First off the Pros with a decent but certainly not game breaking 8.77%. Certainly better is required from a side with aspirations of winning the division. The defense is better than average but not by much. Pressuring the QB 14.91% of the time is close to some of the other contenders but is till behind. Similarly for missing 34.05% of their tackles and allowing 53.35% completion (that one is behind the league average and not just their title rivals).

The Bulls are a traditional defensive side and again show it off even if they have been a bit off their usual pace this season. 7.55% of pass plays resulting in a TD against them puts them in range of the top guns of the division at least. They haven't really owned any particular area of defense. 15.1% pressure is pretty good but a bit off the leaders, allowing a 49.24% completion rate is good and only missing 33.84% is also good. This results in a good defense but they will be looking for more by their own high standards.

The Warriors. As one fo the 3 sides looking at demotion they were always going to have a rough season but 11.26% of pass plays against resulting in Tds isn't terrible. 10.67% of opposing plays pressured is at about the minimum of where a defense should be in my opinion. Allowing a 54.87% completion rate is amongst the worst in the league but in fairness I feel like this stat is affected a bit more by the offense than the defense while a 37.57% tackles miss rate is better than the league average of 39%.

PackerNation with their expensive defense do the best of the minnows but I always feel a poor offense puts pressure on any defense and so it seems with 10.78% of pass plays resulting in Tds. They do only allow less than 407 yards a match which is 5th best in the league so it does seem to come from the opposition having shortened fields all the time. 10.05% pressure on Qbs isn't great and neither is missing 41.7% of their tackles but only allowing a 50.14% completion rate is pretty decent. Especially as they are the only side not to get a boost from playing the Packer offense.

Pandas are used to battling out with the Bulls for one fo the top defenses in the league and this season is no different. 6.78% of pass plays resulting in Tds is pretty miserly and they allow only 23.9 points/game. A lot of this stems from their incredible defensive ends-especially Ischia. 21.56% of all opposing pass plays result in a sack or pressure on the QB. Over a fifth of opposition plays are at best an incomplete is a great stat (second in the league is 15.36%). Allowing a 51.05% completion rate from plays not pressured isn't a great stat but again I am less than sure that the defense has all that control over this stat (the defense certainly affects it but possibly the offense has a greater impact here). Only missing 30.38% of tackles is pretty good though. It means less than 10% of completions will result in big Tds. This shows with a league low of 361.3 yards allowed/game.

Fork Handles- This is where this side falls down a bit. 5% of opposing plays are pressured/sacked is the lowest in the league. In fact a large chunk of the defensive ends manage that by themselves. It means the defensive backs need to deal with nearly all plays themselves. A 49.12% completion rate is pretty good but missing 42.96% of their tackles is not and is a big reason as to why 12.78% of plays go for Tds. Allowing big Tds saves the opposing offense a lot of work and only 5% pressure makes it that much more unlikely they will force a punt. Each pressure reduces the number of chances an offense has.

Teressa Red Sharks- The best defense in the league so far with 6.11% of plays resulting in Tds. This is built on the best tackle rate only missing 27.91% of tackles, the lowest completion rate allowed at 47.63% and the second best defensive line at 15.36% of opposing plays pressured. Overall it is pretty tough to get in position to score against them. Can't build it up slowly, can't do a big play.

Tyreso Royal Crowns: A spectacular offense with a timid defense. 6.19% of plays against them result in sacks or pressures which means the deep backs have to deal with every other passing play. These deep backs then miss a league worst 55.83% of their tackles. Only allowing a completion rate of 48.43% stops them from being the worst defense in the league but at 16.52% TD to pass play against they are not far off (0.08% to be exact).

Hempsted Otters: A relatively weak side that depends more on their offense than their defense leads to a league worst 16.6% of plays against them going for Tds. They miss over half their tackles and only achieving 9.13% pressure on the QB just is not a recipe for success. Neither is allowing a league worst 58.68% completion rate. I know I said that it is mostly the offense but the defense does have some say in the stat.

Viking Nantes: This is where the unexpected Nantes season seems to have come from. 7.09% of plays against them result in Tds giving them a great chance of winning close games. 15.33% pressure on the opposing QB and missing less than 30% of tackles are the main factors in this stat given their completion rate allowed stat is distinctly average.

Next round - 13.08.2016 12:00
Vikings Nantes vs.Breizh Warriors
Nantes

PackerNation vs.Terrassa Red Sharks
Sharks. Though maybe I shouldn't be so sure after the first 40 minutes of last weeks game.

Tyresö Royal Crowns vs.Fork Handles
Handles. Looks like the Crowns are going bot unfortunately. Good news for the Warriors though.

Spain Bulls vs.Hempsted Otters
Bulls

Traujin's Pros vs.Pandapocalypse
Pros. I have had a big win in the last two meetings but the Pandas have seriously under performed in those matches. Not sure how it will go if the Pandas players bring their A game. However a loss would knock me out of the title race as I would be two games behind the Pandas with a vastly inferior points difference. A win and I am right in the mix though I am probably hoping for someone to do me a favour to get by the Pandas points difference. Staten will need to be in top form for it and will have to make the most of any plays Ischia and Koops don't disrupt.

As an aside, juicypeach. If you feel that botting is inevitable I would go ahead and start the new team asap. Obviously my preference is for you to find a way out of this hole with your current team but if you must then it is better to start the new team earlier.

Hope Itch is ok. If he was watching his match I imagine he would have had a heart attack.

Tight division again, Panda's in the driving seat, got to be favourites

really glad i got out of here, not sure i want any of you to promote to 11.2

its hard to win in 11.2 boys, but i think you'll be ok, 111.5 is one tough division

coops

Missed the last couple of rounds, which saw both Traujin's Pros and PackerNation progress to, but bow out in, Round 7, ending III.5's involvement in the RC:

Round 6:

Ottershaw Shankers (II.3) 49 v 73 Traujin's Pros
Palafolls Almogavers (II.1) 105 v 7 Tyresö Royal Crowns
Breizh Warriors 17 v 42 Blewbury & Upton Bombers (III.6)
PackerNation 70 v 21 Zaragoza Pro's (IV.20)

Round 7:

Grizzlys de St Laurent 49 v 21 Traujin's Pros
Inverglen Knights 59 v 17 PackerNation