02-15-2022, 05:04 AM
(This post was last modified: 02-15-2022, 11:26 AM by allbetsonjames. Edited 3 times in total.)
Week 16 Preview
I started writing this before Week 16 of the DSFL season which has obviously now been played. Even though it makes me look kinda stupid I want to get the money from it so I’m still going to be posting it.
There’s no doubt that it’s been a great season for the Tijuana Luchadores, as they once again find themselves playing in the DSFL playoffs with a real chance to win the Ultimini trophy.
With many of the same star players returning from last year’s squad, the Luchadores were looking to make up for falling short last season and establish themselves as a team to fear in the regular season. So far, so good.
After a difficult opening stretch to begin the season in which they lost their first two games, the league’s only Mexican team rebounded to record a 9-game unbeaten streak, including a win against several rival teams to earn a spot in the DSFL’s highly anticipated playoffs. The main contributor to their success as been their starting quarterback Live Laughlove. The man who should be established as the league’s MVP this season was vital to the success of the team and there’s no chance that they would have been able to achieve what they have without his skillset.
With a real chance to win the Ultimini, the frustrations that have been building since last season will come to a head in Week 14. Facing a closing game situation against the Kansas City Coyotes,
the Luchadores will be looking to deliver a dominant performance that builds momentum heading into the postseason. The game is vitally important for the Coyotes, and the Luchadores will be looking to stop their playoff hopes and establish their own form ahead of the games that really matter.
If the Luchadores are to win, they will need to keep things simple and focus on executing. Here are a few key things to watch for when the game goes live on Monday.
1. Quarterback play
One of the main reasons that the Tijuana Luchadores have been so successful this season is because of the success that their quarterback has had. Making vitally important throws in tough situations, he has been able to build
unrivalled chemistry with both old and new receivers on his team, and if the Luchadores are to end their season with a win it’ll be vital that he’s on form for them again.
2. Defensive play
Tijuana’s defense has been a little spotty in some statistical categories but in the category that matters most, they’ve won enough games to have the best record in the league. Crucially, they also lead the league in interceptions, with these takeaways being crucial to winning the games that they have. One area that hasn’t been quite as productive is in their pass rush, and I think that this is going to be a real area of focus going into the playoffs for the Luchadores. If they’re able to get after the opposing quarterback, it’s going to make every player on the teams life a bit easier, so I expect them to look to set the tone defensively against the Coyotes, something that they’ll look to maintain and carry forward as they go into the playoffs and play in the most important games of all.
3. Rookie contributions
Tijuana have successfully bolstered their roster in the last year by replacing key contributors on both sides of the ball with fresh faced rookies who have done a good job of allowing Tijuana to maintain their level and keep the success going forward. A big performance from the rookie members of the team to close out the season will be vital to ensure their confidence is as high as possible going into the playoffs, where the pressure really will begin to step up and the team will look for them to contribute in much bigger ways. It’s tough to ask so much of players who are so new to the league but it seems to have worked very well so far for Tijuana so expect nothing to change as they look to close the season out with the best result possible.
After this game has concluded, Tijuana will be playing either the Buccaneers or the Seawolves in the opening round of the playoffs. Both teams present a tough challenge and it is absolutely essential for Tijuana to build up some momentum before they face either of them.
I have to say that I like Tijuana’s chances going into the postseason. Obviously this isn’t the first season that I’ve spent with the team as a user even though it’s my rookie season with this player, and every time there’s been a belief that the team has the potential to done one. But I think this time it’s different, where the actual results obtained by the team really do match up with the belief in the locker room and the anticipation of what might happen. I think management has done a fantastic job of assembling a great roster, getting the strategy in place to make the most of it, and coaching the team to obtain the best results ever. I think that the mix of veteran talent and rookie flair has really gelled and going into the postseason, I think there’s no doubt over what we can do and the heights that the team might be able to reach.
Playoffs are always a crap shoot and even the best teams can catch the worst case of luck from the sim and come away with nothing to show for their season. We’ll obviously need to get incredibly lucky to win anything, but I feel like at some time the luck needs to hit for me and it would be great to come away from the rookie season with a new Ultimini trophy to go next to my name on the forum. But we’ll see what happens, all comes down to the particular game you’re playing and that really can go any way at all. Whatever happens, it’s been a fun season and I’ve enjoyed playing in Tijuana a lot. It’s made coming back to the league a really pleasant experience, and I’d think it’s set me up for a great return to getting more invested into what’s going on in the league and I’m excited to see how the next stages of my career play out. Can’t wait to get stuck in during the playoffs and from then on, let’s see what happens. Nothing really left to say here besides go Luchadores, I think this is the year that it finally gets done and I am excited!
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1105 words, pay me double