WEEK 10 SFL NEWSLETTER
- Cameron Irvine
- Sep 5, 2014
- 5 min read
Feature of the Week
The trade that turned the tide
Just a few weeks ago, San Francisco was 1-3. Dallas was 0-4. The two teams made a trade to try to save their season: Dallas sent cornerback Andrew Ball to San Francisco in exchange for wide receiver Freeman Goodspeed.
The trade, at the time, didn't seem like it would help either team. Why did Dallas want to get better on offense when their defense was already one of the worst in the league? Why was San Francisco depleting an already slugglish offense of one of its top weapons in order to strengthen a defense that has always been regarded as one of the toughest? It was a shocking storyline mid-season and for San Francisco, it saved the season.
The Bulldogs, since, did something no one else has - limit Baltimore's Elliott Snider to less than 100 yards rushing - and despite the 20-7 loss in that game, the Bulldogs proved the Crabs could be somewhat stopped. They've allowed 13 points in the last two weeks - two home game wins over playoff-hopefuls Kailua and Oklahoma City.
Dallas, on the other hand, has continued to spiral and has given up 37, 34 and 33 points on defense since the trade, still without a win this season, trying to avoid becoming the first team in league history to go winless. Wasn't it Dallas that was picked to win it all after the pre-season? How quickly things have regressed.
San Francisco and Dallas meet in the final game of the regular season - Monday September 15 in Dallas. A few weeks ago, this game looked like a throw-away match up. Now, a San Francisco win could be the death of Kailua, Oklahoma City and/or Grand Rapids' playoff hopes. What a turnaround, now the Bulldogs just have to finish - which they couldn't last season in Week 11 - a 16-13 overtime loss to Kailua that eliminated them.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
ON THE ROPES: Wyverns, Renegades desperate for victory
Saturday September 6 — Oklahoma City (3-3) @ Kailua (3-4), noon CT
All-time series: Series tied 1-1
Matchup tracker: Jasper Hart vs. Nathaniel Graison. Hart hasn't thrown a touchdown pass for OKC since July 27. Kailua, on the other hand, hasn't stopped any passing attack of late, giving up a league-worst 281 passing yards per game. If Hart is going to step up and be the leader he was expected to be this season, he'll need to complete some deep balls and that means winning the matchup against the league's tallest defender.
KAILUA — The Wyverns have put the 33-7 blowout loss to Orlando in Week 1 and a Week 4 55-6 blowout loss to New York in the rear-view mirror, still with a chance to make the playoffs with a win Saturday and some help. Despite a -69 point differential, the Wyverns have given themselves a chance in recent weeks with a nail-biting finish over the Rollers 30-29 and a Week 9 win over Dallas 33-24. Ohno Matsumoto is coming off of a career high in passer rating.
Oklahoma City doesn't have a streak this year, a constant season of ups and downs. The team is 2-0 coming off a loss this season, but has never won in Kailua, their only trip to the Island State last summer a 22-17 defeat that was snatched away in the final minute on a turnover on downs inside the Kailua red zone. The Renegades couldn't prove they could reverse history last week, as the team fell in San Francisco, now 0-2 against the Bulldogs on the road.
Ohno Matsumoto doesn't have a touchdown against Oklahoma City's defense, in fact no star on Kailua - past or present - ever has. The Renegade defense has improved in recent weeks, now third in the league in points allowed (19.7), 4th in total yards allowed (374.5) and 4th against the run. Kailua's best chance stands with Matsumoto carrying over his prolific performance against Dallas into the Wyverns' season finale.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
THE FORMULA?: Biggest game in Rollers history Sunday
Sunday September 7 — Grand Rapids (3-3) @ Baltimore (6-0), 6 pm CT
All-time series: First meeting
Matchup tracker: David Badha vs. Joe Dazzo. David Badha has rushed for at least 123 yards in three games this season - all Grand Rapids wins. Less than 123 yards? Rollers are 0-3. Badha makes the offense go for the Rollers and it'll be Joe Dazzo's responsibility to stop him - Dazzo has a league-high 19 tackles for loss as a linebacker! If gold-star Badha can outplay gold-star Dazzo, the Rollers give themselves their best shot at an upset.
BALTIMORE - The Crabs have nothing to play for but a perfect season. The Rollers are aiming for their first playoff berth in franchise history and might just have the right formula to take down the league's top team, which would give the Rollers monster momentum heading into Walsh Bowl VI in Week 11.
Grand Rapids has the league's No. 1 run defense, giving up 73.2 yards per game on the ground. Baltimore has the second best rushing attack - 202.5 yards per game. San Francisco is the only defense that has held Elliott Snider to less than 100 rushing yards this season - they have the second-best run defense. The difference, however, between the Rollers and the Bulldogs is the offense. Grand Rapids puts up a respectable 22.2 points per game up on the board each week, San Francisco a league-record low 15.1.
If Grand Rapids is to pull the upset, they'll have to reverse a troubling late-season trend that has plagued the Rollers throughout their history. In the team's final 3 games from each of the last two seasons, Grand Rapids hasn't won a game (0-6) after 2-3 and 3-2 starts, respectively. They haven't played since Aug. 16 and should be rested - the Crabs played on Labor Day.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
CHAMPIONS BATTLE: Knights, Intimidators meet with playoff berth on the line
Monday September 8 — Orlando (4-2) @ New York (4-3), 6 pm CT
All-time series: New York leads 2-1
Matchup tracker: Kevin Walker vs. Isaac Holt. The No. 1 passing offense goes up against arguably this season's No. 1 defender in Isaac Holt. Holt has a league-leading 6 INT's and while Walker has thrown 14 INT's this year, he hasn't thrown one since July 26. New York likely won't win if Walker's on point gashing the secondary. Holt will need to play focused.
BUFFALO —The last time Orlando visited to New York it wasn't pretty. Starting WR Chris Taylor got hurt and the Orlando defense was torched for 3 TD's in six 2nd quarter minutes in a 38-17 semi-final loss last summer, eventually leading to a New York title - which they won in Orlando. Last year Orlando won their title in the Big Apple, while New York didn't even make the playoffs. The winner of Monday's game will clinch a playoff spot, while leaving the loser a nervous Week 11.
Expect Zach Parker to play with a chip on his shoulder. Despite having one of the richest contracts in the league, he's sixth in the league in rushing yards this summer - 633 yards with 5 touchdowns. Parker has had back-to-back 100-yard performances and New York's defense isn't all that stout against the run (113.1 yards allowed - 5th).
New York will be trying to avoid a three-game slide to end the season, which could jeopardize their playoff chances. The Knights have lost three games by a combined 7 points with losses coming to 1st place Baltimore and 4th place Grand Rapids. Beating Orlando (No. 2 seed, current) would go along way to solidifying that those losses were just flukes and not a definition of just how good the Knights truly are.
Comments