#4 New York Year-In-Review

Preview: (Posted before the 2015 Draft)
In 2009 New York lost the inaugural Larkspur Bowl to the Horde, and then spent the next half decade trying to get back. After scoring the top pick by way of the 2013 Consolation Bowl, The Finest finally brought home the trophy in 2014; They have never been a power house unit, but they have proven their meddle with clutch performances when they count. The savvy veteran looks to defend the title in 2015.

Final Record:
Twelve Wins, One Loss (2,584.92 points; 198.84 avg - 1st)

Playoffs:
Secured Bye through Larkspur Bowl quarterfinals
Lost to South Park Cows in Larkspur Bowl semifinals 216.61 - 214.11
Lost to Phoenix Uprising in 3rd Place Game 179.26 - 163.84

Synopsis:
2014's Larkspur Bowl Champions came into 2015 with a chip on their shoulder- despite winning it all, they were looking for validation: Before the season I said they had never been a power house unit. That changed. 2015 the Finest were the finest, leading the league in points and nearly running the table in the regular season. The only blemish on their record came in the form of a five point loss to Saskatoon in week ten, long after they had secured a first round bye; it was the only matchup they had with a single digit margin. 12-1 is the best record in Larkspur Bowl history (no other team had ever surpassed 10 victories in a single season) and set the record for most points in a season: a coronation for the defending Champions; Anyone can get hot in the playoffs, but it takes a masterstroke to dominate the regular season. They did it with a strong, deep arsenal of weapons boasting both floor and ceiling, a suffocating defense, and a well founded belief in their players. The season proved that their championship was no fluke, which makes their playoff result seem sort of flukey: After they built an early and seemingly insurmountable semifinal lead, team of destiny South Park was able to come back and stun the champs by a 2.5 margin. The year's best team doesn't always hoist the trophy, as the saying goes: Any team can win on any given Sunday. Lacking motivation after the let down, the Finest dropped the third place game and will draft 12th next year. They have proven they can win the championship, and they have proven they can be the best team in the league- in 2016 they'll aim to do both at the same time.

Draft Analysis:

VALUABLE ; TRADED ; DROPPED; RECYCLED; INJURED

The Finest put together an incredibly productive WR group on the cheap, and had one of the most consistent RB and LB platoons in the game, thus their 12-1 record. Actually, the only player on this list that could truly be considered a disappointment at their draft slot was Reggie Bush. Or maybe Aaron Rodgers? As the ninth most productive QB this year (behind luminary free agent Kirk Cousins!) he did not have the season anticipated from a first round selection. But that's mostly nitpicking.

Projected Points by Position versus League Average Projections (POST DRAFT)

NYF: B GRADE
Strength: QB
Weakness: Offensive Weapons

The defending champions have the most reliably awesome quarterback in the game, but the rest of the offense is decidedly mediocre. CJ Mosley should lead a sharp defense.

Trade Review: (Listing each player's point total following the trade)

• SEP 10 traded TE Kyle Rudolph (115.5) to SAV for TE Julius Thomas (107.0)

With Julius injured to start the season, New York saw the opportunity to upgrade their depth, moving the undrafted Rudolph for long term gains. When Thomas returned later in the season he outscored Rudolph per game, and provided a reasonable flex option, and when Tyler Eifert missed time late in the season with injury, he was there to be a viable alternative.

• SEP 15 traded WR Jordan Matthews (194.7), RB Darren McFadden (220.28), and CB Aaron Colvin (112.5) to PHX for WR Michael Crabtree (198.3), RB Frank Gore (205.1), LB Jamie Collins (153.75), and CB Casey Hayward (83.)

At the time, the "and a carton of ice cream" trade looked like a depth move for the NYF, with Jordan Matthews on the rise. As the numbers bear out, Crabtree was actually a bit better. McFadden was the superior back over the course of the season, but he'd be traded twice more before peaking; Gore's numbers were more immediately relevant. Jamie Collins missed a good portion of the season with an illness, but when he played he was an elite linebacker. Both cornerbacks were ultimately impertinent.

• OCT 16 OCT 16 traded LB Daryl Smith (84.95) and WR Jermaine Kearse (89.7) to NYF for LB Luke Kuechly (177.4) and WR Stevie Johnson (50.)  

Once Luke Kuechly joined the FInest, he was the best linebacker in the league, bar none. It was the sort of trade that defined both team's season: For Savannah, it left them a broken husk, struggling to compete. For undefeated New York, it launched their upside into the stratosphere. Jermaine Kearse ended up playing four games for Savannah as they waited for their season from hell to end, and Johnson was subsequently spun off from the bottom of the New York depth chart.

• NOV 3 traded WR Stevie Johnson (41.5) to PHX for LB Paul Worrilow (66.05)

The Finest needed a linebacker for a week and got a solid ten point effort from Worrilow, before their superior depth rendered him expendable and he returned to Toronto via free agency. Stevie Johnson briefly came into serious volume, but after three good to great games, broke. More of a minor deal, that might have paid off more for the Uprising if not for injury.

Player of the Week Awards:

• WK07 PUotW: QB Ryan Tannehill 28.38 points
• WK08 DPotW: LB Luke Kuechly 28.95 points
• WK12 DPotW: LB Luke Kuechly 31.95 points

All Larkspur Bowl Players:

• Linebacker Luke Kuechly 188.9 points

Depth Chart:

• QB: Aaron Rodgers
• RB: Matt Forte, Todd Gurley, Frank Gore, Rashad Jennings
• WR: Eric Decker, Michael Crabtree, Martavis Bryant, Steve Smith, Davante Adams, Doug Baldwin, Percy Harvin
• TE: Tyler Eifert, Julius Thomas
• K: Nick Novak
• DL: Jason Pierre-Paul, Demarucs Ware, Cameron Jordan
• LB: CJ Mosley, Luke Kuechly, Jamie Collins, Manti Te'o, Ryan Kerrigan
• CB: Charles Tillman, Byron Jones, Greg Toler, Casey Hayward
• S: HaHa Clinton-Dix, Chris Conte, Kenny Vaccaro