Ultimus Week - S10

[iamslm22]

Welcome to Ultimus Week! This is a special point task that will close on Sunday October 7th at 11:59PM PST . It is broken down into eight written and eight graphic point tasks of which you will choose FOUR to complete. Each point task completed is worth 2.5 TPE and you can earn a maximum of 10 TPE from this event.

NOTE: Each written point task has a 200 word count.
NOTE x2: You can complete four point tasks in any combination of written and/or graphics.
NOTE x3: Please keep all submissions you make to ONE post.
NOTE x4: Graphical submissions must be more than text added to an image. Text thrown on a single image will no receive credit unless it shows significant statistical content or creativity.
Note x5: You can link this to PBE to count as your PT for them. You can also link their PT here and it will count for one completed Ultimus Week Task
Note x6: You can link this to SHL to count as your PT for them. You can also link their PT here and it will count for one completed Ultimus Week Task

There will be some limitations as to when certain tasks can be completed. Here are each of the tasks listed below, and with special notes if any limitations apply.


Written Points

Robbed: Write about why a team that failed to make the playoffs should have over somebody else. Can be completed at any point

New Talent: Write about which S9 trade will or did have the biggest impact in the playoffs. Can be written at any time depending on if you choose to write about who already has or who will do good

Playoff Predictions: Give a short write up on each of the playoff matches (including the championship game). Must be completed before the simulation of the Conference Finals

Playoff Series MVP: Choose an MVP for one of the playoff series and write about why you chose them. Must be completed after the playoff series you write about

Playoff Review: Write a short review of the playoffs and each of the matchups. Must be completed after the Championship Game

Championship Game Recap: Do a recap of the best play from the championship game. Must be completed after the Championship Game

Hate the player or the game: Tell us which team made the playoffs and shouldn't have, or which team didn't and should have? (Can be completed at any point)

That Magic Moment: Pick one moment from a playoff game and describe what made it so amazing to watch. (Must be completed after the game you write about)

Root for the Underdog: Pick an away team in an upcoming game and try to convince yourself (and us) why they can win. (Must be completed before the playoff series you write about)

Going to Disneyland!:Who was the Ultimus MVP? Give us a rundown of their celebratory trip to Disneyland. (Can be completed after the Ultimus game)

Unsung Hero:Who was the unsung hero of the playoffs, convince us. (Can be completed after the Ultimus game)

Matchup Nightmares: Pick an offensive and defensive player who will be going up against each other and why it will be a nightmare for one of them. (Must be completed before the playoff series you write about)

Sit-down with a star:Interview a player from a team that is not your own that is in the playoffs. You must ask them four questions and at least three must relate to the league in some way. YOU MUST POST THE QUESTIONS AND THEIR ANSWERS FOR CREDIT. (Can be completed at any point)

Sit-down with a fan:Answer questions for an interview from a player that is not your own. You must answer at least four questions and at least three must relate to the league in some way. Link to the interviewers PT to receive credit. NOTE: THEY MUST POST THE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FOR YOU TO GET CREDIT. (Can be completed at any point)


Graphic Points

Robbed: Make a graphical stat comparison of a team who failed to qualify for playoffs but why they should have over another team. Can be completed at any point

Future Talent: Make a sig for a S9 player who you feel will or did make a large impact for their team in the playoffs. Can be written at any time depending on if you choose to write about who already has or who will do good

Playoff Matchups: Make a graphic displaying the matchups in the first round of the playoffs. Can be completed at any point

Conference Final MVP Sig: Make a sig for a player of your choice who you felt was the MVP of a Conference Final matchup. Must be completed after the Conference Finals

Playoff Recap Infographic: Make a graphic displaying the results of the playoffs. Must be completed after the Championship Game

Championship Banner: Make a banner featuring the champions of the league (can be NSFL or DSFL) in the same style as the current banner featured at the top of the NSFL site. This can feature the team celebrating their trophy, or just a few key players that helped the team win the league. Must be completed after the Championship Game

That Magic Moment: Show one of the most exciting points in a game. (Must be completed after the game you write about )

Root for the Underdog: Pick an away team in an upcoming game and try to convince yourself (and us) why they can win. (Must be completed before the playoff series you write about)

Matchup Nightmares: Pick an offensive and defensive player who will be going up against each other and why it will be a nightmare for one of them. (Must be completed before the playoff series you write about)

Going to Disneyland!:Pick an MVP of the Ultimus game and create a billboard showing their trip to Disneyland. (Can be completed after the Ultimus game)

Unsung Hero:Create a billboard for the unsung hero of the playoffs. (Can be completed after the Ultimus game)

Old Faces, New Places:Create a graphic for a player who changed teams during free agency this past off season and made the playoffs. Show how they've changed on their new team or what kind of impact they made for their new team. (Can be completed at any time)

[majesiu]

1. PBE PT

2. SHL PT

3. Root for the Underdog: Pick an away team in an upcoming game and try to convince yourself (and us) why they can win. (Must be completed before the playoff series you write about)

This is quite confusing since the New Orleans Second Line despite defending the title this season are technically an underdog since they are going to play away game at Baltimore. They were really unlucky during the regular season and suffered annual loss @Yellowknife and a stunner against Orange County. But after all what cost them the home field advantage was the final game against their rivals. So let's go step by step what NOLA have going for them:
- Top QB in the game 5026 passing yards, 60.2 completion percentage, 56 longest pass, 40 passing touchdowns with just 12 interceptions for an oustanding 98.3 passing rating.
- Smallwood is continuing his resurgence and is really efficient with his game, albeit on lower volume. He still run for 2nd most 15 TD and received for 3 more TD.
- Speaking of receiving threats NOLA corps was solid enough with Charlie Law (1283 yards, 12 TDs) and Alexander LeClair (1032 yards, 11 TDs). Addition of Carlito Crush put them up in the elite territory though (1425 yards, 6 TD).
- Defensive talent is also top notch with secondary that averages ~800 TPE. Sadly this, combined with a great offence, means that not many defending snaps to amass stats are available. Despite that, they had just 12 Interceptions all season, probably because offences opted out to focus on running game instead.

4. Playoff Series MVP: Choose an MVP for one of the playoff series and write about why you chose them. Must be completed after the playoff series you write about

Both first-round series were certainly interesting ones. Baltimore Hawks and Colorado Yeti played an open game heavily focused on scoring while Orange County Otters and New Orleans Second Line focused on the defensive side of the game.
Just compare the player of the games from those matchups:
Offensive POG: Borkus Maximus III - QB (NO): 26/46, 236 yds, 1 TD, 0 INT
Defensive POG: William H. Harrison - FS (NO): 8 Tck, 2 Sck
Offensive POG: Avon Blocksdale - QB (BAL): 31/52, 340 yds, 2 TD, 0 INT
Defensive POG: Haruki Ishigawa - LB (COL): 17 Tck
Quarterbacks were, as usual, the heroes of the show, but the Otters Defense was that much more potent and did an admirable job in covering the deadly trio of receivers - Charlie Law, Alexander LeClair and Carlito Crush were very much under control. Only Second Line player with more than 50 receiving yards was Paulo DiMirio. In the ASFC finals, there were 7 players like this. Harrison had interesting plays, but Ishigawa had a lot of them with 17 tackles.

COL vs BAL
First Downs 14 26
3rd Down Efficiency 4/8 10/17
4rd Down Efficiency 0/0 0/1
OCO vs NOLA
First Downs 14 19
3rd Down Efficiency 2/13 6/17
4rd Down Efficiency 0/0 1/1
This gives an even better image of how defensive minded the NSFC game was. If NOLA was able to get to 3rd down they were almost invincible after. What's funny is that Colorado was able to score 28 on just 14 first downs, they really moved quickly down the field, shame they surrendered 2 picks including a defensive touchdown.

So given that analysis and conference finals numbers, I think defence deserves the Playoff Series MVP nod and in the more defensive minded game - so out of our Conference Finals the William H. Harrison is certainly standing out with his two crucial sacks and 8 tackles. I'm looking forward to what he can

[Bwestfield]

Playoff Predictions: Give a short write up on each of the playoff matches (including the championship game). Must be completed before the simulation of the Conference Finals
First up, Colorado Yeti versus the Baltimore Hawks. This is truly a sad moment. The Hawks and the Yeti both deserve to be in the Championship game but they are stuck in the same conference. This is just like the Orange County Otters and the three year champions Arizona Outlaws. The Outlaws were a dominant bunch and the Otters always just trailed behind shortly but were always better than the NSFC teams. This year it seems that the Yeti will fall out of favor in this game against the Hawks. The Hawks are incredible and I don’t expect them to lose anymore games. Hawks 35 Yeti 14. Secondly we look at the Orange County Otters at the New Orleans Second Line. A lot can be said of the Otters with their great history in the league but this is not their year. They will not be moving on to the Championship game. Second Line 30 Otters 17. So I predict the Ultimus game will be Second Line at the Hawks barring a great upset. This will be a battle of the greats. Unfortunately for the great Second Line the Hawks and their home field advantage will be just too tough for them. Hawks 28 Second Line 24.

Robbed: Write about why a team that failed to make the playoffs should have over somebody else. Can be completed at any point
The Wraiths were robbed. This is a team that should have made the playoffs for sure. They are not as good as the Yeti but looking at the Otters, the Wraiths should have been in the playoffs for sure. The divisions aren’t wrong by any means and we have seen some great parity over the years but this year it was all about the NSFC. The Wraiths were hands down better than their record shows. The Otters were 7 and 7, the Wraiths were 8 and 6. Yet you can tell just by point differentials how much the Otters struggled where the Wraiths excelled. The Wraiths were so close to Yeti in every aspect except for the one that matter, the wins and losses. The Wraiths may have only been one win behind the Yeti, but it was that win that kept them out of the playoffs and the Yeti in. Next year they will have to try twice as hard to beat out the other two teams that look like they could be sitting in the playoffs for awhile. It will be good to see what they do in the offseason to make the changes necessary to both their offense and defense to keep things moving in the right direction. The only team they need not worry about is the Philadelphia Liberty which will be sitting at the bottom for awhile.

Playoff Series MVP: Choose an MVP for one of the playoff series and write about why you chose them. Must be completed after the playoff series you write about
Being perfect is never easy. But when you look at the stat sheet it is easy to see that Turk Turkleton is clearly perfect. He was not only great in the playoff win, but also in the Ultimus. He put perfect english on the ball to make all but 1 shot in which missed simply because of a defect in the football. If you look at the bottom of the ball it has a small lump on it. One could also call it a tumor. Turkleton may be getting up there in age but his legs are still that of a young fresh twenty year old. During the season Turk was thirty for thirty on his field goal attempts. He also hit a 57 yard field goal. This guy has been stellar all year long and it followed him all the way to the championship. The MVP should be Turk Turkleton, he has done so much for this team and the community. He not only served as kicker but he served as the punter as well. While he doesnt have the longest punts, his punts sure go high. With all that hang time it is very difficult for returners to get any yards back. Keeping the other team from scoring is huge, he just makes every drive that much more difficult.

Sit-down with a star: Interview a player from a team that is not your own that is in the playoffs. You must ask them four questions and at least three must relate to the league in some way. YOU MUST POST THE QUESTIONS AND THEIR ANSWERS FOR CREDIT. Can be completed at any point

Interview with Marc Spector

1.) With all the ups and downs with the Otters season did you go into the first round of the playoffs thinking you could beat the Second Line?
We knew there was a slim outside shot at it, but without our top threat, Carlito Crush, it was pretty much guaranteed we'd fail. I think that game was so close because they underperfomed and we overperformed. Our defense certainly stepped up, and their offense seemed like it was thinking about the Ultimus and forgot they had to play a game to get there. But in the end we couldn't get enough points on the board.

2.) It may be too early to tell but do you see your team making all the right moves this offseason to reclaim your spot on the top of the ASFC?
I do. I think we're going to go back to our dominant ways that we are known for. One of our issues this season was a weak offensive line which made Gus run around in the pocket a lot more than he'd have liked. We're definitely going to be upgrading the offensive line this season as to avoid so much wear and tear on our young gun. Adams looked really good running the ball all season. I think his contributions have gone terribly overlooked. Our defense is getting stronger as Broxton, Grithead and Brown are only get better. I like the direction e're headed for sure.

3.) Do you think you retired too early?
Not at all. I would say I went out just at the right time. I know it might look like I had the best season ever in my career before I walked off and hung my cleats, but that was because I putt it all out there. Every last drop. I have nothing left. I went 200% just to get those numbers. If I tried a comeback I think I'd be pretty useless. The only thing I feel bad about is leaving them the same year King left. Kind leaves a big hole to fill. When I announced, I thought he was going to stick around another season. But I think we have enough depth in our defense to make up for it.

4.) Will your clone be as good or better than you?
That's the experiment, isn't it? He is me, so logically he should be at least just as good, right? Of course there's a lot of factors that fall into play, like strength of opponent and whatnot. I think early on it's going to look like he's not measuring up, simply because early on in my career, there were no receivers in this league that are the same level as guys like Miller, Law or Willie's level. I kinda grew along side them, whereas Clone is going to have to grow up facing top flight guys like them. All in all, I hope he has a better career than I, but if it doesn't happen, then I hope he has a fun time anyhow.

[infinitempg]

UNSUNG HERO

Despite the loss, Colorado Yeti captain and star linebacker Haruki Ishigawa proved to be one of the unsung heroes of this year's playoffs. In a game that went back and forth until the very end, the captain moved heaven and earth to keep what many considered a less talented team within striking distance. Ishigawa totaled a playoff record 17 tackles throughout the game, extending his previous playoff record of 14 tackles set in his only other playoff appearance. Many of these tackles were game-saving tackles, keeping the Yeti defense ahead of the chains and preventing breakout plays from becoming just that. The linebacker led by example brilliantly, but even when he wasn't making tackles, he was calling the plays and making sure every defender was aware of the game plan. It was his audible in the early 4th quarter that led to a Rickey Ramero sack, forcing the Hawks into a 3rd and long situation that they couldn't convert and changing what could have been a touchdown into a field goal.

In just his second playoff appearance, Ishigawa is showing that he has the elusive clutch gene, and while it hasn't been enough to drag the Yeti to an elusive playoff victory, it has come very close. One can only hope he gets another chance next season.

THAT MAGIC MOMENT

Things were looking up for the Yeti - although they had just relinquished their lead, they had entered into Hawk territory and quarterback Ryan Applehort looked to finally shrug off the choker label that had followed him this season. Applehort had just thrown a great pass with an even better run after catch by Fox North to get them into field goal range, and only being down 6 meant that the lead could be in Yeti hands once more. The Baltimore fan base, itself having been through playoff disappointment, braced itself for another pulse pounding fourth quarter.

First Down - Applehort is rushed, and needs to check down to Mark Grau, who drops it. That's alright, as there's still plenty of time and they have already gotten to field goal range.

Second Down - Kurt Hendrix comes out of nowhere for the sack. Suddenly, it's third and long, and they're teetering on the edge of McCormick's range. Yards are needed, and quick, if the Yeti want to stay in the game.

Third Down - It all comes crashing down for the Yeti. Applehort doesn't see the former Yeti Marmeladov jump the route, and before he could say "Heimlich", Applehort had watched his interception get returned for six. The moment was magical for the Hawks, as they would later put out the short-lived comeback attempt from the Yeti with a ground and pound drive that took 5:40 off the clock and left Applehort with no more time.

ROBBED GFX



PLAYOFF MATCHUPS

[YoungGreekBoy]

Robbed
Alright so let's look at the Kansas City Coyotes shall we? The Coyotes shouldn't be as bad as they are, but some fucking way they managed to finish at the bottom of their conference due to the last two weeks of the season and got beat out by one of the shittiest teams to ever exist in this god forsaken league, the Norfolk Seawolves. You have to be fucking awful to fall behind a team that's main strategy is to throw the ball at anything moving and hope it goes far. The Seawolves have no no sense of defense, and no offensive awareness, and yet the somehow still managed to ass fuck the Coyotes in the final leg of the season to overtake them and steal their playoff spot. Now how did the Coyotes let this happen? How did the team with extreme talent like Yulic Nagasawa, Andrew Reese, Alex Selich, and Lennox Garnett fall behind such a shitty excuse for a team? The answer is simple, I don't think the team had a GM in place who was doing much for the team, maybe because of inactivity or whatever. That problem is now solved though as the team has been taken over by someone who seems like they might be able to fix the legacy of the last sorry excuse the team had.

New Talent
Instead of talking about the biggest trade, we're going to talk about how the San Antonio Marshals waiver pickup, Luke Boechler, will be one of the most influential players to ever exist and will probably be remembered these playoffs for being literally the best person to ever have picked up a football. Boechler could take any sport and instantly be the best at it. Basketball? Fuck Lebron, this LeBoechler country. Golf? Tiger Woods? More like Tiger rides Boechler's Wood. Water Polo? No one fucking knows a single person who plays water polo but you get the picture, Boechler is better. So when the Marshals picked up this stud of a quarterback, did they know they were about to add the best quarterback to ever grace this planet? Probably not, because how could anyone know that just from looking at his huge, ripped frame and his beautiful sizzling twelve pack that touches the floor. Boechler will unquestionably be the MVP of the next two games as he leads the Marshals to a league championship without question, easily taking out the weak roster of the Tijuana Luchadores before moving on to the pathetic Portland Pythons who will be a simple and easy sweep.

Playoff Predictions
This is quite simply the easiest point task to talk about, and I'm going to give you a spoiler alert to start it off by just straight up telling you the answer to any playoff prediction you may have. If San Antonio is not winning by at least fifty points in the Ultimini final in your prediction, then you're doing something wrong and you need to get checked into a mental hospital because your dementia is acting up. The first round will be the biggest win margin in history as the Marshals will best the Luchadores by over a hundred points without question. Boechler will probably throw for twenty touchdowns because he's that much of a baller. On the other side, the Portland Pythons will utilize their star running back to take out the opposition in Norfolk since the Seawolves are the most shit team to ever exist and it's not even a funny joke that they have a playoff spot. Following this the Portland Pythons will attempt to take on the San Antonio Marshals in the finals, but it won't even be a contest because led by Boechler and Cobalt the team will run over Portland and Summer. Mic drop, I'm out.

Root for the Underdog
So as I'm sure you can see from above, the underdog of this entire fucking league is the Norfolk Seawolves and yet somehow they have already managed to make the playoffs over the Kansas City Coyotes which is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Like correct me if I'm wrong, but their entire team is bots and they're all lower TPE than I am and I basically have nothing. It is wild that they are even in the conversation for the Ultimini but now I'm going to swallow my pride and somehow convince you that they can beat Portland in the first round to make to the Ultimini championship game. First of all, dedication (?). The Seawolves have been training hard all year and are getting better I guess. Their run game is really strong and is pretty much the only important detail of their entire offense, and other than their running game they have literally nothing going for them so expect them to use that on the Pythons. The Pythons will lose because they won't be ready for the onslaught of anal fucking that the Seawolves running backs are primed for, and will probably lose by at least nine hundred points if not more.

[BWIII]

Robbed
If this season's ending results don't persuade people that throwing out consideration of conferences when determining playoff teams is needed then I'm not really sure what will. Of course I'm not going to go back and look at past seasons that have had an even more definitive result, but this will suffice for this. Basically what I'm getting at is the fact that the Orange County Otters will get into the playoffs rather than the Yellowknife Wraiths just because they're in the ASFC rather than the NSFC is a complete and utter travesty! In the Otters' last 6 games they lost 4 times and the two teams that they did beat were the terrible Outlaws and the Noble led Liberty, which includes a 30-0 blowout loss to the Wraiths. In fact the Otters traded away their best receiver and added Josh Garden to their corps at the trade deadline which just ensures a bigger blowout for New Orleans in the playoffs, rather than having NOLA go up against the Wraiths who actually beat them in week 10 even after they added Crush. You're telling me you'd rather watch the Second Line mop the floor with the Otters rather than a possible great rematch against the Wraiths? Boy have you lost your mind?

New Talent
I think that the trade that will have the biggest impact in the playoffs will be one we already saw a preview of and that's the New Orleans Second Line's acquisition of wide receiver Carlito Crush. I'd argue that NOLA's trade for Crush and Baltimore's trade for fellow receiver Carter Bush were two of the biggest trades of the season as both teams were easily seen as the top two teams in the league and this just solidified each of them. All of the NSFL fans around the world were then treated to a possible Ultimas preview when the Hawks hosted the Second Line in the final game of the season in what came down to a close 34-31 victory for the Hawks. So with those two trades for those two teams being what I came down two as the two most impactful of the season in terms of the playoff race I figured I'd check to see who'd have the biggest impact in the playoffs. After looking at the game logs it became painfully obvious that Crush will have the biggest impact simply because he's utilized more in their offense than Bush is with Baltimore's. In Crush's 6 games with the Second Line he averaged just under 103 yards per game as he only dipped under 100 twice and while Bush did get more touchdowns, he often looked like a 4th or 5th option.

Hate the player or the game
In all honesty the Orange County Otters in no way should have made the playoffs and only do so by the virtue that they play in a conference with only 2 teams at the current moment. If the conferences were tossed out the window when deciding the playoff teams then the committee or whoever would be choosing or even if it were based purely off records, then Orange County would be on the outside looking in. Even if we were to disregard all records and conferences and what not and just look at the teams in general, there's purely be no interest in Orange County as a playoff team by anyone. They traded away probably their best player in Carlito Crush and lost 4 of their final 6 games of the season and two of their wins came against Arizona and Philadelphia, two teams that really aren't even trying to win games this year. I just don't see how in any way you could make any kind of a case for Orange County to be in a playoff game where most likely they're going to be taken to pound town. I think the only thing person or team that is happy to see the Otters in the playoffs is New Orleans since they'll essentially get to coast by to the Ultimas.

Playoff Predictions
Colorado @ Baltimore
Well I guess if there was one matchup to watch in the first round of the NSFL playoffs to try and make it at least a little interesting it'd have to be Colorado. They are coming off of a 3 game winning streak so there is some possibility of a fight for this game, but in their week 9 matchup the Yeti lost 41-20. In all honesty this one will not be close as the best team in the NSFL rolls their way right into the Ultimas.
Prediction: Baltimore wins 52-13

Orange County @ New Orleans
This one won't be close
Prediction: 57-10

New Orleans @ Baltimore
The matchup that everyone in the world can't wait to see after their week 14 preview. Both of these teams are in a tier of their own currently in the NSFL and the other teams really aren't that close. Both of these teams made great deals at the trade deadline in order to solidify each of them as the best. Coincidentally both teams opted to pick up a wide receiver boosting each of their offenses and giving everyone what looks to be a shootout in the Ultimas.
Prediction: New Orleans pulls the upset reversing the week 14 result 34-31.

[Trautner]

Robbed: Write about why a team that failed to make the playoffs should have over somebody else.

Oh, the poor Yellowknife Wraiths. After coming up short last season in Season 9 to the Yeti, the ghosts from the border above came up just short yet again here in Season 10. And, just like last season, the Wraiths had a huge opportunity to secure their spot with a late season matchup against the Yeti but could not wrap it up. In Season 9, it was a Week 13 loss, 34-23 away to the Yeti. And in Week 13 at home this time, the Wraiths fell short 34-27 as time expired with Pennington driving down the field. Looking at this 8-6 Wraiths team, they are harshly done in by the playoff system in the NSFL. I have a feeling this Yellowknife team would easily handle the Orange County Otters, who finished 7-7 and face a potentially embarrassing matchup against the New Orleans Second Line. With offensive weapons like Eric Kennedy and Tegan Atwell, Wraiths QB Brad Pennington might have stood a slim chance. But the Otters traded away reigning MVP WR Carlito Crush to NOLA, surprisingly, leaving QB Gus Showbiz without any real weapons. The Wraiths are now facing the possibility of losing Atwell to free agency, which leaves the Wraiths in a tough position in the wake of this tragic end to their season.

Code:

216 words

Playoff Predictions: Give a short write up on each of the playoff matches (including the championship game).

The NSFL playoffs are going to be a snoozefest in the first round. Everyone knows that the New Orleans Second Line and the Baltimore Hawks are the two best teams in the NSFL. However, for the sake of this point task I'll break down the conference championship games and offer some insight onto how any miracles could happen for the Yeti and the Otters.

In the ASFC, we have the reigning champion New Orleans Second Line pitted up against the Orange County Otters. New Orleans' offense got even deadlier mid-season with their acquisition of reigning league MVP Carlito Crush, from the Otters themselves. Now facing his former team, Crush is expected to be matched up against Marc Spector of the Otters. Expect Crush to get open often and for NOLA quarterback Borkus Maximus III to pepper his new target with balls early and often. In the end, this Otters defense won't hold up and their offense does not have the dynamic weapons to beat the tough NOLA secondary featuring Fyodorovich and Bayley, as well as Oakes and Harrison. This game needs to be a low scoring slogfest for the Otters to stand a chance. Prediction: NO 42, OCO 14

In the NSFC, we have the Hawks face off against the Yeti again. The Hawks' offense, featuring RB Owen Taylor, is as dynamic as ever. The Yeti will have to try to get in a shootout with QB Ryan Applehort finding a connection to WR Dwayne Aaron to stand a chance. The Yeti offensive line also needs to find a way to stand tall against this tough Hawks' front 7. Prediction: BAL 27, COL 17

And in the championship we'll have another rematch from Season 9. This time, the Hawks' front 7 is unplayable and will keep Borkus Maximus III uncomfortable all game long. Expect Delacour to be pitted against Crush and a shootout to transpire. Prediction: BAL 31, NO 28

Code:

320 words

Matchup Nightmares: Pick an offensive and defensive player who will be going up against each other and why it will be a nightmare for one of them.

Otters cornerbacks Marc Spector and Jonathon King will have their hands full dealing with New Orleans' wide receiving core, featuring Carlito Crush, Charlie Law, Alexander LeClair, and Mayran Jackson. Against a young safety core too in Jonathon Broxton, Danny Grithead, and Marcus Kane, the Otters will have an absolute nightmare. LeClair specifically has been deadly from the slot and outside, so Kane and Grithead will have their hands full. LeClair dominated in a rebound season this year, with 57 catches for 1032 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. Finishing 3rd leaguewide in touchdowns, LeClair consistently finds space as a deep threat. LeClair's 18.1 YPC is also 3rd in the league, behind just Atwell and Browning. While Marc Spector can perhaps deal with Carlito Crush, Crush's mere presence on the field will draw coverage and leave gaps open for LeClair to operate and punish in. Broxton will also largely be called upon to stop Charlie Law, leaving even less capable coverage on LeClair. While Grithead is rapidly improving in his rookie season and Marcus Kane is still a run-stopping beast, both lack the ability to cover deep threats effectively. Expect at least one deep downfield ball to LeClair to connect and for LeClair to find the end zone yet again.

Code:

208 words

4th task: PBE PT

[Tomen]

SHL PT counts as 1 Task.

Robbed:

Well this one has an obvious choice and it is the Yellowknife Wraiths. The northernmost team in the NSFL just barely missed out on making the playoffs in S10. They ended the season with a positive record 8-6 to be exact which for example was a better record than the one of the Orange County Otter who actually made the playoffs in the ASFC with a 7-7 record. This could potentially spark conversation regarding changing the current playoff format. If the NSFL would switch to letting the top 4 teams qualify for the playoffs this problem would be solved and we could actually see the best 4 teams in the playoffs which should make the playoffs more exciting in return. If we compare the Yellowknife Wraiths to the Orange County Otters we quickly see one thing that should convince other people that the Wraiths were robbed of their deserved playoff spot. It's the Point differential actually. Wraiths was a positive 54 while the Otters were a negative 52 that's almost a 100 point difference regarding each teams differential. AS for how this differential actually happened it's because of the Wraiths great offensive performance being the #4 offensive in the NSFL while having the #5 defense. In terms of defense the Otters were actually better but it doesn't matter if you have the better defense when you can't score.

New Talent:
The Hawks management really pushed this season for the Ultimus win. This was easily seen when the Hawks traded for the Star Wide Receiver Carter Bush from the rebuilding Philadelphia Liberty. This game the Hawks another huge threat in their passing game. They already had 3 household names in form of Trey Willie, Bubba Browning and Verso L'Alto but with adding Bush to this already stacked passing offense it became very clear that opposing teams would have a very hard time to stop the Hawks from driving down the field to score some points. The Hawks also didn't have to give up a ton of assets to get this rental player. It was only a third round draft pick that was sent back to Philadelphia. In the most important game of the season Bush's impact was clearly felt. The Second Line had quite some trouble containing the speedy receiver as a went for 102 yards at 7 receptions while scoring a touchdown. He was the most targeted Wider Receiver in that game and opening up a ton of space for his other receivers. His longest catch was for 33 yards and he averaged 14.6 yards per catch which is quite amazing especially when you consider that he had to face the Second Line defense which allowed the 2nd fewest points in the regular season.

Unsung Hero:
My unsung hero is actually Budda Browning. I know that this pick will raise quite a few eyebrows but once you take a closer look at the Ultimus game you will actually realize how big his impact was even though he wasn't able to grab a touchdown. He was actually targeted 6 times in this important game against the Second Line and was able to get 5 receptions out of it. His statline is quite impressive. 130 receiving yards at 5 receptions with and average of 26 yards per receptions and his longest catch was 55 yards long that's more than half of the field. Now let's take a closer look.
His first catch: 1st and 10 and he catches a pass for 19 yards which leads to a new first down for the Hawks and they are now in field-goal position as they are 21 yards away from the goal line.
Second catch: 3rd and 11 and he caught a 8 yard pass which sadly was not enough for a first down. So he's 1/2 in terms of first down catches.
Third catch: 1st and 10 and gets a 34 yard reception which puts the Hawks into NOLA territory.
2/3 in terms of first down catches.
Fourth Catch: 1st and 10 at the Hawks 41 yard line and he goes for 55 yards just getting tackled 3 yards shy of a touchdown putting his team into a spot where they will succeed. 3/4 for first down catches.
Fifth and last catch: 2nd and 4 and Browning goes for 14 yards delivering another first down which ends his performance at 4/5 in terms of getting first downs for his team.

Even though he didn't have the biggest impact his performance immensely helped to Hawks to secure their first Ultimus win. He caught 83% of his targets and got 75% of his catches led to new first downs which is quite an impressive accomplishment.

[PigSnout]

Robbed:

It was unfortunate to see the Yellowknife Wraiths miss the playoffs this season. The Wraiths put together a good season with an 8-6 record and a +54 point differential. Normally a winning record and a positive point differential is a recipe for a playoff trip, but the Wraiths missed out due to a strong NSFC with the Baltimore Hawks and the Colorado Yeti both finishing with better records and better point differentials. On the other hand, the Orange County Otters made the playoffs with a 7-7 record and a -52 point differential due to playing in a weaker ASFC with two rebuilding teams. In the regular season, the Wraiths beat the Otters twice by a combined score of 57-3. Based on record, point differential, and head to head results, the Wraiths seem to have been a stronger team than the Otters this season but missed out on a playoff spot to them due to playing in a tougher conference. So while the Wraiths missed the playoffs and the Otters made the playoffs fair and square based on the league's playoff rules, it does seem like the rules may have kept a stronger team out of the playoffs. The Wraiths had a 4-4 record against playoff teams this season, so it's possible that they could have made some noise and potentially pulled off an upset if they had been able to make it to the playoffs this year. The Wraiths showed some high potential, but failed to get the job done in several games where they were favored and that cost them a chance to make one last playoff run with some of their veterans.

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New Talent:

The Hawks made a big move at the trade deadline by trading for wide receiver Carter Bush. They exchanged their third round pick this year for a fourth round pick and in return brought in Bush for the rest of the season with the Liberty retaining his salary. Bush made it known that he planned to opt out of his contract and return to the Liberty after the season, so this was a one year rental that the Hawks hoped would put them over the edge and help them win the championship this year. They already had a star receiver in Trey Willie and a good second receiver in Budda Browning, but the addition of Bush gave them another star receiver that opposing secondaries would have to manage. The Hawks spread the ball around in their first playoff game against the Colorado Yeti but it was Bush who led them in receiving yards that game with 78 yards on 6 catches. Bush put together another strong showing in the championship game as he had 102 yards on 7 catches and scored the Hawks' first touchdown of the game. Overall, Carter Bush was a major contributor for the Hawks in the playoffs as he led the team with 13 playoff receptions and put up 180 receiving yards and a touchdown. If the Hawks hadn't made the move to trade for Carter Bush, it's possible that they may have gone home empty handed instead of winning the championship.

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Playoff Predictions:

NSFC Championship Game: @

The NSFC Championship Game will be a rematch of last season with the Baltimore Hawks hosting the Colorado Yeti. The Hawks look like the team to beat in the NSFL this year after a 13-1 finish in the regular season. On paper they look like the favorites in this one as they scored more points on offense than the Yeti while also allowing less points on defense. The Hawks will have home field advantage and were 7-0 at home this season and they also swept the Yeti in the season series. I think the Hawks will come away victorious and return to the Ultimus Game.
Prediction: 24 37

ASFC Championship Game: @

The ASFC Championship Game is also a rematch from last season as the Orange County Otters will travel to New Orleans to take on the Second Line. The Second Line look to be the better team in this one as they allowed less points on defense while also scoring more than twice as many points on offense as the Otters. The Otters did beat the Second Line in Orange County in the regular season, but the more recent game in New Orleans was a blowout in the Second Line's favor. The Second Line look to be the stronger team and have home field advantage so I think they will make it back to the Ultimus Game and get the chance to defend last season's title.
Prediction: 20 40

NSFL Championship Game: @

The NSFL Championship Game will be a rematch from last season, but this time it will be taking place in Baltimore instead of New Orleans. Both teams were dominant this year, with the Hawks having a better record but the Second Line having a better point differential. They split the regular season series with each team winning their home game and the Second Line handing the Hawks their only loss of the regular season. Overall, both of these teams are very good so I think the deciding factor will be the home field advantage with the Hawks bringing home their first Ultimus trophy.
Prediction: 28 31

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Playoff Review:

NSFC Championship Game: @

The NSFC Championship game was a close game early on with both teams trading touchdowns early on before the Hawks made a field goal with just over two minutes left to take a 17-14 lead into halftime. The Yeti took their first lead of the game with a touchdown midway through the third quarter, but the Hawks responded with a touchdown of their own on the following drive to regain a 24-21 lead entering the final quarter of the game. The Hawks pulled away as they scored a field goal on their next drive before returning an interception 63 yards for a touchdown on the Yeti's next drive to take their first double digit lead of the game as they went up 34-21. The Yeti drew closer with a touchdown, but the Hawks chewed a lot of time off the clock on their next drive before kicking a field goal and there wasn't enough time for the Yeti to score again as the game ended in a 37-28 Hawks victory.

ASFC Championship Game: @

The ASFC Championship game seemed like one with the potential to get out of hand quickly as the Second Line had scored 61 points the last time they hosted the Otters. However, the Otters' defenses held strong this time as they shut out the Second Line in the first half. Unfortunately, the Otters' offense was also sluggish as their only score before halftime was a field goal but they took a 3-0 lead into the locker room. The Second Line came to life on their first drive of the second half as they scored a touchdown to take a 7-3 lead. The defenses dueled back and forth until the Second Line extended their lead midway through the fourth quarter with a field goal to make it 10-3. The Otters got one final drive going with just under three minutes remaining and a chance to tie the game but ultimately ran out of time as the clock expired with them on the 9 yard line and the Second Line held on for a 10-3 win.

NSFL Championship Game: @

The NSFL Championship Game started with the Second Line taking an early lead as they jumped out to a 10-0 start with a first quarter touchdown and field goal. The Hawks scored a touchdown late in the first quarter to cut it to a 10-7 deficit. The Second Line extended their lead back to 10 points with a touchdown early in the second quarter and the Hawks tried to take a lead, but were forced to settle for a field goal in the red zone three times that quarter as they still trailed 17-16 at halftime. The Hawks took their first lead of the game on the first drive of the second half with a field goal to make it 19-17, but the Second Line responded right back with a touchdown to give them a 23-19 lead after a missed extra point. This didn't last for long as it took the Hawks just two plays on their next drive to score a touchdown and take a 26-23 lead. The Hawks would extend their lead one more time on their next drive with a field goal to make it a 29-23 game. The Hawks' defense held strong after this as they did not allow any points in the fourth quarter, sealing the game with a stop on 4th and 11 as the Second Line were driving into their territory with just over two minutes left. The Hawks hung on to win their first Ultimus 29-23.

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[ItsJustBarry]

Playoff Predictions:
In the first matchup, we see the New Orleans Second Line facing off against the Orange County Otters for the chance to represent the ASFC in the Ultimus game. Coming off a championship performance a season ago, New Orleans is looking as potent as ever and hungry for a repeat. The Otters are headed to the bayou but they are being led by rookie QB Gus Showbiz. Nobody is expecting much of a fight from Orange County. Despite Orange County winning their first matchup this season, a lot has changed including these teams swapping wide receivers. I would consider NOLA as heavy favorites and expect them to win by double digit margin.
Next, we get to see the Baltimore Hawks play host to the Colorado Yeti. I expect this game to play out in a similar fashion as the 2 regular season matchups these teams had. Baltimore won both games but they were far more competitive than in season’s past. While the Yeti have definitely made great strides to become competitive in the past season, I think they are still 1 or 2 seasons away from being threats in the playoffs.
For the Ultimus, I see Baltimore finally getting a long deserved title as they will have home field secured for the big game.

Root for the Underdog:
This is a little bit of a stretch but the underdog I would be rooting for is the Orange County Otters. They know what defeat in the post season feels like and they are not looking for a repeat of last season. It is not as if they are a bad team either. Most of their key pieces from their championship team has remained intact. This is just a case of an rookie QB still learning to play at a much faster NSFL pace. The key factor that will determine who will come out of this game victorious will be the Otters offense. Can they put numbers up on the score board. New Orleans has been stingy this season allowing just under 20 points a game while averaging almost 36 points themselves. If the Orange County Otters expect to win, they need to score fast and often. While I feel they can slow down the Second Line offense, they will still likely need 30 points to even be in contention. This may be the Otters last chance for a while as they have recently seen a handful of offensive players decide to hang up their cleats. I am rooting for the Otters because the Second Line will be the harder team to face in the Ultimus.

Robbed:
Do you know who got robbed? The Yellowknife Wraiths. How in the hell can you miss the playoffs while the Colorado Yeti claim the two seed? Their problems began right at the start of the season when they began 0-3. The Wraiths had a little too much confidence heading into this game and it showed on the field. The worst part about this team lack of success this season is the fact that they may have player(s) who are going to be big stars in the future while other are slowly fading out. They are also losing a huge locker room piece which may be the deciding factor for them moving forward. Then again, their locker room has been swarmed by players from all across the league. Players are spending their days off to hang with the Wraiths and I can’t exactly explain why. With Dermot Lavelle contemplating retirement, it may not be too much longer before their secondary is barely slowing anyone down. Their best bet will be to reload in the draft and try to bring some sense back into the NSFC where the Colorado Yeti are back at the bottom where they rightfully belong. Still, this team was robbed and its hard to argue that. The league and their fans both expect better from this franchise.

Matchup Nightmare:
The biggest matchup night mare would have to be Carter Bush and Trey Willie facing off against Andre Bly Jr and Terrell Brister. This was the primary reason why Carter Bush was brought into Baltimore just before the trade deadline. Carter Bush demands coverage or else he can make defenses pay. With Colorado needing to put one of their tops defensive backs on Bush, it allows both Verso L’Alto and Budda Browning to run wild. While Bush and Willie will still have major contribution, I would expect L’Alto and Browning to play a huge role if the Hawks are to win. With Avon Blocksdale having one of his best seasons since the unorthodox transition from offensive line to QB, and the rest of the Hawks offensive just dominating game in and game out, there is not enough support on the Yeti’s defense to stop it all. The Hawks averaged 35 points in their 2 games against Colorado and I would expect them to put even more here in the playoffs. They have a chip on their shoulder and its time to blaze that trail as they compete for their first ever Ultimus title. Hopefully, Brister and Bly are able to carry themselves off their field when this game concludes.