[revrew]

Des Moines Dragons Half-Way Report
Dick Grayson, sports reporter, Des Moines Register

Could the hometown Dragons be turning the corner? Or is their 4-4 record at the halfway point an indicator of an inconsistent, mediocre team?

Let's make the case for the former. The Dragons have beaten the NFC North leading Bears. Three Des Moines victories have come over opponents with winning records. The Dragon D, led by a veteran secondary with all-star talent, ranks 8th in the NFL. No team in the league has found an answer for QB Nathaniel Witt's scrambling ability, especially on 3rd down, and Witt will be returning from injury after this week's bye.

Couple that with a much easier schedule coming up, and you might think the Dragons can push for a wild card spot in the NFC playoff picture.

But let's make the case now for mediocrity. Witt's legs have given this team a spark, but so far, his arm has been a wet spaghetti noodle. The QB is on pace for only 2,500 yards in the air and less than 15 touchdowns on the season. The passing attack is completely anemic, and preseason stud RB Drake Boyette has yet to make a positive impact. The offense overall ranks 30th in the NFL, and the team is in on the negative side of the turnover margin.

The real blame for the offense's woes, however, needs to fall on the offensive line. The unit currently ranks last in run blocking and last in protecting the QB. Rookie Colby Gibson has been completely overmatched by NFL talent at LT, and veteran RT Malachi Ellison may be doing even worse. Granted, any offensive line that is thrown together for the first year is going to suffer from underdeveloped cohesion and communication, but the front 5 – with the possible exception of C Jimmy Alcott – looks completely lost out there.

In stacking the team up against their record, it's true the Dragons have faced a tough slate of opponents. And yes, it does get easier from here on out, including two games against the 1-7 Green Bay Packers. But if the Dragons can't do better than the 17.5 points per game they're currently averaging … it's hard to imagine anything more than mediocrity.

Report Card
Passing: F – I wanted to give them a D, but 30th in the league says it all.
Rushing: D – If it weren't for Witt's scrambling, this grade would be lower.
O-line play: F – Is there such a thing as an F-?
Pass defense: B+ – The secondary is capable and competitive.
Pass rush: D – Rookie DE Ricardo Heuring has a surprising 6.5 sacks, but no one else is getting there.
Run defense: B – Particularly up the middle, the team has been stout.
Special teams: C – Punter Rick Clark is leading the NFL in average, but the kickoff unit is woefully subpar.
Coaching/intangibles: B – Coach Wells has been a steady, assertive force, but he needs to fix that O-line.