PFL 2019-20 Half-season report card
by Ryan Sollis
After ten weeks of action, everyone has completed nine games in league play. We have graded all 16 teams’ progress to date:
PFL EAST
Landor 96ers (6-3) – B+
The 96ers have been a great defensive team, led by DE Vin Marshall, who has become an elite pass rusher. The offence is still good, but there are signs that veteran QB Kurt Sierra is perhaps coming to the finish line sooner rather than later. Continue reading PFL Half-season report card
Crystal Bowl XLIX (49) | PFL Championship 2018-19
1st Quarter: Continue reading Crystal Bowl XLIX – Tigers claim win in defensive showpiece
PFL features | The Long Snapper
Hands up who knows who is the Long Snapper for the Ballymore Tigers? Anyone? No? Um, how about for the champion Landor Knights? Still no? Well, meet the position where fame is not sought, if you’re getting attention, you may be doing it wrong. Welcome to the world of the most unheralded position in Football. I give you the Long Snapper.
It wasn’t even considered a proper position, deserving of a specialist roster spot until the 1990s. Yep. The backups often got a roster spot on their ability to long snap. The teams started taking in more seriously after some key games, where missed field goals and extra points had been attributed to botched snaps. one by one they reserved a roster spot for someone who could specialise in getting the ball to the punter and to the holder on place kicks. Nowadays it is an accepted position, but is it respected? Continue reading Unloved, unnoticed and irreplaceable: The story of the Long Snapper
Rochester Trojans vs Landor 96ers| Sunday March 4th 2018.
The big game is almost upon us, here are the key matchups:
QB Ryan Bruce vs ‘Sixers Defence
Ryan Bruce has been calm and composed as he led the number 7 seed past number one and two seeds away from home. He has not faced a defence like this before. Rookie DE Vin Marshall has broken pass rushing records and been a revolution to this defence. ‘Can Bruce buy enough time to get the passes off?’ will be key question we look to on Sunday. WR Jason Galant is listed as probable for the game, after limping out of the semi-final.
QB Kurt Sierra & Asante Brown vs Trojans Defence
Kurt Sierra has been a master of the aerial arts throughout his career, but has he played this mystery scheme of the Trojans. Coordinator Ian Rudolph has dreamed up some creative systems to confuse both the Wasps’ and Stars’ attacks. If Sierra and co can figure it out, they will be hard to beat. Asante ‘Downtown’ Brown is perhaps the best open field receiver.
Trojans Run Game
The Rochester run game has depth, both Ray Shell and DeAngelo Jenkins gained 1,000 yards, as they marched through the defences as the top running tandem. You don’t get a down off where you can be facing a top runner. The 96ers will need to rotate their line to keep fresh if the Trojan ground game gets going.
So how will it all play out next Sunday? Who are you picking?
PFL PLAYOFFS 2018 | Road to the Crystal Bowl
The quarter-finals are in the bag and we are down to the final four teams. With one Sunday left to prove the teams worthy of the Crystal Bowl, it is time to step up!
Rochester Trojans 30- 27 Chakota Wasps
We may have seen the end of an era, with Billy Humphrey, 42, perhaps playing in his last PFL game. His opposite number, Ryan Bruce led a commanding performance in the Wasps’ Nest. Completing 20 of 30 for over 300 yards and three scores, Bruce showed the playoff poise that he has lacked in his previous attempts. If he can do this in Hallas, the Trojans will be going to the big one! Continue reading Quarter-Finals: A legend bows out, Bulldogs best champs, semi-finals set.
The 2017-18 regular season has just two weeks left to play, but there are an astonishing 12 teams vying for the eight playoff spots! In two weeks time four of these teams will be on the outside looking in. We may know more next weekend, as losses eliminate Ballymore and Adelphia from contention.
The Outsiders;How do either Adelphia or Ballymore get in?
Both teams can get in with two wins, to get to 9-9 and they need other teams to lose both. The Phoenix’s extra-time win over the Melborg Giants was enough to keep them alive, so wins against the 96ers and Knights could let them sneak in.
The Tigers have to beat the Hawks and then the Bulldogs at home. Similar scenario.
Who is in already?
The Landor 96ers, Hallas Stars and Caligara Bulldogs have all guaranteed themselves top spots in their division and will be seeded. The Chakota Wasps are currently atop the PFL Central, however the Oakland Ravens and Rochester Trojans are both 10-6 and could end up topping the division with two wins. It is all to play for.
The defending champions, the New Chester Knights are almost secure in a spot.
On the Cusp
The Knights, Trojans and Ravens are all one win away from sealing their places, this means that the three 8-8 teams are vying for the latter spots- Eregon Eagles, Melborg Giants and St. George Sharks. Basically, keep winning to get in is the key!
Week 20 will see the Wasps play the Ravens and Eagles against the Sharks, so it looks to go right down to the wire.
UFB_ NUSA Champions Bowl 2018 |
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
ET |
FT |
|
|
#2 OLASKAS |
0 |
14 |
10 |
7 |
– |
31 |
|
#1 OHARA |
10 |
3 |
14 |
7 |
– |
34 |
The 2018 Champions Bowl crowned the Ohara Scarlets as the top team in First Class Football (FCF). This game had everything for the neutral fan, including the heroic ending of the championship drive, ending when sophomore QB Tayvon Coles found Lonnie Charles with 1:19 left. Continue reading UFB: Champions Bowl ’18 – A game for the ages
UFB | Champions Bowl | 1 Ohara vs 2 Olaskas | USN
The grand final of the NUSA University Football (UFB) season in Eboria ends tonight with the Champions Bowl!
The Number one and number two ranked Universities in Eboria will meet as the #1 Ohara University Scarlets go up against the #2 Univeristy of Olaskas Maroons. The tournament provided little shocks this year, as the seedings proved mostly accurate.
Both teams play strong defences and have good mobile quarterback play. Olaskas junior QB Brad Carson is agile and accurate, Ohara’s sophmore sensation is Tayvon Coles, who is a scrambler with a big arm. Both teams have good blocking Forwards and 2-3 good backs too, so establishing the ground game could be key.
Welcome to 2018, here’s to a fabulous New Year from all of us here at the PFL.
Looking forward to the Champions Bowl on Saturday January 6th and Crystal Bowl XLVIII on 4th March.
Week Fifteen | PFL | Season 2017-18
With five weeks to go, this is crunch time. The last game of the year normally sends out a statement as to how the regular season will end. Manifesting destiny, they call it.
Ballymore Tigers 21 – 34 Caligara Bulldogs
Ballymore were trounced early by Caligara’s ground and pound approach to the first half. This set up perfect play-action to Max Buchanon and Seth Slater in the third quarter and it was soon 34-14.
Chakota Wasps 25 – 27 Rochester Trojans
The Trojans got a key divisional victory in this game. Now there are three teams fixed at 9-4 in the PFL Central. Divisional wins could be key. Ryan Bruce threw for 317 yards and two scores, including the game winning drive for the winning Field Goal.
Eregon Eagles 28 – 19 Iomagh Steelers
Eregon kept themselves in the playoff race with a win over the increasingly hapless Iomagh Steelers side. At 6-7, the Eagles can still make a late push for the knockout phase.
Oakland Ravens 30 – 31 Landor Knights
The Ravens are kicking themselves after a missed field goal as time expired lost them this game. A game that they should never had a chance of winning! The Knights were leading 24-3 at halftime, dominating up front. A third quarter pick six and fumble recovery set up the fight back. Tomkowski snuck in to make it 30-24 in the fourth quarter. This allowed Elijah Brooks to march downfield and find Cooks in the endzone for the final score.
San Angelo Miners 20 – 34 Adelphia Phoenix
The Miners were without Brandon Mullen, and it showed. The Phoenix took control early and led 13-3 at the half. Adelphia QB Matt Kelly is coming back to fitness and form and he threw for 289 yards and three TD tosses.
Hallas Stars 26 – 31 Melborg Giants
The Giants are still in it! A mid-season comeback has helped the Giants continue to stay relevant. Their strong defence shit down Hallas for three Quarters and they led 17-10. Even though Hallas came back, the Melborg men had enough left in the tank to claim the victory.
The Professional Football League of Eboria 