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WEEK 3 RECAP

49ers safety Geno Stone's two interceptions helps lead to upset of Atlanta.

Game Scores
Atlanta 10 San Francisco 12                 77 10-20
The Falcons run for 244 yards but get only 97 yards from the passing game as the 49ers rely on 4 FGs to squeak past the Falcons. San Francisco enjoys a 4-0 advantage in the all-important turnover category. Safety Geno Stone intercepts two of Jalen Hurts three interceptions.

New England 37 Buffalo 17                   78 0-5
The Patriots come to Buffalo knowing they won't be facing Kyler Murray and may have underestimated the Bills early as Hendon Hooker kept the Bills in the game as it was 17-10 Pats at the half. The Pats combo of Jackson (16-20 295 3 TD and 1 Rushing TD) and Tyreek Hill (9 receptions 217 yards and 2 TD's) was too much in the end for the Bills to overcome. The Patriots go to 3-0 and will host Tampa Bay next week while the Bills fall to 1-1-1 and head to Miami week 4.

Denver 34 Los Angeles (A) 6                 87 Calm
The Denver Broncos came into LA and left with a 34-6 victory over their division foe. Bronco QB Geno Smith was 14 of 14 for 316 yards in the 1st half and the Broncos coasted in the 2nd half.

Tennessee 23 Cincinnati 28                  70 0-10
Week three of the IFL season saw long time division rival Tennessee invade the Jungle. If you recall, the Titans eliminated Cincinnati 16-6 in the Wild Card round of last year's IFL playoffs.

After forcing a Titan three and out on the opening drive, Bengals punt returner Britain Covey muffed the punt return with Tennessee recovering at the Bengals 23. Three plays later Jimmy G found pesky Kalif Raymond for the nine yard pitch and catch as the Titans drew first blood 7-0.

The Bengals put together a nice nine play drive but on the tenth play with fourth and inches, Love was stuffed as Tennessee took over from their own 31. The Cincinnati defense forced a three-and-out. However, Love was intercepted by Cameron Sutton who returned it 32 yards for the score to increase the Titan lead to 14-0. The young Bengal quarterback was shell shocked and all Aaron Rodgers could do was limp around.

After forcing another Cincinnati punt, the Bengals defense picked up the spirits of their young QB as hybrid linebacker/safety Isaiah Simmons stepped in front of a Jimmy G pass and took it to the house! The 56 yard return cut the Tennessee lead to 14-7. The Titans would increase their lead to 17-7 by the half thanks to a Blake Grupe field goal.

The Cincinnati offense started clicking to open the third quarter with a eight play 75 yard drive capped off by a Love to Carter 10 yard dump off to cut the Titans lead to 17-14. The momentum continued to swing the home town's team way as All-IFL safety Jessie Bates intercepted a Jimmy G pass. The Bengals would take over at the Tennessee ten and Love would run it in from seven yards out as Cincinnati finally had the lead 21-17.

The Titans would put together a 14 play 70 yard drive but had to settle on another field goal to cut the Bengals lead to 21-20 as the third quarter ended.

The fourth quarter began with Love throwing his third interception of the game allowing Tennessee to regain the lead 23-21. Cincinnati would go on a 11 play 75 yard drive highlighted by a 21 yard run by backup running back Michael Carter. The drive was capped off by a four yard pass to Carter on a read option play to give the Bengals a 28-23 lead which they would hold for the big AFC Central win.

Jimmy G finished 19 of 32 for 183 yards and a touchdown but two interceptions. The Titans defense sacked Love four times with rookie Byron Young collecting two of them.

Love finished 23 of 31 for 245 yards with two touchdowns but three interceptions. Carter had both of the touchdown receptions.

Next week, the Titans host San Francisco while the Bengals are in Jacksonville for another big AFC Central matchup.

Arizona 27 Philadelphia 24                  75 0-5
Mahomes throws three touchdown passes as Arizona holds off a Philadelphia second half rally.

Pittsburgh 23 New Orleans 27                70 Calm
Pittsburgh would roll into New Orleans with their undefeated record against the 1-1 Saints. The Steelers would receive the kick and both teams would exchange punts. Pitt would get the ball again and take it to the Saints 17 before Bass would kick the 35 yarder. Key play in the drive was a Rondale Moore 27 yard end around.

The Saints would get the ball and take it to the Steelers 44 yard before Tua would throw his 5th pick of the young season. Pitt would do nothing though and punt after a 3 and out. The Saints would get the ball and put together a 7 minute drive which ended in a Jaylen Warren 8 yard scamper for a TD. 7-3 Saints with 9 minutes left in the 2nd.
Steelers would get the ball and face the first big decision of the game facing 4th and 1 at their own 48. Steelers would key Devito and it didn’t matter as he ran right up the middle for 23 yards. The next play he would find Justin Jefferson from 29 yards out. 10-7 Pitt. Saints would get the ball and take it to the Steelers 49 and Tua would throw pick #6 of the year. The Saints again stop the Steelers and they would punt the Saints to their 17 with less than 2 minutes in the half. Tua would lead the Saints down the field and Mcmanus would kick a 51 yarder as time expired. 10-10 HT.

Saints would get the ball to open the half and Tua would hit Lockett for 44 yards and then McManus would connect again from 50 yards out. 13-10 Saints. The teams would exchange punts and the Saints would get the ball at their own 8. The play was a bomb but Tua would try to check down and what do you know pick #7 of the season by Davis. The Steelers would not take advantage and Bass would kick a 21 yard FG. 13-13. The teams would exchange punts to the 14:45 mark of the 4th quarter.
The Steelers would put together a great 5 minute drive which would end in a Devito to Brown from 9 yards out. 20-13 Steelers. The Saints would bounce right back with their own 5 minute drive in which Tua would connect with Njoku from 14 yards out. 20-20 with 4:50 left in the game. The Steelers would come right back with a drive down to the Saints 28 yard line and Bass would kick his 3rd FG of the day to give the Steelers the 23-20 lead with 1:48 left.

The Saints would get the ball and take the ball down to the Steelers 24 yard line with 7 seconds left and 2nd down. The Steelers would play tight thinking the Saints would try a quick short out to get closer for a game tying FG and honestly that's what Coach Rice had thought about doing. At the last second Coach changed the play to a long pass and Tua would connect with AJ Brown for the game winning TD. Very exciting game and a well called game by Pittsburgh. 4 more turnovers for the Saints. Not sure Coach Rice's blood pressure can sustain this kind of turnover rate.

New York (N) 22 Dallas 25                   70 Calm
The Dallas Cowboys overcame six players leaving the game with injuries (for the duration of the game) to squeak by the New York Giants thanks to a game-winning 49-yeard field goal with no time on the clock by Greg Zuerlein to lead the Boyz to a 25-22 win.

The Giants scored with 5:12 left in the game on an 8-yard inside run by Kenneth Walker on third and 8 to close to 22-20. Walker would reach the end zone on a run to convert the 2-point conversion and tie the game.

Dallas would then go three and out.

With momentum on their side, the Giants got 14 yards on a jet sweep by Reagon and then a 9-yard run by Walker. On second and one and victory in sight, Dallas came up with consecutive sacks to force a punt.

Dallas took over from its own five. Justice Hill ran for 5, 1 and 5 yards for a first down. Then came another 5-yard run by Hill followed by a screen pass which went for 24 yards to the Dallas 40 with 1:27 left on the clock Justin Hebert then checked down for a 2-yard pass to Goedert, followed by an incompletion. Herbet then found Doubs for 12 yards for a first down and again for 9 more. Herbert completed a short out pattern to Pickens for a first down and to stop the clock. A screen pass to Hill fell incomplete. Hill rand for three yards to the Giant 34 and Dallas ran the clock down to 3 seconds when Zuerlein connected on his long field goal to give the Cowboys the win.

Jacksonville 27 Baltimore 25                81 0-5
After a connection hiccup in my first week back, my first game was a memorable one.

Jacksonville came to Baltimore a 2 point underdog and elected to receive the opening kickoff. After a three-and-out, it didn't take long for the Ravens to hit paydirt. On a 2nd-and-2, Kyren Williams bolted through the line for 73 yards. BAL 7-0.

After a second Jacksonville three-and-out, Baltimore looked to put this one away early, quickly moving to the Jaguars 35, but two consecutive holding penalties put the Ravens back in their own territory where they punted. Josh Allen, the Jags QB, not the Ravens LB, got Jacksonville to mid-field, but a failed try on 4th down gave the ball back to the Ravens...where they did nothing and punted the ball back to Jacksonville.

As the quarter came to an end, the Jags ran the ball five straight times (four by Allen) to move into Ravens territory as the 2nd quarter began. From there, Allen connected with DK Metcalf for a 30-yard strike. Tied 7-7.

Baltimore responded by driving into Jags territory, but stalled on a 4th-and-3 at the Jags 39. Jacksonville took advantage of the momentum swing, driving 61 yards for another score - Allen hitting Metcalf again, this time from 19 yards out. JAX 14-7.

The Ravens got 3 back when their ensuing drive stalled at the Jags 11 with 18 ticks before the half-time two-minute warning. JAX 14-10. That was plenty of time for Coach Hood to matriculate his offense downfield, masterfully managing the clock 'til Antonio Gibson plunged in from the 1. JAX 21-10 at the half.

Baltimore would receive the second-half kick and move downfield to score when Baker Mayfield (he's still on the team?!) hit Amon St. Brown from 22 yards out. Coach Master elected to go for two in an attempt to cut the lead to 3, but the try failed. JAX 21-16.

The Ravens D held Jacksonville to a 3-and-out and the O marched to the Jags 5, but had to settle for another FG. JAX 21-19.

Jacksonville put together a 12-play drive that covered 52 yards, but Randy Bullock missed from 41 yards out. Baltimore gobbled up a couple first downs, but punted and Jacksonville took over with 10:57 remaining. After a 28-yard gain got the Jags out of the shadow of the endzone, Allen chucked it up again, but Greg Newsome II picked it. Unfortunately, the Ravens couldn't capitalize and punted back to the Jags.

Coach Hood, looking to ice the game away, again masterfully managed his team downfield. Allen guided his pawns on a 14 play, 52-yard drive. This time Bullock hit from 46 yards out with 2:30 left on the clock putting pressure on the Ravens to reach the endzone. JAX 24-19.

Then the stunning happened. Bullock booted the kick-off two yards deep and Marvin Mims Jr decided to run it out. 102 yards later, he crossed over the Jags goal line. Again, Baltimore went for two...and failed. BAL 25-24.

With just one TO in his pocket, Allen/Hood moved deftly downfield with two surprise dive plays to Dameon Pierce chunking up enough yards for Bullock to hit a GW, 38-yard FG as time expired. JAX 27-25.

Unsurprisingly, Josh Allen (the QB, not the LB) was named the game's MVP. He hit 25-of-39 passes for 265 yards and 2 TDs. His counterpart, Baker Mayfield, hit 20 of 31 for 261, 1 TD and a 101.7 QB rating. What put Allen over the top was his 93 yards rushing on 15 attempts. Kyren Williams ran for 121 Raven yards on 16 carries and St. Brown caught 10 passes for 172, but they couldn't match Allen and Metcalf (7 catches for 122 yards and 2 TDs).

Next week, Jacksonville (3-0) puts their undefeated record on the line as they host division rival Cincinnati (2-1). Baltimore (1-2) remains at home to take on the 2-1 Steelers and try to muddle-up the AFC Central.

Kansas City 21 Seattle 38                   63 Calm
Seattle takes a commanding 24-7 lead heading into the half then proceeds to implode allowing KC to score 2 quick 4th quarter TDs. KC had the ball down 3 with a shot but then Seattle woke up and put the game out of reach with 2 late TDs.

Miami 42 Indianapolis 20                    69 Calm
Game close in the first quarter but Miami broke it open in the second quarter and went on to win easily 42-20.

Green Bay 27 Minnesota 23                   68 Calm
The Green Bay Packers, who are currently leading their division, managed to secure a 27-23 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. Despite trailing for most of the game, the Packers were able to make a comeback. They were behind from midway through the first quarter and were down 20-10 at halftime, but they rallied late to maintain their first-place position in the division. Robinson scored on a plunge play with one minute remaining, securing the hard-fought victory for the Packers. The Packers led in almost every category except for turnovers (1-0). They had 201 yards rushing, held the ball for 34 minutes, got 27 first downs compared to the Vikings' 18, and gained 449 total yards compared to the Vikings' 346. Notably, their final drive was an exceptional 80-yard, 14-play drive that ate up 8 minutes and 3 seconds of the clock, including a fourth down conversion.

Detroit 14 Tampa Bay 19                     86 5-15
Chris Boswell booted four field goals as Tampa Bay nips the Lions.

Carolina 3 Los Angeles (N) 29               63 Calm
Rams defeat a beat up Panthers team in Los Angeles. Panthers were missing several OL and interior DL which was too much to overcome.

New York (A) 6 Chicago 15                   72 0-5
Exciting game...5 FGs to 2 FGs

Bears get the home win.

Next week Chicago visits Minnesota, and New York visits Indianapolis.

Las Vegas 20 Houston 21                     70 Calm
sim

Rushing Leaders
Moss(Atl)       13-131
Williams,K(Bal) 16-121 1 TD
Pollard(Chi)    19-116
Akers(Ind)      20-113 1 TD
Robinson(GB)    24-111
Mixon(Hou)      21-109
Mattison(Dal)   12-103 1 TD
Fields(KC)      15-31 3 TD

Receiving Leaders
Hill,T(NE)       9-217 2 TD
Adams(Sea)       9-175 2 TD
St. Brown(Bal) 10-172 1 TD
Smith,D(Den)     6-156 2 TD
Lamb(LAR)       10-149 2 TD

Passing Leaders
Tagovailoa(NO) 46-29-331   2 TD 3 Int
Smith,G(Den)    17-16-318   4 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Week

Defensive Standouts
Stone(SF)        2 Int 4 Tk – IFL Defensive Player of the Week
Mack(LAR)        3 Sk 5 Tk

Special Teams
Gipson(Phi)    1-32 Kick Ret 2-103 Punt Ret 1 TD
Zuerlein(Dal) 4-4 FG
Mims Jr.(Bal) 3-167 Kick Ret 1 TD
Gay(SF)        4-4 FG
Olszewski(Det) 7-138 Punt Ret 1 TD
Boswell(TB)    4-4 FG
Lutz(Chi)      5-5 FG – IFL Special Teams Player of the Week

IFL WEEK 3 STANDINGS

IFL WEEK 3 LEAGUE LEADERS

WEEK 2 RECAP

Pittsburgh defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence leads the Steelers to a 2-0 start!

Game Scores
Carolina 14 Pittsburgh 23                   76 0-10
Pittsburgh 1-0 opens the season with back to back home games this week taking on Carolina 0-1
Each team punted to open the game but the Steelers get something going on the 2nd drive . Tommy Devito getting the start had just completed a pass to Jefferson down to the 27 but a holding penalty derails the drive and they settle for a 45 yard Bass FG for a 3-0 lead. Carolina has a drive into Steeler country but a 4th and 1 Taylor run falls inches short at the 45 yard line.
As we move into the 2nd Devito scrambles 3 times for 35 yards but another holding penalty sets them back and again Bass comes out for a FG this time from 35 and its 6-0. Carolina's offense stalls again and has to punt . Devito opens up with a 25 yard scramble then a 12 yard pass to Jefferson to get them in plus territory 6 plays later they are 3rd and inches from the goal line and Allgeier punches it in for a 13-0 lead. The Panthers offense gets things going on their next drive big play from Russell Wilson to rookie Kayshon Boutte for 28 yards on a 4th and 5 from the Steelers 41 sets Jonathan Taylor up 3 plays later for a 6 yard TD . At the half its 13-7.

A holding penalty stops the Panthers opening drive but after Pittsburgh got across the midway line Devito is picked by D'Anthony Bell as the Panthers win a challenge and get the ball back. It did the Panthers little good the first play is a Shy Tuttle sack the next play is a Dexter Lawrence's strip sack his 3rd sack of the game and the Steelers take over at the 18 yard line. 2 plays later Devito hits Javonte Williams out of the backfield from 8 yards out to make it 20-7 midway through the 3rd. Carolina answers back immediately the big play is Taylors 54 yard run down to the Steelers 8 yard line. 3 plays later its Taylor again from 5 yards out for his 2nd of the game 20-14. Pittsburgh ends the 3rd on a 12 play drive but another holding penalty sets them back and in no mans land facing a 3rd and 16 from the 37 they decide to punt and its a good one pinning the Panthers down at the 4.

Carolina has to punt twice sandwiched by a Steelers punt to open the 4th. Pittsburgh takes over on their 30 with 8 minutes to play and the drive ends with a 32 yard Bass FG with 59 seconds left to close the game out as the Panthers have only 1 time out left. The big plays were Devito's QB sneak on a 4th and inches at the 50 with just over 4 minutes left to play and a 12 yard Devito scramble to get it to the 34 then a 12 yard Jefferson catch to get them down to the 22 well within FG Range.

Final Pittsburgh 23 Carolina 14

Sean called a great game as his team held in there after losing a couple of defensive line players in the game. The only injury for either team beyond this game was Tomon Fox for the Panthers out 15 weeks.

Pittsburgh highlights . Team ran for 184 yards on 37 carries although Devito lead the team in rushing with 75 yards on 7 carries.
Dexter Lawrence 3 sacks and a forced fumble.

Carolina highlights - Team ran the ball 23 times for 128 yards Jonathan Taylor ran 12 times for 102 yards and 2 TD.

The Steelers 2-0 head out on the road down south to take on the always well coached 1-0 Saints while Carolina 0-2 has there 3rd straight road game to open the season (who did they piss off) taking on the 0-1 LA Rams.

Denver 23 Miami 16                          86 0-10 Rain
Miami takes a 10 point lead into halftime at 16-6 but fails to score in the 2nd half as Denver runs off 17 unanswered points in the 2nd half to take a 23-16 win at Miami in week 2. Denver evens it's record at 1-1 while the Dolphins fall to 0-2.

Next week Denver stays on the road at LA Chargers and the Dolphins go on the road at Indy.

New Orleans 20 Cincinnati 36                72 10-20
After a disappointing opening week loss at Pittsburgh, the IFL Bengals host the Saints for their 2024 home opener.

The Bengals came out more focused this week after a good old fashion week of physical practices. Defensive lineman Zach Sieler set the tone intercepting Tua on an attempted screen pass. James Cook would go in from two yards out for a 7-0 Cincinnati lead.

On the Saints next series Tua would be intercepted again, this time by All-Pro Cornerback Jalen Ramsey. Cincinnati had to settle on a Fairbairn 36 yard field goal to extend their lead to 10-0. New Orleans would strike quickly as A.J. Brown took advantage of one of his rare times not 2-teamed for the 64 yard TD pass from Tua to cut the deficit to 10-7.

James Cook, somewhat fumble prone, lived up to his reputation, by coughing it up with the Saints taking over at the Cincinnati 40. New Orleans would have to settle on a McManus 41 yard field to tie it at 10.

The Bengals would be forced to punt early in the second quarter and Tua looked to be heating up with completions to Brown for 31 despite the 2-team, Lockett for 15, and Lockett for 14 for the go-ahead score, 17-10 Saints with a little over eight minutes remaining in the half.

Cincinnati put together an eight play 71 yard drive with Love finding Gerald Everett from six yards out to tie it at 17. After forcing a New Orleans punt, Britain Covey went the distance, 74 yards, and the Bengals regained the lead 24-17. IFL Bengal fans could feel the big "MO" changing. DKS was very good to the IFL Bengals as after an 11 yard completion to Dionate Johnson with nine seconds remaining and no timeouts, Love was able to spike the ball, leaving two seconds on the clock. Fairbairn would convert the 39 yard attempt and the Bengals would head to the locker room with a 27-17 lead.

The Bengals would add four field goals in the second half while holding New Orleans to one field goal for the 36-20 final.

Tua's struggles were a big surprise. He finished 12 of 26 for 242 yards and two touchdowns but also four interceptions. A.J. Brown was a beast and despite being double 95% of the time finished with five catches for 130 yards and a touchdown.

Jordan Love was 18 for 31 for 202 yards and a touchdown but zero interceptions.

Next week the Saints host undefeated Pittsburgh while the Bengals host long time division rival Tennessee.

Houston 7 Buffalo 13                        61 10-20
Houston comes to Buffalo looking to even their record, only to lose 13-7 as two missed FG's by Sanders really hurt the momentum and in turn sparked the Bills. Kyler Murray was knocked out of the game late in the game. Cousins struggled in the second half to complete third down conversions as the Bills defense really stepped up. Murray had a few key runs and hit a Conklin for a TD. Mixon scored on a 4 yard run for the Texans.

Houston will host Las Vegas next week while the Bills will host the Patriots with no Kyler Murray.

Arizona 34 Detroit 21                       70 Calm
The Cardinals score ten unanswered fourth quarter points to escape Detroit with the win. Patrick Mahomes throws for 251 yards and two touchdowns.

Las Vegas 28 New York (A) 17                77 5-15
Matthew Stafford throws two touchdown passes as the Raiders get by the Jets.

Chicago 5 Seattle 16                        65 0-10
Chicago defense and special teams played tough and kept the Bears in the game in the first half with a turnover that turned into a sort field FG followed by a punt to the 1 yard line that would lead to a safety. They started the second half only down 7-5 and receiving the ball but unfortunately that would be the end of the road as the Bears offense would fail to pick up a first down in the second half. This would be further complicated by their punter leaving the 2nd half with an injury. Seattle would tack on a couple of FGs to take a 16-5 W.

Los Angeles (A) 3 New England 27            73 5-15
New England jumps out to a 24-0 halftime lead en route to a 27-3 win against the Chargers. Mike Evans caught 6 passes from Lamar Jackson for 103 yards and a score, while Derrick Henry ran for 77 yards on 20 carries and a TD to lead the NE offense. LA's Zach Wilson struggled most of the afternoon, completing 10 of 21 passed for a mere 55 yards and one INT.

NE will travel to Buffalo next week while the Chargers will host Denver.

Minnesota 26 Dallas 36                      70 Calm
Entering game two with a week one loss to Seattle, things looked bleak for Dallas in week two when Justin Herbert was sacked in the end zone by Trey Hendrickson to put the Cowboys in the hole early, 2-0. Meanwhile, Minnesota seized the momentum for a 16-7 lead after the first quarter. Vikings quarterback C.J. Stroud was sensational in the quarter, completing 13 of 15 passes for 125 yards. The Vikings were helped by four Cowboy penalties in the quarter.
But Dallas came back to close to 23-20 at the half. The big play was inside linebacker Tremain Edwards returning a fumble to the house.

Stroud, the number one pick in the draft, finished the half 24/131 for 233 yards.

Things would change for the rookie in the second half. Stroud only completed 7 of 17 passes the second half for just 56 yards.

Dallas continued to score and prevailed 36-26. Justin Herbert completed 20.30 passes for 296 yards in the contest.
Dallas held the Vikings' running game to just 30 yards on 10 carries.

Greg Zuerlein connected on five field goals in five tries for America's Team.

Green Bay 31 New York (N) 3                 79 0-5
Packers score 31 unanswered points in the first half to cruise to the win. All-Rookie Bijan Robinson rushes for 94 yards and two touchdowns.

Los Angeles (N) 42 Tennessee 24             86 0-5
The Titans sieve defense gives up over 40 points for the second straight game. Trevor Lawrence is stellar for the Rams with 4 TD passes and 43 yards rushing including a crucial 27 run.

Tampa Bay 16 Philadelphia 24                86 10-20
In one of the strangest beginnings in IFL history, the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Tampa Bucs 24-16.
The game began with both teams showing their muscle on defense. After an exchange of punts, Tampa began to move the ball only to be stopped by the Eagle 11. On the ensuing punt, Eagle returner Xavier Gipson fumbles the ball at the Eagle 34-yard line. After a mad scramble for the ball, Eagle DB Derion Kendrick scooped up the ball and raced 66 yards to put the Eagles up 7-0. Both coaches were dumbfounded at the result and went to the rulebook to make sure the fumbled punt could be returned. The TD stood up! It was a strange beginning that would give momentum to the Eagles.

After a Tampa FG early in the 2nd quarter, the Eagles would extend their lead to 14-3 on WR Jayden Reed's jet sweep. That would be how the 1st half would end.

The Eagles would take the 2nd half kickoff and put up 3. 17-3 Eagles. On Tampa's first possession of the 2nd half, player of the game, Derion Kendrick would intercept a Derek Carr pass and returned it to the Bucs 40-yard line. 3 plays later Eagle QB Nick Mullens would hit HB Chigoziem Okonkwo on a 36-yard fly pattern and put the Eagles up 24-3.

The Bucs would make a furious comeback but ultimately fell short. With the win, the Eagles start the season 2-0 despite going with a 3-headed QB of Stat Pack Malik Willis, Nick Mullens, and Ryan Tannehill. Will this continue? Only time will tell.

Kansas City 34 Indianapolis 19              69 Calm
Justin Fields throws three touchdown passes to lead the Chiefs past Indy.

Jacksonville 40 San Francisco 28            84 15-25
Josh Allen throws four touchdown passes as the Jaguars defeat San Francisco on the road.

Baltimore 33 Atlanta 34                     68 Calm
A Week 2 matchups between two teams with a lot of talent and hype coming into the season. The Falcons were under the radar a bit coming into last season and ended up falling a game short... while the Ravens have been re-tooled and finally mostly healthy.

Thanks to Don for subbing this one as Scott has some technical delays this week.

This game was played at home for the Falcons and they started with the ball:

1st Quarter:

Hurts would hit Gabe Davis for a 30 yard TD as Kupp and Ertz were doubled leaving one on one coverage for Davis. ATL 7 BAL 0

Baltimore would set the tone for the game early by running 7 straight times down the field for a quick TD to answer. ATL 7 BAL 7

Atlanta would shoot themselves in the foot with a few penalties and punt it to Baltimore who got the throwing game going with 5 straight completions capped off by a 17 yard TD run and was looking unstoppable. BAL 14 ATL 7

2nd Quarter:

Atlanta would answer back with a drive of their own and on 3rd and 4 from the Baltimore 9, Hurts took off and scrambled for a TD to tie it up BAL 14 ATL 14

After Baltimore was forced to punt after a holding penalty, ATL took the ball with 7:30 to go, and led a drive into Baltimore territory, Don had some calls spot on... however Coach Alberry was bailed out on a 2nd and 7 when Hurts' target was double covered so Hurts scrambled in for another TD to put ATL up 21-14 with 1:17 seconds left.

Rookie CB Joey Porter JR not proving his worth today as Mims JR, rated a 2, burns him deep on back to back plays for a total of 58 yards, and Atlanta, lucky to hold to a FG before the half ends. Halftime score: ATL 21, BAL 17

3rd Quarter:

The Atlanta defense looked to be settling in as the Ravens were stopped on 3rd down, Atlanta would then take the ball and drive into Ravens territory but Hurts was sacked twice and a holding penalty made it 3rd and 24, which the Falcons just ran and took the FG. This was a 9 minute drive and took up most of the 3rd quarter. ATL 24- BAL 17

4th Quarter:

Two back to back 20+ yard runs by Williams would demoralize the Atlanta sidelines as one went for a TD and Baltimore took 5 plays to score another TD to tie the game with 14 minutes left in the game. ATL 24- BAL 24.

Two perfect calls by Don would stop the Falcons drive to a FG with 9 minutes left with a 4th and 2. ATL 27- BAL 24

The Falcons defense continued their sleepy slumber into the season giving up a 7 minute drive in which the Ravens ran for 60 yards and set up the tying FG with 1:17 left in the game. ATL 27 BAL 27

Now Atlanta had lost two challenges coming into this final drive, a costly mistake by Coach Alberry since it only gave them 1 TO left. However, young QB with playoff experience led the Falcons drive. A crucial moment came with 8 seconds left and 1 TO still... Coach Alberry chose to go for it by throwing long.... it fell incomplete with 1 second left. He could have maybe thrown a shorter pass and called a time out, but the elected to go long... he tried again and Hurts was picked! But no return... we head into overtime...

Overtime:

Baltimore received the Ball first in overtime and Odigizuwa for the Falcons started it off with an offsides penalty. Baker Mayfield had a great game and dumped and hit some targets to get near the redzone... Williams for the Ravens ran for 12 yards to get them close... Coach Alberry decided to play the run and Don and Mayfield made him pay with a cross to Thielen for the score. Odigizuwa remembering the offsides that was a crucial call in the game decided to step up and block the XP! BAL 33 ATL 27

Pressure on Hurts to respond, game on the line and they need a TD... On 3rd and 8... Hurts would find Melton for a 10 yard reception... on 4th and 6... Melton again for a 14 yard catch, a few catches later on 3rd and 1 from the 24... Aaron Donald with a clutch sack! But no! Home cooking... he was offsides... first down for the Falcons. Hurts would hit Christian Watson for 13 yards... and then his specialty... scrambled in from 6 yards and the Falcons would make the XP and escape with a 1 point victory.

ATL 34, BAL 33

Don subbed for this game and coached an amazing game... I got really lucky and didn't deserve to win this one.

Williams ran 18 times for 172 and 2 TD, also Mayfield had a 107 QBR. Hurts was the MVP with a QBR of 88... went 24/36 for 282 but scrambled for 3 TDs in the victory.

ATL travels to division rival SF next week as Baltimore hosts a division rival of their own in Josh Allen and the Jags.

Rushing Leaders
Williams,K(Bal) 18-172 2 TD
Montgomery(KC) 14-130 1 TD
Hall,B(LV)      14-127 1 TD
McCaffrey(Den) 20-124 1 TD
Mitchell(Jax)   10-110 1 TD
Taylor(Car)     12-102 1 TD
Hurts(Atl)      10-42 3 TD

Receiving Leaders
Lamb(LAR)       10-117 1 TD
Chase(Ind)      10- 99 1 TD
Smith-Njig(Det) 7- 68 3 TD
Metcalf(Jax)     3- 53 3 TD

Passing Leaders
Lawrence(LAR)   30-23-358   4 TD 1 Int
Stroud(Min)     48-31-289   3 TD
Allen,J(Jax)    16-12-217   4 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Week

Defensive Standouts
Lawrence(Pit)    3 Sk 4 Tk – IFL Defensive Player of the Week
McKinney(Ari)    1 Int 15 Tk
Chubb(Sea)       3 Sk 7 Tk
Hooker(Jax)      15 Tk

Special Teams
Fairbairn(Cin) 5-5 FG
Zuerlein(Dal) 5-5 FG – IFL Special Teams Player of the Week

IFL WEEK 2 STANDINGS

IFL WEEK 2 LEAGUE LEADERS

WEEK 1 RECAP

Eagles QB Nick Mullens reacts to Rachaad White's game winning touchdown.

Game Scores
Houston 31 Philadelphia 35                  77 10-20
In an exciting back-and-forth game, the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Houston Texans 35-31.

The game began with the Texans taking command behind the arm of QB Kurt Cousins, the running of RB Joe Mixon, and the receiving of WR's Godwin, McLaren, and TE McBride. The lead was 14 before the Eagle faithful got comfortable in their seats. However, the Eagles would fight back in the latter half of the 1st quarter behind the arm of stat-pack QB Malik Willis, the running of RB Rashaad White, and the receiving of London, Reed, and Okonkwo. At the end of the quarter, it was knotted at 14.

The Texans dominated the 2nd quarter as they used a lot of clock, kept the Eagles at bay, and added 10 points before the half was over to take a 24-14 lead into the locker room.

Both teams changed QB's at halftime. The Texans wanted to protect QB Cousins as much as possible and the Eagles decided to go with QB Nick Mullens to see if he could ignite the offense. The move by the Eagle brass worked as Mullens would throw a TD to RB White and close the gap to 24-21 at the end of the 3rd

This would lead to Cousins being inserted back into the game in the 4th to re-establish the Texans offense. After another Eagle TD by RB White put the Eagles up 28-24, Cousins would lead the Texans on a long methodical drive that would culminate in a Cousins to Godwin TD with 44 seconds left in the game and the Eagles owning only 1 timeout. Texans up 31-28. With time running out, the Eagles would go to the air with Mullens. On the very first play from scrimmage, The Texans brought a blitz. Mullens was rushed hard and decided to dump the pass to White in the backfield. Somehow, White was able to romp 75 yards for the go-ahead score! The Eagle crowd went nuts! The Texans tried to get close but could only get to midfield. Eagles win their home opener 35-31

That was a tough one for Nino and his Texan team to lose. The Eagles in the meantime will see if this is a fluke or the beginning of a special season. Only time will tell.

Detroit 7 Green Bay 35                      76 Calm
Packers took on the NFC Central division champion Lions to kick off the IFL season.

After 50 cent got the Lambeau field fired up with a short pregame concert, we were set to roll

Green Bay won the opening toss but chose to defer. After the first Detroit drive stalled out around midfield the Packers offense started on their own 12 . Darren Waller got things going, taking a Brock Purdy slant 26 yards. Rookie RB Bijan Robinson then had a couple of nice runs sandwiched in between a pair of Lions penalties.Facing 3rd and 11 from the Detroit 20, Purdy somehow got the ball to a double teamed Elijah Moore who made a spectacular grab for the TD.

After teams then exchanged punts, Deshawn Watson threw an untimely pick to Brandon Stephens in his own end of the field. Two plays later Purdy found Waller from 10 yards out to make it 14-0 Green Bay after the 1st.

As Watson continued to struggle, Purdy was dialed in, hitting Tank Dell for a pair of second quarter TD's 28-0 at the half.

The lone highlight for the visitors didn't come until late in the 3rd when Josh Jacobs broke free for an 89 yard touchdown to give Detroit a sliver of hope.28-7

A 6-play, 63-yard Packer TD drive, capped off by a Bijan Robinson 12 yard TD reception, midway through the 4th put the game out of reach. Final score 35-7

Brock Purdy was named MVP 22/33, 260 yards, 5 TDs
Josh Jacobs paced the Lions with 26 carries for 136 yards and a TD

Thanks to Don for staying up late to get this one in. Packers got a lot to hometown calls coupled with an off night for QB Watson.

Denver 31 Las Vegas 41                      89 0-10 Rain
The Raiders get off to a fast start in the season with a 41-31 victory over their division rivals from Denver.
The game featured 664 yards of offense as neither team could stop the opponent passing game.
The raiders Stafford passed for 473 yards and 5 TD's while Denver's Geno Smith threw for 367 and 4 TD's.
Jason coached a great game. On to the practice field to work on our pass defense!!!

Carolina 17 New Orleans 35                  70 Calm
The Saints open at home and get a big division win over Carolina. The Saints offense would be potent scoring Td's on their first 5 drives. Tua would have a solid debut as a Saint going 14-19 and 219 yards and a TD. 4 different RB's would rush for Td's on the day for New Orleans. Carolina would never give up and put together a few very solid drives led by RB Jonathan Taylor, who would rush for 105 yards and a TD on the afternoon.

New York (N) 14 Arizona 31                  89 Calm
Mahomes gets off to a good start leading Cardinals to opening season win. Daniel Jones was haunted all game by the Zona D. Mahomes spread the ball around giving everyone on offense a chance to make plays and they did.

New England 35 Miami 3                      77 0-5   Rain
New England picks up where they left off by coming into Miami and thrashing the Dolphins 35-3 on a rainy day in Miami. Goff throws a interception on his first drive and it led to the Patriots 1st early TD after the Dolphins had held the Pats on their opening drive and forced a punt, many consider that the Dolphins highlight of the game. Thanks to coach Kevin for hitting cruise control in the 2nd half. The Dolphins will try and regroup for week 2 as they host Denver and the Patriots get their first home tilt hosting the Chargers.

Minnesota 23 Chicago 20                     59 20-30
Vikes win on a last-minute FG & Sam Howells 28 QB rating.

Los Angeles (A) 10 Kansas City 20           73 15-25
The Chiefs have over a 17 minute time-of-possession advantage that allows them to hold off the Chargers in a tight game.

Indianapolis 9 Tampa Bay 17                 98 5-15
The Buccaneers win their season opener at home versus the Colts by a score of 17 to 9, despite their QB Derek Carr tossing 3 interceptions.
Tampa Bay held Indianapolis to 13 first downs and 189 yards of total offense. Offensive weapons QB Joe Burrow (61.1 QBR), WR Ja’Marr Chase (41 yards), WR Puka Nacua (58 yards), and RB D’Andre Swift (24 yards) were not effective.
On the Tampa side, WR Hollywood Brown hauled in 120 yards of passes and scored from 49 yards out on the game’s only big play.
Next week Indy hosts KC while Tampa travels to Philly.

Cincinnati 13 Pittsburgh 20                 74 5-15
Opening night in Pittsburgh and the terrible towels are out as the rival Cincinnati Bengals come to town for the opener.

The Bengals finished last year 10-7 good a for a wild card spot but lost in the first round of the playoffs to division rivals Tennessee Titans. As for the Steelers they ended 7-10 and out of the playoffs which also marked the end of hall of Fame QB Tom Brady's career as the Steelers have to turn to some unproven QB in 2024.

The Bengals Jalen Ramsey picks off said new QB Jake Browning on the Steelers first possession but the D holds and the Bengals settle for a Fairbair 32 yard FG and a 3-0 lead just 4 minutes into the game. Browning shakes off the pick and drives the team down the field on the next drive and Javonte Williams runs it in from 13 yards out making it 7-3 just 3 minutes later. Browning then connects with Jefferson from 10 yards out early in the 2nd making it 14-3. Bass makes it 17-3 with a 21 yard FG with 3 minutes left in the half. The Bengals offense was not good in the 1st half only gaining 23 yards.

But the second half was a different story as Coach Storer must have had some choice words for his offense at the half. Love connects with Diante Johnson from 23 yards out making it 17-13 with 5 minutes left in the 3rd. The Steelers offense was bogged down in the 2nd half but managed to put a drive together late in the 3rd to allow Bass to kick one threw from 26 yards out 20-13 heading into the 4th.

The Bengals offense really controlled most of the second half as far as possession time is concerned. A 15 play 7:10 drive that gained them 53 yards comes up short as they are stopped on 4th and 6 from the Steelers 22 yard line with 2 minutes left in the game. Christian Wilkins picked up his 2nd sack of the game to seal the home opening victory for Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh had 5 sacks in all as the defense played a very good game holding the Bengals to 4-16 on 3rd downs. Pittsburghs offense runs 37 times for 173 yards.

Final Pittsburgh 20 Cincinnati 13

Both teams come out of the game with no injuries. Next week the Bengals are at home to take on the 1-0 New Orleans Saints while the Steelers continue at home vs the 0-1 Carolina Panthers.

Buffalo 37 New York (A) 37                  81 5-15
Buffalo came to New Jersey to play the Jets in week one of the IFL season.

The Jets started a rookie QB, Anthony Richardson, a rookie RB, Spears, and a rookie WR, Flowers.
They all had good games for the Jets starting with the first drive. Richardson went 3-3 on the drive
for 34 yards, and a TD. Spears had 2 runs for 29 yards, and things looked good for the Jets.

At the half the Jets were up 17-9, but the second half turned into a shootout. The Jets went up 24-9, but the Bills scored the next 10 to make it 24-19. The Jets responded with 10 in a row to go up 34-19 with 7 minutes to go in the game. That's when the Jets defense caved in and gave up two big plays, and a 2 point conversion that sent the game into OT. Murray hit Valdes-Scantling for a 24 yard TD with 24 seconds to play.

The Jets bounced back in OT, and took the ball down the field eating up 6 minutes, but after losing Richardson to injury, Winston came in and took a 12 yard sack to end the drive, and the Jets settled for a FG.

Once again Murray moved the Bills down the field, but the Jets held, and forced the Bills to attempt a 58 yard FG, and of course Elliott hits it with 34 seconds remaining in OT. It was his second 58 yard FG of the game, to go with 2 48 yard FGs...he ended up with 17 points.

For the Jets Richardson was 21-26 for 3 TDs, and 236 yards. He also ran for 77 yards on 8 carries. Spears had 102 yards in 16 attempts with 1 TD.
Flowers had 10 receptions for 110 yards, and 1 TD. Unfortunately, Richardson was injured in OT, and is out for the next 13 games.

The Bills saw Murray go 32-49 for 316 yards with 3 TDs, and 1 interception. Etienne ran 15 times for 88 yards, and caught a 51 yard TD pass.
LaPorta had 7 receptions for 75 yards and a TD, but Elliott was the player of the game with two 58 yard field goals.

Tennessee 17 Jacksonville 43                87 5-15
The Jags open up the season with a 43-17 win over the rival Titans. The game was much closer than the final score indicated as the Titans defense humbled Josh Allen with three second quarter interceptions that led to 17 Tennessee points. It remained a close game until the 4th when the Jags behind the running of Kenton Mitchell exploded for 22 unanswered points.

Jimmy G outplayed Josh Allen for much of the game.

Baltimore 34 San Francisco 14               65 0-10
The Ravens dominated all aspects of the game. Mayfield threw for 2 TDs to Thielin and Kyren Williams rushed for 125 yds and 2 TDs. The Ravens defense had 6 sacks and forced 2 Interceptions. Ravens 34 49ers 14

Atlanta 20 Los Angeles (N) 19               74 Calm
Falcons convert a key third and short to secure the win in LA.

Dallas 14 Seattle 26                        69 0-10 Heavy Rain
Dallas takes a 14-10 lead into halftime but Seattle wakes up in the second half and scores 16 unanswered.

Rushing Leaders
Jacobs(Det)     20-136 1 TD
Williams,K(Bal) 25-125 2 TD
Achane(LAR)     19-121
Taylor(Car)     16-105 1 TD
Mostert(Atl)    12-104
Barkley(Ari)    18-104 1 TD
Spears(NYJ)     16-102 1 TD

Receiving Leaders
Moore(LV)        8-157 1 TD
Thielen(Bal)    10-141 2 TD
Andrews(NYJ)    11-133 2 TD
Flowers(NYJ)    10-110 1 TD
Elliott(Min)    10- 94
Godwin(Hou)     12- 94 2 TD

Passing Leaders
Stafford(LV)    53-30-473   5 TD 1 Int
Smith,G(Den)    49-26-367   4 TD
Allen,J(Jax)    30-19-330   2 TD 3 Int
Murray(Buf)     49-32-316   3 TD 1 Int
Mahomes(Ari)    39-24-300   2 TD 2 Int
Cousins(Hou)    41-32-283   4 TD 1 Int
Jackson(NE)     16-14-275   4 TD
Purdy(GB)       33-22-260   5 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Week

Defensive Standouts
McCloud(NYG)     2 Int 9 Tk
Adebo(Min)       2 Int 9 Tk – IFL Defensive Player of the Week
Winfield(Dal)    1 Int 18 Tk

Special Teams
Elliott(Buf)   5-5 FG – IFL Special Teams Player of the Week
Santos(Sea)    4-4 FG

IFL WEEK 1 STANDINGS

IFL WEEK 1 LEAGUE LEADERS

A MOCK DONE RIGHT! MEL'S ANNUAL MOCK DRAFT.

Well listen I am so glad to be back to analyze the IFL draft and thank Commissioner John for inviting me back.

I love talking rookie QBs every year before we do our mock draft, and this year is no different.

CJ Stroud - The rookie out of Ohio St is far and away the clear cut #1 pick in this year's draft. How good was he? He is the 5th rookie to throw for 4000 Yards only the 2nd one to do it in 15 games (Herbert 2020). Most passing TD for a Texans Rookie and his 470 yard passing game is a rookie record. Houston is not sitting back as they swung a big trade to add WR Stephen Diggs to an already pretty good receiving core.

Bryce Young - Sorta the opposite just a horrible campaign but to his credit the coach is fired halfway through the season and his weapons were severely limited as Adam Theilen was his most prolific target. But hey things can only go up right? New head coach Dave Canales who helped mentor Baker Mayfield to a successful season last year as his OC and also guide Geno Smith before that to his pro bowl season in 2022. They also added better weapons 1st rd WR Xavier Legette and a trade for WR Diantae Johnson, also interior line upgrades give hope that Young will have a chance to live up to his pre-draft hype.

Anthony Richardson - What a shame he only lasted 4 games. An obvious uber athletic QB with what many consider to be an elite head coach and play caller in Shane Steichen who as an offensive coordinator who elevated Jalen Hurts in Philly and as a 1st time head coach after Richardson was injured was within 1 incomplete pass of having Gardner Minshew led them to the playoffs. So, who will roll the dice on a QB with huge upside and athleticism a great coach, but he has limited experience in both college and now the pros.

Will Levis - a 2nd rounder that has been handed the keys to the franchise after Ryan Tannehill was shown the door. He played 9 games and showed glimpses of being a franchise QB with a big arm. But he too has a new coach an unproven head coach in Brian Callahan who was the OC with the Bengals for 4 years and helped develop Joe Burrow. Callahan also brought in his father Bill Callahan a respected O-line guru. The Titans added a JC Latham in the 1st round to protect Levis's blind side and signed WR Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd to give him an additional weapon. Time will tell if Levis is the guy, but he will be given every opportunity to succeed as 2nd year GM Ran Carthon is the one who drafted him.

All right let's get to the draft and see where these QB end up

1.1   Minnesota   Not much to say Trey Lance is the only QB on the roster. Pick QB CJ Stroud

1.2   Dallas   Coach Hart is in a tough spot, heard news from the Dallas camp they would be willing to trade down the reason? They need to protect Herbert and O-Line is a big need area. the top players on the board do not necessarily match a need as Dallas has a solid or better D-Line and CB rooms. The WR room is in pretty good shape also with Deebo Samuels and George Pickens plus Romeo Doubs. You know where they could use a big upgrade, and this is a special player and you know I hate picking them in the 1st round much less at #2 but Cowboys top 2 RB ave under 4.0 YPC behind this O-line it will be worse. Let's go get a guy who averages 4.6 YPC adds big balance to a team that has all those WR and TE Goedert plus give Herbert a screen guy to help slow down the pass rush. They have a boatload of RB in Dallas but no one like this guy. I would also be looking to move some of the extra RB's for picks this year. Pick RB Bijan Robinson

1.3   Indianapolis The Colts picked OT Braxton Jones last year in the 1st round and he played fine in his rookie but missed 6 games with an injury. This is yet another team that needs more OL help but none available this early in the draft this year. Their DL and CB situation is in a little better shape than the WR room after Jamar Chase. Burrows and Chase and Puka this is the start of something nice on offense if Burrow can stay healthy and it will eliminate teams from doubling Chase. Pick WR Puka Nacua

1.4  Houston The Texans started rebuilding their front 7 last year with 9th pick in the draft DE-OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux and need to continue to do so . Obvious choice is between Will Anderson and Jalen Carter both super talented. But going to go with the bigger player. Pick DL Jalen Carter

1.5 Philadelphia Interesting situation in Philly. They obviously need a QB but does Coach Mason like one enough to forgo the talent that is sitting in front of him on the defensive side of the ball with both Edge Will Anderson and CB Devon Witherspoon available. Tannehill who appears to be out of a job this year and career backup Nick Mullins are the top 2 QB on the roster. They have a lot of young corners but at this point in their career are all average players. I think they upgrade this position and with another pick left in the 1st round (#16) to address other needs take the best outside CB in the draft.
Pick CB Devon Witherspoon

1.6 NY Jets . J-E-T-S jets jets jets they make a big off-season move trading Amon-ra St Brown (WR) and New York (A) 2.07 to the RAVENS for Mark Andrews and Baltimore 1.09. This gives them 2 top 10 picks and one will be a QB and by picking 9th guarantees them 1 of the 3 rookies still on the board with the way this board has fallen. They took Kenny Picket with the 12th pick last year and traded him for a 3rd this off-season not really the plan. Now this puts them in a tough spot because Will Anderson is sitting here but they have basically zero WR's (1 to be exact) and Jameis Winston as their only QB. I am positive the plan was to get a QB and WR with these 2 picks but how in the world do you pass up Will Anderson. I believe they will end up taking the best QB on their board and hope he has a great turnaround season with the new coaching staff and weapons in place.
Pick QB Bryce Young

1.7 Carolina - The Panthers did not expect the board to drop this way. They would have probable taken a QB in this spot with Russell Wilson on the back 9 of his career. However, their DL has a bunch of average to below average veterans and when building a team sometimes you just have to take the best player and at this point the best player is fairly obvious as their defensive rebuild continues after taken CB Woolen with the 6th pick last year. Pick DE Will Anderson

1.8 Tampa Bay - The Bucs need a RB and multiple WR's as Marquise Brown is their only legitimate threat outside and they have Hunter Henry as their TE. But they need a cowbell RB they only have Cordarrell Paterson on their roster with 50 carries. In this draft there are only 2 RB that have over 180 carries. Leaving one for the Bucs so unless they want to draft multiple RB's in early rounds in this draft, they might want to consider one here before they are all gone. TB did make a trade moving Davante Adams (WR) and Demario Davis (LB) to the SEAHAWKS for Seattle 1.22 and Seattle 2.22.So they have multiple 1st and 2nd rd picks to address their other needs. Pick RB Jamar Gibbs

1.9 NY Jets - Listen this could not have fallen better for the Jets. Other than having to pass on a premier pass rusher to get their QB of the future now they take the 2nd best WR in the draft. Pick WR Zay Flowers

1.10 Pittsburgh - The Tom Brady era is now over with his retirement. Now the Steelers need to reboot the position with zero QB on the roster. The Choice Will Levis or Anthony Richardson. I say they bet on the very athletic QB with huge upside with a coach with a proven record of helping mobile QB succeed in this league. Pick QB Anthony Richardson

1.11 Buffalo - Some talented players to choose from for the Bills who do seem set at QB with Kyler Murray so I don't suspect they will be using this pick at that position. The players to pick from I believe comes down to which WR do you like Rice or Addison. Could you fortify the D-Line with 3rd round rookie sensation DL Kobie Turner or does TE Tyler Conklin with 61 catches stop you from picking Sam Laporta whom in his first year looks like a hall of fame type player. Darius Slayton and Johan Dotson are the 2 notable receivers with the Bills and because they have no receiver behind them of note I would lean toward the receiver that fits in the slot nicely for them . Pick WR Rashee Rice

1.12 NY Giants - The G-MEN . But really how comfortable do you feel with Daniel Jones as your QB. Here is the thing with NY they could pick Levis or they have a great need in the WR room behind Waddle, no one with more than 25 catches, Their D-Line could use an infusion of youth with 3 of the 4 players in their 30's and all just average at best players and their CB room has 1 low end starter and a career backup for a total of 2 CB on the roster. So, I believe with some many positions to cover they will ride with Jones and hope he reverts back to the promise he showed 2 years when he received the big payday. So that leaves a choice of DL Turner or WR's that could include Addison -Downs or Tank Dell. But the best player on the board is a DB to me and this is a dire need for the Giants. Pick DB Brian Branch

1.13 Green Bay - They have Brock Purdy in place as a franchise QB a great trade up by Coach Connors who moved up to the 7th pick last year and snagged the young signal caller when the jury was still out. Now they need to get him some weapons as they are very thin at WR with Elijah Moore being their leading receiver at 59 catches no one else over 20. They do have Darren Waller as a TE who played 12 games with some effectiveness but is retiring after the season. So, for another team it's a WR they like or Laporta. I believe they will take the receiver that looked to be the 2nd best rookie receiver until he was injured. Pick WR Tank Dell

1.14 Kansas City -  The Chiefs have Justin Fields so they have a starter for this year and since Levis dropped could make him the pick to ensure they have a starter next year. They have Kittles as their TE so I don't see them taking LaPorta, and they are short in the WR room with Josh Reynolds leading the room with 40 catches and Kendrick Bourne had 37 catches but only played 8 games. The D -Line is in need of a major upgrade. In the last 3 drafts the Chiefs have gone O-Line 2 times I think they go D-line this year.
Pick DL Kobie Turner

1.15 San Francisco - What a dream draft this would be for the 49ers who traded a 3rd rounder to get Kenny Pickett and have Mac Jones on the roster. Both players are destined to back-up at this point and time in their career and when the trade for Pickett was made it was probable just to get them through the year but what do you know Will Levis is still on the board. They will begin making calls to move one of their QB right after this pick. Pick QB Will Levis

1.16 Philadelphia - Well Levis almost got to them for their 2nd pick of the 1st round, but they just missed. I think they will be very happy that a top WR is still here. They traded 3 LB;s in the off season to obtain this pick trading Kaden Elliss (LB), Christian Elliss (LB), and Shaquil Barrett (OLB) to the RAIDERS for Las Vegas 1.16 and Las Vegas 3.16.Pick WR Jordan Addison

1.17 Detroit - I would love to find a spot for Laporta but the Lions have 2 TE's with over 50 catches one is 24 yr old Cole Kmet who had 73 grabs. They could defiantly use a QB as their franchise guy Deshaun Watson cannot stay on the field and when he is on the field looks to be a shell of himself after some lets say personal issues. However, no QB is worthy of this pick, so we move to the rest of the team which is pretty solid. The WR room needs some help with Jerry Jeudy leading the way however Michael Thomas played only 10 games and at this moment has no home to call his own next year. They will be picking a WR to help shore up the room.
Pick WR Jayden Reed

1.18 Chicago - Da Bears -Chicago needs offensive weapons as their defense is more than solid. Sam Laporta finds a home and adds a much needed target for this Sam Howell lead offense. Which coming into the draft is relying on WR Calvin Ridley to make all the plays. Pick TE Sam Laporta

1.19 Miami - The Dolphins have this pick and pick 1.24 thanks to an early off-season trade of Tua Tagovailoa (QB) to the Saints for Elgton Jenkins (OG), Jabrill Peppers (SA), and New Orleans 1.24.Miami needs are upgrades and to get younger at G-T . D-Line has a lot of bodies but most are average players.with Jonathan Greenard and his 12 sacks leading the group. The LB group is ok but Van Noy with his 9 sacks is 32 years old so another spot where an injection of youth would be welcomed. The CB room could also use an upgrade. With all that said and with another pick coming up and the way the board fell let's strengthen a strength. I would say hey what if I could put TE Jake Ferguson (71 grabs) WR's Chris Olive and Nico Collins and add this TE plus the two very good RB's on this team. Pretty scaring looking offense for Goff and company. Pick TE Dalton Kincaid

1.20 Cincinnati - The Bengals? what is the commish picking this high for? Had to go back to 2017 the last time they picked higher than 25th and that was 10th. Fortunately (well not for the rest of the lead) coach Storer looks like he hit on franchise QB Jordon Love a late 2nd round pick in 2021. The Bengals will need some help for WR Dionte Johnson and are in need of a center with no one on the roster capable of starting. The defense is in decent enough shape to concentrate their first pick on the offensive side. The pick in this spot should be a WR as a center here might be considered a reach  Pick WR Josh Downs

1.21 LA Rams - The Rams traded Kevin Dodson (OG) and Amani Hooker (SA) to the JAGUARS for Jacksonville 1.21 and Jacksonville 5.21 so they will have 2 of the next 3 picks. This is a solid football teams with not many glaring needs. The Rams should take a player that most believe has big upside to be a special player in this league and will be their best run defender as soon as he steps on the field. Pick DT Keeanu Benton

1.22 Tampa Bay - We spoke to the Bucs needs at pick 8. Pick WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba

1.23 LA Rams - Going with one of the most exciting prospects in the draft and with plenty of speed with a ridiculous 7.8 ypc with just over a 100 carriers to add to the RB committee in LA. Pick RB De'Von Achane

1.24 Miami - We spoke of their needs at pick 1.19 . There is a player still left that fits like a glove in between WR Olive and Collins and lets Robert Woods at this stage of his career be the 4th wide out. Pick WR DeMario Douglas

1.25 LA Chargers - The Chargers have two 2022 1st round QB's on their roster Zach Wilson and Davis Mills neither look to be the long term answer for the Bolts. However, all the QB in this draft are gone who have what looks to be a reasonable future as a franchise QB in the league most look like good backups or worse. RB is a dire need as all everything back Nick Chubb suffered a gruesome injury and only played 2 games. LA could use help everywhere throughout the roster. I think they address the interior O-Line with a choice of Avila,Skoronski and Sow. With all things being fairly equal I say they take the younger prospect. Pick OG Peter Skoronski

1.26 Denver - A 3rd WR or a TE would be just what the doctor ordered but with all the 1st rd WR taken in my opinion. I think they look at a TE with some great upside. The offense has a chance to be special with all-world back Christian McCaffery and Austin Ekler in the backfield a more than solid OL and Devonte Smith and Cortland Sutton as receivers. While the defense looks very solid the question is how far can Geno Smith take them.. Pick TE Luke Musgrave

1.27 Tennessee - Does Coach Brunskill think he has enough to compete for a division title this year? If so, he is going to need a QB to get the ball to Allen and Ayuk which would be someone who filled in for Burrow this year and played really well completing 70% of his passes. Or will they look to pick up a QB or 2 later in the draft with just Garoppolo on the roster who only played 7 games and appears his starting days are over. They could go ILB Pace who had a terrific and surprisingly so rookie year.Pick QB Jake Browning

1.28 Arizona - A really well rounded team with Mahomes leading the way. The problem they have is at WR and CB and not because they don't have talent but because these rooms were devastated by the injury bug. Christian Kirk, Josh Palmer and Mike Williams played a total of 25 games and while the CB room was slightly better their top 3 combined to miss 15 games just one injury and they lack the depth to compete. With all that said I think based on how the board fell and the type of talent left on the board along with the injuries to their top 2 tackles Wills Jr(whom some say could be a bust at the very least not the player he was projected to be) and Terron Armstead who is outstanding but only played 10 games and is 32 years old the Cardinals jump at the chance to infuse youth and a very talented tackle this late in the 1st round. Pick OT Paris Johnson

1.29 Atlanta - The Falcons made it to the big game behind the stellar play of QB Jalen Hurts. This off season they made a trade of Jarran Reed (DL), Demontae Kazee (SA), and Atlanta 3.29 to the PATRIOTS for Copper Kupp (WR). this shored up and added a veteran to the WR room who when he is on is one of the best in the game health is his only question at 30 years old. Although the Falcons would probably like to add more weapons for Hurts in my eyes there is simply not anyone left worthy of this pick. I would look on the other side of the ball. Listen TJ Watt is great, but it may be time the way the board fell to get some youth and some pass rushing help for TJ. Pick OLB  Byron Young

1.30 Carolina - In a big off season trade with the Champs the Panthers get the last of the first round picks. PATRIOTS trade Brandin Cooks (WR), Mike Geisicki (TE), Trevor Penning (OT), and New England 1.30 to the PANTHERS for Mike Evans (WR), Dalton Schultz (TE), Cornelius Lucas (OT), and Carolina 6.06.With this pick I see them filling a hole on the O-Line now they need a guard as they only have one but with the depth of the guard position in this draft I don't see them passing up a rock solid OT who should get better as he gains more experience . Pick OT Broderick Jones

Bucky Brooks mocks the 2024 IFL Draft!

NFL Draft analyst Bucky Brooks has agreed to share his expertise and mock the 2024 IFL draft.

Thank you, Mr. Commissioner; It's both a pleasure and a challenge to predict the selections of the 2024 IFL draft.

1. VIKINGS
There is no debate in what direction the Vikings will go with the number one overall selection. Minnesota made it abundantly clear quarterback C.J. Stroud would be the first selection of the IFL draft minutes after the IFL season ended. Stroud looks like a franchise changing player, something the Vikings desperately need.

2. COWBOYS
Originally, I thought the Cowboys would choose between one of the two promising defensive linemen, Will Anderson or Jalen Carter. However, Dallas went out and acquired veteran Leonard Williams to boast the defense. Could this open the door for the Cowboys to select surprising wide receiver Puka Nacu and his 105 receptions? I can’t believe NFL scouts are so bad that the second-best player in this class is a fifth round pick. I project Dallas to go defense and I think Will Anderson will be the selection.

3. COLTS
The rebuild in Indianapolis is coming along although not quite as fast as IFL Colt fans would like. There are still a few holes to fill and not having their franchise quarterback for a portion of next season won’t help. Still, Indy has a chance to upgrade their team. The Colts could take Nacu but they already have a number one wide out in Chase. The defensive line is workman like but Jalen Carter would provide a player the defense could be built around.

4. TEXANS
I am in contact with a lot of IFL scouts and talk around the league is that Houston wants one of Anderson or Carter. Like Mick Jagger crooned “You can’t always get what you want but if you try sometimes, you get what you need.” The Texans should be happy with shutdown corner Devon Witherspoon. Witherspoon along with Martin Emerson Jr. gives Houston a top-notch corner duo for future IFL seasons.

5. EAGLES
It’s not easy to find a franchise quarterback in the IFL. Last year’s draft saw four quarterbacks taken in the first 31 selections; only one has solid footing as a starter this coming season. Philly retained three quarterbacks prior to the draft but none give a lot of hope for the future. There is pressure on the Eagles front office to at least provide a glimpse of hope to a fan base that is not known for their patience. Philly management might as well throw the names of Bryce Young, Anthony Richardson, and Will Levis into a hat and draw one out. I pulled Bryce Young’s name out of my hat.

6. JETS
Here we go again, last year the Jets selected quarterback Kenny Pickett 12th overall and have already shipped him out of town. Thus New York continues their search for the next “Broadway” Joe. I think that ship sailed after the first pick. They could take Puka but would he catch 50 passes from a stat pack Jamis Winston? The Jets won’t be able to avoid the temptation of selecting Anthony Richardson. Can he stay healthy?

7. PANTHERS
Carolina has a quarterback even though Sean Payton doesn’t think so. Russell Wilson can’t help but benefit from a nine rated receiver, the Puca Nacu slide stops with the Panthers.

8. BUCCANEERS
One of the more successful IFL franchises in recent years suffered through a disappointing 2023 season. Tampa Bay selected running back Cam Akers 26th overall in 2021 but Akers has struggled to stay on the field and Bucs management decided not to retain his services for the 2024 IFL season. However, the stars seemed to align this draft as they have a chance to select Bijan Robinson. Normally running backs should not go in the top ten of the IFL draft but Robinson looks to be a special talent and its always good to add a special talent to an IFL roster.

9. JETS (from Baltimore)
The Jets are another team in need of electricity in their running back room. Jahmyr Gibbs averaged over five yards per carry and can catch the ball out of the backfield.

10. STEELERS
Tom Brady has officially retired from the IFL. While he didn’t bring a championship to the Steel City, he did give Pittsburgh a punchers chance in most of their IFL games. The Steelers do have the best receiver in the IFL with Justin Jefferson and perhaps he can elevate quarterback Will Levis. Levis is the last of the draft eligible quarterbacks available that is scheduled to start this fall. For that the fans of the “Terrible Towel” should be thankful.

11. BILLS
Another team that will not have their starting quarterback for a portion of the upcoming season, this won’t prevent Buffalo from upgrading their receiving core with Zay Flowers, if my draft board holds true.

12. GIANTS
New York’s current tight end situation leaves something to be desired. I really like Sam LaPorta and think he is a great fit for the G-Men.

13. PACKERS
Green Bay moved up to seventh overall and was able to select the only quarterback that worked out in last year’s IFL draft. The Pack will provide him with another weapon by selecting wide receiver Jordan Addison and his six-receiver rating.

14. CHIEFS
Another team with the opportunity to improve their receiving room with the selection of multi-dimensional Jayden Reed. Last year’s Kansas City offense was compared to 1971 Oklahoma with quarterback Justin Fields rushing for over 1,000 yards. Besides catching 64 passes Reed ran 11 jet sweeps and averaged over ten yards a pop.

15. 49ERS
San Francisco turns the tide back to defense and selects surprising defensive lineman Kobie Turner. Turner brings a four-pass rush rating and many IFL teams may be questioning how they could have passed on him this time next year.

16. EAGLES (from Las Vegas)
This decision will be a little easier decision for Philadelphia then pick number five was. The Eagles upgrade their defense with seven rated Brian Branch, who can play anywhere in the secondary.

17. LIONS
The Lions are taking the smart steady approach to building their IFL team. They will grab the best offensive lineman, Peter Skoronski at 17.

18. BEARS
To the surprise of the Chicago faithful, tight end Dalton Kincaid is still in the IFL Draft Green room.

19. DOLPHINS
Last season Miami ranked 30th (that is dead last) in defense but the Dolphins ranked sixth overall on offense and secured a playoff spot. The Fins hope to improve the defense and add a little beef to the defensive line with Keenau Benton.

20. BENGALS
Another team with a near empty running back room, Cincinnati could take electric De’Von Achane. However, in 18 previous IFL drafts the current Bengals front office has participated in they have never used their first round pick on a running back. I think Cincinnati continues that trend and will jump at the chance to draft a potential number one corner in Christian Gonzalez.

21. RAMS (from Jacksonville)
If the above trend holds, Los Angeles will select De’Von Achane. The Rams have a really nice roster and Achane could make a difference, especially in the postseason. Otherwise, defensive lineman Calijah Kancey would provide nice depth on the defensive front.

22. BUCCANEERS (from Seattle)
While Gonzalez could be in play here, I think Tampa Bay will go with an anchor like offensive tackle Darnell Wright.

23. RAMS
One pick later and Calijah Kancey is still on the board. Maybe you can have your cake and eat it too?

24. DOLPHINS (from New Orleans)
Miami continues to add to the other side of the ball with cornerback Joey Porter. Another Steeler at that!

25. CHARGERS
The Chargers are another team that could go running back but offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. seems to be a good value here.

26. BRONCOS
After returning to the postseason last year, the Broncos, once again seem to be in it to win it. Wide out Rashee Rice would be a nice catch here.

27. TITANS
Tennessee made it all the way to the AFC Championship game last year. While the wide receiver group is solid, Jackson Smith-Njigba fits what the Titans are all about.

28. CARDINALS
Another strong organization that has Super Bowl aspirations, offensive tackle Broderick Jones offers a slight upgrade this season and possibly a major upgrade in the future.

29. FALCONS
The NFC Champions hope for one more win this upcoming IFL season. The NFC West is going to be a knockout, drag out affair with the Rams and Saints. Safety might be an area that could be improved but unless the Falcons trade up, they won’t be able to upgrade there. Center Joe Tippmann does offer an upgrade though.

30. PANTHERS (from New England)
Carolina, with the final pick of the first round, take the proverbial best player available, which I deem as cornerback Deonte Banks.

IFL SUPER BOWL

The Patriots Lamar Jackson took MVP honors rushing and passing for a touchdown.

Falcons vs Patriots for all the marbles. Atlanta comes into the game having won 8 of their last 9, while the Patriots come into the game on an 18-game winning streak, with their only defeat of the year coming back in Week 1. Each team has their own dynamic force of nature at QB (Lamar vs Jalen), as well as dominant defenses. Who would come out on top?

Patriots get the ball first and Lamar Jackson wasted little time, as he connected with Tyreek Hill on a 25 yard catch and run against Patrick Surtain, out to the Atl 47 yard line. A short pass to Cooper Kupp and a 3-yard run by Derrick Henry moved the chains again, but the drive would sputter from there and Justin Tucker would come on for the 47-yard FG.  3-0 NE

Falcons would go 3 and out on their initial drive as Jalen Hurts would fail to connect with Zach Ertz and Rhamondre Stevenson.

On the next NE drive, Derrick Henry carried for two short runs before Lamar would connect with Brandin Cooks for 12 yards and a first down. On 3rd and 6 from the Atlanta 40, Jackson would find Kupp for 8 yards and a first down. Kupp for 21 yards on the next play had NE in the red zone, and then Jackson would find Kupp on a third consecutive pass play for an 11 yard TD, and NE had a 10-0 lead.

Feeling some pressure to get cooking, Jalen would start the next drive with a 19-yard run out to the Falcon 41. Facing a 3rd and 9 Hurts would connect with Christian Watson for 18 yards and a first down. Watson for 15 on the next play and the Falcons were at the NE 7. After Stevenson was stuffed on first down, Hurts would drop back to pass but would underthrow Gabe Davis and was picked off by Tyrann Mathieu in the end zone.

The game would move to the second quarter with Atlanta once again on the move. Hurts to Davis for 11 and then Ertz for 9 more, and the Falcons were inside the Patriot 40 yard line. The drive would stall however and Nick Folk would come out to attempt a 55 yarder - but Jeffrey Simmons would get a big paw up and block the kick, keeping the game at 10-0 NE.

Hurts was picked off again late in the 2nd quarter leading to a Patriot FG.
NE led 13-0 at the half.

A 34-yard run by Stevenson out of the locker room had Atlanta on the move. Hurts would hit Davis on the next play for 27 yards, and soon after would convert on a 3rd and 10 with a 14 yard run to paydirt. Just like that, Atlanta had cut the NE lead to 13-7.

Not to be outdone, Lamar would scramble for 27 yards on the Patriot's very first play of the half, to the Falcon 48. On 3rd and 5, Derrick Henry took the pitch and ran for 24 yards and a first down. Three plays later, Jackson would dash around left end for the 3 yard TD.  Patriots once again had a two score lead at 20-7, with eight minutes to play in the 3rd quarter.

New England's defense would take control of the game from there, as none of the next five Falcons possessions would result in any points, or even trips across midfield.
For the third time in four seasons, the Patriots would come out on top in the final game of the IFL season:  New England 20 Atlanta 7

Each team would have 17 first downs on the day, with New England out-gaining Atlanta 327-272 in total yards offense. The two Hurts interceptions were the only two turnovers on the day, while New England was flagged six times to Atlanta's two.

Derrick Henry ran for 101 yards on 20 carries, but it was Lamar Jackson who would walk away with MVP honors, throwing for one TD and running for a second. Cooper Kupp caught 7 balls for 100 yards to lead the NE passing attack.

For Atlanta, Hurts had his worst game of the year, completing just 18 of 41 pass attempts for 173 yards and 2INTs.

Congratulations to Paul, who led the Falcons to a very successful regular season and three wins against quality NFC opponents to get to the final game. While they came up a bit short, it doesn't diminish the accomplishment of making the Super Bowl in a league as strong as the IFL.

Best of luck to everyone in the upcoming off-season.

IFL CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS

FALCONS 25 CARDINALS 19

The Falcons Jalen Hurts earned game MVP honors with 2 TDs passing and 1 TD rushing.

The Arizona Cardinals and Atlanta Falcons were teams destined for each other the whole season. The Falcons got off to an 8-1 record thinking they would be the team to beat in the NFC, but they would be playing catchup to the Cardinals the whole year. The Cardinals ended the year 15-2 clinching home field for this classic matchup. Want star quarterback play? See Mahomes and Hurts. A game with unexpected events? Sure, a game with a comeback? Look no further. What about OT? Maybe..

1st Quarter:

Atlanta would defer and give Mahomes and Coach Jim Heaton the ball, they would drive in Atlanta territory and after a coach's challenge, go for it on 4th and inches... but were stuffed on the ATL 27. The Falcons would start out with a nice drive as well leading to a 47 yard FG by Folk... wait holding... back that up and this would push ATL out of FG range, so they would have to punt.

Big break for Atlanta as Mahomes would throw a pick on 3rd and 1, and Atlanta would take over on ARI 13 yard line. The Falcons couldn't convert from 2nd and 3, and were forced to kick a chip shot taking the lead 3-0.

2nd Quarter:

This game started as a defensive slugfest as neither team could get any traction, however Arizona was winning field position, and were able to setup a 32 yard FG to tie the game at 3 point a piece. Determined to get a failing running game going, the Falcons ran the ball 6 times in a row, which set up a Gabe Davis TD, with a blocked XP attempt. (ATL 9, ARI 3). Arizona runs a great play to Barkley who shakes free finally for 52 yards, but the ball gets punched out by Kerby Joseph and jumped on by Bland, saving potentially a TD. Atlanta was on a roll completing a few 3rd and longs, including a 3rd and 7 where Hurts let loose on a scramble for 26 yards, setting up a Watson TD catch with :43 left in the half. Falcons 16, Cards 3

3rd Quarter:

Atlanta would take the ball to start the 3rd, and knew they were facing a great coach, and quarterback knew they needed to keep the petal on the metal in order to secure the win. There was a 4th and 2 on the midfield, and Coach Alberry elects to punt the ball and play conservative. Rumor has it Dan Campbell threw his remote at the TV somewhere. Atlanta defense was still strong, forcing the Cards to punt.

Atlanta was on a roll, hitting Stevenson for a 25 yard pass, then on 3rd and 4 from midfield Hurts hit little used Tommy Tremble for a big 17 yard gain. We know why he is little used since he coughed the ball up on that play and Arizona took the ball, and all the momentum.

Mahomes would catch fire hitting long passes against the secondary, but the tired Atlanta D held strong in the redzone and Arizona was forced to kick a FG making it Falcons 16, Cards 6.

4th Quarter

Early in the 4th, on a 3rd and 2 on Arizona 28, Coach Alberry calls the tush push. Unfortunately for him, he doesn't have Kelce as his center, and Hurts is stonewalled forcing a 4th and 2. Coach Alberry kicks the FG to make it 19-6. with 14 minutes left. All they had to do was keep Mahomes in check, easy right? Wrong.

It was the 4th quarter after all, Mahomes would hit Palmer for a 32 yard TD in 3 minutes. Big call as Coach Heaton draws up a 2 pt conversion that would make it 19-14, but it is incomplete leaving the score 19-12.

Atlanta is barely able to move the ball gaining only 18 yards in 4 plays and forced to punt- they seem to be falling apart. After 1:30, the Cards would get the ball back with a chance to tie! Mahomes takes the ball with 9 minutes left, and it was the Mahomes and Palmer show. Palmer would catch 3 of 4 on the drive. Patrick Surtain had a chance to really take over the game- he jumped a pass route with 5 minutes left... but dropped the INT. The big play was when Mahomes hands the ball off to Strong JR (who?), for a huge 25 yard run against the exhausted Atlanta defense. On a 3rd and 8, and goal to go- 2 minutes left... Mahomes in the clutch... would drop back to pass, and everyone was covered, except Strong JR, would grab it and scamper for all 8 yards. With the XP would tie the game at 19 all!

The looks on the Falcons bench was totally dejected. They just gave up 13 points on drives that took the length of the field, while only gaining 18 yards themselves. Not to space, they only needed a FG to take the game. With 1:14, on 3rd and 3 Coach Alberry goes for a gamble and hands the ball off thinking they will catch Arizona off guard, but Coach Heaton is playing the run! Stuffs for a -4 yard loss! So they punt it away to Mahomes with 43 seconds and 3 timeouts... not good for the Falcons- looking like a collapse!

What a comeback for hero Mahomes- one more drive and they are SuperBowl bound! After a couple passes and a run by Mahomes- 22 seconds left and 3 timeouts at their own 41. About 20-25 yards for a FG to win the game! Next play, sack by the closer- Von Miller - loss of 12 saving the Falcons season as they would stop the Cardinals and the game would end at 19-19 tie.

Overtime:

No more sudden death rules in overtime... Atlanta would get the ball first and look to get their offense going which in the 4th Quarter collapse combined for a grand total of 21 yards. First play- run to Rhamondre Stevenson for -4 setting up a 2nd and 14. Hurts would go 4 wide and find Gabe Davis for 25 yards, big play. On 2nd and 10 from their own 46, Hurts would play action the run, but toss a pass to Nelson Agholor, who would break free with a big 45 yard run. On 1st and 9, Hurts would drop back but find no one- so he scrambled all the way to the end zone. XP comes to make it a 7 point lead... but no good! ATL 25, ARI 19

Arizona catches Atlanta playing for the pass in a Dime, and tries to run it with Barkley, but he was stuffed at the line on 2nd and 3rd down. On 4th and 4 Mahomes can't find Williams and the game is over. Atlanta 25- Arizona 19.

Coach Jim Heaton made some great calls- gutsy calls when it counted. He really stuck to his game plan to keep Stevenson and the run game in check. Unfortunately for him Mahomes had one of his worst games of the year, and the Falcons got a little bit of luck. Mahomes passer rating of 82.4 vs Hurts of 117.4 was the big difference. Great season by the Cards- really hard to go 14-2 and make it here. With Mahomes, every year is a Superbowl window- you never know what can happen next year.

Falcons fans are happy they won't be known for choking a 13 point lead in the 4th quarter and not making the Super Bowl.

Game MVP Hurts 24/35 for 329 with 2 passing TD and 1 rushing TD.

Atlanta is vegas heavy underdogs to face the Pats dynasty. Rematch from 2016 Super Bowl, different Coach for the Falcons. Coach Kolb has 4 Super Bowls to his name including 2 of the last 3, the younger Coach Alberry is in his 3rd year.

PATRIOTS 13 TITANS 6

The Patriots' Cooper Kupp's 13 yard first quarter TD reception was the only touchdown of this contest.

For the second consecutive week Lamar Jackson and the Patriot offense would sputter, mainly due to a Tennessee Titans D which had come to play, resulting in a tight football game for the right to advance to the IFL Super Bowl.

Jackson was picked off three times on the game, but a first quarter TD pass to Cooper Kupp did give NE an early 7-0 lead. Mason Crosby would hit field goals of 49 and 51 yards later in the first half to draw the Titans to within a point, 7-6.

With 2:30 remaining until halftime, NE engineered an 11-play drive which resulted in a Justin Tucker 45-yard field goal to extend the NE lead to 10-6. Those 3 points would not have been scored but for a fight on the field which ultimately resulted in the ejection of Tennessee's top CB Tyson Campbell, along with 15 critical yards - all with just 4 seconds to play in the half.

Matt Milano intercepted Jackson early in the second half, putting the Titans in position to cut the lead to 10-9 - but Patriot DT Jonathan Allen would get a big paw up to block the 33-yard Crosby FG attempt and the game remained 10-6 with six minutes to play in the 3rd quarter.

An 11-play 69 yard drive would eat more than 6 minutes of game clock as the contest transitioned into the final quarter. The Titans would stop NE inside their own 10 yard line, but Justin Tucker would hit the short field goal to extend the NE lead to seven points at 13-6.

After the next 2 possessions resulted in no points, Jimmy G began methodically moving the Titans out near midfield thanks to back-to-back 10-yard receptions by Allen and Hopkins, and a couple more short pass plays to Latavius Murray and then Hopkins once again. A 12-yard reception by Allen had the Titans at the NE 26 yard line, but Jonathan Allen would blow the entire drive up with a QB sack, resulting in a huge 15-yard loss and ultimately a Titan punt with 5:28 to play.

Lamar and the NE offense would not give the ball back to Tennessee......converting four first downs along the way before ultimately taking three knees to end the game.

Tennessee's QB combination of Jimmy Garappolo and Matt Ryan could manage a mere 102 passing yards on the day, as the NE defense somehow managed to contain the terrific WR trio of DeAndre Hopkins, Keenan Allen and Brandon Aiyuk. On the flipside, Tyreek Hill was held to only 4 catches for 54 yards for NE. Cooper Kupp was the star of the game, catching 11 passes for 103 yards and the only NE TD of the game. Tennessee was limited to only 8 first downs on the day, and while NE committed the only 3 turnovers in the game.........the NE defense managed to overcome them and lead the Patriots to the W.

Congratulations to Rick for a fine season and great coaching job in this one.

IFL DIVISIONAL ROUND

CARDINALS 21 RAMS 17

The Cardinals Patrick Mahomes threw 2 TD passes and ran for another as Arizona gets past the Rams.

The good thing about a father son game is the father has no pressure. He would prefer his son win the game anyway. It makes all of the bad Koch events much more enjoyable. In the Heaton family, Dad never wins. So in this game, Koch won, it is the only explanation.

Zona won the coin toss and decided to defer.

The Rams wasted no time flexing their offensive muscle as they earned first down after first down. The Rams would only need to convert one third down on their journey to the red zone. Seemed like every first down earned them another first down. Somehow, the Zona D finally remembered it was a playoff game and made a stand at their own 5 yard line to force a field goal. Rams 3 Zona 0

Finally, the Zona offense made their way to the field. However, Mahomes was too busy reading his press clippings on the team provided iPad while sitting on the bench. One poor run by Barkley and two incomplete passes from Mahomes quickly returned the ball to the Rams.

Both Ds took over the remainder of the first quarter forcing punts from each team except for the last play in the first quarter. Mahomes looked to throw downfield, but everyone was covered. He checked down to Barkley who found himself in the open field and scampered for 50 yards. Mahomes would finish off the drive in the early in the second quarter with a long strike to Williams for the TD to take a 7-3 lead.

Defense again, as both teams' offenses struggled. Mahomes would throw an interception on their second possession in the 2nd quarter. It gave the Rams excellent field position as they drove to the Zona 17 yard line. A failed 3rd down conversion resulted in a short field goal attempt. Enter Koch to give the Rams a fickle finger as Succop missed the chip shot.

Neither team could move the ball for the remainder of the half. Mahomes seemed to be unable to complete a pass for more than 1 yard. The Ram's D was on top of their game, but so was the Zona D.

As with most defensive struggles, at some point something breaks. And so, it did for the Zona D. Starting at their own 17 yard line, the Rams moved the ball all the way down the field to put up their first TD. Rams lead 10-7.

The one yard gains and one yard losses continued to plague the Arizona offense until near the end of the 3rd quarter. Late in the 3rd quarter, Kirk would breathe life into the offense as he converted a short slant pass into a 31yard gain. Mahomes would find Williams deep for another 23 yards and Zona was threatening. The quarter ended with the Rams leading 10-7, but Zona was deep in Rams territory. Koch would again step in and flag the Rams for pass interference as he tried to help dad out. On a Zona 3rd down 14 yards to go, Koch would say why not as he awarded Kirk a 15 yard gain for the first down. Two plays later Mahomes would scramble into the end zone when unable to find an open receiver. Zona leads 14-10.

The lead would be short lived as the Rams put together a long drive taking 7 precious minutes off the clock on their own TD drive. The key play to the drive was a 4th and inches conversion on the Zona 39 yard in a do or die decision.

Zona had 6 minutes to make something happen. On the first play of the drive, Mahomes gets sacked for 3 yards. Then he connects with Palmer for 12 yards bringing up a 3rd and one. Should be no problem for Barkley on third down, except it was. So it is 4th down with one yard to go in Zona territory. There is really no decision and dad knows Koch bet money on Zona to win this game. Presto, Barkley converts the 4th down. On the very next series Zona is faced with a 4th and 7 decision just prior to the two minute warning on their own 39 yard line. Since Zona has 12 men, it was an easy conversion. Zona would complete the drive for a winning TD with only 23 seconds left. The Rams got the ball back with 23 seconds of game time. It was just not enough time.

Zona advances.

FALCONS 30 SAINTS 24

Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for 170 yards as the Falcons advance past the Saints.

Calm weather in the dome in Atlanta, as the Atlanta Falcons prepared for a long time division rival to roll into town. New Orleans coached by Jim Rice has been hot lately, and not to be taken lightly in the playoffs due to his vast coaching experience.

Atlanta lost in the divisional round last year to Seattle, who New Orleans had taken out in the prior week. Hurts had come off of a shaky start vs Chicago where he fumbled a few times, and was hoping to reverse that trend.

1st Quarter:
Atlanta got the ball first and didn't waste any time, Rhamondre Stevenson foreshadowed events to come as he took off for a 49 yard run to set up Atlanta for a punch in from 3 yards out for Raheem Mostert. (7-0 ATL)

Atlanta's defense looked strong, and New Orleans defense perked up as each team traded punts. Until Jalen Hurts in his own territory threw a pass which was tipped and picked by Pitre, and returned for a pick 6. This was a huge swing in momentum, and shook the Atlanta players. (7-7 TIE)

2nd Quarter:

New Orleans was driving with Heinicke, until Surtain jumped a hitch route and picked them off around midfield. Coach Rice had a great defense scheme and adjustments as Atlanta actually went backwards and tried a 55 yard field goal that was no good.

The Saints then hit Jay Jones on a short crossing route that he took all the way to the house for a 43 yard TD.(NO 14- ATL 7)

Very first play from scrimmage Hurts threw a lollypop screen that was intercepted by the New Orleans defense giving them field position at the 26 yard line. On 3rd and 3 from the goal line, Heinicke finds Njoku for the TD to make in 21-7 Saints.

Hurts can't get it going for the Falcons as even the announcer is saying how off Hurts looks today, and that he "can't find it" which was not a good sign for the home team. As Hurts at this point had a passer rating of 10, and not looking himself, Coach Alberry decided to make a genius move, with 53 seconds left he trots out Cooper Rush to see if he can get some things going with the passing game and get some momentum before halftime... Rush threw one pass, and it was to the other team. NO would get a FG, but go up 24- 7 at halftime.

3rd Quarter:

The home crowd was stunned as in 20 minutes the Falcons gave up 24 points, and scored 0. New Orleans, looking to pile on and put this game way out of reach got the ball first. However, rising star DeRon Bland would pick off Heinike at midfield. Hurts went deep to Gabe Davis, but threw an awful throw, and Coach Rice was waiting for him... but a 23 yard pass interference call was the biggest play the Falcons had in a long time, and sparked a few complete passes from Hurts, and he hit Ertz for 13 yards for a TD. (24-14 NO up)

With a long way to go, the Falcons held on hope as New Orleans tried to answer, but on 2nd and 20 on their own 36, Heinike threw another pick to TJ Watt. Hurts, still not himself started to pick up the pace, converting a big 3rd a 4 with a 4 yard scramble before hitting Gabe Davis for a TD to close the gap with 1 minute left in the 3rd.. (NO 24- ATL 21)

4th Quarter:

Nervous time, 3 point game in the playoffs. Both defenses are holding strong, not allowing really the ball to move at all, trading punts. With 9:30 left in the 4th, the Falcons would get the ball, and Jalen Hurts would pull out some clutch plays. On a 3rd and 9 from their own 30, Hurts would scramble on a pass, even though there was a spy, he would get the first down to keep the drive alive. Then on another 3rd and 9 on the opposing 33, Hurts would find Nelson Agholor for 15 yards against a quarter defense, for the 1st down. Then he would find Donald Parham Jr for the TD with 3 minutes left in the game. Atlanta was up 3, but the XP was blocked by the pesky Saints defense. So the score would stand (ATL 27- NO 24)

The Saints came out now needing to throw, but unfortunately were stopped on 3 plays. With 1:54 left, Coach Rice opted to punt since he has all 3 timeouts on his own 30. First play from their own 21, the Falcons would hand it off to Stevenson, the Saints knew he was coming, and Coach Rice played the run, but Stevenson broke some tackles and ran for a 54 yard gain. The Falcons would run 3 more times, and hit a FG to make it 30-24 with N.O having no timeouts left.

The Saints couldn't pull it out and Atlanta help on for the victory.

This was a weird game with polarizing momentum swings. As a team, through 18 games the Falcons threw 5 interceptions, but we threw 3 in 15 minutes. Jim beat the pants off of us for a good 20-25 minutes and scored 24 points in a row. Then it was a swing in the other direction, where I rattled off 23 points in a row, and luckily just made it.

Jim had a great game plan, I guess in the end it came down to Jalen Hurts is better than Taylor Heinike. Heinike has a 61 passer rating and Hurts had a 77. Game MVP was Stevenson who ran 20 times for 170 yards. I'm sure Jim will come reloaded next year as he always is. Atlanta will make it to their first conference finals under the younger Alberry regime.

PATRIOTS 17 CHARGERS 16

Bradberry's pick six allows Patriots to escape with the win over the Chargers.

LA and New England hooked up for a chance to advance to the AFC Championship game. Patriots got on the board first after Lamar Jackson connected with Tyreek Hill for a 30 yard reception. Justin Tucker would nail a 49 yard field goal and NE was up 3-0.

A three and out for LA gave the Patriots the ball back at their own 37. After a couple Derrick Henry runs gained very little, Jackson connected twice with Kupp, once for 9 and again for 12 yards. A penalty slowed the drive however, and Tucker would come on to try a 58 yarder with a strong wind behind him, but he'd miss and LA would take over with good field position.

Davis Mills would open the next drive hot, hitting Garrett Wilson twice for 20 yards, and then Darnell Mooney for 6. The drive would stall out at the 32 and Chase McLaughlin came on for a 49 yarder, but Bobby Wagner would get a hand on it and the game remained 3-0 NE.

Starting at their own 42, Lamar would find Kupp twice, both times for 13 yards, before Henry would pick up 16 more yards on a couple carries. Kareem Hunt for 3 and then 4 and facing 3rd and 3 from the LA 6, Jackson dropped back and hit Kupp for the 6 yard TD. 10-0 Patriots.

The crowd was in a frenzy now, but Devin Duvernay would calm that nonsense down right away, taking the ensuing kick back 101 yards for a TD. Just like that, it was 10-7 with 12 minutes left until halftime.

Patriots would go 3 and out, and LA would take over. A personal foul by Carlos Dunlap gave LA 15 yards, and Davis Mills would hit Laviska Shenault for a 25 yard gain. Mclaughlin would nail a 29 yard field goal and the game was tied at 10 apiece.

NE would try to get their offense in gear, and Lamar would connect with Henry for an 11 yard gain, then with Brandin Cooks for another 11 yards. The drive would fizzle around midfield though, and LA would take over with 4:48 before the break.

A pair of punts and LA had it back once again with 1:43 before halftime. LA would start in NE territory though thanks to a 26 yard Marcus Jones punt return. Nick Chubb would bust loose for a 26 yard run, setting up another McLaughlin FG. 13-10 Chargers at halftime.

LA would get the first possession out of the locker room, but could do little and punted away. Patriots would put together a nine play drive eating close to 6 minutes of game clock, but facing a 4th and 4 at the LA 42 and into a strong wind, would punt it away. 6:58 to play in the 3rd and the Chargers would have the ball looking to extend their 13-10 lead..........

Davis Mills would complete 5 consecutive passes on the drive, while a Nick Chubb 10 yard run had LA across midfield, then Malik Davis came in and busted loose for 15 more yards. Heading to the 4th quarter, Chargers driving inside the NE 30 up by 3 points............

Mills to Wilson was incomplete, then Davis for 4 yards brought up 3rd and 6 from the NE 25. Mills would drop back to pass but was leveled by Justin Houston for a 12 yard loss, pushing LA out of FG range (20+ MPH wind in their face). NE would start their next drive at their own 17 yard line with 13:46 left in the game......

Kareem Hunt for 9, then 3 yards moved the chains. Lamar was stuffed for a 3 yard loss on a sweep outside but would then hit Kupp for an 8 yard gain. LA's defense held on 3rd and 5, and NE would punt it away.....

LA would start at their own 12 yard line with just over 10 minutes to play. Patriots had been keying on Chubb most of the day, so LA called pass and Mills dropped back and looked for Garrett Wilson on a slant but James Bradberry would jump the route...........intercepting the pass and racing 30 yards for the TD! Patriots had their first lead since midway in the 2nd quarter....17-13.

LA wouldn't wait long to respond. Chubb for 7 yards, then a huge 42 yard run on the next play.......and just like that it was first and ten from the NE 26. Mills to Shenault twice, once for 6 and then for 9, and LA had it at the NE 11. A reverse to Shenault lost yards, and a Bobby Wagner sack killed the LA momentum. McLaughlin would hit the FG and it was 17-16 with 4:40 to play.

NE would look to kill some clock, but the Chargers would have none of it. Kareem Hunt was stopped for 3 yards on first down, and then two incompletions and NE had to punt.

3:22 to play and starting from their own 35 yard line.........LA was stung immediately by a holding penalty. Facing first and 20 now, a short run lost a yard and it was 2nd and 21. NE jumped offsides giving LA 5 yards. 2nd and 16 and Mills scrambled for 6. 3rd and 10...............Mills looking for Wilson across the middle but it missed the target. Facing 4th and 10, Mills dropped back but was leveled by Dunlap. Turnover on downs.

NE would run the clock out, having narrowly escaped with a 17-16 victory.

Both defenses were terrific on the day, with neither team eclipsing more than 243 net yards of offense. NE was limited to one offensive score and one field goal, while LA made it to the redzone 3 times, but failed to score a TD in any of those trips. Lamar Jackson struggled but did just enough, completing 14 of 23 passes with the short first half TD to Kupp. Nick Chubb rushed for 87 yards on 14 carries, and Davis Mills did a great job of game-managing, until that critical pick-6 in the fourth quarter that turned the game completely around for the Patriots.

Great coaching by Jerry, who really deserved to win this one but caught a horrible break at the worst of moments.

NE advances, but just barely.

TITANS 27 BRONCOS 24

Matt Ryan's TD pass with just 25 seconds remaining allows the Titans to advance past the Broncos.

It was a game that went down to the wire.

Tennessee came into Denver where it was raining and 41 degrees at kickoff.

The defenses were the story early as neither team could get anything going as the 1st quarter was scoreless.
But with 9 minutes left in the 2nd quarter Denver would have to punt from their own 10 yard line.
The Titans PR Raymond would fumble the catch and was stuffed at the line but the ball must have popped up and DL Ngakoue recovers it, Touchdown!
You got me on how he scored a TD on it but that is what the game film says.
After another 3 and out by the Denver offense the Titans had the ball back and on their first play of the series Matt Ryan throws a pick-6 to King and we are tied at 7.

Tennessee would get the ball on the kickoff and marched down the field in 11 plays before Murray would take it off tackle the lst 5 yards for the TD.
The Denver defense would go 3 and out and the Titans had the ball looking for a late 1st half score.
However, Garappolo would throw a pick and the Broncos got a nice pass play to Sutton before half to get a FG to close the game to 14-10 at the half.

The 3rd quarter was more defense as the teams exchanged two punts each before the Titans put a drive together near the end of the quarter and added a FG for a 17-10 lead.
After a big run from McCaffrey got the Broncos in the redzone a Smith to Smith 4 yard TD tied the score at 17 early in the 4th quarter.
The Titans tried to get a 1st down from the Denver 40 yard line but the 4th down run was stopped short and Denver had the ball at their own 40.
On the first play the Broncos QB Geno Smith hit McCaffrey on an out and McCaffrey ran it down the sideline for a 51 yard gain to the Titan 9 yard line.
Two plays later McCaffrey rumbled into the end zone for a 24-17 lead with 9 minutes left in the game.

Tennesesse started throwing to Hopkins as the Broncos were short to CB for the game and Hopkins was having his way. Tennessee got down to the Denver 30 before they had to settle for a FG to make it 24-20.
With 5 minutes left in the game the Broncos needed to run the clock and gain a few 1st downs to run out the clock. They did get a few 1st downs but with 1:47 left to go and facing a 4th and 5 from the Titans 40 yardline, they decided to try and get the 1st down and out the game away.
However, the 4th down pass to Sutton was dropped and the Titans had new life.
Matt Ryan was back at the helm for Tennessee and he was 6 for 8 on this drive with the final 25 yard TD pass to Hopkins with just 25 ticks left and the Titans were back on top 27-24.

Denver would not be able to complete a pass in the final seconds and the Titans would take the dramatic victory and end the Broncos season.

IFL WILD CARD WEEKEND

FALCONS 33 BEARS 0

The Falcons Gabe Davis caught two TD passes to help Atlanta advance past Chicago.

Exciting time in the IFL, as the Cinderella Bears guided by coach Steve Nordberg make their first playoff appearance in a while, exceeding expectations and carried by a young star studded defense. On the flip side, Atlanta players were coming off a rest week where many didn't play, however were looking to make it back to the divisional round where their season ended last year.

1st Quarter:

This game proved to be a defensive battle as both Darnold, and Hurts didn't quite look themselves. After trading 3 and outs, Atlanta was able to get a drive going into Bears territory. On a 3rd and 1, Hurts fumbled the ball, but the Falcons recovered. On 4th down, Coach Alberry decides to go for it, and Hurts break off a run to get a new set of downs- but Atlanta would settle for a FG. (CHI 0 ATL 3)

Jalen Hurts was looking rusty after that rest, as he would fumble again after a sack from the ferocious Bears' D on their own 15 yard line... but the Falcons recovered.After a few more 3 and outs by each team, Darnold throws a pick to Kerby Joseph who sets up Atlanta on the Bears 32. Atlanta gets it to 4th and 1 on the 11 and elects for another FG to make it 6-0 Atlanta.

2nd Quarter:

With 4:00 left in the half, Tony Pollard breaks off a 40 yard run to get the Bears going and at the ATL 21. A sack by Von Miller, and a penalty would push Chicago back and they would miss a 58 yard FG. Getting the ball with 2:00 left at midfield, it took Hurts 5 plays to find Gabe Davis in the end zone, although Folk would miss the XP.
At Half: Chicago 0, Atlanta 13)

3rd Quarter:

Atlanta would start with the ball, but each team would punt away a few times. Atlanta got the ball and drove down to the 8 yard line, on 3rd and 8 Hurts was able to connect with Gabe Davis again for his 2nd TD of the day, this time pushing the lead out to 20-0 in favor of Atlanta.

Sam Darnold kept struggling mightily, and would go 3 and out, giving the ball to Atlanta who after a 4th and 2 FG attempt, the Bears were called offside, allowing Hurts to throw another TD to Ertz making the score 27-0 in favor of Atlanta.

4th Quarter:

The 4th quarter would show more of the same, except Chase Daniels would try to provide a spark, but it wasn't enough. The Falcons would tack on another TD, and the game would end 33-0.

Although the score may look lopsided, the game was incredibly competitive for most of the game... Atlanta fumbled 3 times and recovered them all, could have swung the game in a different direction... Atlanta pulled away in the end of the 3rd. Coach Nordberg did a great job guiding his Bears to the playoffs, his defense is young but phenomenal (Parsons, Crosby, Sauce etc.) However, he was plagued by usage issues and lack of offensive firepower. Congrats to Steve for a successful season, and playing a fun game!

RAMS 26 LIONS 23

Ryan Succop connects on the game winner as time expires as the Rams edge Detroit.

In his first ever playoff appearance as a head coach, Don Merlenbach led the surprise Detroit Lions into a thrilling overtime battle against the defending champion Los Angeles Rams, coached by Ryan Heaton. Though the Lions ultimately fell 26-23, they served notice that their Cinderella 10-7 turnaround season was no fluke.
The two teams traded scores all night long at Ford Field. Lions QB Deshaun Watson was highly efficient, passing for 231 yards and 3 TDs while adding 113 yards rushing. RB Josh Jacobs chipped in 105 yards on the ground and found the end zone twice. Their balanced attack allowed the Lions to keep pace with the Rams, led by QB Trevor Lawrence's 220 passing yards and RB Miles Sanders' 155 rushing yards and a score.

Detroit led 23-20 with just over 3 minutes left after Watson hit Jacobs for a 6-yard TD. But the Rams would rally, driving into field goal range where K Ryan Succop nailed a 28-yarder with 3 seconds remaining to force overtime at 23-23.
In the extra period, the Lions had opportunities but ultimately couldn't finish drives. Meanwhile, Lawrence meticulously moved Los Angeles into scoring range, setting up Succop's game-winning 28-yard kick with only 3 ticks left on the clock.
While disappointed, Coach Merlenbach had to be proud of his team's outstanding effort against the favored Rams. Coming into the year with low expectations, the Lions emerged as a feisty upstart capable of contending with the IFL's best. This playoff run proved Detroit has a promising nucleus of young talent and a bright future under Merlenbach's leadership.

SAINTS 27 SEAHAWKS 17

Taylor Heinicke tossed 2 TD passes to lead the Saints past Seattle.

New Orleans would roll into Seattle to take on the Dakless Seahawks in a tough environment to play.

The Seahawks would take the opening kickoff and waste no time taking it right down the field behind Aaron Jones rushing and get a TD with a pass from Teddy Bridgwater to Michael Pittman from 15 yards out. 7-0. The Saints would however answer the bell as they would also be run heavy with James Conner but end with a TD pass from Heinecke to Jaylen Warren from 23 yards out. 7-7 4:29 left in the first. Seattle would then get the ball and have a 3 and out and the first huge play was about to happen. The punt would be muffed by Tremon Smith at the 9 and Seattle recovers. 1 play later Henderson would bust it in from 9 yards out to give Seattle the 14-7 lead. The Saints would look to bounce back and hold the ball for 6 minutes and face a 4th and 2 from Seattle's 40. Having the Seahawks in a 4-2 Coach Rice would go no huddle and run the ball with Conner. The D would switch to a 4-3 somehow and stuff it.

Basically no one should use no huddle as it obviously isnt fixed. The Saints D would stiffen up though and force another 3 and out and a punt. The Saints would start at their own 10 and put together a nice 7 minute drive that ended in a FG from 44 yards out by McManus. 14-10 Seattle. With 2:32 left Seattle would put together a drive down to the 34 but Slye would miss the 52 yarder into the wind. 14-10 halftime. The Saints would get the ball to open the second half and go into full aggression mode. Heinecke would connect on a bomb for 45 yards and then follow up with a 25 yard strike over the middle for the TD. 17-14 Saints.

The teams would then exchange punts until the Saints got the ball back with 8:06 left in the 3rd. The Saints would then go into ball control mode and hold the ball for over 6 minutes and James Conner would punch it from 1 yard out for the 24-14 lead. Seattle would not fold as they would put together a nice drive of almost 7 minutes converting 3 4th down plays and end up with a 50 yard FG from Slye to cut the game to one score. 24-17 Saints. This drive would be critical and the Seahawks D would come thru as the Saints would hold the ball for 4 minutes but be forced to punt. Seahawks take over at their own 24 with just over 6 minutes to go.

Seattle would take the ball to the Saints 47 yard line and face a 4th and 2 with 2:06 to play. Bridgewater would look over the middle but Devondre Campbell would step in front of the pass and get the pick off and take it the whole way to the Seattle 16. Conner would run 3 times and McManus would kick the FG from 27 out to give the Saints the 2 score lead. Duggar for Seattle would fumble the kick off with the Saints recovering and they would take a knee. 27-17 final.

Heinecke would throw for 211 yards and 2 TD's against a tough Seattle secondary and most importantly throw 0 picks. Aaron Jones would rush for 102 yards for the Seahawks.

BRONCOS 43 DOLPHINS 10

DeVonta Smith caught three TD passes as the Broncos defeat Miami.

The Maimi Dolphins came into mile High stadium for a wild card round playoff game. The Dolphins were heavy underdogs but it hardly looked that way early on.

Miami won the toss and deferred so the Broncos had the ball to open the game. On the 2nd play from scrimmage Broncos QB Geno Smith hit RB Ekeler on a screen and after gaining the 1st down Ekeler coughed up the ball and the Dolphins had the ball near midfield. But the Bronco defense would force a 3 and out to escape that turnover.

On their next possession the Broncos ran 2 plays before Smith would throw an errant pass that was picked off by CB Jackson and he would return it 17 yards for a pick-6 TD to make it 7-0 early in the game.

The Bronco offense started to move the ball a bit but would stall at the Miami 30. Maher would come on to attempt the 48 yd FG but it was Wide Left.

The Dolphins had the ball at their own 38 and Tua would start to move the offense. It took 13 plays and 57 yards before a FG made it 10-0 early in the 2nd quarter. The Bronco fans are a bit on the edge of their seats at this point. The Bronco offense came back out and quickly off the field after a 3 and out and a punt.

On a 2nd and 12 after a Miami penalty, Tua would throw a bad pass that was picked off by OLB Willie Gay and nthe Broncos got their first big break. Starting at the Dolphin 40 the Broncos had some momentum. That lasted all of one play and OLB Houston would sack Smith for a 12 yard loss. Smith would hit McCaffrey on a short pass for 11 yards and on 3rd and 11 Smith hit Courtland Sutton for 10 yards bringing upo 4th and 1 at the Dolphin 31 yard line. RB Austin Ekeler got the short yardage call and he gained 1 yard on the dive to get the 1st down. QB Geno Smith then hooked up with WR DeVonta Smith on a 30 yard strike for a TD and a 10-7 game.with 6 minutes to play in the opening half.

After each team exchanged punts the Dolphins had the ball near midfield when Tua threw his 2nd pick off the game as Safety Hooker would step in front of the pass just under the 2:00 warning.
QB Geno Smith would go 5 for 5 in the series and hit DeVonta Smith from 9 yards out for their first lead of the game 13-10 as the PAT was no good to end the scoring in the half.

Miami had the ball to start the 2nd half. Tua would throw his 3rd interception of the game and LB Nick Bolton would ramble down inside the red zone before he was brought down.
On 3rd and 3 from the 10 yard line Smith hit Smith again for a TD and the Denver lead was extended to 20-10.
The Bronco defense forced a 3 and out and had the back at their own 20.

Denver would tack on a FG after a nice drive to make it 23-10.

Miami would take a little gamble on their next drive facing a 4th and 2 at their own 33 but the pass would get knocked down and Denver had the ball in great field position.
It would be very early in the 4th quarter when RB McCaffrey would take the handoff and go 4 yards for a TD and the Broncos were up 30-10.

The Dolphins would go 3 and out again and after the punt Sutton would get behind the Miami secondary and go 55 yards for another score.

After Tua threw his 4th INT of the game the Broncos brought in Trubiski to QB and on a 2nd and 10 he hit McCaffrey on a screen and McCaffrey took it to the house for another TD and a 43-10 lead.
Maimi would go 4 and out on their next two possessions as they could not convert on 4th down and the Broncos ran out the clock.
Tua's 4 picks earned him a 26.2 passer rating as Geno Smith threw for 336 yards and 4 scores for the Broncos.

TITANS 16 BENGALS 6

Rashaad Penny scored from 5 yards out accounting for the only TD as the Titans get past Cincinnati.

The Bengals and Titans got to play a third game after splitting their two regular season games. Temperature was 41⁰ F with the wind 5-15 MPH which did have an effect on the game.

1st Quarter – The Titans took the opening kickoff and put together a 13 play 73 yard drive that consumed nearly 7 minutes. Rashaad Penny capped it off with a 5 yard TD run. Tennessee 7 – Cincinnati 0.  The Bengals respond with their own 14 play 70 yard drive consuming 7 minutes. However with a 1st down at the Tennessee 7 they are stymied by the Titan defense and settle for a Kai Fairburn field goal.  Tennessee 7 – Cincinnati 3

2nd Quarter – Titans get one first down and then are forced to punt. Jack Fox’s punt pins Cincinnati at their own 8 yard line. Aaron Rodgers goes to work and takes the Bengals down to the Titan 6 yard line. However on 2nd down Rodgers tries a medium slant and Matt Milano picks it off and starts rumbling downfield. Eighty-four yards later he is tackled at the Bengal 22. The Titans can’t push it into the end zone and settle for a Mason Crosby field goal.  Tennessee 10 – Cincinnati 3. The next 5 minutes see neither team doing much. At the two minute warning Cincinnati advances past mid-field but then Rodgers throws his second interception. Jordan Poyer is the thief. The Titans can’t do anything, punt and then the Bengals also go nowhere and are forced to punt. With 40 seconds left Matt Ryan replaces the dog tired Jimmy Garoppolo, completes 3 of 4 passes to move the Titans to the Bengal 34 yard line. Mason Crosby kicks a 52 yard field as time expires.  Tennessee 13 – Cincinnati 3

3rd Quarter – Cincy takes the kickoff and eats up 8 minutes with an 18 play 62 yard drive. Then on a 2nd and 3 from the Titan 7 big Al Woods somehow is able to sack Rodgers for a 6 yard loss. The Bengals settle for a Fairburn field goal.  Tennessee 13 – Cincinnati 6. The Titans can’t do anything with their next possession but Fox’s punt again forces Cincinnati to start from their own red zone. On second down with 4 wide receivers Rodgers throws his 3rd interception. This time Carlton Davis makes the pick. From the Bengal 31 the Titans quickly move down to the Cincinnati 6. However two short runs and an incomplete pass finish off the quarter.

4th quarter – After a 5 yard Titan penalty Crosby kicks a 29 field goal.  Tennessee 16 – Cincinnati 6. The Bengals have a 3 and out. Tennessee starts from their 30 and gains “nearly” 10 yards on the next 3 plays. Coach Brunskill foolishly has Ryan sneak and he is stopped inches short and it’s Cincy ball. Rodgers is able to find Johnson on a medium slant for a 33 yard gain down to the Titan 7. Of course you know what happens next as Rodgers is intercepted for the FOURTH time. Cameron Sutton joins the pick party. There are still 10 minutes left but the next 5 minutes sees both teams running in mud. At that point Cincy has the ball on their 18 yard line. They move it 50 yards in 3½ minutes but are 4th and 4 at the Titan 32. Coach Storer opts to try a 50 yard field goal in order to make it a one score game. However Fairburn hooks the kick and the game is effectively over.  Tennessee 16 – Cincinnati 6.

Without doubt the 4 picks won the game for the Titans. The Bengals outgained the Titans 367 to 242 yards and won the possession battle 34 minutes to 26. Cincy’s heavy reliance on the passing game might have been affected by the weather, Rodgers’ fatigue or even DKS’s foibles. Diontae Johnson was the Bengal standout with 9 receptions for 140 yards. The Titan standout was Milano whose red zone pick changed the game. Punter Jack Fox was stellar pinning Cincinnati inside their 20 yard line on 5 of 7 punts.

CHARGERS 22 JAGUARS 7

Nick Chubb rushed for 70 yards and a touchdown as the Chargers advance past Jacksonville.

LA allowed a touchdown on the opening possession of the game, and then closed the door the rest of the way for a 22-7 win in the opening round of the IFL playoffs. LA's defense was instrumental in the win as they turned an interception, a fumble recovery and a safety into 12 unanswered points.

As noted, JAX took the opening kickoff and marched 68 yards in 10 plays for an early 7-0 lead. LA responded with a 12 play 70 yard drive to knot it at 7-7. On JAX ensuing possession, S Duron Harmon picked off Allen to set the Chargers up at the JAX 30. Four plays later, Rex Burkhead ran it in from 4 yards out to give the Chargers the 14-7 lead they held at the half. The crushing blow came early in the 2nd half. LAC received the kickoff; but was forced to punt which backed JAX up deep in their territory. On a 2nd down screen attempt, Hargrave burst through the line and dumped Allen in the end zone for a safety. LAC's drive after the free kick stalled and punted back deep into JAX territory again. On 2nd down, on a rollout, EJ Speed nailed Allen forcing a fumble, recovered by Harmon(his 2nd turnover of the game) and set LAC up at the 20 which led to a McLaughlin field goal. McLaughlin would add a late field goal for the final margin.

LA was paced by Chubb who had 70 yards rushing and 22 receiving and QB Mills who threw for 197 yards. Dameon Pierce was the lone bright spot for JAX with 80 yards rushing. JAX was held to 185 total yards by the Charger defense, which accounted for a safety, an interception, a fumble and 3 sacks.

Week 17 Recap

Matt Prater's 4 field goals help boot the Dolphins into the IFL Playoffs.

Game Scores
Miami 26 Chicago 10                         24 15-25
The Dolphins clinch the final playoff berth in the AFC with a road win in Chicago as they watched the scoreboard and celebrated Seattle defeating the Raiders. A 13-0 advantage in the second half led to the win over the Bears. Matt Prater booted four field goals for Miami.

Los Angeles (A) 10 Philadelphia 13          37 0-10
Charger backup quarterbacks throw 4 interceptions, as Philly grinds out a tough win to close the year.

New York (A) 6 Minnesota 3                  68 Calm
The Jets (5-12) and the Vikings (1-16) set the sport of football back 60 years as the Jets won a close one 6-3. The Vikings kicked a field goal in the last seconds and the subsequent onside kick failed. Both teams boast pro-bowl punters.

Cincinnati 6 New Orleans 20                 70 Calm
The IFL Bengals traveled to the Big Easy to close out the 2023 IFL regular season. Pinned at their own one after an opening Saints punt, Cincinnati drove to the New Orleans seven before settling on a Fairbairn field goal for a 3-0 lead. The Saints countered with a big play as grizzly old Joe Flacco connected with Zay Jones for a 53 yard score to give New Orleans a 7-3 lead with about three minutes remaining in the first quarter. Cincinnati cut the lead to one with another field goal.

The wheels fell off after that for the Bengals as Rodgers threw another pick six as Kyler Gordon went 40 yards for the score and a 14-6 Saints lead. Cincinnati quarterbacks would throw four more interceptions, Rodgers two and Love three total. New Orleans would cruise to the 20-6 win.

Flacco finished 14 of 19 for 139 yards and a touchdown to lead the Saints. Jones finished with four receptions for 71 yards and the touchdown. The Bengals secondary held A.J. Brown catchless although he was only targeted three times so the game plan was successful.

Denver 31 Dallas 28                         70 Calm
Dallas was bracing for a blow out at the 2-14 Cowboys were scheduled to host the 14-2 Denver Broncos to end the 2023 IFL season. Not only have the Cowboys been horrible this year, they had to play with nine players on the injured list.

But then the game started.

There were not enough minutes in regulation for the Broncos to prevails. Rather, they had to wait to overtime to put the Cowboys away 31-28.

The Cowboys had leads of 7-0, 16-3, 22-10 and 28-20 in the game but faded at the end to the powerful Bronco squad. Dallas lost two players for the remainder of the game and had to play with a 1 and 3 Safety in its starting lineup and a 3 nickle back.

But Justin Herbert overcame the decimated defense and connected on 21 of 25 passes for 212 yards and three touchdowns and Jamaal Williams ran for 127 yards and a score to scare the living daylights out of Doug Crandall.

Doug was able to match the Cowboys offense as Geno Smith was 39/51 for 431 yards and 3 TDs. The Cowboys had no answer for Ekeler catching passes out of the backfield (he had nine receptions for 106 yards and three scores).


New England 27 Tampa Bay 7                  74 10-20
In several way a close game statistically, but not so much on the scoreboard. The Patriots go 9 of 13 on third down. Once they got ahead a couple scores, they may have been saving a few attempts for the playoffs. (As they should.) Only three players were thrown towards in the whole game, Cooper Kupp, Tyreek Hill and Derek Henry.
Tampa's QBs Derek Carr and Jacoby Brissett were a combined 22 of 41 for 125 yards.
Time to gear up the draft room in Florida.

Jacksonville 20 Atlanta 3                   68 Calm
Both teams rest players, Cooper Rush vs Josh Allen. The Atlanta faithful fans became much more appreciative of Jalen Hurts as the Jags take the game 20-3 with over 400 yards of offense.

More importantly, both teams remain relatively healthy heading into the postseason next week.

Kansas City 26 New York (N) 18              28 5-15
Giants lose 26 - 18 in the season finale. No passing game was their ultimate downfall.

Las Vegas 3 Seattle 14                      46 Calm
Mark Rypien and an impressive defensive performance lead Seattle to a 14-3 home win over Las Vegas as they head to the playoffs.

Buffalo 26 Green Bay 24                     34 0-10
Great great between two teams out of the playoff race.

Multiple lead changes and plenty of big plays.

Everything comes down to 2 big plays with about a minute left, Packers leading 24-23.
Buffalo faces 3rd and 7, backed up their own 22 with only 1 timeout left.

Green Bay plays a deep zone but somehow QB Kyler Murray finds WR Marques Valdez-Scantling for a 27 yard gain, all the way out to the Buffalo 49.

3 plays later the hosts feel like they have come up with a huge stop on 3rd and 10, holding Valdez-Scantling to just a 6 yard gain. Inexplicably a 15 yard unnecessary roughing penalty gets called taking the ball all the way down to the Green Bay 30. A couple of running plays later Buffalo uses its last timeout and sets up for a Jake Elliott 34 yard FG as time expires.

He nails it, Bills win 26-24

Tennessee 17 Los Angeles (N) 28             62 Calm
The Tians and Rams closed out their 2023 IFL seasons in Los Angeles. The Titans started back up QB Matt Ryan. His performance was good enough to win the game. But key components of the Titans WR core look fatigued from the long season. Additionally, an injury to Titans ILB Blake Martinez seemed to unlock the Rams running game. The Rams rushed for 235 led by Damien Harris, while the Titans run game struggled, managing only 77.

The Titans will look forward to the playoffs getting back starting QB Jimmy Garroppolo. The Rams also will get several key contributors as each team hopes for a deep run.

Baltimore 30 San Francisco 10               51 0-10
The Ravens rushed for 174 yds against the injury decimated 49er defense. The 49ers playoff hopes are over.

Pittsburgh 16 Carolina 15                   56 0-10
As if driven by fate, Tom Brady ends his career by driving the length of the field and throwing a game winning touchdown with 20 seconds left in the game to lead Pittsburgh to victory.

Good hard fought game which Carolina led almost the entire way until Brady engineered a perfect drive to go out a winner.

Brady finished with 33 out of 42 for 290 yards and the one final td to finish off a great career.

Wilson was not as good for Carolina finishing with two critical interceptions and looking forward to redemption next season.

Indianapolis 13 Detroit 10                  70 Calm
Burrow runs in from four yards out and Graham Gano kicks a field goal with about a minute remaining as the Colts finish the 2023 IFL season on a winning note.

Houston 17 Arizona 31                       59 Calm
Houston was aggressive, but Arizona won resting some players.

Rushing Leaders
Walker III(NYG) 25-183 1 TD
Williams,J(Dal) 17-147 1 TD
Johnson,D(Jax) 22-138
Herbert(Bal)    18-126
Singletary(SF) 18-119
Cook(GB)        24-118 1 TD
Elliott(Min)    21-114
Harris,D(LAR)   16-105 1 TD

Receiving Leaders
Jefferson(Pit) 12-171
Palmer(Ari)      9-110 3 TD
Ekeler(Den)      9-106 3 TD

Passing Leaders
Smith,G(Den)    51-39-431   3 TD 1 Int
Mahomes(Ari)    41-27-352   4 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Week
Burrow(Ind)     41-28-309   2 Int
Brady(Pit)      42-33-290   1 TD 1 Int

Defensive Standouts
Pitre(NO)        2 Int 9 Tk
White,D(Den)     1 Sk 15 Tk
Reddick(Dal)     3 Sk 7 Tk
Edmunds(Dal)     15 Tk
Smith,R(Buf)     2 Int 9 Tk – IFL Defensive Player of the Week

Special Teams
Prater(Mia)    4-4 FG – IFL Special Teams Player of the Week
Elliott(Buf)   4-4 FG

IFL FINAL STANDINGS

IFL FINAL LEAGUE LEADERS

PLAYOFF SCENARIOS FOR WEEK 17

NFC
Seed #1 Arizona clinches with a win or an Atlanta loss.

Seed #2 Arizona or Atlanta

Seed #3 Detroit with a win or Chicago loss. Lions hold better division record as the tiebreaker.

Seed #4  Seattle - Even if they lose, they finished with a better record in conference games, 8-4 then the Saints and Rams, who both finished 7-5.

Seed #5  If the Saints win they are the number five seed based on sweeping the two games versus the Rams. If the Saints lose and the Rams win, Rams are #5 seed. If the Saints and Rams lose, each will be in a three-way tie with Chicago, if Chicago wins and Detroit wins. The Rams would be eliminated based on division tiebreaker H2H with the Saints and the Saints have a better record in common games than the Bears.

Seed #6  Rams or Saints (see above). Rams hold tiebreaker over Bears based on common games record.

Seed #7  San Francisco or Chicago or Detroit. The Packers are eliminated based on the H2H division tiebreaker, swept by Chicago. If the 49ers win and the Lions win, 49ers are in, defeating Chicago H2H. If Chicago wins and Detroit loses, the Lions are in over San Francisco based on a better conference record.

AFC
Seed #1 New England clinches with a win or Denver loss.  If New England loses and Denver wins the Broncos win the tiebreaker based on the Strength of Victory tie breaker. No H2H, both 11-1 in conference, and both 7-0 in common games.

Seed #2  Denver or New England based on the above.

Seed #3 Tennessee has clinched the AFC Central. Better conference record than Cincinnati and swept Jacksonville H2H.

Seed #4  Chargers

Seed #5  Cincinnati or Jacksonville or Las Vegas. Cincinnati wins the tiebreaker over Jacksonville with a better record in the division. Cincinnati would win tiebreaker over Las Vegas based on common games tiebreaker, 5-3 to 3-5.

Seed #6  Cincinnati or Jacksonville or Las Vegas.   Raiders have the tiebreaker over the Jags with a H2H win.

Seed #7  Raiders or Dolphins - Vegas can punch their ticket with a win or Miami loss. If Vegas loses and Miami wins, the Dolphins are in with a better conference record.

Week 16 Recap

The Saints continue their march to a playoff berth.

Game Scores
Green Bay 3 New Orleans 30                  70 Calm
Saints win a big game at home against a fatigued Green Bay club that had playoff implications. Flacco made the start and threw for 166 yards and 2 TDs in the win and the defense comes up big for the 2nd weekend in a row. Brock Purdy threw had tough sledding today with 3 picks but has a bright future in Green Bay unless of course John wants to trade him to me. Lol

Los Angeles (A) 26 Miami 14                 73 0-5
Nick Chubb rushes for 90 yards and a touchdown as Los Angeles tames the Dolphins.

Detroit 7 Los Angeles (N) 34                53 Calm
The Rams final home game of the season came against the 9-6 Lions. Had this game been played earlier in the season the result would likely have been different. But fatigue and injuries have taken a toll on the Lions. Missing a cornerback and other key contributors on defense hamstrung the Lions options on defense. The Rams would manage to score touchdowns on their first four possessions to take a 28--0 lead into the half. The Lions continued to battle and received an impressive performance from RB Josh Jacobs. He went over the century the mark averaging nearly 12 yards a carry. But by the the time the run game got going for the Lions they were already against the clock. A third quarter TD on an impressive drive led by Mariota got the Lions on the board, but that was all the scoring they could manage as the pass game was a struggle.

In the final week of the season the Lions host the Indianapolis Colts. The Rams travel to Tennessee to take on the division leading Titans.

Dallas 17 Jacksonville 40                   67 Calm
A tie game until 33 second left to go in the first half Josh Allen hit Dameon Pierce on a 4 yard TD and after that it was all Jacksonville.The Jags scored three touchdowns in the 3rd to go up 38-10 enroute to a 40-17 win. Steve coached a great game and had me frustrated in the first half, I just got lucky and hit on a couple of long bombs to Cooper and Metcalf.

Josh Allen was the start in this one throwing for 239 yards and 5 TDs. He also added 49 yards on the ground breaking 1,000 yards on the year.

Jags go to 10-6 and the Cowboys fall to 2-14.

Next week the Jags finish the season at Atlanta and the Cowboys wind it up hosting the Broncos.

Houston 6 New York (A) 17                   40 5-15
A battle between two 3 wins teams...not much to say.

The Jets got lucky that Cousins continued his sad season by not getting McLaurin the ball on any thing other than short looks.

Stat pack RB Lindsay ran for 152 yards, and the game winning TD for the Jets.

Besides Lindsay the Jets had WR St. Brown catch 8 for 108 yards, and 1 TD.

Cousins was 27-44 for 165 yards, and McLaurin caught 8 for 62 yards. Mixon carried 10 times for 24 yards.

Next week NY visits Minnesota, and Houston visits Arizona.

Cincinnati 23 Seattle 7                     37 0-5
The Bengals took advantage of a couple turnovers to defeat a short-handed Seattle team 23-7. Fill-in quarterback Brett Rypien, just signed to the active roster this week, led the Seahawk offense on a 13 play 75 yard drive to tie the score at seven in the first quarter but finished 15 of 31 for 127 yards with a touchdown but three interceptions. DeVante Parker caught seven passes for 101 yards.

Aaron Rodgers threw just 25 passes, completing 15 for 115 yards and a touchdown with an interception. Workhorse stat pack back Ke'Shawn Vaughn rushed 20 times for 61 yards. Cornerback Jalen Ramsey picked off two passes.

Next week the Bengals travel to New Orleans to close out the regular season while the Seahawks host Las Vegas.

Arizona 34 Tennessee 7                      54 0-5
Lots of turnovers by both teams. Az wins game and turnover battle.

Philadelphia 6 Baltimore 31                 44 10-20
Philadelphia was able to make some short passes, but, couldn't run the ball. 194 yards of total offense that included a 47 yard bomb to Shi Smith. Baltimore's Cisco had a 69-yard pick 6 with less than a minute before half which turned the game around. Hasty had a 54-yard TD run in the 4th quarter to seal the win. Both teams looking forward to next year.

New York (N) 17 Pittsburgh 27               42 Calm
his was a tight game with both teams having some depth issues . The turning point with the score 13-10 Steelers with under a minute left in the 3rd and Pittsburgh having pinned the Giants deep in their own territory much of the 3rd quarter they get a punt blocked for a TD to make the score 20-10 heading into the 4th. Each team scores a TD in the 4th for the final score of 27-17 for the Steelers .

The Giants were really short handed in this one with fatigue and injuries both before and during the game and made them have a hard time defending Brady to Jefferson the later had 13-153 and 1 TD and was the game MVP .

Steelers 27 Giants 17

NYG (7-9) finish their season at home against Kansas City (6-9) while the Steelers (6-10) head to Carolina (4-11) for the season finally.

Kansas City 23 Buffalo 6                    22 20-30
Both teams are playing out the string and it looked that way as each team had 11 first downs and 3 turnovers. The Chiefs out-gained the Bills 295-204. Kyler Murray was awful while the combo of Fields and Dalton did enough to give the Chiefs a 23-6 victory. Allan Lazard was the player of the game catching 4 for 97 and a TD! The Chiefs improve to 7-9 while the Bills fall to 6-10. The Chiefs finish the season against the Giants while the Bills head to Lambeau to finish it out.

Minnesota 10 San Francisco 27               47 5-15
Mac Jones throws three touchdown passes as the 49ers get past Minnesota.

New England 24 Las Vegas 14                 62 0-5
Raider fans had some hope that the team might pull out a win thanks only being down 3 (10-7) at halftime, but losing 3 starters (a CB and both OLB) as well as the replacement OLB let the Patriots offense start rolling. A 98 yard scamper by Patriots RB Derrick Henry was the final nail in the coffin, both for the game and likely the Raiders playoff chances.

Denver 23 Indianapolis 21                   69 Calm
Indy played a great game vs Denver and nearly pulled off the upset. They were lining up for the GW FG as time expired.

Atlanta 30 Tampa Bay 27                     62 0-10
On a beautiful Florida Sunday afternoon, the NFC West leading Atlanta Falcons, sporting a 13 and 2 record, took on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have stumbled to a 6 and 9 record.
1st quarter - both teams scored a TD in the opening quarter. Tampa also made a field goal, while Atlanta missed one. 10 – 7 Tampa leads.
2nd quarter - each team had two possessions. The results were symmetrical. The first portion of the quarter saw each team turn the ball over on downs. The latter resulted in a field goal by each team. 13 – 10 Tampa leads at the half.
3rd quarter - Atlanta starts with the ball and is forced to punt. Tampa Bay’s QB Derek Carr passes the Bucs to the Falcon 14 yard line, but is picked off by Vonn Bell. Starting at his 20, Atlanta’s QB Jalen Hurts completes passes of 25 yards, 18 yards, and a TD scoring 28 yards, to put the Falcons up 16 – 13, after the extra point is missed. The Buccaneers mix in a few Cordarrell Patterson runs with more long passes by Carr to score a TD. Buccaneers lead 20 – 16.
4th quarter - Carr throws another pick giving Atlanta the ball at the Tampa 34 yard line. The Buccaneers draw a personal foul and Falcon coach Alberry calls a nice mix of plays that result in a Falcon TD, now it’s 23 – 20 Falcons. After exchanging punts, the Buccaneers regained the lead with a TD on 31 yard toss by Carr. 27 – 23 Tampa with 2:25 left. Tampa safety Jordon Love is called for a 25 yard pass interference penalty on Atlanta’s RB Rhamondre Stevenson, (only rated for Short receiving,) which moves the ball to midfield. On the next play, Hurts finds Stevenson 33 yards downfield for a 40 yard gain to the Buc 12. Tampa’s coach Chase can’t believe they are getting beat deep by this guy! On the next play, Hurts hits Donald Parham for what turns out to be the game winning score, after Tampa’s last possession ends at its own 37. Final Atlanta 30 Tampa 27.
The game featured 7 lead changes; 398 Falcon yards; 526 Buccaneer yards; 234 Atlanta rushing yards; 410 Tampa passing yards; and maybe the decider, Atlanta winning the turnover battle 3 – 0.
The 6 and 10 Buccaneers look back on the debris of its nearly finished season seeing 6 of their losses were by a total of 16 points. The combined record of the teams winning those games is currently 57 wins and 34 losses. We played these good teams tough, but keep coming up just a little short. All eyes are upon their 26th ranked defense.
Next week, Tampa plays its third division leader in a row when they host the Patriots, while Atlanta welcomes the dangerous Jaguars.

Chicago 14 Carolina 23                      69 0-5
Tiraq Woolen’s two pick sixes leads Panthers to the win.

Rushing Leaders
Pollard(Chi)    19-188 1 TD
Williams,J(Dal) 18-161 1 TD
Henry(NE)       16-152 1 TD
Lindsay(NYJ)    26-152 1 TD
Dillon(Ten)     21-136
Taylor(Car)     25-132
Jacobs(Det)     9-123
Hubbard(SF)     13-112

Receiving Leaders
Jefferson(Pit) 13-153 1 TD - IFL Offensive Player of the Week
Chase(Ind)      13-111
Waddle(NYG)     11- 94
Patterson(TB)   10- 46 1 TD

Passing Leaders
Carr(TB)        55-29-410   3 TD 2 Int
Mahomes(Ari)    28-18-336   1 TD 1 Int
Smith,G(Den)    40-26-335   2 TD 1 Int
Allen(Jax)      31-19-239   5 TD

Defensive Standouts
Edmunds(Dal)     15 Tk
Ramsey(Cin)      2 Int 4 Tk
Smith,R(Buf)     1 Int 16 Tk
Woolen(Car)      2 Int 1 Tk – IFL Defensive Player of the Week

Special Teams
McLaughlin(LAC)4-5 FG – IFL Special Teams Player of the Week

IFL WEEK 16 STANDINGS

IFL WEEK 16 LEAGUE LEADERS

Week 15 Recap

Lamar Jackson tosses two TDs as the Patriots win in San Francisco.

Game Scores
New England 34 San Francisco 10             65 15-25
San Fran controlled the time of possession 39:15 to 21:45 as the 49ers rushed 44 times for 238 yards against the Patriot defense. SF RB Chuba Hubbard's 13 yard TD rush at the nine minute mark in quarter number two gave the Niners a 10-7 lead.

Justin Tucker's 48 yard field goal before the halftime break sent the teams to the locker room tied at 10-10.

NE awoke from their slumber in the second half as Lamar Jackson hit Cooper Kupp for a 46-yard gain before finding Tyreek Hill for a 10-yard TD to put NE up 17-10. A Derrick Henry 45-yard TD run in the 4th quarter put the Pats up 17, and James Bradberry returned a fumble 84 yards for a TD to end the scoring.  Pats 34 49ers 10

Derrick Henry ran for 103 on 14 carries for NE, while Kupp caught 8 balls for 173 yards.

For SF, Chuba Hubbard rushed for 76 yards on 13 carries while Devin Singletary gained 58 yards on 19 carries.

Chicago 3 Tampa Bay 20                      71 5-15
Bears are not able move the ball enough to be much of a threat to win the game. Tampa gets the win 20- 3.

Las Vegas 24 Minnesota 3                    68 Calm
Las Vegas Raiders Cruise Past Minnesota Vikings, 24-3

In a decisive victory at U.S. Bank Stadium, the Las Vegas Raiders sailed past the Minnesota Vikings with a dominant performance, securing a comfortable 24-3 win.

The Raiders set the tone early in the game when quarterback Matthew Stafford connected with tight end Travis Kelce for a 6-yard touchdown pass. Las Vegas showcased their offensive prowess throughout the match, capitalizing on opportunities and dictating the tempo of play.

Stafford demonstrated his skill, throwing a total of 2 touchdowns and completing 11 of 19 passes for 116 yards before exiting the game due to an injury. However, his absence didn’t deter the Raiders' momentum as backup quarterback Kyle Allen seamlessly filled in, completing 10 of 13 passes for 110 yards.

The Raiders' rushing game was a force to be reckoned with, notably led by running back D'Onta Foreman, who rushed for an impressive 143 yards on 15 carries while starting in place of injured Alvin Kamara.

Defensively, the Raiders were relentless, causing disruptions in Minnesota's offensive strategies. Linebacker Logan Wilson led the defensive charge, making 12 tackles and securing an interception. Las Vegas capitalized on turnovers, effectively shutting down Minnesota's attempts to gain momentum.

The Vikings struggled to find their footing throughout the game, facing challenges in both offensive execution and defensive containment. Quarterback Colt McCoy completed 18 of 26 passes for 117 yards but faced significant pressure from the Raiders' defense, resulting in four sacks and an interception.

Despite the valiant effort from the McCoy and the rest of the Vikings offense, they were unable to break through the Raiders' sturdy defense, settling for a single field goal early in the second quarter.

With this win, the Las Vegas Raiders improved their record to 9-6, and providing fans some hope as they continue to pursue a spot in the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Vikings faced another setback, dropping to a 1-14 record for the season.

Injury woes plagued both teams throughout the match, with key players on both sides forced to exit the game due to various injuries. For the Raiders' CB Terrance Mitchell and FB Sean McKeon, along with Stafford, faced short-term sidelining, while the Vikings' CB Zyon McCollum received a one-week prognosis.

Kansas City 22 Houston 10                   70 Calm
Kansas City controlled the ball for 39:36 and penetrated into the red zone on it's first six possessions in defeating Houston. The Chiefs picked up 196 yards on the ground with 3 players gaining over 50 yards each. Houston was held to 11 first downs and 249 yards of total offense, being hampered by missing one of their top weapons in Chris Godwin who was out due to injury.

Tennessee 31 Pittsburgh 13                  22 0-5
The Titans (10-4) come into division rival Steelers (5-9) looking to put a strangle hold on the division. A win gives them a 2 game lead with 2 games to play IF the Bengals win this week if they lose the Titans would clinch the Division with a win.

Coach Brunskill decides to start Matt Ryan saving Garoppolo for either the playoffs or a game that he would be needed more.

The teams trade FG in the 1st quarter Crosby from 47 for the visitors and Bass from 54 for the Steelers

Ryan to Hopkins early in the 2nd from 9 yards out gives the Titans a 10-3 lead. After a couple of punts the Steelers would move into scoring range thanks to Jefferson who was facing doubles every play but beat the doubles for 17 and 30 yard catches. Javonte Williams fresh off the IR scores from 7 yards out and we are tied at 10 midway through the 2nd. Titans go on a long 12 play drive to close out the half as Penny runs it in from 2 yards out and its 17-10 at the half.

Titans receive the ball to open up the 3rd but the Steelers D gets a 3 and out. Javonte Williams runs the ball 6 out of 8 plays for 38 yards but gets tired and on a 3rd and 2 from the 6 its Allgeier that is stuffed losing a yard and Bass trots out and kicks the 25 yard FG making it 17-13 midway through the 3rd. The teams trade punts then Pittsburgh forces another Titans punt on a 3 and out. And That's when the big play happened as PR Jones Jr takes the ball 10 yards and is crushed by a hit fumbles and the Titans recover . Really from that point on it was all Titans as all the momentum the defense had gained this quarter was gone and the crowd was now silent. 3 plays later Tennessee was in the end zone as Ryan connected with Allen from 11 yards out and its 24-13 heading into the 4th.

The 4th does not go well for the Steelers offense and Penny runs in his 2 TD of the game midway through the quarter making it 31-13 and that's how it would end.

Penny was the game MVP 21-134- 2TD And Matt Ryan throws 2TD and error free ball (Although he did fumble but the Titans recovered)

Tennessee moves to 11-4 and gets a home game against the 13-1 Cardinals while the Steelers 5-10 will try to play spoiler the rest of the year and have a home game (wonder if anyone will show) vs the NYG 7-7 as they hope to secure a spot in the big dance .

Denver 26 Los Angeles (A) 6                 73 Calm
Cornerback Desmond King goes 31 yard for the pick six midway through the first quarter and the Broncos cruise to the win.

New York (A) 10 Buffalo 13                  37 10-20
With both teams depleted by injuries it turned out to be an exciting game as the Bills hang on for the 13-10 victory as John Wolford got the start at QB for the Bills and was solid throwing for 180 yards on 23 of 28 with one TD and one pick. Travis Etienne rushed for 132 yards and 6.9 average which was the key to the Buffalo win. Kenny Pickett played well for the Jets throwing for 187 yards and a TD. Higbee caught 7 balls for 75 yards and a TD reception, Dulin and Berrios each caught five balls. The Bills held the ball for almost ten more minutes and out-gained the Jets 352 to 255. The Jets fall to 3-12 while the Bills improve to 6-9. The Jets will host Houston next week while the Bills will host Kansas City.

Miami 24 Indianapolis 13                    69 Calm
The Miami defense holds the Colts to three second half points and rally for the win.

Cincinnati 24 Baltimore 10                  51 5-15
The IFL Bengals traveled to MT Bank Stadium for a key division game with Baltimore. Cincinnati's hopes to repeat as division champions is diminishing but there are still wild card possibilities.

The game got off to an inauspicious start as the Ravens marched down the field on a seven play 75 yard drive with Mayfield finding Mark Andrews for the ten yard score. The Baltimore crowd went crazy as they hate the IFL Bengals.

The teams exchanged field goals and Aaron Rodgers connected with Pierce for the seven yard touchdown to tie it at ten just before the half.

The Bengals defense tightened up in the second half while RoJo went in from two yards out and Rodgers connected with Hardman for a 19 yard scoring pass as Cincinnati went on to the 24-10 win.

Rodgers starred in this one, going 20 of 28 for 263 yards and two touchdowns. Johnson caught six passes for 97 yards.

Mayfield finished 22 of 38 for 197 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. He was sacked six times. Mark Andrews caught 9 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown.

Next week the Bengals travel to Seattle for a rematch of the Super Bowl while the Ravens host Philadelphia.

Jacksonville 24 Arizona 20                  76 Calm
Josh Allen connects on a 24 yard touchdown pass to Trent Irwin with just over a minute remaining as the Jags pick up a big win on the road.

Los Angeles (N) 10 New Orleans 24           70 Calm
The Saints win a huge divisional game at home 24-10 over the Rams that could very well play into the playoff implications. The game was tied 10-10 going into the 4th quarter but the Saints would score 2 TD's for the victory. The Rams suffered some major injuries to their secondary that made things tough pass defending in the second half. Coach dumbass Rice did his best to even the playing field by leaving 3rd string QB David Blough in the whole 3rd quarter accidentally. lol. He threw 2 interceptions. Very well coached game by Ryan as usual. The wild card race is tightening up.

Detroit 24 Green Bay 6                      20 0-5
Packers lose third straight at home as Detroit comes in and runs the ball down the hosts throat.

24-6 Detoit was the final score

Josh Jacobs runs for 99 yards despite sitting out much of the 4th quarter.
Maritota was an efficient 11/17 for 129 and 2TD's to TE Cole Kmet.

Packers had 4 turnovers and only 9 first downs as they got shut out in the second half for consecutive games. QB Mike White posted a 15.8 QB rating.
Green Bay defense was no better, missing 14 tackles during the contest.

Lions leads the NFC Central at 9-6 with the victory, as they hold the tiebreaker over Chicago based on divisional record

Carolina 10 Atlanta 20                      68 Calm
The 4-10 Carolina Panthers headed into Atlanta (12-2) as 15 point underdogs in Week 15. Carolina has just pulled an upset of Detroit, and were hoping to play spoiler for the Atlanta Falcons too.

1st Quarter:

Russell Wilson would look like he stepped in the hot tub of youth this game as he came out on fire finding Schultz for an 11 yd TD as the Panthers went up 7-0. They were helped by a crucial 3rd and long PI call vs the Falcons.

Atlanta would answer back after another penalty on 2nd and 20, Hurts finds Kadarius Toney for 23 yards, and Hurts ends up with a tush push into the endzone to even the score 7-7.

2nd Quarter:

After a Carolina punt, Atlanta would drive again, only to be backed up by their own penalty, on 4th and 1 the Falcons convert, but were unable to find the end zone as the Panthers secondary was blanketing their wide outs. FG made in CAR 7 ATL 10

Wilson was not to be outdone, on a 3rd and 1 the Panthers would get tricky and risk it to Mike Evans, however the Falcons were ready and had him double teamed with Surtain, but the Russell-Evans connection was superior for a 13 yard gain. On 4th and 2 the Panthers kicked a FG to tie the game at 10 all.

After a huge kick return from Turpin, Hurts found Gabe Davis for a 28 yard pass, but Atlanta would stall out after a sack, and on a 43 yard FG attempt would get a false start pushing it back to a 48 yard kick- luckily Folk was more reliable today and he nailed it.

Halftime- ATL 13 Car 10

3rd Quarter:

Atlanta would start with the ball, but again penalties would shorten up their drive forcing a punt. Carolina would punt, then Atlanta would get a 15 yard penalty on offense and was unable to overcome 1st and 25 so we had another punt. Carolina missed 2 short yardage passes to also be forced to punt. The 3rd would end at 13-10 ATL.

4th Quarter:

With 11 minutes to go, Raheem Mostert would finally break a big one- 55 yard running TD to put Atlanta up 20-10. Carolina was out of gas and would go 3 and out twice to end the game.

Well coached by Sean and Carolina, too many injuries on the D-Line to overcome as Atlanta ran for 250 yards. Atlanta tried to give it away with 7 penalties for 72 yards. Key injuries to Von Miller and Josh Sweat for the Falcons, they were knocked out this game and possibly next week too.

Next week, Carolina (4-11) travels to Chicago (9-5) and Atlanta (13-2) travels to Tampa Bay (5-9)

Seattle 28 Philadelphia 0                   45 0-5
Seattle wins the battle of the backup QBs. Eagles offense just couldn’t get anything going and Seattle takes the 28-0 W.

New York (N) 6 Dallas 21                    70 Calm
Jamaal Williams rushed for three TDs and Justin Hebert finally had a good game (21/28, 232 yards) as the Dallas Cowboys won just their second game of the season with a 21-6 upset over the previously 7-7 New York Giants.

Rushing Leaders
Foreman(LV)     15-143
Penny(Ten)      21-134 2 TD
Etienne(Buf)    19-132
Pacheco(Mia)    12-124 1 TD
Mostert(Atl)    12-119 1 TD
Pierce(Jax)     20-113 1 TD
Chubb(LAC)      16-110
Williams,J(Dal) 17-109 3 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Week
Henry(NE)       14-103 1 TD

Receiving Leaders
Kupp(NE)         8-173
Williams,M(Ari) 9-166
Hollins(Ind)    11- 57

Passing Leaders
Mahomes(Ari)    42-30-399   1 TD 2 Int

Defensive Standouts
Karlaftis(NYJ)   16 Tk
Kendricks(Jax)   1 Int 16 Tk – IFL Defensive Player of the Week
Delpit(Det)      2 Int 1 Tk

Special Teams
Folk(Atl) 2 FGs – IFL Special Teams Player of the Week

IFL WEEK 15 STANDINGS

IFL WEEK 15 LEAGUE LEADERS

Week 14 Recap

Arizona continues their march to the top seed of the NFC dispatching Cincinnati.

Game Scores
Arizona 34 Cincinnati 13                    36 15-25
On a gusty Cincinnati afternoon, the one loss Arizona Cardinals invaded the Jungle. The Bengals had a big opportunity on the opening drive as Arizona fumbled the snap on a punt with the Bengals recovering at the Cardinals 18. The Cincinnati offense sputtered and settled on a Fairbairn 32 yard field goal for an early 3-0 lead.

On their next series, Arizona was able to get things going with Mahomes finding Kirk for 28 yards and a pass interference penalty setting up the Cardinals at the Cincinnati 19. After an incompletion, Barkley ran it in from 19 yards out and a 7-3 Arizona lead with about ten minutes remaining in the opening quarter.

After exchanges of punts, Fairbairn missed from 55 yards out. However, with his back to the wind Carlson converted from 57 yards out to extend the Cardinals lead to 10-3 as the quarter ended.

The Bengals had a chance to go deep into Arizona territory on their next drive but a holding penalty killed it and Cincinnati was forced to punt. The stubborn Cincinnati defense once again held Mahomes and company to another field goal to make it 13-3 Cardinals with about six minutes till the half. After Cincinnati was forced to punt the tide turned ugly for IFL Bengal fans as the Cardinals converted a fourth and two from deep in their own territory. The very next play Barkley took a screen pass and rambled to the Bengals 12. Mahomes would once again hook up with Barkley from 12 yards out to increase their lead to 20-3. Cincinnati was able to kick another field goal before the half and trailed 20-6.

After exchanges of punts to begin the third quarter, Rodgers heated up with completions of 14 and 16 yards. After a roughing the passer penalty placed the ball on the three, Rodgers was able to sneak it in from the one inch line to cut the deficit to 20-13. But Arizona answered as Mahomes connected with Kirk for a 59 yard gain to set up another Barkley score from three yards out to increase their lead to 27-13.

Forced to throw into the wind the Bengals offense struggled. McLeod intercepted a Rodgers pass and went 45 yards for the pick-six and a final of 34-13.

Mahomes finished just 12 of 22 for 221 yards and a touchdown. He was sacked seven times.
Barkley rushed 18 times for 72 yards and two scores. He also caught 3 passes for 71 yards and a touchdown.

Rodgers completed just 18 of 35 passes for 169 yards and an interception. Defensive linemen Zach Sieler and Kentavius Street collected two sacks each.

Next week the Cardinals host Jacksonville while the Bengals travel to Baltimore for a critical game with their playoff hopes in jeopardy.

New Orleans 31 Tampa Bay 27                 76 0-10
The 7 and 6 New Orleans Saints came to Tampa to take on the 5 and 8 Buccaneers. New Orleans was looking to stay in the playoff race, Tampa was looking to save face.
1st quarter: Both New Orleans QB Joe Flacco and Tampa’s Derek Carr came out hot, as the teams combined for 7 rushes and 19 passes. Flacco connected on 7 of his first 10 throws for 103 yards. Saints scoring included a 13 yard TD pass to TE David Njoku and a Brandon McManus 32 yard field goal. Tampa’s Carr went 8 of 9 passing for 112 yards. Davante Adams hauled in a 26 yard scoring toss, but Chris Boswell missed a 47 yard field goal. End of the first, Saints 10 - Tampa 7.
2nd quarter: In the second stanza, the play callers flipped the script, totaling 9 passes, 2 sacks, and 19 runs. The Saints gained 39 yards rushing on 6 attempts, but Flacco was unable to complete any passes. As a result, the 10 stayed on the New Orleans side of the scoreboard into the half. The Bucs, led by RB Cordarrell Patterson, tallied 62 rushing yards on 13 attempts. Carr continued to be effective going 4 for 6, while accounting for 76 yards through the air.  Adams hauled in his second TD pass, this time from 28 yards out. Boswell missed his second field goal, but was able to make one. End of the second, Saints 10 - Tampa 17.
3rd quarter: The play calling was balanced. New Orleans gained 76 yards, 29 on the ground and 47 in the air. Flacco was 3 of 4, including a 10 yard scoring strike to A.J. Brown. Tampa’s offense put up 121 yards, 51 running the ball and 70 through the air. Carr threw his third TD of the day, this time to WR Hollywood (Florida that is) Brown. Boswell made his second field goal in 4 attempts. End of the third, Saints 17 - Tampa 27.
4th quarter: Few IFL fans will be surprised to learn the final quarter included only 8 runs as compared to 31 passes. The Saints struck a semblance of play calling balance, gaining 19 yards on 7 rushes. In the air, Flacco figured it all out at the right time, throwing for 143 yards on 16 attempts.
In the deciding quarter, New Orleans struck first when Flacco found A.J. Brown for his second TD reception via a long crosser. Saints 24 - Tampa 27. Next, relying completely on their quarterback Carr, the Bucs got close enough for a 51 yard Boswell field goal attempt, but in a huge turn of events, 14 year veteran long snapper Jon Weeks rolled the ball back to holder Brian Anger, who in turn got buried. New Orleans found themselves still down only 3.
Next, the Saints QB Flacco continued his hot fourth quarter, moving the ball down to the Buccaneer 7 yard line, but he was then intercepted by rookie LB Christian Harris at the 2. Fortunately for the wearers of the fleur de lys, the Saints defense had Facco’s six, forcing a three and out and keeping advantageous field position.
New Orleans started at their own 42 with 2:21 on the clock. Flacco passes account for all of the yards gained, including the last 13 on a scoring pass over the middle to WR Zay Jones. With only 42 seconds left, the Saints had the lead for the first time since the first quarter. Saints 31 - Tampa 27.
Carr took over with two timeouts and 38 seconds from his 25 yard line. He keeps everybody’s eyes glued to the TV as he connects for 46 yards on the drive, including a 27 yard long slant to WR Equanimeous St. Brown. In the last 15 seconds, Tampa gets three plays from the New Orleans 17 yard line to win the game, but alas, it was not to be. Final Saints 31 - Tampa 27.
Jim called the great game especially when it mattered most. Flacco’s line was 23/34 for 293 yards, 4 touchdowns, 1 pick, and only 1 sack. That’s a QB rating of 121.3. The Saints had a good game on the ground as well, gaining 108 yards on 22 attempts, for a 4.9 average. A.J. Brown was absolutely dominant, hauling in 8 receptions for 174 yards, an average of 21.8, and two TDs.
Carr was 25/36 for 337 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 2 sacks, good for a QB rating of 126.7. Adams accounted for 8 catches, 135 yards, and 2 TDs. Patterson gained 96 yards on 18 attempts, a 5.3 average. The Buccaneers downfall may have been lining up five times for field goals and coming away with only 6 points. Of course, even lining up for 5 field goals is a good way to lose too.
Next week Tampa Bay hosts the division leading Chicago Bears while New Orleans plays their division rivals, the Los Angeles Rams.

Dallas 6 Pittsburgh 15                      35 0-10 Rain
Back in the day Cowboys vs Steelers was must watch tv tonight's game not so much.

The Cowboys (1-12) come into Pittsburgh on an unbelievable 9 game losing streak with Justin Herbert pulling the strings while the Steelers (4-9) are struggling along in Brady's farewell tour having lost 6 of their last 7 games.

Cowboys win the toss and elect to take the ball. Herbert engineers a 7 minute drive that results in a 14 yard TD pass to Goedert and things are looking good for the visitors until their kicker Ammendola misses the extra point. The 6-0 lead however would stand until the final play of the half when Bass (who has been horrible this year hitting at a 70% clip coming into the game) would knock in his 3rd FG of the half coming from 35,50 and the final one from 41 for a 9-6 lead for the home team heading to the locker room.

Not much offense in the second half as the teams did have to contend with heavy rain most of the game in 35 degree weather. The Steelers must have woke up their kicker Bass by bringing in competition during the week as he connects on both of his second half opportunities 51 and 19 and that is all the offense the Steelers would need.

Herbert is picked off twice in the second half and the offense goes 1-16 on 3rd down opportunities just killing any momentum they would have. Neither QB was real good Brady just avoided the Interceptions tonight going 19-34 for 179 yards and a 72 QB rating while Herbert was 19-41 1TD 2 INTs for a 42 rating not much you can do as a play caller with those numbers.

The MVP is a kicker Bass which tells you all you need to know about the game .

Steelers win 15-6 and move to (5-9) get to host division leading Tennessee (10-3) as of this writing while Dallas falls to (1-13) go home to take on the (6-7) NY Giants

Miami 20 Denver 40                          51 Calm
Miami came into Mile High and both teams were lighting up the scoreboard early on with Miami holding a 14-13 lead one play into the 2nd quarter. (Miami blocked Denver's first PAT).
However, the rest of the 1st half had Denver mounting long drives with a TD at the end to make it 27-14 at the half.
Miami started the 2nd half with a 3 and out on defense and then a FG to cut the lead to 27-17.
Denver's offense proved too much for the rest of the game as they got a TD and 2 FG's to put the game away by a final score of 40-20.

Buffalo 27 Las Vegas 20                     57 Calm
The Bills pull of the upset, beating the heavily favored Raiders 27-20. However it wouldn't be an ActionFB game without something bizarre occurring and this game was no exception.

The Raiders are down 27-20 with 36 seconds remaining. They've got the ball and are on the Bills 46 yard line with all three timeouts remaining. Vegas is in a 3W1 formation with QB Stafford in shotgun and FB McKeon as the lone RB. I call a Medium Slant to Kelce with McKeon staying back in pass protect. Here's what Action decides to run.

1 10 opp46 0:36 LV Staffor-Stafford -1 3W1 B-Fly/SG/BK1 4-2 Z Pass

1st and 10 at the 46
Las Vegas hustling to the line
Stafford fades back to pass
he throws deep down the sidelines to Stafford
complete!
loss of 1

1 10 opp46 0:36 LV Staffor-Stafford -1 3W1 B-Fly/SG/BK1 4-2 Z Pass

So Matt Stafford threw a Bomb-Fly to himself and caught it deep down the sidelines for a 1 yard loss.. The play also ran 15 seconds off the clock, quite a bit of time for a 1 yard lateral to himself, deep down the sidelines...

The next play Stafford throws an interception (not targeting himself) and it's game over.

San Francisco 16 Chicago 6                  38 5-15
My eyes are bloodshot trying to squint & see a hint of offense coming out of the Windy City.

Watching this fiasco makes me not care my new gal looks like Broom Hilda.

Please don't think I'm taking anything away from Brendan & SF. The best coach won.

I think the fact they had male cheerleaders done throwed us off our game.

Seattle 12 Baltimore 3                      43 5-15 Rain
Heavy rain, ugly/sloppy game.

Baltimore throws 4 picks, Seattle throws 2 picks.

Baltimore coach taking a lot of heat for throwing to TE Mark Andrews at the SEA 2 to see it picked off in the endzone by 10+ Minka Fitzpatrick.

Indianapolis 27 Kansas City 38              29 10-20
Kansas City ran for 314 yards and controlled the clock for 38 minutes in defeating visiting Indianapolis. Turnovers on back to back possessions at the end of the 3rd and beginning of the 4th quarters hurt Indy in their comeback attempt.

Los Angeles (N) 19 Green Bay 10             26 0-5
Tied 10-10 at halftime then the Rams shut out Green Bay the rest of the way en route to a 19-10 victory

Key play in this one came late in the 3rd with the game still tied.

Packers were knocking at the door on the Rams 7 when DT DreMont Jones picked off a Mike White screen pass intended for Dalvin Cook

Rams then put together an impressive 20 play, 87 yard drive capped off by Curtis Samuels 3 yard TD reception. Hosts could not regroup after that

Rams appear to be headed for the post season; Packers are falling like a stone.

Entertaining afternoon matching plays with coach Heaton who came up with the right calls when it really counted and was full value for the win.

Atlanta 28 Minnesota 3                      68 Calm
Atlanta coming in at 11-2 were facing the 1-12 Vikings at home.

1st Quarter:
After stopping Minnesota for a 3 & out, Atlanta took the ball down the field and scored on a Hurts TD Pass to Davis. Atlanta may have thought they were going to cruise in this one, but Coach Jones had a fantastic game plan that slowed them down despite the talent gap.

2nd Quarter:
The teams would trade punts 7 times, until Atlanta made the first mistake, as a member of the return team was hit with a punt and Minnesota recovered on the Atlanta 22, but were held to a FG. ATL 7 MIN 3.
After a few more 3 and outs, Atlanta would take the ball and get their 2 minute offence going with the help of a few penalties, Hurts throws to Stevenson for the TD. ATL 14- MIN 3

3rd Quarter:
Atlanta would start with the ball and look to use their momentum to push the game out a bit. Hurts would hit Davis with another TD pass to go up 21-3.

4th Quarter:
Hurts would take a 45 yard run to the house to start the 4th and put this one out of reach. The final score would be Atlanta 28, Minnesota 3.

Coach Jones made it tough for Atlanta, even pulling Trey Lance for Colt McCoy but they didn't have enough firepower this year on offense to keep up. Minnesota hosts Las Vegas next week, while Atlanta hosts the division rival Carolina Panthers.

Game MVP: Hurts

Tennessee 12 New York (N) 19                35 0-5   Light Rain
The Giants defense held strong keeping Tennessee out of the endzone in the 19-12 upset. The Giants are back to .500.

New England 23 Houston 7                    70 Calm
Kirk Cousins hit Terry McLaurin for a 45 yard TD strike late in the first quarter to put Houston up 7-3 on the visiting Patriots. From there, NE would score the final 20 points of the game including two Tyreek Hill TD grabs, as the Patriots downed the Texans by the score of 23-7.

Jacksonville 34 Philadelphia 0              50 10-20
Jaguars run roughshod over Eagles. Josh Allen throws for 278 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Carolina 16 Detroit 6                       70 Calm
Frankie Luvu leads a strong Carolina defensive effort with two sacks.

New York (A) 10 Los Angeles (A) 20          73 Calm
Nick Chubb rushes for 91 yards and a touchdown as the Chargers rally to defeat the Jets.

Rushing Leaders
Etienne(Buf)    21-176 2 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Wee
Jacobs(Det)     22-134
Williams,J(Dal) 13-117
Gibson(Jax)     19-111
Wilson(NYJ)     16-110

Receiving Leaders
Brown(NO)        8-174 2 TD
Hill(NE)        10-164 2 TD

Passing Leaders
Carr(TB)        36-25-337   3 TD
Smith,G(Den)    33-26-325   5 TD
Flacco(NO)      34-23-293   4 TD 1 Int
Allen(Jax)      34-23-278   4 TD

Defensive Standouts
Fitzpatric(Sea) 2 Int 6 Tk – IFL Defensive Player of the Week
Gipson(Phi)      15 Tk

Special Teams
Bass(Pit)      5-5 FG
Taylor(Pit)    8-106 Punt Ret – IFL Special Teams Player of the Week
Slye(Sea)      4-4 FG
Crosby(Ten)    4-5 FG

IFL WEEK 14 STANDINGS

IFL WEEK 14 LEAGUE LEADERS

Week 13 Recap

Tampa Bay's Davante Adams scores 3 touchdowns as Bucs down Houston.

Game Scores
Tampa Bay 23 Houston 15                     70 Calm
Two struggling teams struggled to score for much of the game. Halftime score was Houston 6, Tampa 3. Tampa starts the 2nd half by scoring the game's first TD to take the lead 10 - 6. Things got crazy late in the 4th quarter when 3 TDs were scored in 1:20 of game time, resulting in a 23 - 15 Tampa lead. Houston's effort to drive down for a TD and potential game tying 2 point conversion came to an end at Tampa's 11 yard line.

Las Vegas 17 Chicago 7                      26 Calm
3 yards and a cloud of dust, while not quite a literal description of this game, is very close. There was exactly one score per quarter and only 1 turnover. Even the highlight plays were dull, 2yd 4th down conversion, 4 yd stuff, 1 yd 4th down conversion. Urgh.

At the same time, it was a fun game to coach. Until a roughing the passer penalty against Chicago with 2 minutes left, it really felt like Action was staying out of it and letting the teams play.

In the end the Raiders came out on top, 17-7.

Tennessee 33 Buffalo 6                      34 5-15
The Titans come into Buffalo and dominate on both sides of the ball and win it going away 33-6.
The Titans improve to 10-3 while the Bills fall to 4-9. The Bills will head to Las Vegas next week while the Titans head to New York to play the Giants.

Dallas 6 New Orleans 17                     70 Calm
The Saints win a defensive battle at home to remain in the wildcard race 17-6. There would be 19 punts combined and the Cowboys punter would put an amazing 7 punts inside the 20.

Denver 25 Green Bay 18                      32 Calm
10-2 Denver came into Green Bay looking to put a damper on the 8-4 Packers playoff hopes

On the Broncos first drive they went 60 yards in 10 plays, capped off by a Geno Smith 15 yard scramble TD, to go up 7-0.

Hosts respond with a decent drive of their own (versus arguably the top defense in the IFL) but have to settle for a short Riley Patterson FG to cut the lead to 7-3.

On Denver's ensuing possession, consecutive penalties and a sack took them out of FG range and forced a punt.

Packers hung around for the rest of the half thanks to a Geno INT and actually cut the lead to 7-6 on another Patterson FG.

With just under 3 minutes left before intermission, Coach Crandall orchestrated a brilliant 12 play, 92 yard drive that RB Christian McCaffrey finished off with a 9 yard TD reception, 14-6 Denver at the half.

The second half started out poorly for the hosts as Dalvin Cook fumbled on his own 33 to give the Broncos great field position. Green Bay's defense held tough however and forced a 35 yard FG, 17-6 Broncos

That defensive stand seemed to get the Packers going as they ran off 12 straight points to take a 18-17 lead with just under 8 minutes left.

On Denver's next drive they faced a 4th and 5 at their own 44 with 5:07 remaining. Rather than punt, Coach Crandall rolled the dice. Geno Smith found little used WR Richie James Jr. for a 13 yard gain to keep the drive alive. Two plays later Sammy Watkins took a harmless looking slant and burst free for a 43 yard TD. 2 point convert made it 25-18 Denver.

Lambeau was deadly silent

Green Bay got two more chances to even things up but both drives went nowhere. 25-18 Final

Smith finished 34-44 for 294 and 2 TDs.
McCaffrey, Devonte Smith, Austin Ekeler was troublesome all game long

Packers QB MIke White was a less than spectacular 14-34 for 161.
Dalvin Cook rushed for 99 yards on 24 carries

Doug has his Broncos looking like serious contenders and coached a great game

Denver (11-2) hosts Miami next week, while Green Bay (8-5) stays home to take on the Rams

Baltimore 31 Miami 15                       73 0-5
Baker Mayfield throws for 357 yards and a touchdown as Baltimore puts a dent in Miami’s playoff hopes.

Detroit 0 Los Angeles (A) 17                75 Calm
The Charger defense provides the edge, holding Detroit to 200 yards for the game.... it was a tight 10-0 contest with a late pick-6 providing the final margin.

Seattle 21 San Francisco 28                 58 5-15
The Seahawks turned the ball over 5 times and lost Dak in the game.

New York (N) 13 Atlanta 27                  68 Calm
The G- Men came into Atlanta as 6-point underdogs looking to pull off an upset to help their playoff chances, while Atlanta is looking to secure the division and maybe hope for an Arizona slip up. Both sides had injuries coming into the game, but with the season winding down its "next man up."

1st Quarter:

The Giants started the game running all over the Falcons defense. Looking a little sluggish from last week's big win vs LA, the Atlanta defense started with 2 injuries to Von Miller and Josh Sweat although they would return. The Giants kicked a FG to go up 3-0.

Both teams would trade punts, and Atlanta would put together a drive that was helped by a 3rd and 9 roughing the passer penalty that setup a Stevenson run to make it 7-3 ATL

2nd Quarter:

The Giants didn't waste much time on a 2nd and 1 from their own 34, Ray Ray McCloud would take a reverse 66 yards to the house to put NYG up 10-7. Atlanta would put together an answer as they were on OPP 19 when Hurts completed a pass to Agholor who coughed up the ball and the Giants took over. The Giants would go for it on 4th and 12 but would be stopped handing the ball over to Atlanta around midfield.

2 plays into the next drive Jalen Hurts was stripped and the Giants took over again! With a little over 2 minutes left in the half the G-Men would kick another FG to make it 13-7. Atlanta would put together some timely passes to get into Giant territory and hit a FG with time expiring to make it 13-10 G-Men up 3 at half.

3rd Quarter:

Important play on the kickoff to Atlanta, NY's kicker pulled a hamstring and was ruled out for the game, without a backup kicker. Atlanta had a drive going and on 4th and 1 around midfield tried the "tush push" but Hurts was stopped short! NY would drive into ATL territory but on 4th and 9, instead of kicking they were forced to go for it, and it was a turnover on downs.

Atlanta was able to get rolling from here, inserting Mostert who came up big with 39 yards on 4 runs, setting up Hurts to find Davis for a 48 yard TD. Atlanta up 17-13.

4th Quarter:

NYG would punt to start the 3rd quarter, with a crucial 3rd and 3, Hurts would audible and hit Toney for a 13 yard gain. Stevenson would break a run 49 yards getting knocked out at the 4 yard line and Hurts would find the endzone to put Atlanta up 24-13.

Now under pressure to throw, NY would start to have problems with the ball, a fumble by NY's Heyward would lead to Stevenson making a 29 yard run to set up an Atlanta FG to put it to 27-13. A Daniel Jones INT to Bland would seal the game. Injuries and usage were issues for both teams. However, losing a kicker is a big problem.

Both teams still banged up are back in action next week. Atlanta travels to Minnesota, while it doesn't get easier for NYG as they travel to Tennessee.

Philadelphia 17 Los Angeles (N) 31          55 Calm
Both teams came in with beat up secondaries and it lead to a field day for both QBs. Unfortunately for the Eagles you need hold on to the ball after catching it and the fumbles ultimately doom their chances for the W.

Minnesota 10 Kansas City 23                 35 10-20
Kansas City ran for 172 yards and were able to hold off a very stubborn Vikings team to secure the victory.

Jacksonville 35 New York (A) 17             42 0-10
Jacksonville came into New York hoping to keep their playoff hopes alive. They showed they were serious by scoring a TD on each of their first 3 possessions of the 1st quarter. In the meantime the Jets had a 3 and out, an interception, and a turnover on downs on their first 3 possessions.

At the half it was 28-10, and the final score was 35-17.

The Jets won the time of possession 34 minutes to 26, had more first downs, and out gained JAX 421 yards to 350…oh well…

The biggest stat of the game was Jeff Wilson’s career game of 26 carries for 235 yards!! He had TD runs of 39 yards, 56 yards.

For Jacksonville Allen was 12-17 for 174 yards and 2 TDs, and he ran 6 times for 42 yards, and 2 more touchdowns.

Next week Jacksonville travels to Philadelphia, while the Jets travel to LA to play the Chargers.

Arizona 45 Carolina 23                      59 0-5
Carolina, with their third string running back and second string QB, keep it interesting for a half, but Mahomes is too much in an eventual rout.

Carolina actually leads at the half 17 to 14 behind a hot Zappe and a consistent running game.

The second half was a totally different story as Arizona scored at will behind Mahomes' passing.

Mahomes finished with 334 yard and 5 td's while almost three different receivers had 100 yards receiving.

Zappe has an amazing game for Carolina going 26 of 29 for 304 and 2 td's. Evans had 149 yards receiving and 2 td's. Backup running back Zamir White even chips in with 101 rushing yards.

Carolina even leads in total yards, a small victory, but are still demolished for their 8th straight loss.

Pittsburgh 31 Indianapolis 20               69 Calm
Pittsburgh welcomes 3 players back to their lineup and they all contributed to a road victory.

WR -Rondale Moore catches a 17 yard pass from Brady with 2:26 to play to put the Steelers up 24-20

CB - Jaylen Watson Picks off Burrow and takes it to the house 46 yards with 1:24 to play to seal the road win

LB - Randy Gregory had a sack and 3 hurries

Cincinnati 14 New England 40                34 0-10
Aaron Rodgers threw two TD passes but was also intercepted three times paving the way for the Patriots and Lamar Jackson to hang 40 on the Champs. Jackson threw for 197 yards and 3 TDs while also rushing for 72 yards.

Rushing Leaders
Wilson(NYJ)     26-235 2 TD
Stevenson(Atl) 17-135 1 TD
Williams,T(Min) 20-106 1 TD
Gibson(Jax)     21-101 1 TD
White(Car)      27-101

Receiving Leaders
Adams(TB)        9-162 3 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Week
Peoples-Jo(Bal) 8-154 1 TD
Lamb(LAR)       10-136 2 TD

Passing Leaders
Mayfield(Bal)   39-27-357   1 TD
Mahomes(Ari)    20-17-334   5 TD
Tannehill(Phi) 41-34-313   2 TD 1 Int
Cousins(Hou)    48-36-305   1 Int
Prescott(Sea)   31-22-305   3 TD 2 Int
Zappe(Car)      29-26-304   2 TD
Lawrence(LAR)   32-24-301   3 TD
Smith,G(Den)    44-34-294   2 TD 1 Int

Defensive Standouts
Holcomb(Mia)     15 Tk
Jones,Jo(SF)     2 Int 10 Tk – IFL Defensive Player of the Week
Jones,Dr(LAR)    3 Sk 5 Tk

Special Teams
Crosby(Ten)    4-4 FG – IFL Special Teams Player of the Week
Patterson(GB) 4-4 FG
Tucker(NE)     4-5 FG

IFL WEEK 13 STANDINGS

IFL WEEK 13 LEAGUE LEADERS

Week 12 Recap

Keenan Allen and the Titans hold serve in their quest for the AFC Central title.

Game Scores
Pittsburgh 21 Tennessee 37                  45 0-10
The game was close halfway through the 3rd with the Titans up 24-21. A Steeler drive stalled at the Tennessee 35 and Tyler Bass attempted a 53 yard game tying field goal. Unfortunately he hooked it and the Titans needed only 5 plays to score on a 3 yard Latavius Murray run and increase the margin to 9 points (extra point was missed). The Steelers followed with a 3 and out. Tennessee then had a nearly 8 minute drive finished off with another Murray TD run.

Baltimore 7 Cincinnati 23                   35 0-5   Light Rain
Week 12 saw the Bengals host another division foe as Baltimore visited the Jungle. Cincinnati took advantage of a Mayfield interception and a turnover on downs as Fairbairn converted two field goals for a 6-0 first quarter lead. The Bengals extended their lead to 13-0 in the second quarter as Rogers found Dionate Johnson from 19 yards out.

After the half, rookie Alec Pierce hauled in a 46 yard pass to increase the lead to 20-0. The Ravens would cut the lead to 20-7 in the final quarter as Mayfield connected with Logan Thomas from ten yards out. Cincinnati would add another field goal for the 23-7 final.

Mayfield had a rough go finishing just 12 of 32 for 135 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Herbert rushed 18 times for 98 yards.

For the Bengals, Rodgers completed 18 of 29 for 231 yards and two touchdowns. Johnson caught nine passes for 80 yards and a score.

Next week the Ravens travel to Miami while the Bengals venture to New England for a big conference match-up.

Chicago 20 Minnesota 10                     68 Calm
In another riveting Chicago game, both teams combined for nearly 300 yards.

Wayne Fontes has not only been contacted / begged to come & help this Bears offense; he has been hired as assistant Head Coach & Offensive Coordinator.

Head coach Jerry Glandville says he'll welcome him with open arms, "It's not like we have Barry Sanders & he can waste him"

Houston 13 Kansas City 25                   36 5-15
Justin Fields threw 2 td passes and picked up 108 yards on the ground as Kansas City defeated Houston 25-13. The Chiefs has a season high of 424 yards total offense while keeping Cousins and company relatively in check.

Tampa Bay 31 Detroit 34                     70 Calm
Marcus Mariota throws three touchdown passes as the Lions nip Tampa Bay.

Philadelphia 3 Arizona 34                   62 Calm
Eagles were overmatched in game. Tanny needs more WR help.

Los Angeles (A) 13 Denver 37                47 0-5
In a game for the division lead with both teams sitting at 9-2 the Broncos were able to get off to a fast start and coated to a 37-13 victory.

Denver QB Geno Smith would throw for 366 yards and 3 scores. WR Devonta Smith hauled in all 9 of his targets for 206 yards and a TD.

Green Bay 28 Las Vegas 20                   63 0-5
Green Bay controls the game from start to finish. The only time the Raiders managed to get the lead was off a pick6 and Matt Stafford gave the lead away on their next drive with his third pick of the night. Apparently he was struck deaf, dumb and color blind, taking multiple sacks along with his three picks.

  Indianapolis 6 Miami 27                     73 0-10
Indy comes to Miami for a divisional game and runs into a buzz saw. The Dolphins were clicking on all cylinders on this night and the Colts without WR Ja'Maar Chase couldn't muster much punch. Indy is looking toward next year while the dolphins are trying to stay in the playoff hunt.

Next week Indy host Pittsburgh and Miami host Baltimore.

Atlanta 32 Los Angeles (N) 21               65 Calm
4 interceptions doom the Rams in Los Angeles against division rival Atlanta. One run in for a TD to give Atl the momentum and LA could never recover.

Buffalo 10 New York (A) 0                   27 0-10
Buffalo traveled to New York to play the Jets, and what a game it was!

The two teams combined for a total of 346 yards of offense…and a total of 10 points.
All 10 points were scored by the Bills, 7 coming with 1:30 left in the game.

But, not much can be expected when the starting QBs are named Winston(Jets) and Ehlinger…

The Jets lost 4 players to injuries in the 1st quarter, one being their best receiver, St, Brown, the leagues 2nd leading receiver.

No highlights to list…

Next week Buffalo hosts Tennessee, and the Jets host Jacksonville.

New Orleans 28 New England 33               39 0-5
Saints look to halt a 2 game losing streak in New England, but things start out rough for the visitors as the Patriots jump to a quick 10-0 lead on their first two drives. Patriots took that 10-0 lead thanks in part to back to back penalties resulting in 53 yards. Derrick Henry ran in a 6 yard TD to make it 10-0 after a Tucker field goal had opened the scoring.

Taylor Heinicke engineered a 12 play 75 yard drive resulting in an AJ Brown 17 yard TD reception to cut the lead to 10-7 early in the 2nd quarter.

Lamar Jackson would bring NE right back down the field, as he scrambled for 24 yards across midfield and then connected with Tyreek Hill twice, the second a 13 yard TD to extend the NE lead to 17-7.

After 3 uneventful series by both teams, NE looked to extend their lead with under 4 minutes til halftime. On first and ten from his own 28, Derrick Henry broke a tackle and looked headed for a big gain before being stripped of the ball - which the Saints would recover at the NE 35 yard line. On the very next play, Heinicke hit Brown for a 35 yard TD and just like that it was 17-14 Patriots.

After a NE 3 and out, NO looked to maintain the momentum and James Conner would oblige, ripping off runs of 8 and 11 yards and into NE territory. With under a minute to play, Heinicke hit Zay Jones for 11 and then - there was that guy again - AJ Brown for a 32 yard TD (his 3rd of the second quarter) to give the Saints a 21-17 lead at the half!

Saints take the ball out of the break and take the bubble wrap off RB Darrell Williams, who proceeds to tear off consecutive runs of 9.7.3 and 12 yards into Patriot territory. On the next play Heinicke dropped back to pass and tried to dump it off to Williams, but Dre Greenlaw would intercept the pass at the NE 33.

Short completions to Hill and Brandin Cooks had NE across midfield, and Jackson would soon find Cooks again for a 39 yard TD pass to give NE the lead back with 9:07 remaining in the 3rd quarter. Patriots up 24-21.

The teams would swap punts a couple times as the game drifted into the final quarter. Brandon McManus was brought on to try a 54 yard FG to tie the game for the Saints, but it would fall short, keeping it a 3 point NE lead.

After 3 straight incomplete passes by Lamar, Heinicke took over and started to cook once again. A 23 yard pass to Brown followed by a 14 yard play to David Njoku had NO into Patriot territory. A pass interference penalty would give the Saints 9 more yards and a first down, and two plays later RB Jaylen Warren broke loose for a 33 yard TD run - giving New Orleans a 28-24 lead with 11:01 remaining in the game.

After a nice kick return by Isaiah Rodgers, Jackson would find Randall Cobb for 9 and 14 yards, down to the Saint 31 yard line. Runs of 11 and 7 for Henry had NE at the 13 yard line, but the drive would stall and Justin Tucker would come on for the short FG to make it a 1 point game - Saints 28, Patriots 27. 7:06 to play..........

Saints take over and get immediate traction as Conner breaks loose for runs of 9 and 15 yards, moving the chains and eating some clock as the Saints were inside the NE 40. Saints go play-action on the next play, but a blitzing Bobby Wagner wasn't fooled - sacking Heinicke and knocking the ball loose - a mad scramble...............Saints would recover however and after the negative play, would ultimately have to punt - pinning NE back at their own 5 yard line with 4:40 to play.

Kareem Hunt for runs of 7 and 4 give NE some breathing room. On the next play a roughing the passer penalty gave NE an extra 15 yards after a short pass play to Henry netted 7 - first and ten from the Patriot 38 with with 3:17 remaining in the game.

A 4 yard Henry run and a big 24 yard reception by Cooks would bring NE to the Saint 34 yard line at the two-minute warning. After an incomplete pass and a 7 yard Henry run, NE faced a 3rd and 3 from the Saint 27. New Orleans decided to send 3 blitzers at Lamar in the hope of knocking NE further back and out of FG range, but Jackson would hit Cooks (6 receptions, 124 yards) on a short slant and Cooks would do the rest - racing the distance for the TD to give NE a 33-28 lead (2 point conversion failed). 1:37 to play........

Saints would start at their own 25 and Heinicke would hit Zay Jones twice, once for 9 and once for 14 yards to bring NO out to the Patriot 45 yard line with 45 seconds. A Bradberry DPI added another 11 yards as the Saints were sniffing the end zone, at the Patriots 35........

Jeffrey Simmons would sack Heinicke on the next play however, pushing NO back to the Patriot 42 yard line and from there it was 3 consecutive incomplete passes - with the Patriots barely hanging on for the 5 point win.

Taylor Heinicke and AJ Brown (4-107-3TDs) were the stars for the visitors, hooking up for the 3 first half TDs and giving the Saints life. James Conner rushed 18 times for 91 yards, as the New Orleans ground game (supported by Williams and Warren) was cooking all day (202 yards in total).

For NE, Lamar threw for 247 yards and 3 scores, two to Brandin Cooks. Derrick Henry ran for 87 yards and a score to lead the NE ground game.

Great game called by Jim, who had us off-stride the entire game. They'll fly home to face Dallas next week, while NE will play their final home game of the season in Week 13 against the Bengals.

Dallas 7 Seattle 27                         45 5-15
1-10 Dallas came to Seattle with a case of butterfingers fumbling the ball away 3 times. Herbert would also toss a pick six in the 27-7 loss. Prescott would carry the offense going 18-25 with 2 TDs.

New York (N) 23 Jacksonville 27             69 Calm
A close game throughout that saw the Jags give up the lead late due to a blocked punt only to win it on the last play of the game with a Josh Allen 3 yard TD.

Kind of a dull game offensively that saw both teams score and move the ball well in the first half but struggle in the second half. Other than the Jags final two minute drive to win the game there was very litttle O in the second half.

Both D's played well. Next week the Giants are in Atlanta while the Jags host the JETS.

Carolina 34 San Francisco 44                57 10-20
Both teams' starting quarterbacks are knocked out of the game but the Panthers defense still gives up over 40 points and 400 yards.

Drake has a career day rushing for 111 yards on just 10 carries before he too is knocked out of the game. The Panthers are barely able to field a team at this point.

San Fran averages 5.7 yards a carry on 43 attempts. Hubbard leads the way with 90 yards and 2 td's.

Rushing Leaders
Foreman(LV)     20-141
Sanders(LAR)    19-123
Drake(Car)      10-111 1 TD
Fields(KC)      15-108

Receiving Leaders
Smith,D(Den)     9-206 1 TD
Jeudy(Det)       8-177 2 TD
Allen(Ten)      10-140 1 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Week
Brown(NO)        4-107 3 TD

Passing Leaders
Smith,G(Den)    34-27-366   3 TD
Garoppolo(Ten) 36-27-350   1 TD
Mariota(Det)    36-21-319   3 TD

Defensive Standouts
Jenkins(Chi)     2 Int 4 Tk – IFL Defensive Player of the Week
Tranquill(Car)   15 Tk

Special Teams
Koo(KC)        4-4 FG
Patterson(GB) 5-5 FG - IFL Special Team Player of the Week
Folk(Atl)      4-5 FG
Nixon(Jax)     4-155 Kick Ret 5-14 Punt Ret

IFL WEEK 12 STANDINGS

IFL WEEK 12 LEAGUE LEADERS

Week 11 Recap

The Seattle defense keeps the Falcons offense in check to pick up a big conference win.

Game Scores
Seattle 21 Atlanta 13                       68 Calm
Seattle 7-3 was on the road coming to Atlanta 9-1 in a matchup that although Atlanta had the better record, Seattle is the most experienced team, with more playoff coaching experience, so it would be a good test. Unfortunately for Atlanta, Seattle came in on fire, while Atlanta, who scored 48 points last week, could only muster one TD. In fact, each team only scored one TD.

It was 13-6 Seattle at the end of the first half, and Atlanta made two crucial mistakes. 1st play of the second half for Atlanta, Hurts was sacked for a safety. Then the very next play for Atlanta, Hurts hit Agholor on a slant that he fumbled and gave Seattle the ball on the Atlanta 15 yard line. Even then it was 18-13 Seattle going into the 4th and Hurts went ice cold only throwing for 22 yards in the 4th quarter at home, as injured Zach Ertz watched from the sidelines. Seattle added another FG to make it 21-13.

Great game coached by Kris, played clean ball with 0 turnovers. Fun fact (not so fun for me), Seattle knocked the Falcons out of the playoffs in the divisional round last year, and Atlanta still can't seem to have their number.

Next week Seattle hosts Dallas, and Atlanta hopes to regroup as they have a huge divisional game against LA on the road.

Buffalo 6 Cincinnati 27                     40 15-25
The Bills and their contingent visit Cincinnati for an IFL week 11 match-up. Buffalo fans travel as well as any team's in the IFL. However, the Bills were without starting quarterback Kyler Murray.

After an exchange of punts, Bills sensational running back Travis Etienne fumbles with the Bengals taking over at the Buffalo 29. Four plays later Rodgers connected with Chark for the 17 yard score and a 7-0 Cincinnati lead with about seven minutes remaining in the opening quarter.

After a Bills punt Fairbairn made it 10-0 with a 43 yard field goal on the first play of the second quarter. Buffalo quarterback Sam Ehlinger seemed overwhelmed by the complex Cincinnati defense as Bengals safety Jesse Bates intercepted a pass and the Bengals took over at the Bills 27. Three plays later Michael Carter goes 19 yards and extends the Cincinnati lead to 17-0 with 13 minutes remaining in the half. The Bengals add another touchdown before the half as Rodgers finds Gerald Everett for the 18 yard score. After a Buffalo punt and the Bengals turning it over on downs Ehlinger seems to be finding his footing completing a 24 yard strike to tight end Tyler Conklin to set up a Jake Elliott 27 yard field goal as the Bills cut into the lead at the half 24-3.

Each team collected another field goal in the second half making the final score 27-6 Cincinnati.

Ehlinger finished 14 of 27 for 164 yards and two interceptions. He also rushed for 41 yards on five attempts.

For the Bengals, Rodgers was a pin point 21 of 26 for 201 yards and two touchdowns. Vaughn rushed for 94 yards on a workhorse like 22 carries.

Next week the Bills (and their contingent of fans) travel to the big city to face the division rival Jets while the Bengals host division rival Baltimore.

San Francisco 30 Arizona 34                 81 Calm
Well coached game by Brendan. SF gave Zona all they could handle. Mahomes marched the team down the field and tossed the winning TD with only 28 seconds left in game. Mac Jones attempted the same thing but threw an interception with two seconds left in game.

Chicago 9 Houston 6                         70 Calm
Bears win tight one with a late FG. Each team was barely able to hit 200 total yards. Houston had 3 turnovers to Chi's 1, that was probably why Chicago was able to pull out the W.

Miami 51 Pittsburgh 28                      37 5-15
Pittsburgh (3-7) came into the week 11 match up scuffling along losing its last 4 games as injuries continue to mount up.
Miami (5-5) has not fared well either on a 2 game losing streak something had to give .

Well its was the Steelers defense that gave and gave this game as Tua did virtually anything he wanted on this night as he had 3 TD passes in the 1st quarter staking the Dolphins to a 21-0 lead after one. As Pittsburgh Offense could not get anything going in the 1st.

In the 2nd Allgeier 5 yard TD run cuts the lead to 21-7 early in the 2nd. Miami again drive right down the field with a only a Lawrence sack making them try a FG and Prater makes a 35 yarder 24-7. Pittsburgh offense finally wakes up for the second drive as Brady to Brown from 5 yards out and its 24-14. On Miami's next drive the d finally played good enough for a stop or so the home crowd thought. As Coach Cox with a humming offense decides to go for it 4th and 6 on the Steelers 44 with 1:46 left in the half. The Gamble pays of as Tua hits Olive for 16 yards , They would finish the drive Tua to Cambell from 5 yards out and its 31-14 at the half.

The Steelers once again would cut the lead to 10 on their opening drive as Allgeier gallops 63 yards for a TD and its 31-21 early in the 3rd. The Dolphins made it look so easy on this night even with momentum on their side the home crowd could not affect the visitors. 6 plays 75 yards Rookie Pacheco runs the last 7 yards into the end zone and its back to a 17 point lead for the Dolphins. The game pretty much comes to an end as Brady throws a pick 6 on the next drive as Marco Thomas gets his 2nd TD of the year and makes the score 45-21. On the next possession at the Dolphins 44 on a 1st down Brady again turns it over this time a strip sack from Cameron Thomas . As we head to the 4th.

The Dolphins once again finish off the drive with a Prater 25 yard FG 48-21 .Prater hits another FG 42 yards out on their next possession making it 51-21 as this game got away from the home team. Jefferson who was doubled every play this game gets a 31 yard TD reception with just over 3 to play making the final 51-28.

Jefferson although constantly double team still has 7 catches for 120 yards and a TD. The Steelers also ran for 198 yards on 27 carries, Allgeier had 144 yards and 2 TDs.

But Tua was the story beating, pass defense, blitzes , 3 man rush , double teams no matter what the Steelers ran did not seem to matter. He end going 27-37 for 385 yards 4 TD QB rating of 142.3 and of course game mvp honors.

The Steelers also added more injuries to their depleted troupes Schofield RT out 3 weeks , Bohanna DT 3 weeks , starting CB Watson out a week making them 10 players injured for next week game unless Watson and Gregory whom both have questionable labels are cleared for the game

Tony as always calls a great game

Miami 6-5 heads home to take on (as of this writing) a 2-8 Colts team. While the Steelers 3-8 lick their wounds and heads out of town (probably a good thing) to face division leading Titans 7-3 .

  Green Bay 16 Los Angeles (A) 27             82 Calm
LAC avoids Groundhog Day, part 3, and comes from behind to down the game Packers.... the 17 4th quarter points eclipsed LA’s total from
the last two games combined.... for the 3rd game in a row, Chubb was banging out 1 and 2 yard runs till he finally busted loose for a couple
20+runs in the last quarter.... a 75-yard drive accounted for the winner with just under 2-minutes with a pick-6 providing the final margin....

GB deserved a better fate; but LAC finally got some breaks in the 4th quarter that they haven’t seen over the previous three games.

Kansas City 29 Tampa Bay 28                 78 0-5   Heavy Rain
The 4 and 6 Tampa Bay Buccaneers played host to the 2 and 9 Kansas City Chiefs. It was not a Chamber of Commerce Day, as there were heavy rains throughout the game.
The first quarter saw only one possession by each team. Kansas City opened the game by driving down the field for a touchdown using 15 plays and 9:11 of clock. The drive included two fourth-down conversions. Tampa liked what they saw and return the favor using 14 plays and 7:14 of clock. Early in the second quarter the game was tied at 7.
The second quarter included a Tampa Bay touchdown and a KC field goal, making the score 14 – 10 in favor of the Buccaneers at halftime. As would prove important throughout the game, Chief’s kicker Younghoe Koo appeared comfortable kicking his first field goal during the Florida downpour.
Big plays were the norm in the second half as the field became soaked. Often, the defenders looked as if they were doing their work on a huge Wham-O Slip n’ Slide.
To start the third, Buccaneers quarterback Derek Carr threw an interception that led to a second KC field goal by Koo. Carr made a quick recovery by connecting on a 57 yard TD scoring slant and go to Davante Adams, which moved the Bucs ahead 21-13.
The Chiefs QB Justin Fields got hot on the next possession, completing long throws to TE Juwan Johnson and WR Allen Lazard, but Kansas City had to settle for a third Koo FG, this time he was good from 44 yards. Tampa 21 – 16.
Tampa’s answer was Carr to WR Tyler Lockett for 48 yards and a finishing TD run by RB Cordarrell Patterson from 7 yards out to put the game in jeopardy for KC, now down 28 – 16. Off to the 4th quarter.
The Chiefs move down the field in large part due to a 27 yard Fields to WR Kendrick Bourne pass, but had to settle for a fourth successful Koo kick, this time from 43 yards away. 28 – 19 Tampa with 10 minutes left in the game.
KC forced a 3 and out and then earned its fifth field goal from one South Korean born Younghoe Koo, this one a 49 yard rained soaked bomb. Now it’s 28 – 22 Tampa, and all the momentum is with the visitors.
A second fourth quarter three and out by the Bucs Carr and his team, lead to what felt like the inevitable. Extending a 1st and 10 play from the Tampa 49 yard line, Fields hits Kendrick Bourne for a TD pass with just over 2 minutes left in the game. With the Koo extra point, the score was 29 – 28 Kansas City!
Carr tries to make it happen, but on a first play deep drop, he’s sacked by KC’s edge rusher Mario Edwards Jr. Soon after, a second inevitable result was realized – Carr was intercepted by safety Josh Metellus, clinching a sweet comeback victory for KC.
In our opinion, Tampa’s 2 turnovers to none for KC was not critical to the result. KC put up 403 yards, had the ball for 35:35, and went 4 of 5 on 4th down conversions. Add in Fields going 20 of 32 for 286 and Koo going 5 for 5, and there you have it.
Next week KC can make it 2 in a row while hosting Houston. The Lions are licking their chops awaiting the Floridians visit.

Indianapolis 9 Tennessee 26                 69 0-10
The Colts put up a good fight and the issue was in doubt halfway through the 4th as Indy trailed 16-9 but had the ball at their own 42. However, the Titan defense held firm and the Colts had to punt. Then a short slant Ryan to Hopkins broke for 38 yards and this set up the clinching field goal.

Indy visits Miami next week while the Titans host Pittsburgh.

Los Angeles (N) 24 Dallas 6                 70 Calm
Dallas' Deebo Samuel got injured early in the contest and Dallas' already lousy offense had an even smaller chance to move the ball against one of the best defenses in the league. The Ram defense held Dallas to 190 yards total offense (including just 113 yards passing from Justin Herbert) and it's defense recorded five sacks (two each by LB Josh Uche and DLman DeMarcus Walker) in a convincing 24-6 win. Uche now has 10 sacks on the season! Dallas' defense held the Rams scoreless in the first quarter before Miles Sanders scored on a 5-yard run in the second quarter to give the Rams a 7-0 lead at halftime.

In the third, the Ram offense clicked as Trevor Lawrence hit Samaje Perine out of the backfield on a short pass as Perine put a move on a defender and turned the play into a 35 yard scoring pass. On its next possession, Lawrence threw a 31 yard pass and run to CeeDee Lamb to put the Rams up 21-0.

Dallas showed "some" fight and scored on a Jamaal Williams run. Of course, the Cowboys' Statpack kicker missed the PAT ... and the onside kick attempt.

With the win, the Rams are now 7-4. The loss makes the Cowboys' record 1-11 heading into week 12.

Trevor Lawrence was 14/16 for 168 yards with two TD throws.

New York (A) 3 Baltimore 24                 51 0-5
Khalil Herbert rushed for 101 yards and two touchdowns as the Ravens defeat the Jets.

Jacksonville 7 New England 38               39 5-15
Lamar Jackson threw 5 TD passes (4 to Tyreek Hill) as the Patriots exorcised the demons from last year's home playoff loss to the Jaguars. Hill caught 6 passes for 193 yards and the four scores, while Cooper Kupp grabbed 5 balls for 107 and a TD as NE jumped to a 35-7 halftime lead. Neither team did much in the second half, as NE wins this one 38-7.

Minnesota 3 Denver 27                       52 0-10
Denver's defense makes things tough on the Vikes in a 27-3 game.
Geno Smith throws for 383 and 2 TD's in the win.

Carolina 10 Philadelphia 17                 40 5-15
The Eagles get their 3rd win of the year in a 17-10 slugfest with the Panthers. The play of the game was by Eagle CB Decobie Durant as he intercepted Panther QB Russell Wilson and took it to the house to give the Eagles a 14-7 lead which it never gave up.

Detroit 18 Las Vegas 26                     71 0-10
The Raiders finally get QB Stafford back and while he did have to shake off some rust (2 picks) he also put up 321 yards and 2 TD's to get the home win against the Lions, 26-18.

New Orleans 21 New York (N) 22              63 5-15
Saints have trouble in the red zone all day as they are forced to kick 5 FGs. Giants kicker Santos kicks a go ahead FG with 58 seconds left to take the lead and the D holds on. Heinecke throws for 275 yards but fails to throw for a TD for the Saints. Daniel Jones throws for 246 yards and rushes for another 63 against the Saints D. He throws and rushes for a TD a piece.

Rushing Leaders
Allgeier(Pit)   15-144 2 TD
Davis-Pric(Bal) 20-130
Jones,A(Sea)    26-124
Herbert(Bal)    14-101 2 TD

Receiving Leaders
Brown(NO)        6-198
Hill(NE)         6-193 4 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Week
Olave(Mia)       7-151 1 TD
Waddle(NYG)     10-141 1 TD
Aiyuk(Ten)      11-116

Passing Leaders
Mahomes(Ari)    41-31-411   4 TD 1 Int
Tagovailoa(Mia) 37-27-385   4 TD
Smith,G(Den)    45-34-383   2 TD
Stafford(LV)    35-23-321   2 TD 2 Int
Jackson,L(NE)   20-13-312   5 TD 1 Int

Defensive Standouts
Delpit(Det)      2 Int 6 Tk – IFL Defensive Player of the Week

Special Teams
Jackson,Ju(SF) 5-158 Kick Ret
Slye(Sea)      4-4 FG – IFL Special Teams Player of the Week
Koo(KC)        5-5 FG
Myers(LV)      4-4 FG
McManus(NO)    5-5 FG

IFL WEEK 11 STANDINGS

IFL WEEK 11 LEAGUE LEADERS

Week 10 Recap

Denver's Geno Smith completes 29 consecutive passes as the Broncos defeat Houston.

Game Scores
Houston 7 Denver 38                         63 Calm
It was all Denver in the Mile High city as Bronco QB Geno Smith was 29 of 30 for 340 yards and 5 TD passes and the Bronco defense gave up just 211 yards in the 38-7 victory.

Geno Smith's first pass was incomplete and then he completed his last 29 passes consecutively in the win.

Buffalo 13 New England 19                   39 0-5
Sam Ehlinger, on for the injured Kyler Murray, completed 13 of 18 passes for 113 yards and a score while Travis Etienne (14 carries 100 yards) ran wild as the Buffalo Bills gave the home team Patriots all they could handle. Justin Tucker hit 4 field goals for New England (3 form 46 yards and beyond) and Derrick Henry ran for 100 yards and a TD as the Patriots narrowly escaped with a 19-13 win.

San Francisco 43 New Orleans 30             70 Calm
Both coaches bet the over and told their defenses to stay home. The 49ers get their 2nd big win in a row as they beat the undefeated Falcons last week. Mac Jones was unstoppable as he completed 21 of 26 for 2 TD's and 0 mistakes. Devin Singletary also couldnt be stopped(do we see a theme here lol) as he rushed 18 times for 136 yards. K ready for it...Stefon Diggs couldnt be stopped as he caught 9 balls for 102 yards. The 49ers only punted once all day. He punted once and went and drank beers with the Saints D who took the day off and went to the bar. Heinecke wasn't very accurate on the day but threw for 254 yards and 3 TD's for the Saints. The NFC West is tightening up.

Tennessee 24 Baltimore 7                    50 0-10
Easy win for Tennessee two goal line stops keep Baltimore out of the game.

Jacksonville 31 Cincinnati 42               38 Calm
Fittingly enough the Jaguars visited the Jungle for a pivotal AFC Central match-up. It didn't take long for the high octane
Jacksonville offense to strike as Josh Allen connected with D.K. Metcalf for a 45 yard score and a 7-0 lead with about 11:30 remaining in the opening quarter. After exchanging punts and another Rodgers interception, the Jags put together a 10 play 70 yard drive with Allen scoring from five yards out on the first play of the second quarter to increase their lead to 14-0. The Bengals finally got something going as Rodgers capped a 12 play 75 yard drive with a one yard sneak to cut the Jacksonville lead in half at 14-7 with 9:15 remaining in the half.

The Jags answered with another Allen five yard touchdown scamper and a 21-7 lead with about three minutes remaining. The track meet was on! Cincinnati marched down the field with their new secret double tight end offense. Granson caught two passes for 30 yards and Hardman finished the drive off with a ten yard touchdown reception, 21-14 with less than a minute remaining. Jacksonville was not finished as Allen connected with Trenton "F'n" Irvin for the 50 yard score and their lead was back to two touchdowns at 28-14 at the half.

Behind the rushing of Ke'Shawn "Stat Pack" Vaughn the Bengals opened up the half with a 13 play 77 yard drive with Michael Carter going in from three yards out to cut the Jaguars lead to 28-21. The Cincinnati defense finally stiffened and forced a Jacksonville punt. The Bengals used an array of players to march down the field with Rodgers finding rookie Alec Pierce for the 16 yard score to tie the game at 28 with 27 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

Both offenses seemed to be running on fumes in the final quarter as punts were exchanged. Jacksonville marched to the Bengals four but decided on a field goal to take a 31-28 lead with about nine minutes remaining. The Jags "D" forced another punt as did the Cincinnati defense. It was the Bengals ball at their own 37 with about two and a half minutes remaining. On second and ten at their own 47 Rodgers connected with Pierce for a 53 yard score giving Cincinnati their first lead at the two minute warning, 35-31. There was plenty of time for the high-powered Jacksonville offense. But, after a short completion to Metcalf, he fumbled and Jalen Ramsey scooped up the loose ball and went 32 yards to put the game on ice!

A frustrated Allen finished 25 of 38 for 316 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 59 yards and two more touchdowns. Metcalf finished with five receptions for 91 yards and a score.

Rodgers completed 22 of 37 for 275 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. The key to the win was the Bengals ability to run the ball finishing with 175 yards, good for a 4.7-yard average.

Next week, Jacksonville travels to New England. We all know what happened the last time the Jaguars traveled to Foxboro. While the Bengals welcome the Bills, who put up a good fight versus New England this week.

Miami 31 Atlanta 48                         68 Calm
tlanta (8-1) hosted Miami (5-4). Atlanta is looking to rebound from their last second loss to snap their undefeated season, while Miami was looking to pull an upset to improve their wild card chances.

1st Quarter: Miami would take the ball and go 3 and out, setting up a Rhamondre Stevenson 4 yard TD. Miami would drive the length of the field and was knocking when Tua threw an interception in the end zone which Atlanta would capitalize on by driving down the field and hitting rookie Watson for a TD. At the end of the 1st (MIA 0, ATL 14)

2nd Quarter: Miami would start their drive again until Surtain would pick off Tua in Dolphin territory setting up a Falcon FG. Miami would go 3 and out, yet again the Falcons were off the a hot start with a few runs setting up an Ertz TD from Hurts. Miami would insert Goff for the struggling Tua who came out on fire, leading Miami down the field and they kicked a FG to end the 1st half (MIA 3, ATL 24)

3rd Quarter: The tide started to turn as the second half opened with a Hurts pass being batted in the air and picked off. Miami would capitalize on it by throwing a 32 yard TD to Olave who was double covered, cutting the lead to 14. Atlanta answered back after a 47 yard Stevenson run, capped off by a 9 yard Mostert TD. Miami would come right back with a 5 minute drive of their own and score cut it back to two scores again. The Falcons would answer again in 4 plays with a 54 yard run from Stevenson, and then a 6 yard TD run to push the lead to 38-17. Goff was intercepted by Bland near midfield as the 3rd quarter was winding down, setting up the Falcons with good field position.

It was then, Coach Cox sent word over to the Falcon sidelines that he cried Uncle. Coach Alberry, being a good sport and not wanting to run up the score took some starters out, ran the ball and punted, pinning Miami deep. Coach Cox would leave all his starters in and throw the ball hitting Olave who broke a 94 yard reception and just like that it was a 2 score game. (MIA 24- ATL 38).

4th Quarter: Atlanta would insert their starters back in and move down the field in 4 minutes to score on a Hurts 34 yard score (MIA 24- ATL 45) Miami kept the petal to the metal, going 5 wide hurry up offense and Goff was picked again by Atlanta for their 4 INT of the game. With 8 minutes left, Atlanta ran the ball down to 4 minutes left, and punted it back to Miami up 21 points.

Miami wouldn't quit, with under 2 minutes left, down 21 points Miami connected on a long fly to Olave for the TD practicing their no huddle offense. Atlanta would chip in a FG after some runs from the onside kick and that was the game.

MIA 31, ATL 48

Notable facts: Miami threw the ball as a team 59 times for 499 yards, 435 came from Goff who essentially played 2 quarters. Atlanta on the other hand ran 301 yards on the ground as a team, Stevenson had 169 yards on 17 carries.
Injuries: Nico Collins is out for the rest of the regular season for Miami, and a big blow for Atlanta, Zach Ertz is done for the regular season, but hopeful for the playoffs, provided Atlanta can hang on in his absence.

Next week Miami travels to the other Alberry coach in Pittsburgh. Atlanta is banged up but will host a tough Seattle squad that will be a real test for Atlanta.

Los Angeles (A) 9 Tampa Bay 28              74 0-10
The 8 and 1 Chargers came to Tampa Bay looking to correct an offensive slide that had seen them score 13 points in the last two games, although they were they were able to win one of those games. The Buccaneers were looking to resurrect their season, after falling to 3 and 6 in the first 9 games.
The Charges gained a 9-0 lead, although twice they had to kick field goals deep in Tampa territory. Surprisingly, that would be all the points Los Angeles would score in the game.
The contest turned in the early portions of the third quarter when Tampa’s Julian Love picked off Davis Mills and returned it 63 yards to the Chargers 7 yard line. Veteran Cordarrell Patterson ran it in from there to make it 9-7 LA.
The Bucs Jacoby Brissett was brought in for the ineffective Derek Carr. He garnered the Buccaneers first lead when he hit Davante Adams from 16 yards out to go ahead 14-9.
Mills and the surprisingly ineffective Nick Chubb (22 carries for 43 yards) were not able to get anything going while the Buccaneers added 14 more points for final of 28-9.
A telling stat was 9 points achieved by Los Angeles in three trips into the red zone while the Buccaneers went 4 for 4, all TDs.
Next week the Bucs host KC while the Chargers try to get back on track at home verses Green Bay.

Minnesota 0 Green Bay 31                    33 10-20
Dalvin Cook had 4 TD's (3 rushing and 1 receiving) as the Packers rolled over Minnesota 31-0

Vikings were flagged for several penalties and lost multiple players to in-game injuries.

QB Trey Lance struggled for the visitors while his counterpart, Mike White, was efficient.

Minnesota has a tough one next week in Denver, while the Pack travels to
face the powerhouse Chargers

Detroit 13 Chicago 6                        53 10-20
Lions use all of their 261 yards total offense to gain a big victory & 1st place in the Black & Blue division. Now mind you, DaBears had racked up a whoppin' 202 total yards, we even got into plus yardage before the 1st qtr ended.

Bears over rated kicker McPherson, or how ever it's spelled, missed 2 chip shot FG's & another in the Bears 7 point loss.

That makes me wonder.....Has anything good ever came out of Ohio(except The Pretenders)? If he kicks bare foot I hope one of my DL accidently stomped his foot.

Coach Glandville was so depressed, I took him over Commissioner Burns' pad & we relieved ourselves, on his once beautiful flower bed.

New York (A) 24 Indianapolis 6              69 Calm
Jets got off to a 21-6 lead at halftime and hold on to win easily 24-6

Tyler Higbee 3 TD passes.

Los Angeles (N) 30 Carolina 6               61 Calm
Rams run all over the Panthers. Literally....

LA averaged 6 yards a carry as Sanders rushed for 188 and Perine 82. Lawrence only needed to attempt 14 passes. Carolina's defense is once again worthless, and only highlight was causing the Rams to punt once.

Wilson does his best for the Panthers but has no chance with no blocking in front him. He was sacked 9 times with Mack and Uche each getting 3 apiece.

Evans did contribute 104 yards receiving for the Panthers.

Dallas 9 Philadelphia 14                    47 0-5   Heavy Rain
Two teams looking to the future met in week 10 action. The game would be played in heavy rain which meant 2 inept teams would be even more inept. The Eagles would win the defensive struggle 14-9 but the Cowboys made it interesting by driving twice into Eagle territory in the 4th quarter but the stingy Eagle D would be up to the challenge this day holding on to the victory.

Las Vegas 20 Kansas City 13                 47 0-5
Las Vegas scored the last 17 points of the game as Kyle Allen threw for 2 td's and Alvin Kamara rushed for 114 yards. KC turned the ball over 5 times and missed a 31 yard FG in the contest, although they did accumulate 399 yards of total offense.

Arizona 21 New York (N) 27                  51 5-15
Trailing 21-13 at the half, the Giants defense holds the high-powered Arizona offense scoreless the second half and rally for the win.

Pittsburgh 24 Seattle 26                    59 0-5
Seattle leads for much of the game but Pittsburgh mounts a furious 4th quarter comeback highlighted by a 68 yard TD to Byrd with 5 minutes left to take a 24-23 lead. Prescott responds with a 4 minute drive to put Seattle in range for a game winning FG.

Rushing Leaders
Sanders(LAR)    24-188 2 TD
Stevenson(Atl) 17-169 2 TD
Singletary(SF) 18-136
Williams,T(Min) 24-117
Kamara(LV)      22-114
Henry(NE)       26-100 1 TD
Etienne(Buf)    14-100
Cook(GB)        22-86 3 TD

Receiving Leaders
Olave(Mia)       8-198 2 TD
Higbee(NYJ)      4- 72 3 TD
Watkins(Den)     3- 65 3 TD

Passing Leaders
Goff(Mia)       43-30-435   2 TD 2 Int
Smith,G(Den)    30-29-340   5 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Week
Allen(Jax)      38-25-316   2 TD

Defensive Standouts
Uche(LAR)        3 Sk 3 Tk
Mack(LAR)        3 Sk 11 Tk – IFL Defensive Player of the Week

Special Teams
Tucker(NE)     4-4 FG -Co-IFL Special Teams Player of the Week
Santos(NYG)    4-4 FG -Co-IFL Special Teams Player of the Week
Slye(Sea)      4-5 FG

IFL WEEK 10 STANDINGS

IFL WEEK 10 LEAGUE LEADERS

Week 9 Recap

Raider safety Harrison Smith intercepts 2 passes as Vegas defeats the Chargers.

Game Scores
Los Angeles (A) 3 Las Vegas 16              55 0-5
Raiders Secure a Home Win with Strong Defense and Key Plays

Las Vegas, NV - In a chilly but windless night at Allegiant Stadium, the Las Vegas Raiders outshone the Los Angeles Chargers with a final score of 16-3. The Raiders improved to a 5-4 record, while the Chargers dropped to 8-1 in the 2023 season.

The first quarter saw an impressive opening drive by the Raiders, which concluded with a 12-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Kyle Allen to HB Alvin Kamara. The Raiders led 7-0 at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter featured field goals from both teams, with Jason Myers of the Raiders converting two of three attempts and Chase McLaughlin making one for the Chargers. The Raiders extended their lead to 13-3 by halftime.

The Chargers' offense struggled throughout the game, as the Raiders' defense made critical plays, including four interceptions, including two by safety Harrison Smith, one of which led to a field goal. The Raiders added another field goal in the fourth quarter to secure their victory.

The game was marked by turnovers and missed opportunities on both sides, with the Chargers committing four turnovers and the Raiders forcing one. The Chargers had 10 missed tackles, while the Raiders had a strong defensive showing with just three missed tackles.

The Las Vegas Raiders look to continue their momentum, while the Los Angeles Chargers will need to regroup and come back stronger after this defeat. The game's MVP was awarded to Smith, who played a key role in the Raiders' victory.

Denver 17 Kansas City 10                    44 5-15
Geno Smith threw for 327 yards and 2 tds and the Denver defense stopped KC at the 1 yard line on the last play of the game to come away with the win. The Chiefs were helped by 11 penalties on the Broncos for 93 yards.

Baltimore 27 Dallas 13                      70 Calm
Another frustrating week for Dallas as the Baltimore comes to town and leaves with a W.   Bad luck continues to befall the Cowboys. Tied 7-7 in the first half, Dallas’ punt returner (Coutee) fumbled a punt over to Baltimore that lead to a score. Coutee tried to redeem himself on the next Baltimore punt and he seemingly took it to the house. However, he was ruled out of bounds after a short return. Also in the first half, Deebo Samuel caught a pass and fumbled it over to the Ravens. Of course, it was returned for a TD. Dallas falls to 1-8 after the loss. Justin Herbert, who does have decent receivers, continues to play well below his promised QB Rating.

Cincinnati 13 Tennessee 24                  57 0-10
A very close game with the defenses dominating and forcing turnovers. Tennessee was up 17-13 with 3 minutes gone in the 4th when Cincinnati pinned them on their 2 yard line courtesy of a perfect punt from Jordan Stout. A short 9 yarder to Brandon Aiyuk got the Titans out of the shadow of their goalposts. Garroppolo then put together his best drive of the season going 98 yards and scoring on a TD pass to John (Billy Ray) Bates, BTW this was Bates second TD of the game. Anyway, this made the score 24-13 Titans and a Dontae Johnson fumble on the next possession removed all doubt.

Tennessee (6-3) visits Baltimore next week while Cincinnati (5-4) hosts Jacksonville (5-4) in a game with playoff implications.

Pittsburgh 31 Jacksonville 41               81 Calm
Josh Allen has his best game of the year contributing 5TDs (4 passing, 1 running) as the Jags defeat division rivals Pittsburgh, 41-31. It was a close game throughout with the difference being a game changing Pittsburg turnover late in the 4th quarter. Both teams ran well (over 200 yards each) with the Jag catalist being Josh Allen who had a 138 QB rating leading he Jags to a late victory.

Sam coached a great game and tortured the Jags D with the run but the turnovers were the difference.

Next week the Jags face Cincinnati while the Steelers have a tough one in Seattle.

Houston 24 Detroit 17                       70 Calm
Key Moments:
· Detroit started the game with a 7-yard touchdown run by Benjamin.
· Houston responded with a 9-yard touchdown pass from Cousins to Johnson.
· Detroit's Mariota connected with Jeudy for a 23-yard touchdown pass.
· Houston's Sanders kicked a 38-yard field goal to narrow the gap.
· Houston pulled ahead with Cousins' 47-yard touchdown pass to McLaurin.
· Detroit tied the game with a 34-yard field goal by Shudak.
· Houston secured the victory with Cousins' 10-yard touchdown pass to Haskins.
The game was characterized by a competitive matchup with a notable performance by Kirk Cousins, and Houston ultimately emerged as the victor with a final score of 24-17.

Atlanta 19 San Francisco 24                 63 0-10
The 49ers jump out to an early 21 to 3 lead over the Falcons, but Paul brings the Falcons back to 21 to 19 with a Hurts TD with 9+ minutes left in the game. The 49ers are able to stuff the 2 pt attempt to prevent the Falcons from tying the game at 21. The 49ers added a FG with 4:50 left in the game. The Falcons then go on a 15 play drive to the 49ers 2 yd line.with 11 seconds left. Hurts takes the snap, rolls out and gets sacked by Mafe to end the game.

Tampa Bay 27 Minnesota 20                   68
Minnesota had the ball inside the 30 when time ran out.

Green Bay 16 Chicago 17                     51 20-30
Packers come back & go for 2 with seconds remaining as opposed to playing for OT. DaBears hold them & win by 1. Giant ball sack shown by my buddy John going for 2. 2nd half was a great game. Pollard busted a 80 yrd run or something like that to put the Bears up 14-0, that was prob the play of the game.

Indianapolis 20 Buffalo 17                  41 5-15 Rain
In rainy and windy weather the Colts win th game in OT, 20-17. The Colts lose Chase for 3 games as he had 10 catches at halftime and the Bills lose Kyler Murray for 7 games.

New York (A) 10 Los Angeles (N) 24          71 Calm
The Rams hold off the Jets in Los Angeles. The Jets had a chance to tie the game in the 4th quarter, but a missed on 4th down by Jets QB Kenny Pickett turned the ball back over to the Rams who added an insurance score to put the game out of reach.

New England 34 Miami 6                      82 0-10
The Patriots come to Miami for their 2nd meeting of the year and the Dolphins hoping to split the season after an earlier loss to the Pats. It was not to be, the Dolphins take the opening drive 72 yards to paydirt but miss the point after and have an early 6-0 lead over the Pats. I wish I had more exciting action to speak of but the Patriots reel off 34 unanswered points and show mercy on the Dolphins the last 25 minutes or so of the game and take this one back to New England 34-6.

Next week the Patriots are at home against Buffalo and the Dolphins are on the road at undefeated Atlanta.

Seattle 27 Arizona 32                       84 Calm
Crazy game....Zona wins thanks to turnovers.

New York (N) 16 Philadelphia 13             44 5-15
Giants rally scoring ten fourth quarter points including a game winning Santos field goal as time expires.

New Orleans 34 Carolina 14                  71 0-5
The Saints ram the ball down the Panthers anemic defense throat, even working behind a patchwork offensive line.

Saints led 24 to 7 at the half and cruised to a 34-14 victory.

For the Saints, backup running back D'eErnest Johnson was consistent on 24 carries for 100 yards. Heinicke was efficient throwing 2 TD's on 21 attempts.

The only Panther worth mentioning was the punter, Martin, who averaged 52 yards per punt.

Rushing Leaders
Henry(NE)       20-155
Elliott(Min)    20-127 1 TD
Akers(TB)       15-108
Allgeier(Pit)   16-106
Pollard(Chi)    9-104 1 TD
Johnson,D(NO)   24-100

Receiving Leaders
Waddle(NYG)     10-192
Chase(Ind)      11-132
Samuel(Dal)     11-115
St. Brown(NYJ) 11-102
Gage(Min)       10- 58

Passing Leaders
Smith,G(Den)    44-29-327   2 TD
Herbert(Dal)    56-31-310   1 TD 1 Int
Burrow(Ind)     51-36-291   2 TD 2 Int
Allen(Jax)      28-21-233   4 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Week

Defensive Standouts
Smith,H(LV)      2 Int 6 Tk – IFL Defensive Player of the Week

Special Teams
Carlson(Ari)   4-4 FG – IFL Special Teams Player of the Week

IFL WEEK 9 STANDINGS

IFL WEEK 9 LEAGUE LEADERS

Packers Week Nine Press Conference

Packers Head Coach John Conners offers his insights on the big week 9 game.

Green Bay head coach John Conners spoke to a jammed full press room before boarding the team flight to Chicago today.

The media thong always enjoys this matchup based on the bad blood between these two franchises, which has included 3 tunnel fights between Bears head coach Steve Nordberg and Conners (2 pregame and 1 after a Green Bay loss)

There was also an incident 3 years ago when the Bears team bus was pelted by rocks when it arrived at Lambeau field. One of the projectiles burst through a window and pierced Nordberg's cranium resulting in a nasty wound that was visible throughout the game (won by the Packers).

The buzz was palatable as Conners took his seat to address those on hand.

"First of all I want to say how much I respect Coach Nordberg, as well as his G.M., for the fantastic job they have done building the Bears. They are truly a worthy adversary and have made this first place showdown one of the most anticipated games of the season. They are a credit to the IFL and a model franchise"

The media hoard sat in stunned silence.

Conners then got up from his chair and bellowed out , "JUST KIDDING!!!"

As he turned to exit the press conference, those in attendance broke out in uproarious laughter when they saw the back of his sweatshirt. It featured a giant fist with an extended middle finger and the caption "F' the Bears" written in lime green.

Game time is 12 noon PST, Friday in Chicago

Both teams sit at 6-2

Week 8 Recap

49ers Mac Jones throws game winning touchdown in the final seconds.

Game Scores
San Francisco 28 Los Angeles (N) 27         73 Calm
Mac Jones and the Niners offense catches fire in the fourth quarter scoring 19 points to come from behind and beat the Rams. Jones threw a 5 yard TD pass on 4th down with 5 seconds left for the winning score.

Chicago 6 Kansas City 19                    34 0-10
Kansas City held Chicago to 33 total yards in the first half and controlled the ball for 38:13 minutes in their victory. The Chiefs ran for 186 yards and Younghoe Koo kicked 4 field goals for the home team.

Philadelphia 6 Cincinnati 9                 50 0-10
The Eagles traveled to the Jungle for an out of conference game. Things took a turn for the worse for the Bengals as Rodgers was intercepted during the opening series. With Philly taking over at the Cincinnati 26 they had to settle on a Butker 40 yard field goal attempt which surprisingly he missed.

After a Bengals punt Philadelphia put together a 10 play 51 yard drive with Butker connecting on a 30 yarder and a 3-0 Eagles lead with 14:55 remaining in the half. After another Cincinnati three and out, Philly went on another long drive, 13 plays 62 yards, before settling on another field goal and a 6-0 lead with about four and a half minutes remaining till half time.

Thanks to a D.J. Chark 17 yard reception the Bengals were able to allow Fairbairn to attempt and convert a 54 yard field goal to cut the deficit to 6-3 at the half.

The Cincinnati defense forced a punt on the Eagles first drive of the third quarter. The Bengals offense put together an 11 play 59 yard drive and tied the score at six with another field goal. The quarter ended with another Rodgers interception and Philly punt.

The fourth quarter saw multiple exchanges of punts until Cincinnati was able to put together a ten play 47 yard drive that allowed Fairbairn connect on his second plus 50 yard field goal allowing the Bengals to escape with an ugly 9-6 win.

Tannehill finished 17 of 26 for 210 yards. London and Dortch caught four passes each for 49 and 52 yards respectively. Jackson and Gipson intercepted a pass each. Philly had about a ten minute T.O.P. advantage but 11 penalties for 79 yards set them back.

For Cincinnati, Chark was the only offensive player worth highlighting with five catches for 87 yards. The defense was the real heroes with seven sacks. Barton and Sieler collected two each.

Next week the Eagles host the Football Giants while the Bengals travel to Tennessee for a big AFC Central match-up.

Baltimore 30 Pittsburgh 7                   49 10-20
Nothing goes right for the home team as Baltimore gets revenge for a lose earlier in the season.

Baltimore runs 40 times for 154 yards and Mayfield before going down with an injury in the 4th goes 17-23 157 yards and 2 TD .

Brady was 20-35 211 yards 1TD 2Ints

Baltimore held time of possession advantage of 37 -22 minutes and was 8-15 on third downs First down 19-10.

Pittsburgh losses there 3rd in a row and fall to 3-5 will Travel to Jacksonville (4-3) next week. While Baltimore (2-6) will head out to take on Dallas (1-6)

Minnesota 7 Detroit 14                      70 Calm
The Lions scored a late touchdown to edge the Vikings 14-7. The Vikings were led by Punter AJ Cole, who consistently gave the Lions a long field.

Tampa Bay 26 Green Bay 27                   48 0-5
Battle of the Bays rematch turned into a classic.

Bucs decide to start Jacoby Brissett at QB and it turned out to be a good call.
Brissett comes out on fire and dissects the Packers defense for an early 10-0 lead.

Hosts got a big break late in the 1st when a Bucs hook and ladder play went wrong deep in their own end, resulting in a turnover. Apparently, the play came in from a drunk who broke into the spotter’s booth and sent down the bogus call.

That break seemed to turn the momentum in favor of Green Bay as they ran off 13 points to go into to halftime up 13-10

Pack got a big play early in the 3rd as Dalvin Cook to a harmless looking sweep 66 yards to the house 20-10 Green Bay.

Then the Brissett show ramped up. The veteran QB was masterful as he began to pick apart the Packers defense at will.

When the dust settled Brissett and his Bucs had ran off 16 straight points to take a 26-20 lead with just under 3 minutes left.

Brock Purdy, who was pretty average throughout, would need to conjure up some magic if the Lambeau faithful were to go home happy.

After already converting a 4th and 2 near midfield, Purdy faced 4th and 6 at the Tampa Bay 43. With a pass rusher in his face, Purdy flipped a desperation pass to little used veteran AJ Green, who flashed back to his past glory years, taking it an improbable 43 yards to the house. Point after was good, 27-26 Packers in front of a jubilant home crowd.

Brissett wasn't done however. After the kickoff sailed through the end zone Bucs took over on the 25. Green Bay played a prevent knowing time was on their side with just 50 seconds left. Devante Adams was having none of it, as he snared a 24 yard slant in front of 3 defenders. Time out Tampa Bay.

Montez Sweat took down Brissett for a 9 yard loss on the very next play and that turned out to be huge as the Packers forced three straight incompletions from there. Packers escape with a 27-26 victory.

Brissett finished with 365 yards passing and 65 more on the ground (he did throw 2 picks)

Devonte Adams and Tyler Lockett both went over 100 yards

Purdy was chosen star of the game but it was AJ Green who everybody wanted to talk to after the game.

Always a tough battle playing coach Chase and this was no different despite the Bucs having a tough year

Packers go to 6-2. I would say that is the shakiest 6-2 in IFL history, but the team we play next week holds that distinction.

Atlanta 27 New Orleans 24                   70 Calm
The Saints put the Falcons on the ropes leading 17-7 at halftime. The Falcons would then score 21 unanswered points led by Hurts 3 TD's to go up 27-17. Game over right? Nope. The Saints would get the ball with 2:25 left. 4 plays later they would score with a TD pass from Heinecke to Akins from 37 yards out. 27-24. The game would come down to a 3rd and 11 and Atlanta had the ball at their own 35. Garrett would put the pressure on and Hurts would dump it to Stevenson and one missed tackle later he would rumble for 48 yards to seal the win and their undefeated record. Great game called by the Falcons.

Arizona 30 Dallas 17                        70 Calm
Undefeated Arizona traveled to Dallas for a divisional game Friday night. The Cardinals manhandled the Cowboys enroute to a 30-17 victory. Patrick Mahomes threw for 202 yards in the first half (138 of the yards going to Christian Kirk) to take a lead into the half and then let it’s formidable secondary hold Justin Herbert at bay in the Zona win. Knowing Arizona’s secondary included three very good cornerbacks (rated 8, 8 and 7), Dallas tried to move the ball on the ground. The ground attack took the opening drive 61 yards in 12 plays before Herbert threw an interception to bring the drive to a screeching halt.   Mahomes marched his team down the field with ease to take an early lead. Dallas drew to 20-10 before the half when Jamaal Williams scored on a 60-yard run. The Dallas D played better in the second half somewhat holding Mahomes, but we could not stop Barkley running the ball as we were forced to overplay the pass.   The Cardinals played a clean game – zero penalties called against them. Arizona improves to 8-0 and Dallas falls to 1-7.

Miami 37 New York (A) 20                    63 10-20 Rain
The Dolphins came into New York to play the Jets with their starting QB, Tua, in concussion protocol.

Goff got the start, and didn't miss a beat completing 16 of his first 19 passes. That plus a Pickett interception gave the Dolphins a 23-7 halftime lead.

New York had the ball with the score 30-20, but instead of driving for a TD, Pickett threw his second interception.

Goff cooled off, and ended up 28-45 for 287 yards with 4 TD passes.
Olave had 7 receptions for 105 yards and 1 TD...

For the Jets Pickett was 23-40 for 249 yards and 1 TD.
Brown had 10 receptions for 137 yards, and 1 TD.

Next week Miami hosts New England while the Jets travel to LA to play the Rams.

Houston 3 Los Angeles (A) 10                63 Calm
LAC squeaks one out over Houston 10-3.

Jacksonville 28 Tennessee 38                59 0-10
This game had the pattern of Tennessee scoring a TD and then Jacksonville following up with its own today soon after. This went on until Brandon Aiyuk took a short pass, broke away from Eli Apple and went 83 yards to put the Titans up 28-14 halfway through the 3rd qtr. The Jaguars responded with their own TD drive and then forced a 3 and out. The Jaguars moved to mid-field and had a 2nd and 1 at the Titan 46. BUT two run plays netted 33 inches when they needed 36. Tennessee took over and eventually scored on a Latavius Murray 3 yard run. 35-21 for Tennessee. BUT K. Nixon took the ensuing kickoff 106 yards to the house and it was game on again. The next 3 possessions forced punts BUT K. Nixon fumbled the Titan punt and Joe Thuney recovered for Tennessee. The Tians ran the clock down and kicked the clinching field goal.
Carolina 9 Buffalo 31                       37 0-5
The Bills were firing on all cylinders as Kyler Murray was on target with his passing and was running like the first pick in the draft he was a few years ago as the Bills win it 31-9. Both teams are now 3-5 with the Panthers hosting the Saints next week while the Bills play host to the Colts.

Seattle 3 New York (N) 22                   54 5-15 Heavy Rain
Seattle headed to NY this week but left the offense behind. An abysmal game by Dak Prescott leads to a rough day for the Seahawks who only mustered 115 yards of offense and 3 turnovers. NY capitalized and takes an easy 22-3 victory.

New England 23 Indianapolis 3               69 Calm
Colts D came to play, holding the Patriots without an offensive TD all day. A 99 yard Nyheim Hines KR TD and a defensive score by the visitors provided more than enough points however, as Joe Burrow was held to 129 yards passing.

Las Vegas 10 Denver 34                      45 Calm
It wasn't the Raiders night as Denver rolled to a 34-10 victory over their division rivals.
Denver rushed for 208 yards and the Bronco defense was stout much of the night.

Rushing Leaders
Williams,J(Dal) 20-143 1 TD
Chubb(LAC)      24-142
Hall,B(LV)      12-130 1 TD
Jacobs(Det)     29-125
McCaffrey(Den) 11-121 2 TD
Barkley(Ari)    23-101 1 TD

Receiving Leaders
Aiyuk(Ten)       7-182 1 TD
St. Brown(NYJ) 10-137 1 TD
Diggs(SF)       11-126 2 TD
Lamb(LAR)        8-125 3 TD

Passing Leaders
Brissett(TB)    43-29-365   1 TD 2 Int
Jones,M(SF)     52-37-365   3 TD 1 Int – IFL Offensive Player of the Week
Goff(Mia)       45-28-287   4 TD
Garoppolo(Ten) 35-19-272   4 TD
Hurts(Atl)      21-15-236 4 TD

Defensive Standouts
Oluokun(Chi)     23 Tk
Uche(LAR)        3 Sk 6 Tk – IFL Defensive Player of the Week

Special Teams
Koo(KC)        4-4 FG – IFL Special Teams Player of the Week
Wright(TB)     4-4 FG
Nixon(Jax)     3-157 Kick Ret 1 TD 5-42 Punt Ret

IFL WEEK 8 STANDINGS

IFL WEEK 8 LEAGUE LEADERS

Week 7 Recap

Chargers make it seven in a row with an impressive road win at Tennessee.

Game Scores
Los Angeles (A) 30 Tennessee 26             68 0-5
This game had all the makings of a defensive struggle and played out that way in the first half with the Chargers holding a 10-6 lead at the half. The second half turned into a shootout as the teams swapped touchdowns, field goals and interceptions. LA held a 4 point lead and the ball with 2 and a half minutes left. The Titan defence came up big and forced the Chargers into a 4th and 2 at their own 33 with 2 minutes (and 2 Titan timeouts) left. BUT on the Chargers punt Ngaakoue was called offside and LA had another set of downs. By the time Tennessee forced another punt and burnt it's timeouts there was no chance for Matt Ryan to concoct a 70 yard drive with 50 seconds left and no timeouts. The chargers win 30-26.

David Mills had 350 yards passing including TD passes of 80, 68 and 41 yards to Mooney, Freiermuth and Garrett Wilson respectively. Matt Milano had 2 picks for the Titans.

Philadelphia 7 Chicago 21                   60 0-10
Bears win 21-7 with less than 200 yards in offense & 9 first downs., thank God Philly had Tannehill & his 3 bad interceptions. Guess my mom making me go to church as a kid paid off.

Denver 37 Cincinnati 3                      55 5-15
Denver came to Cincinnati for a potentially big AFC match-up that could have wild card implications. On the Bengals first play from scrimmage Aaron Rodgers was intercepted by Malik Hooker, setting the Broncos up at the Cincinnati 19. Four plays later Austin Ekeler took it in from seven yards out for a 7-0 lead.

After exchanges of punts the Bengals got on the board with a Fairbairn 44 yard field goal to cut the deficit to 7-3 with about 3 and a half minutes remaining in the opening quarter. Denver answered as Ekeler broke open with a 21 yard junt to extend the Broncos lead to 13-3 as Jalen Ramsey blocked the point after.

On the Bengals next series Rodgers would throw his second interception of the game and Willie Gay returned it to the Cincinnati one. However, after a Denver ten yard holding penalty Jessie Bates would intercept Geno Smith's pass in the end zone to avoid the threat.

After multiple punts, the Broncos would add a Brett Maher 26 yard field goal and go into the locker room with a 16-3 lead at the half and IFL Bengals fans let the team know how they felt about their performance for the first half!

It would get no better in the second half as quarterback Smith would connect with receivers Courtland Sutton for two touchdowns and DeVonta Smith for one touchdown pass and cruise to a 37-3 win.

Geno Smith completed 28 of 39 for 313 with 3 touchdowns and an interception. Sutton finished with 6 receptions for 111 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Rodgers was awful for Cincinnati finishing 10 of 26 for just 81 yards and two interceptions.

Next week the Broncos host Vegas while the Bengals try to regroup as Philadelphia comes to town.

New Orleans 41 Miami 38                     82 0-10
It turned out to be a shootout in Miami as both Teams pile up tons of yardage. The Lead changed hands 8 times in this one. New Orleans went up by 10 with 3:31 to go in the game, but Miami gets a TD using only a minute ten to close the gap to 34-31 Saints. With all their time outs remaining the Dolphins KO and hold the Saints and get the ball back with 58 seconds left in the game. Miami scores the TD in 12 seconds to go up 38-34 with only 46 seconds left in the game. But no quit in the Saints and with only 2 time outs they drive the length of the field and get the 32 yard TD strike with no time left for the 41-38 win. It was a very exciting game. The Dolphin fans as well as their coach were stunned. This loss may linger for the Dolphins. Great game for the Saints and a big win.

Next week the Saints are at home to take on (as of this writing) undefeated Atlanta and the Dolphins travel to the Jets.

Arizona 38 Minnesota 3                      68 Calm
Arizona Defensive scores make it an easy game for Zona.

Houston 20 Pittsburgh 10                    66 0-10
Houston with a 1-5 record come in too visit the 3-3 Steelers who with a win could share in the division lead. Temp 66 winds
0-10 MPH. Pittsburgh installed as a 5 point favorite.

Houston strikes first on their first drive that went 11 plays Cousins to Goodwin from 10 yards out and it is quickly 7-0 Houston. The teams would exchange punts the rest of the quarter.

Pittsburgh gets a drive started in the 2nd and faces 4th and inches from the 9 but Edwards is stuffed and Houstons D comes up big. Houston would get an 11 play drive to close the quarter out with a Sanders 38 yard FG and its 10-0 at the half for the visitors.

The Steelers offense could not get anything going to start the 2nd half after a holding penalty set them back. But on Houstons next drive which started on their own 4 yard line got out to their 32 when the Steelers finally though they got their first break of the game when Goodwin appeared to cough up a 3rd down conversion but after booth review the runner was down by contact and the drive continues and ends in a punt but Houston had chewed up some clock and reversed the field. Now the Steelers are the ones beginning on their own 4. Brady was able to get them in FG range as a 2nd down sack by Sanders forced a 3rd and long and Pittsburgh had to settle for a 40 yard Bass FG. We head to the 4th Houston holding a 10-3 lead.

A Steelers punt early in the 4th in which Dickerson again pinned them at their own 1 yard line this time does not help the Steelers D as they cannot get off the field this afternoon on 3rd downs (9-18) as Houston keep themselves in 3rd and shorts the whole game. A 3rd and 7 from their own 19 set up the big play of the game as Cousins found McLaurin for 43 yards.Cousins finishes off the drive as Goodwin catches his 2nd TD pass from 13 yards out and its 17-3 with 2:53 left in the game. Sanders would add a 45 yard FG and Pittsburgh would score a meaningless TD with 25 secords left to make the final 20-10 Houston.

Key Stats TOP 33:55-26:05 for Houston 3rd downs Houston 9-18 Pittsburgh 5-14 Red Zone  Houston 3 trips 2TD 1FG Pittsburgh 4 trips 1TD 1FG 4th Downs  Houston 0-0 Pittsburgh 1-3

Jefferson had another great night 10 catches 153 yards but 0TD

Game MVP was Cousins 25-31 256 2TD.

Houston (2-5) stays on the Road take on division foe LA Chargers whom are undefeated at 7-0 who won in Houston 21-13 in week 3. While Pittsburgh (3-4) try to regroup at home for a rematch with the 0-6 (as of this writing) Baltimore Ravens whom Pittsburgh narrowly defeated 24-20 in Baltimore week 3.

Dallas 7 Detroit 27                         70 Calm
The Detroit Lions dominated the game, particularly in the second half, with strong offensive and defensive performances. They secured a comfortable victory over the Dallas Cowboys with a final score of 27-7.

Notable Player Performances:
· Dallas Cowboys:
o    Herbert (QB) had 123 passing yards and threw 1 touchdown pass.
o    Williams, J. (RB) rushed for 56 yards.
o    Samuel (WR) caught a 13-yard touchdown pass.
· Detroit Lions:
o    Mariota (QB) threw for 178 yards and 1 touchdown.
o    Jacobs (RB) had an impressive game with 228 rushing yards and 1 rushing touchdown.
o    Jeudy (WR) had 109 receiving yards and caught 1 touchdown pass.

Las Vegas 6 Baltimore 27                    56 0-10 Heavy Rain
Baltimore wins 1st game after floundering under the curse of Jimmy G.

The Gods were against Las Vegas today.

Baltimore had the ball for 38:31 compared to 21:29 for Las Vegas
Baltimore had 73 plays compared to 51 plays for Las Vegas
Baltimore ran the ball 47 times for 253 yards - Kyle Shanahan would have been proud.

Buffalo 10 Atlanta 34                       68 Calm
Buffalo traveled to Atlanta to try and pull off an upset and get back in the fight in their division. Atlanta is trying to keep pace with the Cardinals as the two undefeated teams in their conference, and with some tough games coming up, keep their lead in the division.

1st Quarter: Buffalo starts the game with a haymaker to the Falcons! Coach Greg Smith and team converted not one, but two 4th downs, and a 3rd and 16! They had the ball until 2 minutes left in the 1st quarter for a 21 play 68 yard drive for 12:48, but it resulted in a FG. (BUF 3, ATL )

Unfortunately for the Bills, this was about as good as it would get as it took the Falcons 5 plays to go 75 yards to put it in the end zone Hurts finding Davis. (BUF 3, ATL 7).

2nd Quarter: Atlanta defense would tighten the screws and force some 3 and outs, and Atlanta would take two 11 yard drives that ended in rushing TDs as going into half the score was (BUF 3, ATL 21)

3rd Quarter: Atlanta would take the ball and immediately drive into opposing territory and a Stevenson run would setup a FG to push the lead to Buf 3 ATL 24

Buffalo was forced to punt and pin Atlanta deep, however Hurts would lead his team down the field in 5 plays and toss another TD to Davis to put this one out of reach. (Buf 3, ATL 31)

4th Quarter: Atlanta hit a FG to start the 4th, and Buffalo was able to get a TD on the board late in the 4th and that is how the game would end. (Buf 10, Atl 34)

Game MVP was Jalen Hurts who ended with a 158 passer rating.

Next week Atlanta travels to a tough division rivalry vs N.O and Buffalo travels to Carolina on the 2nd of their 3 game road trip.

Carolina 20 New York (A) 24                 81 0-10 Light Rain
Rookie Kenny Pickett tosses two touchdown passes as the J-E-T-S pick up their second win of the season.

New York (N) 12 Green Bay 13                48 0-5
Packers got the running game going in the second half to win a nailbiter 13-12 over the Giants.

New York had a chance to win it but was stopped on 4th down in Green Bay territory with just a few seconds left.

Well coached game by Dylan..... two very evenly matched teams

The Cook brothers combined for 215 yards for the Pack, Jalen Waddle and Hunter Renfrow were solid in defeat.

Tampa Bay 32 Seattle 36                     72 0-10
Seattle scores 14 points in the final 3:30 to win a 36-32 shootout with Tampa. Carr throws 4 TDs for Tampa but has a crucial INT at the end of the game when trying to run the clock out to give Seattle the life they needed for the comeback.

San Francisco 41 Indianapolis 31            69 Calm
Wild game.

Colts defense cannot hold off the 49ers late and end up losing the game despite a stellar game by Jam'ar Chase.

The difference was the 49ers had a running game, and the Colts had none.

Los Angeles (N) 6 New England 37            62 5-15 Light Rain
Lamar Jackson threw two TD passes and also ran for 2 scores as the Patriots handled the visiting Rams by the final score of 37-6.

Ram QB Trevor Lawrence was limited to 148 yards through the air, and stud RB Miles Sanders was held to just 25 yards on his 10 carries by the tough New England defense. The Rams were also stung by turnovers (3), including an interception of Lawrence in the end zone just before the half on a first and goal which would have cut the Patriot lead to one score before halftime.

Patriots made the most of their trips to the red zone, scoring 4 TDs and a field goal in 5 opportunities. Rams visited the RZ 4 times, but could manage just two field goals.

Rams look to break their losing streak next week at home against SF. Patriots will travel to Indy in the first of a two game road trip against divisional foes.

Kansas City 21 Jacksonville 24              83 0-5
Randy Bullock kicked that game winning FG from 32 yards as time expired to give Jacksonville the comeback win. The Jags scored 17 unanswered points in the 2nd half to pick up the victory.

Rushing Leaders
Jacobs(Det)     28-228 1 TD
Cook(GB)        25-163
Conner(NO)      20-106 2 TD

Receiving Leaders
Brown(NO)        8-162 2 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Week
Chase(Ind)      13-154 3 TD
Jefferson(Pit) 10-153
Diggs(SF)       10-145 2 TD
Pittman Jr(Sea) 11-143 2 TD
Smith,D(Den)    10- 98 1 TD

Passing Leaders
Tagovailoa(Mia) 51-33-455   5 TD 1 Int
Flacco(NO)      33-21-378   3 TD
Mills(LAC)      30-18-350   3 TD 2 Int
Wilson(Car)     40-25-343   2 TD 2 Int
Prescott(Sea)   36-24-335   3 TD
Smith,G(Den)    39-28-313   3 TD 1 Int
Jones,M(SF)     43-32-306   4 TD 1 Int
Carr(TB)        30-19-267   4 TD 1 Int

Defensive Standouts
Milano(Ten)      2 Int 3 Tk – IFL Defensive Player of the Week

Special Teams
Crosby(Ten)    4-4 FG
Santos(NYG)    4-4 FG – IFL Special Teams Player of the Week

IFL WEEK 7 STANDINGS

IFL WEEK 7 LEAGUE LEADERS

Week 6 Recap

Graham Gano's six field goals help Colts pick up their first win.

Indianapolis 25 New York (A) 14             74 10-20
The numbers tell the ugly story...

Burrows 30-40, 245 yards, 1 TD
Hollins 8 catches for 88 yards
Chase 8 catches for 66 yards, 1 TD
Colts hold the ball for 35 minutes

Jets QB's combine for 14-36 for 90 yards

Miami 44 San Francisco 43                   77 Calm
Tua carves up the 49ers for 6 tuddies.

Los Angeles (A) 24 Minnesota 3              68 Calm
LAC shuts down MINN 24-3 to move to 6-0 on the year.

Tampa Bay 38 Chicago 28                     65 0-10
Carr started slow, but the last 3 qtrs he was nearly flawless. Adams & Lockhart were happy. Bucs by 8 over the Da'Bears.

Denver 30 Houston 3                         70 Calm
The Denver Broncos moved to 4-2 on the season with a convincing victory over the Texas in Houston 30-3.
Three turnovers by the Texans was the difference as both teams struggled to get much offense going.

Baltimore 6 Tennessee 24                    66 0-10
The Ravens took the opening kickoff and marched 55 yards before the drive stalled. However Badgley missed the FG and the Titans went on a 72 yard drive capped by a Garoppolo to Aiyuk TD pass. The rest of the half was defense dominated. The Tians managed a FG after a Poyer interception. The score at the half was 10-0 Tennessee.

The Titans offense came alive in the second half and scored TD's on drives of 95 and 98 yards. The best the Ravens could manage was two field goals. Final score was 24-6 Titans.

Raven's top performers were Josh Allen with 9 tackles, 2 stuffs and a FF. Greg Newsome had 4 PDs while guarding DeAndre Hopkins. Jimmy Garoppolo woke up in the second half and finished with 270 yards passing and a couple of TD passes.

Baltimore will look for its first win of the season at home against the LV Raiders. A healthy Aaron Donald will surely help. Tennessee hosts the currently unbeaten Los Angelas Chargers.

Cincinnati 21 Jacksonville 33               78 10-20
he division leading Bengals travel to Jacksonville to face the struggling Jaguars only to be upset 33-21. Josh Allen was effective throwing for 2TD and running for over 80 yards while Dameon Pierce was a bulldozer in the second half picking up 85 of his game high 101 yards on the ground. The Bengal offense struggled in this one but still had a chance late as Josh Allen committed his third TO for a TD this season after fumbling away a first down that looked to ice it for the Jags. The Jags D showed some toughness for once and Jacksonville came away with the win.

The Bengals fall to 4-2 while the Jags reverse their slide to go 3-3. Next week the Bengals host the Broncos while the Jags are at home vs the Chiefs.

Good seats are still available for the Jags/Chiefs game.

New England 20 Buffalo 9                    59 10-20
Hard fought game but in the end Patriots talent takes them to victory!

Atlanta 31 Carolina 9                       68 0-5
Atlanta absolutely manhandles the Panthers. Carolina does not pass the 100 yard mark in total offense until the 4th quarter and finishes with a paltry 115 yards. Atlanta could have picked their score and finished with 458 yards. The only battle Carolina wins was turnovers as Atlanta had three fumbles to Carolina's zero. If not for that it would have been way worse.

The only player of note on Carolina was Tranquil with 12 tackles.

Atlanta's run game pounded the Carolina defense as Mostert and Stevenson finished with 100 and 83 yards respectively.

  New Orleans 20 Los Angeles (N) 3            75 Calm
Rams get destroyed at home and look like pretenders this season. Saint defense took the Rams apart even after losing Miles Garrett. Trevor Lawrence looked like a rookie throwing 3 ints, two to Saints safety Jalen Pitre. Saints played ball control and managed over 100 yards rushing. Saints barely had to throw the ball as the Rams could not muster any offense to pose any threat. Combined with the turnovers it was an easy trip to LA for the Saints.

Green Bay 19 Detroit 14                     70 Calm
The game was closely contested, with Green Bay holding on to secure a 19-14 victory over Detroit. Cook's performance and a strong defensive effort were key factors in Green Bay's win.

Key Performances:
· Green Bay's Cook had a strong game with 92 rushing yards and a touchdown.
· Purdy, the Green Bay quarterback, threw for 157 yards and a touchdown.
· Mariota, the Detroit quarterback, threw for 159 yards and a touchdown.

Pittsburgh 27 Arizona 37                    85 Calm
It was a tough loss for the Steelers. Pittsburg out played the Cardinals totaling 485 yards of offense. Most of the time Brady passed at will and the running backs added 170 yards. Mahomes has an off night and even checked the air pressure in all the balls at half time. There were two plays where the Zona D shined. The Steelers missed two attempts at 4th down and one. One was deep in their own territory. The Zona D held them to no gain on both tries. One resulted in a quick 7 points for Mahomes.

Kansas City 10 Las Vegas 28                 75 Calm
On a beautiful Sunday at Allegiant Stadium with ideal weather conditions (Temperature: 75°F, Wind: Calm), the Las Vegas Raiders faced off against the struggling Kansas City Chiefs. The Raiders, with a record of 4-2, were the favorites, holding a 7-point lead according to the betting line.

The game was characterized by a dominant performance by the Las Vegas Raiders, who established their lead early on. In the first quarter, Allen connected with tight end Travis Kelce for a touchdown, setting the tone for the Raiders' offensive prowess. Kelce would go on to account for three of the Raiders four touchdowns, giving him seven through six games. The Raiders continued to build on their lead throughout the game, scoring touchdowns in the second and third quarters, with Allen distributing passes effectively.

Despite a late touchdown by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fourth quarter, the Las Vegas Raiders secured a convincing victory with a final score of 28-10. This game showcased the Raiders' strong offense and solid defense, as they improved their record to 4-2, while the Chiefs struggled to secure their first win of the season, dropping to 0-6.

Backup quarterback Kyle Allen was the star of the game, earning the MVP title in relief of injured starter Matt Stafford.

Dallas 6 New York (N) 30                    67 5-15
Daniel Jones throws for a touchdown and also runs for 1 in the 30 - 6 victory over the Cowboys.

Philadelphia 7 Seattle 27                   49 10-20
Philly offense struggles to get it going until the 4th quarter but by then it’s too late. Seattle closes it out with 2 late interceptions to seal the game.

Rushing Leaders
Singletary(SF) 20-133 2 TD
Jones,A(Sea)    11-111 1 TD
Pierce(Jax)     17-101 1 TD
Mostert(Atl)    16-100 2 TD

Receiving Leaders
Waddle(NYG)      7-161 1 TD
Kelce(LV)        7- 56 3 TD

Passing Leaders
Tagovailoa(Mia) 47-34-470   6 TD 1 Int – IFL Offensive Player of the Week
Brady(Pit)      45-27-315   2 TD 1 Int
Carr(TB)        34-22-313   2 TD 1 Int
Jones,M(SF)     39-25-309   1 TD
Burrow(Ind)     40-30-245   1 TD
Allen(LV)       26-19-174   4 TD

Defensive Standouts
Pitre(NO)        2 Int 2 Tk – IFL Defensive Player of the Week
Edmunds(Dal)     15 Tk

Special Teams
Bullock(Jax)   4-4 FG
Gano(Ind)      6-6 FG – IFL Special Teams Player of the Week

IFL WEEK 6 STANDINGS

IFL WEEK 6 LEAGUE LEADERS

Week 5 Recap

Atlanta celebrates after taking sole ownership of first in the NFC West.

Game Scores
Los Angeles (N) 17 Atlanta 21               68 Calm
It was the IFL game of the week as the 4-0 Falcons hosted the 4-0 Rams for an early season battle of the division rivals. Notable injuries for the Falcons included Von Miller and TJ Watt as they watched from the sidelines. Coming into this one the high powered Rams offense has led the way, winning all of their games by at least 20 points!

1st Quarter: Atlanta defers and Coach Ryan Heaton takes his team on a 7 minute drive down the field including converting a 4th and 2. However Atlanta came up tough around the red zone and held the Rams to a FG (LAR 3 ATL 0). The Atlanta offense came out incredibly sluggish, and the Rams Pass Rush was on point. Atlanta couldn't get anything going at all on the ground, and the pass game was hit or miss. Atlanta was forced to punt.

Bland was able to pick Lawrence for his 4th INT of the year, but Atlanta was only able to muster 3 yards and had to punt.

2nd Quarter: The teams seemed to be in a deadlock, trading punts until LAR had a 2 minute drive going. With 12 seconds left and LAR knocking on the redzone, Lawrence threw a screen the HB Perrine who took it 33 yards to the house as time expired on the half. (LAR 10, ATL 0)

3rd Quarter: Atlanta took the ball, but was forced to punt after a few plays, pinning LAR deep in their own territory. Atlanta's defense would step up as Patrick Surtain II would pick off Lawrence and leave Atlanta the ball knocking on the 10 yard line. Hurts was able to find Raheem Mostert for a 10 yard pass and Atlanta was on the board (LAR 10, ATL 7).

LAR were rolling again with the ball until Deebo Samuel fumbled the ball and Atlanta recovered in Rams territory. Hurts throws two darts to get inside the 10 yard line... this is when things got funky... On 2nd and 2 from the 2 yard line, Stevenson punches it in for a TD.... wait Coach Heaton challenges the call and wins! Just short, 3rd and 1 from the goal. Hurts sneaks it in for the TD! But wait, Coach Heaton challenges the call again and wins! 4th and inches for the Falcons, Coach Alberry was sweating, but decided to go for it again and Stevenson on the dive... after a delay.... the refs confirm it... TD Atlanta. (LAR 10, ATL 14)

LAR would answer right back with some runs that were taking their toll on the tired Atlanta defense. Lawrence was able to find CeeDee Lamb for a TD from 10 out taking back the lead. (LAR 17, ATL 14).

4th Quarter: Atlanta would look to answer right back as on 2nd and 15 in deep in their own territory, Hurts would hit Davis for a 25 yard pass, then Agholor for a 16 yard pass culminating with a 14 yard Gabe Davis TD from Hurts. (LAR 17, Atlanta 21).

LAR punt would give ATL the ball, Stevenson broke loose finally for a 35 yard gain into LAR territory as Atlanta was rolling. But the late fumbles pop up again for Atlanta as Stevenson coughs it up and LAR recovers

Coach Heaton had his team driving for the win. After a 4 minute drive LAR were knocking on the 6 yard line. 3rd and 3, run by Sanders is stuffed. Coach Heaton decides to go for it on 4th and 3 down 4. Sanders again, stuffed at the line. Atlanta takes over.

Atlanta wouldn't give the ball back as a 10 yard run from Stevenson and another one from Hurts would clinch it.

Few lucky breaks for the Falcons on defense allowed them to sneak out with a victory. However, things will be different on the road next time they play.

Next week Atlanta travels to Carolina in another tough divisional matchup as the injuries keep piling up for the Falcons. While the LAR host Carolina, as they look to get back on a winning streak.

Minnesota 3 Chicago 17                      61 5-15
Viking punter Cole had a day for the ages, punting 12 times for 50 yards at a shot, with 7 inside the 20. This kept the Bears pinned back all day. A late Chicago fumble gave Minny a chance in this one, but the Chigao Def was able to hold.

Jacksonville 14 Pittsburgh 38               63 10-20
Both teams come into the game looking to move over 500 and both just won close games against division rivals last week.

On Pittsburgh's first possession Tom Brady finds Jefferson for a 40 yard TD. The Jags would answer on their next drive a 10 play drive Allen to Metcalf from 20 yards out and we are tied at 7 as we head to the 2nd.

The next possession for the Steelers would bleed into the 2nd and it would end the same as the last drive Brady to Jefferson for a 15 yard TD and its 14-7 early in the quarter. After a Jags punt Pittsburgh who's offense has been less then stellar so far this year is clicking tonight as Edwards runs one in from 16 yards out and they have scored on all 3 possessions so far 21-7. After a couple of traded punts Pittsburgh would end the half with a Bass (who was 1-3 in FG coming into this game) wind aided 55 yard FG to make it 24-7 at the half.

The Steelers get the ball to start the 2nd half and march down the field eating up 6 minutes of the clock and ends with a Brady to Jefferson for the 3rd time tonight TD from 15 yards. Their was a key call as the Jags win a challenge making it 4th and inches from Pittsburgh's 48 but they decide to go for it and convert with a Brady sneak. its now 31-7 midway through the 3rd. Jacksonville does not give up though as they have a high powered offense and they go on a 5 minute drive Cooper from Allen 16 yard TD pass cuts the score to 31-14.

Pittsburgh's offense however keeps humming on the 2nd play of the 4th Brady throws his 4th TD pass this time to Noah Brown 12 yards and open up a 38-14 lead. That pretty much ends the game as no one scores the rest of the way.

It was just one of those weeks for Dave and his Jags as he called a good game but nothing seemed to go right .

Tom Brady has had a rough start to his final season as coming into the game he had 6TD and 5INT's but tonight was vintage Brady 21-26 259 yards 4TD 0 Picks and a QB rating of 147.8. However the game MVP goes to Justin Jefferson 9 receptions 159 yards and 3 TD he also ran the ball once for 12 yards .

For the Jags the night can be summed up with this their two leading receivers DK Metcalf and Amari Cooper combined for 4 catches and 3 drops. they did both have a TD however. Allen was off 12-25 (3 drops did not help) 123 yards 2TD 0 picks 89.3 QB rating.

Pittsburgh (3-2) has a tough task traveling to at this moment undefeated Arizona (4-0) while Jacksonville (2-3) has no picnic taking on the defending champs Bengals (3-1) at home .

Tennessee 16 Cincinnati 19                  62 10-20
The Bengals hosted IFL rival Tennessee for an AFC Central match up. Both teams entered the game with a 3-1 record.

After forcing a Cincinnati three and out, the Titans drove 65 yards on 13 plays with Latavius Murray taking it in from three yards out and a 7-0 lead. An exchange of punts would take up the remainder of the quarter.

Tennessee would put together another long 12 play drive but this time the Bengals defense forced a field goal attempt which Mason Crosby converted from 22 yards out and a 10-0 lead. Cincinnati finally dented the scoreboard as Ka'imi Fairbairn blasted a 54 yarder just before the half to make it 10-3.

The Titan offense continued to move up and down the field to begin the second half as Crosby increased their lead back to ten with a 37 yard field goal. The Bengals answered with a 13 play 75 drive with Darrynton Evans going in from two yards out to cut the deficit to 13-10 with about two minutes remaining in the quarter.

After forcing another Cincinnati punt early in the final quarter, the Titans would increase their lead to 16-10 with another Crosby field goal. Once again the Bengals would answer with another Fairbairn field goal to cut it back to 16-13 with about six minutes remaining. It looked like the Titans were going to increase their lead but Jimmy G, who threw for over 250 yards at this point, was intercepted by Isaiah Simmons. The Cincinnati offense was able to set up Fairbairn with another field goal attempt from 24 yards out and the score was tied at 16 with less than a minute remaining.

After an incomplete pass, Bengal corner Amik Robertson stepped up as he intercepted another Garoppolo pass and the Bengals took over at the Titans 34. An Aaron Rodgers to Diontae Johnson 12 yard pass set up Fairbairn with the game winner from 40 yards out as the Bengals escaped with the win.

Titan Rick coached his usual strong game and deserved a better fate.

Jimmy G threw for 269 yards but the two interceptions were killer and he was sacked four times. Brandon Aiyuk finished with eight receptions for 91 yards.

For Cincinnati Fairbairn was the player of the game drilling all four field goal attempts. Simmons had a sack along with the interception.

Next week the Titans host Baltimore while the Bengals travel to Jacksonville.

Detroit 39 Tampa Bay 20                     88 0-10
Not at all what Bucs fans are used to seeing at Raymond James Stadium. Detroit roars, scores and puts Tampa on all fours Final is 39 to 20. Josh Jacobs posts nice, round numbers of 30 rushes for 200 yards. Toss in 52 yards receiving as well. DeSean Watson has a QB rating of 158.3 to Derek Carr's 40.poop.

Next week is division week in the NFC North with Tampa at Chicago and Green Bay at Detroit.

Miami 10 New England 44                     51 5-15 Rain
A battle for first place as two 3-1 teams go head to head in New England. Tua gets the Fins off on the right foot, engineering a 13 play drive to open the game, peppering 4 different receivers and culminating with a short TD reception by Nico Collins (6 reception, 65 yards on the day).

New England responded with a large dose of Derrick Henry - runs of 6, 13, 15 and 14 yards had the Patriots deep into Miami territory. After 6 straight running plays, Lamar Jackson dropped back and hit Tyreek Hill for a 21 yard TD to tie the game at 7 apiece.

James Bradberry would pick Tua on the next Miami drive, setting the stage for a Justin Tucker 31 yard field goal to end the first quarter.

Miami would tie the game at 10 on a Prater field goal after a 14 play 69 yard drive stalled at the NE 2 yard line. 10-10

Jackson would start the next NE drive with a 15 yard pass play to Hill. He'd go right back to him on the next play - this time a 60 yard strike for the TD and the Patriots were up 17-10.

A 3 and out for Miami and the Patriots would have the ball again at their own 25. Derrick Henry would bust loose on the first play of the drive, gaining 58 yards all the way to the Miami 17. Two plays later Henry would run it in for the TD, and it was 24-10.

Miami would look to answer before halftime, A quick first down had Miami out across their own 30. On 2nd down however, Tua was picked by Tyrann Mathieu which set NE up for another Henry TD. At the half, it was 31-10 NE.

Patriots would keep the Miami offense off the board in the second half, as they cruised to the 44-10 victory.

Derrick Henry ran for 154 yards and two scores, while Tyreek caught 7 for 112 and 2 TDs.

For Miami, Tua started off well, but ultimately had his worst outing of the year completing 20 of 40 passes for 159 yards and a TD. He also had a couple INTs before giving way to Jared Goff (7 of 15, 53 yards)

NE will be in Buffalo next week, while Miami travels out west to SF.

Kansas City 0 Denver 14                     60 0-5
The Broncos defense pitched a shutout against division rival KC 14-0.

Neither team had much offense but Denver was able to get a few balls in the end zone for the win.
Thanks to Bob for a great game.

Houston 16 Green Bay 20                     54 5-15 Light Rain
This game was close throughout.

Texans came out and dominated defensively in the first half but only led 13-7, thanks to a couple of stops by the Green Bay defense.

QB Kirk Cousins was on target early finding his top two WR's Terry McLauin and Chris Godwin at will.

Packers came out inspired in the 3rd quarter putting up 13 points to take a 20-13 lead into the final 15 minutes. QB Brock Purdy heated up, spreading the ball around to multiple receivers. Cousins, on the other hand, struggled to find his top two weapons who faced numerous double teams.

Texans hung tough however and cut the lead to 20-16 with just over 12 minutes left. Play of the game came at the 1:53 mark when a nice drive by Houston was stopped on a 4th and 8 near midfield. Cousins looked to McLaurin but S Juan Thornhill came across and swatted the ball to the turf. Packer were able to run out the clock for the 20-16 win.

Well coached game by IFL newcomer Nino who did a great job mixing up coverage, confusing the Packers

Brock Purdy was MVP 16/26, 285, 2 TDS, 127 rating

Las Vegas 9 Los Angeles (A) 19              73 Calm
Davis Mills 25 yard scamper was the only touchdown of the game as the Chargers outlast Las Vegas and remain undefeated.

Buffalo 17 Indianapolis 15                  69 Calm
Jake Elliott’s fourth quarter field goal was the difference in this titanic struggle.

Arizona 41 Philadelphia 19                  57 5-15
The battle of the birds began with both teams moving the ball. Arizona did not have a solution for Tannehill and the Eagles struggled to shut down Mahomes. A fumble by London deep in Eagle territory changed the momentum. It took Mahomes only one play to toss a 30 yard TD to take the lead 20-13. Eagles would get another field goal but it was the Mahomes Barkley show for the rest of the way. Zona wins it 41-19.

Seattle 22 Dallas 10                        70 Calm
In a game that seemed more convincing in Seattle’s favor, the Seahawks (4-1) defeated the Dallas Cowboys (1-4) 22-10.

Dallas coach Steve Hart remains dismayed by his team’s horrible play this year – a year in which .500 seemed possible. But the Cowboys had four fumbles, allowed four sacks, had seven missed tackles, converted 1 of 12 third down plays and amassed 7 penalties for 68 yards.

After receiving the opening kickoff, Justin Herbert (Dallas’ upper echelon QB) threw an INT on the second play from scrimmage. But the Cowboys defense held Seattle … except for the unnecessary roughness call on an incomplete pass on third down led to a Seattle first down. Seattle would settle for a FG on that drive.

Dallas punted, then Seattle punted – and the Cowboys returner fumbled the punt (but got it back), then Dallas punted followed by a Seattle punt (with the same returner fumbling the punt again (luckily, he pounced on that one, too).

Prescott would throw two TD passes in the first half, with the second coming after a Seattle player blocked a Dallas punt. But Dallas put 10 points late in the second quarter to go into the locker room only down 16-10.

Seattle extended their lead to 19-7 in their opening possession of the second half. Dallas was moving the ball though … until Dallas Goedert caught a pass and fumbled it away to Kris Heaton’s club. It was the Dallas special team’s turn to mess up a third time … after forcing a Seattle punt, the punt return team got called for a roughing the kicker penalty.

Then Seattle unleased Highsmith on the Dallas offense. Blitzing, he recorded two sacks in the fourth quarter to clinch things for the Seahawks.

A tough night for Dallas, indeed.

New York (A) 16 New Orleans 35              70 Calm
The Saints win at home to move above .500. Joe Flacco throws 3 TD's in the win and the defense forces 2 turnovers. Kenny Pickett had a good day for the Jets throwing for 222 yards and running for another 64.

San Francisco 30 Carolina 33                80 Calm
Eddy Pineiro’s overtime field goal, his sixth of the game, gives the Panthers the win.

Baltimore 14 New York (N) 38                62 0-10
sim

Rushing Leaders
Jacobs(Det)     30-200 3 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Week
Henry(NE)       16-154 2 TD
McCaffrey(Den) 22-129
Sanders(LAR)    24-116
Allgeier(Pit)   16-108
Taylor(Car)     21-106

Receiving Leaders
Waddle(NYG)      8-175 4 TD
Jefferson(Pit)   9-159 3 TD
Chase(Ind)      16-152
St. Brown(NYJ) 11-101

Passing Leaders
Mayfield(Bal)   46-32-302   2 TD 2 Int
Jones(NYG)      36-26-299   5 TD
Brady(Pit)      26-21-259   4 TD
Burrow(Ind)     50-33-255   1 Int

Defensive Standouts
Cox(Den) 6 tk, 1 sk,2 hur – IFL Defensive Player of the Week

Special Teams
Fairbairn(Cin) 4-4 FG
McLaughlin(LAC)4-4 FG
Pineiro(Car)   6-6 FG – IFL Special Teams Player of the Week

IFL WEEK 5 STANDINGS

IFL WEEK 5 LEAGUE LEADERS

Week 4 Recap

Gardner-Johnson's two interceptions leads Dallas over the Eagles.

Game Scores
Philadelphia 13 Dallas 28                   70 Calm
Dallas was seeking its first win of the young season with division rival Philadelphia (1-2) coming to town in week four.

The Cowboys marched down the field in the opening possession as Justin Herbert would complete five of six passes, with the last going to tight end Dallas Goedert for 18 yards to complete the 11-play, 75 yard possession.

The Eagles tied the contest a couple of possessions later when Ryan Tannehill found rookie sensation Drake London in the end zone from the 14. After the Cowboys’ signal caller Justin Herbert threw and intersection, the Eagles took the lead on a field goal.

Dallas retook the lead 14-10 on a 35-yard pass from Herbert to George Pickens. Philly’s Matt Amendola drew the Eagles to 14-13 just before the half on an astounding 59-yard field goal.

The wheels came off the Eagles attempt at victory in the second half as Tannehill thew three interceptions and RB McFarland lost a fumble to give the Cowboys a 28-13 win. In addition to Tannehill’s interceptions, Greg Mason’s squad made it tough on him by committing 12 penalties totaling 100 yards.

Tannehill did throw for 260 yards in a losing effort, though, including completing nine passes to London for 150 yards.   Justin Herbert had a fine day under center for the Cowboys – completing 20 of 28 passes for three TDs.

New Orleans 36 San Francisco 20             65 0-5
Jim Rice brought the Saints to the Bay and won easily against the 49ers 36 to 20. The Green Lizard threw for 289 yards and added an additional 46 on the ground in the win. Mac Jones threw 3 interceptions and was sacked 4 times in the loss.

Atlanta 24 Indianapolis 6                   69
Ugly game.

Indy got off to a 3-0 lead after the opening possession, but after that Atanta dominated the game and win easily 24-6.

Indy had their chances, but penalties and turnovers prevented them from being competitive.

Green Bay 27 Minnesota 0                    68 Calm
Packers go into Minnesota and shut out the Vikings 27-0 behind strong games by QB Mike White and RB Dalvin Cook

Vikings had a few promising drives stall out with sacks and a couple of untimely Trey Lance int's. Minnesota appeared to have a big play punt return touchdown, but returner Hicks was ruled to have a toe come down out of bounds as he tight roped the sideline.

Thanks to coach Mark for agreeing to the early week game which freed up my NFL opening weekend viewing!

Packers host Texans next week, while Minnesota takes on the streaking Bears (but hopefully not a streaking Steve Nordberg).

New York (N) 16 Arizona 31                  91 Calm
Dynamic duo of Barkley and Mahomes make life miserable to defensive coordinators. The Red Tide is alive and well.

Seattle 44 Tennessee 27                     62 0-10
Sub coach Dave Hood guided the Seahawks to an easy victory over the Titans. Dak Prescott shredded the suposedly fearsome Tennesee defense for 44 points. It might have been a shootout but a bogus holding penalty wiped out a 50 yard Latavius Murray run early in the 3rd quarter. The Seahawks scored a TD on their next possession and the rout was on. Matt Ryan showed why he now sits in an announcer's booth.

Las Vegas 23 Houston 20                     70
In a thrilling NFL showdown at NRG Stadium, the Las Vegas Raiders managed to secure a hard-fought victory against the Houston Texans, prevailing by a final score of 23-20.

The game started with the Texans drawing first blood as their kicker, Sanders, nailed a 29-yard field goal, putting Houston up 3-0. The Raiders swiftly responded with a field goal of their own by Myers from 29 yards out, tying the game at 3-3.

However, just before halftime, the Texans found the end zone with Cousins connecting with Godwin on an 11-yard touchdown pass, taking a 10-3 lead. The Raiders managed to add another field goal by Myers, making it 10-6 before heading into the locker room.

The third quarter showcased a resurgent Raiders offense led by Allen. He connected with Moore on a 25-yard touchdown pass, pushing the Raiders ahead 13-10. But the Texans answered back with Mixon's 4-yard rushing touchdown, regaining the lead at 17-13.

Las Vegas didn't let up, and Allen found Kelce for a 2-yard touchdown pass towards the end of the third quarter, swinging the score to 20-17 in their favor.

The fourth quarter saw the Texans tie the game again with another field goal from Sanders, making it 20-20. But the Raiders had the final say as Myers hit a clutch 42-yard field goal, giving the Raiders a narrow 23-20 lead.

In the end, the Raiders' defense held firm, and despite a late push from the Texans, Las Vegas secured the win. Quarterback Allen was named the game's MVP for his impressive performance, throwing crucial touchdown passes to Moore and Kelce.

This victory improved the Raiders' record to 3-1, while the Texans now stand at 1-3. The game was marked by a series of intense plays, a tight scoreline, and some excellent performances, making it an unforgettable matchup for fans.

Pittsburgh 17 Cincinnati 15                 53 5-15
On a beautiful Sunday afternoon in Cincinnati the Bengals hosted division rival Pittsburgh. This was the Bengals first home game of the season and marked with pageantry as the Bengals received their IFL Championship rings! What could go wrong?

After a scoreless first quarter the Bengals struck first thanks to linebacker Cody Barton's interception of a Tom Brady pass. This set up a Fairbairn 25 yard field goal.

After an exchange of punts, it only took the Steelers three plays to gain the lead. After Gus Edwards gashed the Cincinnati defense for 37 yards, one play later Brady found Justin Jefferson for 18 yards and a 7-3 just under the two minute mark.

Somehow the Bengals offense was able to run 11 plays in under two minutes with Fairbairn adding another field goal cutting the deficit to 7-6 Steelers at the half.

The third quarter was scoreless but Brady connected with Dawson Knox from eight yards out on the first play of the final quarter to increase their lead to 14-6. Cincinnati answered with a 12 play 75 yard drive as Aaron Rodgers dumped an eight yard pass to fullback Gionvanni Ricci. (Ricci's father owns a steakhouse "Tony's" just around the corner where IFL Bengal management has been known to frequent on rare occasions). Anyway, the try for two was no good and Pittsburgh led 14-12. A fired up IFL Bengals defense forced a three and out. The Cincinnati offense went to work and 12 plays later the Bengals regained the lead 15-14 as Fairbairn was true from 36 yards out.

IFL Bengal fans felt pretty confident that the defense could turn the Pittsburgh offense away, maybe even a game ending turnover? The nasty Steelers had other ideas. A 22 yard run by rookie Tyler Allgeier on third and four stunned the sellout crowd and set the Pittsburgh offense up at the Bengals 28. Runs of eight yards and seven yards by Edwards and Allgeier set up a chip shot for Tyler Bass who converted the game winner from 30 yards out, 17-15 Steelers.

Congrats to Steeler Sam on a masterful coaching and play calling job.

Allgeier rushed for 127 yards on 15 carries. Edwards added 58 on 8 totes. Jefferson was held to four receptions but averaged 20 yards a catch with a touchdown.

Aaron Rodgers finished 34 of 48 for 289 yards and a touchdown. The Cincinnati rushing attack was held to 2.4 yards a tote.

Next week the Steelers host Jacksonville in a key AFC Central matchup while Cincinnati welcomes co-AFC Central leader Tennessee to the jungle.

Baltimore 44 Jacksonville 45                78 0-5
Not much D in this one other than a Baltimore pick six as the Jags triumph 45-44 in OT. Baltimore goes for the win with a 2 point convert attempt only to see JK Dobbins stopped short of the goalline giving the Jags the win. It was a fun game to play as neither defence put up much of a fight as the two teams combine for almost 900 yards in offence.

Lawrence coached a great game and could have won it....

Miami 31 Buffalo 27                         50 20-30
Looking for redemption after a opening day loss in Miami the Bills were leading 27-10 in the early 4th quarter and Bills driving in Miami territory, Kyler Murray sweeps right and is hit hard and fumbles where safety Rodney Thomas II scoops it up and races 62 yards for the TD and Prater tacks on XP to make it 27-17 Bills. After that the momentum shifted as the Bills couldn't generate much offense and the Dolphins tacked on two TD's to escape Buffalo with a 31-27 victory and improve their record to 3-1 while the Bills fall to 1-3 despite dominating the stats. The Dolphins will head to New England in what should be a game for first in the AFC East while the Bills will head to Indy.

New England 38 New York (A) 10              61 0-10
In week #1 the Jets went into Gillette Stadium, and came away with a big upset over the Patriots. This week they Patriots made sure that wouldn’t happen again.

They scored on 3 of their first 4 possessions to take a 21-0 lead. The Jets then took the ball 75 yards in 4 plays to make it 21-7, and were hoping to get the ball back to score again before halftime. Well, they got it back quicker than expected because Hines returned the kickoff 98 yards for a TD…28-7 Pats. That was the score at the half.

New England received the 2nd half kickoff, and only needed 56 seconds to go 75 yards. The big play was a 69 yard pass from Wentz to Kupp…35-7 New England.

The final was 38-10…

For the Pats Wentz was 8-17 for 167 yards, and 2 TDs.
Kupp caught 5 for 104 yards, and Hill caught 3 for 64 yards.

For the Jets Pickett was 14-20 for 139 yards with 1 TD, and 1 interception.
St. Brown caught 9 passes for 66 yards.

Next week New England hosts the 3-1 Dolphins, while the Jets fly to NOLA to face the Saints.

Chicago 27 Detroit 17                       70 Calm
DaBears sneak by the Lions 27-17 on the road. Personally, I did enjoy Pollards 110 yards on 14 carries, but I'm a bit biased. Sam Darnold once again made a few big important plays with his legs. Some how DaBears are 4-0. In all reallity, we got lucky. Next week Chi hosts Minny & Det travels to the off't referred to as the "perianal power house Tampa Bay". About this Tampa Bay thing, the use alot of energy, but not much out put from what I see.

on the other hand
Head coach Jerry Glandville is pleased with the team thus far, especially the week 3 win when we punched Green Bay in the face & kicked 'um in the nuts.

Carolina 6 Los Angeles (N) 28               76 Calm Heavy Rain
An unexpected deluge in Los Angeles played havoc with the LA and Car offenses as the passing game was severely limited. Both QBs combined for barely over two hundred yards. The Rams scored a TD on the opening drive relying on their OL and RBs. Car was only able to answer with a FG and the Rams never looked back from there. LA continued rely on the run methodically moving down the field for a few more scores. The conditions made it difficult for Car QB Russell Wilson to mount a comeback. Car was only able to add one more field goal.

The Rams go back on the road in week 5 travelling to Atlanta, while Carolina hosts San Francisco.

Tampa Bay 11 Denver 31                      69 Calm
Tampa Bay came to Denver for their week 4 match up with the Broncos.
The game was sloppy with 6 total turnovers (3 from each side) but the Broncos were able to pull away at the end 31-11.

Los Angeles (A) 17 Kansas City 13           62 0-5
Garrett Wilson scored on an 80 yard catch and run with 25 seconds left in the game on 3rd and 15 and no timeouts as LA defeated KC.

Rushing Leaders
Barkley(Ari)    26-133 3 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Week
Allgeier(Pit)   15-127
Jones,A(Sea)    20-118
Sanders(LAR)    24-117 3 TD
Allen(Jax)      12-114
Pollard(Chi)    14-110
Cook(GB)        22-108 1 TD
Murray(Buf)     12-106

Receiving Leaders
London(Phi)      9-150 1 TD
Diggs(SF)       10-111

Passing Leaders
Allen(Jax)      51-36-369   4 TD 2 Int
Rodgers,A(Cin) 48-34-289   1 TD
Prescott(Sea)   25-21-289   4 TD 1 Int

Defensive Standouts
Dean(GB)         2 Int 2 Tk
Gardner-Johnson(Dal) 2 Int 4 Tk – IFL Defensive Player of the Week
Tranquill(Car)   16 Tk

Special Teams
Myers(LV) – 3 FG 11 pts – IFL Special Teams Player of the Week

IFL WEEK FOUR STANDINGS

IFL WEEK FOUR LEAGUE LEADERS

Week 3 Recap

Tua leads the Dolphins to a big division win over New York.

New York (A) 20 Miami 23                    90 0-5
The Jets come to Miami in week 3 each Team sporting identical 1-1 records for this divisional tilt.

Miami defers and the Jets take the opening drive and take 7:05 off the clock and go 68 yards, but fail to convert on a 3rd down and have to kick the FG to go up 3-0. A 3 and out for both Teams, finds Miami receiving the ball at their own 23 with 3:27 left in the 1st. They go on a 10 play drive that carries over into the 2nd quarter but get the TD to go up 7-3 with 13:59 left in the half.

After an exchange of punts, New York gets the ball at their own 26 and travel to the Miami 16 but again have to settle for the FG to cut the lead to 7-6 Miami with 4:08 left in the half. Miami gets the ball and goes 75 yards and gets the TD with .42 seconds in the half to go up 14-6 and that's the way the half would end.

The Dolphins take the 2nd half KO and drive down to the Jet 10 but the drive stalls and the Dolphins settle for the FG but push the lead to 17-6. On the following drive the Jets go 75 yards and get the TD to cut the lead to 17-13 Dolphins with 4:38 left in the 3rd quarter. With 2:35 left in the 3rd the Jets block a Dolphins punt and get the TD to go up 20-17 in the 3rd and that's how it would go to into the 4th quarter.

Miami would convert a couple of 1st downs but end up punting the ball back to the Jets with 12:09 to go in the game. After a New York punt the Dolphins would drive to the Jet 12 and on a 4th and 1 decide it's too risky to go for and kick the FG to tie the game at 20. The Jets would get the ball with 2:22 at their own 20 and convert 2 1st downs but have to punt the ball back to Miami. With .41 seconds left in the game and on their own 16 yard line, Tua goes to work, he moves his Team to the Jet 32 yard line and as time expired the Dolphins hit the 50 yard FG to win 23-20. A exciting divisional game from start to finish.

Next week the Jets are at home facing the Patriots in a revenge game for the Pats and the Dolphins head to Buffalo to face the Bills for the 2nd time in 4 weeks.

Carolina 22 New Orleans 20                  70 Calm
New Orleans scores a TD on a run from the goal line by James Conner to take the lead 20-19 with 4 minutes to go in the game. Carolina then drives down the field, converting a critical 4th and 10 earlier in the drive, and kicks the field goal as time expires to secure the win.

Minnesota 7 Tampa Bay 30                    80 0-5
Vikings were not able to get it going until garbage time. Tampa shut it down in the second half.

Tennessee 29 Jacksonville 21                87 Calm
The Titans come to Jacksonville and feast on the league's worst defense. There was nothing that the beaten up Jags D could do to stop Garoppolo and the Titans D came up big when they had to sacking Josh Allen when it mattered. The Titans win late with a long punt return for a TD. Hats off to Rick for coaching a great game. The Jags fall to 1-2 and the Titans climb to the top of the division.

Indianapolis 0 New England 13               70 20-30 Rain
Ugly game at windy, rainy Foxboro. Tyreek Hill (8 catches for 139 yards) scored the only TD when he took a short pass from Gardner Minshew and ran 65 yards for the TD. That gave NE a 7-0 lead - and it would be enough. Justin Tucker added two field goals (missed on two other longer attempts against the wind) as the Patriots win 13-0.

Even with star WR Jamar Chase doubled much of the day, Indy's Joe Burrow completed 20 of 28 passes, but amassed only 108 yards overall.

Each team committed 2 turnovers, and the two offenses combined for only 24 first downs on the day.

Patriots visit the Jets next week while the Colts host the Falcons.

Chicago 25 Green Bay 12                     70 5-15
Bears come in and blow out the host Packers. Chicago's defense proves to be too much for a shell shocked
Brock Purdy.

Sam Darnold did enough to get the win, especially with his scrambling.

Bears running game was effective but the story was the defense which caused 4 turnovers and held Dalvin Cook without a single yard

Steve Nordberg was masterful in his play calling and was full value for the win

Bears 3-0 are in Detroit 2-0 for a battle of division leaders Packers 1-2 travel to Minnesota.

Cincinnati 38 Dallas 21                     70 Calm
The 3-0 Cincinnati Bengals forced four turnovers, including two pick sixes, enroute to a convincing 38-21 win over the now 0-3 Dallas Cowboys in Week Three IFL action Thursday.

Problems arose early for the Cowboys, who lost their first two contests by six points each. Following the kickoff, the Bengals stopped a run for zero yards and then for -4 yards before Dallas missed converting the third and 14 situation with a dropped pass. But Dallas would hold Cincy for a three-and-out. On the fourth down punt, Dallas’ return man fumbled and the Cincy recovered the ball. Cincy then converted consecutive double team passes to Diante Johnson to get in field goal range. Cincy converted for a 3-0 lead.

Dallas’ offense final found its rhythm and was moving the ball before Dallas Goedert fumbled a completed pass on the Cincy 17.

The Bengals extended their lead on another double-teamed completions and then a pass to it’s RB for a 10-7 score in the second quarter.

On the ensuing possession, Herbert tried to hit Samuel on a slant pattern. Jalen Ramsey intercepted the ball and took it 36 yards to paydirt, making the score 17-0 Cincy.

The Cowboys closed to 17-7 on a Herbert to Goedert TD pass, but Cincy matched the score on a 38-yard pass to Johnson and a 10-yard pass to Chark to go into halftime up 24-7.

After Dallas holding Cincy to begin the second half, Kyle Trask threw a pick six interception to give Cincy a convincing 31-7 lead.

Surprisingly, Dallas accumulated more yards than did Cincy (333-330).

Pittsburgh 24 Baltimore 20                  85 0-5
Baltimore led 17-7 at half, 17-10 going into the 4th quarter, but, Pittsburgh outscored Baltimore 14-3 in the 4th quarter for the win.

Baltimore kept Brady & Jefferson under control until it really counted. Brady hit Jefferson on a 9-yd TD with 1:23 to play for what proved to be the GW TD.

Otherwise, pedestrian numbers for Brady 12 of 22 119 yds, 1 TD & 1 INT (pick 6)
Jefferson had 6 catches for 79 yards and the TD.

However, Pittsburgh's running game gashed the Baltimore D.

Edwards carried 12 times for 101 yards, with a long of 38. Allgeier carried 14 times for 95 yards, including a long of 57.

Los Angeles (A) 21 Houston 13               70 Calm
LAC moves to 3-0 despite a very shaky offensive performance.... trailing 7-0 at the half and mired in a poor performance; LA used two big plays to get untracked....
deep in their own territory, Quandre Diggs picked off Cousins for a 60 yard interception return and on Houston’s ensuing possession, Marcus Jones returned
a punt for 56 yards; both were followed on the very next play with Mills 19 and 20 yard throws to Garrett Wilson for touchdowns.... their final touchdown
followed an interception and drive from Houston’s 21, capped by a Chubb run....

Houston doubled LA 2-to-1 in yardage, first downs and time of possession, and was 5-for-5 on 4th down attempts....

Cousins passed for 288 yards, 9 times to Godwin for 73 for Houston....

Garrett Wilson led the Chargers with 5 catches for 79 yards and 2 touchdowns, Chubb rushed for 63 and 1 td....

LAC had 207 return yards on kicks and interceptions....

Buffalo 7 Los Angeles (N) 46                79 Calm
The Rams hosted the Buffalo Bills in for LA home opener. The Bills defense made the trip, but a slopy performance by Bills QB Kyler Murray left the Buffalo fans disappointed.

With confidence in his defense Buf Coach Greg Smith came out very aggressive in the first half. The Bills gambled on 4th down three times in the first half on three separate drives.The Rams d held on two, the third led to a Baffalo TD.

Despite the 4th down fizzles the Bills only found themselves down 22-7, and were driving towards the end of the half. On first down with 16 seconds left on the Rams 16 yard lie Murray made a catastrophic mistake fumbling the snap. 31 year old defensive end Khail Mack picked the ball up and somehow out ran all the Wrs and Rbs Buff had on the field for a back breaking TD.

The Bills kept fighting, but it just wasn't their day as the Rams were able to extend the lead further.

Next week both teams return to division play with Buff hosting Miami and LA hosting Carolina.

San Francisco 20 Atlanta 27                 68 Calm
Week 3 features the 49ers coming to Atlanta in a division game. San Francisco always plays the Falcons tough as they split their series last year. The 49ers were coming in looking to get their first win of the year, while the Falcons were looking to keep pace with the division leader Rams and go 3-0.

1st Quarter:

After trading a couple punts, Atlanta would strike first with a Christian Watson 7 yard run for a TD. (ATL 7, SF 0)

After a 3 and out SF would kick it to Atlanta, and on 3rd and 10 Hurts would connect with Watson for a 45 yard dagger to put the Falcons up 14-0.

2nd Quarter:

To start the 2nd quarter Singletary would carry the 49ers offense down the field, running for about 50 yards and catching for 22 yards in one drive! ATL 14- SF 7

Atlanta would answer with a drive of their own, but was stopped short for a 47 yard FG- which was shanked. SF answered with another drive dominated by Singletary and SF would punch it in to tie the game with 1 minute left in the 2nd quarter. ATL 14 SF 14

Jalen Hurts has taken a liking to his new rookie Watson as they connected for a 25 yard pass to get Atlanta to midfield. After a couple botched plays, Hurts heaves a hail mary to Watson into a double team, and somehow Watson caught the ball in the endzone for a 48 yard TD. ATL 21- SF 14

3rd Quarter:

SF started the 3rd quarter with the ball and on their own 39 went for it on 4th and 2, and got stuffed. Atlanta couldn't do much with the ball but hit a 36 yard FG to extend the lead ATL 24- SF 14

SF gets the ball again and decide to go for it on 4th an 6 from their own 30 and fall just short. Atlanta gets it and fails to convert a 2nd and 1 and a 3rd and 1 and settled for a 43yard FG.... but missed again!

4th Quarter:

SF would take the ball from the end of the third on a 5 minute drive that ended with a 48 yard FG attempt...and good! ATL 24 - SF 17

Atlanta needed a big drive, but instead Hurts was sacked and they were forced to punt. Mac Jones would take his team into Falcon territory and Gay would nail another 48 yard FG to really tighten the game at ATL 24- SF 20

With 7 minutes left, the Falcons needed something, as they were losing control of this one. The drive was highlighted by a 3rd and 7 where Hurts scrambled left, then right dodging defenders to throw a 34 yard bomb to Nelson Agholor. Then near disaster as Rhamondre Stevenson fumbled the ball... but upon booth review, his knee was down first. Atlanta fails to punch the ball in, but they take the FG to go up 27-20 with 2:52 left.

Atlanta's defense comes up strong forcing SF to go 4 and out without gaining a yard! Game over right, no. Raheem Mostert takes the ball with 2:23 left, as the announcer says he is carrying with two hands for protection... oops the ball comes out and SF recovers! Maybe he should have used three hands...

Atlanta is falling apart as SF drives, 1 CB gets injured, then Safety Demontae Kazee gets a 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for fighting and gets ejected with 1 minute left- SF into ATL territory now on the 33! The defense would hold strong with the closer Von Miller getting the sack on 4th and 6 and the Falcons didn't choke away the QB kneels to end the game. ATL 27- SF 20.

Christian Watson was the MVP hauling in 5 catches for 149 yards and adds 3 TDs making fantasy owners happy. Singletary ran 23/112 with 2TDs, and Boyd added 7 catches for 66 yards.

Next week ATL travels to Indy to take on Joe Cool and Chase, while SF hosts division foe New Orleans.

Arizona 26 Seattle 23                       72 0-10
Slye misses a game winning FG at the end of regulation and Arizona capitalizes to take the W in OT.

Denver 27 Las Vegas 23                      90 0-10
Geno Smith completes a four yard touchdown pass to Courtland Sutton with just 13 seconds remaining to rally the Broncos passed Vegas.

Kansas City 22 Detroit 24                   70 Calm
Caleb Shudak kicked a 33 yard FG with 9 seconds left to give Detroit the win. Marcus Mariota threw for 328 yards and 2 td's in the victory.

Philadelphia 21 New York (N) 20             63 0-10
The Eagles score with 0 seconds remaining in the game to beat the Giants 21-20. Eagles move to 1-2 and Giants fall to 0-3.

Rushing Leaders
Fields(KC)      14-175
Taylor(Car)     22-136 1 TD
Jones,A(Sea)    19-133 2 TD
Singletary(SF) 23-112 2 TD
Sanders(LAR)    16-104
Edwards(Pit)    12-101 2 TD

Receiving Leaders
Kirk(Ari)       10-102
Barkley(Ari)    12- 96 1 TD

Passing Leaders
Garoppolo(Ten) 44-25-374   1 TD 2 Int
Tagovailoa(Mia) 44-29-348   2 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Week
Mariota(Det)    39-25-328   2 TD 2 Int
Hurts(Atl)      30-19-304   2 TD
Cousins(Hou)    46-31-288   1 TD 3 Int

Defensive Standouts
Murphy-Bun(Ind) 2 Int 3 Tk
Greenlaw(NE)     15 Tk
Edwards(LAC)     17 Tk – IFL Defensive Player of the Week
Smith,R(Buf)     17 Tk
Okereke(Ari)     15 Tk

Special Teams
Raymond(Ten)   3-105 Punt Ret 1 TD – IFL Special Teams Player of the Week
McPherson(Chi) 6-6 FG
Nwangwu(Buf)   5-152 Kick Ret
Succop(LAR)    4-4 FG
Carlson(Ari)   4-4 FG
Flowers(Den)   4-171 Kick Ret
Myers(LV)      5-5 FG
Pineiro(Car)   5-5 FG

IFL WEEK THREE STANDINGS

IFL WEEK THREE LEAGUE LEADERS

Week 2 Recap

Vikings kicker Cameron Dicker connects on the game winner.

Minnesota 18 Philadelphia 16                71 0-10 Heavy Rain
In a driving rainstorm, Colt McCoy came off the bench with 1:53 remaining in the game and led the Minnesota Vikings on a nine-play 52-yard drive resulting in a Cameron Dicker 41-yard field goal with 18 seconds left in the contest giving the Vikings an improbable 18-16 upset victory.

Cincinnati 31 Kansas City 17                61 5-15
Aaron Rogers threw for 3 td’s and Cincinnati defeated KC on the road 31-17. The Bengals scored all 4 times in the red zone, with 3 touchdowns and a FG.

Baltimore 24 Houston 27                     70 Calm
Baltimore jumped out to a 17-0 lead and went in to half time with a 17-3 lead.
Houston scored on their final 3 possession to score 17 unanswered points in the 4th quarter.

16 plays 77 yards TD 9:25 off the clock
10 plays 87 yards TD 5:00 off the clock
5 plays 55 yards FG 29 seconds off the clock

It looked like the game was going to go into overtime. Houston had the ball 2nd and 10 on their own 20 with 16 seconds left. Baltimore was playing a deep zone, blitzing 3 including Judon and Allen, hoping for a turnover. Instead, Cousins connected with McLaurin on a 51-yd Bomb Fly to get into field goal position and win the game on a 43 YD Jason Sanders FG.

Godwin caught 6 balls for 130 LG of 51
McLaurin caught 5 balls for 101 LG of 53
Pascal made a key catch for 41 yards

Cousins was 26 of 35 for 372 2 TDs and 1 pick.

Congrats to Nino on a thrilling win which was well-deserved.

Atlanta 27 New York (A) 7                   89 0-5
The New York Jets played their home opener before a sold out crowd that was still excited about the teams season opener from last week The Jets had gone to New England, and upset the Patriots.

Things started out awkwardly when Winston took the field at QB on the games first possession. Pickett was named the starter, but wasn’t on the sideline. Winston ran 4 plays, and threw a pick which silenced the crowd.

The fans found their voices again when the Jets defense forced ATL into a 3 and out.

Pickett was under center to start the second drive, and he matriculated the Jets down the field in a 7 play, 80 yard drive. The drive ended with a 22 yard TD pass from Pickett to St.Brown.

Unfortunately for the Jets, and their fans, that was as good as it would get. ATL took a 13-7 lead into halftime, and then took the second half kickoff for a 9 play 75 yard drive…20-7.

The final score was 27-7…

Hurts was 20-26 for 259 yards, and 2 TD.
Ertz caught 5 for 70 yards.

Pickett was 18-31 for 165 yards, and 1 TD.
Brown caught 3 for 59 yards, and a TD

Next week ATL puts their 2-0 record on the line at home against San Francisco.
The Jets look to rebound on the road against division rival Miami.

Tampa Bay 24 Arizona 54                     95 Calm
Carr managed to keep up with Mahomes for 3 quarters with his exemplary receiver core. However, Mahomes kept firing strikes. Zona D practiced the bend but don't break philosophy. As both teams felt the pressure to continuing to score on each possession. The Bucs succumbed to attempting numerous 4th and short attempts for first downs. Zona D step up and stopped the Bucs setting Mahomes up with good field position. Barkley chipped in with another 100+ yard performance on the ground. The game was much closer than the score.

Las Vegas 38 Jacksonville 28                83 Calm
The Jags fall 38-28 to the Vegas Raiders in an offensive shootout. Good coaching, turnovers and penalties sink the Jags. Stafford was the game star throwing for four TDs and zero interceptions while Josh Allen struggled with two key second half interceptions, one being a 39 yard Adams pick-six.

The Raider climb to 2-0, while the Jags falter to 1-1.

In a footnote, the Raiders played an honest and sportsmanlike game hence the zero penalties throughout the entire game.

Jason coached a great game.

Pittsburgh 16 Los Angeles (A) 20            79 Calm
The Chargers move into uncharted waters, sitting atop the AFC West at 2-0 after a harrowing escape versus the Steelers.

The Chargers marched late in the 4th quarter, going 75 yards in 15 plays, scoring on a 4th and goal from the one with under 2 minutes left and then holding on for dear life for a 20-16 victory.

Chubb paced the Chargers with 94 yards and a touchdown; Jefferson led the Steelers with 13 catches for 145 yards and a touchdown.

San Francisco 13 Buffalo 23                 61 30-40
With winds gusting from 30 to 40 mph the Bills defense stifled Mack Jones and the Niner offense holding them to 185 yards of offense. Kyler Murray threw for 262 and 2 TD passes and more importantly didn't turn the ball over while rushing for 40 yards on six rushes. Valdes-Scantling was the difference maker as he caught 5 for 128 and a TD. Jaelan Phillips had 2 sacks to lead the Bills defense. Mack Jones had 101.9 rating but couldn't make the big plays when needed as the Niners were 1-8 on third down. Bills win 23-13 and play at the Rams next while San Francisco heads to Atlanta. Bills are now 1-1 while the Niners fall to 0-2.

Chicago 20 Dallas 14                        70 Calm
The Chicago Bears’ defense was terrific in a 20-14 win on the road against the Dallas Cowboys in week two of the IFL. The Bears’ D held Dallas to 236 yards total offense, 12 first downs and forced four fumbles in the contest. The Bears’ defense features two players rated 10, one rated 9 and another rated 8. The key play of the game came in the fourth quarter with Dallas facing a fourth and inches situation. Dallas elected to go for it. They called a flat pass to McKissic, an 8 rated receiver. Chicago did not double him. Despite that McKissic caught the ball but was dropped by C.J. Mosley for a three yard loss.   Mosley made a number of clutch plays in the contest.

The loss was Dallas’ second in a row by six points. The win improves the Bears’ record to 2-0.

Green Bay 24 Seattle 34                     63 5-15
Seattle overcomes multiple special teams blunders to hold on to the 34-24 victory. Purdy had a rough day throwing 3 INTs.
Los Angeles (N) 36 Miami 17                 76 Calm
Rams visit Miami in week 2 of the IFL season.

The Dolphins manage to keep it close for a quarter and a half but a late 2nd quarter pick leads to a Rams TD to give the Rams a 23-10 lead at the half.

Miami would open the 2nd half with a TD to cut the lead to 23-17 but the Rams controlled the rest of the game to win going away 36-17. The Rams dominate the scoreboard as well as the statistics to go 2-0 while the Dolphins fall to 1-1

Next week the Dolphins play their 3rd home game in a row while the Rams host the Bills.

Tennessee 20 Denver 13                      76 0-5
The Titans and Broncos had a hard-fought game at Mile High stadium before the Titans won at the end.

With just 7 ticks remaining Geno Smith would get picked off in the endzone to preserve the 20-13 Titans victory.

Thanks to Rick for a great game.

Detroit 30 New York (N) 16                  82 0-10
Marcus Mariota throws two touchdown passes as the Lions get by New York. Eight penalties did not help the Giants cause.

Indianapolis 24 New Orleans 31              70 Calm
The Saints rally with 21 fourth quarter points to defeat Indianapolis. James Conner rushes for 142 yards and two touchdowns to lead New Orleans.

New England 34 Carolina 20                  85 Calm
Tight game early as New England holds the 6-3 lead. A 65 yard touchdown pass to Tyreek Hill and two defensive touchdowns later and New England opened the floodgates.

Carolina at least scores a couple times to make it somewhat respectable but are never really in the game after the above.

Hill goes for 162 yards receiving and a TD for New England.

Taylor and Wilson both rushed for 75 yards for Carolina.

Rushing Leaders
Conner(NO)      28-142 2 TD
Barkley(Ari)    17-140 3 TD
Jones,A(Sea)    19-119 1 TD
Kamara(LV)      15-114
Sanders(LAR)    18-109 2 TD

Receiving Leaders
Hill(NE)         7-161 1 TD
Jefferson(Pit) 13-145 1 TD
Jones,Z(NO)     10-143 1 TD

Passing Leaders
Cousins(Hou)    35-26-372   2 TD 1 Int
Heinicke(NO)    40-26-355   1 TD
Brady(Pit)      45-28-324   1 TD 2 Int
Stafford(LV)    25-16-236   4 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Week

Defensive Standouts
Thompson(Phi)    15 Tk
Sweat (Atl) 2 TK, 1 Sk, 2 Hur – IFL Defensive Player of the Week

Special Teams
Dicker(Min)    6-6 FG – IFL Special Teams Player of the Week
Sims(NO)       3-69 Kick Ret 3-102 Punt Ret

IFL WEEK TWO STANDINGS

IFL WEEK TWO LEAGUE LEADERS

Week 1 Recap

Jets safety Jevon Holland intercepted two passes as New York edges the Patriots.

New York (A) 20 New England 17              74 0-5
Patriots host division rival NY and look to take an early lead when Carson Wentz connects with Tyreek Hill on a 42 yard pass play, followed by a 14 yarder on the very next play to Hill. A couple plays later, facing a 3rd down from the NYJ 10 yard line, Wentz attempted a dump off to Derrick Henry but the pass was tipped and intercepted by safety Jevon Holland. Crisis averted for the Jets, though they'd start the next drive at their own 5.

Rookie QB Kenny Pickett engineered a 14 play drive, spanning just over 9 minutes, thanks to a huge 15 yard rush by Pickett on 3rd and 15 to keep the drive alive. After a 26 yard completion to Amon-Ra St. Brown, Pickett handed to Jeff Wilson for the 2 yard TD. 7-0 Jets.

Pats looked to answer and Isaiah Rodgers got them off to a good start with a 46 yard kick return. After two short Derrick Henry runs had the Pats near midfield, Wentz faded back to pass and was picked AGAIN by Holland (2 picks in the entire 2022 NFL season - 2 in the first half versus Wentz!), who returned it all the way back to the NE 27 yard line!

A Jeff Simmons sack pushed NY back 7 yards, but Wilson rushed for 12 to make it 3rd and 5. On the next play Wilson took it wide for 4 yards, short of the first down - but wait............encroachment on the defense and NY had a fresh set of downs at the NE 17 yard line! A few plays later it was St Brown on the end around for the 4-yard TD. Patriots had dug themselves a hole, trailing 14-0 at halftime.

NE came out of the locker room and Wentz picked up where he left off - misfiring on a pass play on 1st down. The coaching staff had seen enough, and on came Garner Minshew. This seemed to spark the offense, as Henry immediately broke free for 18 yards and a first down. After a couple short pass plays, Henry broke free for another chunk play of 17 yards. First down at the NY 24. Five plays later, Minshew to Austin Hooper for a 10 yard TD, and it was 14-7 Jets.

Even on the road in his very first game, the moment was not too big for Pickett. He and his Jets teammates responded with a 20-play drive spanning over 8 minutes. New England did help out, with 2 penalties on 3rd down stoppages that would have otherwise halted the drive. Still, NY would tack 3 points on thanks to a Hopkins 20 yard FG and early in the 4th, NE trailed 17-7.

Wentz to Tutu Atwell for 42 yards sparked the ensuing drive for NE, but a subsequent holding penalty by Jason Peters bogged the Pats down, and Justin Tucker came on for the 47 yard FG. 17-10 Jets with 11:45 to play.

After a 3 and out by NY, Wentz came back out and immediately threw deep downfield to Brandin Cooks, who was interfered with resulting in a 40 yard penalty. First down from the Jets 26. After a short completion to Randall Cobb, Henry and Kareem Hunt did the rest, rushing for 21 yards on the next 5 plays, capped by a Henry 4 yard run. The game was tied up at 17 apiece with 5:29 to play.

Jets would receive the kick and moved the ball out to their own 39 before being forced to punt with under two minutes left in the game. With Justin Tucker pacing the sidelines in anticipation of a game winning kick for the home team, Nyheim Hines was back to field the kick at his own 15...........

Disaster for the Patriots team however, as Hines would bobble it and get drilled immediately!! A scramble for the ball ensued and the JETS would come away with it at the Patriot 15............

Three running plays, three time outs by NE, before Hopkins would come out for the 26 yard FG. Jets were back on top 20-17 with 1:29 to play.

Patriots would start at their own 25, and on the first play immediately benefitted from a DPI by Duke Shelley which gained 17 yards for NE. First and ten from their 42.

Henry rushed for 6 followed by two incomplete passes. On 4th and 4, Wentz found Tyreek Hill (doubled for much of the game) for the short slant and a first down. But the clock was ticking......

Henry for a short run had NE at the Jets 45 with 45 seconds to play. A 1 yard pass play to Cobb did little, bringing up 3rd and 6. Another attempt for Cobb was fruitless, bringing up a 4th and 6 at the Jet 44 with 33 seconds to play. Wentz dropped back and with Cooks and Hill both doubled, looked deep downfield again to Atwell........but the pass was off target and nearly picked off. With the incompletion, NY had sealed the 20-17 win at Foxboro.

Pickett completed 13 of 25 for 144 yards. He did not throw an INT or TD, but did rush for 31 yards on 5 carries. St. Brown caught 7 for 80 yards for the Jets, while Jeff Wilson ran for 67 yards and a TD. For NE, Wentz completed 12 of 27 for 171 and 2 INT. Fans were left wondering why Minshew didn't get a longer run ,as he competed 4 of his 5 attempts for 32 yards en route to a Tucker field goal. Derrick Henry ran for 124 and a TD while catching 4 passes out of the backfield, but he had little help from his teammates as the Patriot offense was pretty much held in check most of the day by the Jet D.

Congrats to Bob for a well-coached game, Jets look to move to 2-0 next week vs Atlanta at home, while NE will travel to play the Panthers.

Detroit 34 Minnesota 13                     68 Calm
Detroit, MI - The Detroit Lions started the 2023 season off strong with a convincing 34-13 win over the Minnesota Vikings at home on Sunday. Lions quarterback Marcus Mariota looked sharp in his debut, throwing for 278 yards and 2 touchdowns while running back Josh Jacobs gashed the Vikings defense for 148 yards and 2 scores on the ground.
The Lions set the tone early, marching down the field on their first possession to take a 3-0 lead on a field goal. They then forced a Vikings three-and-out and quickly made it 10-0 when Jacobs plowed into the end zone from 14 yards out. Another quick Mariota touchdown pass put the Lions up 17-0 before the Vikings finally got on the board with a field goal late in the second quarter.
Detroit kept rolling in the second half, with Jacobs adding another rushing touchdown to make it 31-6. Vikings quarterback Trey Lance connected with JuJu Smith-Schuster on a 17-yard score to cut the lead to 31-13, but it was too little too late. The Lions coasted in the fourth quarter, tacking on another field goal for the final margin.
Mariota looked very comfortable running the Lions offense in his first game since taking over for Jared Goff. He spread the ball around to receivers like Michael Thomas and Jerry Jeudy while also utilizing tight end Cole Kmet. But it was Jacobs who really ignited the ground game behind a powerful offensive line.
For the Vikings, Lance struggled to find consistency in his first career opening day start. The second-year quarterback made some impressive plays with his legs, but completed just 11 of 22 passes with several misses to open receivers. Dalvin Cook was held largely in check on the ground as well.
Lions coach Don Merlenbach was pleased with his team's fast start. "We came out ready to play and set the tone early," Merlenbach said. "Marcus played with great poise and command of the offense and we were able to establish the run."
The Lions will look to keep their momentum going when they head on the road to take on the New Orleans Saints next Sunday. The Vikings will look to bounce back when they host the Green Bay Packers in their home opener.
Lions Statistical Leaders
Passing: Mariota 20/27, 278 yards, 2 TD
Rushing: Jacobs 29 carries, 148 yards, 2 TD
Receiving: Thomas 9 catches, 107 yards, TD
Vikings Statistical Leaders
Passing: Lance 11/22, 119 yards, TD Rushing: Lance 7 carries, 54 yards Receiving: Smith-Schuster 6 catches, 63 yards, TD


New Orleans 12 Atlanta 37                   68 Calm
IFL opening weekend kicked off with a primetime matchup, an inter division game between the Saints and the Falcons.

Last year at week 8 the Falcons were 6-2, with both of those losses coming against the scrappy Saints and Coach Rice. This year looked to be a more interesting year as the Falcons have retooled around Jalen Hurts and added some young players to try and compete against the reigning divisional powerhouse, the Saints.

1st Quarter:

Atlanta would take over at the 25 and drive down into FG range, and hit a 51 yard FG to take the lead. (ATL 3- NO 0)

New Orleans would fumble on their very 1st play and recovered by rookie CB Bland. Atlanta had prime field position, but only could gain 3 yards as they settled for another FG (ATL 6 NO 0)

N.O would take over again, move the chains once then Heineke would throw an INT to Da'Ron Bland, giving the ball right back to ATL.

Atlanta didn't waste the opportunity this time as Hurts connected with rookie Christian Watson for a TD to put Atlanta up 13-0.

2nd Quarter:

After a defensive stop, Hurts ran in a 7 yard TD setup by a 52 yard pass to Nelson Agholor. (ATL 20- NO 0)

Coach Rice just couldn't get any luck going, The kickoff return was going about 43 yards, looking to setup NO in prime position to put in work, when there was another fumble recovered by Atlanta. New Orleans defense was holding up decent for all the tough spots it was put in as it held Atlanta to just 1 first down, and Atlanta kicked another FG to go up (ATL 23 NO 0)

N.O went 3 and out while Jalen Hurts led his team on an over 6 minute drive. The drive was about to result in a punt on 4th and 4, however home cooking was in effect as the Saints were charged with an offsides penalty and Atlanta capitalized with a TD run to make it ATL 30, NO 0. That is how the 1st half would end.

3rd Quarter:

Starting the 2nd half, the Saints turned to their backup quarterback to provide a spark, and that he did. Old man Joe Flacco entered the game and led the Saints on a 7 minute drive, but could only come away with a FG. (ATL 30, NO 3).

After a few traded 3 and outs, New Orleans was pinned back on their own 1. They had a 4th down from their own 3, they successfully punted the ball away and rookie returner Turpin fumbles for Atlanta giving them essentially 40 yards, and the a 20 yard pass interference call, and the tide is starting to turn, but was it too little too late? Flacco connects for a TD with a missed XP to make it (ATL 30- NO 9).

4th Quarter

Atlanta's offense is sputtering in the second half as they can't hardly even muster a 1st down. New Orleans was able to get a drive going, but had to punt. Things were still tense, Jalen Hurts threw a pass to Rhamondre Stevenson who ended up breaking one for 44 yards, which finally gave Atlanta some yardage and Boston Scott ran it in from the 3 yard line to put this one way out of reach. New Orleans would tac on one more FG and the game would expire.

Final: NO 12 ATL 37

Game MVP: Jalen Hurts (17/22 with 243 and 2 TD (1 Pass 1 Rush)

Injuries: TJ Watt made it 2 quarters before leaving with a concussion. His concussion protocol with keep him out 5 more games.

I got some very lucky breaks. Things will be different when the Falcons visit the Saints later this year.


Cincinnati 26 Pittsburgh 14                 58 0-10
The defending champs and division rivals Cincinnati Bengals come to the steel city to open the season. Coach Storer (Mr Commish) won his first title defeating the Seahawks 19-17 in a thrilling IFL Super Bowl.

The Champs start out the season right as Rogers fires one in to Bateman who takes it to the house from 45 yards out 7-0 Bengals. Not a good start for the revamped secondary of the Steelers. On Rogers 2nd possession the secondary shows out as newly acquired CB Emmanuel Mosley picks him off and sets up Brady and the Steelers at midfield. A methodical 10 play drive results in Brady on a 2nd and goal from the 7 cannot find a receiver but is able to dump it off to Allgerier for a TD to tie things at 7.

Early in the 2nd Rogers throws his 2nd TD to Dionte Johnson to go back up 14-7. One thing is clear through the first 18 minutes Rogers despite the INT is accurate completing a high percentage of his passes while Brady is not. On the Bengals next possession they get close enough and coach Storer decides to let Fairbairn attempt a 56 yard FG going into very little wind at the stadium today 0-10mph he rewards his coaches decision and connects making it 17-7 with 7:55 to go in the 2nd. Pittsburgh on the next possession gets down to the 40 but Brady who attempts to run with the ball is stripped by Owens the Bengals recover and take over at their own 38. 12 plays later Fairbairn connects on a much easier chance of 25 yards making it 20-7 and that is the score as we hit halftime.

After the Steelers drive down to the 38 on the opening drive and face a 4th and 3 coach Alberry decides to go for it and they try a misdirection with Jefferson on the end around but it is stuffed for no gain and the Bengals D holds once again. The offense then goes and gets Fairbairn in position for another fg attempt from 49 yards out as they stretch the lead to 23-7 with 9 minutes left in the 3rd. The running game gets going for the Steelers and they drive down to the 17 however they are foiled once again as Brady is picked by Bates at the 2 yard line . Bengals cannot move from their own end zone and are forced to punt. With the help of a face-mask penalty Pittsburgh is in position for a 44 yard FG attempt however as the night has gone Bass shanks it so we stay at a 23-7 game heading into the 4th

Pittsburgh takes over on their own 20 and get to midfield when finally all pro WR Justin Jefferson who has been facing doubles plus being defended by one of the best in the game when he was not in Jalen Ramsey takes a short slant 47 yards for the TD and the home crowd has some life at 23-14 with 12 minutes to play. With 8:19 to play the Steelers punt and Covey fumbles with rookie Kyle Hamilton jumping on the ball the home team has some life 1st and 10 from the 31. On the very next play Gus Edwards who rarely fumbles coughs it up and the Bengals recover . A couple plays later Rogers has them in Steeler territory but he is picked by another rookie in the secondary Jalen Watson and Pittsburgh once again has a punchers chance with 6 minutes to go. Brady drive the team down to the 26 but could not convert on a 4th and 8 and Cincy tacks on a late FG to close out the road victory 26-14.

Rogers finishes 24-40 240 yards 2TD 2INT a 72.9QB rating while Brady finishes 18-38 for 165 yards 2TD 1INT a QB Rating of 66.2.

Big Injuries in this one S Micah Hyde is going to be out 15 games with a bum shoulder for the Bengals while the Steelers got stung twice in the LB core as Randy Gregory is gone 10 weeks with a knee issue and backup Josh Bynes who went down on his only play of the game is also out 10 weeks with a broken foot.

Cincinnati (1-0) stays on the road to take on Kansas City and the Steelers (0-1) hit the road to visit the Los Angeles Chargers .

Jacksonville 34 Baltimore 17                77 5-15
A tight game, 14-10 at half and 21-17 after 3 turns into a 34-17 laugher. Key play was a Jacksonville stop in the 4th quarter on a 4th & 1 in Baltimore territory. Baltimore actually outgained Jacksonville 330 to 287, but, lost the turnover battle 2-0, including an interception returned to the 4.

Green Bay 33 Tampa Bay 21                   87 0-10
In a season-opening game that will have season-long implications, Green Bay made the trip to Tampa Bay. The Packer’s Coach Connors gave “Mr. Irrelevant,” Brock Purdy, his first NFL start.
The two offenses showed no early-season rust while totaling 41 first-half points.
Purdy lit up the Buccaneer secondary, completing 15 of his 20 pass attempts, which were good for 203 yards and two touchdowns. Green Bay’s rushing attack contributed 60 yards in the half as well. The one blemish for the young quarterback was an interception that was returned to his own 19-yard line and resulted in a quick Tampa Bay touchdown. The Packer side of the scoreboard read 20 points after the first half.
Tampa Bay’s quarterback Derek Carr kept pace on 12 of 17 passing for 142 yards and one touchdown. Their rushing attack provided 56 yards and two TDs. The Buc’s put up 21 first half points.
The second half was a defensive story, with the plot very much in favor of Green Bay. The Buccaneers missed a field goal, went 0 for 2 on fourth downs and got shut out.
Green Bay was able to muster 13 additional points, making the final in this one Packers 33, Bucs 21.
The stat sheet showed Green Bay had garnered 454 yards to Tampa Bay’s 333. Purdy threw for 380 yards and a glossy QB rating of 124.1. The other Cook in the Packer kitchen, one James Cook (not Dalvin) gained 83 yards on just 12 carries for a 6.9 average.
Next week Green Bay travels to Seattle while Tampa heads to the Arizona desert.

Tennessee 27 Philadelphia 14                85 5-15
The Eagles struggled throughout the game to move the ball against the stout Titans defense. Tennesse's ball control offense was methodical and outscored the Eagles 17-0 in the first half. Then Matt Ryan worked his magic and produced a fumble and an interception - but times giving Philadelphia the ball on the Titan 21 yard line. Tannehill converted both opportunities with TD passes to Jennings and London so the score was 17-14 Tennessee going into the 4th quarter. However a 58 yard drive finished off with a Ryan-Noah Fant TD pass increased the lead to 10 points. A late Titan field goal finished off the scoring.

Final score Tennessee 27-Philadelphia 17. Somehow DKS chose AJ Dillon as game MVP when the Titan defense deserved the honor (137 total yards, 7 sacks).

Buffalo 21 Miami 37                         97 0-5
In the annual opening game for both team Buffalo came to Miami on a sunny calm day to start the 2023 season. The odds makers considered the game a toss up.

The Bills got off to a rough start, with Murry throwing a pick on their 1st possession and Miami takes over at their own 49. Miami would rum 9 plays and get the TD to go up 7-0. Buffalo would counter with their own 10 play drive aided by a Etienne 43 yard sweep to get the game even at 7.

Miami would go 75 yards on 17 plays carrying over into the 2nd quarter burning 7 minutes and 18 seconds and get their 2nd TD to retake the lead 14-7. Buffalo would answer on a quick 75 yard drive with Etienne going the last 37 yards to pay dirt in only 3 minutes and 19 seconds to tie the game again at 14. Miami gets the ball with 7:17 left in the half and travels 75 yards in 13 plays leaving only 40 seconds on the clock and get the TD and miss the XP to go up 20-14. Buffalo would get the ball with 40 seconds at their on 25. Using their time outs they would get it to the Miami 25 aided by a 35 yard pass interference call and attempt a FG but the Dolphins would block it as time ran out in the half.

Miami would get the ball to start the 2nd half and travel 75 yards in 10 plays in only 4:38 aided by Rookie WR Chris Olave's only catch of the day of 33 yards and get the score to go up 27-14. Miami would never look back and score another 10 points, while surrendering a late TD to the Bills to make the final score 37-21.

Tua Tagovailoa would get the MVP nod, finishing 19 of 24 for 202 yards and 3 TDs

Highlight for the Bills was RB Etienne finishing with 104 yards on only 6 Carries

Week 2 sees Buffalo at home hosting San Francisco and the Dolphins staying home hosting the Rams.


Dallas 28 Arizona 34                        92 Calm
There is only one reason Arizona wins. It is not the coach, he is a dumb ass. It is not the defense, despite be decent. It is not Barkley who is a damn fine running back. Yet none of those matter. It is Mahomes! The guy is a machine. Mahomes did not even break a sweat today playing pitch and catch with every receiver on the team.

Dallas tried and their offense is not slouch. The just kept coming back drive after drive. Deboo beat a double team for a long score. Despite his poor rating, George Pickens looks destined for the Hall of Fame with receptions all over the field. Jammal Williams chewed up yardage as the birds were wary of Justin Herbert's ability to move his team down the field.

Yet it was the last Arizona drive which showed the heart of the team. Barkley broke a run for a first down despite being keyed. Then on a basic defense he took a screen pass for 17 yards as Cowboy after Cowboy fell for his jukes and stutter steps.

Big thanks to Patrick!

Los Angeles (N) 37 San Francisco 7          76 15-25 Rain
The Niners actually led this game 7 to 6 before the Rams blocked 2 punts, Trevor heated up and the running game took over. The Rams could have hung a 50 burger on the Niners, but Ryan took it easy on me.

Houston 15 Las Vegas 40                     82 0-5
Write up courtesy of ChatGPT. Probably a little grandiose for the first game of the season...

Only oddity was the final Raider score. Play was from the goal line and I called a QB kneel and somehow that scored a TD.

**************

(Cue epic orchestral music)

Voiceover by John Facenda

"In the heart of Allegiant Stadium, a battle unfolds like none other. On this warm August day, under the clear desert skies, two mighty titans clash, each driven by a hunger for victory. The date is August 13th, 2023, and the gridiron becomes an arena of legends.*

The Las Vegas Raiders, step onto the field. Stafford, the maestro of their offense, takes command. A 67-yard drive orchestrated in harmony, capped off by a 12-yard touchdown pass to Kamara. Myers' extra point conversion is good. The Raiders are up, 7-0.

The Houston Texans, led by the arm of Cousins, step onto the field. From the very start, they showcase their aerial prowess. Cousins orchestrates a symphony of passes, culminating in a majestic 23-yard connection to McLaurin. The touchdown dance is disrupted as the extra point sails wide. The Texans are up, 6-0.

But on the other side of the field the Houston Texans, led by the arm of Cousins, are determined to answer. From the very start, they showcase their aerial prowess. Cousins orchestrates a symphony of passes, culminating in a majestic 23-yard connection to McLaurin. The touchdown dance is disrupted as the extra point sails wide. The Texans still trail by one, 7-6.

Back and forth, the contest rages on. The Texans' Sanders, booting a 34-yard field goal, claims the lead, 9-7. Yet, the Raiders, undaunted, compose a masterful drive of their own. Stafford's artistry culminates with an 11-yard pass to Moore in the end zone. Myers' successful conversion sets the score at 14-9 in favor of the Raiders.

The Texans' Cousins then delivers a magnum opus, a 70-yard symphony to McLaurin that reverberates across the stadium, momentarily placing the Texans ahead, 15-14. But as the first half curtains close, Stafford conducts one last movement, connecting with Osborn for a 35-yard strike, although the 2pt conversion fails. The Raiders lead 20-15 at halftime.

As the second half unfolds, the Raiders' dominance emerges. Myers boots a 50-yard field goal, widening the lead to 23-15. Then, Stafford engineers a 27-yard opus, finding Kamara in the end zone for another touchdown. The Raiders continue to pull away, 30-15.

With the fourth quarter on the horizon, Myers' boot rings true again, this time from 32 yards. The Raiders further extend their lead, 33-15. But they're not done yet. Stafford's play-calling genius leads to a 1-yard rushing touchdown by the quarterback himself. The Raiders' anthem grows stronger, reaching a resounding 40-15.

And so, the final notes of this epic duel resound through Allegiant Stadium. The Las Vegas Raiders claim victory, soaring to a resolute triumph over the Houston Texans. Stafford, the conductor of the day, basks in the glory of his masterful performance, earning the title of MVP.

The sun sets on this monumental clash, etching another chapter in the annals of NFL history. For on this day, under the brilliant lights, the Raiders' anthem echoed, and legends were born."

(Fade out with triumphant music)

Denver 24 Chicago 28                        76 10-20
Denver jumps out to a 14 lead & it looks like it might be a run away game. Then coach Glanville rallied the troops for the Bears & it turned out to be a good back & forth game.
Maybe the biggest play was after the Broncos held Chicago to a 3 and out, pinned way bad, Bear punter launched an 82 yrd punt. & with only 2 min to go the field was to long for Denver.

Thanks to Doug for a good fun game.

Kansas City 21 Los Angeles (A) 26           78 Calm
LA jumps out to an early 17-0 and is seemingly in command; when on a fluke play they lose two top defensive starters
for the game, Williams[10] and Davis[7].... shortly thereafter Fields, KC’s lone bright spot, scrambles for 74 yards[119 for the day]
and KC scores two touchdowns to cut it to 17-14.... the remainder of the game played out fairly evenly....

Davis Mills had his career day for the Chargers, passing for 272 yards, 2 tds and adding 37 yards on the ground; his main
target was rookie Garrett Wilson who snagged all 7 of his targets for 158 yards; Nick Chubb balanced out the offense with
118 yards on the ground.

Indianapolis 6 Carolina 27                  87 0-10
One of those games for Indy. Just couldn't get going. Carolina had a 20-6 lead at half & we burned the clock in the 2nd half.

Glad to get the win as a sub while minimizing the use of valuable resources.
Stat pack player, White, carried the ball 18 times.

New York (N) 14 Seattle 21                  59 0-10 Heavy Rain
Giants get a lot of breaks and flags early in the game to build a 14-6 lead but the 4th quarter came and the wheels fell off. Seattle scores two TDs to take the lead and the W in week 1.

Rushing Leaders
Jacobs(Det)     29-148 2 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Week
Williams,J(Dal) 20-124 1 TD
Henry(NE)       24-124 1 TD
Fields(KC)      12-119 2 TD
Chubb(LAC)      25-118
Barkley(Ari)    19-117
Harris,D(LAR)   14-111
Herbert(Bal)    12-110 1 TD
Etienne(Buf)    6-104 1 TD
Sanders(LAR)    13-101

Receiving Leaders
Wilson,G(LAC)    7-158 1 TD
Lamb(LAR)        5- 91 3 TD

Passing Leaders
Mahomes(Ari)    37-28-324   3 TD
Prescott(Sea)   36-23-320   1 TD 2 Int
Smith,G(Den)    42-30-314   2 TD 2 Int
Purdy(GB)       31-23-308   3 TD 1 Int
Stafford(LV)    43-30-296   4 TD
Ryan(Ten)       41-31-234   2 TD 2 Int

Defensive Standouts
Smith,R(Buf)     20 Tk
Holland(NYJ)     2 Int 3 Tk – IFL Defensive Player of the Week

Special Teams
Fairbairn(Cin) 4-4 FG
McLaughlin(LAC)4-4 FG – IFL Special Teams Player of the Week

IFL WEEK ONE STANDINGS

IFL WEEK ONE LEAGUE LEADERS

Detroit Lions Shock Fans with Top Draft Picks Aidan Hutchinson and Jameson Williams

Detroit, MI - In a stunning turn of events, the Detroit Lions of the Independent Football League (IFL) made waves today during the draft by selecting defensive end Aidan Hutchinson with the third overall pick in round one and wide receiver Jameson Williams with the second pick in round two. The unexpected moves left fans and pundits alike in a state of disbelief, as Coach Don Merlenbach declared both players to be key pieces in the team's quest for success.
Just a year ago, the National Football League's Detroit Lions made headlines with their selection of Hutchinson as the second overall pick and Williams as the twelfth overall pick. Now, the IFL Lions have secured both players, and Coach Merlenbach couldn't contain his excitement. "Jameson Williams is the guy we've been looking for," exclaimed Merlenbach. "His speed, agility, and exceptional route running will make him a formidable weapon on offense. He's a true game-changer."
While some may question the unconventional move of drafting players who have already been selected in the NFL draft, Coach Merlenbach remains confident in his strategy. "The IFL is a league where players have the opportunity to showcase their skills in a different environment. Aidan and Jameson have the talent and potential to excel at this level, and I believe they will be instrumental in leading our team to victory."
Aidan Hutchinson, a dominant force on the defensive front, was chosen by the NFL Lions for his sheer strength and versatility. His ability to disrupt offenses and apply constant pressure on quarterbacks made him an obvious choice. Now, the IFL Lions will look to capitalize on his skills and utilize him as a cornerstone of their defensive unit.
As for Jameson Williams, the lightning-fast wide receiver left a lasting impression on NFL scouts with his explosive speed and big-play ability. Despite being drafted lower in the IFL, Coach Merlenbach sees Williams as a potential superstar who will electrify fans with his playmaking abilities. "We believe Jameson is ready to take his game to the next level. He's going to shine bright in the IFL," Merlenbach proclaimed.
While the IFL may not have the same prestige as the NFL, the Detroit Lions are making a statement by acquiring two highly touted prospects who have already tasted success in the professional ranks. With Coach Merlenbach's unwavering faith in their abilities, Aidan Hutchinson and Jameson Williams are poised to lead the IFL Lions to new heights.
The IFL Lions' bold move has certainly sparked intrigue and anticipation among football fans, raising expectations for the upcoming season. Will Aidan Hutchinson continue to wreak havoc on opposing offenses in a new league? Can Jameson Williams replicate his electrifying performances and become the go-to target for the IFL Lions? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain – the Detroit Lions of the IFL have made a splash and have everyone's attention.

MEL'S BACK FOR HIS 2023 IFL MOCK DRAFT!

I am happy to be doing my 4th year mock for the IFL league. I always have a great time trying to match talent with the teams acting as the GM for all 30 teams. Congratulations to the Commish for winning a thrilling IFL Super Bowl.

1-Chicago Bears - The Bears hit a home run with the 3rd pick last year in edge rusher Micah Parsons now with their defense in good shape they have to turn their attention to the offense with needs OL-WR-QB. Sam Darnold has shown multiple times he is not the answer time to take take another shot at QB and this year there is only one that could go #1 overall

Pick QB Kenny Pickett

2-LA Chargers - LA has 2 young QB's Zach Wilson and Davis Mills both whom appear to have lost their starting jobs but I cannot see Coach Banko going to the well a 3rd time and taking a chance on Brock Purdy when he has enough to address the position later this draft or next year. They could go for WR Garret Wilson here but with Adoree Jackson Injury history and Michael Davis a good 2nd CB I don't see how you pass on what I consider the best player in the draft and defensive Rookie of the Year and a shutdown CB.

Pick CB Sauce Gardner

3- Detroit Lions - After trading down last year from the 5th spot they landed at #28 and picked Edge Gregory Rousseau .The Lions future is in the balance as they hope Deshaun Watson can revive his career. Since Coach Merlenbach already announce the 2 players he was choosing from WR Garrett Wilson or Chris Olive and both players were outstanding last year but I would give the edge to the offensive rookie of the year .

Pick WR Garrett Wilson

4-Miami Dolphins - The Dolphins Offense is in pretty good shape 2 starting caliber QB's a Workhorse RB ,and 2 receivers with over 50 catches with a solid OL. But their D-Line is in shambles and needs some talent infusion. Luckily for Miami talent matches need .

Pick Edge Aidan Hutchinson

5-Indianapolis Colts - Well the Colts under Coach Evans in his first two drafts got arguable the best QB (Herbert is very talented so the jury is still out) and the best WR Ja'Marr Chase not a bad start. With needs on the OL and the Defensive front seven why not just complete the trifecta and get the top RB available or how about bringing in Olive to pair with Chase that would be fun. How about any number of OL whom could help. I would just finish the trifecta and get other pieces later in the draft there is just not that many workhorse backs to chose from.

Pick RB Tavis Etienne

6-Carolina Panthers - This team has a need at WR to try to help straighten out Russell Wilson and let him cook. They could also use an OT but there is an obvious player sitting here that will fill their need.

Pick WR Chris Olive

7- Denver Broncos - Out of the blue Coach Crandall has whats looks to be a franchise QB at the age of 32 as Geno Smith shocks the world who wrote him off but he did not write back as he throws 31TD and only 11Ints. They have 2 stud RB in McCaffrey and Eckler whom both managed to play 17 games this year and last years 1st round pick WR Davonte Smith teamed up with Cortland Sutton and the skill position is more than solid for the Broncos. The are in desperate need of offensive lineman. Again if I am the Broncos I try to move back but If I need to pick I am going to have to pass on the WR and take the best LT on the board.

Pick OT Braxton Jones

8- Minnesota Vikings - Another team needing a QB even though they took Trey Lance last year with the number 8 pick he did not play well when he played and appears to not have a starting role right now. He may still be a starter in this league but it will take time however he may never get there also. So do you take a QB again with this pick or with so many holes on the team do you just start taking the best player in your assessment available and hope that Trey works it out. I will always go with a swing at QB until I get the position right and although only 5 starts under his belt 13TD and only 4 picks good for a 107.3 QB rating and appears the favorite to be the starter when he returns from injury

Pick QB Brock Purdy

9-Houston Texans- The Houston franchise has not taken a 1st Rd defensive player since 2013. With needs at Edge and CB the trend should change . But with Drake London still on the board do not be surprised if he is the pick.

Pick CB Tariq Woolen

10-Philadelphia Eagles - With a solid defense and many needs on offense the Eagles have 2 picks in the first Rd and should probable go after offense and do not over think this selection .

Pick WR Drake London

11-Buffalo Bills - Bills Mafia stand up.... with Kyler Murray's injury not letting him play all 17 games Buffalo will need a run game and right now on the roster they have no one with more than 17 carries.

Pick RB Kenneth Walker

12- NY Jets - Rashaun Slater the Promising LT was the Jets pick in the 1st last year he was 5th overall and a great choice for Coach Durfee but was unfortunately injured last year making only 3 starts So the Jets are going to need to find help at this position again this year. NY has only Jameis Winston at QB but they also have needs throughout their defense with almost every position in need of starters or upgrades. With 2 more picks in the first round.

Pick QB Desmond Ridder

13 -Green Bay Packers -This team have a solid OL and Defense, they have needs at QB and WR. With young Receivers Eligah Moore and KJ Hamler in the building whom they hope will grow into threats in the coming years.

Pick WR George Pickens

14- Pittsburgh Steelers - Despite picking a first round RB last year in Javonte Williams due to his injury and questionable timetable to return the Steelers are again in need of a RB but also need CB and Edge help.

Pick Edge Kayvon Thibodeaux

15- Dallas Cowboys - ah the Cowboys Americas Team they pick Justin Herbert in 2021 with the 2nd pick which allows them to trade the 2nd pick in 2022 draft for featured player Debo Samuel and some other depth players to fill some starter roles. They could go WR or CB in this scenario I again would go with the best player.

Pick CB Trent McDuffie

16 - LA Rams - The Rams aggressively traded up to that number 2 spot last year and selected their Franchise QB in Trevor Lawrence while also managing to keep their 22 pick to select DE Kwity Paye. This will depend on whom Coach Heaton believes has the most upside out of the WR left to choose from .

Pick WR Christian Watson

17- Philadelphia Eagles- 2nd pick in the first round so many directions to go add a 2nd WR and really solidify that group get a RB because there are not that many available this year as workhorse or turn to the O-Line and get some much needed help. They should pull the trigger on a featured back but I want a back who is in line to be a feature back for the foreseeable future.

Pick RB Damien Pierce

18-NY Jets - The Jets traded Jimmy Garoppolo to the Titans for this pick. Already having pick their QB of the future the Jets will take a Weapon to add in the backfield .

Pick RB Issiah Pacheco

19- Baltimore Ravens What a fine job Coach Green did taking over the reigns midway through last season. Now he gets his shot at picking the groceries. Although their O-Line is pretty good they do have a need at Guard even if Vera-Tucker which he was not missing 10 games. They could go RB but I think this would be a great value here for a versatile Offensive Lineman.

Pick OL Tyler Smith

20 - Green Bay Packers- On the clock for the second time in the 1st round. They get the best center in the draft to fill hole in their solid O-Line.

Pick C Tyler Linderbaum

21- Kansas City Chiefs - With help needed on the DL and a promising young stud still on the board the chiefs get a building block in the middle of their defense.

Pick DT Jordan Davis

22- NY Giants - The Giants made a trade for Daniel Jones to be their QB Now its time to build around him and there is still a RB on the board that will help their balance the offense.

Pick RB Tyler Allgeier

23- Atlanta Falcons - Two first round picks for Coach Alberry and two Gems Jalen Hurts and Patrick Surtain not bad can he make it 3 in a row. I think they will go back to CB position here to try and pair someone up with Surtain.

Pick CB Martin Emerson

24- Las Vegas Raiders - This is a pretty well balanced team although they are getting older in some spots. What they do need is a CB with injuries hitting the team. There is also some nice OL at this pick so they could go either way.

Pick CB Jack Jones

25- Houston Texans - After having taken a CB earlier in the 1st the Texans get back to their roots and draft a Young LT.

Pick OT Charles Cross

26- NY Jets - With their 3rd first round pick NY address's the defense's Line.

Pick DL George Karlaftis

27- Jacksonville Jaguars - This is another pretty good team and they are not worried about what will become of this player next year they want to make a run this year and with Josh Allen leading the way with Metcalf and Cooper on the outside they need a running game not named Allen.

Pick RB Rachaad White

28 - New Orleans Saints - Coach Rice has a great track record but right now they face uncertainty as they have a good roster but no franchise QB. They take a swing and hope he turns out to be their answer next year.

Pick QB Sam Howell

29- Seattle Seahawks - Coach Heaton was so close to the championship but they left the field heartbroken. They still have a great looking squad with few holes to fill. They will take a CB to help out their secondary.

Pick CB Roger McCreary

30- Cincinnati Bengals - The Champs what do they do for an encore. I believe they will turn to a back that has a promising future as a lead back.

Pick RB Brian Robinson Jr

NFL NETWORK'S SCHRAGER MOCKS THE 2023 IFL DRAFT

Peter Schrager, co-host of the NFL Network's "Good Morning Football" show accepted IFL Commissioner John Storer's invitation to give his thoughts on the upcoming IFL draft. Let's turn it over to Peter!

Thank you, Mr. Commissioner, I am a big follower of the IFL and by the way, congratulations to the Bengals on their Super Bowl championship. That was quite a game! Now, on to my mock.

BEARS - Chicago is building their own Monsters of the Midway defense with exciting players like last year's number one pick Micah Parsons and veteran Maxx Crosby. There have been rumors (smoke screens perhaps?) that the Bears may go defense again this year. I am going to go a different direction. The quarterback situation in Chicago could use an upgrade. Sam Darnold, who the Bears invested a high pick on just a few years ago has not developed the way they hoped. Kenny Pickett, has the starting job with a good organization. Pickett's ceiling might be of a prime Andy Dalton and that is not bad at all. The floor could be, well Sam Darnold. But in my opinion, it is worth the gamble.

CHARGERS - The Chargers invested in two young quarterbacks in last year's draft. While the jury is still out, I think Los Angeles will invest in a dynamic young wide receiver to help them out. Garrett Wilson looks to be the best of the bunch.

LIONS - Detroit is another franchise that could use another wide receiver and there are still a couple out that could warrant using the third overall pick with. However, I think they boast the defense and keep defensive end Aidan Hutchenson in Michigan.

DOLPHINS - Miami could go at least a couple different directions. They could boast the receiver room with Chris Olave or go defense. The Dolphins have some promising corners on their roster, but none are considered lock down. I like Ahmad Gardner to the Dolphins here.

COLTS - Indianapolis has invested in offense the last two drafts and hit home runs! There are some defensive players that would at least merit discussion at number five but a combination of Ja'Marr Chase and Chris Olave would make the "franchise" a happy guy.

JETS - This is getting tougher with each pick. The quarterback room certainly needs upgraded and I wouldn't fault Gang Green if they went that direction. Chasing a quarterback can reap great rewards but usually results in disappointment. I would snag cornerback Tariq Woolen here and see if a quarterback is available later.

BRONCOS - Denver is loaded at the skill positions. However, the offensive line is in need of a major upgrade. The problem is it might be a little early to go that direction. A trade down might be a good idea. At this spot I would go with defensive end Kayon Thibodeaux.

VIKINGS - Minnesota took a 49er quarterback last year. I like the idea of doubling down and taking another. Let Brock Purdy and Trey Lance battle it out. Plus, if one gets injured you have the guy likely to step in.

TEXANS - Houston is another team that could consider trading down although they do have another pick at 25 overall. Regardless the two players that should be in consideration will both be gone at 25. The Texans could use help at defensive end, corner, and tight end. But, I don't really see a player at those positions that I would take in the top ten. I could see Drake London as a nice value pick but not an immediate need. I think safety Kyle Hamilton offers top ten value and boast the secondary for years to come.

EAGLES - It was not long ago that Philly was in the Super Bowl and the future was bright. Things can change quickly in the IFL. I am going to go with Drake London here although I could see center Tyler Linderbaum receiving some consideration.

BILLS - Another team that should give Linderbaum a look, but that running back room looks bare. Buffalo would have the pick of the litter. Two running backs I am sure the Bills war room has had spirited debates about are Travis Etienne and Kenneth Walker. I think Travis Etienne is a little more dynamic.

PANTHERS - Another franchise that was in the big game not too long ago. Its tough to get there and harder to stay there in the IFL. Carolina needs a "Robin" to Mike Evans "Batman". George Pickens would be a nice side kick.

PACKERS - Another team that is looking for the next superstar under center. That probably isn't going to be found at 13 but they can solve the center position for years to come. Tyler Linderbaum goes to Green Bay.

STEELERS - Pittsburgh drafted a running back in the first-round last year and very well could again this year. They also need help in the secondary and the future of Trent McDuffie looks bright.

COWBOYS - The Dallas war room is probably not happy that Pittsburgh took McDuffie out from under them. Still, the future is looking up in Big D. They have a chance to beef up the O-line with Tyler Smith.

RAMS - In a rare turn of events the Rams missed the postseason last year. I won't be surprised if they return in 2023. I think Los Angeles could go a couple different directions. There are offensive linemen that could boast or add long term value. But I like the value of cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. at 16.

EAGLES (from San Francisco) - With the second of their two first round picks, the Eagles may look to invest in an offensive tackle. I like Ikem Ekwonu at this spot.

JETS (from Tennessee) - Another example where patience is a virtue. New York gets their young quarterback to develop in Desmond Ridder.

RAVENS - The unofficial IFL Coach of the Year, after an 0-4 start, Baltimore secured a playoff spot. Baltimore has two electrifying running backs. Guard Zion Johnson will make them even more electric.

PACKERS (from Arizona) - The Packers missed out on Ridder but they can upgrade the receiving core for their next quarterback with Christian Watson.

CHIEFS - Another team whose stock is climbing, Kansas City hopes to return to the Super Bowl soon. David Montgomery is getting up there in miles. It's time Kenneth Walker went off the board.

GIANTS - The Giants could use help on the defensive side of the ball, wide receiver, and tight end but I don't see anyone that would provide the value at this selection. New York likes to be able to run the ball and Dameon Pierce would assist in that.

FALCONS - What a pick Atlanta made in 2021 with Jalen Hurst 12th overall! Patrick Surtain at 15 last year was pretty good too. The Falcons have one of the younger front offices in the IFL and its believed lean towards the analytics more than some of the old school IFL members. Atlanta could use a wide receiver here, but I think they will wait and while this player did not grade well in his rookie season tackle Charles Cross could develop into an anchor for the Falcons offensive line for many years to come.

RAIDERS - Las Vegas could use some help on the interior of the offensive line. Fortunately, Jamaree Salyer is still available at 24. Otherwise, a wide receiver like Jahan Dotson or Treylon Burks might be in play.

TEXANS (from Tampa Bay) - After snagging safety Kyle Hamilton with pick number nine, Houston keeps with the theme of defense and selects promising defensive end George Karlaftis.

JETS (from New England) - The Jets could have gambled that Ridder would have made it here but better to play it safe. I think wide receiver Treylon Burks is a good gamble here.

JAGUARS - Jacksonville gave a glimpse of what may be to come with the biggest upset of the 2022 IFL playoffs. They could go running back here with Isiah Pacheco but I like beefing up the linebacker corps with free agent Kaden Elliss here.

SAINTS - One of the best coaches in the IFL, the Saints make the most of their roster every year. Pacheco could be in play here but New Orleans could use big Jordan Davis on the defensive line.

SEAHAWKS - What do you mock to the team that has everything? Cornerback could use an upgrade. There are multiple players to choose from but I think Seattle will go with DaRon Bland and his five interceptions.

BENGALS - Cincinnati wraps up the first round. Paying for their sin of winning the Super Bowl with pick 30. The Bengals could use a running back, help at wide receiver, and a corner. But the best player remaining on the board is safety Jalen Pitre.

Best of luck to all in the 2023 IFL draft!

Peter Schrager

LIONS WELCOME chatGPT TO WAR ROOM

Detroit draft prospects Chris Olave (#2) and Garrett Wilson (#5)

Title: Detroit Lions Poised to Create a Dynamic Duo in Independent Football League (IFL) Draft
June 2, 2023

In a surprising turn of events, the Detroit Lions, led by their head coach Don Merlenbach, are set to make a bold move in the upcoming Independent Football League (IFL) draft. As anticipation builds, football enthusiasts and experts have been speculating on which talented wide receiver the Lions will select to bolster their offensive prowess.

With the first pick among wide receivers, the Detroit Lions are projected to choose between two highly skilled prospects, Garret Wilson and Chris Olave. Both players have had impressive college careers, displaying exceptional skill sets that have captivated fans and analysts alike.
Garret Wilson, hailing from The Ohio State University, showcased his outstanding abilities during the 2022 season. With 83 receptions, totaling 1,103 yards and 4 touchdowns, Wilson established himself as a formidable force on the field. Known for his incredible speed and precise route-running, Wilson possesses the potential to be a game-changer in the IFL.
On the other hand, Chris Olave, also from The Ohio State University, exhibited his own brand of excellence during the same season. With 72 receptions, accumulating 1,042 yards and 4 touchdowns, Olave's consistent performance earned him recognition as a top-tier talent. His exceptional agility, strong hands, and ability to create separation make him a promising candidate for the Lions.

If the Lions do indeed choose either Wilson or Olave, they will join forces with their established wide receiver, Jerry Jeudy. Jeudy, who had an impressive rookie season in the NFL with 67 receptions for 972 yards and 6 touchdowns, has already proven himself as a force to be reckoned with. Adding either Wilson or Olave to the mix would create an explosive offensive tandem that could strike fear into the hearts of opposing defenses.
This potential combination of talent has Lions fans eagerly anticipating the draft and dreaming of the offensive fireworks that could ensue. A formidable trio of Wilson, Olave, and Jeudy would undoubtedly elevate the Lions' passing game and give opposing defenses nightmares. The duo's ability to stretch the field, exploit defenses, and create big plays would undoubtedly make the Lions a formidable contender in the IFL.
While nothing is set in stone until draft day, the possibility of the Detroit Lions selecting either Garret Wilson or Chris Olave to pair with Jerry Jeudy has already sparked excitement and speculation among fans and experts alike. With an eye towards the future, the Lions are poised to establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the IFL, and their dynamic trio of wide receivers could be just the catalyst they need to achieve greatness.

IFL 2023 DRAFT ORDER

IFL SUPER BOWL

Bengals 19 Seahawks 17

Bengals quarterback Aaron Rodgers was named Super Bowl MVP as Cincinnati rallies to defeat Seattle.

The IFL Super Bowl XXII was held at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. It featured undefeated and the NFC Champion Seattle Seahawks facing the AFC Champion Cincinnati Bengals. The Seahawks finished the regular season with the number four rated offense scoring 27.3 points per game and number three rated defense allowing just 13.2 points per game. The Bengals ranked number one in defense allowing only 11.2 points per game. This was the Seattle franchise's fourth trip to the big game winning championships in 2010 and 2012. They defeated Cincinnati in both those contests.

The Bengals won the toss and deferred. Seattle converted a third and eight as Dak Prescott found Antonio Brown for 20 yards but would eventually be forced to punt. After an incompletion, Michael Carter would sprint 43 yards to the Seahawks 37. But RoJo would fumble on the next play with Seattle recovering. The Seahawks would drive to the Cincinnati 35 but a Joey Slye 53 yard field goal attempt would be no good. Carter would run for 11 yards on the Bengals first play from scrimmage but the Bengals would eventually have to punt as the first quarter would be scoreless.

The teams would exchange punts early in the second quarter. The Seahawks defensive line had already sacked Cincinnati quarterback Aaron Rodgers twice. The Seattle offense finally got their footing as Prescott led them on a 17 play 70 yard drive that resulted in a Prescott to Brown 14 yard touchdown pass and a 7-0 lead with 3:32 remaining in the half.

Backup running back Derrick Gore ran for 17 yards on the Bengals first play of the next series but two Rodgers incompletions would result in another punt. Rodgers failed to complete a pass in the first half. The half would end with the Seahawks up 7-0.

The Cincinnati offense continued to struggle to open the third quarter. Rodgers would have to fall on a bad snap and Chandler Jones would collect one of his three sacks for the game. The Bengals would punt but gained only 16 net yards as Mike Hughes would return Kevin Huber's 36 yard punt 20 yards. Prescott completed two passes to Aaron Jones to set up Slye's 41 yard field goal and a 10-0 lead with 11:07 remaining in the quarter.

Another long Michael Carter run for 67 yards would set Cincinnati up at the Seattle five. However, after an incompletion Rodgers would be intercepted by Xavien Howard to end the threat and the score remained 10-0.

The teams would exchange punts until Seattle hit a big play as Tee Higgins ran 54 yards on a short slant to the Bengals 37. Prescott hit Michael Pittman Jr. for 12 and then Darrel Henderson Jr. ran 19 yards to set up first and goal at the Cincinnati six. Henderson would take it in on the next play as the Seahawks increased their lead to 17-0.

The Cincinnati offense found some success with the short passing game as they slowly began moving the ball as the quarter ended. This would continue early into the fourth quarter as a Rodgers to Diontae Johnson 11 yard pass would cap off a 14 play 75 yard drive to cut the Seattle lead to 17-7 with 9:41 remaining.

After an Isaiah McKenzie kickoff return would only reach the Seahawks 18 yard line it looked like Chidobe Awuzie intercepted Prescott's pass and replay would confirm it, setting the Bengals up at the Seattle 32 yard line. After runs of six and ten yards by Carter and Gore, Rodgers would connect with Johnson for seven. An incompletion would result in third and three. A dump off to Carter would gain two and RoJo would convert the fourth and one with a three yard run to the Seattle four. RoJo would take it in from four yards and the Bengals trailed 17-13 pending the extra point. Of course the extra point was no good and Cincinnati trailed by four with 6:14 remaining.

The number one ranked defense in the IFL lived up to their billing as they forced a Seahawk punt with 3:07 remaining. After a Carter three yard run, Nick Bosa would sack Rodgers for a four yard loss making it third and 11. Rodgers would connect with Rashod Bateman for nine. After the two minute warning Carter would convert the fourth and two with a three yard run. An encroachment penalty would make it first and five for the Bengals at their own 31 with just 1:28 remaining. An eight yard completion to Johnson would move the chains. A completion to Bryan Edwards would net seven yards but after Jones' third sack of the game, Cincinnati would face third and seven with 0:50 seconds remaining. Rodgers would scramble for 14 yards to the Seattle 44. After a Bengals timeout Rodgers would dump it to Gerald Everett for five to the Seattle 39. Cincinnati called another timeout with 23 seconds remaining. With Seattle playing a 3-1 quarter defense Rodgers would complete the biggest pass of his IFL career, a 39 yard touchdown on a medium pass to Bateman for the go ahead score, 19-17 Bengals as the two point conversion failed. After a McKenzie kickoff return to the 21, the Seahawks had 15 seconds remaining to at least reach field goal range. A Pittman reception for 15 yards left just two seconds remaining. The Seahawks attempted a long post pattern but it fell incomplete and the Bengals celebrated their first IFL Championship!

Congratulations to Kris on a great season. Realistically if we played ten times the Seahawks would win eight or nine.

While he didn't have a great game, Aaron Rodgers was named MVP. Rodgers completed 13 of 23 for 129 yards and two touchdowns with an interception. Michael Carter rushed for 175 yards on 18 attempts. Diontae Johnson caught 7 passes for 59 yards and a touchdown. Linebacker Alexander Johnson led the Cincinnati defense with 12 tackles and their only sack. Awuzie finished with seven tackles and an interception. The Cincinnati defense held the Seahawk rushing attack to under 3 yards per carry.

Prescott finished 19 of 25 for 235 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Michael Pittman Jr. caught 7 passes for 72 yards. Brown 4 receptions for 50 yards and a touchdown. The Seattle defense was led by Chandler Jones with 8 tackles and 3 sacks. Nick Bosa added four tackles and 2 sacks.

IFL CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Bengals 20 Jaguars 17 (O.T.)

Cornerback Jalen Ramsey's interception in overtime allowed the Bengals to kick the game winning field goal.

It was rock'n in the jungle as the IFL Cincinnati Bengals hosted the Jacksonville Jaguars to earn a trip to the Super Bowl. Bengals owner Mike Brown was caught by surprise when it turned out the Bengals would be hosting another postseason game. Game days require a lot of manpower, supplies, and concessions plus he had to have the plumbing turned back on. All was not lost as there was plenty of popcorn and beer for the IFL Bengal faithful.

This was the third season in a row the Bengals reached the conference finals only to be outed by eventual champion New England. I believe this was surprising Jacksonville's first conference final appearance. Being members of the toughest division in the IFL, the AFC Central, the two teams had already played twice with the Bengals taking both games. But the Jaguars upset the number one seed and two time defending champion Patriots so the previous two contests meant little.

The Bengals won the opening coin toss and deferred. Both teams were forced to punt on their opening drives. On Jacksonville's second drive, Antonio Gibson ripped off a 15 yard run. Then Josh Allen found DK Metcalf for 23. Gibson carried two more times for a total of 10 yards and Allen finished it off with a 42 yard touchdown pass to Amari Cooper as the Jags drew first blood, 7-0. Cincinnati answered on its next series as rookie Michael Carter went 45 yards to tie it at 7.

After another Jacksonville punt, the Bengals were hoping to take control but Aaron Rodgers was intercepted by Devin McCourty on the first play of the second quarter. Keyed by an Allen 16 yard designed run the Jaguars would regain the lead on a Randy Bullock 40 yard field goal, 10-7. Once again Cincinnati would answer with an 11 play drive capped off by a Matthew Wright 37 yard field goal and we were square again at 10 with about five minutes remaining in the half.

After forcing another Jaguars punt, Rodgers would once again try to choke the game away with another interception by Jacksonville's Stephon Gilmore. This time the Jags were sitting pretty at the Cincinnati 35. Allen would run for 12 but Bengal safety Micah Hyde would save the day by intercepting Allen on the six yard line. One play later the Bengals would head to the locker room dodging another bullet.

The Bengals would be forced to punt on their opening drive of the second half. Jacksonville would go on a 17 play 80 yard drive. Allen would complete a 15 yard pass to Gibson, 11 yards to Rod Higgins, and Metcalf for 15 yards. Another Allen 10 yard run would set up the Jags at first and goal on the one. It looked like Damien Williams scored on first down but the video review reversed the call. However, Williams would score on the next play as Jacksonville would regain the lead 17-10 with three and a half minutes remaining in the third quarter.

Cincinnati would answer with a 14 play 75 yard drive with Rodgers finding RoJo on a 3 yard dump off pass. The teams would finish regulation punting to one another.

The Jaguars would win the overtime flip. Gibson would run for eight. Allen would hit Jack Doyle for 2 yards but it was short of the line to gain. Allen would sneak for the first down. However, on the next play Allen would throw a short out that Hyde would bat into the air and Jalen Ramsey would come down with and return 8 yards giving Cincinnati the ball at the Jags 37. On first down Rodgers would connect with Diontae Johnson for 14. After 3 runs for 3 yards each by the law firm of Carter, Jones, and Gore, Wright would convert from 32 yards out and for the first time in ten years the Bengals are heading back to the Super Bowl!

Congratulations to Dave on a great season. He called a really good game as usual.

Michael Carter led the Bengals, rushing for 100 yards on 17 carries and a touchdown. Josh Allen led the Jags with 73 yards rushing although he completed just 16 of 24 passes for 156 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions. Rodgers was not much better going 15 of 27 for 142 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions. Safety Micah Hyde was the defensive star for Cincinnati with 6 tackles, a sack, and an interception.

Seahawks 28 Saints 0

The Seahawks Dak Prescott threw 3 touchdowns passes as Seattle earns Super Bowl trip.

New Orleans would travel to Seattle for the second time this season for the NFC Championship and hope for a better result the then 31-14 loss in the regular season.

New Orleans would get the ball first on a windy day in Seattle. Even with the wind at their backs they made their gameplan clear early on: Run the rock. Early on it would look like a promising plan as Conner and company would run the ball 7 of its first 8 plays to the Seattle 44 yard line. Unfortunately what would become a running theme the offense line would tart to get grabby and they would be hit with back to back holding calls. Faced with a first and 30 there wasn’t much New Orleans could do and they would be forced to punt. First drive: 11 plays net of 24 yards. The Saints Special teams would show up though and pin Seattle at the 2 yard line. Seattle, clearly terrified of Myles Garrett and Cam Jordan, called 3 conservative plays and punted it back to New Orleans.

New Orleans would start the next drive on the Seattle 48 but fail to get anything going and were forced to punt. This time around Gillikin would be unable to avoid a touchback and Seattle would get the ball on the 25. With room to operate Prescott would start to get the Seahawks offense moving with a couple of quick completions to Hockenson and Pittman. Facing a 3rd and 1 on the New Orleans 29 yard line Prescot would see the coverage and hit Pittman over the top for a 29 yard TD. 7-0 Seattle.   Both New Orleans and Seattle’s next two drives would stall out and New Orleans would have the ball with 6:56 left in the half on their own 20 yardline. They would again go back to the run game to pickup a few first downs and get the ball to the Seattle 45. New Orleans would give Igwebuike on an offtackle play when he would be stripped by Chandler Jones and the ball picked up by Xavien Howard whop would return it 64 yards for a TD.

New Orleans would quickly go 3 and out and give Seattle the ball back with 1:27 left in the half. Prescott would quickly march them down the field to the 14 yard line with 16 seconds left. On 3rd down he would hit Tee Higgins in the back of the endzone to put Seattle up 21-0.   New Orleans would get the ball with 5 seconds left and almost ended on a disastrous note when the center snapped the ball over Heinicke’s head. Fortunately he was able to get on top of it to keep the score 21-0 a the half.

The second half would start much like how the first one ended with the New Orleans kicker kicking the kickoff out of bounds. With great field position it wouldn’t take Seattle long to capitalize as 3 plays later Pittman would be dancing in the endzone with his second score of the game to put Seattle up 28-0.   New Orleans would try to stick to its gameplan but kept running into the same problem: As soon as they crossed the 50 things seemingly fell apart.   Seattle would hold on to win 28-0 and head to the Super Bowl to face the Cincinnati Bengals for a 3rd time.

Prescott would rebound from last weeks game to go 17-21 for 170 yards and 3 Tds. He did have 1 INT.

Hienike wasn’t able to get much going through the air as he would comple 16-29 pass for only 77 yards and an INT.

The New Orleans run game tried to carry the day with 40 carries for 157 yards. Unfortunately holding penalties and false starts helped kill a number of their drives. They had 11, 10, and 12 play drives that provided 0 points.

New Orleans ran 69 offensive plays compared to Seattle’s 44.

Jim did a great job but there just wasn’t a whole lot he could do to overcome his teams mistakes.

IFL DIVISONAL ROUND

Jaguars 21 Patriots 14

Antonio Gibson rushed for 137 yards on 24 carries as the Jags stun the defending champs.

Jacksonville comes to New England looking to avenge an earlier season blowout loss to the Patriots, and wouldn't you know it they jumped out in front early 3-0 thanks to a 10-play drive keyed by some nice passing from Josh Allen, who connected with Metcalf, Boyle and Cooper along the way.

Marcus Williams picked off Allen late in the initial quarter however, which led to a Kareem Hunt 5 yard TD early in the 2nd. 7-3 Patriots.

Allen went right back to work, hitting Metcalf on consecutive plays for 19 and 13 yards. Meanwhile Antonio Gibson was running effectively also including a nice 16 yard run straight through the teeth of the Patriot defense. Jags settled for a field goal however. The game would go to the half tied 7-6.

A 41 yard Lamar Jackson to Kupp bomb was followed by a Jonathan Taylor 12 yard TD run. Pats led 14-6 with 5 minutes remaining in the 3rd quarter.

But this was a different Jacksonville team than the Patriots saw during the regular season, and they would not go away quietly. On the very next drive, Josh Allen went 8 for 8 passing setting up a short Damien Williams TD run. Williams then ran straight up the middle for the 2 point conversion and the game was TIED AT 14 with 12 minutes remaining!

Patriots look to respond and move the ball out to their 44 thanks to a 16 yard Kupp reception. After an incomplete pass, a Taylor 8 yard run was followed by a 1 yard Jackson run, bringing up a 4th and 1 decision from the Pats just across the 50 yard line. Pats decide to go for it, and with the Jags defense keying on Taylor, Hunt took the handoff but was STOPPED SHORT!! Jags take over at their own 46 yard line with 9 minutes to play!

Pats D stiffened though and forced a 3 and out. After a punt NE had the ball at their own 11 yard line with 8 minutes to play.

Even looking pass, Taylor was stopped for a 3 yard loss. Taylor took the handoff on 2nd down and gained 5, brining up a 3rd and 8. Jackson to Marquez Callaway for 18 moved the chains however. First and ten NE with 6 minutes remaining.

After Taylor was stopped for only 1 yard, Jackson dropped back and looked to dump it off to Taylor but to his surprise, CB Tre'Davious White was there and jumped in front and PICKED OFF the pass! Jacksonville ball at the NE 41 with 5:08 to play.

Pats were expecting run but Antonio Gibson didn't care, ripping through the defense for 18 yards! A 2 yard run followed bringing up 2nd and 8.........

An incomplete pass to Metcalf followed.......but wait!! Jonathan Allen was called for roughing the passer!! First down Jags at the NE 10 yard line.

Gibson rushed for 1 and 3 yards brining up 3rd and goal approaching 2 minutes............

3 WR set - Allen dropped back and hit Amari Cooper for the 6 yard TD!! Jags up 21-14 with 2:02 remaining!

A penalty on the kick return set NE back at their 5 yard line. Taylor for 10 yards bought NE some breathing room. Two plays later, Taylor broke off another 21 yards. First down at the NE 41 but only 36 seconds to play..................

Jackson to Kupp........but he was doubled. Incomplete and 2nd down.

Jackson looked for TY Hilton but he dropped the pass. 3rd down.

Jackson forced to dump it off to Taylor on 3rd down........bringing up 4th and 11 with 18 seconds.........................

Jackson dropped back and aired it out in the direction of Cyril Grayson, but it was knocked down............and Jacksonville had pulled off the upset!!

Antonio Gibson rushed for 137 yards on 24 carries and was virtually unstoppable for most of the game. WR DK Metcalf caught 6 for 70 yards to lead Jags' receivers.

For NE it was not meant to be. Jacksonville's defense was up to the task, with corners Stephon Gilmore and Tre' White doing a nice job on Kupp (6 for 108) and Hill (3 for 32), while the front seven held up well against the Patriots previously dominant offensive line. Taylor did finish the game with 140 yards and a score.........but it wasn't enough. Pats shot themselves in the foot on a few occasions, while Jags took advantage of the opportunities presented to them. Great game by Coach Dave! They came to NE and *took* the game from the Patriots. Well deserved.

Jags will meet the Bengals next week in the AFC Title game!

Best of luck to both coaches!

Bengals 22 Raiders 17

Aaron Rodgers throws for 256 yards and 2 TDs as the Bengals get by the Raiders.

The IFL Raiders traveled to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals in one of two AFC Divisional playoff games. The two teams met in week seven during the regular season with the Raiders winning a hard fought 21-17 decision in Vegas.

The Bengals received the opening kickoff. Despite the wind at his back, Aaron Rodgers second pass was a pick six compliments of Darius Slay and the Raiders had a quick 7-0 lead. Cincinnati put together an 8-play 55 yard drive but settled on a Matthew Wright chip shot field goal to cut the Vegas lead to 7-3. The teams exchange punts for the remainder of the opening quarter.

However, the Raiders would extend their lead to 14-3 as Matthew Stafford connected with Cedrick Wilson on a 36 yard pass play on the first play of the second quarter. The Vegas defense and a Ben Powers holding penalty forced another Bengals punt. But the Raiders returner Wilson fumbled with Cincinnati recovering at the Vegas 33. Journeyman tailback Derrick Gore ran for 16 yards and Rodgers connected with Dionate Johnson for the 17 yard score to cut the Raiders lead to 14-10 with about 12 minutes remaining in the quarter. The Raiders answered with a long 14-play 58 yard drive capped off with a Jason Myers 36 yard field goal, 17-10 Vegas. Thanks to some power running the Bengals were able to close out the scoring for the half with another Wright field goal as the Raiders led 17-13 at the half.

The third quarter was scoreless as both defenses dug in.

The Raiders had a chance to extend their lead to open the fourth quarter but Myers missed from 36 yards out. I am sure the wind played a factor. After an inspiring half time story from Coach Storer the Bengals offense seemed fired up. On third and eight Rodgers found Johnson for 45 yards. Michael Carter rushed for 16 yards and Cincinnati was now at the Vegas 11. After another Carter five yard run, Rodgers found Freddie Swain for the go-ahead six yard score. The game was still in serious doubt as far as IFL Bengal fans were concerned as the extra point was blocked! The Bengals led 19-17.

After exchanging punts, the Raiders had one last chance but turned it over on downs. Vegas could not overcome the strong wind in their face as the Cincinnati field crew opened the gates of the south end zone. The Bengals tried to run out the clock but Vegas applied their two timeouts so Cincinnati had Wright kick another field goal and Cincinnati would advance 22-17.

Congratulations to Keith on another fine season and another hard fought game.

The Bengals await the winner of the Jacksonville vs New England game.

Saints 31 Buccaneers 24

A.J. Brown caught 6 passes for 85 yards and a touchdown as the Saints rally to defeat Tampa Bay.

The Saints would visit Tampa in the divisional round of the playoffs. This would be their second meeting of the year with the Bucs taking round 1. The Saints would defer and kick to Tampa. Tampa would get the ball at their own 43 and take it to the Saints 14 yard line and on 3rd down Derick Carr would throw a pick in the endzone to Charvarius Ward. The Saints would try to take advantage of the mishap but on their 2nd play from scrimmage Taylor Heinecke would return the favor throwing a pick 6 to Singleton. 7-0 Bucs. The Saints would get the ball again and have a 3 and out. This game had that bad feel to it early for the Saints as on the first play a long pass was called dead cause of a whistle. Tampa would get the ball and take it down the field again but the Saints would come up with a key stop at the 20 and force a Boswell FG. 10-0 Bucs. The Saints would get the ball at their own 25 and this felt like a key drive. They would take it to the 33 and then Heinecke would connect with AJ Brown on a long pass for the TD. 10-7 Bucs 1 minute into the 2nd quarter. Tampa would get the ball and on 3rd down on a pass play, there would be a snap over Carr's head. He would run back and dive on the ball at the 8 yard line stopping a disaster. Tampa would punt and the Saints would get the ball and great field position at their own 47. The Saints would take the ball down to the 17 and face a 4th and 1. Enter the veteran Cam Newton. But the Saints would give the ball to James Conner to continue the drive. But Cam would stay in the game and run off tackle on the very next play and take it 16 yards for the TD. This would be Cam's 2nd TD run in the playoffs in what very well may be his last season. The Bucs would get the ball with 6:18 left in the half. Carr would lead them right down the field and connect with star receiver Davante Adams on an out pattern from 13 yards out. 17-14 Bucs with 2:31 left. The Saints would not let up and after a 17 yard run by Heinecke and a 29 yard pass to Zay Jones, the Saints would find themselves at the Bucs 9. Heinecke would hit Cole Beasley on a crossing pattern for the TD. 21-17 Saints and thats how we go into the half.

Both teams would be held without a point in the 3rd quarter with key play being a missed 61 yard FG by McManus(tough call by Coach Rice here as it was either a 46% attempt or pin the Saints deep and honestly thought was going to change everything). But the Saints would come up with a 4th down stop at their 13. The Saints actually would start the next drive with 4:24 left in the 3rd at their own 13 and have a key drive in which James Conner would punch it in from 6 yards out with 13:21 left in the 4th. 28-17 Saints. Tampa would get the ball but have a 3 and out and punt. The Saints seemed to be taking control of the game. The Saints would then hold the ball for 5 minutes and McManus would nail a FG from 37 yards to make it a 2 score game. 31-17 Saints with 7:48 left. Just when you think Tampa was down and out Derrick Carr would connect on a 60 yard bomb to Jackson for a TD. Somehow the Saints secondary fell a sleep and it was costly. 31-24 Saints. That was a quick score also as it was in 42 seconds. The teams then actually exchange punts and the Saints would take over at their own 23 and wanted desperately to run the clock out. And they actually put themselves in position to do that as they took it out the 43 with a 3rd and 6 and only needed a first down and then could sit on the ball. The Bus defense would come thru huge as the pass was knocked down and the Saints would punt. The Bucs would get the ball at their own 26 with 1 timeout and here comes the hot hand Carr. After a few completions Carr would find Jackson again on a long pass for 22 yards down to the Saints 14. Coach Rice was spotted saying "man can someone cover this dude". Tampa would call their last timeout and we had 32 seconds left. Coach Rice decided to dial up a safety blitz, even though one of the top sack teams had not got to Carr all day. It finally paid off as Marcus Maye would get the big sack and a loss of 11 back to the 25. No timeouts and the Bucs would rush to the line and run a play in which Carr tried to find Lockett in the end zone. Incomplete and we had 4 seconds left. One more play. The Bucs would dial up another pass to Lockett which fell incomplete and the Saints would win in dramatic fashion and Coach Rice would age another 5 years in the process.

Heinecke would throw for 2 Tds and rush for another 55 yards for the Saints. Derick Carr would throw for 308 yards and 2 Tds for the Bucs. The key to the game was for sure the Saints ability to stop the Bucs run, holding them to 23 yards. An excellent game called by Mike as he didnt even seem to blink down 14 with 7 minutes left and congrats on a great season.

Seahawks 30 Falcons 19

Darrel Henderson rushed for 113 yards and a touchdown as the Seahawks defeat Atlanta.

Seattle as the top seed would host Atlanta for a divisional round game. Seattle would get the ball first and Prescott would march them down the field and hit Pittman for a 30 yard TD to take a quick 7-0 lead. Atlanta wouldn’t find much success against the stout Seahawks D and be forced to pun. On the next drive Prescott would continue dealing and get the ball into the redzone for a 2nd and 6.   He would try to hit Pittman on an fly pattern but Kazee would read it and perfectly and pick it off. A quick 3 and out followed by a nice 19 yard return by Meckenzie and Seattle would be knocking on the door again. With a 2nd and 5 on the Atlanta 27 Prescott would telegraph an out pattern to Pittman that would be read perfectly and intercepted by Jackson. Despite decent field position Atlanta would again be held to a 3 and out. The teams would then exchange a pair of punts before Seattle would get the ball for one final drive before the half. During the drive a strategy change became evident as they seemingly took their ball out of their star QBs hand and decided to take a more run heavy approach. 9 runs and 53 yards later Slye would kick a 24 yard FG to put Seattle up 10-0 at the half that left Seattle fans nervous. With their first half defensive performance they had every chance to put this game on ice and now Atlanta would be getting the ball to start the half down only 10 points.

TO start the second half Atlanta also decided to change up its offensive strategy and take a much more aggressive approach. This paid ff on the first play as Kadarius Toney got past Xavien Howard for a 31 yard gain. Two big Stevenson runs would put Hurts in the redzone where he would find his trusty TE for 6. Unfortunately for Atlanta, 6 is all they would get as the extra point would be blocked. The Seattle offense would do little to respond and be forced to punt giving Atlanta an opportunity to take their first lead in the game however Hurts would show his inexperience and get stripped by Dugger on QB sweep. The booth would take a second look at it but the call would stand, fumble recovered by Seattle. Seattle offense still seemingly stuck in neutral was unable to do much with it and had ad to settle for a 39 yard FG 4 plays later. Seattle would then kick the ball out of bounds giving Atlanta great field position. Coach Alberry would decide to take another deep shot but Chandler Jones had other ides and would blindside Hurts forcing a fumble. Troy Reeder would pick it up and return it to the 31 yard line. Prescott would hit Hockenson for 23 yards and 2 plays later Henderson would punch it in from 4 yards out to give a 20-6 lead.   In a matter of minutes Hurts had gone from a chance to put Atlanta up 13-10 to down 20-6. For most young QBs this would only get worse however Hurts would collect himself and put the Falcons on his back. Most impressive was his 3rd and 13 conversion to his RB Moss for 24 yards followed by some nice QB keepers to put them in the endzone. They would chase points and fail the 2 point conversion. 20-12 Seattle with 14:37 left.

Up 8, with 2 Prescott INTS in the books already and Atlanta playing heavy pass D Seattle decided it was time to run the rock. Henderson would run it 6 straight times for a demoralizing 49 yards. Jones would then pitch in 6. When they felt that Atlanta had seen enough Prescott took a shot down the field and hit Higgins for a 20 yard td to put Seattle up 27-12 with 9:42 left in the game. Down 15 Huts was unfazed. 1st and 25? Nothing a 13 and 21 yard run can’t take care of. 4th and 7? Hurts would hit Toney for exactly 7 yards. 4th and 6? 27 yard deep slant to Gabe Davis. Finally he decided to make it easy on himself and throw a touchdown on 1st and 8 from the 8 yard line to give Atlanta some life. 27-19 with 5:02 remaining. Seattle would recover the onside kick and look to run the clock out however a 10 yard holding penalty by guard Alex Cappa would kill any chance of that happening. A quick 3 and out and Seattle would have to punt giving Atlanta shot to tie the game with a TD and a 2 point conversion. Atlanta would pickup their first first down of the drive however after the drive stalled out. Hurts was stuffed on a 3rd and 2 QB keeper followed by an incompletion on 4th and 2. Atlanta would use its timeouts but a 34 yard FG by Slye with 25 seconds left would ice the game.   Seattle advances to the NFC championship game with a 30-19 win.

Hurts was 18-28 for 196 yards and 2 TDS. He also ran 11 times for 89 yards.
Prescott was an unimpressive 17-24 for 202 yards, 2 TDS and 2 INTS
The Seattle ground game would combine to carry the ball 39 times for 217 yards.

Paul called a great game and kept his team in it until the very end. I’m sure he will be a much bigger problem next year.

IFL WILD CARD WEEKEND

Jaguars 23 Chiefs 20

Jags Josh Allen connects with DK Metcalf for the winning score with just 26 seconds remaining.

Josh Allen hit DK Metcalf with an 18 yard touchdown pass on 4th and 12 with 26 seconds left to give Jacksonville the victory. Allen threw for 328 yards and 3td's in the game which saw Jacksonville guilty of 4 turnovers in the 17-degree windy day. Amari Cooper and Metcalf each had over 100 yards receiving for the Jaguars.

The Chiefs jumped out to a 10-0 lead after one quarter. Kansas City would lead 20-15 until the final half minute of the game.

Andy Dalton threw for 223 yards and a touchdown but also two interceptions.

Raiders 41 Ravens 34

Raiders' Tight End Travis Kelce goes for 208 yards and a touchdown as Las Vegas defeats the Ravens.

The Baltimore Ravens traveled to Las Vegas to face the Raiders in a fantastic Wild Card matchup. Prior to the game, Raiders’ head coach Keith Jackson II stated that he felt this game would come down to which of the tight ends (Raven’s Mark Andrews and Raiders’ Travis Kelce) would be able to impose their will on the game.
“These are the two best tight ends in the game, coach Green does a great job of moving Andrews around and getting him into favorable matchups, said Jackson. “We have to figure out a way to both stop that and replicate it on our end.”
After forcing the Ravens to punt on their first drive, the Raider got to work getting Kelce involved quickly with a 66-yard pass play on the second play of their drive to take the Raiders from their nine-yard line to the Ravens’ 25. The Raiders’ running back Alvin Kamara was able to punch it in six plays later on a screen pass from QB Matthew Stafford to make the score 7-0.
The Raiders’ bend but don’t break defense was able to hold the Ravens to no points after an 11-play drive, but Stafford was in a Christmas giving mood and threw a pick-six to Elliott to turn it into a 7-7 game.
After back-to-back punts, the Raiders put together a three-play touchdown drive that gave Stafford his third touchdown pass of the game and second to his team to make it 14-7. The Ravens’ answered with a 31-yard strike to Andrews to make it 14-14, but then the Raiders finished the half with 10 unanswered points including Stafford’s second touchdown pass to DJ Moore and technically fourth touchdown pass (three to his team and one to Baltimore) of the half to send the Raiders into halftime with a 24-14 lead.
The Raiders opened up the third quarter with an 87-yard drive that culminated in a 13-yard touchdown run by Kamara to make it 31-14. Realizing the urgency of the moment, the Ravens scored in three plays with a 27-yard touchdown pass to Andrews to tighten the game to 31-21. The Raiders answered with a grind it out 12-play drive that ended with a 40-yard field goal to make it 34-21.
The Ravens answered with a field goal on the next drive to make it 34-24 with 14 minutes left in the game. After forcing a punt, the Ravens then scored on 20-yard touchdown pass to make it 34-31 with 7:28 left in the game.
The Raiders then went on a 10-play 75-yard drive that ended with a Kelce 23-yard touchdown reception to make it 41-31 with just under two minutes remaining to ice the game. The Ravens were able to kick a field goal to end the scoring at 41-34 as the Raiders were able to hold on.
Despite Stafford’s 28-of-39, 397-yard, four touchdowns and one interception (technically another touchdown) game, the player of the game was Kelce who finished with nine receptions for 208-yards, one touchdown and a whopping NINE first downs. On the other side, Andrews caught eight passes for 109-yards and two touchdowns.

Falcons 36 Giants 21

Zach Ertz caught 6 passes for 107 yards and two touchdowns as Falcons advance.

It was a 42 degree day in New York as the Atlanta Falcons traveled to NY to take on the Giants in a rematch of Week 17. Week 17 ended in a draw as it was played by mostly backups. Von Miller has been working on his rehab after getting injured in Week 16, and was probable for the game, however footage before the game showed him too injured to go. Atlanta's season would be on the line without the self proclaimed "closer."

1st Quarter:

NYG won the toss and elected to defer, Atlanta took the ball and drove down the field with a mix of run and pass but would settle for a FG to go up 3-0. NYG would punt, then ATL would punt, however NY would fumble the punt return, and it was covered up by Atlanta in NYG territory. Hurts would scramble and find Ertz in the end zone for a 24 yard bomb. ATL 10-0. NY would answer with a 61 yard run by Robinson, and Wentz would toss it to Robinson to put the G-Men on the board. 10-7 as Q1 ends.

2nd Quarter:

Atlanta would get another drive going, and had a little luck on their side. Ertz would fumble, but Atlanta would recover. On 3rd down NY would get hit with a def. PI call giving the Falcons 15 yards to keep the drive alive. Atlanta would run the ball quite a bit on this drive punching it in with Boston Scott to go up 17-7. NY answered back with a few penalties against the Falcons, along with Robbie Anderson having an incredible game for the Giants, culminating with a 14 YD TD from Wentz to keep up with the Falcons 17-14. ATL goes 3 and out, and NY punts on ATL 46 pinning them back deep with just over 2 minutes to go in the half. A combination of Hurts scrambling and a Stevenson 23 yard run have the Falcons knocking, but a Bosa sack forces a FG with time expiring as ATL ends the half up 20-14.

3rd Quarter:

NYG started slow with a 3 and out, and Atlanta would take the ball. Hurts would make them pay on the 1st play throwing a cross field broken play to Nelson Agholor who breaks free and gains 49 yards, and on 3rd down Hurts finds Gabe Davis for a TD and ATL goes up 27-14. After a couple of punts by both sides, NY is knocking in near the red zone, however a false start and then an 8 yard sack by Cam Heyward would force them to pin ATL deep on their own 8. Hurts would get help by Boston Scott who broke a 23 yard run, and James Washington who caught a big 17 yard 3rd down catch to keep the chains moving. Hurts found Ertz again in the endzone on a 39 yard throw with a missed XP 33-14.

4th Quarter:
Robbie Anderson benefitted from all the attention Waddle and Renfrow were receiving and caught 3 passes for 50 yards as the G-Men try to mount a comeback. Unfortunately, luck was not on their side as a pass toward the end zone was picked off by Rookie Patrick Surtain II. Starting on their own 2, ATL couldn't do much but run clock and barely escaped a punt block opportunity. NYG relied on Anderson again as they threw it to him 4 times including a TD to make it 33-21 with 5 minutes left. Atlanta runs and punts it back to the Giants. Wentz was unable to convert a 4th and 1 screen and Atlanta took over in NY territory and ran 3 times and chipped in a FG for added cushion. 36-21 and that is how it would end.

Dylan called a good game, however in the playoffs you need some luck and it was on my side tonight. We fumbled twice and recovered both, He fumbled once and I got it, and he got picked and we had 0 turnovers. NY also had 8 penalties to 5 for Atlanta (who was on the road), Hurts was on fire and claimed the game MVP with a 150 passer rating and running for 69 yards. Waddle on Renfrow were attempted a total of 11 times, but only caught 4 for 32 yards.

Better to be lucky than good for the Falcons.

Saints 30 Cardinals 3

Darrel Williams rushes for one TD and catches another as the Saints defeat Arizona.

Arizona would roll into New Orleans for their wildcard match up and take the opening kick. They wouldnt do to much on their first drive and punt. The Saints would then get the ball and take it to the Cardinals 43. From there McManus would attempt a 61 yarder, and it just wouldn't have enough leg. This gave Arizona great field position. The Cards would take the ball down to the Saints 18 before the drive stalled and kick a FG to take the lead. Arizona 3-0. The Saints would then put a nice drive together which ended in a Darrell Williams 7 yard TD run. 7-3 Saints 1 minute into the 2nd quarter. Arizona would then get the ball and have a very nice 6 minute drive but it stalled at the 43 and they would punt. The 2 teams would exchange punts and then the Saints would take over at their own 43. Heinecke would hit Zay Jones for 24 and then follow that with a check down to Darrell Williams and he would take it 34 yards for paydirt. 14-3 Saints. Thats how it would be at the end of the half. The Saints would get the ball to open the second half and wouldnt do much and punt. The Cards would take over at their own 8 and the first game changer would happen as Mahomes would throw a pick to Ward. The Saints would take over at the 25 and on a 3rd down Heinecke would hit Njoku over the middle for 15 yards and a TD. 21-3 Saints. The Cards would then get the ball and have to punt pretty quickly. The Saints would then drive 4 minutes and McManus would nail a 43 yarder. 24-3 Saints. Arizona would then get the ball and have another 3 and out. The Saints D was tough all day. The Saints would start at the 49 and take it to the 15 where Cam Newton would run it in from 15 yards out. 30-3. The rest of the game was mainly killing time for the Saints.

WEEK 17 RECAP

With 4 touchdowns, Mark Andrews helps propel the Ravens into the postseason.

Minnesota 7 Baltimore 31                    31 0-10
One of those games....
Baltimore keeps its slim playoff hopes alive.
Happy to finish with a winning record.
Tight End Mark Andrews catches four touchdown passes. For the day Andrews finished with 11 receptions for 94 yards. Quarterback Tyler Huntley finishes 29 of 43 for 270 yards with four touchdowns and an interception. Huntley also rushed for 82 yards on 14 attempts. The Vikings could not get anything going as Zeke Elliott was held to 47 rushing yards on 15 carries.

Detroit 7 Pittsburgh 16                     42 0-5
Steelers have everything to lose in this one needing a win and lots of help to make the playoffs. Detroit comes in at 3-13 but had won their last 2 games and where looking to finish the season strong not to mention there is a lot of talent in Detroit when they get fully healthy .

Josh Jacobs 27 yard TD run in the first give the Steelers fans that uneasy feeling because the TD was setup by Brady being intercepted at the his own 46 on Pittsburgh's first possession. Bass gets the home team on the board midway through the second with a 53 yard FG. The Steelers turn to the run game late in the second on a possession that started at their own 2 ends when the Steelers catch Jefferson for one of the rare times not doubled and he beats a very good CB Terrell for a 23 yard TD.

AJ Terrell is injured and out of the game with 9 minutes left in the 3rd and that's when Pittsburgh began to move the ball in the second half. But on a 3rd and 8 for the Lions 12 they almost lost an opportunity for any points. Brady hit Rondal Moore for 7 but he fumbles and its recovered by the Lions but they fumble and Pittsburgh recovers. So the Steelers end up 5 yards closer than they began and have a 1st down. But only manage 3 points and its 13-7 heading into the 4th.

Detroit's drive started with 2 minutes to go in the 3rd and they are 2nd and goal from the 6 early in the 4th. But Watson is picked in the end zone and the Steelers hold on to the lead. Derwin James is then injured for the Lions and their 2 best pass defenders are out so Pittsburgh turns to the passing game and a converted 4th and inches to let Bass come on the field an attempt a 40 yard FG to give the home team a little breathing room. He connects and the fans breathe a sigh of relieve with 3 minutes left in the game and a 16-7 lead.

Detroit played a great game but Pittsburgh gets a tough earned win at home to keep their slim playoff hopes alive

Miami 25 Los Angeles (A) 29                 76 Calm
LAC overcame a 22-0 deficit and clawed back for their third win 29-25. The offense was revitalized by the return of Nick Chubb from the I.R.,
as he accounted for 3 touchdowns, 171 yards rushing and 43 receiving. The 29 points surpassed the team’s combined total of 26 from the
five previous games. Davis Mills had his best day as a Charger throwing for 266 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Dallas 24 San Francisco 16                  49 10-20
LAC overcame a 22-0 deficit and clawed back for their third win 29-25. The offense was revitalized by the return of Nick Chubb from the I.R.,
as he accounted for 3 touchdowns, 171 yards rushing and 43 receiving. The 29 points surpassed the team’s combined total of 26 from the
five previous games. Davis Mills had his best day as a Charger throwing for 266 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Tampa Bay 7 Tennessee 37                    43 Calm Heavy Rain
Coach Chase rested his stars and for once (at least at the start of the game) the Titans were nearly full strength. Andre Roberts returned the opening kickoff for a Tennessee TD and the Titans ended the quarter up 17-0. Derek Carr put together a nice 2nd quarter drive to cut the lead to 17-7 but after that it was all downhill for the Bucs.

Indianapolis 28 Kansas City 34              27 10-20
Drew Lock threw for 284 yards and 2 TD's as KC defeated Indianapolis 34-28. Joe Burrow passed for 372 yards and 4 td's for the Colts.

Cincinnati 3 Green Bay 13                   32 10-20
John Storer had a glimpse into the future and it was terrifying.

Jordan Love gets the start and stinks the joint out for the player-resting Bengals.
Final stat line: 15/34 127, 4 ints, sacked 3 times

Big Ben finishes his career with just 143 yards passing but Dalvin Cook (30/161) carries the load as the Packers finish the season on a high note.

Final score Green Bay 13 Cincinnati 3

Packers (8-9) look forward to the draft
Bengals (13-4) get the enviable first round bye

Arizona 0 Carolina 30                       63 0-10
Carolina, at about their healthiest roster for the year, beats Arizona as they rest their starters in anticipation of the playoffs.

Henry rushes for 112 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Chicago 0 Jacksonville 22                   68 5-15
Both QB's were absolute garbage in this one but the Jags had Antonio Gibson and their defense. Gibson single handedly ran over the Bears garnering 215 yards rushing on 35 carries and one TD. The jags defense was up to the task shutting Chicago out and causing four turnovers.

There wasn't much coach Nordberg could do to stop Gibson.

Jags go to the post season while the Bears get a high pick in next year’s draft.

Buffalo 17 Denver 0                         51 0-5
In a game where the punters were so busy they were needing oxygen on the sidelines the Bills pull out a 17-0 victory over the woeful Broncos.
I believe Mitch Trubiski's time in Denver is over!!!

New York (N) 16 Atlanta 16                  68 Calm
Both the Giants and Falcons have already clinched the playoffs. The Falcons rested most all of their starters the whole game, The Giants rested them after the 1st quarter. This game was ugly. Atlanta kicked a FG with about a minute left to make it 16-16 and send the game into OT. In OT, neither team could really move the ball. The Falcons were toast, and the Giants were starting to run out of steam. The game ended in a 16-16 tie after OT.

In this game the Giants lost top guard Shaq Mason for a few weeks with a hamstring issue. Seemed to be the only real injury from this game with playoff implications.

Seattle 10 Los Angeles (N) 3                69 Calm
Seattle taxi squad holds on for the W over the rams.

New England 27 Houston 3                    70 Calm
Jonathan Taylor rushed for 123 yards and 3 TDs while Justin Tucker added a couple field goals as the Patriots upended a fatigued Texans team in Houston by the final score of 27-3.

Las Vegas 36 New York (A) 24                40 0-5
Alvin Kamara rushes for 117 yards and a touchdown as the Raiders take down the Jets.
New Orleans 28 Philadelphia 17              49 0-10
Saints rested several players but still pull out the victory against the Eagles.

Rushing Leaders
Gibson(Jax)     35-215 1 TD
Chubb(LAC)      30-171 2 TD
Cook(GB)        30-161
Taylor(NE)      23-123 3 TD
Henry(Car)      28-122 2 TD
Kamara(LV)      24-117 1 TD
Penny(Ten)      19-99 3 TD

Receiving Leaders
Chase(Ind)      14-181 3 TD
Samuel(Dal)      4- 99 3 TD
Andrews(Bal)    11- 94 4 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Week
Swift(Ind)      11- 94 1 TD

Passing Leaders
Burrow(Ind)     49-36-372   4 TD
Huntley(Bal)    43-29-170   4 TD 1 Int

Defensive Standouts
Odum(Min)        16 Tk
Holcomb(Mia)     1 Int 1 Sk 16 Tk – IFL Defensive Player of the Week
Oluokun(Chi)     24 Tk
Dye(NYG)         15 Tk

Special Teams
Bullock(Jax)   5-5 FG – IFL Special Teams Player of the Week
Berrios(NYJ)   5-231 Kick Ret 1 TD

FINAL 2022 IFL STANDINGS

FINAL 2022 IFL LEAGUE LEADERS

IFL PLAYOFF SCENARIOS

AFC
by Steeler Sam

AFC Breakdown - 4 teams battling for 2 positions

If Jags beat Chicago they are in.

If Jags lose and Baltimore and Tennessee win . Jags are in based on h2h vs Baltimore and Baltimore is in based on better conference record then Tennessee

If Baltimore and Tennessee lose and Pittsburgh wins - h2h are splits this season and Pittsburgh is in based on better division record.

NFC
by Packer John

All playoff teams are set

Z   1) Seattle        16-0 clinched #1 seed and home field throughout NFC playoffs

Y 2) Tampa Bay 14-2 clinched #2 seed and first round bye

X 3) New Orleans 12-4 clinched playoff berth and #3 seed as NFC west champion

X 4) New York G. 11-5 clinched playoff berth. Will earn #4 seed (and first round home playoff game) with win at Atlanta

X 5) Arizona         10-6 clinched playoff berth. Holds tiebreakers over New York Giants (division record), Atlanta (common victory) and San Francisco (head to head)



X   6) Atlanta 10-6 clinched playoff berth. Holds tiebreaker over San Francisco based on division record.

                                         Could still get #4 seed (and first round home playoff game) with a win over Giants coupled with a Arizona loss in Carolina

Lots of movement possible within the bottom 3 seeds. Top 3 are locked in.

WEEK 16 RECAP

The 3-12 Dolphins put a dent in the 10-5 Falcon playoff hopes with the 20-17 upset.

Game Scores
Atlanta 17 Miami 20                         70 0-5
The Falcons come to Miami in a prime position to possibly lock down the 3rd or 4th seed in the NFC. Miami with nothing to play for but pride, finally was as healthy as they have been in half a season.

Atlanta takes their opening drive and goes 75 yards in 7 plays and get the TD to go up 7-0 with only 3:11 gone in the 1st quarter. Miami takes their opening drive and travel to the Falcon 8 yd line in 13 plays but stall and have to kick the FG, 7-3 Atlanta. After a drive that left the Falcons with a 4th and 5 on the Miami 37, Atlanta fails to convert and gives Miami the ball back at the Miami 34. Aided by a personal foul,on 3rd and 5 at the Atlanta 22 the Dolphins hit pay dirt with the TD and go up 10-7 and end the scoring in the 1st quarter.

Atlanta scores halfway through the second quarter but only get the FG but it ties the score at 10. Miami gets the lead back with a FG on their next possession to go up 13-10 and that would be the way it would go to the half.

After a scoreless 3rd quarter, Atlanta would retake the lead with a TD with 9:24 to go in the game to go up 17-13. Miami gets the ball on their own 25 with 9:24 left in the game. The Dolphins go on a 13 play drive consuming 8 minutes and 21 seconds and get the TD with 1:03 left in the game to retake the lead at 20-17. That would be the way it would end as Atlanta, unable to convert on 4th down turned the ball back over and the Dolphins were able to run out the clock.

Najee Harris had his best game of the year rushing 27 times for 155 yards as Miami was able to control the clock, 36:05 to 23:55 in TOP. Penalties haunted the Falcons at the most inopportune times although Miami had the games only turnover.

The final week of the regular season, Atlanta hosts another NFC Contender in the NY Giants and Miami finishes on the road at the LA Chargers in each Teams last game of the season.

Minnesota 24 Denver 0                       44 Calm
Quite possibly the ugliest game I have ever been a part of.
Minnesota shuts out Denver 24-0 as Denver gains a total of 61 yards in the contest!! Oh my!!

Chicago 20 Kansas City 21                   39 5-15
Andy Dalton hit Josh Reynolds for a game winning 22 yard touchdown on 4th and 11 with 37 seconds left in the game as KC escaped with a 21-20 victory over Chicago. The Bears forced 4 Chiefs turnovers as well as registering 5 sacks and forcing KC into a dismal 4-17 on 3rd downs, and had led for the entire game until the fateful last minute.

Detroit 3 Los Angeles (A) 0                 84 Calm
A field goal with 5:50 remaining in the game saves us from possibly the first no score game in IFL history.

Dallas 38 Baltimore 18                      37 0-10
In a matchup that featured the red-hot Dallas Cowboys traveling to Baltimore to face a Ravens team in the thick of a playoff race in the AFC Central, it was Dallas that won in convincing style 38-18. Dallas, once 2-8 and 3-9, won their fourth in a row and fifth in six games to improve to 7-9. The loss for the Ravens, who entered the contest with an 8-7, was costly to their playoff aspirations.

Dallas took the opening kickoff 75 yards to paydirt on a Justin Herbert to Goedert Dallas Goedert from the six to put the Cowboys un 7-0. Dallas scored again late in the second quarter when safety Ronnie Harrison scooped up a Baltimore fumble on the Dallas 22 and took it to the house for a 14-0 Dallas lead.

Baltimore came back with a field goal and TD and 2-point PAT to close to 14-11, but Dallas scored four times after that to put the game out of reach.

Dallas won the turnover battle 4-1. Dallas’ Amani Oruwarye recorded his 11th interception of the season in the contest and also a fumble recovery.

On offense, Dallas ran the ball 39 times for 190 yards. Justin Herbert only threw the ball 15 times (completing 11 for three scores).

Dallas lost three players for week 17 in the game (including Oruwarye and 9-rated DLman Kenny Clark) and Baltimore lost four.

Philadelphia 15 Cincinnati 35               23 5-15
The Bengals faced the defending NFC champs in the Jungle. After an exchange of punts the Eagles put together a 16 play 74 yard drive that ate up much of the opening quarter. Philly settled on a Harrison Butker 31 yarder for a 3-0 lead. Philly showed it wasn't fooling around but the onside kick was recovered by Cincinnati. Two plays later Michael Carter went 50 yards to give the Bengals a 7-3 lead with just nine seconds remaining in the quarter.

A Ryan Tannehill to Brandin Cooks 49 yard completion set up another Butker field goal to make it a 7-6 lead. The Bengals answered with a 13 play 63 yard drive as Fairbairn's 30 yard attempt was true to extend the lead to 10-6. It looked like the Eagles would take a 12-10 lead into the half as Rex Burkhead scored from 27 yards out. Butker missed the point after. However, Aaron Rodgers hit Bryan Edwards in stride for a 51 yard score and Cincinnati regained the lead 17-12. Things continued to fall apart for Philly as Jesse Bates went 65 yards on a pick six for a 24-12 lead.

The Bengals would out score Philadelphia 11-3 in the second half. Micah Hyde recorded a safety tackling Tannehill in the end zone.

Cooks caught five passes for 83 yards to lead the Eagles offense.

Carter was the offensive star for Cincinnati rushing for 128 yards and two touchdowns. Jihad Ward recorded two sacks.

Next week the Eagles close out the season hosting New Orleans while the Bengals are at Green Bay.

Green Bay 13 Houston 14                     70 Calm
Close, well-played game between two teams playing out the string.

RB Joe Mixon 28-155 1TD led a balanced Houston attack. WR duo of Chris Godwin and Terry McLaurin were very tough to deal with especially after Packers CB's Patrick Peterson and Jamal Dean went down.

No real standouts for the Packers as Houston was superior on both sides of the football. Well called game by Pete

Carolina 7 Buffalo 31                       31 10-20
The Bills come away with a 31-7 victory as Tyler Conklin has a big day and the Bills defense keep Derrick Henry and Russell Wilson bottled up.

New Orleans 28 New York (A) 7               41 0-10
New Orleans grounds the Jets.

The New York team looked very fatigued.

New York (N) 20 Tennessee 17                39 0-10
A tight defensive battle sees only two touchdowns scored in regulation. NY's Budda Baker intercepted a Matt Ryan pass late in the 3rd and took it 76 yards for the TD. However 4 minutes into the 4th a bad punt snap gave the Titans the ball at the Giants' 20 yard line. Next play Ryan hit Brandon Aiyuk for the TD. Titans went for two and AJ Dillon ran around end to tie the game at 17 all.

Overtime saw the Giants take the kickoff and work down to the Titan 27 where the drive stalled. Cairo Santos kicked the field goal to put the Giants up 20-17. Andre Roberts returned the ensuing kickoff to the Titan 43. Two Dillon runs put the ball at the New York 43. Following an incompletion the mighty Quinn (3 sacks and a FF) tackled Ryan for a 6 yard loss. Tennessee was unable to do anything on 3rd and 4th down. Giants win 20-17 look forward to the playoffs while the Titans scout the upcoming draft.

Arizona 23 Pittsburgh 20                    40 10-20
A tight defensive battle sees only two touchdowns scored in regulation. NY's Budda Baker intercepted a Matt Ryan pass late in the 3rd and took it 76 yards for the TD. However 4 minutes into the 4th a bad punt snap gave the Titans the ball at the Giants' 20 yard line. Next play Ryan hit Brandon Aiyuk for the TD. Titans went for two and AJ Dillon ran around end to tie the game at 17 all.

Overtime saw the Giants take the kickoff and work down to the Titan 27 where the drive stalled. Cairo Santos kicked the field goal to put the Giants up 20-17. Andre Roberts returned the ensuing kickoff to the Titan 43. Two Dillon runs put the ball at the New York 43. Following an incompletion the mighty Quinn (3 sacks and a FF) tackled Ryan for a 6 yard loss. Tennessee was unable to do anything on 3rd and 4th down. Giants win 20-17 look forward to the playoffs while the Titans scout the upcoming draft.

San Francisco 35 Indianapolis 3             69 Calm
One sided rout as the Colts could not provide any competition to the 49ers and lost the game 35-3, and the score does not indicate how utterly one sided this contest actually was.

Los Angeles (N) 10 New England 47           28 10-20
Rams played some tough defense early, forcing Patriots into some long field goal attempts on their first three possessions. Fortunately, New England has Justin Tucker on their sideline, and the all-pro nailed kicks of 50, 58 and 65 yards to give NE a 9-0 lead early into the 2nd quarter. Shortly after, Trevor Lawrence would fumble after being sacked giving NE the ball inside the LA 30. Lamar Jackson hit T.Y Hilton to make it 16-0 at that point.

From there the NE offense would settle in and score on their next 5 possessions. On the day, NE averaged nearly 7 yards a rush on 41 team carries. Kareem Hunt led the Pats with 104 yards on 10 carries (2TDs). The Rams got an explosive 68 yard Damien Harris run for their lone TD, but it wasn't enough as NE would roll to the home win.

  Seattle 36 Jacksonville 17                  72 0-10
A close game early on but the Jags had no way of stopping Seattle from from making big-play after big-play as the Seahawks down the Jags 36-17.

Tampa Bay 50 Las Vegas 41                   51 0-5
Las Vegas' slow limp to the playoffs continues as they drop a barnburner to Tampa 50-41. The Raiders' defense was flummoxed all day by Tampa's high powered offense. A For Sale has been seen on the front lawn of the Raiders' defensive coordinator's home. Not sure if the coach or owner was the one who put the sign on his lawn.

Rushing Leaders
Harris(Mia)     27-155
Jones,A(Sea)    17-148 1 TD
Mitchell(KC)    19-130
Carter(Cin)     17-128 2 TD
Harris(LAR)     14-121 1 TD
Mixon(Hou)      28-115 1 TD
Conner(NO)      18-104 1 TD
Hunt(NE)        10-104 2 TD

Receiving Leaders
Kelce(LV)       10-166
Williams,M(Ari) 9-162 2 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Week
Waddle(NYG)     11-135
Moore(LV)        5- 73 3 TD

Passing Leaders
Stafford(LV)    53-35-524   5 TD 2 Int
Carr(TB)        52-33-508   6 TD 2 Int
Wentz(NYG)      46-30-317   1 TD 1 Int
Brady(Pit)      47-30-267   2 TD
Cousins(Hou)    40-32-231   1 TD

Defensive Standouts
Hendrickso(Min) 3 Sk 5 Tk
Tryon-Shoy(Det) 3 Sk 6 Tk – IFL Defensive Player of the Week
Ward(NO)         2 Int 5 Tk
Quinn(NYG)       3 Sk 8 Tk

Special Teams
Zuerlein(Min) 5-5 FG - IFL Special Teams Player of the Week
Johnson,T(LAR) 8-195 Kick Ret
Tucker(NE)     4-4 FG

IFL WEEK 16 STANDINGS

IFL WEEK 16 LEAGUE LEADERS

WEEK 15 RECAP

Jags Antonio Gibson runs for 159 yards and two TDs to keep playoff hopes alive.

Game Scores
Tennessee 17 Jacksonville 38                64 0-10
The game was much closer than the score indicated. The Titans had dominated the second half and had the ball down 24-17 with 1:17 to go. Matty Ryan puts up a forced pass and Kenny Norman returns it for 6 from 47 yards out. On the first play following the kick-off, Matty Ryan decides once again to go deep only to be picked off by Apple who again took it to the house from 51 yards out.

Two quick 6's in the last 1:17 sealed the deal in a close hard fought game. The Jags won the turnover game 5-0 and Antonio Gibson had 24 carries 159 yards 2 TDs in the victory.

New England 27 Miami 3                      77 0-10
Not much suspense in this mismatch. Miami manages to tie it at 3 early in the 2nd quarter, but that would be their only highlight of the game. It's a good thing NE has bigger fish to fry in their quest for another Championship and took their foot off the gas against the hapless Dolphins. This one finishes 27-3 New England.

Next week New England goes home to host the Rams and the Dolphins stay home and host the Falcons

Baltimore 16 Cincinnati 40                  19 0-5
The Bengals hosted division rival Baltimore in week 15 IFL action. In week six, the Ravens took advantage of five Cincinnati turnovers and defeated the Bengals 20-13. This game it was Baltimore with the butter fingers, committing six turnovers.

The Ravens gambled early on the opening possession going for it on fourth and one from their own 36. The Cincinnati defense stuffed Raven QB Tyler Huntley for no gain. Aaron Rodgers connected with Rashod Bateman on their second play from scrimmage for a 36 yard score and a 7-0 lead.

Baltimore answered with a 12 play 47 yard drive but settled on a Brian Johnson 50 yard field goal to make it a 7-3 game. The Bengals were forced to punt and Baltimore was marching again but Micah Hyde scooped up a Pooka Williams fumble and went 55 yards for the score and a 14-3 Bengals lead. On the Ravens first play from scrimmage Huntley fumbled and Cincinnati recovered. The Bengals capitalized on the turnover as Rodgers scrambled for a ten yard score and a 21-3 lead. Once again Baltimore would turn it over on their next possession and the Bengals would recover. RoJo would run it in from a yard out and the Bengals increased their lead to 28-3. The turnovers continued to pour for the Ravens as DeAndre Carter fumbled the kickoff and Cincinnati would recover. This time the Bengals settled on a Ka'imi Fairbairn 45 yard field goal to make the score 31-3 Cincinnati with 6:39 left in the half. The Ravens finally curbed their ball security issues for the next drive as Huntley scored from 18 yards out to make it a 31-10 game. That would end the scoring for the half.

Cincinnati would score again on their first series of the third quarter as Rodgers hit Diontae Johnson for the 43 yard score. The Bengals would add a field goal and Baltimore would add two field goals to close out the scoring as Cincinnati won 40-16.

Huntley rushed for 120 yards on 17 attempts with a touchdown. He finished 17 of 30 passing for 181 yards with an interception. Mark Andrews caught six passes for 104 yards. But the turnovers were too much for the Ravens to overcome.

Rodgers went 14 of 25 for 181 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 27 yards and a score.

Next week the Ravens host Dallas while Philadelphia travels to the Jungle.

Minnesota 18 Green Bay 21                   34 0-10
Vikings and Packers stage a classic Thanksgiving day tilt, despite both teams having been eliminated from the playoffs

Game goes back and forth for all 4 quarters but Minnesota looks headed to victory up 18-14 deep in Packers territory with under 8 minutes left.

After 3 failed attempts to punch it in from the 9 yard line, Coach Jones decides to go for the dagger rather than take the easy FG to go up by 7. Green Bay defense gets a huge stop and takes over on downs.

On the ensuing possession Pack goes 3 and out and are forced to punt with just under 6 minutes to go.

Vikings dial up the run with pass catching back James White, confusing Coach Conners. Visitors move it all the way down to the Green Bay 34 but on 3rd and 4 the Packers sent the blitz and ILB Ernest Jones got to QB Trey Lance for the sack. Minnesota elects to punt, but when the ball rolls into the end zone Big Ben and company get a faint bit of hope, starting at their own 20, down 4 with 2:35 left.

After gaining 7 yards on a first down completion to WR Jalen Guyton, three straight incompletions would end it.......but wait!!! A very late pass interference call would give the Pack new life.

Another PI penalty and a huge 4th and 8 reception by Dalvin Cook got the ball down to the Minnesota 20 but the Packers would be forced to use their final timeout with just :47 seconds remaining.

Two straight incompletions would make it 3rd and 10. Guyton caught a crossing pattern for 9, as time was quickly running out. On 4th and 1 Conners called a pitch to Cook who got the first down and headed out of bounds at the 5 with just 8 seconds left.

Minnesota was expecting the same call and keyed Cook but Big Ben threw an incompletion to TE Mercedes Lewis on a crossing pattern instead.

Three seconds remained. Time for one more play.

Vikings played the pass this time and Coach Conners guessed right and called a pitch to Cook who just squeezed inside the pylon.

Lambeau erupts.......final score: Green Bay 21 Minnesota 18
Could have sworn I heard the faint chuckle of an old pal during all the euphoria.

Great game called by Mark, those two late interference calls were huge breaks for the Pack

WR Russell Gage, 9-120 1TD, stood out for the visitors
Dalvin Cook took home players of the game honors with 131 combined yards and the game winning score.

Houston 10 Los Angeles (A) 6                71 Calm
Cousins connects with Pascal for the 39 yard score and the difference in this one.

Buffalo 9 Philadelphia 13                   33 5-15
Two teams playing for draft position met as the Bills visited the Eagles. It was a back-and-forth game of FGs into the 4th quarter with the Bills holding a slim 9-6 lead. With 5 minutes left in the game, the Eagles would mount the only decent drive by either team on the day. Eagle QB Ryan Tannehill, despite throwing 2 critical int's on the day, would take the Eagles 86 yards on 13 plays and hit little-used WR Mohammed Sanu on 9 yard out pattern with 32 seconds left and the Eagles would hold off the Bills for the 13-9 victory.

San Francisco 0 Atlanta 34                  68 Calm
The 49ers (8-6) traveled to ATL (9-5) in a matchup with big playoff implications as noted by IFL commissioner John Storer earlier this week. In their last matchup in SF, the 49ers were victorious 27-22 against Atlanta.

Some games are just not meant to be....that's why they play the game. Atlanta started off the game with a TD with a key run by Stevenson for 28 yards that setup a Hurts passing TD. SF would get stopped on 4th down and turn the ball over. Atlanta would convery a 4th and 9 to set up a FG to push the lead to 10-0. Hurts would end the 1st quarter with another passing TD to push the lead to 17-0 after 1.

The next quarter the Falcons defense turned into the 85 Bears for a quarter and played better than they ever have. 3 plays into their drive, SF's Mac Jones would fumble and it would be taken to the house by Atlanta. 3 plays into their next drive SF would fumble again leading to Atlanta running the ball in.

After a FG to end the 2nd the score was 34-0 and would stay like that. Falcons got lucky when they needed to, Brendan coached a fine game but the dice didn't roll his way. Falcons pay for the victory with another 4 injuries as the coaching staff is beginning to question the Athletic Trainer's credentials.

Next week Atlanta is at Miami while SF goes to Indy.

Las Vegas 7 Kansas City 30                  26 5-15
Kansas City ran 45 times for 221 yards and held Matthew Stafford to a passing line of 46-19-221-1-1 as the Chiefs won their 6th game in a row.

Chicago 13 Detroit 23                       70 Calm
Lions get a glimpse of what the future may hold as Watson throws three touchdown passes. The Bears are called for holding in their own end zone for a Detroit safety.

New York (A) 17 Indianapolis 27             69 Calm
Colts win their 4th game of the season and their second in a row. Another huge Jamar Chase game and Jets mistakes are what gave the Colts the win.

Seattle 29 Arizona 16                       68 Calm
Seattle beats a beaten up and fatigue Arizona for the second time this season.

Denver 7 New Orleans 18                     70 Calm
The Saints win a defensive battle at home. New Orleans had 11 sacks to lead the charge.

Carolina 6 Los Angeles (N) 29               50 Calm
The Saints win a defensive battle at home. New Orleans had 11 sacks to lead the charge.

Pittsburgh 17 Tampa Bay 31                  79 0-5   Heavy Rain
This was the third game in a row played in the rain for the Bucs. Pitt fought hard and played tough as nails through to the end. Steeler's QB Tom Brady chucked it 61 times, eventually gaining 292 yards and 1 TD. He couldn't match Tampa's QB Derek Carr, who threw for 320 yards on 37 attempts, 3 for TDs. The offensive player of the game was Davante Adams with 9 catches for 112 yards.

New York (N) 21 Dallas 41                   70 Calm
This was the third game in a row played in the rain for the Bucs. Pitt fought hard and played tough as nails through to the end. Steeler's QB Tom Brady chucked it 61 times, eventually gaining 292 yards and 1 TD. He couldn't match Tampa's QB Derek Carr, who threw for 320 yards on 37 attempts, 3 for TDs. The offensive player of the game was Davante Adams with 9 catches for 112 yards.


Rushing Leaders
Harris(LAR)     18-176 1 TD
Gibson(Jax)     24-159 2 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Week
Mitchell(KC)    17-147 2 TD
Jacobs(Det)     29-129
Huntley(Bal)    17-120 1 TD
Mixon(Hou)      28-102

Receiving Leaders
Chase(Ind)      13-263 2 TD
Samuel(Dal)      7-190 1 TD
St. Brown(NYJ) 19-165 1 TD
Cooks(Phi)      10-103

Passing Leaders
Burrow(Ind)     38-21-324   3 TD 3 Int
Prescott(Sea)   40-26-321   1 TD 2 Int
Carr(TB)        37-26-320   3 TD
Herbert(Dal)    39-20-313   3 TD 2 Int
Ryan(Ten)       47-33-263   1 TD 3 Int

Defensive Standouts
Ford(Ind)        1 Int 15 Tk – IFL Defensive Player of the Week
Garrett(NO)      3 Sk 4 Tk
Wormley(NO)      3 Sk 3 Tk

Special Teams
Zuerlein(Min) 4-4 FG
McManus(NO)    4-4 FG – IFL Special Teams Player of the Week

IFL WEEK 15 STANDINGS

IFL WEEK 15 LEAGUE LEADERS

WEEK 14 RECAP

Joe Mixon rushes for 129 yards and two touchdowns as Texans defeat Miami,

Game Scores
Houston 27 Miami 21                         82 Calm Two 3-10 teams meet in Miami on a perfect afternoon, trying to gain some respect and finish the season strong and perhaps build some momentum for next year.

    Despite a valid effort on Miami's part, Miami just couldn't match the firepower of Cousins, Godwin (19.8 avg and a TD), McLaurin, along with Mixon (season high 129 yards rushing and 2 TD's) on the ground. Miami did score with only 12 seconds left in the game to pull within one score but failed to secure the on sides kick.

Next week Houston stays on the road at the Chargers and Miami stays at home to face a powerful Patriot Team.

San Francisco 38 Arizona 17                 81 Calm
SF smothered the Cards.

Chicago 0 Tennessee 26                      46 0-5
Chicago's offense couldn't do squat while its quality defense was on the field for almost 40 minutes. Titans win 26-0. Chicago plays Detroit next in a game with big draft implications. Tennessee visits Jacksonville with an injury ravaged squad.

Minnesota 6 Cincinnati 3                    26 0-10
In a game that saw the visiting Vikings confuse, frustrate, and out-coach the home team, Minnesota did just enough to score three more points.

After a scoreless first quarter, the Vikings put together a 15 play 83 yard drive, capped off by a Greg "The Leg" Zuerlein 20 yard field goal. A Zeke Elliott 18 yard run and a 10 yard pass from Bryce Perkins to Keenan Allen were a couple keys plays in the drive.

The Minnesota defense forced a Bengals punt for the next series. Zuerlein extended the lead with a 51 yard field goal to give Minnesota a 6-0 lead.

Cincinnati had a chance to dent the scoreboard but Fairbarin missed a 49 yarder, wide right early in the third quarter. The Bengals finally scored as Fairbarin connected on a 22 yarder with 14:56 remaining in the game to cut the deficit to 6-3. It was a costly drive however, as Rodgers was knocked out of the game and is questionable for next week.

Elliott rushed for 105 yards on 23 attempts to lead the Vikings offense. Minnesota's Trey Hendrickson collected two of the Minnesota four sacks.

Rashod Bateman caught eight passes for 85 yards for Cincinnati.

Next week the Vikings travel to Green Bay while the Bengals host division rival Baltimore.

Atlanta 20 Dallas 29                        70 Calm
The Dallas Cowboys caught the Atlanta Falcons having to play without its to running back and wide receiver. The result was Dallas able to stop the Falcons’ backup RBs and was able to double team TE Zach Ertz in a game that went down to the wire.

Jamaal Williams led the Dallas offense with his first 100-yard rushing game of the season (22/112) and defensive backs Amani Oruwariye and Taron Johnson each picked off Jalen Hurts passes in the 29-20 upset win. For Oruwariye, it was his ninth interception of the year.

The win was the second in a row for the struggling Dallas franchise (now 5-9). The loss hurt Atlanta’s quest to overtake New Orleans for the lead in the NFC West.

Dallas entered the game with six players injured and sustained injuries to three additional players.

Green Bay 34 Pittsburgh 14                  32 0-5
Green Bay 5-8 comes to Heinz Field to take on the 7-6 Steelers.

The Steelers win the toss and defer a 3 and out by the pack and a long scoring drive by the Steelers seeing rookie Javonte Williams punch it in from the 2 yard line to put the home team up 7-0 and it was a perfect start for the black and gold. But that would be the highlight of the night as the visitors get a 51 yard bomb strike from Big Ben to Rookie Eligah Moore to get them to the 27 then a few plays later Roethlisberger to Van Jefferson from 6 yards out and we are tied at 7. Brady on the 1st play of the next drive is picked by Trevon Diggs and he takes it to the house from 36 yards out and the pack are up 14-7 with 5 minutes to go in the first. .

The teams would trade punts and S Anthony Harris would pick off Roethlisberger but nothing lead to points for the Steelers who owned field position pinning the packers inside the 15 and inside the 5 on several occasions but would get to the fringe of at least FG range and either a penalty or a sack would force a punt. With 8 minutes left in the half Roethlisberger would connect with Van Jefferson for a 2nd time from 18 yards out to extend the lead the big play in the drive was a 41 yard connection to AJ Green. Once again the Steelers forced to and Dickerson pins the Pack at their own 1 yard line. Coach Connors dials up a long slant to Jalen Guyton and it works as the D was keying Dalvin Cook 99 yards to the house 28-7.

GB would get two FG and the Steelers a meaningless TD the rest of the way for the final tally of 34-14. Big Ben finished 17-19 for 319 yards 3TD 1 pick. Both teams were rocked with injuries throughout the game

The Steelers travel to Tampa Bay next week and the Packers host division rivals Vikings

Los Angeles (A) 3 Indianapolis 35           69 Calm
Colts quarterback Joe Burrow tosses four touchdown passes as Indy cruses to the win.

Baltimore 33 Tampa Bay 24                   71 0-10 Rain
In a week 14 matchup, the Baltimore Ravens traveled to the Sunshine State to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The setting was sunshine in name only as there was consistent precipitation throughout the game.
Tampa, in control of their division and shooting for the number one NFC seed with their 12 and 1 record, is made a large early week favorite by the gambling houses. In a surprise Tuesday morning move, Raven coach Lawrence Green named Tyler Huntley as his starting QB over Baker Mayfield. The announcement causes the line to jump three more points in Tampa’s favor. During the week of practices, observers couldn’t help but to notice how enthusiastically Baltimore’s players rallied around their more personable first-time starter and the perceived disrespect paid to them by the NFL gambling community.
After Tampa forces a Raven first possession punt, the Baltimore defense produces the first big play of the game when, on Tampa’s first play from scrimmage, Raven defensive lineman Justin Madubuike strip sacks Buc QB Derek Carr at his own 5-yard line. Two plays later, the aforementioned Tyler Huntley scrambles in for a TD and a quick 7 - 0 Raven lead. As the cameras panned their way, the entire Baltimore active roster and their coaches are seen jumping around their sideline like popcorn in a hot pot.
After the early dramatics, the weather took over the game as evidenced by 3 turnovers in the next 5 possessions. Eventually, the Ravens paid a price after Tampa’s Kyle Van Noy forces a Baltimore running back Mike Boone fumble and Buccaneer safety Julian Blackmon jumps on it at Baltimore’s 13-yard line. After an inadvertent whistle canceled and apparent touchdown to Tampa’s Devante Adams, Carr finds Tyler Lockett streaking over the middle to tie the game at 7.
Baltimore’s Huntley, supported by his highly rated offensive line, and taking advantage of a depleted Tampa Bay secondary, leads his team to the next 10 points scored in the game. On drives of 9 and 14 plays, coach Green calls a masterful game blowing holes in the Buccaneer sails with a strong running game, which in turn brought about effective play action passing. The teams head to their locker rooms with Baltimore ahead 17 - 7.
The hometown faithful gets reenergized when on the opening drive of the second half, Tampa is able to cut the lead to 3 points at 17 -14. Then they get thunderous when Tampa safety Julian Love picks off Huntley, setting up the Buccaneers at the Baltimore 36-yard line. Surely, we are about to run our blades through these scalawags and pay for our rum with their gold! Alas matey, a Buc Hunter Henry holding penalty, and a Raven linebacker Matt Judon sack kill the drive. Those present could feel the winds get sucked out of their schooner’s sails.
The Ravens get a foot on Tampa’s throat when once again they execute a beautifully long drive, this time 11 plays, to go ahead 24 – 14 late in the third quarter. The TV announcers drone on-and-on about how coach Green is out coaching Tampa’s Chase at almost every opportunity. When Tampa plays straight up D, the Raven running backs get consistently good result. Play the run, and watch the ball go your over your head for chunk plays even though the lightly regarded Tyler Huntley is doing the passing.
The Buccaneers get within one score twice in the fourth quarter, but the Raven offense answers each challenge by adding more points to their side of the scoreboard. The final was 33 to 24.
The two teams running games proved to be the difference makers. Baltimore ran it 34 times for 140 yards. Tampa Bay 14 times for a paltry 16 yards.
Next week Tampa Bay hosts the Pittsburgh Steelers while Baltimore stays on the road at Cincinnati.

Jacksonville 30 Detroit 13                  70 Calm
Josh Allen throws three touchdown passes as the Jags stay in the playoff hunt.

Kansas City 33 Buffalo 28                   28 5-15
Josh Fields won this game with his legs and arm as he threw 2 TD passes and ran in another while gaining 96 yards on 8 carries while throwing for 258 yards as the Chiefs win it 33-28 to move to 8-6 while the Bills fall to 5-9.

Denver 31 New York (A) 23                   38 5-15
Denver comes into New York, and puts on an offensive performance to get the road win.

Trubisky was 20-29 for 255 yards. Ekeler an 22 times for 100 yards...

Denver wins 31-23 by scoring the last 10 points of the game.

Next week Denver travels to New Orleans, while the Jets fly to Indianapolis.

Carolina 6 Philadelphia 27                  53 0-10 Rain
The Panthers invaded Philly to take on the Eagles with backup QB Mike Glennon at the helm. That is all you need to know about the outcome of the game as the Philly defense would shut down Glennon and company to take a 27-6 victory. The game was ugly by both teams early on as a Panther FG was all that could be mustered in the 1st quarter. However, in the 2nd quarter, the Eagle offense would come alive under the leadership of QB Ryan Tannehill. Tannehill would hit WR Tim Patrick and TE Geoff Swaim in back to back possessions to put the Eagles up 14-3. That would be followed by RB Joshua Kelly's 2 yard TD run to extend the lead to 21-3 at halftime. The 2 teams would trade FG's in the 2nd half to complete the scoring.

Los Angeles (N) 16 New York (N) 20          51 0-5
The Rams traveled to Metlife Stadium to take on the Giants Sunday night.

The Giants got the ball first and drove the field in 5 minutes ending in a 3 yard touchdown run by Chris Carson. That would be the only scoring in the 1st quarter as the next 5 drives resulted in : LAR punt, NYG INT (1 of 4 turnovers committed by the home team in this game), LAR turnover on down, NYG punt, and then a LAR field goal attempt that would be blocked. 7-0 Giants after 1.

With the ball going into the 2nd quarter, the Giants would try to drive the field and make it a 14-0 game but the Rams defense had other plans as they would sack Carson Wentz and force a fumble which would be taken the distance to tie the ball game at 7. The Giants next possession didnt go anywhere as they turned the ball over on downs after 5 plays. The Rams however gain 24 yards and kick a field goal to give them a 10-7 lead midway through the 2nd quarter. The Giants offense gained some steam as on their next possession they drive the field but stall at the Rams 17 yard line and bring out Santos to kick a game tying field goal. Santos had other plans though and misses the kick wide right. Leaving only 33 seconds on the clock, the Rams run one time and take the game to the half. 10-7 Rams at halftime.

Rams get the ball to begin the second half but nothing would get going and they punt it away to the Giants. Starting at their own 5, the Giants hoped to finally get their offense going and get some points on the board but yet again there was a change of plans as Brieda would gain 10 yards on a run but fumble at the end of it turning the ball over again to the Rams. With the Rams getting the ball at the Giants 24 yard line, they run a few plays and settle for a field goal as the Giants defense remains strong not allowing anything from the Rams offense. Rams kick a field goal and extend their lead to 13-7 midway through the 3rd Quarter. This is where the Giants offense finally decided to do something as they methodically drive the ball down the field and Wentz throws a 10 yard TD to fullback Smith. The Giants take the lead 14-13 with 2:06 left in the 3rd Quarter. The Rams get the ball but on the first play of the drive, Trevor Lawrence throws an INT and the Giants take over on the 30 yard line. The Giants would run the ball 4 straight times, ending the 3rd Quarter but ultimately settling for a field goal. 17-13 Giants.

The Rams could get nothing going on their first drive of the 4th quarter and punt it away. The Giants drive down the field but get stalled and have to settle for yet another field goal. 20-16 Giants. Nothing happens on the next few possessons except a turnover on downs, and a few punts.

Las Vegas 28 New England 44                 33 5-15
The 12-1 Patriots hosted the 11-2 Raiders in a late season clash of two of the top teams in the IFL. Things started a bit rocky for the visitors, who after an unsuccessful initial drive, suffered a poor snap on a punt attempt by long snapper Luke Rhodes - resulting in first and ten for New England at the Raider 23 yard line. The Vegas defense held however, resulting in a Justin Tucker field goal.  3-0 New England

Matthew Stafford led the visitors on an impressive drive, with the Raider QB completing 6 of 7 pass attempts to 4 different receivers. The drive culminated with a 10 yard Stafford to Cedrick Wilson TD, and the Raiders led 7-3.

New England responded with their own impressive 8 play TD drive, with 7 rushing attempts including Lamar Jackson for 12, 10 and then a 14 yard TD scramble.  New England 10 Raiders 7

More back and forth, as Stafford continued to shred the Patriot defense, completing 4 of 5 passes including a long 29 yard TD to DJ Moore.
Las Vegas 14 New England 10

With under 12 minutes in the first half, Lamar Jackson took to the air, finding Tyreek Hill for gains of 8 and 18 yards on consecutive plays. A 15 yard Jonathan Taylor rush moved the chains again, and then later on a 3rd and 9 and Vegas doubling both Hill and Cooper Kupp, Jackson found Marquez Callaway for a 23 yard TD.  Patriots 17 Raiders 14

A holding penalty by Joe Bitonio set Vegas back on their next drive, forcing a punt. New England took over at their own 45 with 8 minutes to play in the half. A 14 yard Jackson run put the Patriots in field goal territory, leading to a 50 yard Tucker FG.  Patriots 20 Raiders 14

A big 3rd down completion to Cedrick Wilson gained 14 yards and kept Vegas moving, with 5:46 to play. Stafford would then start peppering Travis Kelce - two completions for 10 yards were mixed in with nice runs by Alvin Kamara (7 and 16 yards). Finally, inside 90 seconds, Stafford found Kelce for the 11 yard TD!  Vegas 21 Patriots 20

With just over a minute to play, Lamar Jackson looked to get New England the lead heading to the locker room. After a 6 yard Taylor run, Jackson found Hill for 11 yards and out of bounds, stopping the clock. From the 50 yard line, Jackson then hit his tight end Mike Gesicki for 34 yards down to the 16 yard line. Ultimately, Tucker would come on for a 28 yard field goal. At the half, New England 23 Raiders 21

A 69 yard kick return by Isaiah Rodgers set New England up at the Vegas 22 yard line. On the very next play, Jackson found Kupp for the 22 yard TD.
New England 30 Vegas 21

A 10 yard Kamara run got Vegas off and running on their first drive of the half, but a pair of incompletions to Travis Kelce resulted in a Vegas punt.

NE proceeded to put together an 11 play drive spanning over six minutes of game clock. Lamar went 5 for 5 passing on the drive, including an 11 yard TD to Tyreek Hill.  New England 37 Vegas 21

Raiders would not lie down however, as Stafford engineered his own 7 play drive, capped by a long 48 yard TD to Travis Kelce.
New England 37 Vegas 28 heading to the 4th quarter............

Patriots answered once again, as their offense was in high gear now. Jonathan Taylor took center stage with rushes of 4, 7, 28, 9 and 6 yards. Kareem Hunt capped the drive with a 2 yard TD, which would be the final scoring in the game.

New England 44 Vegas 28

Well coached game Mr. Jackson, as his Raiders put up quite a battle despite being short handed with a few key injuries on defense. Lamar Jackson would toss 3 TD passes and run for another to lead the NE offense. Kelce caught 10 for 132 and 2 TDs in a losing effort.

Raiders travel to KC next week while NE visits Miami.

New Orleans 14 Seattle 31                   36 Calm
Seattle players are out buying lotto scratch off tickets as they could do no wrong. New Orleans on the other hand should probably shouldn’t risk getting on the flight home.

Rushing Leaders
Taylor(NE)      22-143
Mixon(Hou)      20-129 2 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Week
Williams,J(Dal) 22-112
Cook(GB)        27-108
Elliott(Min)    23-105
Ekeler(Den)     22-100 1 TD

Receiving Leaders
Boyd(SF)         6-194 2 TD
Chase(Ind)      13-178 2 TD
Andrews(Bal)    13-167
Kelce(LV)       10-132 2 TD
St. Brown(NYJ) 10-117 1 TD
Woods(Mia)      10- 63 1 TD

Passing Leaders
Jones,M(SF)     28-23-398   4 TD
Roethlisbe(GB) 19-17-319   3 TD 1 Int
Carr(TB)        43-27-315   3 TD 1 Int
Stafford(LV)    40-25-288   4 TD
Burrow(Ind)     27-24-280   4 TD 1 Int
Goff(Mia)       42-31-197   2 TD 1 Int

Defensive Standouts
Okereke(Ari)     15 Tk
Moseley(Ind)     2 Int 7 Tk – IFL Defensive Player of the Week

Special Teams
Gonzalez(Ten) 4-4 FG
Ammendola(Dal) 5-5 FG – IFL Special Teams Player of the Week
Patterson(TB) 5-153 Kick Ret
Koo(KC)        4-4 FG
Berrios(NYJ)   4-166 Kick Ret 3-7 Punt Ret
Rodgers(NE)    4-151 Kick Ret

IFL WEEK 14 STANDINGS

IFL WEEK 14 LEAGUE LEADERS

WEEK 13 RECAP

Chief's kicker Younghoo Koo five field goals help Kansas City defeat the Saints.

Game Scores
Kansas City 22 New Orleans 16               70 Calm
Kansas City comes into New Orleans and wins a big game as they are fighting for a playoff spot. Big defensive game here that honestly can be summed up on 2 plays in which the Saints punt team blew it. The Chiefs returned one punt for a TD and a bad snap on another punt in Saints territory would set up the go ahead FG. Really no offensive stats worth noting as both D's played tough all day.

Miami 21 Baltimore 37                       45 5-15
This was one of those games where the score is very deceptive. This was a tough game that could have gone either way.

Miami scored on their 1st possession on a 31yd TD pass from Goff to Hardman. Baltimore marched down to the Miami 10 and were held to a FG. (7-3 Miami)

MIami took the ball down to the Baltimore 9 and had their FG blocked.
Miami later went up 14-3 on a 14yd TD pass from Goff to Woods. (14-3 Miami)

Baltimore brought the game to 14-10 on a 15yd TD pass from Mayfield to Moreau. (14-10 Miami)
Baltimore went ahead 17-14 on a 30yd TD pass from Mayfield to Wesley (17-14 Baltimore)

Miami let the 1:13 run out and Baltimore took a 17-14 lead into halftime.

Baltimore scored on their 1st possession of the 3rd quarter on a 9yd run by JaQuan Hardy. (24-14 Baltimore)
Miami tightened the game on a 2nd Goff to Woods TD pass, this time for 10yds. (24-21 Baltimore)

Baltimore fumbled the ensuing kickoff and gave Miami possession on the Baltimore 25, but, Miami missed a 2nd short FG.

Baltimore lengthened its lead with a 62-yd TD pass from Mayfield to Peoples-Jones. (31-21 Baltimore)

Final score: Baltimore 37 Miami 21.

It was one of those games where you feel like you are being out-coached,but, still win.

Thanks, Tony!

Next week, Baltimore Vs Tampa Bay (ruh-roh)

Buffalo 7 Cincinnati 19                     37 20-30
On another windy Cincinnati afternoon Bills mafia invaded the Jungle. After forcing a quick Bengals three and out Buffalo went on a 15 play 80 yard drive with Kyler Murray connecting with Stephen Anderson for the 13 yard score and a 7-0 Bills lead.

A 22 yard Ka'imi Fairbairn field goal cut the lead to 7-3 with about 14:00 minutes remaining in the half. After the Bills turned the ball over on downs, the teams exchanged punts. Cincinnati finally took the lead just after the two minute warning as Aaron Rodgers found his favorite target Diontae Johnson for the 21 yard scoring strike and a 10-7 lead into the half.

It looked like the Bengals would increase their lead after Jalen Ramsey recovered a fumble at the Buffalo 27. But Leighton Vander Esch intercepted a Rodgers pass in the end zone as the Bills dodged the bullet.

Buffalo once again gambled on fourth down and once again the Bengals defense was up to the challenge. After a Bills sack by Rakeem Nunez-Roches, Rodgers connected on four of five passes capped off by a 10 yard score to Gerald "Don't call me Chris" Everett. Fairbairn missed the point after and the score stood at 16-7 Bengals with about a minute and a half remaining in the third quarter.

Fairbairn would add another field goal for the 19-7 Bengals win.

Murray finished 17 of 25 for 122 yards and a TD to lead the Buffalo offense. Rodgers went 22 of 41 for 245 yards with two TDs and an int for Cincinnati.

Next week the Bills host Kansas City as both teams fight for their playoff lives. Minnesota visits the Bengals.

Arizona 10 Tampa Bay 44                     70 Calm Rain
What on paper looked like to tough game for Tampa was not because Arizona only had 3 heathy non-practice squad level defense backs. In addition, RB Saquon Barkley went down in the first quarter and was out for the rest of the game. Arizona's QB Mahomes had few options and faced 6 DBs most of the game. Tampa's Derek Carr threw for 346 yards and 4 TDs. Davante Adams caught 7 balls for 166 yards.

Next week a still beat up Cardinal teams hosts the 49ers while Tampa welcomes the Ravens.

San Francisco 24 Los Angeles (A) 7          75 Calm
49ers rookie quarterback Mac Jones throws three first half touchdown passes as San Francisco downs the Chargers.

Dallas 21 Minnesota 12                      68 Calm
Minnesota gets out to an early lead and can't hold on.

Houston 9 Atlanta 21                        68 Calm
9 point underdogs Houston rolled into town to face the very banged up Falcons looking to rebound from last week's loss.

Initially, luck didn't seem to favor the home team as Atlanta had 8 penalties in this one vs only 1 for the well coached Texans. Also, the injury bug bit again as the Falcons limp towards the end of the season. Kadarius Toney was hurt in the 1st quarter and is done for the year (7 weeks) also TJ Watt was hurt again as well.

Injuries bit for the Texans as well as the lost Joe Mixon after the initial drive where the Texans led 3-0 after 1.

The second quarter was more of the same with Atlanta finally getting on the board with 3 minutes to go with a Ertz TD catch (ATL 7, Hou 3)

The only score of the 3rd was another pass this time to Tommy Tremble for the Falcons (14-3) ATL. Houston would only be able to get FGs the rest of the way, while throwing picks that allowed Boston Scott to please fantasy owners by running in his 12th TD of the year.

ATL 21 Hou 9

Houston travels to Miami next week while Atlanta keeps fighting for the playoffs taking on a talented and dangerous Dallas team in Big D.

Philadelphia 19 Green Bay 13                28 0-10
In a game fit for Amazon Thursday Night Football the Eagles come into Green Bay and beat the Packers 19-13

Not much to see here between two rebuilding teams

Philly runs the ball well (36 for188) and that seemed to be the difference.

New York (A) 13 Jacksonville 20             76 10-20
As both coaches agreed, an ugly, ugly game. To think that the average IFL ticket is in the $300+ range......not good.

That being said if you like running-backs, this game was for you. Both Gibson (26 carries 143 yards, 1 TD) and the Jets Gordan both played well ( 24 carries 114 yards) but other than there was little to recommend.

Jags win ugly -20 -13 over a determined Jets team.

The Jags go to 7-6 while the Jets fall to 4-9.

Bob coached a great game, it was ugly but........

New England 33 Tennessee 7                  42 5-15
New England pounds the Titans behind the Taylor/Jackson/Hunt rushing machine.

New York (N) 27 Chicago 9                   22 0-5
The Giants get the win in this one as their defense steps up and sacks Chicago’s QB 11 times while also getting an INT. Wentz throws for only 161 yards in the game but has a touchdown pass and Tevin Coleman runs in for 2 scores. Giants win 27-9.

Next week:

Giants host the Rams

Bears visit the Titans

Indianapolis 10 Pittsburgh 30               30 0-5
Pittsburgh wins this one at home 30-10 . The Steelers would defer after winning the toss but still hold the ball for over 11 minutes in the first quarter and lead 10-0 after one as the Colts struggled to move the ball .

The Colts moved the ball much better in the 2nd as Pittsburgh's offense slowed down a bit which lead to a Colts FG . On their next possession a Swift catch and Fumble turned into 7 points for the home team as Safety Anthony Harris got a Lateral from Rookie LB Jamin Davis and took it to the house from 35 yards out 17-3. The Colts would answer as Burrow tosses a 1 yard TD to make it 17-10. Steelers get a FG and its 20-10 at the half.

Pittsburgh gets the ball to open the second half and goes on a 14 play drive that takes almost 8 minutes off the clock and get a FG 23-10. After a Colts punt they take the next drive 10 plays 96 yards and chew up over 4 minutes and punch it in as rookie Javonte Williams runs it in from 5 yards out .

That was all for the scoring as teams traded punts the rest of the game. Pittsburgh ran the ball 39 times for 192 yards and controlled the ball for over 36 minutes. Both teams had a long list of injured players out for this one Colts were missing 9 players the Steelers 8. Both teams added to the list losing 2 more players in this one .

The Colts are at home to take on the LA Chargers next week while the Steelers welcome GB to Heinz Field.

Carolina 14 Las Vegas 27                    56 0-5
Raiders defeat Carolina 27-14 behind D'Onta Foreman's strong rushing game and early success from QB Matthew Stafford

Seattle 27 Detroit 10                       70 Calm
Seattle escapes with a win over 1-11 Detroit. The score was much much closer than the final indicates as 10 points came in the last minute of the game.

Los Angeles (N) 13 Denver 25                47 0-5
simmed

Rushing Leaders
Gibson(Jax)     26-143 1 TD
Ekeler(Den)     25-141 2 TD
Foreman(LV)     21-133
Taylor(NE)      22-130 2 TD
Harris(Mia)     20-118
Gordon(NYJ)     24-113
Williams,J(Dal) 18-112

Receiving Leaders
Adams(TB)        7-166 2 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Week
Diggs(SF)       11- 97
Westbrook-(Dal) 7- 87 3 TD

Passing Leaders
Carr(TB)        25-18-346   4 TD 1 Int

Defensive Standouts
Golden(Dal)      3 Sk 6 Tk – IFL Defensive Player of the Week
Mack,K(LAR)      3 Sk 9 Tk

Special Teams
Rogers(KC)     3-52 Kick Ret 4-102 Punt Ret 1 TD – IFL Special Teams Player of the Week
Koo(KC)        5-5 FG
Butker(Phi)    4-4 FG
Tucker(NE)     4-4 FG

WEEK 13 IFL STANDINGS

WEEK 13 IFL LEAGUE LEADERS

WEEK 12 RECAP

Amari Cooper's two TDs helped the Jags defeat previously unbeaten Tampa Bay.

Game Scores
Tampa Bay 28 Jacksonville 42                71 0-10
The Battle of Florida

The Bucs came to Jacksonville looking to go 12-0 for the year while the Jags were looking to avoid being embarrassed for the second week and a row. Apparently, the drubbing the Jags suffered in week 11 lit a fire in their offense for the first time this year.

The Jags raced out to a 14-0 first quarter lead behind the arm of Josh Allen and legs of Amari Cooper. The Buc offense found their stride in the second quarter, but their defense was still troubled by the resurgent Jags O. The Bucs began to move the but couldn't stop the Jacksonville O. Jags led 28-14 at the half.

The third quarter saw the Jags increase their lead to 42-14 following two picks by the Jag defense. The fourth quarter saw the Bucs make a game of it but the Jags lead was too much to overcome.

Final Score, Jacksonville- 42 Tampa Bay- 28

Josh Allen (392 yards 2TD's, 1 TD rushing), Amari Cooper (8 catches 156 yards 2 TD) and DK Metcalfe (5 catches for 125 yards) lead the Jags offense to victory.

Derek Carr struggled early but had over 300 yard in the second half alone finishing with 421 yards, 4TD's and 2 Ints. Marquis Brown had a nice game with 111 yards and 2TD's.

Denver 9 Kansas City 24                     30 5-15
Justin Fields went 22-16-178 with 2 TD's and the Chiefs sacked Denver QB Mitchell Trubisky 5 times as KC defeated the Broncos 24-9.

Cincinnati 22 Tennessee 7                   47 0-10
Leading 3-0 thanks to a Matthew Wright 51 yard field goal. The Bengals added 16 second quarter points as rookie running back Michael Carter caught an 11 yard touchdown pass and then rushed for an 18 yard score. Another Wright field goal made it 19-0 at the half.

Cincinnati would add another Wright field goal before the Titans would close out the scoring with a fourth quarter Lat Murray nine yard run for the 22-7 final.

Carter rushed for 86 yards on 15 attempts with a score to lead the Bengals offense. The Cincinnati defense stepped up to rebuff three Tennessee attempts on fourth down.

Matt Ryan finished 22 of 44 for 253 yards and an interception. Tennessee lost DeAndre Hopkins mid-game to put a dent in their passing attack. Brandon Aiyuk caught five passes for 83 yards.

The Bengals return home in week 13 to face Buffalo while the Titans host New England.

Dallas 16 New York (N) 27                   60 0-10
The Giants win this one at home 27-16 to advance to 8-4. Wentz throws for 277 yards and 2 touchdowns and the Giants as a team run for 117 yards. Robert Quinn gets another sack to increase his league lead to 15.

Herbert for the Cowboys also throws for 277 yards and 1 TD.

Next week:

Giants visit the Bears

Cowboys visit the Vikings

New Orleans 26 Houston 20                   70 Calm
The Saints go into Houston and hold on for a tight win against the Texans. Taylor Heinicke throws for 239 yards and 1 TD for the Saints. Kirk Cousins throws for 214 yards and 2 TDs for Houston. The Saints move to 10-2 and stay in the division lead in a tough NFC West and the Texans fall to 3-9.

Detroit 21 Chicago 24                       31 15-25
Tony Pollard rushes for 91 yards and catches a touchdown pass as Bears hold off Lions.

Green Bay 23 Minnesota 13                   68 Calm
The Vikings were up early 10-0 but it was all downhill after that.

Miami 16 New York (A) 22                    38 Calm
The Jets hit a 37 yard TD pass on the last play of OT to get the win.

Jimmy G to Marvin Jones...

Atlanta 22 San Francisco 27                 58 15-25
49ers score 10 unanswered fourth quarter points to rally and upset Atlanta.

Buffalo 24 Indianapolis 17                  69 Calm
Close game by score but actually dominated by Buffalo as they score a late TD to go ahead and win 24-17. It was only mistakes by the Bills and a couple of big plays by the Colts that kept the game close, otherwise it was one sided. Example: TOP was dominated by the BIlls over the Colts by more than 20 minuets.
But, at least unlike last season, the Colts are losing in somewhat competitive games, even winning a couple, as opposed to 2021 where they were totally overmatched every game.

Pittsburgh 44 Baltimore 28                  45 0-10
Tom Brady throw five touchdown passes to keep Steelers alive in the wild card hunt.

Los Angeles (N) 9 Carolina 16               74 0-5
he loss of Daniel Jones and Damien Harris to injuries allowed the Panthers to pull out the victory against the Rams.

The first half was a battle of field goals with the Rams hitting 3 and the Panthers getting one as the Rams took the lead into the half 9 to 3.

Carolina scores a TD late in the third on a 9 yard scramble by Wilson to go up 10-9. Carolina added two more field goals in the fourth, with the last one with 50 seconds left in the game, to go up by the final score.

Rams 9
Carolina 16

Neither team was able to muster much offense, and if not for the in-game injuries by the Rams, the outcome may have been different.

Wilson passed for 248 yards for the Panthers.

Sanders rushed for 74 yards for the Rams.

Arizona 18 Seattle 31                       44 0-5
In the battle of the birds Seattle stays undefeated taking down the Division rival Cardinals 31-18.

Philadelphia 14 New England 34              33 20-30
In a rematch of last year's Super Bowl, the Eagles came to Foxboro looking for some revenge against the 10-1 Patriots. Last year's NE team didn't have running back Jonathan Taylor, and JT wasted little time introducing himself to the Eagle defense, with runs of 12 and 9 yards on NE's initial drive. An Ioannidis sack ruined things and forced a Patriot punt however. After an Eagle three and out, Taylor came right back and (even with a Philly D keying on him) broke loose for a 79 yard TD run.

Philly responded quite nicely, thanks in part to a 35 yard kick return. Ryan Tannehill completed 4 of 4 passes, including connections of 10 and 13 yards to Brandin Cooks. Anthony McFarland ran it in from 9 yards out, and the game was tied at 7-7 heading to the 2nd quarter.

A Justin Tucker 44 yard field goal put NE up 10-7, and later in the quarter, Taylor would break loose for a 15 yard TD to make it 17-7 heading to halftime.

Lamar Jackson hit Cooper Kupp for a 22 yard TD pass early in the 3rd quarter, but JC Jackson would pick Lamar off a few minutes later to cut the Patriot lead to 24-14.

Jackson went right back to Kupp (6-156-1), finding him for a 48 yard pass play, setting up a third Jonathan Taylor TD to put NE up 31-14. Patriots would go on to win this one 34-14.

Jonathan Taylor was a one man wrecking crew, rushing for 191 yards on 19 carries and 3 TDs. Lamar Jackson was mediocre, tossing two picks (both to JC Jackson) along with a TD, but with Taylor tearing off chunk yardage most of the day, Lamar didn't need to do much.

Eagles won the turnover battle (2-1) and were flagged only 4 times to NE's 7, but it was a rough day for Tannehill and the Eagles offense, as they were held to 128 net yards all day.

Los Angeles (A) 10 Las Vegas 33             71 0-5
Raiders jump out to a 17-0 lead at the half and cruise to the win.

Rushing Leaders
Taylor(NE)      19-191 3 TD
Harris(Mia)     20-121
Foreman(LV)     18-114

Receiving Leaders
Chase(Ind)      11-197 1 TD
Kelce(LV)        6-170 3 TD
Kupp(NE)         6-156 1 TD
Cooper(Jax)      8-156 2 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Week
Jones,M(NYJ)    10-120 1 TD
Waddle(NYG)     10-116 2 TD

Passing Leaders
Carr(TB)        53-26-421   4 TD 2 Int
Allen(Jax)      41-28-392   2 TD
Brady(Pit)      35-25-370   5 TD 1 Int
Mayfield(Bal)   53-33-363   2 TD 2 Int
Stafford(LV)    29-19-310   4 TD
Watson(Det)     43-24-307   3 TD 3 Int

Defensive Standouts
Reddick(Dal)     3 Sk 6 Tk
Lynch,B(Det)     2 Int 7 Tk
Diggs(GB)        2 Int 6 Tk – IFL Defensive Player of the Week
Jackson,J(Phi)   2 Int 3 Tk

Special Teams
McManus(NO)    4-4 FG – IFL Special Teams Player of the Week
Folk(Atl)      5-5 FG
Carter(Bal)    7-170 Kick Ret 1-6 Punt Ret

WEEK 12 IFL STANDINGS

WEEK 12 IFL LEAGUE LEADERS

WEEK 11 RECAP

Rams score 24 third quarter points and starve off a Vegas rally.

Game Scores
Las Vegas 22 Los Angeles (N) 24             59 Calm
Rams and Raiders met in Los Angeles Saturday. The fans did not know what to expect the Rams lost their last 3 games at home, but recently returned from a 3 game win streak on the road. This one looked headed for another L early. The Raiders jumped all over the Rams in the first half getting out to a 10-0 lead. The Rams were given a glimmer of hope before the half when the Raiders kicker missed a FG. Up to this point the Rams were barely able to convert a third down, but a great kickoff return for the Rams to start the 2nd half jump started the offense. The Rams would score all 24 points in the third quarter. Daniel Jones' prayers to Ceedee Lamb were regularly answered as they would connect for 5 big plays in the quarter. A turnover on downs by the Raiders and an Int gave the Rams extra possessions in the quarter to account for all of the points. But once the clock turned to the 4th quarter the Rams went into a shell and Stafford put the Raiders on his back. Down 24-10 Stafford would convert a 4th and 18 and then on the next play connect with KJ Osborn for a 17 yard TD. Kicking woes again struck the Raiders as they miss the XP. On the next Raiders possession Stafford again made short work of the Rams finding Osborn this time a 58 yard TD pass. But the Rams deny the Raiders two point attempt. On the Raiders had two more possessions, the first, faced with a 4th 3 from the Rams 41 Stafford completed a 3 yard pass to Osborn, but he was stopped short of the line to gain. The Raiders last possession faced with a 4th and 21 the Rams relaxed and Stafford again converted, 1st 10 from the Raiders 42, 1:14 left. The Raiders did not manage much on the first two downs then a catastrophic fumbled snap pushed the Raiders back to 4th 11. Stafford tried one more deep pass but it fell harmlessly to the ground and the Rams hold on.

The Raiders offense racked up impressive numbers managing 200 yards on the ground and 350 through the air. Kicking woes and lack of conversions on 3rd and 4th down ultimately doomed the Raiders, 5-17 on 3rd and 3-6 on 4th.

Ceedee Lamb starred for the Rams offense catching 8 targets for 149 yards and a TD.

Next week the Rams travel to Carolina while the Raiders host the other Los Angeles team.

Chicago 10 Dallas 29                        70 Calm
Only 17, 284 fans showed up to see the 2-8 Dallas Cowboys host the 1-9 Chicago Bears. Those who stayed home made good decisions as both teams played lousy football. Each team had two turnovers and there were seven combined sacks in the game.

Dallas’ Justin Hebert had one of his best games of the year, completing 17 of 25 passes and “only” throwing one interception (Believe it or not, that 79.3 QB Rating thrilled the coaching staff).

Dallas’ defense held Chicago to 11 first downs, 2/15 on third downs, recorded four sacks and two interceptions and even registered a safety in a 29-10 Dallas triumph.

Chicago’s exceptional RB Tony Pollard found no room to run, managing only 30 yards rushing in 15 carries.

Chicago had a rough day. They had four players injured during the game, including three for multiple games. Furthermore, Pollard had a KR for a TD called back on a holding call.


New Orleans 19 Los Angeles (A) 10           72 Calm
Brandon McManus converts four field goals to help the Saints survive at the Chargers.

Tennessee 30 Miami 15                       78 Calm
The Dolphins dominate the statistics including the one that reads turnovers and give the Titans the win in Miami.

Baltimore 28 Indianapolis 7                 69 Calm
After inheriting the 0-4 Baltimore Ravens, new coach, Lawrence Green has won 6 of 7, bringing the Ravens to a 6-5 record, solidly in the Wild Card hunt.

The Colts scored first on their 2nd possession, marching 59 yards on 8 plays, with Burrow connecting with Zylstra on a 9-yd TD pass. Baltimore tied it up on their next possession, going 59 yards on 5 plays, with a 15-YD TD pass to TE Mark Andrews.

The turning point of the game was a 79-yd punt return by D'Andre Carter that put the ball on the Colts 1 yard, followed by an easy Leveon Bell TD, 14-7 Baltimore. Later in the 2nd quarter, Baltimore went 81 yards in 9 plays with an 8-YD TD pass from Mayfield to Carter, 21-7 Baltimore at Half time.

The next turning poing of the game occurred on Baltimore's opening drive of the 3rd quarter. Baltimore ran 19 plays for 84 yards, burning 11:01 minutes off the clock and scoring on a Bell 4-YD TD run. So, Baltimore up 28-7 with the 4th quarter approaching. Both teams went into slowdown mode and the game ended 28-7 Baltimore.

Carolina 17 Kansas City 21                  39 5-15
Kansas City ran for 209 yards and 3 touchdowns as the Chiefs defeated visiting Carolina 21-17.

New York (A) 10 Cincinnati 23               36 15-25
The J-E-T-S visited Cincinnati on a windy afternoon. Bengals coaches viewed this as a very important game despite inactivating first round receiver Rashod Bateman. Cincinnati believes if they can get to 11 wins that that will be enough to capture the AFC Central. They viewed New York as a dangerous opponent. Jimmy G is a competent quarterback and he has some weapons. Plus Jet Bob is a very good coach.

After an exchange of punts the Jets were able to march 53 yards on ten plays with Dustin Hopkins converting a 27 yard field goal for the early 3-0 lead in the first quarter.

The Bengals managed to pick up a first down but were forced to punt on their next drive and Braxton Berrios returned it 95 yards to the house and all of a sudden it was 10-0 New York!

With the wind at their back, the Bengals finally got something going early in the second quarter. Aaron Rodgers capped off a ten play 75 yard drive with a 14 yard pass to Diontae Johnson to cut the New York lead to 10-7.

Just like Cincinnati, the Jets offense struggled going into the wind. The Bengals were able to take advantage as Rodgers hooked up with Johnson again on a 75 yard touchdown to give Cincinnati a 14-10 lead with about five minutes remaining until the half.

Cincinnati was able to add three field goals in the second half and the Bengals "D" did not allow another score after the first quarter for the 23-10 win.

Jimmy G went 20 for 32 for 163 yards and a pick. Former IFL Bengal Melvin Gordon rushed for 92 yards on 22 attempts.

Rodgers finished 22 of 37 for 271 yards and two touchdowns. Johnson caught nine of those passes for 152 yards and two scores. Jalen Ramsey had an interception and Dante Fowler Jr. a sack to lead the defense.

Next week the Jets host Miami while the Bengals have a key division game at Tennessee.

San Francisco 27 Houston 10                 70 Calm
Devin Singletary rushes for three touchdowns as the 49ers get by Houston.

Jacksonville 6 New England 35               44 10-20
Jaguars take the opening kick and on their first play RB Antonio Gibson rips off a 9 yard run - also partially ripping his groin - and is lost for the game.

A key play in the game happened early in the 2nd quarter with NE up 7-0. Jacksonville's Ndamukong Suh had Lamar dead-to-rights, forcing a bad throw which was picked off by fellow DL John Franklin Myers setting up the Jags inside Patriot territory. But unfortunately for the Jags..............Suh was flagged for unnecessary roughness on Jackson, negating the interception. On the very next play, Lamar found Marquez Callaway streaking across the field, hitting him in stride for a 56 yard TD reception to make it 14-0.

After that, it was rough sledding for the visitors, as NE built a 35-0 lead midway through the 3rd quarter. Lamar Jackson tossed 2 TDs and ran for another on the day, while Jonathan Taylor rushed for 72 yards and 2 TDs.

Amari Cooper did catch 7 passes for 116 yards for Jacksonville, while Damien Williams ran for 73 yards in Gibson's absence. Zach Cunningham and Linval Joseph also went down with injuries for the Jaguars in this one, while NE lost Nyheim Hines and Rashan Gary in the injury-riddled contest.

Pittsburgh 28 Buffalo 23                    38 15-25
Tom Brady tosses three touchdown passes as the Steelers earn a nice road win.

Minnesota 0 Arizona 17                      83 Calm
The Vikings were down 10-0 early in the first quarter due to two turnovers but held tough until a fourth-quarter Arizona touchdown ended things. Arizona improves to 9-2, whereas Minnesota drops to 4-7.

Green Bay 14 Seattle 28                     38 0-10
Green Bay gets off to a fast start driving the ball down the field on their opening drive for a quick 7 point lead. Dalvin Cook would then exit the game with an injury and derail Green Bays hopes for an upset as they would then surrender 28 unanswered.   They would score late to bring it to 28-14 but the comeback would fall short.

Philadelphia 31 Tampa Bay 33                75 5-15
One of the craziest and intense games I have been in for some time. Philly Greg called a masterful game and were it not for in game injuries to important Eagles such as Brandon Cooks, would have certainly come out on top.

Detroit 0 New York (N) 24                   52 10-20
The Giants win this one 24-0 over the Lions to move to 7-4 on the season. Carson Wentz throws for 3 TDs.

Atlanta 13 Denver 12                        55 0-10 Rain
This one came down to the wire as Bronco backup QB Geno Smith led a comeback that fell just a 2 pt. conversion short of a stunning upset 13-12.

Atlanta was in control early as the Bronco offense could not get going.

Down 13-3 in the 3rd quarter the Broncos started to get a little offensive momentum behind an inserted Geno Smith.

Denver appeared to intercept a Hurts pass and take at 73 yards inside the 10 yard line but a Roughing the passer penalty brought it back and the Falcons went on to get the FG to put them up 13-3.

Smith would move the ball into Falcons territory before he would throw a pick to stall the drive.

But the Bronco defense forced a punt and then Smith started to move the ball. Denver would settle for a FG with 57 ticks left to cut the gap to 7.
Then the onside kick was successful and the Broncos were still alive.

two 15 yard penalties on the Falcons would help get the ball down to Atlanta territory and then with just 22 seconds left, Geno Smith found little used Smith-Marsette open down the sideline for a 33 yards score to make it 13-12.

Denver brass decides to go for the win and attempt the 2 point conversion for the upset victory, but the Falcons defense stopped Austin Ekeler just shy of the endzone and after the onside kick is recovered by Atlanta, the Falcons kneeled on it and went home with a 13-12 hard fought win.


Rushing Leaders
Foreman(LV)     18-166 1 TD
Henderson(Sea) 22-142 1 TD
Harris(Mia)     20-135 1 TD
Patterson(TB)   17-135 1 TD
Montgomery(KC) 24-109 3 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Week
Singletary(SF) 10-33 3 TD

Receiving Leaders
Johnson,D(Cin)   9-152 2 TD
Hardman(Mia)    10-143 1 TD
Jefferson(Pit)   9-111 3 TD

Passing Leaders
Carr(TB)        44-33-425   3 TD 3 Int
Murray,K(Buf)   58-42-391   2 TD 2 Int
Stafford(LV)    54-29-349   2 TD 1 Int

Defensive Standouts
Pierre-Pau(Car) 16 Tk – IFL Defensive Player of the Week

Special Teams
McManus(NO)    4-4 FG – IFL Special Teams Player of the Week
Duvernay(LAC) 4-113 Punt Ret 1 TD
Carter(Bal)    2-55 Kick Ret 3-110 Punt Ret
Berrios(NYJ)   3-91 Kick Ret 4-129 Punt Ret 1 TD

WEEK 11 IFL STANDINGS

WEEK 11 IFL LEAGUE LEADERS

WEEK 10 RECAP

Dallas cornerback Amani Oruwariye intercepts three passes as Cowboys defeat the Jets.

Game Scores
New York (A) 17 Dallas 31                   70 Calm
In a contest that featured teams with a combined four wins in 18 games, the fans got what they expected – a game marred with mistakes and poor execution.

The 1-8 Dallas Cowboys managed to prevail 31-17 despite committing four turnovers. Fortunate for the Cowboys, the New York Jets turned the ball over five times. Four of the five gifts to the Cowboys came from Jimmy Garropolo who threw four picks. Garropolo was also sacked three times and fumble three times. Jimmy G. did throw for 412 yards when he wasn’t misfiring.

The Cowboys’ CB Amani Oruwariye intercepted Garoppolo three times in the game to bring his season total to seven.

Deebo Samuel led the Dallas offense with six catches for 151 yards and three TDs.

Minnesota 22 Detroit 3                      70 Calm
Minnesota Vikings improve to 4-6 with a 22-3 victory over the Detroit Lions, who drop to 1-9. The Vikings held the Lions' offense to under 100 yards. The Lions only twice experienced the Vikings' side of the 50 years line, both times as a result of turnovers.

New England 31 Buffalo 3                    47 10-20
The Patriots come into Buffalo riding high and Buffalo his hit the skids lately after a solid start. The Bills decide to rest Kyler Murray and a few other key players to save them for the rest of the season. The game was 7-3 after one and 17-3 at the half. Trevor Sieman struggled most of the day and the Patriots made the plays with Lamar Jackson hitting Cooper Kupp and Tyreek Hill on crucial plays. After scoring 14 in the 3rd Kevin took his foot off the gas pedal and cruised home to 31-3 victory. The Patriots go to 9-1 while the Bills fall to 4-6. The Patriots will host the Jaguars next week while the Bills will host the Steelers.

Cincinnati 26 Chicago 0                     42 10-20 Rain
On a rainy, windy Chicago afternoon, the Bengals built up a 10-0 in the first quarter. Derrick Gore went for a 35 yard touchdown run toward the end of the half and extended the Cincinnati lead to 17-0. Cincinnati added three second half field goals for the 26-0 win.

The Bears struggled offensively generating just five first downs. Four turnovers also did not help the Chicago cause.

Keyshawn Vaughn rushed for 57 yards and a score for Cincinnati. Nwosu led the defense with two sacks and an interception.

Sam Darnold struggled completing just 3 of 15 for 34 yards and an interception.

Next week the Bears travel to Dallas while the Bengals host the J-E-T-S.

Baltimore 34 Tennessee 27                   58 Calm
Baltimore tightens up the tough AFC Central with a 34-27 win in Tennesse. The turning point of the game occurred with 10:19 to go in the 3rd quarter. Tennesse was ahead 17-13 with 3rd & 8 at their own 38 yard line when Ryan threw a pick to LB Pratt with Baltimore taking over at the Tennessee 45. Baltimore marched in for the go-ahead TD on a run by Jonathan Williams, to go up 20-17. The next major turning point occurred with 4 minutes to play. Tennessee had 4th & 1 on their own 37, trailing 34-27 when Dillon got stopped on 4thh down.

Los Angeles (N) 26 New Orleans 21           70 Calm
The Saints play one of their sloppiest games of the year committing 14 penalties for 123 yards and there were probably 5 more declined. You can't do that against one of the better coaches in the league in Ryan Heaton. The Saints would also commit 3 turnovers including a bad snap on a punt. The Rams would take full advantage and pull off the road win. Daniel Jones would throw for 2 TDs in the win for the Rams. AJ Brown would catch 2 TDs for the Saints in the loss. Excellent game called by Ryan as the NFC West tightens up.

Kansas City 28 Los Angeles (A) 3            62 Calm
David Montgomery rushes for 113 yards and four touchdowns as the Chiefs cruise past the Chargers.

Las Vegas 27 San Francisco 20               61 10-20
The RAAAAIDERS score with 21 seconds left to beat the 49ers 27 to 20.

Indianapolis 17 Miami 15                    71 0-5
The Colts visit the Dolphins hoping to avenge a week 4 home loss to the Dolphins and repay the favor in Miami. They did in almost the exact same fashion. In week 4 Miami scored with 17 seconds left in the game to win and in week 10 the Colts scored with 28 seconds left to win. The Dolphins did manage to attempt a 58 yard FG with 8 seconds but Prater missed the kick, for the final score to be 17-15 Colts.

Miami was penalized 9 times to the Colts 3 (no home cooking there) and was only 1 of 11 on 3rd down, always coming up a yard or 2 short. A good win for the Colts and a bad loss for the Dolphins.

Next week the Colts host Baltimore and the Dolphins host the Titans.

Houston 6 Denver 16                         58 Calm
Broncos defense harasses Texan QB Kirk Cousins into two picks and only 119 yards passing in a 16-6 victory.

Jacksonville 17 Pittsburgh 28               49 0-10
Jacksonville comes to Pittsburgh looking for revenge of their week 4 loss at home to division rival Steelers at the time giving the black and gold their first victory of the season.

Josh Allen took the opening kickoff marched right down the field and connected with Metcalf from 28 yards out to take an early lead. Brady not to be outdone takes his opening possession right down the field and throws a 14 yard TD pass to rookie RB Javonte Williams to tie things up.That would be all the scoring until late in the 2nd quarter as the defense's stiffened forcing 7 punts . Brady would take over from his own 15 and the Steelers would take the lead into the locker room as he would connect with his favorite receiver Justin Jefferson(who was doubled almost the whole game ) from 21 yards out leaving Allen only 42 seconds to work with. But Josh Allen hits Metcalf for a 39 yard play and the Jags are at the 33 and use a timeout with 17 seconds to go. 2 plays later after their last timeout was used and 9 seconds remained they try for a short out pass that was complete but Robinson fails to get out of bound and the half ends.

Backup RB Ty'son Williams jaunts 44 yards to pay dirt on the opening drive of the second half and the home team surges in front 21-7. Allen trying to answer drive the Jags right down the field but has an errant pass from the 11 to the end zone is picked by LB Zaire Franklin. On Jacksonville's next possession Allen would run it in from 9 yards out to cap a 9 play drive and the score is 21-14 heading into the 4th.

With 10 minutes to go the Jags settle for a 36 yard Bullock FG after Josh Allen who would run for 111 yards is stoned on a bootleg for a 5 yard loss by the Steelers best defender DL Christian Wilkins 21-17.
Brady does what he does and leads the Steelers on a 4th quarter march down the field trying to close the game out would once again connect with Jefferson with 4:30 to go from 20 yards out and give the home team some breathing room 28-17. The Jags would turn it over on downs as the Steelers get a tough fought home win against Jacksonville. Metcalf has 6 catches for 119 receiving yards and a TD to lead the visitors.   Pittsburgh (4-6) travels to take on the Bills(4-6) While Jacksonville continues on the road and heads up north to take on the (9-1) Patriots.

Green Bay 20 Tampa Bay 38                   76 10-20
In the second “Battle of the Bays” this season, Green Bay traveled south to Tampa Bay. The Packers, taking things a week at a time, are looking to get back to 500 on the season, while the Buccaneers aim to keep their undefeated season rolling. The coastal Gulf winds, at 10 to 20 mph, play a large role in how well the teams were able to move the ball on offense.
Early in the opening quarter, with the wind at his back, Tampa’s QB Derek Carr coughs up the ball on his own 44-yard line and it’s recovered by Green Bay’s star defensive back Stephon Diggs. However, Tampa’s defense is able to hold the Packers to an impressive into the teeth of the wind 47-yard field goal by Robbie Gould. The ensuing kickoff is returned 99 yards for a touchdown by versatile Buccaneer, Cordarrelle Patterson. The remainder of the opening period saw the Packer offense sputter and the Buc offense light it up. Carr completes three passes over 30 yards, two for touchdowns. The score is 21 to 3 going into the second quarter.
Five minutes into the second and with the helping wind, Packer QB Ben Roethlisberger hits WR A.J. Green long over the middle for a 50-yard score getting Green Bay within 11 at 21 – 10. With 5 minutes left in the half, Gould adds a second field goal to bring The Pack within 8 points, 21 – 13. Tampa Bay grabs back the momentum when a scrambling Carr finds Patterson open in the endzone for his second TD. The teams head to their halftime locker rooms with the scoreboard reading 28 – 13 in Tampa’s favor.
Green Bay has the wind and the ball to open the third quarter. They get the TD they need, but the drive takes 8:28 over 14 plays, chewing up much of the wind advantage the Packers have left in the game. Knowing coach Conners favors the long pass, this concerns his faithful fans. The Pack are certainly back in the game with the score at 28 – 20. On the next defensive set, Green Bay is not able to keep the game close as the Bucs use their short passing game to go back up 15 points, 35 – 20, heading into the final quarter.
In that last frame, the Packers are not able to effectively move the ball into the wind under nearly must pass conditions. Tampa adds a field goal to make the final 38 – 20.
Next week Green Bay flies west to take on a tough Settle Seahawks squad while Tampa Bay hosts the Philadelphia Eagles.

Philadelphia 10 Seattle 27                  55 0-5
Philly came to Seattle for round 2 of their yearly matchup but forgot to bring the offense. Seattle would get on the board first with a FG that was setup by a Howard INT. A TD would follow after a nice punt return by Isiah McKenzie to give Seattle a 10-0 lead. Pinned deep in their own territory inside of 2 minutes Philly would attempt to move the ball to run the clock out but a strip sack by Chandler Jones would lead to a defensive TD to make it 17-0 at halftime. Philly would get on the board in the second half with a FG but that is all their offense would manage as they would end the game with only 78 yards of net offense. Their defense would play hard all game holding Seattle to 246 yards of offense and scoring a TD on a late fumble return for a TD but they could not overcome the poor offensive performance.

Atlanta 31 Carolina 6                       77 0-10 Heavy Rain
Falcons drag the Panthers through the mud in a heavy downpour at Bank of America Stadium.

Neither team mustur much offense in the first half. Atlanta has 101 yards, and Carolina 96 yards at the half. A Surtain 80 yard interception return for a touchdown being the difference as Atlanta took the lead 10-3 going into the locker room.

The second half was all Atlanta as Hurts is able to ignite their offense and the Panther offense remains stagnant.

Atlanta scores 21 unanswered including two touchdown passes by Hurts and finishes out the Panthers 31-6.

For Atlanta, Hurts finishes with 221 yards passing and 2 passing TD's. He also led the team in passing.

For Carolina, Wilson had 215 passing yards. Most came in garbage time however and Carolina mustered only 266 yards total.


New York (N) 6 Arizona 16                   84 Calm
The Cardinals and Giants were both still playoff hopefuls before the game. This game was important to both teams. The Giants only trailed Zona by one game and a win would put them solidly in the hunt for a wildcard spot. The Cards were coming off a terrible game last week where both the offense, defense and coaching staff under performed with some help from the yellow bandits.

So the stage was set and the fans were excited. What the fans got was a defensive juggernaut. Both teams knew what they had to do to win. Zona had to stop Weddle and Renfrow which is the heart of the Giants offense. The Giants needed to only stop Mahomes. Whichever team succeeded would win.

Zona received the opening kickoff and methodically moved the ball down the field. Mahomes was patient and took was the D gave him. Barkley highlighted the drive with a 23 yard gain on a reception out of the backfield. Zona would make it to the Giants 2 yard line before being halted and had to settle for a FG.

The Cardinal game plan was simple enough, do not let Waddle or Renfrow catch the ball. And the defense executed the plan masterfully. At times it seemed to Giants fans as if the Zona D knew the play call by the Giants before it was executed. The Arizona D was nasty and stuck to the Giants receivers as if they were tarred and feathered. Wentz was frustrated. The Giants offense did try to utilize their ground game, but the Zona front four would not allow the Giant runners to consistently pick up yardage. Once the Giants were in a 3rd and medium or long yardage, the Zone D would lock down the receivers. Over the game, the Giants only converted 3 third down attempts in 12 tries.

Unfortunately, Mahomes was having the same issue. Make no mistake, the Giants defense is tough as nails. Mahomes struggled with pressure all day and was sacked three times. While Zona could move the ball, it often resulted in a sack, penalty or turnover to end the drive. Or just good Giant D.

The Giants big break came near the end of first quarter. With less than two minutes left Zona got the ball on their 25 yard line after a punt went into the end zone. Barkley was hurt which left Zona with only one RB. Wanting to take some time off the clock, Hill ran off tackle but fumbled. The Giants took over the ball on the Zona 22 yard line. The Zona D bent but did not break. It gave up some short runs and short pass completions, but was able to keep Waddle and Renfrow out of the end zone. The Giants settled for a FG the game was tied at the half 3-3.

The Giants took the kick after halftime and did exactly what Zona did with their first possession. The Giants moved the ball methodically down the field mixing runs and passes until they finally stalled near the red zone. The Giants kicked a 46 yard field goal and took control of the game 6-3.

The kickoff was received by Kirk, but the Giants special teams was on him like bees to honey. The drive would start at the Zona 10 yard line. Mahomes got serious and began to pick apart the Giants D moving the chains down the field. After a holding penalty at the Giants 43 yard line, Mahomes faced a 2nd and 14 yards for the first down. Pitts would pick up 13 yards but just could not quite make the first down. With a third and one to go for a first, the Giants went all out to stop a Mahomes QB sneak. However, Mahomes read it perfectly and went long to Mike Williams. It was beautiful execution, Williams took it to the house for a 40 yard TD and the first TD of the game.

The momentum changed on that play. Wentz took the field and missed a pass to his back. Wentz then completed the next pass to the wrong team. It was intended for Waddle, but fuller had been ready to pounce and pounce he did. Zona would play it safe as they moved the ball into FG range. The FG was good giving Zona the lead 13-6.

The Giants would doom themselves as Carson fumbled their possession away which ultimately lead to another Zona FG which sealed the game.

Rushing Leaders
Elliott(Min)    17-150 1 TD
Montgomery(KC) 19-113 4 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Week
Allen(Jax)      17-111 1 TD

Receiving Leaders
Moore(LV)        9-174 1 TD
St. Brown(NYJ) 10-153 2 TD
Samuel(Dal)      6-151 3 TD
Swift(Ind)      17-133 1 TD

Passing Leaders
Garoppolo(NYJ) 47-29-412   2 TD 4 Int
Stafford(LV)    48-24-354   3 TD 1 Int
Ryan(Ten)       34-25-314   3 TD 2 Int
Carr(TB)        25-19-302   4 TD
Burrow(Ind)     46-36-267   2 TD

Defensive Standouts
Oruwariye(Dal)   3 Int 7 Tk – IFL Defensive Player of the Week

Special Teams
Zuerlein(Min) 5-5 FG – IFL Special Teams Player of the Week
Wright(Cin)    4-4 FG

WEEK 10 IFL STANDINGS

WEEK 10 IFL LEAGUE LEADERS

WEEK 9 RECAP

Dolphin quarterback Jared Goff leads Miami to a surprising upset of playoff hopeful Arizona.

Game Scores
Miami 16 Arizona 6                          92 Calm
The Dolphins travel to Arizona in a week 9 tilt that has a banged up Dolphin Team against a mostly healthy Cardinal Team.

After a scoreless 1st quarter Arizona gets on the board with a 43 yard FG with 14:12 left in the 2nd to take a 3-0 lead. After a Miami punt, LB Cole Holecomb picks a Mahomes pass and the Dolphins go 21 yards capped by a 10 yard Jared Goff run for the TD. The XP is Bocked /missed and with 8:20 left in the half, Miami is up 6-3. Arizona goes on a drive that started at their 25 and stalls at the Miami 12, they kick the FG to make it 6-6, and that's how it would go to the half.

After a scoreless 3rd quarter, Miami gets a 34 yard FG to go up 9-6 with 14:06 left in the game. After a 9 play drive that stalls at the Miami 48 , the Dolphins get the ball back and on a 3rd and 1 Goff hits Hardman for a 50yard TD with 3 biltzers in his face to make the score 16-6, and that's how it would end. A big upset for the Dolphin Team and a big disappointment for the Cardinals.

Next week the Dolphins are at home to play the Colts and the Cardinals are at home against the Giants.

Tennessee 30 Minnesota 6                    68 Calm
The Vikings took nearly ten minutes off the clock with their initial drive that resulted in a field goal. It was all downhill after that as the Titans scored 30 unanswered points for an impressive 30-6 victory.

Tampa Bay 19 Chicago 13                     42 5-15
As you might expect a tight game for intra divisional rivals Tampa at Chicago. The game was in question until the last possession. The Bears didn't have enough offense to take advantage of Tampa miscues The Bucs were able to escape with a win 19 to 13.

Detroit 22 Green Bay 34                     33 0-10
Big Ben throws three touchdown passes as the Packers down Detroit in NFC Central action.

Los Angeles (A) 14 Carolina 17              69 0-5
The Chargers controlled the first three quarters of the game, but the Panthers woke up in the fourth to pull out the victory.

The highlight of the game was late in the first quarter after the Panthers punt the ball down to the Chargers one yard line. Mills hands it off to Chubb and he proceeds to run it 99 yards for the touchdown!

Chargers lead at half time 14-3 with the Panthers mustering almost no offense. Neither team could do anything in the third quarter as the score remained 14-3. Carolina finally puts one in the endzone with 7 minutes left in the game as Abdullah punches it in from two yards out.

Carolina holds the Chargers on their next possession and proceeds to drive down the field. With two minutes left, and facing fourth down, Wilson hits Schultz on a 3 yard pass for the touchdown to take the 17-14 lead. The Chargers are unable to move the ball and the Panthers take over and run out the clock for the win.

The Chargers deserved a better fate and played a great game.

Chargers 14
Panthers 17

Chubb ran for 142 yards including a 99 yards touchdown scamper for the Chargers.

Wilson passed for 217 yards and a TD for the Panthers.

Derrick Henry breaks his foot and is out the rest of the year for the Panthers.

  Pittsburgh 17 Cincinnati 37                 45 5-15
The IFL Bengals started like a house-a-fire as Aaron Rodgers connected with Diontae Johnson on a 75 yard scoring strike on their first play from scrimmage. But TB12 answered with a 12 play 75 yard drive capped by an 18 yard touchdown pass to Byron Pringle to knot it at seven with about eight minutes remaining in the opening quarter. Rodgers and the Bengals came right back with a seven play 87 yard drive as Johnson secured his second TD of the game: this time from 13 yards out.

The second quarter begin with Pittsburgh marching into field goal range. However, Jalen Ramsey blocked the attempt. Cincinnati took advantage thanks to a 29 yard pass to Freddie Swan and a 19 yard pass to Gerald Everett. This set up Johnson's third touchdown of the half on a five yard out giving the Bengals a 20-7 lead. Fairbairn's extra point was no good.

The Steelers got back in the game as Brady led a ten play 69 yard drive as he found Pringle again for the 21 yard score to cut the deficit to 20-14.

With a little over a minute to go in the half the Bengals went into their two minute offense and once again Rodgers makes a bad decision as Danny Johnson intercepts, setting Pittsburgh up at the Cincinnati 46 with 27 seconds remaining. Brady found Justin Jefferson for 15 and a few plays later Gronk for 19 to allow Tyler Bass to connect on a 26 yard field goal as the Steelers trailed just 20-17 at the half.

Cincinnati would score a field goal and two touchdowns in the second half. The Bengals defense would hold the Pittsburgh offense scoreless as Brady threw two interceptions and Cincinnati would win 37-17 in a game closer than the final score indicates.

Brady finished 20 of 35 for 216 yards with two TDs and two Ints. Pringle finished with 4 receptions for 53 yards and two scores.

Rodgers went 19 of 26 for 327 yards with 4 TDs and an Int. Johnson had five receptions for 118 yards and three touchdowns. Ramsey and Micah Hyde led the defense, each with an interception.

Next week the Steelers host division rival Jacksonville while the Bengals travel to the windy city to take on the Bears.

Buffalo 24 New York (A) 30                  65 0-10
The Buffalo Bills come into New York, and dominate the first half of play 21-10. Murray had a great first half throwing, and more importantly running the ball.

Buffalo had a 24-10 lead heading into the 4th quarter. The Jets cut it to 24-13 a minute into the 4th, and then recovered the onside kick. A minute later Jimmy G hit Higbee for a 36 yard TD. Feeling lucky the Jets go for 2, and convert, 24-21 Bills.

Both teams couldn’t move the ball on their next possession. Then Buffalo started at their 10, and took 6 minutes to go 41 yards. At the Jets 49, Coach Smith gambled and went for it on 4th and one. No luck, and Jets take over. Jimmy G moves the Jets into FG range, and Hopkins nails a 42 yarder to send the game into OT.

The Jets had first crack at it, but had to punt. Clark picked off Murray on the Bills 5th play, and returned it to the 14.

Jimmy G then hit Berrios on a 14 yard pass to make it 30-24 Jets.

Next week the Jets fly to Dallas, and the Bills host New England, which is always a fun time.

Baltimore 21 Jacksonville 27                69 10-20
A close hard fought game that that was eventually won by the Jags late in the in the 4th quarter. While Baltimore was behind the entire game they pulled ahead 21-20 on a one yard Bell run with with just over 7:29 to go. Uncharacteristically, Josh Allen rose to the challenge and put together an eight play 86 yard drive that resulted in an Amari Cooper TD from 16 yards out. Baltimore after the kick-off goes four and out leaving the Jags to run out thte clock giving them a 27-21 victory.

Josh Allen had his best day of the year throwing for 303 yards 2TD, 1 INT along with 80 yards rushing and 1 TD. Baker Mayfield on the other hand struggled greatly........Going 4 of 13 for 28 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTS.

Los Angeles (N) 23 Atlanta 19               68 Calm
LAR came into Atlanta seeking revenge for Atlanta pulling out an OT victory a few weeks ago, and revenge they got.

For Atlanta, practically the only player that showed up to play was Jalen Hurts, running for 129 (of the teams 165) yards and 2 TDs. However, the O-Line let him down allowing him to get sacked 7 times, 3 by Floyd alone. Atlanta also lost their starting RB, and their #2 corner, out for a while. Atlanta fumbled the ball 4 times and lost two of them, Hurts threw two picks, and Coach Alberry got stopped twice on 4th and short around midfield.

While Atlanta kept CeeDee Lamb on lockdown for 2 catches, Corey Davis tore up the secondary for 5 catches/85 yards and a TD, which would be LA's only TD on offense. On defense Simmons grabbed a fumble and returned it to the house (along with 17 tackles), and LA chipped in 3/4 FGs. Atlanta had an extra point blocked that would have cut it down by 3.

On a drive with around 2 minutes left, Kadarius Toney took his rap songs too seriously, and committed a personal foul negating a 17 yard first down that pretty much killed Atlanta's chances of another magical comeback.

LAR 23, ATL 19

LA moves to 5-4 and takes on New Orleans next week and Atlanta is 6-3 and goes on the road to Carolina.

Dallas 10 Philadelphia 30                   48 0-5
The Eagles take advantage of 3 Justin Herbert int's to cruise to a 30-10 win. The Eagles Ryan Tannehill would connect with WR Brandin Cooks on 2 TD's to lead the Eagles to victory.

Indianapolis 0 New England 20               42 10-20
Jonathan Taylor made his debut for the Patriot fans, and he did not disappoint. Taylor carried the rock 26 times for 152 yards and a TD as the Patriots cruised to a 20-0 win over the Colts. Indy could manage only 2 first downs and 78 yards of offense all day (to NE's 25 first downs and 378 yards of offense) and 18 minutes of offense total. Patriots committed the only 2 turnovers, but it didn't matter in this one.

Patriots go to Buffalo next week while Indy travels to Miami.

Kansas City 14 Houston 23                   70 Calm
Houston controlled the ball for over 40 minutes and defeated visiting KC 23-14.

Denver 0 Las Vegas 28                       70 0-5
Led by Matthew Stafford's near-perfect passing day and D'Onta Foreman's 27 carries, the Raiders were able to defeat their division rivals 28-0.

Seattle 23 New York (N) 19                  51 Calm
Tee Higgins grabs 12 receptions for 142 yards and a touchdown as the Seahawks remain undefeated.

New Orleans 30 San Francisco 0              52 15-25
Cam Jordan makes nine tackles, including two stuffs, and a sack to lead the Saints “D” to a shutout of the 49ers.

Rushing Leaders
Taylor(NE)      26-152 1 TD
Chubb(LAC)      20-142 1 TD
Murray,K(Buf)   10-130 1 TD
Hurts(Atl)      15-129 2 TD
Williams,T(Min) 22-116
Foreman(LV)     27-112 1 TD
Patterson(TB)   16-103

Receiving Leaders
Higgins(Sea)    12-142 1 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Week
Johnson,D(Cin)   5-118 3 TD

Passing Leaders
Garoppolo(NYJ) 38-25-340   3 TD 1 Int
Rodgers(Cin)    26-19-327   4 TD 1 Int
Bridgewate(Sea) 41-30-315   1 TD
Allen(Jax)      34-24-303   2 TD 1 Int

Defensive Standouts
Okereke(Ari)     16 Tk
Pratt(Bal)       19 Tk
Floyd(LAR)       3 Sk 6 Tk – IFL Defensive Player of the Week
Simmons(LAR)     1 Int 17 Tk
Al-Shaair(Den)   16 Tk

Special Teams
Carter(Bal)    5-178 Kick Ret 1 TD 2-1 Punt Ret – IFL Special Teams Player of the Week

WEEK NINE IFL STANDINGS

WEEK NINE IFL LEAGUE LEADERS

WEEK 8 RECAP

Patriots Austin Ekeler shows off his air guitar skills following his fourth touchdown as Pats down the Jets.

Game Scores
New England 42 New York (A) 24              47 0-10
In a game which was in doubt into the 4th quarter, the Patriots outlasted the upstart Jets to win in a game much closer than the score would indicate.
Austin Ekeler scored 4 rushing TDs on the day, tallying 117 yards on the ground on 16 carries. Cooper Kupp snared 8 passes for 147 and a score. For the Jets, Amon-Ra St. Brown caught 10 passes for 148 and a score, while Jimmy Garoppolo torched the Pats secondary for 307 yards and 2 TDs.

After three first half lead changes, a 12-yard TD reception by St. Brown drew the Jets to within 28-24 nearing the 4th quarter. NE responded with a 14 play, 77 yard drive which ate nearly 8 minutes of game clock and was capped by an Ekeler 2 yard TD. A late pick-6 (the game's only turnover) extended the Patriot lead to a margin not reflective of the overall competitive nature of this one.

Miami 30 Buffalo 24                         41 0-5
The Miami Dolphins came into Buffalo nine point underdogs with a depleted WR group looking for revenge against the Bills after losing their home opener in Miami. Game time temperature was 41 with 0-5 mph winds, the Dolphins win the toss and elect to receive. The first two drives for both teams result in punts until the Dolphins march 76 yards in ten plays as Tua hits Hardman on a 3 yard pass to be followed by a Prater PAT to end the first 7-0. The first possessions in the second end in three and outs for both teams. Buffalo then fumbles away the ball to give Miami great field possession at the Buffalo 13 but the Bills defense stiffens, and Prater kicks a FG to make it 10-0. Buffalo then goes on a 87 yard 15 play drive to be capped off by Murray to Bolden pass with Elliott kicking the PAT to make 10-7. Miami then goes 64 yards to have Prater kick a 29 yarder to end the half with the Dolphins leading 13-7.
The Bills take the opening kickoff and march 68 yards only to see Elliott kick a 25 yarder to make 13-10. Miami then goes for it on their own 34 on 4th and one and Tua is stopped cold! The Bills having the momentum then take advantage and score on a 13 yard run by Freeman to make 17-13, Bills. Miami then goes on a 75 yard 9 play drive capped off by a Harris 1 yard plunge to make 20-17 Miami to end the third.Kyler Murray hits Conklin on a 33 yard pass to give the Bills a 24-20 lead with 7:02 remaining. Tua and the Dolphins would not be denied as he marches them down the field 75 yards on 13 plays as Tua hits Collins from 10 yards out to make it 27-24 Miami with 1:15 remaining. The Bills start from their 25 when Murray hits Crowder and he fumbles it over to Miami where they take over and run three times as Buffalo uses their timeouts as Prater boots a 28 yarder with 50 seconds left to make it 30-24. From the 28 on third down Murray hits Vales-Scanting for 40 yards to the Miami 32 where Murray spikes the ball with 7 seconds left. The Bills get two bomb post routes off but they both fall incomplete as the Dolphins hang onto win 30-24.
The Dolphins improve to 2-6 while the Bills fall to 4-4. Miami heads to Arizona next week while the Bills will head to the Jets.

  Los Angeles (N) 28 Kansas City 19           45 0-5
Kansas City's 2 point conversion attempt to tie the score at 21 with 1:05 left failed and LAN added a late touchdown to defeat the Chiefs 28-19. Damien Harris had 122 yards rushing and 2 TD's to pace the Rams.

Los Angeles (A) 10 Denver 13                50 Calm
Denver wins a close game at home 13-10 over the Chargers. Trubisky throws 2 TD passes and Taylor runs for 97 yards in the win.
Denver front 7 held Chubb to 30 yards on 17 carries.

Tennessee 24 Pittsburgh 41                  50 0-5
In the first game of the year Pittsburgh traveled to Tennessee and got hammered 34-10 so this time around we were looking for a little revenge. But the handicappers favored the Titans by 2 as the Steelers try to get their first home win of the year.

Steelers win the toss and defer, and Matt Ryan takes Tennessee right down the field all the way to the 12. Ryan to Hopkins for 37 being the big play. But an incomplete pass followed by a 5 yard run loss by Penny shut down the drive after a Penalty Gonzalez connects from 40 and its 3-0. Brady takes the Pittsburgh right down the field on his first possession and finishes the drive with a 7 yard TD pass to Rookie Rondale Moore 7-3 home team after one.

2nd Quarter - On a drive that started in the 1st quarter on their own 20 Tennessee once again marches down the field on a 12 play drive this time Ryan connects with Hopkins from 25 yards out on a 3rd and 10 to put the Titans up 10-7. Three Drives 3 scores so far in this one. Make that 4 for 4 as Brady and the offense are showing some life in this game after a very poor start to the season. Again, Brady mixing run and pass make it to the Titans 3 after a miss connect with Gronk Brady hands it off to Rookie RB Javonte Williams who finishes off the drive to make it 14-10 Steelers. Our first punt of the game comes with 6 minutes left in the half by the visitors. Brady starting on his own 43 connects for 17 with Gronk and Williams gets a 25 yard run from the 34 and Pittsburgh is threatening to go in again. But not this time 3 straight incomplete passes and they have to settle for a Bass 27 yard FG 17-10. Another Titans Punt and Brady again gets the offense down the field but stalls at the 29 and Bass comes out for a 48 yard FG but shanks it and we go to the half at 17-10 home team

3rd Quarter- Pittsburgh takes the second half kickoff and goes right down the field big play was a 30 yard completion to Jefferson getting them to the 7 where Brady again throws a 7 yard TD to Moore and its 24-10 Steelers. The teams actually trade punts, but the field position swings to the visitors as they start on their own 45. an 8 play drive results in another Hopkins TD catch from 11 yards out and its 24-17 with 2 minutes left in the quarter. And then Jefferson sorta takes over the game on the second play of the next possession Jefferson catches a medium out against a double team (he was doubled most of the night) and takes it 64 yards to the house as we head to the 4th 31-17.

4th Quarter - Tennessee seemed unfazed as their offense marches right down the field to open the 4th and Dillion runs it in from 9 yards out 31-24 with 11 minutes to play. On Pittsburgh's next possession Coach Alberry Sr finally saw the offense he envisioned during the off season but had yet to see on the field. Brady goes 5-5 and Jefferson catches a 19 yard TD to put the Steelers up by 14 with seven to play. Harris picks off Ryan on the next Titans possession to seal the first home win of the year .

Brady is 25-37 for 349 yards 4TD and Jefferson catches 7 passes for 168 yards 2TD . For the Titans Hopkins catches 7 for 111yards and 2 TD.

Pittsburgh heads to Cincinnati next week while Tennessee travels to Minnesota.

Chicago 17 Minnesota 23                     68 Calm
In a game that set the game of football back 50 years, the Minnesota Vikings prevail 23-17 over the Chicago Bears. It was divine intervention primarily as the Vikings' inexperienced stat-packed quarterback, leading with three minutes remaining in the game, tossed an interception that was returned inside the ten-yard line, but Mason Crosby gave him the business after the throw causing a zebra to throw a flag, giving the Vikings 15 yards and their third win of the season.

Arizona 23 Dallas 21                        70 Calm
This contest featured the 6-1 Arizona Cardinals visiting the 1-6 Dallas Cowboys. The “experts” on the pre-game show predicted an Arizona blowout. But you never know – you do have to play the game.

After each team punted on the first three possessions of the game, Dallas scored first on a Justin Herbert pass to TE Goedert for a 7-0 Cowboy lead after the first quarter.

Arizona answered with a Patrick Mahomes scramble and 9 yard race to the cone to tie the game. Dallas came right back to retake the lead on a Herbert to Mattison pass from the Cardinals 7.

Zona got a break when, after an 11 yard gain, Deebo Samuel fumbled. Arizona was unable to tie the game though as Dallas’ defense executed a goal line stand following a 1st and 5 situation. The Cardinals settled for a 19-yard FG to go into halftime trailing 14-10.

In the third quarter Dallas’ offense three times and gave the ball away on an interception. Arizona’s O wasn’t any better, having to punt three times themselves and Herbert threw one to the wrong team. Early in the fourth quarter, Dallas’ Herbert found Samuel with his first reception of the game (he was double-teamed constantly) for a 40-yard TD strike to put Dallas up 21-10.

The game changed when Dallas, already playing with a Nickle Back who is rated a 4 vs the pass having the play due to injured in the secondary, lost Taron Johnson, a CB-7, to an injury. His replacement was another 4 pass defender.

Mahomes picked my secondary apart and contributed a 21-yard scramble (following a holding penalty) on a pass play to score twice and take a 23-21 lead.

Arizona improves to 7-1 and Dallas falls to 1-7.

Detroit 7 Tampa Bay 27                      80 0-10
A one sided affair from start to finish. Both teams stay in the division again next week. The Lions go to Green Bay while the Bucs head to the Windy City.

Houston 0 Las Vegas 27                      70 0-10
Led by a stout defense that held the Houston Texans' QB Kirk Cousins to 89 yards passing, the Las Vegas Raiders rolled to a 27-0 victory. QB Matthew Stafford's 285 yards and three touchdowns combined with RB Alvin Kamara's 115 yards rushing was too much for the Texans' offense to overcome.

Jacksonville 13 Cincinnati 21               47 5-15
The Jaguars visit the Jungle for a critical AFC Central battle. The Bengals were trying to avoid a three game losing streak. After a scoreless first quarter, Jacksonville is the first to crack the scoreboard as Damien Williams capps off a nine play 98 drive with a two yard run with about six minutes left in the half. The Bengals gambled on fourth and nine from the Jags 41 but failed to convert. Jacksonville took advantage and was able to extend their lead to 10-0 at the half as Fat Randy's 40 yard field goal was true.

After an inspiring speech from IFL Bengals owner Mike Brown at the half the Bengals finally dented the scoreboard as RoJo went in from three yards out to cut the deficit to 10-7. A key play on the drive was Diontae Johnson's 27 yard gain on an end around on third and four.

The Cincinnati defense forced a three and out and the Bengals converted another big play. This time Aaron Rodgers connected with Rashod Bateman for a 35 yard gain. On the next play Rodgers found another rookie Derrick Gore for the 16 yard catch and run touchdown to give Cincinnati a 14-10 lead.

The Jags offense continued to struggle with another three and out. Rodgers connected with Bateman again for 11 but a penalty added 15 more to the end of the play. Rodgers hit Gerald Everett for the 15 yard score to extend the Bengals lead to 21-10.

Jacksonville finally got something going in the fourth quarter with about eight and a half minutes remaining but had to settle on a 29 yard Bullock field goal to cut it to 21-13 Cincinnati.

The Bengals were able to eat up about five minutes of time and the Jags, after driving to the Bengals 30, turned it over on downs.

Josh Allen finished 17 of 27 for 204 yards and an int. He also rushed for 61 yards. DK Metcalf caught 5 passes for 87 yards including a 64 yard gain.

Rodgers did not have a great game going 21 of 30 for 210 yards and two touchdowns. Bateman finished with 83 yards receiving on five receptions. Jerry Hughes had a sack and Jalen Ramsey an interception to lead the defense.

Next week, both teams continue division play. The Jags host Baltimore while Pittsburgh visits the Bengals.

Atlanta 10 New Orleans 29                   70 Calm
Atlanta and New Orleans would clash for first place as both teams came into the game 6-1. The game would be played at the Saints. New Orleans would get the opening kick and have a quick 3 and out. the punt would go to Hakeem Grant who would return the punt 84 yards for a TD. Atlanta 7-0. The Saints would get the ball and take it to the Falcons 32 before stalling. McManus would then kick a 50 yard FG. 7-3 Falcons. Atlanta would get the ball back and on the first play Jalen Hurts would throw a pick to Ward on a long pass. Saints take over at their own 30. After a 6 minute ball control drive McManus would kick his 2nd FG from 47 yards out. 7-6 Atlanta. Atlanta would then have a 3 and out and the Saints would take over at their own 39. They would then drive to the Falcons 37 and face a 4th and 1. The Falcons D would get a big stop stuffing James Conner and take over. Atlanta would go 3 and out and be forced to punt. The next big play would happen now as the snap would go over the punters head and be scooped up by Jordyn Brooks and ran in for a TD. 13-7 Saints. Atlanta would get the ball and after 1 first down punt again. Saints ball at the 20. After a 6 minute drive McManus would kick his 3rd FG from 47 yards. 16-7 Saints. The Falcons would have a quick 3 and out and the Saints would take over at the 37 with 1:04 left in the half. They would take it to the 30 where McManus would kick his 4th FG of the day(fantasy gem) from 41 yards out as time expired. 19-7 at the half. Atlanta would open the second half with a 3 and out and then the Saints would control the ball for 5 minutes and you guessed it McManus would hit a 57 yard FG to make it 22-7. The rest of the game was basically great defense by the Saints and ball control from their running game. James Conner would add a late TD for a final of 29-10. It just wasnt Jalen Hurts day as he only completed 5 passes for 50 yards all day. Heinecke would have an efficient 16-19-201 day and the Saints running game would rush 47 times for 139 yards. The story really was the Saints D though holding the tough Falcons offense to 79 yards.
Atlanta is at home against the Rams next week and the Saints travel to San Fran.

Green Bay 23 Baltimore 30                   58 5-15
Green Bay makes a furious comeback attempt, outscoring Baltimore 16-7 in the 4th quarter, but, Baltimore holds on for a 30-23 victory, evening Baltimore's record at 4-4 and dropping Green Bay to 3-5.

San Francisco 21 Carolina 26                71 0-5
San Fran jumps out to a 21-7 first half lead behind Mac Jones pinpoint pass attack. Carolina was able to muster little offense, but Wilson was able to find Drake on a short pass to put some points on the board.

The second half San Fran continued to move the ball, but unfortunately the drives kept stalling. Carolina offense picks up and slowly works their way back into the game. A couple of field goals in the third brought Carolina within 8. Early in the 4th Wilson found Hooper on a 12 yard pass to make the score 21-19. Carolina goes for two but cannot complete the short pass.

San Fran then started deep in their territory after the kick off at the 7. Mac Jones hits Jakobi Meyers on a 20 yard pass, but he fumbles on the run and Carolina covers it up. Wilson then hit Cobb on a 30 yard score on the first play of the possession for the TD. Carolina takes the lead 26-21.

Mac Jones takes over with 4 minutes left in the game and drives San Fran all the way down to the goal line. Three running plays are stuffed, then Jones goes back for the pass on fourth down only to have it fall incomplete.

Carolina 26
San Fran 21

San Fran dominated most of the game and deserved a better fate. San Fran outgained Carolina 440 to 287.

Mac Jones was 36 out of 50 for 308 yards and 1 TD.

Russel Wilson was 13 for 24 with 205 yards and 3 TD's.

Seattle 27 Indianapolis 13                  69 Calm
7-0 Seattle would travel to 1-6 Indy for another out of conference game. In an effort to spark the slow starts Teddy Bridgewater was given the nod to start the game however it didn’t fix their early offensive woes. Seattle got on the board first with an early field goal but the Colts run game was unstoppable as Swift just kept churning out yards. Due his consistent success Seattle took its eyes off Chase for one play and Burrow made them pay hitting him for 6 on a 3rd and short. While Seattle would respond with its own TD but a pair of Indy FGs would put them ahead 13-10 at the half. From there Seattle finally woke up and would score 17 unanswered to cruise to a 27-13 win. While Swift had a massive amount of success in the first half the holes began to close up and with so much attention paid to chase there was little he could do.

Swift ran 18 times for 150 yards and Burrow was 12-22 for 118 yards and a TD.

Bridgewater was 24-38 for 287 yards and 3 TD and the run game chipped in 24 carries for 100 yards.

New York (N) 16 Philadelphia 3              44 0-5   Rain
In what will probably go down as one of the ugliest games of the year, the NY Giants take down the Philadelphia Eagles 16-3. The Giants Wentz had a QB rating of 43 while the Eagles Tannehill would go one worse with a 36 rating. Both teams turned the ball over 3 times but the Giants would take advantage of theirs for the difference in the game.

Rushing Leaders
Swift(Ind)      18-150
Harris(LAR)     14-122 2 TD
Ekeler(NE)      16-117 4 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Week
Kamara(LV)      21-115
Williams,P(Bal) 23-109

Receiving Leaders
Jefferson(Pit)   7-168 2 TD
St. Brown(NYJ) 10-148 1 TD

Passing Leaders
Roethlisbe(GB) 46-24-370   2 TD 1 Int
Brady(Pit)      37-25-349   4 TD
Carr(TB)        25-22-343   2 TD
Jones,M(SF)     50-36-308   1 TD
Garoppolo(NYJ) 36-24-307   2 TD 1 Int
Mahomes(Ari)    49-32-297   1 TD 1 Int

Defensive Standouts
Okereke(Ari) 8 tkl 1 Int – IFL Defensive Player of the Week

Special Teams
McManus(NO)    5-6 FG – IFL Special Teams Player of the Week

WEEK EIGHT IFL STANDINGS

WEEK EIGHT IFL LEAGUE LEADERS

WEEK 7 RECAP

Darnell Mooney's 27 yard touchdown catch with 16 seconds remaining gives LA the upset win.

Game Scores
Los Angeles (A) 27 Tennessee 24             66 Calm
This game was back and forth and the teams were tied 17 all after 3 quarters. Starting the 4th the Chargers drove 57 yards in 8.5 minutes before settling for a field goal. The Titans responded quickly in 5 plays finishing off the drive with a 13 yard Ryan to Aiyuk TD pass.24-20 for Tennessee with 3 and a half to go. LA used a succession of short passes to move the ball to the Titan 27 yard line but only 16 seconds remained. Coach Banko called a long slant against a 3-2 defense and Darnell Mooney pulled it in for the game winning TD.

Tampa Bay 31 Los Angeles (N) 14             64 Calm
The Bucs take a 21-0 lead into the locker room at the half and cruise to the win.

Kansas City 38 Baltimore 41                 64 0-5   Rain
Ravens rally from 24-10 down at the half to score 31 second half points.

Chicago 20 Carolina 23                      71 0-5
Carolina doesn't take their first lead until less than two minutes left in the game, but holds on for the win.

Chicago played well and looked to be in control of the game, but two uncharacteristic field goal misses by McPherson allowed Carolina to hang around.

Game was tied until 12 minute to go in the fourth when Chicago hit a field goal to take a 20-17 lead. Carolina tied it with 3:05 left in the game with a field goal from Pineiro. Chicago then loses possession of the ball with a fumble and Carolina is able to hit the field goal with a minute left to secure the win.

Darnold was very efficient for Chicago, going 22 of 36 for 177 yard and 2 touchdowns.

Wilson passed for 280 yards and a touchdown, and Henry added 104 yards on the ground and a touchdown also.

Detroit 3 San Francisco 33                  71 5-15
Rookie Mac Jones throws three touchdown passes as 49ers down the Lions.

New York (N) 34 Buffalo 14                  62 30-40
The G-Men come into Buffalo and dominate the Bills 34-14 as game time temp was 62 with 30-40 mph winds and the Bills O-Line allowed Kyler Murray to be sacked six times! Carson Wentz threw 3 TD passes as he was very efficient despite the conditions. Both teams ran the ball well but in the end the Giants pass rush was the difference in the game. The Giants move to 5-2 while the Bills fall to 4-3.The Giants head to Philly next week while the Bills will host Miami.

Green Bay 17 Atlanta 30                     68 Calm
Green Bay came into town 3-3 vs Atlanta, who is 5-1. Prior to the game the press had been asking Coach Alberry how his team had managed to stay so injury free this season so far. Unfortunately, it was bad timing as injuries affected the flow of this game as well as an excellent game plan from Coach Connors.

1st Quarter: Atlanta got on the board 1st and the two teams traded TDs. Green Bay was determined not to let Atlanta run the ball so much, however Jalen Hurts started the game on fire and the score after one was ATL 10, GB 3

2nd Quarter: Started off with a bang for Atlanta as a Kickoff was fumbled by GB and Atlanta drove 21 yards to the house. GB had 1 of their 2 controversial 4th down calls that they missed. Had the right play, just wasn't executed by the players. Atlanta scored another TD to make it 24-3 with a few minutes left in the half.

Then the tide started to turn, a few injuries on the line and then Patrick Surtain 2 went out with an injury and he was done for the game. Rothlisberger connected on a 66 yard TD to finish the half and gain some momentum ATL 24 GB 10

3rd Quarter: Atlanta came out and knocked in a FG to try and turn the momentum, but the secondary was in trouble as GB took just 5 plays to go 75 yards and get a TD. ATL 27, GB 17

4th Quarter: Now the injury bug bit GB and their rookie WR Moore was injured and gone for a while. Both sides slowed and punted it away. Jakeem Grant for Atlanta fumbled a punt and GB lost a 4th and 1 conversion. Atlanta knocked in a FG with 8 minutes left to make it ATL 30-GB 17 and that is how it would end.

Game MVP: Jalen Hurts who had a passer rating of 128.

Next week the shorthanded Falcons (6-1) take on division rival New Orleans on the road. While the Packers (3-4) take on the Ravens who are rallying behind their new coach.

Houston 21 Jacksonville 24                  84 0-5
The Jags hold on to beat the Texans 24-21. The Texans scored 21 points in the second half but were unable to catch up after being down 14-0.

The Jags ran the ball well gaining over 200 yards as a team. The Texans were led by Chris Goodwin who shredded the Jags D for 9 catches and 146 yards and 1 TD.

Next Week Jacksonville travels to Cincinnati white the Texans visit Sin City.

Minnesota 3 New Orleans 24                  70 Calm
The Saints win at home against the Vikes 24-3. Veteran Joe Flacco got the start for the Saints and threw 3 TD's. The Saints Defense were swarming all day collecting 7 sacks and holding the Vikes to 168 yards and 3 points.

Cincinnati 17 Las Vegas 21                  78 Calm
Trailing 17-14 with about four and a half minutes remaining in the game, Matthew Stafford connected with tight end Travis Kelcie from 22 yards out for the go-ahead score, 21-17. The Bengals got as close as the Vegas 26 but turned it over on downs.

The Raiders enjoyed some home cooking with Cincinnati being charged with ten penalties for 78 yards and Vegas only one for five yards.

Cedric Wilson caught five passes for 86 yards and a touchdown to lead the Raiders offense.

Aaron Rodgers went 27 of 42 for 338 yards and two TDs.

Next week the Bengals host Jacksonville in an AFC Central match-up while the Raiders welcome Houston in an AFC West division game.

Denver 21 Pittsburgh 17                     58 5-15
Well when they announce the game as two cellar dwellers you’re not looking for a well-played game and yes there was many miscues in the game but it came down to the final possession.

1st quarter - Denver wins the toss and defers, Brady marches the Steelers right down the field and on a 3rd and 7 from the Broncos 20 Brady throws an out to Jefferson but is picked off by CB Desmond King to stop the drive and give the visitors their first possession. Trubisky leads the Broncos on an 11 play drive highlighted by Rookie Devonte Smith's 52 yard reception to take them to the 9 but the dive stalls and Vizcaino comes on for the 26 yard FG which is good but WAIT there is a holding call retry from 36 yards you guessed it missed and we are still scoreless. Brady again drive the Steelers down the field highlighted by Pringles 39 yard reception and its 1st and goal from the 4. But once again on the first play the goat is pick this time by Al-Shaair. So we will go into the 2nd scoreless.

2nd Quarter.- Denver would draw first blood as Jonathan Taylor would break free for a 49 yard TD run and the Broncos lead 7-0 with 12:33 to go in the half. The Steelers feeling some pressure having not won a home game this year answers on the next possession as they once again drive down the field mixing pass/run and get a score from back up RB Patrick Taylor from 9 yards out and we are tied at 7 with 6:50 left in the half. Interesting event at the end of the 2nd coach Crandell elects to go for it on a 4th and 1 from the Steelers 44 but Trubisky pass to TE Gesicki falls to the Turf leaving the Goat 10 seconds and he connects with Pringle once again this time for 25 yards unfortunately for the home team he fumbles and the Broncos have it back with 4 seconds to go. From their own 31 Trubisky heaves one down field but is picked by Safety Anthony Harris to end the half 7-7.

3rd Quarter - Denver receives the second half KO and on the first play Trubisky to Sutton nets 11 yards plus a 15 yard face-mask Penalty   and Denver is on the move a few plays later its 2nd and 6 from the 22 and Trubisky connects with rookie Smith to give Denver a 14-7 lead with11:53 left in the 3rd. The rest of the quarter was traded punts as we head into the 4th with Denver up 14-7

4th Quarter - 3 plays into the 4th on a drive that started with 2:12 to go in the 3rd Brady would connect with his main man Jefferson from 22 yards out to once again tie the score at 14 with13:59 left in the game. On a 3rd and 2 from the Steelers 40 Trubisky is sacked by Dexter Lawrence for a 5 yard loss pushing Denver out of field goal range and forcing a punt with 8:34 to go. As you would expect Brady would lead a 4th quarter drive and take time off the clock. No super big plays on the drive but a 2nd and 6 from Pittsburgh's 31 would result in a 13 yard PI call against Denver's S Andrew Wingard and that would catapult the Steelers drive down to the the 11 yard line with a Steelers 1st and 10. Taylors gets 3 yards on a sweep time out Denver 2:48 to play . To me the key play off the game I felt Coach Randall would be keying the run and he did however instead of coach Alberry Sr going to stud WR Jefferson he felt he had an advantage with TE Dawson Knox but the pass fell incomplete. On a 3rd 7 a run by Rookie Javonte Williams gains zero yard's and with 2:32 to go and no timeouts for Denver’s Bass connects from 26 yards out Pittsburgh gets their first lead of the game. But Bass would kick the kickoff out of bounds and Trubisky and his Broncos would start 1st and 10 from the 40 plenty of time even with no timeouts to at least get in position for a tie. it gets down to a 4th and 4 from the Steelers 38 and coach Crandell forgoes the 55 yard FG attempt to tie and goes for it. Trubisky was on tonight as he connects with Cortland Sutton for 12 yards to keep the drive alive with 1:01 to go. On the very next play DT Tuttle was called for Roughing the passer on a incomplete pass giving Denver a 1st and 10 from the 13 with 34 seconds to go. After an incomplete pass on1st down Trubisky he Finds Smith on a slant from 13 yards out with 29 seconds to go to give Denver a 21-17 lead. And that's the way it would end as Brady does not have enough time for any chance at a comeback.

Jonathan Taylor would have 17 Carries for 100 yards and a TD and Devonte Smith would grab 6 for 121 yards 2 TD.

For Pittsburgh Rookie Javonte Williams would rush for 119 yards on 20 carries and Justin Jefferson would have 8 catches for 119 yards 1 TD. LB steven Means would make 11 tackles for Pittsburgh.

Denver (2-5) takes on the Chargers (2-5) at home whom they lost to 23-10 opening night while Pittsburgh (2-5) host division rival Tennessee (5-2) who they lost to 34-10 to open the season.

Arizona 35 Indianapolis 14                  69 Calm
The Colts were totally outclassed and the Cardinals won a game that was more lopsided than the score would indicate.
The Colts simply could not stop Arizona when they had to. Patrick Mahomes 300+ yards passing and the Cardinals running game averaged 6+ yards per carry through the 3rd quarter.

Philadelphia 16 Miami 3                     92 0-10
Philly came to Miami as Two 1 and 5 Teams go at it.

The injuries continue to pile up for Miami and not a lot of Defense to counter the Eagles. While the Eagles Defense was pretty stellar. Miami gets on the board 1st with a 37 yard FG in the 1st but that would be it. Eagles score the next 16 points to win the game 16-3.

Dallas 0 New England 37                     53 15-25
Alexander Mattison fumbled on the Cowboys first play from scrimmage, setting up an Austin Ekeler 8 yard TD run. It was downhill from there for the visitors.

The rough year continues for Justin Herbert, who completed but 19 of 41 pass attempts for 155 yards and an INT. Dallas did put up a fight early, getting within FG range twice while trailing by one score, only to see Matt Ammendola miss 43 and 41 yard field goals with a strong wind at his back. Geno Smith threw for 3 TD passes, 2 to Cooper Kupp as the Patriots win it 37-0.

New York (A) 10 Seattle 38                  62 Calm
Jimmy Butterfingers Garoppolo fumbles 3 times and throws an INT while the Seahawks ground game finally gets going as they roll over the poor jets 38-10.

Rushing Leaders
Williams,P(Bal) 24-123
Williams,J(Pit) 20-119
Gibson(Jax)     21-109
Henry(Car)      22-104 1 TD
Taylor(Den)     17-100 1 TD

Receiving Leaders
Mooney(LAC) 8-119 1 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Week

Passing Leaders
Mayfield(Bal)   36-25-342   3 TD
Rodgers(Cin)    42-27-338   2 TD
Jones,M(SF)     25-22-317   3 TD
Mahomes(Ari)    27-20-306   5 TD 1 Int

Defensive Standouts
Leonard(SF) 8 tkl 1 FF 1 Int – IFL Defensive Player of the Week

Special Teams
Berrios(NYJ)   4-162 Kick Ret 1 TD 3-37 Punt Ret – IFL Special Teams Player of the Week

WEEK SEVEN IFL STANDINGS

WEEK SEVEN IFL LEAGUE LEADERS

WEEK 6 RECAP

Aaron Donald and the Baltimore defense force five Bengal turnovers as the Ravens upset Cincinnati.

Game Scores
Cincinnati 13 Baltimore 20                  69 5-15
Baltimore gets a lucky win against Cincinnati which is explained by a 5-0 turnover differential

Rodgers was 26 of 38 for 278 with 2 TDs, but, also threw three interceptions. Cincinnati lost 2 fumbles, including a KR fumble by Swain. . Mayfield wasn't all that great, 18 for 30, 155 yards and a TD, but, outperformed Rodgers by not having any picks

The Bengals had a hard time running the ball, 17 carries for 35 compared to Baltimore's 33 carries for 153 yards.

The Bengals went into halftime with a 13-10 lead, but, got shut out in the 2nd half, 10-0.

Baltimore will host KC next week, hoping to continue their 2-game winning streak, while Cincinnati travels to Las Vegas.

Arizona 24 New York (N) 38                  62 5-15
James Robinson rushes for 110 yards and two touchdowns as the Giants earn a big division win.

Pittsburgh 20 Chicago 17                    55 15-25
Steelers kick FG as time runs out in a close game throughout.

Los Angeles (A) 3 Houston 20                70 Calm
Joe Mixon rushes for 115 yards and two touchdowns and the Texans defense holds the Chargers offense to 132 yards.

Denver 6 San Francisco 30                   78 0-5
The Niners defense collects three sacks and force three turnovers as they cruise past the Broncos.

Buffalo 16 Dallas 13                        70 Calm
The Buffalo Bills made a key stop late in the game on 4th and 1 and went on to score the game-winning FG for a narrow 16-13 win.

Dallas intercepted a Kyler Murray pass in the first quarter and parlayed that into a FG for a 3-0 early lead. On its next possession, Coach Greg Smith led his team on a 20-play, 85 yard drive that culminated with a Murray pass to
halfback Brandon Bolden in the flat that he turned into a nice 19-yard score.

With the first half winding down, Dallas had moved the ball to the Buffalo 19 before Justin Herbert was picked off by Jaron Kearse. After a long return, Murray connected with Denzel Mims for a 30 yard play and kicked a FG before the half expired to extend Dallas’ lead to 10-3.

In the third quarter, Dallas found itself on the Buffalo 14. On third and six, Jamaal Williams dropped the pass from Hebert and the Cowboys had to settle for a short Ammendola FG to make the score 10-6.

In the fourth quarter, Hebert connected with Deebo Samuel for a 9-yard score to put Dallas on top 13-10.

On the ensuing possession, Murray pulled the ball down and ran for 22 yards. On third and six from the Dallas six, Murray fumbled the snap from his center and fell on it to maintain possession, but torpedo the team’s TD aspirations. The Elliott FG knotted the score at 13 with 3:41 left.

Dallas was faced with a third and one. Herbert tried a QB sneak but was stopped inches short of the first down marker. With little time in the game, Dallas was faced with a tough call. With a feeble 1-4 record, Dallas decided to go for it on fourth down. A Jamaal Williams run off tackle was thwarted by the Buffalo defense who keyed him.

Buffalo’s first play from scrimmage on the change of possession on the Dallas 35 was a one-yard run by Bolden. Then Dallas double teamed Bolden, whose number was called for an incompletion. On third down, Buffalo called a screen to Bolden. It went for eight yards – one yard shy of the first down. On fourth and one, on the 25, Elliott’s FG put the Bills on top 16-13.

With less than two minutes in the game and Dallas down to its final possession, Buffalo was called for a five-yard penalty. Hebert then threw an incompletion. Than Buffalo was offsides again. Herbert then passed 12 yards to Watkins and then 12 yards to Samuel. Then Hebert was sacked for nine yards. Hebert then connected with Samuel for 8 yards to put Dallas close to FG range. On fourth down and about five yards to go, Hebert was sacked again to end the threat.

Buffalo improves to 3-2 and Dallas falls to 1-5.

Miami 14 New England 27                     45 0-10 Heavy Rain
Tyreek Hill beat a double team midway through the first quarter for a 20 yard TD catch from Lamar Jackson to stake NE to an early 7-0 lead. Later in the 2nd quarter, Robert Woods blew past the Patriot secondary for a 28 yard TD reception to tie the game at seven apiece.

Patriots would respond with an 11 play 77 yard drive to make it 14-7, thanks in large part to the legs of Lamar Jackson and Kareem Hunt, who ran NE into scoring territory before Jackson would hit Kupp for a 5 yard TD to make it 14-7 at the half.

Lamar came out of the locker room blazing, finding Kupp, Hill, Hayden Hurst and Hunt on consecutive plays to march the Pats to the Miami 28. A 10 yard run by Hunt followed by a 18 yard TD reception by Nyheim Hines lifted NE to a two TD lead. A 6 yard TD rush by Najee Harris in the 4th quarter finished the Dolphin scoring, as NE would win this one 27-14.

Neither team would turn the ball over in this one despite a wet and sloppy field. Miami was penalized 7 times however for 44 yards, while the zebras refused to call even one penalty on the home team. Miami did manage to sack Lamar 4 times on the day, while the Dolphin OL kept Tua upright pretty well, allowing only one Patriot QB sack on the afternoon.

Kareem Hunt rushed for 65 yards on 12 carries, while Lamar Jackson threw for 3 TDs and 235 to go along with his 44 yards on the ground. Tyreek Hill led the NE receivers with 108 yards through the air. Tua Tagovailoa threw for 181 and a TD, while Najee Harris found few holes to run through on the day, finishing with 41 yards on 17 carries.

Detroit 9 Minnesota 17                      68 Calm
The Minnesota Vikings (2-4) score 17 second-half points to a closely-contested 17-9 victory over the pesky Detroit Lions (1-5). Colt McCoy played well under center (14-22-174) and a touchdown without turning it over. Ezekiel Elliott netted 83 yards on 22 carries.
Deshaun Watson led the Lions with 143 yards completing 16 passes on 28 attempts and a score. Give that man a massage.

Jacksonville 14 Tennessee 23                62 10-20
Injuries on the o-line played a big role in this one as the Jags didn't have Zach Martin, Brandon Shell and then lost Andrus Peat during the game. The normally fierce some Jaguar rushing game was stymied with only 117 yards on 40 attempts. The Titans found enough offense to be leading 20-7 early in the 4th quarter. With 6 minutes to go Josh Allen came alive and marched Jacksonville down the field, scoring the TD on an 8 yard pass to Antonio Gibson. However, the onside kickoff failed and the Titans were able to gain 34 yards in 2 minutes and kick the clinching field goal.

Next week Tennessee hosts the Chargers while the Jaguars host the Texans.

New Orleans 45 Los Angeles (N) 21           78 Calm
Taylor Heinicke and the Saints offense puts up 21 unanswered points in the second half to stomp the Rams in Los Angeles.

Heinicke played pitch and catch to WR AJ Brown all game, torching the Rams best CB, Marshon Lattimore, to the tune of 6 catches for 178 yards and two touchdowns.

The Saints also managed 199 rushing yards spread across several running backs.

The game started optimistically enough for Rams fans as QB Daniel Jones led an opening TD drive connecting with CeeDee Lamb to go up 7-0. The Saints quickly answered with two scoring Drives to take the lead 10-7 at the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter again, the teams traded touchdown drives to make it 17-14 Saints. Saints tried to run a 4 min offense to score and end the half, they managed to get their TD on a Heinicke to Brown hook up, 24-14 Saints. Saints left the Rams about a minute and some confusion in their secondary by some back up safeties allowed Corey Davis to catch a simple pass and take it 58 yards for the Rams third TD of the day to make it 24-21 Saints.

The Rams opened the second half by kicking the ball out of bounds and it was all downhill from there as Heinicke would scramble for a 36 yard TD run and later in the third quarter find AJ Brown again for his second TD catch of the game.

The Saints added a garbage time TD to get to the final of 45-21.

Next week the Saints return home to host the Vikings, while the Rams host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Seattle 12 Philadelphia 6                   56 Calm
Division leading Seattle traveled to Philly and both teams decided to get a head start on Halloween as they put on an offensive horror show. The two teams COMBINED for 12 points, 456 yards of net offense in regulation, 3 turnovers and 14 punts, and one missed FG. It was so bad they decided they needed extra time. At that point the Seattle offense finally woke up and marched 75 yards down the field for the game winning TD.

Tampa Bay 28 Green Bay 27                   56 10-20
Battle of the Bays did not disappoint.

Packers led a back and forth game by 6 late in the 4th when Derek Carr found Hollywood Brown for a 45 yard TD to win it for the Bucs. Final score 28-27

Both QB's played well but Carr got it done when it mattered.

Thanks to Tony for subbing. He coached a great game.

Tampa Bay has a stranglehold on the division at 6-0, Pack drops to 3-3

Indianapolis 17 New York (A) 24             67 5-15
Jets kicker Dustin Hopkins connects of six field goals as New York edges the Colts.

Carolina 12 Atlanta 44                      68 Calm
Division rivals come head to head in Atlanta, and it was clear this game who had the home field advantage.

Carolina had 3 turnovers to Atlanta's 0 including a 90% challenge for Coach Britt early on that was a big call that was ruled against the Panthers! This was some foreshadowing that the 10% call would signify that fortune smiled upon the Falcons on this day.

The game started off as a low scoring affair as both offenses struggled to move the ball and the 1st quarter ended 7-3 in favor of the Falcons.

Then came the 2nd quarter explosion with Atlanta scoring 4 TDs in a row including a fumble recovery TD by Pat Surtain 2. Derrick Henry would rush for a 68 yard TD with 10 seconds left in the 2nd quarter to breathe some life into the Panthers. 34-9 at half.

The second half was a low scoring affair with the game ending and the coaches putting in the backups.

Final Score: Carolina 12 Atlanta 44

Next Week Atlanta takes on the Packers, while Carolina hosts Da Bears

Kansas City 24 Las Vegas 28                 76 0-5
Trailing 28-7, old pro Andy Dalton tries to rally the Chiefs with two fourth quarter TD passes but falls just short.

Rushing Leaders
Kamara(LV)      22-120 1 TD
Mixon(Hou)      22-115 2 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Week
Robinson,J(NYG) 12-110 2 TD
McFarland(Phi) 25-108
Henry(Car)      11-101 1 TD
Gordon(NYJ)     13-101
Scott,B(Atl)    6-49 3 TD

Receiving Leaders
Brown,A(NO)      6-178 2 TD
Chase(Ind)       9-155 1 TD
Johnson,D(Cin) 10-110
Bourne(KC)       5-106 3 TD
Patterson(TB)   10- 50

Passing Leaders
Carr(TB)        42-33-363   3 TD
Mahomes(Ari)    45-23-305   2 TD
Burrow(Ind)     36-21-304   2 TD 1 Int

Defensive Standouts
Donald(Bal) 4tkl 1 sk 2 hur – IFL Defensive Player of the Week

Special Teams
Hopkins(NYJ)   6-6 FG – IFL Special Teams Player of the Week

WEEK SIX IFL STANDINGS

WEEK SIX IFL LEAGUE LEADERS

WEEK 5 RECAP

The Cardinals Patrick Mahomes threw for one TD and rushed for two more including the game winner.

Game Scores
New England 24 Arizona 31                   87 Calm
It is well know that there is little love in Arizona for New England. Being a Shula disciple and many year Dolphin fan, the Zona Coach still remembers the "Snow Plow" incident with disdain!

The New England team has all the weapons "Except" a legitimate QB. It appears the GM only drafted Mountain Men as offensive linemen. If they cannot open a hole, no one can. Then they added two race cars as running backs who can also catch the ball. To then top it all off, New England has the two best WRs in the game with Hill and Kupp. Who the hell can defend against them? So the Zona D was somewhat intimidated taking the field. Seemed like everyone on the Mountain Men were 6 inches taller than the entire Zone defensive line. The damn linebackers had to struggle to even see the QB.

Arizona had only two hopes. First and fortunately, Kupp and Hill were the ONLY wide receivers who could actually catch the ball! And second, Arizona does have Mahomes. And that was just enough to allow Zona to win at home 31 to 24. Mahomes took the field on fire in his first drive moving right down the field only to stall and settle for a FG. Geno presented the Zona D with a present on the NE first possession throwing an INT right into Fullers hands. Mahomes was ready to take advantage, the NE D took advantage instead and Mahomes immediately returned the favor with a pick of his own.

NE would dominate the remainder of the first quarter to tie up the game with their own FG late in the quarter.

The second quarter was more of the same as both teams checked and then thrust at each other up and down the field. Mahomes would add a TD and NE would answer. Zona would add another TD to take a 17-10 lead. The Zona D was motivated actually shut down the NE O for a three and out. Mahomes would complete a long pass for 30 yards and the momentum felt like Zona would finally take real control of the game. And then disaster struck as Mahomes threw his second pick of the day. NE would rally and tie the game at the end of the half 17-17.

For 13 minutes in the 3rd Quarter, both defenses played the bend but do not break defense. Finally, Mahomes found Claypool for another go ahead TD. Zona 24 and NE 17. Maybe the Zona D could finally hold. And they did for the first 9 minutes of the 4th quarter. However, the Zona D was tired. The Mountain Men, well they are Mountain Men and they kicked the Zona defensive line ass. Ekeler had holes you could drive a dump truck through. In total Ekeler and Hunt combined for 94 total rushing yards on the way to a TD to tie the game.

It only took Mahomes 2 minutes and 24 seconds to add another TD. NE took the kick off with 1:36 left in the game. Minshew immediately threw long for a 38 yard completion. It was looking like OT right around the corner. However, the secondary sucked it up and stuck to Kupp like glue.

San Francisco 15 New Orleans 24             70 Calm
San Fran rolls into New Orleans and plays a hard fought game. Mac Jones would throw for 226 yards and a TD for the 9ers but get sacked 4 times. The Saints offense wasnt on the field much as the 49ers had some nice long drives and Tremon Smith for the Saints would return 2 kickoffs for TD's.

Houston 17 Carolina 20                      68 0-10
Exciting game in Carolina that goes down to the wire.

Neither team garnered much offense in the first half with both teams scoring late as Houston went into halftime leading 7-3.

Offense picked up in the 3rd as both teams traded touchdowns as Houston ended the third leading 14-13.

Carolina Picks up a field goal in the 4th to pull within one. Houston responded with a long drive to kick a field goal with two minutes left and lead 17-3, as Cousins displayed pinpoint accuracy dissecting Carolina's defense.

Wilson assembled the two minute offense and was able to drive the length of the field, capping it off with a 6 yard run to the endzone for Carolina's first lead of the day 20-17 with 27 seconds left..

Houston Moved the ball on their final drive but ran out of time and Carolina secured the victory.

For Houson, Cousins was 27 for 34 for 232 and 1 touchdown. Godwin finished with 113 yards receiving and one touchdown.

For Carolina, Wilson passed for 281 and ran in the game winning TD. Evans had 146 yards receiving including a 50 yard scamper.

  Philadelphia 23 Dallas 3                    70 Calm
With 0-4 Philadelphia coming to Dallas to face the 1-3 Cowboys, it was no surprise the teams played before a half empty stadium.

Here are the results of Dallas’ five first half possessions:

3 and out, PUNT
3 and out, PUNT
Herbert interception
We got a first down and the had to PUNT
3 and out, PUNT
Herbert connected with Quez Watkins for a 26-yarder before throwing an interception

It only got slightly better in the second half for the Cowboys but Herbert would throw his third INT of the game and the team would lose a fumble.

Philadelphia had trouble moving the ball on the ground, however.   But the Ryan Tannehill’s passing game (though not spectacular) was enough for a 23-3 victory by the Eagles.

A frustrating game for the home team, for sure.

There were also roughing the passer and pass interference penalties called against us on third downs and Brandin Cooks caught a couple of balls while double covered (no complaints there, he’s that good).   I finished with just 211 yards total offense.

Indianapolis 26 Buffalo 28                  58 10-20
The Bills host the Colts and the Indy squad came to play despite being a 12 point underdog. The Colts led 10-0 after the first quarter only to see the Bills get the offense going in the second stanza scoring 3 TD's to take 21-10 at the half.
Both teams score a TD in the third to make 28-17 heading to the 4th.
With 7 minutes to go Burrow hit Perriman on a 10 yard pass to cut the lead to 2 but the Colts failed on the 2 point try.The Colts had it on their own 46 but were only able to gain 1 yard and turn it over on downs only to see the Bills make some key plays to run out the final 3:07 as the Bills win a close one 28-26. Joe Burrow and Kyler Murray both played well. Swift and Chase had solid games for the Colts. The Bills ran the ball 44 times for 253 yards.
The Bills are now 3-2 while the Colts fall to 1-4.

Jacksonville 19 Minnesota 15                68 Calm
The Vikings started rookie quarterback Trey Lance 14-30-183 and 3 second-half interceptions that allowed the Jags to execute a fourth-quarter, comeback victory.
The Vikings stopped Josh Allen's aerial attack 7-17-46 but had difficulty with stopping the run as Allen scampered for 118 yards and starting halfback Antonio Gibson rushed for 230.

The Vikings drop to 1-4 and will face the Detroit Lions next week.

Tennessee 23 Cincinnati 51                  58 10-20
While it is a little early to call any game critical, that is how the IFL Bengals viewed this game for first place in the AFC Central. Bengal QB Aaron Rodgers started hot throwing three first quarter touchdown passes to three different receivers as Cincinnati jumped out to a 20-0 lead with a little less than six minutes remaining in the quarter. The Titans got on the board in the second quarter as Gonzalez converted a 31 yarder to cut the Bengals lead to 20-3. The Bengals would answer with a Wright field goal and a 23-3 lead heading into the locker room for the half.

The Titans would open the third quarter with a six-play 62-yard drive capped by a 44-yard touchdown from Matt Ryan to Kalif Raymond to make it 23-10. Raymond had a nice game with four catches for 111 yards. Once again Rodgers answered with a 50-yard connection to Diontae Johnson to increase the lead to 30-10. Johnson had a day himself with 11 receptions for 199 yards and 3 TDs. The Titans would answer with a A.J. Dillon 11 yard run to cut the Cincinnati lead to 30-17. Tennessee outscored the Bengals for the quarter 20-14.

The Bengals would score three more touchdowns to the Titans one for the 51-23 final.

Matt Ryan finished 17 of 32 for 248 yards and 2 TDs. A.J. Dillon rushed for 71 yards on 17 attempts.

Rodgers went 24 of 30 for 416 yards and 6 TDs and an INT. Besides Johnson rookie Rashod Bateman reached the 100-yard receiving mark with 5 receptions and a score.

Next week the Titans host Jacksonville while the Bengals travel to Baltimore to take on new Ravens coach Lawrence Green in another AFC Central battle.

Green Bay 23 Detroit 0                      70 Calm
Big Ben throws a couple TD passes and Robbie Gould kicks three field goals and the Packers “D” throws the shutout.

Atlanta 26 Los Angeles (N) 20               65 Calm
QB Scrambles, penalties and turnovers would end up being the difference in the Rams and Falcons Division matchup. Both teams feature limited offenses with effective defenses, but in the end Falcons QB Jalen Hurts made more plays than Rams QB Daniel Jones leading allowing the Falcons to keep pace in the race for the division.

The first half was played almost to a stalemate. The Falcons made a point to take Rams WR Ceedee Lamb out of the game, which they did as he managed only 1 catch for 6 yards. The Rams would go into the half with a 10-7 lead mostly behind 2nd WR Corey Davis, who was effective but had a costly fumble later in the game. The Falcons managed a Touchdown drive of their own fueled by big passes to WR Nelson Agholor and TE Zach Ertz.

The second half provided much more tension as both teams were able to move the ball with more success. The Falcons with effective scrambling by Hurts complemented by deep passes managed another TD drive in the third quarter to take a 14-7 lead. The Rams would only answer with a FG, mainly thanks to their scrambling QB Daniel Jones who ripped off a 40 yard run, 14-13.

The Falcons put together another scoring drive this time their first FG to push their lead back to 4 pts, 17-13. With 6 minutes Remaining Daniel Jones needed an 80 drive for a TD. The Rams quickly found themselves in a 4th down, but a Jones check down converted to extend the drive. Then the refs who made huge calls all game affecting both teams at key moments this time favored the Rams awarding a personal foul penalty to get the Rams to the Falcons 13 with only 1:38 remaining. Jones found TE Brevin Jordan on a crossing pattern to take the lead, 20-17 Rams.

The Falcons saved all of their timeouts and felt good about their chances to get a FG. A clutch kickoff return of 38 yards by Jakeem Grant got the Falcons off to a flying start. Some Hurts short passes fizzled but he made two key runs for 4 and 13 yards to get the ball to the Rams 36. Then a 9 yard QB draw put the Falcons well into FG range which they converted to tie the game, 20-20 OT.

The Falcons won the coin toss and the rest would be history. Hurts hit two big passes, one to Gabriel Davis for 32 yards to get them to the Rams 39 yard line. Then with the Rams on their heels the Falcons would eventually punch in the game winning TD from Boston Scott to go to 4-1.

Jalen Hurts was effective in the air and on the ground throwing for 265 yards and TD and running 15 times for 94 yards.

The Falcons defense stifled the Rams run game holding Damien Harris and Miles Sanders to 3.1 YPC and 2.1 YPC respectively.

Next week the Rams host the Saints while the Falcons take on Carolina.

Baltimore 24 Pittsburgh 21                  55 10-20
Coach Green makes his IFL debut at the helm of the 0-4 Ravens as they travel to their in division rivals the 1-3 Steelers.

The first quarter was a series of punts until Brady drives the Steelers to the 21 of the Ravens. But the Goat is picked off by Anthony Brown to kill the drive. Mayfield takes the turnover and drives down the field as the first quarter moves into the second. Mayfield goes 4-6 on the drive with a 37yard completion to Adam Thelen taking them to the 13 then on a 3rd and 7 Mayfield connects with Mark Andrews from 10 yards out to give the visitors the lead. On Brady first play from scrimmage, he is picked again this time its LB Germaine Pratt and the Ravens are in business again with a first and 10 from the 35. It takes Baltimore 4 running plays to score as Pooka Williams takes it in from 18 yards out for his first TD of the year and the Ravens are up 14-0. After the team’s trade punts Pittsburgh starts at their own 14 with 2:51 to go in the half. Brady connects with Rondale Moore for 28, Jefferson for 11 and Dawson Knox for 18 and find themselves at the Ravens 22 after a penalty gives them a 1st and 5. then Knox is hit with a 15 yard personal foul so its 3rd an 20 from the 37. No problem, Brady finds his buddy Gronk from 37 yards out and its 14-7 with 1:06 to go. Baker connects with Andrews (43 yards) and Peoples Jones (29yards) and Baltimore is at the 19 with 6 seconds to go. They risk the clock running out and goes for it and Baker connects yet again with Andrews from 19 yards out leaving 1 second on the clock and at the half its 21-7

3rd quarter Baltimore possessions Punt, Turn over on downs (went for a 4th and 3 at the Steelers 47),Punt ,Punt. Pittsburgh Punt,Punt, Turn over on downs (went for a 4th and 1 at their own 45).
4th quarter Pittsburgh Punt, Punt Baltimore Punt . That leaves us with just under 9 to play and things get a little unusual. Baltimore punts after a 3 and out but Rookie returner Moore fumbles trying to return the punt and the Ravens are in prime position to close things out with 6:18 to go and a 1st and 10 from the Steelers 20. on the second play Pooka Williams fumbles but the ravens recover then 2 plays later they face a 4th and 1 at the 11 and go for it and convert the next 3 plays only gain 1 yard for Baltimore timeout Pittsburgh and a 4th and 9 from the 9 Baltimore lines up and goes for it . What coach Green would say in the post-game interview was a mistake of trying to not pile on and run the clock out but that is usually a mistake against Brady who was having another bad night until the last 2 minutes. So with 2:06 to go starting at their own 7 Brady marches them down the field and hits Jefferson from 35 yards out and its 21-14 with 44 seconds left. Onside kick recovered by Pittsburgh on the 1st play Brady hits Moore in stride from 53 yards out and incredible we are tied at 21 with 29 seconds to go. Baltimore still has time with a couple of timeouts in their pocket to get in FG range. From their 47 Mayfield hits People Jones for a 28 yard gain time out Ravens with 4 seconds left and Badgley trots on to try a game winning FG from 37 yards out and calmly splits the uprights and the Ravens get their first win of the year.

Baltimore rushes 40 times for a 174 yards Mayfield was not great 16-32 for 215 yards but 2TD and zero picks sacked twice. Pittsburgh ran 19 times for 109 yards and Brady also was subpar for most of the game goes 20-38 for 309 yards 3TD 2INT

Next week Pittsburgh travels to Chicago while Baltimore is at home to face the division leading Bengals.

Las Vegas 31 Los Angeles (A) 0              87 Calm
Matthew Stafford throws four TD passes as the Raiders cruise in Los Angeles.

New York (N) 17 Seattle 20                  71 0-10
The Giants would travel to Seattle for their first game of the year against the Seahawks as 2-point underdogs. They would receive the ball first and Carson Wentz would proceed to carve up the Seattle D leading the offense to 7 points. In typical Seahawk fashion the offense sleepwalked through the first half promptly going 3 and out and losing a yard before punting. The defense would bail them out by stopping the Giants on a 4th down attempt and give them decent field position to start their second drive. Dak would start to put it together and get them into the redzone before promptly throwing an INT ending the drive. Again, Seahawks defense would go on and bail out Dak by picking off Wentz along with a nice return to put them in prime scoring position. However, again the offensive struggles would continue and would result in 54 yard FG from Sly to put the game at 7-3 at the half. The 2nd half would start with the Seahawks getting the ball and on the first play Dak would throw a perfect pass to Buda Baker.. Unfortunately, Buda happens to play safety for the Giants. The defense would immediately step up again when Vita Vea sacked Wentz on the next play and force a fumble that the Seahawks would recover. Prescott would begin to put the pieces together and hit Pittman for a TD to put the Seahawks up 10-7. 3 plays later and Xavier Rhodes would pickoff Wentz and provide the offense with great field position. Prescott would hit Pittman to put them up 17-7. The Giants would fight back and tie it up 17-7 with 7 minutes left but the Seahawks would put together a long drive to and Sly would hit a 41-yard FG to put them ahead 20-17 with just 1:30 left in the game.

Seattle will take their 5-0 record to Philadelphia where they will face the struggling Eagles and the Giants will host the red-hot Cardinals at home.

New York (A) 26 Miami 24                    90 0-5
After some confusion with the venue the Jets come to Miami trying to get their 1st victory of the season and the Dolphins trying to get their 2nd win.

Each Team scored a Touchdown on their opening drive and with 6:08 left in the 1st quarter the score was knotted at 7. The Jets scored the next 10 points to take a 17-7 lead only to see Miami close to within 3 with 1:08 to go in the half and it would go to the half with the Jets leading 17-14.

The Jets would get the only score of the 3rd quarter a 44 yard FG to go up 20-14 going into the 4th. With 14:08 left in the game the Jets would add another FG to go up by 9 at 23-14. The Dolphins were not done as they would take the ensuing KO 75 yards in 11 plays using 7:07 of the clock and get the TD to close the gap to 2 points at 23-21 with 7:01 remaining in the game. After a 1st down run the Dolphins force the Jets to punt and Miami gets the ball back at it's own 18 yard line with 3:58 to go in the game with the Dolphins trailing by 2. Miami would drive to the Jet 36 and on a 3rd and 2, Tua would get tackled for a 2 yard loss bringing up a 4th and 4 from the Jet 38 yard line. With only a 51% chance of hitting the FG the Dolphins call time out to ponder the situation. After heavy debate between the HC and offensive coordinator. Head Coach Tony Cox made the decision to attempt the FG (51% is a better chance than 0 if you don't get 4 yards). Veteran kicker Matt Prater nails the 56 yard FG and with just 1:02 left in the game, Miami has it's first lead of the game, 24-23. NY Decided to bring the ball out on the KO from 5 yards deep only to be stopped at the 9. The Jets are 91 yards away with only 51 seconds to go. After a 10 yard gain DT Wharton gets a 15 yard roughing the passer penalty which stops the clock and gives the Jets 1st and 10 at their own 34 yard line with only 33 seconds to go. a underneath pass forces the Jets to use their last TO with 33 seconds to go. Then Jimmy G hits St.-Brown on a 38 yard long slant and the Jets are able to get to the line and spike it with 3 seconds left on the clock setting up the 45 yard game winning FG as time runs out to take the 26-24 win.

The Jets totally dominated offensively rolling up 455 yards compared to 248 for the Dolphins. Penalties and a key turnover kept the Dolphins in the game. Now each Team is 1-4 on the year with the Jets going home to take on the Colts and the Dolphins taking the eastern seaboard trip to play the Patriots.

Kansas City 23 Denver 10                    64 Calm
Kansas City came into Mile High Stadium in Denver and behind QB Andy Dalton they were victorious 23-10.

Dalton completed 17 of 23 passes for 237 yards and a TD to lead the team
Trubisky threw for 275 yards for the Broncos but had a pick and no TD passes.

Chicago 7 Tampa Bay 26                      88 0-10
Bears fought hard early, moving the ball down the field multiple times only to turn it over. The refs were no favorite of the Chicago faithful either. Final Tampa 26 and Chicago 7.

Next week Chicago hosts Pittsburgh while Tampa goes to Green Bay.

Rushing Leaders
Gibson(Jax)     30-230 1 TD
Ekeler(NE)      15-144 1 TD
Cook(GB)        23-142
Williams,P(Bal) 22-122 1 TD
Allen(Jax)      15-118 1 TD
Kamara(LV)      17-112
Gordon(NYJ)     16-108
Elliott(Min)    14-107 1 TD

Receiving Leaders
Johnson,D(Cin) 11-199 3 TD
Godwin(Hou)     13-113 1 TD
Swift(Ind)      10-110 1 TD

Passing Leaders
Rodgers(Cin)    30-24-416   6 TD 1 Int – IFL Offensive Player of the Week
Mahomes(Ari)    35-21-311   1 TD 2 Int
Brady(Pit)      38-20-309   3 TD 2 Int
Garoppolo(NYJ) 39-28-306   1 TD
Stafford(LV)    28-17-213   4 TD

Defensive Standouts
Williams,Q(Ind) 16 Tk
Armstrong,D(GB) 11 Tk - IFL Defensive Player of the Week

Special Teams
Smith,T(NO)    4-257 Kick Ret 2 TD – IFL Special Teams Player of the Week
Roberts(Ten)   5-156 Kick Ret
Hopkins(NYJ)   4-4 FG

WEEK FIVE IFL STANDINGS

WEEK FIVE IFL LEAGUE LEADERS

WEEK 4 RECAP

The Giants win the battle of New York as Jaylen Waddle scores three touchdowns.

Game Scores
New York (N) 38 New York (A) 10             60 0-10
Billed as the “Battle for New York” this game should have had a different billing. Maybe “The fall from the top?”

In 2020 the Jets went 14-2, and their rival for New York City fans, the Giants went 9-7. Last season the Jets finished at the top of the IFL standings at 15-1, while the Giants fell to 4-12.

Things have changed in New York, the biggest change was DeShaun Watson being accused by 24 different women of a variety of sexual offenses. The Jets dumped him in the off season figuring that the City already had enough perverts. He was replaced with Jimmy Garoppolo, supposedly a good game manager. In the NFL Garoppolo finished with 20 TD passes, and 12 interceptions in 15 games.

Coach Durfee came into the season still feeling a little paranoid on how last season ended at the hands of Dave Koch, excuse me, I mean the New England Patriots. A missed extra point, and a blocked punt cost the Jets the game, and afterwards Coach Durfee kept saying “snake eyes, snake eyes!”

Well after 4 games the once high flying Jets(like that?) are 0-4, and Garoppolo has thrown 10 interceptions, and has a rating of 68, compared to his NFL rating of 99.

As for this game, Carson Wentz looked like TB12 going 17-23 with 5 TD passes. He was one of many Giants that had huge games.

Giants Coach Dylan Mays told the Jets Coach after the game that the Jets didn’t get a break all game, something he’d heard in the previous 3 games. His reply was “the snake eyes continue.”

Next week the Giants travel to Seattle, and the Jets will limp into Miami trying to avoid anymore snakes.

Tampa Bay 19 Minnesota 10                   68 Calm
Carr ate up the Vikings between the 30s but stalled in the red zone. The Vikings were outgunned but kept it reasonably close.

Tennessee 23 Baltimore 13                   57 0-10
Ravens' miserable season continues. DKS really hates this team.

First possession, the Ravens' drive stalls at the Titans 6. Michael Badgley boots a 23 yard FG, but no. A holding penalty moves it back to the 16, where Badgley attempts a 33 yard FG...which is blocked.

Second possession, Ravens start at their own 7, earn 3 first downs but stall at their own 44. Rigoberto Sanchez comes in to punt and Morgan Cox snaps the ball over his head. Even with a penalty setting the Titans back 10 yards before their first play, it only takes them 6 plays to score. TEN 7-0.

After a Ravens punt, Tennessee scores again in three plays. TEN 14-0.

The teams trade FGs before the half. TEN 17-3.

Titans boot another FG to go up 20-3 before Baltimore finally finds paydirt with Baker Mayfield finding Adam Thielen for two 30+ yard passes. TEN 20-10.

The teams again trade FGs keeping it a 10-point game. TEN 23-13.

With under 6 minutes left, Baltimore moves downfield to the Titan 19. Mayfield hits Donovan Peoples-Jones at the 10, but Cameron Dantzler hammers Peoples-Jones, who fumbles. Tennessee recovers with 2:42 left and Baltimore never sees the ball again. FINAL: TEN 23-13.

Tennessee's Matt Ryan was the game's MVP with a 21/28/242 night with 1 TD. Adam Thielen had his best game of the season for the Ravens, catching 8/11 for 173 and a TD.

Tennessee takes their 4-0 record to Cincinnati to face the perennial powerhouse Bengals. Baltimore (0-4) will seek their first win of the season in Pittsburgh next week.

Thanks to Titan Rick for getting the game in with my tight schedule.

Green Bay 19 Chicago 16                     59 5-15
In a super close game, that was within 3 pts either way the whole 2nd half. The Packers came out on top 19-16.

The teams combined to go 1/7 on 4th down. & the Bears stunk up the place going 1-11 on 3rd. I'm sure the always tough GB D had something to do with it. 22 blitz's by Chi got us 0 sacks. yards 232 to 237.

Probably the most amazing stat is GB had only 35 yards in Penalties. Anyone in their right mind knows thats way too few for them cheatin' F*#ks.

Nest week GB in Motor City & TB gets an easy one.

Detroit 0 Cincinnati 20                     57 5-15
After a scoreless first quarter, the Bengals finally broke the ice as RoJo went in from six yards out. Fairbairn added a field goal just before the half and Cincinnati went into the locker room with a 10-0 lead.

The scoring in the second half was inverse to the first as Fairbairn extended the Bengals lead to 13-0 midway through the third quarter. Rojo would finish off the scoring with another TD run. This time from four yards out.

As the score indicates the Detroit offense struggled throughout the game. Jacobs and Edmonds had some nice gains but stat pack quarterback Watson threw for only 46 yards and with an interception.

Rodgers threw for 271 yards but struggled in the red zone with no touchdowns but an interception. Diontae Johnson had seven catches for 99 yards. Veteran Jerry Hughes led the Cincinnati defense with eight tackles and Uchenna Nwosu got to wear the turnover mittens with his second interception of the season.

Next week the Lions welcome Green Bay while the Bengals host undefeated Tennessee in a big divisional match-up.

Miami 24 Indianapolis 20                    69 Calm
Close game. Miami got off to a 14-0 lead and were just short of dominating the game, but the Indianapolis Colts showed some life and scored 20 unanswered points and were driving late to perhaps seal the game....
...but a penalty on a made FG forced the Colts back to try again, and missed with the score 20-14.
Then with the score 20-17 a Joe Burrow fumble late in Dolphin territory, and returned 25 yards was devastating as Miami was able to move the ball close to the goal line and with 17 seconds took the lead and the game 24-20.
Miami is now 1-3 next week home vs NY Jets
Indianapolis is also 1-3, next opponent is at Buffalo

Seattle 42 Dallas 24                        70 Calm
The Seattle Seahawks remain undefeated after impressive performances by Dak Prescott and Tee Higgins in a convincing 32-24 win on the road in Dallas.

Prescott threw for 302 yards and five TD passes while Higgins caught two of the balls for scores among his six for an astounding 194 yards receiving.

Dallas took the opening kickoff and marched down to the Seattle six yard line before having to settle for a field goal. Both teams exchange punts but Prescott hit Higgins on a long slant for a 39 yard score. Dallas came back on a drive that featured two 16 yard runs by Jamaal Williams and a Justin Herbert 27 yard tuck and run to set up Herbert’s pass to Uzomah from the Seahawk six. This put Dallas on top 10-7.

That lead didn’t last long. After the touchback on the kickoff, Prescott connected with Higgins on a Medium Slant that Higgs took the house for 75 yards.

After a Cowboy turnover on downs, Higgins caught a 28 yard pass off a short slant and Prescott hit Pittman for the TD strike making it 21-10 Seattle at the half.

Things got ugly in the second half for Dallas after a Herbert interception that Seattle turned into a score.

Whereas Prescott was sensational, Herbert (again) was lousy: 17/35 for 166 yards. For the year, he’s only completed 53.8% of his passes.

Arizona 27 Philadelphia 10                  63 0-5
Pat Mahomes threw for one touchdown and rushed for another as the Cardinals get past the Eagles.

Buffalo 14 New England 27                   63 10-20
In a battle of backup QBs, New England's Gardner Minshew and Buffalo's Trevor Siemian went at it in an AFC East matchup. In the end, New England had more weapons at their disposal and won by the score of 27-14. Minshew completed 22 of 31 passes for 231 yards and 2 TDs, while Siemian threw for 125 yards and a score. Neither team turned it over and only one penalty was called the entire contest.
Cooper Kupp caught 8 passes for 118 yards and a TD for the Patriots.

Los Angeles (N) 34 San Francisco 23         74 5-15
The 49ers jump out to a 10 - 0 lead, but Danny Dimes comes alive to lead the Rams to a 34 to 23 win.

Pittsburgh 27 Jacksonville 20               73 10-20
The Steelers come to Jacksonville and strangle the Jacksonville passing attack en route to 27-20 road victory.

The Steelers offense was efficient and balanced as Tom Brady went 18 of 32 for 209 yards and 2 TDs while Javonte Williams bruised his way to 101 yards on 23 carries and a TD. While the Jags ran the ball well, 35 carries for 250 yards and 2TDs, Josh Allen continued his season woes going a paltry 16 of 30 for a measly 103 yards and 2 Ints.

The score was flattering to the Jags, Sam coached a great patient game

After four games Allen has a 53% completion percentage, 3Tds thrown, 6 Ints and less than 600 yards with a 54 QB rating. I don't think Dave Koch likes Josh Allen very much.

Oh well....

Next week Jacksonville travels to Minnesota while the Steelers host Baltimore.

Atlanta 23 Las Vegas 20                     80 Calm Heavy Rain
Raider’s rally falls short. Hurst throws a touchdown passes and rushes for almost 100 yards.

Denver 10 Houston 16                        70 Calm
The Texans pick up their first win of the season at home vs the Broncos.
Kirk Cousins connect on 24 of 35 passes for 249 yards with Godwin catching 11 of those passes for 135 yards.

The Broncos got 149 rushing yards from Jonathan Taylor as he ran off tackle for a 76 yard score in the 2nd quarter.
The Broncos had the ball inside the Houston 25 yard line but were stopped inches short on a 4th and 2 late in the game.

Los Angeles (A) 17 Kansas City 41           55 10-20
Andy Dalton threw 4 td passes and KC rushed for 200 yards as the Chiefs defeated the Chargers 41-17. Nick Chubb for LA ran for 116 yards on only 12 carries.

Carolina 14 New Orleans 27                  70 Calm
The Saints win a division game at home over the injury riddled Panthers. Heinecke threw for 291 yards and 2 TDs. James Conners rushed for 2 TDs also for the Saints. AJ Brown caught for a whopping 186 yards and a TD. Derick Henry rushed for 88 yards and a TD for the Panthers.


Rushing Leaders
Taylor(Den)     23-149 1 TD
Harris(Mia)     21-130 2 TD
Gibson(Jax)     19-127 1 TD
Allen(Jax)      15-123 1 TD
Chubb(LAC)      12-116 1 TD
Robinson,J(NYG) 10-106
Williams,J(Pit) 23-101 1 TD

Receiving Leaders
Higgins(Sea)     6-194 2 TD
Brown,A(NO)     6-186 1 TD
Thielen(Bal)     8-173 1 TD
Godwin(Hou)     11-135
Waddle(NYG)      6-119 3 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Week

Passing Leaders
Mayfield(Bal)   40-24-341   1 TD
Garoppolo(NYJ) 50-30-340   1 TD 2 Int
Stafford(LV)    43-26-329   2 TD 2 Int
Prescott(Sea)   28-19-302   5 TD
Wentz(NYG)      23-17-235   5 TD
Dalton(KC)      21-17-207   4 TD

Defensive Standouts
Tomlinson(Min)   3 Sk 7 Tk – IFL Defensive Player of the Week

Special Teams
Patterson(GB) 4-4 FG – IFL Special Teams Player of the Week
Agnew(SF)      6-209 Kick Ret 2-19 Punt Ret

WEEK FOUR IFL STANDINGS

WEEK FOUR IFL LEAGUE LEADERS

WEEK 3 RECAP

Bucs Coach Chase deliberates his next play call from the RV park.

Game Scores
Tampa Bay 34 Detroit 10                     70 Calm
Maybe the most remarkable feature of this game was that Tampa played it using our mobile as a hotspot during a RV camping trip. The game would only work with Tampa hosting via Hamachi. It didn't work when we tried to join coach Merlenbach as the host. After that it was a flawless game from an IT perspective.

As for the game, Tampa's Carr was able to throw passes at will averaging 18.75 per completion, going 20 of 28 for 375 yards and 5 TDs. I'm sure the Lions will remember this one when Deshaun Watson gets back on track in the many years to come.

My thanks to Don for working with us on game time plans and initial connection issues.

Next week the Lions travel to Cincinnati while the Bucs head to Minnesota.

New Orleans 31 Atlanta 21                   68 Calm
Atlanta hosted division rival New Orleans from an unfamiliar spot...1st Place in the IFL West. N.O remembers the game late last season that Atlanta stole from them to try and hamper the Saints' playoff spot.

However, this Atlanta team is different...no Rivers/Mostert or Fitzgerald. The Saints came ready to play this game.

NO 31, ATL 21

Game MVP Heinike 4TDs and 2 INTs. Threw two huge plays to AJ Brown- Brown ended with 2 catches for 115 yards... and 2 TDs as he burned the Falcons deep.

The Falcons knew there would be some hiccups along the way for developing QB Jalen Hurts, as he still struggles with accuracy and has a young receiver corps. Today his inexperience showed. Hurts went 11 for 22 with only 53 yards passing. The Saints defense had the offense all confused. The Falcons had great field position many times due to 3 takeaways by the defense including a questionable fumble call. However, they were only able to come away with a FG most of the time.

The 4th quarter things got a bit more tense as Atlanta pulled some starters and threw in Mason Rudolph. Rudolph is competing for #2 on the depth chart and saw his arch nemesis Myles Garrett still on the field for the Saints. Rudolph went 9/14 with 1 TD on a 40 yard pass to James Washington to cut the lead to 10. However, the Falcons with Rudolph couldn't muster another drive and the game ended with N.O taking the victory.

Minnesota 27 Chicago 17                     82 5-15
Close back and forth game, but the Vikes had Colt McCoy who began the game 14/14 & ended up 31-36 248yrds 2 TDs, Bears had Sam Darnold. 27-17 final.

Minny hosts TB, while GB visits Chi

Houston 17 Kansas City 27                   72 Calm
Kansas City had 469 yards of total offense and defeated visiting Houston 27-17. The Chiefs ran for 264 yards and controlled the ball for 36 minutes in the win.

Philadelphia 17 New York (N) 20             78 5-15
The Eagles visited the Giants for a divisional game and it wouldnt disappoint. The Eagles take a 14-2 lead into the 2nd quarter. The Giants offense couldnt stop committing penalties (9 total in the game) and also had a fumble, a int, and a blocked punt in the first half.

New Yorks defense stepped up big sacking Tannehill 8 times (Quinn - 3, Preston Smith - 2, Autry - 2, Bosa - 1) and picking Tannehill off once and forcing a fumble.

New York has a lot to clean up on offense but they look forward to next week when they will face off against the Jets.

New England 37 Indianapolis 14              69 Calm
With Jamar Chase coming off a 200+ yard receiving week, NE made a concerted effort to prevent the rookie WR from beating them. But like last week at Philadelphia, the stud receiver proved to be a handful early on, scoring his 3rd 1st quarter TD pass in 2 weeks when Burrow hit him in stride on a slant pattern for a 68 yard catch and run TD to tie the game at 7 apiece. NE took the lead once again on a short TD run by Austin Ekeler, and soon got the ball back again looking to extend the lead. Rasul Douglas was having none of it, as he picked off a Jackson pass and raced 38 yards for the score.

Tie game at 14-14 heading to the 2nd quarter.

An 11 yard Kupp TD reception and a couple Tucker field goals gave NE a 27-14 lead heading to halftime. The second half saw the Patriot D stiffen considerably, as Burrow and Chase were unable to get anything going after the early TD. Patriots wind up pulling away to win this one 37-14.

Lamar Jackson accounted for 401 yards (276 yards passing, 2 TDs, 125 yards rushing) while Tyreek Hill led all receivers with 8 catches for 77 yards.

Patriots controlled time of possession with nearly 40 minutes on offense, with 31 total first downs to Indy's 7.

Colts won the turnover battle (3 to 1) and penalties drawn (4 to 2) but most all else favored the visitors on the day, Pats go home to face Buffalo next week while Indy hosts Miami.

New York (A) 27 Buffalo 28                  70 Calm
The Jets come to Buffalo with an 0-2 record after playing two of the best teams in the IFL very tough. The BIlls knew they had their hands full with a solid Jets team as they looked to go to 2-1. After three quarters the Jets were up 24-7 as Melvin Gordon punched in two runs for TD's and Jimmy G. hit Marvin Jones on a short 4 yard pass and Hopkins chipped in with a FG to account for the 24. Kyler Murray struggled to keep drives going as Valdes-Scanting caught a 11 yard pass for the only points for the Bills through 3 quarters.

With 10:30 left Murray hit Conklin from 6 yards out to close the gap to 24-14. The Buffalo defense stiffens as Epps picks Jimmy G. and the Bills then go 41 yards on 8 plays capped off by a Gaskin 1 yard plunge to make it 24-21. The Jets then go 50 yards on 11 plays as Hopkins kicks a 43 yarder to make 27-21 Jets with 2:09 remaining. on the ensuing KO Nwangwu fields the KO 5 yards deep in the endzone and takes it to the HOUSE and Elliott kicks the PAT to give the BIlls a 28-27 lead with 2:01 remaining.Berrios returns the KO to the Jet 38 only to see Jimmy G. picked off by Jayron Kearse to essentially end the game as the Bills run out the clock and win a game that looked like a certain loss and the Jets are just shaking their heads. The Jets fall to 0-3 while the Bills improve to 2-1. The Jets will host the Giants next week while the Bills travel to Foxboro to take on the powerful Patriots.

Miami 10 Seattle 33                         69 10-20
After a scoreless first quarter, Dolphins score first with a Goff TD pass but the 12th man holds Miami to a field goal the rest of the day as Seattle puts up 33.

Dallas 17 Arizona 33                        100Calm
Mahomes was unstoppable as he provided fans with a clinic of how to play QB in the IFL. Mahomes consistently hit picture perfect deep balls to Mike Williams. Who need Tyrek Hill? Pitts showed why he was the number 1 TE off the board in the recent IFL draft. He provided a big and fast target for Mahomes all day. Linebackers just could not cover him. Kirk, Claypool and *Owegambamba (*dont ask how to spell his name and I am not looking it up) provided additional reliable targets for the outing.

Mahomes made one critical error on the day on a pass to Kirk which misfired and resulted in a pick. Herbert took advantage of field position and quickly connected for a quick TD which did tighten up the game.

The main casualty of the day was the Arizona Special Team Coach who was fired immediately after the game. For who knows why he sent his punting team in to put on a 4th and goal at the 5 yard line. Of course, the punter kicked the ball into the bleachers for some lucky fan. Dallas immediately got the ball at their 25 yard line. In a press conference after the game the Special Teams coach tried to blame Koch by claiming the punt and field goal button positions were intentionally changed. There were not buyers for the story. Good luck finding a high school coaching position.

The Zona defense consistently confused Herbert throughout the afternoon. Of course, the Cowboys only have two receivers of merit, so it did make the job easier. Dallas was able to chip away by running and completing some short passes, but often one negative play would allow the Zona D the ability put more DB on the field.

Good thing Zona has Mahomes because it would be a long season if they had to rely on Barkley.

Jacksonville 32 Baltimore 17                81 0-10
Baker Mayfield thought Christmas came in early September and gift-wrapped a victory to Jacksonville, complete with 4 INTs, including 2 pick-sixes. Ugh.

Cincinnati 34 Pittsburgh 3                  67 0-10
Bengals jump out to a 14-0 first quarter lead and cruise to the win.

Tennessee 31 Green Bay 30                   67 0-10
Packers jump out to a 20-3 lead only to see Titans battle back before the half to make it 20-10

Up 27-17 late in the 3rd and hosts felt pretty confident but Matty Ice drove his team quickly downfield. Rashad Penny capped off the clutch drive with a 14 TD run and it was 27-24.

Packers move back downfield and extended their lead to 6 with a Riley Patterson FG. 30-24

On the Titans next possession Penny took a handoff and broke free for a shocking 75 yard run to send the Lambeau faithful home in a foul mood.

31-30 the final, as Rick's Titans remain undefeated thanks to some stellar play calling.

Penny was obviously the game star, 13-149, 2TDs

Dalvin Cook had another 100+ yard day in the loss

Green Bay (1-2) finally goes on the road to face Chicago (1-2)
Tennessee (3-0) visits winless Baltimore (0-3)

Carolina 13 San Francisco 34                85 5-15
Devin Singletary scores three rushing touchdowns as the 49ers down the Panthers.

Las Vegas 24 Denver 6                       76 0-10
Denver jumps out to a 6-0 lead and the Vegas rips off the next 24 to move to 3-0 on the season as Denver falls to 1-2.

Los Angeles (A) 3 Los Angeles (N) 27        72 Calm
Rams and Chargers met in the Freeway Faceoff on Monday Morning. It was as big a struggle for fans to navigate the traffic to get the game as it was for each team to mount an offense in this one.

The 1st quarter went into the books scoreless. Early in the 2nd the Rams finally broke through with a field goal. Later in the quarter the Rams again mounted a drive after a key third down check down pass by Rams QB Daniel Jones gained 23 yards. Jones eventually found RB Samaje Perine in the end zone to cap the drive, 10-0 Rams. The Chargers would answer behind All Pro RB Nick Chubb, even with 2 mins left in the half he made key plays that helped set them up for a field goal before the half.

Rams started the 2nd half with the ball and hit two modest pass plays for 23 and 24 yards. That eventually setup a Miles Sanders TD run, 17-3 Rams.

Even though the chargers were only down two scores due to the difficulty moving the ball it felt more than that. As a result they had to resort to some gambles and on their next drive went for a 4 and 3 instead of settling for a FG. Chubb was stuffed for one of the few times on the day. The Rams were able to capitalize and managed another TD drive, 24-7/

The Chargers continued to move the ball into the Rams end but just could not find paydirt as Chargers Rookie QB Davis Mills struggled in the red zone.

Neither team managed a pass play of over 25 yards.

Both teams had some success running the ball

Chargers RB Nick Chubb finished with 128 yards rushing with a 7.5 ypc avg.

Rams RB Damien Harris found some room in the second half finishing with 118 yards on 19 carries.

Next week the Rams travel to SF to finish off that season series early, while the Chargers take on division foe KC.

Rushing Leaders
Penny(Ten)      13-149 2 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Week
Chubb(LAC)      17-128
Jackson.L(NE)   13-125
Harris(LAR)     19-118
Jones,A(Sea)    20-116
Mitchell(KC)    15-107 1 TD
Cook(GB)        27-104 1 TD
Kamara(LV)      18-103 2 TD
Singletary(SF) 13-68 3 TD

Receiving Leaders
Godwin(Hou)      8-163 1 TD
Kelce(LV)       10-121 1 TD
Meyers(SF)      10-104 1 TD
Elliott(Min)    10- 24

Passing Leaders
Mahomes(Ari)    39-29-422   3 TD 1 Int
Carr(TB)        28-20-375   5 TD
McCoy(Min)      36-31-248   2 TD
Heinicke(NO)    22-16-221   4 TD 2 Int

Defensive Standouts
Watt,T(Atl)      1 Sk 15 Tk
Warner(Hou)      18 Tk
Quinn(NYG)       3 Sk 9 Tk – IFL Defensive Player of the Week

Special Teams
Zuerlein(Min) 4-4 FG – IFL Special Team Player of the Week
Slye(Sea)      4-4 FG
Carlson(Ari)   4-4 FG

WEEK THREE IFL STANDINGS

WEEK THREE IFL LEAGUE LEADERS

WEEK 2 RECAP

Colts Ja'marr Chase catches 9 passes for 202 yards and 2 TDs as Indy upends Philly.

Game Scores
Indianapolis 24 Philadelphia 20             80 5-15
Colts snap 17 game losing streak with a late scoring 24-20 win at Philadelphia.

Jamarr Chase was a force in the game catching nine passes out of twelve attempts for 202 yards and 2 TD's. All nine of his catches resulted in first downs.
In the first quarter he caught a 27 yard touchdown on a 3rd and 1, and later in the same quarter caught a 40 yard pass on a fourth and inches giving Indy a 14-0 lead.
But his biggest catch was late in the fourth quarter in what turned out to be the winning drive. After two sacks in a row, the Colts were facing a 3rd and 20 on their own 20 with 2:21 left in the game. In an obvious passing down the Eagles doubled Chase and were in a pass formation. Colts quarterback Joe Burrow, who was 25 of 36 for 299 yards on the day with two TD's, his best game in his IFL career, threw a medium pass to Chase who caught it for 24 yards and a critical first down.

Philly fought back in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 17-14 and would take the lead at 20-17 in the final quarter.
However, the Colts would not be denied. On the game winning drive in a critical moment, D'Andre Swift was able to gain 22 yards on the ground with a draw play with 1:09 left in the game. A 12 yard TD to Breshad Perriman gave the Colts the lead with 56 seconds left and the Colts held on to win for the first time in over a year.

Colts 24, Eagles 20
Colts 1-1 Next game: Home vs New England
Eagles 0-2 Next game Home vs NY Giants
MVP: Jamar Chase

Carolina 23 Minnesota 20                    68 Calm
Eddy Pineiro’s 37 yard field goal in overtime gives the Panthers the three point win.

Dallas 36 Miami 28                          91 0-5   Light Rain
Dallas came to Miami for a week 2 meeting with both Teams searching for their 1st win. Once again rain was uncharacteristically falling in Miami with a light wind, it didn't seem to matter.

A lot of offense in this one as the lead changed 6 times. Both Teams had a massive upgrade offensively compared to each teams week 1 numbers, but the only lead that matters is which team is leading when the final clock hits zero and that Team was Dallas. Final score Dallas 36 to 28 over Miami.

Quarterbacks were King for both Teams. Miami was doused with penalties in the 1st half but the penalty Gods evened in up in the 2nd half, with each team ended up with 10. Three of the categories the Dolphins lead in were turnovers, missed tackles, and dropped passes that helped lead to the Dolphin demise.

Quarterback Justin Herbert led the Cowboy offense by throwing for 336 years on a spectacular 23/33 afternoon. ILB Tremaine Edmunds led the Dallas defense with 18 tackles, including a forced fumble.

It doesn't get any easier for either Team next week as they are both on the road as Dallas heads to the desert to take on divisional foe Arizona and Miami makes about the longest road trip there is in the IFL and their 1st time ever visit to Seattle.

Cincinnati 27 Houston 10                    70 Calm
Rookie Michael Carter rushed 12 times for 154 and one score as the Bengals got by Houston 27-10. The Texans struck first as Joe Mixon finished off a nice 10 play 52 yard drive with a two yard run with a little over a minute remaining in the opening quarter. After a failed fourth down gamble by Cincinnati, the Bengals "D" forced a Houston pooch punt. After the team's exchanged punts. Carter broke off a 75 yard scoring run to tie the game at seven with about five minutes remaining in the half. Cincinnati forced another Texan punt but Rodgers was intercepted as the teams went into the half tied.

The Bengals put together a ten play 75 yard drive capped off by another rookie, Rashod Bateman with a five yard TD catch to give Cincinnati a 14-7 lead. The Bengals would add two field goals to increase their lead to 20-7 with Ronald Jones scoring from two yards out. Houston would add a field goal for the 27-10 final.

Rodgers finished 20 of 31 for 189 yards with one TD and a pick. Zach Sieler collected the Bengals first sack of the season. Cincinnati rushed for 222 yards as a team.

Joe Mixon led the Texans offense with 102 yards on 24 carries and a TD. Kirk Cousin finished 17 of 31 for 152 yards.

Houston couldn't take advantage of the home cooking as the Bengals were penalized nine times for 47 yards to just one penalty for the Texans for 15 yards.

Cincinnati converted 7/12 on third down while Houston managed to convert just 3/13.

Next week the Bengals travel to Pittsburgh (third road game in a row) in a key AFC Central game while the Texans go to Arrowhead to take on the Chiefs in an AFC West contest.

San Francisco 27 Chicago 7                  75 0-10
SF handled Bears. Singletary busted loose for at least 3 long runs & ended with 162 yards on 15 carries.

Atlanta 23 Detroit 22                       70 Calm
Lions score with less than two minutes remaining but two point attempt fails. Hurts runs for one touchdown and throws for another to lead the Dirty Birds.

Arizona 40 New York (A) 10                  80 0-10 Light Rain
The Red Birds are energized after getting off to a two and no loss start this season after a poor showing last year. Of course, they were helped along the since the pervert Deshawn Watson ruined his career giving the NYJ GM additional gray hairs.

While AZ has few true stars on their team aside for Mahomes, they do have an abundance of young and rising talent. AZ got off to a solid start after receiving the ball in the first quarter moving the ball down the field but made a very odd 4 down decision on the opponents 38 yard line. Had AZ lost, the decision to had off the ball to Barkley with 7 yards needed for the first down would have come under scrutiny. Coach Heaton does not remember even sending in the call.

Nevertheless, the Jets were inept without Watson. AZs next drive would stall but was rewarded by JIMMY Gs first of 5 interceptions on the day! Yes, you read it correctly, JIMMY G did in fact throw 5 picks in the game. Mishaps lead to AZ scoring 3 TDS in the second quarter and two more in the 3rd quarter.

Zona sent the young bucks into the game for game day experience in the 4th quarter. Jimmy G better get his act together or it will be a very long season.

Pittsburgh 3 Las Vegas 38                   91 0-10
The Raiders win going away in the Las Vegas home opener as the Raiders started out fast and never let up with an easy 38-3 victory over the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers.

New England 33 New York (N) 20              64 0-10
Two Lamar Jackson TD runs helped stake NE to a 20-6 halftime lead. An Ekeler TD run extended the lead to 27-6 midway thru the 3rd quarter.
With the Pats seemingly cruising, Nyheim Hines put the ball on the ground and gave NY life deep in NE territory. A Wentz to Waddle 18 yard TD drew NY within two scores.

After an exchange of punts, Chris Harris picked off Lamar and raced all the way the the NE 8 yard line. Two plays later, Edwards-Helaire ran it in from 5 yards out and it was 27-20 heading to the final quarter.

Another exchange of punts. NE took over at their own 27 with 11 minutes to play. Jackson to Kupp for 28 yards immediately put NE in Giant territory, which led to a 42 yard Justin Tucker FG. Patriots led 30-20 with 7:57 to play.

Giants were forced to punt and NE put together an extended drive, capped by another Tucker FG. 33-20 with less than 2 minutes to play. That's how it would end. Giants fought back hard, but the 21 point deficit was too much to overcome.

Lamar would finish with 118 rushing yards and 2 TDs. Austin Ekeler ran for 84 yards and a score also. For NY, Carson Wentz completed 16 of 34 for 155 and a TD in the loss.

Seattle 19 Buffalo 16                       71 0-10
The Seattle Seahawks visit New Era Stadium to take on the Buffalo Bills as both teams won their opener. The temperature is 71 with wind at 0-10 mph, Seattle is a 2 point favorite. The Seahawks win the toss and defer and kickoff to the Bills where Kyler Murray takes the Bills on a 14 play 69 yard drive only to stall at the 7 where Elliot kicks a 24 yarder to give the Bills a 3-0 lead with 5:58 remaining in the first quarter. Dak Prescott then takes Seattle down the field 75 yards in only 2:23 as he hits Pittman jr. 39 yards for the TD but Sly misses the PAT, 6-3 Seattle which is how the first quarter ends.

The Bills now go on another long drive (13-58-7:23) which ends up stalling with Elliott adding a 35 yarder to tie the score at 6. Dak Prescott once again takes Seattle to paydirt again he he hits Hockenson on a 9 yard pass as Rosas does add the PAT to give Seattle a 13-6 lead heading into halftime.
Seattle gets the opening kickoff and goes 3 and out , Buffalo starts from the 36 and drives 61 yards only to see Elliott have to kick a 21 yarder to make it 13-9 with 6:11 left in the third. Seattle starts from the 25 and goes 29 yards to the Buffalo 46 and goes for it on 4th and two only to have Prescott's pass tipped by Young aand the pass is incomplete turning the ball over to Buffalo.The momentum was clearly with Buffalo and Kyler Murray hits Tyler Conklin for 33 yards and 6 with Elliott adding the PAT to give the Bills a 16-13 lead headed to the 4th.

The Bills use 8:06 on a 13 play drive but are forced to punt with 2:48 left and Prescott starts at his own 7 and takes the Hawks on drive and with time winding down Prescott hits Higgins on a back shoulder catch for 12 yards on 4th down, Seattle calls timeout with 2 seconds and Joe Sly drills a 58 yarder to win it at the gun to give Seattle a 19-16 victory as the hometown fans went home with their heads hanging but watched a heck of a game as there were no turnovers and the yardage was 310-303 in favor of Seattle.

Seattle will host Miami next week while the Bills will host the Jets.

Los Angeles (N) 21 Green Bay 22             71 0-10
1-0 Rams visit the Pack, who were coming off a disheartening loss to Chicago.

Green Bay controlled things in the first quarter but could only manage to put up a pair of FG's as L.A. bend but don't break defense kept things close.

Early in the second the Rams put together a nice drive featuring several effective Damien Harris runs. Daniel Jones hit CeeDee Lamb from ten yards to cap things off 7-6 Rams.

The teams would go on to exchange a pair of FG's as the visitor led 10-9 late in the half.

Packers get a huge play right before the break when Jalen Guyton got behind the secondary for a 61 yard TD...15-10 Green Bay at halftime.

Rams came out strong in the 3rd and cut the lead to 15-13 midway through the frame. Moments later RB Dalvin Cooked coughed up the ball on his own 32.

CB Trevon Diggs appeared to get the ball right back for the hosts with his 1st INT of the season but a Chris Jones roughing the passer penalty nullified the pick.

Two plays later a pass interference on CB Jamel Dean had Coach Conners fuming.
Penalties were 10-2 at that point and the whining from the Green Bay sideline, 63 yard drive that stretched between the end of the 3rd and early 4th primarily on the legs of Cook. He would run it in from a yard out, 22-21 Green Bay midway through the 4th

The hosts would dial in the defense and ball control the rest of the way and escape with the victory.

22-21 final.

Daniel Jones put in a pedestrian 13/24 138 1 TD/1int
WR Corey Davis 5-65 played well
Justin Simmons was all over the field with 12 tackles

Ben Roethlisberger 21/28 221 1TD
Cook 33-153, TD (MVP)
TE Darren Waller 7/63

Always a challenge playing a coach with a Super Bowl pedigree and Ryan called a
great game, as expected.

1-1 Rams host the battle of LA next week
1-1 Packers play their 3rd straight home game when Tennessee pays a visit

Tennessee 23 Kansas City 16                 85 5-15
Matt Ryan threw for 272 yards and A.J.Dillon ran for an even 100 as Tennessee defeated Kansas City 23-16.

Baltimore 14 Denver 26                      69 0-10
The Denver Broncos, led by QB Mitch Trubiski defeated the Ravens 26-14.

Trubiski would throw for 352 yards and 2 scores while Jonathan Taylor and DeVonta Smith both reached 100 yards receiving in the contest.

Jacksonville 20 Los Angeles (A) 17          78 Calm
Chargers rally with less than two minutes remaining as rookie Mills finds rookie Freiermuth from eight yards out. Chubb converts the two point conversion to tie it at 17. But in overtime Jags kicker Bullock hits the game winner from 45 yards out.

Tampa Bay 30 New Orleans 20                 70 Calm
The Bucs win on the road. The key play was a pick 6 on a screen by Van Noy for 30 yards. That put the Saints down 2 TDs at that point. Derick Carr was unstoppable in the first half. He finished with 312 yards and 2 TDs. Davante Adams and Tyler Lockett both caught 7 balls for 115 and 100 yards. Heinecke threw for 239 yards and a TD on a day where most of the Saints offense was mediocre. Great called game by the Bucs.

Rushing Leaders
Singletary(SF) 15-162 1 TD
Carter(Cin)     12-154 1 TD
Cook(GB)        33-153 1 TD
Gibson(Jax)     24-141
Jackson.L(NE)   18-118 2 TD
Allen(Jax)      11-106 1 TD
Henry(Car)      25-104
Mixon(Hou)      24-102 1 TD
Dillon(Ten)     13-100

Receiving Leaders
Chase(Ind)       9-202 2 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Week
Osborn(LV)       6-151 2 TD
Harris(Mia)     10- 89

Passing Leaders
Stafford(LV)    36-25-420   3 TD 1 Int
Goff(Mia)       50-36-352   4 TD 1 Int
Trubisky(Den)   31-23-352   2 TD
Herbert(Dal)    33-23-336   2 TD
Wilson(Car)     50-31-324   2 TD 1 Int
Carr(TB)        39-26-312   2 TD
McCoy(Min)      44-32-289   2 TD
Mahomes(Ari)    28-20-267   4 TD

Defensive Standouts
Edmunds(Dal)     18 Tk
Okereke(Ari)     2 Int 3 Tk – IFL Defensive Player of the Week
Smith,P(NYG)     15 Tk

Special Teams
Tucker(NE)     4-4 FG – IFL Special Team Player of the Week

WEEK TWO IFL STANDINGS

WEEK TWO IFL LEAGUE LEADERS

WEEK 1 RECAP

Bears rookie kicker Evan McPherson converts six field goals as Chicago downs Green Bay.

Game Scores
Chicago 32 Green Bay 24                     56 Calm
Much improved Bears come into Green Bay and dominate for most of this one.

Total yards were 249-33 in favor of Chicago at halftime!

Packers did mount a furious 4th quarter comeback, but it fell short.

Final score: Chicago 32 Green Bay 24

Bears QB Josh Johnson was outstanding 27/37, 316, 1TD, 107.5 passer rating.

Chicago defense stymied the Green Bay running game, holding Dalvin Cook to just 11 yards on 8 carries

Well called game by Coach Nordberg

Baltimore 20 Detroit 26                     70 Calm
In the Stat-Pack Super Bowl (oddly opening the season) the Lions, led by stat-packer Deshaun Watson (18/29 244 2/0 123.3 QB rating), bested the sad sack Ravens, 26-20, led by stat-packer Pooka Williams Jr (13/47) and might-as-well-be-a-stat-packer QB Baker Mayfield (22/42 253 2/2 66.9 QB rating).

Lions' RB Chase Edmonds (13/104/1) ripped the Ravens often. WRs Michael Gallup (7/101/2) and Jerry Jeudy (5/101/1) burned Baltimore regularly. TE Cole Kmet went 2-for-4 in PATs. When their "regular" kicker tried a FG, the Lions were flagged for consecutive holding penalties and the front office sent word down to the field to just call a dive play.

In summary the Lions were well coached and played accordingly and the Ravens, well, same old, same old.

It's going to be another long season in both cities, but at least the Lions got out of the gate well.

Buffalo 14 Miami 10                         73 0-5   Rain
The Bills visit the Dolphins, opening week of the IFL 2022 season in the 1st of 2 annual divisional meetings.

Not a lot of highlights in this one, both Teams played fairly solid considering there was heavy rain at times throughout.

Miami actually out gained the Bills by over 100 yards but it didn't show up on the scoreboard. The game ended after the Dolphins got the ball on their own 26 yard line with a minute and 16 seconds but no timeouts. Miami managed to drive the ball almost the length of the field only to see the clock expire with the Dolphins on the Bills 9 yard line. Buffalo 14 Miami 10

Highlights for the Bills were the 2 off season WR/TE acquisitions of Crowder and Conklin as they combined for 12 receptions (6 each) but only mustering 99 yards total. Chase Young started off the year in grand fashion with 2 sacks, 2 stuffs, and 2 FF.

Highlight for the Dolphins were WR Sterling Shepard, with 9 catches for 175 yards and QB Jared Goff had a fairly solid game although he did fumble 4 times but only losing 1.

Next week the Bills are home against Seattle and the Dolphins stay in Miami as Dallas comes to town.

Denver 10 Los Angeles (A) 23                99 Calm
Rookie Davis Mills leads LAC to a season-opening win.

Indianapolis 10 New York (N) 30             86 Calm
This was a game of two halves as both of these teams battled it out in the first half but it would be all Giants in the 2nd half.. The Colts led 10-7 with with 4 minutes to go in the 1st half but the Giants would drive the field and take a 14-7 lead on a pass from Carson Wentz to Hunter Renfrow from 1 yard out. The Giants would not look back in this one as their defense stood strong and would not allow another point from the Colts offense.

The Giants defense picked off Joe Burrow 3 times and also sacked him 3 times.

The Giants offense was led by Carson Wentz who threw an INT of his own but also threw 2 touchdowns and 217 yards despite only completing 53% of his passes. The running game by the Giants is what led the way in this one as James Robinson took 15 carries for 100 yards and a touchdown with the team running for a total of 177 yards on 36 carries.

Player of the game : Carson Wentz

NEXT WEEK:

Giants vs Patriots
Colts @ Eagles

San Francisco 7 Los Angeles (N) 23          65 Calm
The Rams and 49ers kicked off their IFL seasons in Los Angeles on Thursday night. The game had some additional intrigue beyond the typical division rivalry. The Rams traded up in the IFL draft to pick #2 overall and had the pick of QBs after J'marr Chase went #1. The Rams passed on Mac Jones to take Trevor Lawrence, that left Jones for the 49ers setting up the inevitable "what if" questions for the Rams front office for the next dozen years every time they meet SF. Much to the dismay of the beat writers who already drafted their Lawrence vs Jones articles the Rams started Daniel Jones. Daniel Jones' performance won't keep Lawrence supporters up at night, be he did enough to top Mac Jones who's accelerated indoctrination to the IFL could pay dividends later in the season.

The game was a defensive battle with each team only managing 1 offensive touchdown. The Rams first score came on a controversial decision by the 49ers, deep in their own end the 49ers went for it on 4th and 22. It wasn't clear if this was a decision from the 49ers analytics team or they could not clearly see the down marker, but Mac Jones' pass was intercepted by Justin Simmons and returned for a TD, Rams 7-0. The 49ers regrouped and answered with an impressive drive capped by a Mac Jones screen pass to Devin Singletary, 7-7. Later in the 1st half another 4th down gambit by the 49ers again put the Rams in good field position. Daniel Jones would do just enough to get the Rams into the end zone on pass to Ceedee Lamb, 14-7 Rams.

In the 2nd half the 49ers offense would consistently short circuit, thwarting their attempts to get back in the game. Sometimes it was a timely sack, other times a penalty would undo the momentum they had going, and eventually another interception by Mac Jones was the nail in the coffin. The Rams cobbled together a few FG drives in the second half, but Daniel Jones only finished 12-24 for 142, hardly staking a claim to being the Rams answer at QB.

It was a rough debut for Mac Jones 20-36 for 151 yards and a TD, but also 2 ints. There will be brighter days ahead for the 49ers with their weapons on offense and an up and coming defense.

Next week the 49ers stay on the road travelling to Chicago to take on the Bears (Who used to be the Lions I think...)

While the Rams also travel north to take on the Green Bay Packers.

Pittsburgh 10 Tennessee 34                  82 0-10
What was a close 10-3 Titan lead at the half turned into a blowout early in the 3rd quarter. Tennessee's Andre Roberts returned the 2nd half kickoff for a TD, the Steelers had a 3 and out and the Titans took advantage of a short field to score on a 20 yard Matt Ryan TD pass to Beckham. DKS piled it on in the 4th as Titan Tae Crowder returned a Javon Williams fumble 54 yards for a TD. Final score was 34-10 Tennessee.

Net offense was similar for both teams but 3 Steeler turnovers and the kickoff return TD decided the game. Pittsburgh's Justin Jefferson had 7 receptions for 88 yards while Tae Crowder had 7 tackles, one pass defensed, 2 run stuffs, a forced fumble and the TYD on the fumble recovery.

Minnesota 20 Tampa Bay 34                   74 10-20
The Vikings traveled to Tampa Bay to start their first season since 2016 without future Hall of Famer Drew Brees on the roster. Stepping into the fill the Minnesota QB duties is the well-regarded journeyman, Colt McCoy.
Tampa Bay starts the year still trying to get over the loss of number one running back Kam Akers to a torn Achilles tendon suffered in the preseason. While they return their dynamic receiving corps, their number one running back heading into the season is converted wide receiver Cordarrell Pattison.
At kickoff the thermometer reads a cool-for-Florida 74 degrees with winds of 10 to 20 miles an hour.
McCoy starts off hot while Buccaneer Derek Carr does not. The Viking QB’s first three completions go for 22, 19 and 50 yards. Keenan Allen has a quick 72 yards with Antonio Brown adding 19. In all, McCoy notches 5 completions in his first 6 attempts. Mix in an interception of Carr by Minnesota cornerback Darnay Holmes, 2 rushing TDs by Ezekiel Elliott, and less than 10 minutes into the season, the Vikings have jumped out to a 14 – 0 lead.
Beginning with the next possession, the momentum shifted towards Tampa Bay. Carr goes his own hot streak completing 7 of 9 over two drives for 113 yards. He connects with Hunter Henry and Davante Adams for touchdowns, knotting the game at 14 at the 10:45 mark of the second quarter.
The remainder of the second quarter is a back-and-forth affair with Carr getting picked off for a second time, this time by Jordan Poyer. The Vikings manage two field goals to take a 20 – 14 lead into the locker room.
With the hefty wind at their backs in the third, Tampa takes their first lead on two more Carr TD passes, one each to Adams and Hollywood Brown. With 4:34 left in the third, it’s 28 – 20 Tampa to go along with all the momentum.
After the halftime break, Tampa’s defense finds McCoy’s number. The first three Minnesota second half possessions are all 3 and out. The Vikings get shut out in the second half. The final tally is Bucs 34 – Vikes 20.
Individual stars for the game were no surprise. Viking Keenan Allen grabbed 5 balls for 101 yards. Tampa's DeVonte Adams 11 for 126. The Bucs defense managed 4 sacks.
Next week Minnesota hosts Carolina, while Tampa travels to the Big Easy.

Philadelphia 10 Arizona 39                  96 Calm
The game got off to a late start. The game between Arizona and Philadelphia was to be played in the newly constructed SoFi stadium in CA. However, the Refs flew in from the East Coast. Seems the enjoyed an night on the town and neglected to set their alarm clocks ahead three hours. Needless to say, 2:30 PM EST time is in fact 11:30 AM PST time. As a result, the Refs were a no show at game time. Luckily, they were escorted to the stadium by LA's finest and the game was able to get underway.

The Eagles seemed to have no answer for the Red Bird offense. Mahomes and Barkley seemed to pick up the first downs whenever they were needed. Arizona wide receivers are much improved over last year giving Mahomes options he has never seen during his tenure in Arizona. Even taking a fourth quarter vacation, the Cards were able to put up 366 yards of offense on their way to a 39 to 10 victory.

Philadelphia on the other hand was stymied on offense. The Eagle offensive line and running backs enabled the Cards to focus on the passing game. As a result, the Eagles often found themselves in 3rd and long situations. Tannehill had trouble all day attempting to thread the needle through just too many defensive backs. The Eagles only committed one turn over, but it was a costly one resulting in a defensive touchdown.

Dallas 7 Seattle 31                         68 10-20
Dallas D puts up a hell of a fight for 3 quarters keeping the Seahawks offense in check and giving the Dallas offense a chance to score a week 1 upset. Unfortunately the wheels fell off the offense in the 4th quarter by committing 3 turnovers in 4 possessions the most crushing being a fumble Jamaal Williams that was returned by Xavien Howard for a TD to put the game out of reach.

Prescott was 18-31 fro 256 yards and 2 TDs. He struggled with accuracy issues most of the day but did enough to keep Seattle ahead.

Justin Herbert had a day to forget. He was 18-34 for 173 yards 1 TD and 2 INTs. He was sacked 2 times. I’m sure there are better days ahead for the stud sophomore.

Steve coached a great game and put up a hell of a fight despite being outgunned personnel wise.

Dallas will head to Miami while Seattle heads to Buffalo.

New York (A) 28 New England 37              76 10-20
New Jet QB Jimmy Garoppolo tossed 4 TD passes while completing 23 of his 34 throws for 263 yards in his debut against division rival New England. And while Jimmy G was on his game, it would not be enough on this day as the Patriots would have success on the ground and thru the air building a 34-14 lead through three quarters. Two 4th quarter TD passes would draw the Jets within range, but time would run out as NE would go on to win 37-28.

Cooper Kupp caught 10 passes for 220 yards, while Kareem Hunt and Austin Ekeler would combine for 3 rushing scores (including two by Hunt, each from 13 yards out). Justin Tucker hit all 3 of his FG attempts.

Both teams turned it over 3 times, with NE getting flagged 7 times to NYJ 4. NE actually made it into the red zone 10 times converting 7 times (4 TDs, 3 FGs).

Well coached game by Bob, as usual.

Kansas City 21 Atlanta 31                   68 Calm
Week 1 matchup between 2 teams looking to rebound from disappointing 2021 seasons. KC has a QB competition brewing... who would get the nod for Week 1? Would they go with 1st round rookie Trey Lance? Nope.. old veteran Andy Dalton... nope Drew Lock wins out the spot looking to turn things around for KC.

On the flip side, both Phillip Rivers and Larry Fitzgerald have retired and Jalen Hurts leadership has given him the keys to the franchise. Can he step up and lead a re-tooled team to continue to be competitive? Or would he flounder and have the Falcons in search of a QB in the off season?

1st Quarter
Well, things did not get off to a good start for Hurts... 1st possession of the game, and 1st throw of the season was thrown to the other team! Intercepted by Chinn leading to a 6 minute drive where there was some controversy. Two plays on 2nd and goal and 3rd and goal went to review...both were stopped short of the goal line. On 4th and Goal Drew lock snuck it in to give the Chiefs a 7-0 lead

After a few short offensive sets, Jalen Hurts took off with the ball...except he forgot the ball, fumbled and KC recovered in ATL territory. Another drive, another 4th and 1 for the Chiefs.. more guts from Coach Bob Sarcewicz... QB sneak with Lock again...success!   KC 14 ATL 0

2nd Quarter (KC 14, ATL 0)

Hurts and the Falcons are determined to get things going, and Hurts completes some long throws to rookie Kadarius Toney to set them up in the red zone... Hurts throws to Agholor for the TD. KC 14 ATL 7

After a 3 and out for KC, Hurts leads the Falcons on a 6 minute 75 yard drive that ends in a Boston Scott 2 yard TD. KC 14 ATL 14

KC punts after 5 plays, and Hurts leads the 2 minute drill that ends with an ATL FG as time expires putting them up...somehow KC 14 ATL 17

3rd Quarter (KC 14 ATL 17)

KC has another 3 and out and Atlanta takes advantage ending with a Boston Scott running TD again putting Atlanta put 2 possessions KC 14 ATL 24

4th Quarter (KC 14 ATL 24)

KC ends up with an almost 7 minute drive that ends with 12 minutes to go with a TD pass to George Kittle... twice on this drive Atlanta stopped them on 3rd down only to have it taken away by penalties. KC 21 ATL 24

Atlanta comes firing back with Jalen Hurts scrambling on 3rd down and making an 11 yard run to the endzone. KC 21 ATL 31

KC defense held the rest of the way, unfortunately their offense took too long to get down the field, with about a minute left, KC was stopped on 4th and goal, and that sealed the ball game.

Game MVP: Jalen Hurts

New Orleans 41 Carolina 24                  79 0-10
Two turnovers on the first two drives lead to easy touchdowns for the Saints and doom any chance for the Panthers.

The Panthers held the lead surprisingly until the dying minutes of the half when Heinicke hit Beasley on a 5 yard pass to take the lead at the half 24-21.

Panthers are never close again as the Saints pull away 41-24.

Heinicke had a good game for the Saints with 3 td passes and 1 rushing.

For the Panthers, Wilson throws for 251 with two td's but also throws 3 picks.

Cincinnati 36 Jacksonville 10               88 0-5
In an AFC Central battle, the Jags struck first on their opening series as Josh Allen connected with DK Metcalf for the 54 yard score. After forcing a three and out, Randy Bullock connected from 36 yards out to extend the Jacksonville lead to 10-0. Once again, the Jags forced a Bengal punt as it looked like this one could get out of hand early. However, on third and ten, Chidobe Awuzie took an Allen pass to the house for the pick six as Cincinnati cut the lead to 10-6. The point after was blocked. Regardless, Allen was never the same. The Bengals would score 20 unanswered points in the second quarter and cruise to the 36-10 road win.

Rodgers finished 20 of 30 for 235 yards and three touchdowns. Besides Awuzie's pick six, Ramsey and Nwosu also got to wear the turnover mittens.

Allen finished just 11 of 30 for 122 yards, one TD, and 3 ints for the Jags. Antonio Gibson ran for 86 yards on 14 attempts.

Next week, Cincinnati stays on the road to face the Texans while Jacksonville visits the Chargers.

Las Vegas 35 Houston 23                     70 Calm
The Las Vegas Raiders opened their season against the vaunted Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on Saturday. The Texans took the opening kickoff and got started quick with a long drive that netted them a field goal to start the day's scoring. The Raiders were clearly still feeling the effects of preseason as their opening offensive play resulted in a sack and fumble recovery by the Texans. The Texans took full advantage of that turnover and punched in a quick touchdown to take a 10-0 lead.
The Raiders fought back with an efficient and effective passing attack and was able to go into the half with a narrow 21-20 lead. After a rousing halftime speech from newcomer Joel Bitonio, the Raiders came out and outscored the Texans 14-3 in the second half to win the opener 35-23.
Raiders quarterback Matthew Stafford completed 25 of 31 passes for 332 yards and five touchdowns, while his Texans' counterpart Kirk Cousins threw for 271 yards.

Rushing Leaders
Edmonds(Det)    13-104 1 TD
Robinson,J(NYG) 15-100 1 TD

Receiving Leaders
Kupp(NE)        10-220
Shepard(Mia)     9-175
Adams(TB)       11-126 2 TD
Godwin(Hou)     11-114 1 TD

Passing Leaders
Carr(TB)        50-29-366   4 TD 2 Int
Stafford(LV)    31-25-332   5 TD (IFL Offensive Player of the Week)
Goff(Mia)       44-29-329   1 TD
Johnson(Chi)    37-27-316   1 TD
Garoppolo(NYJ) 34-23-263   4 TD 1 Int
Mahomes(Ari)    24-16-258   4 TD

Defensive Standouts
Campbell(NO)     2 Int 11 Tk (IFL Defensive Player of the Week)
Wilson,L(LV)     16 Tk

Special Teams
McPherson(Chi) 6-6 FG (IFL Special Teams Player of the Week)

WEEK ONE IFL STANDINGS

WEEK ONE IFL LEAGUE LEADERS

ROUND ONE BY THE NUMBERS

To continue my yearly analysis of R1 picks in the IFL draft, I offer this update:

As previously mentioned, (last year), all these numbers refer to this year's R1 selections and positions as designated by DKS.
The most selected position this year was, not surprisingly, QBs and WRs with six each selected in R1. That's the most QBs taken per the data I have (starting with the 2012 season) and surpasses the five that were selected in 2012, 2019 and 2020.

The six WRs selected is pretty much in line with the historical average (5.4 over 11 years) and also with the last two years' R1 selections (seven in each). The most ever WRs selected in R1 was nine in 2015.

CB were in high demand this year also with four being selected in R1 (and another seven taken in R2!)
Here's how the rest of the positions fleshed out:
OT - 3 (for the second straight year)
DE, LB, RB and TE - 2
DE-LB, OC and OG - one each

Summary: There was a huge demand for QBs with 5 going within the first 10 picks, while skill positions on both sides of the ball outweighed R1 draft picks in the trenches. Excluding QBs, skill positions (RB, WR, TE, CB and S) were selected 14 times, while trench-guys (OL, DL and LBs) were taken 10 times.

Scott
IFL Ravens

HE'S BACK!! KIPER OFFERS HIS EXPERTISE ON THE IFL DRAFT.

I am happy to be doing my 3rd year mock for the IFL league. I always have a great time trying to match talent with the teams acting as the GM for all 30 teams.

As with every year I like to give my take on the most important position the QB and how I view them .

This year we have 6 QB in the mix to go in the first round as Davis Mills is the surprise candidate with a chance to go in round 1.

Trevor Lawrence- Was the top high school QB and the top college QB and when asked his College coach at Clemson Dabo Sweeney said when recruiting Trevor the one thing that struck me was he never asked about the QB competition we were bringing into Clemson he was not afraid of competition and believed in his abilities to win the job no matter the competition. Lawrence played pretty fearless, which is expected of the No. 1 overall pick and a guy coming into the league with franchise messiah expectations. Lawrence had a propensity of holding onto the ball a bit long, too. That's probably a product of the skill position cast more than him, and that's something that will likely work itself out over another full NFL offseason.With his situation (Head Coach) more stable this year I expect Lawrence to be the number 1 QB off the board in the IFL. Top QB off the board top 3 pick

Zach Wilson- Statistically speaking the worst performance of all the rookie QB's. As the saying goes, it's not how you start, but how you finish: Wilson's final seven games of the season (after returning from injury) resulted in some of his best performances of his rookie year. Much like the other QBs listed here (not named Mac Jones), Wilson had to deal with a lot of turmoil surrounding him. Through all that, Wilson had some of those "Wow" plays throughout the 2021 season and flashed the potential to remind people why he was a top prospect in the draft.While the numbers won't jump out at you, Wilson performed well enough down the stretch in a tough environment to give fans a little taste of what they can expect in Year 2 — if he can keep building on his solid finish. Top 10 pick

Trey Lance- The promise is there for Trey Lance. We just haven't seen enough of him.What we saw that was good: Arm strength, physicality, not afraid to truck a defender or two on his way to the sticks.
Lance will need to learn to be more decisive with the ball, an issue that was especially apparent in his lone start of the year. The biggest question for Lance is what will become of Jimmy Garoppolo, and how much of the offense Kyle Shanahan will be willing to change to cater to Lance's skill set.

projections late 1st early 2nd

Justin Fields-  "I think he is the second-best quarterback in this draft some agree some disagree however I heard the same negatives about Josh Allen,I heard the same thing about Justin Herbert. It’s a scout’s job to project. His 16 big time throws (PFF graded) was the most by any rookie QB. To me the situation around the young man is more concerning than his talent he could be the drafts best deep thrower before its all said and done. Top 10 pick

Mac Jones - Although scouts project him as a low ceiling type of QB he was by far the best rookie QB last year. While he made his living in the short and medium-range game this year, Jones' 58 deep-throw attempts ranked second in the class behind Trevor Lawrence (62). Like any QB he was at his worse under pressure.While Jones' arm strength isn't an issue, there's room for growth there, too: A full off season of an NFL strength and conditioning program will definitely help. What's really next? Another Patriots dynasty, probably. Top 10 pick

Davis Mills - The surprise of the draft class for QB's. Mills graded out as the rookie class's best deep thrower per PFF (89.4 grade) with six touchdowns deep. A rookie that isn't afraid to throw deep and allow plays to develop is a good sign for future progress. Mills was also good at extending plays and throwing outside the pocket, though that's not a focal point of his game. Mills' 7.8 average depth of target (ADOT) was the lowest of any of the QBs on the list, meaning he didn't exactly push the ball deep with consistency in 2021 (even though he did make due on those opportunities). He attempted just 42 deep passes, the lowest among the rookie QBs.Does that mean that Mills' season was more smoke-and-mirrors? Potentially — but there's enough promise there to build on heading into Year 2.He was my personal favorite as a late round pick coming out of Stanford he was limited in games played due to injury in college but Mills was rated a five-star recruit by Scout, Rivals and 247 Sports coming out of high school – and all three of those recruiting services also listed him as the top-ranked quarterback in his class. Top 20 pick

Now onto the mock.

1-Indianapolis Colts - Last Year new GM Charles Evans went against conventional wisdom by picking Burrows over Herbert with the first pick of the draft . Both players had outstanding year .In the draft you are trying to match need to talent available when your turn comes up this year for the Colts it fits like a glove. With their franchise QB in the house they bring in his college teammate to give him a number 1 receiver.  Pick WR Ja'Marr Chase

2-Los Angeles Rams - For the second year in a row the Rams aggressively come up the draft board and land in the #2 spot giving up 5 NFL players headliner was Debo Samuels why? GM Ryan Heaton wants a franchise QB and likely does not believe in Daniel Jones to take his team were they want to go. Pick QB Trevor Lawrence

3-Chicago Bears - I always look at QB and GM Norberg has only Sam Darnold on his roster a fringe bust at this point but may get one more season to prove himself. Lots of choices here with a dynamic play making LB on the board in Parsons and elite TE -Pitts and LT- Slayton on the board and a need at WR . I feel QB should be the way the Bears go but do you take upside or production.

Pick QB Justin Fields

4 San Francisco 49ers - The 49ers hit a home run last year picking Tristen Wirfs RT 6th last year but this team needs to take a QB to jump start this rebuild as they have a solid roster. Pick QB Mac Jones

5 New York Jets - Wow quite an off season already GM Durfee moves on from the  DeShaun Watson situation and moves him for QB Jimmy Garoppolo and this pick and he has Jameis Winston on the roster. The Needs of LT and 2nd WR Play making LB and a second CB opposite Bradberry. With a pick later in the first round I just feel you need to take the best player available that will also fill a need . Pick LB Micah Parsons

6 New York Giants - 3 Directions I see this team going TE, OT or WR Slater is an outstanding OT prospect but this team does have LT Trent Brown already on the roster although injured much of last season is only 28 years old do you pair him and Slater or go get an outside receiver as they already have an outstanding slot receiver in Renfrow.However they have no one that compares to PItts at TE. As they rebuild this offensive the unicorn is still on the board I say they give Wentz another weapon.
Pick TE Kyle Pitts

7 Miami Dolphins - GM Cox went the way of in Tua we trust in last years draft a bit of a surprise and there is still hope that pick pans out . I don't see them taking another swing at QB as they have more needs to address. They could go RB, WR, Although they have the best LT in the game in Trent Williams they could move Slater to RT, CB is another area that could use an up grade. Pick WR Jaylen Waddle

8 Minnesota Vikings- Another team that needs a QB with only Colt McCoy and Nick Mullens in the room. Wilson and Davis still on the board the Vikings go with the player that showed in his rookie season with not a great supporting cast around him that he may have a good future in this league.

Pick QB Davis Mills

9-Kansas City - With their 3rd pick in the draft in 2020 the Chiefs selected QB Drew Lock which to this point has not panned out however with him looking like he will get a chance to start this year the Chiefs may wait another year to address the QB position and get their QB's another weapon .

WR Amon-Ra St Brown

10- Baltimore Ravens - With JK Dobbins going down with a year ending injury just one year after being selected in the first round #23 the Ravens have a couple of RB's sitting their for them to choose from. And yes they could use a CB but the draft is deep a CB. Workhorse RB's more hard to find in this draft

Pick RB.Najee Harris

11- Pittsburgh Steelers - With their only RB on the roster Gus Edwards put on the IR for the year RB is a desperate need and they almost have the same needs at the CB position. But the way the board fell Slater is still on the board and although a lesser need Creed Humphrey is still there along with the CB of their choice. This may be a trade down spot for the steel curtain but if they stick and pick I believe they will take who they like as the best RB on the board. Pick RB Javonte Williams

12- Arizona Cardinals - Arizona has a need at C and the best center in the draft is still here. The rest of there roster is solid and when you have Mahomes you just want to protect him.
Pick C Creed Humphrys

13 - Buffalo Bills - This team has been coming on adding Kyler Murray and Chase Young in the first round of the last 2 drafts . Although Slater is still sitting there to be had and it is a need I think a WR on the outside is imperative to the continued growth of Murray. Pick WR Devonte Smith

14- Tennessee Titans - The Titans have their dream draft board as Slater just falls to them they run the card up to the commish. Pick OT Rashawn Slater

15-Atlanta Falcons - The Falcons have needs at RB, WR after having drafted what they hope to be their franchise QB in Hurts in the first round last year they can focus on other areas this year . But with their pass rush (TJ Watts and Von Miller) they crave a #1 CB and they have their choice Surtain, Newsome, and Stokes but from what I hear if this man is on the board he will be the pick.

Pick CB Greg Newsom

16- LA Chargers - With only Tyrod Taylor in the QB room this is a perfect landing spot for a rookie QB who has surprisingly drop down the draft board and hope he can be their future. Pick QB Zach Wilson

17- Denver Broncos - Denver has 1 WR on the roster and Tubysky and Minshew as QB's. I think they take a chance here for their QB of the future. He will not be there when the Broncos pick again and they hope the rumors of him not being ready are not true.But even if he is not ready this year he will be ready in the near future Pick QB Trey Lance

18 Carolina Panthers - No glaring needs for Carolina as they seem to have a well balanced team.Their OT and DL needs some attention also CB is an area of concern after Steven Nelson. With one of the best rookie CB on the board I think this is the direction Coach Britt will go.
Pick CB Patrick Surtain

19 LA Chargers - Back on the clock after picking up their QB. After TE Irv Smith went down for the year they have a glaring hole at TE and need some OL help .With the depth in OL in this draft I can see then turning the card in for the last impactful TE in the class. Pick TE Pat Freiermuth

20 Houston - With Becton going down for most of the year although they have CB needs I don't see them passing on an opportunity to grab OL help with this pick. Pick OT Penei Sewell

21 Green Bay - The OL and DL are solid in GB they have a solid roster with the exception of this being Big Bens last year but no QB worth drafting in this spot they do need serious help at LB and their WR are getting old in the tooth. Pick WR Rashod Bateman

22 - LA Rams - The Rams moved up and picked their franchise QB with the second pick of the draft. Now they will add a weapon for him picking a slot receiver to compliment Cee Dee Lamb and Corey Davis on the outside. Pick WR Rondale Moore

23 - New Orleans Saints - With a couple of guys who can play multiple positions on the OL and injuries taking a toll on the line the Saints pick up the best rookie Guard in the draft . Pick OG Trey Smith

24 - Las Vegas Raiders Coach Jackson has a solid team it looks this year needs are a 2nd WR , OG, DL because of injuries another LB , and S .Pick DE Gregory Rousseau

25 Tampa Bay Bucs - Position of Needs are few with RB and OT being at the top of the list.

Pick RB Elijah Mitchell

26 NY Jets - The second pick of the 1st round for the Jets and they fill another Defensive need area with a top CB in the class . Pick CB Eric Stokes

27 Cincinnati Bengals - Year after year coach Storer continues to pick near the bottom of the draft. The needs are at RB and a second WR . Pick WR Elijah Moore

28 Detroit Lions - So the Lions moved way down in the draft to pick up Deshaun Watson last month who's situation has made a turn for the worse in the last week so right now QB is still a need for this year with the only other QB on the roster is Mariotta. feeling they can get a QB later in the draft the Lions make a pick on the defensive side of the ball and grab a player who may not help them this year much but would have been a top 10 pick this year if not injured . Pick CB Jaycee Horn

29 Philadelphia Eagles - Another CB is a need for the Eagles . Pick CB Nate Hobbs

30 Denver Broncos - with their 2nd pick in the first and to close out this mock draft and with WR a need they pick a player that has a chance to elevate his game in year 2 Pick WR Kadarius Toney

IFL REPORTER IAN RAPOPORT MOCKS THE 2022 IFL DRAFT!

It is my pleasure to introduce IFL beat reporter Ian Rapoport to the IFL dot com. Ian keeps close ties to the heartbeat of the IFL with news and rumors. Ian will be mocking the first round of the 2022 IFL draft.

Thank you Commissioner Storer, it is my pleasure to mock the 2022 IFL draft. It’s always challenging to predict what direction each team will go but I will try my best.

1. COLTS
Early on I thought Indianapolis might dangle this pick in hopes that a quarterback needy team might pay a king's ransom to move up. However, as I understand it the ink is all but dry and the Colts make wide receiver Jamar Chase the number one overall pick.

2. RAMS (from Dallas)
Los Angeles was able to move up to the number two overall slot. There is an old saying you don't trade up for a top five pick to take a tackle. However, it was only a couple years ago the Rams moved up to the number four overall spot to draft current Rams quarterback Daniel Jones. Jones has been serviceable but his fifth year option was not exercised by his NFL team. So, it's possible Los Angeles does not take a quarterback. If that's the case the selection will be tight end Kyle Pitts. If the Rams traded up to grab a quarterback I believe the top two choices are Trevor Lawrence and Mac Jones. Jones is much more productive but Lawrence is considered to have the higher ceiling. I lean toward Jones if Los Angeles goes with a quarterback but I think the pick will be Pitts.

3. BEARS
Chicago is another team that recently invested heavily in a quarterback with mixed results. In the 2019 IFL draft the Bears selected Sam Darnold with the number two overall pick. My sources indicate management wants to move on from Darnold. The Bears roster looks to be a year away from the playoffs so I like Lawrence ceiling over Jones production. Trevor Lawrence to the Midway.

4. 49ERS
The 49ers are the first true team in desperate need of a quarterback at this point of the draft. One could make an argument that linebacker Micah Parsons would be a worthy of consideration. I believe San Francisco will be a surprise team this coming season. Mac Jones to the 49ers.

5. JETS (from Detroit)
New York finally tired of the Deshaun Watson circus and shipped him to Detroit. It would be easy and maybe logical to pin quarterback Trey Lance to the Jets. However, while gifted there are a lot of questions surrounding Lance. And the Jets quarterback room is more than adequate as is. I think New York takes the best defensive player in the draft in linebacker Micah Parsons.

6. GIANTS
Like their AFC counterparts from the "City That Never Sleeps" the Football Giants aren't desperate to upgrade the quarterback room. I think if Lawrence or Jones were available the Giants would jump on the chance to take either one. However, I think tackle Rashawn Slater would really upgrade the New York O-line for years to come. Slater to New York.

7. DOLPHINS
Miami could go many different routes with this selection. They have already proven that they aren't afraid of a crowded quarterback room. I am not sure if Tua or Goff can take the Dolphins to the Super Bowl. So, Trey Lance has to be considered. They also could use another receiver such as Jaylin Waddle or DeVonta Smith. Miami also needs a number one corner such as Patrick Surtain. But, I think the Dolphins take the bell-cow back in Najee Harris at seven.

8. VIKINGS
Veteran Action Football Coach Mark Jones begins his first offseason in the IFL. Minnesota is another team that needs a quarterback. Offensive line is also an area that needs improvement but I look for the Vikings to address that later in the draft. Quarterback Trey Lance is a good gamble at eight.

9. CHIEFS
Kansas City is slowly moving back to respectability. While Andy Dalton's best days are behind him, Chief fans have concern about hitching their wagon to Drew Lock. I think Kansas City selects quarterback Zach Wilson in hopes he can pull them to the promise land.

10. RAVENS
Baltimore and the Jets have to be the two unluckiest franchises in the IFL. Everyone knows about the Jets and Watson but the Ravens have been snake bitten over the years with holdouts and injuries. Injuries are a big reason 2022 looks to be a restructuring campaign in Baltimore. Selecting Jaylin Waddle or DeVonta Smith would rejuvenate the receiving room. But Patrick Surtain would be a nice addition to the Baltimore secondary. You can't go wrong with any of the above but I think the Ravens select corner Patrick Surtain.

11. STEELERS
One could make a case for offensive tackle Penei Sewell going to Pittsburgh here but I like the combination of Jefferson and Jaylin Waddle for Brady to throw to. Wide Receiver Jaylin Waddle to the Steelers.

12. CARDINALS
The Cardinals look to be poised to make a return to the postseason. They have a dizzying amount of players rated seven or higher on their roster. Their receiving room is crowded as is so I don’t think they will go with Smith. Sewell is tempting but because the running back room is so beat up I think the selection will be running back Javonte Williams.

13. SAINTS (from Buffalo)
The Saints gave up their second round draft choice to move up ten spots. So, they must have someone in mind. I have to think it was for a quarterback and like the NFL Bears, they trade up to select Justin Fields at 13.

14. TITANS
Tennessee has enough receivers to fill their route tree but Smith has to be a consideration. Still, they could really use a tackle. Penei Sewell to the Titans.

15. FALCONS
IF DeVonta Smith falls to this pick it will be an easy selection. If he doesn’t, Atlanta could take another quarterback in the first round for the second year in a row. Otherwise, cornerbacks Eric Stokes or Greg Newsome have to be a consideration. I think Smith’s fall ends at 15 though.

16. CHARGERS
The Chargers need offensive line help and a tight end with Irv Smith out for the 2022 IFL season. Cred Humphrey would be a nice get for the pivot. I think it’s a little too early to take Pat Freiermuth but Jerry might surprise us. Cornerback is another consideration but I think Los Angeles takes the last remaining quarterback in the IFL Green Room. Davis Mills to the Chargers.

17. BRONCOS
Denver has a help wanted sign in their wide receiver room but I don’t think that will be their focus. The Broncos have an IFL Championship in their trophy case and know how important defense is. I say edge Gregory Rousseau goes to Denver at 17.

18. PANTHERS
After just missing out on the playoffs last season, the Panthers are another team that could use help getting to the passer. I think Jaelan Philliips is a purr-fect fit at 18.

19. CHARGERS (from Jacksonville)
The Chargers address the offensive line taking center Cred Humphrey to anchor the middle for years to come.

20. TEXANS
Houston needs to upgrade their secondary. Stokes and Newsome are both still available. I see Stokes going at 20.

21. PACKERS
The big surprise is that Green Bay still has this pick. The linebacker room sticks out like a sore thumb. Safety is also a concern but that must be addressed later in the draft. Nick Bolton or Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah look to be the best available. The question is do the Packers go inside or out? I think in, Nick Bolton to Green Bay at 21.

22. RAMS
The Rams need help at tight end and offensive line. Wide receiver could also be a consideration. I think it’s still early to take a tight end and while there are offensive lineman worth consideration I don’t think Los Angeles pulls the trigger. They will go with the best player remaining on their board and that is defensive end Kwity Paye.

23. BILLS (from Saints)
The Bills could also use an upgrade at linebacker but I think they will inject some youth into the receiving room with wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.

24. RAIDERS
It’s been unusually quiet in Vegas this offseason. While the Raiders could use an upgrade at guard and linebacker, the defensive line really needs attention. Edge Odafe Oweh seems to be a player that many scouts think is just touching his potential. Oweh to Las Vegas at 24.

25. BUCCANEERS
Tampa Bay doesn’t have any glaring needs except tackle. They may go that direction but after losing last year’s first round pick for the majority of this IFL season I think they will bite their lip and take another running back. Elijah Mitchell to the Bucs.

26. JETS
I think Gang Green continues to focus on the other side of the ball and selects corner Greg Newsome here.

27. BENGALS
Running back is a need but the Bengals usually don’t take a running back in the first round. Wide receiver Rashod Bateman would help offset the loss of D.J. Chark for the majority of the IFL season. Bateman to Cincinnati at 27.

28. LIONS
The Lions have a chance for a real bargain at 28. Jaycee Horn is a top ten talent who missed the majority of the season due to injury. A nice building block at 28.

29. EAGLES
Philly could go a few directions at this pick. They could reach for a running back, upgrade guard, or upgrade the secondary. I think they will go with corner Nate Hobbs at 29.

30. BRONCOS (from New England)
Denver closes out the first round by addressing the help wanted sign in the wide receiver room. Rondale Moore goes to Denver with the final pick of round one.

IFL SUPER BOWL

PATRIOTS 34 EAGLES 24

New England's Tyreek Hill caught four passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns

Philadelphia Eagles (13-3) vs. New England Patriots (15-1)

The Eagles came into this game looking for their first title against the defending champions from New England, winners of 3 of the last 5 IFL titles and entering this game on an 18 game winning streak after dropping their 2021 opener. The fates of these two teams were intertwined to an extent, as Eagle QB Ryan Tannehill and Patriot WR Cooper Kupp were integral pieces to a trade between these two teams less than two years ago. Both players would play key roles in this one......

Philadelphia would get the ball first looking to get out early.....and boy did they! Tannehill hit on all three of his pass attempts on the opening drive, short gains of 8 yards to both Julian Edelman and Brandin Cooks for 8 yards, mixed in with a few short Brian Hill runs. Then on 2nd and 6 from the 50, Tannehill hit Edelman on a quick out who was seemingly dead to rights, but Ronald Darby whiffed on the tackle and Edelman raced the distance to give the Eagles a quick 7-0 lead.

Lamar Jackson looked to answer, hitting 4 consecutive first down plays to start the NE drive. Completions to Kupp for 13 on two occasions were mixed in with a 22 yard completion to Kareem Hunt and a 15 yard Jackson scramble to set up a 3 yard Austin Ekeler TD run.  Eagles 7 Patriots 7

Starting their next drive from their own 25 Tannehill dropped back but was sacked by Justin Houston. Completions to Evan Engram and Tim Patrick weren't enough to convert a first down and the Eagles would punt it away. Starting from his own 25, Lamar Jackson decided to test Eagle all-pro CB JC Jackson (10 interceptions during the regular season) by throwing one up deep for Tyreek Hill. Hill raced past Jackson and caught the pass in stride, taking it to the house!  Eagles 7 Patriots 14

Tannehill would connect with John Brown for a 12 yard gain on 3rd and 11 to give the Eagles a spark on their next drive, but they'd stall from there and punt it back to NE, who would go 3 and out before punting back to the Eagles, who with great field position at the 50 yard line looked to mount a drive heading into the 2nd quarter........

After a Tannehill to Cooks completion netted 13 yards, Rex Burkhead got the call for carries of 2 and 5 yards and then another 9 yard Cooks reception for the first down at the NE 24. Burkhead for 2 more on the ground was followed by a defensive PI call on Marcus Williams giving the Eagles first and goal at the 8. Alfred Morris rushed for 5 yards to the 3, but a false start on Edelman and a sack by Devin White pushed the Eagles into a 3rd and goal from the 11 yard line. Patriots go with 7 DBs, but it isn't enough to stop Tannehill from finding Cooks once again for the 11 yard TD!!  Eagles 14 Patriots 14

On the first play of the ensuing drive, Lamar Jackson dropped back and lofted another high arching pass in the direction of Hill, who once again hauled it in to beat J.C Jackson for a 38 yard gain. An 8 yard pass to Hayden Hurst was followed by short gains on the ground by Hunt and Jackson. The drive was capped off by back to back completions to Kupp of 15 and 8 yards - the second for a TD - and the Pats were up once again.  Eagles 14 Patriots 21

Eagles would go 3 and out and hand it right back to the Patriots. 12 plays and 55 yards later NE was looking poised to extend their lead. But on 1st and 10 from the Eagle 26, Lamar tried to force one in to a doubled Kupp, but was picked by Bashaud Breeland to end the threat. Game would move to halftime with NE up by a touchdown.

The two teams would exchange punts to start the second half before NE would take over at their own 32 with 9 minutes to play in the quarter. A 10 yard reception by Ekeler on 3rd and 7 kept the chains moving. After 4 yard runs by Ekeler and Jackson brought a 3rd and 2 from the Eagle 47, Jackson dropped back to pass and aired another one out to Hill, who for the 3rd time got by J.C. Jackson - this time for the 47 yard TD giving him 3 receptions for 160 yards and 2 scores!  Eagles 14 Patriots 28

Runs of 8, 9 and 2 by Rex Burkhead kick started the ensuing Eagle drive. Another pass interference call on Marcus Williams gave Philly first and 10 from the NE 45. An 18 yard run by Brian Hill ultimately led to a 9 yard Engram TD catch with under a minute to play in the 3rd quarter.  Eagles 21 Patriots 28

Patriots looked to answer early in the 4th quarter. Faced with a 4th and inches at their own 35 yard line, NE lined up to go for it. Jackson tried to draw the Eagles offside to no avail.....but instead of calling time out, the ball was snapped and with the Eagles keying on Jackson, Lamar dropped back and found Kupp over the middle for 13 yards and a first down. On the very next play, Jackson found Tyreek Hill for the 4th time streaking down the field, this time for 39 yards to the Eagles 13 yard line. Justin Tucker would come in for the short field goal after the drive stalled.  Eagles 21 Patriots 31

With 10:44 to play Philly needed to make something happen. With NE playing pass, the Eagles turned to Brian Hill who rushed for 3 and 8 yards out to the Eagle 36. After a 14 yard catch by Tim Patrick, Tannehill soon after found John Brown for a clutch 13 yard reception on 3rd and 10 out to the 37 of NE. Another false start by Edelman pushed them back 5 yards, and ultimately Butker was brought on for the 47 yard field goal. With under 7 minutes to play it was back to a one score game.  Eagles 24 Patriots 31

On 2nd and 10, Lamar Jackson dashed around the left side for a 19 yard pickup and a first down. Jackson to Kupp for 14 and another first down - clock continued to tick away. Eagles desperately in need of a stop now, but with Hill and Kupp both doubled, Jackson took off once again for 13 yards and another first down. Two minute warning......Patriots first and ten at the Philly 24.

Eagles had all 3 timeouts still but needed a stop and they got it when Nyheim Hines was stuffed for a 4 yard loss on first down. Eagles call time. On 2nd and 14 from the 28, the Eagles were expecting another run when Jackson dropped back and for the 10th time found Kupp who beat Breeland once again for 15 yards and a first down. Three Jackson kneels and a short Justin Tucker field goal stretched the Patriots lead to 10 points, which is how it would end.

FINAL SCORE EAGLES 24 PATRIOTS 34

Lamar Jackson completed 21 of 27 passes for 385 yards, 3 TDs and 1 interception. He also rushed for 58 yards on the game. Jackson saved his best football for the playoffs, as he threw 13 TDs with only 1 INT in 4 games, while averaging nearly 50 yards rushing a game as well. Tyreek Hill (4 receptions, 199 yards and 2 TDs) was also a beast, hauling in 6 TD passes in 4 playoff games. Cooper Kupp caught 10 passes in the game for 117 and a score, while ILB Devin White was all over the field on defense, with 10 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble.

For the Eagles, Ryan Tannehill kept his team in it with his stellar play and some clutch throws (50% on 3rd down), completing 21 of 34 for 257 and 3 TDs (and no interceptions). Brandin Cooks caught 7 for 75 and a TD to lead the Eagles receivers.

Penalties were relatively even on the day and NE had the game's only turnover. TOP was fairly even while the Patriots outgained the Eagles 496 to 320 in net offense.

Congratulations to Greg on a fantastic season, winning 15 games on the season and coming within spitting distance of an IFL championship. Patriots wrap up their second back to back title, and fourth in six years. With some personnel issues looming however, there's a good chance there'll be a different AFC participant in next year's IFL title game.

IFL CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS

PATRIOTS 28 BENGALS 23

Lamar Jackson throws for 162 yards and 3 TDs and rushes for another 69 as Patriots return to the Super Bowl.

Patriots return to Cincinnati for a rematch of their Week 16 contest, where NE won 31-10 in a game that saw the Bengals resting many of their starters.
Not the case in this one, as both teams were at full strength.

New England received the ball first and Lamar Jackson immediately looked to Cooper Kupp for consecutive plays of 14 and 26 yards. A 14 yard hook up to Hayden Hurst was followed by an 11 yard TD pass from Lamar to Austin Ekeler. 7-0 Patriots

Aaron Rodgers completes 7 or 8 pass attempts on the first Cinci drive, while Ronald Jones rushed for 18 yards on 3 carries - but the drive stalled at the NE 17 and the Bengals had to settle for a FG. 7-3 NE

After an exchange of punts, the Patriots found themselves at midfield starting their next drive. Runs of 15, 2 and 4 by Kareem Hunt helped NE move deeper into Bengal territory, as did a 16 yard Lamar Jackson hookup with Tyreek Hill. On 3rd and 6 from the Cinci 9 yard line, the Bengals blitzed 3 and doubled Kupp, leaving Jalen Ramsey on Tyreek......but Hill got free and Jackson found him for the 9 yard TD. 14-3 Patriots

Rodgers looked to rally the home team and completed 4 straight passes including to Chark for 15 and 11 yards. But 2 consecutive holding penalties on the Bengals OL stymied the drive and the home team had to settle for another Fairbairn FG. 14-6 Patriots

NE responded in the final minutes of the 2nd quarter, thanks in large part to the legs of Lamar Jackson, who broke off runs of 14, 19 and 18 yards within the span of 4 plays. Ekeler capped the drive with a 4 yard TD run and it was 21-3 NE headed to halftime.

Other than a Bengal FG in the 3rd quarter, there was not much offense to speak of. But, with a 21-9 lead, NE was threatening toward the end of the quarter as Jackson found Kupp for 8 and 15 yards to move into Bengal territory. NE would have the ball at the Bengal 27 yard line as the game transitioned to the 4th quarter.

After a holding penalty on the defense, Jackson quickly connected with Cooper Kupp for 22 yards and a TD to extend the Patriot lead to 28-9.

Aaron Rodgers would lead the Bengals on consecutive TD drives in the 4th quarter to narrow the gap to 28-23, but there wasn't enough time for another Bengal possession and the Patriots would hold on for the 5 point win.

The Bengals finished with 350 yards of net offense to the Patriots' 305. Each team made it into the Red Zone four times, with the Patriots scoring 3 TDs to the Bengals 2. Individually, Lamar Jackson had 3 passing TDs and 69 yards rushing, while Kareem Hunt ran for 61 yards on 10 carries. Aaron Rodgers completed all but 7 of his 32 pass attempts for 215 yards and a TD pass to Travis Fulgham. Ronald Jones was a beast on the ground for the home team, rushing for 126 yards on 20 carries in the losing effort.

Congratulations to John on another strong season in Cincinnati, and as always, for running an outstanding DKS league.

EAGLES 20 WASHINGTON 13

Ryan Tannehill's 70 yard TD pass to Tim Patrick just before the half proved to be the difference.

The Washington Football Team would invade Lincoln Financial to face their NFC East rival, the Philadelphia Eagles, for the 3rd time this year but this time it would be for a chance to go to the Super Bowl. The Eagles were able to win both regular-season games which would make it that much harder to advance to their 1st IFL Super Bowl.

WFT would win the toss and elect to defer. Eagle QB Ryan Tannehill and company would take the field. So far, Tannehill has not been what he was in the regular season and he was looking to turn that around. On their first possession, the Eagles would move down the field but it would mostly be behind the legs of RB Adrian Peterson as WFT would employ a mostly pass defense. The drive would stall at WFT's 36 and Eagle K Harrison Butker would come on and kick a 54 yard FG to give the Eagles an early 3-0 lead.

WFT and their vaunted run game would take the field on their first possession and, thanks to RB Aaron Jones 46 yard run, get into Eagle territory quickly. The Eagle defense, as it has done all season, would bow up and cause WFT to kick a FG of their own. WFT K Joey Slye would kick a 43 yarder to tie the game at 3.

The Eagles were unable to move the ball on their next possession and would punt it back to WFT. WFT would waste no time mixing their run game with QB Dak Prescott's timely passes. Early in the 2nd quarter, deep in Eagle territory, the Eagles were caught napping looking for a Damien Williams run. Prescott would fake it and hit WR Tee Higgins on a 31 yard out route to give WFT a 10-3 lead.

Tannehill would get things rolling on their next possession and hit a couple of medium-range passes. However, it would be the running of Peterson and Brian Hill that would get the job done as Peterson would take it in from 2 yards out to tie the game at 10.

Washington would once again move the ball and stall out. This time Slye would hit a 49 yard FG to put WFT back in the lead 13-10 as halftime was closing in. Attempting to move the ball quickly down the field, Tannehill would make a mistake. Looking for standout WR Brandin Cooks, Tannehill would let it fly. The pass appeared to fall incomplete but WFT star corner Xavien Howard looked to have gotten his hands under the ball for an interception. After review, Howard would indeed have the INT setting up WFT in good field position to score before halftime.

After a couple of untimely penalties (a big story of the game) and a negative loss on 1st down, WFT decided to run clock. The Eagles would use all of their timeouts plus the 2-minute warning to get the ball back. With one more shot before halftime, Tannehill would try to at least get 3 more points for the home team. After a WFT roughing penalty on 1st down and a Vita Vea sack on the next play, Tannehill would line up in shotgun position. As he stood in the pocket, he would find WR Tim Patrick on the medium crossing route. Patrick would make a couple of defenders miss and 70 yards later, hit paydirt! With:36 left in the half the Eagles would be back in front 17-13 and that would be how the half ended.

The 3rd quarter saw WFT, with their ball-control offense, move twice into Eagle territory. The first possession would end with a pooch punt putting the Eagles inside their own 5. After getting a couple of 1st downs. the Eagles would punt it back. WFT would again stall out but this time they were close enough for a chip shot FG. Unbelievably, Slye would shank the 25 yarder and the score would remain 17-13 Eagles as the 4th quarter began.

The Eagle's offense would get things rolling and move into WFT territory. Attempting to eat away some clock, they would mostly stick to the run game. After a penalty and a couple of incomplete passes, Butker would come on and nail a 40 yard FG to extend the Eagle lead to 20-13.

WFT would have one last chance to tie the game and take it into OT or win it with a 2 point conversion. Unfortunately, 2 holding penalties and DT Deforest Buckner's sack of Prescott would mean that WFT would have to punt especially since they had all 3 of their timeouts. After a 1 yard Peterson run, followed by a WFT timeout, Coach Mason decided to take a chance by throwing the ball. Tannehill would fake it to Hill, who had replaced Peterson and find WR Julian Edleman (in his final season) on a crossing route for a 27 yard gain. The 1st down would mean that WFT couldn't stop the clock. The Eagles would let the clock run down and the celebration would begin! Final score 20-13 Eagles!

Congrats to Coach Heaton on a well-played game and a great season. He is one of the toughest coaches in the league. His team was hampered by 10 penalties for 85 yards and a couple of missed opportunities.

The Eagles go to their 1st ever IFL Super Bowl. I got into this league in 2008. (Yikes) It is every coach's goal to get to the big dance and after 14 years it feels mighty good to be there. We shall see if this Eagle team can finish it out.

IFL DIVISONAL ROUND

PATRIOTS 21 JETS 20

New England's Cooper Kupp scores the go-ahead touchdown with just 12 seconds remaining.

New England travels to visit the Jets in the 3rd matchup of the season between the two teams. Jets won the opener in Week 1, while New England squeaked out an overtime win in the second matchup. Neither team had lost another game all year heading into this one.

Jets take the opening kick and move into NE territory behind completions from Watson to Robert Woods for 10 and 13, and a 16 yard pass play to Marvin Jones. Facing a 4th and 1 at the NE 32 Watson dives up the middle for 10 yard.......but the play is negated by an Iupati holding penalty. Jets forced to punt.

Patriots go 3 and out on their first drive, as do the Jets on their next drive, and the Patriots on THEIR next one............scoreless game after the first quarter.

Jets have the ball at their own 25 to start the second quarter. On 3rd and 1, Watson took it himself once again but no penalty this time as he rushes for 16 and a 1st down. A 15 yard facemask penalty on Whitney Mercilus on a screen to Melvin Gordon brought the Jets to the NE 28. Watson took a shot down the middle of the field for Robert Woods, hitting him in stride for the 28 yard TD. Hopkins would miss the XP however. 6-0 Jets.

A penalty on the return sets NE back deep in their end. Pats then go 3 and out and hand ball right back to NY near midfield. Watson breaks off a nifty 14 yard run to get the Jets into Pats territory, but a Tuitt sack a couple plays later stalled the drive. Jets attempt a pooch punt to pin NE again, but Rashan Gary races from the outside and blocks the kick, setting NE up at their own 48.

Lamar Jackson starts the drive with an 11 yard carry, followed by completions to Kareem Hunt for 19, Tyreek for 14 and then an 8 yard TD strike to Kupp. Pats convert the XP and lead 7-6.

Jets take over at their own 25 with under 4 minutes to play. Consecutive passes to Woods for 11 and 14 yards have NY in Pats territory. On 2nd down at the NE 40, Watson looked for Jones but was picked by Darious Williams ending the drive.

Patriots would go 3 and out giving it back to NY with a chance to take the lead before halftime. Completions to Jones Jr. and Woods had NY at the Patriot 38 yard line with 29 seconds to play. Short pass plays to James White failed on consecutive attempts setting up 3rd and 10. Looking to catch the NE defense creeping trying to prevent a more makeable field goal, Watson looked for Jones on a fly pattern and CONNECTED inside the 10 yard line....but Ronald Darby tripped him up at the 7 yard line with 6 seconds to play!! NY would try to get back to the line but with no time outs the clock would run out.

7-6 Patriots headed to the locker room.

Pats take the initial possession and on 3rd down, Lamar looks to make something happen on a fly pattern to Richie James - who hauls it in for a 20 yard gain on 3rd down but then lays it on the ground..............mad scramble...........and the Jets recover!! First and 10 Jets at the NY 38.

Jets take advantage, with consecutive completions to Higbee from Watson for 11 and 13 yards, followed by runs by Melvin Gordon of 15 and 5 yards (of his 117 on the day) setting up a Watson to Jones 15 yard TD strike. Hopkins hits the XP and Jets lead 13-7.

Pats look to respond but on their first play Jamie Collins sacks Jackson, setting NE back and sabotaging the drive. Patriots punt to NY who get a nice 15 yard return by Berrios. First and ten at the NY 26.

Jets took to the ground, with runs by Gordon of 14, 4 and 11, 7 and 10 on 5 of the next 6 plays. A Watson 17 yard run on the other play had NY inside the red zone once again. Then, Watson found Jones on a quick out which he took to the house for the 11 yard score!!  Jets up 20-7.

Patriots looked to draw closer and faced a 3rd and 1 at their own 49 yard line. The give to Hines was sniffed out by the defense bringing up 4th and 1.

NE decides to go for it, but with the Jets keying on him, Kareem Hunt was stopped short and the Jets would take over with :18 seconds to play in the 3rd.

Tyson Alualu sacked Watson to put NY in a deep hole entering the 4th quarter, forcing the punt. Starting at their own 13, Lamar Jackson raced outside for a 13 yard gain. After a 2 yard gain by Hunt (who was being swallowed by the Jets D line all day), Lamar looked downfield to Hill.....who got by Bradberry and caught the pass in stride for the 73 yard TD!!  Jets lead cut to 20-14 with 12 minutes remaining.

A couple Watson to Jones passes had NY out near midfield once again, but on 3rd and 2 Gordon was stuffed forcing the punt back to NE with 7:40 remaining in the game.

An Ekeler 11 yard run followed by a pass play to Hayden Hurst for 11 had the Patriots out to their own 45 yard line quickly. A holding penalty by Quenton Nelson killed the drive for NE however, as they'd punt it back to NY.

With 5:23 to play NY looked to kill some clock with Gordon. Runs of 0 and 3 yards brought up 3rd down, and Watson failed to connect with Jones forcing a punt. Patriots take over with 4:20 to play trailing by 6.

After a Jackson 5 yard rush brings NE to their own 21, Shelby Harris sacked Lamar setting the Patriots back at their own 12 facing a 3rd and 14 with the clock ticking toward the 3 minute mark.

Lamar created a little magic however, hitting Hill for 14 yards and a first down.

After an 11 yard Jackson rush, the Pats were stuffed on the next play and faced a 2nd an 10 from their own 41.  TWO MINUTE WARNING.

Jackson checked down to Ekeler for 8 yards on the next play bringing up 3rd and 2. Clock ticking..........

Jets decided to key on Hunt again but this time Jackson faded back and hit Kupp for 14 yards to the NY 37 yard line. NE uses their first time out and its first and ten with 1:15 to play.

A reverse to Tyreek Hill from his own 37 gains 11 yards......but clock is still ticking............

On the next play, Jackson sweeps right for 16 before heading out of bounds at the 10 yard line. 28 seconds to play................

An incompletion to Hunt in the flat brought up 2nd down, but on the next play Jackson tried again and Hunt caught the pass and ran for 6 yard to the NYJ 4 yard line. Timeout NE with 19 seconds to play........................

On 3rd and goal from the 4 yard line..............Lamar rolls out looking for an open man.......buying time with his legs he lets it fly................

Streaking across the end zone is Cooper Kupp who grabs it between two defenders for the TD!! With 12 seconds to play, the Patriots were an XP away from taking the lead.

Justin Tucker would line up....................and nail it to send the Patriots on to the AFC Title Game!

Final Score Patriots 21 Jets 20

Jets outplayed NE for most of this one, with 24 first downs and 414 net yards offense to only 14 and 289 for NE. Unlike the regular season however where Lamar Jackson was picked off FIVE times in two games by Jet defenders with only 1 passing TD, he tossed 3 TDs (2 to Cooper Kupp) today without an interception to help NE rally with 14 unanswered points in the final quarter.

Each team would turn the ball over once and penalties were essentially even. The missed XP in the first quarter was huge, as was the Gary blocked punt which helped set up the Pats initial TD.

DeShaun Watson threw for 255 and 3 TDs in a fine game for him. Marvin Jones caught 8 of 11 targets for 116 and 2 TDs, while Robert Woods hauled in 7 for 93 and a score.

Other than Lamar's 57 yards rushing (most late in the game) the Patriots running game was throttled by the NY defense. Avoiding the key turnovers was key on this day, as was a couple special teams miscues for the Jets.

Congratulations to Bob for a fantastic season, and for being a good sport after a tough end result. The Jets have certainly been good enough to win an IFL Title two consecutive seasons now, and but for a missed XP might have moved on from this one.

Pats will face off with the Bengals next week for the chance to defend their title.

BENGALS 34 RAIDERS 20

Brandon Wilson's 103 yard kickoff return proved to be the difference as the Bengals advance to the conference finals.

The IFL Bengals traveled to Las Vegas to face the #2 seed Raiders. In a week 11 trip to Vegas, Cincinnati fell 35-31. The Raiders performed like a well oiled machine during their opening drive, going 89 yards in nine plays with Matthew Stafford finding Greg Ward from five yards out and a 7-0 lead with a little over nine minutes remaining. After the Vegas defense forced a three and out Stafford was intercepted by Bengal safety Micah Hyde and Cincinnati set up shop at the Raider 11. One play later Aaron Rodgers connected with Diontae Johnson for the tying score with six minutes remaining in the opening quarter. Las Vegas was able to reach the Cincinnati 37 but had to settle on a booming 55 yard Jason Myers field goal to regain the lead 10-7.

Rodgers and D.J. Chark Jr. were able to connect on a couple completions for 20 yards with the second going for six as the Bengals took their first lead 14-10 with a little less than 12 minutes remaining in the half. After forcing a Raider punt Cincinnati stalled at the Las Vegas three and played it safe with the Fairbairn 21 yard field goal to extend their lead to 17-10 with less than two minutes remaining in the half. The half would end with the Bengals holding on to the seven point lead.

Cincinnati fumbled on the opening drive of the third quarter with the Raiders recovering at the Bengals 30. Three plays later Stafford connected with Marcus Johnson for the nine yard tying score. But the Bengals answered with a 10 play 75 yard drive as RoJo went in from four yards out to regain the lead at 24-17. Another booming Myers field goal, this time from 59 yards out cut the Cincinnati lead to 24-20. However, the Bengals special teams once again came up big in the postseason as Brandon Wilson returned the kickoff 103 yards to extend the Cincinnati lead to 31-20 with 30 seconds remaining in the quarter. (A small group of IFL Bengal fans that made the cross country trip got beat up by a hoard of Raider fans for celebrating a little too much).

The only scoring in the final quarter was another Cincinnati field goal for the 34-20 final.

Rodgers finished 23 of 30 for 239 yards and two TDs. RoJo rushed for 84 yards and a score.

Stafford went 21 of 38 for 229 yards and two TDs but also three interceptions. Kamara rushed for 52 yards.

Congratulations to Keith on another fine season. The Bengals wait to see which monster they will face in the conference final; hoping they have one more sling shot in their arsenal.

WASHINGTON 23 BUCCANEERS 14

Washington's Aaron Jones rushed for 181 yards and two TDs as the Football Team advances past Tampa Bay.

After a home win in the wildcard round Washington would head to Tampa to face off against the #1 seed who had an impressive regular season.

Tampa would win the toss and elect to defer giving Washington first crack at it and the theme would become clear very early in the game. Aaron Jones right side for 12 yards. Then another carry for 12 yards. A quick pass to Higgins and a 24 yards pass interference for 24 yards and Washington was quickly at the 11 yard line. 3 more jones runs and they were in the endzone with a 7-0 lead. Tampa and Washington would then exchange 3 and outs. Following a nice punt return the Bucs would gain nice field position at their own 39. On 2nd down Tillery would come up big with a sack pushing them to 3rd and 3 in an obvious passing down. Fitzpatrick would look for Lockett on the crossing route but would be picked off by Minkah Fitzpatrick. Harris would then take his shot in the backfield with carries of 10 and 22 yards to bring the ball to the 5 yardline. However a 5 yard penalty for Washington for running a play for 12 yards (and embarrassingly failing to score despite the advantage) would force a 28 yards field goal that Joey Slye would hit.

Tampa would start to move the ball with the next drive utilizing their run game and tight ends to get the ball down to the 35 yard line but on 1st down Carr would attempt to go deep to Marqise Brown and be intercepted by Darqueze Dennard. Washington would move the ball into no-mans land and be forced to attempt a 4th and 7 which would bounce of Higgins hands turning the ball over on downs. Despite back to back interceptions ending drives the Bucs faith in Carr did not dimmish as he just kept slinging it. Tampa would find some success utilizing the middle of the field with both Cook and Henry to get the ball to the 48yard line. From there Carr would reward Henry for his hard work for an 8 yard TD with 3:35 to go in the half.

Washington would take the next drive starting at the 25 and would attempt to eat some clock as they tried to tack on a score. On 3rd down Aaron jones would break out a big run for 63 yards getting knocked out at the 6 yard line. 2 carries later and he was in the endzone for the second time today to put Washington up 17-7 with 1:35 left in the half. Tampa would try to drive down the field to at least put a FG on the board but the drive would fizzle out on the 47 with 3 seconds left. From there Washington would take a page out of Joe Judge’s playbook and shockingly call a quick kick to end the half.

Tampa would get the ball to start the second half and it was clear they worked something out during the half because Carr marched the ball right down the field to put up a quick TD to make it 17-14 and put pressure on Washington to respond. Following the kick Washington would go right back to what had worked all game long: the run game. The WFT would run the ball on the next 8 consecutive plays getting the ball all the way down to the 24 yard line. After picking up a crucial 3rd and 7 with a dump-off pass to Aaron Jones, Dak Prescott would find Tee Higgins on the play action pass for 6. And it would only be 6 as it was time for both Washington and Tampa Bay to put on a special teams clinic. Joey Slye would shank the extra point to keep it a 9 point game with 3:47 to go. Patterson would break off a nice return on the kickoff but unfortunately, they were flagged for an illegal block putting the ball at the 5 yardline. A quick 3 and out would force them to punt from their own 13 giving Washington great field position and a chance to put the game away. Unfortunately for some inexplicable reason Xavien Howard decided to play a little special teams and lined up offsides giving the Bucs a first down. The Bucs would take advantage of their new found life and get the offense in gear pushing the ball down to the 39 yardline. A sack by Chubb would cause the drive to stall out and force Tampa to settle for a 49 yard field goal with their reliable kicking Boswell. Unfortunately, at this point quality special teams play had gone completely out the window and Boswell would one up slye and shank the FG.

Following the missed field goal Tampa would get the ball two more times but with the defense knowing they had to throw they struggled to protect Carr long enough to make anything happen as they would fall 23-14.

Washington will head to Philly for a 3rd meeting this year. The Eagles already have two impressive wins over Washington on the year so it will be an uphill climb.

EAGLES 17 SAINTS 14 (OT)

Harrison Butker's game winning overtime field goal allows Eagles to slip past Saints.

I've played many Action PC football games over the years and I'm sure I have had some important games that came down to the wire. However, I can't remember anything like the contest completed last night vs Jim Rice's Saints especially with a chance to get to the NFC Conference Championship. I think we both aged about 10 years by the time the final whistle blew. It was an epic game with lots of twists and turns. The write-up follows but I'm not sure I'll be able to do it justice.

The weather conditions in Philly were cold and rainy at game time. Both teams knew that was going to be difficult conditions to compete in but both teams had to deal with it. The Saints would win the toss and elected to defer. Starting from their own 25-yard line, the 1st mistake of the game would be made by Eagles QB Ryan Tannehill. On 2nd and 12 from their own 38, Tannehill would look for WR Julian Edleman and what seemingly was an incomplete pass would be intercepted by Saint LB Jordan Hicks to set the Saints up in Eagle territory. However, the Saints would be unable to move the ball and would punt it back to the Eagles.

The next 4 possessions would be defensive stands by both teams. After the Eagles pinned the Saints deep in their own territory, they got field position on a 3 and out. Starting from the Saints 48, Coach Mason decided to let Tannehill air one out on 1st down. With the Saints keying on RB Adrian Peterson, Tannehill would fake it and hit a streaking Brandin Cooks on the post pattern for a TD. The Eagles go up 7-0 heading into quarter 2.

After another 3 and out from the Saints, the Eagles decided if it worked once why not try it again. This time, from their own 28, Tannehill would hit Edleman on a post fly pattern for a big 50 yard gain setting them up deep in Saints territory. 2 plays later, Tannehill would hit WR Tim Patrick on a 9 yard out pattern for a 14-0 lead. The Saints would take the ensuing kickoff and get their first great drive of the game. However, at the Eagle 18, the weather conditions would kick in and Saint QB Cam Newton would fumble with the Eagles recovering. The half would end as it started with the teams exchanging punts except for a Newton int late in the half. The halftime score would stay 14-0 in favor of the Eagles.

The 3rd quarter would begin with the Saints receiving the ball With a mix of runs by RB's Edwards-Helaire and John Connor along with timely passes by Newton, the Saints would move methodically down the field, consume 9:20 of game clock and score their 1st TD of the game on a Newton to WR Cole Beasley pass of 8 yards. Saints cut the lead to 14-7. The 3rd quarter would end that way.

Entering the 4th quarter, the Saints were on the move again. They would get to the Eagle 21 before being stopped. Saints K Brandon McManus would line up for a FG and make it. However, a holding penalty would push the Saints back and another try would have to come from the Eagle 31. This time McManus would shank the kick and the score remained 14-7. On their next possession, the Eagles would move into Saint territory only to be stopped at the Saint 36. Eagle K Harrison Butker would line up for the long FG and he would make it! However, the Eagles would encounter the same fate as the Saints did. A holding penalty would take them out of FG range and the Eagles would punt it back to the Saints. With time beginning to run out on the Saints, Coach Rice would call a deep ball of his own. Newton would hit WR AJ Brown on a 44-yard bomb to set up the Saints for a game-tying TD. It would only take 3 plays for Newton to connect with Brown again on a 13-yard hitch and the game would be tied at 14 with just over 3 minutes left in the game. The two teams would trade punts and the Eagles would get the ball with a little over a minute left in the game and two timeouts. Attempting to move into FG range for Butker, Tannehill, who did not have one of his better games, would do the unthinkable and throw an interception to Saints S Darian Thompson. Set up on the Eagles 49-yard line, Newton would run for 11 yards and Edwards-Helaire would run for another 3 to put the ball on the Eagles 35-yard line and :03 left in the game. McManus would line up, the snap, the kick... wide left! We go to OT!

The Eagles would win the toss in OT but go 3 and out. The Saints could not move the ball either and go 3 and out as well. Behind the legs of RB Adrian Peterson and the arm of Tannehill finally hitting his stride, the Eagles would move the ball to the Saints 16-yard line. After 1 run by RB Brian Hill, Coach Mason would send Butker in. The kick would go straight down the middle and the Eagles would escape with a 17-14 OT victory!

It was a hard-fought game with lots of nail-biting moments. Congrats to Coach Jim Rice who called a great game and got the raw end of the game engine a couple of times. The Eagles move on to the NFC Conference Championship and await the winner to Tampa-Washington.

IFL WILD CARD WEEKEND

BENGALS 33 TEXANS 20

D.J. Chark Jr. caught 7 passes for 134 yards and 2 TDs as Bengals down Houston.

The Texans travel to Cincinnati to face the Bengals in the wild card round of the IFL playoffs. Houston got the best of the Bengals in week 13 of the IFL season, 28-13. After multiple exchanges of punts, the Texans took a 3-0 lead at the 5:40 mark of the opening quarter. Cincinnati answered with a 15 play-75 yard drive as Rodgers connected with Diontae Johnson from nine yards out for a 7-3 Bengals lead with 10:57 remaining in the half. After forcing another Houston punt, Cincinnati extended their lead to 14-3 as Rodgers found Chark from 19 yards out. The Texans cut the Bengals lead to 14-10 as Cousins connected with Ridley for the 13 yard score just after the two minute warning. Cincinnati was able to add a field goal as time expired at the half as they went into the locker room up 17-10.

After forcing a Cincinnati punt, the Texans went on a 10 play-69 yard drive capped off by a Cousins six yard scoring strike to McLaurin to knot things up at 17 with about six minutes remaining in the quarter. The Bengals marched to the Houston 20 but Texans corner Mike Hilton intercepted a Rodgers pass to end the threat. However, Houston was forced to punt once again. After a third down conversion, Rodgers hit Chark in stride for the 46 yard score to regain the lead at 24-17 with 11 minutes remaining in the game. A poor kickoff return by Claybrooks and a holding penalty resulted in Bengal safety Micah Hyde catching Cousins off guard with a blitz and a safety to extend the Cincinnati lead to 26-17. The Bengals would add another touchdown and Houston would end the scoring with a field goal for the 33-20 final.

Cousins finished 17 of 28 for 203 yards and two TDs. Ridley led the Texan receivers with five catches for 73 yards and a score.

Rodgers went 28 of 34 for 329 yards and four TDs with an INT. Chark finished with seven receptions for 134 yards and two scores.

Congrats to Pete on a fine season.

PATRIOTS 33 JAGUARS 13

The Patriots Lamar Jackson throws for 312 yards and 4 TDs as New England defeats the Jaguars.

Jaguars travel to Foxboro looking to spring the upset. DKS had the game with an EVEN line, so it seemed something might be up here......

It wouldn't take long for the visitors to strike. On their first play, Josh Allen found Rashard Higgins for 48 yards. Two plays later, David Johnson broke loose for a 27 yard TD run and it was 7-0 Jaguars.

Patriots would respond with a 13 play drive on their first possession. A nice balance of run and pass had them at the Jax 18 yard line. Lamar Jackson misfired on passes to Tyreek and Kupp however and the Pats had to settle for a Tucker FG. 7-3 Jaguars.

Jaguars looked to extend their lead on the next drive but ultimately had to punt it away after an Allen to DK Metcalf pass play came up short of a first down near midfield. Patriots took over at their own 13 yard line.

With the D spying on Lamar, Jackson fired one deep hitting Tyreek Hill in stride for the 87 yard TD........10-7 Patriots.

The two teams would exchange punts and the Jags would take over looking to tie or take the lead. An Allen to Antonio Gibson 29 yard pass play had the visitors near midfield. Gibson would tear off a 10 yard run on the next play, ultimately setting up a long 54 yard field goal attempt, but Randy Bullock would miss and the game remained 10-7 NE.

With under 4 minutes to play the Patriots took over inside Jax territory after a 14 yard Nyheim Hines punt return. On 3rd and 1, Jackson found Cooper Kupp for a 24 yard TD. 17-7 NE.

Josh Allen would hit 5 straight pass plays to bring the Jags into field goal range before halftime. Randy Bullock would come on for the 40 yard FG attempt, but again, he would miss. (it was at this point that Coach Dave would share with me the most amazing factoid I've heard surrounding DKS....possibly ever. Jacksonville went the entire IFL 2021 season without attempting a single field goal. Their first two attempts came in this playoff game. Both misses)

The Patriot D stiffened in the 2nd half, allowing two Bullock field goals but not much else. Lamar Jackson tossed a couple more TD passes while the defense added a safety to boot. Final Score: Patriots 33 Jaguars 13

Lamar Jackson threw for 312 and 4 TDs. Tyreek hauled in 3 passes for 156 yards and 2 TDs.

SAINTS 27 PACKERS 17

Cam Newton throws two touchdowns and runs for another as Saints down Green Bay.

The Packers would come into New Orleans for the wild card round in which seemed to be a pretty even matched game. The Saints would defer to Green bay and we were off. Green Bay would make a statement in their first drive taking the ball right down the Saints throat 60 yards ending in a Big Ben to Emanual Sanders 5 yard TD. 3 encroachment penalties showed how over anxious the Saints D was. 7-0 Green Bay. The Saints would get the ball at their own 25 and answer the bell, driving 75 yards ending in a 4 yard TD from Cam to Beasley. This was almost a 7 minute drive. The 2 teams defenses settled down and they would exchange 2 punts each, which takes us to 10:47 left in the 2nd quarter. The Packers had made it clear they were here to stop the #1 run offense. The Packers would then take a 17 play, almost 9 minute drive down the field. Big Ben would then hit Emanual Sanders for his 2nd TD of the game. 14-7 Pack. The 2 teams would exchange punts and we would go to half time. The Saints would get the ball the 2nd half and come out aggressive and on the 3rd play Cam would hit AJ Brown slanting over the middle and he would break a tackle and go 69 yards for a TD. All notched up at 14. Coach Conners was not even phased and his Pack would drive down the field and retake the lead on a Mike Nugent FG from 40. 17-14 Green Bay. The Saints would get the ball back and waste no time, throwing a bomb to AJ Green for 48 yards down to the Packs 27. Looks like we are at least tied. Oh wait. The Packers defense sack Cam on first down for -9, and then a botched snap for -4, and then a -1 yard carry by Johnson would take that away. Then the Saints would kick a potential inside the 10 kick into the end zone. Coach Rice thought this was a huge missed opportunity. We would then have our first big game changing play as the Packers would be 3rd and 14 from their own 28. Big Ben would make his first mistake of the day, throwing a pick to veteran AJ Bouye at the 37. the Saints would capitalize as Cam Newton would rush it in on a scramble from 13 yards out on the first play of the 4th quarter. Saints first lead 21-17. Green Bay would start at their own 40 after an out of bounds kick and Big Ben would make another mistake, throwing a pick to rookie CJ Henderson at the Saints 38. Cam would return the favor 2 plays later throwing a pick to Peterson at their own 48. What a crazy game. Ok wait for it....Big Ben would then return the favor 2 plays later and throw a pick to Marcus Maye. Thsi time the Saints would hold on to the ball and McManus would kick a huge 45 yard FG giving the Saints a TD lead. 24-17 with 9:20 left. The Packers would then loo for a game tying drive. New Orleans D would come up big stopping them at their own 42 and force a punt with 5:04 left in regulation. The Saints would get shut down and have to punt on a 3 and out setting up another chance for Green Bay. Green would field the punt at his own 31 and out comes the ball and the Saints recover. the offense would hold the ball for 3 minutes and McManus would kick another big FG from 37 yards out giving the Saints the 10 point lead. Saints 27-17. Green Bay would have the ball the rest of the game ultimately running out of time. New Orleans wins 27-17. For the Pack Big Ben would throw for 275 yards and 2 TD's a long with 3 costly Ints. Emanual Sanders had 12 catches and 2 TDs. For the Saints Cam would throw for 242 yards and 2TDs. Beasley would catch 7 balls and a TD. The Packers D would hold the #1 rushing offense to just 70 yards in an awesome job. It was a great job coaching by John but 4 turnovers was just to much to overcome.

WASHINGTON 24 RAMS 17

Micah Fitzpatrick's 47 yard pick six turns out to be the game winner as Washington gets past the Rams.

Rams and Washington meet for the 2nd time this season. Betters had the line as even and the Rams would receive the ball first. On the opening drive the Rams 3rd and 8 pass would fall incomplete however the refs would flag Minkah Fitzpatrick for pass interference giving the Rams a first down. This would continue the season long theme of Washington of shooting itself in the foot. 2 plays later Sanders would run for a 56 yard TD. Washington would seem to right the ship and respond with a quick 55 yard TD to Hockenson which would be followed up by a 7 yard Aaaron Jones TD reception and a long 55 yard FG by Joey Slye with the wind at his back. Things would look pretty good for Washington but that whole self destructive thing would rear its head again. Washington would first receive a penalty on the punt return backing them up to their own 12. They would then go 3 and out and prepare to punt from their own 20. However a bad snap by the longsnapper would result in a block by rookie Josh Uche and covered up for a Rams TD. Washington would follow that up with a holding penalty and a false start on back to back plays forcing another quick 3 and out. The Rams would take advantage of the short field and Succop would a short FG to tie the game.

Washington’s 2 minute drill would fail to pickup a first down and force another punt. The Rams would attempt to run their 2 minute drill when Taysom Hill would throw an INT to Minkah Fitzpatrick who would return it for TD to put Washington up 24-17 at the half. Washingtons first drive in the 2nd half would show some promise getting the ball to the 28. But third and 5 a great defensive play call would bait Prescott into throwing a pick at the 2 yard line. The defense would respond though and stop the Rams in their tracks and secure what would be good field position. However this being Washington there was still work to be done and on a 4th and 4 they would jump offsides and give the Rams a first down. The Rams would then march the ball down to the Washington’s 29 yard line and face a 4th and 8. Unfortunately for the Rams they were unable to bleed enough time to end the quarter so he would have to kick the 47 yarder into a 5-15mph wind and he would shank it. Washington would move the ball a little but the dysfunctional offense would bog down again and be forced to punt.

The Rams would get their first penalty of the game at the start of the 4th quarter which would be a hold again their tackle. This would set them up for a 3rd and 19 which would look like a daunting ask but as usual Washington would do what they could and let Perine pick up 24 yards on the run to keep the drive going. Washington and the Rams would trade some punts and with 2:53 left Washington would be unable to pickup a first giving the Rams one last chance.

The Rams drive would quickly begin to head towards disaster with a sack by Chubb and then a personal foul on their tackle setting them up with a 2nd and 28 with 1:21 left. But as with every down circumstance the rams found a way with a 32 yard draw by Daniel Jones to tak ehtem to the 45. They would then complete a couple of passes to Get the ball to the 27 yard line with 18 seconds left. However they would be unable to complete another pass and turn it over on downs with 1 second left.

Ryan coached a great game (better than me) and used every player he could but despite all their timely plays they couldn’t overcome their inability to throw the ball. Employing a QB rotation the Rams QBs went 19-42 for 117 yards 1 INT(for a TD) and 3 Sacks.

Washington offensively was brilliant on the first 3 drives and then quickly became incompetent. Jones was highly ineffective as a runner finishing with 16 carries for 61 yards with 1/3 of that coming on 1 run.

Washington will head to Tampa to play the top seed Tampa and if they continue to play like they have most of the year they will be taking a vacation shortly after.

WEEK 16 RECAP

Taysom Hill throws for one touchdown and runs for another as the Rams earn a playoff berth.

Game Scores
Los Angeles (N) 24 Green Bay 20             36 0-10
Rams came in fighting for their playoff lives and jumped out to an early 7-0 lead thanks to a Taysom Hill to CeeDee Lamb 6 yard TD pass on the visitors second drive.

Big Ben and company were befuddled by the strong Los Angeles defense for most of the first half but finally put together a nice drive before the break while trailing
10-0. Unfortunately they would have to settle for a short FG to cut the score to 10-3 with 1:53 left the 2nd Q.

Rams got a HUGE play just a few seconds later when Daniel Jones got flushed out of the pocket and scampered 60-yards right through the Green Bay defense to extend the lead to 17-3. The silence was deafening at Lambeau going into the locker room.

The Packer offense finally produced a big play on the opening drive of the 3rd when Phillips Lindsay took a pitch 46 yards to the house. Extra point was missed 17-9 Rams.

After an L.A. drive stalled, Green Bay moved the ball again on the stingy Ram defense, going 80 yards in 15 plays. On 4th and goal from the 3, Coach Conners decided to go for it down by 8. Roethlisberger's pass was just out of the reach of Darren Waller's fingertips. Blown opportunity, the score remained 17-9.

After that big defensive stand, the Rams offense went to work. Deebo Samuel caught passes of 42 and 41 yards to set up a short Hill TD run to open the 4th, 24-9 L.A.

After a quick Green Bay 3 and out, this one seemed to be over. However, on the next play Daniel Jones was picked off by LB Nick Kwiatkowski at the Los Angeles 31. Packers would have to settle for a Robbie Gould 47 yard FG. 24-12 Rams

On the next series the Pack got another break when Hill was picked off by Patrick Peterson after going to the Deebo Samuel well once to often. Host would capitalize when Big Ben found A.J. Green from 12 yard out. Dalvin Cook ran the 2pt convert to cut the lead to 24-20 with 6:17 left. We had a ball game.

Packers defense forced a 3 and out and the offense got the ball back with 3:17 left, needing a TD to win it. Aided by a pass interference penalty, Green Bay moved into Rams territory.

Facing a 3rd and 7 at the L.A. 32, with 20 seconds left, Big Ben was picked off by little known CB Amani Oruwariye.  Final score 24-20 Rams.

Daniel Jones was named the game star (16-22, 166, 1 int) but it was Deebo Samuel who really stood out 8-141

Dalvin Cook had 116 yards of total offense but had to work for every yard of it. A.J Green hauled in 6 passes for 65 yards

With the victory the Rams (11-5) advance to the playoffs and face The Washington Football Team (11-5). Green Bay (11-5) backs in as the 6th seed and will travel to New Orleans (11-4-1)

Carolina (11-5) becomes the first I can remember to miss the playoffs with 11 wins. Eliminated by the Rams on the first tiebreaker, due to being swept in their head to head series.

Dallas 10 Houston 17                        70 Calm
Texans score 10 unanswered points in final five minutes to rally past Dallas.

Washington 24 Los Angeles (A) 7             77 Calm
Washington clinches a playoff spot as it cruises against a tired and beat up Chargers team.

Tennessee 26 Buffalo 24                     25 0-10
In maybe the wildest 4th quarter I've ever played the Titans come away victorious 26-24. Heading into the 4th the Bills held a 17-13 lead, with 7:36 remaining the Titans cap off a 71 yard 12 play drive on s Matt Ryan to Fant 6 yard pass to give the Titans a 20-17 lead. The Bills then go on a 9 play 85 yard drive with Murray hitting Arnold on 7 yard pass to give the Bills a 24-20 lead with 1:02 left on the clock. With Titans backed up at their 7 yard line and the Bills playing a dime prevent defense Matt Ryan hits Kalif Raymond for 93 yards as the Bills secondary whiffed on a number of tackles to give the Titans seemingly a victory, the extra point was missed to make it 26-24 Titans. With 42 seconds to work with the Bills start from their own 25 and after not moving an inch the Bills on 4th down Kyler Murray hits Tyron Johnson for 49 yards to the Titans 26 as the Bills call their final timeout and bring on Jake Elliott for a 44 yarder to win it, the kick had the distance but was wide right! Both teams end the season at 7-9.

New Orleans 16 Chicago 3                    23 5-15
Bears were hanging around, 3-3 at half. Then the Saints brought in their starters on defense & won 16-3. Pained me to watch Cam Newton play so well.

San Francisco 13 Minnesota 16               68 Calm
In a game that set professional football back 50 years, the Minnesota Vikings managed to eke out a win over the 49ers. The 49ers ran of clock trying to run their field-goal team.

Tampa Bay 20 Carolina 17                    63 0-10
In a battle of division leaders, a hard fought struggle goes down to the wire.

Both teams traded blows and went into the half tied at 10 a piece. Tampa takes control in the second half with a TD from Adams on a pass from Carr, and then a field goal with 5 minutes to go in the game to push the lead to 20 to 10.

Wilson, who had struggled all day, finally found a little mojo and drove the Panthers down field and capped the drive with a 6 yard TD pass to Schutz to draw within 3. The Bucs recover the onside kick however, and run out the clock to preserve the win.

Tampa Bay 20
Carolina 17

For Tampa, the dynamic duo of Lockett and Adams lead the way with 98 and 100 yards receiving respectively.

For Carolina, Henry rushed for 82 yards and 1 TD.

Philadelphia 20 Denver 27                   47 Calm
Denver ends their eight game losing streak as they win after a fumble recovery scooped up by safety Karl Joseph and goes 91 yards for the go-ahead score in the 4th quarter.

Baltimore 3 New York (A) 28                 36 10-20
The Baltimore Ravens came to New York to play the Jets, and to finish the regular season for both teams.

New York received the opening kickoff, and matriculated 65 yards down field in 5 minutes to open the scoring. The scoring came on a 31 yard pass from Watson to Woods…7-0

Baltimore was held to a 3, and out on their first possession. This time the Jets went 80 yards in 6 plays to make it 14-0.

The Ravens picked up a FG on the second possession making it 14-3 Jets.

Again New York moved the ball into the red zone, and scored on a Watson to Woods pass…21-3…Jets.

The second half included a turnover by each team, 2 punts by New York, and Baltimore turning it over 3 times on downs.

New York tacked on a touchdown to make the final 28-3…Jets.

Baltimore finished their season 6-10.

New York ends up 15-1, with their only blemish an overtime loss at New England.

Jacksonville 28 Miami 21                    78 0-10
In the last game of the season for Miami, the Dolphins host the Jaguars in south Florida

After each Team punting on their opening possession, Miami gets a rare Allen interception and return it to the Jags 16 yd line and on 3rd and 10 Goff finds Shepard from 16 yards out and the Dolphins take the early 7-0 lead. On the next possession Miami gets the ball back on a recovered fumble and go the 49 yards to pay dirt, finishing with a 20 yard Tua to Hardman TD pass on the first play of the 2nd quarter and the Dolphins take the 14-0 Lead.

Jacksonville then gets on track and goes 77 yards and get the TD to cut the Dolphins lead to 7 points at 14-7. After exchanging punts the Jags get the ball back with 1:36 at their own 38 and quickly go the 62 yards and score the TD with 14 seconds left in the half to deadlock the score at 14.

After a scoreless 3rd quarter, the Dolphins mount a drive and again on the very 1st play of the 4th quarter get the TD, to regain the lead at 21-14. On the ensuing Jaguar drive, they respond with a 79 yard drive and get the score to once again notch the score at 21 with 7:38 left in the game. On the second play of the next Miami drive, Jacksonville gets the 34 yard pick six and take the lead for the 1st time in the game. that would be the last scoring as the Dolphins would get 2 more cracks at it in the last 6:20 but are unable to get back to the end zone and Jacksonville leaves Miami with the 7 point win and appears to secure their playoff spot. Miami finishes a dismal 4-12 on the season and looks forward to next year.

New England 31 Cincinnati 10                29 0-10
The Bengals closed out the 2021 IFL season hosting the defending champion Patriots. Receiving the opening kickoff it did not take New England long to draw first blood. Isaiah Rodgers had a nice kickoff return to midfield and five plays later Lamar Jackson connected with Cooper Kupp from 21 yards out. After forcing a Cincinnati punt, the Pats were back in business as Jackson dumped it off to Kareem Hunt for a 26 yard gain. However, Chidobe Awuzie intercepted the Jackson pass on the next play. The Bengals got into field goal position but Ka'imi Fairbairn shanked the kick. New England took over but Jackson was picked again! This time by rookie Isaiah Simmons. Cincinnati took advantage as Aaron Rodgers connected with Diontae Johnson for 14 and two plays later Rodgers scampered in from nine yards out as the quarter ended tied at seven.

This seemed to wake up the Pats as another Jackson to Kupp pass from 25 yards out capped an 8 play-72 yard drive to regain the lead 14-7. After forcing a Cincinnati three and out, Jackson connected with Hill for 53 and then Kupp again for the 15 yard score, 21-7 New England. The Bengals were able to add a field goal to make it 21-10 at the half.

The Pats would add 10 more in the second half for the 31-10 final.

Jackson finished 13 of 20 for 233 yards, 4 TDs and 2 INTs. He also rushed for 126 yards on 13 attempts.

Rodgers had a rough game as Ronald Jones was sidelined and New England played pass. He finished just 14 of 27 for 151 yards and an INT.

Arizona 13 Kansas City 20                   31 5-15
Kansas City held the ball for close to 42 minutes and then had to endure a furious rally led by Patrick Mahomes, but the Chiefs prevailed by stopping the Cardinals at the 14 yard line with a minute left to secure the 20-13 victory. Mahomes finished with 281 yards passing but was sacked 4 times. Andy Dalton went 36-28-198 for KC.

Pittsburgh 27 Indianapolis 3                69 Calm
Indianapolis comes in looking for their first win of the season hoping not to end the year winless.

Pittsburgh was hoping to have their most wins since Coach Alberry Sr took over midway through the 2018 year as they sit at 6-9 .

No scoring through the first with multiple punts . Pittsburgh gets the offense rolling in the second and puts up 17 points with 2 TD tosses to Jefferson .

In the third the Colts manage a FG to make it 17-3 . But late in the quarter Brady sneaks it in from one yard out making it 24-3 and pretty much the ball game . Lots of running in the fourth by both teams the Steelers get in FG range making the final score 27-3.

Good luck to all the playoff teams! Until the draft next year take care and Happy Holidays.


Atlanta 22 Detroit 0                        70 Calm
In a battle of pride, Atlanta and Detroit did their best to finish the season strong. Each team during the game was hit with injuries and usage difficulties. More so for Detroit than Atlanta and that proved to be the turning point.

The Rivers-Fitzgerald farewell tour had an encore as Rivers won Game MVP with 28-36 for 274 yards and 1 TD. Fitzgerald had 6 catches for 65 yards and led all Atlanta receivers.

Though Detroit gave up 22 points, on defense Wagner was a star accounting for 19 tackles in this game with 2 stuffs. He accounted for 19 of the 60 total tackles Detroit made!

Both first year coaches are looking forward to next year.

Atlanta ended up 7-9 in the brutal NFC West and ended the last 8 games at a 5-3 clip, and the Lions ended 4-12 in the Central division.

Las Vegas 26 New York (N) 17                34 0-10 Heavy Rain
Raiders kicker Jason Myers boots four field goals including three from 50 plus yards out to help Las Vegas get by the Giants.

Rushing Leaders
Jackson,L(NE)   13-126
Chubb,N(LAC)    13-111
Gibson(Jax)     20-106
Mostert(Atl)    18-103

Receiving Leaders
Woods,R(NYJ)    10-157 2 TD – IFL Offensive Player of the Week
Kupp(NE)         5- 85 3 TD

Passing Leaders
Jackson,L(NE)   20-13-233   4 TD 2 Int

Defensive Standouts
Johnson,A(Cin)   16 Tk
Wagner,B(Det)    19 Tk
Gregory,R(Pit)    5 Tk 1 Sk – IFL Defensive Player of the Week

Special Teams
Myers,J(LV)    4-4 FG – IFL Special Teams Player of the Week

FINAL 2021 IFL STANDINGS

FINAL 2021 IFL LEAGUE LEADERS

WEEK 16 IFL PLAYOFF PICTURE

By Ravens Scott

With about a week and a half's worth of games to play, here's how the AFC playoff picture is shaping up:

#1 seed - The winner of the AFC East. According to the game's ranking, the Jets currently own the #1 and get to travel to 7-7 Buffalo then host 6-9 Baltimore. The Jets' competition is the Patriots (also 13-1), who are on the road for their last two games of the season - @ 0-14 Indy and @ 8-5-1 Cincy. My bet is on the Jets, with the Pats becoming one of the best #4 seeds in league history.

#2 seed - Looks like Vegas pretty much has this wrapped up. With a home game against 5-9 KC and a road game @ 3-11 NY Giants, there's a good chance they could win 13 games, but both the Jets and Pats would have to lose both their scheduled games to even give the Raiders a chance at the #1 seed. Those things are about as likely as a snowflake in Aruba. On the flip side, even if the Raiders lose their last two games, they'll finish with more wins (11) than Cincinnati, even if the Bengals (currently 8-5-1) win their last two games.

#3 seed - The AFC Central winner will likely seed in here. That'll probably be Cincinnati, though they've got a tall order to defeat the Patriots in their Week 16 match-up. Cincinnati's Week 15 opponent is the 6-8 Steelers, so the Bengals are realistically looking at a 9-6-1 finish. That gives Jacksonville a reasonable shot. Should Cincy split and 8-6 Jacksonville sweep - against 10-4 Panthers on the road (a tall task in itself!) and at 4-11 Miami - they could finish 10-6, a half-game ahead of the Bengals, which would give them the #3 seed.

#4 seed - the runner-up in the AFC East race. My guess: New England.

#5 seed - the runner-up in the AFC Central race. My guess: Jacksonville*.

#6 seed - The Chargers Week 15 loss to Philly really hurt. LA is now 7-8 and reciting Hail Mary's in the league's rectory. Denver, Houston and Buffalo all currently have 7-7 records. The Broncos and Texans face each other in Week 15, so the winner will create a little breathing room for themselves. Denver takes on 13-2 Philly in Week 16 (not a good thing if you're a Bronco fan), so you're hoping they can end their 7-game free fall with a win at Houston. The Bills get to host the 13-1 Pats in Week 15, so they'll likely be hoping to return to .500 with a Week 16 win against the 6-9 Titans. My money is on the Texans to continue Denver's misery and then beat the 2-12 Cowboys in Week 16 to finish at 9-7 and sneak past the other middle-of-the-road contenders.

*should Jacksonville lose their last two games, they could finish 8-8 and potentially fall completely out of the playoffs, but there's too much algebra and trigonometry involved for me to figure it all out if that happens, so I'm sticking with Jacksonville at least getting a split of their last two games and earning that #5 seed.

NOTE: All this prognostication was done with very little research or analysis, a beer in one hand and the other stirring the tea leaves. Errors or omissions were inadvertent. Write to your congressman if you feel slighted.

Good luck to all the playoff participants and contenders.

By Packer John

Here it is. Somebody with a ton of wins is missing the playoffs

1) y-Tampa Bay 13-2 = Clinched division and a first round bye. Can earn home field

                                     throughout with win at Carolina or a Philadelphia loss

2) y-Philadelphia 13-2 = Clinched division and a first round bye. Can earn #1 seed
                                     with a win at Denver and a Tampa Bay loss

3) Carolina       11-4    = Can clinch division with a win over Tampa Bay or a loss by New Orleans.

                                      Can clinch a playoff berth with a win or a loss by Washington or Rams

4) Green Bay    11-4    = Can clinch a playoff berth with a win over Rams or a loss by
                                     Carolina or Washington

5) New Orleans 10-4-1 = Can win division with a victory over Chicago and a Carolina loss. Can clinch a playoff

   berth with a win over Chicago or a loss by Rams or Washington

6) Washington    10-5   = Can clinch a playoff berth with a win over Chargers OR a Rams loss

                                       (wins a 10-6 tie with Rams due to head to head victory)



7) L.A. Rams     10-5   = Can clinch a playoff berth with a win over Packers
                                     (Carolina knocked out in a 4 way 11-5 tie due to first tiebreaker being the

                                       application of the division tiebreaker which Rams hold over Carolina)

                                      (Packers knocked out in 3 way 11-5 tie between WFT, Rams, GB due to

                                      Packers 0-2 head to record versus Rams and Skins).

Rams eliminated with a loss.

WEEK 3 RECAP

IFL WEEK 3 STANDINGS

​​IFL WEEK 3 LEAGUE LEADERS

​WEEK 2 RECAP

IFL WEEK 2 STANDINGS

​​IFL WEEK 2 LEAGUE LEADERS

​WEEK 1 RECAP

IFL WEEK 1 STANDINGS

​IFL WEEK 1 LEAGUE LEADERS

A MOCK DONE RIGHT! MEL'S ANNUAL MOCK DRAFT.

Bucky Brooks mocks the 2024 IFL Draft!

IFL SUPER BOWL

IFL CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS

FALCONS 25 CARDINALS 19

PATRIOTS 13 TITANS 6

IFL DIVISIONAL ROUND

CARDINALS 21 RAMS 17

FALCONS 30 SAINTS 24

​PATRIOTS 17 CHARGERS 16

TITANS 27 BRONCOS 24

IFL WILD CARD WEEKEND

FALCONS 33 BEARS 0

RAMS 26 LIONS 23

SAINTS 27 SEAHAWKS 17

​BRONCOS 43 DOLPHINS 10

TITANS 16 BENGALS 6

CHARGERS 22 JAGUARS 7

Week 17 Recap

IFL FINAL STANDINGS

​IFL FINAL LEAGUE LEADERS

​PLAYOFF SCENARIOS FOR WEEK 17

Week 16 Recap

IFL WEEK 16 STANDINGS

​IFL WEEK 16 LEAGUE LEADERS

​Week 15 Recap

IFL WEEK 15 STANDINGS

​IFL WEEK 15 LEAGUE LEADERS

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IFL WEEK 14 STANDINGS

​IFL WEEK 14 LEAGUE LEADERS

Week 13 Recap

IFL WEEK 13 STANDINGS

IFL WEEK 13 LEAGUE LEADERS

​Week 12 Recap

IFL WEEK 12 STANDINGS

IFL WEEK 12 LEAGUE LEADERS

​Week 11 Recap

IFL WEEK 11 STANDINGS

IFL WEEK 11 LEAGUE LEADERS

​Week 10 Recap

IFL WEEK 10 STANDINGS

​IFL WEEK 10 LEAGUE LEADERS

​Week 9 Recap

IFL WEEK 9 STANDINGS

​​IFL WEEK 9 LEAGUE LEADERS

​Packers Week Nine Press Conference

Week 8 Recap

IFL WEEK 8 STANDINGS

​IFL WEEK 8 LEAGUE LEADERS

​Week 7 Recap

IFL WEEK 7 STANDINGS

IFL WEEK 7 LEAGUE LEADERS

​Week 6 Recap

IFL WEEK 6 STANDINGS

IFL WEEK 6 LEAGUE LEADERS

​Week 5 Recap

IFL WEEK 5 STANDINGS

​IFL WEEK 5 LEAGUE LEADERS

​Week 4 Recap

IFL WEEK FOUR STANDINGS

IFL WEEK FOUR LEAGUE LEADERS

​Week 3 Recap

IFL WEEK THREE STANDINGS

IFL WEEK THREE LEAGUE LEADERS

​Week 2 Recap

IFL WEEK TWO STANDINGS

​IFL WEEK TWO LEAGUE LEADERS

​Week 1 Recap

IFL WEEK ONE STANDINGS

IFL WEEK ONE LEAGUE LEADERS

IFL WEEK 3 LEAGUE LEADERS

WEEK 2 RECAP

IFL WEEK 2 LEAGUE LEADERS

WEEK 1 RECAP

IFL WEEK 1 LEAGUE LEADERS

PATRIOTS 17 CHARGERS 16

BRONCOS 43 DOLPHINS 10

IFL FINAL LEAGUE LEADERS

PLAYOFF SCENARIOS FOR WEEK 17

IFL WEEK 16 LEAGUE LEADERS

Week 15 Recap

IFL WEEK 15 LEAGUE LEADERS

Week 14 Recap

IFL WEEK 14 LEAGUE LEADERS

Week 12 Recap

Week 11 Recap

Week 10 Recap

IFL WEEK 10 LEAGUE LEADERS

Week 9 Recap

IFL WEEK 9 LEAGUE LEADERS

Packers Week Nine Press Conference

IFL WEEK 8 LEAGUE LEADERS

Week 7 Recap

Week 6 Recap

Week 5 Recap

IFL WEEK 5 LEAGUE LEADERS

Week 4 Recap

Week 3 Recap

Week 2 Recap

IFL WEEK TWO LEAGUE LEADERS

Week 1 Recap

IFL CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS

IFL DIVISONAL ROUND

Saints 31 Buccaneers 24

IFL WILD CARD WEEKEND

IFL PLAYOFF SCENARIOS

NFC
by Packer John

WEEK 15 RECAP

WEEK 14 RECAP

WEEK 11 RECAP

WEEK 10 IFL LEAGUE LEADERS

WEEK 9 RECAP

WEEK NINE IFL LEAGUE LEADERS

WEEK 8 RECAP

WEEK 7 RECAP

WEEK 6 RECAP

WEEK 5 RECAP

WEEK 4 RECAP

WEEK 3 RECAP

WEEK 2 RECAP