As most of you know, I missed the entirety of last season. Since I’d gained some functionality back in my hand, I wanted to see just how far I could push things before it began to give me issues. I figured to do that, I needed to come up with a decent media series where I could really pump out some words. Then I’d push it until my hand wouldn’t let me go anymore and then call it done. I had the perfect idea in mind. In an effort to catch up and refamiliarize myself with the league and our lovely players, I decided to take a dive into some of the games I missed last season. I wanted to see who had the best performances and really had breakout games. Figured I’d list two offensive performances and two defensive performances for each, but there is no guarantee that one team won’t own both slots in a game! Unfortunately I only made it to the end of week five, but still let’s dive in!
Week 2
Butchers 34 over Yeti 10
Offense
Chicago: Rose Jenkins - QB - When looking at the off season heading into S20, I’d had a feeling that Rose Jenkins was going to have a solid year. She was the best player on an offense void of any real rushing attack. It was pretty clear she would be their one saving grace if Chicago was going to put together any hint of competition in this season. She proved why in this one as she completed 34 of 55 passes for an incredible 435 yards and two touchdowns. She completed one massive play after another as this game saw her complete passes of 20, 21, 26, 28, 29, 41, and 45 yards. 21 of her 34 completions were beyond 10 yards. Every time she dropped back, she seemed poised to absolutely shred the Yeti’s secondary. Four different players in this game caught passes longer than 20 yards, making it clear that she didn’t care who she was throwing to as she spread the wealth. Games like this for quarterbacks are rare and Jenkins reminded everyone that while Chicago may struggle, she is still an elite talent.
Chicago: Sean O’Leary - WR - O’Leary earns this spot due to his consistency throughout the game. He very quickly became Jenkins’ favorite target on the game as she went his way with the ball on 13 occasions in this game. It would normally be a heavy workload for any receiver in this league, but O’Leary took it in stride as he hauled in eight of those passes for 130 yards. Seven of those eight receptions went for more than 10 yards and all eight went for first downs. He was an absolute machine and Jenkins found him open time and time again. Despite the huge workload, he managed only one drop on the day which means that four of the passes that went his way were simply out of reach. He did everything he could to keep this offense on the field and while he never found the endzone, he likely had to single greatest impact on the efficiency of this offense against the Yeti.
Defense
Chicago: Mike Hockhertz - S - Chicago’s defense showed up to play in this one and they forced McDummy into a myriad of mistakes. No member of this defense was more efficient at forcing those mistakes than Hockhertz. He had two passes defended in this one and two interceptions. He seemed to be in McDummy’s head as he forced the quarterback into multiple questionable throws. He only allowed one complete pass his direction the entire day and he promptly made the tackle for a measly two yard game.He also threw in some run support, getting three tackles within two yards of the line of scrimmage on Yeti running backs. It was an absolute shutdown performance for Hockhertz and was likely the best game of his career. He gets a lot of credit for leading this defense in one of the most impressive efforts I’ve seen from Chicago since I joined the league.
Colorado: Mo Berry - LB - The offense of Chicago looked near unstoppable against the Yeti as they racked up the points and buried Colorado under a torrential assault. You wouldn’t think you could pick out a single defensive effort worth mentioning in this kind of environment, but as it turns out Berry kept this game from being even uglier. He had six tackles, one for a loss, a sack, and a single pass defense. Initially nothing stands out overwhelmingly in those numbers, but Chicago only punted three times and Berry caused all three. His sack, his tackle for a loss, and a quick two yard tackle all ended drives for Chicago. His pass deflection also forced them to kick a field goal, pulling another drive short. Mo Berry was the single light in the dark for Colorado in this one, but he simply couldn’t be everywhere at once.
Hawks 27 over Liberty 20
Offense
Baltimore: Ludicolo Bigby - RB - Bigby took this game into his hands and dominated the line of scrimmage from start to finish. On 24 carries he managed 134 yards and never once took a negative play. His 5.6 yards a carry were massive and he seemed like he was posed to gash the Philadelphia defense every time he touched the ball. He only had three plays over 10 yards despite his average, which meant that he was almost hitting five yards every single time he handled the rock. He picked up seven first downs himself and he set up the Hawks in short yardage situations time and time again. He may have not managed a score, but even then most running backs dream of having days like Bigby had here. Baltimore knew coming into this season that Bigby was going to be their bellcow and it was fantastic to see him ready to take that title and run with it.
Philadelphia: Lennox Garnett - S - Now I know what you’re thinking. “But Isa, he’s a safety you silly head!”. You would be right with that assessment. That said, Garnett is here because he managed to move the ball more than any other single player on the Liberty. He did it all on his kick returns. Five kick returns for 105 yards is impressive by almost any metric. You don’t see many kick returners hit triple digit yards and for Philadelphia, without Garnett’s efforts this score likely looks more lopsided. He had a 38 yard return, a 29 yard return, and a 22 yard return. Two of the three led to quick scores for Philadelphia as he set them up with solid field position. It was unfortunate for Philadelphia though that they had to lean so heavily on Garnett to get the ball rolling.
Defense
Baltimore: Juan Marston - CB - There is no one else on either team that had a bigger day than Marston. He was the game changer who absolutely won the game for Baltimore. Initially on paper, it doesn’t seem like he did anything that crazy. Two tackles, two pass defenses. No big deal on most metrics. It was his one interception that made the difference though. Late in the third quarter, things seemed to be swinging in Philadelphia’s favor. They took the lead with a field goal and followed it up by quickly shutting down Baltimore’s offense. The two teams both stalled and began to punt the ball back and forth. It looked like it might be a slow moving fourth quarter in a game that would result in Philadelphia winning purely off of their defense. Then Marston picked off Blocksdale and returned his interception 26 yards for a touchdown. This put the Hawks up and solidified the win for Baltimore. Big players show up in big moments and Marston quite literally won the game for his team.
Philadelphia: Richard D’Attoria V - S - There is nothing that screams a big game for a defensive player like forcing a turnover that gives your team the lead three minutes into the game. Though D’Attoria is more known for his efforts in the secondary and his ability to force big interceptions, that isn’t all there is to his skill set. For most of the game, he was playing close to the line as eight of his tackles were within three yards of the line of scrimmage, allowing him to provide run support as he was one of the few tacklers able to slow down Bigby through the game. It was Asher Quinn though that wasn’t expecting his close proximity as he caught a short one yard toss at the 12 minute mark. He was met immediately by D’Attoria who had sniffed out the play and laid a soul crushing hit on Quinn. Quinn wasn’t able to hold onto the ball and D’Attoria wasted no time scooping it up. Philadelphia scored on the next play, giving them a lead that they would hold until the third quarter.
Wraiths 37 over Copperheads 24
Offense
Yellowknife: Mathias Hanyadi - RB - I can’t say enough for Hanyadi in this game. He was a one man wrecking crew that gave the Copperheads more nightmares than they knew what to do with. It wasn’t enough that he had a steady game on the ground with his 23 carries, 107 yards, and a touchdown, but he also created mismatches in the secondary as Bigsby found him on six different occasions for passes that resulted in another 61 yards and a second score. He averaged 4.7 yards per carry and 10.2 yards per catch in a showing that proved that he could really do it all when called upon. 10 of Hanyadi’s dates with the football resulted in either first downs or touchdowns as he kept the sticks moving. He didn’t slow down at all as the game progressed and he remained Yellowknife’s primary option as a safety blanket for Bigsby throughout. Bigsby looked sloppy in this one, but he was lucky to have Hanyadi to bail him out in this one.
Austin: Sandip "Sandy" Bakshi - LB - Two times in a single week you see a defensive player making impact with the ball. This one you couldn’t ignore though. Through this game, Austin’s offense only gained 352 yards and were outgained significantly by Yellowknife’s 499. The one thing that saved this game from being absurdly lopsided was Bakshi’s kick return abilities. Seven returns for 204 yards and a touchdown. The 91 yard foot race that resulted in a score during the second quarter gave Austin their one and only lead in this game, giving them hope that they might pull out the upset here. Things started to go south after that as Austin’s offense stagnated and Yellowknife staged a comeback to take the lead, but Bakshi didn’t give up. Not wanting to just roll over, he actually returned another kick for 41 yards late in the fourth. At this point, Yellowknife was only up 27 to 24 and Bakshi had put them in prime position to go out and win the game. Unfortunately for him, Cole threw a 46 yard interception return for a touchdown on the very next play and put the game out of reach for Austin.
Defense
Austin: Kyle Idlewyld - DE - As far as impacts go for Austin, I have to give a nod towards Idlewyld in this one. Eight tackles, two for a loss, and a sack isn’t anything to just gloss over in the first place. When you factor in that his eight tackles resulted in a net of negative six yards for the Yellowknife offense, it becomes even more impressive. Idlewyld controlled the line of scrimmage all night long and was the sole player who seemed to be able to corral Hanyadi. Every single time he was tested, Hanyadi came up short. It forced the offense away from him, limiting his ability to make impacts and yet he still caused a 10 yard loss on his sack and even forced a fumble. This man imposed his will in the trenches and made it clear that he was not going to be the one to get run over in this game. Getting this kind of production out of a rookie is always a little surprising. Unfortunately for him, the rest of the defensive line didn’t quite have the same drive.
Yellowknife: Giannis Kroustis - DT - Yellowknife’s defense did a masterful job of pressuring Cole in this one and forcing him to make mistakes. This defensive line as a whole got to him five times and put him in the dirt. No one was bigger in this effort than Kroustis himself who flattened Cole on two separate occasions. He came up biggest later in the game when Austin was driving in the third quarter and looked like they may tie the game back up. Kroustis bulldozed his way through the line and took Cole down for a seven yard loss. This forced Austin to take a field goal instead, keeping them down by four. That was the last points Austin ever scored as the defensive line took over. Cole hit the ground three more times after this play and made his biggest mistake of the night shortly after, throwing the pick six that sealed the game.
Outlaws 26 over SaberCats 21[b]
[b]Offense
Arizona: Saba Donut - WR - After a couple of quiet seasons that only gave us flashes of what Saba Donut was capable of, he decided to get off on the right foot early in season 20. He made his presence known early. On Arizona’s second drive he hauled in a 26 yard catch and then just one play later took it 29 yards for the touchdown. By himself he carried the Outlaws to their first points of the game, giving them an early lead. Unfortunately the Outlaws fell behind in the second quarter, but Saba wasn’t quite done with this game yet. He came out early in the third and hauled in a massive 32 yard touchdown catch that put Arizona ahead for good. This all culminated in six total catches for 105 yards and two touchdowns. It seemed like every time the Outlaws really needed a play, Saba was there to bail them out. He was incredibly explosive in this game and his big plays were responsible for Arizona walking out the victors.
San Jose: Deondre Thomas-Fox - WR - Much like Arizona, San Jose’s star in this game was a young wide receiver who was every bit as explosive as the other. He was targeted five times on the day and hauled in four balls for 121 yards and a touchdown. This many was available for a big play every time Wright came his way as not a single reception went for under 20 yards. He hauled in passes of 20, 25, 30, and 46 yards. Three of the four catches either resulted in touchdowns or set San Jose up near the goal line where they could score shortly after. All three of their touchdowns were on the back of this player as he found massive holes open in the Arizona defense. Had the SaberCats won this, it would have been purely because of the inability of the Outlaw secondary to contain Thomas-Fox. He just came one big play short.
Defense
Arizona: Reggie Culbertson - DT - While the defensive front seven for Arizona carried the overall effort for the defense in this one, it was ultimately Culbertson who led the way. This team was dominant in the trenches, racking up both tackles for a loss and sacks as they manhandled the opposing offensive line. Culbertson made plays in both aspects. With his six tackles, one tackle for a loss, and a sack, he made multiple plays that allowed Arizona to squeak out of this one with a win. Though they tried his side of the field five times, Culbertson allowed less than a yard combined on his tackles. He barely gave an inch and was essential in shutting down San Jose’s dynamic runner, Tyerucker. More than that, his sack caused a loss of five yards which means that Culbertson ultimately caused more negative yardage than he allowed in this game. Any time you come out of a game forcing a negative, you have to feel good about yourself.
San Jose: Caleb Beck - CB - San Jose’s defense in this game found themselves repeatedly getting burned in the secondary. It looked like any time Arizona moved the ball, it was in massive chunks that resulted in points. Outside of the big plays though, they played well enough to at least keep themselves in this game. None of them played better than Beck. While his six tackles allowed an average of six yards per time he was targeted, most of his plays kept Arizona short of the first down marker. More than that, he didn’t give up a play larger than eight yards the entire game, which made him the most steady member of this secondary. To top it all off though, his interception almost gave San Jose a chance. Late in the third, Arizona was driving and it looked like they were going to put this game away. Luckily, at San Jose’s 23 yard line, Beck put an end to the drive with a massive interception. The return put San Jose in good position, but unfortunately they immediately stalled. They never managed another offensive push and his efforts were for naught.
Second Line 30 over Otters 10
Offense
New Orleans: Forrest Gump - RB - When Gump gets loose, he really gets loose. He racked up 102 yards on just 22 touches and racked up a more than respectable 4.6 yards a carry. He even had his cherry on top with a third quarter touchdown that put the Second Line up over the Otters permanently. He also had a massive 13 yard rush on 4th and 2 that set up a Prohaska field goal that was the first points of the game and a second 22 yard rush in the fourth that set up Prohaska again. Outside of that, Gump was steady on almost every touch. Three to four yards every single time he touched the ball and he didn’t have a negative play through the entire game. Gump has been the center of this offense for a long time and he is a captain of this team. When he gets rolling, the whole offense simply plays better.
New Orleans: Givussafare Rubbe - OL - The whole league knows that the Second Line offense lives and dies on the effectiveness of their run game. When it’s moving like a well oiled machine, few things in the league are scarier. Both of the two headed monsters on this team reached 100 yards in this game and that is because New Orleans has invested in something few other teams have. The beef boys up front. Rubbe has turned into an elite mauler on this line and he is one of the biggest reasons this offense moves so well. When he’s in his zone and he is dominating his opposition, he opens up gargantuan holes for these two backs to run through. This was one such game. Rubbe racked up seven pancakes and found himself embarrassing the Otters defensive line time and time again. The holes he opened may as well been highways as it allowed for the Second Line running game to control the whole pace of this game. 202 total rushing yards. Meet the monster behind that effort.
Defense
New Orleans: Mack Arianlacher - DE - The biggest reason that New Orleans won this game was that they controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. We looked at the offensive side, but the defensive side was every bit as convincing. They amassed sacks and tackles for a loss with ease, holding the two Orange County running backs to less than 50 yards between them. They forced Armstrong to beat them alone which often left him exposed to free runners and he simply couldn’t pull the feat off. The leader of this effort? Arianlacher himself. He completely shut down his side of the line, forcing two tackles for a loss and making two more stops at the line of scrimmage. All three of his four plays ended drives for Orange County and were a huge part of why this defensive line was so effective.
Orange County: David Ginsberg - LB - Every now and then when everything else seems to be going for the worst, you find one player who isn’t willing to let it all fall to darkness. Ginsberg was that player for the Otters in this game. In a game in which New Orleans had their way at the line, Ginsberg was the one player who seemed unwilling to be run over. He managed eight tackles, a tackle for a loss, and a sack. The most impressive thing is he only allowed one of his plays to go for more than a single yard and it was a measly three yard rush. All in all he allowed a total of four yards in the eight plays he was involved with, showing off a fairly dominant performance while the rest of his team seemed content to be run over. It’s rare to see one player be so successful in an aspect of the game where everyone else seemed detached.
Week 2
Butchers 34 over Yeti 10
Offense
Chicago: Rose Jenkins - QB - When looking at the off season heading into S20, I’d had a feeling that Rose Jenkins was going to have a solid year. She was the best player on an offense void of any real rushing attack. It was pretty clear she would be their one saving grace if Chicago was going to put together any hint of competition in this season. She proved why in this one as she completed 34 of 55 passes for an incredible 435 yards and two touchdowns. She completed one massive play after another as this game saw her complete passes of 20, 21, 26, 28, 29, 41, and 45 yards. 21 of her 34 completions were beyond 10 yards. Every time she dropped back, she seemed poised to absolutely shred the Yeti’s secondary. Four different players in this game caught passes longer than 20 yards, making it clear that she didn’t care who she was throwing to as she spread the wealth. Games like this for quarterbacks are rare and Jenkins reminded everyone that while Chicago may struggle, she is still an elite talent.
Chicago: Sean O’Leary - WR - O’Leary earns this spot due to his consistency throughout the game. He very quickly became Jenkins’ favorite target on the game as she went his way with the ball on 13 occasions in this game. It would normally be a heavy workload for any receiver in this league, but O’Leary took it in stride as he hauled in eight of those passes for 130 yards. Seven of those eight receptions went for more than 10 yards and all eight went for first downs. He was an absolute machine and Jenkins found him open time and time again. Despite the huge workload, he managed only one drop on the day which means that four of the passes that went his way were simply out of reach. He did everything he could to keep this offense on the field and while he never found the endzone, he likely had to single greatest impact on the efficiency of this offense against the Yeti.
Defense
Chicago: Mike Hockhertz - S - Chicago’s defense showed up to play in this one and they forced McDummy into a myriad of mistakes. No member of this defense was more efficient at forcing those mistakes than Hockhertz. He had two passes defended in this one and two interceptions. He seemed to be in McDummy’s head as he forced the quarterback into multiple questionable throws. He only allowed one complete pass his direction the entire day and he promptly made the tackle for a measly two yard game.He also threw in some run support, getting three tackles within two yards of the line of scrimmage on Yeti running backs. It was an absolute shutdown performance for Hockhertz and was likely the best game of his career. He gets a lot of credit for leading this defense in one of the most impressive efforts I’ve seen from Chicago since I joined the league.
Colorado: Mo Berry - LB - The offense of Chicago looked near unstoppable against the Yeti as they racked up the points and buried Colorado under a torrential assault. You wouldn’t think you could pick out a single defensive effort worth mentioning in this kind of environment, but as it turns out Berry kept this game from being even uglier. He had six tackles, one for a loss, a sack, and a single pass defense. Initially nothing stands out overwhelmingly in those numbers, but Chicago only punted three times and Berry caused all three. His sack, his tackle for a loss, and a quick two yard tackle all ended drives for Chicago. His pass deflection also forced them to kick a field goal, pulling another drive short. Mo Berry was the single light in the dark for Colorado in this one, but he simply couldn’t be everywhere at once.
Hawks 27 over Liberty 20
Offense
Baltimore: Ludicolo Bigby - RB - Bigby took this game into his hands and dominated the line of scrimmage from start to finish. On 24 carries he managed 134 yards and never once took a negative play. His 5.6 yards a carry were massive and he seemed like he was posed to gash the Philadelphia defense every time he touched the ball. He only had three plays over 10 yards despite his average, which meant that he was almost hitting five yards every single time he handled the rock. He picked up seven first downs himself and he set up the Hawks in short yardage situations time and time again. He may have not managed a score, but even then most running backs dream of having days like Bigby had here. Baltimore knew coming into this season that Bigby was going to be their bellcow and it was fantastic to see him ready to take that title and run with it.
Philadelphia: Lennox Garnett - S - Now I know what you’re thinking. “But Isa, he’s a safety you silly head!”. You would be right with that assessment. That said, Garnett is here because he managed to move the ball more than any other single player on the Liberty. He did it all on his kick returns. Five kick returns for 105 yards is impressive by almost any metric. You don’t see many kick returners hit triple digit yards and for Philadelphia, without Garnett’s efforts this score likely looks more lopsided. He had a 38 yard return, a 29 yard return, and a 22 yard return. Two of the three led to quick scores for Philadelphia as he set them up with solid field position. It was unfortunate for Philadelphia though that they had to lean so heavily on Garnett to get the ball rolling.
Defense
Baltimore: Juan Marston - CB - There is no one else on either team that had a bigger day than Marston. He was the game changer who absolutely won the game for Baltimore. Initially on paper, it doesn’t seem like he did anything that crazy. Two tackles, two pass defenses. No big deal on most metrics. It was his one interception that made the difference though. Late in the third quarter, things seemed to be swinging in Philadelphia’s favor. They took the lead with a field goal and followed it up by quickly shutting down Baltimore’s offense. The two teams both stalled and began to punt the ball back and forth. It looked like it might be a slow moving fourth quarter in a game that would result in Philadelphia winning purely off of their defense. Then Marston picked off Blocksdale and returned his interception 26 yards for a touchdown. This put the Hawks up and solidified the win for Baltimore. Big players show up in big moments and Marston quite literally won the game for his team.
Philadelphia: Richard D’Attoria V - S - There is nothing that screams a big game for a defensive player like forcing a turnover that gives your team the lead three minutes into the game. Though D’Attoria is more known for his efforts in the secondary and his ability to force big interceptions, that isn’t all there is to his skill set. For most of the game, he was playing close to the line as eight of his tackles were within three yards of the line of scrimmage, allowing him to provide run support as he was one of the few tacklers able to slow down Bigby through the game. It was Asher Quinn though that wasn’t expecting his close proximity as he caught a short one yard toss at the 12 minute mark. He was met immediately by D’Attoria who had sniffed out the play and laid a soul crushing hit on Quinn. Quinn wasn’t able to hold onto the ball and D’Attoria wasted no time scooping it up. Philadelphia scored on the next play, giving them a lead that they would hold until the third quarter.
Wraiths 37 over Copperheads 24
Offense
Yellowknife: Mathias Hanyadi - RB - I can’t say enough for Hanyadi in this game. He was a one man wrecking crew that gave the Copperheads more nightmares than they knew what to do with. It wasn’t enough that he had a steady game on the ground with his 23 carries, 107 yards, and a touchdown, but he also created mismatches in the secondary as Bigsby found him on six different occasions for passes that resulted in another 61 yards and a second score. He averaged 4.7 yards per carry and 10.2 yards per catch in a showing that proved that he could really do it all when called upon. 10 of Hanyadi’s dates with the football resulted in either first downs or touchdowns as he kept the sticks moving. He didn’t slow down at all as the game progressed and he remained Yellowknife’s primary option as a safety blanket for Bigsby throughout. Bigsby looked sloppy in this one, but he was lucky to have Hanyadi to bail him out in this one.
Austin: Sandip "Sandy" Bakshi - LB - Two times in a single week you see a defensive player making impact with the ball. This one you couldn’t ignore though. Through this game, Austin’s offense only gained 352 yards and were outgained significantly by Yellowknife’s 499. The one thing that saved this game from being absurdly lopsided was Bakshi’s kick return abilities. Seven returns for 204 yards and a touchdown. The 91 yard foot race that resulted in a score during the second quarter gave Austin their one and only lead in this game, giving them hope that they might pull out the upset here. Things started to go south after that as Austin’s offense stagnated and Yellowknife staged a comeback to take the lead, but Bakshi didn’t give up. Not wanting to just roll over, he actually returned another kick for 41 yards late in the fourth. At this point, Yellowknife was only up 27 to 24 and Bakshi had put them in prime position to go out and win the game. Unfortunately for him, Cole threw a 46 yard interception return for a touchdown on the very next play and put the game out of reach for Austin.
Defense
Austin: Kyle Idlewyld - DE - As far as impacts go for Austin, I have to give a nod towards Idlewyld in this one. Eight tackles, two for a loss, and a sack isn’t anything to just gloss over in the first place. When you factor in that his eight tackles resulted in a net of negative six yards for the Yellowknife offense, it becomes even more impressive. Idlewyld controlled the line of scrimmage all night long and was the sole player who seemed to be able to corral Hanyadi. Every single time he was tested, Hanyadi came up short. It forced the offense away from him, limiting his ability to make impacts and yet he still caused a 10 yard loss on his sack and even forced a fumble. This man imposed his will in the trenches and made it clear that he was not going to be the one to get run over in this game. Getting this kind of production out of a rookie is always a little surprising. Unfortunately for him, the rest of the defensive line didn’t quite have the same drive.
Yellowknife: Giannis Kroustis - DT - Yellowknife’s defense did a masterful job of pressuring Cole in this one and forcing him to make mistakes. This defensive line as a whole got to him five times and put him in the dirt. No one was bigger in this effort than Kroustis himself who flattened Cole on two separate occasions. He came up biggest later in the game when Austin was driving in the third quarter and looked like they may tie the game back up. Kroustis bulldozed his way through the line and took Cole down for a seven yard loss. This forced Austin to take a field goal instead, keeping them down by four. That was the last points Austin ever scored as the defensive line took over. Cole hit the ground three more times after this play and made his biggest mistake of the night shortly after, throwing the pick six that sealed the game.
Outlaws 26 over SaberCats 21[b]
[b]Offense
Arizona: Saba Donut - WR - After a couple of quiet seasons that only gave us flashes of what Saba Donut was capable of, he decided to get off on the right foot early in season 20. He made his presence known early. On Arizona’s second drive he hauled in a 26 yard catch and then just one play later took it 29 yards for the touchdown. By himself he carried the Outlaws to their first points of the game, giving them an early lead. Unfortunately the Outlaws fell behind in the second quarter, but Saba wasn’t quite done with this game yet. He came out early in the third and hauled in a massive 32 yard touchdown catch that put Arizona ahead for good. This all culminated in six total catches for 105 yards and two touchdowns. It seemed like every time the Outlaws really needed a play, Saba was there to bail them out. He was incredibly explosive in this game and his big plays were responsible for Arizona walking out the victors.
San Jose: Deondre Thomas-Fox - WR - Much like Arizona, San Jose’s star in this game was a young wide receiver who was every bit as explosive as the other. He was targeted five times on the day and hauled in four balls for 121 yards and a touchdown. This many was available for a big play every time Wright came his way as not a single reception went for under 20 yards. He hauled in passes of 20, 25, 30, and 46 yards. Three of the four catches either resulted in touchdowns or set San Jose up near the goal line where they could score shortly after. All three of their touchdowns were on the back of this player as he found massive holes open in the Arizona defense. Had the SaberCats won this, it would have been purely because of the inability of the Outlaw secondary to contain Thomas-Fox. He just came one big play short.
Defense
Arizona: Reggie Culbertson - DT - While the defensive front seven for Arizona carried the overall effort for the defense in this one, it was ultimately Culbertson who led the way. This team was dominant in the trenches, racking up both tackles for a loss and sacks as they manhandled the opposing offensive line. Culbertson made plays in both aspects. With his six tackles, one tackle for a loss, and a sack, he made multiple plays that allowed Arizona to squeak out of this one with a win. Though they tried his side of the field five times, Culbertson allowed less than a yard combined on his tackles. He barely gave an inch and was essential in shutting down San Jose’s dynamic runner, Tyerucker. More than that, his sack caused a loss of five yards which means that Culbertson ultimately caused more negative yardage than he allowed in this game. Any time you come out of a game forcing a negative, you have to feel good about yourself.
San Jose: Caleb Beck - CB - San Jose’s defense in this game found themselves repeatedly getting burned in the secondary. It looked like any time Arizona moved the ball, it was in massive chunks that resulted in points. Outside of the big plays though, they played well enough to at least keep themselves in this game. None of them played better than Beck. While his six tackles allowed an average of six yards per time he was targeted, most of his plays kept Arizona short of the first down marker. More than that, he didn’t give up a play larger than eight yards the entire game, which made him the most steady member of this secondary. To top it all off though, his interception almost gave San Jose a chance. Late in the third, Arizona was driving and it looked like they were going to put this game away. Luckily, at San Jose’s 23 yard line, Beck put an end to the drive with a massive interception. The return put San Jose in good position, but unfortunately they immediately stalled. They never managed another offensive push and his efforts were for naught.
Second Line 30 over Otters 10
Offense
New Orleans: Forrest Gump - RB - When Gump gets loose, he really gets loose. He racked up 102 yards on just 22 touches and racked up a more than respectable 4.6 yards a carry. He even had his cherry on top with a third quarter touchdown that put the Second Line up over the Otters permanently. He also had a massive 13 yard rush on 4th and 2 that set up a Prohaska field goal that was the first points of the game and a second 22 yard rush in the fourth that set up Prohaska again. Outside of that, Gump was steady on almost every touch. Three to four yards every single time he touched the ball and he didn’t have a negative play through the entire game. Gump has been the center of this offense for a long time and he is a captain of this team. When he gets rolling, the whole offense simply plays better.
New Orleans: Givussafare Rubbe - OL - The whole league knows that the Second Line offense lives and dies on the effectiveness of their run game. When it’s moving like a well oiled machine, few things in the league are scarier. Both of the two headed monsters on this team reached 100 yards in this game and that is because New Orleans has invested in something few other teams have. The beef boys up front. Rubbe has turned into an elite mauler on this line and he is one of the biggest reasons this offense moves so well. When he’s in his zone and he is dominating his opposition, he opens up gargantuan holes for these two backs to run through. This was one such game. Rubbe racked up seven pancakes and found himself embarrassing the Otters defensive line time and time again. The holes he opened may as well been highways as it allowed for the Second Line running game to control the whole pace of this game. 202 total rushing yards. Meet the monster behind that effort.
Defense
New Orleans: Mack Arianlacher - DE - The biggest reason that New Orleans won this game was that they controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. We looked at the offensive side, but the defensive side was every bit as convincing. They amassed sacks and tackles for a loss with ease, holding the two Orange County running backs to less than 50 yards between them. They forced Armstrong to beat them alone which often left him exposed to free runners and he simply couldn’t pull the feat off. The leader of this effort? Arianlacher himself. He completely shut down his side of the line, forcing two tackles for a loss and making two more stops at the line of scrimmage. All three of his four plays ended drives for Orange County and were a huge part of why this defensive line was so effective.
Orange County: David Ginsberg - LB - Every now and then when everything else seems to be going for the worst, you find one player who isn’t willing to let it all fall to darkness. Ginsberg was that player for the Otters in this game. In a game in which New Orleans had their way at the line, Ginsberg was the one player who seemed unwilling to be run over. He managed eight tackles, a tackle for a loss, and a sack. The most impressive thing is he only allowed one of his plays to go for more than a single yard and it was a measly three yard rush. All in all he allowed a total of four yards in the eight plays he was involved with, showing off a fairly dominant performance while the rest of his team seemed content to be run over. It’s rare to see one player be so successful in an aspect of the game where everyone else seemed detached.
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