Monday Night Fight!

PFL Season 2017-18 | Week Eleven | Monday Night Game

   OAKLAND RAVENS  16
   CHAKOTA WASPS 15

	1	2	3	4	ET	FT
OAKLAND	3	3	3	7	–	16
CHAKOTA	2	3	3	7	–	15

From the Wasps’ Nest, Chakota.

What a war it was on Monday Night between divisional rivals Chakota and Oakland. Both teams defence’s were on top and the game was full of brutal, albeit legal hits and tackles. Tempers flared over at times, but the referees seemed to keep their cool when other’s did not.

This was not a game for those who enjoy flashy high scoring games, for the defensive knock-down, hustling, bustling fight- this was a game for you!

At the end of the first quarter, it was 3-2 , with a Philips field goal and a Tomkowski rogue (safety for US fans), when he was tackled in his own end zone.

In the second and third quarters, both teams could only trade field goals. Humphrey had thrown four picks and Tomkowski two. each team had lost two fumbles and given up nine penalties.

The Wasps thought they had won it when Wiley returned a punt 76 yards for the score, however. The Ravens managed to make one decent drive, going 86 yards for the score. Dante Fulcher dived into the endzone from a yard out on 3rd and goal with 4:19 left to play.  The Wasps got the ball back but could not move the chains.

The Ravens go ahead of the Wasps in PFL Central. Brutal game, compulsive viewing.

Ravens at 5-0, but where is the love?

Oakland Ravens | PFL | Season 2017-18

By Ryan Solis, PFL Reporter.

The Oakland Ravens are the only undefeated team after five rounds of the PFL season. They have been the only truly consistent team this year, so whay have they not been getting the love and appreciation that Landor were getting last year?

No Razzle Dazzle?

The main difference between the 2016 Landor Knights and the 2017 Oakland Ravens is showmanship. You had the capital city, bright lights, a little bit of styling and profiling, dabbing, charisma. The Ravens have been saying and doing the right things- just it has been a little too low-key for TV! Some say boring, even. Tom Tomkowski, or ‘TOM2’ is a brand, but he’s been playing to the part lines, been a team player. This is a very good thing, but it doesn’t raise the profile. That is how the Ravens seem to like it, though.

Option Kings?

Tom Tomkowski is a good all-rounder. The team have been successfully implementing triple option and read-option plays into their schemes. With a league that apart from a few prefer the air-raid passing attacks, this is a novelty. You played against it in UFB, but not so much in the PFL. This is showing to be a good option for the Ravens so far.

Defensive Showing?

The Ravens’ defence has played very well to date, only conceding 60 points in five games, 7 points of the 67 came from a kick return. They have shown a lot of discipline in sticking to their roles and allowing the combined talent to shine. This reminds me a lot of the New England Patriots ‘do your job’  mantra. So far, so good.

Only five games in

Part of the lack of hype has been that we are only five games in, less than a third of the season played out. The hype will definitely grow if they continue to win as the weeks go by. No one is expecting an  18-0 team in this new 16 team set-up. You play everyone nowadays. My thoughts are that the team are happy flying a little under the radar, just taking things week by week.

Without making headlines or seeking attention, the Ravens are clearly doing it their way- as a team. Best of luck to them.