Blank's Best-2019 Season Prognositication

[Mike]

Pacific Division
1.Colorado. Won last year. People get excited about QB Davila, but he threw 9 INTs. The true force of this team is HB Woodhead, one of only four HBs to crack 1000 yards last year. If COL can keep the ball in Davila’s hands, and keep up an average Defence with +4 in turnovers and #5 in points given up, the Wildcats take the division. Player to watch: WR Knight, who surprisingly beat out WR Nelson ((1154 yards) at WR1.

2.Honolulu. A great team, missing the killer instinct. HB Irons is perhaps the steal of the draft….but is he only good enough to inspire Cates? Irons should get some carries this year as HON eases the transition. A bigger ‘?’ is the offensive line which gave up the most sacks. Playing Cates is smart, as HON can see how the new additions (i.e. T Linder from WCH) Player to watch: Is CB Carey ready for prime time? Can Windsor replace WR Benjamin (trade to FWS including FWS first round)

3.Portland. This team is playing DE1 and DE2 rejects from FWS (albeit Phillips had 12 sacks). Shakes has retired (sniff),
(moment of silence for the best WR of all time, played for POR, FWS, LOU,STV,HON .Yes, even better than Copeland as Shakes was bounced around the league a lot).
but speedy WR Roe and TE Collins will keep opposing DBs from being too overconfident. Players to watch: DT Ghoulston (84 ST) needs to step up as opponents carried 400 times last year, and QB Khari Jones needs to reduce his TD/INT ratio from 20/9.

4.Everett. I like this team…but I can’t see it coming together. Interesting move to get G DeRoche (French for ‘of the rock’) Solid running back in Rollins, but Everett’s weak D means Rollins won’t get enough touches. Minus 6 in turnovers….yikes! Player to watch: WR Peter Warrick with 1336 yards only had 6 TDs last year.

North Division

1.Springfield. McFadden. Dinkins. The players of legend are getting old. Will win the division but won’t get far in the playoffs. SPR’s best WR was 17th last year. This team has a killer D and especially speedy LBs. 72 sacks makes opposing offensive coaches go prematurely grey! However, given that this team had the #2 scoring offence, it is odd that the only scorers in the top 50 are the K,HB, and FB. Defence stays strong, offence loses a step. Player to watch: LB Chris Eads was #3 in team tackles and #7 in league sacks (13). Watch Eads sit on the bench at LB4!!!!

2.Green Bay. Last year’s ghoul GM brought the team to the brink of the playoffs. Surprisingly, it had the #5 rushing attack. If the rushing attack is maintained, it can only help the 4th-ranked passer in McPherson. In contrast to SPR, this is an offensively-minded team. However, the defence is not to be taken for granted this year. GBY shocks the league by moving from 8-6 to 10-4, good for second in the league. Player to watch: Can QB McPherson keep the 17/1 TD/INT ratio in the gunslinger offence?

3.Minnesota. FWS GM Mike Blank made a mistake when he let go of QB Shawn King (there, Kevin, I said it are you happy now? Stop bugging me about it!) HB Smith is a force to be reckoned with. Damsels swoon when they see him run. However, two OT games and a 4-3 away record means that MIN has to fight for every game. The top-ranked offence last year just chokes late in 2-3 key games. Player to watch: DE Hutch had only 19 sacks last year. So, watch Hutch sit on the bench at DE3!

4.Wichita. WCH had a dashing season last year, had the #3 defence in yards given up. Despite a poor offense in yardage, the team was #7 in scoring. Field position and defensive containment are obviously key parts to this team. WCH is a force to be reckoned with, having made it to the Gold Cup only two seasons ago. However, being in such a fantastic division, WCH drops to #4. Player to watch: K Rivas was #2 in scoring last year.

5.Peoria. Won one game last year. But, that was against FWS so they must be awesome! Also tied COL, the division winner. PEO is a mysterious team, showed up last year just to make headlines. Poor in scoring both for and against. Yet, QB Lemon is a respectable QB who could start on many teams. Odd that two first round HBs are on the same team. TE Carswell is the best TE in the Conference, and WR Murphy was impressive with such low endurance. Player to watch: CB Smith had two INTs..oh wait he was released…. The O-line gave up 71 sacks last year, must be better for PEO to win some games.

American Conference

Central Division

1.Fort Wayne. Mike Blank has to be the best GM…except that he gave away QB King, Foggie, Marinovich, DE Phillips, Shakes…okay, well, maybe not! HB Coleman is quite steady, even in his old age, having been the #2 rusher last year (Just took over HB Blake in receiving yards to be #8 receiving all-time, #1 HB receiver all-time!) QB Graziani took over at team that was erratic with Palawski (who almost won a Gold Cup…trade advertisement) and brought it to the playoffs. G Franklin is an unknown. WR Benjamin should make a nice target. Player to watch: Can all the old guys play 14 games?

2.Tennessee. Good chance to take the #1 spot this year due to Fort Wayne’s age. QB Rowley is great, but a 1-year WR as WR1? HB Toombs needs more than 3.8 yards/carry for TEN to be a contender. The team is in transition, but its LB crew gives little 9-year old QB kids nightmares. 70 sacks for this team last year….sheesh, nice transition! Player to watch: Can QB Rowley really replace Graziani (traded to FWS)?

3.Battle Creek. The best team hometown name in the league. ‘Crunch’ sounds like a cereal, eh? QB Davey is interesting, but this team’s great WR needs a better QB. Jennings is a nice HB with a 4.0 average…however, with the team at #17 in first downs, Jennings is not employed properly. BAT has to make a commitment to players that are playing well (like Jennings) then commit to either offence or defence. Players to watch: the great players, first rounders that BAT traded away, like DT Willis (HON) and WR Eddie Brown (PIT)

4.Lexington. Probably better than BAT, but an unproven QB trying to step into the shoes of QB Kurt Warner….too much for a mere FIFL mortal? #8 in rushing team, but with a low average it needs a better rushing personnel. Solid all around, but the 18th pass D in yards means trouble as a young QB doesn’t need the pressure. Players to watch: DT duo Moore (13 sacks) and Garnett (1st round, 7 sacks) are the best 1-2 DT in the league.

Eastern Division

1.Pittsburgh. QB Foggie was a chump before PIT got WR Brown from BAT in a trade. And they also have whats-his-name, the best rusher in the league last year. The #9 HB of all time in yards has an amazing 4.5 yards/carry. Oh, I hope he doesn’t get hurt in Week 9…really! PIT’s 11th-ranked rushing defence is the pitts…so any game will be a rushing slugfest. This team won the Gold Cup two years ago, but for all its firepower was in a 4-way tie for best team in the conference. Players to watch: are the young LBs Alexander and Faulk up to the task of solidifying the D?

2.Cheseapeake. Another great HB, Paris Moore, needs 16 TDs to make 100. CHE had 383 killer points this year. Surprisingly starting a rookie WR, but when your TE leads your team in yards…WR2 Davis had two PR for TDs last year. Great team, with the #1 rushing D in terms of yards. However, the team is in search of an identity. WR turnover, gave up the 2nd-most first downs in the league. It’s a real shootout when the Tide rolls in! Players to watch: QB Klingsbury gets the start…can he keep up the great offence? DE Forney is probably the best sacking DL by himself!

3.Connecticut. Finally the draft picks are having an impact. CON did not trade away its draft picks (are you taking notes, team I’ve mentioned?) DE White has the position we’ve always envisioned him at. CON, whose D used to be the laughingstock of the league, had the #4 D last year. Great building of this team to 8-6 last year. WR Furrey surprisingly benched after hitting 1001 yards. Players to watch: LBs Lloyd,Dailey,Cronin were all high first-round picks

4. Rochester. This team has some great players at key positions, but is edged out by the three teams above. WR Rob Mager is the cream of this crop…who could imagine Mager and Brown in the same division, and both NOT being on the top scoring team in the league? WR Smith played well, but is mysteriously demoted. ROC needs HB Shaw to be consistently a threat, as QB Carter can’t do it alone. Players to watch: CB Binns and S Bierra. Both 2 years, these young guys have to improve on ROC’s 15th-ranked pass D for ROC to contend with CHE’s scoring, PIT’s WR Brown.

5.Albany. Another team cursed by letting go of HB Wes Ours (who is a free agent…hint, hint to any team besides those in my division!) Albany is in a tough division, but has to decide on a 3-year plan to get to contender. The LB Corps is awkward as each player has one awesome attribute (why isn’t loyd playing??) The 18th-ranked rush D must be fixed before ALB can discover what gems it has. Don’t trade unless you get better rush D! player to watch: QB Zeier takes over for Marinovich. Zeier had a 112 rating with 6 TDs last season. Will he get any protection, or should the paramedics stay close at hand?

[pjohns]

5.Albany. Another team cursed by letting go of HB Wes Ours (who is a free agent…hint, hint to any team besides those in my division!)

You've had a 'man crush' on Wes Ours for so long why dont you just sign him as hes a FA and let him get splinters from sitting on the bench for so long like Odesta Shannon ?

WR Steve Smith did have a very good year for me last year but badly went downhill after the season stats wise.

Ryan Hoag is a former 1st round pick who needs to start and see action.

HB Harold Shaw is frustrating, played well week 1, last week was just dire as the computer gave up on the rushing attack. In another year Jamil Porter or Mel Holliday should be good enough to start so Shaw needs a big year to keep his job

[TC]

Most excellent write-up Mike!

It's going to be extremely tough for the Slayers to win the division this year, much less repeat as champs. However, as you're fully aware with Coleman, the old dogs can still produce, so I'm not throwing the towel in just yet on Dinkins and McFadden. They've been to 2 Gold Cups together.

[Niki]

Pacific Division
3.Battle Creek. The best team hometown name in the league. ‘Crunch’ sounds like a cereal, eh? QB Davey is interesting, but this team’s great WR needs a better QB. Jennings is a nice HB with a 4.0 average…however, with the team at #17 in first downs, Jennings is not employed properly. BAT has to make a commitment to players that are playing well (like Jennings) then commit to either offence or defence. Players to watch: the great players, first rounders that BAT traded away, like DT Willis (HON) and WR Eddie Brown (PIT)

Good writte-up however some comments from my side:

Traded away Eddie Brown since the offer was to good and in return I have WR Kevin Kasper.

Changed this year my game plan, last two years were mainly te re-built/balance the team. Last two games I played in my moslt likely setting for the rest of the year. Jennings had not good stats last year (only 700+ yds) however he did not start as Hb the first 3 games. Davey will not be my long term QB but is good enough for next two/three years. In this combi QB/WR/Gameplan he is more then avg QB. Main focus is Dline/Oline/LB if you have super players on those positions you are able to win the bowl. My prediction for this season is 9-5

[JH-Tide]

Cheseapeake. Another great HB, Paris Moore, needs 16 TDs to make 100. CHE had 383 killer points this year. Surprisingly starting a rookie WR, but when your TE leads your team in yards…WR2 Davis had two PR for TDs last year. Great team, with the #1 rushing D in terms of yards. However, the team is in search of an identity. WR turnover, gave up the 2nd-most first downs in the league. It’s a real shootout when the Tide rolls in! Players to watch: QB Klingsbury gets the start…can he keep up the great offence? DE Forney is probably the best sacking DL by himself!

I guess I could pop in with some clarification, as well.

QB: Kingsbury was drafted to replace Bishop; after 2 subsequently rather sluggish seasons (for Bishop), the decision was made to ease Kingsbury in while Bishop was still capable of rescuing the young QB from the wolves if needed. The season is still young, but little KK is 4-0 and doing well enough.

RB: 8 seasons ago, Bam Morris was the #1 HB drafted, and by consensus the best HB out of the box; he seems to be marching steadily towards occupying one of the top all-time spots at the position. A fairly distant #3 HB choice, Paris Moore has so far managed to post a lofty 4.9 yards per carry- the only long-term (say, 5000+ yards) starter to reach such heights. One can only wonder what the #2 HB (right on the heels of Morris in talent) of that draft could have done, if he had ever gotten the chance. I am, of course, referring to none other than Odesta Shannon.

WR: The last WR groomed for the WR1 slot by this team, Terrance Metcalf, had a fine start to his career seemingly upended by season-ending injuries during his fourth campaign. Sadly, he never seemed to recover. My short kick returns and possession guy, Noah Fehrenbach, stepped in for a couple of seasons while the team looked for a new guy to take over. Fehrenbach was hindered by age and injury last season, but hung on gamely enough until Mike Hass was drafted this year. Fehrenbach or fellow return ace Scotty Anderson were going to give Hass a season to train up on the bench, but it's hard to keep a 1st round sleeper out of games, so Hass got the early nod.

TE: It's not much of a surprise to see a Chesapeake TE top the team in receiving. Phil McGeoghan is, after all, the #2 TE all-time in receiving yards. He'll probably unseat the current #1, Eric Alford, who has held the top spot for 20 seasons now. The whole "looking for an identity" thing might be cast in some doubt when one considers which franchise Alford played for.

Now, as for DE Demetrius Forney... Yes, that little old dude certainly seems like he could be a line unto himself. Of course, often as not he's charging madly at the QB while a ball-toting RB skips merrily past, but we try not to mention that.

[Mike]

(I might agree with you on HB Shannon...but if I sit Coleman so close to career records, the commish will have my head!)

[banghart]

3.Minnesota. FWS GM Mike Blank made a mistake when he let go of QB Shawn King (there, Kevin, I said it are you happy now? Stop bugging me about it!) HB Smith is a force to be reckoned with. Damsels swoon when they see him run. However, two OT games and a 4-3 away record means that MIN has to fight for every game. The top-ranked offence last year just chokes late in 2-3 key games. Player to watch: DE Hutch had only 19 sacks last year. So, watch Hutch sit on the bench at DE3!

Well at least I did something right during my tenure in Mobile/Minnesota. Though it took Marco to get them over the hump, never doubt the fighting Pike!

[pjohns]

(I might agree with you on HB Shannon...but if I sit Coleman so close to career records, the commish will have my head!)

I wish there was a way in the software to split the carries between HB1 and HB2 50/50

At one stage i thought i would swap HB's every week to in a way have a RB by committee type of offense.

The softwares still great and it was always interesting for me to see Jimmy and his offense featuring all FB's to see what the results were. Which at a time seemed to be excellent.

My HB Harold Shaw i find frustrating as anything, 3rd & 1 or 3rd and inches and this dwarf wont get the first down but he may catch 8 passes a game for 100 yards, get stuffed for -2, -3, 0 and -4 gains on the ground and then rip off an 80 yarder. Frustrating. Give me a consistent RB anyday !