2041 State of the league - Week #4
Owners,
I have comprised a little tongue and cheek review of the AFL12 teams & where
they are. Please take with a grain of salt.
HOLT PACKERS:
Currently sitting at the top of the red division at 3-1 with a 2 game lead. The
only loss a 1 pt defeat to the Motor Boaters. Next up: 4 out of 6 at home. The
Packers currently have the #1 passing attack, #4 rushing attack. The defense is
in the lower 1/2 in sacks but has a league leading +3 in take aways. The
combination of QB Love, HB Lloyd & WR Moore are bringing the 'W' back to Packer
land.
Reason for hope: The Packers are ahead of schedule IMO on his rebuild but given the other teams in the Red are struggling, this has the makings of a division title...perhaps.
Reason to mope: All 3 wins against teams with a 2-9 win/loss record. Hmmm.
NEW ORLEANS:
A 9 point victory on the road against the lowest scoring team in the league
may not be big news, but the Po Boys needed an answer on offense. A block buster
trade in week #3 has given them a chance. Currently dead last in several
statistics, the Po Boys enjoy being atop the sack lead at 28. Turnovers(5) & a
lack luster time of possession have derailed this team, save for the bright
spots at HB(F.T. Ailer) & LB Chief Borders(10 sacks).
Reason for hope: The recent trade could jump start this offense...or it won't.
Reason to mope: Holt is in your division.
HEADLEY: Youth. The Black Dogs are currently starting 11 players year 2 or less this season. Seems there is a rebuild going on & its a slow process. The offense is struggling, though newly acquired veteran 12 year WR DeVante Adams has slowed the bleeding. Probably not a contender this season but definitely could be spoiler down the stretch. Now, the unpleasant stuff. Last in points scored(42). Good trend: #2 in takeaways. I haven't even addressed the injury to rookie QB Kurt Warner. He looks to be out at least 3 weeks.
Reason for hope: A high draft pick looks real at this point for the Black Dogs.
Reason to mope: Its a long season.
MILLER: Similar to Headley, the Bulldogs are struggling to score the pigskin. However, all games played so far with the Taipei exception have been losses by less than a single score. Has QB Jackson Mahomes played his best football to date? Currently sitting at next to last in the statistics, he's not the answer at this time. Rookie QB Trent Green doesn't look ready for prime time so the options are limited. Much of the team lives at the bottom of the statistic charts but there is one bright spot: First year HB Willis McGahee. Currently sitting at #4 in the league averaging 4.0 a carry and 3 td's. There is your workhorse.
Reason to hope: Close losses 'could' turn into close wins. Build around McGahee.
Reason to mope: 4 losses in 4 weeks.
TAIPEI: The commissioners pick to win it all. A 3-1 start & first place in the white division has the Thundercocks on a roll. The offense is clicking with WR's Erectus & Banzai running roughshod on the league, they are tied in the lead with 9 TD's on the young season. Clearly a passing team, HB Ricky Williams sits 7th overall in rushing. Head scratcher: OT loss to West London in week 2 at home.
Reason for hope: 1 game lead in the division is always welcomed.
Reason to mope: The loss to West London gives the rest of the league hope.
WEST LONDON: Signature wins against Taipei(on the road)& Kansas City are impressive. The blowout losses to Smithville & Holt are troubling, even though those teams are having good seasons too. A middle of the pack passing attack & a near last place defense(stat related) makes one wonder...how did they win 2 games? QB Beers is a slinging machine at 3rd in the league in yards(1146). HB William Green is firmly on the struggle bus. Averaging a measly 2.9 a carry on 72 carries for 207 yards.
Reason for hope: 2-2 after 4 games and a win on the road against a team that I think is the best team in the league.
Reason to mope: 112 points surrendered is a lot(28 pt avg).
KANSAS CITY: Middle of the pack passing attack, the strength is in the offensive run game(#1) & defense against the run(#1). Interesting observation: WR's Nabors & Rancho, both year under 2 years of service need to step up if this offense is to get going in the air. 33 catches between them but only 1 TD. QB Couchmen is 3rd in most sacks(23)and only has 2 TD's coupled with 2 INT's. Pacheco sits at #2 in the league in rushing and is key to their #1 time of possession rank. Bright spots Safety Everson Wells is atop the league with 2 INT's. Punter Judas Iscariot(who actually this time of year is hated by everyone....Christian joke there) flips the field with a league leading 41.3 net avg.
Reason for hope: Weeks 7,8 & 9 are against sub .500 teams.
Reason to mope: Weeks 10,11,12 & 13 will determine
IF the Jazz make the playoffs.
TURNER: Atop the BLUE division with 2 other teams, they hold the tie breaker for the top spot. Check these rankings out: #2 Passing / #6 Rushing / #1 Scoring / #1 Total yards. The strength is definitely with the offense though the defense has a +2 take away margin. Being the highest scoring team in the league definitely has the attention of the refs as they lead the league with 15/120 yards. QB Trent Dilfer is defying father time, Brady style, at year 11 and still lighting it up(7 TD's , 1 INT).
Reason to hope: 3 game win streak & leading the division is a great start for the Penguins.
Reason to mope: The rest of the BLUE is coming.
MIAMI: First year owner enjoying a solid 3-1 start. Wins over Smithville & Kansas City were impressive. Would the former owner of the Sharks have quit if he knew this team can contend this season? No matter. The Sharks are not your brothers Flying Dutchmen anymore. Heck, the Sharks GM wouldn't be the first rookie owner to win a championship in year 1(See Smithville). Middle to lower 1/2 in many categories: 6th scoring, 8th total yards are just a few. Losing HB Jamal Lewis for the next 6 weeks is a gut punch, though he was on his way to pedestrian start(49/162 yards & 3 TD's). Week #4 featured HB Tim Biakabutuka who filled in admirably. QB Vick is slow out of the gate with only 2 TD's & 1 Int.
Reason for hope: If the Sharks can keep running the ball and protecting QB Vick, they have a shot at the post season.
Reason to mope: Any team can win the BLUE.
SMITHVILLE: Last seasons rush leader is right back where he left off. HB Aaron Jones leads the league with 4 TD's & a 5.3 yard avg a carry on 100 carries. The Boaters are racing past many of the AFL12 statistically, currently sitting at 3-1 in the BLUE. However, one stat is in the basement: The defense only has 10 sacks on the season, 18 less than the leader New Orleans. This is a solid team that Phil took over 3 seasons ago; winning a championship in his year 1, he looks to contend again. QB Schumacher is young and enjoying a good season out of the gate: 7 TD's & 1 INT.
Reason for hope: HB Jones can take over games late. The Blue Division is on notice.
Reason to mope: The lack of qb pressures(sacks)is
concerning.
MCCUNE: As commissioner I have the privilege of communicating with all the owners regularly. The level of involvement is all over the board with respect to the owners, but one owner has taken his ownership more seriously as of late as well as the AFL12. Unfortunately, his increase in activity has not resulted in wins. The Dirt Devils are the youngest team with only 2 players 10 year or younger. The HB room(Jackson & Hunt)has struggled to find their footing this season(3.5 a carry for 374 yards and ZERO td's). The close loss in week #1 to Taipei(23-27)all be it disappointing, looked like an encouraging sign of progress for the young players. QB Carson Palmer lives in the bottom half of the league for now, but he is 4th in yards(1128). Save for the 7 point win vs. Miller, the season has not gone as planned. A 5-9, 6-8 season looks like a possible outcome.....but given the Dirt Devils activity, that could change.
Reason for hope: The franchise has become more active in the trade game & roster movements.
Reason to mope: This young team needs more time to
gel.
PACIFIC NORTH: Hard to evaluate your own team. Close losses by a total of 15 points. Interesting stat: Pack lead the league in fewest punts(13). The offense looks to be rolling statistically but the wins are equal to the losses 2-2. Field goals instead of TD's have been the trend for this team the past 2 weeks.
Reason for hope: Defending champs usually do well the following season.
Reason to mope: The latest trade may have been in
haste & potentially one sided.....not in the Packs favor(self inflicted).
On to week #5!