Defensive Line Standouts - Week 8
Welcome to week 8 of our Season 3 Defensive Line Standouts! Week 7 saw one of our Big 3 stonewalled and dropped off the list while the other 2, Sandoval and Miller, continue to bring the wood to opposing offensive linemen. Four of our 10 names on the list this week are rookies, with one player making his first appearance on the season. The infusion of young blood on this list bodes well for the NSFL and is a great sign of continued growth. I’m excited to see how these young guns finish out their season. Enough chit chat… Let’s begin!
Defensive End Top Performers
E. Gustavsson ($$$) 3 TCK, 1 TFL, 1 SCK, 1 safety
Making his third appearance, Gustavsson has more appearances than any other rookie defensive end. He was all over the field in a close battle with defensing NSFL Champs, the Arizona Outlaws, and finished with 3 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 sack, and a safety. He has done a more than adequate job filling the pass rush whole that Bjornsson has seemingly fallen into as of late. Expect a big game from him next week as the Wraiths head out to take on a 1-7 Colorado Yeti that have allowed 30 sacks on the season.
F. Wozy ($$$$) 4 TCK, 2 SCK
One of the few bright spots still left on the Colorado roster, Wozy has more than earned his pay this year. Despite losing by 20 to the Philadelphia Liberty while hosting, Wozy was able to secure 4 tackles and a pair of sacks. If the Yeti hadn’t won their first game of the season, hosting the Las Vegas Legion, there’s a very real chance the team would’ve finished the season winless. Colorado will have a tough one on their hands next week as they host the playoff hopefuls, the Yellowknife Wraiths.
J. Tuck ($ x6) 8 TCK, 2 TFL
Only the second time all season he was held without a sack, he still managed to make our list with 8 tackles and 2 tackles for loss. Tuck is the heart and soul of the Outlaws defense, and it’s not fluke that when he wasn’t able to get to the quarterback all game, the Outlaws allowed the most points they have all season. It will be interesting to see if he can bounce back in Baltimore against a very good offensive line that has allowed only 15 sacks all season, behind only Tuck’s own Arizona Outlaws. Tuck is on pace to finish the season with 37 sacks, 11 more than the current record.
Other Great Performers
O. Taylor ($ x5) 3 TCK, 2 SCK
E. Kamaka ($$) 4 TCK, 1 SCK
3 players tied at 7 points
Making his fifth appearance on our list with 3 tackles and 2 sacks, Taylor has already surpassed his statistics from last year in every category. He is currently second among defensive ends in sacks, and tied for fifth overall for tackles for loss. Kamaka has been playing well as of late, especially for his first year in the league. This marks his second appearance. Normally I would add a seventh player to our list but, there were 3 players tied with 7 total points, which would bring the total to 8, making the list too long.
Defensive Tackle Top Performers
D. Miller ($ x8) 6 TCK, 2 SCK
Once again claiming the top spot after being ranked a few spots lower for a couple weeks, Miller is making his eight appearance on the season. His 6 tackles and 2 sacks once again show the value he brings to this roster. Currently ranked third in the NSFL for sacks and the league leader in forced fumbles, it’s no shock that Miller is one of only 2 players to be appearing on our list for the eighth consecutive time. The SaberCats will be headed out to Philadelphia next week for a tough road test against the 3-4-1 Liberty.
B. Bot ($) 5 TCK, 1 TFL, 1 SCK
Making his first appearance this year, Bot is the second member of the Arizona Outlaws to appear on our list this week. After spending some time in the DSFL working on fundamentals his extra work clearly paid off as he came through in a big way this week. His 5 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 sack were good enough to earn him the second spot on our defensive tackle list. Bot will have a tough test on the road against the Baltimore Hawks, who have one of the best offensive lines in the league.
M. Ramrio ($ x5) 6 TCK, 1 SCK
Even though his numbers are down a tad compared to last year, his 6 tackles and 1 sack this week was more than enough for him to claim a spot on our list for the fifth time this season. Ramrio has struggled getting to the quarterback this season, as he currently sits at only 3 sacks on the year. He has, however, been a solid contributor in the run stopping department, while also adding 2 forced fumbles. Philadelphia will host the San Jose SaberCats in week 9, in what will be a must win game if they hope to compete for a highly coveted playoff spot.
Other Great Performers
R. Sandoval ($ x8) 5 TCK, 1 SCK
A. Saginaw ($$) 5 TCK, 1 SCK
3 players tied at 8 points
Sandoval makes his eighth consecutive appearance on our list this week with 5 tackles and 1 sack. Between Sandoval and Trey Willie, the Hawks have 2 of the most dynamic rookies in the NSFL. Speaking of rookies, Ash Saginaw, rookie defensive tackle for the Las Vegas Legion, is making his second appearance here with 5 tackles and 1 sack. He’s been a solid add for the Legion. Normally I would add a seventh player to our list but, there were 3 players tied with 8 total points, which would bring the total to 8, making the list too long.
Team Appearances After Week 8*
Baltimore: 19 2
San Jose: 14 1
Arizona: 12 2
Orange County: 11 0
Yellowknife: 10 1
Las Vegas: 10 1
Philadelphia: 10 2
Colorado: 8 1
Baltimore has a firm hold on the top spot, for the time being at least, with a 5-spot lead on second place San Jose. The only position change came as Arizona jumped Orange County to claim the number 3 spot. Orange County, who until this week was in third place, was the only team to not have a player on our list this week. Interesting to note, Bjornsson, who made our list for the first 6 consecutive weeks, missed the list again, for the second week in a row. Dan Miller and Ricardo Sandoval both made our list this week to make it an impressive 8 out of 8 weeks. As always, if you have any comments, corrections, or question, I’d love to hear them below.
*Just a reminder, this ranking is not necessarily indicative of how well a team’s defense is operating as a whole. For example, Arizona leads the league in sacks by 13 but, is currently third on our list in number of individual appearances.
GRADED
Welcome to week 8 of our Season 3 Defensive Line Standouts! Week 7 saw one of our Big 3 stonewalled and dropped off the list while the other 2, Sandoval and Miller, continue to bring the wood to opposing offensive linemen. Four of our 10 names on the list this week are rookies, with one player making his first appearance on the season. The infusion of young blood on this list bodes well for the NSFL and is a great sign of continued growth. I’m excited to see how these young guns finish out their season. Enough chit chat… Let’s begin!
Defensive End Top Performers
E. Gustavsson ($$$) 3 TCK, 1 TFL, 1 SCK, 1 safety
Making his third appearance, Gustavsson has more appearances than any other rookie defensive end. He was all over the field in a close battle with defensing NSFL Champs, the Arizona Outlaws, and finished with 3 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 sack, and a safety. He has done a more than adequate job filling the pass rush whole that Bjornsson has seemingly fallen into as of late. Expect a big game from him next week as the Wraiths head out to take on a 1-7 Colorado Yeti that have allowed 30 sacks on the season.
F. Wozy ($$$$) 4 TCK, 2 SCK
One of the few bright spots still left on the Colorado roster, Wozy has more than earned his pay this year. Despite losing by 20 to the Philadelphia Liberty while hosting, Wozy was able to secure 4 tackles and a pair of sacks. If the Yeti hadn’t won their first game of the season, hosting the Las Vegas Legion, there’s a very real chance the team would’ve finished the season winless. Colorado will have a tough one on their hands next week as they host the playoff hopefuls, the Yellowknife Wraiths.
J. Tuck ($ x6) 8 TCK, 2 TFL
Only the second time all season he was held without a sack, he still managed to make our list with 8 tackles and 2 tackles for loss. Tuck is the heart and soul of the Outlaws defense, and it’s not fluke that when he wasn’t able to get to the quarterback all game, the Outlaws allowed the most points they have all season. It will be interesting to see if he can bounce back in Baltimore against a very good offensive line that has allowed only 15 sacks all season, behind only Tuck’s own Arizona Outlaws. Tuck is on pace to finish the season with 37 sacks, 11 more than the current record.
Other Great Performers
O. Taylor ($ x5) 3 TCK, 2 SCK
E. Kamaka ($$) 4 TCK, 1 SCK
3 players tied at 7 points
Making his fifth appearance on our list with 3 tackles and 2 sacks, Taylor has already surpassed his statistics from last year in every category. He is currently second among defensive ends in sacks, and tied for fifth overall for tackles for loss. Kamaka has been playing well as of late, especially for his first year in the league. This marks his second appearance. Normally I would add a seventh player to our list but, there were 3 players tied with 7 total points, which would bring the total to 8, making the list too long.
Defensive Tackle Top Performers
D. Miller ($ x8) 6 TCK, 2 SCK
Once again claiming the top spot after being ranked a few spots lower for a couple weeks, Miller is making his eight appearance on the season. His 6 tackles and 2 sacks once again show the value he brings to this roster. Currently ranked third in the NSFL for sacks and the league leader in forced fumbles, it’s no shock that Miller is one of only 2 players to be appearing on our list for the eighth consecutive time. The SaberCats will be headed out to Philadelphia next week for a tough road test against the 3-4-1 Liberty.
B. Bot ($) 5 TCK, 1 TFL, 1 SCK
Making his first appearance this year, Bot is the second member of the Arizona Outlaws to appear on our list this week. After spending some time in the DSFL working on fundamentals his extra work clearly paid off as he came through in a big way this week. His 5 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 sack were good enough to earn him the second spot on our defensive tackle list. Bot will have a tough test on the road against the Baltimore Hawks, who have one of the best offensive lines in the league.
M. Ramrio ($ x5) 6 TCK, 1 SCK
Even though his numbers are down a tad compared to last year, his 6 tackles and 1 sack this week was more than enough for him to claim a spot on our list for the fifth time this season. Ramrio has struggled getting to the quarterback this season, as he currently sits at only 3 sacks on the year. He has, however, been a solid contributor in the run stopping department, while also adding 2 forced fumbles. Philadelphia will host the San Jose SaberCats in week 9, in what will be a must win game if they hope to compete for a highly coveted playoff spot.
Other Great Performers
R. Sandoval ($ x8) 5 TCK, 1 SCK
A. Saginaw ($$) 5 TCK, 1 SCK
3 players tied at 8 points
Sandoval makes his eighth consecutive appearance on our list this week with 5 tackles and 1 sack. Between Sandoval and Trey Willie, the Hawks have 2 of the most dynamic rookies in the NSFL. Speaking of rookies, Ash Saginaw, rookie defensive tackle for the Las Vegas Legion, is making his second appearance here with 5 tackles and 1 sack. He’s been a solid add for the Legion. Normally I would add a seventh player to our list but, there were 3 players tied with 8 total points, which would bring the total to 8, making the list too long.
Team Appearances After Week 8*
Baltimore: 19 2
San Jose: 14 1
Arizona: 12 2
Orange County: 11 0
Yellowknife: 10 1
Las Vegas: 10 1
Philadelphia: 10 2
Colorado: 8 1
Baltimore has a firm hold on the top spot, for the time being at least, with a 5-spot lead on second place San Jose. The only position change came as Arizona jumped Orange County to claim the number 3 spot. Orange County, who until this week was in third place, was the only team to not have a player on our list this week. Interesting to note, Bjornsson, who made our list for the first 6 consecutive weeks, missed the list again, for the second week in a row. Dan Miller and Ricardo Sandoval both made our list this week to make it an impressive 8 out of 8 weeks. As always, if you have any comments, corrections, or question, I’d love to hear them below.
*Just a reminder, this ranking is not necessarily indicative of how well a team’s defense is operating as a whole. For example, Arizona leads the league in sacks by 13 but, is currently third on our list in number of individual appearances.
GRADED
[OPTION]Johnny Snuggles || CB || Yellowknife Wraiths || Hall of Fame [OPTION]Height/Weight: 6'1", 205 [OPTION]Number: 21 [OPTION] Draft History: S13 #1 Overall [OPTION]=========================================== [OPTION]Trophy Case/Achievements:[OPTION] Ultimini Champs: S12 [OPTION] Defensive Rookie of the Year: S13 [OPTION] Pro Bowl: S14, S15, S16