(Ready to be graded)
The first week of DSFL action turned out to be a doozy. I've got a few random thoughts on what went down. Apologies in advance if I'm very wrong about something, as I'm still trying to figure out what the heck I'm doing.
Here we go:
1) The Marshals are the team to beat
Not exactly the most exciting or earth-shattering take, I know. San Antonio cruised to four straight wins. Led by Cooter Bigsby (more on him later) and Morgan Marshall on offense, the Marshals currently lead the league in points scored, as well as least points allowed. Whatever this team touches seems to turn to gold. They started off with a pair of fairly close road games that they managed to win. This should have been our first clue that they would be a contender, as they proceeded to blow their next two opponents out on their two game home stand. Their DBs have been dominant, as they are currently the #1 pass defense in the league. Walt Green has been, to put it mildly, a pleasant surprise; notching six interceptions so far, including a 3 INT game against the Solar Bears (also more on them later) in week 4. Although some rumors have started to swirl regarding a potential PED scandal. The only other asterisk for them through the first four weeks would be that they have had the good fortune to play the Solar Bears twice.
2) Dorfus Jimbo and Apollo Reed are the best one-two punch in the league
Some might have questioned the decision to draft two speed backs in the draft, but these two backs are proving everyone wrong. With a combined 727 yards and 8 touchdowns (including an 81 yard TD run by Jimbo) between them, defenses are starting to have recurring nightmares prior to, and after facing them. These two are putting almost all of their TPE into speed, and it's paying dividends. The Seawolves are 3-1, and a large part of that is due to this dynamic duo running all over opposing defenses. One might wonder if defensive coordinators will start trying to make Longshaw beat them in the passing game.
3) The Solar Bears linebacker trio should not be overlooked
There are not a lot of bright spots after the first four weeks for Palm Beach. Apollo Lange's inexperience at QB is proving to be a tough challenge for the offense to overcome. The Solar Bears played their first two opponents down to the wire, but their next two on the road showed that this team has a lot of improving to do. That said, their linebacker core of Guy Nikko, Rock Hardshaft (Palm Beach HR department has had a number of complaints regarding this name), and Tony Gabagool have been solid. Nikko has racked up 6 sacks, and his blazing speed is proving to be a nightmare for sluggish offensive tackles. Rock currently leads the league in tackles, and has shown he can bring down opposing runners in open space. Tony Gabagool has proven invaluable in pass coverage, especially, with a knack for covering tight ends and running backs out of the backfield. While certainly not perfect so far, these three linebackers have already shown they can make a big impact on defense early on in their careers.
4) What is going on with the Coyotes?
Okay, this is more of a question than an observation. It's hard to pinpoint who exactly is to blame for their 0-4 start. With an established QB in Jenkins, experts predicted the Coyotes to be at worst a middle of the pack team. Obviously, they still have plenty of time to turn things around, but it doesn't look too promising after their first four games. There has been quite a bit of speculation around the QB controversy surrounding Ryan Leaf Jr. He's currently in a QB timeshare with Jenkins, and the more-speed type of handedness that seemed to carry him through the prospect bowl seems to have left him. He's struggling to throw the ball, and the speed of the game seems to have not been a smooth transition. He's shown some flashes of his talent with a couple nice TD tosses, but he's got a way to go towards being an effective QB in the league. The offensive line has not exactly helped, giving up a league-high 10 sacks. He seems to have taken everything in stride, as he can often be seen in the locker room showing his teammates the "You know, I'm something of a running back myself" meme on his phone.
5) Rod Tidwell was a steal in the draft
As one of the more outspoken rookies (just ask him about Kwan), Rod Tidwell has been making a lot of noise both on and off the field this season. He's tied for first in receptions, and second in total yards. A bit of a late create, he somehow slipped to the 11th round. While not quite the physical specimen as his counterpart Carlomagno Rey, he'll no doubt start taking more and more targets as he's at more than double the TPE. Rod's looks to be going for a pretty balanced WR build. He's concentrating on his speed, strength, and hands at the moment. Look for him to be a YAC monster as the season progresses. He's certainly benefiting from having NSFL draftee Corvo Havran slinging it to him, but he's making the most of his chances. We'll see how well he handles opposing team's #1 CBs as they look to try to limit him as he develops this season. Right now, he's showing the ability to create separation from DBs, and make plays with the ball in his hands.
Bonus) Cooter Bigsby has got some moves
A video recently surfaced of Cooter Bigsby in what appears to be a dance-off with a well-known baseball sim prospect. Cooter appears to be enjoying himself, though one must wonder if going #1 overall in the NSFL draft might have affected his ability to make wise endorsement decisions. Sources in the Marshals locker room have said that the video has been playing on repeat on the TVs around their practice facility.
The first week of DSFL action turned out to be a doozy. I've got a few random thoughts on what went down. Apologies in advance if I'm very wrong about something, as I'm still trying to figure out what the heck I'm doing.
Here we go:
1) The Marshals are the team to beat
Not exactly the most exciting or earth-shattering take, I know. San Antonio cruised to four straight wins. Led by Cooter Bigsby (more on him later) and Morgan Marshall on offense, the Marshals currently lead the league in points scored, as well as least points allowed. Whatever this team touches seems to turn to gold. They started off with a pair of fairly close road games that they managed to win. This should have been our first clue that they would be a contender, as they proceeded to blow their next two opponents out on their two game home stand. Their DBs have been dominant, as they are currently the #1 pass defense in the league. Walt Green has been, to put it mildly, a pleasant surprise; notching six interceptions so far, including a 3 INT game against the Solar Bears (also more on them later) in week 4. Although some rumors have started to swirl regarding a potential PED scandal. The only other asterisk for them through the first four weeks would be that they have had the good fortune to play the Solar Bears twice.
2) Dorfus Jimbo and Apollo Reed are the best one-two punch in the league
Some might have questioned the decision to draft two speed backs in the draft, but these two backs are proving everyone wrong. With a combined 727 yards and 8 touchdowns (including an 81 yard TD run by Jimbo) between them, defenses are starting to have recurring nightmares prior to, and after facing them. These two are putting almost all of their TPE into speed, and it's paying dividends. The Seawolves are 3-1, and a large part of that is due to this dynamic duo running all over opposing defenses. One might wonder if defensive coordinators will start trying to make Longshaw beat them in the passing game.
3) The Solar Bears linebacker trio should not be overlooked
There are not a lot of bright spots after the first four weeks for Palm Beach. Apollo Lange's inexperience at QB is proving to be a tough challenge for the offense to overcome. The Solar Bears played their first two opponents down to the wire, but their next two on the road showed that this team has a lot of improving to do. That said, their linebacker core of Guy Nikko, Rock Hardshaft (Palm Beach HR department has had a number of complaints regarding this name), and Tony Gabagool have been solid. Nikko has racked up 6 sacks, and his blazing speed is proving to be a nightmare for sluggish offensive tackles. Rock currently leads the league in tackles, and has shown he can bring down opposing runners in open space. Tony Gabagool has proven invaluable in pass coverage, especially, with a knack for covering tight ends and running backs out of the backfield. While certainly not perfect so far, these three linebackers have already shown they can make a big impact on defense early on in their careers.
4) What is going on with the Coyotes?
Okay, this is more of a question than an observation. It's hard to pinpoint who exactly is to blame for their 0-4 start. With an established QB in Jenkins, experts predicted the Coyotes to be at worst a middle of the pack team. Obviously, they still have plenty of time to turn things around, but it doesn't look too promising after their first four games. There has been quite a bit of speculation around the QB controversy surrounding Ryan Leaf Jr. He's currently in a QB timeshare with Jenkins, and the more-speed type of handedness that seemed to carry him through the prospect bowl seems to have left him. He's struggling to throw the ball, and the speed of the game seems to have not been a smooth transition. He's shown some flashes of his talent with a couple nice TD tosses, but he's got a way to go towards being an effective QB in the league. The offensive line has not exactly helped, giving up a league-high 10 sacks. He seems to have taken everything in stride, as he can often be seen in the locker room showing his teammates the "You know, I'm something of a running back myself" meme on his phone.
5) Rod Tidwell was a steal in the draft
As one of the more outspoken rookies (just ask him about Kwan), Rod Tidwell has been making a lot of noise both on and off the field this season. He's tied for first in receptions, and second in total yards. A bit of a late create, he somehow slipped to the 11th round. While not quite the physical specimen as his counterpart Carlomagno Rey, he'll no doubt start taking more and more targets as he's at more than double the TPE. Rod's looks to be going for a pretty balanced WR build. He's concentrating on his speed, strength, and hands at the moment. Look for him to be a YAC monster as the season progresses. He's certainly benefiting from having NSFL draftee Corvo Havran slinging it to him, but he's making the most of his chances. We'll see how well he handles opposing team's #1 CBs as they look to try to limit him as he develops this season. Right now, he's showing the ability to create separation from DBs, and make plays with the ball in his hands.
Bonus) Cooter Bigsby has got some moves
A video recently surfaced of Cooter Bigsby in what appears to be a dance-off with a well-known baseball sim prospect. Cooter appears to be enjoying himself, though one must wonder if going #1 overall in the NSFL draft might have affected his ability to make wise endorsement decisions. Sources in the Marshals locker room have said that the video has been playing on repeat on the TVs around their practice facility.
![[Image: 033p.png]](https://i.postimg.cc/Jn5rvcDt/033p.png)
![[Image: VV-KCC-Sig.png]](https://i.postimg.cc/0jDDFwbL/VV-KCC-Sig.png)
![[Image: Ayame-CTC.gif]](https://i.postimg.cc/dtt99ZSP/Ayame-CTC.gif)
![[Image: 74043_s.gif]](https://signavatar.com/74043_s.gif)
![[Image: isfl.gif]](https://sig.grumpybumpers.com/host/isfl.gif)
