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**REGULAR SEASON** **MFLA 2001 PLAYOFFS** AFC Wild Card Game NFC Wild Card Game AFC Conference Playoffs NFC Conference Playoffs AFC Conference Championship NFC Conference Championship MFLA SUPER BOWL III
MFLA Week Fourteen Offensive MFLA Week Fourteen Defensive 5 Sacks
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MFLA Week Fourteen Green Bay 27, Detroit 21 OT
Packers QB Favre avoids sack in Overtime to throw strike to WR Martin for victory Ravens, Patriots, Rams, and Bucs improve records; Broncos-Jaguars contest rescheduled |
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March 31, 2001 - Los Angeles With only four more weeks of Regular Season competition remaining, the playoff picture is beginning to take shape. Kevin "K-Ham" Ham's MFLA New England Patriots continued their domination of league foes by defeating Craig DeGraff's MFLA New York Jets 31-7 to improve to 12-0; Ham's Patriots are already guaranteed the #1 Seed in the AFC Playoffs. Tim "Bigg Badd Bevv" Beverly's MFLA Baltimore Ravens knocked off former NFC South Division rival Eric "Skew" Askew and his MFLA Tennessee Titans 29-23, as both teams are competing for the #4 Seeds in the NFC and AFC Conferences respectively. Min "Slayer" Robertson's MFLA St. Louis Rams routed DeMarrio "DMAN" Gray's MFLA Minnesota Vikings 54-14, and still keep their hopes alive for the #1 Seed in the NFC. And the most closely contested game of MFLA Week Fourteen was the match-up between Paul "Sweetness" Neve's NFC North Division-leading MFLA Detroit Lions, and Jason Lewis' NFC South Division-leading MFLA Green Bay Packers. The Packers won the first meeting, 17-16, during MFLA Week Five competition, and this weekend's contest was just as tight. Lewis' Defending Super Bowl Champion Packers were able to escape with a 27-21 Overtime victory, after QB Brett Favre eluded a sack by a would-be tackler, and found WR Tony Martin open in the endzone for the game-winning touchdown. This exciting Overtime thriller is our MFLA Week Fourteen "Game Of The Week." Brian Smith's MFLA Tampa Bay Buccaneers earned an automatic 2-0 forfeited victory over Tom Bout's MFLA Washington Redskins, due to Bout's resignation after Week Nine. One other game, the MFLA Jacksonville Jaguars AT MFLA Denver Broncos, was postponed/rescheduled. If there is one coach in the league that seems to have a knack for 2nd Half comebacks, and 4th Quarter comebacks, it's Green Bay Owner-Coach Jason Lewis. Beginning with last season, Lewis has probably had more 4th Quarter comeback victories than any other coach in The MFLA. Just earlier this season, in Week Five, Lewis' Packers were down 16-7 to these same MFLA Detroit Lions in the 4th Quarter, but came back to win that contest 17-16. "Usually, I'm at my best in close games" said Lewis, a declaration that very few opponents can argue with. Since joining The MFLA, Lewis is 9-0 in games that were decided by eight (8) points or less. This hotly contested NFC rematch was no different. Given that Lewis and Neve finished as the "Mid-Season" Defensive Coach Of The Year, and 1st Runner-Up, it probably comes as no surprise that the 1st Quarter was a defensive battle. Neither team was able to score as much as even a field goal. The opening quarter ended in a 0-0 tie. In the 2nd Quarter, Detroit was able to finally put some points on the board. Packers WR Muhsin Muhammad fumbled a catch away at Detroit's 10-yard line. The Lions offense took over, and began to march downfield. After getting sacked, Lions QB Troy Aikman threw a pass to WR Desmond Howard to put the Lions in the Packers redzone. A couple of plays later, Aikman lofted the ball over the outstretched arms of Green Bay FS Brock Marion and right into the hands of WR Germaine Crowell, who was standing wide open in the endzone. After Kicker Jason Hanson's extra point attempt was good, the Lions led 7-0. |
The 3rd Quarter saw both defenses play well, but both teams managed to score as well. The Lions drew first blood, as Aikman led his offensive teammates downfield. Around midfield, Aikman launched a pass to WR Matthew Hatchette, who caught the pass at around the Packers 5-yard line, and then ran into the endzone. His 45-yard catch-and-run reception, along with Hanson's PAT, made the score 14-0 in favor of the Lions. And then came the Packers. Brett Favre and the Green Bay offense shifted into high gear on their next possession. Favre saw something he didn't like, and audibled into the five wide-receiver set, which had HB Dorsey Levens in the slot. The Lions DBs covered everyone well, but seemed to forget about/overplay Levens. Soon, Levens was streaking downfield untouched, and caught the ball at around the Lions' 25-yard line, and from there, he was gone. Levens' 54-yard catch-and-run touchdown reception, along with Kicker Ryan Longwell's extra point, cut Detroit's lead to 14-7 at the end of the 3rd Quarter. In the Fourth and final Quarter, Lewis' Packers made their push for the lead. WR Tony Martin caught a 14-yard pass from Favre with about a minute gone in the quarter to tie the score at 14-14. Sweetness' Lions answered back though with a drive lasting 2:07, that saw WR Crowell grab his second touchdown reception of the game, his also a 14-yard catch. Hanson's PAT made it 21-14 in favor of the Lions. On Green Bay's next possession, it looked like Detroit would secure the victory when Packers WR Muhammad fumbled for the second time. Detroit recovered the fumble with just over two minutes remaining, and could have conceivably began to run down the clock. Fortunately for the Packers though, Aikman threw an errant pass that was picked off by CB Mike McKenzie. The Green Bay offense took over at approximately their own 25-yard line, and their attempt to tie the game or win the game commenced. After a few plays, Farve rolled right, and waited until TE Bubba Franks crossed the Detroit Linebackers, and hit him at Detroit's two-yard line going towards the side line, but Franks was able to keep his balance and step across the goal line. Lewis decided against going for the two-point conversion, and instead opted to tie the score at 21-21. Detroit was unable to move into scoring range again, and Regulation ended, and the contest went into Overtime. In the Overtime Period, it was pretty much all Green Bay. Early in their first drive, Muhammad made up for his two fumbles when he caught a pass in the middle of the field, and broke two or three tackles to run all the way down to about the Lions 3-yard line. On 2nd Down, Favre was sacked for a nine yard loss, bringing up a 3rd and 12 situation. On the 3rd Down play, Favre drops back to look for receivers, but is heavily pressured by the Lions Dime CB Kevin Abrams. It looked as though Abrams had Farve sacked, but Farve was able to duck under him, and Abrams rolled over Farve's back. Favre then stepped up in the pocket, and side armed the ball to a wide open Martin in the corner of the endzone for the victory. "I really thought Favre was gonna be sacked on that play. I would have been scared to kick a field goal, because Sweetness is exceptional at blocking them. Favre was lucky as hell to avoid that sack" said a happy Lewis after the game. Next up, Lewis' Packers visit Giants Stadium for an Inter-Conference match-up with Craig DeGraff's MFLA New York Jets. Sweetness' Lions visit ALLTEL Stadium for an Inter-Conference battle with Jerm Dog's MFLA Jacksonville Jaguars.
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In Other MFLA Action. . . Baltimore 29, Tennessee 23
Ravens QB Peyton Manning threw for 285 yards and three touchdowns, and ran for another touchdown, to lead the MFLA Baltimore Ravens to their sixth victory of the season. WR Quadry Ismail had 54 yards receiving, and one touchdown. WR Ed McCaffrey also had 165 yards receiving. Defensively, LB Peter Boulware had five sacks, and SS Marty Carter had two interceptions. QB Steve McNair threw for 388 yards and two touchdowns, but was intercepted five times and sacked six times. WR Randy Moss had 10 receptions for 245 yards and one touchdown. LB Eddie Robinson had three sacks for the Titans, and SS Marcus Robertson had three interceptions.
New England 31, NY Jets 7
Patriots QB Drew Bledsoe threw for 282 yards and four touchdowns to keep the MFLA New England Patriots undefeated. WR Terry Glenn had eight receptions for 102 yards and two touchdowns, and WR Tony Carter added two receiving touchdowns also. HB Corey Dillon had 50 yards rushing. DE Willie McGinest increased his league-leading sack total with seven sacks in this contest. CB Antonio Langham had one interception. Jets QB Vinny Testaverde started out the game, but was injured in the 2nd Quarter. Backup QB Ray Lucas replaced him, and threw for 71 yards and one touchdown, but was sacked four times. WR Raghib "Rocket" Ismail had three receptions for 89 yards and one touchdown.
St. Louis 54, Minnesota 14
Rams HB Marshall Faulk established a new single game rushing record with 155 yards rushing and two touchdowns, while WR Torry Holt had 108 yards receiving and three touchdowns, as the MFLA St. Louis Rams crushed the MFLA Minnesota Vikings. The Rams used a two quarterback attack, with Kurt Warner throwing for 207 yards and three touchdowns, and Dante Culpepper throwing for 64 yards and one touchdown. FB Trung Canidate also rushed for 11 yards and one touchdown. DE Kevin Carter had two sacks to lead the defense, while CBs Aeneas Williams and Dexter McCleon had one interception each. QB Brad Johnson threw for 221 yards and two touchdowns in a losing effort. WR Cris Carter had 114 yards receiving and one touchdown, and LB Dwayne Rudd had one interception for the Vikings defense.
Jacksonville AT Denver
Tampa Bay 2, Washington 0
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