Four Great Men:

[stkelly52]

We continue to follow the careers of the five top highschool seniors from the class of 2001. One has now retired, four are left.

Four Great Men

We all knew that it would have to happen. After all these years of following their incredible careers, it is time to bid farewell to the first of the Five Great Men.
Before we begin with the 2018 season, we should take a moment to look back at the career of Carlton Gomez.
It has been an exciting career for Carlton. He has seen his share of glory and heartbreak. After high school, Carlton went on to Florida where he never played a down for the Gators. Instead he went into the draft after his sophomore season when he realized that he just couldn’t cut it as a student. Drafted in the 3rd round by San Francisco, he was thrust immediately into a starting role when injuries decimated the 49er’s defensive line. In 4 seasons with the 49ers, Carlton started 43 games, and had fairly respectable statistics. He was considered by many to be a decent #2 DE. But it was frustrating for Carlton in that the 49ers wallowed at the bottom of the NFC West for most of those 4 seasons. When he had a chance to seek free agency, Gomez figured that the offers would come and he would get a chance to choose a more successful team. He snubbed an early offer from the 49ers and was stunned when no other options presented themselves. A devastated Carlton spent the whole season waiting by the phone before finally giving up and accepting a job as a car salesman back in Snellville GA.
But just when everyone thought that Carlton was finished, the call came. Carolina was in the playoffs and looked to be the favorites to make the Super Bowl. But they had lost 2 DEs the week before and they needed someone to fill in for the playoffs. He joined the team and was immediately placed in a starting role, where he did play well enough to get the Panthers to the Super Bowl, and well enough to be offered a long term deal. He later said that signing that deal was one of the biggest mistakes of his life. The next season Carlton started and helped the Panthers return to, and this time, win the Super Bowl.
But Carolina was not pleased with his run-stopping ability so they drafted a new DE to replace Carlton as the starter. Furious over the move Gomez asked to be traded, but his requests fell on deaf ears. For the next three seasons, Carlton was forced be the #3 DE on the team. In spite of this Carlton displayed a remarkable ability get to the QB, averaging 7.5 sacks per season, even though he wasn’t playing near as much as the starter.
Finally the #1 DE for the Panthers left the team and Carlton was given a chance to retake his starting role. That season is considered to have been his coming of age. Gomez suddenly established himself as one of the best DEs in the country, picking up 17 sacks. But by this time the loss of fellow Great Man, Al Coble had decimated the Panthers, and they had fallen to the status as a mediocre team. With his contract expired Gomez wanted nothing to do with the Panthers. He wanted nothing more than to see them continue to lose. Instead he signed a lucrative deal with the Oakland Raiders, where his career continued to flourish. In his two years with the Raiders he was twice named 1st team DE, and led the league in sacks. With 3 years of 17+ sacks, he had thoroughly established himself as one of the best in the game. In spite of the losing record, Carlton loved playing for Oakland, and it was well known that he wanted to end his career there. But Al Davis was offered too good of a deal to pass up for the aging Gomez, and he was dealt to the Hartford, who had also been a struggling team.
Hartford felt like they were just a couple of piece short of making the playoffs, and one of those was someone to pursue the QB. They knew that Gomez’s career was waning but they felt that what he could add to the team would be worth it. Hartford did make the playoffs, mostly on the strength of Marty Gage, while Carlton had a rather disappointing season, dropping to just 7.5 sacks. But Carlton did not want to go out that way. He returned to the Muskrats and was able to do exactly what he had been hired to do, finishing his career with an 18.5 sack season. His final year was fraught with turmoil. IT didn’t make it into the media much, but Carlton was furious over the dismissal of Marty Gage at the start of the year. He felt that Marty should have been given a raise after his season the previous year, not summarily dismissed. At his retirement press conference Carlton was quoted as saying “I don’t want to have anything to do with a team that would dispose of the team’s heart and soul the way they did with Marty. I doubt that we will ever see this team win a playoff game again.”

Carlton’s career stats:
GP 210/ GS 146/ Tckl 343/ Asst 118/ Sack 131.0/ Blkd 23/ Hurr 76/ PR PCT 4.3/ Tk Pct. 6.4

He went to three Super Bowls during his career, all with the Carolina Panthers. He started in one of those games. 4 times Carlton’s team made the playoffs.

One of the key questions that people have been asking is whether or not Carlton is worth of making a team’s Ring of Honor or the Hall of Fame.

[stkelly52]

Season Preview.
Al Coble RB Cincinnati
http://mywebpage.netscape.com/stkelly5222/Coble18.jpg
Al’s rating have declined in every category compared to last season. Generally, most people see Al as an average RB who will contribute more in leadership than he will on the field. It is a far cry from his days as the most dominating player in pro football. Cincinnati is a team that has succeeded amidst turmoil. For the third time in the past 3 seasons they will be starting the season with a new QB calling the shots. Without any quality receives to throw to, it will be tough for the Bengals to return to the Super Bowl for the third time in three years. Coble’s declines will also hurt this weak offence.
If the Bengals are going to win this year, it will likely come on the defensive side of the ball. While having a weak set of DEs, the rest of the team looks solid. They could easily lead the league in takeaways. In spite of the offensive weaknesses, their defense will carry the Bengals to an 11-5 record.

Marty Gage RB Los Angeles.
http://mywebpage.netscape.com/stkelly5222/Gage18.jpg
Marty also has about 10 point drops in most of his ratings. He is clearly a RB who is on his last legs. This will likely be his last season, and perhaps he should have given it up last year. LA is coming off an amazing first season, but I just don’t see them holding it together. Last year the expansion draft gave them a lot of good players, but they were largely overpriced. They were not able to do much in free agency and they look like they are in for a long season. The one place were LA is solid though is at offensive line. This may be just enough to give Marty one last 1000 yard season, but I doubt it will be enough to give him the 18TDs that he needs to reach 200 career TDs. My prediction: LA comes back down to earth and wins just 7 games.

Antoine Preston DE Las Vegas
http://mywebpage.netscape.com/stkelly5222/Preston18.jpg
Antoine’s strength over the past couple of seasons has been his ability to stop the run, but he takes a hit in his run stopping ability. He is still hopeful that he will pick up 10 sacks, but it will not be easy for the NFL’s all time sack leader. He is concerned by the sudden increase in the number of sacks by Greg Harrison of Pittsburgh. Harrison has just 10 less sacks and is looking to take the title away from Preston.
Las Vegas has one of the best RBs in the league, and he will be the focus of the Las Vegas attack. On defense the bombers look like they could be one of the best units in the league. My Prediction: QB is a huge weakness for the Bombers though and that will be the position that ultimately prevents this team from being awesome. As it is they will go 11-5 and win the AFC west again.

Percy Buchanan QB Washington
http://mywebpage.netscape.com/stkelly5222/Percy18.jpg
The scouts are saying that Percy looks even better than he did last season, when he guided the Redskins to another Super Bowl title. A couple of his WRs had breakout camps as well, so Percy now has a couple of solid receivers to throw the ball to. In addition, Washington’s RB is the best RB in the league. The one two punch of Buchanan and Mount will keep their opponents off balance and will give Washington one of the top offences in the league. Not only does Washington have the best offence, they may have the best defense in football as well. Simply put, I don’t think that I have ever seen a better computer controlled team in my history of playing FOF2001. My prediction is that they will again return to the Super Bowl and win it all, perhaps with an unbeaten season.

[stkelly52]

Preseason: The final week of preseason was going well. LA had had such an amazing season the previous year and all of the hometown fans felt like they would do even better this season. They were winning this meaningless game by 10 early in the fourth and the fans were enjoying being able to see their team back in action. That is when it happened. The hit sent chills down the spine of everyone who saw it. Marty Gage’s right leg was sandwiched between two defenders who were desperately trying to earn a spot of the opening day roster. The top half of his leg went to his right, while the bottom half went left. The sheared off bone sliced through the skin like it was tearing through rice paper. The replay was shown over and over again on ESPN, each time with a warning of its graphic content. The look of agony on Marty’s face was plastered over the cover of S.I. Everyone knew his season was over, and that he would likely never step onto a football field again.

Looks like Grid Iron made his prediction one season too soon

[3ric]

:(

[Grid Iron]

[ETERNAL OPTIMIST]
Marty will undergo a long, agonizing rehab and return to play one more season!
[/ETERNAL OPTIMIST]

[Alf]

Sounds like a carreer endind injury to me ...

[Peregrine]

Argh, Marty is lost in a worthless preseason game? A bad ending to a great career.

[JeeberD]

They should have done what the Cowboys did last year with Emmitt. Just sit your aging superstar running back for all of the preseason except for about two series...

[bertogarce]

Darn, I’m sorry to see Marty go out that way. Not a fitting ending for such a great career.

[Swaggs]

What is the injury designated as? Is he defintely out for the whole season? :(

[SplitPersonality1]

Noooooooooooooooo o!

Don't you just hate it when things like that happen to players you really like?

Here's hoping the doctors are wrong and he gets a semi-speedy recovery and gets back out onto the field.

[stkelly52]

Originally posted by Swaggs
What is the injury designated as? Is he defintely out for the whole season? :(

He is listed as "Out (Very long term)" There is no question that he will not return this year. In addition, I noticed that by the 2nd week he was placed on the IR.

Week 1
Al Coble RB Cincinnati @ Percy Buchanan QB Washington
Let’s start things off where we ended last season. A rematch of last year’s Super Bowl, and already people are saying that this could be the game that determines home field in the Super Bowl. While that kind of talk is quite a bit premature, this game is significant.
With both of these teams having great defenses it is no surprise that this was a low scoring affair. Percy completed a 39 yard pass in the third that provided all the point they would need. A couple of field goals in the fourth rounded off the scoring as Washington takes the season opener 10-3. Coble averaged 4.4 yards per carry, but he was only given 10 attempts. Percy on the other hand had a solid start to his season completing 20 of 35 for 245 yards and 1 TD, though he did give up one int as well.

Antoine Preston DE Las Vegas @ Denver
This was one of those days that just makes you hate being a defensive player. The Bombers defensive unit was out on the field for 38 minutes, and they just couldn’t slow down the Broncos at all. Preston was completely ineffective, picking up just 1 assist as his only stat of the day as the Broncos win, 45-0


Week 2
Al Coble RB Cincinnati 0-1 @ Los Angeles 0-1
LA has placed RB Marty Gage on the IR so that they could sign a new RB. In the past two weeks, LA has lost two starting RBs
Coble splits carries with rookie RB Copeland, and Copeland puts up 59 yards to Coble 47 (both with 10 carries), but Coble was the one who came up with the huge TD in the final two minutes of the game to give the Bengals a 23-22 comeback victory. It is an ominous sign that after two games, Coble has less than 100 yards.

Antoine Preston DE Las Vegas 0-1 vs. Oakland 0-1
Preston records 3 tackles, an assist and a sack, but when you are on the field for nearly 40 minutes you get a lot of opportunities to record defensive stats. For the second week in a row, LA get humiliated, 40-3

Percy Buchanan QB Washington 1-0 vs. Arizona 0-1
Percy had himself an adequate game, completing 20 of 37 for 22 yards and 1 TD with no INT, but the star of this was the Redskin RB, Mount. Mount ran for 4 TDs and the defense held off a late Cardinal charge to win the game 35-28.


Week 3
Al Coble RB Cincinnati 1-1 vs. Tennessee 1-1
This week Coble was given a few more opportunities to carry the ball. With 20 attempts, he was able to pick up 87 yards. He also came up with an early TD to give Cincy a first quarter lead. They never relinquished that lead and were able to win, 35-14.

Antoine Preston DE Las Vegas 0-2 @ Kansas City 1-1
On just his fourth play of the game, Preston goes down with a sprained back. He is listed as probable and will likely return next week. Las Vegas was finally able to score a TD, but it took the defense to get it done. A 95 yard fumble return and a 35 yard INT return were the only points Vegas could put up. That would not be enough. KC wins 28-14.

Percy Buchanan QB Washington vs. Los Angeles 0-2
The Redskins use a solid mix of running and passing to take an early lead, and then they were able to hold on for the win. Percy took home MVP honors with a 257 yards passing and 2 TDs. He gave up his second INT of the year, but it didn’t wind up hurting anything.


Week 4
Al Coble RB Cincinnati 2-1 @ Cleveland 1-2
Coble has a rather miserable day, picking up just 63 yard on 20 carries. 5 times the Bengals were able to move the ball into the red zone without scoring a TD. A solid defense though made sure that 18 points off of field goals would be enough to win, 18-6.

Antoine Preston DE Las Vegas 0-3 @ Indianapolis 1-1
Preston was back in action, though he saw less playing time than usual. The Bombers were finally able to score their first offensive TDs of the season, it meant nothing though as the Colts crushed Vegas 27-14. Preston picked up half a sack as well as an assist.

Percy Buchanan QB Washington 3-0 @ Baltimore 1-1-1
Percy had himself a very down day. 16 of 31 for 135 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. But the rest of his teammates stepped up around him and made sure that Washington would leave Baltimore with another victory. This is why I felt like this was such a great team. If any one player has a down day everyone else is rught there to back him up. Final 28-11 Washington.


1/4 season review
Al Coble RB Cincinnati
Al has 62 carries for 241 yards and 2 TDs. If he remains at this pace, Al will not reach 1000 yards for the first time as a starter. Al is no longer being used as a key receiver. Just 4 receptions for 21 yards. He has long wanted to reach 50 receiving TDs, and it is looking more and more likely that it will never happen.

Antoine Preston DE Las Vegas 0-4
With just 5 tackles, 3 assists and 1.5 sacks, Preston is off to one of his slowest starts of his career. He has not been helped out much by his teammates either. This club is looking like one of the biggest disappointments of the season.

Percy Buchanan QB Washington
Percy is having a decent year, though not up to the same caliber of his previous 4 years. 72 of 127 for 867 yards, 5 TDs and 3 INT. his QB rating is just 79.8, but he has been doing enough to get the wins, and winning is all that really matters to Percy.

[Coffee Warlord]

So...should we be calling this 3 and a half great men now? :)

[stkelly52]

Week 5
Al Coble RB Cincinnati 3-1 vs. Baltimore 1-2-1
Over the past several weeks, backup RB Copeland has been putting up more yards per carry than has Coble. When the Bengals took an early lead they decided to pull Coble out of the game very early and hand the ball to Copeland instead. For this reason Al only had 8 carries for 32 yards, while Copeland struggled to pick up 3.5 yards per carry. The Bengals have no problems as their defense leads the way to a 34-13 victory.

Antoine Preston DE Las Vegas 0-4 BYE
Desperately needing something to change their fortune, the Bombers are hoping that the extra week of practice will turn things around this season.

Percy Buchanan QB Washington 4-0 @ New York Giants 3-1
This was a tough battle between solid defensive competitors. Percy was able to pick up a lot of yards, but Washington’s running game was rendered null and void. A late TD by the Giants sent the game into OT, where it took 4 possessions before Percy was able to put together a solid drive that moved the ball down to the 14 yard line. RB Mount was able to finish the job with a 14 yard run that doubled his rushing yards for the day. Percy tallied up 22 completions on 35 attempts for 317 yards and 1 TD. Once again Percy gave up and INT. He has rarely let so many passes get away from him and people are starting to wonder if something is wrong. Nevertheless, a win is a win, and few QBs have won as many games as has Percy over the past 7 years.


Week 6
Al Coble RB Cincinnati 4-1 vs. Pittsburgh 2-3
Once again, the Bengals running game has an anemic performance, but once again, the defense is there to save the day. By only giving up 3 points they gave the offence plenty of opportunities to win. While the Bengals couldn’t run, they had much more success through the air and were able to build up 23 points to walk away with their 5th win of the year. Coble was the only RB who could pick up any yards to speak of, and even was paltry. 52 yards on 16 carries and 1 one yard TD run. One problem did arise though. Cincinnati's young QB was injured and will may miss the next couple of weeks.

Antoine Preston DE Las Vegas 0-4 @ Atlanta 2-2
Las Vegas needed to shake things up a bit, and so they decided that it was time to sit Preston on the sidelines more this week. Obviously it upset the veteran DE, but the strategy worked. Las Vegas jumped out to a big lead, and in spite of a late comeback attempt, they held on to top the Falcons 35-24. Preston only made it into the game for 18 plays, and had almost no impact on the game. It was good though to see the Bombers offence finally click.

Percy Buchanan QB Washington 5-0 vs. Dallas 1-2-1
Washington’s most hated rival comes to town looking to spoil the Redskins perfect season.
Washington had real trouble on offence this week. They were only able to score one offensive TD, but 3 field goals, 2 INT returns and 1 punt return, combined with a stingy defense, gave the Redskins an easy 37-6 rout of the Cowboys. Percy’s stats weren’t particularly impressive, just 18 of 26 for 157 yards and 1 TD, but there were no INT and no mistakes.


Week 7
Al Coble RB Cincinnati BYE
With several key injuries, this BYE comes at an opportune time for the Bengals.

Antoine Preston DE Las Vegas 1-3 vs. San Diego 3-3
Las Vegas’s first win has rejuvenated this team and they now look like team that could compete for a place in the post season. All week long practice looked crisp and everyone was playing just about perfectly together. But can it hold up in a real game?
Perhaps the bombers have figured out what their problems were. They jumped out to a quick 21 point lead in the fourth quarter and that score held until the late in the 3rd. Las Vegas’s defense did tire a bit in the 4th, and they gave up 19 points in the final 2 quarters, but they held on just enough to pull out the win, 24-19. Preston added another sack to his collection, along with 2 tackles and a single assist. Still though, Preston is just seeing very limited action, only participating in less than half of the defensive plays.

Percy Buchanan QB Washington BYE



Week 8
Al Coble RB Cincinnati 5-1 vs. Cleveland 1-5
The two Ohio teams are going in very different directions, and the trend holds this week. Cincinnati’s QB will start in spite of his injury.
Cleveland never really had a chance as the Bengals roll to a 21-7 win. Coble has one of his best performances of the season, and yet he is still held to under 100 yards rushing. 16 carries gives him 81 yards, but again, he is out performed by his backup Copland who had 94 yards and 2 TDs on 15 carries.

Antoine Preston DE Las Vegas 2-4 vs. Kansas City 4-3
Preston has, for all intents and purposes, been removed from the game during passing situations. It just seems wrong to take out the league’s all time leader when you most need a sack. But the strategy continues to work for the Bombers. Preston is able to make 3 tackles and 2 assists while helping Las Vegas squeak out a 9-7 victory to bring their winning streak to 3 games.

Percy Buchanan QB Washington 6-0 vs. New York Giants
Percy’s had a decent day that was marred by a poor performance by their star RB, Mount, who only had 29 yards rushing to go along with his 2 fumbles in the red zone. Percy was 20 of 28 for 261 yards and 1 INT. Once again, as he has done so much in his career, Percy pulled off 2 minute magic with a 70 yard scoring drive that gave Washington the lead with just 10 seconds left in the game. The lead held and the Redskins remained perfect through 7. Final: 13-6 Washington.


Week 9
Al Coble RB Cincinnati 6-1 @ Baltimore 2-4-1
The Bengals have been playing great football, but Al is mired in the worst season of his career. Can he turn things around against the lowly Ravens?
Thanks to a 69 yard TD run late in the third quarter, Al Coble crosses the 100 yard plateau for the first time this season. The TD proved valuable as the Bengals held on to when by just five, 20-15. Al’s best game of the first half of the season gave him stats of 112 yards on 12 carried and 1 TD.

Antoine Preston DE Las Vegas 3-4 vs. Buffalo 4-3
The Las Vegas defense scores twice, and only allows one TD, however the Bills keep it close with an INT return and a punt return of their own. But Las Vegas’s offence was again able to put up enough of a fight to come away with another victory to bring the Bombers to an unlikely .500. Preston is held sackless, though he was able to pick up 3 tackles.

Percy Buchanan QB Washington 7-0 vs. Philadelphia 5-3
It looks like teams have figured out a way to neutralize RB Mount, as once again he accomplishes little. So the Redskins again had to turn to the sure arm of Percy Buchanan to save the day. Two interceptions in the first quarter on consecutive drives didn’t inspire much confidence though. But Percy settled down after that and had a great day. But once again Washington found themselves trailing by 4 with just over 2:00 left in the game, and 80 yards away from the endzone. Is there anyone that you would rather have at QB for a two minute drill than Percy Buchanan? Once again he works his magic. 8 plays and 2:22 later, his receiver hoisted the successfully caught winning TD pass over his head. The 21 yard pass gave Washington a flawless first half of the season. Final 20-17 Washington.


Mid-Season Review
Al Coble RB Cincinnati 7-1
There is no doubt that Al is off to the worst start of his career, though in all fairness, much of this can be attributed to the fact that he is sharing carries with the young Copeland. While he only had 518 yards and 4 TDs rushing, it should be noted that he only had 114 carries, almost 30% less than what he has been getting in recent seasons, and nearly half of the # he had in his prime. His 4.5 yard average is a very respectable number. As a receiver, Coble has basically been taken out of the picture for the first time in his career. This is not to say that the Bengals should change how they are using Al. Everything that they are doing should be held on to as they are tied for the best record in the AFC. Next week there is a crucial showdown that may determine the AFC champion.

Antoine Preston DE Las Vegas 4-4
Preston has had a difficult year. He is not being utilized on passing down for the first time in his career. It is not uncommon to see him play about half of the plays that had been seeing in past seasons. His numbers on the season are quite respectable for the number of plays that he has seen. 15 tackles, 6 assists and 2.5 sacks. After starting out with such a miserable run, everyone wrote off the Bombers, but now that they have won four in a row, things are looking up for the Bombers and they may be a force to be reckoned with yet.

Percy Buchanan QB Washington 8-0
Washington is the only unbeaten team in the NFL. They have found ways to win some close games as well as blowouts. I am not sure if there is a team that can really keep pace with the Redskins this season. No matter what goes wrong, they have just the right kind of player to stand in the gap and find a way to pull out a win. Percy is technically having one of the lesser seasons in his career, but he is just finding ways to win ball games, and that is what a QB is supposed to do. He is 165 of 261 for 1940 yards and 9 TD vs. 7 INT (which is very disappointing number for him). What he has excelled in is completion %, where he is second in the league.

[Alf]

This is the end, my friend [Doors music in the background]

[stkelly52]

Week 10
Al Coble RB Cincinnati 7-1 vs. Denver 7-1
The top two teams in the AFC meet in what may be a preview of the AFC championship.
Early in the game, Coble’s rival Copeland suffered a very minor injury. That forced the Bengals to rely more on Coble, and he produced. He was already having a decent day, with almost 100 yards rushing late in the fourth quarter. But the Bengals were still down by 7. Coble then broke free as we have seen him do so many times over his career. 44 yards later he was celebrating in the endzone, having tied the score at 14. The defense forced 3 and out, giving one last chance to the Bengals. They needed only 3 plays to move the ball into long field goal range, where the Bengals lined up for the game winning 50 yard field goal with 5 seconds left in the game. The kick split the uprights and the game was over. 17-14 Cincinnati wins.

Antoine Preston DE Las Vegas 4-4 @ Oakland 4-4
This is a big game for the Bombers. In the midst of a 4 game wining streak they head to Oakland to take on their division rivals, with the winner of this game in sole possession of second place in the AFC West. Las Vegas wins in much the same fashion as did the Bengals, with a late TD and the winning field goal in the final. But mid way through the third Antoine suffered a bruised rib cage. He is listed as questionable for next week.

Percy Buchanan QB Washington 8-0 vs. St. Louis 3-5
The game was closer than it should have been, but Percy’s Redskins managed to always stay one step ahead of the Rams. Percy gave up another INT, but he made up for the one mistake by completing 21 of 28 for 266 yards and 2 TDs as Washington topped St. Louis 27-21.


Week 11
Al Coble RB Cincinnati 8-1 @ Pittsburgh 3-6
The game is very forgettable. Pittsburgh never stand a chance, as the Bengals crush them 30-3. Coble is given the ball 10 times and he uses those to run for a respectable 64 yards, but the game was won by the QB.

Antoine Preston DE Las Vegas 5-4 @ New Orleans 3-6
Antoine’s injured ribs keep him out of the game, in spite of the fact that he still is given the start. Without Antoine the defense still holds against the Saints, but no offence is able to assist. The Saints win 3-0.

Percy Buchanan QB Washington 9-0 @ Arizona 3-6
Percy had a big day, and earned for himself another MVP award by completing 26 of 34 for 220 yards and 3 TDs as the Redskins routed the Cardinals 35-14. One other important note, during this game, Percy Buchanan went over 40,000 yards passing, AND he threw his 300th TD pass off his career.

[stkelly52]

Sorry that it has been so long since my last post. I actually finished the regular season and the write up, when I found that my saved game was somehow corrupted. Fortunately I had a back up after week 11, so the dynasty is not lost, just all the work that I did for the rest of this season.

Week 12
Al Coble RB Cincinnati 9-1 @ Tennessee 3-7
The Titans played this game like they were a team that was lucky to have won 3 games this year. The Bengals jumped out to an early lead thanks to a 1 yard TD plunge by Coble, and they just kept piling on points. When the dust cleared it was 41-20. Coble headed up the running game with 99 yards and 1 TD on 17 carries.

Antoine Preston DE Las Vegas 5-5 vs. Denver 8-2
Preston is still struggling with his injured ribs, but he returns to the field in limited action. He was only able to contribute 1 assist in the game. In spite of Preston being ineffective, Las Vegas pulls off their biggest upset of the season. On defense they completely dominated the Broncos, while Vegas’s passing game was nearly flawless. The Bombers win 20-7.

Percy Buchanan QB Washington 10-0 @ Las Angeles 4-6
LA has fallen on hard times this year, due in part to the lack of an effective running game.
Percy has a superb outing. With his near flawless performance, LA never stood a chance. Of 35 attempts, Buchanan completed 27 for 266 yards and 4 TDs. And he threw no INTs in the game. His showing made him the MVP of the 34-3 drumming. Because of his great showing, Percy was named Offensive Player of the Week.


Week 13
Al Coble RB Cincinnati 10-1 vs. Philadelphia 7-4
Philadelphia is fighting to hold on to a Wild Card seat, and amidst a 5 way tie for all 3 slots, they don’t feel like they can afford to lose.
Philly strikes quickly and jump out to a 22 point lead in the first half. Once the Bengals found themselves trailing, they needed to go to the air for much of the first and most of the second half. Due to this Coble was only given 5 carries with which he was only able to accumulate 12 yards. Clearly this was his and the Bengals worst showing of the season. Cincinnati's defense stepped up in the second half and only allowed 3 more points, but the Bengals were only able to put up 2 TDs of their own, and were limited to just 13 for the game. Final: 25-13 Eagles.

Antoine Preston DE Las Vegas 6-5 @ San Diego 6-5
These two teams are 2 games out in both the AFC West, and in the wild card hunt, but with 5 games left there is a real possibility that either one could make it happen. But a loss for either team essentially ends any real hope that they have left. Preston is still fighting the nagging injury to his ribs.
Antoine made his presence felt again on defense, picking up 4 tackles as well as an assist. By the end of the 3rd, it looked like the Chargers were going to pull away with this one. San Diego was leading 27-7. But two turnovers resulted in moderate length TD drives that cut the lead to just 6 points. With 2:21 left the Bombers had possession of the ball at the 20 yard. In the next 5 plays they moved the ball 72 yards down to the 8 yard line, with just :34 seconds left. 1st down the pass was overthrown. On 2nd the ball was batted down at the line of scrimmage. But on third down the game was decided. Las Vegas’s QB was sacked and time expired. San Diego wins 27-21.

Percy Buchanan QB Washington 11-0 vs. Detroit 7-4
Detroit is in a 3 way tie for the lead in the NFC Central, and in a 5 way tie for the Wild card. There is little room for error and every game could be crucial, particularly against a conference foe.
Percy played a great first half. He completed 11 of 15 for 128 yards and 2 TDs in the first. But the time the second half rolled around, the Redskins felt confident with their 21 point lead to let backup QB Guenther take over for the rest of the game. When the game finally was over Detroit slunk back home with their tails between their legs, victims of a 55-10 humiliation.


3/4 Season Report:
Al Coble RB Cincinnati 10-2
Al is having an up and down season. While he is being used much less than he ever has before, when he is utilized he is making things happen. For the first time in four seasons, Coble is averaging 5 yards per carry. His is also on pace to reach 1000 yards, though just barely. He needs to average just over 42 yards per game to make sure that it happens. Al currently has 166 carries for 831 yards (7th) and 6 TDs (8th). The Bengals have a very well rounded team. They have a good running game, a good passing game, a good running defense and a good passing defense, this has all gelled together to create a great team. At 10-2 they have the best record in the AFC and they are looking to secure home field advantage through the playoffs. But they have two games remaining against division rival Jacksonville, who currently has a record of 9-3. They need to at least split that series to win the Central.

Antoine Preston DE Las Vegas 6-6
It seams like each quarter of the season we are looking at a different team in Las Vegas. First they looked like one of the worst teams in the league. Then they looked like they could be one of the AFC’s better teams. Now they look like a .500 club, who is going to fall just shy of their playoff dreams. The competition in the AFC is stiff this year, as there are really only 4 contenders for the 3 wild card spots, and they are beginning to pull away from the pack. But any thing is possible, and if Vegas can win out, they may just be able to slip into the post season. Preston is now fully recovered from his rib injury, but he is still not likely to be used in passing situations. So far he has just 19 tackles, 8 assists and 2.5 sacks on the year.

Percy Buchanan QB Washington 12-0
In the past four games, Percy has lit up the league. He has tosses 11 TDs compared to just 1 INT in that time, and he has boosted his completion % to 67%. His current stats are: 250 completions (2nd), of 373 attempts (19th), 2820 yards (10th), 20 TDs (8th) and just 8 INT (3rd). He has a league leading 98.3 QB Rating. Washington is now the first team to clinch a playoff spot, as they are now assured of at least a wild card. If they defeat Philly next week, they will seal up another division title.

[stkelly52]

Week 14
Al Coble RB Cincinnati 10-2 @ Jacksonville 9-3 The Bengals are coming off of just their second loss of the year, and they face the most difficult challenge to their attempt to hold on to the Central title. Whoever wins this game will have the lead in the division, and if Coble and company can win, it will all but insure the division crown.
The game was tight through the first three quarters, but then the Bengals’ receivers came alive, as did their DBs. Big play receiving and 3 interceptions in the fourth quarter turned a tight 9-6 game into a 30-6 blowout. Coble scored a TD, but struggled throughout the game, and only picked up 26 yards rushing.
Antoine Preston DE Las Vegas 6-6 vs. Seattle 3-9 Las Vegas’s defense steps up in a big way against the Seahawks. The scoring opens with a 24 yard fumble return for a TD by Antoine Preston for a TD. They then hold Seattle to just 42 yards rushing, pick off 4 passes and they make 5 sacks. The Bombers inefficient offence couldn’t make their way into the endzone, and they gave up a crucial TD INT that nearly cost them the game, but the Bombers’ D holds on to win it 10-7. In addition to the TD, Preston also contributed 3 tackles in the win, though he was only in the game for 20 plays.
Percy Buchanan QB Washington 12-0 @ Philadelphia 7-4 Philly is desperately clinging to their playoff spot. They would love to establish that they can be one of the leagues better teams by pulling off the upset against Washington.
Percy has a marvelous performance throwing for 388 yards and 4 TDs as Washington took a 34-21 lead into he fourth quarter. But Washington’s defense collapsed coupled with a fumble by Washington’s backup RB. Philly scored 2 TDs in the fourth to go up 35-34. But Percy still had 1:32 to try to win or tie the game. Percy did a fabulous job of quickly moving the ball all the way down to the 16 yard line. With just 15 seconds Washington lined up for the game winning field goal. But the kick sailed wide. Washington has lost! Percy is named Offensive Player of the Week, but his great game goes for naught.


Week 15
Al Coble RB Cincinnati 11-2 @ Antoine Preston DE Las Vegas 7-6 Coble runs for 88 yards on 13 carries, but 75 of those came on one long TD run. For the rest on the day Coble was completely contained. Las Vegas’s passing defense made the Bengals’ QB look silly. He completed just 8 of 34 attempts and threw 4 INTs. All this lead to a surprising 27-10 upset for Las Vegas. Preston had 1 tackle and 1 assist in the victory. During the game, two DEs for Las Vegas were injured, so Preston will likely see more playing time for the rest of the season.

Percy Buchanan QB Washington 12-1 @ New Orleans 5-8 Percy opened the game with an INT on the first play from scrimmage. But for the rest of the game, he played great. Percy completed 30 of 46 for 288 yards and 2 TDs. Washington’s RB also finally came alive again and had a solid day, which all lead to a rather easy 35-14 victory over the Saints. The win makes Washington the first team to clinch a division title, and they have clinched home field advantage through the Super Bowl as well. The final two regular season games are all about getting ready for the playoffs.


With two weeks left in the season, Washington can rest knowing that they have the home field in the playoffs. The Bengals are clinging to a one game lead in the Central, though with at least a wild card slot assured. Al coble is 56 yards from reaching 1000. Las Vegas is a game back along with a couple other teams and looking for that final playoff slot. Antoine Preston is suddenly in danger of losing his sack record, as Pittsburgh’s Greg Harrison is fast closing in.

[stkelly52]

Week 16
Al Coble RB Cincinnati 11-3 vs. Indianapolis 9-5 Cincinnati is in a tight race with Jacksonville for the division title, but if they win here, based on tie breakers, the Bengals will be assured of the title.
The Bengal’s offence is practically nonexistent for most of the game. Cincy’s defense holds for the first 3 quarters. Nursing a 7-0 lead in the fourth the Bengals defense finally cracks and allowed a TD, followed 8 minutes later by a field goal. With the score 10-7, the Bengals try to mount a comeback, but the drive dies on 4th and 25 from the 50. Perhaps if they would have just kicked the field goal on first down, but instead the Bengals lose for the 3rd time in 4 weeks. Things are starting to come unglued in Cincinnati. While the Bengals struggled to accomplish anything on offence, Al Coble actually had a solid game. He led all rushers with 113 yards and he scored the Bengals only TD, all on 16 carries. He even caught 3 passes for 21 yards, his best performance as a receiver all season. In spite of the loss, they clinch the division title thanks to a huge upset loss by Jacksonville.
Antoine Preston DE Las Vegas 8-6 vs. St. Louis 3-11 In spite of the injuries to his compatriots, Preston still is only in the game for 22 plays. In those he picks up 3 tackles. Thanks to solid defense, Las Vegas is able to limit the Rams to just 10 points. A defensive TD helped to insure a 20-10 win that keeps Las Vegas improbable run for a playoff spot alive.

Percy Buchanan QB Washington 13-1 @ Cleveland 5-9 Percy played very well, and completed 34 of 46 for 359 yards. He didn’t throw any TDs, but Washington's running game played excellently and was able to close up most of their drives. Percy did give up another INT, but it didn’t mater as they were able to win with a final score of 28-7


Week 17
Al Coble RB Cincinnati 11-4 vs. Jacksonville 10-5 Last week, Jacksonville was thinking about getting a BYE week in the playoffs, now they are playing for their post season lives. A loss could mean that hey will stay home next week. Both offences struggle as the defenses both control the game. The Bengals’ backup RB returned after being out the past couple of weeks with injuries. Because they shared carries, with Coble putting up the better numbers, 68 yards on 10 carries. This win assures the Bengals of a BYE next week, and it gives hope to Las Vegas.
Antoine Preston DE Las Vegas 9-6 @ Seattle 4-11 Usually a 10 win season assures a Playoff spot, but even if Las Vegas wins, they will at best be in a tie for one of the wild card spots with Jacksonville (and possibly NY and/or Indianapolis as well). The obvious tie breakers are all even, so I am not sure who would win it.
This is a huge blowout as the defense steps up and crushes Seattle. 6 INTs, a recovered fumble, and 5 sacks (including one by Preston) lead to a 38-14 dominance by the Bombers. In addition to the sack, Preston also had 2 tackles. Now we just need to wait to see how the rest of the games proceed and see which of the four teams are the wild cards.

Percy Buchanan QB Washington 14-1 @ Dallas 7-7-1 Dallas was eliminated from the playoffs last week. This game means nothing except for those who are tying to keep their jobs and their pride.
It looked like Dallas just didn’t care about this game, or perhaps they were in awe of the great Redskins team. Percy threw for 247 yards and 1 TD by completing 24 of his 37 attempts. Once again the RBs were able to finish many of the drives with short TD plunges. Dallas slipped out of the stadium and now have a year to think about how they were crushed 35-10. Will anyone be able to stop Washington?


Regular Season Review:
Al Coble RB Cincinnati 12-4 While the Bengals had a small collapse late in the year, they still finish as the #1 seed in the AFC. But they will need to play better than they did over the closing weeks of the season. Coble was able to reach 1000 yards this season, in fact he reached 1125 yards (5th) on 215 carries. His 5.2 yard average was 3rd in the league among starters, and it is his best since 2013 (his first year in Cincinnati). He also had 9 TDs (6th). As a receiver, he was, for the most part, a non-factor; just 16 receptions for 155 yards and 0 TDs for the first time as a starter.
Antoine Preston DE Las Vegas 10-6 Las Vegas DOES make the playoffs, and they come into the post season as the hottest team in the AFC. Many are thinking that they may just be able to run the table to earn the right to be crushed by Washington. But while Las Vegas had such a successful year, Preston had a disappointing year. Just 28 tackles, 9 assists and 3.5 are recorded by Preston. Preston has averaged 911 plays per season (excluding 2013 when he was injured and out for most of the season), this year Preston only took part in 498 plays. He still holds the sack record, but another season like this one and he will see it pass on to another.

Percy Buchanan QB Washington 15-1 What an amazing season by Percy and the Redskins. Were it not for a shanked kick, we would be talking about the their second undefeated season in the past 5 years. It is rare to see such a well balanced team run by the computer. Percy had the highest QB rating in the league again this season at 97.8. He completed 361 passes (1st) of 543 attempts (7th) for a 66.4 % (1st). His yardage is a bit low, but Percy has always focused on the shorter passes. 4102 yards (7th), as well as 27 TD (3rd), while he only had 10 INTs (2nd). A great season by Percy. Clearly he was Washington’s MVP, but he was not the only star for the Redskins. RB Mount at times had huge games and showed that he can be one of the elite RBs in the league.

The Curse report: As you recall, last season Marty Gage vowed that Hartford would not win in the post season again. It looked like that would be short lived, as they were all set to have a first round bye in the playoffs, but 3 losses to end the season dropped Connecticut's team from second in the NFC, to out of the playoffs all together, in spite of a 10-6 record.

[stkelly52]

Wild Card round
Antoine Preston DE Las Vegas 10-6 @ Indianapolis 11-5 Las Vegas’s recent success continues. Indianapolis was able to jump out to a 15-0 lead, but not being able to get into the endzone proved costly. After the Colts 5th field goal (early in the third quarter), the Bombers ran back the kickoff 98 yards for their first score of the game. Las Vegas’s next drive lasted all of 1 play as a 92 yard TD pass gave the Bombers the lead. On the next drive, Las Vegas drove 68 yards for another TD to give Preston’s Bombers a 20-15 lead. Two fourth quart field goals sealed it for Las Vegas as they win 26-15. Pay attention to this team. Preston had 2 tackles and 2 assists in the winning effort.

Divisional Playoffs
Antoine Preston DE Las Vegas 11-6 @ Al Coble RB Cincinnati 12-4 Las Vegas’s dreams are crushed, but no thanks to Coble who was stuffed and managed to end the game with a pathetic -5 yards on 10 carries. His longest run of the game was 0 yards. This will be a game that Coble will need to think about when he his deciding whether or not to play next season. But in the end the Bengals use a solid passing game to trounce the Bombers, 35-7. Preston managed 2 tackles in what may be his last game for Las Vegas (he will be a free agent next season)
Percy Buchanan QB Washington 15-1 vs. Philadelphia 11-6 Washington’s only loss this year came at the hands of Philly, and off of the shanked kick of rookie kicker Alan Fisk. Fisk would love a chance to make up for his mistake.
Percy threw the ball fairly well, completing 23 of 38 for 258 yards and 2 TDs to help put the ‘Skins up. Once they were ahead Washington turned to Mount to eat up the clock, which he did very well. With 4:00 left in the game Washington was up 20-0 (Fisk shanked a PAT), when suddenly Philly came alive. They scored on a 78 yard TD pass. Then on their next possession, the Eagles needed only 22 seconds to cut the lead to just 6. Could a Fisk miss cost Washington again. Washington turned to Mount to run out the final 1:34, and he did a great job. 5 plays moved the ball 30 yards and the game ended there. Final 20-14 Washington.

[JeeberD]

Al can't end his career on that kind of note. ONE MORE YEAR!!!

[Peregrine]

I'm a bit worried that this could be the last we'll see of Al and Marty. :( But I'll be thinking good thoughts for their return!

[stkelly52]

Conference championship.
Al Coble RB Cincinnati 13-4 vs. Miami 14-4 Coble is held to just 34 yards on the ground. The last two games have been rather embarrassing for him, but the key is winning, and Cincinnati is able to do that, thanks to a solid defense that forced 6 turnovers. The Bengals take the game, 27-10. Coble is returning to the Super Bowl.

Percy Buchanan QB Washington 16-1 vs. Atlanta 12-5 The game wasn’t even close. With the score 28-0 at the half Percy left the game, having completed 20 of 22 for 189 yards and 2 TDs. When it was over Atlanta went home 45-7 losers. Prepare for another Super Bowl showdown between our Great Men.

[stkelly52]

Oops, I wrote all this up a week ago, and I just realised that I forgot to post it. Sorry about that.

Super Bowl
The hype around this game has been incredible. This very well could be the last game by one of the NFL’s all time greats, Al Coble. It also showcases Percy Buchanan, who has risen to Super Star status in his own right. Percy may even have a chance at his second consecutive NFL MVP award.
Most of the odds makers feel that Washington should be able to take this game, but the Bengals emotion may be enough to pull them through. Washington comes into today’s game with a power rating of 93, tops in the league. The Bengals, on the other hand, only have a rating of 50. Washington has the league’s #1 scoring offence, while the Bengals hold the top scoring defense. Though it should be noted that Washington is 2nd in defense. One of the big keys for Washington though is the turnover margin. At +20 they lead the league, while the Bengals just shy of the break even point with -1. If the Bengals are to win they will need to keep possession of the ball.

Al Coble RB Cincinnati @ Percy Buchanan QB Washington Washington took first possession of the ball, starting the game at the 30 yard line. On the first play from scrimmage, Percy hit #83 Kolberg for a 20 yard completion. It was a solid start to the game by Percy and set the tone that Washington could pass against this tough Bengal defense. The next two plays however were incomplete passes, and it looked like the Bengals might be setting a tone of their own. But Percy Silenced them with an 11 yard pass to #88, Hardy, on 3rd and 10. A three yard loss was eradicated by a 15 yard unnecessary roughness penalty that gave Washington the ball at the 27. Percy’s next pass was dropped, but he was then able to complete a 6 yard pass to Kolberg. Facing his second 3rd down of the short game Percy again came through. He again found Hardy for a 13 yard crossing pattern to give Washington 1st and goal from the 8. The next two plays were runs by star RB Mount that moved the ball into the endzone to give Washington the early 7-0 lead

Cincinnati responded with a solid drive of their own. The 9 play drive moved the ball down to the Washington 29 before it stalled and the Bengals were forced to settle for 3. Al was only given 1 carry in the drive, and he was stuffed for no game on the carry. An ominous beginning for Coble.
7-3 Washington

Washington’s next drive was marred by a holding call. Facing 3rd and 14, Percy was only able to pick up 12 on the completion and the Redskins were forced to kick it away. After a solid return, the ball was fumbled, but the Bengals recovered, so no harm was done.

The Bengals stared off at their own 44, and on 3 pass plays they moved the ball just 9 yards. Facing 4th and 1, and having the best RB in history, the Bengals decided to go for it and trust that no one can stop Coble. They were wrong. Al was hit behind the line of scrimmage and dropped for a one yard loss. Turnover on down.

With great field possession, the Bengals knew that they had to come away with at least some points. They moved the ball slowly, just picking up 3-6 yards per play, mostly on the ground, with their RBs splitting time. As the game moved into the 2nd quarter, they converted 3 third downs and were able to move the ball all the way down inside the 5. Facing 3rd and 2 from the 4, Washington handed the ball again to RB Mount, but he was level for a 3 yard loss. While it was disappointing to not score the TD, Washington was happy with the field goal.
10-3 Washington.

The Bengals were again able to move the ball fairly well on their next drive. Of the 10 plays, 8 were passes, and 2 were runs by Coble. His first run of the drive came early on 2nd and 4, and he was able to have his first run for positive yards, picking up 6 and the first down. His second run came on 3rd and 1, and he was stuffed for a 4 yard loss that knocked the Bengals out of field goal range. The Bengals were forced to punt, and Coble was feeling awful.

The punt was a beauty though that pinned the Bengals down at the 1. 3 runs netted the Redskins just 1 yard and they too were forced to punt. For the third time in the game, the Bengals were able to make a sustained drive, and again it was centered mostly around the pass. Coble had 2 carries in the drive, a 5 yard run for a first down, and a -2 yard run on 2nd and 3. One of the most telling signs though was when the Bengals turned to backup RB Stone on 3rd and 1 from the 3. Stone not only picked up the first down, but he also reached the endzone to tie the game. Could Stone be the future of the Bengal’s running game? This tied the score at 10.

With the score tied, the Redskins were content to allow the clock to run out before the half. At the half the score was tied 10-10

It had been a frustrating half for Coble. For every positive carry, he would be knocked for a loss. He was failing to pick up first down on crucial 3rd and short situations. Percy had done well on the first drive, but since then they have tried mostly running the ball, and that has met with limited success.

The Bengals received the kick, and took over at the 20. A quick strike for 35 yards made a statement that the Bengals were not going to roll over and die. Coble then picked up 4 yards before a 17 yard pass sent the ball to the Washington 24. The drive died there, thanks to two defended passes and a 3 yard loss by Coble. But the 44 yard kick was good and it gave the Bengals the lead, 13-10.

The next drive was just miserable for Washington, 3 penalties killed the drive before it could get started. Percy still nearly converted on 3rd and 12, but they came up 1 yard short, and were forced to punt.

The Bengals’ next drive was a mix of runs and passes which moved the ball very well. Coble started the drive off poorly, losing a yard on 2nd and 1, but on the next play he made up for it with a 5 yard run for a first down. Then he was hit again for a 1 yard loss. A Washington penalty on the next play eliminated any harm from the loss though, and 4 plays later on 3rd and 2 from the Washington 31, the Bengals again looked to Coble and he was able to get the job done with a 14 yard run. Three ill-advised passes killed the drive though and Cincinnati again settled for a field goal, 16-10 Cincinnati.

Again penalties killed the Redskins, and a 6 yard sack didn’t help matters either. Facing 3rd and 33 from the 14 Percy was only able to pick up 10. On comes the punter. Washington was killing themselves.

The Bengals then ran a 6 play drive that exclusively used the pass. The drive took the game into the final quarter but it netted no points.

Washington’s next drive wasn’t killed by penalties. Instead it was killed by Mount’s inability to run with the ball (or perhaps by the Bengal’s stifling run defense). Percy was able to pick up a 3rd and 12 conversion, but on the next set of downs, Mount was unable to convert on 3rd and 1.

The Bengals and Redskins went 3 and out on the next 3 drives. With just 5 and a half minutes left, time was running out for Percy, and he needed to step up. There is no one in the league better at pulling off comebacks, so it was time for Percy to do it again. Washington had the ball at their own 45, and they felt like they needed to score now. On the first two plays, Percy was a little overanxious, and over threw his receivers. On 3rd and 10 he found #86 Lymburn for a huge 17 yard completion. After a 1 yard loss, Percy, threw an 8 yard pass followed by a 7 yard pass for first down. After a 10 yard run by Mount, Percy capped the drive with a 15 yard pass to Barker for the go ahead TD. The play came just after the 2 minute warning.
17-16 Washington.

But the Bengals were not about to give up. They started the ensuing drive at the 30, and they knew that it they were in 4 down territory, no matter what. The first pass fell incomplete. The second was under thrown. Third down was overthrown. 4th and 10. If they couldn’t convert here, for all intents and purposes, the game would be over. This pass was batted away. The ball went over on downs.

Washington ran for the next 3 plays, and killed all of the Bengals timeouts, but they were not able to pick up the first down. But starting at the Bengals 30 meant that they were already in field goal range. The field goal was good. It would now require a TD for the Bengals to win.

With one last gasp, the Bengals went to the air, and this pass was caught at the Washington 43. However it was caught by Washington safety Harmon. All Percy needed to do was drop to one knee, and the game was over. Final score: 17-13 Washington.

Game Stats:
Many thought Percy should be named MVP, but that honor instead went to LB Norm Creaser.
It was a solid performance by Percy though. He completed 18 of 25 for 186 yards and a TD, with no INT. Had it not been for all the penalties and runs for losses, his day would have been even better. But he came through when it counted most, with the game winning drive.

Coble had a very disappointing day. 15 carries for 32 yards. Not the way that he wanted to end his career. Perhaps he will return if only so that he can have a chance to finish his career with glory.

[stkelly52]

Season Awards:
All-Pro 1st team QB: Percy Buchanan
Offensive Player of the Year: Percy Buchanan
NFL MVP: Percy Buchanan

Another great season by Percy as he sweeps the major awards.

Marty Gage officially announces his retirement.
Marty finishes career with 3604 carries for 20492 yards and 178 TDs (in 176 games). He had a career rushing average of 5.6 yards per carry tops in history.
He awards include:
All-Pro 2nd team RB: 2010, 2011; 2012
All-Pro 1st team RB: 2013, 2014, 2016
Offensive player of the year: 2013, 2014, 2016
NFL MVP: 2013, 2014, 2016
Super Bowl MVP: 2010, 2013

Marty holds NFL records for:
Rushing yards (career) 20492
Rushing attempts (season) 456
Rushing yards (season) 2596
Yards per carry (season) 6.9
Rushing yards (game) 343 Hartford vs. Riverside 2016

He will forever be remembered as one of the great players of all time. Every season that Marty played, he reached the playoffs. That may be the single most significant statement about his ability. He helped Indianapolis maintain one of the first dynasties in the century. He then helped turn Arizona into a perennial contender. When he went to Hartford, everyone thought that his best days were behind him, but he instantly turned Hartford into a winner with one of the most amazing seasons by a RB, especially considering his age. When he was booted out of Hartford and found a new home in LA, he turned the Blackwings into an instant contender, reaching the playoffs in just their first season. Many say that had it not been for his injury, he would again have exceeded 1500 yards and again propelled LA into the post season. There is no doubt that Marty’s name will soon be in Canton. As for Marty’s future plans, he has been offered a deal by ESPN to be a commentator on their pre-game show. All indications are that he is prepared to accept the deal.

[Grid Iron]

Originally posted by stkelly52
Marty Gage officially announces his retirement.

Sniff, sniff. :( I'm not cryin! I just got something in my eye!

[stkelly52]

The Crash:

I am sure that many of you have noticed that It has been a while since I posted to this dynasty. Well the reason is that I have had a major problem with my computer. I am sorry to report that my computer with this dynasty on it has died. I have spent the last week trying to get it up and going again to no avail. I am now going to have to buy a new computer, but I am not sure that if I will be able to salvage anything, including this dynasty. I have someone more experianced than myself trying to figure it out, so I am still hopefull that the dynasty can be salvaged. I will let you know what happens

[3ric]

Well, the hard disk with the game data could always be transferred physically to the new computer, unless that's the component which is faulty.

[stkelly52]

I am hoping that that transfering the hard drive will work, but one of the guys I talked to thought the problem might be with the hard drive, so we will see.

[cthomer5000]

Originally posted by stkelly52
The Crash:

I am sure that many of you have noticed that It has been a while since I posted to this dynasty. Well the reason is that I have had a major problem with my computer. I am sorry to report that my computer with this dynasty on it has died. I have spent the last week trying to get it up and going again to no avail. I am now going to have to buy a new computer, but I am not sure that if I will be able to salvage anything, including this dynasty. I have someone more experianced than myself trying to figure it out, so I am still hopefull that the dynasty can be salvaged. I will let you know what happens

Do you have CD burner? If so just compress the universe directory and then burn it to CD. You can only hope it works.....

[JeeberD]

The computer was sad that Marty retired and decided to end it all... :(