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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 Nine Offensive MFLA Week Nine Defensive 2 Interceptions 1 Sack
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MFLA Week Nine Green Bay 38, Oakland 35
Muhammad's 18-yard catch and Thierry's interception give Packers seventh straight victory Ravens, Jaguars, Lions, and Patriots also notch victories; Broncos win by forfeit |
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March 10, 2001 - Los Angeles MFLA Week Nine marked the "Halfway Point" of the Regular Season, and it is slowly but surely becoming clear what teams are the favorites to make it to MFLA Super Bowl III, and what teams will probably struggle just to make it into the playoffs. Probably the most closely contested contest of the week was the Inter-Conference match-up between Jason Lewis and his Defending Super Bowl Champion MFLA Green Bay Packers, and Oscar Torres and his upstart MFLA Oakland Raiders. The Raiders had defeated the Packers 61-49 in the MFLA 2001 Preseason Tourney, but in a game where wins and losses really counted, it was the Packers that prevailed 38-35. This contest is our MFLA Week Nine "Game Of The Week." In other games, Tim "Bigg Badd Bevv" Beverly's MFLA Baltimore Ravens defeated Min "Slayer" Robertson's MFLA St. Louis Rams 31-22; Jeremy "Jerm Dog" Gardner's MFLA Jacksonville Jaguars defeated Craig DeGraff's MFLA New York Jets 23-13; Paul "Sweetness" Neve's MFLA Detroit Lions defeated DeMarrio "DMAN" Gray's MFLA Minnesota Vikings 37-14; and Kevin "K-Ham" Ham's MFLA New England Patriots steamrolled over Brian Smith's MFLA Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 51-3. Tom Bout, Owner-Coach of the MFLA Washington Redskins, had to forfeit his game due to extenuating circumstances. If there is one member over the last season and a half that could be accused of "winning ugly," it would be Defending MFLA Super Bowl Champion Jason Lewis. There are some in the league who think Lewis takes pride pulling out a close, tough fought victory rather than winning "pretty." Lewis contest against Oscar Torres' MFLA Oakland Raiders was no different. "There were moments in the game where I thought I could put it out of reach, but I either had a player commit a turnover, or Oscar would answer with a good drive. Bottom line, I won though" said Lewis after the game. And win the game he did. Oakland received the opening kickoff, but after WR James Jett returned the ball to midfield, the Raiders offense couldn't really get going. After four or five plays, the Raiders were forced to punt. Green Bay then took possession of the ball, and QB Brett Favre got his troops rolling early. After a nice drive downfield, WR Antonio Freeman caught a 22-yard pass from Favre in the endzone. Kicker Ryan Longwell's PAT made it 7-0 in favor of the Packers. After an exchange of "three plays and then punt" routines by both squads, Oakland took over at around their own 12-yard line. But Torres' Raiders got going, and after a beautiful 16-yard run by HB Napolean Kaufman, and a successful extra point kick, the score was tied at 7-7 with :01 remaining in the quarter. In the 2nd Quarter, Green Bay opened their drive by allowing Favre to get |
sacked. But no worry, because on the very next play from scrimmage, Favre found WR Muhsin Muhammad wide open for an 89-yard touchdown. Longwell's extra point made it 14-7 Green Bay. On Oakland's next drive, the Green Bay defense proved too much for the Raiders' offense. Oakland ended up turning the ball over on downs, and the ball was back in Green Bay's hands. The Packers offense moved downfield seemingly easy, but his drive got stalled in Oakland territory at around the 19-yard line. Longwell came out on the field and kicked a 36-yard field goal, and the Packers now led 17-7. Oakland answered rather quickly, and after a 27-yard pass to WR Jerry Rice, Green Bay only led 17-14. There was little time remaining in the quarter, but Favre and his offensive teammates made a run for it right before Halftime. With seconds remaining, Favre found WR Tony Martin open for a 32 yard pass to increase the Packers lead to 24-14. In the 3rd Quarter, Green Bay had the ball first, but quickly relinquished it. CB Darren Gordon picked off an errant Favre pass, and Gordon returned the ball to the 5-yard line. One play later, Kaufman ran the ball in to make the score 24-21 in favor of Green Bay. On the Packers next possession, Favre found Martin again, and on a beautiful catch-and-run touchdown, in which Martin sidestepped an attacking Raiders CB Eric Allen, on his way to complete a 78-yard touchdown. The Packers now led 31-21. But the never-say-die Raiders came right back. After some good running by Kaufman, and good passing by QB Rich Gannon, Oakland scored when Jett caught a 23-yard pass from Gannon. The score was now 31-28 right before the end of the quarter. On Green Bay's first possession of the 4th Quarter, the Raiders defense stopped them, and caused them to punt the ball. Oakland got the ball, but then they were subsequently stopped also. On the Packers second possession, the Green Bay offense moved in position to possibly score again, but HB Dorsey Levens fumbled. Oakland got the ball, and quickly moved downfield. The Raiders' drive was completed when Gannon found TE Rickey Dudley open for a 9-yard pass, the Raiders took their first lead of the game at 35-31. Green Bay got the ball back, but Favre was picked off by CB Marquez Pope. Oakland got the ball again, but Kaufman ended up fumbling also. Green Bay got the ball again, and finally, Favre found Muhammad open for a 18-yard pass to give the Packers their final lead of the game at 38-35. Oakland had one more chance, but DE John Thierry intercepted a Gannon pass with less than a minute remaining in the game. Lewis' Packers now prepare for a Super Bowl rematch with Kevin Ham's undefeated MFLA New England Patriots. Torres' Raiders next visit Craig DeGraff's MFLA New York Jets.
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In Other MFLA Action. . . Baltimore 31, St. Louis 22
The MFLA Baltimore Ravens used a 24-7 Halftime lead to defeat the MFLA St. Louis Rams in a very intense NFC South Divisional match-up. Raven QB Peyton Manning threw for 207 yards and two touchdowns, but he when he was injured, reserve QB Tony Banks came in and threw for 187 yards and one touchdown. HB Jamal Lewis ran for 21 yards and also had 105 yards receiving and one touchdown. WR Jermaine Lewis had 130 yards receiving and one touchdown. LB Ray Lewis had two interceptions and one sack, and CB Bobby Taylor had two interceptions. Rams QB Kurt Warner threw for 155 yards and two touchdowns, but was intercepted a total of five times, and sacked twice. WR Az-Zahir Hakim had 129 yards receiving and one touchdown.
Jacksonville 23, NY Jets 13
Kicker Mike Hollis booted three important field goals, and QB Mark Brunell threw for 188 yards and one touchdown, to lead the MFLA Jacksonville Jaguars to victory. HB Fred Taylor added 53 yards rushing, and TE Kyle Brady had 34 yards receiving and one touchdown. LB Lonnie Marts had two sacks and FS Carnell Lake had two interecptions to lead the Jaguars defense. Jets QB Vinny Testaverde threw for 80 yards, but was sacked and intercepted five times. DE Shaun Ellis had three sacks, and CB Shawn Springs had an interception returned for a touchdown for the Jets.
Detroit 37, Minnesota 14
The MFLA Detroit Lions took full command of the NFC North Division with their second consecutive win over the Vikings. Lions QB Troy Aikman threw for 349 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Detroit offense. WR Desmond Howard had 186 yards receiving and two touchdowns. DE Robert Porcher had two sacks to lead the Lions defense, and CB Terry Fair and SS Kurt Schulz had one interception each. Viking QB Brad Johnson threw for 280 yards and two touchdowns, while WR Marcus Robinson had 90 yards receiving and one touchdown.
New England 51, Tampa Bay 3
Patriots QB Drew Bledsoe threw for 368 yards and six touchdowns to lead New England to their 23rd consecutive MFLA Regular Season victory. WR Terry Glenn had eight receptions for 204 yards and two touchdowns, and RB Tony Carter had three touchdown receptions. Defensively, the Patriots recorded 12 sacks and 5 interceptions, led by DE Willie McGinest with 8 sacks, and CB Aaron Beasley with 2 interceptions (one returned for a touchdown). Buccaneers QB Donovan McNabb threw for 305 yards, and TE Tony Gonzalez had 91 yards receiving in a losing effort.
Denver 2, Washington 0
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