THINGS JUST GOT A LITTLE MORE INTERESTING IN THE EASTERN CONFERENCE AS MIAMI BEHIND A DOMINATING GROUND GAME UPSETS NO.2 RANKED PHILADELPHIA 37-26 ON THE ROAD.
FROM THE OPENING DRIVES THESE TEAMS BOTH SHOWCASED WHY THEY ARE PART OF THE ELITE IN THE LFL WITH BOTH OFFENSES METHODICALLY DRIVING DOWN THE FIELD. SURPRISINGLY, MIAMI HEAD COACH BOB HEWKO WHO IS CONSIDERED A PASS-HEAVY PLAY CALLER EXECUTED A RUN-ORIENTED SCHEME BEHIND THEIR POWER BACK #18 KIKI TOOMBS WHO BULLDOZED THE PHILLY DEFENSE FOR AN LFL RECORD 163YDS. MIAMI’S RUNNING ATTACK NOT ONLY KEPT THE MOMENTUM WITH CALIENTE THROUGHOUT THE FIRST HALF, IT ALSO SILENCED ONE OF THE LOUDEST CROWDS IN THE LEAGUE LEADING AT HALFTIME 15-12.
THE PASSION CONTINUED IT’S OFFENSIVE MOMENTUM FROM THE NEW YORK GAME BEHIND THE PLAY OF ALL-FANTASY RUNNING BACK #13 TYRAH LUSBY WHO ALSO HAD AN IMPRESSIVE OUTING WITH 95YDS ON 14 CARRIES. WHILE THE RUN GAME WAS CLICKING ON ALL CYLINDERS WITH LUSBY AND #14 CHERYL FAIRWEATHER, THE PASSION PASSING GAME EXPOSED SOME HOLES. PHILLY QUARTERBACK #1 JACKIE DANICO WHO CAME INTO FRIDAY NIGHT’S GAME WITH HIGH-EXPECTATIONS OFTEN STRUGGLED AND COULD NOT COMPLETE ANYTHING BEYOND A SCREEN PASS FINISHING THE GAME WITH ONLY 18YDS PASSING. DUE TO DANICO’S INABLITY TO STRETCH THE FIELD THE MIAMI DEFENSE KEYED ON THE PASSION RUN GAME WITH A COUPLE KEY STOPS IN THE SECOND HALF.
AS EXPECTED BOTH DEFENSES GAVE UP BIG YARDAGE AGAINST PERHAPS TWO OF THE BEST OFFENSES IN THE LEAGUE. IN ADDITION TO TOOMBS YARDS ON THE GROUND THERE WAS A PARTICULAR PLAYER BATTLE THAT DREW A LOT OF THRILLS FROM THE CROWD. ONE OF THE PASSION’S SMALLEST PLAYERS CORNERBACK #10 JAMIE DIAMONDS WITH THE PERHAPS THE BIGGEST HEART, TOKE ON THE MIAMI POWER BACK OFTEN COLLIDING AT FULL-SPEED TO BIG CHEERS FROM THE CROWD. OUTSIDE OF DIAMOND’S PERFORMANCE, THE REMAINDER OF THE PASSION DEFENSE PLAYED WITH NO INTENSITY OR URGENCY AND GAVE UP A SEASON-HIGH 199YDS. THERE WAS POOR TACKLING AND AN ABSENCE OF ANY PASS RUSH. A WEEK EARLIER, NEW YORK’S OFFENSE WHICH HAD ONLY BEEN TOGETHER FOR 3 WEEKS UNDER THEIR COACHING AND PLAYBOOK CHANGE RAN UP 174YDS ON THIS PASSION DEFENSE. IN ORDER TO COMPETE FOR A CHAMPIONSHIP, PHILLY HEAD COACH CHANDLER BROWN WILL NEED TO DEVELOP HIS DEFENSE TO MATCH-UP AGAINST THE PROFLIFIC OFFENSES OF THE MIAMI CALIENTE AND CHICAGO BLISS OF THE EASTERN CONFERENCE. |
| final stats |
| |
miami |
philly |
FIRST DOWNS |
11 |
10 |
Rushing |
11 |
8 |
Passing |
0 |
0 |
Penalty |
0 |
1 |
NET YARDS RUSHING |
189 |
146 |
Rushing Attempts |
22 |
18 |
Average Per Rush |
8.6 |
8.1 |
Rushing Touchdowns |
5 |
4 |
NET YARDS PASSING |
10 |
18 |
Completions-Attempts-Int |
2-5-0 |
3-7-2 |
Average Per Attempt |
2.0 |
2.6 |
Average Per Completion |
5.0 |
6.0 |
Passing Touchdowns |
0 |
0 |
TOTAL OFFENSE YARDS |
199 |
164 |
Total offense plays |
27 |
25 |
Average Gain Per Play |
7.4 |
6.6 |
Fumbles: Number-Lost |
0-0 |
1-1 |
Penalties: Number-Yards |
2-12 |
1-10 |
| touchdowns (rush-pass-return) |
5-0-0 |
4-0-0 |
|
MIAMI’S DEFENSE ALSO COULD NOT MANAGE TO THE CONTAIN THE PASSION RUNING ATTACK OFTEN ALLOWING LUSBY TO RUN AT WILL. THE BRIGHTSPOT FOR THE CALIENTE DEFENSE WAS THE PLAY OF THEIR SECONDARY LED BY ALL-FANTASY SAFETY TINA CACCAVALE WHO WAS THE GAME’S MVP REGISTERING 5 SOLO TACKLES, 7 ASSISTS AND 2 INTERCEPTIONS.
WITH THIS CALIENTE WIN, SUDDENLY THE EASTERN CONFERENCE HAS BECOME A WIDE-OPEN RACE WITH THE CHICAGO BLISS BECOMING THE FAVORITE WITH A 1-0 RECORD. SEVERAL KEY EASTERN CONFERENCE MATCH-UPS COMING UP IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER WILL HAVE SERIOUS PLAYOFF IMPLICATIONS.
CHICAGO IS IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT AT 1-0 BEATING MIAMI AT HOME, WHILE PHILADELPHIA AT 1-1 WILL NEED TO RUN THE TABLE AS WILL MIAMI AT 1-1 AND NEW YORK AT 0-1 TO HAVE A SHOT A THE THE CONFERENCE PLAYOFFS. TAMPA REMAINS A MYSTERY NOT HAVING PLAYED A GAME YET. |
