*Muddy's Matchup Review: Week 16

*Muddy's Matchup Review: Week 16 - Printable Version

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*Muddy's Matchup Review: Week 16 - Muddym13 - 04-29-2024

Muddy's Matchup Review: Week 16 ISFL

Orange County Otters (10-6) VS AUS

Austin Copperheads (6-10)

Overview

The game between the Otters and the Copperheads unfolded with the Copperheads ruining the Otter's playoff hopes with a final score of 29-13. In the opening quarter, the Otters struck first with Lloyd Bannings connecting with Oliver Tolliver for a 28-yard touchdown pass, putting them ahead 7-0. However, the Copperheads responded swiftly with Sean Aldrich's 2-yard touchdown run, tying the game at 7-7. As the game progressed into the second quarter, the Copperheads gained momentum, taking the lead with Jay Cue III finding Zaphod Beeblebrox for a 1-yard touchdown pass and Charlie Brown extending their lead with a successful field goal, while King Leonidas I added a field goal for the Otters, leaving the score at 17-10 at halftime. In the third quarter, both teams traded field goals once again, with Charlie Brown and King Leonidas I each adding three points to their respective team's total, with the Copperheads maintaining a 20-13 lead. Entering the final quarter, the Copperheads' defense held strong, preventing the Otters from mounting a comeback. Charlie Brown sealed the victory with three more field goals, securing the win for the Copperheads with a final score of 29-13.

My Thoughts

Somehow the Otters lost this game which turned out to be the most important game of their entire season. What should’ve been a routine win for the red-hot Otters turned into them getting blown out and falling one game behind a playoff spot. With no weeks left, their season is officially over. The Otters had a great season and showed some real flashes of being a championship-caliber team. What hurt them the most was the four-game losing stretch in the middle of the season. If you want to make the playoffs, you can’t rely on the sim in the last week of a season, gotta be more consistent in winning. Excited to see what moves they make going into next year as I feel they are very close to winning it all. As for the Copperheads, they play the villains to upset and ruin the Otter's season. It was a good win for them and a good way to end their season looking forward to the next.

Muddy’s Player of the Game

AUS

K Charlie Brown (@Kyle)
Stats: 5/5 FGs (27, 45, 34, 33, 28 yards), 2 XP

Reason: Brown was lights out for the Copperheads to end the season not missing one of his 7 total kicks. Accounting for 59% of his team's total points, he was a huge factor in why the Otters won't be going to the playoffs this year.

New Orleans Secondline (11-5) VS HON

Honolulu Hahalua (2-14)

Overview

The Secondline faced off against Hahalua in a thrilling match that saw Secondline barely secure the victory with a final score of 30-27. The game kicked off with Secondline asserting dominance in the first quarter. Octavion Speedings connected with Thomas Passarelli for a 16-yard touchdown pass, putting Secondline ahead 7-0. Jack Sloth then added a 36-yard field goal, extending their lead to 10-0. In the second quarter, Secondline continued their offensive attack with Speedings finding Passarelli again, this time for a 34-yard touchdown pass, pushing their lead to 17-0. However, Hahalua woke up and decided to fight back, with Stetson David scoring a 2-yard touchdown run. Sloth managed to take back 3 of those points with another field goal, bringing the score to 20-7 at halftime. The third quarter saw Hahalua gaining momentum, as Ray Baker kicked a 35-yard field goal early on, followed by Lenard McRobinson connecting with Fig Newton for a 3-yard touchdown pass, bringing the score to 20-17. Entering the final quarter, the game was tied at 20-20 after Ray Baker added another field goal for Hahalua. However, Secondline surged ahead with Speedings throwing a 51-yard touchdown pass to Eli Prince, followed by another field goal by Jack Sloth, giving them a 30-20 lead. Hahalua fought valiantly, with Lenard McRobinson finding A Waffle for a 3-yard touchdown pass, but it wasn't enough as Secondline held on for the 30-27 victory.

My Thoughts

The Hahalua put up a great fight this game to try and derail the Secondline’s season but they held on a scraped up to secure that final playoff spot for the ASFC. The Secondline are very lucky that the Otters blew their game or they would’ve lost the tiebreaker to get in, so every NOLA player should be sending a thank you to the Copperheads. This means that for the wildcard round, they will be facing off against the Outlaws. The season series was split between the two so it should be a very fun matchup to watch. Honolulu has shown many positive glimpses this year and I think they are going in the right direction. If they draft well this offseason they will be higher than the bottom of the league guaranteed.

Muddy’s Player of the Game

NOLA

QB Octavion Speedings (@CeeKay)
Stats: 20/33 passing, 322 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT, 110.9 passer rating | 1 carry, 5 yards

Reason: Octavion Speedings is the player of the game for his clutch performance in a playoff-securing win. He showed excellent accuracy and decision-making, throwing for over 300 yards and three touchdowns. With this passer rating being a bit north of 110, he showed up when it mattered most and for that, he's my PotG.

Berlin Fire Salamanders (6-10) VS CHI

Chicago Butchers (11-5)

Overview

The Fire Salamanders clashed with the Butchers in a tightly contested match that ended with the Butchers securing the 1st seed with a 17-11 win. The game kicked off with the Fire Salamanders taking an early lead in the first quarter. Golden Foote secured two field goals, one from 25 yards and another from 47 yards, giving them a 6-0 advantage. However, the Butchers responded with a 45-yard field goal of their own by David Doug, narrowing the gap to 6-3. In the second quarter, the Butchers seized control as Painted Penguin connected with Neil Bonnet for a 7-yard touchdown pass, putting them ahead 10-6. Golden Foote added another field goal, this time from 48 yards, bringing the Fire Salamanders within one point at 9-10. The third quarter saw the Butchers extending their lead further. Triceracop punched in a 2-yard touchdown run, with David Doug adding the extra point, stretching their lead to 17-9. Entering the final quarter,= something happened where a safety against Tuna TurnDaBallOva somehow gave the Fire Salamanders 2 points to close the deficit to 11-17, but it still wasn't enough as the Butchers held on for the victory.

My Thoughts

Chicago keeps their win streak alive, pushing it now to five games and steamrolling their way into the playoffs with the first seed of the NSFC. They fully took advantage of the Hawks' struggles near the end of the season and now set themselves up for the first-round bye and home-field advantage for the NSFC championship game. With how the Butchers have been playing lately they have the best chance out to make it out of that conference and to an Ultimus. Could this be this be the year Chicago wins their second Ultimus? Berlin put up a good fight but it wasn’t enough. They are still missing a few key pieces to make any noise, but have a few solid players to build around for the future. With this being just the start of their rebuild, they have to be feeling pretty well for the future.

Muddy’s Player of the Game

CHI

RB Triceracop (@"fireyheart")
Stats: 19 rushing attempts, 65 yards, 1 touchdown | 2 receptions, 15 yards

Reason: Even though Triceracop's stats aren't anything special or will blow you away, they were ultimately responsible for the most important score of the game. Triceracop's touchdown in the third quarter ended up being the game-winning touchdown to lock up the first-round bye for the team.

Baltimore Hawks (10-6) VS CTC

Cape Town Crash (9-7)

Overview

The Hawks soared to an early lead in the first quarter against the Crash, but couldn't hold on to the lead as the Crash ended up winning 30-26. Master Chief opened the scoring with a 34-yard field goal, putting the Hawks ahead 3-0. Seconds later, Dino Nuggets intercepted a pass and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown, extending the lead to 10-0. The second quarter saw the Hawks continuing their dominance. Jarvis Harbinger-Marjin rushed for a 7-yard touchdown, increasing their lead to 17-0. Master Chief added to the lead with a 26-yard field goal just before halftime, giving the Hawks a commanding 20-0 advantage. However, the Crash came alive in the second half, starting in the third quarter. Bob Kickerson nailed a 36-yard field goal to put the Crash on the board at 20-3. Master Chief responded with a 48-yard field goal for the Hawks, but Thor Bǫllrsveifla's 59-yard touchdown run narrowed the gap to 23-10. Before the quarter was over, Master Chief added one more making the lead 26-10. In the fourth quarter, the Crash staged a remarkable comeback. Justin Willis intercepted a pass and returned it 43 yards for a touchdown, bringing the score to 26-16 after a failed two-point conversion. Juran Riley then recovered a fumble and ran it 10 yards for another Crash touchdown, making it 26-23. With less than two minutes remaining, Hercules Henry caught a 2-yard pass from Bǫllrsveifla, and Kickerson's kick sealed the stunning 30-26 victory for the Crash.

My Thoughts

This was a tale of two different stories in this game. To start off with the good story, the Crash pulled off the upset against the Hawks to secure their spot in the playoffs as the Wraiths lost. Cape Town has been having an up-and-down year but they managed to find a way to keep their season alive at least for one more week. If the defense can keep dominating like they did today, expect a deep playoff run from them. As for the Hawks, they are slipping and slipping hard. They officially lost the first-round bye and will now have to play the first playoff week. Not sure what happened to this team but what tale of two halves as a season. To start 7-1 and finish 3-5 is brutal. Luckily for the Hawks, they won’t have to wait long for a shot at revenge as these two teams will play again in the first round of the playoffs. Another great storyline game that I am looking very much forward to watching.

Muddy’s Player of the Game

CTC

LB Justin Willis (@Cycro)
Stats: 9 tackles, 2 TFL, 2 sacks, 1 pass deflection, 1 interception returned for TD

Reason: Willis put on a defensive masterclass this week and helped spark the comeback to lead the Crash to their playoff bid. The 43-yard interception touchdown brought hope to the team as they were down only by 10 at that point. Willis was also very disruptive with 2 sacks and 9 total tackles. Easy PotG.

Yellowknife Wraiths (8-8) VS ARI

Arizona Outlaws (12-4)

Overview

In a heated contest between the Wraiths and the Outlaws with playoff implications, the Outlaws came away with the win 30-20. The game kicked off with Money Tolliver catching a 29-yard pass from Maximus Boudreaux for the Wraiths, which was answered by Danny Nedelko's 4-yard rushing touchdown for the Outlaws, tying the score at 7-7. The Wraiths tried to gain momentum in the second quarter with Zenzeroni Xystarch II kicking a 29-yard field goal, putting them ahead 10-7. However, Nedelko scored his second touchdown of the game with a 3-yard run, extending the Outlaws' lead to 17-10. Jayme Jayne Jay-Jaymison added to the lead with a 34-yard field goal just before halftime, but Xystarch II's remarkable 57-yard field goal narrowed the gap to 17-13. The Outlaws continued to grow their advantage in the third quarter, with Jay-Jaymison hitting another field goal from 34 yards out and Donovan Winters III then connecting with Jordan Bamford for a 3-yard touchdown pass, it brought the Outlaws' lead to 27-13. The Wraiths tried to mount a comeback in the fourth quarter, with Kadarius Claypool II intercepting a pass and returning it 40 yards for a touchdown, bringing the score to 27-20. However, Jay-Jaymison's 18-yard field goal sealed the victory for the Outlaws with a final score of 30-20.

My Thoughts

The Wraiths were handed a very tough task this week and sadly couldn't pull it out in the end with this loss. Being beaten by the Outlaws officially closed the Wraiths playoff window and they will be spending the postseason watching. They were definitely a crowd favorite this year as they made some major upsets and major blunders that you couldn't help but tune in every game to see what they do. They are right at a playoff run so expect to see some moves and a good draft to push them over the edge. For the Outlaws this was a great win to lock up the home advantage for the first round of the playoffs. Going against the Secondline is not going to be an easy task, but the Outlaws are playoff veterans and can never be counted out to make the championship any given year. Will be a great and entertaining matchup.

Muddy's Player of the Game

ARI

RB Danny Nedelko (@Crunk)
Stats: 18 rushing attempts, 107 yards, 2 touchdowns

Reason: Nedelko's explosive performance, including two early touchdowns to grow the Outlaws lead, helped to make sure that the Outlaws came away with the win in the final week of the season. His ability to gain yards throughout the whole game and capitalize on scoring opportunities made him the driving force in the team's success.

New York Silverbacks (6-10) VS SJS

San Jose Sabercats (13-3)

Overview

The Sabercats ended up winning their last game of the season against the Silverbacks to secure the league title 27-16. The game opened with Wing Wang's 41-yard field goal, putting the Silverbacks ahead 3-0. However, the SaberCats quickly responded with a touchdown as Josh Patterson found Florida Man for a 29-yard pass. A Frank Dux's 1-yard rushing touchdown ended up keeping the game close as the Silverback led 10-7. Josh Petterson ended up passing for another touchdown, this time to Keanu Calhoun, to take the lead at the end of the quarter, 14-10. In the second, Wing Wang and Booter McGavin exchanged field goals, keeping the SaberCats in the lead at 17-13 going into halftime. The SaberCats extended their lead in the third quarter with another touchdown from Patterson, this time connecting with Maple Dogwood for a 1-yard pass, making it 24-13. As the game entered the final quarter, the Silverbacks fought back, with Wing Wang adding another field goal to narrow the gap to 24-16. However, Booter McGavin's 38-yard field goal in the closing minutes secured the SaberCats' victory with a final score of 27-16.

My Thoughts

The Sabercats secured the first-round bye with no questions asked this week being one game ahead of second. Going into the playoffs, the Sabercats have a lot of pressure on them as many view them as the team to beat and expectations are a championship or bust. Although, I feel this team is built for the deep playoff run and shouldn't crumble under the pressure. They will have to face either the Outlaws or Secondline in the ASFC game which is going to be a really tough game. Excited to see if the Sabercats can finish off their dominant season. Silverbacks put up a good fight in their last game of the season but San Jose was just too much. Time for them to keep building this offseason and get better for next year.

Muddy's Player of the Game

SJS

QB Josh Patterson (@Tylertokesome04)
Stats: 23/26 passing, 88.5%, 216 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs, 139.7 passer rating

Reason: Talk about efficiency in this one. Patterson led the SaberCats to victory with all-star level accuracy (88.5%) and added three touchdown passes on top of that. With no glaring mistakes in the game, it looks like the Sabercat's signal caller is more than ready to start the playoffs.

Sarasota Sailfish (7-9) VS COL

Colorado Yeti (1-15)

Overview

The Sailfish and the Yeti played a game for pride this week, and the Sailfish came out on top 21-10. The Sailfish started strong in the first quarter, with Ace Anderson's 1-yard run for a touchdown, followed by Pete Moss's 33-yard field goal for the Yeti, ending the quarter with the Sailfish in the lead at 7-3. In the second quarter, the Sailfish extended their lead as Willier Miller connected with Léopold Roy for a 3-yard touchdown pass, putting them ahead 14-3 at halftime. The Sailfish maintained their momentum in the third quarter, with Miller finding Roy again, this time for a 54-yard touchdown pass, widening their lead to 21-3. However, the Yeti fought back in the fourth quarter, with Swamp Maiden's 3-yard run for a touchdown and Pete Moss's successful kick, closing the gap to 21-10. Despite the Yeti's late surge, the Sailfish managed to hold on to their lead until the final whistle, securing a hard-fought victory with a final score of 21-10.

My Thoughts

This game was pretty much for confidence-building as it didn't have any chance of affecting the playoff picture. Both the Sailfish and the Yeti are looking to have a strong offseason to continue building their teams for the future.

Muddy's Player of the Game

SAR

WR Léopold Roy (@Gordon Bombay)
Stats: 4 receptions, 72 yards, 2 TDs

Reason: On just four catchers, Roy managed to create 72 yards from them and score 2 huge touchdowns in a tightly contested game. He was one of the few offensive players who seemed to have a good day in this matchup and his impact helped lead the Sailfish to a win.

Muddy's (Final) Power Rankings