[MIJB#19]

General Manager Notes: Cruising along
Bouncing back is more accurate though.

Wait, what, are you saying we beat the Giants? Yes, we did, we did beat the Giants.

First quarter, the tone was set. Three and out by our defense, Earnest Ashley to George Stuckey for 32 yards to start our first drive to set up a 48-yard field goal. back to back sacks stalled Gothenburg's second drive, Ashley responded with a typical chains moving drive, eventually ending with Trey Beyer's 23-yard touchdown run. Early in the second quarter, up 10-0, Chuck Murray made a momentum flipping interception just outside our end zone. Penalty on a punt play extended our drive but we had to punt later on anyway. Another sack on third down stopped the Giants, while our offense quickly went into their half with Ashley's 29-yard dart to Stuckey. Eventually Francisco Patter ran the ball in from 4 yards out. Darien Fletcher made Oranje Haven explode three plays later, after the defensive tackle signed for the second pick of the game deep inside Giants' turf. Ashley returned the favor with a pick of his own. Neither side gained much ground on their last drive of the first half, we went into the break leading 17-0.

Second half had barely started and we pulled of a bit of a hail mary with four receivers going deep, Stuckey made the 44-yard catch and two plays later Beyer ran it in for a 24-0 lead. Gothenburg's first drive of the second half was hijacked by a holding penalty. We responded with a silly 28-yard run on 3rd and 20 (say what now?) by Patter, eventually the key play to set up Patter's 8-yard touchdown run. At that point Gothenburg checked out, replaced Mercury Pierce and free agency signing Kai Silvanic took over. Three and out followed and our offense responded with another short gains drive to eventually kick a 24-yard field goal. Gothenburg was once again stuffed into punting and our lead was now 34-0 going into the fourth quarter.

Our offense was stalled, but as Gothenburg continued their last chance efforts to safe face, pick number three came on the box score as Devon Farrell jumped in. The Gothenburg defense stopped us quickly, but we returned the favor and on our next drive (with the offensive line in a bull-shit lineup; this ain't pre-season, staff!) we kept winning the field position battle. Then Gothenburg finally caught some fire, starting with a 16-yard run, then a 31-yard pass on third and long, a 14-yarder on 3rd and very long and a face saving touchdown right after the two-minute warning. We ran out the clock, punted one more time and that was that.

So, victory, strong running game, a so-so Ashley (completed 18 of 44 for 239 yards), good Stuckey, solid defense. And too little too late.

1. Bordeaux 11-3
2. Gothenburg 10-4
3. Paris 6-8
4. Maassluis 6-8

Bordeaux has qualified for the playoffs. How about that, congratulations! Gothenburg is pretty close as well. They can still miss out if Augusta catches up from 8-6 to 10-6 each. Solecismic playoff probabilities give Augusta a 2% chance to catch up with either Gothenburg or fellow 10-4 Orlando.

Our season will continue with our final home game of the season, we will host the 5-9 Colorado Cutthroats. Which will be our preparation for playing spoilers in Bordeaux in week 17. Ed Schulz has been cleared to play, he may or may not be back into the lineup...

One player will be missing in our lineup: linebacker Daquan Espino. Already upset over not being a starter, despite being a starter (he's just unlucky to face a lot of teams that field more than two wide receivers on their first play, if only these players understood these things), Espino apparently took some trips to Amsterdam despite team policy being strictly against it and, well, he's been admitted into a clinic to work on his addiction. His player agent has urged us to call it "tobacco withdrawal", so... He's going to be inactive for an undisclosed period of time. Maybe he'll be back in time to welcome back Doug James, recovered from his ACL knee surgery, somewhere in pre-season 2095?

Adam Harmon and Clayton Jackson won't sit those games out, despite that we have no idea when their hamstring issues will be resolved.

Yeah, it's really time for new turf, the players have been dropping like flies this season. Good to know that will arrive in time for pre-season 2097.