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*Outlaws Secret Weapon? - theFlock - 08-05-2017
Ready to be Graded
After Otters game, no team able to reach over 300 yards Total Offense. Under 200 Passing/100 Rushing
Teams realizing that Flock is the Glue on the Defense?
This season has started off incredibly well for the Arizona Outlaws, but it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what is going so well. 4 weeks into the Season, Arizona sit at the top of the ASFC with a record of 3-1. Since the Preseason has ended, the Defense has allowed the Second least Points per game in the League, while the Offense has Scored just enough to notch them three wins.
The Offense seems to have taken a step back from last year, but with departures from Lincoln Jefferson and Stormblessed, we begin to understand why. Mayran Jackson has stepped up into his new role at Wide Receiver. Him and Rookie addition C.A Chess have both produced two Touchdowns and a combined 458 receiving yards, while Dustin Evans has accumulated 177 receiving yards and a Touchdown. King Bronko is no doubt, comfortable in the pocket that the Outlaws have created by a brand new Offensive Line built through the draft. Bronko has thrown a touchdown in each of the four games, showing he can produce. While Mackworthy is still building his confidence in the backfield, he is slowly gaining traction, already scoring a touchdown this season, and racking up 275 yards, at an average of 3.3. While the numbers don’t jump out at you, he is definitely giving the Outlaws a much needed break from their passing game. As a bonus, he hasn’t allowed a single sack while he is blocking, which is very important for a back who needs time to get going.
The Defense on the other hand, is clearly still firing at all cylinders. As stated before, they are second in the league in Points Allowed, and when the Offense isn’t generating enough points, the Defense and Special Teams unit is giving them a helping hand. The defense currently leads the league in sacks by a staggering amount, 10, as well as generating 7 turnovers and a safety. The Defense have played extremely well against every team they have played so far this season, with their only loss coming in a game where a costly Penalty killed an Offensive Drive and a FG was missed at a crucial point in the game.
In Game One against the Otters, the game started with two great defensive stands, giving us a 3-3 score with a minute left in the First Quarter. Strong Safety Ryan Flock gave us the first Touchdown of the season with a 31 yard interception return for a touchdown, and from that point on it was a game of Defensive stops. Despite giving up 404 yards of Total Offense, The Outlaws didn’t allow an Offensive Touchdown. On top of that, the menacing defense didn’t allow a Receiver to accumulate over 90 receiving yards, or a Running Back rack up more than 100 yards. In a game where the ball was moving, and remained in the possession of the Otters, almost 41 minutes of possession, the Outlaws allowed 20 First Downs, while only allowing Three Field Goals. A true definition of the Bend-Don’t-Break mentality. Clearly some growing pains on the Offense of the Outlaws, unable to stay on the field, but the conditioned Defense was able to halt any advances into the endzone, which got them the win.
The following two weeks would be much to the same tone, a struggling offense. The defense played an outstanding game against a up and coming expansion team, the Liberty, where they only allowed the offense to live through Fox North. The Receiver hauled in 5 catches for 109 yards and a touchdown, with a long run of 46 after being caught from behind by Flock after fighting DPoY Isaiah Rashad the whole way. No other receiver was able to go over 15 reception yards, while the LB/SS duo of Ernston/Flock held rising star DiMario to 2 catches for 14 yards, and Jason Williams only allowed WR Kroetch to 1 catch for 12 yards. The Liberty Rush attack could only bring in 78 yards, as they were slowed greatly by the Outlaws Front Seven.
In Week Three, the Legion could only manage to score from Special Teams, through a Kick Return Touchdown by their star player, Stormblessed. His presence was only felt on Special Teams, though, as he was held to only 23 yards receiving. The rest of the players on the Receiving Corps were held under 100 yards individually, again, without a single Offensive Touchdown.
The Week Four matchup against the Colorado Yeti was an anticipated Ultimus rematch, and it lived up to the hype. A super defensive matchup, where Arizona was able to rack up more yards on Offense, while the Yeti were blessed with a long drive capped of by a Boss Tweed Touchdown and a Bojo Kicksit Field Goal. This game featured an offensive gameplan where receivers were targeted, but only hauled in 16 of the 31 throws. Tight End Rich Gucci was targeted three times, all passes being broken up by the LB/SS duo of Ernston/Flock, and the Running Backs were only responsible for 97 rushing yards, and 3 catches for 14 yards. Noble was unable to find the endzone all game, relinquishing his duties to Tweed.
In each of the wins, we can see a correlation in the reason why the defense has been so on top. The Defensive Chessmaster in the Secondary. Strong Safety, Ryan Flock, is barking his orders and audibles from deep in his position up to Linebackers Ernston and Lee, and relaying them to the big men down in the trenches, Tuck, Dam and Asipi. The Chemistry on the Defense in these wins has been beyond believable. The quality of coverage in the secondary, and the flexibility of the Linebackers are giving all pass rushers plenty of time to create a nightmare at the line of scrimmage. Arizona is blanketing receivers with help from Rookie Safety Allen Davis, giving the Terrifying Trio of Ernson, Lee, and Luechly free reign to create havoc in every way they can. The stats speak for themselves when you look at them. An interception in every game, average 7.25 sacks a game, and making it a nightmare to create an effective Offensive Gameplan.
The only team to figure that out so far is the Colorado Yeti. The Yeti simply game planned away from Ryan Flock, and made it so that the safety was just taking up space. They threw and ran away from the Safety so that he made as little an impact as possible, and with just enough offense to score 13 points, one more than the Outlaws, it seemed to work. Sure there were some questionable calls by the Outlaws Offense, and a missed opportunity in a shanked FG by C. Ronaldo, we didn’t see as much of a swing generated by the Defense as in previous weeks. Linebacker Ernston was able to snag an interception, but it showed to just not be enough to catapult the Offense over the gritty Yeti defense.
While the season is still young, and the Outlaws are only improving, we will see how the next few weeks pan out, and if they can shake off their first loss, and produce like we are used to seeing them. Will we see a comeback from Flock? Will Flock be able to fly around enough to ruin Offensive Gameplans? Or will he be stunted by teams continuing to gameplan away from him?
We can only know for sure when we tune in next week.
Go Outlaws!
Code:
1292(?) wordsGraded
*Outlaws Secret Weapon? - Esa77 - 08-05-2017
Great write up!
:towel:
*Outlaws Secret Weapon? - Foompin - 08-05-2017
:cheers: :cheers: :bowdown: :cheers:
*Outlaws Secret Weapon? - Valtookan - 08-05-2017
Oh, well, no one knows my little secret yet. I'll make my own article about that on Aug 9th 10th or 11th.
*Outlaws Secret Weapon? - ErMurazor - 08-05-2017