Charity claim link for double media here
Ok so this is the second part – if you want to catch up on how we got here then please have a quick search for part one. But if you’re a little too lazy for that let me bring you up to speed. I took a look through the first seven games of the Arizona Outlaws season with a focus, of course, on L’Gazzy Burfict. Because he is me, and me is he, etc. And before you point out the obvious. Yes, I miscounted and only went through seven games last time… so not really a half way point after all! And in addition to that failure I may as well come clean and admit that I got my numbers wrong too. Maths has never been my strong point. So as a clean slate, here is how Burfict is looking after seven games:
Tackles: 32, an average of 4.5 tackles per game
Tackles for Loss: 0
Sacks: 6, an average of 0.9 sacks per game
Forced Fumbles: 2
Fumble Recoveries: 1
Pass Deflections: 3
Interceptions: 1
Penalties: 3, 15 yards
I mentioned last time that the plan would be to increase the average number of tackles per game and try to pull the sack count up towards one per game. I always see that as the benchmark of a quality linebacker. Now obviously this wouldn’t all be down to sim luck. I should mention that the sim testing and player development tools used in Arizona are, well, pretty impressive. So a quick shout out to the quality GM pairing of Z and Crunk.
So enough of that, lets get back down to business and see where L’Gazzy Burfict would be heading next.
Week 8 – at home against the Baltimore Hawks
After ending week 7 on a high after a 31 point margin against the New York Silverbacks, the Arizona Outlaws welcomed the leagues favourite (currently) whipping boys to Phoenix. Now from the outset the expectations from the media were pretty high and most felt the likelihood was that Arizona would have a lot of the ball offensively, limiting time for the defence to be on the field. But if one thing is true it’s that Burfict enjoys a challenge. And indeed that is how things played out – Burfict having to wait until a minute before the end of the first quarter to register his customary sack, an 11 yarder on Skywalker. The clock soon ran down and the quarter was brought to a close with Arizona leading 21 points to 0, Nakamura with a brace either side of a 27 yard catch for Raimon.
Nakamura had added his third of the game (following a first for Passmann) by the time Burfict could register his first tackle of the game with a 4 yarder on Goose leading to a turnover on downs with just over six minutes left to play in the half. But those six minutes came to nothing for Burfict, with the score at the half being Baltimore Hawks 0-45 Arizona Outlaws.
The third quarter saw a couple of stops for Burfict to add to the tally, one for Goose and one for Parker. Then in the fourth quarter Baltimore were first and goal before Burfict got his hands on some action; a tackle on Parker for a two yard gain. Sadly on 2nd and goal Goose was able to take the ball over to get their second rushing TD of the day, leaving the score at the final whistle as 52-23 to the Outlaws. Shout out to Nakamura and Raimon for having three TDs each on the day.
Running totals for the season:
Tackles: 37
Tackles for Loss: 0
Sacks: 7
Forced Fumbles: 2
Fumble Recoveries: 1
Pass Deflections: 3
Interceptions: 1
Penalties: 3, 15 yards
Week 9 – on the road against the Colorado Yeti
So fresh on the back of two home wins, Burfict and the rest of the Outlaws headed to Colorado hoping to keep the good form going. It was also a chance for Burfict to meet up with one of his old Royals and Rutgers crew in Ruschmann – loser paid the bar (and chicken) bill, which was becoming a tradition now. So when the game came it was clear that L’Gazzy Burfict wanted to put on a show, or certainly didn’t want to be paying for some all you can eat chicken. He was hungry. And it would take only five seconds for Burfict to make his intentions clear with a thundering sack on Caliban for a loss of seven yards. That one felt pretty good. With Arizona two scores up (a lovely 42 yard play for Raimon and a surprisingly lengthy 51 yard run from Thorbjornsson) Burfict fancied getting in some action again and registered a quick fire double of tackles on Gilbert. 21-0 at the end of the first quarter. A bit of a similar story in the second, with another quick fire double of tackles on Jenkins and Gilbert. He’d register another tackle on each before half time came, the score being 31-7.
After half time, perhaps Burfict took his foot off the gas a little. The third quarter passed him by and it wasn’t until the fourth that Burfict would see some more action on the field. First a pass deflection from a Caliban throw intended for Gilbert. Shortly after this, and following up on a violent sack from Chuck Roth on Caliban, Burfict registered his second sack of the game – a loss of six yards on the play. Caliban was sacked four times on the day, Burfict taking half of these. A 141.3 passing rating from Cortez had taken the Arizona Outlaws to a 36-14 victory. Burfict wouldn’t be paying for any beer or chicken, his job was done. Worth noting that L’Gazzy Burfict was also given the defensive player of the game award for this showing, his first of the season. I may as well track that one now too, just for reference. Probably should have done this after week one, hey ho!
Running totals for the season:
Tackles: 45
Tackles for Loss: 0
Sacks: 1
Forced Fumbles: 2
Fumble Recoveries: 1
Pass Deflections: 4
Interceptions: 1
Penalties: 3, 15 yards
Defensive Player of the Game: 2
Week 10 – at home against the Orange County Otters
The Outlaws had a convincing victory against the Otters in week three and were hoping to continue this run, and their good form, with another win in week 10. A little like the game in week nine in Colorado, Burfict got himself off to a flying start with two tackles in the first Otters possession of the game. First he stopped Ramza in their tracks after a four yard rush before taking down Evans two plays later. The Otters would end the play with an impressive 51 yard field goal to take the lead. But that was it for the first quarter, for Burfict anyway. It would close with the Outlaws leading 14 to 3. In the second quarter Burfict was back at it again. First a pass deflection with 9.25 on the clock as Ramza looked to target Evans on 3rd and 2. Next he’d register another sack for the season, taking down Ramza for a loss of 11 yards. Credit where credits due, Ramza brushed himself down and threw to Holloway for a 63 yard completion the very next play. The third quarter would see another couple of tackles for Burfict; first stopping a rush by Phillips and then stopping Evans after he was found by Ramza for 18 yards. It appeared he took the fourth quarter off and wouldn’t add anything more of note. The Potters would come close but thankfully not close enough, Outlaws taking the game by two.
Running totals for the season:
Tackles: 50
Tackles for Loss: 0
Sacks: 10
Forced Fumbles: 2
Fumble Recoveries: 1
Pass Deflections: 5
Interceptions: 1
Penalties: 3, 15 yards
Defensive Player of the Game: 2
Week 11 – on the road against the Austin Copperheads
Another game, and it would turn out to be another win for the Arizona Outlaws. Quite a run there were putting together with Burfict leading the charge for the defensive unit. In terms of the game it was very much a standard one for Burfict. In the first quarter he would register his first tackle, stopping Watts in her tracks on 3rd and 16 and then, as the quarter was drawing to a close, a well timed sack on Daytona. And in the second quarter, another pass deflection, as Daytona looked to find Watts on 1st and 10 on the Outlaws 37 yard line. The Outlaws defence would hold firm and the Copperheads would end up punting the ball away on fourth down. The third quarter on the other hand was not the best advert for the Arizona defensive unit as the Copperheads would chalk up 22 points on the board. Burfict would only register a single tackle on Watts during this onslaught. And in the fourth it was more of the same, Burfict on Watts for a 1 yard stop. Shortly after this the Outlaws were able to take the lead, Cortez finding Pama for a 65 yard touchdown and they managed to hold firm, taking the game 29 points to 25. Nine victories in a row for the Outlaws. There was no stopping them as things stood. But, well, maybe the sim had other ideas… lets see.
Running totals for the season:
Tackles: 54
Tackles for Loss: 0
Sacks: 11
Forced Fumbles: 2
Fumble Recoveries: 1
Pass Deflections: 6
Interceptions: 1
Penalties: 3, 15 yards
Defensive Player of the Game: 2
Week 12 – at home to the Honolulu Hahalua
Back on home turf. Back to a familiar Burfict. It would only take him until Honolulus fifth play for him to power through the offensive line and take out Fujiwara for a devastating sack and loss of 10 yards on the play. The crowd enjoyed that one, and so did Burfict. After the Outlaws had taken the lead (Nakamura, obviously) Burfict chalked up a couple of tackles before the close of the quarter. First he managed to take down Krashwagen after he’d been found by Fujiwara for a gain of 11. Next, Cobra Kai looked to burst through only to be met by an in-form Burfict, slammed down for a small gain. Nothing to note in the second quarter for Burfict and the Outlaws would go into the locker room leading 13 points to seven.
The third would stat off with another Burfict tackle on Kai and with less than a minute left he’d come up with a double play, first taking down Ayers on a seven yard rush but then, on 3rd and 2, he was unable to prevent the first time and Ayers made it three yards before L’Gazzy got his hands on him. A couple of plays later and Honolulu would score, and take a lead of 16 to 13 going into quarter four. Offensively the fourth quarter would only see field goals; one for each of the teams, and Honolulu would hold on for the upset victory. Burfict did manage a couple of more tackles on rush plays, one on Kai and one on Ayers for 2 and 3 yards respectively. But that meant little, the winning streak was over and Burfict was feeling pretty deflated despite his impressive outing.
Running totals for the season:
Tackles: 62
Tackles for Loss: 0
Sacks: 12
Forced Fumbles: 2
Fumble Recoveries: 1
Pass Deflections: 6
Interceptions: 1
Penalties: 3, 15 yards
Defensive Player of the Game: 2
Week 13 – at home to the Philadelphia Liberty
Now if there was ever a game where you’d want to bounce back, it would be a game against the Liberty. Well, the Outlaws had already played the Hawks so this was the next best option. But football isn’t kind and again the Outlaws would suffer defeat in front of their home crowd.
But from a Burfict perspective, the Linebacker would have another great showing on the field. Things started brightly in the first, with three early tackles on the first Liberty possession of the game. First Williams was stopped on a short rush attempt before being stopped again two plays later – though he did manage to make it over for a first down after gaining nine yards. And it was Williams again on the rush a short time later, Burfict taking them down for another short gain of four yards. With a little over four minutes remaining in the quarter Burfict was at it again. He stopped Christiansen after a two yard rush on 1st and 10 and immediately followed this up with a sack on Negs for a loss of seven yard. Outlaws would be leading 7 to 3 at the end of the first.
The second quarter was a lot less active for Burfict, with him only managing to register one tackle. Williams looked to rush but was sharply taken down for a loss of one yard on the play. Burfict is quick off the mark remember! Liberty would go into the half with a surprising lead of 13 to 7.
In the third Burfict fancied something a little different. Two pass deflections were the order of the day. The first came as Negs looked to target Asui and the second when Negs looked to find Christiansen – Liberty would take a field goal with the next play. In the dying seconds of the quarter Burfict would register his second tackle for loss on the day, another quick takedown of Williams for a loss of two yards.
Three more tackles would come in the fourth. A two yard gain for Williams came first, followed by a two yard gain for Torenson and then finally taking down Asui after he was found by Negs for a nine yard gain. Come final whistle there was only a solitary point in it, but the Outlaws were on the wrong side.
Tackles: 72
Tackles for Loss: 2
Sacks: 13
Forced Fumbles: 2
Fumble Recoveries: 1
Pass Deflections: 8
Interceptions: 1
Penalties: 3, 15 yards
Defensive Player of the Game: 2
Week 14 – on the road against the New Orleans Secondline
Two defeats in a row now for the Arizona Outlaws – those nine wins in a row are fading away a little in the memory now. New Orleans can be a tricky place to play, traditionally, but they’d been struggling a little themselves as of late. It would be an opportunity for Arizona, and Burfict, to bounce back. And to maintain their push towards the Ultimus they would have to make sure they took it.
And things started well with the Outlaws scoring with their first drive of the game. And Burfict was straight up into the action when NOLA took possession. First he prevented McCormick from making more of his 10 yard gain from a Slothilsberger pass. A couple of plays later he’d be in the thick of it again, stopping Spencer in his tracks after again being found in the open by Slothilsberger. With the Outlaws leading 14-7 in the second Burfict was able to prevent a rush from Rotchburns from going more than a yard and a short time later it was time for one of his famous double plays with two take downs in quick succession on rush attempts by McBotterson.
On 2nd and 10 on the Arizona 16 yard Burfict was able to record his first pass deflection of the game, tipping away a dart towards Spencer. A few plays later New Orleans would have to settle for a field goal – a job well done by Burfict. And with 23 seconds remaining in the half there was time for one more tackle, stopping McCormick on a four yard gain on 1st and 10. Half time came and the Outlaws were leading 24 to 10. There was plenty of action in the second half, but not of it involved L’Gazzy Burfict in terms of adding to his numbers… which was a little disappointing. But hey, they came away with the victory by 31 to 21 and the losing streak was over.
Tackles: 78
Tackles for Loss: 2
Sacks: 13
Forced Fumbles: 2
Fumble Recoveries: 1
Pass Deflections: 9
Interceptions: 1
Penalties: 3, 15 yards
Defensive Player of the Game: 2
Week 15 – at home to the San Jose Sabercats
After going the whole game in New Orleans without a sack, L’Gazzy Burfict wanted to make sure he put things right when the Arizona Outlaws headed to San Jose. And it didn’t take long for that plan to come into action. Right off the back of the Outlaws missing a 38 yard field goal, Burfict would but a halt to any momentum San Jose had looked to build by sacking Jack on their first drive. A loss of six yards, Burfict felt satisfied with that one. And only a couple of plays later he’d register his first tackle too, dragging down Vermillion after he’d been found by Jack. This was an important one and prevented the first down. The second quarter was a little quieter, with only one tackle of note. That was a stop on Crossley, although they did manage to make the first down and would score a field goal soon after. Half time score; a 10 to 10 tie.
The locker room atmosphere got Burfict pretty fired up and he came out all guns blazing again, immediately stopping a rush attempt by Lackson for a gain of only two yards. And it would be Lackson who fell victim to Burfict’s tackling prowess in the fourth quarter too, as he registered two tackles for a loss of only six yards on two rushing attempts. Had the Outlaws done enough to win on the road? Yes they had. But the 31 to 27 victory was all down to the fourth quarter push where they scored 21 points.
Tackles: 84
Tackles for Loss: 2
Sacks: 14
Forced Fumbles: 2
Fumble Recoveries: 1
Pass Deflections: 9
Interceptions: 1
Penalties: 3, 15 yards
Defensive Player of the Game: 2
Week 16 – on the road against the New York Silverbacks
The final regular game of the season saw Burfict’s Outlaws head to New York for a showdown with the Silverbacks. Their spot in post season had already been confirmed but Burfict was still looking to make a few key hits on the field.
Things got off to a bit of a ropey start. The Silverbacks scored with an interception within the first minute, and then Corte was a little shaken after two quick fire sacks a short time later. Burfict would have to wait until the middle of that first quarter to register something; a tackle on Wilkinson after he’d been found by Howitzer.
The second and third quarters passed Burfict by to be honest, he didn’t see any real action on the field as New York looked to avoid making plays near him. A wise move. But in the fourth quarter, no tactics were going to stop Burfict from adding to his seasons tally. In the first play of the quarter Burfict took down Wilkinson for a short gain. Midway through the fourth, Rodgers took the ball and barely had time to blink before Burfict stopped him in his tracks. And in the final 90 seconds or so there was still enough time for a couple more key Burfict plays. First he took down Bawlls and, with the final play of the game, he elegantly tipped away Howitzers pass to Speedman.
So that was the end of regular season, and Burfict was feeling pretty pleased with things as they stood. Taking a look at his final stats tally:
Tackles: 88
Tackles for Loss: 2
Sacks: 14
Forced Fumbles: 2
Fumble Recoveries: 1
Pass Deflections: 10
Interceptions: 1
Penalties: 3, 15 yards
Defensive Player of the Game: 2
So tackle wise, 88 was well behind the league leading 123 registered by Baltimore’s Larson, and an average of 5.5 per game. But in truth, their defence was on the field a lot more than Arizona this season. Plus it’s worth nothing that Burfict was flanked by Wilf (63 tackles) and Koniecpolski (73 tackles) so when you consider that, the 88 does look ok.
Now Burfict would end with 14 sacks, tied for fourth overall. But again, a little way behind New Yorks Bank (20) and the aim of hitting a sack per game average. But again, promising and certainly something to build on. It’s worth remembering that Burfict still has a couple more years to go before reaching his max potential too.
With 10 pass deflections, Burfict picked up only half that of the highest scoring Linebacker in the class (Lover with 20). But a big reason for this is the superior CB core for the Outlaws, led of course by Rich Triplet.
As for the other stats, well, they were all a little off the pace when it comes to leading the league. The plan for the future would be to turn a few more of the pass deflections into true interceptions. And maybe, just maybe, get in on a touchdown one day. Other than Ultimus glory, that one would be pretty high up on the wish list.
Right, may as well get to the elephant in the room now. The Arizona Outlaws in post season. Once again things didn’t go to plan. The game of football can be cruel sometimes; I guess it was the same for Berlin who, as top seed in the NSFC, lost at home to the Wraiths. So yeah, Outlaws lost at home to The Copperheads. As for Burfict’s numbers, well, he was honestly like a man possessed. During regular season Burfict had averaged 5.5 tackles per game and had a season high game in week 13 when hosting the Philadelphia Liberty. But in the Copperheads game Burfict came up with f-o-u-r-t-e-e-n tackles and two tackles for loss. Boom. Two in the first quarter, three in the second, one in the third. So that’s… six so far. And then a massive eight in the fourth. A particular highlight was the three in a row early in that quarter. What can I say, Burfict was on form that day but sadly it wasn’t enough. And it means nothing now. Burfict has been working hard during the off season and is hoping to start season 29 with a bang.
So there we have it. Thanks for any of you who stuck with me, and apologies again for my mathematical failures earlier on. See you all out on the field soon and please, watch out for Burfict, he’s a coming for you.
Ok so this is the second part – if you want to catch up on how we got here then please have a quick search for part one. But if you’re a little too lazy for that let me bring you up to speed. I took a look through the first seven games of the Arizona Outlaws season with a focus, of course, on L’Gazzy Burfict. Because he is me, and me is he, etc. And before you point out the obvious. Yes, I miscounted and only went through seven games last time… so not really a half way point after all! And in addition to that failure I may as well come clean and admit that I got my numbers wrong too. Maths has never been my strong point. So as a clean slate, here is how Burfict is looking after seven games:
Tackles: 32, an average of 4.5 tackles per game
Tackles for Loss: 0
Sacks: 6, an average of 0.9 sacks per game
Forced Fumbles: 2
Fumble Recoveries: 1
Pass Deflections: 3
Interceptions: 1
Penalties: 3, 15 yards
I mentioned last time that the plan would be to increase the average number of tackles per game and try to pull the sack count up towards one per game. I always see that as the benchmark of a quality linebacker. Now obviously this wouldn’t all be down to sim luck. I should mention that the sim testing and player development tools used in Arizona are, well, pretty impressive. So a quick shout out to the quality GM pairing of Z and Crunk.
So enough of that, lets get back down to business and see where L’Gazzy Burfict would be heading next.
Week 8 – at home against the Baltimore Hawks
After ending week 7 on a high after a 31 point margin against the New York Silverbacks, the Arizona Outlaws welcomed the leagues favourite (currently) whipping boys to Phoenix. Now from the outset the expectations from the media were pretty high and most felt the likelihood was that Arizona would have a lot of the ball offensively, limiting time for the defence to be on the field. But if one thing is true it’s that Burfict enjoys a challenge. And indeed that is how things played out – Burfict having to wait until a minute before the end of the first quarter to register his customary sack, an 11 yarder on Skywalker. The clock soon ran down and the quarter was brought to a close with Arizona leading 21 points to 0, Nakamura with a brace either side of a 27 yard catch for Raimon.
Nakamura had added his third of the game (following a first for Passmann) by the time Burfict could register his first tackle of the game with a 4 yarder on Goose leading to a turnover on downs with just over six minutes left to play in the half. But those six minutes came to nothing for Burfict, with the score at the half being Baltimore Hawks 0-45 Arizona Outlaws.
The third quarter saw a couple of stops for Burfict to add to the tally, one for Goose and one for Parker. Then in the fourth quarter Baltimore were first and goal before Burfict got his hands on some action; a tackle on Parker for a two yard gain. Sadly on 2nd and goal Goose was able to take the ball over to get their second rushing TD of the day, leaving the score at the final whistle as 52-23 to the Outlaws. Shout out to Nakamura and Raimon for having three TDs each on the day.
Running totals for the season:
Tackles: 37
Tackles for Loss: 0
Sacks: 7
Forced Fumbles: 2
Fumble Recoveries: 1
Pass Deflections: 3
Interceptions: 1
Penalties: 3, 15 yards
Week 9 – on the road against the Colorado Yeti
So fresh on the back of two home wins, Burfict and the rest of the Outlaws headed to Colorado hoping to keep the good form going. It was also a chance for Burfict to meet up with one of his old Royals and Rutgers crew in Ruschmann – loser paid the bar (and chicken) bill, which was becoming a tradition now. So when the game came it was clear that L’Gazzy Burfict wanted to put on a show, or certainly didn’t want to be paying for some all you can eat chicken. He was hungry. And it would take only five seconds for Burfict to make his intentions clear with a thundering sack on Caliban for a loss of seven yards. That one felt pretty good. With Arizona two scores up (a lovely 42 yard play for Raimon and a surprisingly lengthy 51 yard run from Thorbjornsson) Burfict fancied getting in some action again and registered a quick fire double of tackles on Gilbert. 21-0 at the end of the first quarter. A bit of a similar story in the second, with another quick fire double of tackles on Jenkins and Gilbert. He’d register another tackle on each before half time came, the score being 31-7.
After half time, perhaps Burfict took his foot off the gas a little. The third quarter passed him by and it wasn’t until the fourth that Burfict would see some more action on the field. First a pass deflection from a Caliban throw intended for Gilbert. Shortly after this, and following up on a violent sack from Chuck Roth on Caliban, Burfict registered his second sack of the game – a loss of six yards on the play. Caliban was sacked four times on the day, Burfict taking half of these. A 141.3 passing rating from Cortez had taken the Arizona Outlaws to a 36-14 victory. Burfict wouldn’t be paying for any beer or chicken, his job was done. Worth noting that L’Gazzy Burfict was also given the defensive player of the game award for this showing, his first of the season. I may as well track that one now too, just for reference. Probably should have done this after week one, hey ho!
Running totals for the season:
Tackles: 45
Tackles for Loss: 0
Sacks: 1
Forced Fumbles: 2
Fumble Recoveries: 1
Pass Deflections: 4
Interceptions: 1
Penalties: 3, 15 yards
Defensive Player of the Game: 2
Week 10 – at home against the Orange County Otters
The Outlaws had a convincing victory against the Otters in week three and were hoping to continue this run, and their good form, with another win in week 10. A little like the game in week nine in Colorado, Burfict got himself off to a flying start with two tackles in the first Otters possession of the game. First he stopped Ramza in their tracks after a four yard rush before taking down Evans two plays later. The Otters would end the play with an impressive 51 yard field goal to take the lead. But that was it for the first quarter, for Burfict anyway. It would close with the Outlaws leading 14 to 3. In the second quarter Burfict was back at it again. First a pass deflection with 9.25 on the clock as Ramza looked to target Evans on 3rd and 2. Next he’d register another sack for the season, taking down Ramza for a loss of 11 yards. Credit where credits due, Ramza brushed himself down and threw to Holloway for a 63 yard completion the very next play. The third quarter would see another couple of tackles for Burfict; first stopping a rush by Phillips and then stopping Evans after he was found by Ramza for 18 yards. It appeared he took the fourth quarter off and wouldn’t add anything more of note. The Potters would come close but thankfully not close enough, Outlaws taking the game by two.
Running totals for the season:
Tackles: 50
Tackles for Loss: 0
Sacks: 10
Forced Fumbles: 2
Fumble Recoveries: 1
Pass Deflections: 5
Interceptions: 1
Penalties: 3, 15 yards
Defensive Player of the Game: 2
Week 11 – on the road against the Austin Copperheads
Another game, and it would turn out to be another win for the Arizona Outlaws. Quite a run there were putting together with Burfict leading the charge for the defensive unit. In terms of the game it was very much a standard one for Burfict. In the first quarter he would register his first tackle, stopping Watts in her tracks on 3rd and 16 and then, as the quarter was drawing to a close, a well timed sack on Daytona. And in the second quarter, another pass deflection, as Daytona looked to find Watts on 1st and 10 on the Outlaws 37 yard line. The Outlaws defence would hold firm and the Copperheads would end up punting the ball away on fourth down. The third quarter on the other hand was not the best advert for the Arizona defensive unit as the Copperheads would chalk up 22 points on the board. Burfict would only register a single tackle on Watts during this onslaught. And in the fourth it was more of the same, Burfict on Watts for a 1 yard stop. Shortly after this the Outlaws were able to take the lead, Cortez finding Pama for a 65 yard touchdown and they managed to hold firm, taking the game 29 points to 25. Nine victories in a row for the Outlaws. There was no stopping them as things stood. But, well, maybe the sim had other ideas… lets see.
Running totals for the season:
Tackles: 54
Tackles for Loss: 0
Sacks: 11
Forced Fumbles: 2
Fumble Recoveries: 1
Pass Deflections: 6
Interceptions: 1
Penalties: 3, 15 yards
Defensive Player of the Game: 2
Week 12 – at home to the Honolulu Hahalua
Back on home turf. Back to a familiar Burfict. It would only take him until Honolulus fifth play for him to power through the offensive line and take out Fujiwara for a devastating sack and loss of 10 yards on the play. The crowd enjoyed that one, and so did Burfict. After the Outlaws had taken the lead (Nakamura, obviously) Burfict chalked up a couple of tackles before the close of the quarter. First he managed to take down Krashwagen after he’d been found by Fujiwara for a gain of 11. Next, Cobra Kai looked to burst through only to be met by an in-form Burfict, slammed down for a small gain. Nothing to note in the second quarter for Burfict and the Outlaws would go into the locker room leading 13 points to seven.
The third would stat off with another Burfict tackle on Kai and with less than a minute left he’d come up with a double play, first taking down Ayers on a seven yard rush but then, on 3rd and 2, he was unable to prevent the first time and Ayers made it three yards before L’Gazzy got his hands on him. A couple of plays later and Honolulu would score, and take a lead of 16 to 13 going into quarter four. Offensively the fourth quarter would only see field goals; one for each of the teams, and Honolulu would hold on for the upset victory. Burfict did manage a couple of more tackles on rush plays, one on Kai and one on Ayers for 2 and 3 yards respectively. But that meant little, the winning streak was over and Burfict was feeling pretty deflated despite his impressive outing.
Running totals for the season:
Tackles: 62
Tackles for Loss: 0
Sacks: 12
Forced Fumbles: 2
Fumble Recoveries: 1
Pass Deflections: 6
Interceptions: 1
Penalties: 3, 15 yards
Defensive Player of the Game: 2
Week 13 – at home to the Philadelphia Liberty
Now if there was ever a game where you’d want to bounce back, it would be a game against the Liberty. Well, the Outlaws had already played the Hawks so this was the next best option. But football isn’t kind and again the Outlaws would suffer defeat in front of their home crowd.
But from a Burfict perspective, the Linebacker would have another great showing on the field. Things started brightly in the first, with three early tackles on the first Liberty possession of the game. First Williams was stopped on a short rush attempt before being stopped again two plays later – though he did manage to make it over for a first down after gaining nine yards. And it was Williams again on the rush a short time later, Burfict taking them down for another short gain of four yards. With a little over four minutes remaining in the quarter Burfict was at it again. He stopped Christiansen after a two yard rush on 1st and 10 and immediately followed this up with a sack on Negs for a loss of seven yard. Outlaws would be leading 7 to 3 at the end of the first.
The second quarter was a lot less active for Burfict, with him only managing to register one tackle. Williams looked to rush but was sharply taken down for a loss of one yard on the play. Burfict is quick off the mark remember! Liberty would go into the half with a surprising lead of 13 to 7.
In the third Burfict fancied something a little different. Two pass deflections were the order of the day. The first came as Negs looked to target Asui and the second when Negs looked to find Christiansen – Liberty would take a field goal with the next play. In the dying seconds of the quarter Burfict would register his second tackle for loss on the day, another quick takedown of Williams for a loss of two yards.
Three more tackles would come in the fourth. A two yard gain for Williams came first, followed by a two yard gain for Torenson and then finally taking down Asui after he was found by Negs for a nine yard gain. Come final whistle there was only a solitary point in it, but the Outlaws were on the wrong side.
Tackles: 72
Tackles for Loss: 2
Sacks: 13
Forced Fumbles: 2
Fumble Recoveries: 1
Pass Deflections: 8
Interceptions: 1
Penalties: 3, 15 yards
Defensive Player of the Game: 2
Week 14 – on the road against the New Orleans Secondline
Two defeats in a row now for the Arizona Outlaws – those nine wins in a row are fading away a little in the memory now. New Orleans can be a tricky place to play, traditionally, but they’d been struggling a little themselves as of late. It would be an opportunity for Arizona, and Burfict, to bounce back. And to maintain their push towards the Ultimus they would have to make sure they took it.
And things started well with the Outlaws scoring with their first drive of the game. And Burfict was straight up into the action when NOLA took possession. First he prevented McCormick from making more of his 10 yard gain from a Slothilsberger pass. A couple of plays later he’d be in the thick of it again, stopping Spencer in his tracks after again being found in the open by Slothilsberger. With the Outlaws leading 14-7 in the second Burfict was able to prevent a rush from Rotchburns from going more than a yard and a short time later it was time for one of his famous double plays with two take downs in quick succession on rush attempts by McBotterson.
On 2nd and 10 on the Arizona 16 yard Burfict was able to record his first pass deflection of the game, tipping away a dart towards Spencer. A few plays later New Orleans would have to settle for a field goal – a job well done by Burfict. And with 23 seconds remaining in the half there was time for one more tackle, stopping McCormick on a four yard gain on 1st and 10. Half time came and the Outlaws were leading 24 to 10. There was plenty of action in the second half, but not of it involved L’Gazzy Burfict in terms of adding to his numbers… which was a little disappointing. But hey, they came away with the victory by 31 to 21 and the losing streak was over.
Tackles: 78
Tackles for Loss: 2
Sacks: 13
Forced Fumbles: 2
Fumble Recoveries: 1
Pass Deflections: 9
Interceptions: 1
Penalties: 3, 15 yards
Defensive Player of the Game: 2
Week 15 – at home to the San Jose Sabercats
After going the whole game in New Orleans without a sack, L’Gazzy Burfict wanted to make sure he put things right when the Arizona Outlaws headed to San Jose. And it didn’t take long for that plan to come into action. Right off the back of the Outlaws missing a 38 yard field goal, Burfict would but a halt to any momentum San Jose had looked to build by sacking Jack on their first drive. A loss of six yards, Burfict felt satisfied with that one. And only a couple of plays later he’d register his first tackle too, dragging down Vermillion after he’d been found by Jack. This was an important one and prevented the first down. The second quarter was a little quieter, with only one tackle of note. That was a stop on Crossley, although they did manage to make the first down and would score a field goal soon after. Half time score; a 10 to 10 tie.
The locker room atmosphere got Burfict pretty fired up and he came out all guns blazing again, immediately stopping a rush attempt by Lackson for a gain of only two yards. And it would be Lackson who fell victim to Burfict’s tackling prowess in the fourth quarter too, as he registered two tackles for a loss of only six yards on two rushing attempts. Had the Outlaws done enough to win on the road? Yes they had. But the 31 to 27 victory was all down to the fourth quarter push where they scored 21 points.
Tackles: 84
Tackles for Loss: 2
Sacks: 14
Forced Fumbles: 2
Fumble Recoveries: 1
Pass Deflections: 9
Interceptions: 1
Penalties: 3, 15 yards
Defensive Player of the Game: 2
Week 16 – on the road against the New York Silverbacks
The final regular game of the season saw Burfict’s Outlaws head to New York for a showdown with the Silverbacks. Their spot in post season had already been confirmed but Burfict was still looking to make a few key hits on the field.
Things got off to a bit of a ropey start. The Silverbacks scored with an interception within the first minute, and then Corte was a little shaken after two quick fire sacks a short time later. Burfict would have to wait until the middle of that first quarter to register something; a tackle on Wilkinson after he’d been found by Howitzer.
The second and third quarters passed Burfict by to be honest, he didn’t see any real action on the field as New York looked to avoid making plays near him. A wise move. But in the fourth quarter, no tactics were going to stop Burfict from adding to his seasons tally. In the first play of the quarter Burfict took down Wilkinson for a short gain. Midway through the fourth, Rodgers took the ball and barely had time to blink before Burfict stopped him in his tracks. And in the final 90 seconds or so there was still enough time for a couple more key Burfict plays. First he took down Bawlls and, with the final play of the game, he elegantly tipped away Howitzers pass to Speedman.
So that was the end of regular season, and Burfict was feeling pretty pleased with things as they stood. Taking a look at his final stats tally:
Tackles: 88
Tackles for Loss: 2
Sacks: 14
Forced Fumbles: 2
Fumble Recoveries: 1
Pass Deflections: 10
Interceptions: 1
Penalties: 3, 15 yards
Defensive Player of the Game: 2
So tackle wise, 88 was well behind the league leading 123 registered by Baltimore’s Larson, and an average of 5.5 per game. But in truth, their defence was on the field a lot more than Arizona this season. Plus it’s worth nothing that Burfict was flanked by Wilf (63 tackles) and Koniecpolski (73 tackles) so when you consider that, the 88 does look ok.
Now Burfict would end with 14 sacks, tied for fourth overall. But again, a little way behind New Yorks Bank (20) and the aim of hitting a sack per game average. But again, promising and certainly something to build on. It’s worth remembering that Burfict still has a couple more years to go before reaching his max potential too.
With 10 pass deflections, Burfict picked up only half that of the highest scoring Linebacker in the class (Lover with 20). But a big reason for this is the superior CB core for the Outlaws, led of course by Rich Triplet.
As for the other stats, well, they were all a little off the pace when it comes to leading the league. The plan for the future would be to turn a few more of the pass deflections into true interceptions. And maybe, just maybe, get in on a touchdown one day. Other than Ultimus glory, that one would be pretty high up on the wish list.
Right, may as well get to the elephant in the room now. The Arizona Outlaws in post season. Once again things didn’t go to plan. The game of football can be cruel sometimes; I guess it was the same for Berlin who, as top seed in the NSFC, lost at home to the Wraiths. So yeah, Outlaws lost at home to The Copperheads. As for Burfict’s numbers, well, he was honestly like a man possessed. During regular season Burfict had averaged 5.5 tackles per game and had a season high game in week 13 when hosting the Philadelphia Liberty. But in the Copperheads game Burfict came up with f-o-u-r-t-e-e-n tackles and two tackles for loss. Boom. Two in the first quarter, three in the second, one in the third. So that’s… six so far. And then a massive eight in the fourth. A particular highlight was the three in a row early in that quarter. What can I say, Burfict was on form that day but sadly it wasn’t enough. And it means nothing now. Burfict has been working hard during the off season and is hoping to start season 29 with a bang.
So there we have it. Thanks for any of you who stuck with me, and apologies again for my mathematical failures earlier on. See you all out on the field soon and please, watch out for Burfict, he’s a coming for you.
Code:
3,782