QFL Football Fever

 

Recap

Expansion Drinkers expand their season

The Moderate Drinkers (4-2) clinched the Gothic Division title defeating last season's divisional champs Prussian Warriors (2-4) 41-31 at the Astra Dome.

The Drinkers are going to the playoffs riding a four-game winning streak after starting the season with two losses. They defeated all of their four division rivals on their way to division glory.

The Warriors, on the other hand, started this season 2-0 but then completely lost track and dropped the remaining four games, thus failing to return to the playoffs.

The defending divisional champs had a good start into the game picking off the Drinkers' QB to end the opening drive and then driving 41 yds for the opening TD run in by their RB from 14 yds out.

But the Drinkers were not at all impressed and scored 28 unanswered points including three straight touchdown drives for 68, 54 and 69 yds.

Their following two possessions ended with a field-goal miss and another INT before the Drinkers' defense got the ball back with a pick on their own providing their offense a short field to work with. Only two plays later, their RB found the end zone for his second TD of the game.

The Drinkers' RBs finished the game with 32 carries for three TDs and a franchise-record 323 rushing yards. They had a stunning 10.1 yds-per-carry average.

Their biggest play came in the third quarter right after the Warriors had cut their deficit down to ten points and threatened to come back. On 2nd-and-15 with 12 seconds left to play in the quarter, their RB broke threw and romped 83 yds to the house - the longest play-from-scrimmage in the young history of the franchise.

The Warriors' RBs had a productive day as well rushing for 256 yds and accouting for all of the Warriors' four TDs. Their third TD was set up by an 80-yd run marking the longest play in franchise history. They also had four fumbles.

After falling behind 28-7 in the second quarter, the Warriors scored a quick touchdown with a 2-play, 80-yd drive capped with a 31-yd TD run and hoped to be able to come even closer as they were to receive the second-half kickoff.

But the Drinkers answered with a 56-yd drive capped by a 42-yd field goal with 12 seconds left to take a 31-14 lead into the locker room.

In the third quarter the two teams traded field goals before the Warriors came within 10 points. But the Drinkers' 83-yd record touchdown all but sealed the deal for the new Gothic Division champions.

The Drinkers will host the top wild-card team in the Divisional Playoffs with a Fever-Bowl berth at stake. An invitation to the QFL all-star game will be of little consolation to the Warriors.