[MIJB#19]

2079 Regular Season week 12
The Maassluis Merchantmen rock on. After a 1-2 stretch in a 3-game series of road games, victories over Bordeaux and at Gothenburg restored confidence for the Merchantmen. This week's opponents were the Chicago Norsemen, a team known for their pounding offense and stingy defense.

It showed immediately in the first couple of drives. The Merchantmen struggled to gain ground on their first drive, requiring a penalty to get their only first down, yet the Norsemen displayed their run-run-run approach, which the Merchantmen didn't surprise in their 4-3 formation. Drive number two for the Merchantmen was much different, seeing Ellis McAlister connect with Dennis Nadell for 17 yards, followed with Walt Blair running for 30 yards into the red zone. Three more Blair runs later, the 7-0 lead was established. Chicago continued their run only approach, cycling through their backs Cory Lowe, Chuck Lyle and Shaun Vreede, shockingly converting on third and eight and then on third and 33. On their ninth play of the drive, Rickey Nelson found Irving Keilor for the tying touchdown pass. After a short kickoff, Maassluis started their next drive close to midfield and tried to force their way through with Walt Blair getting the ball a lot, changing gears a bit with a 12-yard pass from McAlister to J.R. Mills. It resulted in a 47-yard field goal by Dave Eiermann to put Maassluis 10-7 up on the first play of the second quarter.

The Merchantmen had caught momentum and forced and recovered a fumble on the following kickoff. Ellis McAlister failed to connect with any of this receivers, but Dave Eiermann didn't miss the 28-yard field goal attempt: 13-7, Maassluis. Another hilariously bad defensive showing on third and low, despite playing with all their linebackers on the field, the Merchantmen allowed the Norsemen to get into field goal range. Despite finally stuffing a carrier on third down, the Merchantmen couldn't avoid Darien Shield's 46-yard field goal for the 13-10 score in Maassluis advantage. Walt Blair and Raul Curie responded with big runs of their own, to march into Chicago territory, while McElister found Dennis Nadell for 24 yards and nearly into the end zone. An illegal cut block penalty pushed the Merchantmen back and after a sack on third and very long, Maassluis settled for a 40-yard field goal. The Merchantmen were once again made look foolish, allowing a 24-yard run on a third down attempt, but righted the ship just in time to hold Chicago to a 43-yard field goal. Walt Blair ran for 40 yards into Chicago territory, but the coaching staff blundered to not call a time out and try to run another play or two to try for a field goal, ending the first half in a 16-13 lead for the Merchantmen.

On the first Chicago drive of the second half, the Merchantmen defense were total morons once again, giving up a 17-yard run on third and long, but then regrouped and a sold out Oranje Haven cheered hard when a fourth down stop gave Maassluis the ball. The cheering didn't last long, Ellis McAlister misjudged on the next play and saw his pass get intercepted at the Chicago 46-yard line. Chicago continued to run, but this time Cory Lowe was barely held short on third and long, coming about a yard short. Maassluis failed to avoid a three and out, mostly due to an expensive penalty. Chicago fooled Maassluis with a successful pass from Rickey Nelson to Caiden Batchelder on third and short, but his receiver on a screen pass on third and long was quickly pushed to the ground to keep Chicago short of field goal range. Walt Blair replied with a 10-yard run, but three plays later, Maassluis punted the ball back to Chicago to end a scoreless quarter.

Still trailing 16-13, the Norsemen surprised the Merchantmen defense on third and short with a 34-yard pass from Rickey Nelson to Irving Keillor. The Merchantmen then quickly stopped Cory Lowe on a third and long run to keep the damage to a 40-yard field goal and a tied score at 16 all. Ellis McAlister came back to live, finding Monty Elliott for a chains moving short throw and then pacing for 33 yards into field goal range. Walt Blair ran for 10 yards and then for 8 yards into the end zone to put Maassluis 23-16 up with half a quarter to play. Had the Merchantmen finally learned their lesson? They kept Cory Lowe to a minor gain on third and very long to force a time consuming three and out. McAlister showed his accuracy, finding J.R. Mills for 11 yards and Randal Curtis for 15 yards, then Mills again for 16 yards to get into the red zone with the two minute warning stopping the clock. The Norsemen needed their time outs, but stuffed the Merchantmen, yet a 30-yard field goal was good enough to make it a two-score game. A penalty pinned Chicago deep in their own red zone for their all or nothing drive, which turned into nothing, as Rickey Nelson completed a screen pass to Shaun Vreede for 34 yards, which took too much time off the clock to trim the deficit. The Merchantmen players stormed the field, the 26-16 victory was secured.

Ellis McAlister struggled for three quarters, finishing the game with 16 of 27 passes completed for 158 yards and 1 interception. Dennis Nadell was the leading receiver with 5 catches for 73 yards. Walt Blair had a field day though, running 21 times for 143 yards and 2 touchdowns, earning him player of the game honors in a game where both teams ran for more yards than they threw for, but coming just barely short of 200 yards rushing (Chicago 199, Maassluis 190).

Elsewhere in the European division, the Gothenburg Giants beat the defenseless Arizona Miners 27-0, the Bordeaux Vineyards needed overtime to win 27-24 at the Iowa Cobbers and the Paris Musketeers swung past the Kansas Creationists 34-17. As a result, the divisional standings didn't change.

AOC Europe
1. Maassluis 8-3
2. Gothenburg 7-4
3. Bordeaux 6-5
4. Paris 5-6

Next up a round of games against teams that finished at the same position in another AOC division last season. Paris will visit the 7-4 Rochester Razorbacks, Bordeaux the 5-6 Harlem Apollos and Gothenburg hosts the 3-8 Orlando Talons. The Merchantmen will host the 6-4-1 Augusta Greenjackets, a rematch of last season's divisional round playoff game, which the heavily outplayed Merchantmen somehow won 24-23 in Augusta. A 91-yard pick six and three missed field goals, the Greenjackets will be motivated to avenge that...