2013 AFL Season: Midway Report

As we head in the month of June, the AFL is entering week elevan of the 2013 season. The first half of the season is in the books and through ten weeks some teams have separated themselves from the pack, whether for good or bad reasons. We look at and examine the League 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 East Division.

American Conference

East Division
1) Philadelphia Soul (5-4)
        Second quarter results: Responded from a close loss to Jacksonville by going to Chicago and blowing out the Rush 72-41. Came home in week eight and allowed Pittsburgh to grab their only lead midway through the fourth and failed on red zone opportunity to lose 53-48. Earned their first home win by holding off Orlando 61-51, and crushed the Storm in Tampa, 73-55 in week ten.
5 Good:
- Can they finally be hitting their stride?
- Bryan Robinson 7.5 sacks in nine games
- Lead the east by two games
- 59 ppg for season, 61.4 ppg in last five games = offense beginning to jell
- The month of June holds and easy schedule; opponents win percentage = .270, with the exception of hosting Arizona in week elevan
5 Bad:
- Inconsistent, won two in a row then lost home-opener to Cleveland. Dominate in Chicago, then come home and blow a lead to Pittsburgh the next week; currently on a two-game win streak.
- Defense has allowed 51.2 ppg; 59.5 in four losses
- 0-2 in the division with both losses coming at home
- 1-3 at Wells Fargo Center
- 13 lost fumbles as a team
Key stats:
Derrick Ross, 250 rush yds and 21 TD's; 42 rec yds and 2 TD
Dan Raudabaugh 67.3% comp, 2537 pass yds, 49 TD, 7 Int
Tiger Jones 79 rec, 1135 yds, 20 TD, 2 Rush TD
Andrae Thurman 55 rec, 511 yds, 6 TD
LaRico Stevenson leads team with 3 Int
Joe Goosby 44 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 int
Carlos Martinez 61-69 PAT, 2-2 FG, long of 33
Overview:   The Soul have struggled all year with consistency but have a chance in the month of June to get hot and establish themselves atop the east division and as a favorite in the conference. Dan Raudabaugh has returned to form in the last couple weeks and has generated the feeling that this offensive unit is beginning to hit its stride. Derrick Ross, Andrae Thurman, Ryan McDaniel and Tiger Jones are more tahn enough weapons for Raudabaugh to do some damage with, but it will be up to the defense as to how far this team will go. An easy June needs to produce at least four wins in order for the Soul to have any title hopes. Prediction: The Soul will enter July with eight wins and a comfortable lead in the east. 

2) Pittsburgh Power (3-6)
        Second quarter results: After back-to-back home losses, went to Philadelphia and pulled of one of the biggest upsets in 2013. After the big in-state win returned home to be blown out, 62-34, by Tampa Bay. Rebounded with 27 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to come back and beat Cleveland in week ten to earn their first victory at Consol Energy Center since April 2012.
5 Good:
- Despite the 3-6 record would be the 4 seed of playoffs began today, and are only 2 games back
- 2-0 record in the east division, 3-3 conference record
- Appears Steven Sheffield is the right fit at quarterback, has led the Power to 2 wins in his 3 starts
- Defense ranks first in passing (217.4) and total yards per game (244.8)
- The consistency of Mike "The Joystick" Washington, 229 receptions and 64 TD's in his first two seasons, through nine games has 79 catches for 842 yards and 15 TD
5 Bad:
- 1-5 home record
- Offensive woes through first ten weeks, last with 38.3 ppg and 12th with 227.6 pass yard/game
- 4 of 6 losses by 26+ points
- (-9) turnover margin, 20 giveaways
- P.J. Berry's struggles: 24 rec, 329 yds, 4 TD, 2 Rush TD; has missed last three games with injury
Key stats:
Steven Sheffield 60-109, 834 pass yds, 15 TD, 7 Int; 55 rush yds, 2 TD (3 games)
Mike Washington 79 rec, 842 yards, 15 TD
P.J. Berry 24 rec, 329 yds, 6 Total TD (6 games)
Alvin Ray Jackson 43.5 tackles, 1 sack, 1 Int (ret-TD); 9 rec, 122 yds, 2 TD
Sergio Gilliam leads team with 3 int
Overview:  The Power are in prime position to earn their first playoff berth in franchise history in thanks to the weakness of the American Conference. At the bottom of the conference The Power sit in fourth at 3-6, only one game ahead of Cleveland and Orlando who are both 2-7, and two games ahead of last-place New Orleans. It seems the quarterback question has been answered with Steven Sheffield who has been at the helm in two of the three wins. If Pittsburgh can start June off on the right note with a win at Jacksonville, and figure out how to reincorporate P.J. Berry into the offense again, then look out! Prediction: A challenging June schedule puts pressure on the Power to take care of business at home, i see them with four or five wins by July 1st and right in the mix for the four seed. 

3) Cleveland Gladiators (2-7)
          Second quarter results: After scoring a major upset of Philadelphia in week five the Glads lost consecutive games to the west division by 17+ points, but they bounced back as Chris Dieker came in relief to lead a 53-30 win over Chicago in week eight. Following the impressive win came a 57-33 loss to San Antonio, which saw Dieker get injured early in the game, and allowed 27 unanswered points to the Power in a fourth quarter collapse in week ten.
5 Good:
- This team continues to fight hard despite the lack of experience
- Dominic Goodman 65 rec, 551 yds, 10 TD, 2 rush TD
- The short-lived success of Chris Dieker that accounted for the Glads week eight win and earned him his first start in week nine where he was injured
- The recreated secondary of Marrio Norman (signed in week 8), Lenny Wicks (started all season), LaRoche Jackson (signed in week 3), and Joe Phinisee (aquired in week 9 trade with Chicago)
-Despite a 2-7 record, still have very realistic playoff hopes entering week elevan
5 Bad:
- Both Dieker and Zbydniewski both are on injured reserve
- Defense allows 59.3 ppg, 3rd highest in AFL
- Defense is fourth-worst, allowing 295.4 Total ypg
- Lack of pass rush, league-low 6 sacks
- Inexperience o-line making life tougher than it is by allowing 21 sacks
Key Stats:
Derik Steiner 114 rush yds, 5 TD
Chris Dieker 27-36, 314 yds, 4 TD, 73 rush yds, 3 TD (1 start)
Brian Zbydniewski 57.4% comp, 2001 yds, 34 TD, 14 Int, 42 rush yds, 6 TD
Dominic Goodman 65 rec, 551 yds, 12 Total TD
Thyron Lewis 48 rec, 752 yds, 12 TD
Secondary has combined for 8 int, Phinisee with 1 ret-TD
Overview:
 I predicted the Gladiators to be the worst team in the AFL this year so I will keep it nice. The Cleveland defense has struggled this year in getting pressure on the opposing quarterback, couple that with offensive struggles and more time to pass has this unit at the bottom of the League. I do like how the secondary has been reshaped in the past month and who knows, with more playing time together mayb this group can sure up things. With the injuries to both Zbydniewski and Dieker, Andrico Hines has been signed for week elevan at New Orleans. Hines inherits a solid receiving core of  two productive veterans in Thyron Lewis and Dominic Goodman, and Jonathan Wilson and Jamar Howard who have taken turns at the third slot. The next three opponents for the Glads are New Orleans, Iowa, and Orlando which gives them a great opportunity to quickly turn things around and make a push to sneak into this year's playoffs. Prediction: Cleveland will have four wins by July and be invovled in a three team battle for the final playoff spot.

In the next blog will be the South Division and a recall on the whole American Conference!