Super Bowl IV
Dakota Vipers (14-4) vs. Yukon Yeti (18-0)
7 to 49
Box Score
Team 1Q 2Q 3Q 4Q
Vipers 0 0 0 7
Yeti 0 7 21 21
Team Statistics
Dakota Yukon
216 Total Offense 397
23 Rushing Yards 158
193 Passing Yards 239
12 First Downs 14
327 Total Yards 427
2 Turnovers 0
6/14 3rd Down Conv 2/5
1 Off Redzone Att 6
10:24 Possession Time 9:36
Individual Statistics
Passing (team, position) Rating Yds TD Int Comp / Att Comp% Avg Sack Long
Ben Harris (YY, QB) 137.7 237 5 0 18 / 26 69 9.1 0 27
Todd Price (DV, QB) 51.7 193 1 2 19 / 38 50 5.0 0 23
Rushing (team, position) Yds TD Att Avg Fumb BTk After 1st Hit 20+ yds Long
Tim Peterson (YY, HB 146 2 11 13.2 0 1 13 1 69
Ben Harris (YY, QB) 7 0 1 7.0 0 0 0 0 7
Charles Burnett (YY, FB 5 0 2 2.5 0 0 0 0 4
Jermaine Rojas (DV, HB 17 0 17 1.0 0 0 14 0 8
Jeff Bruce (DV, FB) 6 0 1 6.0 0 0 1 0 6
Receiving (team, position) Rec Yds Avg TD YAC Long
Mack Pleasant (YY, WR) 4 33 8.2 1 23 14
Lamar Craig (YY, WR) 3 44 14.6 1 23 23
Tim Peterson (YY, HB) 2 27 13.5 1 7 19
T.J. Oliver (YY, WR) 2 44 22.0 1 12 27
Richard Cummings (YY, WR) 2 20 10.0 0 0 15
Charles Burnett (YY, FB) 1 2 2.0 0 1 2
Bobby Hughes (YY, WR) 1 15 15.0 0 1 15
Roscoe Terrell (YY, WR) 1 17 17.0 0 12 17
Derek Pruitt (YY, TE) 1 16 16.0 1 0 16
Neil Parker (YY, TE) 1 21 21.0 0 5 21
Adrian Emanuel (DV, WR) 6 77 12.8 0 2 21
Karl Harry (DV, TE) 4 46 11.5 1 12 17
Terry Spires (DV, WR) 3 16 5.3 0 1 9
Brad Jean (DV, WR) 2 33 16.5 0 1 23
Jeff Bruce (DV, FB) 2 -2 -0.5 0 2 0
Jermaine Rojas (DV, HB) 2 22 11.0 0 3 14
Defensive Leaders (team, position) Tackles Misc.
Lionel Nipper (YY, MLB) 10 3 TFL, 1 Pass Defl
Andre Harry (YY, CB) 6 1 Pass Defl
Warrick Walton (YY, ROLB) 3 2 TFL, 1 Pass Defl
Antwaan Mason (YY, SS) 3 1 TFL, 1 INT (26 yds), 2 Pass Defl
Ted Watts (YY, CB) 1 1 INT (13 yds), 4 Pass Defl
Kicking (team, position) Misc
Gabe Olson (DV, P) 2 FGA, 0 FGM, 1 30-39 FGA, 1 50+ FGA, 1 XPM, 2 KO
Ronnie Johnson (YY, K) 7 XPM
Richard McCaffrey (YY, P) 8 KO, 4 TB
Punting (team, position) Avg No. Yds Net Yds TB Long
Richard McCaffrey (YY, P) 36.3 3 109 69 2 54
Gabe Olson (DV, P) 33.6 5 168 161 0 40
MVP
YY HB Tim Peterson (146 yds rushing, 11 att, 2 TD, 27 yds receiving, 2 rec, TD)
Additional Information
Dakota Kicker Santana Millard missed the game due to a strained back.
Analysis and Recap
The Yukon Yeti are Super Bowl Champions for the third straight year. The game seemed to be a stalemate for most of the first half. Yukon punted the ball away three different times before finally driving down the field with under two minutes in the half. Ben Harris found TE Derek Pruitt in the corner of the endzone, putting the score at 7-0 Yukon at halftime. Dakota punter Gabe Olson was forced to play kicker due to Santana Millard's strained back, resulting in a missed 38 yard field goal as time ran out in the first half. Yukon came out very strong in the second half. After a decent kick return from T.J. Oliver, the Yeti opened with a dominating 69 yard rushing play orchestrated by solid blocking by the front line and solid running by HB Tim Peterson. Although Yukon rarely uses their running game, every time Peterson got the call it was to great effect. Yukon compiled 21 points in the third quarter, securing a relatively comfortable 28 point lead. Dakota's offense failed to get anything going until midway through the fourth quarter. In short, Yukon's defense provided a decent backing to a mistake free performance from the offense. The second half saw Yukon throw together 42 points, 21 in each quarter, an impressive performance to be sure. Perhaps if Dakota had started stronger, the game would've gone differently. As soon as the second half was underway, it was clear that Yukon was going to run away with their third straight title. Overall, Yukon's balanced and consistent attack wore down Dakota's defense while constant pressure on the QB and stout run defense prevented the Vipers from mounting all but one successful drive to the redzone.
Conclusions
Dakota put together an impressive run after clinching homefield advantage in the playoffs. Their experience in the tough conference of the NFC North has helped them play good teams and beat them when it matters. Will they return with equal force next year? I doubt it. Although I don't see it as unlikely that Dakota posts another double digit win season, the competitive NFC North could just as easily go to the rising Springfield Knights or the always fighting Madison Timberwolves. I don't see them returning to the Super Bowl next year unless they make some grand off-season acquisitions or have a very lucky year.
Yukon is clearly still on top of the NFA with its young stars, versatile receiving corps, and improving defense. However, Yukon faces a series of contract expirations that may be inescapable this off-season. To name a few: WR T.J. Oliver, MLB Anthony Moss, FS Jon Baker, K Ronnie Johnson, P Richard McCaffery. Combined with the rise of certain backup players, the most prominent of course being QB Ben Harris, Yukon faces a unique challenge. Having just signed QB Torry Mathis to a 7 year contract at the start of the 2006 season, the Yeti have only a year before Ben Harris' contract expires. The question is: will he even last that long as backup? Harris is clearly at the caliber of starting QB now. Who will Yukon choose? Of course, the series of dilemmas Yukon is facing this coming off-season is almost entirely due to the fact that their franchise is experiencing unprecedented success. Can they do it again next season? Quite possibly. Whichever QB the Yeti go with, they still have an offensive leader in the form of WR Mack Pleasant and two versatile backs behind center. Right now, Yukon is spending more than most teams in the league, but also taking in more due to their success. Without much cap room to work with, Yukon may be forced to make some cuts to their talented roster. How much will this actually impede their success? Probably not too much. The Yeti are still the team to beat.
Saturday, March 22, 2014
The Abominable Snowmen - Why Teams Should and Shouldn't Worry About the Yukon Yeti
Yukon and undefeated are becoming synonymous around the league water cooler. No team has scored more than 20 points against the Yeti this season. Conversely, the Yeti have yet to play a game in which they have scored under 33 points. The closest game any team has played against Yukon this season was the Grizzlies week 11 game in which they lost by 18 points, 35 to 17. Every team that's scheduled to play Yukon can't escape the nagging fear that they're going to be blown out. Even traditional conference powerhouses like the Atlantic Tide and Carson City Comets have seen their potent defenses crumble and their dynamic offenses reduced to hopeless pass plays. In the face of such apparent mismatches, what can teams do to counter the Yeti?
The key to understanding Yukon's success begins with an examination of their offense. The Yeti rely on specific receivers running specific routes at specific times. Moreover, the Yeti rely on having an athletic, mobile quarterback. It shouldn't take an analyst to recognize that Yukon's smallest margin of victory this season came when Stan Payne was forced to play an entire half at QB. That being said, Yukon's QBs, particularly starter Torry Mathis and his backup (and current starter due to Mathis' season-ending torn quadricep) Ben Harris, can be stopped or severely inhibited by limiting their mobility. The go-to defensive options here are QB contain blitz packages and any form of QB spy zone.
QB contain blitz packages can be risky because they tie up defensive resources that might be better served covering Yukon's diverse and effective receiving corps. However, they also apply needed pressure and keep the QB in the pocket. Both Mathis and Harris tend to lead receivers by scrambling out of the pocket and then gunning/dumping the ball off or running for a gain. QB contain will keep them in the pocket and force them to spend more time reading the defense and less time toying with the idea of scrambling for yards.
QB spy zones are probably the most efficient means of limiting Yukon's QBs. Assigning just one player, such as the MLB, on a QB spy zone will prevent Mathis or Harris for scrambling for anything more than a marginal gain and also prevent short leading passes over the middle. A player in a QB spy zone will shadow the QB about 4 yards off of the line of scrimmage, preventing him from connecting on any sort of short vertical pass play and also stopping him from scrambling. This takes away Mathis and Harris' favorite options and forces them to make either deep upfield passes or short horizontal and diagonal routes. Just like the QB contain, the QB spy zone limits QB mobility. However, it's much more difficult to evade at the expense of giving the QB more time to read the secondary.
Although it might be tempting to blitz more or run certain types of zone defenses that tend to confuse the Yeti offense, these options work less consistently than QB contain. That isn't to say they shouldn't be used, but by and large they will only work once the Yukon offense is frazzled.
From the perspective of the secondary, stopping Yukon's receivers is usually a nightmare. Most of this can be attributed to the ability of the QB to scramble out of the pocket and lead receivers to corners or across the field. Once this ability is negated, the secondary still has to overcome the threat of 4 very talented receivers on any given play (Mack Pleasant, T.J. Oliver, Richard Cummings, Lamar Craig). Using individual assignments for each receiver is a must. The fastest corner should play on Pleasant, the second fastest on Oliver. Singe coverage is always risky, but is permissible in the cases of Craig and Cummings. A talented corner can shutdown Oliver, but it takes an all-pro to shutdown Pleasant. In order to negate the advantage of Mack Pleasant, the safety on his side of the field must either zone the deep area of his section of the field or be fast enough to play man with him.
Situationally employing a cover 3 zone takes away many of Yukon's favored short passing options to the outside at the expense of leaving inside seams open. When combined with an effective 3 or 4 man pass rush, the cover 3 can force either Mathis or Harris into making ill advised throws, often leading to interceptions.
Finally, the easiest and most effective way to counter Yukon's offense is not to let it on the field. Simply put, the best defense is a good offense. Leaving Yukon's offense on the sidelines keeps the opposing defense resting. It is crucial to recognize that the reason for Yukon's defensive success is largely because it is not on the field as often as most other defenses. When it is on the field, it relies heavily on a run stopping front and man coverage. By using Yukon's offensive strategy against its own defense, the corners will be worn down and the line will get frustrated pass rushing.
Even when making these adjustments, Yukon still possess a talented team with solid coaching and generally smart play. They are a good team. However, the blowouts of the 2007 season have shown that the league is simply not providing the Yeti an adequate challenge. Perhaps by taking this advice, or by developing their own unique strategies, teams will finally begin to understand and stop what makes the Yeti so potent. Regardless, it seems it is too late for the 2007 season.
The key to understanding Yukon's success begins with an examination of their offense. The Yeti rely on specific receivers running specific routes at specific times. Moreover, the Yeti rely on having an athletic, mobile quarterback. It shouldn't take an analyst to recognize that Yukon's smallest margin of victory this season came when Stan Payne was forced to play an entire half at QB. That being said, Yukon's QBs, particularly starter Torry Mathis and his backup (and current starter due to Mathis' season-ending torn quadricep) Ben Harris, can be stopped or severely inhibited by limiting their mobility. The go-to defensive options here are QB contain blitz packages and any form of QB spy zone.
QB contain blitz packages can be risky because they tie up defensive resources that might be better served covering Yukon's diverse and effective receiving corps. However, they also apply needed pressure and keep the QB in the pocket. Both Mathis and Harris tend to lead receivers by scrambling out of the pocket and then gunning/dumping the ball off or running for a gain. QB contain will keep them in the pocket and force them to spend more time reading the defense and less time toying with the idea of scrambling for yards.
QB spy zones are probably the most efficient means of limiting Yukon's QBs. Assigning just one player, such as the MLB, on a QB spy zone will prevent Mathis or Harris for scrambling for anything more than a marginal gain and also prevent short leading passes over the middle. A player in a QB spy zone will shadow the QB about 4 yards off of the line of scrimmage, preventing him from connecting on any sort of short vertical pass play and also stopping him from scrambling. This takes away Mathis and Harris' favorite options and forces them to make either deep upfield passes or short horizontal and diagonal routes. Just like the QB contain, the QB spy zone limits QB mobility. However, it's much more difficult to evade at the expense of giving the QB more time to read the secondary.
Although it might be tempting to blitz more or run certain types of zone defenses that tend to confuse the Yeti offense, these options work less consistently than QB contain. That isn't to say they shouldn't be used, but by and large they will only work once the Yukon offense is frazzled.
From the perspective of the secondary, stopping Yukon's receivers is usually a nightmare. Most of this can be attributed to the ability of the QB to scramble out of the pocket and lead receivers to corners or across the field. Once this ability is negated, the secondary still has to overcome the threat of 4 very talented receivers on any given play (Mack Pleasant, T.J. Oliver, Richard Cummings, Lamar Craig). Using individual assignments for each receiver is a must. The fastest corner should play on Pleasant, the second fastest on Oliver. Singe coverage is always risky, but is permissible in the cases of Craig and Cummings. A talented corner can shutdown Oliver, but it takes an all-pro to shutdown Pleasant. In order to negate the advantage of Mack Pleasant, the safety on his side of the field must either zone the deep area of his section of the field or be fast enough to play man with him.
Situationally employing a cover 3 zone takes away many of Yukon's favored short passing options to the outside at the expense of leaving inside seams open. When combined with an effective 3 or 4 man pass rush, the cover 3 can force either Mathis or Harris into making ill advised throws, often leading to interceptions.
Finally, the easiest and most effective way to counter Yukon's offense is not to let it on the field. Simply put, the best defense is a good offense. Leaving Yukon's offense on the sidelines keeps the opposing defense resting. It is crucial to recognize that the reason for Yukon's defensive success is largely because it is not on the field as often as most other defenses. When it is on the field, it relies heavily on a run stopping front and man coverage. By using Yukon's offensive strategy against its own defense, the corners will be worn down and the line will get frustrated pass rushing.
Even when making these adjustments, Yukon still possess a talented team with solid coaching and generally smart play. They are a good team. However, the blowouts of the 2007 season have shown that the league is simply not providing the Yeti an adequate challenge. Perhaps by taking this advice, or by developing their own unique strategies, teams will finally begin to understand and stop what makes the Yeti so potent. Regardless, it seems it is too late for the 2007 season.
2007 NFA (4-20) Conference Championship League News Update
Conference Championship Matchups
Oklahoma Twisters (13-5) at Yukon Yeti (17-0)
7 to 37
Yukon's defense limited Oklahoma to 127 yards of total offense while Yukon's offense produced 421 yards. Although Yukon's first two drives resulted in 40 plus yard field goals, they soon began putting together the tremendous runs they are known for, putting up 21 points in the second quarter leaving the score at halftime to be 27 to 7 in their favor. Oklahoma's only score came on a fumble from Yukon QB Ben Harris after being blitzed hard. The Twisters ran the ball in 17 yards for the score with 1:48 to play in the second quarter. The second half saw Yukon post 3 points in the 3rd quarter and 7 in the fourth, tallying the final at 37 to 7. Thanks to a strong time of possession differential fueled by Yukon's offense and stout defense, Oklahoma couldn't get anything going. Despite 2 turnovers by Yukon on a Harris fumble and a Harris interception and only 1 interception from Marc Madison, Yukon's play was more consistent. Yukon QB Ben Harris was named the player of the game for his total of 370 passing yards on 22 out of 32 attempts and 3 touchdowns. Yukon remains the team to beat and returns to the Super Bowl for the third straight year, looking for their third straight victory.
Dakota Vipers (13-4) at Boston Liberty (15-2)
14 to 13
In this playoff rematch of week 2's Boston victory of 18-17, the tables were turned. I am amazed at how this game went. Boston seemed to be in command except when it mattered. They put together 182 yards of total offense, with 177 of it coming from passing. It looked as if they could move the ball with relative ease while Dakota struggled. The score at half was 13 to 7 in favor of Boston. Yet Dakota came up big when it mattered, converting on 3 huge takeaways and working the ball down the field with the game on the line. The Vipers' only touchdown of the first half came on a pick six from Boston QB Shane Gaines on the very first drive. After that, the game settled into a sort of defensive stalemate, but with Boston able to work the ball into the redzone 3 times (total of 4, with the first being when Gaines threw the pick). This game was simply a matter of making big plays when it counted. With under 3 minutes to play, Dakota took possession of the ball and drove down the field, finally converting with a big third down run for a TD. As Boston took the field, looking to at least drive into field goal range, a hard pass rush from MLB Mike Scott forced Shane Gaines to cough up the ball. Although Dakota missed a field goal on the drive that followed, the time they drained from the clock depleted Boston of timeouts. When a defensive stand at midfield forced Boston into a fourth down situation, they were unable to convert, sealing their defeat. Dakota took a knee and ran the clock out. The player of the game is rightly Dakota CB Dave Hawkins, a five year pro who compiled 5 tackles, 4 pass deflections, and 2 crucial interceptions, one of which he ran back 90 yards for a touchdown. Kudos to Dakota for taking down what should've been a better team.
Super Bowl IV
Dakota Vipers (14-4) vs. Yukon Yeti (18-0)
Dakota shows a lot of promise as a team that refuses to be beaten when the game is on the line. Obviously, there's a stark contrast between Yukon's tendency towards total dominance and Dakota's narrow victories. One could say that Yukon has more talent and employs better coaching and therefore has never had to deal with the situations that the Vipers had. On the other hand, Dakota has shown that they are consistently a scrappy team willing to make big plays. I favor Yukon in this matchup due to the fact that they have never struggled to roll on all cylinders this year. Yet, if things do not go their way, do they have the tools that Dakota has to recover? We'll see.
Oklahoma Twisters (13-5) at Yukon Yeti (17-0)
7 to 37
Yukon's defense limited Oklahoma to 127 yards of total offense while Yukon's offense produced 421 yards. Although Yukon's first two drives resulted in 40 plus yard field goals, they soon began putting together the tremendous runs they are known for, putting up 21 points in the second quarter leaving the score at halftime to be 27 to 7 in their favor. Oklahoma's only score came on a fumble from Yukon QB Ben Harris after being blitzed hard. The Twisters ran the ball in 17 yards for the score with 1:48 to play in the second quarter. The second half saw Yukon post 3 points in the 3rd quarter and 7 in the fourth, tallying the final at 37 to 7. Thanks to a strong time of possession differential fueled by Yukon's offense and stout defense, Oklahoma couldn't get anything going. Despite 2 turnovers by Yukon on a Harris fumble and a Harris interception and only 1 interception from Marc Madison, Yukon's play was more consistent. Yukon QB Ben Harris was named the player of the game for his total of 370 passing yards on 22 out of 32 attempts and 3 touchdowns. Yukon remains the team to beat and returns to the Super Bowl for the third straight year, looking for their third straight victory.
Dakota Vipers (13-4) at Boston Liberty (15-2)
14 to 13
In this playoff rematch of week 2's Boston victory of 18-17, the tables were turned. I am amazed at how this game went. Boston seemed to be in command except when it mattered. They put together 182 yards of total offense, with 177 of it coming from passing. It looked as if they could move the ball with relative ease while Dakota struggled. The score at half was 13 to 7 in favor of Boston. Yet Dakota came up big when it mattered, converting on 3 huge takeaways and working the ball down the field with the game on the line. The Vipers' only touchdown of the first half came on a pick six from Boston QB Shane Gaines on the very first drive. After that, the game settled into a sort of defensive stalemate, but with Boston able to work the ball into the redzone 3 times (total of 4, with the first being when Gaines threw the pick). This game was simply a matter of making big plays when it counted. With under 3 minutes to play, Dakota took possession of the ball and drove down the field, finally converting with a big third down run for a TD. As Boston took the field, looking to at least drive into field goal range, a hard pass rush from MLB Mike Scott forced Shane Gaines to cough up the ball. Although Dakota missed a field goal on the drive that followed, the time they drained from the clock depleted Boston of timeouts. When a defensive stand at midfield forced Boston into a fourth down situation, they were unable to convert, sealing their defeat. Dakota took a knee and ran the clock out. The player of the game is rightly Dakota CB Dave Hawkins, a five year pro who compiled 5 tackles, 4 pass deflections, and 2 crucial interceptions, one of which he ran back 90 yards for a touchdown. Kudos to Dakota for taking down what should've been a better team.
Super Bowl IV
Dakota Vipers (14-4) vs. Yukon Yeti (18-0)
Dakota shows a lot of promise as a team that refuses to be beaten when the game is on the line. Obviously, there's a stark contrast between Yukon's tendency towards total dominance and Dakota's narrow victories. One could say that Yukon has more talent and employs better coaching and therefore has never had to deal with the situations that the Vipers had. On the other hand, Dakota has shown that they are consistently a scrappy team willing to make big plays. I favor Yukon in this matchup due to the fact that they have never struggled to roll on all cylinders this year. Yet, if things do not go their way, do they have the tools that Dakota has to recover? We'll see.
Friday, March 21, 2014
2007 NFA (4-19) Divisional League News Update
Divisional Matchups
Spokane Ospreys (11-6) at Yukon Yeti (16-0)
10 to 41
Yukon's defense prevailed, giving its offense the edge it needed to run away with this one. Yukon QB Ben Harris lit up the defense with 6 touchdown passes. A predictable result, but Spokane showed their potential for next season when their star TE, Jim Hendricks (acquired from the Tide), returns.
Mexico Bulls (10-7) at Boston Liberty (14-2)
13 to 49
Mexico never had a chance in this game, just as I anticipated. Perhaps the margin of victory was more extreme than expected, but a victory for Boston was certainly predictable.
Oklahoma Twisters (12-5) at Atlantic Tide (11-5)
28 to 27
Oklahoma narrowly walked away with another playoff victory in this tightly contested game on the road. I applaud the way they've beat back adversity and used the talent they have to knock off solid teams.
Kentucky Stallions (12-5) at Dakota Vipers (12-4)
23 to 28
Dakota worked hard when it mattered and pulled away with the victory. Simply put, despite the appearance on paper that Kentucky is slightly better, Dakota wants to win more. The Vipers are showing a lot of tenacity and they deserve to move on.
Conference Championship Matchups
Oklahoma Twisters (13-5) at Yukon Yeti (17-0)
Dakota Vipers (13-4) at Boston Liberty (15-2)
All four of these teams have a lot of talent, next week will determine if they also have the will to win. Once again I am predicting victories for Yukon and Boston, but I've been wrong about Boston for two straight years. In 2005 they lost to Madison in divisionals and in 2006 they lost the Conference Championship to Kentucky. Will they finally return to the big game for the first time since 2004 or will the Vipers make their debut?
Spokane Ospreys (11-6) at Yukon Yeti (16-0)
10 to 41
Yukon's defense prevailed, giving its offense the edge it needed to run away with this one. Yukon QB Ben Harris lit up the defense with 6 touchdown passes. A predictable result, but Spokane showed their potential for next season when their star TE, Jim Hendricks (acquired from the Tide), returns.
Mexico Bulls (10-7) at Boston Liberty (14-2)
13 to 49
Mexico never had a chance in this game, just as I anticipated. Perhaps the margin of victory was more extreme than expected, but a victory for Boston was certainly predictable.
Oklahoma Twisters (12-5) at Atlantic Tide (11-5)
28 to 27
Oklahoma narrowly walked away with another playoff victory in this tightly contested game on the road. I applaud the way they've beat back adversity and used the talent they have to knock off solid teams.
Kentucky Stallions (12-5) at Dakota Vipers (12-4)
23 to 28
Dakota worked hard when it mattered and pulled away with the victory. Simply put, despite the appearance on paper that Kentucky is slightly better, Dakota wants to win more. The Vipers are showing a lot of tenacity and they deserve to move on.
Conference Championship Matchups
Oklahoma Twisters (13-5) at Yukon Yeti (17-0)
Dakota Vipers (13-4) at Boston Liberty (15-2)
All four of these teams have a lot of talent, next week will determine if they also have the will to win. Once again I am predicting victories for Yukon and Boston, but I've been wrong about Boston for two straight years. In 2005 they lost to Madison in divisionals and in 2006 they lost the Conference Championship to Kentucky. Will they finally return to the big game for the first time since 2004 or will the Vipers make their debut?
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
2007 NFA (4-18) Wildcard League News Update
Wildcard Matchups
Carson City Comets (10-6) at Oklahoma Twisters (11-5)
17 to 19
Carson City was in control for most of the first half with Oklahoma getting their only score from the defensive side, leaving the total at 7-10. Oklahoma battled back hard in the second half, converting on 4 field goals, the final of which was a game winner with four seconds to play from forty plus yards out. Either of these teams could've had homefield advantage with slightly better and more consistent seasons. Overall, a fantastic matchup and a great game to watch.
Topeka Oilers (9-7) at Mexico Bulls (9-7)
20 to 23
A tight game between division rivals with a predictable result.
Hawaii Warriors (11-5) at Spokane Ospreys (10-6)
6 to 13
Spokane was in control throughout this low scoring contest. This game was very similar to week 13, but with a much lower score.
Kentucky Stallions (11-5) at Santa Fe Bandits (8-8)
27 to 10
The Bandits never really stood a chance against a team hoping to make their second straight appearance in the Super Bowl.
Divisional Matchups
Spokane Ospreys (11-6) at Yukon Yeti (16-0)
Mexico Bulls (10-7) at Boston Liberty (14-2)
Oklahoma Twisters (12-5) at Atlantic Tide (11-5)
Kentucky Stallions (12-5) at Dakota Vipers (12-4)
The first two of these matchups should go to the home team. Yukon certainly has the capability to smoke Spokane and their former QB, Charlie Joyce (acquired from free agency by Spokane before the trade deadline). I've been criticizing the NFC South all season for being overrated and I don't see Mexico doing much against a very powerful Boston squad. However, I like the last two of these matchups. The Atlantic Tide has fallen from grace in the past few years and for the first time since 2004, they're back with homefield advantage in the playoffs. They have something to prove, but they're going up against a very strong if not consistent opponent in Oklahoma. The Twisters are this year's second leading contributer to the AFC ProBowl team with 8 players (just behind Yukon's 9). What their offense can't do, their defense does. I'm inclined to favor Oklahoma despite Atlantic City's homefield advantage. I see the 5 game losing streak of the Twisters as a bit of a fluke. They deserve a slot in the AFC Conference Championship game this year. The Kentucky and Dakota game should be excellent and liable to go either way. I don't see either team having a distinct advantage, but I'm favoring Kentucky because of their slightly more balanced defense and their experience winning big games. Out of all the divisional matchups, this result is the hardest to predict. Boston and Yukon are the likely candidates for the Super Bowl this year, but this has been the case since the Yeti made their case in 2005 with their conquest of the Tide. So far a team has always stepped up to stop Boston. What will happen this year?
Carson City Comets (10-6) at Oklahoma Twisters (11-5)
17 to 19
Carson City was in control for most of the first half with Oklahoma getting their only score from the defensive side, leaving the total at 7-10. Oklahoma battled back hard in the second half, converting on 4 field goals, the final of which was a game winner with four seconds to play from forty plus yards out. Either of these teams could've had homefield advantage with slightly better and more consistent seasons. Overall, a fantastic matchup and a great game to watch.
Topeka Oilers (9-7) at Mexico Bulls (9-7)
20 to 23
A tight game between division rivals with a predictable result.
Hawaii Warriors (11-5) at Spokane Ospreys (10-6)
6 to 13
Spokane was in control throughout this low scoring contest. This game was very similar to week 13, but with a much lower score.
Kentucky Stallions (11-5) at Santa Fe Bandits (8-8)
27 to 10
The Bandits never really stood a chance against a team hoping to make their second straight appearance in the Super Bowl.
Divisional Matchups
Spokane Ospreys (11-6) at Yukon Yeti (16-0)
Mexico Bulls (10-7) at Boston Liberty (14-2)
Oklahoma Twisters (12-5) at Atlantic Tide (11-5)
Kentucky Stallions (12-5) at Dakota Vipers (12-4)
The first two of these matchups should go to the home team. Yukon certainly has the capability to smoke Spokane and their former QB, Charlie Joyce (acquired from free agency by Spokane before the trade deadline). I've been criticizing the NFC South all season for being overrated and I don't see Mexico doing much against a very powerful Boston squad. However, I like the last two of these matchups. The Atlantic Tide has fallen from grace in the past few years and for the first time since 2004, they're back with homefield advantage in the playoffs. They have something to prove, but they're going up against a very strong if not consistent opponent in Oklahoma. The Twisters are this year's second leading contributer to the AFC ProBowl team with 8 players (just behind Yukon's 9). What their offense can't do, their defense does. I'm inclined to favor Oklahoma despite Atlantic City's homefield advantage. I see the 5 game losing streak of the Twisters as a bit of a fluke. They deserve a slot in the AFC Conference Championship game this year. The Kentucky and Dakota game should be excellent and liable to go either way. I don't see either team having a distinct advantage, but I'm favoring Kentucky because of their slightly more balanced defense and their experience winning big games. Out of all the divisional matchups, this result is the hardest to predict. Boston and Yukon are the likely candidates for the Super Bowl this year, but this has been the case since the Yeti made their case in 2005 with their conquest of the Tide. So far a team has always stepped up to stop Boston. What will happen this year?
2007 NFA ProBowl
Here's the rosters for the ProBowl teams this year...
AFC
QB:
Ben Harris (Yukon Yeti)
Cade Lewis (Atlantic Tide)
Marc Madison (Oklahoma Twisters)
HB:
Mike Matthews (Spokane Ospreys)
Antoine Page (Oklahoma Twisters)
Will Reynolds (Carson City Comets)
FB:
Charles Burnett (Yukon Yeti)
Julius Brown (Hawaii Warriors)
WR:
Mack Pleasant (Yukon Yeti)
Keith Murphy (Hartford Lightning)
Chad Abraham (Atlantic Tide)
Justin Glover (Oklahoma Twisters)
Andre Edwards (Oklahoma Twisters)
Jason Williams (Little Rock Crocs)
TE:
Kendrick Doss (Bar Harbor Captains)
Derek Pruitt (Yukon Yeti)
Dexter Manning (Salt Lake Scorpions)
LT:
Bam Taylor (Yukon Yeti)
RT:
Solomon Page (West Virginia Wizards)
Cameron Jordan (Hawaii Warriors)
Roger Payne (Yukon Yeti)
LG:
Gary Hoover (Atlantic Tide)
Adrian Millard (Atlantic Tide)
Calvin Waller (Puerto Rico Piranhas)
RG:
Desmond Ogden (Puerto Rico Piranhas)
C:
Chuck Renick (Oklahoma Twisters)
Kevin Harry (Carson City Comets)
RE:
Dave Chiang (Montana Grizzlies)
Chuckie Sylvester (Portland Flyers)
LE:
Chuck Heyward (Atlantic Tide)
Brandon Roberts (Yukon Yeti)
DT:
Kerry Bush (West Virginia Wizards)
Corey Foley (Oklahoma Twisters)
Jeff Figgins (Little Rock Crocs)
LOLB:
Derek Smith (Hartford Lightning)
Kevin Hilton (Little Rock Crocs)
ROLB:
Robert Francis (Carson City Comets)
Russell Duncan (Atlantic Tide)
MLB:
Michael Eubanks (Oklahoma Twisters)
Brian Fisk (Montana Grizzlies)
CB:
Ted Watts (Yukon Yeti)
Andre Harry (Yukon Yeti)
Pete Harris (West Virginia Wizards)
Ricardo Alford (Hawaii Warriors)
FS:
Michael Sherry (Carson City Comets)
Ronyell Atkinson (Salt Lake City Scorpions)
SS:
Thomas Williams (Carson City Comets)
Lennox Teall (Oklahoma Twisters)
K:
Byron Holmes (Spokane Ospreys)
P:
Jay Bates (Hawaii Warriors)
KR:
Nate Mack (CB, Little Rock Crocs)
Jermaine Thomas (CB, Carson City Comets)
NFC
QB:
Shane Gaines (Boston Liberty)
Mark Pappas (Tiburon Sharks)
Jon Austin (Kentucky Stallions)
HB:
Jermaine Rojas (Dakota Vipers)
Terrance Griffith (Springfield Knights)
Doug Stratton (Jackson Dragons)
FB:
Jake Crankshaw (Boston Liberty)
Terrell Jones (Kentucky Stallions)
WR:
Raymond Clay (Topeka Oilers)
Bryan Nielsen (Madison Timberwolves)
Dwight Whitfield (Boston Liberty)
Rocco Carter (Kentucky Stallions)
Richard Jones (Santa Fe Bandits)
Wesley Lane (Dover Deer)
TE:
Randy Jones (Topeka Oilers)
Shelton Carty (Boston Liberty)
Terrell Taylor (Tucson Kings)
RT:
Wendell Thomas (Kentucky Stallions)
Omar Wooden (Dakota Vipers)
Marcus Schultz (Boston Liberty)
John Maddox (Santa Fe Bandits)
RG:
Howard Jones (Kentucky Stallions)
Kelvin Pappas (Dakota Vipers)
Bernard Green (Mexico Bulls)
LG:
Jared Andrews (Boston Liberty)
C:
Grant Taylor (Boston Liberty)
Mike Collins (Kentucky Stallions)
LE:
Julius Stephens (Mexico Bulls)
RE:
Ron Harris (Kentucky Stallions)
Matthew Walsh (Tucson Kings)
Lawrence Eaton (Dakota Vipers)
DT:
Blaine Parkman (Dakota Vipers)
LaBron Jeffries (Boston Liberty)
Ty Jordan (Kentucky Stallions)
ROLB:
Andrew Robertson (Mexico Bulls)
Charlie Clemons (Tucson Kings)
LOLB:
Phillip O'Neal (Boise Bison)
Leroy Banks (Boston Liberty)
MLB:
Rick Robbins (Santa Fe Bandits)
Anthony Dishman (Boston Liberty)
CB:
Champ Dickerson (Mexico Bulls)
Fred Price (Mexico Bulls)
Dave Hawkins (Dakota Vipers)
Kevin Butler (Iowa Rangers)
FS:
Charles Brown (Iowa Rangers)
Dave Hixon (Boise Bison)
SS:
Stephen Richardson (Dover Deer)
Jose Mitchell (Tucson Kings)
K:
Byron Hayden (Boston Liberty)
P:
Rodney Williams (Mexico Bulls)
KR:
Tyler Clayton (CB, Topeka Oilers)
Zeke Schroeder (Madison Timberwolves)
AFC
QB:
Ben Harris (Yukon Yeti)
Cade Lewis (Atlantic Tide)
Marc Madison (Oklahoma Twisters)
HB:
Mike Matthews (Spokane Ospreys)
Antoine Page (Oklahoma Twisters)
Will Reynolds (Carson City Comets)
FB:
Charles Burnett (Yukon Yeti)
Julius Brown (Hawaii Warriors)
WR:
Mack Pleasant (Yukon Yeti)
Keith Murphy (Hartford Lightning)
Chad Abraham (Atlantic Tide)
Justin Glover (Oklahoma Twisters)
Andre Edwards (Oklahoma Twisters)
Jason Williams (Little Rock Crocs)
TE:
Kendrick Doss (Bar Harbor Captains)
Derek Pruitt (Yukon Yeti)
Dexter Manning (Salt Lake Scorpions)
LT:
Bam Taylor (Yukon Yeti)
RT:
Solomon Page (West Virginia Wizards)
Cameron Jordan (Hawaii Warriors)
Roger Payne (Yukon Yeti)
LG:
Gary Hoover (Atlantic Tide)
Adrian Millard (Atlantic Tide)
Calvin Waller (Puerto Rico Piranhas)
RG:
Desmond Ogden (Puerto Rico Piranhas)
C:
Chuck Renick (Oklahoma Twisters)
Kevin Harry (Carson City Comets)
RE:
Dave Chiang (Montana Grizzlies)
Chuckie Sylvester (Portland Flyers)
LE:
Chuck Heyward (Atlantic Tide)
Brandon Roberts (Yukon Yeti)
DT:
Kerry Bush (West Virginia Wizards)
Corey Foley (Oklahoma Twisters)
Jeff Figgins (Little Rock Crocs)
LOLB:
Derek Smith (Hartford Lightning)
Kevin Hilton (Little Rock Crocs)
ROLB:
Robert Francis (Carson City Comets)
Russell Duncan (Atlantic Tide)
MLB:
Michael Eubanks (Oklahoma Twisters)
Brian Fisk (Montana Grizzlies)
CB:
Ted Watts (Yukon Yeti)
Andre Harry (Yukon Yeti)
Pete Harris (West Virginia Wizards)
Ricardo Alford (Hawaii Warriors)
FS:
Michael Sherry (Carson City Comets)
Ronyell Atkinson (Salt Lake City Scorpions)
SS:
Thomas Williams (Carson City Comets)
Lennox Teall (Oklahoma Twisters)
K:
Byron Holmes (Spokane Ospreys)
P:
Jay Bates (Hawaii Warriors)
KR:
Nate Mack (CB, Little Rock Crocs)
Jermaine Thomas (CB, Carson City Comets)
NFC
QB:
Shane Gaines (Boston Liberty)
Mark Pappas (Tiburon Sharks)
Jon Austin (Kentucky Stallions)
HB:
Jermaine Rojas (Dakota Vipers)
Terrance Griffith (Springfield Knights)
Doug Stratton (Jackson Dragons)
FB:
Jake Crankshaw (Boston Liberty)
Terrell Jones (Kentucky Stallions)
WR:
Raymond Clay (Topeka Oilers)
Bryan Nielsen (Madison Timberwolves)
Dwight Whitfield (Boston Liberty)
Rocco Carter (Kentucky Stallions)
Richard Jones (Santa Fe Bandits)
Wesley Lane (Dover Deer)
TE:
Randy Jones (Topeka Oilers)
Shelton Carty (Boston Liberty)
Terrell Taylor (Tucson Kings)
RT:
Wendell Thomas (Kentucky Stallions)
Omar Wooden (Dakota Vipers)
Marcus Schultz (Boston Liberty)
John Maddox (Santa Fe Bandits)
RG:
Howard Jones (Kentucky Stallions)
Kelvin Pappas (Dakota Vipers)
Bernard Green (Mexico Bulls)
LG:
Jared Andrews (Boston Liberty)
C:
Grant Taylor (Boston Liberty)
Mike Collins (Kentucky Stallions)
LE:
Julius Stephens (Mexico Bulls)
RE:
Ron Harris (Kentucky Stallions)
Matthew Walsh (Tucson Kings)
Lawrence Eaton (Dakota Vipers)
DT:
Blaine Parkman (Dakota Vipers)
LaBron Jeffries (Boston Liberty)
Ty Jordan (Kentucky Stallions)
ROLB:
Andrew Robertson (Mexico Bulls)
Charlie Clemons (Tucson Kings)
LOLB:
Phillip O'Neal (Boise Bison)
Leroy Banks (Boston Liberty)
MLB:
Rick Robbins (Santa Fe Bandits)
Anthony Dishman (Boston Liberty)
CB:
Champ Dickerson (Mexico Bulls)
Fred Price (Mexico Bulls)
Dave Hawkins (Dakota Vipers)
Kevin Butler (Iowa Rangers)
FS:
Charles Brown (Iowa Rangers)
Dave Hixon (Boise Bison)
SS:
Stephen Richardson (Dover Deer)
Jose Mitchell (Tucson Kings)
K:
Byron Hayden (Boston Liberty)
P:
Rodney Williams (Mexico Bulls)
KR:
Tyler Clayton (CB, Topeka Oilers)
Zeke Schroeder (Madison Timberwolves)
Monday, March 17, 2014
2007 NFA Awards
Here's the awards for the 2007 NFA season...
MVP: Ben Harris (QB, Yukon Yeti)
Offensive Player: Mack Pleasant (WR, Yukon Yeti)
Defensive Player: Michael Eubanks (MLB, Oklahoma Twisters)
Offensive Rookie: Chad Weaver (HB, Madison Timberwolves)
Defensive Rookie: Dan Spires (LOLB, Portland Flyers)
Best QB: Ben Harris (QB, Yukon Yeti)
Best RB: Mike Matthews (HB, Spokane Ospreys)
Best WR: Mack Pleasant (WR, Yukon Yeti)
Best OL: Chuck Renick (C, Oklahoma Twisters)
Best DL: Blaine Parkman (DT, Dakota Vipers)
Best LB: Michael Eubanks (MLB, Oklahoma Twisters)
Best DB: Champ Dickerson (CB, Mexico Bulls)
Best Kicker: Dwayne Payton (K, Bar Harbor Captains)
Coach: Bill Cowher (HC, Yukon Yeti)
MVP: Ben Harris (QB, Yukon Yeti)
Offensive Player: Mack Pleasant (WR, Yukon Yeti)
Defensive Player: Michael Eubanks (MLB, Oklahoma Twisters)
Offensive Rookie: Chad Weaver (HB, Madison Timberwolves)
Defensive Rookie: Dan Spires (LOLB, Portland Flyers)
Best QB: Ben Harris (QB, Yukon Yeti)
Best RB: Mike Matthews (HB, Spokane Ospreys)
Best WR: Mack Pleasant (WR, Yukon Yeti)
Best OL: Chuck Renick (C, Oklahoma Twisters)
Best DL: Blaine Parkman (DT, Dakota Vipers)
Best LB: Michael Eubanks (MLB, Oklahoma Twisters)
Best DB: Champ Dickerson (CB, Mexico Bulls)
Best Kicker: Dwayne Payton (K, Bar Harbor Captains)
Coach: Bill Cowher (HC, Yukon Yeti)
2007 Season Recap
Key:
* = playoff team# = wildcard
^ = homefield advantage in divisionals
AFC North
Yukon Yeti 16-0*^
Bar Harbor Captains 10-6
Montana Grizzlies 8-8
Lincoln Tribe 5-11
AFC South
Hawaii Warriors 11-5*#
Oklahoma Twisters 11-5*#
Salt Lake Scorpions 7-9
Puerto Rico Piranhas 6-10
AFC East
Atlantic Tide 11-5*^
Hartford Lightning 7-9
West Virginia Wizards 5-11
Concord Hawks 4-12
AFC West
Carson City Comets 10-6*#
Spokane Ospreys 10-6*#
Little Rock Crocs 6-10
Portland Flyers 1-15
NFC North
Dakota Vipers 12-4*^
Springfield Knights 9-7
Madison Timberwolves 7-9
Edmonton Beavers 1-15
NFC South
Mexico Bulls 9-7*#
Topeka Oilers 9-7*#
Tiburon Sharks 7-9
Jackson Dragons 7-9
NFC East
Boston Liberty 14-2*^
Kentucky Stallions 11-5*#
Iowa Rangers 8-8
Dover Deer 6-10
NFC West
Santa Fe Bandits 8-8*#
Boise Bison 8-8
Tucson Kings 7-9
Wyoming Wildcats 5-11
League News Update 4-17
Springfield Knights (9-6) at Boston Liberty (13-2)
16 to 45
Bar Harbor Captains (10-5) at Atlantic Tide (10-5)
21 to 38
Carson City Comets (10-5) at Little Rock Crocs (5-10)
0 to 19
Iowa Rangers (8-7) at Kentucky Stallions (10-5)
3 to 24
Tiburon Sharks (6-9) at Dover Deer (6-9)
28 to 14
Salt Lake Scorpions (6-9) at Topeka Oilers (9-6)
16 to 6
Dakota Vipers (11-4) at Edmonton Beavers (1-14)
34 to 0
Portland Flyers (1-14) at Montana Grizzlies (7-8)
10 to 17
Mexico Bulls (9-6) at Jckson Dragons (6-9)
13 to 27
Boise Bison (7-8) at Santa Fe Bandits (8-7)
23 to 17
Madison Timberwolves (7-8) at Spokane Ospreys (9-6)
7 to 20
Yukon Yeti (15-0) at Puerto Rico Piranhas (6-9)
33 to 3
Hartford Lightning (7-8) at Lincoln Tribe (4-11)
10 to 38
Concord Hawks (4-11) at West Virginia Wizards (4-11)
14 to 28
Tucson Kings (6-9) at Wyoming Wildcats (5-10)
27 to 24
Hawaii Warriors (11-4) at Oklahoma Twisters (10-5)
12 to 33
League News Update 4-16
Iowa Rangers (7-7) at Springfield Knights (9-5)
23 to 18
Puerto Rico Piranhas (5-9) at Tiburon Sharks (6-8)
38 to 35
Lincoln Tribe (4-10) at Bar Harbor Captains (9-5)
3 to 41
Portland Flyers (1-13) at Hawaii Warriors (10-4)
10 to 18
Jackson Dragons (5-9) at Topeka Oilers (9-5)
33 to 17
Santa Fe Bandits (8-6) at Edmonton Beavers (0-14)
13 to 20
Oklahoma Twisters (10-4) at Atlantic Tide (9-5)
21 to 29
Hartford Lightning (7-7) at Yukon Yeti (14-0)
3 to 41
Boise Bison (6-8) at Montana Grizzlies (7-7)
27 to 9
Carson City Comets (9-5) at Salt Lake Scorpions (6-8)
24 to 10
Kentucky Stallions (9-5) at Concord Hawks (4-10)
21 to 14
Mexico Bulls (9-5) at Wyoming Wildcats (4-10)
17 to 27
Madison Timberwolves (7-7) at Dover Deer (5-9)
16 to 24
Spokane Ospreys (8-6) at Little Rock Crocs (5-9)
22 to 21
West Virginia Wizards (4-10) at Boston Liberty (12-2)
17 to 27
Tucson Kings (6-8) at Dakota Vipers (10-4)
12 to 38
23 to 18
Puerto Rico Piranhas (5-9) at Tiburon Sharks (6-8)
38 to 35
Lincoln Tribe (4-10) at Bar Harbor Captains (9-5)
3 to 41
Portland Flyers (1-13) at Hawaii Warriors (10-4)
10 to 18
Jackson Dragons (5-9) at Topeka Oilers (9-5)
33 to 17
Santa Fe Bandits (8-6) at Edmonton Beavers (0-14)
13 to 20
Oklahoma Twisters (10-4) at Atlantic Tide (9-5)
21 to 29
Hartford Lightning (7-7) at Yukon Yeti (14-0)
3 to 41
Boise Bison (6-8) at Montana Grizzlies (7-7)
27 to 9
Carson City Comets (9-5) at Salt Lake Scorpions (6-8)
24 to 10
Kentucky Stallions (9-5) at Concord Hawks (4-10)
21 to 14
Mexico Bulls (9-5) at Wyoming Wildcats (4-10)
17 to 27
Madison Timberwolves (7-7) at Dover Deer (5-9)
16 to 24
Spokane Ospreys (8-6) at Little Rock Crocs (5-9)
22 to 21
West Virginia Wizards (4-10) at Boston Liberty (12-2)
17 to 27
Tucson Kings (6-8) at Dakota Vipers (10-4)
12 to 38
League News Update 4-15
Boise Bison (6-7) to Topeka Oilers (8-5)
14 to 24
Springfield Knights (8-5) at Madison Timberwolves (7-6)
34 to 20
Hartford Lightning (6-7) at Concord Hawks (4-9)
34 to 21
Carson City Comets (8-5) at Oklahoma Twisters (10-3)
19 to 14
Yukon Yeti (13-0) at Montana Grizzlies (7-6)
49 to 3
Dover Deer (5-8) at Atlantic Tide (8-5)
13 to 35
Hawaii Warriors (9-4) at Little Rock Crocs (5-8)
23 to 0
Jackson Dragons (5-8) at Tiburon Sharks (5-8)
17 to 38
Puerto Rico Piranhas (5-8) at Salt Lake Scorpions (5-8)
23 to 27
West Virginia Wizards (4-9) at Bar Harbor Captains (8-5)
10 to 23
Edmonton Beavers (0-13) at Dakota Vipers (9-4)
14 to 26
Boston Liberty (11-2) at Wyoming Wildcats (4-9)
18 to 13
Spokane Ospreys (7-6) at Portland Flyers (1-12)
27 to 17
Tucson Kings (6-7) at Lincoln Tribe (3-10)
6 to 13
Kentucky Stallions (9-4) at Iowa Rangers (6-7)
17 to 21
Santa Fe Bandits (8-5) at Mexico Bulls (8-5)
24 to 27
14 to 24
Springfield Knights (8-5) at Madison Timberwolves (7-6)
34 to 20
Hartford Lightning (6-7) at Concord Hawks (4-9)
34 to 21
Carson City Comets (8-5) at Oklahoma Twisters (10-3)
19 to 14
Yukon Yeti (13-0) at Montana Grizzlies (7-6)
49 to 3
Dover Deer (5-8) at Atlantic Tide (8-5)
13 to 35
Hawaii Warriors (9-4) at Little Rock Crocs (5-8)
23 to 0
Jackson Dragons (5-8) at Tiburon Sharks (5-8)
17 to 38
Puerto Rico Piranhas (5-8) at Salt Lake Scorpions (5-8)
23 to 27
West Virginia Wizards (4-9) at Bar Harbor Captains (8-5)
10 to 23
Edmonton Beavers (0-13) at Dakota Vipers (9-4)
14 to 26
Boston Liberty (11-2) at Wyoming Wildcats (4-9)
18 to 13
Spokane Ospreys (7-6) at Portland Flyers (1-12)
27 to 17
Tucson Kings (6-7) at Lincoln Tribe (3-10)
6 to 13
Kentucky Stallions (9-4) at Iowa Rangers (6-7)
17 to 21
Santa Fe Bandits (8-5) at Mexico Bulls (8-5)
24 to 27
League News Update 4-14
Portland Flyers (1-11) at Puerto Rico Piranhas (4-8)
17 to 29
Madison Timberwolves (7-5) at Mexico Bulls (7-5)
3 to 23
Topeka Oilers (8-4) at Kentucky Stallions (8-4)
31 to 35
Dakota Vipers (8-4) at Iowa Rangers (6-6)
14 to 13
West Virginia Wizards (4-8) at Montana Grizzlies (6-6)
7 to 14
Concord Hawks (4-8) at Dover Deer (4-8)
14 to 49
Lincoln Tribe (3-9) at Yukon Yeti (12-0)
7 to 38
Little Rock Crocs (5-7) at Salt Lake Scorpions (4-8)
27 to 30
Oklahoma Twisters (10-2) at Hawaii Warriors (8-4)
3 to 20
Santa Fe Bandits (7-5) at Tiburon Sharks (5-7)
28 to 23
Wyoming Wildcats (3-9) at Jackson Dragons (5-7)
29 to 17
Spokane Ospreys (6-6) at Carson City Comets (8-4)
23 to 19
Bar Harbor Captains (7-5) at Tucson Kings (6-6)
20 to 17
Hartford Lightning (6-6) at Atlantic Tide (7-5)
16 to 34
Boston Liberty (10-2) at Edmonton Beavers (0-12)
27 to 0
Boise Bison (6-6) at Springfield Knights (7-5)
3 to 10
17 to 29
Madison Timberwolves (7-5) at Mexico Bulls (7-5)
3 to 23
Topeka Oilers (8-4) at Kentucky Stallions (8-4)
31 to 35
Dakota Vipers (8-4) at Iowa Rangers (6-6)
14 to 13
West Virginia Wizards (4-8) at Montana Grizzlies (6-6)
7 to 14
Concord Hawks (4-8) at Dover Deer (4-8)
14 to 49
Lincoln Tribe (3-9) at Yukon Yeti (12-0)
7 to 38
Little Rock Crocs (5-7) at Salt Lake Scorpions (4-8)
27 to 30
Oklahoma Twisters (10-2) at Hawaii Warriors (8-4)
3 to 20
Santa Fe Bandits (7-5) at Tiburon Sharks (5-7)
28 to 23
Wyoming Wildcats (3-9) at Jackson Dragons (5-7)
29 to 17
Spokane Ospreys (6-6) at Carson City Comets (8-4)
23 to 19
Bar Harbor Captains (7-5) at Tucson Kings (6-6)
20 to 17
Hartford Lightning (6-6) at Atlantic Tide (7-5)
16 to 34
Boston Liberty (10-2) at Edmonton Beavers (0-12)
27 to 0
Boise Bison (6-6) at Springfield Knights (7-5)
3 to 10
League News Update 4-13
Montana Grizzlies (6-5) at Lincoln Tribe (2-9)
10 to 13
Puerto Rico Piranhas (4-7) at West Virginia Wizards (3-8)
12 to 16
Madison Timberwolves (6-5) at Springfield Knights (7-4)
34 to 0
Atlantic Tide (7-4) at Kentucky Stallions (7-4)
30 to 33 (OT)
Bar Harbor Captains (7-4) at Yukon Yeti (11-0)
3 to 55
Tiburon Sharks (4-7) at Mexico Bulls (7-4)
22 to 11
Dakota Vipers (8-3) at Topeka Oilers (7-4)
9 to 28
Boston Liberty (9-2) at Dover Deer (4-7)
35 to 19
Jackson Dragons (5-6) at Iowa Rangers (5-6)
7 to 16
Spokane Ospreys (5-6) at Hawaii Warriors (8-3)
31 to 21
Edmonton Beavers (0-11) at Carson City Comets (7-4)
22 to 24
Boise Bison (5-6) at Wyoming Wildcats (3-8)
23 to 13
Tucson Kings (5-6) at Santa Fe Bandits (7-4)
23 to 15
Concord Hawks (3-8) at Little Rock Crocs (5-6)
27 to 15
Hartford Lightning (5-6) at Portland Flyers (1-10)
34 to 13
Oklahoma Twisters (10-1) at Salt Lake Scorpions (3-8)
21 to 30
10 to 13
Puerto Rico Piranhas (4-7) at West Virginia Wizards (3-8)
12 to 16
Madison Timberwolves (6-5) at Springfield Knights (7-4)
34 to 0
Atlantic Tide (7-4) at Kentucky Stallions (7-4)
30 to 33 (OT)
Bar Harbor Captains (7-4) at Yukon Yeti (11-0)
3 to 55
Tiburon Sharks (4-7) at Mexico Bulls (7-4)
22 to 11
Dakota Vipers (8-3) at Topeka Oilers (7-4)
9 to 28
Boston Liberty (9-2) at Dover Deer (4-7)
35 to 19
Jackson Dragons (5-6) at Iowa Rangers (5-6)
7 to 16
Spokane Ospreys (5-6) at Hawaii Warriors (8-3)
31 to 21
Edmonton Beavers (0-11) at Carson City Comets (7-4)
22 to 24
Boise Bison (5-6) at Wyoming Wildcats (3-8)
23 to 13
Tucson Kings (5-6) at Santa Fe Bandits (7-4)
23 to 15
Concord Hawks (3-8) at Little Rock Crocs (5-6)
27 to 15
Hartford Lightning (5-6) at Portland Flyers (1-10)
34 to 13
Oklahoma Twisters (10-1) at Salt Lake Scorpions (3-8)
21 to 30
League News Update 4-12
Spokane Ospreys (5-5) at Puerto Rico Piranhas (3-7)
20 to 23
Carson City Comets (7-3) at Yukon Yeti (10-0)
7 to 49
Bar Harbor Captains (6-4) at Oklahoma Twisters (10-0)
30 to 17
Iowa Rangers (5-5) at West Virginia Wizards (2-8)
10 to 22
Dakota Vipers (7-3) at Little Rock Crocs (5-5)
22 to 7
Concord Hawks (3-7) at Boston Liberty (8-2)
24 to 48
Dover Deer (3-7) at Edmonton Beavers (0-10)
37 to 3
Montana Grizzlies (5-5) at Salt Lake Scorpions (3-7)
26 to 13
Lincoln Tribe (2-8) at Hawaii Warriors (7-3)
9 to 23
Kentucky Stallions (6-4) at Springfield Knights (7-3)
27 to 14
Tiburon Sharks (3-7) at Wyoming Wildcats (3-7)
31 to 17
Topeka Oilers (6-4) at Tucson Kings (5-5)
31 to 14
Mexico Bulls (6-4) at Boise Bison (5-5)
26 to 20 (OT)
Madison Timberwolves (5-5) at Portland Flyers (1-9)
34 to 22
Jackson Dragons (4-6) at Santa Fe Bandits (7-3)
34 to 24
Atlantic Tide (6-4) at Hartford Lightning (5-5)
16 to 13
20 to 23
Carson City Comets (7-3) at Yukon Yeti (10-0)
7 to 49
Bar Harbor Captains (6-4) at Oklahoma Twisters (10-0)
30 to 17
Iowa Rangers (5-5) at West Virginia Wizards (2-8)
10 to 22
Dakota Vipers (7-3) at Little Rock Crocs (5-5)
22 to 7
Concord Hawks (3-7) at Boston Liberty (8-2)
24 to 48
Dover Deer (3-7) at Edmonton Beavers (0-10)
37 to 3
Montana Grizzlies (5-5) at Salt Lake Scorpions (3-7)
26 to 13
Lincoln Tribe (2-8) at Hawaii Warriors (7-3)
9 to 23
Kentucky Stallions (6-4) at Springfield Knights (7-3)
27 to 14
Tiburon Sharks (3-7) at Wyoming Wildcats (3-7)
31 to 17
Topeka Oilers (6-4) at Tucson Kings (5-5)
31 to 14
Mexico Bulls (6-4) at Boise Bison (5-5)
26 to 20 (OT)
Madison Timberwolves (5-5) at Portland Flyers (1-9)
34 to 22
Jackson Dragons (4-6) at Santa Fe Bandits (7-3)
34 to 24
Atlantic Tide (6-4) at Hartford Lightning (5-5)
16 to 13
League News Update 4-11
Salt Lake Scorpions (3-6) at Hawaii Warriors (6-3)
24 to 30
Madison Timberwolves (4-5) at Edmonton Beavers (0-9)
37 to 13
Mexico Bulls (6-3) at Boston Liberty (7-2)
10 to 17
West Virginia Wizards (2-7) at Hartford Lightning (4-5)
20 to 23 (OT)
Concord Hawks (3-6) at Bar Harbor Captains (5-4)
3 to 44
Tiburon Sharks (2-7) at Boise Bison (5-4)
41 to 16
Atlantic Tide (5-4) at Lincoln Tribe (2-7)
30 to 14
Iowa Rangers (4-5) at Dover Deer (3-6)
6 to 5
Springfield Knights (7-2) at Dakota Vipers (6-3)
17 to 27
Kentucky Stallions (6-3) at Tucson Kings (4-5)
15 to 16
Santa Fe Bandits (6-3) at Wyoming Wildcats (3-6)
23 to 16
Oklahoma Twisters (9-0) at Puerto Rico Piranhas (3-6)
27 to 20
Carson City Comets (6-3) at Spokane Ospreys (5-4)
24 to 9
Little Rock Crocs (4-5) at Portland Flyers (1-8)
36 to 20
Montana Grizzlies (5-4) at Yukon Yeti (9-0)
17 to 35
Topeka Oilers (5-4) at Jackson Dragons (4-5)
31 to 24
24 to 30
Madison Timberwolves (4-5) at Edmonton Beavers (0-9)
37 to 13
Mexico Bulls (6-3) at Boston Liberty (7-2)
10 to 17
West Virginia Wizards (2-7) at Hartford Lightning (4-5)
20 to 23 (OT)
Concord Hawks (3-6) at Bar Harbor Captains (5-4)
3 to 44
Tiburon Sharks (2-7) at Boise Bison (5-4)
41 to 16
Atlantic Tide (5-4) at Lincoln Tribe (2-7)
30 to 14
Iowa Rangers (4-5) at Dover Deer (3-6)
6 to 5
Springfield Knights (7-2) at Dakota Vipers (6-3)
17 to 27
Kentucky Stallions (6-3) at Tucson Kings (4-5)
15 to 16
Santa Fe Bandits (6-3) at Wyoming Wildcats (3-6)
23 to 16
Oklahoma Twisters (9-0) at Puerto Rico Piranhas (3-6)
27 to 20
Carson City Comets (6-3) at Spokane Ospreys (5-4)
24 to 9
Little Rock Crocs (4-5) at Portland Flyers (1-8)
36 to 20
Montana Grizzlies (5-4) at Yukon Yeti (9-0)
17 to 35
Topeka Oilers (5-4) at Jackson Dragons (4-5)
31 to 24
League News Update 4-10
Carson City Comets (6-2) at Madison Timberwolves (3-5)
7 to 10
Hawaii Warriors (5-3) at Puerto Rico Piranhas (3-5)
16 to 13 (OT)
Topeka Oilers (4-4) at Tiburon Sharks (2-6)
22 to 17
West Virginia Wizards (2-6) at Dover Deer (2-6)
7 to 23
Yukon Yeti (8-0) at Lincoln Tribe (2-6)
48 to 0
Iowa Rangers (3-5) at Concord Hawks (3-5)
30 to 7
Oklahoma Twisters (8-0) at Jackson Dragons (4-4)
34 to 10
Edmonton Beavers (0-8) at Little Rock Crocs (3-5)
3 to 34
Portland Flyers (1-7) at Spokane Ospreys (4-4)
3 to 23
Montana Grizzlies (5-3) at Santa Fe Bandits (5-3)
7 to 16
Boston Liberty (6-2) at Atlantic Tide (5-3)
18 to 17
Wyoming Wildcats (3-5) at Bar Harbor Captains (4-4)
20 to 26
Boise Bison (5-3) at Tucson Kings (3-5)
17 to 24
Dakota Vipers (6-2) at Kentucky Stallions (5-3)
19 to 24
7 to 10
Hawaii Warriors (5-3) at Puerto Rico Piranhas (3-5)
16 to 13 (OT)
Topeka Oilers (4-4) at Tiburon Sharks (2-6)
22 to 17
West Virginia Wizards (2-6) at Dover Deer (2-6)
7 to 23
Yukon Yeti (8-0) at Lincoln Tribe (2-6)
48 to 0
Iowa Rangers (3-5) at Concord Hawks (3-5)
30 to 7
Oklahoma Twisters (8-0) at Jackson Dragons (4-4)
34 to 10
Edmonton Beavers (0-8) at Little Rock Crocs (3-5)
3 to 34
Portland Flyers (1-7) at Spokane Ospreys (4-4)
3 to 23
Montana Grizzlies (5-3) at Santa Fe Bandits (5-3)
7 to 16
Boston Liberty (6-2) at Atlantic Tide (5-3)
18 to 17
Wyoming Wildcats (3-5) at Bar Harbor Captains (4-4)
20 to 26
Boise Bison (5-3) at Tucson Kings (3-5)
17 to 24
Dakota Vipers (6-2) at Kentucky Stallions (5-3)
19 to 24
Saturday, January 11, 2014
League News Update 4-9
Montana Grizzlies (4-3) at Hartford Lightning (4-4)
24 to 9
Yukon Yeti (7-0) at West Virginia Wizards (2-5)
42 to 7
Carson City Comets (6-1) at Springfield Knights (6-2)
17 to 20 (OT)
Spokane Ospreys (4-3) at Bar Harbor Captains (3-4)
13 to 16
Jackson Dragons (3-4) at Mexico Bulls (6-2)
7 to 6
Dover Deer (2-5) at Boise Bison (4-3)
17 to 23
Boston Liberty (6-1) at Kentucky Stallions (4-3)
11 to 21
Little Rock Crocs (3-4) at Lincoln Tribe (1-6)
7 to 12
Hawaii Warriors (4-3) at Concord Hawks (3-4)
24 to 14
Salt Lake Scorpions (3-5) at Puerto Rico Piranhas (2-5)
14 to 36
Iowa Rangers (3-4) at Santa Fe Bandits (4-3)
17 to 27
Oklahoma Twisters (7-0) at Portland Flyers (1-6)
18 to 14
Tucson Kings (2-5) at Tiburon Sharks (2-5)
15 to 14
Wyoming Wildcats (3-4) at Topkea Oilers (3-4)
17 to 21
24 to 9
Yukon Yeti (7-0) at West Virginia Wizards (2-5)
42 to 7
Carson City Comets (6-1) at Springfield Knights (6-2)
17 to 20 (OT)
Spokane Ospreys (4-3) at Bar Harbor Captains (3-4)
13 to 16
Jackson Dragons (3-4) at Mexico Bulls (6-2)
7 to 6
Dover Deer (2-5) at Boise Bison (4-3)
17 to 23
Boston Liberty (6-1) at Kentucky Stallions (4-3)
11 to 21
Little Rock Crocs (3-4) at Lincoln Tribe (1-6)
7 to 12
Hawaii Warriors (4-3) at Concord Hawks (3-4)
24 to 14
Salt Lake Scorpions (3-5) at Puerto Rico Piranhas (2-5)
14 to 36
Iowa Rangers (3-4) at Santa Fe Bandits (4-3)
17 to 27
Oklahoma Twisters (7-0) at Portland Flyers (1-6)
18 to 14
Tucson Kings (2-5) at Tiburon Sharks (2-5)
15 to 14
Wyoming Wildcats (3-4) at Topkea Oilers (3-4)
17 to 21
League News Update 4-8
Boise Bison (3-3) at Jackson Dragons (3-3)
31 to 10
Mexico Bulls (6-1) at Oklahoma Twisters (6-0)
7 to 17
Santa Fe Bandits (3-3) at Lincoln Tribe (1-5)
37 to 23
Tucson Kings (2-4) at Yukon Yeti (6-0)
3 to 52
Star Yukon Yeti QB Torry Mathis went down early in the first half after an awkward fall. Doctors confirmed later that game that he tore his right quadricep and would miss the rest of the season.
Dover Deer (2-4) at Dakota Vipers (5-2)
14 to 31
Topeka Oilers (2-4) at Puerto Rico Piranhas (2-4)
16 to 13
West Virginia Wizards (1-5) at Concord Hawks (3-3)
23 to 20
Montana Grizzlies (3-3) at Bar Harbor Captains (3-3)
23 to 20
Edmonton Beavers (0-7) at Madison Timberwolves (2-5)
0 to 41
Portland Flyers (1-5) at Carson City Comets (5-1)
3 to 12
Springfield Knights (6-1) at Spokane Ospreys (3-3)
6 to 23
Tiburon Sharks (2-4) at Salt Lake Scorpions (2-5)
24 to 27
Hartford Lightning (3-4) at Kentucky Stallions (4-2)
24 to 21 (OT)
Atlantic Tide (4-3) at Iowa Rangers (3-3)
31 to 13
31 to 10
Mexico Bulls (6-1) at Oklahoma Twisters (6-0)
7 to 17
Santa Fe Bandits (3-3) at Lincoln Tribe (1-5)
37 to 23
Tucson Kings (2-4) at Yukon Yeti (6-0)
3 to 52
Star Yukon Yeti QB Torry Mathis went down early in the first half after an awkward fall. Doctors confirmed later that game that he tore his right quadricep and would miss the rest of the season.
Dover Deer (2-4) at Dakota Vipers (5-2)
14 to 31
Topeka Oilers (2-4) at Puerto Rico Piranhas (2-4)
16 to 13
West Virginia Wizards (1-5) at Concord Hawks (3-3)
23 to 20
Montana Grizzlies (3-3) at Bar Harbor Captains (3-3)
23 to 20
Edmonton Beavers (0-7) at Madison Timberwolves (2-5)
0 to 41
Portland Flyers (1-5) at Carson City Comets (5-1)
3 to 12
Springfield Knights (6-1) at Spokane Ospreys (3-3)
6 to 23
Tiburon Sharks (2-4) at Salt Lake Scorpions (2-5)
24 to 27
Hartford Lightning (3-4) at Kentucky Stallions (4-2)
24 to 21 (OT)
Atlantic Tide (4-3) at Iowa Rangers (3-3)
31 to 13
League News Update 4-7
Edmonton Beavers (0-6) at Jackson Dragons (2-3)
7 to 31
Tucson Kings (2-3) at Boise Bison (2-3)
0 to 24
Bar Harbor Captains (3-2) at Hartford Lightning (2-4)
16 to 17
Atlantic Tide (4-2) at Yukon Yeti (5-0)
7 to 38
Tiburon Sharks (2-3) at Oklahoma Twisters (5-0)
3 to 27
Topeka Oilers (1-4) at Hawaii Warriors (4-2)
23 to 13
Springfield Knights (5-1) at Dover Deer (2-3)
27 to 17
Kentucky Stallions (4-1) at Boston Liberty (5-1)
16 to 35
Dakota Vipers (4-2) at Madison Timberwolves (2-4)
28 to 21
Lincoln Tribe (0-5) at West Virginia Wizards (1-4)
23 to 16
Little Rock Crocs (3-3) at Carson City Comets (4-1)
0 to 27
Concord Hawks (3-2) at Montana Grizzlies (2-3)
7 to 10
Wyoming Wildcats (3-3) at Santa Fe Bandits (2-3)
16 to 26
Mexico Bulls (5-1) at Salt Lake Scorpions (2-4)
13 to 10
7 to 31
Tucson Kings (2-3) at Boise Bison (2-3)
0 to 24
Bar Harbor Captains (3-2) at Hartford Lightning (2-4)
16 to 17
Atlantic Tide (4-2) at Yukon Yeti (5-0)
7 to 38
Tiburon Sharks (2-3) at Oklahoma Twisters (5-0)
3 to 27
Topeka Oilers (1-4) at Hawaii Warriors (4-2)
23 to 13
Springfield Knights (5-1) at Dover Deer (2-3)
27 to 17
Kentucky Stallions (4-1) at Boston Liberty (5-1)
16 to 35
Dakota Vipers (4-2) at Madison Timberwolves (2-4)
28 to 21
Lincoln Tribe (0-5) at West Virginia Wizards (1-4)
23 to 16
Little Rock Crocs (3-3) at Carson City Comets (4-1)
0 to 27
Concord Hawks (3-2) at Montana Grizzlies (2-3)
7 to 10
Wyoming Wildcats (3-3) at Santa Fe Bandits (2-3)
16 to 26
Mexico Bulls (5-1) at Salt Lake Scorpions (2-4)
13 to 10
Thursday, December 26, 2013
League News Update 4-6
Iowa Rangers (3-2) at Madison Timberwolves (1-4)
16 to 51
Madison really stepped up the offense in this game, once again showing that they would succeed in most other divisions in the league right now. The NFC North is just tough to play in.
Boston Liberty (4-1) at Hartford Lightning (2-3)
30 to 17
Boston continues to win consistently, but faces an uphill battle in a tight division. Hartford put up a good fight considering their skill.
Dover Deer (2-2) at Kentucky Stallions (3-1)
13 to 24
Kentucky took the reins and went the distance when it mattered, pulling out a fairly easy victory. They look on track to secure another wildcard spot.
Spokane Ospreys (2-3) at Edmonton Beavers (0-5)
41 to 13
The Beavers aren't a match for anyone but the lowest teams in the league right now. Spokane easily pulls off a win.
Mexico Bulls (4-1) at Tiburon Sharks (2-2)
27 to 24 (OT)
Mexico continues to be successful in their division when it matters, but the tightness of this game revealed that they can't yet compete with the top tier teams in the league.
Bar Harbor Captains (2-2) at Montana Grizzlies (2-2)
24 to 17
Bar Harbor played hard when it mattered in this tight game against division rival Montana. It is essential that the Captains play above the Grizzlies this year as their team looks strong enough to put together a passable wildcard run in an AFC North dominated by the Yukon Yeti.
Atlantic Tide (3-2) at West Virginia Wizards (1-3)
10 to 6
The Tide barely pulled this low-scoring game out of the bag. The Wizards aren't bad, but they're not quite to the level of the Tide yet.
Topeka Oilers (0-4) at Santa Fe Bandits (2-2)
27 to 21
Topeka's first victory of the season comes against the rising Bandits, a team that has traditionally struggled. This is an interesting matchup for two teams that are looking to build their teams and likely won't make the playoffs this year.
Dakota Vipers (4-1) at Carson City Comets (3-1)
10 to 26
The win couldn't be bigger for Carson City. The Comet defense was able to effectively hold back Dakota and they're strong running game led by HB Will Reynolds powered through when it mattered, giving Carson City the 16 point margin of victory. The Comets are still a force to be reckoned with. This game has the potential to be a super bowl preview a few years down the road.
Puerto Rico Piranhas (2-3) at Little Rock Crocs (2-3)
13 to 17
Puerto Rico has backslid a little this season while the Crocs look to surge to the front of the middle tier in the league. This game is evidence.
Salt Lake Scorpions (2-3) at Oklahoma Twisters (4-0)
10 to 17
While no doubt closer than the Twisters would've liked it, a win is a win. Oklahoma, led by QB Marc Madison, is a force to be reckoned with.
Springfield Knights (4-1) at Portland Flyers (1-4)
24 to 14
The Knights stuck to their game plan, running the ball and holding off the lowly Flyers. Both the Knights and Comets are running very similar game plans this year and meet each other in week 9. That'll be a game to watch.
Jackson Dragons (2-2) at Hawaii Warriors (3-2)
20 to 33
Jackson is inconsistent and Hawaii is trying to prove that they can still compete. The Warriors have a slim chance at the playoffs this year.
Lincoln Tribe (0-4) at Wyoming Wildcats (2-3)
9 to 26
Lincoln could lose to almost anyone this year and are in desperate need of a win to boost morale. Wyoming doesn't give it to them here.
16 to 51
Madison really stepped up the offense in this game, once again showing that they would succeed in most other divisions in the league right now. The NFC North is just tough to play in.
Boston Liberty (4-1) at Hartford Lightning (2-3)
30 to 17
Boston continues to win consistently, but faces an uphill battle in a tight division. Hartford put up a good fight considering their skill.
Dover Deer (2-2) at Kentucky Stallions (3-1)
13 to 24
Kentucky took the reins and went the distance when it mattered, pulling out a fairly easy victory. They look on track to secure another wildcard spot.
Spokane Ospreys (2-3) at Edmonton Beavers (0-5)
41 to 13
The Beavers aren't a match for anyone but the lowest teams in the league right now. Spokane easily pulls off a win.
Mexico Bulls (4-1) at Tiburon Sharks (2-2)
27 to 24 (OT)
Mexico continues to be successful in their division when it matters, but the tightness of this game revealed that they can't yet compete with the top tier teams in the league.
Bar Harbor Captains (2-2) at Montana Grizzlies (2-2)
24 to 17
Bar Harbor played hard when it mattered in this tight game against division rival Montana. It is essential that the Captains play above the Grizzlies this year as their team looks strong enough to put together a passable wildcard run in an AFC North dominated by the Yukon Yeti.
Atlantic Tide (3-2) at West Virginia Wizards (1-3)
10 to 6
The Tide barely pulled this low-scoring game out of the bag. The Wizards aren't bad, but they're not quite to the level of the Tide yet.
Topeka Oilers (0-4) at Santa Fe Bandits (2-2)
27 to 21
Topeka's first victory of the season comes against the rising Bandits, a team that has traditionally struggled. This is an interesting matchup for two teams that are looking to build their teams and likely won't make the playoffs this year.
Dakota Vipers (4-1) at Carson City Comets (3-1)
10 to 26
The win couldn't be bigger for Carson City. The Comet defense was able to effectively hold back Dakota and they're strong running game led by HB Will Reynolds powered through when it mattered, giving Carson City the 16 point margin of victory. The Comets are still a force to be reckoned with. This game has the potential to be a super bowl preview a few years down the road.
Puerto Rico Piranhas (2-3) at Little Rock Crocs (2-3)
13 to 17
Puerto Rico has backslid a little this season while the Crocs look to surge to the front of the middle tier in the league. This game is evidence.
Salt Lake Scorpions (2-3) at Oklahoma Twisters (4-0)
10 to 17
While no doubt closer than the Twisters would've liked it, a win is a win. Oklahoma, led by QB Marc Madison, is a force to be reckoned with.
Springfield Knights (4-1) at Portland Flyers (1-4)
24 to 14
The Knights stuck to their game plan, running the ball and holding off the lowly Flyers. Both the Knights and Comets are running very similar game plans this year and meet each other in week 9. That'll be a game to watch.
Jackson Dragons (2-2) at Hawaii Warriors (3-2)
20 to 33
Jackson is inconsistent and Hawaii is trying to prove that they can still compete. The Warriors have a slim chance at the playoffs this year.
Lincoln Tribe (0-4) at Wyoming Wildcats (2-3)
9 to 26
Lincoln could lose to almost anyone this year and are in desperate need of a win to boost morale. Wyoming doesn't give it to them here.
League News Update 4-5
Santa Fe Bandits (1-2) at Boise Bison (2-2)
34 to 24
Santa Fe looked strong in this one, pulling off an unexpected victory against Boise.
Hawaii Warriors (3-1) at Mexico Bulls (3-1)
6 to 22
This victory is sure to give the Bulls momentum, but I don't put much stock in their chances of succeeding in the league this year. They can walk away with the NFC South, but not much else.
Edmonton Beavers (0-4) at Springfield Knights (3-1)
6 to 24
Hardly an unpredictable result, Springfield uses their effective running game to burn clock and get the win.
Lincoln Tribe (0-3) at Concord Hawks (2-2)
10 to 17
Despite this victory, Concord is really beginning to struggle after a promising start. Lincoln is easily among the worst 5 teams in the league right now.
Salt Lake Scorpions (2-2) at Hartford Lightning (1-3)
24 to 31
I'm inclined to think Hartford is slightly above most of its mid-ranked counterparts in the league, but their record won't show it this year due to their tough division.
Yukon Yeti (4-0) at Bar Harbor Captains (2-1)
87 to 14
After a fairly even first quarter, Bar Harbor crumbled in the face of Yukon's effective offense and stifling defensive sets. Bar Harbor rookie QB Lennox Stanley threw 7 interceptions, 3 of which were returned for touchdowns by Yukon CB Ted Watts. Yukon is really looking strong this year.
Madison Timberwolves (1-3) at Boston Liberty (3-1)
3 to 49
I was hoping Madison would at least make this close. Boston is clearly still the top team in the NFC.
Portland Flyers (1-3) at Dakota Vipers (3-1)
3 to 42
This was a predictable result due to the presence of the hot Dakota Vipers. Week 2's 18 to 17 decision between the Liberty and Vipers is looking like it could easily be an early playoff preview.
Atlantic Tide (3-1) at Spokane Ospreys (1-3)
14 to 17
Atlantic doesn't possess the solid and consistent offense or defense it once had. Spokane took advantage of it here and hands the Tide their second loss of the season.
Kentucky Stallions (3-0) at West Virginia Wizards (0-3)
21 to 31
West Virginia comes up with a surprise upset against a Kentucky team that's still super bowl capable in a tough division. Both of these teams compete at a high caliber on a regular basis, West Virginia lacks Kentucky's consistency, but is capable of pulling off this win.
Wyoming Wildcats (1-3) at Tucson Kings (2-2)
24 to 13
This was a fairly even game that went the direction of the Wildcats. Both of these teams sit around in the middle tier of the league.
Puerto Rico Piranhas (2-2) at Carson City Comets (2-1)
16 to 24
Carson City's emphasis on defense and the running game makes the score of their games appear closer than they actually are. This is one of those cases. The Comets might not be as powerful as previous years, but they're running game has only gotten better.
Dover Deer (2-1) at Iowa Rangers (2-2)
7 to 13
An interesting result from two inconsistent teams. Iowa is looking to move up in the league while Dover remains something of a success enigma.
Little Rock Crocs (2-2) at Oklahoma Twisters (3-0)
7 to 31
Oklahoma will be a problem for most teams right now. They're no doubt in the top 3 teams in the league this year.
34 to 24
Santa Fe looked strong in this one, pulling off an unexpected victory against Boise.
Hawaii Warriors (3-1) at Mexico Bulls (3-1)
6 to 22
This victory is sure to give the Bulls momentum, but I don't put much stock in their chances of succeeding in the league this year. They can walk away with the NFC South, but not much else.
Edmonton Beavers (0-4) at Springfield Knights (3-1)
6 to 24
Hardly an unpredictable result, Springfield uses their effective running game to burn clock and get the win.
Lincoln Tribe (0-3) at Concord Hawks (2-2)
10 to 17
Despite this victory, Concord is really beginning to struggle after a promising start. Lincoln is easily among the worst 5 teams in the league right now.
Salt Lake Scorpions (2-2) at Hartford Lightning (1-3)
24 to 31
I'm inclined to think Hartford is slightly above most of its mid-ranked counterparts in the league, but their record won't show it this year due to their tough division.
Yukon Yeti (4-0) at Bar Harbor Captains (2-1)
87 to 14
After a fairly even first quarter, Bar Harbor crumbled in the face of Yukon's effective offense and stifling defensive sets. Bar Harbor rookie QB Lennox Stanley threw 7 interceptions, 3 of which were returned for touchdowns by Yukon CB Ted Watts. Yukon is really looking strong this year.
Madison Timberwolves (1-3) at Boston Liberty (3-1)
3 to 49
I was hoping Madison would at least make this close. Boston is clearly still the top team in the NFC.
Portland Flyers (1-3) at Dakota Vipers (3-1)
3 to 42
This was a predictable result due to the presence of the hot Dakota Vipers. Week 2's 18 to 17 decision between the Liberty and Vipers is looking like it could easily be an early playoff preview.
Atlantic Tide (3-1) at Spokane Ospreys (1-3)
14 to 17
Atlantic doesn't possess the solid and consistent offense or defense it once had. Spokane took advantage of it here and hands the Tide their second loss of the season.
Kentucky Stallions (3-0) at West Virginia Wizards (0-3)
21 to 31
West Virginia comes up with a surprise upset against a Kentucky team that's still super bowl capable in a tough division. Both of these teams compete at a high caliber on a regular basis, West Virginia lacks Kentucky's consistency, but is capable of pulling off this win.
Wyoming Wildcats (1-3) at Tucson Kings (2-2)
24 to 13
This was a fairly even game that went the direction of the Wildcats. Both of these teams sit around in the middle tier of the league.
Puerto Rico Piranhas (2-2) at Carson City Comets (2-1)
16 to 24
Carson City's emphasis on defense and the running game makes the score of their games appear closer than they actually are. This is one of those cases. The Comets might not be as powerful as previous years, but they're running game has only gotten better.
Dover Deer (2-1) at Iowa Rangers (2-2)
7 to 13
An interesting result from two inconsistent teams. Iowa is looking to move up in the league while Dover remains something of a success enigma.
Little Rock Crocs (2-2) at Oklahoma Twisters (3-0)
7 to 31
Oklahoma will be a problem for most teams right now. They're no doubt in the top 3 teams in the league this year.
League News Update 4-4
Here's the list of this week's games with some (very) brief analysis...
Edmonton Beavers (0-3) at Kentucky Stallions (2-0)
3 to 45
Nothing surprising here. Last year's NFC champion takes down a team that's been struggling for years.
Wyoming Wildcats (0-3) at Boise Bison (2-1)
17 to 6
Boise has gotten knocked off their game after their loss to the Yeti. Wyoming walks away with this one and the NFC West is up for grabs.
Hawaii Warriors (2-1) at Tiburon Sharks (2-1)
16 to 10
Not an unpredictable result. Hawaii is used to playing some fairly tough teams in its own AFC South and the NFC South is nothing in comparison.
Dover Deer (1-1) at Boston Liberty (3-0)
30 to 24
Boston turned the ball over 5 times. Dover played mistake free football. Other than that, this game should've gone to the Liberty. Props to Dover for outsmarting a more athletic team. The NFC East gets more interesting by the week.
Concord Hawks (2-1) at Atlantic Tide (2-1)
21 to 38
The Tide get revenge for their week 1 loss in Concord with this victory. Their offense cruised past that of the Hawks. The Tide are still the leading team in the AFC East.
Little Rock Crocs (1-2) at Madison Timberwolves (1-2)
32 to 27
No doubt Little Rock understands that the AFC West is attainable this year. This victory against a fairly decent team in Madison shows it. I'm surprised at the result here, but at least it was close.
Dakota Vipers (2-1) at Springfield Knights (3-0)
17 to 7
I've been waiting for the Knights to lose all year because their schedule to this point has been way too easy. If the Knights are serious about winning the NFC North, they have to do more than beat the struggling Edmonton Beavers. Dakota is looking the strongest in the NFC North so far with Madison and Springfield in close contention. The division could still go to any of these three teams.
Jackson Dragons (1-2) at Puerto Rico Piranhas (2-1)
16 to 10
I was not expecting this. Puerto Rico doesn't have much of an offense, usually relying on their defense to shut down opponents. It looks like the Dragons overcame it in a surprise victory. The Piranhas need to stay strong in order to compete in the AFC South and after Hawaii's win over Tiburon, this loss makes them look bad.
Santa Fe Bandits (1-1) at Yukon Yeti (3-0)
7 to 42
Yukon got the ball right away and put up 14 points on the board before the Bandits knew what hit them. The third play of the first drive was a deep 73 yard pass from Yukon QB Torry Mathis to Wideout Mack Pleasant. The Yeti continued last week's trend, emphasizing the running game more than usual. The Bandit's only TD came on a deep pass late in the first half, taking advantage of poor defensive play calling and the mismatches that resulted. Regardless, this was a Yeti show through and through. Yukon will certainly need to step it up for next week's game against division rival Bar Harbor, a team which is more than prepared coming off of a bye week.
Player of the game: Yeti Free Safety Jon Baker
Topeka Oilers (0-3) at Mexico Bulls (2-1)
14 to 24
If the NFC South has to go to someone, Mexico looks up to the task.
Salt Lake Scorpions (1-2) at Portland Flyers (1-2)
23 to 20
This was a good showing on the part of the Flyers, but a predictable result.
Hartford Lightning (1-2) at Iowa Rangers (1-2)
23 to 31
I was very surprised by this result. The Lightning look to be lagging behind in the AFC East after a promising start. On the flip side, Iowa won't be going anywhere soon in the competitive NFC East, but they're getting there.
Montana Grizzlies (2-1) at Tucson Kings (1-2)
14 to 26
The bottom two teams in the AFC North, Montana and Lincoln, look to be struggling this year in comparison to up and coming teams like the Kings who are hoping to compete with fellow NFC West rivals such as Boise, Wyoming, and Santa Fe.
Oklahoma Twisters (2-0) at Spokane Ospreys (1-2)
28 to 11
Oklahoma looks awfully good this year. They were a step ahead of Spokane all the way.
Next week features the first of two regular season Yeti and Captains matchups. These are always interesting games to watch so keep your eyes peeled for related features on the blog. In the meantime, my analyses for the next week or two will be shorter due to time constraints. I'll pick up the more detailed aspects again in my week 7 update.
Edmonton Beavers (0-3) at Kentucky Stallions (2-0)
3 to 45
Nothing surprising here. Last year's NFC champion takes down a team that's been struggling for years.
Wyoming Wildcats (0-3) at Boise Bison (2-1)
17 to 6
Boise has gotten knocked off their game after their loss to the Yeti. Wyoming walks away with this one and the NFC West is up for grabs.
Hawaii Warriors (2-1) at Tiburon Sharks (2-1)
16 to 10
Not an unpredictable result. Hawaii is used to playing some fairly tough teams in its own AFC South and the NFC South is nothing in comparison.
Dover Deer (1-1) at Boston Liberty (3-0)
30 to 24
Boston turned the ball over 5 times. Dover played mistake free football. Other than that, this game should've gone to the Liberty. Props to Dover for outsmarting a more athletic team. The NFC East gets more interesting by the week.
Concord Hawks (2-1) at Atlantic Tide (2-1)
21 to 38
The Tide get revenge for their week 1 loss in Concord with this victory. Their offense cruised past that of the Hawks. The Tide are still the leading team in the AFC East.
Little Rock Crocs (1-2) at Madison Timberwolves (1-2)
32 to 27
No doubt Little Rock understands that the AFC West is attainable this year. This victory against a fairly decent team in Madison shows it. I'm surprised at the result here, but at least it was close.
Dakota Vipers (2-1) at Springfield Knights (3-0)
17 to 7
I've been waiting for the Knights to lose all year because their schedule to this point has been way too easy. If the Knights are serious about winning the NFC North, they have to do more than beat the struggling Edmonton Beavers. Dakota is looking the strongest in the NFC North so far with Madison and Springfield in close contention. The division could still go to any of these three teams.
Jackson Dragons (1-2) at Puerto Rico Piranhas (2-1)
16 to 10
I was not expecting this. Puerto Rico doesn't have much of an offense, usually relying on their defense to shut down opponents. It looks like the Dragons overcame it in a surprise victory. The Piranhas need to stay strong in order to compete in the AFC South and after Hawaii's win over Tiburon, this loss makes them look bad.
Santa Fe Bandits (1-1) at Yukon Yeti (3-0)
7 to 42
Yukon got the ball right away and put up 14 points on the board before the Bandits knew what hit them. The third play of the first drive was a deep 73 yard pass from Yukon QB Torry Mathis to Wideout Mack Pleasant. The Yeti continued last week's trend, emphasizing the running game more than usual. The Bandit's only TD came on a deep pass late in the first half, taking advantage of poor defensive play calling and the mismatches that resulted. Regardless, this was a Yeti show through and through. Yukon will certainly need to step it up for next week's game against division rival Bar Harbor, a team which is more than prepared coming off of a bye week.
Player of the game: Yeti Free Safety Jon Baker
Topeka Oilers (0-3) at Mexico Bulls (2-1)
14 to 24
If the NFC South has to go to someone, Mexico looks up to the task.
Salt Lake Scorpions (1-2) at Portland Flyers (1-2)
23 to 20
This was a good showing on the part of the Flyers, but a predictable result.
Hartford Lightning (1-2) at Iowa Rangers (1-2)
23 to 31
I was very surprised by this result. The Lightning look to be lagging behind in the AFC East after a promising start. On the flip side, Iowa won't be going anywhere soon in the competitive NFC East, but they're getting there.
Montana Grizzlies (2-1) at Tucson Kings (1-2)
14 to 26
The bottom two teams in the AFC North, Montana and Lincoln, look to be struggling this year in comparison to up and coming teams like the Kings who are hoping to compete with fellow NFC West rivals such as Boise, Wyoming, and Santa Fe.
Oklahoma Twisters (2-0) at Spokane Ospreys (1-2)
28 to 11
Oklahoma looks awfully good this year. They were a step ahead of Spokane all the way.
Next week features the first of two regular season Yeti and Captains matchups. These are always interesting games to watch so keep your eyes peeled for related features on the blog. In the meantime, my analyses for the next week or two will be shorter due to time constraints. I'll pick up the more detailed aspects again in my week 7 update.
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
League News Update 4-3
This week's writeup is going to be a bit lengthy with the qualification that next week's will just be posted scores and possibly some brief analysis. There were only a few tight games this week. Here are the scores, analysis, and some statistics...
Yukon Yeti at Boise Bison
56 to 0
The score says it all. The Bison aren't a bad team, but they didn't stand a chance in this game. The stat that should jump out almost immediately is time of possession. The Bison were on offense for less than 25% of this game. Yukon slowed the game down beyond their usual fast hitting and high flying offense. They tried time and time again to run the ball despite the fact that the Bison yielded very little yardage on straight rushing plays. This led to a lot of short passes on second down and a high third down efficiency. Boise came into this game with one of the top ranked defenses in the league, obviously this will knock that statistic down a notch. Although Yukon won the coin toss, they chose to kick. Boise went three and out on their first two possessions, leading to two long Yukon drives that resulted in touchdowns. On their third possession, Boise finally looked to have found their groove, working their way into the redzone. This was brought to an abrupt halt by an interception thrown by Boise QB Corey Maguire and returned 103 yards by Yukon CB Andre Harry for a score. The bulk of time Boise had the ball was on this possession. On the ensuing kickoff, Yukon WR Lamar Craig delivered a special teams hit to Boise WR and kick returner, Dee Kirby, forcing a fumble. Yukon corner Patrick Andrews fell on the ball and set Yukon up for another score. It only took them two plays to strike gold with a pass to Mack Pleasant in the left corner. Boise's offense was shut down once again on their fourth offensive possession, leading to a Yukon opportunity with 0:46 to play in the half. Driving around 60 yards down the field, Torry Mathis threw his fourth touchdown pass of the day, setting up a 35-0 halftime situation in favor of the Yeti. Coming out of halftime, the Boise defense had a renewed energy, stopping Yukon's first possession and taking over about halfway through the quarter. No more than a few plays had gone by when Corey Maguire threw his second interception of the day to Yukon MLB Lionel Nipper. Nipper ran 26 yards into the endzone for the score. Yukon's defense continued to shut down Boise time and time again. After another Mathis TD pass about midway through the fourth quarter, Yukon pulled him in favor of backup Ben Harris in order to avoid a chance of injury. The Yeti maintained possession carefully, running the ball and making short passes when necessary to pick up first downs. It was during this last half of the fourth quarter that Yukon rookie HB Marcus Green came in for a tired Tim Peterson and punched in the ball for his first ever score in professional regular season action. With no other score forthcoming, the Yeti shutdown another Boise offensive possession, got the ball back, and ran down the clock for the win. Perhaps the only success for Boise was the running game, but with such a deficit they turned to it little. Yukon played a different style of ball than what we usually see, using a lot of WR bunch sets and running the ball before passing it. This allowed them to run misdirection plays more effectively and wind down the clock, gradually forcing the Bison to play with a sense of unwanted urgency and likely leading to the two interceptions. Yukon played some of the best football I've seen all year and I know I said last week that their performance against Concord was probably one of the best we'll see all year, but this was nothing short of dominating. Perhaps Boise has a way to go if they want to compete with the best. Boise is a top team in the NFC West, but that had nothing on Yukon in this one. Next week they take on division rival Wyoming, a team which Yukon beat in week 1. It will no doubt be a test to see if they are truly of a higher caliber. The Yeti keep rolling with this one and look to take on a slowly developing middle tier team in the Santa Fe Bandits next week.
Passing:
Yukon QB Torry Mathis: 138.9 passer rating, 250 yards passing, 5 TD, 19/27, 70% completion rate, 9.3 average yards per pass, 3 sacks
Yukon QB Ben Harris: 85.4 passer rating, 40 yards passing, 2/4
Boise QB Corey Maguire: 9.8 passer rating, 73 yards passing, 2 INT, 7/28, 2.6 average yards per pass
Rushing:
Yukon HB Tim Peterson: 51 yards, 18 attempts, 2.8 average yards
Yukon QB Torry Mathis: 19 yards, 3 attempts, 6.3 average yards
Yukon QB Ben Harris: 18 yards, 1 attempt
Yukon HB Marcus Green: 7 yards, 1 attempt, TD
Boise HB Martin Simpson: 38 yards, 6 attempts, 6.3 average yards
Receiving:
Yukon WR Mack Pleasant: 5 receptions, 99 yards, 3 TDs
Yukon WR Lamar Craig: 4 receptions, 50 yards
Yukon FB Charles Burnett: 3 receptions, 42 yards
Yukon WR Richard Cummings: 2 receptions, 13 yards, TD
Yukon WR T.J. Oliver: 2 receptions, 24 yards
Yukon HB TIm Peterson: 2 receptions, 16 yards
Yukon TE Neil Parker: 1 reception, 24 yards, TD
Yukon TE Derek Pruitt: 1 reception, 19 yards
Yukon WR Roscoe Terrell: 1 reception, 3 yards
All Boise receivers were held under 20 yards. Only WR Cornell Billups caught the ball more than once.
Yukon Defense:
Yukon WR Lamar Craig: 4 tackles, FF
Yukon MLB Lionel Nipper: 3 tackles, INT, TD
Yukon CB Andre Harry: 1 tackle, 103 yard INT, TD
Game Stats:
YY: 372 total offense, BB: 111
YY: 95 rushing yards, BB: 38
YY: 277 passing yards, BB: 73
YY: 19 first downs, BB: 7
YY: 7/8 (87%) 3rd down conversions, BB: 1/8 (12%)
YY: 15:07 time of possession, BB: 4:53
3 turnovers by BB (2 INT, 1 fumble)
Box Score
1Q:2Q:::3Q:4Q
7::28:::7::14
0::0::::0::0
Player of the game: YY QB Torry Mathis
Torry Mathis was also named AFC Offensive Player of the Week.
Tiburon Sharks (1-1) at Topeka Oilers (0-2)
28 to 3
By all appearances, Tiburon had this one in the bag from the get go, maintaining a shutout until the fourth quarter. Topeka was in the redzone 3 times and only turned a field goal once. Tiburon was in the redzone twice and both times had a TD. The inferred statistical explanation is Topka's 3 interceptions. Another thing to note is that Topka played three players at QB, despite only having two on their roster. Rookie Evan Turner did most of the passing after 9 year pro starter Larry Taylor was pulled, likely due to a brief injury. Turner threw 1 interception before being pulled himself, again likely due to an injury. Punter Marcus Clement had 2 interceptions at the quarterback position. Obviously things got pretty desperate for Topkea. Perhaps the game would've been more even if it was injury free. Despite losses for both teams last week, they put up decent numbers against tough teams. I don't think this game is indicative of the state of the NFC South. Right now, that division is up for grabs.
Wyoming Wildcats (0-2) at Montana Grizzlies (1-1)
16 to 21
All scoring was in the first half other than a pair of Wildcat field goals early in the third quarter. Wyoming had three redzone attempts and only converted one into a score on a Tee Franklin field goal. Montana had four redzone attempts and turned three of them into TDs. Wyoming's 2 years pro DT Kurt Johnson racked up 11 tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble in an impressive performance. However, Montana's defense made stops when it mattered and Wyoming's did not. Wildcat kicker Tee Franklin was 3/4 on field goals, draining a 54 yarder early in the second quarter. Montana's ability to limit Wyoming to field goals was a big factor in this win featuring two mid to lower tier teams. The AFC North has a lot of games against the NFC West this year and, with the exception of Boise's games against Bar Harbor and Lincoln, they have gone in the favor of the AFC North.
Puerto Rico Piranhas (1-1) at Mexico Bulls (2-0)
30 to 3
3-6 is the closest the Bulls ever came to winning this game. After this brief moment in the the second quarter, Puerto Rico shut the door and never looked back. Mexico never made it into the redzone and both their passing and rushing totals were held to double digits. Mexico QB Lester Atwater threw four interceptions, keeping the Bull offense from developing a steady rhythm. Mexico's defense didn't perform poorly. After all they held Puerto Rico to five field goals; kicker Ben Henson was 5/6 for the Piranhas. Still, it's clear that Mexico's defense can't compete compared to Puerto Rico, who came up with turnovers when they needed it. This game is leading me to believe the NFC South is the weakest division in football right now. The Bulls, Sharks, Oilers, and Dragons play shaky defense and inconsistent offense.
Iowa Rangers (1-1) at Boston Liberty (2-0)
17 to 27
After a fast start for the Liberty, Iowa was able to rebound, giving them the lead 14-13 with 2:38 to play in the second quarter. Boston was able to run a quick 52 second drive, resulting in the answering score and putting them ahead permanently. I was surprised that Iowa even made it that close at one point. The Rangers are in the cellar of the NFC East and this divisional matchup shows that the distinction isn't actually all that apparent. Iowa was able to make it 17-20 in the third quarter, but Boston was able to seal the deal with a late fourth quarter score. Total offensive production was similar. In fact, Iowa actually out-passed Boston, 154 to 149 yards. The deciding factor could be turnovers. Iowa lost four fumbles and Boston turned it over twice, once on a fumble and once on an interception. I'm chalking this game up as a fluke on Boston's part. This was the computer game of the week.
Concord Hawks (1-1) at Hartford Lightning (1-1)
24 to 23
The AFC East is a tight division full of teams rising to prominence and struggling to hold on to it. The Hawks and Lightning are two of the rising teams, hoping to eek out playoff berths over the traditionally dominant Tide and Wizards. This matchup was even throughout the first two quarters, leading to a 10-10 halftime score. Hartford was able to go up by 10 after two consecutive successful drives early in the fourth quarter, leaving Concord in a rough spot with 11:36 to play in the game. Late, long, and well constructed drives on the part of the Hawks helped them get the win; the last TD came with 0:57 to play in the game. Concord's offensive production was far greater than Hartford's (403 yards compared to 243), but Concord turned the ball over 7 times (4 INTs, 3 fumbles) compared to Hartford's 1 lost fumble. I'm surprised that the Hawks were able to pull off a comeback after so many mistakes. Perhaps a big reason was the contribution of Concord HB William Collins who rushed for 181 yards on 33 attempts with a TD (averaging 5.5 per carry). Regardless, the Lightning mean business this year even if they're not up to the level of the Hawks. Right now I see the Hawks and Tide competing at the top of the division with the Wizards struggling to keep up and the Lightning hoping to either hold back the rising Hawks or take advantage of the weakening Tide.
Madison Timberwolves (1-1) at Dakota Vipers (1-1)
9 to 13
A Dakota TD with 0:23 to play in the first quarter kept the Vipers up all game (making the score 10-3 at the time). The only score in the second half was a fourth quarter field goal by Madison with 6:09 to play. Both teams were fairly efficient with similar stats, revealing a tight, mistake free, and competitive divisional matchup. The NFC North, with the exception of Edmonton, is up for grabs. Springfield takes on Dakota next week, a game that will no doubt reveal if the traditionally powerful Dakota Vipers are prepared to deal with the rising Knights, one of the few teams that is undefeated thus far.
Portland Flyers (1-1) at Little Rock Crocs (0-2)
7 to 34
Little Rock was up 10-0 at half, but Portland was able to respond on their first drive of the second half on a 31 pass from QB Donald Bever to WR Phillip Grant (Grant finished as the top receiver with 10 receptions, 115 yards, and a TD). Little Rock was able to quickly respond and they never looked back. Their offensive production outmatched the Flyers easily, compiling 4 perfectly efficient redzone trips. Both teams turned the ball over twice, leading me to conclude that the more effective defense of the Crocs was able to secure the victory. This was an interesting matchup from a divisional standpoint as both teams are no doubt hoping to one day be able to knock off the Carson City Comets from the top of the AFC West.
Springfield Knights (2-0) at Edmonton Beaver (0-2)
23 to 7
The Bevers were down 10-7 at half after scoring with 2:13 to play in the second quarter. Springfield simply put them away in the second half. Comparing offensive production is very telling as far as the ability of these two teams. Springfield came up with 496 yards, Edmonton had a meager 174. The only turnover of the game was a interception thrown by the Beavers. This game is solid evidence of Springfield's rising team, particularly its offense and running game. Springfield HB Terrance Griffith compiled 194 rushing yards on 35 attempts with the longest being 25 yards. He also had a TD and while he did lose a fumble, his team was able to recover it. Springfield kicker Keith Parker was only 3/5, his longest coming at 38 yards. The Knights still have some work to do, but they're obviously above the lowly Beavers. Next week's matchup against Dakota will be a true test of Springfield's ability and its undefeated record. No surprise in the result here.
Salt Lake Scorpions (0-2) at Spokane Ospreys (1-1)
27 to 22
Salt Lake started the game on the right foot, immediately jumping in front with a 98 yard kick return for a touchdown by CB Lonnie Fuller on the opening kick. Spokane recovered and answered with 13 points in the first quarter. The momentum shifted back to Salt Lake in the second as they put up 10, making the halftime score 17-13, Salt Lake. Spokane QB Jon Waters threw a 53 yard interception return to FS Ronyell Atkinson sealing the deal for the Scorpions in the third quarter. A Spokane TD and field goal in the fourth were unable to help them catch up. Spokane produced more offensively, but turned the ball over when it mattered even though the Scorpions had 4 turnovers and the Ospreys only had 1. This was a good game for a team at the bottom of the AFC South and a troubling one for a team looking to stay competitive in the AFC West.
Hawaii Warriors (1-1) at Carson City Comets (2-0)
23 to 17
Hawaii jumped out front immediately, holding a 17-0 lead at the half and maintaining a 23-0 shutout by the time the fourth quarter started. By the time Carson City began to find successful offense it was too late. 17 fourth quarter points weren't enough to help them avert the loss. Each team boasted similar offensive production, but 4 turnovers for the Comets resulted in the Warrior victory. Comet QB Darren Keys was 26/34 with 196 yards and a TD, but threw 3 interceptions. Could this season signal the end of Comet dominance in the AFC West? Two lower ranked AFC South teams beat the usual top two teams in the AFC West this week. Are the Crocs primed to rise? The AFC South has suddenly become a lot more competitive. Oklahoma had a bye this week, but all the other AFC South teams won. The division is heating up. Warrior backup strong safety Brent Jansen started at free safety because of the injured Dana Parrish and was a surprisingly big factor for Hawaii. He made 8 tackles, had a sack, and picked off two passes. This game raises a lot of questions about the stability of the AFC West and AFC South. Is this a fluke?
Bar Harbor Captains (1-1) at Lincoln Tribe (0-2)
42 to 21
Bar Harbor's first divisional matchup of the season against the Lincoln Tribe was on track to be a shutout if not for some last minute oddities. As expected, Bar Harbor won the game; the Tribe and Grizzlies make up the lower tier of the AFC North with Yukon and Bar Harbor making up the top. Bar Harbor took command of this game early on and had a 28-0 lead at the half thanks in large part to their dominating defense. The game was going downhill for the Tribe from the moment they fumbled the ball and turned it over on their first drive. Bar Harbor never let up, setting the game on track for a shutout by the time the fourth quarter started. However, the Tribe lit a spark in the second half with a scoring rally of 21 points in the fourth quarter, largely due to two successful onside kicks (what Lincoln was trying to accomplish with these down more than 4 possessions is anyone's guess). Bar Harbor held on for the win, 42-21, but it showed many Bar Harbor weaknesses. Bar Harbor cannot be happy with the way they played in the fourth quarter. They need to close out games, especially against tougher opponents. When Bar Harbor starts playing better teams in the league and as the season deepens, opposing teams will more effectively take advantage of their inconsistencies. Bar Harbor has a bye in week 4 and it will be well needed as they play another division rival the following week, the Yukon Yeti. The Yeti will be coming into the game looking to make a statement in the first matchup of the two teams. The Yeti defense will likely look to take advantage of Bar Harbor rookie quarterback Lennox Stanley, as he had a subpar game against Lincoln with 4 interceptions. Stanley's job as a starter is not locked in yet and he will have to prove that he can be the quarterback for the Captains this year and years to come.
Bar Harbor Post-Game Stats
Passing:
QB Lennox Stanley: 30.4 passer rating, 162 yards passing, 1 TD, 4 int
Rushing:
HB Luther Hodges: 58 yards, 17 attempts, 3.4 average yards, 2 TD
Lennox Stanley: 41 yards, 4 attempts, 10.2 average yards, TD
Receiving:
Kendrick Doss: 6 receptions, 58 yards, 9.6 avg, 26 YAC, TD
Antwaan Peterson: 4 receptions, 49 yards, 12.2 avg, 25 YAC
Jay Boone: 4 receptions, 55 yards, 13.7 avg, 9 YAC
Defense:
Kendrick Fox: 4 tackles, sack, INT
Terrence Bryant- 4 tackles, INT
Ricky Caldwell- 3 tackles, sack
Duane Lewis- 2 tackles, sack, INT, TD
Ryan Diamond- 1 tackle, 2 INT, TD
West Virginia Wizards (0-2) at Atlantic Tide (1-1)
17 to 27
It's the week of AFC East divisional matchups. While the Lightning and Hawks fought it out to see which of the rising teams would stay on top, the Tide and Wizards competed to maintain their positions as divisional powers. I watched this one while doing writeups for other games this week and I wasn't disappointed by its competitiveness. The Tide went on offense first and almost had their drive derailed by a fumble. The Tide challenged the ruling, which came after a reception and was over the issue of whether the knee was down or not. The ruling was overturned, much to the relief of the wideout who had caught the ball, and the drive proceeded. A couple plays later, Atlantic QB Cade Lewis hit WR Jamie Philips on a quick route to the left side, allowing him to use his speed to get away from the defense and run in for the score, 45 yards in all. After some back and forth scoring, the score was 14-7, A throw into coverage with a minute to play in the half resulted in West Virginia getting another opportunity to work the ball into the endzone and conclude the first half with a tie. Solid pass defense resulted in a field goal instead, putting the score at 14-10, Tide, with 0:40 to play in the half. The Tide wasted no time running their hurry-up offense, able to complete a deep pass down the field, putting them on the WV 21 yardline. A short pass failed to achieve the first down, but set up a 29 yard field goal with 0:15 on the clock. At the half, the score was 17-10, Tide. West Virginia wasn't able to get anything going on their first drive of the second half. A powerful hit by the Tide pass rush forced a fumble from Wizard QB Dre Thomas, luckily it was recovered by one of his lineman, resulting in the punt. At this point, the game seemed to settle into a defensive stalemate. The score, however, was changed with a 38 yard fumble recovery off of a failed punt reception on the part of the Tide. With the game knotted up 17-17 and 1:20 to play in the third quarter, the Tide took over on offense and after some brief success, were forced to punt at mid field, setting the stage for the fourth quarter. A huge 81 yard rushing play with 2:25 left to play broke the defensive stalemate and put the Tide back on top. Just when it looked like the Wizards weren't going to be able to mount a successful drive, a deep pass down the middle put them at midfield with 2 minutes to play. It was, however, the Tide defense that prevailed at this point, intercepting the ball with 1:44 to play and drastically reducing the chance of a Wizard comeback. With the Tide offense now working effectively, they were able to run down the clock into field goal range, prompting a 43 yard field goal with 10 seconds to play, sealing the victory. Tide wideout Jamie Philips was named player of the game with 5 receptions for 139 yards and 2 touchdowns. Overall, this was not an unexpected result, but still a tight game demonstrating the increasing competition in the AFC East.
Jackson Dragons (1-1) at Tucson Kings (0-2)
7 to 26
I can't figure out the NFC South or the NFC West. The NFC South, after producing some playoff contenders and even a super bowl team a couple years ago, is now in shambles. The NFC West, has been weighed down in the past by both Tucson and Santa Fe, leaving Boise and Wyoming to get into the playoffs with records just over .500. Now it looks like Tucson and Santa Fe are on the upswing as the NFC South continues to fall. Tucson took their time working the ball in the first half in this one, putting together two long drives that amounted to field goals. On the flip side, Jackson's only touchdown came midway through the second quarter on a 77 yard pass from Sedrick Redding to Darrin Douglas. With the score 7-6, Dragons, the Kings went into halftime looking to play consistently good offense. This was demonstrated very clearly with a late 3rd quarter drive that took them 98 yards down the field, culminating in a field goal. Tucson broke it open in the fourth with 2 TDs, sealing the victory. They simply played better ball than Jackson, who never made it into the redzone. Tucson achieved 25 first downs compared to Tucson's 8. Tucson's HB, Otis Bell, led the way, rushing for 126 yards on 31 attempts and acquiring a TD. Tucson kicker Josh Jones had a busy day and was 4/5 on field goals. Jackson is a total wild card right now. They had a perfect preseason, lost to Tiburon, but beat Salt Lake (who beat Spokane this week). I can't figure it out, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that they lack a strong defense.
Next week's game of the week is the Dover Deer (1-1) at Boston Liberty (3-0). The Deer had a bye this week and look to upset the division rival Liberty. The Deer were actually the first team in league history to defeat the Liberty, handing them a defeat two years ago, snapping their 20 game plus winning streak. We will see if the Deer are up to the task again as Boston is still the dominant force in the NFC. Over in the AFC East, the Concord Hawks (2-1) take on the Atlantic Tide (2-1) in Atlantic City. This is a rehash of week 1 in which the Tide were handed a 20-10 defeat. Concord has a solid team this year and is poised to do it again. Will home field advantage help the Tide even the series? The other big game to watch in week 4 is the NFC North divisional matchup between the Dakota Vipers (2-1) and the Springfield Knights (3-0). Playing at Springfield, the Vipers look to hand the Knights their first loss of the year and prove that their schedule has been easy thus far. All of these games look to be nail biters. Stay tuned for next week's results.
Yukon Yeti at Boise Bison
56 to 0
The score says it all. The Bison aren't a bad team, but they didn't stand a chance in this game. The stat that should jump out almost immediately is time of possession. The Bison were on offense for less than 25% of this game. Yukon slowed the game down beyond their usual fast hitting and high flying offense. They tried time and time again to run the ball despite the fact that the Bison yielded very little yardage on straight rushing plays. This led to a lot of short passes on second down and a high third down efficiency. Boise came into this game with one of the top ranked defenses in the league, obviously this will knock that statistic down a notch. Although Yukon won the coin toss, they chose to kick. Boise went three and out on their first two possessions, leading to two long Yukon drives that resulted in touchdowns. On their third possession, Boise finally looked to have found their groove, working their way into the redzone. This was brought to an abrupt halt by an interception thrown by Boise QB Corey Maguire and returned 103 yards by Yukon CB Andre Harry for a score. The bulk of time Boise had the ball was on this possession. On the ensuing kickoff, Yukon WR Lamar Craig delivered a special teams hit to Boise WR and kick returner, Dee Kirby, forcing a fumble. Yukon corner Patrick Andrews fell on the ball and set Yukon up for another score. It only took them two plays to strike gold with a pass to Mack Pleasant in the left corner. Boise's offense was shut down once again on their fourth offensive possession, leading to a Yukon opportunity with 0:46 to play in the half. Driving around 60 yards down the field, Torry Mathis threw his fourth touchdown pass of the day, setting up a 35-0 halftime situation in favor of the Yeti. Coming out of halftime, the Boise defense had a renewed energy, stopping Yukon's first possession and taking over about halfway through the quarter. No more than a few plays had gone by when Corey Maguire threw his second interception of the day to Yukon MLB Lionel Nipper. Nipper ran 26 yards into the endzone for the score. Yukon's defense continued to shut down Boise time and time again. After another Mathis TD pass about midway through the fourth quarter, Yukon pulled him in favor of backup Ben Harris in order to avoid a chance of injury. The Yeti maintained possession carefully, running the ball and making short passes when necessary to pick up first downs. It was during this last half of the fourth quarter that Yukon rookie HB Marcus Green came in for a tired Tim Peterson and punched in the ball for his first ever score in professional regular season action. With no other score forthcoming, the Yeti shutdown another Boise offensive possession, got the ball back, and ran down the clock for the win. Perhaps the only success for Boise was the running game, but with such a deficit they turned to it little. Yukon played a different style of ball than what we usually see, using a lot of WR bunch sets and running the ball before passing it. This allowed them to run misdirection plays more effectively and wind down the clock, gradually forcing the Bison to play with a sense of unwanted urgency and likely leading to the two interceptions. Yukon played some of the best football I've seen all year and I know I said last week that their performance against Concord was probably one of the best we'll see all year, but this was nothing short of dominating. Perhaps Boise has a way to go if they want to compete with the best. Boise is a top team in the NFC West, but that had nothing on Yukon in this one. Next week they take on division rival Wyoming, a team which Yukon beat in week 1. It will no doubt be a test to see if they are truly of a higher caliber. The Yeti keep rolling with this one and look to take on a slowly developing middle tier team in the Santa Fe Bandits next week.
Passing:
Yukon QB Torry Mathis: 138.9 passer rating, 250 yards passing, 5 TD, 19/27, 70% completion rate, 9.3 average yards per pass, 3 sacks
Yukon QB Ben Harris: 85.4 passer rating, 40 yards passing, 2/4
Boise QB Corey Maguire: 9.8 passer rating, 73 yards passing, 2 INT, 7/28, 2.6 average yards per pass
Rushing:
Yukon HB Tim Peterson: 51 yards, 18 attempts, 2.8 average yards
Yukon QB Torry Mathis: 19 yards, 3 attempts, 6.3 average yards
Yukon QB Ben Harris: 18 yards, 1 attempt
Yukon HB Marcus Green: 7 yards, 1 attempt, TD
Boise HB Martin Simpson: 38 yards, 6 attempts, 6.3 average yards
Receiving:
Yukon WR Mack Pleasant: 5 receptions, 99 yards, 3 TDs
Yukon WR Lamar Craig: 4 receptions, 50 yards
Yukon FB Charles Burnett: 3 receptions, 42 yards
Yukon WR Richard Cummings: 2 receptions, 13 yards, TD
Yukon WR T.J. Oliver: 2 receptions, 24 yards
Yukon HB TIm Peterson: 2 receptions, 16 yards
Yukon TE Neil Parker: 1 reception, 24 yards, TD
Yukon TE Derek Pruitt: 1 reception, 19 yards
Yukon WR Roscoe Terrell: 1 reception, 3 yards
All Boise receivers were held under 20 yards. Only WR Cornell Billups caught the ball more than once.
Yukon Defense:
Yukon WR Lamar Craig: 4 tackles, FF
Yukon MLB Lionel Nipper: 3 tackles, INT, TD
Yukon CB Andre Harry: 1 tackle, 103 yard INT, TD
Game Stats:
YY: 372 total offense, BB: 111
YY: 95 rushing yards, BB: 38
YY: 277 passing yards, BB: 73
YY: 19 first downs, BB: 7
YY: 7/8 (87%) 3rd down conversions, BB: 1/8 (12%)
YY: 15:07 time of possession, BB: 4:53
3 turnovers by BB (2 INT, 1 fumble)
Box Score
1Q:2Q:::3Q:4Q
7::28:::7::14
0::0::::0::0
Player of the game: YY QB Torry Mathis
Torry Mathis was also named AFC Offensive Player of the Week.
Tiburon Sharks (1-1) at Topeka Oilers (0-2)
28 to 3
By all appearances, Tiburon had this one in the bag from the get go, maintaining a shutout until the fourth quarter. Topeka was in the redzone 3 times and only turned a field goal once. Tiburon was in the redzone twice and both times had a TD. The inferred statistical explanation is Topka's 3 interceptions. Another thing to note is that Topka played three players at QB, despite only having two on their roster. Rookie Evan Turner did most of the passing after 9 year pro starter Larry Taylor was pulled, likely due to a brief injury. Turner threw 1 interception before being pulled himself, again likely due to an injury. Punter Marcus Clement had 2 interceptions at the quarterback position. Obviously things got pretty desperate for Topkea. Perhaps the game would've been more even if it was injury free. Despite losses for both teams last week, they put up decent numbers against tough teams. I don't think this game is indicative of the state of the NFC South. Right now, that division is up for grabs.
Wyoming Wildcats (0-2) at Montana Grizzlies (1-1)
16 to 21
All scoring was in the first half other than a pair of Wildcat field goals early in the third quarter. Wyoming had three redzone attempts and only converted one into a score on a Tee Franklin field goal. Montana had four redzone attempts and turned three of them into TDs. Wyoming's 2 years pro DT Kurt Johnson racked up 11 tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble in an impressive performance. However, Montana's defense made stops when it mattered and Wyoming's did not. Wildcat kicker Tee Franklin was 3/4 on field goals, draining a 54 yarder early in the second quarter. Montana's ability to limit Wyoming to field goals was a big factor in this win featuring two mid to lower tier teams. The AFC North has a lot of games against the NFC West this year and, with the exception of Boise's games against Bar Harbor and Lincoln, they have gone in the favor of the AFC North.
Puerto Rico Piranhas (1-1) at Mexico Bulls (2-0)
30 to 3
3-6 is the closest the Bulls ever came to winning this game. After this brief moment in the the second quarter, Puerto Rico shut the door and never looked back. Mexico never made it into the redzone and both their passing and rushing totals were held to double digits. Mexico QB Lester Atwater threw four interceptions, keeping the Bull offense from developing a steady rhythm. Mexico's defense didn't perform poorly. After all they held Puerto Rico to five field goals; kicker Ben Henson was 5/6 for the Piranhas. Still, it's clear that Mexico's defense can't compete compared to Puerto Rico, who came up with turnovers when they needed it. This game is leading me to believe the NFC South is the weakest division in football right now. The Bulls, Sharks, Oilers, and Dragons play shaky defense and inconsistent offense.
Iowa Rangers (1-1) at Boston Liberty (2-0)
17 to 27
After a fast start for the Liberty, Iowa was able to rebound, giving them the lead 14-13 with 2:38 to play in the second quarter. Boston was able to run a quick 52 second drive, resulting in the answering score and putting them ahead permanently. I was surprised that Iowa even made it that close at one point. The Rangers are in the cellar of the NFC East and this divisional matchup shows that the distinction isn't actually all that apparent. Iowa was able to make it 17-20 in the third quarter, but Boston was able to seal the deal with a late fourth quarter score. Total offensive production was similar. In fact, Iowa actually out-passed Boston, 154 to 149 yards. The deciding factor could be turnovers. Iowa lost four fumbles and Boston turned it over twice, once on a fumble and once on an interception. I'm chalking this game up as a fluke on Boston's part. This was the computer game of the week.
Concord Hawks (1-1) at Hartford Lightning (1-1)
24 to 23
The AFC East is a tight division full of teams rising to prominence and struggling to hold on to it. The Hawks and Lightning are two of the rising teams, hoping to eek out playoff berths over the traditionally dominant Tide and Wizards. This matchup was even throughout the first two quarters, leading to a 10-10 halftime score. Hartford was able to go up by 10 after two consecutive successful drives early in the fourth quarter, leaving Concord in a rough spot with 11:36 to play in the game. Late, long, and well constructed drives on the part of the Hawks helped them get the win; the last TD came with 0:57 to play in the game. Concord's offensive production was far greater than Hartford's (403 yards compared to 243), but Concord turned the ball over 7 times (4 INTs, 3 fumbles) compared to Hartford's 1 lost fumble. I'm surprised that the Hawks were able to pull off a comeback after so many mistakes. Perhaps a big reason was the contribution of Concord HB William Collins who rushed for 181 yards on 33 attempts with a TD (averaging 5.5 per carry). Regardless, the Lightning mean business this year even if they're not up to the level of the Hawks. Right now I see the Hawks and Tide competing at the top of the division with the Wizards struggling to keep up and the Lightning hoping to either hold back the rising Hawks or take advantage of the weakening Tide.
Madison Timberwolves (1-1) at Dakota Vipers (1-1)
9 to 13
A Dakota TD with 0:23 to play in the first quarter kept the Vipers up all game (making the score 10-3 at the time). The only score in the second half was a fourth quarter field goal by Madison with 6:09 to play. Both teams were fairly efficient with similar stats, revealing a tight, mistake free, and competitive divisional matchup. The NFC North, with the exception of Edmonton, is up for grabs. Springfield takes on Dakota next week, a game that will no doubt reveal if the traditionally powerful Dakota Vipers are prepared to deal with the rising Knights, one of the few teams that is undefeated thus far.
Portland Flyers (1-1) at Little Rock Crocs (0-2)
7 to 34
Little Rock was up 10-0 at half, but Portland was able to respond on their first drive of the second half on a 31 pass from QB Donald Bever to WR Phillip Grant (Grant finished as the top receiver with 10 receptions, 115 yards, and a TD). Little Rock was able to quickly respond and they never looked back. Their offensive production outmatched the Flyers easily, compiling 4 perfectly efficient redzone trips. Both teams turned the ball over twice, leading me to conclude that the more effective defense of the Crocs was able to secure the victory. This was an interesting matchup from a divisional standpoint as both teams are no doubt hoping to one day be able to knock off the Carson City Comets from the top of the AFC West.
Springfield Knights (2-0) at Edmonton Beaver (0-2)
23 to 7
The Bevers were down 10-7 at half after scoring with 2:13 to play in the second quarter. Springfield simply put them away in the second half. Comparing offensive production is very telling as far as the ability of these two teams. Springfield came up with 496 yards, Edmonton had a meager 174. The only turnover of the game was a interception thrown by the Beavers. This game is solid evidence of Springfield's rising team, particularly its offense and running game. Springfield HB Terrance Griffith compiled 194 rushing yards on 35 attempts with the longest being 25 yards. He also had a TD and while he did lose a fumble, his team was able to recover it. Springfield kicker Keith Parker was only 3/5, his longest coming at 38 yards. The Knights still have some work to do, but they're obviously above the lowly Beavers. Next week's matchup against Dakota will be a true test of Springfield's ability and its undefeated record. No surprise in the result here.
Salt Lake Scorpions (0-2) at Spokane Ospreys (1-1)
27 to 22
Salt Lake started the game on the right foot, immediately jumping in front with a 98 yard kick return for a touchdown by CB Lonnie Fuller on the opening kick. Spokane recovered and answered with 13 points in the first quarter. The momentum shifted back to Salt Lake in the second as they put up 10, making the halftime score 17-13, Salt Lake. Spokane QB Jon Waters threw a 53 yard interception return to FS Ronyell Atkinson sealing the deal for the Scorpions in the third quarter. A Spokane TD and field goal in the fourth were unable to help them catch up. Spokane produced more offensively, but turned the ball over when it mattered even though the Scorpions had 4 turnovers and the Ospreys only had 1. This was a good game for a team at the bottom of the AFC South and a troubling one for a team looking to stay competitive in the AFC West.
Hawaii Warriors (1-1) at Carson City Comets (2-0)
23 to 17
Hawaii jumped out front immediately, holding a 17-0 lead at the half and maintaining a 23-0 shutout by the time the fourth quarter started. By the time Carson City began to find successful offense it was too late. 17 fourth quarter points weren't enough to help them avert the loss. Each team boasted similar offensive production, but 4 turnovers for the Comets resulted in the Warrior victory. Comet QB Darren Keys was 26/34 with 196 yards and a TD, but threw 3 interceptions. Could this season signal the end of Comet dominance in the AFC West? Two lower ranked AFC South teams beat the usual top two teams in the AFC West this week. Are the Crocs primed to rise? The AFC South has suddenly become a lot more competitive. Oklahoma had a bye this week, but all the other AFC South teams won. The division is heating up. Warrior backup strong safety Brent Jansen started at free safety because of the injured Dana Parrish and was a surprisingly big factor for Hawaii. He made 8 tackles, had a sack, and picked off two passes. This game raises a lot of questions about the stability of the AFC West and AFC South. Is this a fluke?
Bar Harbor Captains (1-1) at Lincoln Tribe (0-2)
42 to 21
Bar Harbor's first divisional matchup of the season against the Lincoln Tribe was on track to be a shutout if not for some last minute oddities. As expected, Bar Harbor won the game; the Tribe and Grizzlies make up the lower tier of the AFC North with Yukon and Bar Harbor making up the top. Bar Harbor took command of this game early on and had a 28-0 lead at the half thanks in large part to their dominating defense. The game was going downhill for the Tribe from the moment they fumbled the ball and turned it over on their first drive. Bar Harbor never let up, setting the game on track for a shutout by the time the fourth quarter started. However, the Tribe lit a spark in the second half with a scoring rally of 21 points in the fourth quarter, largely due to two successful onside kicks (what Lincoln was trying to accomplish with these down more than 4 possessions is anyone's guess). Bar Harbor held on for the win, 42-21, but it showed many Bar Harbor weaknesses. Bar Harbor cannot be happy with the way they played in the fourth quarter. They need to close out games, especially against tougher opponents. When Bar Harbor starts playing better teams in the league and as the season deepens, opposing teams will more effectively take advantage of their inconsistencies. Bar Harbor has a bye in week 4 and it will be well needed as they play another division rival the following week, the Yukon Yeti. The Yeti will be coming into the game looking to make a statement in the first matchup of the two teams. The Yeti defense will likely look to take advantage of Bar Harbor rookie quarterback Lennox Stanley, as he had a subpar game against Lincoln with 4 interceptions. Stanley's job as a starter is not locked in yet and he will have to prove that he can be the quarterback for the Captains this year and years to come.
Bar Harbor Post-Game Stats
Passing:
QB Lennox Stanley: 30.4 passer rating, 162 yards passing, 1 TD, 4 int
Rushing:
HB Luther Hodges: 58 yards, 17 attempts, 3.4 average yards, 2 TD
Lennox Stanley: 41 yards, 4 attempts, 10.2 average yards, TD
Receiving:
Kendrick Doss: 6 receptions, 58 yards, 9.6 avg, 26 YAC, TD
Antwaan Peterson: 4 receptions, 49 yards, 12.2 avg, 25 YAC
Jay Boone: 4 receptions, 55 yards, 13.7 avg, 9 YAC
Defense:
Kendrick Fox: 4 tackles, sack, INT
Terrence Bryant- 4 tackles, INT
Ricky Caldwell- 3 tackles, sack
Duane Lewis- 2 tackles, sack, INT, TD
Ryan Diamond- 1 tackle, 2 INT, TD
West Virginia Wizards (0-2) at Atlantic Tide (1-1)
17 to 27
It's the week of AFC East divisional matchups. While the Lightning and Hawks fought it out to see which of the rising teams would stay on top, the Tide and Wizards competed to maintain their positions as divisional powers. I watched this one while doing writeups for other games this week and I wasn't disappointed by its competitiveness. The Tide went on offense first and almost had their drive derailed by a fumble. The Tide challenged the ruling, which came after a reception and was over the issue of whether the knee was down or not. The ruling was overturned, much to the relief of the wideout who had caught the ball, and the drive proceeded. A couple plays later, Atlantic QB Cade Lewis hit WR Jamie Philips on a quick route to the left side, allowing him to use his speed to get away from the defense and run in for the score, 45 yards in all. After some back and forth scoring, the score was 14-7, A throw into coverage with a minute to play in the half resulted in West Virginia getting another opportunity to work the ball into the endzone and conclude the first half with a tie. Solid pass defense resulted in a field goal instead, putting the score at 14-10, Tide, with 0:40 to play in the half. The Tide wasted no time running their hurry-up offense, able to complete a deep pass down the field, putting them on the WV 21 yardline. A short pass failed to achieve the first down, but set up a 29 yard field goal with 0:15 on the clock. At the half, the score was 17-10, Tide. West Virginia wasn't able to get anything going on their first drive of the second half. A powerful hit by the Tide pass rush forced a fumble from Wizard QB Dre Thomas, luckily it was recovered by one of his lineman, resulting in the punt. At this point, the game seemed to settle into a defensive stalemate. The score, however, was changed with a 38 yard fumble recovery off of a failed punt reception on the part of the Tide. With the game knotted up 17-17 and 1:20 to play in the third quarter, the Tide took over on offense and after some brief success, were forced to punt at mid field, setting the stage for the fourth quarter. A huge 81 yard rushing play with 2:25 left to play broke the defensive stalemate and put the Tide back on top. Just when it looked like the Wizards weren't going to be able to mount a successful drive, a deep pass down the middle put them at midfield with 2 minutes to play. It was, however, the Tide defense that prevailed at this point, intercepting the ball with 1:44 to play and drastically reducing the chance of a Wizard comeback. With the Tide offense now working effectively, they were able to run down the clock into field goal range, prompting a 43 yard field goal with 10 seconds to play, sealing the victory. Tide wideout Jamie Philips was named player of the game with 5 receptions for 139 yards and 2 touchdowns. Overall, this was not an unexpected result, but still a tight game demonstrating the increasing competition in the AFC East.
Jackson Dragons (1-1) at Tucson Kings (0-2)
7 to 26
I can't figure out the NFC South or the NFC West. The NFC South, after producing some playoff contenders and even a super bowl team a couple years ago, is now in shambles. The NFC West, has been weighed down in the past by both Tucson and Santa Fe, leaving Boise and Wyoming to get into the playoffs with records just over .500. Now it looks like Tucson and Santa Fe are on the upswing as the NFC South continues to fall. Tucson took their time working the ball in the first half in this one, putting together two long drives that amounted to field goals. On the flip side, Jackson's only touchdown came midway through the second quarter on a 77 yard pass from Sedrick Redding to Darrin Douglas. With the score 7-6, Dragons, the Kings went into halftime looking to play consistently good offense. This was demonstrated very clearly with a late 3rd quarter drive that took them 98 yards down the field, culminating in a field goal. Tucson broke it open in the fourth with 2 TDs, sealing the victory. They simply played better ball than Jackson, who never made it into the redzone. Tucson achieved 25 first downs compared to Tucson's 8. Tucson's HB, Otis Bell, led the way, rushing for 126 yards on 31 attempts and acquiring a TD. Tucson kicker Josh Jones had a busy day and was 4/5 on field goals. Jackson is a total wild card right now. They had a perfect preseason, lost to Tiburon, but beat Salt Lake (who beat Spokane this week). I can't figure it out, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that they lack a strong defense.
Next week's game of the week is the Dover Deer (1-1) at Boston Liberty (3-0). The Deer had a bye this week and look to upset the division rival Liberty. The Deer were actually the first team in league history to defeat the Liberty, handing them a defeat two years ago, snapping their 20 game plus winning streak. We will see if the Deer are up to the task again as Boston is still the dominant force in the NFC. Over in the AFC East, the Concord Hawks (2-1) take on the Atlantic Tide (2-1) in Atlantic City. This is a rehash of week 1 in which the Tide were handed a 20-10 defeat. Concord has a solid team this year and is poised to do it again. Will home field advantage help the Tide even the series? The other big game to watch in week 4 is the NFC North divisional matchup between the Dakota Vipers (2-1) and the Springfield Knights (3-0). Playing at Springfield, the Vipers look to hand the Knights their first loss of the year and prove that their schedule has been easy thus far. All of these games look to be nail biters. Stay tuned for next week's results.
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