Five Standouts through Week 5 of Season 23

Hey, it's been a minute but Season 23 has delivered thus far, in ways we expected and in ways that have surprised. Here at SFLHQ, here's five standouts through Week 5:

Arizona As Advertised

When the Arizona Scorpions put together their roster in the off-season, it turned heads. Through five weeks, they've delivered on expectations burying two winless teams and pulling out wins over better competition. Defense has led the charge, leading to #1 rankings in total defense (207.8) and yards per carry defense (2.4). David Tilley leads the league in sacks (5.5). Arizona has only faced one team with a winning record, but they only have two teams with winning records currently remaining on their schedule: @ Fort Worth and @ Florida. We'll find out if they're truly up to the task in those matchups, but for now they're just one win from tying their five victories from Season 22.

Mexico City the Most Dominant

If you take out their 13-9 loss to unbeaten Arizona, the Aztecs have been an unstoppable force. Their +62 point differential leads the SFL and in two home games they've scored 100 combined points. The offense is tops in yards per pass attempt (9.9) and third down conversion (nearly 70%). Hall-of-Famer Jeffrey Daggs has already set a 4K23 record with three forced fumbles. Jason Bartley's returned two onside kicks for scores. But Fort Worth is next and the Aztecs have lost six straight to their division rivals, dating back to Season 19. Canton is right after them. That's as tough of a two-game stretch as anyone will face this season.

Taking a Big Leap

Indianapolis' Reggo Dinero has five receiving touchdowns, two more than he had the last two seasons combined. He leads the league in receiving touchdowns and he's done it on just 13 receptions. Chicago is 0-5, but Doug Day has been relentless - he leads the league with 59 tackles, on pace for 141 tackles this season. That would shatter the 4K23 record which is just 113 (David Leathers, Motor City). Tank Bennett holds the all-time SFL record (158 back in Season 14). Similar to Day, Queen City's Luke Swift has been a bright spot in another dark season for the Corsairs. His 15 tackles for loss leads the league, on pace for 123 total tackles - 57 more than he had last season.

The Most Bizarre Start

The Albuquerque Atoms have had the strangest start to a SFL franchise that we can remember. In two home games, the Atoms have given up zero points defensively (the seven points allowed to Fort Worth was a special teams touchdown). In their two road games, they have given up a combined 82 points. That stark difference is just wild. The crazier thing? The Atoms have just two road games until Week 14. They will play four-straight at home with two byes in between and will only play one team with a winning record during that stretch. If they continue to play at home like they've been to start the season, start looking at the Atoms as surprise postseason darlings.

ANY STOPPING THE STORM?

The two-time defending champions are the only other undefeated team besides Arizona through five weeks. They've only turned the ball over three times and they average nearly 30 minutes of time of possession (3/4 of a game). They, along with Charleston, have only given up 38 points in four games (9.5 points per game) and they're not missing retired-number Alex Dominguez either. Development player Dallas Knowles has 4.0 sacks, good enough for fourth-best in the league. The Storm has Canton, Arizona and Minnesota left, plus a 2-1 Bossier City team that's had two weeks to prepare for them this week.