01-31-2018, 08:44 PM
(This post was last modified: 02-06-2018, 08:47 PM by Supersquare04.)
Here's another installment of the Wraiths Review. The season is almost done, so I might be spamming a couple articles out in the next couple days. The Wraiths had a pretty a very good record coming into these weeks, so we just needed to keep pace with Orange County and duke it out for home field advantage.
Week 7 - vs COL
Well not the best way to start a game. Probably the worst way. First play, COL Bly Jr. takes the ball for a kick off return touchdown. Wraiths ball, third play pick 6. So being down 14 points only 2 minutes into the game is devastating. Unless you're playing the Yeti. Then there's plenty of time to come back. And come back we did. We won the game pretty easily 56-20. So with a score margin that wide, it meant we played well right? Well for the second time in the last couple weeks, we played very poorly but won based purely on a TPE advantage.
The reality is that when a team turns the ball over 5 times, they're probably not going to win. Pierno had a rough day, throwing 3 picks. The run games was pretty non-existant as well. And you'll say "But wait CDub, they had 148 yards rushing" and then I'll say "on 54 attempts". Pretty ugly game overall for the Yeti.
The Wraiths were not much better though. Akselsen threw 2 picks, and we fumbled twice, but we managed to recover them. We very easily could have had 4 turnovers. The Yeti were also better than us on 3rd down. Wraiths managed an okay 38% on 3rd down while the Yeti managed to have a 42% conversion. Again, this game just boiled down to the Wraiths being more talented. To repeat what I said last article, had we played this way against any other team, we would have lost.
Verdict: Sim gods got it right.
Week 8 - @ BAL
This was the match up most people were waiting to see. Coming into the season the Hawks and Wraiths were favoured to be in the playoffs. The Hawks started very poorly but were turning it on. The Wraiths came to Baltimore to show their NSFC dominance... and BAL took them out pretty handily. BAL played great and that very dangerous offense was finally clicking at the midway point in the season.
On the surface, it looked like the Wraiths played a pretty good game. And we did. We out gained BAL in passing yards, and both teams only had 1 turnover. YKW also converted on 50% of the 3rd downs, while holding BAL to 33%. Those are impressive stats that usually contribute to a win. Akselsen had a great game, throwing for 358 yards and 62% pas completion percentage. That being said, there were some weaknesses.
I'd say there were a couple things that led to a BAL win. First, the run game was better for BAL, as expected. Owen Taylor is one of the best in the business, and he was rock solid in this game. The BAL rush game almost doubled the YKW rush offense. Either way, this strong run game allowed for shorter second and third downs, helped ball control, and kept the defence tired. A note on the possession, BAL out possessed YKW by 6 minutes. Even if YKW had a better offensive game, we were never on the field long enough to do any damage. BAL also played the entire game without taking a penalty, while YKW took 2 for 20 yards.
The last factor is field positioning. It seems YKW had a ton of momentum travelling down the field, but stalled when at the 30 yard line or so. Kicking 3 field goals, while not a bad thing, it would have been great if one of those could have converted into a touchdown. You look at the other side, BAL had longer drives and when they hit the 40 or 30 yard line, they turned it on. They did not kick a field goal. Each time they made it past the YKW 40 yard line, BAL scored. They were so good at getting points out of their drives. On the other hand, the YKW offence stalled on the other side of the 50.
Verdict: Coin flip. Both teams had strengths. I think the Sim Gods got it right.
Week 9 - vs PHI
Another heart-breaker for PHI. Let's get real here, PHI has had a rough go at things. It seems they miss the postseason or lose games constantly by a handful of points. Unfortunately for them, this game was no different. For the second time this season, YKW won a close game against PHI, this time beating them 26-23.
Once again, for the second time in 3 weeks, the Wraiths found themselves down very early in the game. PHI scored twice in the first quarter, and Akselsen threw two interceptions. But from then on, it was pretty much all Wraiths.
Both teams had similar rushing games, under 50 yards. Both teams took 6 penalties, YKW for 40 yards, PHI for 50 yards. So far it seems like the teams are evenly matched, and it showed on the scored board. Akselsen and Rove were pretty similar as well.
The difference was how the Wraiths controlled the ball in the second half. It seems like that has been their strength this season. Late in close games, the Wraiths just take the ball and put out these long time consuming drives and the defense clinches up. It happened again in this game. PHI had possession only 5 minutes in the third quarter. This, coincidentally, was the same quarter where the Wraiths tied the game up and staged their comeback. With that momentum, they were able to take the lead in the fourth quarter and escape with another win. The game clinching play was a Hardrool interception with 2 minutes left as PHI was putting together a drive that took the Wraiths into field goal range and Lombardi continued his big day and nailed the game winner.
Verdict: Toss up. The stats were so close. Glad the Sim Gods took mercy on the Wraiths at home.
Week 7 - vs COL
Well not the best way to start a game. Probably the worst way. First play, COL Bly Jr. takes the ball for a kick off return touchdown. Wraiths ball, third play pick 6. So being down 14 points only 2 minutes into the game is devastating. Unless you're playing the Yeti. Then there's plenty of time to come back. And come back we did. We won the game pretty easily 56-20. So with a score margin that wide, it meant we played well right? Well for the second time in the last couple weeks, we played very poorly but won based purely on a TPE advantage.
The reality is that when a team turns the ball over 5 times, they're probably not going to win. Pierno had a rough day, throwing 3 picks. The run games was pretty non-existant as well. And you'll say "But wait CDub, they had 148 yards rushing" and then I'll say "on 54 attempts". Pretty ugly game overall for the Yeti.
The Wraiths were not much better though. Akselsen threw 2 picks, and we fumbled twice, but we managed to recover them. We very easily could have had 4 turnovers. The Yeti were also better than us on 3rd down. Wraiths managed an okay 38% on 3rd down while the Yeti managed to have a 42% conversion. Again, this game just boiled down to the Wraiths being more talented. To repeat what I said last article, had we played this way against any other team, we would have lost.
Verdict: Sim gods got it right.
Week 8 - @ BAL
This was the match up most people were waiting to see. Coming into the season the Hawks and Wraiths were favoured to be in the playoffs. The Hawks started very poorly but were turning it on. The Wraiths came to Baltimore to show their NSFC dominance... and BAL took them out pretty handily. BAL played great and that very dangerous offense was finally clicking at the midway point in the season.
On the surface, it looked like the Wraiths played a pretty good game. And we did. We out gained BAL in passing yards, and both teams only had 1 turnover. YKW also converted on 50% of the 3rd downs, while holding BAL to 33%. Those are impressive stats that usually contribute to a win. Akselsen had a great game, throwing for 358 yards and 62% pas completion percentage. That being said, there were some weaknesses.
I'd say there were a couple things that led to a BAL win. First, the run game was better for BAL, as expected. Owen Taylor is one of the best in the business, and he was rock solid in this game. The BAL rush game almost doubled the YKW rush offense. Either way, this strong run game allowed for shorter second and third downs, helped ball control, and kept the defence tired. A note on the possession, BAL out possessed YKW by 6 minutes. Even if YKW had a better offensive game, we were never on the field long enough to do any damage. BAL also played the entire game without taking a penalty, while YKW took 2 for 20 yards.
The last factor is field positioning. It seems YKW had a ton of momentum travelling down the field, but stalled when at the 30 yard line or so. Kicking 3 field goals, while not a bad thing, it would have been great if one of those could have converted into a touchdown. You look at the other side, BAL had longer drives and when they hit the 40 or 30 yard line, they turned it on. They did not kick a field goal. Each time they made it past the YKW 40 yard line, BAL scored. They were so good at getting points out of their drives. On the other hand, the YKW offence stalled on the other side of the 50.
Verdict: Coin flip. Both teams had strengths. I think the Sim Gods got it right.
Week 9 - vs PHI
Another heart-breaker for PHI. Let's get real here, PHI has had a rough go at things. It seems they miss the postseason or lose games constantly by a handful of points. Unfortunately for them, this game was no different. For the second time this season, YKW won a close game against PHI, this time beating them 26-23.
Once again, for the second time in 3 weeks, the Wraiths found themselves down very early in the game. PHI scored twice in the first quarter, and Akselsen threw two interceptions. But from then on, it was pretty much all Wraiths.
Both teams had similar rushing games, under 50 yards. Both teams took 6 penalties, YKW for 40 yards, PHI for 50 yards. So far it seems like the teams are evenly matched, and it showed on the scored board. Akselsen and Rove were pretty similar as well.
The difference was how the Wraiths controlled the ball in the second half. It seems like that has been their strength this season. Late in close games, the Wraiths just take the ball and put out these long time consuming drives and the defense clinches up. It happened again in this game. PHI had possession only 5 minutes in the third quarter. This, coincidentally, was the same quarter where the Wraiths tied the game up and staged their comeback. With that momentum, they were able to take the lead in the fourth quarter and escape with another win. The game clinching play was a Hardrool interception with 2 minutes left as PHI was putting together a drive that took the Wraiths into field goal range and Lombardi continued his big day and nailed the game winner.
Verdict: Toss up. The stats were so close. Glad the Sim Gods took mercy on the Wraiths at home.
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1028 words. Ready for grading
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