London Gladiators

[Severus21]

LONDON GLADIATORS
SEASON ROSTER PREVIEW

Quarterback
With Matt Schaub here, London got one of the best signal callers in the NFL and at great value too in the 9th round, there’s full confidence in his ability to play well and raise the performance of those around him, which is going to be needed as London neglected to pick receivers in the earlier rounds of the draft, meaning Schaub has to work with a receiver corps of rookies and sophomores.

Running Back
Out of the 3 running backs taken in the draft, the battle for the starting job was between Shonn Greene and Ryan Matthews, two physical runners who can each offer something different to the team. After preseason was completed Ryan Matthews managed to stake a claim to the starting job here with an efficient performance through the 4 games, averaging an impressive 4.7 yards per carry.

Fullback
John Conner is the only fullback on the roster so look for him to be involved a lot when it comes to run blocking and short yardage situations.

Wide Receiver
Golden Tate had a solid preseason that separated him from the other inexperienced receivers and ensured he would be the No1 receiver in London. The identity of the receiver starting opposite seems to be up for weekly review depending on performance and training.

Tight End
Jermaine Gresham the highly touted rookie is the lock for the No1 slot here, so look for him to get lots of action as the relative inexperience of the receiving corps may mean he’s often used as a safety valve by Schaub.

Offensive Line
In my opinion the most impressive part of the offence right now is the line, which full of solid players with lots of ability and potential. When you add in the fact they have time on their side to make the most of that potential as a group, it’s easy to see this line becoming dominant in a couple years if kept together.

Defensive Line
Just like the offensive line, the D-line has the potential to be dominant as well, in fact it could be more dominant quicker than the O-line seeing as Hampton and Williams are in their prime already, with Derrick Morgan providing the youthful potential. This line also has depth in the backups with Odrick and Joseph being inexperienced but having good upsides for the coaches to develop.

Linebackers
Just like the d-line there is instant quality here in the form of Cushing and Demeco and also potential from McClain and Kindle meaning there is a good chance of this quartet growing as a group and becoming an elite force.

Cornerbacks
One word: POTENTIAL, the critics may prefer to use inexperienced as that word but I prefer my choice. With Haden, Wilson, Robinson and Jackson, I feel London again has the potential to keep this quartet toghether as they develop into elite players in this league, which no doubt they will. Haden is that No1 at this moment in time with Robinson the number 2 after having an excellent preseason with 2 picks.

Safeties
You’re probably tired of hearing this but yet again it’s not so much the experience but the outstanding potential in this groups of safeties with Taylor Mays also on the roster that means in a couple of years London could have the best safety tandem in the league if this group is kept together.

[Severus21]

London Gladiators
Week 1 Preview
12/09/2010
London Amphitheatre

A baptism of fire here for London because although we kick of our NFL tenure at home, we have to welcome 4 time NFL MVP Peyton Manning to London and he’s not coming alone. Manning is flanked by familiar target Anthony Gonzalez & new target Vincent Jackson, while on defence Miami can call on the services of Richard Seymour at DE and Pat Williams at DT although thankfully for London all action line-backer Elvis Dumervil misses the trip due to injury.

Injuries
LDN:
None

MIA:
Todd McClure- Centre- [Partial Groin Tear (1 week)]
Elvis Dumervil- OLB- [Torn Quadricep (5 weeks)]

[Severus21]

NFL Scoreboard - MIAMI (0-0) at LONDON (0-0)

September 12, 2010 1 2 3 4 F MIAMI 0 14 7 14 35 LONDON 7 14 3 14 38 Top Performers MIAMI - Stats P. MANNING [22/30, 428yds, 4TD. 1INT, 141.0] V. JACKSON [8 Rec, 241yds, 2TDS, 30.1avg] LONDON - Stats M. SCHAUB [24/35, 389yds, 4TD, 1INT, 131.7] R. MATTHEWS [58rushyds, 7 Rec, 40yds, 1TD, 5.7avg]

Team Stats Comparison MIA LDN First Downs 13 18 3rd Down Efficiency 7-12 (58%) 10-13 (76%) 4th Down Efficiency 0-0 0-0 Total Yards 585 514 Passing Yards 421 385 Rushing Yards 70 58 Penalties-Penalty Yards 1-10 3-42 Turnovers 2 (0) 2 (0) Time of Possession 24:15 23:45

OperationSports.com

What a game & what a way to fully introduce the NFL to London! This game was full of twists & turns, drama & excitement, 2 on fire quarterbacks, an absolutely gripping end that meant the game was decided with 0 seconds on the clock!

The scoring began halfway through the 1st quarter, when Miami decided to sub 3rd string cornerback McDonald to cover Golden Tate, a decision that resulted in a 43yd TD pass to Tate and 1st blood to London.

In the 2nd quarter Shonn Greene extended the lead when he punctuated a long drive with a 10yd TD run. Then the shoot-out began in earnest with Peyton Manning finding Vincent Jackson for TD passes of 7yds and 80yds, either side of a 66yd TD strike from Schaub to DeMaryius Thomas meaning at half time it was 21-14 to London.

The 3rd quarter was more of a calmer affair with just a field goal from London & a 32yd TD run from Anthony Brown out of the wildcat, making it a score of 24-21 to London.

In the 4th quarter was where the game got crazy! First with 6:02 left in the game Manning connected with namesake fullback Hillis from 28yds to make the score 28-24 to Miami. Then Schaub connected with Arrelious Benn from 7yds a 1:25 on the clock to make the score 31-28 to London but the game wasn;t over as Manning lead Miami down the field and got the go ahead score with a 5yd toss to tight end Randy McMichael which left the game at 35-31 to Miami with 0:28 left to play! After Tate returned for 11 yards, Schaub connected with tight end Jermaine Gresham for 26 yards to move the chains to Miami's 41. On 3rd & 10 after two incomplete passes and with 0:10 left on the clock, Dexter McCluster made a huge play, making amends for his 3 dropped passes with his 1st reception of the day for 36yds moving the ball to the Miami 5 with 0:03 left to play, which is when Schaub connected on a drag route to Ryan Matthews to clinch the game with time expiring!

Highlights

M. Schaub finds G. Tate for a 43yd Td to open the scoring

Spoiler

EA Sports: Madden NFL 11 Video Highlight

1:30 left, Schaub finds Benn from 7yds for the TD, to go ahead 31-28

Spoiler

EA Sports: Madden NFL 11 Video Highlight

0:34 left, Manning finds McMichael to make it 35-31

Spoiler

EA Sports: Madden NFL 11 Video Highlight

0:05 left, Schaub with a buzzer beater 5 yard toss to Matthews to win the game

Spoiler

EA Sports: Madden NFL 11 Video Highlight

[Severus21]

London Gladiators
Week 2 Preview
19/09/2010
Lambeau Field

After last week’s nail biter of a game, the Gladiators make their 1st visit to the States to take on Green Bay at Lambeau Field. They could of hardly expected a harder tie with Adrian Peterson, Sidney Rice and Ray Lewis waiting to extend a welcome to the new boys. London can expect to face a partisan crowd that’s more fired than usual due their status as an international team and so it will be interesting to see how London can deal with the pressure.

Injuries
LDN:
None

GB:
None

[Severus21]

NFL Scoreboard - LONDON (1-0) at GREEN BAY (1-0)

September 19, 2010 1 2 3 4 F LONDON 0 14 0 10 24 GREEN BAY 14 0 3 17 34 Top Performers LONDON - Stats R. MATTHEWS [14ATT/74YDS, 1TD 3.7YPC, 10REC, 89yds] M. WILLIAMS [4 TCK, 3TFL, 1.0 SACK, 1 PASS DEF] GREEN BAY - Stats A. SMITH [20/39, 369yds, 3TD, 109.8] N. CLEMENTS [9 TCK, 1AST, 2INTS, 3 PASS DEF]

Team Stats Comparison LDN GB First Downs 20 12 3rd Down Efficiency 3-11 (27%) 5-16 (31%) 4th Down Efficiency 1-3 (33%) 0-0 Total Yards 498 415 Passing Yards 420 347 Rushing Yards 78 68 Penalties-Penalty Yards 4-78 0-0 Turnovers 6 (-6) 6 (+6) Time of Possession 19:42 28:18

OperationSports.com

The story of this game can be explained by 1 stat; TURNOVERS. Due to a combination of poor decision making and also inexperience at the receiver position Matt Schaub threw SIX picks, making it nigh on impossible for London to leave Green Bay with a W.

The sad thing is London had a great chance to win this game because after Green Bay jumped to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter London rallied ans started to dominate the game before levelling the scores just before half time with a brilliant 73yd TD bomb from Schaub to Benn.

But after the half the Gladiators passing game just fell apart, and the more they fell behind the more they needed to go to the air leading to Schaub's horror show under centre. Having said that if it wasn't for the outstanding play of the London defence this could have really been an embarrassing scoreline, so when you consider they had 6 picks yet only won by 10 points, points secured in the final quarter of play you have acknowledge the great play of the defence.

All in all, a poor game that London needs to put behind in order to focus on the challenges that lay ahead.

Highlights

Alex Smith connects with Sidney Rice for a 76TD pass to extend Green Bay's lead to 14-0 in the 1st quarter

Spoiler

EA Sports: Madden NFL 11 Video Highlight

Matt Schaub levels the scores at 14 a piece just before half time with this 73yd pass to Benn

Spoiler

EA Sports: Madden NFL 11 Video Highlight

[Severus21]

London Gladiators
Week 3 Preview
26/09/2010
Gillette Stadium

After last week’s offensive fiasco at Green Bay, the Gladiators need to get back to winning ways against divisional rival New England who are also at 1-1. An already tough match is made tougher by the fact that starting centre Alex Mack misses the game due to injury meaning the O-line going to be less effective than usual, while the defence are going to have their hands full trying to contain Phillip Rivers and his new friends Wes Welker, Tony Gonzalez & Thomas Jones.

Injuries
LDN:
Alex Mack [Broken Ribs (1 week)]

NE:
None

[Severus21]

NFL Scoreboard - LONDON (1-1) at NEW ENGLAND (1-1)

September 26, 2010 1 2 3 4 F LONDON 3 10 7 14 34 NEW ENGLAND 0 7 7 14 28 Top Performers LONDON - Stats K. WILSON [3 TCK, 1AST, 1TFL, 1.0 SACK, 1FFUMB, 1INT, 1TD] R. MATTHEWS [13 REC, 129yds, 2TDS, 9.9avg, 13ATT/53ydsrush, 4.0avg] NEW ENGLAND - Stats J. REED [13 REC, 122yds, 1TD, 9.3avg] D. LANDRY [5 TCK, 2AST, 1TFL, 1INTS]

Team Stats Comparison LDN NE First Downs 14 21 3rd Down Efficiency 1-10 (10%) 4-12 (33%) 4th Down Efficiency 2-3 (66%) 1-1 (100%) Total Yards 495 507 Passing Yards 331 343 Rushing Yards 51 44 Penalties-Penalty Yards 2-10 4-35 Turnovers 3 (-1) 2 (+1) Time of Possession 18:31 29:29

OperationSports.com

Another week, another gripping game that was decided at the very end with London edging it 34-28. London had set up a 20-7 lead midway through the 3rd quarter but New England soon whittled it down and were in the lead 28-27 with 0:33 left on the clock, before Schaub was back to his last minute heroics again, this time connecting on a 81yd TD bomb with Demaryius Thomas to secure a big win in the AFC East.

Highlights

Kyle Wilson taking an interception to the house

Spoiler

EA Sports: Madden NFL 11 Video Highlight

0:33 left, New England recover a fumble in the London endzone to go ahead

Spoiler

EA Sports: Madden NFL 11 Video Highlight

0:18 left, Matt Schaub staying upright until the last second to find a streaking Demaryius for the go ahead TD

Spoiler

EA Sports: Madden NFL 11 Video Highlight

[Severus21]

London Gladiators
Week 4 Preview
03/10/2010
London Amphitheatre

After last week’s last minute comeback against New England, the Gladiators face, not only, another divisional foe in the New York Jets but probably one of the biggest challenges to their defence thus far with Chris Johnson suiting up for New York these days and with Chad Pennington at QB you can bet CJ will be called on a lot to pound the rock. Having said, that when New York want to give CJ a break and throw the ball, Chad’s options aren’t too shabby with both Steve Smith and Terrell Owens on the roster too. Looking at the defensive side of the Jets they have the beastly Shaun Rogers at NT ready to put Schaub under pressure [ thankfully Centre Alex Mack returns from injury for this game] and with Leon Hall lining up at corner he cannot afford to be wayward with his throws.

Injuries
LDN:
None

NYJ:
None