Pythons Season 11 Review
After losing in the DSFL Championship Game two seasons in a row, the Portland Pythons came into this season with a mission to go all the way this tear and come away as champions. They brought back some good returning talent and supplemented it with a strong draft to give them a very talented roster coming into the season. Their players developed nicely over the course of the season and executed the game plan well and they were able to put together a historic season. The Pythons finished the season with a 13-1 record, which set a new mark for the regular season record in DSFL history. They finished the season with 377 points scored and 181 points allowed, which is the third highest points scored in a DSFL season and ties for the fourth lowest amount of points allowed in a DSFL season. With their offense and defense both playing at an elite level, the Pythons set a new DSFL record with their +193 point differential. They put together a great regular season and were able to cap it off with a playoff run to come away as champions. Let's look at how the season happened.
The Pythons didn't get off to a strong start in the preseason. They started off 0-2 in the preseason, with a 10-16 loss on the road against the Marshals and a 26-31 loss at home against the Luchadores. They bounced back with a 23-12 home win against the Solar Bears and a 26-23 road win against the Seawolves. The preseason was a bit of a let down overall as the Pythons finished just 2-2 as both of their wins coming against bot teams and they lost both of their games against human teams. Luckily, the preseason was a chance for the Pythons to iron out their issues so that they could get off to a stronger start in the regular season.
The Pythons started off the season with two important games as they had a two game homestand against their two conference opponents. They opened the season with a win as they jumped out to a 17-0 lead before beating the Norfolk Seawolves 24-10. Their following game got off to a closer start as they jumped out to a lead before falling behind late in the third quarter, but a big fourth quarter run gave them a 30-14 victory over the Kansas City Coyotes. With this win, the Pythons were the DSFL's final unbeaten team as they prepared for a three game road trip. They began in Palm Beach with a 24-7 win against the Solar Bears. Then they traveled to Norfolk for a rematch against the Seawolves. They held a 12-10 lead after a back and forth second quarter before pulling away with two fourth quarter touchdowns to win 26-10. They then traveled to Kansas City for their second game against the Coyotes and pulled away with another strong fourth quarter to give them a 27-3 victory. The Pythons solidified themselves as true contenders during that stretch as they now sat at 5-0 after a three game road stretch in which they never allowed more than 10 points and did not allow any second half points.
The Pythons' first setback of the regular season came in Week 6 as they returned home after their three game road trip. They hosted the San Antonio Marshals for their first matchup against them of the season. The game started off with a back and forth first quarter as both teams scored two touchdowns and were tied 14-14 entering the second quarter. The Pythons tacked on two more touchdowns in the second quarter while the Marshals only scored a field goal in the closing seconds of the half, so the Pythons entered halftime with a 28-17 lead. However, the Marshals answered back quickly as they scored a touchdown on their first drive of the second half and then intercepted the Pythons on the following drive to set up another touchdown to give the Marshals their first lead of the game. The Pythons answered back with a field goal on their next drive to tie the game up at 31-31 entering the fourth quarter. However, the Marshal's defense came up big in the fourth quarter as they did not allow any points and they had two interceptions to set up two touchdowns that gave the Marshals a 45-31 victory and give the Pythons their first loss of the season. This game was an uncharacteristic game for the usually stout Pythons defense. This game was the only time all season that the Pythons allowed a team to surpass 30 points against them. Luckily they were able to make adjustments and tighten up after this game as they only allowed more than 20 points once in their final eight games and would not lose another game all season.
The Pythons stayed at home the week after their first loss as they hosted the Tijuana Luchadores. They bounced back with a 24-7 win that was nearly a shutout as they didn't allow any points outside of the last two minutes of the game. The Pythons got a rematch against the Marshalls in their following game as they traveled to San Antonio. This time, the Pythons came away with a win as they pulled away with two late fourth quarter touchdowns to win 27-10. The Pythons returned to Portland after this game as they prepared to play 3 home games in a row. The first came against the Seawolves as the Pythons scored 21 unanswered points after facing a 10-0 deficit to win 21-10. The second one was a thriller against the Coyotes that went to overtime after the Coyotes scored a game tying touchdown with 0:00 remaining on the clock, but the Pythons were able to answer back in overtime and score a walkoff touchdown on their second drive to win 20-14. The final game in this home stand put the Pythons up against the Solar Bears and they never looked back after taking a lead in the second quarter as they won 24-10.
At this point the Pythons were 10-1 and only needed one more win to clinch home field advantage throughout the playoffs. They also now had a realistic chance to set a new DSFL regular season wins record if they could win all of their remaining games. However, they faced a tough path as they closed the season on a three game road trip. They started out on a strong note as they traveled to Norfolk and blew out the Seawolves 30-6. After this point, the Pythons had already clinched home field advantage, but they were still looking to keep their winning streak going so that they could be the first DSFL team to finish 13-1. They faced a tougher test in their next game as they went to Kansas City to take on the Coyotes. The Coyotes had all the momentum early on as they had taken a 28-10 lead midway through the third quarter. However, the Pythons returned the following kickoff for a touchdown and this play turned around the momentum of the game as the Pythons scored 28 unanswered points with 18 points coming in the fourth quarter to comeback and win 38-28. This was the toughest test the Pythons' defense faced since the loss to the Marshalls as it was the only other game in which they surrendered more than 20 points, but the offense rose up with its best performance of the season so that they were able to come away with the win. The Pythons then closed the regular season against the Luchadores in Tijuana. This game wasn't very close as the Pythons scored the first 31 points of the game and held on to win 31-7. With this win, the Pythons closed out the regular season on a high note. After suffering their first loss against the Marshalls, they had won eight games in a row to close out the season and finished 13-1 with the best record in the league and home field advantage throughout the playoffs.
In the NFC Championship Game, the Pythons hosted the Kansas City Coyotes. This looked like a potentially high scoring game as the league's two best offenses were going head to head and they had combined for 66 points in their most recent game against each other. However the Pythons also had the league's best defense and the Coyotes were tied for the league's second best defense. It was ultimately the defenses who asserted their wills early on in this game. Both offenses were held scoreless in the first quarter. However, the Pythons were able to break through early in the second quarter with a 2 yard touchdown run by Beauregard Smallwood-Chess that gave them a 6-0 lead after a missed extra point. The defenses held strong again after this score as neither team would score again until the Coyotes got on the board with a field goal in the final minute of the half to make it a 6-3 game entering halftime. Neither offense came out too hot after halftime as both teams traded possessions a few times before the Pythons managed to extend their lead as Beauregard Smallwood-Chess scored his second touchdown of the day on a 5 yard pass from Johnson Cox III to put the Pythons up 13-3. The Coyotes looked to respond back after this touchdown but their drive stalled out in Pythons territory so they had to settle for a field goal instead, but still made it a one score game at 13-6. The Pythons' offense was starting to find its stride now as the Pythons drove their next drive all the way down the field to end a second consecutive drive in a touchdown as Slim Shady found the end zone on a 4 yard run to give the Pythons a more comfortable lead at 20-6. The Coyotes tried to make one last attempt at a comeback but the Pythons' defense came away with an interception on the next drive to give them the ball back. The Pythons were able to chew a lot of time off of the clock on their next drive before kicking a field goal to take a 23-6 lead, which would be the final score of the game as their was not enough time left for the Coyotes to get in scoring range. Ultimately, this was a big performance by the Pythons' defense. Going up against the second highest scoring offense in the league, which averaged 25.7 points per game in the regular season, they only allowed 6 points and didn't allow a single touchdown. Three different Pythons defenders each caught a touchdown in that game. Offensively, the Pythons got off to a slow start but came to life in the late third quarter and the fourth quarter to put together a few big drives that allowed them to pull away. Overall, it was a good performance by the Pythons against a tough opponent and the win sent them on their third consecutive trip to the DSFL Championship Game as they looked to bring home an Ultimini this time.
The DSFL Championship Game brought a familiar matchup for the Pythons as they found themselves going up against the Tijuana Luchadores. This was the same team that had beaten them in the championship game two years in a row. However, this time the Pythons would be the favorites coming into the game. In the previous two years, the Pythons had to play on the road against a Luchadores team with a better record. This time, the Pythons had the best record in the league along with home field advantage while the Luchadores were underdogs as they finished just 5-9 in the regular season. However, the Luchadores had already shown they were ready to embrace the underdog role after they upset the Marshals 31-20 on the road in the SFC Championship Game. Despite the gap in records, this would not be an easy matchup for the Pythons as they went against a team looking to win its fourth consecutive championship. The Luchadores struck first in the game as they scored a field goal on their opening drive to take an early 3-0 lead. This early score seemed like a potential indicator of a high scoring game, but the game ended up becoming a defensive struggle after the first drive. The teams traded possessions back and forth as neither team scored for the rest of the first quarter or for the first twelve minutes of the second quarter. It was not until there were just under three minutes remaining in the first half that the Pythons were able to get on the board but they were stopped on 3rd and 1 at the 9 yard line so they had to settle for a field goal to tie the game up at 3-3. The Pythons' defense forced a three and out on the next possession and the Pythons got the ball back, but it didn't last long as the Luchadores caught an interception a couple plays later to give them the ball in Pythons territory in the final seconds of the first half. The Luchadores kicked a field goal immediately and took a 6-3 lead that lasted into halftime. The defensive struggle resumed after halftime as neither team was able to do much on their first couple offensive drives of the second half. The Pythons got some momentum going as they drove down the field on their third drive of the half. They faced 3rd down on the 9 yard line again, but this time they converted as Johnson Cox III connected with Errol Maddox for a 9 yard touchdown pass to give the Pythons their first lead of the game at 10-6. The Luchadores were unable to respond as they went three and out on their next drive. The Pythons had found their momentum now as they drove down the field again and extended their lead with a field goal to make it 13-6. The Pythons' held strong after this as their defense never allowed the Luchadores to cross back into Pythons territory and their offense didn't score again but chewed enough time off the clock to hold off the Luchadores. The final score held at 13-6 and the Pythons were DSFL champions. It had been a few seasons in the building after a couple of unsuccessful trips to the DSFL championship game, but the Pythons were able to come back strong this year to win a championship and bring home the Ultimini trophy.
It will be interesting to see what is next for the Pythons after this season. The downside of having a talented team in the DSFL is that many of their players will likely be heading up to the NSFL next season. Some of the Pythons' biggest contributors this season were second year players who returned to the DSFL after being drafted to the NSFL. With Josh Garden retiring in Orange County, it is likely that Sunnycursed will be heading up to the NSFL to play for the Otters next year. With the retirement of Avon Blocksdale, the Hawks could use some help in their secondary and it is likely that they will call up Dan Schneider to help out next season. And with Reg Mackworthy retiring in Arizona, it seems likely that the Outlaws will call up Slim Shady next season to be his successor. The Sabercats already have a good tight end with Zapp Brannigan, but they could potentially call Adrian Pitcher up next season if they are looking to run some two tight end formations. Johnson Cox III could make the jump to the NSFL if he chooses to change positions, but he should be back for another year in Portland if he stays as a quarterback. The Pythons will have to fill in some holes as it looks like most of their top veterans will be ready to move on to the NSFL after this season. The bigger question is how many of the Pythons' rookies will come back next season. With Charlie Trout being a GM player in Baltimore, it seems likely he will be heading up to the NSFL immediately to join the Hawks. Axel Hornbacher and Errol Maddox are both being frequently discussed as first round picks in mock drafts, so there is a good chance they will be ready to contribute in the NSFL immediately for the team that drafts and could be called up immediately. Roman Stakowski and Logan Lejune are both players who have been developing quickly at positions that are needed around the NSFL, so they could be ready to take on a starting role in the NSFL as rookies. Tommy Salami could come back to the DSFL for another year of development, but it's possible that he may be called up to play right away due to the scarcity of defensive line players in the NSFL. Beauregard Smallwood-Chess and Sam Hardwick are both players who made a nice impact for the Pythons this season but may not be able to find a spot in the NSFL immediately due to playing more crowded positions, so they could potentially return to the DSFL for another year in Portland depending on where they are drafted. The Pythons will probably get a few returning members from this year's team but otherwise will likely look towards the draft to help build back up with some young talent. For the other members of this Pythons team who don't return next year, they'll move on to the NSFL and should be able to be a part of the NSFL's next generation of stars if they keep developing as they have so far. The Pythons will look very different next season, but they were able to bring a special group together this season and were able to cap it off by coming away as DSFL champions. This Season 11 Pythons team had a fun year together and will likely be remembered as one of the best teams in DSFL history.
After losing in the DSFL Championship Game two seasons in a row, the Portland Pythons came into this season with a mission to go all the way this tear and come away as champions. They brought back some good returning talent and supplemented it with a strong draft to give them a very talented roster coming into the season. Their players developed nicely over the course of the season and executed the game plan well and they were able to put together a historic season. The Pythons finished the season with a 13-1 record, which set a new mark for the regular season record in DSFL history. They finished the season with 377 points scored and 181 points allowed, which is the third highest points scored in a DSFL season and ties for the fourth lowest amount of points allowed in a DSFL season. With their offense and defense both playing at an elite level, the Pythons set a new DSFL record with their +193 point differential. They put together a great regular season and were able to cap it off with a playoff run to come away as champions. Let's look at how the season happened.
The Pythons didn't get off to a strong start in the preseason. They started off 0-2 in the preseason, with a 10-16 loss on the road against the Marshals and a 26-31 loss at home against the Luchadores. They bounced back with a 23-12 home win against the Solar Bears and a 26-23 road win against the Seawolves. The preseason was a bit of a let down overall as the Pythons finished just 2-2 as both of their wins coming against bot teams and they lost both of their games against human teams. Luckily, the preseason was a chance for the Pythons to iron out their issues so that they could get off to a stronger start in the regular season.
The Pythons started off the season with two important games as they had a two game homestand against their two conference opponents. They opened the season with a win as they jumped out to a 17-0 lead before beating the Norfolk Seawolves 24-10. Their following game got off to a closer start as they jumped out to a lead before falling behind late in the third quarter, but a big fourth quarter run gave them a 30-14 victory over the Kansas City Coyotes. With this win, the Pythons were the DSFL's final unbeaten team as they prepared for a three game road trip. They began in Palm Beach with a 24-7 win against the Solar Bears. Then they traveled to Norfolk for a rematch against the Seawolves. They held a 12-10 lead after a back and forth second quarter before pulling away with two fourth quarter touchdowns to win 26-10. They then traveled to Kansas City for their second game against the Coyotes and pulled away with another strong fourth quarter to give them a 27-3 victory. The Pythons solidified themselves as true contenders during that stretch as they now sat at 5-0 after a three game road stretch in which they never allowed more than 10 points and did not allow any second half points.
The Pythons' first setback of the regular season came in Week 6 as they returned home after their three game road trip. They hosted the San Antonio Marshals for their first matchup against them of the season. The game started off with a back and forth first quarter as both teams scored two touchdowns and were tied 14-14 entering the second quarter. The Pythons tacked on two more touchdowns in the second quarter while the Marshals only scored a field goal in the closing seconds of the half, so the Pythons entered halftime with a 28-17 lead. However, the Marshals answered back quickly as they scored a touchdown on their first drive of the second half and then intercepted the Pythons on the following drive to set up another touchdown to give the Marshals their first lead of the game. The Pythons answered back with a field goal on their next drive to tie the game up at 31-31 entering the fourth quarter. However, the Marshal's defense came up big in the fourth quarter as they did not allow any points and they had two interceptions to set up two touchdowns that gave the Marshals a 45-31 victory and give the Pythons their first loss of the season. This game was an uncharacteristic game for the usually stout Pythons defense. This game was the only time all season that the Pythons allowed a team to surpass 30 points against them. Luckily they were able to make adjustments and tighten up after this game as they only allowed more than 20 points once in their final eight games and would not lose another game all season.
The Pythons stayed at home the week after their first loss as they hosted the Tijuana Luchadores. They bounced back with a 24-7 win that was nearly a shutout as they didn't allow any points outside of the last two minutes of the game. The Pythons got a rematch against the Marshalls in their following game as they traveled to San Antonio. This time, the Pythons came away with a win as they pulled away with two late fourth quarter touchdowns to win 27-10. The Pythons returned to Portland after this game as they prepared to play 3 home games in a row. The first came against the Seawolves as the Pythons scored 21 unanswered points after facing a 10-0 deficit to win 21-10. The second one was a thriller against the Coyotes that went to overtime after the Coyotes scored a game tying touchdown with 0:00 remaining on the clock, but the Pythons were able to answer back in overtime and score a walkoff touchdown on their second drive to win 20-14. The final game in this home stand put the Pythons up against the Solar Bears and they never looked back after taking a lead in the second quarter as they won 24-10.
At this point the Pythons were 10-1 and only needed one more win to clinch home field advantage throughout the playoffs. They also now had a realistic chance to set a new DSFL regular season wins record if they could win all of their remaining games. However, they faced a tough path as they closed the season on a three game road trip. They started out on a strong note as they traveled to Norfolk and blew out the Seawolves 30-6. After this point, the Pythons had already clinched home field advantage, but they were still looking to keep their winning streak going so that they could be the first DSFL team to finish 13-1. They faced a tougher test in their next game as they went to Kansas City to take on the Coyotes. The Coyotes had all the momentum early on as they had taken a 28-10 lead midway through the third quarter. However, the Pythons returned the following kickoff for a touchdown and this play turned around the momentum of the game as the Pythons scored 28 unanswered points with 18 points coming in the fourth quarter to comeback and win 38-28. This was the toughest test the Pythons' defense faced since the loss to the Marshalls as it was the only other game in which they surrendered more than 20 points, but the offense rose up with its best performance of the season so that they were able to come away with the win. The Pythons then closed the regular season against the Luchadores in Tijuana. This game wasn't very close as the Pythons scored the first 31 points of the game and held on to win 31-7. With this win, the Pythons closed out the regular season on a high note. After suffering their first loss against the Marshalls, they had won eight games in a row to close out the season and finished 13-1 with the best record in the league and home field advantage throughout the playoffs.
In the NFC Championship Game, the Pythons hosted the Kansas City Coyotes. This looked like a potentially high scoring game as the league's two best offenses were going head to head and they had combined for 66 points in their most recent game against each other. However the Pythons also had the league's best defense and the Coyotes were tied for the league's second best defense. It was ultimately the defenses who asserted their wills early on in this game. Both offenses were held scoreless in the first quarter. However, the Pythons were able to break through early in the second quarter with a 2 yard touchdown run by Beauregard Smallwood-Chess that gave them a 6-0 lead after a missed extra point. The defenses held strong again after this score as neither team would score again until the Coyotes got on the board with a field goal in the final minute of the half to make it a 6-3 game entering halftime. Neither offense came out too hot after halftime as both teams traded possessions a few times before the Pythons managed to extend their lead as Beauregard Smallwood-Chess scored his second touchdown of the day on a 5 yard pass from Johnson Cox III to put the Pythons up 13-3. The Coyotes looked to respond back after this touchdown but their drive stalled out in Pythons territory so they had to settle for a field goal instead, but still made it a one score game at 13-6. The Pythons' offense was starting to find its stride now as the Pythons drove their next drive all the way down the field to end a second consecutive drive in a touchdown as Slim Shady found the end zone on a 4 yard run to give the Pythons a more comfortable lead at 20-6. The Coyotes tried to make one last attempt at a comeback but the Pythons' defense came away with an interception on the next drive to give them the ball back. The Pythons were able to chew a lot of time off of the clock on their next drive before kicking a field goal to take a 23-6 lead, which would be the final score of the game as their was not enough time left for the Coyotes to get in scoring range. Ultimately, this was a big performance by the Pythons' defense. Going up against the second highest scoring offense in the league, which averaged 25.7 points per game in the regular season, they only allowed 6 points and didn't allow a single touchdown. Three different Pythons defenders each caught a touchdown in that game. Offensively, the Pythons got off to a slow start but came to life in the late third quarter and the fourth quarter to put together a few big drives that allowed them to pull away. Overall, it was a good performance by the Pythons against a tough opponent and the win sent them on their third consecutive trip to the DSFL Championship Game as they looked to bring home an Ultimini this time.
The DSFL Championship Game brought a familiar matchup for the Pythons as they found themselves going up against the Tijuana Luchadores. This was the same team that had beaten them in the championship game two years in a row. However, this time the Pythons would be the favorites coming into the game. In the previous two years, the Pythons had to play on the road against a Luchadores team with a better record. This time, the Pythons had the best record in the league along with home field advantage while the Luchadores were underdogs as they finished just 5-9 in the regular season. However, the Luchadores had already shown they were ready to embrace the underdog role after they upset the Marshals 31-20 on the road in the SFC Championship Game. Despite the gap in records, this would not be an easy matchup for the Pythons as they went against a team looking to win its fourth consecutive championship. The Luchadores struck first in the game as they scored a field goal on their opening drive to take an early 3-0 lead. This early score seemed like a potential indicator of a high scoring game, but the game ended up becoming a defensive struggle after the first drive. The teams traded possessions back and forth as neither team scored for the rest of the first quarter or for the first twelve minutes of the second quarter. It was not until there were just under three minutes remaining in the first half that the Pythons were able to get on the board but they were stopped on 3rd and 1 at the 9 yard line so they had to settle for a field goal to tie the game up at 3-3. The Pythons' defense forced a three and out on the next possession and the Pythons got the ball back, but it didn't last long as the Luchadores caught an interception a couple plays later to give them the ball in Pythons territory in the final seconds of the first half. The Luchadores kicked a field goal immediately and took a 6-3 lead that lasted into halftime. The defensive struggle resumed after halftime as neither team was able to do much on their first couple offensive drives of the second half. The Pythons got some momentum going as they drove down the field on their third drive of the half. They faced 3rd down on the 9 yard line again, but this time they converted as Johnson Cox III connected with Errol Maddox for a 9 yard touchdown pass to give the Pythons their first lead of the game at 10-6. The Luchadores were unable to respond as they went three and out on their next drive. The Pythons had found their momentum now as they drove down the field again and extended their lead with a field goal to make it 13-6. The Pythons' held strong after this as their defense never allowed the Luchadores to cross back into Pythons territory and their offense didn't score again but chewed enough time off the clock to hold off the Luchadores. The final score held at 13-6 and the Pythons were DSFL champions. It had been a few seasons in the building after a couple of unsuccessful trips to the DSFL championship game, but the Pythons were able to come back strong this year to win a championship and bring home the Ultimini trophy.
It will be interesting to see what is next for the Pythons after this season. The downside of having a talented team in the DSFL is that many of their players will likely be heading up to the NSFL next season. Some of the Pythons' biggest contributors this season were second year players who returned to the DSFL after being drafted to the NSFL. With Josh Garden retiring in Orange County, it is likely that Sunnycursed will be heading up to the NSFL to play for the Otters next year. With the retirement of Avon Blocksdale, the Hawks could use some help in their secondary and it is likely that they will call up Dan Schneider to help out next season. And with Reg Mackworthy retiring in Arizona, it seems likely that the Outlaws will call up Slim Shady next season to be his successor. The Sabercats already have a good tight end with Zapp Brannigan, but they could potentially call Adrian Pitcher up next season if they are looking to run some two tight end formations. Johnson Cox III could make the jump to the NSFL if he chooses to change positions, but he should be back for another year in Portland if he stays as a quarterback. The Pythons will have to fill in some holes as it looks like most of their top veterans will be ready to move on to the NSFL after this season. The bigger question is how many of the Pythons' rookies will come back next season. With Charlie Trout being a GM player in Baltimore, it seems likely he will be heading up to the NSFL immediately to join the Hawks. Axel Hornbacher and Errol Maddox are both being frequently discussed as first round picks in mock drafts, so there is a good chance they will be ready to contribute in the NSFL immediately for the team that drafts and could be called up immediately. Roman Stakowski and Logan Lejune are both players who have been developing quickly at positions that are needed around the NSFL, so they could be ready to take on a starting role in the NSFL as rookies. Tommy Salami could come back to the DSFL for another year of development, but it's possible that he may be called up to play right away due to the scarcity of defensive line players in the NSFL. Beauregard Smallwood-Chess and Sam Hardwick are both players who made a nice impact for the Pythons this season but may not be able to find a spot in the NSFL immediately due to playing more crowded positions, so they could potentially return to the DSFL for another year in Portland depending on where they are drafted. The Pythons will probably get a few returning members from this year's team but otherwise will likely look towards the draft to help build back up with some young talent. For the other members of this Pythons team who don't return next year, they'll move on to the NSFL and should be able to be a part of the NSFL's next generation of stars if they keep developing as they have so far. The Pythons will look very different next season, but they were able to bring a special group together this season and were able to cap it off by coming away as DSFL champions. This Season 11 Pythons team had a fun year together and will likely be remembered as one of the best teams in DSFL history.