[MIJB#19]

General Manager Notes: Yikes, we're in a tough division

The 2114 season is underway and the Merchantmen have played quite so-so-ish. In contrast, the rest of the division has steamrolled through the first 5 weeks, only tripping over fellow European Division teams, making for an incredible situation where a winning record could still put you in last place. How did we arrive there?

Week 1 vs Bordeaux
The official return of QB Harrison Singleton saw him shine like in his early seasons. Singleton threw for 238 yards, 2 touchdowns and ran for 52 yards on top of it. He found WR Rodolfo Lane for 130 yards and a touchdown, while TE Ted Gordon hauled in the other touchdown. Newly signed former Bordeaux RB Rusty Kemp accounted for 2 rushing touchdowns, while RB Renaldo Billodeaux ran for 117 yards.
Result: 43-27 win

Week 2 at Hanalei
A visits to the reigning NAC Champions saw us choke an early 17-0 lead based on interceptions from our defense on the Hanalei Dragons first two drives. Hanalei bounced back taking a 19-17 lead, but as our offense finally got rolling, we turned it into a 31-19 lead late in the 4th quarter. It wasn't enough as three straight drives saw QB Harrison Singelton turn the ball over, resulting in 22 unanswered points. Singelton threw for 279 yards with touchdowns to TE Ted Gordon and WR Jessie Vertelney, while RB Rusty Kemp ran for one and CB Evan Merrell returned an interception for touchdown.
Result: 31-41 loss

Week 3 vs Orlando
With a struggling Talons coming to Maassluis, there was some optimism in upsetting them. Despite our field position domination, a couple of interceptions thrown by QB Harrison Singleton kept things close. The Orlando offense woke up in the fourth quarter, tying the score with 40 seconds to go, but on our final drive, we decided not to play for overtime and Singleton found WR Rodolfo Lane for a Hail Mary 42-yard touchdown pass to grab an unlikely victory. Singleton threw for 287 yards and touchdowns to WR Jessie Vertelney and aforementioned game winner to Lane, for him adding up to 105 yards receiving. RB Rusty Kemp added a couple of rushing touchdowns to the tally.
Result: 35-28 victory

Week 4
We had once again the way too early bye week. It is what it is, we'll always have to deal with it.

Week 5 at North Plainfield
Rarely have we beaten the North Plainfield Plague while we were having a good start to the season and it turned into yet another disappointment. Losing the turnover battle 5-1, even our impressive red zone defense was insufficient to overcome all the giveaways. QB Harrison Singleton threw for 249 yards and 2 touchdowns, one each to his duo TE Corbin Robbins and TE Ted Gordon, the latter on a 127-yard performance for the day.
Result: 20-30 loss

Week 6 vs Rochester
And then we bounced back, at home, again. The visiting Razorbacks were an opponent to fear, but for the first time this season our pass defense seriously showed up and held them to 38 net yards on 31 passing plays, averaging to a 1.23 yards per pass attempt average. In particular CB Evan Merrell was on fire, accounting for 1 interception and 2 forced fumbles (sadly neither turned into a turnover). The final score was still closer than needed to be, as the Razorbacks managed to score on a safety and a kickoff return touchdown. QB Harrison Singleton was underwhelming with 160 passing yards and 1 touchdown to WR Rodolfo Lane. RB Renaldo Billodeaux scored his first 2 touchdowns of the season.
Result: 25-21 victory

European Division standings
1. Paris 4-1
2. Gothenburg 4-2
3. Maassluis 3-2
4. Bordeaux 3-2

After week 5, the division was 11-2 in non-divisional games, with us accounting for both losses. In week 6, all three rivals lost and we jumped back into the race. I mean, with 5 rounds of divisional games still to be played, let alone 5 or 5 more games outside it, this is by no means a guarantee to end up in a strong division with 3 playoffs tickets and a last place winning record team.

With 3 wins at home and 2 losses on the road, we really have no idea what to think here. In particular QB Harrison Singleton has once again been the hit-or-miss version of himself and not the stellar game manager that he was in his frist 3 seasons. Quite the pity, as I was so happy about his recovery from the knee surgery and offered him a new semi-expensive contract. Sooner or later, we'll have to decided whether we see more upside in QB Bart Tanner, who is in his 3rd season now and needs to get on the field to develop. It might be a game plan problem, but that makes no sense given how well Singleton did early on with a similar game plan and with an inferior receiving group (no offense meant to our clearly over the hill veteran legends WR Calvin Maxwell and TE Garrett Alcala).

Next up the biggest test so far as the Toronto Lake Monsters will come to the city. Oranje Haven will be sold out once again, no doubt.