[MIJB#19]

General Manager Notes: Too early to throw the towel...
... but I can't deny I'm reaching for it.

Goodness, can football be a weird ball game. We gain 176 total yards, give up 330, don't win the turnover battle, have more penalties and we lose just 23-17 to the Toronto Lake Monsters. Then we gain 391 yards, give up 224 yards. don't lose the turnover battle, but 127 yards in penalties hurt us and we lose 17-13 against the Paris Musketeers at home.

Fair to say, I think our season is in ruins, impossible to fix. We've played 7 games, 5 of those at home and we've already lost 3 of those in our place. That's a recipe for a 6-10 season. Sure, we're still outscoring opponents, but these last two games were a confidence breaker followed up by a game of whatever we do right, we'll find a way to lose anyway.

Is there reason to lose confidence in our quarterback? I don't think so. Despite completing 47 percent of his passes, he's moving the ball 241 yards forward. I don't think he's a pick machine, despite 8 in 7 games and 56 in 39 career games. I'm skeptic that our game plan is terrible, although I must admit I made some chances for the game against the Musketeers. His receivers are far from replacement level players, I truly believe that a trio like Ed Schulz, George Stuckey and Clay Gaynor should be able to combine for 200 yards and 2 touchdowns every single game, no exceptions allowed.

Should we give the ball to Ronnie Vanden Bosch more often? He's our leading rusher with 236 yards, despite the third most carries of the running back trio. But his elusiveness isn't just his problem, unexplainably it's catching on to the guys that don't have that disease, even Jack Crane.

Division:
1. Gothenburg 6-2
2. Paris 5-2
3. Bordeaux 3-4
4. Maassluis 3-4

Are we still alive? Of course we are! Win the next 9 and there's quite simply no way we'll miss the playoffs. And if Richie Piotte keeps this up (he's leading the league with 9.5 sacks), we should be able to run havoc on every offensive line and quarterback we'll face in the last 9 regular season games.

Merchantmen, this season isn't over. It's far from, we're not even half way there yet! Chin up, don't be afraid to catch the wind in your face, it's part of life. This too is football. Stand firm, don't give up, we've got what it takes, just start acting like we do!