¡Volemos! - Mexico City Golden Eagles Relocation CFM (Owner)

[Tritoch42]

Welcome! This franchise is a continuation of The Tampa Investment, which I began a few weeks ago shortly after the game's launch. At the end of the season, the Bucs new fictional owner made the decision to cross the Gulf and have his team take on a new identity as the Mexico City Golden Eagles. Because of the pretty radical shift in location and tone, I preferred to start a new thread that better encompasses what I'll be writing about going forward. Kind of weird to have a thread called "The Tampa Investment" when 90% of the posts are in Mexico

For the background on what happened last season, feel free to click the link above and read over that thread. Because this is a direct continuation of the same franchise, this will begin in the offseason after the Cowboys won Super Bowl LIV. The Golden Eagles will be working out their staffing and personnel for the upcoming season, going through Free Agency and the Draft, and getting ready to start their first year as the first NFL franchise based overseas.

Gameplay-wise, I'm playing with 12 minute quarters and accelerated play clock, with a tweaked version of Matt10's All-Pro sliders. I did a lot of testing between the last game of my previous season and now, and found I've gotten some better, more realistic games without sacrificing the challenge by playing on a souped-up All-Pro as opposed to All-Madden. I'll continue to make minor slider tweaks as the CFM goes on, trying to make sure things stay more or less level and realistic. No elaborate house rules, other than trying to keep my playcalling reasonably varied and grounded without exploiting money plays. I'm more interested in telling a good story than winning.

[Tritoch42]

Re: ¡Volemos! - Mexico City Golden Eagles Relocation CFM (Owner)

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[Tritoch42]

Re: ¡Volemos! - Mexico City Golden Eagles Relocation CFM (Owner)

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[Tritoch42]

Re: ¡Volemos! - Mexico City Golden Eagles Relocation CFM (Owner)


Answering Mexico City's Quarterback Question
Who will lead the Golden Eagles under center in 2020?

Martin Bower NFL.com

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Jameis Winston as the first overall draft pick in 2015. In 2018, they opted to extend his contract to a fifth year, leaving him firmly in place as the franchise's lead signal caller for the 2019 season. But since then, the team has had just one winning season, finishing 2016 at 9-7, with this year's 4-12 being the team's worst record since 2014. Bruce Arians was hired, in part, with the hope that the "Quarterback Whisperer" could take Winston under his wing and turn him into a consistent, reliable franchise Quarterback who could be the team's future. So as the Buccaneers played out their season, one question stayed in everyone's mind: Is Jameis Winston the guy? Now that the 2019 season is over and the team has taken up residence in Mexico City in preparation for the offseason, the time has finally come to answer that question.

Based on stats and performance, things didn't look good for the fifth-year QB. A 4-12 record hardly inspires confidence in a field general, and Winston clocked a meager 77.0 passer rating on the year, throwing 20 interceptions and just 18 touchdowns. He managed to make Mike Evans #1 in the league for receiving yards, but he also relied on his go-to man far too often. While the performance got Evans an AFC Best WR award and a spot on the Pro Bowl team, it also saw Winston trying to force balls to his playmaker when he should have been throwing elsewhere, calling into question his judgement in reading plays.

Last week, the question was settled for good. Winston and his agent presented the team with an offer for a five-year deal worth $60.3 million, with another $62.3 million in guaranteed money. If the deal had been accepted, it would have placed Winston among the NFL's highest-paid at his position. But the Golden Eagles were having none of it, insisting that Winston's on-and-off performance didn't justify the kind of money he wanted. The two sides have parted ways, and Winston will be on the free agent market this spring.

Unfortunately for the Golden Eagles, they will also enter 2020 without their primary backup at the same position. Blaine Gabbert took over the final game of the regular season after Winston suffered a lower back strain, and while the game still ended in a loss, he impressed by throwing for over 200 yards and 3 touchdowns, proving that he was a capable game manager. The Golden Eagles offered him a new one-year contract, but Gabbert declined and opted to pursue his free agency options.

As a result, the Golden Eagles will enter the free agency period with only two Quarterbacks on the roster. One is last year's third string QB, 30 year-old Ryan Griffin, who has never taken a regular season snap in his 7-year career. The other is 23 year-old Nick Fitzgerald, who signed with the Buccaneers in 2019 as an undrafted free agent, and spent the entirety of last season on the practice squad.

If Bruce Arians wants to find his next QB in free agency, he'll be looking at names like Ryan Tannehill, Case Keenum, Jacoby Brissett, and Teddy Bridgewater. If he opts to use his team's position at #4 overall in the draft, there is only one Quarterback considered first-round talent from this year's class: Kris Conway out of Oklahoma State, known for his powerful arm and great field vision. Whichever route the team chooses to take will have a dramatic impact on what happens in their first season in Mexico City.
_______________________

[Tritoch42]

Re: ¡Volemos! - Mexico City Golden Eagles Relocation CFM (Owner)

Offseason Highlights - Notable Retirements

Drew Brees (QB, New Orleans Saints)
Matt Schaub (QB, Atlanta Falcons)
Eli Manning (QB, New York Giants)

Adrian Peterson (HB, Washington Redskins)
Darren Sproles (HB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers/ Mexico City Golden Eagles)

Ted Ginn Jr (WR, New Orleans Saints)
Julian Edelman (WR, New England Patriots)
Pierre Garcon (WR, Free Agent)
Larry Fitzgerald (WR, Arizona Cardinals)

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (CB, Washington Redskins)
Eric Weddle (FS, Los Angles Rams)

Andy Reid (Head Coach, Kansas City Chiefs)

[Tritoch42]

Re: ¡Volemos! - Mexico City Golden Eagles Relocation CFM (Owner)

Free Agency Highlights

Golden Eagles Upgrade On Offense
With Jameis Winston and Blaine Gabbert both on the free agent market, the Mexico City Golden Eagles have a giant question mark at the Quarterback position. While Coach Bruce Arians and owner Ryan Sterling didn't see anyone on the market that could fill that position, they did make important upgrades to their ground game, which could be a significant part of their offense in 2020 if they can't find the right QB. The Golden Eagles acquired former rookie Pro Bowler Kareem Hunt, signing him to a 5-year, $56.3M contract that makes Hunt the second-highest paid player on the team behind star Wide Receiver and team captain Mike Evans. The team also signed former Eagles LT Jason Peters and former Bears LG Cody Whitehair to strengthen the offensive line Hunt will be running behind.

• HB Kareem Hunt
• LT Jason Peters
• LG Cody Whitehair

Bills Spend Big For 2020
The upset AFC East champion Buffalo Bills had a lot of open cap space heading into the offseason, and they came out on a mission to spend all of it to upgrade their team for 2020 in their bid to stay on top of their conference for a second straight year.

• CB Kendall Fuller
• TE Austin Hooper
• RE Yannick Ngakoue
• HB Derrick Henry
• QB Jameis Winston

Quarterback Changes

The Buffalo Bills signed long-time Buccaneers QB Jameis Winston to a 5-year, $114M contract, including a bonus of $57.8M guaranteed. The deal is worth slightly less than what Winston asked from Tampa Bay, but Winston will still take home a big payday as the Bills' new starting Quarterback.

The New York Giants needed a new main man following Eli Manning's retirement, and they acquired Teddy Bridgewater on a three-year deal worth $42.1M. Bridgewater was expected to be re-signed by the New Orleans Saints after he led the team to the playoffs standing in for an injured Drew Brees, but Bridgewater will now be taking over as the face of the Giants.

The New Orleans Saints elected not to re-sign Teddy Bridgewater following his heroic stand-in for the injured (and now retired) Drew Brees. Instead, the team went out into the free agent market and signed former Colts backup Jacoby Brissett for a total of $35.2M over three years.

Other Significant Signings

• TE Eric Hebron - Texans
• WR Dez Bryant - Texans
• MLB Ryan Shazier - Colts
• WR Nelson Agholor - Ravens
• MLB Myles Jack - Ravens
• RT Bryan Bulaga - Dolphins
• RE Ndamukong Suh - Dolphins
• CB Mike Hilton - Seahawks

[Tritoch42]

Re: ¡Volemos! - Mexico City Golden Eagles Relocation CFM (Owner)


Mexico City Golden Eagles - 2020 Draft Recap

Martin Bower NFL.com

The Mexico City Golden Eagles had their eye on Kris Conway, the standout QB from Oklahoma State, ever since the decision was made to cut ties with Jameis Winston. The 6'6'' signal caller demonstrated his arm strength at the combine, effortlessly slinging the ball deep downfield and achieving the highest score for a Quarterback on the bench press. With their position at #4 overall and with the Jaguars and Raiders already invested in their quarterbacks, the only competition Mexico City had for Conway was Miami. The Golden Eagles expected Miami to select the consensus #1 pick, USF Wide Receiver Devin Killings, or San Diego State's Heisman-winning Safety Lynn Brackins. But much to Bruce Arians' dismay, when the Dolphins got on the board, they selected Conway as the first overall pick of 2020, bringing the power thrower to very likely become their franchise QB for the next 4-5 years. The Raiders then selected Vanderbilt DT Walter Maggitt at #2, followed by the Jaguars picking up Devin Killings at #3.

By the time the Golden Eagles came up at the fourth overall slot, the top talented players at that stage of the round were at positions like Tight End, Middle Linebacker, and Free Safety -- all positions that Arians felt he had enough depth in. Without a clear match among the remaining top-first-round players, Arians and Golden Eagles owner Ryan Sterling shopped out their pick, hoping to move down in the draft order in exchange for multiple lower picks to help build out their roster with more up-and-coming talent. They traded the #4 pick to the Indianapolis Colts, who used the slot to select Brackins, while giving Mexico City a first round (31st overall) and second round (63rd overall) in exchange. Then, when they came up again, they made a second trade, dealing the 31st overall pick to the Dolphins for a second round (59th overall) and fourth round (111th overall) pick, as well as a seventh-round pick in 2021.

As a result, the Golden Eagles did not make a draft selection until the fourth pick of the second round. However, they ended up with a total of 11 draft choices, including three in the second round and four in the fourth round. From there, the team made no further trades, and used their abundance of selections to try and shore up a number of positional needs across the board.



Round 2, 36th Overall: CB Stewart Jackson (Utah State)
Cornerback wasn't the highest need on the Golden Eagles' draft board, but Bruce Arians believed that Utah State's Stewart Jackson was one of the best players on the board at the top of the second round. Vernon Hargreaves III and Sean Murphy-Bunting played well as the main CB duo last year, but the addition of a talented man-coverage back like Jackson could bring a strong slot back to round out a competent secondary.



Round 2, 59th Overall: C Clint Franklin (Auburn)

The 59th overall draft pick began in New Orleans before being traded to the Miami Dolphins, who then gave it to the Golden Eagles in order to move up to the 31st pick. The Golden Eagles then used it to select Center Clint Franklin out of Auburn. During the offseason, the Golden Eagles made a cap-saving move and traded their former starting Center Ryan Jensen to the Falcons for a fourth-round pick. As a result, the power-blocking Franklin is likely to see immediate play as the first-string Center.



Round 2, 63rd Overall: LT Luther Sawyer (Oklahoma)

With the Colts' draft pick acquired as part of the trade for the 4th overall pick, the Golden Eagles drafted Oklahoma's Left Tackle, Luther Sawyer. The team signed Jason Peters during free agency, and he will be the definite starter come the fall. However, Peters is 38 years old and only on a one-year deal with the Golden Eagles, so Bruce Arians will look for Sawyer to develop and be able to take over the starting role next season. At 6'8'' and 339 lbs, Sawyer will be the largest man on the Mexico City front line, and he has a well-balanced skill set that should allow him to develop into whatever sort of blocker Bruce Arians needs.



Round 3, 68th Overall: LE Lamar Arnold (Oklahoma State)

Lamar Arnold was one of the fastest and most agile Defensive Ends at the combine, excelling in the cone drill and showing off the ability to use quick moves to get past opposing blockers. Arnold was the sixth Defensive End chosen in this year's draft, but the Golden Eagles may have found a steal in getting him as a third rounder. He will compete with veteran William Gholston for the starting slot in the preseason, but his athleticism makes him a potentially dangerous weapon in a defense that ranked second in sacks in 2019.



Round 3, 77th Overall: MLB Lee Jacobs (Boise State)

The Golden Eagles' Middle Linebacker position is solid, with Lavonte David and Devin White anchoring the position for 2020. Jacobs represents a possible investment for the future, if he can be groomed to be ready for the day when David, now 30 years old, starts to get long in the tooth in the coming years. Jacobs will likely see minimal play in 2020, but if he can prove himself and develop, he could have a shot at being a future starter.


Round 4, 100th Overall: WR Kenan Orchard (Georgia)

Georgia WR Kenan Orchard was seen as a second-round draft pick by many analysts, but after disappointing combine performance, his stock dropped significantly. He fell to the Golden Eagles early in the fourth round, where they drafted him in hopes that his combine performance was a fluke and they can coach better performance out of him. If Orchard can recover from the bad combine, he may prove he was worth the mid-round pick.



Round 4, 102nd Overall: RG Darren Gordon (Vanderbilt)

The Golden Eagles drafted Darren Gordon for the same reason they drafted Luther Sawyer. Cody Whitehair is currently locking down the Right Guard position, put Bruce Arians wants to find young linemen who can develop into his next wave of starters. Like his Left Tackle counterpart, Gordon likely won't see play this year, but could become a fixture of the future O-Line in Mexico City.



Round 4, 109th Overall: RE Roosevelt Potter (Minnesota)

The Golden Eagles received the 109th pick from the Arizona Cardinals in the trade for Ndamukong Suh, and they used the pick to draft a player at the same position by taking Minnesota's Roosevelt Potter. Beau Allen is the clear starter at Right End, so this was primarily a depth pick for Mexico City.



Round 4, 111th Overall: QB Hunter Bailey (Maine)

After missing out on Kris Conway, the Golden Eagles focused on filling other positional needs. Bruce Arians reportedly found several of the remaining Quarterbacks overrated for their projected draft position, and did not pick a QB until the 109th overall pick, where he selected Maine QB Hunter Bailey. Physically, Bailey scored the top 40-yard dash time of all Quarterbacks at the combine, and placed in the top 5 for all other agility-related tests. While his throwing arm is lackluster, he has the speed to extend plays. However, Bailey will be competing with a number of equally uninspiring QB's in camp, and the threat of the starting role being taken by a late free agency acquisition is a real one. He may find himself securing a backup slot on the depth chart, but don't look to see Hunter Bailey starting during the regular season.



Round 5, 132nd Overall: RG Floyd Crocker (Maryland)

Taken in the fifth round, Floyd Crocker is the second Right Guard taken by the Golden Eagles in this year's draft. A number of Mexico City scouts were high on the former Terrapin, and it seems that a competition between Crocker and fellow rookie Darren Gordon is upcoming.



Round 6, 134th Overall: TE Theodore Kemp (North Dakota)

With the very last pick of their 2020 draft, the Golden Eagles added some additional depth at Tight End. Kemp's size makes him a big target in tight coverage or in the redzone, and he was known for his possession catches in college. Kemp will likely be a situational player at best, with O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate dominating the TE position for Mexico City.

Overall Draft Grade: C+

The Golden Eagles picked up a couple of talented young men along their offensive line, and if they pan out the way Bruce Arians hopes, Mexico City should have some strong blockers in its future. The team also added valuable depth on defense. But the failure to address the Quarterback position prevents this draft from being considered anything other than "slightly above average." There are talented players in this class who can make an impact on the team, but without a franchise QB, the Golden Eagles will struggle this year.

[rsump112]

Re: ¡Volemos! - Mexico City Golden Eagles Relocation CFM (Owner)

Enjoying this. Looking forward to the continuation.

[Tritoch42]

Re: ¡Volemos! - Mexico City Golden Eagles Relocation CFM (Owner)


Golden Eagles A Field Goal Short of a Repeat Upset
The Golden Eagles almost doubled up on last year's upset victory over the Lions, but an
overtime field goal kept the win just out of reach.

Sebastian Ramos
Sports Writer
ElUniversal.com

Last year, the then-Tampa Bay Buccaneers shocked the NFL when the 3-10 team toppled the 10-3 division-leading Lions on the heels of a 30-point first quarter that included two kickoff returns for touchdowns. The teams met on Saturday night in a preseason rematch of last year's regular season contest, and the Golden Eagles fought hard to book a second win over the team. But after a tight contest went into overtime, they came up just a hair short, losing 34-31.

Vita Vea sacks Matt Stafford in the first quarter.

Both starting squads played just one quarter, and neither one looked particularly impressive in the early goings. Matt Stafford threw for 75 yards and went 5-10, eating a stiff sack from Vita Vea on the second drive. Meanwhile, their top runner, Kerryon Johnson, picked up just 24 yards and only touched the ball seven times. On the other side of the contest, the Golden Eagles looked even worse. Kareem Hunt touched the ball 4 times for a total of 6 yards, and second-year QB Nick Fitzgerald completed just 2 of 8 passes for 3 yards, while giving up an interception.

Golden Eagles rookie QB Hunter Bailey.

The Lions were ahead 3-0 when the second quarter began and both teams started sending their backups onto the field, setting up a three-quarter-long battle between two rookie Quarterbacks. The first on the field was former Minnesota QB Elijah Schaffer, who the Lions drafted in the sixth round. Schaffer took over for Stafford mid-drive, and three plays later had used his speed to scramble out of the pocket and score on a 9-yard touchdown run. The play gave the Lions a 10-0 lead, and turned the field over to the Golden Eagles' fourth-round rookie, Hunter Bailey.

Dare Ogunbowale celebrates after scoring his second touchdown of the first half.

Bailey performed competently through the second quarter, but it was his defense and running game that took center stage. After a fumble forced by MLB Kendell Beckwith was recovered by CB Carlton Davis II, Bailey had his first opportunity to put together a long drive downfield. He was assisted by a pass interference call that turned that would have been a failed conversion into a free first down, but it kept the drive alive and allowed the Golden Eagles to push into the red zone. From there, Dare Ogunbowale pushed in a short 5-yard touchdown run to come back within a single score. When Elijah Schaffer overthrew on a slant pattern and delivered the ball right into the chest of Strong Safety Jordan Whitehead, Ogunbowale let loose and ran 26 yards into the endzone on the first play of the drive, scoring his second touchdown within two minutes. The Golden Eagles were now ahead 14-10, but the second quarter wasn't done producing big plays. After an impressive downfield drive, Lions HB Jeremy McNichols crossed the goal line for a short touchdown, and with only 43 seconds left until halftime, it seemed like the teams would head into the tunnel with Detroit out to a 17-14 lead -- but Mexico City had one big play left before halftime.

Janarion Grant channeled Dare Ogunbowale from last year's Lions-Bucs game and took the kick at his own one yardline and took off to his left, juking a set of defenders and tearing down the sideline to complete a 99-yard touchdown return, putting the Golden Eagles ahead 21-17 at halftime.

Rookie TE Theodore Kemp makes a catch in traffic.

The third quarter saw Hunter Bailey's first significant mistake. While keeping the ball on a read option run, Bailey fumbled and gave Detroit possession on the Mexico City side of the field, giving Schaffer a short field to work with. The turnover eventually resulted in a Ty Johnson touchdown run, putting the Lions back ahead. When Tight End Theodore Kemp made a stretching catch in traffic to save a third-and-long play, the Golden Eagles were able to set Matt Gay up for a field goal to tie the game at 24 heading into the fourth. Back to back scores by the Lions saw Ty Johnson record his second touchdown after torching the Golden Eagle defense for a 74 yard run, and after Mexico City went three and out, Giorgio Tavecchio kicked a 43 yard field goal to give his team a two-possession lead with just under 7 minutes to play. Down by two scores, Hunter Bailey got his first chance to demonstrate his ability to play under pressure, and the rookie delivered. The Golden Eagles managed to get into Matt Gay's field goal range, scoring on a 41-yarder that brought the game back within a touchdown. The Lions were forced to go three-and-out on their next drive, but their punt trapped the Golden Eagles at their own one yardline. After clearing some space away from the endzone with power runs, the Golden Eagles looked to the air, and Bailey took them down to the Lions 40 before a pass interference call on a third down pass advanced the ball all the way to the 7. The shortened field allowed Bailey to convert in the redzone, finding WR Scott Miller for the tying touchdown with just 32 seconds on the clock.

Giorgio Tavecchio seals the win with a 42-yard field goal in overtime.

From there, the Lions opted not to risk a turnover and ran the clock out, sending their first game of the preseason into overtime. The Lions got possession first, and were able to set up yet another field goal by Giorgio Tavecchio, this time from 42 yards to take a 37-34 lead. Hunter Bailey and the Golden Eagle offense returned to try and work their late-game magic one more time, but they came up short. When a fourth-down Hail Mary was swatted down and fell incomplete, the Golden Eagles turned the ball over, and with it, lost the game by a 3-point margin.

The Golden Eagles got respectable performances from their backups. Dare Ogunbowale managed two touchdowns stepping in for Ronald Jones II, who left the game with a bruised sternum midway through the second quarter. Hunter Bailey made his share of mistakes, but he put up a passing touchdown and avoided throwing any interceptions to the Lions. Theodore Kemp, the team's sixth-round draft pick, was the team's leader in receiving yards, and rookie LE Lamar Arnold recorded two sacks in his NFL debut. Finally, their 34 points was the fourth highest in the league.

There were, however, also plenty of things to be concerned about. The team produced only 211 yards of total offense, the third worst in the league for the week, and allowed a staggering 536 yards of offense from the Lions -- the worst in the NFL. The defense looked particularly defenseless against the ground game. Rookie QB Elijah Schaffer couldn't score a passing touchdown all night, but contributed a rushing touchdown as his offense scored a total of four touchdowns on the ground. By the end of the night, the Lions had rushed for almost 250 yards, with Ty Johnson accounting for 129 of them. The game was close on the scoreboard, but there were at least three or four occasions where a key play or decision could have secured a victory without needing to go into overtime. It wasn't a bad first preseason game, but the Golden Eagles will have some cleaning up to do before they face the defending Super Bowl champions next week at home in Mexico City.

Mexico City Golden Eagles at Detroit Lions
Preseason Week 1	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	OT	SCORE
Mexico City Golden Eagles (0-0-0)	0	21	3	10	0	34
Detroit Lions (0-0-0)	3	14	7	10	3	37

Team Stats Comparison
	MEX	DET
Total Offense	211	536
Rushing Yards	79	248
Passing Yards	132	288
First Downs	13	21
Punt Return Yards	8	15
Kick Return Yards	272	27
Total Yards	491	578
Turnovers	2	4
3rd Down Conversion	5-17	5-14
4th Down Conversion	1-2	0-0
2-Point Conversion	0-0	0-0
Red Zone Touchdowns/Field Goals	2-2	4-5
Penalties	0-0	8-83
Posession Time	24:49	32:26

Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER SCORING		MEX	DET
7:40	(DET) G. Tavecchio 28yd FG	0	3
SECOND QUARTER SCORING		MEX	DET
8:47	(DET) E. Schaffer 9yd Run (G. Tavecchio Kick)	0	10
4:31	(MEX) D. Ogunbowale 5yd Run (M. Gay Kick)	7	10
3:44	(MEX) D. Ogunbowale 29yd Run (M. Gay Kick)	14	10
0:43	(DET) J. McNichols 1yd Run (G. Tavecchio Kick)	14	17
0:31	(MEX) J. Grant 99yd Kickoff Return (M. Gay Kick)	21	17
THIRD QUARTER SCORING		MEX	DET
4:32	(DET) T. Johnson 6yd Run (G. Tavecchio Kick)	21	24
0:20	(MEX) M. Gay 44yd FG	24	24
FOURTH QUARTER SCORING		MEX	DET
10:14	(DET) T. Johnson 74yd Run (G. Tavecchio Kick)	24	31
6:56	(DET) G. Tavecchio 43yd FG	24	34
4:44	(MEX) M. Gay 41yd FG	27	34
0:32	(MEX) S. Miller 7yd Pass from H. Bailey (M. Gay Kick)	34	34
OVERTIME SCORING		MEX	DET
4:06	(DET) G. Tavecchio 42yd FG	34	37

Mexico City Golden Eagles PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Nick Fitzgerald 2-8 3 0 1 Hunter Bailey 14-29 156 1 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Kareem Hunt 4 6 1.5 0 Dare Ogunbowale 7 45 6.4 2 Orlando Reynaud 5 19 3.8 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Theodore Kemp 4 67 16.7 0 Scott Miller 2 18 9.0 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD Lamar Arnold 5 2.0 0 0 Jordan Whitehead 4 0 1 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Janarion Grant 7 246 35.1 1

Detroit Lions PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Matt Stafford 5-10 75 0 0 Elijah Schaffer 19-30 243 0 1 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Kerryon Johnson 7 24 3.4 0 Ty Johnson 11 129 11.7 2 Elijah Schaffer 5 56 11.2 1 Jeremy McNichols 3 20 6.6 1 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Jesse James 8 106 13.2 0

[Tritoch42]

Re: ¡Volemos! - Mexico City Golden Eagles Relocation CFM (Owner)

First preseason game was so close, yet so far... There were a lot of places this could have gone better, but there are things to feel good about at least. Nick Fitzgerald, so far, is NOT one. Thanks to the sliders, QB's with low accuracy really behave that way, and he did not look good.

Also, feel free to let me know how you feel about the stylistic changes to game reporting, if you preferred the style I used writing up The Tampa Investment, or if you enjoy this layout instead. I tried going a little more "magazine" and less "newspaper" for this game and tried to add a little more detail into the writeups of the games, as opposed to giant pictures with some short captions.

[Tritoch42]

Re: ¡Volemos! - Mexico City Golden Eagles Relocation CFM (Owner)



First Home Game in Mexico City Brings Electric Atmosphere, Big Win
The first recorded game played at The Eagle's Nest will go down as a win against the defending Super Bowl champions.

Sebastian Ramos
Sports Writer
ElUniversal.com

The atmosphere in Mexico City on Saturday night was one of nonstop festivities. Mexican football fans, eager to celebrate the first game played in Mexico City by a local home franchise, turned out early in the morning to begin tailgating ahead of the evening's game. By the time the opening kickoff hit the air, some fans had been at the stadium for over twelve hours. Thankfully, the Golden Eagles gave their fans exactly what they wanted -- a win in their first home game.

The Golden Eagles come out of the tunnel for their first home game in Mexico City.

The Golden Eagles took the field with the huge energy you might expect from a home debut. Players were visibly amped up on the sidelines, and the ovation from the crowd was thunderous. The entirety of Mexico City was ready for football; but they had a tall task ahead of them facing the defending Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys, who came out quickly and powerfully to show why they were the top team in the league last year.

Ezekiel Elliott rides his blocker into the endzone for a touchdown.

The Cowboys took the opening kickoff and moved down the field against the Golden Eagles at will. Dak Prescott found the receivers he aimed for reliably, and Ezekiel Elliott found all the holes he needed to carve up the Mexico City defense, averaging 8.1 yards per carry in a short day's work. At the end of the opening drive, Elliott pushed his way through from the one yardline, giving the Cowboys an early 7-0 lead. The Golden Eagles, on the other hand, responded by going three-and-out after rookie Hunter Bailey, taking snaps with the first team this week, missed two passes. The fourth round draft pick struggled to find the right reads through the Cowboys' first string defense, and his accuracy didn't always see the ball landing exactly where he wanted.

TE Cameron Brate takes a touch pass on the way to a touchdown run.

Bruce Arians put Bailey in with the first team to see how he could handle full-speed, top-tier NFL defenses, but he may have been influenced by the desire to give the home crowd a great game when he began dialing back the frequency of his pass calls. In turn, his runners stepped up and dug in during the second quarter. Kareem Hunt ran for 105 yards in the first half before his day ended, the longest of which was a 39-yard slashing run that set up Matt Gay's field goal. Then, later on in the quarter, Tight End Cameron Brate took a touch pass on a jet sweep pattern behind the line of scrimmage, cutting across the field and finding daylight for a 19-yard touchdown that put the Golden Eagles ahead, 10-7. After the Cowboys missed a 56-yard field goal attempt, that score held into halftime.

Rookie HB Brian Simpson fumbles just before he would have scored his first NFL rushing touchdown.

For the second half, Bailey was replaced by Nick Fitzgerald, who had a dismal opening quarter in last week's game in Detroit. This week, Fitzgerald looked better composed -- he was, however, only called on to throw nine passes in the second half, as Bruce Arians once again focused on testing his rushing attack. His young offensive linemen did their work well, but when the Golden Eagles were on the verge of a two-possession lead, undrafted rookie running back Brian Simpson fumbled the ball at the goal line. The Cowboys were able to recover the ball, but they would prove unable to make good on the opportunity.

The Cowboys' performance showed that the team has a worrying lack of depth. While Ezekiel Elliot and Dak Prescott handled the Golden Eagle defense well, backup QB Mike White threw two interceptions during his stint on the field, including one that came just minutes after the momentum-shifting goal-line fumble by Simpson. White threw a ball wide of his receiver and into the waiting arms of Golden Eagles CB Carlton Davis III, and the turnover turned into six points against Dallas. Improvising with his receivers covered in the endzone, Nick Fitzgerald scrambled out to his right to score with his legs, running the ball in 9 yards. An attempted two-point conversion to make the lead an even 10 points failed, but the Golden Eagles had secured a lead they wouldn't give up. When Dare Ogunbowale dashed 42 yards for a touchdown near the end of the fourth quarter, the game was all but decided.

With the contest decided, the first true home game ever played in Mexico will go down as a win for the Golden Eagles. Yes, half the game was spent playing against the relatively thin backup roster of the Cowboys, and the result would likely have been very different had the first teams stayed in, but the only thing anyone on the team or in the crowd could talk about was simple: the historic win.

Dallas Cowboys at Mexico City Golden Eagles
Preseason Week 2	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Dallas Cowboys (1-0-0)	7	0	0	0	7
Mexico City Golden Eagles (0-1-0)	0	10	6	7	23

Team Stats Comparison
	DAL	MEX
Total Offense	238	396
Rushing Yards	77	295
Passing Yards	161	101
First Downs	13	19
Punt Return Yards	1	17
Kick Return Yards	38	0
Total Yards	277	413
Turnovers	2	2
3rd Down Conversion	5-11	5-9
4th Down Conversion	0-0	0-0
2-Point Conversion	0-0	0-1
Red Zone Touchdowns/Field Goals	1-1	2-3
Penalties	1-5	0-0
Posession Time	22:30	25:30

Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER SCORING		DAL	MEX
8:09	(DAL) E. Elliott 1yd Run (M. McCrane Kick)	7	0
SECOND QUARTER SCORING		DAL	MEX
11:51	(MEX) M. Gay 43yd FG	7	3
4:22	(MEX) C. Brate 19yd Pass from H. Bailey (M. Gay Kick)	7	10
THIRD QUARTER SCORING		DAL	MEX
5:13	(MEX) N. Fitzgerald 9yd Run (2pt Conversion Failed)	7	16
FOURTH QUARTER SCORING		DAL	MEX
3:28	(MEX) D. Ogunbowale 42yd Run (M. Gay Kick)	8	23

Dallas Cowboys PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Dak Prescott 9-15 96 0 0 Mike White 11-18 103 0 2 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Ezekiel Elliott 7 57 8.1 1 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Dan Arnold 5 66 13.2 0 Ezekiel Elliott 4 34 8.5 0

Mexico City Golden Eagles PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Hunter Bailey 5-9 48 1 0 Nick Fitzgerald 8-9 53 0 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Kareem Hunt 11 105 9.5 0 Ronald Jones II 11 67 6.0 0 Dare Ogunbowale 5 61 12.2 1 Nick Fitzgerald 2 16 8.0 1 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Jordan Leggett 1 32 32.0 0 Cameron Brate 2 19 9.5 1

[djp73]

Re: ¡Volemos! - Mexico City Golden Eagles Relocation CFM (Owner)

looking good so far, liking the uniforms and the stadium, which one is it?
you got me thinking about a relocation chise now too

[djp73]

Re: ¡Volemos! - Mexico City Golden Eagles Relocation CFM (Owner)

can you post your roster?

[Tritoch42]

Re: ¡Volemos! - Mexico City Golden Eagles Relocation CFM (Owner)

looking good so far, liking the uniforms and the stadium, which one is it?
you got me thinking about a relocation chise now too

Thanks! I really like the look of the Mexican-flag colors on the uniform... I think it's a much sharper look than the other options, the Diablos or the Conquistadors. The stadium is the "Deluxe Futuristic" model.

As for the roster, I'll put up the Final 53 once the preseason ends.

[Tritoch42]

Re: ¡Volemos! - Mexico City Golden Eagles Relocation CFM (Owner)



Backups Fail to Impress for Golden Eagles in 30-3 Rout
Bruce Arians tested out the deep end of his roster and learned some key lessons.

Sebastian Ramos
Sports Writer
ElUniversal.com

A week after they won a historic victory against last year's Super Bowl-winning Dallas Cowboys, the Golden Eagles hit the road to travel to New Orleans to face the Saints. Coach Bruce Arians elected to reach deep down onto his depth chart and played a number of distant backups against New Orleans in an attempt to narrow down his gameplan for the cut to 53 at the end of the preseason. The Saints, on the other hand, kept their starters on the field for much of the game, and the results were clear.

Jacoby Brissett was an unexpected acquisition for the Saints in 2020.

The Saints were led by fifth-year QB Jacoby Brissett, whose presence on the team was the source of considerable controversy in New Orleans. After Teddy Bridgewater came in for an injured Drew Brees and led the team into the playoffs, many figured it was a foregone conclusion that Bridgewater would get the big extension and take over as the new face of the team when Brees' injury pushed him into retirement. But the two parties never agreed to a contract and Bridgewater ended up heading to New York to replace another retiring Quarterback, the Giants' Eli Manning. The Saints picked up Brissett in free agency, and with 202 yards and a touchdown, he put on a strong display to silence his doubters.

HB Brian Simpson gives up a fumble that was returned for a Saints touchdown in the second quarter.

But while Brissett was having a strong night, the third- and fourth-string players taking the field for the Golden Eagles did not. For the second straight week, undrafted rookie Brian Simpson gave up a crucial fumble. Last week, he lost the ball on the goal line to sacrifice a potential Golden Eagle touchdown; this week, his loose ball was picked up by fellow rookie, OLB Earl Montgomery, the Saints' first-round, 27th-overall draft pick. Montgomery picked up the fumble and returned it 81 yards, adding to a first-quarter offensive touchdown to put the Saints up 14-3 at halftime.

Equally unimpressive for Mexico City was Quarterback Ryan Griffin, who completed just 2 of his 13 passes for a total of 13 yards. A combination of poor accuracy, bad reads, and drops by his receivers amounted to an uninspiring night for the veteran who has never played in the regular season. By the end of the game, the Golden Eagles as a whole finished with -7 net passing yards and just 149 yards of total offense. About the only things that looked good for the team was its lines. On offense, even new late-round rookie additions like Guards Darren Gordon and Floyd Crocker opened up great lanes for the runners, and the defensive line demonstrated a continued ability to put pressure on Brissett in the backfield.

HB Thomas Rawls hurdles a Golden Eagles defender.

Ultimately, the diversity in talent between the two squads was too much to overcome, and the Golden Eagles were overwhelmed and defeated 30-3. The loss certainly comes as a disappointment to Golden Eagle fans, but Bruce Arians certainly achieved his goal of evaluating his team talent. Some young players, particularly along the offensive line, raised their stock and all but guaranteed that they will have a spot on the final 53-man roster come September. Some -- like Brian Simpson with his two clutch fumbles, and Ryan Griffin whose inaccurate passing and lack of speed relative to his peers -- look like they have little chance, if any, to avoid a cut next week. A few more remain solidly in the middle of the pack, and will need to make the most of next week's opportunity to prove that they belong on the team -- or at least fight their way into a practice squad slot.

The final week of the preseason will see the Golden Eagles hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers. Whether Bruce Arians will give his starters a dress rehearsal for the regular season or continue to work the back end of his roster remains to be seen, but all eyes will be on the Quarterback competition as the preseason enters its final week. Sometime between this week and next, Arians will need to make a decision to start one of his young QBs, or reach into free agency for a veteran signal caller to lead the team through an interim year until a proper future star can be acquired.

Mexico City Golden Eagles at New Orleans Saints
Preseason Week 3	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Mexico City Golden Eagles (1-1-0)	3	0	0	0	3
New Orleans Saints (0-2-0)	7	7	3	13	30

Team Stats Comparison
	MEX	NOR
Total Offense	149	294
Rushing Yards	156	99
Passing Yards	-7	195
First Downs	13	13
Punt Return Yards	10	15
Kick Return Yards	174	0
Total Yards	333	309
Turnovers	3	1
3rd Down Conversion	2-13	5-12
4th Down Conversion	0-3	0-0
2-Point Conversion	0-0	0-0
Red Zone Touchdowns/Field Goals	0-0	4-4
Penalties	0-0	0-0
Posession Time	23:55	24:05

Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER SCORING		MEX	NOR
7:35	(NOR) J. Brown 12yd Pass from J. Brissett	7	0
4:54	(MEX) M. Gay 47yd FG	7	3
SECOND QUARTER SCORING		MEX	NOR
2:59	(NOR) E. Montgomery, Fumbled Returned 81yds	14	3
THIRD QUARTER SCORING		MEX	NOR
5:34	(NOR) W. Lutz 25yd FG	17	3
FOURTH QUARTER SCORING		MEX	NOR
9:26	(NOR) W. Lutz 18yd FG	20	3
7:57	(NOR) T. Rawls, 14yd Run (W. Lutz Kick)	27	3
1:53	(NOR) W. Lutz 44yd FG	30	3

Mexico City Golden Eagles PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Ryan Griffin 2-13 13 0 0 Nick Fitzgerald 1-5 11 0 0 Hunter Bailey 1-2 1 0 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Brian Simpson 11 65 5.9 0 Orlando Reynaud 8 44 5.5 0

New Orleans Saints PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Jacoby Brissett 20-32 202 1 0 J.T. Barrett IV 0-1 0 0 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Latavius Murray 11 20 1.8 0 Thomas Rawls 9 65 7.2 1 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Jaron Brown 8 102 12.7 1