I Can’t Quit You, Valor, I Just Hope You Don’t Quit on Yourselves
I’m sorry that it’s been a while since I wrote anything about the Valor. While I’ve had some personal stuff going on, and let’s be honest: this looked like a promising season after Week 1’s win vs the Baltimore Brigade, but since then, everything has gone wrong.
As of this moment, the Valor are sitting at a league worst 1-6. The team that I thought would be a bed of flowers turned out to be more like poison ivy. Week after week we’ve seen miscues by the offense that result in losses – missed field goals, fumbled snaps, unlucky turnovers in the red zone; basically, anything and everything. As is true with any struggling team, the turnover of the roster has started. I looked on the field at one point during this past weekend’s game vs Cleveland and realized that the team has already replaced two starting receivers and the quarterback, partly because of injury issues, but also the lack of performance on the field. With Erik Meyer, TT Toliver and Mike Washington all on the injured list for the year, the Valor have been forced to go with other options at quarterback and wide receiver, and with so many new faces the results just weren’t going to be pretty.
There’s no other way to say it: this offense is really bad. They are scoring the fewest points per game of any team in the AFL, averaging 39.7 points per game, which is terrible for the AFL. In fact, the 2nd worst team is averaging nearly 8 points per game more than Washington. In a league where scoring matters, that’s a back breaker.
There are certainly a few bright spots here and there. Big-bodied veteran receiver Greg Carr can be a one man weapon at times, with his massive size giving him mismatch opportunities on any given play. Fans see some good stuff from Sean Brackett on occasion, but for every nice end zone fade, we get one bouncing off the net and intercepted. I think the team needs to be looking for a few ways to draw people into games, and creative ways to put up points. Maybe that’s getting Josh Portis on the field in some creative ways. It would be worthwhile to try using the former University of Maryland quarterback in some gadget plays. At this point, what can it possibly hurt?
The Valor defense was at least serviceable, but it was apparent last weekend that they are getting worn down. They have talent, including some key individual players who can be relied upon for a big play every week. But as I was watching them last night it became obvious that AFL teams just can’t win many games on the backs of the defense when the team goes down 3 scores early. I fear the consequences if both the fans and the players understand this. I hope the fans keep the faith during this trying time and continue to support the team.
It would be easy to lose faith. I wouldn’t blame you if you did. In fact, at this point, my summer distraction got me so depressed that after this weekend’s game I ended up at a bar and drank way too much as a result, and may have fallen asleep in my bathroom. But despite everything that’s happened so far in this inaugural season, this is still D.C.’s team, and I am loyal to a fault when it comes to D.C. Sports. Call me a glutton for punishment if you must, but I’m still confident that things are going to turn around, or if not that, at least try and beat Baltimore a few more times.
By Alex Zeese