AFLL Week in Review (Week 14)
ORIGINALS 107 at Birds of Prey 7
GAME STORY: Originals (6-8) QB DREW BREES followed up his top quarterback honours from Week 13 with another epic performance. The Texas native threw and threw some more to the tune of 1221 yards, 15 touchdowns and one interception. The Originals didn’t run the ball once Thursday night, but RB EARL CAMPBELL was second on the team with 20 receptions and 267 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Birds of Prey drop to 1-13 but RB EMMITT SMITH made sure it wasn’t on his shoulders with a 100-yard rushing performance on 22 carries. WR ANDRE RISON caught eight balls for 156 yards and a touchdown for BOP, who remain in last spot in the AFLL.
GAME BALLS: (O) – Brees had a lot of help from TE VERNON DAVIS who caught 21 passes for 441 yards and six touchdowns, the big tight end had 150 yards after the catch.
(D) – Originals DL RICHARD DENT had a double-digit sack performance with 11.
Heroes FC 59 at IMMORTALS 100
GAME STORY: The Immortals (11-3) kept their Don Shula Division title hopes alive with a 41-point win over Heroes FC (7-7) who saw their playoff chances take a big hit on Thursday night. The game was close at the half with Immortals leading 41-38 but the home side outscored the visitors 59-21 the rest of the way. QB BRETT FAVRE led the way with 1011 passing yards and 10 touchdowns. RB TONY DORSETT and RB GALE SAYERS helped out with three combined rushing touchdowns. Heroes FC QB STEVE YOUNG was a turnover machine with seven, while TE TONY GONZALEZ, WR TIM BROWN and WR RAYMOND BERRY each had a couple of receiving touchdowns.
GAME BALLS: (O) – Immortals WR TERRELL OWENS had the performance of the week for his position with 18 receptions, 615 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.
(D) – DB EMMITT THOMAS was everywhere for the Immortals with 12 tackles and a team leading seven knockdowns.
Throwbacks 49 at BEOWULF 67
GAME STORY: Beowulf (8-6) all but sealed the Walter Camp Division title and a playoff spot with their victory over division rivals, the Throwbacks (6-8). QB BART STARR had one of the top QB performances of the week for Beowulf with his 910 passing yards and seven touchdowns. RB ERIC METCALF was contained but WR DON HUTSON picked up some of the offence with 208 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Throwbacks QB TERRY BRADSHAW did not help out his team with four interceptions and two fumbles. RB FRANCO HARRIS ran in a couple of scores and the always available TE KEITH JACKSON caught 18 balls for a game high 382 yards plus a couple of TDs.
GAME BALLS: (O) – Beowulf TE DAVE CASPER caught 44 per cent of Starr’s completions with 19 for 329 yards and two touchdowns.
(D) – Throwbacks DL ROBERT MATHIS had seven sacks for the losing side.
FURY 68 at Time Bandits 66
GAME STORY: Fury (13-1) took one step closer to a first-round bye in the AFLL playoffs with their thrilling win over the Time Bandits (9-5). QB PEYTON MANNING had another meh performance thanks to his eight interceptions but managed to go over 1000 yards again and toss in seven touchdowns. WR TORRY HOLT had an incredible 31 receptions for 385 yards plus a touchdown and WR MARVIN HARRISON went over 300 yards on just six receptions and had three touchdowns. Time Bandits WR ERIC DECKER wouldn’t be outdone also with 31 catches for a game high 399 yards and caught a couple touchdowns.
GAME BALLS: (O) – Time Bandits QB FRAN TARKENTON did everything he could to try to keep his team in the playoff conversation with 891 yards, seven touchdowns and no interceptions.
(D) – Fury DB JOHN LYNCH had 16 tackles, three knockdowns and one forced fumble.
GOATS 52 at EOD Demo Gods 20
GAME STORY: GOATS (11-3) took over sole possession of the Jim Thorpe Division with an impressive road win over EOD Demo Gods (10-4). EOD could not follow up their impressive performance knocking off previous unbeaten Fury the week before. TE OZZIE NEWSOME (235), TE JASON WITTEN (162) and WR STEVE LARGENT (138) all had 100+ yard performances for the GOATS. EOD QB WARREN MOON only had 38 passing attempts as the GOATS controlled the game clock. Moon had 306 passing yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. TE MARK BAVARRO led the way again with team high’s in receptions (6), yards (149) and touchdowns (1).
GAME BALLS: (O) – GOATS QB OTTO GRAHAM didn’t have one of his huge days through the air but ended up with 633 yards, five touchdowns and one interception.
(D) – LB WILBER MARSHALL had nine tackles and one sack for the GOATS.
FanCentric Frenzy 55 at ANVILS 65
GAME STORY: Another fantastic game from Week 14 saw the Anvils (10-4) clinch the Tony Dungy Division title with a thrilling win over FanCentric Frenzy (7-7). QB JOE MONTANA had to offset his five turnovers with 774 passing yards and seven touchdowns for the Anvils. RB WALTER PAYTON had a dazzling 69-yard touchdown reception from Montana. Frenzy QB RANDALL CUNNINGHAM (710-5-2) hooked up with TE JACKIE SMITH all day long with Smith finishing the day with 36 receptions, 392 yards and four touchdowns.
GAME BALLS: (O)- Anvils WR JOHN STALLWORTH was unstoppable with 11 receptions for 432 yards and four touchdowns.
(D) – Frenzy DB JIMMY JOHNSON had 11 tackles, two interceptions and two knockdowns.
ELITE 76 at Valhalla 17
GAME STORY: The first Monday night game was all Elite (5-9), who never took their foot off the gas pedal scoring 30 fourth quarter points when the game was all but decided. Valhalla (3-11) will be keeping this game in the back of their mind when the two division rivals face off in 2023. Elite QB JOHN ELWAY threw 15 of his 37 completions to RB’s including four to RB ERIC DICKERSON, who ended up with 74 combined yards and two touchdowns. As for Valhalla QB MICHAEL VICK, he had a tough time keeping his team on the field with his four turnovers. TE GREG OLSEN was the big target for Vick, with eight receptions for 202 yards and a couple of touchdowns.
GAME BALLS (O) – Elite RB EDDIE GEORGE didn’t need to run the ball once on Monday, he was too busy catching 11 passes for a game high 217 yards and three touchdowns.
(D) – Elite DL LEN FORD was the star of the week for the entire league with 21 sacks and two forced fumbles, ridiculous.
HUNTERS 30 at Diamonds 16
GAME STORY: Two teams thinking about next year, closed out Week 14 with the Hunters (3-11) getting past the Diamonds (2-12). Hunters QB DAN MARINO had a modest 297 passing yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. RB CURTIS MARTIN tossed in a combined 92 yards of offence and a touchdown. No one went over 100 yards receiving in this game, but Diamonds TE JIMMIE GILES came close with nine receptions for 80 yards.
GAME BALLS (O) – Someone had to get a game ball, so WR ANDRE JOHNSON and his eight catches for 83 yards and a touchdown was the best we could find.
(D)- Hunters DL CORTEZ KENNEDY had a game high three sacks.