WELCOME TO SEASON XIIGameweek one, a really tough divisional road trip to Tiger Bay - our shortest road trip of the year. We had to dig deep for this one, only running 49 offensive plays in the game, to give some perspective to that Sabretooth QB, Gerardo Kendall, attempted 50 throws.
We were opportunistic though and forced a lot of turnovers (three interceptions and a fumble), two gave us short field and we were ruthless in the red zone. Fair play to the 'Tooths they're going to be a lot to handle for everyone who has to face them this season (on this evidence). We were the #2 pass defense last season for yards allowed and they found gaps in the coverage all day long.
A tough, tough day for our D but they got through it, we got the win, we move on.
Looking around the League and Greenland made a statement win over Roanoke, top scoring on the day with the biggest winning margin. Alaska upset the Daggers in the Knife Box. Cusco (37) and Baghdad (29) were the next highest scores, whilst Tabasco recorded the only shutout of the week.
Six games were settled by one score, Eskimo QB Chad Burns posted 26 of 32 for 310 with 3 TD's and an INT, Tiger Bay QB Kendall hit 32 of 50 for 284 with 3 INT's in a losing effort. Burns and Cusco QB Carl Shields led the League with 3 TD's each. Veteran Barcelona Bull Landon Hudson threw four interceptions in a one point loss with 15 QB's throwing at least one pick and 26 total on the week.
Rob Gordon (Jeddah) was under fire all day, getting sacked eight times. That alone accounted for 10% of the days 80 sacks, with just five starting QB's keeping their uniform clean (Labradors, Eskimos, Chilli Peppers, Phoenix and Diamonds). Marco Perkins (Bavaria) averaged 12.90 yards per attempt completing 13 of 20 for 258 and a TD as the Barbarbians won in Manaus against the Poison Dart Frogs. That included the longest pass of the day, a 90 yard TD pass to Matthew Nichol
https://lol.myfootballnow.com/watch/3488#621809Eight QB's topped 100 for QB rating, with three posting 120+ (Jason Thompson LUX 122.78, Marco Perkins BAV 125.00 and Chad Burns ESK 125.26). All eight led their teams to victory. Killarney (Shawn Cummings) and Tabasco (Luis Robbins) managed to eek out victories despite rankings sub 40, with Roanoke Settlers Richard Davis making a horror start with a final rating of 24.58 leading to calls for the return of veteran, two time Legend Bowl winning QB Charles 'Chuck' Charles.
Tabasco RB Clifford Ellis ran for 141 yards on opening day with two TD's, opening the scoring with this 65 yard scamper
https://lol.myfootballnow.com/watch/3496#623031. Cusco's Robert Greene also went for 100+ (106) whilst Labradors all purpose WR/RB Thomas Bearden also had two TD's to lead the League alongside Ellis.
Bearden was one of four players to lead the League with 20 carries, with all four remarkably getting between 83 and 90 yards on the day #Consistent. On the downside, Bearden was one of four players to fumble the ball twice and that included Jeddah QB Robert Gordon who was eating dirt all day long.
Greenland's Patrick Manley was a constant menace for the Roanoke defence as he hauled in 11 of his 15 targets for 172 yards and a TD. Brian Salazar (ESK) and Matthew Nichol (BAV) also posted 100+ yard days with 111 and 103 yards respectively and both notching a TD. Tiger Bay's Gerald Vega was the most targeted player of the day, with the Sabretooths looking his way 16 times and finding him on 10 occasions for 93 yards.
Amazons TE Thomas Park also had double figure receptions with final figures of 10 catches from 14 looks for 85 yards and a TD. That was not enough to be the leading TE for the day with Cusco Flying Serpent Danny Allen bagging 8 of his 9 looks for 86 yards and a TD. However it was fellow Flying Serpent RB Keith Kurtz who led the League with TD catches (two) as he caught all seven ***** that came his way in a ruthlessly efficient 7 of 7 for 44 and 2 TD's.
Two players finished the day with three dropped passes, Zambezi RB Evan Laplant was particularly hapless catching just two ***** for 14 yards on seven attempts with those three bobbles. El Dorado Gold Nugget Paul McKee was the only WR to make three drops but did at least make more catches than drops drawing in four of eight for 41 yards.
We had two kicks returned for TD's, Montego Bay's Gregory Bosch going 96 yards on what was an otherwise poor day for the Running Back, whilst Thunder Bay RB David Ramos scored the Leagues 33rd 110 yard Kick return TD
https://lol.myfootballnow.com/watch/3489#621919 As for Punt returns, Cusco's David Cook and The Nile Crocodiles David Swann had the day's big plays with each having a 26 yard return. Luxor's George Layman was a busy boy returning 8 punts for a League best 69 yards to add to his three kick returns for 89 yards #UnsungHero. Tabasco's Charles Carlisle made the most Punt returns on the day with nine.
Top points scorer on the day was Baghdad Kicker Bob Goldberg as he went a perfect five for five with field goals (including two 50+) with a further 2 of 2 PAT's for 17 points on the day #Reliable. Phoenix kicker Jan Bogart missed two field goals from inside the 40 as Del Fuego lost by six points #DifferenceMaker. Only two missed XP's, coming from Nelson Admiral's Jonathan Wolfe and Las Vegas Conjuror Matthew Brown but both teams went on to win #BulletDodged.
Mumbai SS Anthony Clark led the League in tackles with 15. Edinburgh Royal DE Floyd Winters left his mark on the game, recording five sacks whilst Kimberley Diamonds Jerry Ulloa and Admirals Kelly Foreman were the nearly men as each forced three hurries. Alaska's LB Nathan Heitzman and Haiti Hex SS Joel Strauss both missed five tackles, a rare off day for Strauss but Heitzman's poor tackling was exposed.
Admiral CB Jose Stewart was under fire all day long as Tiger Bay looked to expose any deficiency. He stood up well allowing just 8 of the 17 ***** thrown in his direction (47.1%) and recording four knockdowns (a joint league high with four others). Jeddah CB Charles Thompson had one of those days, allowing all nine catches in his area.
Twenty two players snagged a total of 26 interceptions on the day. They were led by Kimberley Diamonds Nickel Back Thomas Hernandez who got three. Kentucky Stallions Kevin Hudgins had a career day, listed at #4 on the depth chart the veteran allowed a miserly two catches from the ten thrown at him, recording four knockdowns and two interceptions as the career back up equalled his season best tally for INT's #VeteranSavvy. It was much less of a surprise to see Blarney Stones Shady O'Grady grab two interceptions #ShutdownCorner.
Barcelona Bulls back up safety Anthony Morrison provided the only pick six of the week
https://lol.myfootballnow.com/watch/3490#622063. It was in fact, his second pick of the first quarter although the first was called back for pass interference #HotStart. Beijing Red Dragons LT struggled to cope with Edinburgh's Floyd Winters all day, allowing five sacks and eight tackles on the day (both League highs). He'll have better days. To further add to his humiliation he was penalised twice along with three other players (two O, two D) to be the most penalised player on the day. #WintersDefensiveMVPCandidate
George Layman's sterling efforts on Special Teams see him lead the League for all purpose yards with 257 for the day total. Just four players had multiple TD's (all with two), three RB's Ellis, Kurtz and Frizzell with Bearden the lone WR. Four Tight Ends and four Full Backs recorded a TD on the day.
Luxor Sphinx led the League in yards from scrimmage with 456, whilst Mumbai Jumbos were the most penalised (8 for 62 yards). Greenland had four rushing TD's, whilst Alaska and Cusco both threw three TD passes. Amazon threw the ball 53 times but Tiger Bay topped the League with 32 completions. The Conjurors hit on 84.6% of passes. Greenland controlled the clock with 49 rushing attempts whilst Barcelona, Tiger Bay and The Nile turned the ball over four times.
Following week one, it's always important to look through the trash as a multitude of players got cut prior to the week one game as rosters got down to the final 53. At first glance there looks to be two excellent Punters on the Waiver wire with several players who could do a job somewhere now available. Happy hunting.