WEEK SEVEN NOTABLE GAMES
Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2016 10:26 am
LOS ANGELES 27 BIRMINGHAM 7
The woes for Birmingham (2-5) continued as they were run past easily by the Express (2-5). The Stallions and shaky thus far QB Peter Stambaugh looked ready to play on the first drive, moving 65 yards in just 6 plays that ended with an 18 yd slant to rookie wideout Ronald Costa-Jurgeson. That was as good as it got for a team that is used to having it much better. Stambaugh only completed 12 more passes after going 3-3 on the first drive, and his ground game only provided 77 yards against a team that had been giving up nearly 150 per game. Jackie Gladdens 66 yd punt return for a TD outgained all his previous 6 efforts this season by 47 yds.
DETROIT 23 LAS VEGAS 14
Tom Issac had to work a shade harder than he did last week, when he was only required to pass 9 times (for just 5 completions), but the results were the same as he led the Racers (5-1) to their 5th straight victory. Vegas (3-4) held Robert McFarland to just 64 yds rushing, but could only gain one more yard as a team themselves as it left most of the heavy lifting for QB Manuel Schwarz, who has not yet lived up to the expectations created by last seasons playoff run. The Sharks have lost 3 in a row after starting the season 3-1.
HOUSTON 12 SEATTLE 31
Houston has been terrorizing enemy secondaries thus far, averaging 300+ yds per game, but Seattle, who bolstered the defensive backfield last week in a trade for the venerable Wes Raines, formerly of & rescued from Birmingham and still considered a top five corner at age 36, held the Gamblers (4-3) and the red-hot Darrin Kelley to just 214 yards passing. Houston rookie TE Dominque Harbay caught 2 TD passes in his first career start after backing up veteran Toney Wikes to start the campaign.
GAME OF THE YEAR (so far...)
PITTSBURGH 27 NEW JERSEY 13
The week leading up to this rivalry game in the Meadowlands was, in many ways, as tension filled as any moment in the game. Aces coach Frank Gansz fired the opening salvo after disposing of Boston in his postgame press conference, suggesting perhaps "Pittsburgh has been somewhat fortunate" in the fact that their schedule, figured very tough based on last seasons standards, has hardly been much of an impediment thus far. In fact, the six opponents they have faced have only a combined record of 13-23, with only Orlando and Bay Area being at least .500 (3-3). The Maulers took it as more than an idle observation, reminding Mr. Gansz just who had two championships around here and how he hadn't so much as won a conference title yet. After that, it became a war of words, with participants from both teams engaging just how much that team 356 miles away were a bunch of jerks whom they were going to punish Sunday.
But there WAS still a football game to play....
New Jersey played the psyche game early, winning the opening toss and electing to kick off first, a move that is almost a religious ritual with HC Thad Maloney and the Maulers, quickly forcing a punt. An opening 11 play drive that ended with a 13 yds whip to WR Tyrone Gordan got the 69,788 in attendance screaming at a fever pitch, and after another Pittsburgh punt were driving easily for a two touchdown lead when George Wilson fumbled on the Mauler 19. After that, the Aces could never get back the consistency the first two drives had produced, while Pittsburgh finally showed up. They turned Wilsons gaffe into a 7-7 tie with an 8 yard rope from Paul Haven to TE Michael Floyd, then Floyd once more to grab the lead for good. The Aces (5-2), made it tight at the end of the 3rd with a pair of Steve Raymond 50+ yd FGs to make it 14-13, but Pittsburgh (7-0) dominated the 4th Period, helped along by Ricky Bones 67 yd punt return which put them in business at the Jersey 13, with Marlon Charles getting needed breathing room in just two plays. A controversial roughing the punter penalty kept another Mauler drive alive after Richmond missed a comparatively easy 40 yd attempt that would of closed the Aces to within 5, capitalizing on another Ace mistake with another Charles TD.
After the game, Coach Maloney said "For as much as was said before we even got here, I was happy my team remembered what we came here to do. I was also mindful that we had to keep Mr Wilson from getting his hundred yards." George Wilson finished with 99.
OTHER GAMES
BAY AREA 13 MIAMI 37
ORLANDO 10 UTAH 17
CHICAGO 23 PHILADELPHIA 25
SAN ANTONIO 31 OKLAHOMA 25
CHARLOTTE 24 TAMPA BAY 34
BOSTON 29 MONTREAL 44
DENVER 14 FORT WORTH 40
OAKLAND 32 MINNEAPOLIS 25
The woes for Birmingham (2-5) continued as they were run past easily by the Express (2-5). The Stallions and shaky thus far QB Peter Stambaugh looked ready to play on the first drive, moving 65 yards in just 6 plays that ended with an 18 yd slant to rookie wideout Ronald Costa-Jurgeson. That was as good as it got for a team that is used to having it much better. Stambaugh only completed 12 more passes after going 3-3 on the first drive, and his ground game only provided 77 yards against a team that had been giving up nearly 150 per game. Jackie Gladdens 66 yd punt return for a TD outgained all his previous 6 efforts this season by 47 yds.
DETROIT 23 LAS VEGAS 14
Tom Issac had to work a shade harder than he did last week, when he was only required to pass 9 times (for just 5 completions), but the results were the same as he led the Racers (5-1) to their 5th straight victory. Vegas (3-4) held Robert McFarland to just 64 yds rushing, but could only gain one more yard as a team themselves as it left most of the heavy lifting for QB Manuel Schwarz, who has not yet lived up to the expectations created by last seasons playoff run. The Sharks have lost 3 in a row after starting the season 3-1.
HOUSTON 12 SEATTLE 31
Houston has been terrorizing enemy secondaries thus far, averaging 300+ yds per game, but Seattle, who bolstered the defensive backfield last week in a trade for the venerable Wes Raines, formerly of & rescued from Birmingham and still considered a top five corner at age 36, held the Gamblers (4-3) and the red-hot Darrin Kelley to just 214 yards passing. Houston rookie TE Dominque Harbay caught 2 TD passes in his first career start after backing up veteran Toney Wikes to start the campaign.
GAME OF THE YEAR (so far...)
PITTSBURGH 27 NEW JERSEY 13
The week leading up to this rivalry game in the Meadowlands was, in many ways, as tension filled as any moment in the game. Aces coach Frank Gansz fired the opening salvo after disposing of Boston in his postgame press conference, suggesting perhaps "Pittsburgh has been somewhat fortunate" in the fact that their schedule, figured very tough based on last seasons standards, has hardly been much of an impediment thus far. In fact, the six opponents they have faced have only a combined record of 13-23, with only Orlando and Bay Area being at least .500 (3-3). The Maulers took it as more than an idle observation, reminding Mr. Gansz just who had two championships around here and how he hadn't so much as won a conference title yet. After that, it became a war of words, with participants from both teams engaging just how much that team 356 miles away were a bunch of jerks whom they were going to punish Sunday.
But there WAS still a football game to play....
New Jersey played the psyche game early, winning the opening toss and electing to kick off first, a move that is almost a religious ritual with HC Thad Maloney and the Maulers, quickly forcing a punt. An opening 11 play drive that ended with a 13 yds whip to WR Tyrone Gordan got the 69,788 in attendance screaming at a fever pitch, and after another Pittsburgh punt were driving easily for a two touchdown lead when George Wilson fumbled on the Mauler 19. After that, the Aces could never get back the consistency the first two drives had produced, while Pittsburgh finally showed up. They turned Wilsons gaffe into a 7-7 tie with an 8 yard rope from Paul Haven to TE Michael Floyd, then Floyd once more to grab the lead for good. The Aces (5-2), made it tight at the end of the 3rd with a pair of Steve Raymond 50+ yd FGs to make it 14-13, but Pittsburgh (7-0) dominated the 4th Period, helped along by Ricky Bones 67 yd punt return which put them in business at the Jersey 13, with Marlon Charles getting needed breathing room in just two plays. A controversial roughing the punter penalty kept another Mauler drive alive after Richmond missed a comparatively easy 40 yd attempt that would of closed the Aces to within 5, capitalizing on another Ace mistake with another Charles TD.
After the game, Coach Maloney said "For as much as was said before we even got here, I was happy my team remembered what we came here to do. I was also mindful that we had to keep Mr Wilson from getting his hundred yards." George Wilson finished with 99.
OTHER GAMES
BAY AREA 13 MIAMI 37
ORLANDO 10 UTAH 17
CHICAGO 23 PHILADELPHIA 25
SAN ANTONIO 31 OKLAHOMA 25
CHARLOTTE 24 TAMPA BAY 34
BOSTON 29 MONTREAL 44
DENVER 14 FORT WORTH 40
OAKLAND 32 MINNEAPOLIS 25