Rio de Janeiro Carnival (5-5)
At 5-1, Rio looked like a challenger for the division title. Now having lost 4 consecutive games, they are adrift at .500 and wondering where to go from here.
The best running game in the league–by about 40 yards–leads the second highest scoring offense in the WFL. The passing attack is weak, but the team is still second in the league with about 430 yards per game. The issues are on the other side of the ball, where the defense has been thoroughly mediocre.
#Bottom Line
Roster Moves. Move Schwartz down.
Draft Needs. DT, LB, WR.
Week Four Draftee Update: Bobby Hunt. Playing as a reserve, hasn’t shown enough to move up..
#QB
When he’s been on the field, Len Dawson has been among the best in the league. He isn’t asked to do much, but he has kept his completion % over 60 and has only thrown 2 interceptions against 13 TDs for a 114+ QB rating. The Carnival have only lost 1 game where Dawson received significant playing time.
The problem is he has not stayed healthy, and his primary replacement–Otto Graham–has been an erratic mess. Graham clearly has the stronger arm, but he has as many interceptions as TDs (9) and has struggled along to a QB rating around 70, which just won’t cut it in this league. Graham’s best 2 games were his first two and, if Dawson goes down again, Look for Alex Smith to get some time under center.
#RB
Not only do the Carnival have the best RB in the league, they may have the best two in Jim Brown and Jamaal Charles. Brown has been unreal, with 1176 yards and 10 TDs, despite missing roughly a game and a half. Charles, with 806 and 5, would be the featured back on most teams in the league. There’s been no need to look beyond those two, although Isaiah Crowell has 2 TDs on short yardage dives, and Anthony Sherman has been fantastic as a blocker.
#WR & TE
Tony Gonzalez is probably the best TE in the league, and he leads the team with 50 catches for 625 yards and 7 TDs. Jordan Cameron has done well in support.
Paul Warfield has looked like a #1 receiver when he’s been on the field (29 catches for 455 yards and 9 TDs), but he hasn’t been on the field enough. Josh Gordon has been hurt even more than Warfield, despite 3 TDs in 11 catches when healthy. Warfield is back this week, Gordon out most of the next month.
That means Rio is asking supporting receivers–Miles Austin, Dwayne Bowe, Andrew Hawkins–to step into the top slots, and the results have been fairly mediocre.
#OL
There isn’t a better front 4 in the league than Lou Groza, Joel Bitonio, Will Shields, and Joe Thomas. Mike McGlynn and Tim Grunhard have done well covering for Alex Mack‘s injury at C; Mack is due back in a couple weeks
The only bad mark on the line has been Mitchell Schwartz‘s performance in limited reps. Barring injury, this group is the key to Rio’s game.
#DL
Len Ford has been quite good, leading the team with 5 sacks and adding 8 hurries, second only to Jabaal Sheard‘s 10. Sheard also has 5 stuffs. Bobby Bell has been decent, but could do more in his free-roaming role as a DE/LB hybrid.
DT is an issue. Dontari Poe was doing well before getting injured, Vance Walker, John Hughes, and Bob Gain have all seen time there, but none have overly impressed.
#LB
Derrick Thomas leads the team in tackles with 47, to go along with 3 sacks, 3 hurries, and 2 deflections. Other than that, the group of Craig Robertson, Donnie Edwards, Clay Matthews, and Justin Houston have been merely adequate.
#DB
Hanford Dixon, Jim Leonhard, Ben Davis, and Joe Haden each have 2 picks. That’s a strong showing from the secondary! Dixon has 7 deflections and Johnny Robinson leads the group in tackles with 43. Haden has missed about a month, but is due back this week.
Buster Skrine and Tashaun Gipson have provided good support behind this group.
#P & K
Cairo Santos has been great, perfect on 39 XPs and excellent on FGs–he’s missed 4, but 3 of those from 50+.
Dustin Colquitt has struggled some, with a net down by 35.
#Returns
If Dante Hall could catch the ball, he’d be a star in this league. As it is, he is in the top handful of return men, averaging 23 yards on KOs with 1 TD and nearly 9 on punts.He does have 5 fumbles, which is a worry.