DEAD ZOMBIES SEASON REVIEW CAPSULE

Record ? 9-5 (3rd in Bob Timoney Conference ? unluckiest team in league)

Season in a nutshell ? The more you look at this team, the more you are left scratching your head as to how it missed the post-season. Andrew Luck was even better than advertised, Demaryius Thomas was another monster draft success, whilst Alfred Morris in round 16 may have been the steal of the whole thing. Started 2-2, and progressed to 5-3 by week 8 but then dropped the next two to the Clap and Dragons ? those two losses proved key, as though the Zombies won the last 4 games at a canter to finish a worthy 9-5, the Clap and Dragons ultimately edged them out on the basis of those games in weeks 9 and 10. Harsh luck, not fackin appy with that. The Zombies often had so many good options, especially at QB, that sometimes simply knowing which star to put out was like trolley dashing against Richard Madeley or Anthony Worrell-Thomsen ? placed in a situation where you simply cant win.

Keepers going in ? T Romo (QB), M Stafford (QB), R Rice (RB), D Bryant (WR) and B Marshall (WR)

Notable draftees (Rnd selected) ? Andrew Luck (1), Demaryius Thomas (2), Robert Meachem (3) ? might as well have selected Robert Wagner, Jahvid Best (5) ? would have been better off selecting Angie Best, Felix Jones (5) ? would have got more yards from Corporal Jones, Jason Witten (6)

Trades in/out ? As ever they didn't disappoint, as the Zombies GM is not one to sit on his hands. Grab a JD and listen in; traded Vincent Brown and a 5th rnd pick to the Teds for Steve Smith and a 10th rnd pick; traded Jacob Tamme and a 9th rnd pick to The Knee Joints for Owen Daniels; traded Ray Rice and Brandon Marshall for Megatron and a 12th rnd pick

What went right ? Some big hits from the draft with Andrew Luck, Demaryius Thomas and Alfred Morris playing lights out all year. 7 times they topped the century mark ? a league best, in what was the league's highest scoring team. Indeed outscored the rest by a mile at the WR and Bonus Point factors, showing what a deep roster this was. In addition 6 other teams had more points put on them than the Zombies, so it remains a mystery how they didn't make the play-offs. All three of its top QB's were worthy fantasy studs in their own right. Dezzie did Dallas very well last season, making the next step to elite status ? he looks a long term keeper providing he can keep out of his own way as the guy is a bona fide nutjob.

Where it went wrong ? They lost the games they needed against fellow conference powerhouses, going 1-3 against The Clap and The Dragons. That ultimately shut them out; quite a few draft busts too with the likes of Jahvid Best, Felix Jones, Kevin Smith, Robert Meachem et al pretty much crapping out. The Zombies were also often victims of their own strength, with Romo or Luck on the bench often outscoring Stafford who'd started or vice versa. Ray Rice played only OK at times, and not as studworthy as he often can do but that's picking gnat shit out of pepper. Bottom line, little did go wrong ? they just played in a conference that was tougher than a Korean flyweight this year.


How this team will get better ? It will win the big conference games this time, and also get more luck with its starting QB selections as both Stafford and Mr Luck himself ? do you see what I did there? - represent QB1 options every week they take the field.

What's been done already ? Megatron has been brought on board to team with his real world QB. Double point city over in Detroit and Zombie-land, whilst Ray Rice and Brandon Marshall have been sacrificed ? this was a hit the Zombies could absorb, such was their strength. As the old adage goes, you have to be willing to give up something to get something.

A Current Guess at the likely 5 Keepers ? A Luck (QB), M Stafford (QB), A Morris (RB), C Johnson (WR) and Dez Bryant (WR)

What's ahead ? A good collection of draft picks, 22 in total and most importantly holding the top pick in 18 of the 20 rounds, means the Zombies start off from a high perch. With an extremely strong set of keepers, surely a run deep into the play-offs beckons given a fair wind.