09-15-2019, 02:03 PM
(This post was last modified: 09-17-2019, 07:24 AM by goodvsevil1275.)
With week 11 now in the bag, we only have two more weeks of regular season action to go and as the playoff race heats up, we are starting to get a firm grasp on what we can expect from these teams. We know who should be the big guys in the coming playoffs, but there is still time for some guys to surprise us. Lets look into who surprised us this week. As always, we have players who stand out and those who came up short of expectations. Lets dive into it and see what happened this week in the NSFL.
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Cooter Bigsby: Game changer. Cooter Bigsby is at it again. This man goes out there and slings it all over the field for Yellowknife every single week. He has more pass attempts than any other quarterback in the league right now and its not even close. It comes with fairly good reason because while he may be prone to make mistakes from time to time, most of the time it works out for the Wraiths because his ability to make big plays more than negates the negatives. In this one he completed 36 of 57 passes for 436 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions in route to a 95.4 quarterback rating. Its never fun turning the ball over twice in a game and normally he would get docked for the turnovers, but in this game he single handedly out gained the entire Liberty offense. 400 yard games aren't entirely common in the NSFL and neither are four touchdown games, but here we are with Bigsby racking up both. This man is becoming a monster and teams have to be getting nervous as they head into playoffs.
Danny Grithead: Game changer. Grithead is becoming the most consistent big play game changer on this Wraith's defense. Every week he finds a way to make an impact and disrupt what the other team wants to do on offense and this week is no different. He managed eight tackles, two sacks, two pass deflections, and he forced a safety. Safeties are one of the rarest things to see in the NSFL and they're always wildly exciting when they happen. Grithead has proven time and time again that he can line up wherever the Wraiths want him and make impact plays. Run support, pass rush, or coverage and he'll dominate regardless of which one he's doing. Having a guy like this on your defense is invaluable and the Wraiths will be thanking their lucky stars they have him as they close this season out.
Lennox Garnett: Game changer. On a day where it looked like no one in Philadelphia actually wanted to win this game, Lennox Garnett did everything in his power to try and make it competitive. He seemed to be the only guy on their defense with any sort of hustle as he racked up 13 tackles, three pass defenses, and an interception. He was all over the field running himself ragged as he desperately tried to slow down the Wraiths attack. He even got involved big in kick returns where he racked up 243 yards in returns including a 99 yard touchdown return that provided the Liberty their only real points of the game. He almost did more returning kicks than Philadelphia's offense got done on the entire day. I was an impressive display for Garnett, but this is a team game and no matter how hard you try, one man can't win a game. Hopefully for Philadelphia, Garnett keeps producing as they head into what may be a rebuild.
Tommy Helanen: Pleasant surprise. With Nate Swift and Jerrod Canton on this roster, there are times it can be difficult for any other offensive weapon to stand out. That said on rare occasion you have guy who steps up and has a massive game altering presence throughout. This week, Helanen was one of those guys. He hauled in six passes for 93 yards and two touchdowns. He was a highlight reel out there on the field and he hauled inn multiple deep balls as he use shift maneuvering to find big holes in the secondary. His ability to get open in the red zone and put up points for the Wraith is becoming invaluable and they have to be excited about what he can offer as this season drags on. Any time you start getting production outside of your top two guys, its a luxury and it looks like the Wraiths may be full of luxuries.
Farley Hank: Pleasant surprise. When the Liberty offense is bad, it is usually really, really bad. Usually Falconi is have a terrible day, Marquise Brown is getting stuffed, and they have absolutely nothing going for them at all. This wasn't the case in this one as Farley Hank made himself stand out on an offense that was invisible for most of the day. He put together a game that saw him combine for 120 all purpose yards as he almost gained more yardage than Falconi all on his own. He imposed himself on the defense early and often and he made it clear he came to play in this one. Unfortunately for Farley, it felt like her was the only one who did. With Brown hitting regression hard as the seasons progress, hopefully this is a sign of what Hank can do for Philadelphia as Brown loses steam.
Morgan Marshall: Pleasant surprise. On an offense that is usually the Jerrod Canton show, the other running back on the team tends to get completely overlooked. Marshall has been very quietly having himself a solid season in which he's towards the top at his position in yards per touch as he repeatedly finds ways to make the most of his opportunities since he shares so many with Canton. This particular game was one of his best. He combined for 104 all purpose yards and two touchdowns in a pretty dominant performance. It seemed like every time he even got close to the ball, it was going for chunk yardage as he averaged 5.6 yards per carry on the ground. He imposed physical dominance on the defense, which is something you don't get often from the high flying Wraiths. This is a nice reminder that when this team does still want to ground and pound, Marshall is there as a pleasant compliment to Jerrod Canton.
Adriana Falconi: Disappointment. Leave it to Falconi to follow up her best performance of the entire season for an absolute bomb that competes with her worst performance of the season. I think it is officially safe to say that Falconi's season is an absolute wash. It isn't entirely her fault as there is a lot of blame to go around, but this Philadelphia team was built around having a top three quarterback command their offense to success. This season Falconi has played like a bottom half of the standings quarterback and it has crippled Philadelphia in a way that none of us could have predicted. She only completed 11 of her 26 passes for 138 yards and two interceptions. She gave the opponent more points than she gained herself and her 27.4 quarterback rating is the third worst rating of a quarterback performance this season. It was a lackluster appearance for a player who is supposed to be among the best and as she continues to regress, I don't know where Philadelphia goes from here.
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Ashley Owens: Game changer. Just another day in the life of the league's most prolific rookie. Owens was drafted first overall in this past draft and a lot of people were unsure if he would be able to produce right away. He started the season off a little slow, but as he adjusted to the game he got better and better. In this game he caught eight passes for 53 yards and rushed for 49 yards and a touchdown. His 102 combined yards helped the Copperheads march up and down the field in this one as Owens has become one of Easton Cole's favorite relief valves. Owens has become a mismatch nightmare in the passing game and these underneath passes have really begun to add up for him. He's been learning from one of the best in Mendonca, so hopefully that continues to improve.
Mako Mendonca: Game changer. I gave Mendonca a hard time for his performance in week 10 because of how much this Austin lineup relies on him to make plays. While still young, Mendonca is the veteran back on this team and when things are going south, they rely on him to be the one to make the big play. This week he made up for it and reminded everyone why he's that guy. Seven catches for 92 yards and 57 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. He combined for 149 all purpose yards and averaged 8.3 yards every time he touched the ball. He cut through this Colorado defense like a knife through butter as he repeatedly made big plays all game long. When Mendonca shows up to play, this team can be hard to stop. With a bit of development for Owens, Austin will have the most terrifying backfield in the NSFL.
Django Anoa’i: Pleasant surprise. It is rare you have a game where all the stars align and all of your impact players show up at the same time. This Copperheads offense emphasizes their two young running backs and usually give them every opportunity to succeed and make plays. It usually leaves limited chances for the other guys on the team. That was no problem for Anoa'i against Colorado as he was targeted 10 times and hauled in nine passes for 106 yards. The one failed opportunity was a deflection in tight coverage. He found a way to get open on almost every play and he became the biggest target for Cole as he managed 12 yards per catch and continuously moved the chains throughout the game. If you want a key reason why Austin walked out of this one with a win, look no further than this man here.
Knute Knurtsson: Pleasant surprise. So far this season, Knurtsson has really struggled to make any impact. He's rarely found himself around the ball and when he has it was either because he got beat in coverage or a ball carrier made it past the Colorado line. He's had his struggles and hasn't gotten mentioned much because of it. In this one he made himself known in a big way though as his interception return for a touchdown was the only reason this game was even interesting. The best players make plays when it matters the most and Knurtsson did his best to make that true as he tried to keep the Yeti in this one. Unfortunately it just wasn't enough, but hopefully this is a sign of Knurtsson turning things around as he has a few more chances to make a splash before the season comes to and end.
Easton Cole: Disappointment. It can be surprising to see the quarterback for the winning team be a disappointment and yet that is the position Easton Cole has put us in. The Copperheads should have had this game well in control as they more than doubled Colorado's offensive production. It shouldn't have ever been a one score game, it should have been a convincing beat down in which Austin made it clear they were the superior team. Cole's two interceptions in this one made that hard. Both of his mistakes resulted in points for Colorado and had he just let the game play out, Austin wins this game by at least two scores. Cole has been one of the best at taking care of the ball all season long, so I'm not entirely sure why it was this game that he decided to bunch up mistakes in. Still, Austin one and if you can have one of your more mistake filled games of the season and still come out with a win, that has to be a small plus for Cole.
Terry Taffy: Disappointment. This is a rare spot for a guy like Taffy who has been consistently spectacular all season long. No matter how Colorado has played, you could always rely on Taffy to be the one guy on the team still doing his thing as everything collapses around him. This game? Not so much. His 63 yards and 3.3 yards per carry were his worse of the season as he takes a step back in this one. Its not often we see Taffy not being the superstar we know him to be and if he had produced the way he normally does, perhaps this game goes in Colorado's favor. This is Terry Taffy though. We all know who Taffy is. He'll rebound and be back pounding defense next week. This is only temporary disappointment for Colorado.
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Sam Torenson: Game changer. I think we're at the point where we can't have a segment talking about Chicago and not talk about Torenson while we do it. This man has been a titan among mere men this season as he has led the league's first place rushing attack that has carried the Butchers to a playoff seed. His 93 yards and two touchdowns in this one was enough to help Chicago succeed over the current NSFL champions and current favorites to lift it again. When Torenson is playing at his peak, there isn't a defense in the NSFL that wants to face him and this is exactly why.
Slim Shady: Game changer. Shady continues to string together impressive games in quick succession here late in the season. He's showing up in a big way and putting up insane numbers that make it hard to not argue him as the best running back in the NSFL at this moment. On the ground or through the air, Shady is there making big splashes and making it clear that he's a primary reason the Outlaws are favorites for this season. 110 all purpose yards and two touchdowns in a loss as he continues to prove that he can perform at a top level even when Arizona isn't playing their best game. Shady has been one of the most fun story lines to watch this season and we will see if his efforts can win Arizona another championship.
Vinny Valentine: Game changer. Valentine has been on absolute fire since coming to Arizona. He knew exactly what he was doing when he chose to come to the Outlaws and leave Orange County. He was in this for a championship and he and Reese have found great rapport with each other. He shows up and produces huge for this team every single week, win or lose. The four catches for 135 yards he hauled in against Chciago was enough to move him into first in receiving yards and his 33.8 yards a catch moved him up to fourth in that category as well. He is an explosive big play threat that completely changed how this entire offense looked and he alone may be why Arizona looks so much stronger this season than they did in the last. With a little luck, all of his hard work will work out and he'll get to play for an Ultimus in Arizona in about five weeks.
Kazimir Oles: Pleasant surprise. The Butchers don't often pass and rarely ever give Rose Jenkins a chance to carry the game. Its all about Torenson and Danielsson and what they can do for Chicago. But you can't be one dimensional all the time and you do need to be able to pass. That is where old reliable Oles comes in. He's been in this league a long time and is a savvy veteran who is beginning to regress, but that doesn't stop him from making plays. He knows how to get open and when Chicago does need to go down field, they know who to go to. Oles caught four passes in this one for 93 yards, averaging 23 yards a grab. The run game really opens up the middle of this defense and Oles knows exactly how to take advantage of that. Sometimes the run game just doesn't work and it'll be an advantage for Chicago to know that with a guy like Oles, they can go deep if need be.
Jack Rambo: Pleasant surprise. You wouldn't expect there to be many surprises on a defense that gave up 383 yards to the losing team, but there were few players who had bigger impact that Jack Rambo in this game. It was relatively close in the grand scheme of things, but Rambo by himself put an end to two separate Arizona drives. If either of those end in points instead, this game is likely a home loss for Chicago. Eight tackles, a sack, a pass defended, and an interception for the man who won defensive player of the game. He did his best to make sure that the Outlaws didn't have a chance in this game and he's a big reason why they got so far behind early.
Andrew Reese: Disappointment. This is the second time in three weeks that Reese has found himself in this spot. He's a great quarterback and a leader of this team, but sometimes he just tries to do too much and falls short. In these close, hard games against top opponents, Arizona needs Reese to be able to make a play. He wasn't able to do it in this one as the interception he threw in the first quarter kept Chicago in this game and may have been one of the most decisive plays in the game. His 18 of 32 completions for 279 yards and a touchdown would have likely been enough to win this one any other time, but sometimes one mistake is all you need for the whole tower to come down. Reese proved last week he can bounce back from these and he should do it again. Hopefully he can clean these turnovers up sooner than later.
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Joliet L. Christ: Game changer. On a night in which he announced his retirement, Christ had one of his vintage games. We had seen flashes of him this season, but he'd really had a hard go of it with the lack of rushing attack this team presents and regression beginning to settle in. In this game he decided all of that just didn't matter and he was going to remind everyone just who they were dealing with. 13 of 19 passing for 188 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions as he posted a 135.4 quarterback rating and led his team by rushing 53 yards to boot. This was the Joliet L. Christ that had strapped the SaberCats to his back last season and carried them into relevance. It was a bittersweet thing to watch as we all knew this was likely the last time we would see this phenom in action. Christ has had a solid career and hopefully is happy with what he's achieved in the league.
Corvo Havran: Game changer. It may be recency bias, but I think bringing Sunnycursed into Baltimore may have just made Havran the unquestioned best quarterback in the NSFL. He was already at the top in accuracy, touchdowns, and quarterback rating, but then they gave him one of the biggest play makers in the league to top it all off. It has been a beautiful union and it came to a head in this one. Havran completed 22 of 31 passes for 249 yards and three touchdowns in a game where he didn't commit a single turnover. Usually with Havran he finds himself once a game or so having to force the ball into tight coverage, but Sunnycursed being on the field has freed up some of his other targets and he looks so much better because of it. His 126.9 quarterback rating was one of his best marks on the season and I think he still improves as he gains more synergy with his fancy new toy.
Ben Horne: Game changer. Ben Horne, the ageless wonder. He's in the tail end of his ninth season in the league. It has been almost three full seasons since everyone expected this man's production to start dropping. After all, you're supposed to regress in ability at some point in your career. Horne has been having none of that. Christ was forced to run a lot in this game and his running backs couldn't find any space either. Both were caused by the same thing. Horne in the San Jose backfield. This man set up a tent behind San Jose's offensive line and nobody was going to stop him from getting there. A tackle for a loss and two sacks only tell part of the story as he absolutely terrorized the SaberCats for four full quarters. Horne is still one of the best in the game and at this point everyone has to be wondering if he'll ever slow down.
Errol Maddox: Game changer. Maddox has been one of the biggest, baddest receivers in the entire league this season. He's been consistently at the top and at this point is a proven commodity. There were a lot of question marks on him with the Sunnycursed trade and what his role might be with another top guy coming in. After this game I think it is pretty clear that nothing will change and Maddox will continue to be an imposing force on the field as this season closes out. If anything, Sunnycursed now frees him up to make even bigger plays. Four catches, 119 yards, 29.8 yards a catch. He was a big play highlight reel as he took massive chunks out of this San Jose defense as they seemed to lose him on multiple occasions in the secondary. Maddox has been showing out this season and I think at this point he may have locked himself in as a top three receiver.
Sunnycursed: Pleasant surprise. Two games in a row now I've been surprised about how Sunnycursed has performed in this offense. Everyone knew that Sunnycursed was one of the top play makers in the NSFL, but I don't think anyone expected him to come in and make this big of an impact so soon. With him on the field, this offense has really seemed to open up and everyone seems to have found a role. It seems his might be in the red zone. He hauled in five catches for 58 yards and two touchdowns, helping to put the nail in the coffin in this one as Havran has found himself a new scoring threat. Sunnycursed adds a whole new flavor to this Hawks offense and I think his presence may have moved this Hawks team into legitimate contention for a title this season.
Xavier Flash: Disappointment. Flash has had a massive year for San Jose this season. He's put up big plays, gobbled up massive amounts of yards, and has been a top scoring threat all season long. His big season has been one of the biggest surprises of the season as he has kept himself in the top five receivers even late into this campaign. That said, he let San Jose down in a big way in this game. San Jose is in a slide and they need someone to step up and make some plays. Christ did what he could this game, but he could have really used some help from his top target to give him a better shot. Two catches for 42 yards just isn't going to cut it if the SaberCats want a chance in the playoffs this season. Flash has proved he has the ability to make big plays and hopefully for San Jose he can come up with more than this in the coming weeks.
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Tyler Swift: Game changer. New Orleans has an absolute wealth of running back talent on this team. Swift shares a split backfield with Forrest Gump and while as this season began, Gump looked like the feature guy, Swift has found more and more ways to get involved as the season has progressed. He rushed for 4.6 yards a carry in this game and caught six passes as he combined for 190 all purpose yards and a touchdown. This was an incredible game for Swift and he reminded everyone that he can't simply be overlooked as one of the feature members of this offense. He frequently found himself open in the passing game and gashed the Otters on the ground as well and it seemed like Orange County kept losing him. Wherever he was, that was where the ball went and it worked for the Second Line. This win didn't change anything for New Orleans, but seeing Swift absolutely exploding had to get the guys excited for what is coming next season.
Apollo Reed: Game changer. Not a lot went right for Orange County in this one as they dropped this game to the team at the bottom of the standings. It seemed like this team just wasn't in the mindset to play football today as almost everything they did after the half seemed lackadaisical at best. Apollo Reed stayed consistent throughout though as he worked to try and keep Orange County in this one. 20 attempts for 93 yards and a score was very solid for a running back who was fighting a losing fight. Reed has been consistently great during this campaign for Orange County and it looks like he's going to keep on grinding even at a time where it looks like the Otters no longer intends to compete.
Forrest Gump: Game changer. The second member of this two headed juggernaut in the backfield for New Orleans saw a lot of his opportunities go to Swift in this one and he took it with grace. As he did so, he managed to also put up 140 all purpose yards of his own. It is always something magical to see one of these two New Orleans running backs have a big day, but when they are both finding their openings, it is a truly terrifying thing to experience. Gump and Swift have been fully accepting of each other and don't mind splitting the work load at all. That mentality mixed with their freakish physical abilities leads to games like this. New Orleans didn't have a great season in this one, but heading into season 18 teams better watch out for these guys.
Johnny Blaze: Pleasant surprise. With Sunnycursed getting shipped out to Baltimore, everyone knew that was going to leave Johnny Blaze as the number one option in Orange County. With all of the extra attention on him and defenses focusing him more, there was a question on if he would be able to continue producing even without Sunnycursed being a distraction. He was able to do just that in this one as he hauled in seven catches for 97 yards. He looked like the only receiver on the team able to make any space at all as Armstrong was forced to repeatedly hit his big target with no one else opened. Its a good sign that he is going to continue to make the big plays, but it may be bad news for the Otters if they have too many more games like this one where he is the only one producing at all.
Hugh Mongo: Disappointment. After the week 10 game, I thought Orange County had figured something out. I thought they had traded away Sunnycursed and had the perfect replacement in Hugh Mongo. Mongo made it look easy a week ago and I thought for sure that Orange County wasn't going to miss a beat. Then he came in against the Second Line and got absolutely smothered. One catch all day long. Only one time was he able to create enough separation that Armstrong could get the ball into his hands. Mongo might as well have been invisible out there because he completely vanished in a game that should have been an opportunity for him to prove that he really is ready to fill the number one spot on this team. He's still young, he still has some development left to do, but he's not quite ready to carry the team yet.
Franklin Armstrong: Disappointment. Last week I thought they weren't going to miss a beat without Sunnycursed. This week, I'm not so sure. Armstrong looked bad out there in this one without his number one option finding holes in the secondary. He completed less than 50% of his passes at 13 of 28 for only 147 yards, one touchdown, and an interception. He put up a measly 59.7 quarterback rating and din't even look that good. Blaze was the only person he seemed to be able to find and that should be concerning for this team. I'm not sure if Orange County plans to actually compete in the playoffs this season or not, but with Armstrong playing like this I think they are due an early exit. He still has time to find some rapport with his current receivers, but trading Sunnycursed this late is starting to look like a questionable decision by the Orange County organization.
Keep in mind that everything here is all opinion based on stats and in game observations from watching the sim! Nothing is meant personally and I hope everyone has enjoyed my dive into the week 10 player performances! This one took a little extra time because my weekend has been absolutely slammed. I had to get this out between waves of call ins at work and family visits, so the formatting might be a little sloppy. I was wanting to get this out before the game tomorrow and knew i'd be busy tomorrow too. Still, hope you guys enjoy!
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Cooter Bigsby: Game changer. Cooter Bigsby is at it again. This man goes out there and slings it all over the field for Yellowknife every single week. He has more pass attempts than any other quarterback in the league right now and its not even close. It comes with fairly good reason because while he may be prone to make mistakes from time to time, most of the time it works out for the Wraiths because his ability to make big plays more than negates the negatives. In this one he completed 36 of 57 passes for 436 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions in route to a 95.4 quarterback rating. Its never fun turning the ball over twice in a game and normally he would get docked for the turnovers, but in this game he single handedly out gained the entire Liberty offense. 400 yard games aren't entirely common in the NSFL and neither are four touchdown games, but here we are with Bigsby racking up both. This man is becoming a monster and teams have to be getting nervous as they head into playoffs.
Danny Grithead: Game changer. Grithead is becoming the most consistent big play game changer on this Wraith's defense. Every week he finds a way to make an impact and disrupt what the other team wants to do on offense and this week is no different. He managed eight tackles, two sacks, two pass deflections, and he forced a safety. Safeties are one of the rarest things to see in the NSFL and they're always wildly exciting when they happen. Grithead has proven time and time again that he can line up wherever the Wraiths want him and make impact plays. Run support, pass rush, or coverage and he'll dominate regardless of which one he's doing. Having a guy like this on your defense is invaluable and the Wraiths will be thanking their lucky stars they have him as they close this season out.
Lennox Garnett: Game changer. On a day where it looked like no one in Philadelphia actually wanted to win this game, Lennox Garnett did everything in his power to try and make it competitive. He seemed to be the only guy on their defense with any sort of hustle as he racked up 13 tackles, three pass defenses, and an interception. He was all over the field running himself ragged as he desperately tried to slow down the Wraiths attack. He even got involved big in kick returns where he racked up 243 yards in returns including a 99 yard touchdown return that provided the Liberty their only real points of the game. He almost did more returning kicks than Philadelphia's offense got done on the entire day. I was an impressive display for Garnett, but this is a team game and no matter how hard you try, one man can't win a game. Hopefully for Philadelphia, Garnett keeps producing as they head into what may be a rebuild.
Tommy Helanen: Pleasant surprise. With Nate Swift and Jerrod Canton on this roster, there are times it can be difficult for any other offensive weapon to stand out. That said on rare occasion you have guy who steps up and has a massive game altering presence throughout. This week, Helanen was one of those guys. He hauled in six passes for 93 yards and two touchdowns. He was a highlight reel out there on the field and he hauled inn multiple deep balls as he use shift maneuvering to find big holes in the secondary. His ability to get open in the red zone and put up points for the Wraith is becoming invaluable and they have to be excited about what he can offer as this season drags on. Any time you start getting production outside of your top two guys, its a luxury and it looks like the Wraiths may be full of luxuries.
Farley Hank: Pleasant surprise. When the Liberty offense is bad, it is usually really, really bad. Usually Falconi is have a terrible day, Marquise Brown is getting stuffed, and they have absolutely nothing going for them at all. This wasn't the case in this one as Farley Hank made himself stand out on an offense that was invisible for most of the day. He put together a game that saw him combine for 120 all purpose yards as he almost gained more yardage than Falconi all on his own. He imposed himself on the defense early and often and he made it clear he came to play in this one. Unfortunately for Farley, it felt like her was the only one who did. With Brown hitting regression hard as the seasons progress, hopefully this is a sign of what Hank can do for Philadelphia as Brown loses steam.
Morgan Marshall: Pleasant surprise. On an offense that is usually the Jerrod Canton show, the other running back on the team tends to get completely overlooked. Marshall has been very quietly having himself a solid season in which he's towards the top at his position in yards per touch as he repeatedly finds ways to make the most of his opportunities since he shares so many with Canton. This particular game was one of his best. He combined for 104 all purpose yards and two touchdowns in a pretty dominant performance. It seemed like every time he even got close to the ball, it was going for chunk yardage as he averaged 5.6 yards per carry on the ground. He imposed physical dominance on the defense, which is something you don't get often from the high flying Wraiths. This is a nice reminder that when this team does still want to ground and pound, Marshall is there as a pleasant compliment to Jerrod Canton.
Adriana Falconi: Disappointment. Leave it to Falconi to follow up her best performance of the entire season for an absolute bomb that competes with her worst performance of the season. I think it is officially safe to say that Falconi's season is an absolute wash. It isn't entirely her fault as there is a lot of blame to go around, but this Philadelphia team was built around having a top three quarterback command their offense to success. This season Falconi has played like a bottom half of the standings quarterback and it has crippled Philadelphia in a way that none of us could have predicted. She only completed 11 of her 26 passes for 138 yards and two interceptions. She gave the opponent more points than she gained herself and her 27.4 quarterback rating is the third worst rating of a quarterback performance this season. It was a lackluster appearance for a player who is supposed to be among the best and as she continues to regress, I don't know where Philadelphia goes from here.
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Ashley Owens: Game changer. Just another day in the life of the league's most prolific rookie. Owens was drafted first overall in this past draft and a lot of people were unsure if he would be able to produce right away. He started the season off a little slow, but as he adjusted to the game he got better and better. In this game he caught eight passes for 53 yards and rushed for 49 yards and a touchdown. His 102 combined yards helped the Copperheads march up and down the field in this one as Owens has become one of Easton Cole's favorite relief valves. Owens has become a mismatch nightmare in the passing game and these underneath passes have really begun to add up for him. He's been learning from one of the best in Mendonca, so hopefully that continues to improve.
Mako Mendonca: Game changer. I gave Mendonca a hard time for his performance in week 10 because of how much this Austin lineup relies on him to make plays. While still young, Mendonca is the veteran back on this team and when things are going south, they rely on him to be the one to make the big play. This week he made up for it and reminded everyone why he's that guy. Seven catches for 92 yards and 57 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. He combined for 149 all purpose yards and averaged 8.3 yards every time he touched the ball. He cut through this Colorado defense like a knife through butter as he repeatedly made big plays all game long. When Mendonca shows up to play, this team can be hard to stop. With a bit of development for Owens, Austin will have the most terrifying backfield in the NSFL.
Django Anoa’i: Pleasant surprise. It is rare you have a game where all the stars align and all of your impact players show up at the same time. This Copperheads offense emphasizes their two young running backs and usually give them every opportunity to succeed and make plays. It usually leaves limited chances for the other guys on the team. That was no problem for Anoa'i against Colorado as he was targeted 10 times and hauled in nine passes for 106 yards. The one failed opportunity was a deflection in tight coverage. He found a way to get open on almost every play and he became the biggest target for Cole as he managed 12 yards per catch and continuously moved the chains throughout the game. If you want a key reason why Austin walked out of this one with a win, look no further than this man here.
Knute Knurtsson: Pleasant surprise. So far this season, Knurtsson has really struggled to make any impact. He's rarely found himself around the ball and when he has it was either because he got beat in coverage or a ball carrier made it past the Colorado line. He's had his struggles and hasn't gotten mentioned much because of it. In this one he made himself known in a big way though as his interception return for a touchdown was the only reason this game was even interesting. The best players make plays when it matters the most and Knurtsson did his best to make that true as he tried to keep the Yeti in this one. Unfortunately it just wasn't enough, but hopefully this is a sign of Knurtsson turning things around as he has a few more chances to make a splash before the season comes to and end.
Easton Cole: Disappointment. It can be surprising to see the quarterback for the winning team be a disappointment and yet that is the position Easton Cole has put us in. The Copperheads should have had this game well in control as they more than doubled Colorado's offensive production. It shouldn't have ever been a one score game, it should have been a convincing beat down in which Austin made it clear they were the superior team. Cole's two interceptions in this one made that hard. Both of his mistakes resulted in points for Colorado and had he just let the game play out, Austin wins this game by at least two scores. Cole has been one of the best at taking care of the ball all season long, so I'm not entirely sure why it was this game that he decided to bunch up mistakes in. Still, Austin one and if you can have one of your more mistake filled games of the season and still come out with a win, that has to be a small plus for Cole.
Terry Taffy: Disappointment. This is a rare spot for a guy like Taffy who has been consistently spectacular all season long. No matter how Colorado has played, you could always rely on Taffy to be the one guy on the team still doing his thing as everything collapses around him. This game? Not so much. His 63 yards and 3.3 yards per carry were his worse of the season as he takes a step back in this one. Its not often we see Taffy not being the superstar we know him to be and if he had produced the way he normally does, perhaps this game goes in Colorado's favor. This is Terry Taffy though. We all know who Taffy is. He'll rebound and be back pounding defense next week. This is only temporary disappointment for Colorado.
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Sam Torenson: Game changer. I think we're at the point where we can't have a segment talking about Chicago and not talk about Torenson while we do it. This man has been a titan among mere men this season as he has led the league's first place rushing attack that has carried the Butchers to a playoff seed. His 93 yards and two touchdowns in this one was enough to help Chicago succeed over the current NSFL champions and current favorites to lift it again. When Torenson is playing at his peak, there isn't a defense in the NSFL that wants to face him and this is exactly why.
Slim Shady: Game changer. Shady continues to string together impressive games in quick succession here late in the season. He's showing up in a big way and putting up insane numbers that make it hard to not argue him as the best running back in the NSFL at this moment. On the ground or through the air, Shady is there making big splashes and making it clear that he's a primary reason the Outlaws are favorites for this season. 110 all purpose yards and two touchdowns in a loss as he continues to prove that he can perform at a top level even when Arizona isn't playing their best game. Shady has been one of the most fun story lines to watch this season and we will see if his efforts can win Arizona another championship.
Vinny Valentine: Game changer. Valentine has been on absolute fire since coming to Arizona. He knew exactly what he was doing when he chose to come to the Outlaws and leave Orange County. He was in this for a championship and he and Reese have found great rapport with each other. He shows up and produces huge for this team every single week, win or lose. The four catches for 135 yards he hauled in against Chciago was enough to move him into first in receiving yards and his 33.8 yards a catch moved him up to fourth in that category as well. He is an explosive big play threat that completely changed how this entire offense looked and he alone may be why Arizona looks so much stronger this season than they did in the last. With a little luck, all of his hard work will work out and he'll get to play for an Ultimus in Arizona in about five weeks.
Kazimir Oles: Pleasant surprise. The Butchers don't often pass and rarely ever give Rose Jenkins a chance to carry the game. Its all about Torenson and Danielsson and what they can do for Chicago. But you can't be one dimensional all the time and you do need to be able to pass. That is where old reliable Oles comes in. He's been in this league a long time and is a savvy veteran who is beginning to regress, but that doesn't stop him from making plays. He knows how to get open and when Chicago does need to go down field, they know who to go to. Oles caught four passes in this one for 93 yards, averaging 23 yards a grab. The run game really opens up the middle of this defense and Oles knows exactly how to take advantage of that. Sometimes the run game just doesn't work and it'll be an advantage for Chicago to know that with a guy like Oles, they can go deep if need be.
Jack Rambo: Pleasant surprise. You wouldn't expect there to be many surprises on a defense that gave up 383 yards to the losing team, but there were few players who had bigger impact that Jack Rambo in this game. It was relatively close in the grand scheme of things, but Rambo by himself put an end to two separate Arizona drives. If either of those end in points instead, this game is likely a home loss for Chicago. Eight tackles, a sack, a pass defended, and an interception for the man who won defensive player of the game. He did his best to make sure that the Outlaws didn't have a chance in this game and he's a big reason why they got so far behind early.
Andrew Reese: Disappointment. This is the second time in three weeks that Reese has found himself in this spot. He's a great quarterback and a leader of this team, but sometimes he just tries to do too much and falls short. In these close, hard games against top opponents, Arizona needs Reese to be able to make a play. He wasn't able to do it in this one as the interception he threw in the first quarter kept Chicago in this game and may have been one of the most decisive plays in the game. His 18 of 32 completions for 279 yards and a touchdown would have likely been enough to win this one any other time, but sometimes one mistake is all you need for the whole tower to come down. Reese proved last week he can bounce back from these and he should do it again. Hopefully he can clean these turnovers up sooner than later.
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Joliet L. Christ: Game changer. On a night in which he announced his retirement, Christ had one of his vintage games. We had seen flashes of him this season, but he'd really had a hard go of it with the lack of rushing attack this team presents and regression beginning to settle in. In this game he decided all of that just didn't matter and he was going to remind everyone just who they were dealing with. 13 of 19 passing for 188 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions as he posted a 135.4 quarterback rating and led his team by rushing 53 yards to boot. This was the Joliet L. Christ that had strapped the SaberCats to his back last season and carried them into relevance. It was a bittersweet thing to watch as we all knew this was likely the last time we would see this phenom in action. Christ has had a solid career and hopefully is happy with what he's achieved in the league.
Corvo Havran: Game changer. It may be recency bias, but I think bringing Sunnycursed into Baltimore may have just made Havran the unquestioned best quarterback in the NSFL. He was already at the top in accuracy, touchdowns, and quarterback rating, but then they gave him one of the biggest play makers in the league to top it all off. It has been a beautiful union and it came to a head in this one. Havran completed 22 of 31 passes for 249 yards and three touchdowns in a game where he didn't commit a single turnover. Usually with Havran he finds himself once a game or so having to force the ball into tight coverage, but Sunnycursed being on the field has freed up some of his other targets and he looks so much better because of it. His 126.9 quarterback rating was one of his best marks on the season and I think he still improves as he gains more synergy with his fancy new toy.
Ben Horne: Game changer. Ben Horne, the ageless wonder. He's in the tail end of his ninth season in the league. It has been almost three full seasons since everyone expected this man's production to start dropping. After all, you're supposed to regress in ability at some point in your career. Horne has been having none of that. Christ was forced to run a lot in this game and his running backs couldn't find any space either. Both were caused by the same thing. Horne in the San Jose backfield. This man set up a tent behind San Jose's offensive line and nobody was going to stop him from getting there. A tackle for a loss and two sacks only tell part of the story as he absolutely terrorized the SaberCats for four full quarters. Horne is still one of the best in the game and at this point everyone has to be wondering if he'll ever slow down.
Errol Maddox: Game changer. Maddox has been one of the biggest, baddest receivers in the entire league this season. He's been consistently at the top and at this point is a proven commodity. There were a lot of question marks on him with the Sunnycursed trade and what his role might be with another top guy coming in. After this game I think it is pretty clear that nothing will change and Maddox will continue to be an imposing force on the field as this season closes out. If anything, Sunnycursed now frees him up to make even bigger plays. Four catches, 119 yards, 29.8 yards a catch. He was a big play highlight reel as he took massive chunks out of this San Jose defense as they seemed to lose him on multiple occasions in the secondary. Maddox has been showing out this season and I think at this point he may have locked himself in as a top three receiver.
Sunnycursed: Pleasant surprise. Two games in a row now I've been surprised about how Sunnycursed has performed in this offense. Everyone knew that Sunnycursed was one of the top play makers in the NSFL, but I don't think anyone expected him to come in and make this big of an impact so soon. With him on the field, this offense has really seemed to open up and everyone seems to have found a role. It seems his might be in the red zone. He hauled in five catches for 58 yards and two touchdowns, helping to put the nail in the coffin in this one as Havran has found himself a new scoring threat. Sunnycursed adds a whole new flavor to this Hawks offense and I think his presence may have moved this Hawks team into legitimate contention for a title this season.
Xavier Flash: Disappointment. Flash has had a massive year for San Jose this season. He's put up big plays, gobbled up massive amounts of yards, and has been a top scoring threat all season long. His big season has been one of the biggest surprises of the season as he has kept himself in the top five receivers even late into this campaign. That said, he let San Jose down in a big way in this game. San Jose is in a slide and they need someone to step up and make some plays. Christ did what he could this game, but he could have really used some help from his top target to give him a better shot. Two catches for 42 yards just isn't going to cut it if the SaberCats want a chance in the playoffs this season. Flash has proved he has the ability to make big plays and hopefully for San Jose he can come up with more than this in the coming weeks.
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Tyler Swift: Game changer. New Orleans has an absolute wealth of running back talent on this team. Swift shares a split backfield with Forrest Gump and while as this season began, Gump looked like the feature guy, Swift has found more and more ways to get involved as the season has progressed. He rushed for 4.6 yards a carry in this game and caught six passes as he combined for 190 all purpose yards and a touchdown. This was an incredible game for Swift and he reminded everyone that he can't simply be overlooked as one of the feature members of this offense. He frequently found himself open in the passing game and gashed the Otters on the ground as well and it seemed like Orange County kept losing him. Wherever he was, that was where the ball went and it worked for the Second Line. This win didn't change anything for New Orleans, but seeing Swift absolutely exploding had to get the guys excited for what is coming next season.
Apollo Reed: Game changer. Not a lot went right for Orange County in this one as they dropped this game to the team at the bottom of the standings. It seemed like this team just wasn't in the mindset to play football today as almost everything they did after the half seemed lackadaisical at best. Apollo Reed stayed consistent throughout though as he worked to try and keep Orange County in this one. 20 attempts for 93 yards and a score was very solid for a running back who was fighting a losing fight. Reed has been consistently great during this campaign for Orange County and it looks like he's going to keep on grinding even at a time where it looks like the Otters no longer intends to compete.
Forrest Gump: Game changer. The second member of this two headed juggernaut in the backfield for New Orleans saw a lot of his opportunities go to Swift in this one and he took it with grace. As he did so, he managed to also put up 140 all purpose yards of his own. It is always something magical to see one of these two New Orleans running backs have a big day, but when they are both finding their openings, it is a truly terrifying thing to experience. Gump and Swift have been fully accepting of each other and don't mind splitting the work load at all. That mentality mixed with their freakish physical abilities leads to games like this. New Orleans didn't have a great season in this one, but heading into season 18 teams better watch out for these guys.
Johnny Blaze: Pleasant surprise. With Sunnycursed getting shipped out to Baltimore, everyone knew that was going to leave Johnny Blaze as the number one option in Orange County. With all of the extra attention on him and defenses focusing him more, there was a question on if he would be able to continue producing even without Sunnycursed being a distraction. He was able to do just that in this one as he hauled in seven catches for 97 yards. He looked like the only receiver on the team able to make any space at all as Armstrong was forced to repeatedly hit his big target with no one else opened. Its a good sign that he is going to continue to make the big plays, but it may be bad news for the Otters if they have too many more games like this one where he is the only one producing at all.
Hugh Mongo: Disappointment. After the week 10 game, I thought Orange County had figured something out. I thought they had traded away Sunnycursed and had the perfect replacement in Hugh Mongo. Mongo made it look easy a week ago and I thought for sure that Orange County wasn't going to miss a beat. Then he came in against the Second Line and got absolutely smothered. One catch all day long. Only one time was he able to create enough separation that Armstrong could get the ball into his hands. Mongo might as well have been invisible out there because he completely vanished in a game that should have been an opportunity for him to prove that he really is ready to fill the number one spot on this team. He's still young, he still has some development left to do, but he's not quite ready to carry the team yet.
Franklin Armstrong: Disappointment. Last week I thought they weren't going to miss a beat without Sunnycursed. This week, I'm not so sure. Armstrong looked bad out there in this one without his number one option finding holes in the secondary. He completed less than 50% of his passes at 13 of 28 for only 147 yards, one touchdown, and an interception. He put up a measly 59.7 quarterback rating and din't even look that good. Blaze was the only person he seemed to be able to find and that should be concerning for this team. I'm not sure if Orange County plans to actually compete in the playoffs this season or not, but with Armstrong playing like this I think they are due an early exit. He still has time to find some rapport with his current receivers, but trading Sunnycursed this late is starting to look like a questionable decision by the Orange County organization.
Keep in mind that everything here is all opinion based on stats and in game observations from watching the sim! Nothing is meant personally and I hope everyone has enjoyed my dive into the week 10 player performances! This one took a little extra time because my weekend has been absolutely slammed. I had to get this out between waves of call ins at work and family visits, so the formatting might be a little sloppy. I was wanting to get this out before the game tomorrow and knew i'd be busy tomorrow too. Still, hope you guys enjoy!