Why the San Jose Sabercats are going to win the Ultimus cup next season.
The San Jose Sabercats finished with a disappointing 4-10 record after their first season in the NSFL, which tied for last. The Sabercats will be turning that around next season for a few seasons though:
1. Their incredible offensive line
Last season, the Sabercats had one of the best offensive lines in the entire league. This year, they'll like create a large gap between their line and the number two line. They gain Jordan Yates from the draft, a waiver wire pickup for the Otters last season who served as an average lineman and will only grow. They also retained Vincent Sharpei with the number four pick in the draft, who will serve as one of the teams best lineman. These two players along with Ben Longshaw who is beginning to be active again after loss of training facilities, along with the addition of Brandon Sharp will make the Sabercats bolster one of the strongest lines in the league.
2. Their addition of new strong running backs
Some may think that the loss of a 1000 yard rusher will hurt the Sabercats, but that may not be the case. Bowers Jr. only averaged 3.8 yards per carry, one of the top rates for starting runningbacks. His low yards per carry and inability to make big plays hurt quarterbacks Jameis Christ and Ethan Hunt's ability to manage the game, forcing them to constantly go for big plays and throw interceptions(though Ethan Hunt managed to limit interceptions when playing at the end of the season.). The addition of Denzel Diaz and John Goose at running back will definitely help, but the real difference maker on the ground game will be from Josh Durden. Durden split reps with Maclworthy in Arizona last season but will be the primary back in San Jose. Despite only having around half the reps, he scored four touchdowns on the season and put up over 600 yards. Expect him to have an even better season this year with more opportunities to touch the ball.
3. Their much stronger defense
Last year, the Sabercats really struggled on defense. They were below average in sacks and interceptions. To top this off, they were dead last in defensive touchdowns, only scoring one on the season. This will change with their new pickups in the draft. Their pickups of Enchilada Charlton and Xaiver Newman will immediately better the defense. They both will have a chance to get playing time on the growing Sabercats defense.
4. Ethan Hunt
Ethan Hunt, the quarterback who was traded from the Otters to the Sabercats will be the reason the Sabercats win the Ultimus. While he doesn't see San Jose as a permanent home, he has said he will play the rest of his contract in San Jose. In his last four games, he led San Jose to a 2-1 record beating the Yeti and clobbering the Hawks. Over these three games, he threw for over 500 yards as he helped the Sabercats gain 50% of their wins on the season. What really stands out is his performance in the pro bowl. He finally began to show his full potential as he threw for 328 yards and two touchdowns against the best defensive backs in the league. If Hunt can perform like this in season 2, the Sabercats will easily take the top seed in their division.
With all the new pieces arriving in San Jose, the Sabercats have unlimited potential. Through the flashes of potential from Hunt, to the beastly offensive line with new pieces, to the more complete defense, the Sabercats are poised to make a run at the Ultimus cup. Expect their ceiling to be around 12 wins and floor around 8. The Sabercats are ready to establish the National Simulation Football Leagues first dynasty.
Words: 649
GRADED
The San Jose Sabercats finished with a disappointing 4-10 record after their first season in the NSFL, which tied for last. The Sabercats will be turning that around next season for a few seasons though:
1. Their incredible offensive line
Last season, the Sabercats had one of the best offensive lines in the entire league. This year, they'll like create a large gap between their line and the number two line. They gain Jordan Yates from the draft, a waiver wire pickup for the Otters last season who served as an average lineman and will only grow. They also retained Vincent Sharpei with the number four pick in the draft, who will serve as one of the teams best lineman. These two players along with Ben Longshaw who is beginning to be active again after loss of training facilities, along with the addition of Brandon Sharp will make the Sabercats bolster one of the strongest lines in the league.
2. Their addition of new strong running backs
Some may think that the loss of a 1000 yard rusher will hurt the Sabercats, but that may not be the case. Bowers Jr. only averaged 3.8 yards per carry, one of the top rates for starting runningbacks. His low yards per carry and inability to make big plays hurt quarterbacks Jameis Christ and Ethan Hunt's ability to manage the game, forcing them to constantly go for big plays and throw interceptions(though Ethan Hunt managed to limit interceptions when playing at the end of the season.). The addition of Denzel Diaz and John Goose at running back will definitely help, but the real difference maker on the ground game will be from Josh Durden. Durden split reps with Maclworthy in Arizona last season but will be the primary back in San Jose. Despite only having around half the reps, he scored four touchdowns on the season and put up over 600 yards. Expect him to have an even better season this year with more opportunities to touch the ball.
3. Their much stronger defense
Last year, the Sabercats really struggled on defense. They were below average in sacks and interceptions. To top this off, they were dead last in defensive touchdowns, only scoring one on the season. This will change with their new pickups in the draft. Their pickups of Enchilada Charlton and Xaiver Newman will immediately better the defense. They both will have a chance to get playing time on the growing Sabercats defense.
4. Ethan Hunt
Ethan Hunt, the quarterback who was traded from the Otters to the Sabercats will be the reason the Sabercats win the Ultimus. While he doesn't see San Jose as a permanent home, he has said he will play the rest of his contract in San Jose. In his last four games, he led San Jose to a 2-1 record beating the Yeti and clobbering the Hawks. Over these three games, he threw for over 500 yards as he helped the Sabercats gain 50% of their wins on the season. What really stands out is his performance in the pro bowl. He finally began to show his full potential as he threw for 328 yards and two touchdowns against the best defensive backs in the league. If Hunt can perform like this in season 2, the Sabercats will easily take the top seed in their division.
With all the new pieces arriving in San Jose, the Sabercats have unlimited potential. Through the flashes of potential from Hunt, to the beastly offensive line with new pieces, to the more complete defense, the Sabercats are poised to make a run at the Ultimus cup. Expect their ceiling to be around 12 wins and floor around 8. The Sabercats are ready to establish the National Simulation Football Leagues first dynasty.
Words: 649
GRADED
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