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*Philly Sports News - PDXBaller - 10-03-2017
Liberty Put Down SaberCats at Home
By Phil E. Chezestake
Riding high off a 2 game winning streak against 2 of the worst teams in the league, the Philadelphia Liberty hoped to continue this stretch of great games against the San Jose SaberCats at home. When the teams faced each other in week 3 at San Jose, the Liberty weren’t able to walk away with a victory and ended up tying with the SaberCats 21-21. In the following weeks since that game was played, the Liberty made some drastic improvements on defense and offense which played a significant part of their victory against the SaberCats in week 9. The Liberty hit their rhythm early on scoring 21 in the first half of the game and finishing strong with another in the 3rd quarter. Things were looking tense in that 3rd quarter as the SaberCats scored 14, but the Liberty defense held out to finish strong in the 4th to keep the lead. The Liberty were able to continue their winning streak against the visiting team this week, 28-17.
What Went Well?
The Liberty’s key offensive players played incredibly well in comparison to the first meeting with San Jose. In fact, almost across the board we see the offensive efficiency improve when we analyze both games. Here’s a breakdown:
Clifford Rove
Game 1 vs. SJ: 28/45 Cp/At, 306 Yds, 10.9 Avg, 1 TD, 3 Int
Game 2 vs. SJ: 21/32 Cp/At, 296 Yds, 14.1 Avg, 2 TD, 1 Int
Omar Wright
Game 1 vs. SJ: 30 Att, 82 Yds, 2.7 Avg, 1 TD
Game 2 vs. SJ: 26 Att, 77 Yds, 3 Avg, 1 TD
Fox North
Game 1 vs. SJ: 8 Rec, 104 Yds, 13 Avg, 1 TD
Game 2 vs. SJ: 6 Rec, 116 Yds, 19.3 Avg, 2 TD
Damien Kroetch
Game 1 vs. SJ: 3 Rec, 63 Yds, 21 Avg, 0 TD
Game 2 vs. SJ: 5 Rec, 103 Yds, 20.6 Avg, 0 TD
Even though Rove completed less passes, he averaged 3.2 more yards per pass and had 1 more touchdown this game. The best part of his stat line has to be the 2 less interceptions. He’s averaged 1.77 interceptions per game, but that number is steadily decreasing. Speaking of decreases, Wright had less yards rushing this game, but still ended up rushing more yards on average per attempt and ended with a touchdown as well. He’s getting more efficient with his routes and the improvement to the offensive line should help him find openings.
Heading up the receiving corps, Fox North continues his reign as one of the top receivers in the league. He had 2 less receptions this game compared to the first one against San Jose, but ended up with more yards overall and an additional touchdown. We see the most marked improvement in performance for the Liberty’s number 2 receiver, Kroetch. Kroetch has been on a tear as of late, and he had 2 additional receptions this game for 40 more yards receiving.
The defense held the line well with the departure of Eli Kamaka. Safety Vikian Mermeladov had one of his best games this season with 8 tackles and Luke Washington added another 8 of his own as well. William Ridley continues to grab the attention of the league, as the potential Defensive Rookie of the Year netted 6 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, and 1 pass deflection. Not enough can be said about this young man’s performance.
What Didn’t Go Well?
Although the Liberty had a great first half, they weren’t able to capitalize on some key scoring drives that would have sealed the game. Even though Rove only threw one interception this game, it resulted in one of the worst scenarios: an opponent's touchdown. Rove’s interception at the 17 yard line gave the SaberCats hope having just scored off a fumble on the previous Liberty drive. These back to back mistakes were costly and almost put the SaberCats back into the conversation. The Liberty offense needs to protect the ball better down the stretch.
Liberty Impact Player of the Game This week’s Liberty Impact Player of the Game award goes to Fox North (@Silver Fox). The captain of the Liberty wide receiver corps scored 2 touchdowns this game and is already one of the top receivers in the league. He’s currently 4th in total yards receiving, 4th in average yards per reception, and 5th in total receptions. Liberty fans have no doubt in their minds that North will finish in the top tier of receivers this season.
Next Game
On the Road against the Yellowknife Wraiths at The Burial Grounds
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GRADED
*Philly Sports News - MacTonight - 10-03-2017
I love this series man. Another great read!