[div align=\\\"left\\\"] Monitoring the League's Positional Battles
By Clark Kent[/div]
The Arizona Outlaws' Running Back Committee
Mackworthy, Durden, and Newman are currently in a time share in the Outlaws’ backfield. As the season progresses it will be interesting to see if someone emerges as a favorite as the team’s workhorse.
Mackworthy was the favorite coming into the season and the preseason made it look like the job was his to lose. Mackworthy is a big-play running back with incredible straight line speed. While he is well suited for homerun plays, the rest of his skill set is arguably lacking. The primary issue with a big-play back is without the big plays; your numbers will look terrible. As seen in Mackworthy’s performance in game one of the season. The poor performance is not solely on Mackworthy, the Outlaws offensive line is nothing to write home about, particularly at the guard position. The further the issue, the Outlaws wide receiver core is not known for their ability to block down field, and with the exception of Jefferson they’re quite simply not good at it. Finally, the Outlaw’s excuse for a full back is basically a garbage person. This is another hole they should look to fill in next year’s draft.
Newman is a dark horse in the competition that I personally did not see having a shot at significant playing time prior to the season opener. However, after game one he put up a solid, but not impressive performance. Newman can best be described as an average speed back. He’s more well-rounded than Mackworthy and quicker in small areas. With the Outlaws’ porous run blocking on offense, Newman is well served by his agility. Personally, I’m not convinced Newman is going to secure the opportunity to dominate the team’s carries simply because he’s competing with Durden.
Durden is basically a slightly improved version of Newman. He has had some off the field concerns in the past, but if he continues to put in work, I think he’s the favorite to take the work horse role for the Outlaws. Durden is definitely the best-rounded back on the Outlaw’s roster. He’s got enough top end speed to take it to the house, the strength to break tackles, and the lateral quickness to create players for himself when the offensive line and wide receivers fail him in the backfield and down the field. Perhaps most importantly, Durden has soft hands that he should be able to serve as an effective safety valve for Draxel who is struggling behind the same ineffective offensive line. If Durden continues to work on his strength, his ability to come out of the backfield as a receiver, and on his pass protection, I think he can became the focal point of the Outlaws rushing attack and offensive game plans.
Going into week two Mackworthy lead the team in attempts with 9 rushes for 7 yards, an abysmal 0.8 ypc. Durden and Newman had identical stats of 7 carries for 23 yards, at an average 3.3 ypc; though Newman also notched a reception for 2 yards. These guys are going to need to step up or the offense is going to continue to struggle. Personally, I am excited to see how this competition plays out. Will Mackworthy come in during week 2 and show why they say speed kills? Or is Durden going to continue to duel Newman is see who can carve out the largest role for themselves.
The Outlaws’ staff(@ADwyer87) has stated time and time again “No changes!” They believe Mackworthy is the kind of running back they want to lead the team’s backfield and claim they will continue to stick with the plan they put together leading up to the season. Week 2 will be the ultimate test to see if the Outlaws’ coaches really belive Mackworthy’s big-play potential is worth his shortcomings.
The Orange County Otters' Quarterback Controversy
Bercovici and Boss competing for the Otter’s starting quarterback position was the talk of camp and the pre-season. It appears the Otters coaching staff liked what they saw in Boss more than what they saw in Bercovici. Skillset wise, they aren’t far off. Bercovici is slightly more athletic and has better touch on his passes, sometimes fitting passes into tight windows that Boss simply cannot. However, Boss is a much more cerebral player that can make adjustments at the line and should be able to more effectively pick apart a defense with his mind.
While the Otter’s leadership started the season owning the phrase, the pen is mightier the sword, Boss’ performance in week 1 may have them backtracking. Boss currently has the worst passer rating in the league, at 38.5. He did attempt 50 passes in game one and was able to amass some yards, but he threw 0 touchdowns and 6 interceptions in the process. For a guy that won the starting position because of the head on his shoulders, he did not make good decisions in his regular season debut. To the coaches’ credit, or perhaps demise, they stuck with their guy and Bercovici did not even sniff the field. However, with such a terrible performance in week 1 you have to believe Boss is on a short leash this week.
If Boss has another terrible performance and the Otters drop a second game in the same fashion they did to the Outlaws, ownership might force the coaches to make a change at the quarterback position. Fans are already calling for Boss’ head after such a terrible performance against what many were calling the worst secondary in the league.
Personally, I find it difficult to judge how this match-up will play out. Obviously Boss had some issues, but it could have been an off week or perhaps the Outlaws defensive unit is better than many of the analysts believed. Regardless of why Boss was so poor on the field, at the very least I think it has given Bercovici the opportunity
The Otters’ coaching staff did not comment.
The San Jose SaberCats' Running Back Race
Bowers Jr. and Wiley were in brief conversations surrounding a competition at the running back position. However, throughout the pre-season and training camp it became clear that Bowers Jr. was the SaberCats’ guy. After his strong performance in week 1, I don’t think that will change. Bowers put up an impressive 5.6 ypc on 12 rushing attempts. Wiley saw time when Bowers needed a breather. It looks like Bower Jr. has the lead role locked up in this backfield. No controversy here.
The SaberCats coaching staff was not contacted for this piece.
The Yellowknife Wraiths' Tight End Surprise
The most surprising controversy following week one is that coming from the Wraiths locker room. Leading up to the season the Wraiths were able to lock down who was considered one of the top tight ends in the league in Maddox. However, in game one Larsendorf stole the spotlight.
I know right now you’re asking yourself, who stole the spotlight? Rolf Larsendorf is the Wraiths number two tight end and he showed up in week 1 ready to play. He led the Wraiths in catches, bring in 6 catches for 55 yards and also securing 2 pancakes while blocking. Perhaps most impressive, was that Larsendorf did not drop a single pass in the game, despite not being known as an excellent pass catcher.
Maddox is a household name in the league, often considered the league’s best tight end coming into the season. In game 1 he secured five receptions for 39 yards. He also made contributions as a blocker, securing two pancakes. Perhaps most noticeable were the four drops Maddox had in game 1, including two that would have converted third downs into first downs. Maddox has all of the skills on paper to be a star in the league, but he’s going to need to put them together to start becoming a more key contributor to the Wraiths’ offense.
Personally, I think Maddox’s role as the lead tight end is safe up in Yellowknife. He had a few mental lapses in game one, but he is clearly the more talented player. If he shakes the cobwebs off in the next few weeks, the rise of Larsendorf will likely be quickly forgotten.
The Wraiths’ coaching staff(@RavensFanFromOntario) stated they too were impressed with Rolf's week one performance, but not surprised. However, they plan to utilize Larsendorf in the TE/FB hybrid role they drafted him for. They expect Maddox to step up his performance as the top receiving tight end on the team. It was also mentioned Orosz has the discretion to target whatever receiver he feels is in the best position to help the team put up points. The only question now is, will Maddox become the guy that does that?
@Bengals1Fan@Merica@JBLAZE_THE_BOSS@Esa77@Durden@mnewman19@HazardouSpork@SimmerDownBruhh
By Clark Kent[/div]
The Arizona Outlaws' Running Back Committee
Mackworthy, Durden, and Newman are currently in a time share in the Outlaws’ backfield. As the season progresses it will be interesting to see if someone emerges as a favorite as the team’s workhorse.
Mackworthy was the favorite coming into the season and the preseason made it look like the job was his to lose. Mackworthy is a big-play running back with incredible straight line speed. While he is well suited for homerun plays, the rest of his skill set is arguably lacking. The primary issue with a big-play back is without the big plays; your numbers will look terrible. As seen in Mackworthy’s performance in game one of the season. The poor performance is not solely on Mackworthy, the Outlaws offensive line is nothing to write home about, particularly at the guard position. The further the issue, the Outlaws wide receiver core is not known for their ability to block down field, and with the exception of Jefferson they’re quite simply not good at it. Finally, the Outlaw’s excuse for a full back is basically a garbage person. This is another hole they should look to fill in next year’s draft.
Newman is a dark horse in the competition that I personally did not see having a shot at significant playing time prior to the season opener. However, after game one he put up a solid, but not impressive performance. Newman can best be described as an average speed back. He’s more well-rounded than Mackworthy and quicker in small areas. With the Outlaws’ porous run blocking on offense, Newman is well served by his agility. Personally, I’m not convinced Newman is going to secure the opportunity to dominate the team’s carries simply because he’s competing with Durden.
Durden is basically a slightly improved version of Newman. He has had some off the field concerns in the past, but if he continues to put in work, I think he’s the favorite to take the work horse role for the Outlaws. Durden is definitely the best-rounded back on the Outlaw’s roster. He’s got enough top end speed to take it to the house, the strength to break tackles, and the lateral quickness to create players for himself when the offensive line and wide receivers fail him in the backfield and down the field. Perhaps most importantly, Durden has soft hands that he should be able to serve as an effective safety valve for Draxel who is struggling behind the same ineffective offensive line. If Durden continues to work on his strength, his ability to come out of the backfield as a receiver, and on his pass protection, I think he can became the focal point of the Outlaws rushing attack and offensive game plans.
Going into week two Mackworthy lead the team in attempts with 9 rushes for 7 yards, an abysmal 0.8 ypc. Durden and Newman had identical stats of 7 carries for 23 yards, at an average 3.3 ypc; though Newman also notched a reception for 2 yards. These guys are going to need to step up or the offense is going to continue to struggle. Personally, I am excited to see how this competition plays out. Will Mackworthy come in during week 2 and show why they say speed kills? Or is Durden going to continue to duel Newman is see who can carve out the largest role for themselves.
The Outlaws’ staff(@ADwyer87) has stated time and time again “No changes!” They believe Mackworthy is the kind of running back they want to lead the team’s backfield and claim they will continue to stick with the plan they put together leading up to the season. Week 2 will be the ultimate test to see if the Outlaws’ coaches really belive Mackworthy’s big-play potential is worth his shortcomings.
The Orange County Otters' Quarterback Controversy
Bercovici and Boss competing for the Otter’s starting quarterback position was the talk of camp and the pre-season. It appears the Otters coaching staff liked what they saw in Boss more than what they saw in Bercovici. Skillset wise, they aren’t far off. Bercovici is slightly more athletic and has better touch on his passes, sometimes fitting passes into tight windows that Boss simply cannot. However, Boss is a much more cerebral player that can make adjustments at the line and should be able to more effectively pick apart a defense with his mind.
While the Otter’s leadership started the season owning the phrase, the pen is mightier the sword, Boss’ performance in week 1 may have them backtracking. Boss currently has the worst passer rating in the league, at 38.5. He did attempt 50 passes in game one and was able to amass some yards, but he threw 0 touchdowns and 6 interceptions in the process. For a guy that won the starting position because of the head on his shoulders, he did not make good decisions in his regular season debut. To the coaches’ credit, or perhaps demise, they stuck with their guy and Bercovici did not even sniff the field. However, with such a terrible performance in week 1 you have to believe Boss is on a short leash this week.
If Boss has another terrible performance and the Otters drop a second game in the same fashion they did to the Outlaws, ownership might force the coaches to make a change at the quarterback position. Fans are already calling for Boss’ head after such a terrible performance against what many were calling the worst secondary in the league.
Personally, I find it difficult to judge how this match-up will play out. Obviously Boss had some issues, but it could have been an off week or perhaps the Outlaws defensive unit is better than many of the analysts believed. Regardless of why Boss was so poor on the field, at the very least I think it has given Bercovici the opportunity
The Otters’ coaching staff did not comment.
The San Jose SaberCats' Running Back Race
Bowers Jr. and Wiley were in brief conversations surrounding a competition at the running back position. However, throughout the pre-season and training camp it became clear that Bowers Jr. was the SaberCats’ guy. After his strong performance in week 1, I don’t think that will change. Bowers put up an impressive 5.6 ypc on 12 rushing attempts. Wiley saw time when Bowers needed a breather. It looks like Bower Jr. has the lead role locked up in this backfield. No controversy here.
The SaberCats coaching staff was not contacted for this piece.
The Yellowknife Wraiths' Tight End Surprise
The most surprising controversy following week one is that coming from the Wraiths locker room. Leading up to the season the Wraiths were able to lock down who was considered one of the top tight ends in the league in Maddox. However, in game one Larsendorf stole the spotlight.
I know right now you’re asking yourself, who stole the spotlight? Rolf Larsendorf is the Wraiths number two tight end and he showed up in week 1 ready to play. He led the Wraiths in catches, bring in 6 catches for 55 yards and also securing 2 pancakes while blocking. Perhaps most impressive, was that Larsendorf did not drop a single pass in the game, despite not being known as an excellent pass catcher.
Maddox is a household name in the league, often considered the league’s best tight end coming into the season. In game 1 he secured five receptions for 39 yards. He also made contributions as a blocker, securing two pancakes. Perhaps most noticeable were the four drops Maddox had in game 1, including two that would have converted third downs into first downs. Maddox has all of the skills on paper to be a star in the league, but he’s going to need to put them together to start becoming a more key contributor to the Wraiths’ offense.
Personally, I think Maddox’s role as the lead tight end is safe up in Yellowknife. He had a few mental lapses in game one, but he is clearly the more talented player. If he shakes the cobwebs off in the next few weeks, the rise of Larsendorf will likely be quickly forgotten.
The Wraiths’ coaching staff(@RavensFanFromOntario) stated they too were impressed with Rolf's week one performance, but not surprised. However, they plan to utilize Larsendorf in the TE/FB hybrid role they drafted him for. They expect Maddox to step up his performance as the top receiving tight end on the team. It was also mentioned Orosz has the discretion to target whatever receiver he feels is in the best position to help the team put up points. The only question now is, will Maddox become the guy that does that?
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