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Week 5 recap, cliff notes version.

I have to start with the Memphis/Jacksonville game after originally leading off with the defending champs, who haven't lost in a very long time.

Jacksonville got the win 35-31 and I won't be able to keep this recap short. This game had 928 yards, 4 INTs, 8 sacks, and a big, late comeback. Memphis QB Gary Westerfield threw for 330 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs and took 5 sacks while Jacksonville QB William Barron also threw 3 TDs and 2 INTs, taking 3 sacks and throwing for 452 yards. Jacksonville had a trio of 100 yard receivers: Larry Stafford (4-135-1), Francisco Burke (7-130), and Donald Wade (2-105-1). For Memphis, Joseph Bradley caught 8 for 112 yards while George Hoffman caught 2 TD passes.

Jacksonville led 13-7 at the half but Gary Westerfield threw a TD pass and Benjamin Lujan had a Pick Six as Memphis took a 21-13 lead. Jacksonville would score a TD to make it 21-20 but Memphis would answer for a 28-20 lead heading to the 4th qtr. The teams traded FGs and the score was 31-23 Memphis with just over 8 minutes left.

Each team then had a three and out before Jacksonville started driving. They were approaching the Memphis goal line as the 2 minute warning neared, facing 2nd and goal from the 8. Arthur Bogdan fumbled but an offensive lineman fell on it to maintain possession. From there, William Barron ran twice, scoring from 3 yards out to make the score 31-29 Memphis. The 2 point pass was incomplete and the onside kick failed. Memphis went three and out, punting the ball back to Jacksonville. Harry Potter wielded his magic, pinning the Bulls at their 1 with no timeouts left. The first down pass gained 1 yard and with the clock ticking down, William Barron connected with Larry Stafford on a short pass. Stafford needed just 1 block as he got behind the defense and sprinted down the sideline for the game winning TD. The 2 point try failed but the Bulls left time for just 1 play as they steal a victory from the Showboats.

New Orleans wins their 35th game in a row, beating Tampa Bay today 35-9. Gerald Waldon ran for 169 yards and a TD, James Peterson has 2 TD runs and Charles Grogan caught 9 for 181 yards and 2 TDs.

San Antonio remains unbeaten after winning 25-6 over Houston. George Warner threw for 261 yards and a TD while the Gunslingers defense had 2 INTs, recovered a fumble and had 4 sacks.

San Jose remained undefeated, beating Los Angeles 30-16 despite allowing 8 sacks and Myron Dustin throwing 3 INTs. Dustin also threw 4 TD passes, 3 to Lynn McLaurin, who caught 16 for 191 yards. Defensively, the SaberCats allowed just 122 yards with 4 sacks and 2 INTs.

New Jersey lost for the first time as they made too many mistakes the last 16 minutes of the game. The Generals led 14-7 late 3rd when Kevin Via was intercepted. Via threw another INT very late, the drive after New Jersey failed to score after a 1st and goal from the 2. Portland took advantage as George Schacht threw 2 of his 3 TD passes in the 4th. Robert Settle ran for 104 yards for Portland while New Jersey's Vic Mackey got 99 yards closer to the all time yardage mark and also ran for a TD. Portland won the game 24-14.

Honolulu won their 4th straight, beating Charlotte 36-0. Victor Russell threw for 365 yards and 2 TDs, both to Fred Thomas, who caught 10 for 172 in all. Albert Callan ran for 2 scores while the Hawaiians defense had 4 sacks, 3 INTs, and allowed just 163 yards.

Washington beat Philadelphia 16-6 to improve to 4-1. Each team had a 100 yard receiver but overall it wasn't a good day for either offense, especially in the red zone, where they combined for 1 TD and 4 FGs in 6 trips. Washington was the team with the TD and overall, they made less mistakes than Philadelphia. They won the turnover battle 3-2 and sacked Joel Jasso 5 times while allowing just 2. I didn't know what to think about Washington's start, beating a pair of struggling teams, but their games against Pittsburgh and Philadelphia show me they're a contender.

Michigan improves to 4-1 with a 17-13 win over Birmingham. The Panthers had 355 offensive yards, more than double the 166 of the Stallions but they trailed 13-10 late in the 4th. Willie Reddish threw a 15 yard TD pass to William Barrett inside the 2 minute warning to take the lead then the defense sealed it with an interception.

Oklahoma won their 3rd straight, beating Florida 9-3. Raymond Settles threw a 2nd qtr TD pass to Michael Hagler but the XP was no good. Florida faced a 4th and goal from the 1 later in the 2nd qtr and opted for a FG, cutting the lead to 6-3. The Outlaws defense made that hold up in the second half.

Oakland beat New York 24-7 for their 3rd straight win. The Invaders ran for 196 yards and a TD, overcoming 3 turnovers in the process. Oakland's defense forced 4 turnovers of their own and held the Stars under 200 yards.

Denver beat Arizona 17-3 to improve to 3-2 and a share of first place in the West with Oakland and Portland. It wasn't a great offensive day for the Gold but they got 2 rushing TDs from Kevin Hillman and the defense did the rest.

Georgia beat Orlando 22-14, winning the FG contest 5-4 and winning the "other scoring" category 7-2. Daniel McKibben was sacked in the end zone for the 3rd straight game but it did only happen once, compared to twice each previously. Orlando QB Dwayne Byrd threw 2 INTs and took 2 sacks while McKibben took 6 with 1 INT. Georgia scored their TD on a Herman Gonzalez 108 yard kickoff return TD as the Force improve to 3-2.

Pittsburgh beat Boston 23-7 thanks to a running game that amassed 325 yards and a TD along with a defense that held the Breakers to 127 total yards. Kenneth Allen led the rushing attack with 141 yards and Christopher Goins added 97. They picked up QB Brian White, who was bad, throwing 4 INTs on 18/40 passing.

Detroit lost their owner before the game as fhunt3 abandoned ship apparently. It's only 1 game but the AI Wheels put out the best game of the season as they finally get a win, beating Chicago 23-6. Mark Lott threw for 350 yards and a pair of 3rd qtr TD passes to break open a 6-6 game. The Wheels defense had 2 turnovers and 3 sacks.

Shreveport beat Cleveland 10-0 as Terry Leblanc threw a TD pass on the opening drive, then the running game and defense took over. Frederick Martin ran for 160 yards and Kevin Burnett had 88 to lead the Steamer offense. The Shreveport defense steamrolled the Cleveland OL to the tune of 5 sacks.

Southern California had a come from behind 16-13 OT win over Baltimore. The Stars are still looking for their first win of the season and they almost had it today. The Baltimore offense kept Hector Bednar clean, allowing no sacks and they did not turn the ball over. Defensively they had 5 sacks and 3 INTs. Baltimore led 6-3 after 3 qtrs and retook the lead 13-10 after the Sun scored a TD. Southern California would tie the game at 13 with a FG inside 3 minutes to play and the game winning FG as time expired in the OT period. Garry Danforth caught 12 for 188 yards for the Sun.

Week 6 is complete and it seems parity is setting in as more than half the league is between 2-4 and 4-2. We're down to just 2 undefeated teams, the New Orleans VooDoo, who have won 36 in a row and the San Antonio Gunslingers. We also have just 3 teams with 5-1 records: San Jose SaberCats, Michigan Panthers, and Washington Federals.

New Orleans keeps on winning as the VooDoo beat Cleveland 31-9, overcoming 5 turnovers in the process. QB James Wright threw 4 INTs and the VooDoo fumbled 3 times, only losing one. When Wright hit his own receivers, he threw for 309 yards and 2 TDs. The VooDoo defense allowed just 119 yards and had 5 sacks.

San Antonio was without Glenn Graham again but it didn't matter as George Warner threw for 376 yards and 2 TDs in a 44-0 win over Memphis. Jack Lu had 137 combined yards with 2 rushing TDs and they had a pair of 100 yard receivers: Daniel Cruz (7-132-1) and James Douglas (6-111-1). Defensively they intercepted Gary Westerfield 4 times and sacked him twice.

Washington improves to 5-1 with a come from behind 17-16 win over tough luck Los Angeles. The Express are 0-6 but a few plays here and there and they could be 4-2 as this was their 4th one score loss of the season. Los Angeles had a 13-7 halftime lead they extended to 16-7 early in the 4th. Washington would get a FG, then a Michael Erickson TD right after the 2 minute warning to tie the game at 16. The XP broke the tie and the defense held on the final drive for the win. Jacob Hazlett caught 13 for 143 yards while William McDuffie caught 2 TD passes.

Michigan improves to 5-1 with a 28-21 win over Chicago. Blitz QB Eric Hansen must have been jealous of Georgia QB David McKibben taking all of those safeties because the Panthers defense scored 4 points of 2 sacks in the end zone. Michigan added a TD and a FG for a 14-0 halftime lead. Eric Hansen got Chicago back into the game in the 3rd qtr with a pair of TD passes to Walter Ballard while Michigan added a FG to lead 17-14 after 3. Michigan extended the lead to 20-14 early in the 4th before Hansen's 3rd TD pass gave Chicago a 21-20 lead. Michigan then went on a 13 play, 81 yard TD drive that took a huge chunk of the remaining clock. The Panthers ran for 251 yards, led by Charles Keller with 102, and Brendan Tullis who had 82 and that TD at the 2 minute warning. Tullis then ran in the 2 point conversion and the defense held.

San Jose suffered their first loss of the season as Denver wins 19-12. The SaberCats defense allowed just 206 yards and intercepted Brian Smith 3 times but it was Denver getting out to a 10-0 lead. James Valdez got San Jose within 10-6 after a short TD run but the 2 point try failed. Denver extended the lead to 17-6 when Kevin Hillman returned the 2nd half kickoff 100 yards for a TD. James Valdez later caught a TD pass to cut the lead to 17-12 in the 3rd qtr. Lynn McLaurin caught 16 passes for 118 yards, giving him 99 through 6 games as he continues his record pace, but one catch today resulted in 2 points for Denver to extend the Gold lead to 19-12. Today, the SaberCats had trouble finishing drives as they had 2 INTs and converted 0/13 on 3rd down and 2/11 on 4th.

Pittsburgh beat New Jersey 26-9 thanks to 3 rushing TDs in the 4th qtr. The Generals led 9-6 after 3 qtrs but the Maulers ran roughshod over New Jersey in the 4th. Christopher Goins ran for 132 yards and 2 TDs to lead the way while they held Vic Mackey to 37 rushing yards, his lowest output of the season.

Honolulu and Arizona played to a 7-7 OT tie as the Hawaiians lost QB Victor Russell for 2 drives in the 4th qtr before he came back to finish the game. Arizona started the game with a pair of missed FGs followed by a pair of INTs. Honolulu couldn't cash those in as the first half was scoreless. Honolulu scored a rushing TD in the 3rd while Arizona scored a rushing TD in the 4th and regulation ended 7-7. Each team had multiple possessions in OT and Arizona had a chance to win at the gun but the 37 yard FG went wide left, leaving the game to end in a tie.

Oakland won their 4th straight game, beating Southern California 12-10. Oakland ran for 185 yards as a team while Domingo Robinson threw a 54 yard TD to Miguel Gilbert in taking a 12-3 lead. Southern California only had 153 offensive yards, with Gary Danforth accounting for 107 on 9 receptions. John Barrios got the Sun within 12-10 with a 4th qtr TD pass but that's as close as they could get.

Oklahoma beat Portland 34-17 for their 4th straight win. Domenic Winstead is back and he caught 10 for 142 yards and a TD while Donald Ramirez had 2 TD receptions on 3 for 100 yards. Raymond Settles was named player of the week by MFN for completing 20/27 for 305 yards and 3 TDs. Portland QB George Schacht threw for 306 yards and 2 TDs but didn't get the running game help that Settles did as the Outlaws out rushed the Storm 116-43.

Houston escaped with a 16-13 win over Tampa Bay to improve to 4-2. Tampa Bay ran for 102 yards on the tough Gamblers run defense and they didn't turn the ball over while the Bandits defense intercepted Dale Baber 3 times. Houston led 10-6 late in the 4th until Curtis Torres found Ezra Rizzo for a 4 yard TD pass with 1:12 to go. The XP gave Tampa Bay a 13-10 lead but Jeffery Hebert returned the kickoff 96 yards for the game winning TD. The 2 point pass failed, as did Tampa Bay's last drive as the Gamblers hold on for the win.

Georgia beat AI Charlotte 18-0 to improve to 4-2. QB David McKibben was sacked 7 more times today but for the first time in the last 4 games, none came in the end zone. It was the Force defense getting an end zone sack among their 5 sacks. Georgia also forced 2 turnovers and didn't allow the Hornets to enter the red zone. McKibben had a TD pass for the game's lone TD.

Philadelphia beat New York 9-3 to improve to 4-2. The Bell had 370 offensive yards to just 147 for New York but 4 turnovers kept the scoring down. Philadelphia ran for 230 yards, led by Gary Simmons' 106 but Joel Jasso only completed 15/43 as they managed just 3 FGs.

Birmingham dominated AI Detroit 38-3 as they had a pair of 100 yard rushers with 2 TDs each and Russell Gall completed 24/30 for 236 yards and a TD. Philip Snyder ran for 115 yards and 2 TDs while Gary May had 114 and 2. The Stallions converted 13/17 3rd downs and held the ball for 45:45.

Orlando outlasted Jacksonville, winning 22-17 to take sole possession of first in the Southeast. Orlando got out to a 13-0 2nd qtr lead before Jacksonville clawed back to take a 17-16 lead in the middle of the 4th. Orlando responded with a 12 play 75 yard drive capped off by Thomas Gilbert's 2nd rushing TD. The 2 point try failed but the Renegades defense held on the final drive to win 22-17.

Shreveport beat Florida 17-3 for their 2nd win in a row. Kevin Burnett had a short TD run, Terry Leblanc had a TD pass and the Steamer defense forced 3 turnovers and allowed just 174 yards. This is the 3rd loss in a row for the Blazers.

Boston beat Baltimore 13-3. Sean Cleveland ran for 130 yards for the Stars but QB Hector Bednar completed just 13/41 for 65 yards and an INT. Boston got a 2nd qtr TD pass from Jerry Parker for a 10-0 lead and the defense made that hold up for the win.

Week 7 is done and we're down to one undefeated team, the back to back champion New Orleans VooDoo. New Orleans won today in convincing fashion and have now won 37 consecutive games.

Who's Hot

7W New Orleans
5W Oakland
5W Oklahoma
4W Washington

Who's Not

7L Los Angeles
5L Cleveland
4L Memphis
4L Florida
4L Tampa Bay
3L Charlotte
3L New Jersey

Division Standings (Non Divisional Games)

Pacific 7-8-1
West 9-8-1
Southwest 11-3
Midwest 5-11

Southeast 3-11
South 13-5
Atlantic 7-11
East 8-6

Top Scoring Teams

245 San Jose
215 San Antonio
199 Washington
192 New Orleans
167 New York

Stingiest Defenses

55 New Orleans
56 Honolulu
57 San Antonio
70 Georgia
72 Birmingham

The West, Southwest, and East all have 3 teams within 1 game of first.

San Jose QB Myron Dustin leads the league in pass attempts, completions, yards, sacks taken, TDs, and INTs. Dustin is 2nd in completion percentage behind San Antonio's George Warner among QBs who qualify. Douglas Lee of Chicago is shown at the top but he's only thrown 28 passes.

Despite gaining just 58 yards in the last 2 games, New Jersey's Vic Mackey leads the league in rushing yards with 582. Pittsburgh's Kenneth Allen is right behind him with 578 while Washington's Norman Thomas is 3rd with 541.

Thomas Gilbert (Orlando) leads the league with 7 rushing TDs. James Valdez (San Jose) is second with 6.

Lynn McLaurin has lapped the field in receiving stats. His 119 receptions is more than double second place as is his 1,433 receiving yards. McLaurin is averaging exactly 17 catches a game, on pace for 272 which would obliterate the now record of 213.

McLaurin has 6 TD receptions, tying him for the lead with teammate Scott Isaacs and Oklahoma's Domenic Winstead.

While I do have the time for a good write up for the game recaps, it sort of feels like old news with kickoff 8 hours away. I had to deal with the plumber yesterday before work so that didn't help me get this done when I wanted. I'll try to be brief, which shouldn't be a problem with the lack of close games in Week 7.

New Orleans beat Michigan 31-0 in what was being billed as the game of the week. MFN actually had a different game as the GOTW but that's just based on point spread closeness. New Orleans came in with their 36 game win streak while Michigan was the leader in the Midwest with a 5-1 record. The Panthers got to 5-1 on the strength of their running game but the VooDoo defense shut that down while rushing for 166 yards and 2 TDs themselves. New Orleans scored 21 points in the 2nd qtr and coasted the rest of the game for consecutive win #37.

The MFN Game of the Week according to point spreads wasn't close at all as Philadelphia beat New Jersey 34-13 to take sole possession of first in the East. Philadelphia had 2 rushing TDs, a Joel Jasso TD pass to Jason Wharton and Wharton added a 109 yard kickoff return TD. USFL leading rusher Vic Mackey was held to 21 yards on the ground, though he was their leading receiver with 86 yards on 5 catches in the loss. Mackey is 461 yards behind Scott Randall's 10,501 career rushing yards and 126 yards behind San Jose's Brian Smith for the most rushing yards by an active player.

San Jose beat Los Angeles 38-24. The SaberCats got out to a 30-0 lead before Los Angeles outscored San Jose 24-8 in the 4th to make the score look closer. Myron Dustin filled his stat line with 43/62 passing, 572 yards, 5 TDs, 2 INTs, and 11 sacks, one for a safety. Lynn McLaurin caught 20 for 195 and a TD while Scott Isaacs caught 7 for 176 and 3 TDs.

Oklahoma beat San Antonio 17-16 to hand the Gunslingers their first loss of 2010. Raymond Settles wasn't great, throwing 4 INTs but he did find Domenic Winstead for 2 TDs. Winstead caught 7 for 143 yards but the Outlaws trailed 16-14 at the 2 minute warning. Settles completed 5/7 passes to get Oklahoma in FG range then Daniel Beaupre split the uprights from 50 yards for the game winning FG.

Washington and Pittsburgh met for the second time this season and first place in the Atlantic was on the line. Washington built a 24-6 lead in the first game before hardly even having the ball in the second half as they lost 25-24. This game, Washington got out to a 24-0 lead and once again did very little offensively in the second half. Unlike the first game, this time Washington limited the Maulers comeback attempt to win the game 24-10. Michael Erickson threw 3 TD passes, 2 to Jacob Hazlett, who caught 12 for 181 yards. The Federals defense intercepted Brian White 3 times.

Oakland beat Arizona 28-3 for their 5th straight win. Domingo Robinson completed 17/23, 221 yards and 3 TDs, completing a pass to 9 different receivers. The Invaders ran for 180 yards and a TD while holding Arizona to 70 total yards.

Honolulu outlasted Southern California 20-13. The Sun led 13-6 late in the 3rd when Dana Nelson intercepted a John Berrios pass and returned it 20 yards for a TD. The game remained tied until the 4th qtr when Honolulu took possession on their own 4 with 8:27 to play. Victor Russell led a 15 play, 96 yard TD drive, with Albert Callan doing the honors with a 2 yard run for the go ahead TD. That score became the game winner when the Hawaiians defense held on the Sun's final possession.

Houston built a 14-0 lead on a pair of long TD passes by Dale Baber, then held on after a late Memphis rally to beat the Showboats 17-10. It's hard to say a Week 7 game is a must win but given the state of the Southwest, Memphis has put themselves behind the 8 ball at 2-5, 3 games behind the rest of the division. Memphis got within 14-10 after a 17 play, 75 yard TD drive that ended at the 2 minute warning. The Showboats recovered the onside kick and drove to the cusp of the red zone before Gary Westerfield was intercepted. Houston ran out the remaing clock for the win. Bo Bullet caught 5 for 134 and a TD while Under Taker caught 5 for 106 and a TD.

Orlando beat Tampa Bay 36-7 to improve to 4-3 on the season. Dwayne Byrd threw for 253 yards and 2 TDs, Henry Ward ran for 2 TDs and the Renegades defense harassed Curtis Torres with 6 sacks and 3 INTs.

New York overcame a 14-3 halftime deficit to defeat Denver 28-14. QB Jamie Orman threw for 384 yards and 3 TDs, getting big games from Perry Nelson (17-226-1) and Dylan Fryar (7-120-2).The NY Stars defense forced 3 turnovers and held the Gold to 247 yards.

Jacksonville was all over Florida in a 45-7 win. The Bulls ran for 158 yards and a TD with George Smith (13-117-1) doing the heavy lifting. William Barron threw for 342 yards and 4 TDs and the defense had 12 sacks, including a strip sack in the end zone for their first TD.

Birmingham beat Cleveland 35-10, gaining 491 offensive yards with 283 coming on the ground. Philip Snyder ran for 174 yards and 2 TDs while Jonathan Phillips ran for 91. Phillips also caught 4 passes for 32 yards and 2 TDs. Russell Gall completed 20/26, 208 yards, 3 TDs, and an INT.

Portland beat Boston 26-3 thanks to defense and a strong running game. The Storm ran for 363 yards and a TD as a team, yet no runner topped 100 yards. Jacob Kraus ran for 99 yards, Anthony Gray 97, Frank Gonzalez 88 and a TD, and Thomas Frank had 79. George Schacht had a rough game, completing 13/30, 84 yards, 2 TDs and 2 INTs.

Chicago beat Shreveport 21-6 on Marco Anderson Day. Shreveport led 3-0 after 3 quarters before Anderson started the 4th with a 6 yard TD run. The XP made the score 7-3 and after the Steamer cut it to 7-6, Anderson took the kickoff 91 yards for a TD to increase the lead to 14-6. Christopher Davis stole the thunder with a rushing TD inside the 2 minute warning but Anderson finished with 110 rushing yards, 19 receiving and that 91 yard kick return.

Baltimore beat Charlotte 17-6 for their first win of the season. Sean Cleveland ran for 80 yards, Rodger Brown had a TD run and Hector Bednar threw a TD pass. Baltimore managed just 192 offensive yards but their defense held the Hornets to 173, out sacking them 4-1 and forcing the game's only turnover.

Detroit beat Georgia 12-10 on 4 John Everhart FGs, including the game winning 53 yard kick at the gun. The Wheels trailed 10-9 inside the 2 minute warning when they turned it over on downs. Georgia then tried a 52 yard FG that was wide right. Detroit took over and got down to the Force 35 before John Everhart trotted on the field for his game winning FG.

The season is now half over and now is the time to start gearing up for a playoff push. Obviously there are some teams with slimmer chances while other teams are virtual locks to play in January but no team is officially eliminated yet. The standings are starting to show some separation as we have 10/32 teams 6-2 or better, with only 12 teams in the middle (3-5 to 5-3).

New Orleans continues on it's quest for a threepeat by winning their 38th consecutive game, 27-3 over Chicago. VooDoo QB James Wright struggled, throwing 1 TD pass against 4 INTs but the running game and defense had his back. Gerald Waldon ran for 123 yards and a TD while the New Orleans defense held the Blitz to 100 total yards, forcing 2 turnovers and sacking Douglas Lee 7 times.

Despite all of the teams with 6 wins or better, there are in fact just 2 teams with more than 6...the undefeated New Orleans VooDoo and the 7-1 Washington Federals. Washington's only loss of the season was a 1 point loss to Pittsburgh where they had a 24-6 halftime lead before hardly seeing the ball in that second half. I'd like to apologize for what I wrote the first 2 weeks when I implied Washington was 2-0 in part because they played a soft schedule. Their schedule got more difficult yet they kept winning and should/could arguably also be 8-0. I know I'm not looking forward to a likely L when my Generals play them in a few games.

The Federals actually played a game this week and they started out hot against the New York Stars, getting out to a 23-10 lead early in the 3rd. New York would come back with a 75 yard TD drive, then added a FG following an INT by Michael Erickson to get within 23-20 after 3 quarters. New York still trailed 23-20 when they got the ball inside their 20 with 4:03 to play. Jamie Orman led a 14 play FG drive and we were headed to OT. New York got the ball first and Orman threw an INT but the Stars defense held. Orman threw another INT on the next drive, leading to the game winning 38 yard FG by Raymond Hosmer. Washington's James Ford ran for 159yards.

Honolulu beat San Jose 44-21 to take a half game lead in the Pacific. San Jose had a 12-10 lead with less than 3 minutes before halftime before the Hawaiians went on a 21-0 run. Victor Russell threw a 75 yard TD pass, then the defense intercepted Myron Dustin, leading to another Russell TD pass with 30 seconds before the half. Honolulu then took the second half kickoff and drove 75 yards for a James Shick TD run that took more than 7 minutes off the clock. San Jose would get within 13 points after Myron Dustin found Scott Isaacs for an 89 yard TD pass but that's as close as they could get. Myron Dustin threw for 396 yards, 2 TDs, 5 INTs and 3 sacks while Victor Russell threw for 281 yards, 5 TDs and 2 INTs. Lynn McLaurin caught 14 for 129 yards and a TD for San Jose while Fred Thomas led Honolulu with 8 catches, 102 yards and 2 TDs.

Houston out lasted San Antonio 30-20 to hand the Gunslingers their second straight loss after a 6-0 start. Houston got out to a 7-0 lead on a Dale Baber 21 yard TD pass to Bo Bullet. George Warner brought San Antonio back with a 2nd qtr TD pass then gave them the lead with a 3rd qtr TD pass. On the next offensive snap Houston runner Snake Roberts broke free for a 75 yard TD and the XP tied the game at 14. Rob Van Dam gave Houston a 20-14 lead with a 7 yard TD run and Nick Mitchell ran in the 2 point conversion. James Douglas returned the ensuing kickoff 105 yards for a TD but San Antonio's 2 point try failed, and the score was now 22-20 Gamblers. Houston would put the game away on their next drive on a Baber TD pass to Lex Luger and a Rob Van Dam 2 point run.

Oakland took a big step toward winning the West, beating Portland 23-20. This win gives them a 2 game lead over Portland and Denver plus they now have the tiebreaker over Portland thanks to a sweep. It wasn't a great box score day for the Invaders offense but they did enough to get the job done in a back and forth game. The Invaders took a 6-0 lead on a pair of Todd Mack FGs but Portland QB George Schacht gave Portland the lead with the first of his 2 TD passes today. Domingo Robinson got the lead back for Oakland with a 3rd qtr TD pass and the Invaders led 16-10 heading into the 4th after both teams added a FG. Early in the 4th, Schacht's 2nd TD pass gave Portland a 17-16 lead and it was extended to 20-16 later following a FG. Domingo Robinson then found Miguel Gilbert for a 55 yard TD pass with 2:30 to play. The Invaders defense made that 23-20 lead stand up for the win.

Oklahoma won their 6th straight, beating Detroit 37-7. Raymond Settles completed 21/24 for 257 yards and 3 TDs, Domenic Winstead had 103 receiving yards and 2 scores, and Gary Kahn ran for 99 yards. The Outlaws defense allowed 223 yards, forced 3 turnovers, and had 4 sacks as they are now part of a 3 way tie atop the Southwest.

Michigan got back on the winning side, besting Cleveland 27-3 to earn a season sweep. The Panthers run by committee was effective, gaining 217 yards on 38 carries. Charles Keller led the way with 76 yards and 2 scores while the defense forced 3 turnovers and had 3 sacks.

Philadelphia got past Arizona 27-22 to improve to 6-2. The Bell don't like the Drake as Earl Drake caught 9 passes for 115 yards for the Wranglers. Philadelphia had their own guy though, Jason Wharton, whom league defenses still allow to torch them. At least my Generals aren't alone in cursing Wharton as he pretty much carried Philadelphia on his back today, scoring all 3 of their TDs. Wharton caught 8 for 77 yards and 2 TDs while adding a 104 yard kickoff return TD. Arizona led this game 13-0 at one point only to find themselves down 27-16 toward the end of the 4th. They got a TD to get within 5 points but their 2 point try failed, as did their last offensive drive.

Orlando outscored Memphis 34-30 in a wild game with huge momentum swings. Orlando got out to a 21-0 lead before the Showboats clawed back to trail 21-17 before eventually tying the game at 24 late 3rd qtr. Orlando took the lead 31-24 on the first play of the 4th qtr then held on to win 34-30. The box score is kinda crazy as Gary Westerfield completed 28/47, 340 yards, 3 TDs and 4 INT with 2 sacks for Memphis. Orlando QB Dwayne Byrd completed 26/40, 324 yards, 2 TDs, 3 INTs, and 4 sacks. Orlando was led by a pair of 126 yard days, as Thomas Gilbert ran for 126 and a score while John Jones caught 9 for 126 yards. Memphis was led by Walter Wiggins who caught 4 for 150 and a score. Orlando improves to 5-3 on the season.

New Jersey has as many wins as they do offensive TDs on the year, 5. The Generals beat Denver today 21-6 thanks to 7 FGs by Howie "Stump" Schwab. New Jersey was difficult to throw against today, getting 7 sacks, 2 INTs and allowing just 16 net passing yards. Vic Mackey ran for 99 yards and is now 342 yards from the all time record.

Birmingham beat Shreveport 17-8. The first half was scoreless before the Stallions got a FG and a pair of Russell Gall TD passes for a 17-0 lead as they held the ball for 22:36 of the second half. Terry Leblanc had a good game, completing 15/19 for 164 yards with a late TD pass and 2 point pass to cut the lead to 17-8. The Steamer never saw the ball again though, as Birmingham ran out the final 2:38.

Pittsburgh beat Baltimore 26-0 behind 3 TD passes by Thomas Hampton and a suffocating defense. Hampton only completed 11/21 passes for 182 yards and the running game got less than 3 yards a carry. Defensively Baltimore managed just 135 total yards and the Maulers had 5 sacks in the shutout.

Jacksonville beat Georgia 28-9 in a game where the Bulls scored 7 times. Jacksonville scored 2 TDs, 4 FGs, and a safety when one of their 10 sacks occurred in the end zone. MFN doesn't keep track of safeties in any stat list but I would bet David McKibben has broken the record for most sacks taken in the end zone in a season, seems I write about one 2 outta every 3 games. Jacksonville wasn't great when they had the ball as William Barron threw 2 INTs and was sacked 4 times but he also threw for 347 yards and a TD. Gabriel Barry had 6 of Jacksonville's 10 sacks and he scored the safety.

Charlotte was under AI control for this game and new Hornets owner Kilroy13 has to hope the running game remains strong like they were in this game. Charlotte ran for 389 yards as a team, getting a pair of runners with at least 150 yards as James Sadler ran 22 times for 165 yards and Jerry Touchet had 22 rushes, 150 yards and a TD. QB Keith Carter only completed 7/15 for 81 yards but 2 went for TDs as the Hornets built a 24-0 lead. The Breakers fought to make a comeback but they couldn't get any closer than 13 points the rest of the way.

Southern California beat Los Angeles 17-10 as the Express fall to 0-8. Los Angeles is not your typical 0-8 team as 5 of their losses have been by 7 points or less. The Sun got out to a 7-0 halftime lead thanks to a FG and a pair of safeties as the L.A. coaches need to bar Donald Davis from watching tape of Georgia QB David McKibben. If Davis throws the ball away instead of taking a sack, perhaps things could have been different. As it was, the Express fought back to take a 10-7 lead early in the 4th before the Sun tied it, then unbroke the tie on a long, John Barrios TD pass to Julian Lombard. Los Angeles had almost 3 minutes to tie or win with a 2 point play but their drive stalled just outside of the red zone as the Sun hold on for the win.

Tampa Bay beat Florida 20-6 in a battle of teams with 4 game losing streaks. The Bandits scored the first 10 points of the game and the last 10 points of the game, making a sandwich out of Florida's 2 FGs. Tampa Bay's defense held the Blazers to 88 total yards, getting 4 sacks and 2 INTs along the way.

Week 9 is complete and as usual, New Orleans won again. That's 39 in a row now, each week extending their own record. Prior to the season it wouldn't have been a stretch to say the VooDoo would have the best record. If I polled everyone before the season about who would have the top 3 W/L records, I would bet nobody would have picked Washington and Honolulu to be #2 and 3 but there they are. Washington is the only 8 win team in the league while Honolulu tops the list among the 7 win teams thanks to a tie. There is still plenty of football left to be played but the Federals and Hawaiians have put themselves in very good position so far.

When it comes to the record watches, the Vic Mackey watch for most career rushing yards will be on hold for the next 2-3 weeks as he recovers from a couple injuries. When he returns to action he'll look to gain the 305 yards he needs to be the rushing king.

The other record watch is still going as Lynn McLaurin caught 15 passes, giving him 148 on the season. That's good for a tie for the 6th most in a season and we still have 7 games to play. Jacob Newman caught an average of 13.31 passes a game in his 213 catch season. McLaurin's current pace is 16.44 catches a game and needs to average "only" 9.43 the rest of the way to reach 214.

I was going to do the recap while I wait on the plumber to get here but they called and will be here soon, so I'll likely resume this evening.

Plumber had to snake my kitchen drain again, but now I should be good to go. Didn't get much sleep so I'm going to try and be brief.

New Orleans beat Georgia 21-0 for their 39th consecutive win. James Wright threw 2 TD passes, Howard Becker had 98 combined yards and 2 TDs, 1 rushing, 1 receiving and the defense had 5 sacks and allowed just 28 total yards.

Washington improved to 8-1 with a come from behind win over Florida. The Blazers had a 23-10 halftime lead but the Federals shut Florida out in the second half and won the game 27-23. James Ford ran for 101 yards, Michael Erickson threw for 332 yards and 2 TDs, and Jacob Hazlett caught 11 for 194 yards and a TD. Florida had a 98 yard kickoff return for a TD by Tom Lewis in the first half but the Blazers allowed the eventual game winning TD on a 74 yard punt return TD by Washington's William Flock. Florida punted with 6 minutes to play and never saw the ball again as the Federals ran out the clock.

Honolulu beat Cleveland 38-6 to improve to 7-1-1 on the year. The Hawaiians ran for 137 yards and 3 TDs, getting 1 each from James Shick (74 yards), Brian Copley (48 yards), and Albert Callan (13 yards). Victor Russell completed 35/49, 312 yards and 2 TDs with 0 INTs or sacks. They kept the ball for almost 41 minutes, making life easy for the Honolulu defense.

Michigan beat Detroit 20-9 to improve to 7-2, increasing their lead in the Midwest to 4 games as the rest of the division lost. This was a true team win for the Panthers as 5 runners plus QB Willie Reddish combined to run for 181 yards and a TD while Reddish completed passes to 5 different receivers. Charles Keller was the leading rusher (68 yards) and receiver (7-55-1).

Philadelphia improves to 7-2 with a 58-3 win over Baltimore. Joel Jasso completed 33/48, 627 yards, 8 TDs, 2 INTs, and 2 sacks. The 627 yards isn't close to a record, but it is tied for the 4th most this century. The record is 836 by Les Lacy of the 1980 Oakland Invaders and just 7 of the top 40 yardage games have come since 2000. The 8 TDs isn't a record either but there have only been 14 games where a QB threw 9 or more in the regular season, all before the turn of the century. Jason Wharton continues to ball out, catching 7 for 280 yards and 3 TDs. Matthew Nelson caught 9 for 183 and 2 TDs while Von Sustaita caught 3 TDs.

San Jose beat Southern California 29-16 to improve to 7-2, half a game behind Honolulu. Myron Dustin threw for 478 yards and 2 TDs, 1 to Lynn McLaurin who caught 15 for 230 yards and David Babin ran for 2 TDs. The SaberCats defense wasn't dominant but they were pretty good, holding the Sun to 210 yards, 2/13 on 3rd down and sacking John Berrios 4 times.

The remaining 7-2 teams are all in the Southwest as there is a 3 way tie at the top. Houston is listed first after their 43-22 win over Memphis gives the Gamblers a 4-1 division record that could be huge when it comes to tiebreakers down the road. Dale Baber threw for 442 yards and 6 TDs and got out to a 21-9 lead as the Showboats matched Houston TDs with FGs. Memphis finally got a TD just before the 2 minute warning to get within 21-16 but Dale Baber threw 2 TDs 11 seconds apart in the final minute of the half to seize momentum. Memphis fumbled after the first TD, allowing Baber to come back out and do it again. Snake Roberts wasn't effective running the ball (12 for 23) but he caught 7 for 116 and a TD. Lex Luger had 94 receiving yards and 2 TDs. Despite the lofty stats it was far from a clean offensive game by the Gamblers as they had 6 total turnovers, 2 INTs by Baber and 4 lost fumbles, 3 of them by Snake Roberts.

Oklahoma beat Tampa Bay 24-7 for their 7th straight win following an 0-2 start that seems so long ago. The Outlaws broke open a 10-0 game early in the 4th with 2 TDs to take a commanding 24-0 lead. Raymond Settles completed 25/32, 253 yards and 2 TDs to Domenic Winstead. The Outlaws defense had 5 sacks and allowed just 148 yards.

San Antonio came back in the 4th qtr to defeat Southeast leading Orlando 34-29. If you like passing this game was for you as the teams combined to rush for 70 yards on 45 carries. Orlando led 23-17 after 3 quarters but George Warner led the Gunslingers to 17 4th qtr points for a 34-23 lead at the 2 minute warning. Dwayne Byrd got the Renegades down the field for a TD but the 2 point and onside kick failed as the Gunslingers hold on for the win. Byrd finished 27/45, 372 yards, 3 TDs, and 1 INT while George Warner threw for 381 yards, 4 TDs and an INT on 22/32 passing. Each team had a pair of 100 yard receivers...Orlando: Michael Cousar 4-125-1 and John Jones 5-112-2; San Antonio: James Douglas 6-130-1 and Daniel Cruz 7-126-1.

New Jersey stopped Oakland's 6 game win streak with a 28-16 win. The Generals got the win thanks to the arm of Kevin Via, who completed 15/17, 268 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs and 0 sacks for a perfect 158.33 qbr. Via usually sucks but it was nice to see him step up when the running game is stuck in mud like it was this game. Via had TD passes of 60 yards to Alec Hardison, 63 yards to Apollo Creed and a 76 yard score to Hardison again. Hardison leveraged those 2 catches for 136 and a TD into being the Generals' leading receiver today (use of the word leverage is on purpose, iykyk). Oakland had a decent offensive day but could have used TDs instead of FGs.

Pittsburgh mauled Charlotte 38-6 behind 2 rushing TDs (90 yards) by Kenneth Allen and 3 Thomas Hampton TD passes. Arthur Ortega caught 2 TDs and had 122 combined yards (25 rushing, 97 receiving). The Maulers defense held the Hornets to 143 total yards.

Birmingham improves to 6-3 with a 21-16 win over Chicago. This was a grind it out offensive game that featured 40 combined first downs. I usually overlook first downs in the box score but this seems like a pretty high number, especially for a game with just 37 total points. Chicago had their chances but they lost the turnover battle 2-1 and also missed a FG. Not many passes hit the ground as Eric Hansen completed 28/36, 266 yards, 1 TD and 2 INT while Russell Gall completed 16/19, 163 yards and a TD. Eric Hansen completed passes to 9 different receivers and the Blitz won the box score but after Chicago cut the 4th qtr lead to 14-9, Birmingham's Arnold Griego returned the kickoff 106 yards for a TD. Hansen would get his TD pass on the next drive but was intercepted on the ensuing drive before the Stallions bled the rest of the clock.

Portland beat Denver 15-0 in a pivotal West division game. Both pass defenses were on point today as Portland's George Schacht completed 25/45, 190 yards, 4 INTs and 4 sacks while Denver's Bernard Smith was 17/40, 117 yards, 3 INTs and 5 sacks. Both teams ran for nearly 5 yards a pop, although Portland got more yards thanks to doubling the rushes of the Gold. The Storm running committee had 148 yards led by Jacob Kraus' 61 yards and a TD. That TD came in the first qtr for a 7-0 Storm lead and a sack in the end zone put 2 more on the board for Portland before the half. The Storm held the 9-0 lead until the 4th, when they added a pair of FGs.

Jacksonville beat Shreveport 27-17 to improve to 5-3 and gain a share of first in the Southeast. Jacksonville ran the ball for 7 yards a carry but only ran 11 times despite a miserable game by QB William Barron He completed 24/60, 284 yards, 2 TDs and 4 INTs with 2 sacks. The Jacksonville defense made things bad for the Steamer offense, holding them to 121 total yards with 4 sacks and 2 turnovers. Third down conversions were nearly impossible to come by in this game as Jacksonville converted 1/14, Shreveport 1/17. Jordan Parker took one of Barron's INTs to the house for a Pick Six to give the Steamer a 14-10 lead in the 2nd qtr. Fast forward to the early 4th qtr and the Steamer now led 17-13. Shreveport was backed up, 3rd and long at their own 1 when Leblanc fumbled the snap and Salvador Brown recovered it in the end zone for a Jacksonville TD that gave them the lead for good 20-17. Later in the 4th, Barron found Larry Stafford for a 51 yard TD to seal the win for the Bulls. Stafford finished with 4 catches, 110 yards and 2 TDs.

New York beat Boston 16-6 thanks to a running game that had 163 yards on just 19 carries. Boston ran well too but even with 33 attempts, their 140 rushing yards was still short of the Stars. New York drove 75 yards for a TD on their opening drive, Boston answered with a FG that was matched by New York on their 2nd drive for a 10-3 lead. The defenses took over from there as only 3 more FGs would be scored the rest of the game.

Los Angeles finally gets off the schneid with their first win of the season, 12-3 over Arizona. There were just 387 combined yards in this game but Express QB Donald Davis completed 17/21 for 136 yards with no TDs, INTs, or sacks. Not bad considering he got no help from his running game (41 for 72 yards). The Los Angeles defense forced 2 Arizona turnovers and had 3 sacks. Neither team cracked the end zone but Los Angeles won the kicking contest 4-1.

We're 10 games in so it's about time to check on the playoff races.

Pacific

Honolulu 8-1-1
San Jose 8-2
Southern California 4-6
Los Angeles 1-9

Honolulu currently lead the Pacific by half a game over San Jose. The Hawaiians have allowed just 102 points, 2nd fewest in the league and they're gonna need to keep that up as their remaining opponents have a combined record of 40-20. San Jose wins with offense as their 324 points are the most in the league. The SaberCats need to keep up that scoring as their remaining schedule is almost as tough as Honolulu's (37-21-2). Southern California is 4-6, 3 games out of the last wildcard spot. Their remaining schedule has a combined 36-23-1 record, which will make it tough to make up that ground. The Sun have been competitive in most every game as 4 of their 6 losses are by one score or less. Los Angeles is 1-9, officially eliminated but with better luck they could be as good as 6-3 since 5 of their losses were by one score or less.

West

Oakland 7-3
Portland 5-5
Denver 4-6
Arizona 2-7-1

Oakland has a 2 game lead on Portland plus owns the tiebreaker because they swept the Storm. The Invaders remaining opponents have a record of 27-32-1. Portland is 5-5 and their next 3 games likely determine their fate. They are 2 games out of the last wildcard spot and while their remaining opponents are 25-33-2, their next 3 games are against Michigan (7-3), New York (5-5), and Philadelphia (8-2) before finishing with a game against Los Angeles sandwiched between their 2 games against Arizona. Denver came on strong toward the end of last season, leading some to believe they'd be a contender this year. The Gold started 4-2 but have lost 4 in a row and find themselves 3 games out of a playoff spot. Their remaining opponents are 31-27-2 and they'll likely need to win out to have a chance because I don't think 9 wins will cut it. Arizona hasn't been eliminated yet but it seems inevitable given their record and how many teams they need to leapfrog. Their remaining opponents are 26-34.

Southwest

Houston 8-2
San Antonio 8-2
Oklahoma 7-3
Memphis 3-7

The toughest division in the league is likely to send 3 teams to the playoffs as the top 3 teams are a combined 13-2 outside of division play. That makes it highly unlikely any of them go on a losing streak and play themselves out of contention. Houston is currently first with a 5-1 division record and they split with San Antonio. The Gunslingers are 3-2 in the division and will lose a tiebreaker to the Gamblers so they need Houston to lose. If the Gamblers do lose again it will likely be in the next 2 weeks against Orlando or Jacksonville, as their remaining opponents are a combined 21-39. San Antonio's remaining opponents are 31-28-1. Oklahoma is 1 game out but it's essentially 2 because Houston swept them. The Outlaws remaining opponents are 33-27. Memphis is 3-7, not officially eliminated but squarely behind the 8 ball. The Showboats are 0-5 in division play but 3-2 against everyone else. Their remaining opponents are 25-35.

Midwest

Michigan 7-3
Chicago 3-7
Detroit 2-8
Cleveland 1-9

Michigan has a 4 game lead with 6 to play. The Panthers remaining schedule is 31-29 but they do face some good teams with records less than they thought like Portland and Memphis plus games against San Antonio and Oklahoma so the door is still ajar for Chicago. The Blitz are just 3-7 but they do play Michigan one more time and the only other winning team they face is Houston, as their remaining opponents are 22-38. Detroit is 2-8 with an AI run squad and based on their schedule, best case scenario is 6-10. Their remaining opponents record is 27-32-1. Cleveland has been officially eliminated but they can play spoiler. Their remaining opponents are a combined 33-27.

I'm going to start a load of laundry then do the National Conference.

Southeast

Jacksonville 6-4
Orlando 5-5
Tampa Bay 2-8
Florida 2-8

The good news for Jacksonville is they have won 4 in a row after a 2-4 start and have sole possession of first place. The bad news is their remaining opponents have a combined record of 42-18 as they play San Antonio, Houston, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Oklahoma. Action-Jackson certainly has his work cut out for him. Orlando is currently 1 game back but I just checked the sportsbook and the Renegades are the odds on favorite to win the division, no doubt due to the remaining schedule. The Renegades opponents are 31-29 but take out New Orleans and Houston and the other 4 are 13-27. Tampa Bay and Florida are 2-8, 4 games out of the playoffs and pretty much need to win out and hope. Tampa's remaining opponents are 31-29, Florida's 29-31.

South

New Orleans 10-0
Birmingham 7-3
Georgia 5-5
Shreveport 4-6

New Orleans had to go to OT but they won their 40th game in a row to improve to 10-0 and keep a 3 game lead over Birmingham. The VooDoo's remaining opponents are 28-32 but if they get past Shreveport tonight as expected, the following 3 games are potential streak breakers: Philadelphia, Birmingham, and Orlando. Speaking of Birmingham, the Stallions look like a likely wildcard team as catching New Orleans for the division is, in the words of Cosmo Kramer "kooky talk". Their remaining opponents are 30-30 but take away New Orleans and New Jersey and it drops to 13-27. Georgia is now AI run as I can only guess ctiger got tired of seeing his QB take safeties since he left silently. The Force are 5-5, 1 game out of a wildcard and their remaining opponents are 26-34. Shreveport is 4-6, 2 games out of a wildcard spot but their remaining schedule is not kind, with their remaining opponents 38-22.

Atlantic

Washington 9-1
Pittsburgh 6-4
Charlotte 2-8
Baltimore 1-9

Washington was the worst team in the league in 2009 but dadub3 has completely turned the Federals around with a 9-1 record, better than all except some team that's won 40 in a row, not to mention back to back titles. They are 9-1 with a 3 game lead, and if they should somehow choke the division away they should still at least be a wildcard. Their remaining opponents are 31-28-1. Pittsburgh has the schedule advantage as their opponents are 19-41, so even if they don't catch Washington they should be a wildcard team if they win the games they're supposed to win. Charlotte is 2-8, not yet eliminated but clearly playing for next year as Kilroy13 just took over the team. 9 wins might get a wildcard or win the Southeast but I don't think 8-8 will cut it. The Hornets would need to run the table against a 29-31 slate. Baltimore is 1-9 and somehow not eliminated yet but since I doubt 8 wins is enough, 7 certainly isn't. They need to run the table against a 26-34 slate.

East

Philadelphia 8-2
New Jersey 7-3
New York 5-5
Boston 2-8

Philadelphia has a 1 game lead on New Jersey plus a win over them, with the rematch tonight. Beat the Generals and the East title is quite likely. Their remaining opponents are 32-28 but after the Generals and the VooDoo, the schedule lightens up a bit. New Jersey's remaining opponents are also 32-28, with 3 straight playoff teams on deck (PHI, BIR, WASH). I never know what to expect with my team as my QB is usually mediocre so I could easily see 7-3 turn into 9-7. New York is 5-5 with a remaining schedule of 26-34. If the Stars can go on a run, their Week 15 rematch with New Jersey could have major wildcard implications. Boston is 2-8, not yet eliminated. They have winnable games the next 2 weeks before finishing with 4 current playoff teams so a 6-0 finish seems unlikely.