1983
After the first four weeks of the season, London sit atop the AFC South standings!
A league-lowest two turnovers is a big factor in our success so far, along with the play of our secondary. Mark Murphy returns two pick sixes in our win over the Raiders.
Influenza sweeps the team during our loss to the Browns, and after the bye week we slip back behind the 4-1 Colts and 4-1 Dragons.
We cross the ocean and take on the Colts in their house, and leave with a 13-10 win and the division lead once again.
The Oilers provide a bit of a shock when they prevail in extra time, tipping us out of the playoff positions for the time being.
A mammoth 135 receiving yards from Drew Hill helps us to a big road win at Arrowhead.
The Broncos are no match for a resurgent Monarchs at home, going down 33-10.
Halfway through our season, and we are 6-2. A huge improvement over the two 5-11 seasons we've just endured. That record is good enough for the division lead, although the Colts and Dragons are also 6-2. The Browns are half a step behind at 6-3.
Freeman McNeil is on pace for the first 1000 yard rushing season by a Monarch, with 632 so far. Montana is playing lights out, with 16 touchdown passes and just four picks.
For the fifth time in eight seasons, we travel to San Diego. The Chargers, by contrast, has never had a trip to England. We equal our best win tally with a 16-10 result. The following week, Barcelona spanks us 36-16 and we drop back to the #6 seed in the AFC. Damn it.
Of to Mexico for the very first time, and the Aztecs go down fighting 20-7. That means we'll finish with at worst a 8-8 record for the very first time.
At Joe Robbie Stadium, rookie quarterback Dan Marino hurls a 68 yard touchdown bomb with 4 seconds remaining to defeat London 34-31. Damn damn damn.
We then face our second successive rookie quarterback in the form of Tony Eason and his Falcons. Atlanta leads the game 30-3 when Montana explodes into life, with a little help from Willie Williams:
Code:
3Q: 03:10 LON - Willie Williams 16 pass from Joe Montana (Gerg Wilson extra point) - Falcons 30-10
4Q: 14:31 LON - Gerg Wilson 46 field goal - Falcons 30-13
4Q: 08:26 LON - Willie Williams 10 pass from Joe Montana (Gerg Wilson extra point) - Falcons 30-20
4Q: 08:07 LON - Drew Hill 38 pass from Joe Montana (Gerg Wilson extra point) - Falcons 30-27
4Q: 02:18 LON - Willie Williams 31 pass from Joe Montana (Gerg Wilson extra point) - Monarchs 34-30
4Q: 01:05 LON - Gerg Wilson 42 field goal - Monarchs 37-30
Well.
Celebrations are put on hold though, as we have to go to Nou Camp and take on Barcelona again. The Dragons win 42-13 to sweep the season series, and place us out of the playoff seedings. Damn damn damn!
We take on the 10-4 Saints in our penultimate game. A big win to the Monarchs, who advance to 10-5. We get quite a bit of help from the Aztecs who upset the Dragons, and we nudge ahead again in the AFC standings!
The Colts (12-3) have already locked up the AFC South, but we can make the playoffs with a win in our last home game of 1983. Unfortunately, it just doesn't happen to script, with Bert Jones having a big day out (4 touchdown passes, 350 yards).
But we receive a massive jolt of help with Houston upsetting Barcelona. Add a Pittsburgh Steelers win over the Browns, and it all adds up to
London making the playoffs!!!