Post by Washington Insiders on Aug 23, 2023 10:32:45 GMT -5
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The season's first quarter has just ended this past week. The Insiders added a tough win against the Richmond Revolution to their list of home wins, alongside division rivals Dublin Celtic Tigers and Seattle Cybercats. Between the Seattle and Richmond wins, the team went on the road and took home a W against the always tough Texas Terrors. This sees them as one of three undefeated teams left in the OIFL.
DIVISION OUTLOOK
DEPTH SHOWING OUT
HOW THE NEWBS ARE DOING
DON'T FORGET THOSE WHO GOT US HERE
LOOKING FORWARD
The season's first quarter has just ended this past week. The Insiders added a tough win against the Richmond Revolution to their list of home wins, alongside division rivals Dublin Celtic Tigers and Seattle Cybercats. Between the Seattle and Richmond wins, the team went on the road and took home a W against the always tough Texas Terrors. This sees them as one of three undefeated teams left in the OIFL.
DIVISION OUTLOOK
- It's early in the season, but the Insiders are currently alone atop their division. Seattle and the Portland Pioneers are tied next at 2-2 each (Portland has the early tie-breaker), while Dublin currently sits at 0-4.
- The Insiders secured two all-important division wins during this stretch. The wait for more divisional games is short; they play Portland at home this week, then head across the pond to Dublin in Week 6.
- While your Insiders are getting a bunch of division games early on, the division matchups won't be done until the last week of the season, when they go on the road to Seattle.
DEPTH SHOWING OUT
- The Insiders made a point to play much of their roster in past years, but it didn't always show on the stat sheet... this year is different.
- WRLB Ad Wittemann is currently tied for the team lead with 3 receiving touchdowns coming off the bench, among 7 total receptions (5th on the team). WRDB Howard Hanson has been technically a non-starter, but coaches view him as 1B on the depth chart behind WRDB Sam Engelberg. While Engelberg has more catches, Hanson is making the splash plays. He currently has more touchdowns (2) than Engelberg (1), and is averaging over 14 yards per catch.
- On the ground, backup RBLBs Teddy Gervasi and Jay Larson have added a total of 135 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries.
- Defensively, the biggest contributions off the bench have come from OLDL Colin Morrison. The team is crediting him with 7 splash plays in the first four games, 2nd on the team behind OLDL Elliot Eades. Those plays include three sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception.
HOW THE NEWBS ARE DOING
- Speaking of Eades, he has been every bit as advertised so far. In four games, he has 7 sacks, along with two forced fumbles and a safety.
- The biggest defensive acquisition besides Eades was new DS Carey Faes, and he is earning his keep with 3 interceptions to start the year. At this pace, he would smash the team record for interceptions in a season.
- Offensively the big new name was OS Michael Killawa, who returned to the Insiders this year after starting his career in the Nation's Capital with the former DC Conspiracy, and then seeing what other teams had to offer. So far, Killawa is 2nd on the team in catches, receiving yards and touchdowns. He's also averaging 17 yards per return with one kick-6 to start the season.
DON'T FORGET THOSE WHO GOT US HERE
- QB Chris Berkstead has had a solid year through Quarter 1, with a 108+ QB Rating and 11 touchdowns to start, including a tough defensive fight in Texas among the four games.
- RBLB Jack Stones is on track for a career year offensively, with 468 total yards and 12 total touchdowns so far. Defensively however he has yet to hit the stat sheet. Coaches say not to worry, that game plans have dictated he focus less on pass rushing, and that on film they've seen him getting his share of pressures, but has also been beat to the punch by Eades and others on multiple occasions.
LOOKING FORWARD
- After the next two weeks, the Insiders will face Portland in Week 12 and Seattle in Week 16 (both on the road) to close out the division schedule.
- Washington got 4 home games in the first 5 games total, however the schedule spaces out the remaining home games such that Washington will not have more than two road games in a row all season.
- As noted at the start, Washington is one of three undefeated teams left in the OIFL, the other two are the Houston Marshals and the Philadelphia Founders. Philadelphia plays neither team, but if both teams keep up their winning ways we have a potential big battle of unbeatens in Week 14 when Washington travels to Houston.