Preview: (Posted before the 2015 Draft)
The Lead Farmers are something of an enigma- there is one playoff appearance on their resume (2010) when the then 'Levee G-Men' were third in overall points and made it as far as the semifinals. Their six years have alternated between bad and good, but their past two 'good' years have not scored many W's, despite scoring enough points to be in the top six. With a little more attention to detail, Pete could tweak his squad into a return to elite form in 2015.
Five Wins, Eight Losses (2,333.34 pts; 179.49 avg - 6th)
Playoffs:
Lost to Deputy Van Halens in Consolation Quarterfinal 180.12 - 148.66
Defeated Savannah Petes in 11th place game 198.64 - 143.69
Synopsis:
Another year, another glacial start for the Lead Farmers. For the second year in a row, HCM started the year off WRONG with five straight losses, burying themselves too deep to recover and make a serious playoff run. Yet again they finished sixth in overall points, but without the week to week production needed to turn that scoring into a winning record. It's a shame, and it started with the top of their draft: They lost 2nd round pick Jordy Nelson to an injury before the season began, and the running backs they were counting on (1st rounder) DeMarco Murray and (4th rounder) rookie Melvin Gordon both had underwhelming seasons. Then there's the bizarre fiasco of dropping Russell Wilson (and Doug Baldwin) for nothing, undermining whatever chance they had of running the table late. While both of those things happened after the five game losing streak had ended, they're microcosms of the weekly circus that make HCM so unpredictable: patience where there should be action, short sighted moves when the team needs to think long term. The rest of their draft unearthed some gems, and they did well enough on the wire to finish with a respectable roster that won five of their final eight regular season games. There's not a team in the league with more pressure on them to win week one next year.
Draft Analysis:
VALUABLE ; TRADED ; DROPPED; RECYCLED; INJURED
The biggest takeaway looking at this draft is sorta obvious: don't draft a QB in the third round and then drop him for nothing. Wilson took off in the back half of the year- when he was playing for Pawnee and leading them all the way to the Larkspur Bowl. Doug Baldwin as a mid round pick ended up doing the same thing- less predictably, but still a blow. There were two studs picked in the back half of this draft: Khalil Mack (who the Farmers let escape for nothing) and Andy Dalton, who got injured late in the year.
Projected Points by Position versus League Average Projections (POST DRAFT)
Strength: RB
Weakness: WR
Three marquee bell cows have the Lead Farmers in the driver's seat, but split wide there's Jordy Nelson, and then a bunch of limited skill set role players.
Trade Review: (Listing each player's point total following the trade)
- OCT 16 traded RB Jonathan Stewart (155.1) to PHX for LB Thomas Davis (117.63) and WR Michael Floyd (154)
HCM was active in working the block, seeking a WR to compliment breakout star Allen Robinson. While several deals were confirmed to be in the works, only one came to fruition, securing help on both sides of the ball: with HCM hitching its cart to DeMarco Murray and Melvin Gordon, they moved the less dynamic Johnathan Stewart for WR Michael Floyd and LB Thomas Davis. Floyd had a slow start with the Islanders and ended up with the Uprising following a roster pinch. After joining HCM he took off with four huge games, two weak outputs hampered by injury, and then four more monster efforts. Davis had a major player in Pheonix's revolving LB corps, and continued to make big plays at a steady pace for the Lead Farmers. Stewart ramped up his production after joining Phoenix, eventually being spun off to Liberal, improving with each new jersey.
Player of the Week Awards:
- WK13 OPotW: WR Allen Robinson (44.7 pts)
- WK13 DPotW: FS Malcolm Jenkins (32.45 pts)
- Wide Receiver: Allen Robinson (304.3 pts)
- Free Safety: Malcolm Jenkins (189.65 pts)
- QB: Andy Dalton, Alex Smith
- RB: Demarco Murray, Melvin Gordon, Charcandrick West, Karlos Williams
- WR: Allen Robinson, Tyler Lockett, Anquan Boldin, Michael Floyd, Kenny Stills, Jordy Nelson
- TE: Greg Olsen, Charles Clay
- K: Dustin Hopkins
- DL: Chandler Jones, Everson Griffen
- LB: Thomas Davis, Jelani Jenkins, Justin Houston, Josh Mauga, Gerald Hodges
- CB: Dom Rodgers-Cromartie, Johnathan Joseph, Byron Maxwell, Desmond Trufant
- S: Malcolm Jenkins, Antonio Bethea, Mike Mitchell, Micah Hyde
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