Roughnecks, Fleet, Defenders and Apollos Move on to Round 2
Roughnecks Had Too Much Offense for Vipers
May 14, 2022
Houston, TX - The Roughnecks utterly dominated their division rivals, scoring 24 unanswered points in the second half to move from a modest seven point halftime lead to a crushing 34 point victory against an overmatched Vipers squad.
The key for Houston was their halftime adjustments, as Vipers RB Jeremy Hill had 85 yards rushing in the first half, but gained only 16 in the second. This was due in part to the quick need for Mexico City to play catchup after a half-opening Houston score when DB Tanard Jackson scored on a pick-6 of Vipers' QB Brock Osweiler, but also due to a shift in alignment which forced the Vipers away from their interior run game towards an outside speed game, which did not suit them well. Meanwhile, Roughnecks QB PJ Walker threw for 319 and 4 scores as the Roughnecks once again looked like the league's championship favorite.
Roughnecks - 41 Vipers - 14
(10-2)HOU: QB PJ Walker - 26/37 319 yards, 4 TDs, RB Alfred Blue - 18 carries, 83 yards, WR Cam Phillips - 3 catches, 101 yards, 2 TDs, WR Sammie Coates - 9 catches, 93 yards, 1 TD
(9-3)MEX: QB Brock Osweiler - 16/30 196 yards, 1 TD, 3 INTs, RB Jeremy Hill - 27 carries, 101 yards, 1 TD, WR Antonio Callaway - 6 catches, 86 yards
Fleet Edge Out Stallions in St. Louis
May 14, 2022
St. Louis, MO - Saturday's late game was perhaps the best of the weekend as two bitter division rivals went toe to toe. St. Louis struck first as QB Paxton Lynch found WR Kaelin Clay for a score to open up the game, but San Diego struck back immediately, with RB Kapri Bibbs finishing off a nine play drive with a two yard plunge into the end zone. St. Louis again took the lead on a RB Matt Jones run from 9 yards out to make it 14-7 with only 4 minutes gone in the first, but again San Diego wouldn't flinch.
RB Bibbs scored again, on his way to a 109 yard day, to equalize the score at 14 with 6:59 left in the half. After a Stallions' three-and-out, the Fleet took their first lead as QB Colin Kaepernick found TE Levine Toilolo for the score as time expired in the first half.
There would be no scoring in the third as both defenses dug in their heels. San Diego’s LB James Vaughters got a key sack on a Stallions' 3rd and 7, and St. Louis' DL Karter Schult returned the favor on the Fleet’s next drive, pushing San Diego out of field goal range with a sack of QB Kaepernick. But San Diego was putting together some drives, and on their next possession they would score what would be the decisive points, a 50 yard field goal as veteran K Blair Walsh gave San Diego a 10-point lead at 24-14.
St. Louis only needed three minutes to score and get back to within 3 as QB Paxton Lynch evaded a LB Vic Beasley sack attempt and found TE Nick Truesdell in the end zone to make the score 24-21. They would get the ball back once again with over five minutes left, plenty of time for RB Matt Jones, who finished the day with 140 yards on 22 carries, to push the ball down the field. But St. Louis only got as far as the San Diego 22, before back to back penalties pushed them back to the 37 and gave them a brutal 3rd and 25. QB Lynch tried to hit WR Kevin White deep, but it was swatted away by veteran DB David Amerson, and on 4th down K Kai Forbath could not connect from 54 yards out. San Diego held on, milking the clock and ending the game with a QB Kaepernick kneel down as the always underachieving Fleet moved on in the playoffs.
Stallions - 21 Fleet - 24
(9-3)STL: QB Paxton Lynch - 24/35 253 yards, 2 TDs, RB Matt Jones - 22 carries, 140 yards, 1 TD, RB Christine Michael - 17 carries, 110 yards, WR Kaelin Clay - 6 catches, 67 yards, 1 TD, WR Kevin White - 5 catches, 52 yards, TE Nick Truesdell - 3 catches, 31 yards, 1 TD
(9-3)SD: QB Colin Kaepernick - 18/26 215 yards, 1 TD, RB Kapri Bibbs - 21 carries, 109 yards, 2 TDs, WR Martavis Bryant - 5 catches, 101 yards, WR Marquis Lee - 4 catches, 71 yards
Cardale Jones Pulls Upset over Favored Brigade for Defenders
May 15, 2022
Baltimore, MD - Atlanta QB Cardale Jones had one of his best games as the Baltimore defense was forced to load the box after a strong first quarter by Defender RB Todd Gurley. Gurley rushed 10 times for 48 yards in the 1st quarter alone, forcing the Brigade to reinforce their line with additional defenders. That fed the play action pass game where QB Jones excels. QB Jones would finish the game 25 for 31 for 306 yards and all three Atlanta touchdowns.
Baltimore seemed equally dangerous through three quarters as well, taking an early lead on a WR Paul Richardson TD reception, then jumping up again 14-7 with a quick strike from QB Brett Hundley to WR Josh Doctson. They would go into the half leading 17-10 as both teams exchanged field goals in a contentious 2nd quarter.
QB Jones rolled in the 3rd, finding WR Justice Liggins on a perfect fly pattern for a 76 yard score, only 34 seconds into the half, and then returning on the next possession to hit WR Justin Hardy for another score, giving Atlanta a 24-17 lead. And while Baltimore would again shift their strategy and move to more zone coverage to defend Jones' aerial assault, the trade off was that the Atlanta run game could slow down the game and milk the clock. Pair that with a largely ineffective Brigade offense in the second half and the Defenders were able to hold on, trade some field goals with Baltimore, and walk out of the game with a 10-point win.
Brigade - 20 Defenders - 30
(10-2)BAL: QB Brett Hundley - 18/29 213 yards, 2 TDs, RB Derrius Guice - 22 carries, 71 yards, WR Paul Richardson - 9 catches, 115 yards, 1 TD, WR Josh Doctson - 4 catches, 53 yards, 1 TD
(8-4)ATL: QB Cardale Jones - 25/31 306 yards, 3 TDs, RB Todd Gurley - 26 carries, 109 yards, WR Justice Liggins - 4 catches, 113 yards, 1 TD, WR Justin Hardy - 6 catches, 67 yards, 1 TD
Winston Harassed and Sacked in Orlando
May 15, 2022
Orlando, FL - The Apollos turned some heads and opened some eyes this week with a complete manhandling of the Tampa Bay Storm. The two teams had jockeyed for the division title all season and clearly home field advantage was huge for Orlando. Over 61,000 fans attended the game on a glorious Sunday afternoon in May. While there were a solid 15,000+ who came from Tampa to watch, they were drowned out by the Apollos home crowd and got very quiet as Orlando built up a 21-0 lead by the middle of the 2nd quarter.
Everything seemed to work for Orlando as Apollos QB Garrett Gilbert completed 88% of his passes (29 of 33) and the duo of WRs Donte Moncrief and Charles Johnson combined for 224 total yards and 3 TD’s.
For the Storm, it was a humiliating end to a season that started off going their way. After sliding out of home field advantage down the stretch of the season, the Storm could not get anything going against Orlando, as DL Paul Kruger and the Apollos' defense harassed QB Jameis Winston, leading to four sacks and several more hard hits. RB Devonta Freeman averaged a respectable 3.8 yards per carry, but it was not enough as Orlando rolls to the win and a place in the Eastern Conference Championship game.
Apollos - 31 Storm - 7
(9-3)ORL: QB Garrett Gilbert - 29/33 376 yards, 4 TDs, RB Akeem Hunt - 17 carries, 73 yards, WR Charles Johnson - 10 catches, 118 yards, 1 TD, WR Donte Moncrief - 8 catches, 106 yards, 2 TDs
(8-4)TB: QB Jameis Winston - 15/33 208 yards, 2 INTs, RB Devonta Freeman - 20 carries, 76 yards, 1 TD, WR Kelvin Benjamin - 5 catches, 96 yards
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