CHILL, ERLER SURPRISE BUT ULTIMATELY FALL SHORT IN SEATTLE, 55-36

The Green Bay Chill had high expectations entering Saturday night’s game in Seattle. Coming off a disappointing 1-3 season, the Chill were hoping to start 2013 off right with an upset win on the road in the most hostile building in the LFL, the ShoWare Center. Despite being a huge underdog, the Chill started their bout with Seattle in exciting fashion, matching the Mist blow for blow in the first half.

After Seattle’s rookie running back Mele Rich drew first blood with a touchdown on their opening drive, Green Bay’s Anne Erler came right back at Seattle, running all the way from midfield through the Mist defense for a touchdown. The Mist took two more scores on the legs of LaShaunda Fowler and Shuree Hyatt to open up their advantage to 20-6 with just over 2 minutes remaining in the 2nd quarter. However, under the confident arm of Anne Erler, the Chill fought back with two touchdowns of their own pulling to within two points to end the half trailing 20-18.

Shuree Hyatt, the eventual game MVP, earned her accolade with an exceptional 3rd quarter. She had two touchdowns this quarter as well as a crucial drive killing interception that knocked the Chill back into reality. The score was 35-18 to start the 4th, and Green Bay needed to find an answer quickly in order to keep things from getting out of hand.

The Chill emerged with just under 7 minutes in the game with a touchdown from their new big weapon Danielle Jorgenson only to have Seattle’s Jessica Hopkins find the end zone on the Mist’s next possession. Green Bay’s Anna Heasman ran into the end zone to try and build momentum, but again Seattle responded with a score of their own.

The Green Bay Chill were more than surprising in this game. Very few expected them to score as often as they did against this fast and revitalized Mist defense. Through sheer tenacity, Anne Erler and her Chill teammates kept things close for much longer than the ShoWare Center would have hoped. Unfortunately for the Chill, Seattle was just too relentless to keep up with. The Mist kept finding ways to score and demoralize the Chill for the remainder of the game, wrapping up a satisfying 55-36 win to start their season.

Green Bay will head back to Wisconsin in search of a way to hone in on the flashes of greatness that were displayed Saturday night. Meanwhile, head coach Chris Michaelson and his Seattle Mist will try and parlay their win tonight into a run at the Western Conference. The next test for Seattle, and perhaps their most important game of the season comes next month as they travel to Los Angeles to take on the 3-time reigning LFL champions on May 4th.

Atlanta Finds Redemption on the Legs of Sweetness as They Scorch Omaha 42-6

The Atlanta Steam have quieted the skeptics who said a winless first season was probable. With a lopsided 42-6 victory over the Omaha Heart, the Steam claim their historic first win in franchise history, putting their harsh season opener far behind them.

The Steam looked confident on Saturday Night. From the moment they took the field under the red lights and roaring crowd at The Arena at Gwinnett Center, this group of women had an aura of toughness about them. It was as if the loss that took place two weeks ago in Jacksonville instilled a nothing-to-lose mentality. Their defense played angry, their running backs lowered their shoulders, and quarterback Brittany Morgan’s true colors as a leader surfaced with a vengeance. Atlanta head coach Ray Norell implemented a Georgia Tech style triple option running game that had the Omaha defense guessing on every play. Sweetness and Nas, who were nowhere to be found in week one, were endzone magnets.

Game MVP Nasira “Nas” Johnson scored on Atlanta’s first drive to put a nervous chill through the Omaha bench. The score was only 8-0, but the ease at which the Steam drove down the field was foretelling of the success they’d have Saturday night. Two more touchdowns from Cynthia “Sweetness” Freeman gave Atlanta all the swagger they needed to walk calmly into the locker room at halftime. Omaha was trailing 21-0 and needed to find something to be positive about after getting stopped on the Atlanta goal line late in the first half.

Mind you, not only was Atlanta’s running game impressive, what with their misdirections and counter plays, but the true bright spot for this team was the intensity of their defense. Their style of play was the sort that riles up a crowd. They tackle right on the border of what’s legal. They close line weaker ball carriers. They throw their opponents to the ground, and are not shy to a start and finish a fight when things get dicey at the end of a play. The dominating power of Colette “Coco” Montgomery and Alexandria Stone had the Omaha players looking at each other, each saying, “you take the ball…No…you take the ball.”

Omaha struggled to move the ball and suffered the killer drops and busted plays that tend to plague a rookie team on opening night. Despite showing great toughness, Omaha quarterback Linsey Noble forced too many passes downfield. Her key target tonight was Kelsey Lane, who’s great size enabled her to find mismatches and get open often. She’ll need to work on her speed, but the chemistry between her and Noble is a positive light that Omaha will work to center around moving forward.

The second half was all Atlanta again. Sweetness capped off a 3rd quarter drive with another powering rushing touchdown, her third of the night. Brittany Morgan completed her first passing touchdown of her career, after Jodie Nettles found herself in the right spot at the right time, catching a deflected pass in the end zone. Omaha found the end zone late in the fourth, but it was far too little far too late.

Atlanta made a statement with an Alfye Gore pick six to end their franchise home debut and found themselves circling the middle of the field in celebration. This 42-6 victory will give the Steam a little hop in their step as they head back to practice on Monday. Coach Norell will sleep well tonight knowing he’s coached a winning team in a league that is growing with more talent every day, but he knows the season for the Steam is only half way done. There is still much more to prove for this young team from Atlanta.

It was a dicey evening in Chicago tonight as the LA Temptation headed into the Sears Centre Arena to take on a Bliss team that is loaded with talent. Despite the harsh weather that poured over northern Illinois this week, Bliss fans filled the arena in hopes that quarterback Heather Furr and company could shock the LFL and take down the three-time reigning champions. The Bliss came out swinging…literally.

Bliss running back Chrisdell Harris brought both speed and aggression to the field. Just one minute into the game she broke into the secondary at mid-field and stunned the LA bench with a rushing touchdown to start things off. As she high stepped into the end zone, Harris’s swagger was only building and spreading throughout the rest of her team.

LA showed why they are the three-time LFL champions on the next drive, marching down the field and capping a 35 yard drive with an Ashley Salerno rushing touchdown to tie things up at 6 all.

Meanwhile, Bliss quarterback/safety Heather Furr was boiling and ready to go right back at the LA defense. The Bliss charged down the field on the legs of Chrisdell Harris, not shying away from the vicious fights that defined the intensity of this game. Punches were thrown and choice words were exchanged after nearly every play that ended in a dog-pile. When the smoke cleared, Furr was able to scamper in for a touchdown that gave Chicago the lead.

There was still time left on the clock however, and once again, All-Fantasy quarterback Ashley Salerno took to her legs rather than her arm and ran with force over the hard nosed Chicago defenders. She tied up the game with her second rushing touchdown of the game and took in the 1-point conversion herself as well. LA went into the locker room up by just one point, and the Sears Centre Arena was host to a real fight between two unrelenting teams. Literally… as the two teams headed into the tunnel, their proximity to one another spiked into a fight between Bliss defensive end Yahshi Rice and a few of the Temptation players.

After they were broken up, LA and Chicago went their separate ways and looked to retain some of that ferocity in the second half. Bliss head coach Keith Hac went into a rage of his own in the locker room in an attempt to fire up his girls and finish this game with a win. Unfortunately they just couldn’t stop making the small mistakes.

Fumbled pitches by Heather Furr led to turnovers that gave LA great field position. LA’s Wide Receiver/defensive end Chloe Butler managed her first touchdown of the season capitalizing on a Chicago turnover and giving LA a 19 – 12 lead with 5:30 remaining in the 3rd. Quarterback Ashley Salerno made a physical statement on the 2-point conversion attempt, lowering her shoulder and laying the wood on Bliss safety Alli Alberts. Although the conversion was no good, the Temptation bench was surging with confidence as the girls on Chicago wobbled off the field. Alberts was diagnosed with a concussion and did not return to the game.

Chicago’s Chrisdell Harris, picked the Bliss up off the ground and ran with more power and speed than the LFL has seen this year. Lowering her shoulder into the end zone, Harris brought the Bliss back to within one point heading into the 4th quarter.

It was at this point that LA broke out of their shell and showed the rest of the league what championship defense is all about. They pressured Furr and forced a turnover on downs deep in Chicago territory. Danielle Harvey extended LA’s lead with a receiving touchdown to put them up 25-18.

With six minutes left in the game, Chicago was in dire straights and needed Furr and Harris to assemble a game tying drive. Despite some big plays from receiver Laura Petersen, Temptation cornerback Ogom Chijindu scooped up a fumble and took it to the house to all but seal the deal for LA. Heather Furr was simply unable to elude the pressure brought by Chloe Butler and the Temptation defensive front. Meanwhile Ashley Salerno displayed serious toughness, leading her team to a convincing 31-18 road win to open their 2013 season.

Chicago will have to find a way to get better protection for Furr heading into their next game against Las Vegas on May 10th. Meanwhile, the LA Temptation continue to hold their position as the team to beat in the LFL. They’ll look to carry this momentum into their next game on May 4th when they host a hot Seattle Mist team in Los Angeles.

Michaelson, Creel Pull of Biggest Win in Mist Franchise History

The team to beat in the Western Conference has officially changed. The week leading up to Saturday night’s crucial matchup was filled with talks that Seattle can’t compete with the experience and tenacity of LA. Laurel Creel was considered the thorn in the side of a talented Mist team who may succumb to bad decisions and costly mistakes. Mist head coach Chris Michaelson was facing a team on the road that he had never beaten. The Mist were simply outclassed in this Pacific Division rivalry, and wouldn’t be able to keep up with the 3-time reigning champions.

By the end of the first quarter, this proved to not be the case. It was business as usual for the Temptation early in the game as they capitalized on a Seattle fumble, and then scored on a pass from Salerno to Margulies. However, the pace of the game was set on the ensuing Seattle drive. Staring at a horrific start to the biggest game of their LFL careers, this Seattle Mist team drove right back down the throats of LA behind the poise of Laurel Creel and the hands of Christine Moore to pull to within one point heading into the second.

Again, the veteran linebacker Monique Gaxiola proved her worth to this crippled LA defense with a pick six that was returned to the house. Cheers from the Citizens Business Bank Arena roared in hopes that Seattle’s signal caller would let the moment get to big for her. Seattle trailed 14-6 with 5 minutes remaining in the 1st half.

At this point, all signs pointed to Seattle shooting themselves in the foot with costly mistakes and drops that were sure to continue. Again, the crowd was wrong. The Mist, on the legs of Mele Rich, were able to drive back down the field and pull to within two. It was 14-12 LA heading into halftime, and all of a sudden it was clear that neither team was outclassed.

This wash’t a case of veterans getting too cocky and not preparing fully for this game. Nor was the first half a matter of one team getting lucky to remain in the game, while the other is simply waiting to start dominating. No, at halftime, both teams feared they might lose.

One of the key factors in the outcome of tonight’s game was the play of LA quarterback Ashley Salerno. She was ultimately a shell of herself. She had time in the pocket, but her receivers just couldn’t get open. She had receivers open but couldn’t keep her eyes downfield. She had room to run but kept trying to force throws rather than just tuck it and display her toughness as a ball-carrier. As she fumbled one of the many bad snaps from replacement center Laura Barba, Salerno fell into the end zone for what could have been a measly safety and two points for the Mist. Instead she chose to pick up the ball and force a throw downfield, which landed right in the hands of Seattle’s Shuree Hyatt who jogged into the end zone for a 18-14 lead with 6:08 remaining in the 3rd.

The Temptation wouldn’t go down without a fight though. On the legs of Salerno, who finally decided to scramble, tuck the ball, and run, LA drove down the field. They retook the lead late in the 3rd quarter with a touchdown run from their quarterback.

The next drive for Seattle would prove defining for the franchise, coach, and quarterback. They were fearless in throwing the ball against a vicious pass LA pass rush led by Chloe Butler who had plenty of sacks on the day. Creel was sacked, but showed no signs of slowing. With 1:29 seconds left in the game, Laurel Creel evaded pressure, stepped up in the pocket, scrambles along the line of scrimmage and found Riki Creger-Zier in the end zone for the game deciding score. The Mist were up 24-20, while LA had to figure out a plan to remain undefeated.

Equally impressive was Seattle defensive stand. They pressured Salerno just as they had all night. She was ineffective, the team was rattled (getting a costly unsportsmanlike conduct penalty this late is not characteristic of a championship team), and the Mist defense was one play away from snagging the most unlikely road win in LFL history. On 4th and long, Salerno dropped back and heaved the ball deep down field in one last attempt at victory. The ball hit the ground, and Seattle took the field to call the victory formation.

Chris Michaelson has pulled off the biggest win in franchise history, and game MVP Laurel Creel has finally laid to rest all the skepticism surrounding her as an elite quarterback. Seattle wins 24-20 in LA! The Mist are now the team to beat in the West and possibly the league!

“The Ferrari” Shines in Chicago as the Bliss Take Down Vegas 34-12

Friday night in Chicago was a night to remember for Bliss fans as one of the most electrifying players in the league put on a show and took down one of the most talented teams in the league with ease. Bliss running back Chrisdell “Ferrari” Harris ran all night long against a Vegas Sin team that simply couldn’t keep up with her. Harris’s four rushing touchdowns helped Chicago get back on track in their hunt for the playoffs. Meanwhile the blistering pace set by the Bliss offense shattered Vegas’s hopes of starting 2013 off right.

This game, as is usual when the Bliss play, was a physical contest from start to finish. Big hit after big hit kept the fans on their feet as defensive end Yahshi Rice and free safety Heather “Rockstar” Furr were stubborn in both getting to the backfield early and finishing tackles strong. After a great kickoff return from Shalina Taylor to start the game, Chrisdell Harris ran in her first of four TDs less than one minute into the game. Vegas made a valiant drive to try and tie things up but suffered a crushing early-season miscue in the form of a fumbled reverse play. Yahshi Rice, one of the most tenacious defensive players in the LFL, came up with the ball and set up the Bliss offense for their second score of the night. Of course, the Ferrari ran it in putting Chicago up 12-0 at the end of the first quarter. Vegas had to find an answer quickly.

The bright spot for the sin was the clicking chemistry on offense. Although there were turnovers throughout, Nikki Johnson and receivers Kelley Schroeder and Cassandra Strickland were finding their rhythm. Even the glass-made Carmen Bourseau was surprising defenders as she plowed downhill with a ton of power and scored in the red zone to bring her team to within six. Bourseau ran the ball well tonight and is transforming into the kind of runner that can wear down defenders over the course of a game. Unfortunately before the quarter ended, the Bliss capitalized on an interception and drove right back down the field. Alli Alberts, the “hit-ee” from the infamous Salerno hit that took place 3 weeks ago in this very same building, snagged a tremendous catch to put the Bliss up 18-6 heading into the locker room. Coach Jeremiah Captain and the Sin would have to make adjustments if they wanted to get back into this one.

At halftime, Bliss head coach Keith Hac was much more comfortable than we saw a few weeks ago. This time he had only great things to say about his squad of hard hitting playmakers. They seemed so much more confident this week as they retook the field with an air of swagger, knowing full well they have the best offensive player in the league on their team.

Chrisdell Harris wasn’t done by a long shot. In a game she considered a “must-win” for her team, the Ferrari shined on. She scored again on a sweep play in the red zone, using her speed to blow past the Sin linebackers. Her capping two-point conversion put the Bliss fully in the driver’s seat as they enjoyed a 26-6 lead halfway through the third quarter. The Sin again found rhythm offensively tonight, but they simply couldn’t put scores together. Carmen Bourseau, who looks more solid than we’ve ever seen her, was again the force behind the Sin’s second score. However, it would be way too little, way too late.

The Bliss put the nail in the coffin just as the 3rd quarter came to a close on another touchdown run by…who else? The Ferrari was a beast tonight. Her 28 total points this evening made a statement across the league. With the leadership and mobility of a quarterback like Heather Furr, the reliable hands of receiver Alli Alberts, and the explosiveness out of the backfield from “The Ferrari”, the Chicago Bliss may very well have the most frightening offense in the LFL. Chicago takes down Vegas with ease 34 to 12!

Chill Back in Playoff Hunt as they Slam Minnesota 40-8

The entire Green Bay Chill team has finally arrived to support the efforts of their star quarterback Anne Erler. In the past, they’ve struggled to show up with the same focus and intensity that Erler brings to the field. Tonight, it was a different story as her receivers Jessica Payton and Anna Heisman were reliable targets, her running back Amber Mane supplied a real threat out of the backfield, and center Hallie Jiskra continues to shine from the line. Head coach Gilbert Brown has officially put his name in the mix as one of the great coaches of this league; someone who can look at defeat and use it as motivation to turn around a season.

One of the growing stars on the Chill struck first blood tonight as running back Amber Mane scored back to back opening touchdowns to put Green Bay up 14-0. Just as the Valkyrie seemed to appear confident in pressuring Erler and stuffing the run, center sensation Hallie Jiskra snuck into the end zone with 16 seconds left in the half and caught her 4th touchdown pass of the season. After Amber Mane ran in the 2-point conversion, the Chill were headed into the locker room with a comfortable 22-0 lead.

Despite being lit up on the scoreboard, the rookie-filled Valkyrie showed signed of maturity on both sides of the ball. Rookie quarterback Kari Janes was elusive in scrambling from pressure and showed good speed when extending the play. However she suffered the woes of a young LFL player, throwing an interception in her own territory and fumbling the ball into the end zone after making a great run. The Minnesota defense, led by ballhawk strong safey Laurie Jo Miller and veteran linebacker Leekplay Paye, were surprisingly physical tonight. They tackled well and pressured Erler all night long. Unfortunately Anne “Showtime” Erler is too much of a playmaker to be held down for long. She was just too unrelenting in her passes down field and continued her aerial attack in the second half.

First though, she had to put on her show with her legs. After the Chill defense came up with an unlikely fumble recovery in the end zone for a heartbreaking touchback, the offense put a drive together attempting to stomp out any hopes of a Valkyrie comeback. Halfway into the third quarter Erler zigzagged her way into the side of the end zone to put the Chill up by 28. This drive was defined by a different play however as the shaky handed wideout Jessica Payton caught a deep pass in traffic to build her confidence and regain Erler’s trust.

As the fourth quarter began, it seemed that the Minnesota bench would have to use small victories as a means of motivation. Despite suffering another touchdown reception from Chill center Hallie Jiskra, (again, who would have thought a center would be leading the league in TD receptions) the Minnesota bench was inspired by the great stuffs that came during the point after attempts. Their sportsmanship and class was on display as the Minnesota offense put together a late drive and capped it with a touchdown run from Kari Janes on a draw play. Although the score was meaningless in tonight’s contest, this team’s willingness to not be shut out in their 2013 debut showed that they are a different team this year.

The Chill would bury the Valkyrie in the fourth with a touchdown reception from Anna Heasman, who also regained some respect as a ball catcher tonight. The Green Bay Chill were all over the field tonight. Their offense is now in sync with receivers who can make plays, and they now have some swagger on defense as Laure Gelis-Diaz AKA “Frenchy” is now on the LFL’s radar as a safety to be reckoned with. Game MVP Anne Erler showed off her skills as a defender tonight as well, picking off Kari Janes on the final play of the game.

The Valkyrie will head back to Minneapolis, regroup, and prepare to meet the LFL’s hottest team, the Seattle Mist, on July 6th. Meanwhile the Chill are officially back in the hunt for the playoffs. They’ll meet Las Vegas in “Sin City” on June 22nd to try and improve to a winning record. It all leads to the 2013 season closer against their rival the Chicago Bliss on August 10th in what will likely be a playoff deciding game. The Chill stomp the Valkryie tonight in Green Bay, 40-8!

Fireworks in the South as the Steam Roll 49-40 Over the Crush

The shootout that took place tonight at the Arena at Gwinnett Center proved two things: The Cleveland Crush have prepared as well as any team in the league coming into the 2013 season, and the Atlanta Steam are legit. These two teams were relentless in tonight’s contest. As soon as it looked as though the Steam would pull away, rookie quarterback Tia Knipper would strike with a huge play to bring Cleveland within reach. Then, just as the Crush would silence the crowd, the Steam would run the ball right back down their throats and regain all the momentum. This back and forth battle lasted all 32 minutes of this ball game.

The tone was set early as Nasira “Nas” Johnson returned the opening kickoff all the way to mid-field, giving the Steam even more swagger as the offense took the field. Less than one minute into the game, Cynthia “Sweetness” Freeman broke to the outside and high-stepped into the end zone nearly untouched. No matter. Just as the Atlanta bench was finishing celebrating the successful point after, Tia Knipper connected with Tamar Fennell on her first ever pass as an LFL quarterback for a 35-yard touchdown. This Matt Ryan like entrance into the league quieted the Arena at Gwinnett Center to a muted concern. What just happened? Cleveland was up 8-7.

The Steam, in all their aggression, marched right back down the field on the legs of “Sweetness,” capping off the drive with a scamper from “Nas” Johnson to put Atlanta back on top. She ran in another two points, and it looked like the Crush defense would simply be run over tonight… literally.

The following drive truly puts Cleveland on the map as an offense to be reckoned with. It is one thing to catch a celebrating team off guard and launch a deep pass on the first play from scrimmage. Any football fan will tell you, they’d rather see their team put a full-fledged drive together and show some chemistry early in the game than see a one-play bomb that took the defense by surprise. The Crush were pleasing to watch. They weren’t one dimensional. Tamar Fennell was a true threat out of the backfield, and Tia Knipper was utilizing her weapon Theresa Petruziello well. So well in fact that a Petruziello touchdown brought the Crush back to within one point.

Atlanta would take advantage of the rookie mistakes however. Just as Tia Knipper was beginning to look impressive, there were moments when she looked out of sync completely. The Crush defense also was having problems getting to the Steam backfield. On the following two Steam drives, the small jabs at yards on the ground wore down the Cleveland defense. A rushing touchdown from “Nas” and another from Krista Kross enabled the Steam some breathing room. They were up 29-14, and Cleveland appeared to be letting this one slip away as halftime approached.

Yet, just as the 2nd quarter was coming to a close, Knipper found her favorite target, the sure-handed and physically dominant receiver Petruziello for another touchdown. Cleveland was not going to lay over and drown under the lights of their 2013 debut. Instead, they were proving resilient in a game no one saw coming.

As the teams retook the field for the second half, Cleveland glared at a 29-22 score and had the opportunity to tie things up and even take the lead. It was at this moment that Knipper’s true colors as a rookie quarterback surfaced. She was completely off-touch on four straight throws that led to Atlanta taking over on offense deep into Crush territory. Horrendous four-and-outs like the one that Cleveland started the 2nd half with can kill a team’s chances. With great starting field position, the Steam strolled easily into the end zone for another score courtesy of “Sweetness.”

Once again… Cleveland’s offense surprised. The soft-spoken Sune Stamper hurried down the field, showing great speed as she blew past Atlanta’s secondary. The Crush were within a touchdown again, and the Steam defense looked slower by the minute.

Ray Norell stuck to his game plan of not panicking and feeding his two talented backs the ball. The duo of “Sweetness” and “Nas” proved so threatening that the third part of the triple-option offense, Brittany Morgan, was able to shine as a runner. She pounded the ball into the end zone at the end of the third quarter to give Atlanta a 41-28 lead heading into the final eight minutes of the game.

Dontez Howard, on the other hand, had to adjust his game plan as the game was slipping away again. Now with Tamar Fennell out of the game with a rib contusion, he fed the ball to the nimble Remy Olinzock. The little receiver churned the tough yards into a score that would bring her team back to within seven points. Whew! At this point no one in the arena could know just how this game would end. The only thing certain was both defenses inability to stop anything.

A final drive that would all but seal the deal for the Steam ended with a Brittany Morgan rushing touchdown on the now routine option play. This play is becoming easier and easier for Morgan with “Sweetness” becoming the most feared pitch-man in the league. Game MVP “Sweetness” Freeman put her power on display on this drive, and capped off the touchdown with a two-point conversion.

At the 2-minute warning, with a score of 49-34, it looked like the Steam could rest easy. Not a chance. Just as the jury was finally in on Tia Knipper’s nerves as a rookie quarterback, she launched a deep bomb once again, much like her opening play of the game, to a wide open Theresa Petruziello for another 35-yard touchdown pass. The Crush would have an opportunity to pull within one score as they lined up for the point after attempt. Tia rolled to the right and chose to try and make it in on her legs. She was overwhelmed though and stopped short of the goal line. Down 49-40, the relentless Crush would line up for an onside kick.

By rule, when trailing in the last two minutes, the losing team is allowed an onside kick attempt to regain possession. Incredibly, Tamar Fennell’s kick bounced off the chest of a Steam player and landed right back in their breadbasket. Cleveland ball, just under two minutes, down by an unfortunate nine-points. Still, there was every reason to believe this game was far from over. A defensive off-sides penalty brought the Crush offense even closer to striking distance. In fact, after the touchdowns bombs displayed by Tia Knipper, every spot on the field is striking distance for Cleveland. Knipper, in a courageous effort to go for it all one more time, let loose the long ball which came down right into the hands of Atlanta defensive back Ashley Johnston. Game. Set. Match. An emotional Johnston left the field having sealed the fate of Cleveland and brought this expansion team to a winning record of 2-1.

The Cleveland Crush have every reason to stay positive. They were prolific on offense, scoring on nearly every drive. The defense, despite letting up 49 points in their debut, played physical and won plenty of battles at the line of scrimmage. They were just simply worn down play after play by the running power of “Sweetness.” The incessant small gains on the ground from Morgan, “Nas”, and “Sweetness” were always just enough to continue an Atlanta drive and dishearten the Crush defense.

At this point, the Crush have to re-evaluate themselves as a team. Yes, their offense was nothing short of impressive in their first game in over a year. Yes, their defense played physical upfront. Yes, Knipper showed signs of a great passer and Petruziello signs of becoming a dominant wideout. However it was the little mistakes that make this team raw. The defense has an inability to contain the outside rushing attack. Knipper is impulsive as a passer, throwing into double and triple coverage on numerous occasions. The coaching staff had lack of attentiveness to how their defense was lining up. Each of these things must be addressed as they look to their next three games of the season.

The Steam however, are in the driver’s seat. They are 2-1 and have an eye on their first ever playoff birth. They are a far different team than the one we saw in week one against Jacksonville. With their final game coming against the Philadelphia Passion on July 13th, the Atlanta Steam will head back to work on Monday as the most shocking and perhaps the most feared team in the league. Atlanta closes out a barnburner tonight 49-40 at home!