Through 6 weeks of DSFL play, it’s really unclear which teams are any good. While a small sample size combined with high level of roster moves accounts for some of that, there is one other factor that just might be more important, and while it definitely gets noticed, it isn’t being talked about enough.
The greatest factor in determining wins and losses may not be roster strength, certainly isn’t strategy, but appears to be…penalties.
@bovovovo has done a great job with his power rankings, but I am going to do a penalty ranking, and I am going to hopefully show how some of these teams have the records they do.
#1 Tijuana Luchadores, 217 penalty yards against
4-2 record (4 home, 2 away), PD 106-76. O rank: 6th D rank: 5th
Hey, look at that, the team with the best record and best point differential is the team that has been penalized the least. The Luchadores have been extremely lucky over 6 weeks (on the field, at least). Their worst game was only 60 yards worth of penalties. As you can see, this team is garbage in terms of yardage, but when all the flags are in your favor, the wins keep coming. It should be noted that the Luchadores have played 4 of their 6 games at home, so maybe that’s the reason for their lack of flags.
#2 Portland Pythons, 251 penalty yards against
2-4 record (2 home, 4 away), PD 89-113. O rank: 1st D rank: 2nd
Okay, I’m gonna need some help here. How is it that a team with the best yardage and among the lowest penalties called against them is 2-4? I mean, I get that they have had 4 road games, but still, they should be at least at .500 with numbers like that. Their penalties have even been the most consistent week to week, with a difference of 31 yards between their best and worst weeks.
#3 Chicago Blues, 277 penalty yards against
4-2 record, (2 home, 4 away), PD of 99-115. O rank: 5th D rank: 6th
So, just gonna point out that the two teams with the best records are also the two teams with the WORST yardage differentials in the league. What do they have in common? Both top 3 in avoiding penalties. What’s really surprising is that both Chicago and Portland have played 2/3 of their games on the road, which puts a big killer on the visiting team gets penalized more perception. Not saying it isn’t possible (again, small sample size), but this was definitely unexpected. Also, how can a team be 4-2 while being outscored by 16 points?
#4 Norfolk SeaWolves, 373 penalty yards against
2-4 record (3 home, 3 away), PD of 89-107. O rank: 3rd D rank: 3rd
What a jump from #3 to #4, right? This team is likely the best example of a good team brought down by penalties…so far. We know the SeaWolves are a good team. Hell, before last night’s games a lot of folks were betting on them winning it all. There was even a bet on whether Marshals or SeaWolves would win the first championship. Why is Norfolk looking at a losing record, then? It’s not a bunch of road games. But being in the bottom half of the penalty game might be a factor. By the way, 154 of those yards were last night, which may explain the 0-2 performance.
#5 Kansas City Coyotes, 383 penalty yards against
3-3 record (4 home, 2 away), PD of 102-91. O rank: 2nd D rank: 1st
Honestly, I am very surprised at how well KC played after losing Pierno and Young. Both were great talents, and I’m sure Pierno would have seen SLIGHTLY more success in the DSFL than in the NSFL. Such is life. What’s more surprising is that if they weren’t second to last in penalty yards, they might even be better. Also, note the 4 home games, again hurting the home game advantage on penalties.
#6 San Antonio Marshals, 453 penalty yards against
3-3 record (3 home, 3 away), PD of 96-79. O rank: 4th D rank: 4th
Right from the start I’ve said that San Antonio is the best team in the DSFL, because it was built with strategy in mind. Unfortunately, being the most penalized team in the league was not part of that strategy. The Marshals have had ONE game where they saw under 65 yards of penalties, which is more yards than Tijuana, Portland or Chicago had in their WORST games. The Marshals worst game, by the way, was 125 yards of penalties. They lost that one, by the way. This team made me really question the importance of yardage. After all, how many offensive drives ended due to 3rd down penalties? How many defensive ones ended from free first downs? I still feel this is the best team in the league, but it’s also the ONLY team with over TWICE as many penalty yards as another team.
((1 million to @EastBeast))
GRADED
The greatest factor in determining wins and losses may not be roster strength, certainly isn’t strategy, but appears to be…penalties.
@bovovovo has done a great job with his power rankings, but I am going to do a penalty ranking, and I am going to hopefully show how some of these teams have the records they do.
#1 Tijuana Luchadores, 217 penalty yards against
4-2 record (4 home, 2 away), PD 106-76. O rank: 6th D rank: 5th
Hey, look at that, the team with the best record and best point differential is the team that has been penalized the least. The Luchadores have been extremely lucky over 6 weeks (on the field, at least). Their worst game was only 60 yards worth of penalties. As you can see, this team is garbage in terms of yardage, but when all the flags are in your favor, the wins keep coming. It should be noted that the Luchadores have played 4 of their 6 games at home, so maybe that’s the reason for their lack of flags.
#2 Portland Pythons, 251 penalty yards against
2-4 record (2 home, 4 away), PD 89-113. O rank: 1st D rank: 2nd
Okay, I’m gonna need some help here. How is it that a team with the best yardage and among the lowest penalties called against them is 2-4? I mean, I get that they have had 4 road games, but still, they should be at least at .500 with numbers like that. Their penalties have even been the most consistent week to week, with a difference of 31 yards between their best and worst weeks.
#3 Chicago Blues, 277 penalty yards against
4-2 record, (2 home, 4 away), PD of 99-115. O rank: 5th D rank: 6th
So, just gonna point out that the two teams with the best records are also the two teams with the WORST yardage differentials in the league. What do they have in common? Both top 3 in avoiding penalties. What’s really surprising is that both Chicago and Portland have played 2/3 of their games on the road, which puts a big killer on the visiting team gets penalized more perception. Not saying it isn’t possible (again, small sample size), but this was definitely unexpected. Also, how can a team be 4-2 while being outscored by 16 points?
#4 Norfolk SeaWolves, 373 penalty yards against
2-4 record (3 home, 3 away), PD of 89-107. O rank: 3rd D rank: 3rd
What a jump from #3 to #4, right? This team is likely the best example of a good team brought down by penalties…so far. We know the SeaWolves are a good team. Hell, before last night’s games a lot of folks were betting on them winning it all. There was even a bet on whether Marshals or SeaWolves would win the first championship. Why is Norfolk looking at a losing record, then? It’s not a bunch of road games. But being in the bottom half of the penalty game might be a factor. By the way, 154 of those yards were last night, which may explain the 0-2 performance.
#5 Kansas City Coyotes, 383 penalty yards against
3-3 record (4 home, 2 away), PD of 102-91. O rank: 2nd D rank: 1st
Honestly, I am very surprised at how well KC played after losing Pierno and Young. Both were great talents, and I’m sure Pierno would have seen SLIGHTLY more success in the DSFL than in the NSFL. Such is life. What’s more surprising is that if they weren’t second to last in penalty yards, they might even be better. Also, note the 4 home games, again hurting the home game advantage on penalties.
#6 San Antonio Marshals, 453 penalty yards against
3-3 record (3 home, 3 away), PD of 96-79. O rank: 4th D rank: 4th
Right from the start I’ve said that San Antonio is the best team in the DSFL, because it was built with strategy in mind. Unfortunately, being the most penalized team in the league was not part of that strategy. The Marshals have had ONE game where they saw under 65 yards of penalties, which is more yards than Tijuana, Portland or Chicago had in their WORST games. The Marshals worst game, by the way, was 125 yards of penalties. They lost that one, by the way. This team made me really question the importance of yardage. After all, how many offensive drives ended due to 3rd down penalties? How many defensive ones ended from free first downs? I still feel this is the best team in the league, but it’s also the ONLY team with over TWICE as many penalty yards as another team.
((1 million to @EastBeast))
GRADED
![[Image: BVsashy.png]](https://i.imgur.com/BVsashy.png)