Season 3 Week 6 Rankings for USA #7 (Western Conference)
I could use some help doing these, so if any of the owners/GM's or even people on the team could PM me what you thought went right and wrong in your games (like what I've done here), it would save me a bunch of time. Thanks
Disclaimer: I am the owner of the New Brunswick n00bs and this is only my opinion based upon how the teams looked when I saw them
Week 6 Summary: This week’s big game was Silverymoon against Great Plains and I’m sure everybody now knows the result of that game. Everyone else took care of business like they should:
5 games into the season, the conference is beginning to stratify itself into 4 tiers:
Tier 1 (Fighting for top seed): Waco, Great Plains
Tier 2 (Fighting for home playoff game): New Brunswick, Las Vegas, Buffalo, Silverymoon
Tier 3 (Fighting to get into the playoffs): Portland, Oakland, Spicewood, Scottsdale, Dallas, Miami, Grand Haven
Tier 4 (Trying to avoid relegation): Hartford, RGB, Carolina
1. Great Plains Reapers
2. Waco Davidians
3. New Brunswick n00bs
4. Las Vegas Stunners
5. Buffalo Rangers
6. Silverymoon Elves
7. Portland Hitmen
8. Oakland Wizards
9. Spicewood Longhorns
10. Scottsdale Sun Demons
11. Dallas Red Raiders
12. Miami Cyclones
13. Grand Haven Mist
14. Hartford Hellhounds
15. RGB Berzerk
16. Carolina Bar Stars
1. Great Plains Reapers - http://goallineblitz.com/game/team.pl?team_id=1212
What went right: Defense - Luck or no luck, the Reapers absolutely demolished the Elves by shutting down all their offensive weapons and turning the Elves’ passing game into a liability by forcing a ridiculous 7 INTs. In the short history of the USA A7 league, I believe that has to be tied with the highest amount of picks in a game. The Reapers’ constant pressure was a sight to behold and will be tough for any team’s O-line to contain.
What went wrong:Run Offense – Like in previous games, the Reapers had a lot of trouble moving the ball when they got into scoring position. This was due in large part to the inability of the backs and O-line to push through and gain short, but meaningful yardage. If they can figure this piece of the puzzle out, the Reapers will vault themselves into the position where they truly are the team to beat.
Recent Game: W 35-6 vs Silverymoon
Record: 6-0
Previous Rank: T-2
Next Game: vs Spicewood Longhorns
2. Waco Davidians - http://goallineblitz.com/game/team.pl?team_id=1220
What went right: Defensive Front 7 – Throughout much of the game, the Davidians’ front seven spent much of the time in the Spicewood backfield terrorizing the QB and stuffing the backs. For the most part they wrapped up their tackles pretty well (the missed tackle was on the QB….weird) and didn’t allow Spicewood to do much offensively. Waco’s dominating defense will be tough for any team to break through.
What went wrong: Hugh? – Nothing really went wrong in this game for the Davidians. Their QB had a slightly subpar day, but that really is a tiny gripe. If the Davidians continue on this path, they’ll be a tough team to beat.
Recent Game: W 37-10 at Spicewood
Record: 6-0
Previous Rank: 1
Next Game: vs Carolina Bar Stars
3. New Brunswick n00bs - http://goallineblitz.com/game/team.pl?team_id=1210
What went right: Pass Defense – An area of concern, the n00bs pass defense stepped it up again and gave Scottsdale some problems. Going pass-heavy, the Sun Demons tried to poke through the pass defense, but the n00bs secondary did an amazing job deflecting 15 passes and intercepting the ball 3 times. If they can keep this up against tougher pass-focused teams, the n00bs have a chance at making some noise this season.
What went wrong: Goalline offense – In two separate instances the n00bs were at 1st and goal and had to settle for FGs. The n00bs will need to figure out how to punch the ball into the end zone more often in order to challenge some of the other top teams in the conference. If they keep the games too close, there could be trouble ahead.
Recent Game: W 29-7 vs Scottsdale Sun Demons
Record: 6-0
Previous Rank: 4
Next Game: at Miami Cyclones
4. Las Vegas Stunners - http://goallineblitz.com/game/team.pl?team_id=1219
What went right: This play: http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?pbp_id=7322284 – Throughout this game the Stunners had trouble scoring up until that play in the 4th quarter. With the Dallas secondary out of position, the Stunners took advantage and scored the go-ahead TD to steal this game away from the jaws of defeat.
What went wrong: Unsustained Drives – The Stunners racked up a good amount of yardage, but they were incapable of stringing together enough plays to create scoring opportunities. This was partially due to turnovers, but could also be attributed to the inconsistency of the passing and running game. The Stunners were lucky to escape this game, but will need more than that to overcome tougher teams.
Recent Game: W 10-6 vs Dallas
Record: 4-2
Previous Rank: 5
Next Game: at Buffalo Rangers
5. Buffalo Rangers - http://goallineblitz.com/game/team.pl?team_id=1702
Contributo: rj414
What went right: Where to begin. Balanced offense produced over 150 yards rushing and 226 yards passing - Buffalo committed no turnovers and only punted the ball 5 times in this game. Their defense, which had been pushed around a little early in the year, absolutely dominated Grand Haven.
what went wrong: about the only thing Buffalo didn't do in this game was produce a sack. Considering everything else they were able to do defensively, it's a scary thought to consider what the numbers would have looked like if a couple of their 7 hurries had been converted into sacks.
Recent Game: W 34-3 at Grand Haven
Record: 4-2
Previous Rank: 6
Next Game: vs Las Vegas Stunners
6. Silverymoon Elves - http://goallineblitz.com/game/team.pl?team_id=1663
What went right: Run Defense – The Elves’ run defense really saved them from further embarrassment. The Reapers could have easily scored another 8+ points if they had been able to get into the endzone more often instead of getting stuck in the red zone. The Elves defense was able to wreak havoc in the backfield which prevented the Reapers’ backs to gain meaningful yardage.
What went wrong: O-line – The O-line had an absolute embarrassment of a game where they allowed the QB to be hurried 12 times and sacked 4 times, helping to cause 7 INTs. On top of that, they just didn’t do a good job opening running lanes for the backs and struggled to move the ball on the ground.
Recent Game: L 6-35 vs Great Plains
Record: 4-2
Previous Rank: T-2
Next Game: at Dallas Red Raiders
7. Portland Hitmen - http://goallineblitz.com/game/team.pl?team_id=1211
What went right: Passing Game – Staying true to form, Portland unleashed an aerial barrage on RGB racking up over 350 yds in passing with no INTs. Part of the success of the passing game came from the fact that the QBs were never pressured by the RGB defense. Even with a chunk of dropped passes, the Hitmen passing game was just hard to stop.
What went wrong: Scoring Offense – While they were able to drive down the field with ease due to their potent passing attack, they had some trouble getting into the end zone. They still gained solid yardage on the ground, but were unable to point the ball through the RGB line when it mattered most.
Recent Game: W 36-3 vs RGB
Record: 4-2
Previous Rank: 7
Next Game: at Scottsdale Sun Demons
8. Oakland Wizards - http://goallineblitz.com/game/team.pl?team_id=1215
What went right: Pass Offense – Once again another pass offense took the stage this week. In this case the Wizards’ TDs came largely courtesy of long pass plays, highlighted by the 77 yd TD pass that came at the end of the 1st quarter. Hartford’s defense had a hard time stopping the pass offense even with pressure put on the QB.
What went wrong: Pass Defense – This game was full of high flying action and the Wizards defense didn’t do a great job in containing Hartford’s passing attack. While the yardage was much less, the Hartford passing efficiency was pretty solid. Considering that there will be much tougher passing teams out there, Oakland needs to watch out.
Recent Game: W 34-13 at Hartford
Record: 3-3
Previous Rank: 8
Next Game: vs Grand Haven Mists
9. Spicewood Longhorns - http://goallineblitz.com/game/team.pl?team_id=1214
What went right: Kicker/Punter – Offensively and Defensively it was a long day for the Longhorns, but when the special teams players stepped up to the plate they did very well, with the kicker hitting everything that he was required to hit and the punter booming some long distance punts. If this game had been closer these accomplishments would have meant more, but in this toughie, they were just a nice window dressing to a tough loss.
What went wrong: Offense – The Longhorns had massive amounts of trouble moving the ball down the field both on the ground and through the air. It didn’t help matters that the QB threw 2 INTs. Spicewood needs to figure out how to put more points on the board so that they can win some of the closer games.
Recent Game: L 10-37 vs Waco
Record: 3-3
Previous Rank: 9
Next Game: at Great Plains Reapers
10. Scottsdale Sun Demons - http://goallineblitz.com/game/team.pl?team_id=1225
What went right: Goal Line Defense – This game could have been a lot worse if the Sun Demons hadn’t been able to stuff the box when the n00bs came near the goal line. The Sun Demons defense kept the entire game close, but the offense was just never able to muster up enough juice to make it worthwhile.
What went wrong: Turnovers – In all honesty, the Sun Demons didn’t have a bad plan going heavy on the pass, but it came back to bite them in the butt when their QB threw 3 INTs. One of those INTs led to immediate points, while another one came when they were driving down the field. If they had just held onto the ball better, the game could have been much closer.
Recent Game: L 7-29 at New Brunswick
Record: 2-4
Previous Rank: 10
Next Game: vs Portland Hitmen
11. Dallas Red Raiders - http://goallineblitz.com/game/team.pl?team_id=1217
What went right: Scoring defense for 3 quarters – Dallas’ defense did an amazing job all game. Barring the TD pass in the 4th quarter they did a great job bending but not breaking. In two straight games now they’ve taken games to the wire against top tier teams because of their staunch defense. If they can keep it up, they could make a late charge for the playoffs.
What went wrong: Turnovers – Once again this was a game where turnovers ruined their shot at a win. With the morale blows coming from these losses coupled with a middling chemistry score, the Red Raiders have a lot of barriers to overcome. They’ll need to cut down on errors in order to score some major victories.
Recent Game: L 6-10 at Las Vegas
Record: 1-5
Previous Rank: 11
Next Game: vs Silverymoon Elves
12. Miami Cyclones - http://goallineblitz.com/game/team.pl?team_id=1955
What went right: Rush defense - Though the score wasn't close, the difference in keeping it that way was definiely that Miami was able to run the football effectively while limiting their opponents ability to do so. A week after giving up 175 yards to Spicewood, Miami rebounded nicely, holding the Bar Stars to 67 yards and missing no tackles.
What went wrong: Miami was held relatively quiet by a defense that gave up several levels to them across the board - including many positions where they weren't level 16 and thus had an additional 4 skill points absent from builds. You have to think Miami would have gone into this game expecting to score more points, and we'll have to see if they can find a way to do that from here out.
Recent Game: W 24-3 at Carolina
Record: 2-4
Previous Rank: 12
Next Game: vs New Brunswick
13. Grand Haven Mist - http://goallineblitz.com/game/team.pl?team_id=1222
Contributor: rj414
What went right: Receiving - not much went right for Grand Haven, but their recievers were able to hold on to the ball whenever Rocket Arm was able to put the ball into the same zip code - no drops for the Mist recieving crew in this game.
What went wrong: The Mist offense was completely neutralized in this game. They were held to 19 yards rushing on 19 attempts (and there's no sack yardage in that figure), they were held to 129.5 yards passing and completed less than 50% of their passes. They were also intercepted 4 times and missed 2 field goals.
Recent Game: L 3-34 vs Buffalo
Record: 1-5
Previous Rank: 13
Next Game: at Oakland Wizards
14. Hartford Hellhounds - http://goallineblitz.com/game/team.pl?team_id=1216
What went right: Pass Offense – Even with a bunch of dropped passes, the Hellhound QBs did a great job moving the ball down the field. While ultimately they fell short, they were still able to do some damage to the Oakland offense and show that they could piece together a solid passing offense.
What went wrong: Long Pass Defense – Either playing too aggressively or having the wrong coverage, the Hellhounds allowed way too many major offensive plays to get through. Had they been able to be more bend, but don’t break, this game would have been much closer.
Recent Game: L 13-34 vs Oakland
Record: 1-5
Previous Rank: 14
Next Game: at RGB Berzerk
15. RGB Berzerk - http://goallineblitz.com/game/team.pl?team_id=1223
What went right: Punter – For all the issues that RGB had, they were able to gain some free yardage through their punters’ golden leg. This one bright spot will come in handy when the Berzerk are in a closer game.
What went wrong: O-line – The Berzerk O-line got dominated pretty badly in this game allowing 8 hurries and 3 sacks as well as letting their backs get stuffed in the backfield 7 times. If the Berzerk hope to turn the season around, they need to learn how to generate some offense or else all could be lost.
Recent Game: L 3-36 at Portland
Record: 1-5
Previous Rank: 15
Next Game: vs Hartford Hellhounds
16. Carolina Bar Stars - http://goallineblitz.com/game/team.pl?team_id=734
Contributor: rj414
What went right: Defense - For being horribly outleveled, Carolina's defense played Miami tough - forcing 9 punts and holding them to 277 yards. They also caused 2 fumbles, although they were unable to recover them. If they had, this game may have been a lot closer than the score indicates.
What went wrong: Rush offense - Carolina tried to run a balanced offense in this game, although later on as the lead lengthened they were forced to throw more. A contributing factor in this had to be their running game, which managed only 2.3 yards a carry on 30 carries, against a team that gave up 175 yards at 5.3 a carry just last week.
Recent Game: L 3-24 vs Miami
Record: 0-6
Previous Rank: 16
Next Game: at Waco Davidians
Offensive Player of the Week:
QB Adolfo Encarnacion New Brunswick – 20/23 (87% completion), 282 yds, 2 TDs, 1 INT, 128.6 QB rating
Defensive Player of the Week:
SS Dugu Tige Great Plains – 7 tackles, 3 PDs, 4 INTs for 17 yds, 0 missed tackles
Special Teams Player of the Week:
K Goal Post Great Plains – 2/2 on PATs, 7/8 on FGs (25.5, 26,30, 42, 46.5, 48, 53.5 yds made, 54.5 yd miss), 2 touchbacks
Games of the Week:
Originally posted by Gold Star Game
#4 Las Vegas at #5 Buffalo
With both of these teams pulling off squeakers against Dallas in the past two weeks, we know that they could struggle to score against better defenses. With a bunch of teams fighting for a home playoff spot, the winner of this game could have an inside track.
Prediction: This one will be an ugly offensive game as both these teams heavily rely on their defense to will a win. This will come down to the kickers and Las Vegas’ kicker gives me cause for some concern based upon the past games’ performance. Buffalo will pull this one out in a squeaker.
Predicted Score: 12-9 Buffalo
#7 Portland at #10 Scottsdale
Both these teams really want this win, however Scottsdale needs it a whole lot more than Portland does. A loss here and Scottsdale will risk being left behind during the playoffs for the second straight season. Portland is just trying to stay with the upper echelon teams and a loss here would put a dent in their resume.
Prediction: Scottsdale had trouble handling the n00bs pass attack and Portland’s passing attack is their strong point. If Scottsdale doesn’t figure stuff out quickly, this game could get ugly. While I don’t think it’ll be that bad, Portland should walk away with the win.
Predicted Score: 31-17 Portland
#8 Oakland vs #13 Grand Haven
This game is a must-win for Grand Haven or else they could be in danger of falling into the relegation pool. Oakland is just trying to stay above the fray below it and hold onto a playoff spot.
Prediction: Grand Haven has been close to pulling upsets and they beat Miami, but Oakland will just be too strong. Grand Haven’s defense has had trouble stopping well run offenses and this game will be no different.
Predicted Score: 27-6 Oakland
#14 Hartford at #15 RGB
We could easily call this game the relegation bowl. While it’s almost certain that Carolina will probably be relegated because of their late jump on the season, these two teams will battle it out to see who will drop down to the BBB leagues.
Prediction: With flaws on both teams, it’ll come down to whose offense executes better. Hartford relies on a dangerous pass offense, while RGB has multiple weapons that they can use at their disposable, Awooga being the most (in)famous one. In this game, Hartford’s offense should be able to prevail and save them from relegation.
Predicted Score: 24-10 Hartford
Current “Game of the Week” Record: 15-9
If you have a different opinion of the players of the week, have a “play of the week” or have a prediction of the “Game of the Week” post below. Let’s see how this season turns out and good luck in week 7
I could use some help doing these, so if any of the owners/GM's or even people on the team could PM me what you thought went right and wrong in your games (like what I've done here), it would save me a bunch of time. Thanks
Disclaimer: I am the owner of the New Brunswick n00bs and this is only my opinion based upon how the teams looked when I saw them
Week 6 Summary: This week’s big game was Silverymoon against Great Plains and I’m sure everybody now knows the result of that game. Everyone else took care of business like they should:
5 games into the season, the conference is beginning to stratify itself into 4 tiers:
Tier 1 (Fighting for top seed): Waco, Great Plains
Tier 2 (Fighting for home playoff game): New Brunswick, Las Vegas, Buffalo, Silverymoon
Tier 3 (Fighting to get into the playoffs): Portland, Oakland, Spicewood, Scottsdale, Dallas, Miami, Grand Haven
Tier 4 (Trying to avoid relegation): Hartford, RGB, Carolina
1. Great Plains Reapers
2. Waco Davidians
3. New Brunswick n00bs
4. Las Vegas Stunners
5. Buffalo Rangers
6. Silverymoon Elves
7. Portland Hitmen
8. Oakland Wizards
9. Spicewood Longhorns
10. Scottsdale Sun Demons
11. Dallas Red Raiders
12. Miami Cyclones
13. Grand Haven Mist
14. Hartford Hellhounds
15. RGB Berzerk
16. Carolina Bar Stars
1. Great Plains Reapers - http://goallineblitz.com/game/team.pl?team_id=1212
What went right: Defense - Luck or no luck, the Reapers absolutely demolished the Elves by shutting down all their offensive weapons and turning the Elves’ passing game into a liability by forcing a ridiculous 7 INTs. In the short history of the USA A7 league, I believe that has to be tied with the highest amount of picks in a game. The Reapers’ constant pressure was a sight to behold and will be tough for any team’s O-line to contain.
What went wrong:Run Offense – Like in previous games, the Reapers had a lot of trouble moving the ball when they got into scoring position. This was due in large part to the inability of the backs and O-line to push through and gain short, but meaningful yardage. If they can figure this piece of the puzzle out, the Reapers will vault themselves into the position where they truly are the team to beat.
Recent Game: W 35-6 vs Silverymoon
Record: 6-0
Previous Rank: T-2
Next Game: vs Spicewood Longhorns
2. Waco Davidians - http://goallineblitz.com/game/team.pl?team_id=1220
What went right: Defensive Front 7 – Throughout much of the game, the Davidians’ front seven spent much of the time in the Spicewood backfield terrorizing the QB and stuffing the backs. For the most part they wrapped up their tackles pretty well (the missed tackle was on the QB….weird) and didn’t allow Spicewood to do much offensively. Waco’s dominating defense will be tough for any team to break through.
What went wrong: Hugh? – Nothing really went wrong in this game for the Davidians. Their QB had a slightly subpar day, but that really is a tiny gripe. If the Davidians continue on this path, they’ll be a tough team to beat.
Recent Game: W 37-10 at Spicewood
Record: 6-0
Previous Rank: 1
Next Game: vs Carolina Bar Stars
3. New Brunswick n00bs - http://goallineblitz.com/game/team.pl?team_id=1210
What went right: Pass Defense – An area of concern, the n00bs pass defense stepped it up again and gave Scottsdale some problems. Going pass-heavy, the Sun Demons tried to poke through the pass defense, but the n00bs secondary did an amazing job deflecting 15 passes and intercepting the ball 3 times. If they can keep this up against tougher pass-focused teams, the n00bs have a chance at making some noise this season.
What went wrong: Goalline offense – In two separate instances the n00bs were at 1st and goal and had to settle for FGs. The n00bs will need to figure out how to punch the ball into the end zone more often in order to challenge some of the other top teams in the conference. If they keep the games too close, there could be trouble ahead.
Recent Game: W 29-7 vs Scottsdale Sun Demons
Record: 6-0
Previous Rank: 4
Next Game: at Miami Cyclones
4. Las Vegas Stunners - http://goallineblitz.com/game/team.pl?team_id=1219
What went right: This play: http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?pbp_id=7322284 – Throughout this game the Stunners had trouble scoring up until that play in the 4th quarter. With the Dallas secondary out of position, the Stunners took advantage and scored the go-ahead TD to steal this game away from the jaws of defeat.
What went wrong: Unsustained Drives – The Stunners racked up a good amount of yardage, but they were incapable of stringing together enough plays to create scoring opportunities. This was partially due to turnovers, but could also be attributed to the inconsistency of the passing and running game. The Stunners were lucky to escape this game, but will need more than that to overcome tougher teams.
Recent Game: W 10-6 vs Dallas
Record: 4-2
Previous Rank: 5
Next Game: at Buffalo Rangers
5. Buffalo Rangers - http://goallineblitz.com/game/team.pl?team_id=1702
Contributo: rj414
What went right: Where to begin. Balanced offense produced over 150 yards rushing and 226 yards passing - Buffalo committed no turnovers and only punted the ball 5 times in this game. Their defense, which had been pushed around a little early in the year, absolutely dominated Grand Haven.
what went wrong: about the only thing Buffalo didn't do in this game was produce a sack. Considering everything else they were able to do defensively, it's a scary thought to consider what the numbers would have looked like if a couple of their 7 hurries had been converted into sacks.
Recent Game: W 34-3 at Grand Haven
Record: 4-2
Previous Rank: 6
Next Game: vs Las Vegas Stunners
6. Silverymoon Elves - http://goallineblitz.com/game/team.pl?team_id=1663
What went right: Run Defense – The Elves’ run defense really saved them from further embarrassment. The Reapers could have easily scored another 8+ points if they had been able to get into the endzone more often instead of getting stuck in the red zone. The Elves defense was able to wreak havoc in the backfield which prevented the Reapers’ backs to gain meaningful yardage.
What went wrong: O-line – The O-line had an absolute embarrassment of a game where they allowed the QB to be hurried 12 times and sacked 4 times, helping to cause 7 INTs. On top of that, they just didn’t do a good job opening running lanes for the backs and struggled to move the ball on the ground.
Recent Game: L 6-35 vs Great Plains
Record: 4-2
Previous Rank: T-2
Next Game: at Dallas Red Raiders
7. Portland Hitmen - http://goallineblitz.com/game/team.pl?team_id=1211
What went right: Passing Game – Staying true to form, Portland unleashed an aerial barrage on RGB racking up over 350 yds in passing with no INTs. Part of the success of the passing game came from the fact that the QBs were never pressured by the RGB defense. Even with a chunk of dropped passes, the Hitmen passing game was just hard to stop.
What went wrong: Scoring Offense – While they were able to drive down the field with ease due to their potent passing attack, they had some trouble getting into the end zone. They still gained solid yardage on the ground, but were unable to point the ball through the RGB line when it mattered most.
Recent Game: W 36-3 vs RGB
Record: 4-2
Previous Rank: 7
Next Game: at Scottsdale Sun Demons
8. Oakland Wizards - http://goallineblitz.com/game/team.pl?team_id=1215
What went right: Pass Offense – Once again another pass offense took the stage this week. In this case the Wizards’ TDs came largely courtesy of long pass plays, highlighted by the 77 yd TD pass that came at the end of the 1st quarter. Hartford’s defense had a hard time stopping the pass offense even with pressure put on the QB.
What went wrong: Pass Defense – This game was full of high flying action and the Wizards defense didn’t do a great job in containing Hartford’s passing attack. While the yardage was much less, the Hartford passing efficiency was pretty solid. Considering that there will be much tougher passing teams out there, Oakland needs to watch out.
Recent Game: W 34-13 at Hartford
Record: 3-3
Previous Rank: 8
Next Game: vs Grand Haven Mists
9. Spicewood Longhorns - http://goallineblitz.com/game/team.pl?team_id=1214
What went right: Kicker/Punter – Offensively and Defensively it was a long day for the Longhorns, but when the special teams players stepped up to the plate they did very well, with the kicker hitting everything that he was required to hit and the punter booming some long distance punts. If this game had been closer these accomplishments would have meant more, but in this toughie, they were just a nice window dressing to a tough loss.
What went wrong: Offense – The Longhorns had massive amounts of trouble moving the ball down the field both on the ground and through the air. It didn’t help matters that the QB threw 2 INTs. Spicewood needs to figure out how to put more points on the board so that they can win some of the closer games.
Recent Game: L 10-37 vs Waco
Record: 3-3
Previous Rank: 9
Next Game: at Great Plains Reapers
10. Scottsdale Sun Demons - http://goallineblitz.com/game/team.pl?team_id=1225
What went right: Goal Line Defense – This game could have been a lot worse if the Sun Demons hadn’t been able to stuff the box when the n00bs came near the goal line. The Sun Demons defense kept the entire game close, but the offense was just never able to muster up enough juice to make it worthwhile.
What went wrong: Turnovers – In all honesty, the Sun Demons didn’t have a bad plan going heavy on the pass, but it came back to bite them in the butt when their QB threw 3 INTs. One of those INTs led to immediate points, while another one came when they were driving down the field. If they had just held onto the ball better, the game could have been much closer.
Recent Game: L 7-29 at New Brunswick
Record: 2-4
Previous Rank: 10
Next Game: vs Portland Hitmen
11. Dallas Red Raiders - http://goallineblitz.com/game/team.pl?team_id=1217
What went right: Scoring defense for 3 quarters – Dallas’ defense did an amazing job all game. Barring the TD pass in the 4th quarter they did a great job bending but not breaking. In two straight games now they’ve taken games to the wire against top tier teams because of their staunch defense. If they can keep it up, they could make a late charge for the playoffs.
What went wrong: Turnovers – Once again this was a game where turnovers ruined their shot at a win. With the morale blows coming from these losses coupled with a middling chemistry score, the Red Raiders have a lot of barriers to overcome. They’ll need to cut down on errors in order to score some major victories.
Recent Game: L 6-10 at Las Vegas
Record: 1-5
Previous Rank: 11
Next Game: vs Silverymoon Elves
12. Miami Cyclones - http://goallineblitz.com/game/team.pl?team_id=1955
What went right: Rush defense - Though the score wasn't close, the difference in keeping it that way was definiely that Miami was able to run the football effectively while limiting their opponents ability to do so. A week after giving up 175 yards to Spicewood, Miami rebounded nicely, holding the Bar Stars to 67 yards and missing no tackles.
What went wrong: Miami was held relatively quiet by a defense that gave up several levels to them across the board - including many positions where they weren't level 16 and thus had an additional 4 skill points absent from builds. You have to think Miami would have gone into this game expecting to score more points, and we'll have to see if they can find a way to do that from here out.
Recent Game: W 24-3 at Carolina
Record: 2-4
Previous Rank: 12
Next Game: vs New Brunswick
13. Grand Haven Mist - http://goallineblitz.com/game/team.pl?team_id=1222
Contributor: rj414
What went right: Receiving - not much went right for Grand Haven, but their recievers were able to hold on to the ball whenever Rocket Arm was able to put the ball into the same zip code - no drops for the Mist recieving crew in this game.
What went wrong: The Mist offense was completely neutralized in this game. They were held to 19 yards rushing on 19 attempts (and there's no sack yardage in that figure), they were held to 129.5 yards passing and completed less than 50% of their passes. They were also intercepted 4 times and missed 2 field goals.
Recent Game: L 3-34 vs Buffalo
Record: 1-5
Previous Rank: 13
Next Game: at Oakland Wizards
14. Hartford Hellhounds - http://goallineblitz.com/game/team.pl?team_id=1216
What went right: Pass Offense – Even with a bunch of dropped passes, the Hellhound QBs did a great job moving the ball down the field. While ultimately they fell short, they were still able to do some damage to the Oakland offense and show that they could piece together a solid passing offense.
What went wrong: Long Pass Defense – Either playing too aggressively or having the wrong coverage, the Hellhounds allowed way too many major offensive plays to get through. Had they been able to be more bend, but don’t break, this game would have been much closer.
Recent Game: L 13-34 vs Oakland
Record: 1-5
Previous Rank: 14
Next Game: at RGB Berzerk
15. RGB Berzerk - http://goallineblitz.com/game/team.pl?team_id=1223
What went right: Punter – For all the issues that RGB had, they were able to gain some free yardage through their punters’ golden leg. This one bright spot will come in handy when the Berzerk are in a closer game.
What went wrong: O-line – The Berzerk O-line got dominated pretty badly in this game allowing 8 hurries and 3 sacks as well as letting their backs get stuffed in the backfield 7 times. If the Berzerk hope to turn the season around, they need to learn how to generate some offense or else all could be lost.
Recent Game: L 3-36 at Portland
Record: 1-5
Previous Rank: 15
Next Game: vs Hartford Hellhounds
16. Carolina Bar Stars - http://goallineblitz.com/game/team.pl?team_id=734
Contributor: rj414
What went right: Defense - For being horribly outleveled, Carolina's defense played Miami tough - forcing 9 punts and holding them to 277 yards. They also caused 2 fumbles, although they were unable to recover them. If they had, this game may have been a lot closer than the score indicates.
What went wrong: Rush offense - Carolina tried to run a balanced offense in this game, although later on as the lead lengthened they were forced to throw more. A contributing factor in this had to be their running game, which managed only 2.3 yards a carry on 30 carries, against a team that gave up 175 yards at 5.3 a carry just last week.
Recent Game: L 3-24 vs Miami
Record: 0-6
Previous Rank: 16
Next Game: at Waco Davidians
Offensive Player of the Week:
QB Adolfo Encarnacion New Brunswick – 20/23 (87% completion), 282 yds, 2 TDs, 1 INT, 128.6 QB rating
Defensive Player of the Week:
SS Dugu Tige Great Plains – 7 tackles, 3 PDs, 4 INTs for 17 yds, 0 missed tackles
Special Teams Player of the Week:
K Goal Post Great Plains – 2/2 on PATs, 7/8 on FGs (25.5, 26,30, 42, 46.5, 48, 53.5 yds made, 54.5 yd miss), 2 touchbacks
Games of the Week:
Originally posted by Gold Star Game
#4 Las Vegas at #5 Buffalo
With both of these teams pulling off squeakers against Dallas in the past two weeks, we know that they could struggle to score against better defenses. With a bunch of teams fighting for a home playoff spot, the winner of this game could have an inside track.
Prediction: This one will be an ugly offensive game as both these teams heavily rely on their defense to will a win. This will come down to the kickers and Las Vegas’ kicker gives me cause for some concern based upon the past games’ performance. Buffalo will pull this one out in a squeaker.
Predicted Score: 12-9 Buffalo
#7 Portland at #10 Scottsdale
Both these teams really want this win, however Scottsdale needs it a whole lot more than Portland does. A loss here and Scottsdale will risk being left behind during the playoffs for the second straight season. Portland is just trying to stay with the upper echelon teams and a loss here would put a dent in their resume.
Prediction: Scottsdale had trouble handling the n00bs pass attack and Portland’s passing attack is their strong point. If Scottsdale doesn’t figure stuff out quickly, this game could get ugly. While I don’t think it’ll be that bad, Portland should walk away with the win.
Predicted Score: 31-17 Portland
#8 Oakland vs #13 Grand Haven
This game is a must-win for Grand Haven or else they could be in danger of falling into the relegation pool. Oakland is just trying to stay above the fray below it and hold onto a playoff spot.
Prediction: Grand Haven has been close to pulling upsets and they beat Miami, but Oakland will just be too strong. Grand Haven’s defense has had trouble stopping well run offenses and this game will be no different.
Predicted Score: 27-6 Oakland
#14 Hartford at #15 RGB
We could easily call this game the relegation bowl. While it’s almost certain that Carolina will probably be relegated because of their late jump on the season, these two teams will battle it out to see who will drop down to the BBB leagues.
Prediction: With flaws on both teams, it’ll come down to whose offense executes better. Hartford relies on a dangerous pass offense, while RGB has multiple weapons that they can use at their disposable, Awooga being the most (in)famous one. In this game, Hartford’s offense should be able to prevail and save them from relegation.
Predicted Score: 24-10 Hartford
Current “Game of the Week” Record: 15-9
If you have a different opinion of the players of the week, have a “play of the week” or have a prediction of the “Game of the Week” post below. Let’s see how this season turns out and good luck in week 7
