[MIJB#19]

Week 15 recap

Merchantmen dreams collaps, get a beat up in Paris
The Maassluis Merchantmen's playoff scenario was already looking like a miracle, but the Paris Musketeers ended the story with a painful 40-20 victory. With 613 yards passing and rushing in total, the Musketeers extended the all time worst figure, that the Merchantmen already held after week two of the 2006 season. With just two wins in the last seven games, the Merchantmen can still record a winning season, being 7-7.

It was a longshot, but a victory over Paris would at least keep it going. The Merchantmen were the 2005 most improved team at 7-9 after a 1-15 season and reaching the playoffs in the third season would make the turnaround complete. With only the already injured reserve players missing and quarterback Louie Flannery a bit limited due to a sore knee, the Merchantmen expected to have the team to win.

Eugene Westcott started under center for Paris and in his second start he showed he's the better passer. Second year 'franchise quarterback' Mario Hudson was nursing a sprained knee and Paris wanted a healthy passer. It was a wise decission, Westcott got sacked six times, a figure that would likely aggrevated Hudson's injury and turned the tide early in the game.

Westcott was the smart choice and made a case for remaining as the backup in the coming seasons. With 419 yards passing and three scores, Westcott put his name in the Paris record books and had a great share in a record breaking night for the Musketeers. With Joe Boulware racking up 173 yards on the ground and Henry Gayle recording 212 yards receiving and being the target of two of Westcott's scoring passes, the trio gave the Parisians something good to look back to. The win eliminated a rival and that's always a nice feeling.

For the Merchantmen only one player really played well enough to leave the field facing his nose up. Second year role player Devin Henson made his name better known with his third and fourth career touchdowns. His role in the passing game has been limited, but as a return specialist, Henson moved up to the IHOF elite. With 193 yards on 6 runs, including a 89-yard run for a touchdown, Henson has moved up to an untied lead in kickoff return scores in the league. His second score of the day came after an 18-yard run from running back Randy Harris. Harris fumbled the ball, yet Henson picked up the free ball and ran it in for the six points from 56 yards away.

Next up for Maassluis are the Boulder Blizzard. The NAC West runners' up are 8-6 and the 2006 version of the most improved team. Where Maassluis went from 1-15 to 7-9, the Blizzard already clinched a bigger turnaround, coming off a 1-15 season as well. The Blizzard currently hold the second wild card spot and losing against Maassluis would end their options to win the division and could drop them back in the race for the last wild card, with another 8-6 and four 7-7 teams in pursuit.

In the 2006 draft, the Blizzard management handed a big help in the Merchantmen's ability to draft Louie Flannery. A handshake potential trade for the #12 pick made the Merchantmen draft situation great, but a go ahead call from Boulder to go pursuit the #5 pick to get Flannery helped the Merchantmen to get the rookie passer. Also, these teams are the only two franchises ever to record a 1-15 season and the only two to ever record a win-improvement of more than 3 wins are in good terms with eachother. And with the Merchantmen likely starting their younger players, the Blizzard might not have to worry about the starting wide receivers Gregory Monti and Bryce Ewald, cornerback Gus Stoffers and defensive end Albert Bernardo. Of course, with the mentioned Flannery, star running back Randy Harris, tight end Jim Reiser and defensive tackle Charles Gomez, the Blizzard won't have an easy day anyway.


European division in action, week 15
In a game that could have handed the Gothenburg Giants the division title, the Bordeaux Vineyards say their defense step up to allow not a single touchdown in their own home. Guided by the former Merchantmen defensive end Harold Wells, the Vineyards took a half time 20-6 lead and kept the score facing positive to their side for the remainder of the game. The 20-18 win means that Bordeaux now needs to win one more game than Gothenburg in te last two rounds to win their third consecutive European title.

Standings
10-4 Gothenburg
9-5 Bordeaux
7-7 Maassluis
4-10 Paris

The playoffs race in the AOC has narrowed down to just seven teams. The Merchantmen drop out at not being able to be better than 9-7, seeing the first wild card go to a 10-6 or better team in the Northeast division and knowing that the best possible ranking inside the division is at number three. So, who are left in the race?
Northeast: 11-3 Syracuse, 10-4 North Plainfield, 9-4 Rochester
Deep South: 10-4 San Antonio
Southeast: 9-5 Orlando
European: 10-4 Gothenburg, 9-5 Bordeaux


Schedule
Te Gothenburg Giants visit the Fairbanks NorthStars, who are still without their quarterback stars, but who did return to winning ways after a 45-10 win over San Luis Obispo Burn. The Burn are the Paris Musketeers opponents in week 16. The Bordeaux Vineyards take on the Anaheim Matterhorns, who won 4 of their last 5 games, who were Claude Maxwell's second to sixth career stars. The Vineyards and Giants are still battling for their playoff hopes and for their European divisional rankings, while Maassluis and Paris are locked at third and fourth place respectively.


GM MIJB's Merchantmen Player of the Year
A disappointingly bad loss and yet I have to name three players who made their salary figure worthwile.
1 point for Randy Harris - The running back had 16 carries for 92 yards and made 3 catches for 30 yards. Harris did fumble, but luckily possession didn't get lost.
2 points for Charles Gomez - The defensive tackle recorded 7 tackles, 2 assists, 1.5 sacks and a quarterback hurry to increase his All IHOF chances.
3 points for Devin Henson - The wide receiver returned a kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown and scored on an offensive fumble with a 56-yard run. For the game, Henson had 193 kickoff return yards on 6 carries.


Overall standings:
27 - DT Charles Gomez
23 - RB Randy Harris
11 - LB Cody Cluff
10 - QB Louie Flannery, FB Jamel Rosenberry, CB Johnnie Stidham
8 - DE Albert Bernardo
7 - LB Ellsworth Thelen
5 - CB Gus Stoffers
3 - DT John Bryant, DE Scot Dick, WR Devin Henson, LT Kerry McLaurin
2 - FS John Cole, WR Bryce Ewald, OT Wilson Grimaldo, TE Jim Reiser, CB Myron Stevens
1 - SS Lincoln Gilmore, WR David Henkel, WR Matt Offord, LG Butch White