Braves Wrecked By Kyren On Song
RB Kyren Williams sparked the
Drillers with this spectacular15 yard receiving score.
The most played fixture in the ALFF
books had a familiar ring to it as the Minute Drillers cruised to a
33-18 victory over the treacle treading Argyll Apaches at the
Reservation. The home side had taken a 3pt lead into the Sunday
proceedings but they never looked like building on that as the defending
Bon Accord Div champions simply moved up through the gears to leave
their long time rivals in their collective dust for the fourth time on
the bounce. There was some angst in the Drillerdome camp about the
effectiveness of their Achane/Tyreek Miami duo in the wake of the latest
Tua concussion and indeed events proved they had every reason to be
concerned but curiously, what was verified as a 2 Minute weakness
turned out to be terminal to the Apaches gameplan... but more of that
in few lines time. Given their respective starts and output it was no
surprise the Commish elected to go "same again Lorraine" in terms of
starting line-ups but Derek Carr for Daniel Jones as the only Braves
change was perhaps a little more eyebrow arching. Having gone 2-0 in the
last three seasons and then falling at the third hurdle, there was some
determination in the BOD outfits ranks to break that cycle. As we saw,
WR Garrett Wilson opened the scoring in New York on Thursday night as
he snagged a goal-line TD grab to put Argyll 03-00 ahead but the tie had
an overall slugfest feel about it through a fairly low key opening
Sunday stanza. C J Stroud and Derek Carr swapped single passing TD
efforts to move the scoreboard wheels to 06-03 in Geacher the Elder's
favor but perhaps more significantly a goose egg from his League
leading Chicago DST meant the last "real" big score threat from a
Geronimo point of view lay with kicker Jason Sanders. Flaky Mike Evans
carded a 2 Minute doughnut. Moving on to the second Sunday period the
Commish had fretted Miami would be able to move the ball but then stall
consistently in the Seattle red zone.... but as it turned out they
didn't get close on that front. A lone Sanders FG came courtesy of a
Geno Smith INT that gifted the Fins the ball on the 6 yard line and the
closest they came other than that, was an incursion to the Hawks 39
yard line that resulted in a missed Sanders (wide left) 57 yard attempt.
Take it from me the Commish would have settled for a 09-12 outcome from
the respective Miami participants if the AFC East side had a real QB
at the helm.... so 00-03 boiled down to same thing. Elsewhere it was all
about Kyren Williams. The first RB taken by the Minutemen took a little
time to warm up at Sofi Stadium but an acrobatic 15 yard TD reception
that ended with a somersault into the EZ sparked a game defining 15pts
effort , with two short TD runs tagged on late. Lone Apaches RB Zamir
White could only respond with a nada. Trailing 09-18 going into the
NBC action in Atlanta there was still a Geacher long shot scenario that
Rashee Rice would go gangbusters while Drillers Drake London and
Harrison Butker had off nights, but that long shot quickly became a no
hope when the retained 2 Minute wide-out opened proceedings with a 14
yard TD grab. Rice did respond fairly promptly with a strike from close
to identical distance but thereafter it was Mr Misogyny all the way as
Butker tagged on a FG triple to the (Rice TD) resulting XP as the
Drillers coasted to a 33-12 game clinching lead. It was not all famine
and pestilence in Campbeltown as wideout duo Dalton Kincaid and rookie
Keon Coleman each added a receiving score in Jacksonville on Monday
night , to become only the eight 4 WR unit to get a full house in League
history, to put a better overall complexion on the final result but the
outcome was never in doubt. The Drillers improve to 3-0 and actually
take over the overall No 1 ranking from the Blades by stint of 3pts more
scored overall ( credit card measure/ ba hair/ delete as appropriate).
The Commish is clearly good with the overall status but the Miami QB
situation is a concern, impacting as it does his RB 2 and WR1 slots.
The founder owner will also be looking for C J Stroud to step it up a
score or two in coming weeks. A trap game against the winless CalX
awaits the Drillers. Things are not looking too good for Geronimo. A
64pt haul from 3 games is short of being competitive, and while a rare
WR full house suggests things are not all bad.... its difficult to
justify a 4WR set when the single back look has yet to register a single
point this season. Injuries are clearly a factor for the Braves but the
short term prognosis for CMC is not good (Germany calling) but at least
the possibility of a swift Jordan Love return at QB has moved to likely.
The Blades coming a calling in Week 4 should inject some urgency into
Geacher The Elder's game-planning. With this fourth straight win in the
rivalry the Commish has moved to 36-20 ahead in the RSS.
MNF
Madness Mashes MadFish
King Henry scores on a 26 yard
run for the Rising.
The Wellington Rising faced up to
the Arnhall Dolphins with both sides having started the fledgeling,
season with a win and a loss. Both coaches opted to changes from the
previous weeks line ups. The Rising brought back Calvin Ridley and
Christian Watson at wide out to replace Terry McLaurin and Jaylen
Waddle, whilst the Dolphins were forced in to replacing Isiah Pacheco,
with him on injured reserve. In came long time Driller Rhamondre
Stevenson and he was joined by the Buffalo D as it replaced Miami in an
AFC East flavored DST shuffle. Arnhall were looking for a win to
register their first 2-1 start since 2020. Last season's meeting had
both gone coach Butter's way and he was looking to keep up the record.
Thursday night saw Stevenson make his first start as a Fin, but he was
held scoreless. Come the Sunday action and it was squeaky bum time. When
the dust had settled the Rising found themselves 13-12 ahead. This was
thanks to Derrick Henry who scored from the 26 and the one. Kansas DST
add the 13th point. The Dolphins reply was 6 from David Montgomery on a
1 yard run and a brace of FGs from Grupe (34 and 38 yards). The Cruncher
came when long time Welly hero Jalen Hurts was held to a scoreless
night.... 29 of 38 for 311 yards and 1 interception, but nothing in the
end zone for his new ball-club. Monday night saw the Rising ice the cake
and add the sprinkles. Jayden Daniels ran in from the 4 before scoring
on passes of 1 and 27 yards with final figures of 21 of 23 for 254 yards
and a pair of interceptions. Evan McPherson added another 9 points with
FG's from 28 and 31 as well as 3 PAT's. 2 bonus points from the Bills D
was the only reply. The Dolphins drop to 1-2 and face the hot Laurel
Lions in week 4. They will be hoping that Hurts performance was just a
blip on the radar, and also hoping their wide-out game sparks into life.
The Rising have now scored 36, 36 and 34pts so are showing the kind of
consistency that has play-off bound written all over it. They know that
the Drillers will be there or there about when the time comes and will
be looking to keep them with reaching distance. Former Div rivals the
Scunthorpe Steelers are next up and Darren will be looking to keep
matters moving along. He has a QB and a running back that could be gold
for him, as long as they stay fit. Darren owns the RSS 6-1. Three weeks
gone and 10 to go. Now is the time for the squad to stand up and be
counted.
Barkley Beatdown
Killers RB Saquon Barkley is off
and motoring on this 65 yard TD run.
My apologies for the tardiness of
this report, but my mail filter service believed that an email coming
from our exalted Commissioner was JUNK! Can you believe the nerve of
that thing?! Worry not, as the lowly scum of IONOS have been given a
pair of concrete crocs and will be accompanying a number of fish at the
bottom of the Rhine momentarily. As a result, this report is coming to
you live from a corporate IT Support WAR ZONE, where I am being pulled
away from my critical writing work to aid in the trivial matters of
lesser beings - i.e. people in need of IT support. As such, I may need
to keep this brief - doing a terrible job of that so far ! Anyhoo, the
Kincorth Killers laid down the second-highest point total of the season
to humble the Jesmond Chiefs with a totally unreasonable scoreline of 52
- 13. Geacher Jnr's side sailed into an early lead during the early
Sunday stanza thanks to a Saquan Barkley's 16 point heroics late on into
an initially fruitless contest with the Saints. A shorter range score
was eclipsed by a 50+ yarder for a bonus haul. Barkley's points tally
alone would have been enough to finish the Chiefs, who's #1 rushing
attack were missing in action with doughnuts on show for Kamara + Harris
(whom I believe are running for the US Presidency at the moment under
the guise of a solitary black woman - very bold of them). Chris Godwin
justified his selection at least, with a TD catch for 3, while Dicker
The Kicker was held to a stingy 4 points by the Steelers. Back over on
the Killers side of the ball, the Minnesota D contributed with 2 points
(although their overall performance deserved much more) and the points
then continued to stream in. DK Metcalf latched onto a 71 yarder in the
1st quarter. Justin Tucker popped in 4 PATs (and concerningly missed
again) and Dak Prescott got up off the mat to contribute with scores
from 15 and 16 yards respectively, plus 1 yard rush. Going late into
Sunday and the Chiefs top pick, Patrick Mahomes, scored on two short-ish
TD tosses, but that was matched by the Bullish Bijan Robinson's TD run.
Unfortunately for the Jesmondos, there was only zeroes to report the
rest of the way, while Ja'Marr chase would rub salt into the wound upon
his return with an additional 6 points on Monday Night to give them a
50-burger. Messer McGeachy has now won the last 3 straight in the series
(last was a 16-15 OT win) including in PO2 in 2022. The Chiefs RSS lead
is cut to 5-4.
Steelers Edge The Express
Over Time
Rookie wideout Malik Nabers bags
this 5 yard TD grab for the Steelers.
There appeared to be more
entertaining fixtures on the Week 3 card, but it was top drawer
entertainment all the way in this Granite Div cellar dweller match up as
the battling Scunthorpe Steelers found a way to squeak home 30-29 in
overtime against the crestfallen Caledonia Express. Adamski has never
opened an ALFF campaign with three straight losses, but he stared that
nightmare right in the eye as last man out Kyle Pitts went out for the
Posse unopposed in the NBC finale in Atlanta with the scores tied at
29-29. However the big TE could not convert for his side despite a
couple of red zone moments and we headed to OT for the first time this
season. QB Caleb Williams 363 yards passing was nullified by rival RB
Aaron Jones 102 yards rushing , moving the decision on to stage two of
the extra period decision protocol. Scunthorpe's 6 TD's to the Posse's 4
was enough to give coach Meek the verdict and the Sowf London outfit
were tagged the 30-29 OT winners. So how did the combatants get us to
the point of needing to be forcibly separated ? Well the Lincoln
Lad got off to be best of starts on Thursday when RB Breece Hall got the
winless ballclub of and running with a 1 yard TD rumble/twist and it was
maybe the good opening vibes that allowed the 11th year supremo to have
the confidence to throw in rookie QB Caleb Willliams as his starting QB
ahead of injury hit Matt Stafford. Mark Andrews returned at wideout (Deebo
out) while the promotion of a stingy Raiders DST ahead of a punch drunk
Dallas unit completed a significant overhaul on the Steelers side of the
ball as they chased that first 2024 win. Having gone 5-0 in his first
season as Boot Hill head honcho Andy was in new territory as the Posse
HC and his two changes were also injury related. With Cooper Kupp and A
J Brown both listed as out, it was something of a mining theme when the
Express announced Michael Pittman and Kyle Pitts as the high rated pass
catchers substitutes. Over the two "main" Sunday phases there was
little to isolate one side from the other. With 6pts already in the bag
the 2020 champions were best served by their rookie talent. QB Caleb
Williams marked his ALFF debut with a tidy throwing TD brace at Lucas
Oil Field (1 and 6 yards) while WR Malik Nabers followed suit with his
two short scoring grabs dovetailing nicely into his Wk 2 scoring debut
outing. The other half of Adamski's young buck running attack Jahmyr
Gibbs bolstered his coach when he scored in the Desert with a 28 yard
receiving score and the former BA Div outfits best effort of the season
to date was rounded out by a solid 8pts from K Jason Myers , his single
successful FG of the night (from 56 yards), providing his team with
their first bonus score of the campaign. The Express' riposte was
slightly different in content , but eventually matched that overall 29pt
tally. RB Aaron Jones ( 8 yard receiving counter) and ALFF team-mates on
the Denver DST (2pts for bottling up Tampa) led the way early for Andy,
but it was mostly about rookie kicker Brandon Narveson who kept things
close with a FG triple (21, 26 and 47 yds) and a prial of extra points.
Into the late action and finally Lamar Jackson flashed his credentials
with a typical 8 yard TD run ahead of a 13 yard TD toss leaving rookie
WR Marvin Harrison to cap a stunning all round both team 27pt total for
the "newbies" with a 10 yard scoring grab to leave the sides even with
just Kyle Pitts to show. As we have seen the former Laurel Lions
retainee could not break the deadlock.... and coach Meek's side went on
to win as described above. The Steelers top man will be delighted to get
this win under his belt and after a Week 2 dip points wise, can
rest easy that his squad can be relied on to produce. With the Rising
and Blades up next before returning to Div matters in Week 6, the next
two games will go a long way to define whether Scunny can expect to be
back challenging as perennial Bowl starters.... or something a little
short of that. It was a tough one to take for Mini Mac. His Express are
now the League's only winless combo and have slipped to 0-3 for the
first time since 2019....with under pressure Andy losing 9 of last 11 RS
starts since that high of Week 5 last term. That said the now slightly
Rosemount favored Posse still have the League best WR corp.... and if
Lamar can build on this week, should be able to get back in the GDiv
race, sitting just two games back right now. Adam's first win over to
Andy as new CalX HC leaves the Steelers 6-7 behind in the RSS.
Lions Finish Off Coyotes With
Their Bengals
Amari Cooper scores for the
Pride on Sunday's first play from scrimmage.
I've been thinking.... no wait,
come back, listen.... if you or anyone you know is the GM of an NFL
Team, tell them this: NEVER to draft the highest rated QB from college,
draft the second highest one, because he always ends up the better than
the best one! Honest, that makes sense.....from Ryan Leaf/Peyton Manning
to Bryce Young/CJ Stroud and this year, Caleb Williams/Jayden Daniels.
Choose who you think is the best one.... and then don't draft him, draft
the other one! Tell them you heard it here first, and I don't accept
cheques, cash only please. Anyroads, my game this week is the Laurel
Lions against Craigo Coyotes, and it's with the former we start. The
Lions have been Last Minute Larry's this year, coming back from the
dead in a stunning week #1 victory versus the Killers, then doing a
reverse ferret last week against Gryphons, losing to a late comeback
from the Birds. This week Coach Potts recalled Joe Burrow to the
starting line, and gave former Apache Zach Charbonnet his first start
of the season. No surprises that with Josh Allen, the Coyotes Coach
Rooney has the highest scoring QB in the league, and I should point out
that he was rated #QB3 in the 2018 draft.... Alan replaced the injured
Joe Mixon with Old Mother Hubbard (shoorly shum mishtake ? -Ed) , and
Jake Ferguson came in at wideout for Tank Dell. The only other change
made by the Mangy Curs was the Tampa D in, the Baltimore D out. A stat
that may interest only me: neither the Coyotes or the Lions have scored
any DST points so far this season. The Lions quickly assumed the
ascendancy; Amari Cooper caught two TDs (24 & 6 yards), Amon Ra St.
Brown caught one from 6 yards out, and another scorer went in two by two
with debutante Zach Charbonnet also having a pair of TDs, running in
from 3 and 10 yards out. Jake Moody kicked 1/2 FGs and 3/3 EPs and the
Eagles D broke the DST duck for Laurel Lions with a two point
contribution. As for the Coyotes, it was meagre rations, with Jerome
Ford, Diggs, Ferguson and Aiyuk all going scoreless. How's that holdout
working for you now the season has started, Brandon? The only troubling
of the scorers by the Mangy Curs was from kicker Brandon Aubrey with an
EP and two FGs from over the 50, and a Chuba Hubbard 3 yards snare in
the endzone. Score after the Sunday games : Laurel Lions 29-14 Craigo
Coyotes. Ah now, the Coyotes have a 15 point deficit going into the
Monday game, and they had a similar deficit when they played the
Killers, and as already mentioned, we know that Alan overturned that
one. Could they do it again? erm....No. For sure, Josh Allen did his bit
with a 263 yards/four touchdown performance, but sadly, even on its own,
it wouldn't have been enough, but with Joe Burrow putting up a 324/3TD
performance of his own, it wasn't even close. Factor in a one yard run
from fellow Bengal Zack Moss, the final score was Laurel Lions 44-26
Craigo Cayotes. What does it all mean? The double Ls move to 2-1, one
game behind divisional favourites Westburn Blades, and face the 1-2
Arnhall Dolphins next week, and will be looking for a win to keep close
to the Blades. Craigo face Jesmond Chiefs, also 1-2, and its a game that
is a near as dammit a must win for both teams. Thats it ! until further
notice. Ta.
Blades
Are Sharper As They Hold Off The Birds
Former champion RB Jonathon
Taylor scampers 29 yards to paydirt for the Blades.
Week One of the 2024 regular
season saw the Garthdee Gryphons crash and burn. Week Two comes along
and, somehow, we managed to pull a rabbit out of the hat. We needed more
of that in Week 3 as we went head to head with the Westburn Blades. We
looked at changes to Week 2 and were forced into one with George Kittle
being a no show. In came Khalil Skakir for his first start. The Blades
also went with one change, handing an ALFF debut to highly touted Brock
Bowers in place of Isaiah Likely. The Blades were looking to keep their
unbeaten start whilst the Gryphons were hoping to get a result. Thursday
night action saw the Blades take a 4 -0 lead as their Jets Defence held
the Pats to a FG and picked up the bonus points. A slim lead as the
emphasis moved to Sunday. The Gryphons looked to Brock Purdy to get the
season going and he responded with touchdown passes of 13, 4 and 31
yards as he finished with 22 of 30 for 292 yards. That was the start we
need but that was all it was. This years running game is a non event
(one of only two units with nul points) and yet again both men came up
scoreless. The Blades took this as an invitation to get the game to
themselves. Jared Goff scored on passes of 5 and 1 on his way to 18 of
23 for 199 yards and 1 interception. Justin Jefferson caught a 6 yard
pass to make it 13-9. Then Jonathan Taylor got in on the act. He ran in
scores from 29 yards and 1 for a 12 point haul. Kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn,
a League leading light until he fell off a cliff this week, as he
was limited to a single PAT but that gave the Blades a 26-9 lead. The
Gryphons looked down and out and needed a, stellar, performance from
Bills pairing Tyler Bass and Shakir come the Monday. The Wide man scored
on a 27 yard catch whilst Bass connected on FG's from 43 and 27 as well
as 5 PAT's (he also had 1 attempt blocked). Ultimately they fell just
3pts short. The Blades move to 3-0 for the first time since 2021 and
look strong. Coach Stuie is in there with the Drillers and keeping pace.
The only drawback is that they have never managed to start with 4-0.
Still there is a first time for everything and this could be achieved
against the Apaches. Stuie swept the 2023 season and has added another
one to the win column. The RSS stands at 21-20 in the Blades favor. As
for the Gryphons....well this could have gone either way. We need our
running game to come to life, and not have to rely on our kicker for
points. Under 60 points over 3 games is just not play off material. The
Killers are next up and are scoring like there is no tomorrow. We will
just have to hang in there and hope things improve.
Sleeper of the Week
Two games were close enough to provide us with a
game changing sleeper this week... but as it happens the Posse could not
have improved on their OT losing 29pt total. That left the Bayler in the
SOW crosshairs... and he scooped the "honors" by missing out on RB
Austin Ekeler's 6pts (net -6pts) that would have got him a huge Div
victory over the rival Westburn Blades.
Play of the Week
Eight point plays have been notable by
their absence up to to this stage.... but Killers RB Saquon Barkley put
that right this week , with a breakaway 65 yard run in the Superdome. He
easily scoops the Week 3 Play of the Weeks award.
Player of the Week
He did get some mean competition from the
Drillers Kyren Williams, but when you score the first eight point
running play of the season and follow that up with year's first octopus
( 4 yard TD run plus 2 pt attempt) .... then Player of the Week was
almost nailed on for Kincorth Killer rock carrier Saquon Barkley.
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