[MIJB#19]

Statistical analysis
With the season at the 10 games point, all teams have played the same number of games. It makes a good time to have some sort of mid-season report if what's been going on in Maassluis so far. I have gone through the list of stats and picked out what I thought could be intersting to note, as well as giving all the team stats that prove that our 4-6 record is even better then we really have been.


Passing Game
McDavid 51%, 160yd/game, 0.8 td, 1.3 int
Lyon 53%, 194yd/game, 1.1 td, 2.3 int
24th with 52% of passes completed (avg 55%)
22nd with 172 yards per game (avg 198)
26th with 5.3 yards per attempt (avg (6.2)
26th with 10.2 yards per catch (avg (11.3)
11th with 13.9 yards lost by sacks (avg 15.6)
32nd with 16 interceptions (avg 10)

The passing game is weaker then last season. It's clear that the stats do not correlate with results. Lyon has been passing more and further away, but McDavid won games. Individually, Lyon completes 2% more of his passes for 34 more yards per game, 0.3 more touchdowns, but sadly also 1 interception more comapred to McDavid.

From our receivers, none excel in the league, except that Bryce Ewald had 4 touchdownsm which only 17 others have done so far. Harris' 3 scores are also decent. Reiser already performs better then Aubrey. Less catches, but 5 yards per catch more. O'Reilley still hasn't dropped a pass and Monti's 13.5 yards per catch are good.

Fullback Vincent Lopez is the worst pass protector, but the guards Malave and White allow 5 each. The other linemen are doing well, allowing less then the average. Especially OTs Grimaldo and Hurtado do their job well.


Rushing Game
Harris 65yd/game, 3.3yd/carry, 0.4 td, 95 tackles/fumble
McDavid 22yd/game, 4.6yd/carry, 0.0 td, 12 tackles/fumble
21st with 108 yards per game (avg 117)
26th with 3.6 yards per carry (avg 4.0)
7th with 3 fumbles lost (avg 6)

Harris had his forts 100-yard game followed with his worst showing ever at 23 yards. In 2004 he never fell below the 3.0 average per carry, he did twice this season, both against Gothenburg.

All five starting linemen have started 8 or 10 games to make 11 to 14 key run blocks. None really jump out, though the percentages for RT/RG Malave and C Heinrich are 38% with others' below 30%.


Pass Defense
26th with 58% of passes completed (avg 55%)
28th with 233 yards per game (avg 198)
27th with 6.9 yards per attempt (avg 6.2)
23rd with 11.8 yards per catch (avg 11.3)
22nd with 13.4 yards won by sacks (avg 15.6)
29th with 7 interceptions (avg 10)

CB Wayne and LB Thelen allow 35 and 33 catches, which are two of the worst four showings. Thet do make 8 and 7 defended passes, but it doesn't make up for too many catches. FS Muller has 2 interceptions and 5 defended versus 17 catches, which loss much better. CB Preciado has 1 interception and 5 defended passes versus 17 catches. S McGhee, CB Wayne and LB Thelen are all amongst the league's 30 worst pass defenders so far.

DE Wells has 8 sacks to rank him 6th in the league, 3rd amongst DEs. So far he's having an All IHOF season with also 12 hurries. DT Gomez' 15 hurries and 5 sacks make him All IHOF material as well.


Run Defense
9th with 111 yards per game (avg 117)
15th with 3.9 yards per carry (avg 4.0)
2nd with 10 fumbles recovered (avg 6)

LB Thelen has 64 tackles, LB Cluff 60. Especially DT Gomez and DE Wells are on pace for a big number of tackles to support their pass rush numbers as All IHOF candidates. S McGhee and S Muller make a lot of tackles, as does CB Wayne, but they are not speciafically associated with rushing plays. LB Kershner is a problem child, who hardly plays, despite his starting role.

Special Teams
On punt returns, O'Reilley averages 6.6 yards, which is good and totals 126, which both account for top 10 performances in the league. In kick returns, henson averages 22.8 yards, which is a top10 average. O'Reilley's 21.8 rank him 13th overall, making them a scary tandem.

Punter Roscoe Corrales is not producing the goods at all. His punt hang time allows the gunners Cluff, Reiser and Burger to haunt almost every returner. Kicker Coles started as a reliable kicker, but has cost the team two or three victories. Especially a missed PAT was at 9-10 down was a big miss for him and the team.


Overall Stats
17th with 38% succes on third downs (avg 38%)
14th with 37% on third downs allowed (avg 38%)
1st with 303 yards penalised (avg 460)
21st with 4.6 points in red zone offense (avg 4.8)
11th with 4.6 points in red zone defense (avg 4.8)
17th with -2 in turnover margin (avg 0)

Overall, there are not many bright lights on the Merchantmen team. DE Harold Wells and DT Charles Gomez do what they can and with their sacks and tackles are both on pace for All IHOF conciderations. RB Randy Harris has scored 7 touchdowns in 10 stars, making him rank in the IHOF's 10 most scoring non-kickers. OTs Harold Hurtado and Wilson Grimaldo have played good games and bad games, but especially Hurtado is still irreplacable on the line.

Amazingly, with Justin McDavid starting, the team has won 4 games, lost 2 they shouldn't have lost and he went down for the year just before Coles missed a kick at 3-3 tied. The top rookies all showed some skill, but are also all too inconsistent to be concidered as doing very well.

Dissapointments so far? TE Jerry Aubrey looks worse then we hoped. The All IHOF selection is far from the 2004 star. LB Kershner is too much injured and missed too many plays.