Time for the other half of Week 9, I'll probably be brief, got a lot of football related stuff to do before I go to sleep.

Denver 17 Portland 16

Portland fans went to bed Saturday night expecting to see their Storm take sole possession of first in the West on Sunday because they would surely beat the 1-6-1 Denver Gold right? Plus Oakland would most likely get smashed by San Jose, eliminating the tie. Well the tie did get eliminated and not in the way Portland wanted.

Portland scored the first 16 points of the game then just stopped getting first downs, let alone more points. Denver came back with TDs late in the 3rd and late in the 4th but still trailed 16-14, but after another three and out, the Gold drove for the game winning FG with 0:24 left to stun the Storm.

Tampa Bay 20 Washington 13

Not much statistically to discuss here but Washington did take a 13-3 lead into halftime. Tampa Bay would pull closer on a James Aguirre TD run then took the lead for good on a 71 yard punt return by Jean Shoemaker. The win makes Tampa Bay 5-4, part of a 3 way tie atop the Southeast.

New Jersey 24 (NY) Stars 22

This loss will be bookmarked if the Stars fail to make the playoffs, as they left some points on the field and made some mistakes that proved costly in a 2 point game. New Jersey got 3 TD passes from rookie QB Sam Axe and 130 rushing yards from Vic Mackey to take a 24-9 lead before New York made it close at the end.

Early in the 3rd, Axr threw an INT in his own territory but New York QB Jamie Orman gave it back with an INT of his own. The Generals took over at their own 3, then Axe led a 16 play, 97 yard TD drive that ended up being the game winner.

Both teams are in the thick of division/wildcard races but 5 of New Jersey's last 7 games are against teams 6-3 or better and one of the remaining 2 is a rematch against New York with revenge and playoffs on their mind.

Georgia 21 Los Angeles 7

Defense ruled the day in this one as Los Angeles harassed Georgia QB Adam Patrick with 6 sacks and a lot of pressure, holding him to 14/37, 158 yards and 2 INTs. The Express did not allow an offensive TD to the Force. When Los Angeles had the ball, QB Myron Dustin threw 3 TD passes, but only one was to a teammate. His first Pick Six came in the first quarter, then he threw another one late in the 4th to seal the defeat.

Both teams were 4-4 coming in so this was an important result concerning the playoffs.

Honolulu 20 Southern California 13

Honolulu scored 20 the hard way, with 1 TD, a failed 2 point try, 4 FGs and a safety. The Hawaiians defense only allowed a pair of FGs while special teams allowed a 100 yard kickoff return and they come away with a division win and remain 1 game out of a wildcard tiebreaker.

Arizona 41 Baltimore 17

Arizona had scored 64 total points through the first 7 games and they've nearly matched that with 62 points the last 2 games. The Wranglers BCBC ran for exactly 200 yards on 32 carries with 2 TDs and Curtis Kim threw 2 TD passes to Patrick McManus to lead the offensive explosion. The Arizona defense and special teams helped break open a close game early in the 2nd qtr when they sacked Hector Bednar in the end zone for a safety and Michael Chapin returned the free kick 89 yards for a TD. The win improves Arizona to 4-5.

Cleveland 23 Detroit 20 (OT)

Both teams moved the ball well, gaining over 300 yards but mistakes also plagued these division rivals. Cleveland had 2 turnovers, an INT and a lost fumble but Detroit had 3 turnovers and 2 missed long FG attempts, wasting a 349 yard passing day by Mark Lott. Two of the turnovers happened in OT as backup QB Scott Nolte threw a pass sloppier than his Uncle Nick that was intercepted. The Detroit defense forced a punt but Paul Perez fumbled the return and Cleveland recovered in FG range, kicking the game winner 1 play later.

Shreveport 24 Charlotte 17

Shreveport didn't do much on offense, gaining just 206 yards but the Steamer defense held the Hornets in check until a garbage time 72 yard TD run in the game's final minute. Gary Westerfield threw 2 TD passes to William Caswell and David Shuman took the 2nd half kickoff 106 yards to the house as Shreveport improves to 3-6.

Week 10

Six games left in the season and it's getting close to crunch time. We have 31 teams fighting for 13 playoff spots because Pittsburgh has already punched their ticket as Atlantic Division Champs with their victory over Washington. The Maulers only have a 1 game lead for home field advantage so they can't afford any slip ups.

Speaking of slip ups, New Orleans almost slipped up, needing OT to beat New Jersey in a defensive struggle. The VooDoo are simultaneously trying to catch Pittsburgh for the #1 seed and holding off Birmingham for the South championship.

San Antonio maintained their undefeated season by beating Denver and if they improve to 11-0 next game they will clinch at least a playoff berth.

San Jose will likely be the next division champion to clinch as they have a 4 game lead with 6 to play while San Antonio has Oklahoma 2 games behind them.

Chicago has a 2 game lead in the Midwest. Oakland, New Orleans, and Philadelphia all have 1 game division leads while the Southeast has all 4 teams separated by 1 game, with Orlando tied with Florida at the top. The Renegades are 4-0 in division.

Pittsburgh 49 Washington 3

This is another one of those copy/paste posts as Pittsburgh racked up 600 yards of offense while holding the Federals to 108. Felix Vaughn ran for 173 yards, Darrell Harrington threw for 388 yards and 5 TDs, Patrick Howard caught 7 for 177 and 3 TDs, and Eugene Williams caught 10 for 140 yards and a score. The Maulers have a point differential of +318, which is higher than the total points of the other 31 teams.

San Antonio 28 Denver 6

San Antonio had red zone troubles, settling for FGs on 3 of 5 trips or the victory margin would have been larger. The Gunslingers defense made sure that didn't affect the outcome, getting 3 sacks and 3 INTs with a fumble recovery en route to holding the Gold under 200 yards. Glenn Graham had 155 combined yards while Daniel Cruz caught 11 for 123 yards and a TD.

New Orleans 13 New Jersey 10 (OT)

The Generals defense kept the VooDoo offense out of the end zone all day but rookie QB Sam Axe was strip sacked in the end zone and New Orleans recovered for a TD. Defense ruled the day as both teams had 7 sacks and an INT, with the Generals also losing that fumble in the end zone. These teams played nearly 5 qtrs of football and combined for just 491 yards. Each team had 3 possessions in OT and New Orleans finally ended the game with a 34 yard FG to improve to 9-1.

San Jose 16 Georgia 6

Larry Henderson had a rare game with 0 TD passes despite completing 35/65 for 401 yards. Henderson was sacked 6 times and threw 3 INTs plus Lynn McLaurin lost a fumble. The SaberCats defense had 3 sacks and 3 INTs of their own, holding the Force to 132 total yards. James Valdez had 2 rushing TDs and Lee Ramos caught 10 for 138 yards to lead San Jose to their 8th win of the season.

Oakland 13 Los Angeles 3

Oakland went 69 yards in 11 plays on their opening drive, getting a 5 yard TD run by William Workman and the defense made that stand up. Los Angeles QB Myron Dustin threw 5 INTs, 3 in the 4th qtr. The win keeps Oakland in first place in the West.

Philadelphia 48 Charlotte 10

Joel Jasso, Alfredo Montoya and the Philadelphia defense led the way to victory today as the Bell maintain their 1 game lead in the East. Jasso threw for 395 yards and 5 TDs, Alfredo Montoya caught 15 for 244 yards and 3 TDs plus ran for another score and the defense had 4 sacks and 3 INTs. That's the Philadelphia Bell we're used to seeing.

Orlando 24 Tampa Bay 3

Dwayne Byrd threw 2 TD passes to Brian Henson to lead Orlando to the divisional win, making them 4-0 in the Southeast. That will help for sure come tiebreaker time as the whole division is either 6-4 or 5-5. The Renegades had a balanced attack, with the BCBC rushing for 148 yards and Byrd passing for 165. The Orlando defense held the Bandits to 206 total yards.

Florida 18 Cleveland 3

Florida had a balanced attack as well as they defeat Cleveland to keep pace with Orlando atop the Southeast. The Blazers BCBC ran for 194 yards, led by the 105 and a TD by John Sanchez. He was the leading receiver as well, chipping in 5 for 58 yards as no other receiver caught more than 2 passes. The Florida defense forced a lost fumble, had an interception and sacked Carl Langlois twice, once for a safety.

Oklahoma 33 Chicago 13

Raymond Settles threw for 369 yards and 4 TDs, 2 to Arthur Reina who caught 10 for 130 yards as the Outlaws beat Midwest leaders Chicago. Settles did throw 2 INTs and get sacked 3 times but the running game had over 5 yards a carry and the defense had 5 sacks and shut down the Blitz running game. Oklahoma is in good shape for a playoff spot, albeit as a wildcard. They are 2 games behind San Antonio for the division but they are the top wildcard, 2 games ahead of the field.

Portland 28 Honolulu 7

Portland is trying to catch Oakland for the lead in the West but if they don't, they are in position to snag a wildcard, especially after today's win. Had Honolulu won, both teams would be 5-5. The Storm got 2 TD passes from Raymond Oswalt and the defense produced 7 sacks and 2 INTs in the 26-7 win.

(NY) Stars 31 Houston 20

A lot of you have never seen Houston struggle but the first 6 seasons of the league the Gamblers had losing records, finishing the 1970's 27-69 under the ownership of Booger926. Setherick took over in 1980, going 8-8, then 9-7 before finishing 1982 15-1 and winning the franchise's 1st World Bowl. Seth left after that and the Gamblers went 13-3 in 1983, Offensive Taco's lone season owning the team. Cjfred68 took over in 1984 and the Gamblers have won at least 10 games every season since with 8 more championships.

The Gamblers are struggling this season, mainly due to their pass defense being the worst in the league. We're 10 games in and they allow 79.8% completions and 321.2 yards a game, both 32nd in the league. Today against New York they allowed just 9 rushing yards on 22 carries but they got torched by Jamie Orman (27/35, 368 yards, 4 TDs) and Dylan Fryar (5-123-1). Houston also lost the turnover battle 3-0.

Houston is the current #7 seed but their fate rests on how they fare the next 3 games against Oakland (7-3), San Antonio (10-0), and Oklahoma (8-2). Their last 3 games are against sub .500 teams but they probably need to win at least 1, if not 2 of the next 3 to make the playoffs, not sure if 8-8 will cut it.

New York took a big step toward the playoffs with this win and they'll need to keep it up because their last 3 games are against Pittsburgh (10-0), Oklahoma (8-2), and Philadelphia (7-3).

8-8 seems more likely to make the playoffs in the American Conference than the National.

Birmingham 31 Shreveport 6

Birmingham got 336 yards and a TD from QB Russell Gall, whose favorite receiver was Gary May, who caught the TD among his 8 for 140 yards. The Stallions defense harassed Gary Westerfield all day, allowing him to complete 12/26, 83 yards, an INT and 3 sacks. Birmingham is 8-2 and well positioned for a playoff spot.

Jacksonville 13 Baltimore 6

Jacksonville ran for 178 yards while the defense forced 2 INTs and held the Stars under 200 yards for the game. Not much stats to talk about but the Bulls needed this win to stay in the thick of the playoff hunt.

Arizona 23 Southern California 9

Jason Powell ran for 105 yards and Daniel Fleming matched that on a kickoff return TD as the Wranglers get the win to stay in the thick of the wildcard race. The Arizona defense contributed 6 sacks and 4 INTs.

Memphis 40 Boston 16

Memphis converted 12/16 3rd downs thanks to 268 rushing yards from their BCBC. Cesar Houser led the way with 144 yards, adding 63 on 6 catches for a combined 207. Jerry Parker threw 2 TDs and Michael Larson returned a punt 69 yards for a TD. Memphis is 4-6, though I wouldn't count them out.

Detroit 29 Michigan 6

Detroit won the game despite losing 17 yards on 26 rushes as they got 5 FGs from Todd Mack, the grandson of Mattress mack, the guy that always bets megabucks on the Houston Astros. Mark Lott threw a TD pass and the defense had a Pick Six as the Wheels improve to 3-7, good for 2nd place and 2 games behind Chicago in the Midwest.

Week 11

Pittsburgh and San Antonio won again, staying undefeated at 11-0. The Gunslingers clinched a playoff berth with their win. We all knew this was coming with the way they've been playing, but it's worth mentioning this is the team's first playoff appearance since 1976 and the fan base is excited.

San Antonio 27 Chicago 13

This wasn't a great game for stats as the teams combined for 427 yards and 8 sacks, with the Midwest leading Blitz committing 2 turnovers. San Antonio built a 20-0 lead through 3 quarters, then hung on as Chicago tried to claw back in the 4th. Jack Lu scored 2 rushing TDs for San Antonio.

Both teams maintain 2 game division leads with this result.

Pittsburgh 43 New Jersey 3

The storm was coming and there was nothing we could do but let our house get destroyed. In what seems like a broken record, Felix Vaughn ran for 2 TDs, Darrell Harrington threw for 340 yards and 3 TDs with the leading receivers being Patrick Howard (10-149-1) and Eugene Williams (8-133-2). Defensively they held the Generals to 181 yards, forcing 3 turnovers and sacking rookie Sam Axe 3 times.

Southern California 33 San Jose 11

Despite this loss, San Jose has the 2nd biggest division lead in the league, leading Los Angeles by 3 games. The playoffs are probably a given for the SaberCats but the coaching staff has to be worried about Larry Henderson's recent play. Simply put, he was awful today. He completed 31/54, 277 yards, 1 TD and 6 INTs. In fact, Henderson had more TDs to Southern California defensive players than his own as two of those 6 INTs were Pick Sixes. Henderson was also sacked 10 times.

We have 2 divisions where teams are tied at the top, the Southeast and the East.

Orlando 9 Jacksonville 3

Orlando maintains a share of 1st with a less than thrilling FG contest victory today. The Renegades defense allowed negative 2 yards rushing on 12 carries and had 4 sacks in holding the Bulls to 3 points. Orlando's offense was marginally better than Jacksonville today and their 3 FGs were enough to get the win.

Florida 16 Tampa Bay 13 (OT)

It was Florida week this week as the whole Southeast division played each other and they're all based in Florida. This game had more offensive yards than their division mates and this game even had 2 TDs, but they also had a full OT period to accumulate those yards. Daniel Pitts made a 51 yard FG as time expired in the OT period to give Florida the win that keeps them in a first place tie with Orlando.

Birmingham 48 Philadelphia 13

Both teams ran the ball very well, gaining nearly 200 yards at over 7 yards a carry but the difference was the passing games. Both defenses left their marks as Birmingham's defense had 9 sacks and 2 INTs while the Philadelphia defense had 3 INTs and 2 sacks. When the QBs did complete passes to their own players, Russell Gall got the better of Joel Jasso, completing 22/34 for 453 yards and 5 TDs while Jasso was 13/29 for 100 yards. The Stallions had 3 receivers over 100 yards, including Philip Snyder, who had a combined 201 yards. Snyder ran for 90 and caught 5 for 111 and a TD. Arnold Griego caught 4 for 162 yards and 2 TDs while Michael Torgerson caught 3 for 141 and a TD.

The win improves Birmingham to 9-2, 1 game behind New Orleans while Philadelphia drops into a first place tie with New York.

New York 40 Baltimore 17

Back in the 70's/early 80's there was a show called Battle of the Network Stars. It was a physical contest of 5-6 events with celebrities of the day. This was our own Battle of the Stars as the two teams that share a nickname squared off. Baltimore nearly matched New York in yardage, gaining 407 yards but they turned the ball over 4 times while New York was turnover free, leading to the lopsided outcome.

Jamie Orman threw for 2 TDs on an efficient 20/26 for 283 yards and they got 142 yards from their BCBC. Kenneth Williams kicked 4 FGs and Terrance Shull had his 4th kickoff return TD of the season.

New Orleans 38 Honolulu 8

New Orleans played solid football on both sides of the ball today, holding the Hawaiians to 108 total yards, forcing 4 turnovers and completely shutting down the running game (25 for 8). Offensively their 3 headed BCBC had 187 yards and 2 TDs while Willie Graham threw 3 TD passes. The VooDoo improve to 10-1, holding onto their 1 game lead on Birmingham.

Houston 40 Oakland 6

I guess all the negative talk about Houston's pass defense had an effect this week at least, as the players finally stepped up and held Oakland to 15/25 passing (60%) for 105 yards, which was 65 after you take off 40 yards for 4 sacks. The Gamblers run defense did their usual standout job and the offense hit on some big plays. Dale Baber threw for 362 yards and 2 TDs while Mark Merlo ran for 3 TDs.

The win keeps Houston in the playoff picture as the current #6 seed while Oakland maintained their 1 game lead over Portland because...

Memphis 25 Portland 23

This game saw 4 lead changes and we had a wild last 2 minutes as Memphis tries to claw back in the playoff picture. The Showboats led 16-13 after 3 quarters and Portland tied the game early in the 4th. Memphis took a 19-16 lead with a FG with 2:48 left and added 3 more points after a turnover on downs. I hate the term scored too quick, but proponents of the drag out your score philosophy were bolstered by today's game as Portland got a quick strike 76 yard Raymond Oswalt TD pass to James Kendrick. Memphis and Jerry Parker, the QB with multiple 4th qtr meltdowns, had 1:25 with which to work. Parker didn't choke, driving the Showboats into FG range where John Everhart nailed the game winning 48 yard FG as time expired.

Portland is the current #7 seed but Memphis is knocking on the playoff door and this game result has potential tiebreaker implications.

Seemed a good place to stop for a bit, gotta get ready for work. I may try and knock it out after my shower, if not I'll finish in the morning.

More Week 11

Oklahoma 23 Boston 6

Oklahoma had nearly 500 yards of offense but scored just 23 points thanks to 3 turnovers and not trying for points at the end when they were running out the clock. Raymond Settles threw for 335 yards and 3 TDs while the defense had 6 sacks and shut down the running game. Oklahoma is the top wildcard with a 3 game cushion so if they don't catch San Antonio, they will be playing the Midwest division winner.

Georgia 23 Shreveport 3

Georgia scored FGs on their first 2 drives and got a non TD pass TD pass right before the half for a 13-0 lead. Adam Patrick completed a pass to Mark Montgomery, who fumbled the ball short of the goal line. Montgomery recovered his own fumble in the end zone for a TD. The score remained 13-0 until the 4th when the teams exchanged FGs, making the score 16-3 Georgia with half the 4th qtr to go. Shreveport went for a couple 4th downs because they needed TDs in a short amount of time but they failed, and one of the turnovers on downs set up an extra TD for the Force. The win improves Georgia to 6-5, just on the outside of a playoff spot.

Washington 18 Charlotte 3

Washington got 178 rushing yards and a TD from their BCBC and the Federals defense held Charlotte to 143 total yards. The Hornets scored first, taking a 3-0 1st qtr lead but Washington answered with a TD on their next drive and never looked back. The Federals added to their lead with a TD on their first second half drive (XP no good) then finished their scoring with a FG and a safety. The win improves Washington to 4-7, though they need to go on a winning streak if they want to play in January.

Denver 20 Arizona 6

The Denver defense held Arizona to 191 total yards, forcing 2 turnovers and recording 4 sacks. Manuel Martinez ran for 2 TDs and Tyler Garcia kicked 2 FGs as the Gold upset the Wranglers. This is a game the Wranglers couldn't afford to lose if they want to make the playoffs.

Michigan 20 Cleveland 14

Michigan had a 17-0 halftime lead thanks to a FG and 2 TD runs by Larry Stafford. Jonathan Ruch added another FG late in the 3rd to push the lead to 20-0. Cleveland would mount a comeback on a pair of Carl Langlois TD passes to get within 20-14 and they got the ball back with 3:42 left on their own 35. The Thunderbolts went three and out and never saw the ball again as the Panthers ran out the clock for their 3rd win of the season.

Los Angeles 20 Detroit 0

Los Angeles had a balanced attack, 173 yards on the ground and 224 through the air while the Express defense held Detroit to just 122 total yards despite just 1 sack. They also held Detroit out of the red zone and end zone while the offense scored once in every quarter. Eric Chandler made FGs in the 1st and 4th qtrs while Myron Dustin had TD passes in the 2nd and 3rd.

Week 12

Sorry for posting this so late, it's hard to get motivated to do these sometimes during football season. Between fantasy, DFS, and gambling I consume a lot of football content.

San Antonio finally lost a game, leaving Pittsburgh as the last remaining undefeated team. The Maulers actually allowed 26 points, a season high but their offense took care of business, scoring 48. San Antonio lost the turnover battle, had red zone struggles and missed a pair of FGs in a 3 point loss to Houston. The Gunslingers will be playing in January but this division loss opens the door for Oklahoma to steal the division crown and #1 seed.

The win was pretty important for Houston as they are fighting for their playoff lives with Memphis nipping at their heels. The Gamblers are listed as the 6th seed, ahead of Oakland but 7-5 is a lot better than 6-6 at this point of the season.

Wheels @ Gunslingers (-14)
Showboats (-11) @ Thunderbolts
Express @ Storm (-11)
Sun @ SaberCats (-14)
Gold @ Hornets (Even)
Game of the Week
(NY) Stars @ Generals (-3)
Gamblers @ Outlaws (-8)
Hawaiians @ Wranglers (-2)
Invaders @ Federals (Even)
Stars @ Bell (-14)
Maulers (-14) @ Breakers
Blitz @ Renegades (-12)
Blazers (-5) @ Panthers
Bandits @ Bulls (-7)
Steamer @ VooDoo (-14)
Stallions (-2) @ Force

Looking ahead to Week 13, San Antonio will look to get back on track against Detroit. Memphis will be looking for their 4th straight win tonight but they face a new Cleveland owner. The Thunderbolts were sold yesterday so scouting may be pointless. The New York Stars need to beat New Jersey for the first time since 1996 if they are serious about winning the East. The Stars have been able to hang with Philadelphia head to head where the Generals have not, but New Jersey has had New York's number.

Houston, fresh off knocking off San Antonio, now head to Oklahoma to face the 10-2 Outlaws in another important division game. Honolulu and Arizona face off in a de facto elimination game as it will be near impossible to make the playoffs at 5-8 unless you're in the Midwest.

Oakland needs to get back on the winning track starting with Washington tonight as they lose the tiebreaker for the division and are precariously in the #7 seed now.

Tampa Bay and Jacksonville play each other and barring a tie, the winner will be 7-6 and still in the playoff race while the loser will have a bigger hill to climb at 6-7.

Birmingham plays Georgia in an important game for both teams. It's more important for Georgia as at 7-5, they can't afford too many more losses.

I'll be back soon to recap Week 12, just wanted to let you know I didn't forget about you. Besides, I'm done in the basement with laundry and need to switch to the upstairs computer.

More Week 12

Pittsburgh 48 Birmingham 26

This game had a playoff atmosphere and it's quite possible we'll see a rematch in January. Birmingham gave Pittsburgh their toughest test of the season as the Stallions scored 26 points and created chaos for the Pittsburgh offense. In the end though, the Maulers outscored the Stallions thanks to 16 points from their defense and special teams while their own defense forced FGs instead of TDs.

Birmingham's defense intercepted 3 passes, recovered 2 fumbles and had 2 sacks but the Pittsburgh offense was able to overcome diversity. Darrell Harrington threw 3 TD passes, Eugene Williams caught 1 of those among his 8 for 131 and Felix Vaughn had a combined 112 yards and 2 TDs to lead the offense.

Pittsburgh's defense sacked Russell Gall in the end zone for a safety, then Matthew Goebel returned the ensuing free kick 97 yards for a TD. That put the Stallions in an early hole but they hung with Pittsburgh, trailing 38-26 after 3 qtrs. Early in the 4th, Gall threw a Pick Six to essentially seal the game as the Birmingham offense went three and out their final 2 drives.

Houston 19 San Antonio 16

This game was full of mistakes and missed opportunities, with the Gamblers coming out on top in this battle of attrition. Houston got the ball to start the game and promptly lost a fumble. San Antonio took advantage, getting a George Warner TD pass for a 7-0 lead. Warner threw for 328 yards but was intercepted twice and sacked 4 times as the Gunslingers would get just 2 FGs from their remaining 3 red zone trips.

Houston missed some opportunities as well, settling for 3 Earl Castro FGs in the first half before Dale Baber finally put the Gamblers in the end zone in the 3rd qtr. Baber's TD pass to Agustin Fiecke gave Houston a 16-7 lead, which turned into 19-10 early in the 4th. San Antonio chipped away with a pair of FGs and was driving for the game tying FG at the end of the game but they only got close enough for a 63 or 64 yard try and it was predictably short.

San Jose 28 Los Angeles 15

The San Jose offense is not on top of their game lately but Larry Henderson and Lee Ramos did enough to get the win that has the SaberCats on the brink of another division title. Henderson threw for 301 yards and 2 TDs but he also took 7 sacks. Ramos caught both TDs and finished with 16 for 137 yards.

San Jose led 14-6 at the half but an INT and turnover on downs helped give Los Angeles the lead 15-14 heading into the 4th. The SaberCats won the 4th qtr 14-0 as it was the Express turning it over on downs late with San Jose getting points and they get the victory to virtually clinch the Pacific.

Portland 16 Oakland 10

Portland gets the sweep over Oakland and owns the tiebreaker that gives the Storm first place in the West now. Raymond Oswalt was intercepted on Portland's first drive but bounced back with a TD pass on the next drive for a 7-0 lead. From there, the Storm rode their defense that allowed only 93 total yards until a 12 play, 75 yard TD drive by Oakland at the end of the game. Portland was in control up to that point, leading 16-3 but Oakland recovered the onside kick and suddenly the Invaders had a chance to steal a win. They got down to the Portland 26 before failing on 4th down as Portland holds on to win.

Orlando 16 Florida 13

Orlando's defense shut down the Florida running game, making the Blazers one dimensional today. The Renegades offense wasn't great but they did gain 347 yards and led 16-6 late in the game. It was a FG contest in the first half and the Renegades got a short TD run from John Jones late in the 3rd to build that lead.Nicholas Meis got Florida closer with a 53 yard TD pass to Roderick Uribe inside the 2 minute warning but the onside kick failed and Orlando holds on.

Philadelphia 17 New Jersey 10

Philadelphia got 2 rushing TDs from Frederick Martin and the Bell defense intercepted Sam Axe 3 times as they grind out a division win. This was a 10-10 game until inside the 2 minute warning, when Martin got his 2nd rushing TD to give the Bell the victory.

(NY) Stars 20 Boston 6

The New York offense struggled today but they still led 12-0 after 3 qtrs thanks to a safety, a Jamie Orman TD pass and a 55 yard FG. Boston got a pair of 4th qtr FGs to cut the lead in half but James Luna's TD run at the 2 minute warning put the game away from the Stars. Luna finished with 101 yards on the ground as New York wins to keep pace with Philadelphia.

New Orleans 27 Baltimore 2

Willie Graham threw for 329 yards and 2 TDs, Benjamin Jones caught 8 for 129 and a TD, while the VooDoo defense held the Stars to 126 total yards. It took some time before New Orleans started racking up the points but the Baltimore offense did not threaten to score, so the VooDoo's patience was rewarded.

8 games down, 8 to go...

Oklahoma 21 Michigan 20

Raymond Settles threw 3 TDs, including the game winner inside the 2 minute warning as the Outlaws escape with a victory to improve to 10-2. Settles also threw 2 INTs in the first half, leading to a pair of Panthers FGs. Willie Reddish threw 2 TD passes for Michigan as the Panthers took a 20-14 lead late in the 3rd. Both teams were perfect in the red zone and the box score was pretty even up and down the line.

Memphis 20 Chicago 6

Memphis QB Jerry Parker was just 10/23 for 102 yards with an INT but he also threw a pair of TD passes while the Showboats ball carriers combined for 175 yards as Memphis knocks off the Midwest leading Blitz. Memphis (6-6) has a better record than Chicago (5-7), but division placement dictates that Chicago would play in January while Memphis still needs to win and get help. The Showboats have been doing their part of the equation as this is their 3rd win in a row.

Tampa Bay 17 Shreveport 0

Tampa Bay ran for 113 yards, passed for 125 yards and the defense held Shreveport to 51 total yards in a shutout victory that keeps the Bandits on the doorstep of the playoffs. The Steamer ran the ball 27 times for negative 10 yards and their passing game completed just 14/32 in a miserable offensive day.

Jacksonville 16 Cleveland 6

The only TD of the game came on a 1st qtr punt return of 64 yards by Jacksonville's Francisco Burke. The rest of the game was a kicking contest that Jacksonville won 3-2, and using football math we get a final score of 16-6. There were a combined 362 yards in the game, 14 punts, 6/26 on 3rd down and Jacksonville scored just 6 points from 3 red zone drives. A win is a win though, no style points needed.

Georgia 10 Washington 3

One good thing about professional football is that style points do not matter. In college, teams have to win pretty to impress the selection committee, but the pros take the Al Davis attitude of Just Win Baby. Georgia is just another team that won ugly today and they could not care less. The Force just need wins and some help at this point and Georgia got a 59 yard Adam Patrick TD pass to Shawn Dudley at the 2 minute warning to break a 3-3 tie for the win.

Charlotte 13 Arizona 7

This was a 7-7 game at the half, with Curtis Kim trading TD passes with Antonio Martinez. The game stayed 7-7 until Arizona started making mistakes late in the 3rd, into the 4th with a missed FG and 3 straight drives ending with lost fumbles. Charlotte turned those turnovers into a pair of FGs to take a 13-7 lead inside the final minute. Arizona had 35 seconds at the end of the game for one last drive but that wasn't enough to avoid their 2nd straight loss.

Honolulu 30 Southern California 0

Honolulu took out some frustrations with a dominating win over the Sun, out gaining them 432-89 and not even letting Southern California sniff the red zone in the shutout. Victor Russell threw for 271 yards and 3 TDs and they got a combined 178 rushing yards from Brian Copley (91 yards and a TD) and James Shick (87). The Hawaiians defense had 7 sacks and forced a pair of turnovers.

Denver 28 Detroit 10

Another game, another ugly win. The Denver defense intercepted Mark Lott 7 times today plus sacked him 3 times, once for a safety for the start of another 9 point play. Thomas Warner returned the free kick 85 yards for a score, giving Denver 9 points in between offensive touches. The Gold only scored 1 offensive TD on the day but they did get 4 FGs, which was enough for the win today. After starting 1-6-1, Denver has won 3 of the last 4, including a win over division leader Portland.

Week 13

I'll probably make this a somewhat quick recap as we had only one game end within one score and I've already discussed the playoff picture in another post.

Pittsburgh 27 Boston 12

Pittsburgh played a sloppy offensive game and they didn't pull away from Boston until the second half. Darrell Harrington threw interceptions on the first 3 Pittsburgh drives but Boston managed just 2 FGs in taking a 6-0 lead. Pittsburgh would get a pair of FGs to tie then took the lead for good with a TD in the final seconds of the first half. They only led 12-6 at the break though and Harrington started the second half like the first, by throwing an interception. Boston didn't score off that and the Maulers extended their lead on the next drive with a long TD pass.

The Pittsburgh defense held Boston to 142 total yards and kept those 5 INTs by Harrington from hurting too much as they improve to 13-0.

San Antonio 34 Detroit 9

San Antonio played a game much like Pittsburgh, racking up 413 yards and winning handily despite multiple turnovers. The Gunslingers turned the ball over 5 times, losing 3 fumbles and taking 5 QB sacks but George Warner threw 4 TD passes to lead the team to victory. San Antonio's defense intercepted 2 Detroit QBs a total of 7 times, the second straight game the Wheels have thrown 7 INTs.

San Jose 40 Southern California 30

San Jose continues the trend this week of winning despite multiple turnovers, but this box score is what I'm used to seeing out of the SaberCats. Larry Henderson completed 47/68, 574 yards, 4 TDs, 4 INTs, and 6 sacks taken. Lee Ramos had a combined 226 yards and 2 TDs, catching 15 for 162 and a TD while adding a 64 yard TD run. Lynn McLaurin and Donald Sykes also had 100+ yards and a TD while the San Jose defense had 3 INTs and 3 sacks. Southern California was able to put up points taking advantage of some short fields but they had to settle for too many FGs, leaving the Sun 10 points short.

Oklahoma 28 Houston 24

This matchup today didn't have the same buzz as previous games between these division rivals but it ended up the most entertaining/competitive game of the week. As always these teams are fighting to improve their playoff positions but the Gamblers are in danger of not making the playoffs. They are still in as of now but today's loss doesn't help.

Raymond Settles got the scoring started with a TD pass but Houston scored the next 13 points for a 13-7 halftime lead. Steven McCurdy's TD run in the 3rd gave Oklahoma the lead back at 14-13 but the Gamblers answered with a FG and a TD with a 2 point conversion for a 24-14 lead with 9:17 to play. Raymond Settles then threw a pair of TD passes to Michael Hagler, with the game winner coming with 1:30 on the clock. The Outlaws defense held Houston and Oklahoma improves to 11-2.

Orlando 22 Chicago 0

This battle of division leaders turned out to be not much of a battle as Orlando shutout the Blitz. John Jones ran for 120 yards and 2 early TDs to give the Renegades a 14-0 lead. From there it was play defense, massage the clock and get out with a win as Orlando takes a major step toward another division title.

New Orleans 20 Shreveport 0

New Orleans won similar to Orlando, getting 2 early TD runs from Patrick Molina for a 14-0 lead then ride the defense and massage the clock. The scores would have been the same too except Orlando's defense scored on a safety while New Orleans defense had to settle for just a shutout.

Birmingham 39 Georgia 3

Birmingham won in lopsided fashion and it could have been worse had they not settled for 8 FG attempts. Al Borland made 6 of the 8. In between all of those FG tries, Russell Gall threw for 441 yards and 3 TDs while the defense forced 4 turnovers and had 9 sacks. Gary May caught 9 for 176 yards and a TD with Arnold Griego catching 7 for 125 and a TD.

Philadelphia 27 Baltimore 6

Alfredo Montoya had a combined 157 yards and a TD while Frederick Martin had 2 TDs, one rushing and one receiving as the Bell extended their East division lead. The Philadelphia defense had 7 sacks and held Baltimore to 96 total yards.

Break time for a little bit.

More Week 13

Cleveland 20 Memphis 6

Memphis had won 3 in a row to get back into the playoff race but had to face a Cleveland team with a new owner, so scouting previous games meant nothing. The Thunderbolts were energized by the change seemingly as they got 3 first half TD passes from Carl Langlois before the Thunderbolts remembered their W-L record and started turning the ball over. The Cleveland defense allowed nearly 300 yards but they kept Memphis out of the end zone and rode those early scores to victory.

Portland 16 Los Angeles 3

Raymond Oswalt connected with Robert Settle for a 69 yard TD pass in the 1st qtr and the Storm defense did the rest, holding Los Angeles to 216 total yards and 3 points. Thomas Frank ran for 136 yards to move the chains and Aaron David made 3 FGs as Portland maintains their West division lead.

Oakland 13 Washington 3

Oakland's 4 headed BCBC ran for 197 yards and QB Andy Fulkerson completed 17/20 with a TD. Fulkerson only had 106 passing yards but the dinking and dunking helped move the chains and the safe throws resulted in zero INTs. It wasn't a pretty win but the Invaders do keep pace with Portland and move up to the current #6 seed.

Michigan 17 Florida 0

The Midwest division has been getting kicked around all season, as the 4 teams are just 6-28 outside of their division including 2-2 today. Those wins today were by the new kids on the block and the division should be stronger in 2008. Michigan's offense wasn't great today but they were better than Florida's and that's all that counts. The Panthers defense held Florida to 160 total yards and they intercepted 2 passes in shutting out the Blazers. Michigan has won 2 of their last 3 and they are now just 1 game behind Chicago for the division lead.

New Jersey 29 (NY) Stars 10

Unless my eyes deceived me, this is the 23rd time in a row New Jersey has beaten New York. The streak began with the 2nd game of 1996 between these division foes and continues until next year as it's near impossible for these teams to meet a 3rd time. This loss was costly for the Stars as they could have used the win with their remaining schedule featuring nothing but playoff teams (Pitt, Okl, Phil).

New York out gained New Jersey, had a higher yards per carry and yards per completion, did better on 3rd down conversions and had just 1 penalty. New York fumbled and missed a FG in the 1st half but they saved more mistakes for the 4th qtr. New Jersey led 20-10 after 3 but in the 4th, New York lost a fumble, had an interception then turned it over on downs 3 times as the Generals added 3 FGs. Vic Mackey led the way with 175 yards and a TD, 136 of that on the ground.

Jacksonville 27 Tampa Bay 6

The winner of this battle of 6-6 teams would put themselves in a better position in the playoff push while making things difficult for the loser. Both teams ran the ball well today but Jacksonville ran it really well, putting the game away with a pair of TD runs in the last half of the 4th to break open a close game. Patrick Edwards went first with an 80 yard TD run that was half of his total of 160. Louis Bell had a 17 yard TD run just before the 2 minute warning and the Bulls ran for 278 yards as a team.

Arizona 38 Honolulu 3

Arizona has started using 2 QBs recently, perhaps to spread the sacks around so Curtis Kim doesn't die on the field. Whatever the reason, it worked well today as Kim and Kenneth Anderson combined to complete 20/37, 327 yards, 3 TDs and 0 INTs. Daniel Fleming was the best friend to both, catching a TD from each among his 6 for 196 yards. The Wranglers defense sacked Victor Russell 3 times, harassing him into a 20/47, 3 INT game. The 3rd qtr was the big qtr for Arizona as they scored 3 TDs and the 21 point outburst turned a 14-3 lead into a 35-3 lead.

Denver 19 Charlotte 10

Charlotte had a 10-6 lead after kicking a FG in the middle of the 4th but then the INTs started and the script flipped. Antonio Martinez played most of the game at QB for the Hornets, finishing 25/36, 199 yards with a TD and an INT. Chris Miller also saw time under center, completing more passes to Denver (2) than to his teammates (1/6, 9 yards and a sack). Denver's offense had just 173 yards today but those 3 INTs in the 4th gave the Gold scoring opportunities and they cashed those in for a TD and a pair of FGs to steal the victory, their 3rd in a row.