QFL Football Fever

 

Recap

Reds can lose after all!

duffeldoffel's Reds (4-1) lost their first meaningful game since last season's opener when they lost 22-15 to the Dicey Beasts (4-1) at the Green Dungeon.

It was not necessarily a memorable game of Football Fever™ but the Beasts got some sweet revenge after the two losses they had suffered against the Reds last season including a defeat in the divisional playoffs. They deservedly beat the reigning QFL World Champions even though they were outgained and outpossessed.

The Reds find themselves in a serious decline offensively. After a stellar first half of the season, their offense has not found the opponents' end zone in eight quarters of Football Fever™.

The Beasts stormed ahead 12-0 in a first quarter in which almost everything went the right way for them. On the first play-from-scrimmage, the Reds' QB was sacked and lost the football. The Beasts recovered the ball at the Reds' 10-yd line and their offense needed only two plays to find the end zone for the opening score, a 3-yd TD run.

After losing yardage, the Reds' second possession ended with a three-and-out, a poor punt and a foul during the return giving the Beasts great field position at the Reds' 23. The Reds' defense stood tall forcing a three-and-out and a field-goal attempt but the Beasts' kicker converted from 40 yds out to extend the Beasts' lead.

On the Beasts' next possession, the Reds' defense again did an excellent job forcing a three-and-out but still, things went from bad to worse for the champions. The Reds' return man fielded a punt at the 6-yd line and decided to run a return through his own end zone. He never found a way out and was stopped for a safety.

The Reds seemed to catch a break when their return man redeemed himself with a 39-yd punt return up to the Beasts' 40-yd line. After a defensive holding during a 43-yd field goal, the Reds decided to accept the penalty for a new first down instead of taking the three points. However, a few moments later, they had to send the kicker out again and this time, he missed from 34 yds out.

As their offense still had a hard time moving the football, it had to be their defense and special teams to get the Reds back into the game. The Reds opened their account with a sack for a safety followed by a 68-yd safety-kick return TD.

On their next possession, the Reds' offense finally got their first new first down not resulting from a penalty when their QB threw a 37-yd completion to the Beasts' 24 on 3rd-and-10. The Reds made it to the 6-yd line but had to settle for a game-tying FG with 2:24 left in the first half.

On their ensuing possession, the Beasts finally found a way to move the ball against the Reds' defense. They drove 80 yds with seven plays and reclaimed their lead with a 26-yd TD run with 36 seconds left on the game clock. The TD was set up by a 41-yd pass and a 13-yd run.

Still, the Reds had the last say in the first half. Starting from their own 20, they reached the Beasts' 28 with a 15-yd run and a 37-yd completion and their kicker split the uprights from 46 yds out to cut the Reds' halftime deficit to four points.

While the first half did have some spectacular moments, the second half was just a crappy game of miscues and missed chances.

The Reds had an interception and three lost fumbles while the Beasts had four interceptions. During the entire game, both clubs had five turnovers. The Reds had a pass picked off at the opponents' 9-yd line and they lost a fumble at the same spot. The Beasts had a deep pass picked off in the end zone.

The Reds' defenders caught a QFL-record tying four interceptions, registered four sacks and a fumble recovery and scored on a safety. They did everything they could to give their offense a chance to win the game but that has to go for the Beasts' defenders as well as they forced nine fumbles (four recoveries), caught one interception and registered three sacks.

In the end, the Beasts' offense made better use of their chances than their Reds' counterparts. The Reds reached the red zone five times but all they got was one field goal. The Beasts reached the end zone only once but they found the end zone.

With five minutes left to play, the Beasts put the only second-half points on the board when their kicker converted a 47-yd FG to put a touchdown between the two teams.

The Reds tried to come back and send the game into overtime but on their final play from the opponents' 19, their second lateral fell loose and the game was over.

At 4-1, both the Beasts and the Reds as well as zugschefz' dieselz are in a three-way tie for first place in the Australian Division. While the dieselz are the only team that can clinch the divisional title without needing any help, chances are that in the end, all three teams will return to the playoffs.