SMQ would like to apologize for our absence over the past week. We are back with an end of season / playoff edition. Enjoy.
Sunday Morning Quarterback – Playoff Edition
FINE FIVE:
1- Tucson (13-3)
o #1 run pass offense.
2- Omaha (12-4)
o #1 rushing defense and #2 rushing offense.
3- Baltimore (12-4)
o League leading 480 points scored.
4- Huntington Beach (12-4)
o #3 passing offense
5- Boston (11-5)
o #1 passing defense
Football Outsiders Adjusted Line Yards:
One of the oldest theories in football is that you need to have a strong offensive line in order to be successful. The adjusted line yards report attempts to measure the impact of blocking while filtering out long gains. This year, we are going to track this report and see if it really does have merit. Percentages are amount over/under the league average.
Top Five
1- Huntington Beach Wolfpack (12-4) +12%
1- Boston Bees (11-5) +12%
3- Atlantic City Phantoms (4-12) +11%
4- Denver Dynomite (10-6) +10%
5- Tennessee Militia (11-5) +9%
Bottom Five
28- Hartford Attack (4-12) -7%
29- Shreveport Pride (10-6) -15%
30- Cleveland Flats (6-10) -16%
31- Albany Crows (8-8) -19%
32- Fargo Frontier (11-5) -22%
Conclusion: The final numbers seem to prove that adjusted line yards is a valid statistic. Of the top five, only Atlantic City had less than ten wins. ACI has poor offensive weapons but ratings wise has a strong line. In the bottom five, Fargo and Shreveport are the exceptions. Fargo was easily the worst team in this statistical category. A look at their offensive line will tell you that they definitely won 11 games despite the poor O-line play.
MVP WATCH:
QB Eugene Paulk – Tucson – 4,863 yards passing, 45/22 TD/INT, 99.4 QB rating
QB Lester Nabonsa – Fargo – 4,300 yards passing, 29/15 TD/INT, 91.8 QB rating
RB Bart Godfrey - Tennessee – 1,774 yards rushing, 4.53 yards per carry, 14 touchdowns
WR John Yancy – Fargo – 94 receptions, 1,480 yards, 10 touchdowns
WR Rusty Schneider – Huntington Beach, 126 receptions, 1,446 yards, 11 touchdowns
QB Bert Foster – Huntington Beach – 4,434 yards passing, 29/19 TD/INT, 92.0 QB rating
SMQ pick – Paulk. Led his team to the best record in the league while leading the league in yards passing, touchdown passes, QB rating and 300+ yard passing games (9 – which tied a CFL single season record).
TEN THINGS I THINK I THINK:
1- Kudos to players who tied or set a single season league record:
- QB Eugene Paulk – Tucson – 300 yards passing – 9
- DE Leland Williams – Shreveport – Sacks – 21
- RB Bart Godfrey – Tennessee – Yards from scrimmage – 2,275
2- Jeers to Anchorage WR Ray Bradley, who set the single season league record 20 passes dropped.
- This included a single game record of 5 in one game.
3- Congrats (I guess?) to Tulsa who will have the first pick in the draft thanks to a 2-14 season.
4- Six teams tied at 4-12 for the second worst record. It will be interesting to see how the tie-breakers play out. Anyone have a coin with six sides?
5- Omaha lost three straight games to end the season. Not the way you want to head into the playoffs.
6- Brooklyn @ Tennessee – SMQ Pick - Brooklyn
- Great battle between #3 rushing offense vs #4 rushing defense. Brawlers are #2 in turnover margin which will be the key to the game.
7- Denver @ Fargo – SQM Pick – Fargo
- Weather prediction is a high of 13 degrees but both these teams are used to the cold. Fargo defense will shut down Irving Norried to lead the Frontier to the victory.
8- Honolulu @ Anchorage – SQM Pick – Anchorage
- Anchors defense is too much for the Blue Pacific.
9- Omaha @ Chicago – SQM Pick – Omaha
- 12 win team is on the road versus a 9 win team. Just doesn’t seem fair, does it? It won’t matter as Omaha is a much better team and will win by 20.
10- Front Office Bowl Prediction – Omaha vs Tucson
- Give us Omaha to keep Tucson from their 9th title.
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