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The Philadelphia Liberty Kicks Off - HalfEatenOnionBagel - 07-24-2017
(Written before scheduling change)
With the NSFL preseason beginning today, fans are closely following the Philadelphia Liberty as this marks the first time that the team will take the field as a real NSFL unit. While the preseason is usually a time for teams to figure out their offensive and defensive schemes as well as sort out their depth charts before the regular season, this time will be even more crucial for players on the Liberty as they have never had a chance to play together in a real game situation. The team hopes that they’ll be able to use this time for the usual diagnostics that teams go through as they finalize their rosters, but also to continue to build chemistry. Typically in the preseason, teams tend to feature a very vanilla scheme on offense and their base package on defense. You don’t want to give away too much to other teams to use in preparation for games that matter in the regular season. However, especially in the NSFL, the players that will be taking the field during the majority of the preseason are the same ones we will see starting during the regular season, so there is a lot to be gleaned from these preseason matchups. Here’s a breakdown of each of the preseason games for the Liberty and some things to watch for in each matchup:
Preseason Week 1 at Otters
The OC Otters were an extremely strong contender last season and certainly had a chance to make a run for the championship had it not been for the Outlaws and their stellar defense. The Otters return this season still boasting their strong defensive front as well as a fantastic running game with power rusher Leroy Jenkins and blocking from the best offensive line tandem in the league of Angus Winchester and Gregor Clegane. The Liberty have done a ton of work to tune up their potentially elite secondary and it should show well against the somewhat inconsistent Orange County QB Mike Boss who completely fell apart in the playoffs last year. It will be a good test for the Liberty front 7 against a good rushing offense as well as for the entire Liberty offense against a solid Otters defense.
Preseason Week 2 at Hawks
The Hawks had a very rough season last year and came into the draft needing to rebuild a ton. It will be interesting to see how these teams match up here as they both had to invest heavily in the draft in order to build the rosters that they currently have. The Hawks put a lot of picks into building their offensive line after losing star lineman Vincent Sharpei to the Sabrecats in the draft and this game should prove how well that line has been able to mesh. While the Hawks front 7 still seems to be a strong component of their defense, we’ll see how well they’ll be able to handle the slippery Omar Wright both in the run game and on special teams. After one full game and training camp together, we could see the Liberty offensive line, anchored by rookie left tackle Micah Hendrix pull together for a decent showing in this game.
Preseason Week 3 at Outlaws
People always like to talk about a championship hangover, but I think the Outlaws are an excellent organization and will be just as good as they were last season despite losing a few key players. This defense is still absolutely gnarly and an elite pass rush despite the loss of Blade should have no trouble terrorizing a young offensive line and whoever the Liberty decide to put out at QB. This really could end up being a major defensive battle as it seems that is what these two teams have decided to build around for their short-term success. While it may not be the most exciting game to watch if you like scoring, it will be interesting to see if this young, scrappy Liberty defense can go toe to toe with the all world Outlaws defense. This preseason game may be the one to expose Liberty the most, either for the young, inexperienced team that they are or for the rising star they have become in a short time.
Preseason Week 4 at Wraiths
The Wraiths have what is likely the best WR-RB combo in the league in Josh Garden and Bubba Nuck à la Antonio Brown and Leveon Bell of the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers. That’s tough enough to deal with on its own. But the Liberty may have enough on defense, not to completely shut down these two, but to limit their impact. This will be a good test for the young defense. However, where the Wraiths have really focused the building their team is on the defensive side of the ball, using their first three picks in the draft on likely what will end up being the best CB, DT and LB from this class. While their defense was ok last season, these additions, despite one just being the return of Lavelle, may bump this defense up to another level. By this point, the Liberty will likely have a good idea of who their QB is going to be heading into the season and will feature them in this game. Polarizing Yellowknife rookies Kevin Cushing and Matt James seem to have already circled this one on their calendars, so it may get a little chippy out there. But fellas, let’s try to save it for the regular season though if we can. This may be one of the most anticipated games of the preseason if for nothing other than the recent drama that has been generated surrounding these two franchises.
One thing to notice is that the Liberty, like their Las Vegas expansion team counterpart, will not get a home game during the preseason. This is likely a strong indication that construction of their new stadiums is still not complete. It seems most fans will have to enjoy watching the preseason debut of their new teams from the comfort of their couches. While this is certainly disappointing, Liberty rookie OL Micah Hendrix had a good perspective of it: “Traveling for games in the NSFL is going to be brutal during the season with most teams located very far from Philadelphia. Most of us coming from college haven’t had to deal with the rigors that accompany this kind of travel before, so this will definitely be a good experience for us and give us some more time to bond while on the road. Playing in a hostile environment is going to be way more intense than anything we’ve had to deal with before as well. I’d rather learn how to deal with that now when the games don’t count than be thrown into the fire starting in the regular season.” Unfortunately with games alternating between the West and East coast before the preseason finale in Yellowknife, the team won’t get much time to stay in any place too long, but it’s certainly something they’ll need to learn to get used to quickly.
The most interesting storyline to watch for the Liberty in the preseason will be the quarterback battle between NSFL veteran Jameis Christ and rookie Shawn Brady. Christ has all the makings to be an elite quarterback but controversy has followed him wherever he goes. He was drafted in the midst of being accused of stealing chicken fingers from a local KFC, despite his constant assertion: “I just got them for free.” He’s been called lazy and selfish by teammates and coaches in the past, but with little options available to them at the time, the Liberty decided to give him a chance. The job is certainly his for the taking, but he hasn’t shown much enthusiasm to go ahead and take charge. Meanwhile Brady has clearly been putting in the time to get to work with his teammates and improve some of his poor mechanics that caused him to fall so far in the draft. It’s certainly been made clear that the Liberty prefer players that are committed wholeheartedly to the mission of the team. We fully expect Christ to be the starter headed into Week 1 of the regular season, but don’t be surprised if he’s yanked in favor of Brady as soon as Week 5.
There’s certainly a lot to look forward to watching with regards to this young franchise and a strong showing in the preseason could be just what they need to have a positive trajectory for their near future.
((1424 words, ready for grading))
Graded
The Philadelphia Liberty Kicks Off - kckolbe - 07-24-2017
Perry Tucker, despite being drafted at TE, is looking to be just as solid a LB. He offers less flexibility, but is a much better tackler.
Also, I liked your rationale for the expansion teams not having a home game.
The Philadelphia Liberty Kicks Off - Silver Fox - 07-24-2017
Nicely done!