ISFL NEWLETTER 

 

The Internet Simulation Football League Newsletter

Volume #19 Issue #21 – January 27, 2016

 

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Current League Officers

Commissioner: Mark McNeil (blades99@rochester.rr.com)

League Statistician: Mark McNeil (blades99@rochester.rr.com)
Games Coordinator: Dave Stewart (david_stewart@comcast.net)

ISFL WWW site: http://www.blades99.com/ISFL/ISFL.htm

ISFL Review Board:  Jeff Barricelli, Dave Stewart, Don Antonelli

 

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LEAGUE NOTES

 

I.   Message from the Commissioner

II.  News from Around the League

III. Standings

IV.  Championship Round Results

V.   Super Bowl Schedule

VI.  Transactions

VII. Other News including Players of the Week

 

I. MESSAGE FROM THE COMMISSIONER

 

As expected the NFC game was great Detroit staying undefeated by 1 point over New Orleans.  In the AFC Tennessee built a 20-6 halftime lead and then pulled away in the second half to cruise into the big game.  The Super Bowl is a huge matchup of two teams who combined for just 1 loss between them and Detroit will try for the perfect season while Tennessee looks for their first Super Bowl. Files are located on the main page of the website and you can get started setting games up with them due at your convenience.  Good luck to both teams in the Super Bowl.  Awards final ballot is coming, work has crushed me, but I will get it done this weekend, please make sure to get your votes in.  Look for a preliminary ballot later on tonight.  Game files are located on the website for the end of the regular season.  Please make sure you get started on game contacts asap, home teams should make contact by Wednesday and the game should be set up no later than Thursday of each week.

 

I can’t stress enough that you need to IMMEDIATELY send me your game export when the game is complete.  Send your write up later on, that’s fine, but I MUST have the game export as soon as the game ends or I’ll have to sim the game to keep things moving along if it is missing at the deadline.

***There is a new game update available on the website, dated 08/14/15 *** 

 

Don’t forget, if you lose a player for 2 or more games, you can ask for an injury replacement, but it must be done the same week as the injury, so don’t wait, get those requests in right away and take advantage, especially the teams who are already challenged for the amount of games they have to work with.  Also, be sure you give me enough names as the more injuries the more likely someone else already grabbed the guy you want. 

 

Reminder that you MUST send a boxscore and writeup to the league after each game.  The home team is responsible for this, but either team can do it, as long as it does get done.  Also, you MUST send me the game export immediately after the game is complete.  It takes about 30 seconds, so I shouldn’t have to chase you down for that file after a game, just get it in right away so I don’t have to guess whether a game has happened or not.

 

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II. News from Around the League 

 

AFC Championship

Patriots and Titans both have SuperBowl aspirations and the Vegas line has the game at –Even-. Snow on the ground, temp is right around freezing and the wind is 10-20 mph. Fans are bundled up but have been anticipating watching their Titans play for a chance to get to the SuperBowl for the first time in team history.

Pats win the toss and defer. Titans receive, start the game at the 33-yard line after a 35 yard return by Jacoby Jones. Titans drive lasts 10 plays but stalls at the NE 20. Catanzaro comes in to put the Titans to the early 3-0 lead. Pats high-powered offense get the ball at the 20 after a touchback. After 7 plays and a costly 15 yard facemask penalty vs the Titans (we seem to have at least one per game), NE drive similarly stalls out at the Titans 23. Succop puts it through the uprights to knot the score at 3-3 with 4:42 left in the first quarter. Pats kicking off into the wind and Jones takes it in at the 6, cuts right up the middle before bouncing outside rambles 42 yards to set the Titans up at their own 48 to start the drive. After 5 plays the Titans are on the Pats 17 when RB Terrance West rambles 17 yards for the game’s first TD. Titans up 10-3 and that was all the scoring in the 1st Quarter.

NE picks up two first downs on the next drive but stalls out on the Titans 46 after Manning throws 3 incompletions. However, Huber pins the Titans deep in their own territory as the pooch rolls dead at the 6. Titans go three and out and punt right back to NE. NE starts drive at their own 36 but cover 26 yards on the first play on a Manning to Evans connection. NE runs 6 more plays, getting as far as the Titans’ 8-yd line, but the Titans’ defense stiffens up and forces another Succop FG. Titans up 10-6 with 6:33 left in the half. Tennessee starts next drive on the 20 after a touchback. Titans go on what was probably the most important drive of the game, covering 80 yards on 11 plays plus one pass interference call on the Pats. Robinson takes a 1-yd scoring plunge with 1:56 left in the half. NE in their 2-minute offense, and facing a 3rd and 5, watches Titans’ CB Slay cover the loan slant perfectly and make the pick and Titans have the ball at the NE 40 with 1:11 left. Titans go into their own hurry-up offense and while trying to get 7 out of the deal, have to settle for 3 from the NE 16. Halftime score Titans 20- Patriots 6.

Patriots get the ball to start the 2nd half. After the touchback, they drive to the Titans 48 but get flagged on back to back plays which puts them in a 1st and 25 situation. They pick up 11 yards on first down, but have an incompletion on 2nd down. Facing 3rd and 14, they call the Long Hitch pass which S Eric Reid was expecting. Reid makes a great 48-yard return all the way to the Patriots 16 yard line. However, Titans fail to get a first down, or a Td, and have to settle for 3. Titans up 23-6. Pats go 3 and out on the next possession as Mario Williams sacks Manning for a 11 yard loss on first down which put the Pats in an undesirable down and yardage again. The Pats punt, then the Titans fail to do anything and punt it back to NE. Then, the teams trade punts again. So after 4 consecutive punts, both teams looking to get their offenses rolling again. NE begins the ensuing possession at their own 22-yard line. After gaining 8 yards on 3 plays, they take a huge risk and go for it on 4th and 2 from their own 30. Mannings pass to Evans falls incomplete and puts the Titans in great position to try to put more distance between the scores. On first down, West does it again and rambles 30 yards for the score and puts the Titans up 30-6.

In the 4th quarter, the Titans spent much of the time running the ball try chew up clock and did tack on one FG. NE scores a late TD but failed the 2-pt conversion. They managed to recover the onside kick as well, but could only push the ball to the Titans 39 from there. Titans finish up the game with Rivers kneeling the ball. Final score 33-12.

Titans secondary deserves a ton of credit in this one as they limited NE QB’s to 14-36 passing and picked off two passes. Titans defense as a whole had an amazing 16 passes defensed in this one. Many coming in the second half when NE was forced to put the ball in the air more. Another big stat was the Titans defense held the Pats to convert on only 2-13 third downs. Game MVP, RB Terrance West, had a workmanlike 132 yards rushing on 18 totes to go along with his 2 TD’s. For New England, Forsett put forth a good effort as he had 89 yards rushing on 19 carries and WR Mike Evans had 92 yards and the TD on only 5 catches. Pats’ LB Mercilus led all defenders in tackles with 11. NE was limited on this day by their QB play and Titans’ benefited from some short field positions.

Tennessee will be making our first trip to the Super Bowl and the coaches and players are looking forward to the challenge and facing another formidable opponent.

Thanks to Daniele for the easy scheduling and congrats on the great season!

 


NFC Championship Recap

 

Close to the vest first half, each team musters one scoring drive amidst a battle of punts and field position.
Old warrior James Harrison nails Roethlisberger for a safety and a 9-7 New Orleans lead at the break.

Lions open up the offense to start the third, move deep into Saint territory, visitors stiffen inside their 10 and a Novak FG must be settled for.
NFC East champs take their first lead of day, a most tenuous 10-9 advantage.
New Orleans, set back by penalties, come 3rd and 25, throw deep ball in direction of Eric Decker, Chris Culliver, beaten in coverage gets flagged for interference to continue their march.
Coach Minshull soon finds himself at a decision point, a Wilson scramble falls just short of the first down marker…4th and inches from DET 19…still early in game (6+ mins in 3rd), Eddy takes the “bird in the hand”, sends out the field goal team, Saints re-take the lead at 12-10.

Detroit answers back quickly, a decent KR, a couple of Lynch runs, four Big Ben completions culminating in an 18 yd scoring strike to Brandon Marshall and the lead flip-flops again.

Not to be outdone, Russell Wilson along with Jamal Charles crank up the Saints offense as we enter the fourth quarter.
The dynamic duo drive New Orleans to the DET 3 where Wilson, on 4th down, keeps it himself and barrels in for to go-ahead score.
Good buddy Ed now gets another decision, up 18-17 before the extra point attempt…still over 12 minutes to go in game and all of a sudden the offenses are moving at will…Saints opt for the relative sure thing, kick the point and take a 19-17 lead.

Lions take the kick, make a couple first downs, stall, comes 4th and 4 from their own 43, still 10+ minutes and out comes the punt team.
Good Koch kick with a hold penalty on the return, starts Saints inside their 10…a quick three and out forces Saints punt, Lions hope for good field position trailing by 2.
Return man Jeremy Ross having a pretty good day after horror show vs Philly last week, takes the kick at DET 38, battles to the 50…BIG hit and ball out, scramble, they un-pile and fortuitously (to say the least) Lions maintain possession!

With 6+ minutes remaining in contest, a 3rd and 1 at NO 29 faces Detroit, out of two TE’s, Big Ben audibles vs a stacked NO front looking to stop Lynch, completes a check down pass to unlikely HB Daniel Fells who scampers down to the Saint 7.

Still a ton of time, Lions who’ve hung their hat all year on the ability to get TD’s not FG’s in this situation, never wanted one more than this.
Brother Ed and the big-time Saint defense had other ideas, two incompletions, a minimal run and Lions forced to settle for the “chippy” FG, tenuously moving to the skinniest, shakiest, Don Knotts 20-19 lead J

Man, this had to be the longest fourth quarter in history (seemed so anyway ), Saints take the ensuing kick-off, start from their 30, 4:30 to go, trailing by 1.
Well, now this Lion defense, anchored by Captain America Kuechly decides to get a little stubborn themselves.
Hmm…comes 4th and 9 for Saints from their own 31, 3:09 on clock, access to all time-outs…you gotta punt, no doubt about it.

Eddy punts, I click on fair catch with one hand while I’m working my rosary beads with the other…careful Jeremy, just catch the friggin’ thing J

DET starts from their 20, with 3:03 to go, Lynch bangs ahead for 8, line up again, Lynch stopped for no gain…time out NO
3rd and 2, from 28, Lions remain in 2TE-2RB and choose an audible, Ben AGAIN spies Saints in that 5-3 hell bent for leather run stopping defense and just as in the previous (3rd qtr) situation, audibles to a pass that ends up directed to a secondary / check down receiver in the person of seldom involved HB Daniel Fells yet again (he ends up with 3 catches for 46 yards, his best performance of the season).

With a 1st down at their own 48, DET runs safe and bleeds Saints remaining time-outs, a pooch punt pins the Saints at their 14 with no TO’s.
Detroit withstands final 55 seconds and come away with this hard fought victory.
Exhausting game, played hard by both sides and played about as even as any game ever could be.

Congrats on a great season Ed and assembling this great team, Detroit moves on by the grace of the fickle, football gods!

Interestingly, ISFL and NFL saw their # 1 and # 2 seeds in these “CC” contests and now both will see the # 1’s matched in the Super Bowl.

 

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III. STANDINGS

 

http://www.blades99.com/ISFL/Standings15.htm

 

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IV. RESULTS – Championshiop Round Results

 

New Orleans 19 Detroit 20
New England 12 Tennessee 33 

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V. SCHEDULE

Super Bowl

Tennessee Titans vs Detroit Lions

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VI. TRANSACTIONS

 

 

AFC

BUF –
CHI –

CLE –
DAL –

DEN –

HOU –

IND –

MIN –

NE  -

NYJ –

PIT –
SD  -

SF  -

TEN – Returned Craig Dahl, Ty Powell and Marion Grice to FA pool.

 

NFC

ARZ –

ATL -

CAR –

DET –

GB  -
JAX –

KC  -

MIA –
NYG –
NO  -

PHI –

SEA –

STL –
TB  -

 

 

DRAFT PICKS FORFEITED:


HOU #3 ’15 – No backup TE and not enough Rushes on roster
STL #3 ’16 – No Long Snapper/No Backup QB

TB #5 ‘15 – No Long Snapper

 

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VII. OTHER NEWS:

 

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK:

 

WEEK ONE

OFFENSE: Tom Brady, ARZ – 31 of 43 for 405 yards, 4 TDs
DEFENSE: Bruce Irvin, STL – 3 sacks, 5 tackles

 

WEEK TWO

OFFENSE: Nick Foles, DEN – 23 of 27 for 332 yards, 5 TDs

DEFENSE: Ndamkong Suh, JAX – 3 sacks, 5 tackles

WEEK THREE:

OFFENSE: Leveon Bell, CLE – 28 carries, 212 yards, 2 TDs

DEFENSE: George Selvie, MIA – 3 sackes, 8 tackles

 

WEEK FOUR:

OFFENSE: CJ Anderson, MIA – 29 carries, 199 yards, 1 TD

DEFENSE: JJ Watt, SEA – 3 sacks, 5 tackles

 

WEEK FIVE:

OFFENSE: CJ Anderson, MIA – 25 carries, 161 yards, 2 TDs

DEFENSE: DeAndre Levy, HOU – 18 tackles

 

WEEK SIX:

OFFENSE: Demaryius Thomas, STL – 10 catches, 155 yards, 3 TDs

DEFENSE: Michael Brockers, ATL – 3 sacks, 4 tackles

 

WEEK SEVEN:

OFFENSE: Dez Bryant, CAR – 14 catches, 246 yards, 2 TDs

DEFENSE: Timmy Jernigan, SD – 3 sacks, 8 tackles

 

WEEK EIGHT:

OFFENSE: Marshawn Lynch, DET – 17 carries, 130 yards, 3 TDs
DEFENSE: Derrick Morgan, NYJ – 6 sacks, 6 tackles, 3 forced fumbles

 

WEEK NINE:

OFFENSE: Demarco Murray, MIN – 34 carries, 172 yards, 2 TDs

DEFENSE: Cameron Wake, NE – 4 sacks, 5 tackles

 

WEEK TEN:

OFFENSE: Derek Carr, CAR – 29 of 38 for 365 yards, 5 TDs

DEFENSE: Parys Haralson, IND – 5 sacks, 9 tackles

 

WEEK ELEVEN:

OFFENSE: AJ Green, SEA – 7 catches for 215 yards, 3 TDs

DEFENSE: Sheldon Richardson, CAR – 3 sacks, 4 tackles

 

WEEK TWELVE:

OFFENSE: Le’Veon Bell, CLE – 28 carries, 179 yards, 3 TDs

DEFENSE: Elvis Dumervil, PHI – 4 sacks, 7 tackles, 2 hurries, 2 forced fumbles, safety

 

WEEK THIRTEEN:

OFFENSE: Tre Mason, DEN – 22 carries, 179 yards, 2 TDs

DEFENSE: William Gay, SF – 15 tackles

 

WEEK FIFTEEN

OFFENSE: Aaron Rodgers, IND – 25 of 39 for 350 yards, 4 TDs

DEFENSE: Demarcus Ware, JAX – 3 sacks, 4 tackles, 1 INT

 

WEEK SIXTEEN

OFFENSE: Antonio Brown, CAR – 19 catches, 285 yards, 4 TDs

DEFENSE: Paul Kruger, NE – 4 sacks, 8 tackles

 

WEEK SEVENTEEN

OFFENSE: Marshawn Lynch, DET – 17 carries, 145 yards, 2 TDs

DEFENSE: Calaise Campbell, NO – 3 sacks, 3 tackles

WILDCARD ROUND

OFFENSE: Drew Brees, DAL – 31 of 42 for 345 yards, 2 TDs

DEFENSE: Elvis Dumervil, PHI – 5 sacks, 8 tackles, 1 safety

 

DIVSIONAL ROUND

OFFENSE: Ben Roethlisberger, DET – 23 of 33 for 232 yards, 2 TDs

DEFENSE: Chandler Jones, TEN – 1 sack, 11 tackles, 1 forced fumble

 

CONFERENCE FINALS

OFFENSE: Terrance West, TEN – 18 carries, 132 yards, 2 TDs

DEFENSE: Charles Johnson, DET – 1 sack, 8 tackles, 1 stuff, 1 forced fumble

 

 
 

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