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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 Five Offensive MFLA Week Five Defensive 4 Sacks Edwards' Sacks Preserved Packers' Victory
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MFLA Week Five Green Bay 17, Detroit 16
Defending Champion Packers win the NFC defensive battle for third straight victory Jets, Ravens, and Rams also post victories; Jaguars-Raiders contest rescheduled |
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February 21, 2001 - Los Angeles MFLA Week Five highlighted a number of match-ups between teams in the same Conference. In the AFC, there were two Divisional match-ups while two other teams (Broncos and Patriots) had "Byes." In the NFC, all three games were NFC North VS NFC South match-ups. In the AFC, Craig DeGraff's MFLA New York Jets defeated Eric "Skew" Askew's MFLA Tennessee Titans 32-14 to even their AFC South rivalry at 1-1; And Oscar Torres and his AFC North MFLA Oakland Raiders knocked off Division rival Jeremy "Jerm Dog" Gardner's MFLA Jacksonville Jaguars XX-XX. Over in the NFC, Min "Slayer" Robertson rebounded from their first loss of the season with a 28-7 win over Tom Bout's MFLA Washington Redskins; Tim "Bigg Badd Bevv" Beverly's MFLA Baltimore Ravens earned their second consecutive victory with a 28-10 over DeMarrio "DMAN" Gray's winless MFLA Minnesota Vikings; and finally, the most exciting finish of Week Five happened in the match-up between Defending MFLA Super Bowl Champion Jason Lewis and his MFLA Green Bay Packers, and NFC North upstart Paul "Sweetness" Neve and his defensively dominant MFLA Detroit Lions. The Packers won a squeaker, 17-16, as this game was selected as the Week Five "Game Of The Week." So far this season, "Sweetness" and his Lions have shown a talent for keeping teams under their offensive average. Coming into this contest, the Lions defense had given up a league-low eight (8) points per game. After allowing an uncharacteristically high 44 points to Division rival St. Louis, Jason and his Packers regained the defensive form that led him to earn last season's "Defensive Coach Of The Year" honors, allowing fourteen (14) points in their last two contests against the Buccaneers and Jaguars. You get where I'm going with this? You could pretty much anticipate that this was going to be a contest decided more so by great defense than exciting offense. It was Detroit that got things started when a 12-play drive lasting a lengthy 4:42 was concluded with a 23-yard field goal by Lions Kicker Jason Hanson. The Lions led 3-0. After Green Bay took over, Packers QB Brett Favre thought he was ready to get his troops rolling. Wrong. On the fourth play from scrimmage, Favre threw a pass that was intercepted by one of the alert members of Detroit's defensive backfield. The pick was returned into the Packers redzone, but the tough Green Bay defense made the Detroit offense settle for another Hanson field goal. This 35-yarder made the score 6-0 in favor of the Lions. On Green Bay's next possession, they were stopped again. |
They ended up turning the ball back over to the Lions. But fortunately for the Packers, Lions HB Rickey Williams fumbled around midfield, and the Packers got the ball back at their own 46-yard line. Favre got into a rhythm, and after a six play drive, Favre connected with WR Tim Dwight on a 5-yard touchdown pass to give Green Bay their first lead at 7-6 right before Halftime. The 3rd Quarter resembled the 1st Quarter for Detroit. Green Bay received the opening kickoff, but just like the beginning of the game, Favre was picked off by Lions CB Kevin Abrams. Detroit went down into the Green Bay redzone again, only to be held to yet another Hanson field goal. This one a 28-yard boot to give the Lions the lead back at 9-7. The remainder of the Quarter was an exchange of good defensive plays and stops. Finally, in the 4th and final Quarter, some offensive "fireworks" happened ... at least by this game's standard. Detroit drew first blood, by conducting a six play drive that culminated with QB Charlie Batch connecting with WR Marvin Harrison for 5-yard touchdown reception. Hanson's extra point made it 16-7 with about two minutes or so expired in the quarter. Green Bay got the ball, and Favre led his offensive teammates on a seven play, 78-yard drive. Detroit returned the favor and prevented the Green Bay offense from scoring a touchdown, but they did settle for a Ryan Longwell 19-yard field goal. The Lions was cut to 16-10. The Lions, on their next possession, could have scored another field goal or touchdown to put the game out of reach, but it was the Packers defense that stepped up big time. Batch was sacked on two of his first three plays from scrimmage. CB Antuan Edwards finished with a total of four sacks in the game. The Lions ended up punting, and Green Bay got one last chance to pull out the victory. Anyone who's played against Lewis knows that he's probably one of the best "clutch" Coaches in the game. Last season, he had numerous game-winning drives in the final two minutes, and this challenge was no different. After a six play, 47-yard drive, including a key 4th and long catch by WR Antonio Freeman to keep the drive alive, it was Favre himself who scored the game winner on a 1-yard sneak with just under a minute remaining in the game. After a Longwell extra point, the Packers were now up 17-16. Detroit still had one last chance, but once again, Batch was sacked twice consecutively to prevent Detroit from moving into field goal range. Next up, the Packers travel to Baltimore to take on Division rival Ravens, while Detroit travels to St. Louis to take on the Rams.
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In Other MFLA Action. . . NY Jets 32, Tennessee 14
The Jets defense recorded twelve sacks on Titans QB Steve McNair, and intercepted him five times, to lead New York to a Division win. DE Shaun Ellis had four sacks and CB Shawn Springs had two interceptions to lead the Jets defense. CB Marcus Coleman intercepted a McNair pass, and returned it for a touchdown. QB Vinny Testaverde passed for 149 yards and one touchdown. McNair threw for 182 yards and one touchdown, and also had 55 yards rushing and one rushing touchdown. CB Samari Rolle had two interceptions to lead the Titans defense.
Baltimore 28, Minnesota 10
The Ravens defense intercepted Vikings QB Daunte Culpepper six times on their way to their second straight victory. Ravens CB Bobby Taylor set a new MFLA record when he returned an interception 103 yards for a touchdown. Baltimore QB Peyton Manning threw for 272 yards and three touchdowns, and HB Jamal Lewis had 86 yards rushing to lead the offensive attack. WR Quadry Ismail had 99 yards receiving and one touchdown, while TE Shannon Sharpe had 82 yards receiving and one touchdown. Culpepper threw for 236 yards in a losing effort. DT John Randle had two sacks to lead the Vikings defense.
St. Louis 28, Washington 7
WR Az-Zahir Hakim ran the 2nd Half kickoff reception back 99 yards for a touchdown to lead off a 21-point explosion in the 3rd Quarter that helped lead the Rams to victory. QB Kurt Warner threw for 103 yards and two touchdowns, while HB Marshall Faulk ran for 23 yards and one touchdown. CB Aeneas Williams had two interceptions to lead the defense and DE Kevin Carter had three sacks. Redskins QB Brad Johnson threw for 132 yards, but was intercepted four times and sacked six times. WR Marcus Robinson had 122 yards receiving and one touchdown to lead the offense. SS Sam Shade two interceptions to lead the Redskins defense.
Jacksonville AT Oakland
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