2013 AFL Midway Report: Central

We have already broken down the American Conference so now its time to take a look at the National Conference at the midway point. In this edition, I will give the good and the bad for each team from the second quarter of the season, look at how my predictions for the past month fared and give some thoughts on what we might see in the month of June, starting with the Central Division.

National Conference

Central Division
1) Chicago Rush (5-5)
         Second quater results: Snatched a fourth-straight win with a gutsy 64-63 overtime win at Iowa in week six. Followed that up with three straight losses: 72-41 vs. Philadelphia, 53-50 at Cleveland, and 56-49 vs. Arizona. Snapped the losing streak with a 84-48 win at New Orleans to get back to .500 in week ten.
5 Good:
- First in central divison at 5-5, 2-1 vs. central
- Even with all the off-field drama have still found ways to win, this Rush team has major heart
- Jose Martinez 68-71 PAT, best in AFL
- Reggie Gray 80 rec, 1180 yds, 28 TD
- The growth of Carson Coffman through the first half of the season
5 Bad:
- Allowed third-most ypg with 301.4
- Tough June ahead with games against Utah, San Antonio, and Tampa Bay
- 1-4 at home, 47.4 ppg
- Reggie Gray has accounted for 39% of receptions, 47% of receiving yards, and 51.7% of rec TD. Where is the help in the receving core!?
- all three teams in central are separated by one game, but are at least two games out of four seed
Key Stats:
Carson Coffman 59.7% comp, 1854 yds, 40 TD, 7 Int; 32 rush yds, 4 TD
Reggie Gray 80 rec, 1180 yds, 28 TD
Rodney Wright 48 rec, 552 yds, 11 TD
Jared Jenkins 37 rec, 396 yds, 9 TD
Jorrick Calvin leads team with 66 tackles and 4 int
Jose Martinez 68-71 PAT, 2-7 FG (27)
Overview: Chicago has been a streaky squad this season. They lost their first two, then realed off four straight wins to grab first place in the central. They didn't hold onto first for long as they lost their next three to fall back under .500. The Rush battled back with a big, 84-48 win in week ten to get back to 5-5 and retake first in the central. Carson Coffman has grown tremendously and if he can continue it then Chicago should find themselves back in the postseason. Reggie Gray is having a career year, but the offense needs someone to step up as a consistent second option for Coffman for this team to make a serious run. They got the heart and the defense, its all on the offense as to how far the Rush can go. Prediction: Chicago is staring at a challenging June that I can see them going 1-3 or 3-1 in the month. I will take the medium and say Chicago will be 7-7 entering July.  
 
2) San Antonio Talons (4-5)
         Second quarter results: Behind Nick Hill the Talons got on a roll winning 3 of 4 games to reach a 4-4 record and climb into first in the central in week nine. The excitement was short-lived when Hill was injured in the second quarter of their 61-48 week ten loss to Spokane.
5 Good:
- Nick Hill 59.3% comp, 1197 yds, 21 TD, 9 Int; 64 rush yds, 4 TD (4-2 record)
- Jomo Wilson 55 rec, 710 yds, 14 TD
- Jamar Ransom's excellance; stats listed below
- Talon Defense ranks third in AFL with 21 sacks, fourth with 254.2 ypg allowed, third in pass defense, and second in scoring defense (47 ppg allowed)
- Durability on defense, same 8 guys for most of the season
5 Bad:
- Nick Hill was put on injured reserve earlier this week
- Jomo Wilson is the only receiver with 40+ catches
- Offensive woes, 43.6 ppg is third-lowest in AFL, last in pass offense, and second-last in total offense with 248.3 ypg
- Tough month of June: back-to-back home games vs. the west followed by three-game road trip
- Have committed 2+ turnovers in nine of ten games
Key Stats:
Nick Hill 59.3% comp, 1197 yds, 21 TD, 9 Int; 64 rush yds, 4 TD...........*On Injured Reserve*
Chad Cook 91 rush yds, 6 TD
Xavier Lee: Has to take over at quarterback starting in week elevan
          Passing: 22-48, 237 yds, 4 TD, Int
          Rushing: 22 rush yds, 2 TD
          Receiving: 15 rec, 143 yds, 2 TD
Jomo Wilson 55 rec, 710 yds, 14 TD
D.J. Stephens 32 rec, 372 yds, 5 TD; 16 kick returns, 398 yds, 3 TD
Jamar Ransom 42 tackles, 2 sacks, 6 Int, 2 Fumb Rec, 3 Def-TD
Fred Shaw 5 Int, 1 ret-TD
Joe Sykes 6.5 sacks, Tim McGill 4 sacks
Overview: The Talons have been an interesting team to follow this year, a little frustrating if your a fan. San Antonio will have its fourth different starting quarterback for their monday night game in week elevan. John Dutton (0-2) started the first two games until an achilles tear ended his season, Nick Hill (4-2) has been the guy until a leg injury in week ten put him on IR. And Zach Frazier made one start, which he lost; now its Xavier Lee's turn to lead the squad. I think Lee's dual-threat ability and having Jomo Wilson and D.J. Stephens to throw to will make it a positive transition. A little pressure is off Lee because the strength of this team is a defense led by Jamar Ransom, Joe Sykes, and Fred Shaw; which has allowed a 59.3 completion perctange by Nick Hill to win four games. Prediciton: Monday night's game is huge as they host Utah who is also 4-5 where wild card positioning and the central division race are both at stake for the Talons. June will either make or break the Talons, with four games being in the conference. If the "X-man" can jell immediately then look out, i see San Antonio entering July with seven wins and being tied for first in the central.

3) Iowa Barnstormers (4-6)
         Second quarter results: The 'Stormers suffered a fourth-straight loss in week six in overtime to Chicago, but bounced back with a pair of wins over San Antonio and New Orleans in weeks seven and eight. Iowa lost another close game to Utah in week nine, and got demolished by Arizona in week ten.
5 Good:
- Barnstormer Defense: allowed 46.4 ppg, fourth-fewst in AFL and is fourth with 25 takeaways
- One-game back in central, 2-1 record in division
- The emergance of Marcus Harris
- Mike Lewis 5 sacks through ten games
- 3 receivers have 45+ catches and 10+ TD's, while 3 DB's have 3+ Int
5 Bad:
- Offense has only scored 46.4 ppg in ten games, has only scored 50+ points in three games
- 1-3 at home
- Offensive woes: 252.2 ypg, 46.4 ppg, second-fewest rush yards
- Any potential lingering of the ankle injury J.J. Raterink suffered in week ten
- Tough June schedule with home games vs. Tampa Bay, San Jose, and San Antonio and a game at Philadelphia
Key Stats:
J.J. Raterink 59.6% comp, 2285 yds, 45 TD, 6 Int; 6 Rush TD
Marco Thomas 59 rec, 653 yds, 12 TD; 70 rush yds, 3 TD
Marcus Harris 59 rec, 851 yds, 17 TD
Jesse Schmidt 47 rec, 472 yds, 10 TD
Ter'Ran Benton 38 tackles, 5 Int, 2 Fumb Rec, 1 Def-TD
De'Mon Glanton 58.5 tackles, 4 Int
Overview: Iowa got off to a great start by winning their first two games. They then lost four straight to fall into last in the central, but turned it around with back-to-back wins and moved back into first. Since, Iowa has lost two straight and fallen back into last. J.J. Raterink is set to start in week elevan, in what has become a must-win. Marco Thomas has done it all offensively and Marcus Harris has been a great gem for the 'Stormers. Iowa's defense has also been under the radar all season and is one of the most solid units in the AFL. The thing that has plagued Iowa this year has been untimely mistakes or turnovers that have cost them a couple of close games. Prediction: In order for Iowa to salvage a playoff berth in the loaded national conference, it is most likely going to be by winning the division. The Barnstormers need three wins in June, but I say they will get two and will stumble into July with six wins and be out of the central 1.5 games.

Check out the West Division in the next post!