actually put up 190 yards, which was more than Draxel. He averaged 11.2, and scored 1 touchdown. The glaring mistakes he made were the end for the Otters though, where he threw 4 interceptions. He came out of the game with a rating of 24.5. For how many attempts Boss had, he really should have converted more, with only 17 out of 41.

In regards to touchdowns off of passes from the QB, there were only actually 1 from each team. Lincoln Jefferson converted off a pass from Vincent Draxel in the 2nd, and Bradley Westfield converted off a pass from Mike Boss in the 4th. The game was pretty even though, and both quarterbacks were decent up until the 4th quarter, where Arizona took over. They scored 3 touchdowns in the final 3 minutes to make this game look lopsided.

Defensive Comparison: Compare one defensive player from each team in a series. COMPLETED

Bottom Third: Write about why the Baltimore Hawks and/or San Jose Sabercats were not able to make the playoffs. Can be completed at any point

The reason the Baltimore Hawks did not make the playoffs is easy to me. Scrub Kyubee is just too scrubby. Sure, he had stats like a 58.3 completion percentage, among the best in the league, but he should have been even better. On top of that he had 253 completions, which was above the average as well. What he did do, however, was throw the 2nd most interceptions in the league, with 17.

Scrub Kyubee was just not good enough. I can not blame the defense. Scrub should have been running super speed away from his opponents tackles. He should have punched people in the face and threw them off of him if they came his way. How could he let anyone tackle him, let alone a 300+ lbs man? What a little bitch. Scrub needed to be better in that position.

Another area Scrub Kyubee should have been better in is his passing. He should have just thrown straight hail marys all the time, letting somebody like Cooper Christmas run to the TD of the other team. What a loser Scrub is, that he can't even throw 200 yards at once? Kyubee should have been able to spot guys that were not in a position to catch the ball, and throw to them anyways, right between their hands. Throw it like a cannon, so even if someone wanted to intercept it they would not have been able to touch that rocket.

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

Playoff Review: Write a short review of the playoffs and each of the matchups. COMPLETED

In regards to this season's playoffs, I can say that they were less than stellar. There was one team that was clearly better than the others, and that is none other than the Arizona Outlaws.

In the Outlaws game in the semi-finals, they killed the Otters 36-13. That's not a score you want to give up in the big show of the playoffs. Being the Otters, how can you let a team take it to you that hard in the dying minutes of a post-season game? In the final 3 minutes, it was 15-13 Arizona, and the Orange County Otters should have had some gas in the tank. But no, they let up a 97 yard kickoff return, a 7 yard run, and a 13 yard interception return. In the dying minutes of the conference finals, Orange County blew it and Arizona took over big time. They made it look dominant.

In the finals, the Outlaws faced off against the best from the other conference, which against Arizona did not seem challenging. They stormed out of the gates with a TD and a FG in the 1st, gaining a 10-0 lead. In the 2nd, they scored another TD to gain a 16-0 lead. Colorado would score a couple of FGs themselves, but that would only bring it to 16-6. Arizona would answer in the 3rd with 2 FGs, bringing it to 22-6, then adding another TD to end the game 29-6.

Overall, the playoffs didn't seem to look on paper too competitive, which isn't something you like to see. I hope other teams bring their A-games next season.

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

[HalfEatenOnionBagel]

Bottom Third: Write about why the Baltimore Hawks and/or San Jose Sabercats were not able to make the playoffs. Can be completed at any point

Despite a promising draft and a great start to the season, the Baltimore Hawks just absolutely collapsed and missed out on the playoffs. To me, the two components of their team that held them back from achieving greatness were what I believe are the two most important parts, the defense and the offensive line. Looking at the defense first, it was without a doubt the worst in the league, giving up the most yards and touchdowns. As NFL legend John Madden would say, “To win, you have to score more than the other team,” and that’s just impossible if your defense can’t slow anyone down. Looking at the offensive line reveals that the only player that was really active for this team the entire season was Vincent Sharpei, who will be entering the S2 draft, and not necessarily coming back to Baltimore in S2 as a result. The dearth of offensive lineman in the inaugural draft really shows with teams that failed to secure enough players to build a decent line and in Baltimore’s case it led to the lowest yards per carry in the league and a whole lot of difficulty on offense. So combine the inability to stop anyone on defense and the inability to go anywhere on offense and it’s easy to see how Baltimore fell so far once other teams started to gel. This team really needs to make some smart picks in the S2 draft to put the franchise back on track. We’ll see how much more draft capital they can gain as it looks like they have already started to make some trades to get extra picks.

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Future Talent: Write about which S2 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 most popular S2 waiver pickups in the upcoming draft will without a doubt be Greg Clegane and I really wanted to write about him but I have to talk about a player that completely overshadowed Clegane and the Otters in their playoff matchup with Arizona. That player is DE Blaster Blade of the Arizona Outlaws. In the divisional round, Blade and his defensive teammates absolutely ravaged the Otters’ offense, holding them to a mere 13 points and keeping what has been a very effective rushing attack this season to under 4 YPC. In the game, Blade himself managed four tackles, but made one of the biggest defensive plays of the playoffs by beating Angus Winchester for a sack when he hadn’t given one up the entire regular season. On a team with two other dynamic defensive ends, it would have been very difficult to stand out for any player, but Blade worked his way up and has to be considered one of the top 10 defensive ends in the league and certainly one of the top players in the S2 draft. He could be someone that one of the expansion teams can build their entire defense around. Plus he easily has one of the best names in the league, he’s probably in the top 10 for that as well. What’s not to like about this guy?

Word Count: 228

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

For the championship game, it is very difficult to choose an MVP. If I could I would give it to the entire Arizona defense who had a lights out performance overall and absolutely shut down star Colorado QB Logan Noble. One player very deserving of it is safety Ryan Flock who scored the early pick 6 that put Arizona ahead by enough to win the game within the first five minutes of play. But, Flock’s contributions seemed to be less after that play and it was clear that the Arizona defensive presence was felt the whole game. As a result, my MVP for the championship game has to be DE Jace Tuck who had an absolutely dominating performance. Tuck recorded 5 tackles (1 TFL) and 3 sacks. It was clear that he was beating the Colorado offensive line all night and disrupting their backfield on a regular basis, leading to a total collapse by the Yeti in a big spot. What was impressive about the Arizona defense was how they were clearly able to keep the pressure on the Yeti the entire game, not even allowing a score in garbage time in the fourth quarter. It was evident that Tuck especially and his teammates kept their motor going all game and through the finish line. Tuck’s effort in the championship game and this season will surely be remembered in the pages of NSFL history. He is very deserving of being the Championship game MVP.

Word count: 244


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

The Arizona Outlaws are the NSFL S1 champs! They put on two amazing performances against Orange County in the ASFC Championship and then Colorado in the NSFL Championship en route to winning it all. Here’s a quick rundown of each game.

NSFC Championship (Yellowknife vs Colorado): A really tight matchup between two solid teams. A lot of fans expected Yellowknife to be able to come out and dominate in this game, but it was the Yeti, led by star QB Logan Noble who controlled the game. Noble had an impressive performance with 229 yards and a TD to his favorite target DJ Law to go along with an impressive 93.2 QB rating. Final Score: Yeti 13 – Wraiths 6

ASFC Championship (Orange County vs Arizona): A matchup that ended up not even being remotely close. Arizona’s defense absolutely stifled the Otters with 4 interceptions and completely demolished a usually solid offensive line that includes the best lineman in the game Angus Winchester, holding the Otters to under 4 YPC on the ground. Final Score: Outlaws 36 – Otters 13

NSFL Championship (Colorado vs Arizona): Another amazing performance by the Arizona defense led to an absolutely one sided championship game in the inaugural NSFL season. Safety Ryan Flock scored after making a interception early in the first quarter and Arizona never looked back. Key contributions all around for the Outlaws on defense led to it being a long night for Colorado. They set the tone in this game early and simply didn’t let the Yeti go anywhere all game. Final Score: Outlaws 29 – Yeti 6

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

The NSFL championship game ended up being a lot more one sided than fans would have hoped and in large part it was due to the Arizona Outlaws coming out swinging. Not even 5 minutes into the first quarter, Ryan Flock made a beautiful interception, returning it 24 yards for a touchdown. After the extra point, the Outlaws had built a score that the Yeti wouldn’t surpass the whole game. This play really shifted the balance of the game early and it’s clear to see that the morale of the Yeti was broken so early, they never had a chance of coming back in this one. This pick siz so early in the game clearly got in the head of Colorado QB Logan Noble and set the tone for what would be a pretty abysmal performance from the usually solid signal caller. For the game, Noble finished with less than 200 yards, a 47% completion rate and a very low QB rating of 49.3. He was only able to connect well with DJ Law and couldn’t convert in the red zone. It was clear that Flock and the Arizona defense were in his head all game. Had the Yeti been able to get off to a better start to the game, the entire script may have been different, but as it stands now, the Outlaws are NSFL champs in large part to an amazing early play by Ryan Flock.

Word count: 239

[Noppadet]

1) Offensive Player Comparison (Wraiths Yeti):


2) Defensive Player Comparison (Outlaws Otters):


3) Bottom Third (Written): Why the Baltimore Hawks didn't make the playoffs.

The Baltimore Hawks didn't make the playoffs because of a mix of a large number of inactive players that wasn't addressed via waivers, a scheme that didn't seem to change much throughout the season, and probably most importantly poor defensive play that stemmed from the above issues, as well as sub-optimal builds. Stephen Harrison roller coasted between hot and cold from game to game throughout the entire season, leading to a lot of unpredictability. The Hawks went from one of the most even point differential in the league, to the absolute worst, being outscored over all 14 games by 72 points. The Hawks defense in game tended to have troubles closing out games, often leading to the team choking in the second half. While they contended with the Outlaws powerhouse in week 8 to eek out the win, things went downhill from there. Luckily the Hawks have much to look forward to with their new GM @HENDRIX who has been very active as a GM, not that the previous problems were all front office related. The defense despite having a lot of potential talent ranked 6th in the league with 330 points allowed. They also had the least amount of sacks by a healthy amount at the end of week 14. The Hawks didn't make the playoffs this year but look forward to a potential resurgence in season 2.

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232 words

4) Bottom Third (Graphical): Baltimore Hawks vs Arizona Outlaws (defense)


Tackles was left out because it made the rest of the graph meaningless.

Tackles:
736 Outlaws, 723 Hawks

5) Playoff Series MVP (Otters vs Outlaws)

Jaylon Lee was the most valuable player in the NSFL season 1 matchup between the Otters and the Outlaws. Accounting for 9 tackles, 1 sack, 1 defended pass, 1 interception, and 1 touchdown. That's an amazing stat line in a playoff game. Jaylon Lee led his team in most statistical categories, and really shined as a core linebacker for the Outlaws in this series. His teammates Ernston and Stropko were no slouches themselves, but Lee really helped turn this series into a blowout of 13-36 in the Outlaws' favor. With this game Lee was able to add another accolade to his name - the defensive player of the game in a playoff series. It may be quite awhile before we are able to see another defensive showing like this. At 9:14 in the second quarter Lee stopped Jenkins, RB for the Otters, on 3rd and nine after a 6 yard rush, ensuring a punt. His interception/pick six was also in the last 50 seconds of the fourth quarter, killing any unlikely comeback hopes by the Otters in 24 seconds of game time. Look for Lee to continue to do great things in the future; it's assured that the Yeti's defensive coordinator is having nightmares game planning ways to keep Lee away from the play as much as they possible can during the first ever NSFL championship.

Code:

227 words