Well Drilled Again !
Mike Evans somehow held on to
this 1 yard pass to clinch the game for the Drillers
The 2 Minute Drillers were
pushed all the way by new head coach Alex Potts Jesmond Chiefs but
ultimately it was the 2023 runners-up who pulled away as they took
opening day honors for a 6th straight season with a hard
fought 40-33 success over their feisty opponents. From the moment rookie
WR Xavier Worthy scampered 21 yards to post the opening TD of the tie on
Thursday night it was clear the Granite Division outfit were not intent
on being makeweights and they had a lot to be happy about despite the
ultimate result. Worthy (who added a 35 yard receiving TD) really hit
the ground running and looks set to have instant impact. Top selection
Patrick Mahomes has had better evenings with his single 20 Yd score a
tad disappointing but he was facing arguably one of his stiffest tests
of the ALFF regular season and he was ably supported by lone RB Alvin
Kamara who weighed in with a goal-line TD in the Dome. Chig Okonkwo
proved his worth as the other scorer in a 4WR set. With each of his Div
opponents tasting the bitter pill of a Wk 1 loss Alex can also take some
solace from the fact his side was up there amongst the best GDiv points
hauls. What was not to like in the Drillers camp ? Harrison Butker made
sure his side had a platform to build on coming out of KC on Thursday
night and thereafter it was a true team effort from the Commissioner's
Crew. Retained combo CJ Stroud and DeVon Achane pretty much picked up
where they left off in '23 with 6pts apiece, but RB Kyren Williams , and
WR duo Tyreek Hill and Mike Evans (between them picks 1 to 3) also
weighed in with a half dozen apiece as the 2024 version of the Drillers
made an opening week statement. WR was a priority for Jimbeaux this term
after two straights years in the ALFF wideout basement. On this showing
things should improve in that regard. With coach Rickaby's Jacksonville
DST holding on to post a single point, WR Drake London was the only
starter on the BA champions eight not to contribute in this impressive
all round performance. The two sides did not face each other in 2023,
and the Commish now leads the RSS 2-1. The Drillers sixth successive
opening week win, ties the League all time record set by the Arnhall
Dolphins (yes... really !) between 2010 & 2015.
Jake Changes The Moody All Round !
RB Zach Moss gets a vital 5 yard
score for the Lions.
In the cold
light of Monday morning, to all intents and purposes it appeared the
Rising v Lions Week 1 Game of the Week had just fallen a little short in
terms of the entertainment value with the former sitting on a commanding
looking 36-18 lead , but in an astonishing Monday night finale (or
Tuesday afternoon for Darren) , retained Kicker Jake Moody pulled off a
comeback for the ages as the second year specialist booted his 4th
FG of the night ( his second from the bonus range) to put the two sides
level at 36-36 with just over a quarter to play. The Lion's FG artist
then clinched the win with a chip shot 23 yarder before putting a full
sized cherry on top with a late 42 Yd FG that saw him post a final 24pt
tally, a kicking tally only bettered once in the 32 year history of our
League. The jaw-dropometer reading were recorded as level on both sides
of the coaching equation. Earlier, despite some Vegas musings to the
contrary, the tie rarely seemed to be outside the NZ outfits control. RB
Derrick Henry had the honor of bagging the first TD of the entire 2024
campaign when he swiftly breenged over from 5 yards out at Arrowhead on
Thursday night while his ALFF DST team-mates tacked on a single point
once they had found a way to coral the runner and his Ravens team-mates.
One day later, wide-out Jayden Reed more than answered the bell for the
Lions with a stunning 12pt contribution that included a 33 yard TD run
as well as a 70 yard bonus receiving counter but the story in Brazil was
not all about the Danestone based combo. Rising WR Christian Watson took
the sting out of that Lions round dozen with a 2 yard TD grab in Sao
Paulo but once we moved into what promised to be a blood and thunder
Sunday, most things seemed to fall Welly's way. Rookie QB Jayden Daniels
winning his signal-caller showdown against veteran Joe Burrows by 12pts
to nada looked to be the game defining match-up even if it meant Rising
specialist Evan McPherson was consequently limited to 6 kicking points.
With RB James Conner swiftly picking up where he left off in 2023 with a
short TD run and (separate) successful 2pt attempt while opponent Raheem
Mostert came up empty (and seeing limited carries) for the Pittodrie
Div outfit we suddenly got to the point where it was 36-18 to NZ's
finest, with just Moody to come on Monday... and we now know how that
went. Jamesie will take this win with both hands and joins the Coyotes
and Blades at the head of the very early Pittodrie Div standings. The
Laurel head honcho will obviously be dishing out game balls to Reed &
Moody with RB Zach Moss also on the good boy list. There should be some
concerns at the Den however with most of their points here coming from 2
specific players. Joe Burrow's shocking goose egg should only go down as
"rust" at the moment but it will be interesting to see how long the
passer retains his position on a 3 QB depth chart. Raheem Mostert's
limited use as a ball carrier was another Lions concern. On the other
side of the ball Darren has had more than his fair share of high scoring
losses in his previous 5 years in the League....but this one surely tops
them all, especially as it swiftly left him one game behind the entire
BA Division in the process. That said, it was only the kicking game that
really let Dazzer down. Jayden Daniels ground threat was there for all
to see and that Henry/Conner double threat at RB bodes well for the
Antipodean's down the stretch. A Week 2 clash against the injury hit
Argyll Apaches hands coach Butter a quick opportunity to put this all
behind him and get his show on the road. The RSS is tied 3-3.
Grupe Hug For Arnhall
Arnhall rookie Ladd McConkey out
dukes a DB to score his first ALFF TD.
The 2024 regular
season got under way after much ballyhoo and banter. The Draft itself
went as everyone expected, which was to do deal with the unexpected. The
latest incarnation of the Dolphins had sent in their cheat sheets and
they proved to be something of a work of art; although not sure what
sort of art it was. Anyhoo they appear to have got what they wanted and
the proof of the pudding would be seen in week one results. The Dolphins
went head to head with the Steelers and this one started off Friday
Morning (UK time). The Arnhall side drew first blood with Isaiah
Pacheco's 1 yard score, whilst on the other side Mark Andrews was
holding a goose egg. Come later Friday (NFL time) and the Dolphins got
a lock on this one. Jalen Hurts connected on passes of 18 and 67 yards
on his way to 20 of 34 for 278 yards. The action moved to Sunday and the
Dolphins were forced into a late change of line up with Kicker Matt Gay
being hors de combat. In came Blake Grupe and boy did that one work out.
He connected on FG's from 57, 44, 52 and 30 yards as well as 5 PAT's, to
make it 40-0. Things were looking bleak for the Steelers, and even more
so when Koo was held to a 24 yard FG and a PAT. The ALFF Fins Miami DST
added a bonus point and RB David Montgomery connected on a 1 yard run to
make it 46. The Steelers needed a big reply and started with their Bears
D adding a 60 yard interception as well as a bonus point. Matty Stafford
then entered the fray and he scored on a 9 yard pass going 24 of 49 for
317 yards. This left Breece Hall and Deebo Samuels for Monday night but
it would need a huge evening from both of them. Hall converted on a 3
yard run whilst Samuel ran in from the 6 to add 12 points to the total,
but this one had gone. Arnhall top the Bon Accord Division (3 teams on
1-0), and lead the RSS 6-4. Week two action sees them take on the
Drillers. The Steelers lost but so did all their divisional opponents;
so a bonus there for Adam. Next up are the Killers. So Week One done and
dusted and the rest of the season still to come. A long way to go before
we know what this year will bring. There will be upsets and surprises
and just when you think you have a handle on it all. Thud!!
Geacher Has To Love Da Bears
CB Tyrique Stevenson strolls in
for the Braves 2nd DST TD.
The
Argyll Apaches put a miserable 2023 behind them and snapped a six game
losing streak as they coasted to a comfortable 32-11 win over a
Garthdee Gryphons side that never got out of the blocks. Geronimo even
had the luxury of not having to lose too much sleep about top pick
Christian McCaffrey failing to suit up for the MNF finale, with his 22pt
lead only shaved by 1pt as the Birds trio of Purdy, Kittle and the SF
DST failed to mount anything that resembled a pucker comeback at Levi's
Stadium. The tie had opened with a low key 0-0 draw between respective
KC wide-outs Rashee Rice and Travis Kelce at Arrowhead in the NFL season
opener but the ultimate trend was set in the League's first ever Friday
fixture when Braves QB Jordan Love opened his sides account with scoring
tosses of 70 and 2 yards while ALFF opponent RB Josh Jacobs racked up
some useful yards...... but none that represented a point on the scoreboard.
It would have been an almost perfect start for the Apaches but for Love
being carted off on the second last play of the night. The Reservation
coaching crew had listed a 4WR set to get them thru the remaining
program, but it was Doughnuts across the board in that respect for Geacher Snr but all was not lost. After a shaky start that included a
missed 42 Yd FG , kicker Jason Sanders made it to double figures with a
pair of XP's added to 37 and 52 yard FG's. Meanwhile up at Soldier
Field the Bon Accord squads Chicago DST was putting on a show. DB
Jonathon Owens 21 yard return of a blocked punt for a TD was doubled up
when CB Tyrique Stevenson sauntered 43 yards to paydirt with a huge pick
six. Throw in the fact Da Bears held Tennessee to just 17pts total and
just like that the Argyll tally had mushroomed to a healthy 32pts. The
Gryphons response was limited to say the least. Donny's WR corp mirrored
the scoreless Apaches four (this was the only tie without a WR TD)
leaving old favorite Tyler Bass as the lone Sunday provider. That said
the veterans FG double with 4 PATs only matched his kicking opponents
10pt offering.... leaving the founder owner franchise in that 10-32 hole
their SF trio could not climb out of on Monday. Big G has to be happy he
got off to winning start but the injury to Love and that question mark
over CMC's fitness probably took the edge off that winning buzz. The
longer term health of both these players will likely be crucial to the
Braves long term chances this term especially given the clutch of
rookies the Geacher has at RB. Starting well has not been a problem for
Argyll in recent seasons..... its all been about failing to stay the
course. A wounded Rising next time out is probably not the fixture the Campbeltown crowd would have hand selected at this stage. It was a tough
old start for the Bayler and the League's first ever champions. On the plus side their
49ers trio are probably going to have many days when the run game won't
be so front and center (what happened to the Jets run D ?), while Tyler
Bass looks to be his dependable /productive self. There are a lot of
familiar faces on the Garthdee depth chart this time round... (maybe not a
great thing on the back of missing the post season in 2023) but scanning
around a very competitive looking Pittodrie Division those old fave's
will need to step up thru the gears sooner rather than later. Geacher
Snr now leads the RSS 14-11.
Coyotes Find Their Killer
Intinct
Coyotes QB Josh Allen makes it
look easy on the 6 yard TD run.
The Craigo Coyotes
signaled they need to be listed as serious 2024 contenders as they swept
to stunning 55-36 win over the defending League champion Kincorth
Killers. Going in to this Week 1 match-up coach Rooney had never tasted
the forbidden fruit of an opening day success but his new look combo put
all that behind them while setting a new franchise record 55pt total
that the Special K simply could not live with. Both team selections were
along fairly predictable draft value lines with the Angus side making a
late Sunday switch at RB2 as Joe Mixon got the nod ahead of D'Andre
Swift. Initially it looked as if Kinkers were the side most likely to
end the week as potential victors in any 90pt plus turkey shoot as top
pick Saquon Barkley swiftly gave his coach the Draft day validation we
all crave in the opening weekend with a triple TD, 15pt Friday night
statement in Brazil to build on Justin Tucker's record setting 8pt
effort the night before in Kansas. However the remaining offensive
starters on the Killer Krewe team-sheet were not able to build on that
early 23-00 advantage with their Vikings DST's 10pts the only other
significant contribution is a rather depressing Sunday night effort.
Having seen their Ravens DST come up empty on opening night it was very
different picture come Sunday for the Mangy Dogs. No 1 pick Josh Allen
looked every inch the defending QB champion as he mixed in a pair of
trademark TD runs with two 11 yard scoring strikes while over at Lucas
Field there was a 12pt Texans shaped haul for the 2023 cellar dwellers (
Mixon 3 yard run, Diggs TD grabs of 9 and 2 yards). When RB Jerome Ford
added a garbage time 2 yard counter in Cleveland to top off an
impressive 19(4)pt haul at the same venue from second year kicker
Brandon Audrey the League's newest combo were truly into nose bleed
territory with a franchise best 55pts shining brightly on the
scoreboard. Had Killers QB Dak Prescott (one 21 yard TD throw) been able
to convert at least two of the kicker's 4 FG haul into TD's then this
match-up would have been a lot tighter. Coach Rooney will now attempt to
go 2-0 for the first time in franchise history and with a baseline of
Allen & Aubrey the Coyotes are shaping up to be a team who will be
competitive on every given Sunday. That Texans flavored WR unit should
also be useful. Andrew's eight game winning streak that stretched back
to Week 8 last term right through to ALFF Bowl 31 came to a brutal end
but the champion HC knows there's little you can do faced with a 50
burger and besides, those 36pts were good enough to top the GDiv
standings. Dak will be just fine as the season unfolds and Bijan
Robinson and a talented looking WR unit looks too strong to stay quiet
for too long. The first non Div meeting between these two former
Division rivals gives Alan a 3-2 edge in the RSS.
Fairbairn
Puts The Boot In To The Boot Hill Gang
Blades K Ka'imi Fairbairn hits a
record equalling 3rd bonus point FG for his side.
The first
meeting between Youngblood and coach McConnachie since the latter
assumed HC responsibilities with the Caledonia Express went very much
the formers way as the Westburn Blades coasted to a 38-26 success over
their Rosemount area rivals. The Pittodrie Div challengers were
the last side in action over the opening week fixture card but after
keeping their powder dry until early Sunday , the former NZ side quickly
put together a number that was basically beyond the opponents on the
day. Kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn was the sabbath stand-out for coach
Bothwell with his 17pt effort including a record equaling 3 bonus FG's
(51,50 and 51 again) with two XP's on the side. Juicy looking RB combo
Jonathon Taylor (5 yards) and Kenneth Walker (23 yard run) chipped in
with a rushing TD each while WR Justin Jefferson showed he is still a
threat with Sam Darnold as his QB , his 3 yard counter just keeping
Westburn purring along nicely. Last Blades out QB Jared Goff and TE Sam
LaPorta did not hook up but the passer did post 6pts courtesy of a
single 52 yard bomb at Ford Field to close out his sides total a healthy
38pts. The tone was set swiftly for the Posse as QB Lamar Jackson
looked a little sluggish out of the traps on Thursday night with a lowly
3pt offering courtesy of a single 49 yard TD but WR A J Brown looked to
have fired his side up with a 67 yard scoring grab as the action moved
to Sao Paulo. An early 3 yard TD from RB Aaron Jones at the Met on
Sunday seemed to suggest the Express were primed to kick on.... but it all
went a bit south after that. Top rookie Marvin Harrison Jnr had a quiet
ALFF debut but it was a lowly 4pts from veteran Daniel Carlson (that
included a missed 49 FG) and a goose egg from RB Rachaad White that
scuppered Andrew's hopes. There was a little upside from the GDiv
combo's Denver Defence as they became only the 3rd unit in
League history to record 2 safeties in the same game but an NBC phase 9
yard TD grab from Cooper Kupp was the last the Cove based side could
offer as their score stalled finally on 26pts. The loss was the first on
opening day for the CalX faithful since 2020 and ex coach Kiwi now leads
the RSS between the sides at 22-21.
Sleeper of the Week
With points in high demand and the smallest
winning margin a hefty 6pts, a meaningful Sleeper was a long shot. There
simply just wasn't one... leaving coach Garioch's 9pt miss on back-up QB
Geno Smith (net -9pts) the opening Sleeper of the Week for 2024.
Play of the Week
Big plays tended to come on end around's by
WR's or from kickers but ultimately it's a 12pt play that takes
the initial Play of the Week award. Apaches QB Jordan Love's 70
yard scoring hook-up with Laurel Lions WR Jayden Reed takes the prize.
Player of the Week
Ahead of Monday's finale I have to say I
was struggling to whittle down a handful of big individual performances
such as a 12pt WR haul by Jayden Reed and Justin Tucker moving
passed Stephen Gostkowki into 1st place all time on the Kicker scoring
standings. However that all changed when the Lions Jake Moody not only
found the 19pts he needed to pull of a comeback... but went on to post a
week high 24pts ... the second highest ever Kicker score, a mark he
shares with Chip Lohmiller (Wounded Massacre) and John Carney (Rosemount
Wreckers).. (although both those guys had 3pt bonus FG's in their
totals). For the record Moody booted 2 PAT's and FG's from 46, 51, 53,
23 and 42 yards.
Stats All Folks !!
The weekly points total of 427pts is a new
League record for a single week card.
Justin Tucker (Kincorth Killers) reached
1300 RS points with his 1st PAT Thursday night. He is the first
Kicker to that mark and the 3rd player overall (Tom Brady* ( Peyton
Manning).
Justin Tucker (Kincorth Killers) moved
passed Stephen Gostkowski (1392pts) into highest scoring kicker of all
time with first FG of the night from 25 yards. Tucker is now 3rd all,
time highest scorer in the League. (Tom Brady* and Peyton Manning).
Ka'imi Fairbairn (Westburn Blades) became
the 7th kicker to kick 3 bonus FG's in the same game.
The Denver Broncos Defence ( Caledonia
Express), became only the 2nd DST in League history to score 2 safeties
in the same game. (Jacksonville Jaguars for the Garthdee Gryphons 04/99)
Draft Notes
The 2023 draft was the first since
1998 when a QB was taken first for a 2nd straight season.
The 2023 draft was
only the 2nd ever when 3 QB's went in the top 5 picks (2021).
CeeDee Lamb's
selection at No 5 by the Garthdee Gryphons was the highest a wide-out
had been picked since Antonio Brown went to the Apaches at No 2 in 2017.
Other than AB only Randy Moss has been selected earlier.
For a 2nd straight
season 6 RB's (the lowest since four in 2016 ) were taken.
Lamar Jackson was
taken in the 1st Round for the 5th time. (5 in 6 seasons.)
CMC was taken in the
1st Round for a 4th straight time.
Only 4 players picked
in the 2024 1st Round were first rounders in 2023.
4 players were picked
in the first round for the first time ever. (Lamb, Hurts, Hall and
Mostert).
Biggests fall from
grace - RB Austin Ekeler - 11th player taken in 2023 ( 1/11) - fell to
the 92nd spot overall in 2024 (8/8).
Biggest upgrade - RB
Raheem Mostert went in pick 11 Round 12 in 2023 - taken as 10th
player overall this time round.
Back
To Homepage
|