ISFL NEWLETTER 

The Internet Simulation Football League Newsletter

Volume #21 Issue #19 – January 14, 2018

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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:  Dave Stewart, Don Antonelli, Ed Minshull

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LEAGUE NOTES

I.   Message from the Commissioner

II.  News from Around the League

III. Standings

IV.  Divisional Round Results

V.   Schedule

VI.  Transactions

VII. Other News including Players of the Week

I. MESSAGE FROM THE COMMISSIONER

Divisional Round was as expected a very good bunch of matchups where every team put up a great showing including an upset win by the Tennessee Titans over a strong Houston Texans squad.  The other matchup in the AFC was a divisional rivalry as New England falls to the returning champion Indianapolis Colts who will try to keep rolling against the scrappy Titans squad.  In the NFC Carolina and New Orleans was a classic 1 point game that sees the defense make the big play for the normally offensively explosive Panthers and the Saints fall despite a good fight. The Detroit Lions are used to playing in Championship games and they don’t disappoint their fans as they are able to ride 3 TD passes from Ben Roethlisberger from a game but overmatched Kansas City squad who had trouble keeping Alex Smith vertical and on the field.

The Championship games are set up and we have the top teams in the NFC with #2 seed Detroit heading to #1 seed Carolina and their high scoring offense.  Can Dave Stewarts defense slow down the Panthers and Carr on offense and score enough points to pull off what on paper would be a pretty larger upset or with Shan’s boys roll over the visiting Lions, will be a great match up for sure.  In the AFC Tennessee continues to win games and shrug off that 0-3 start to the season and they look to try and be the first team to do so and move into the Super Bowl. Waiting for them are the defending champion Indianapolis Colts and Aaron Rogers, Sri’s offense is going to be a huge test for the Titans and will be interesting to see if Ashton’s team is able to pull off another upset though of course that could end up setting up an even bigger mismatch in the Super Bowl OR possibly a pair of upset minded teams meeting for the big game.  Playoff files are up and ready for the Championship Games.

I am looking for potential owners right now if you know anyone who is interested in the league, I need an owner in Dallas and would like some names to get ready in case we have more openings after the season.  Game files are located on the website for the final regular season files.  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 1/12/18 *** 

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 

Tennessee Titans 16 vs Houston Texans 10

Titans and Texans get together in Houston. Line is even, which surprised the Titans who went into this one preaching underdog status. Someone in Vegas had it in mind to cut our motivation out from under us. 

Houston wins the toss and elects to receive. On after one first down, Eric Berry picks off Joe Flacco and makes a nice zig zag return to the 4 yard line. Houston crowd is hushed at Reliant Stadium. However, Titans aren’t able to get it into the endzone and have to settle for a Catanzaro FG. Titans 3-0. After picking up another first down, Houston has to punt to Tennessee. Titans go on a 10-play drive capped off by a Phillip Rivers to Sterling Shephard strike to put the visitors up 10-0. Houston, being the talented and well-coached team they are, bounce right back and answer with their own 10-play scoring drive. This score was a pass from Flacco to Corradelle Patterson to pull the host Texans to within 3 at 10-7. Nothing much more than punts from then until the 1:48 mark in the 2^nd quarter, when Kerry Hyder stripped a fumble and Darius Slay scooped it up for the Titans and returned it to the Texans 6 yard line. However, on first down, Fletcher Cox sacks Rivers and squashes the Titans opportunity for a late TD. FG settled for, and halftime score is 13-7 Titans.

 The second half saw mostly punts as Titans kicked a FG in 3^rd quarter. Texans managed a late FG with 47 seconds left in the game to pull to within 16-10, but Jarvis Landry recovered the onside kick for the Titans and Titans finished off the clock. Penalties and turnovers were huge in this one. Houston had 3 TO’s and the Titans had none. Houston had 10 penalties while Tennessee had 5 accepted. Defenses held strong most of the day as teams were a combined 7-25 on 3^rd downs. Offensive coordinators need to get back to work.

 Congrats to Valentino on a strong season. I guess Titans’ next stop will be at Indy. Oh joy… 😉

Indianapolis Colts 26 vs New England Patriots 16

Indy advances to AFC championship game with an hard fought victory over visiting NE Patriots. The game was lot closer than the final score of 26-16. MVP of the game was Rodgers, who was conservative for most of the game, trusting his running game and defense. The game was a defense struggle as both the offenses combined for 8 of 22 on third downs.

The game started on a good note for Indy, as Talib returned Newton's pass for pick six on NE's second drive of the game. After couple of filed goals by NE to narrow the gap, Indy mounts a 9 play 75 yard drive resulting in a Kuhn's 2 yard TD, to make it 14-6. NE answer immediately with a14 play 75yard drive to make it 14-13 at half time.

Indy gets the ball back after half time, drives all the way to NE 7, but had to settle for a field goal. The next few drives by both teams resulted in punts, turnovers and turnover on downs. Finally in the 4th quarter, Indy finds some momentum on offense and caps the drive with TD to extend the lead to 10 points. NE answers with a field goal, to make it 23-16. With NE turning ball over on downs on its next possession, Indy adds one more field goal to make it 26-16. Final attempt by NE to score went no where as Savage was sacked on back to back plays.

Detroit Lions 34 vs Kansas City Chiefs 20

The “Fortunate Sons of Flint” a most unlikely band of refugees, renegades and retreads continue their ISFL post season trek.
Matched against a KC Chief team who fought back from a 3-6 mid-season standing to win division, then beat Philadelphia to advance into Division Round.

Chiefs would be hampered by the loss of QB Alex Smith for portions of this playoff contest, meanwhile QB Roethlisberger was most efficient spreading the ball around, finishing 24-15, 232 yds, 3TD-2INT.
In-game injuries along the defensive line also plagued the Chiefs as Detroit pounded the rock repeatedly, the “Matt Attack” (Forte and Asiata) combined for a punishing 22-128, 2TD performance.

Although having trouble stopping the run, aggressive Chief defense led by the perennial Terrell Suggs forced a fourth qtr fumble, scooped by ILB Jerrell Freeman and returned 30 yds for TD, cutting Lion lead to 27-20.
Detroit would respond with time consuming 10 play-82 yard touchdown drive to “seal the deal” 34-20 and advance to the NFC Conference Championship!

Good game Buddy and congratulations on a “never say die” campaign in 2017-18!

Carolina Panthers 21 vs New Orleans Saints 20

Carolina advances against a tough New Orleans team Sunday morning. The Saints defense made Carr look human throughout, and mortal on Carolina's five 4th-down gambles, all of which it stopped. The first two led to 10 unanswered New Orleans points. The third came on 4th and inches at the Saints' goalline on a sack by DE Calais Campbell, who harassed Carr all game (3 tackles 2 sacks 2 hurries).

An exchange of touchdowns led to a 17-14 Saints lead in the 4th and the game's decisive moment with New Orleans driving.

1st and 10 at the CAR 21

shotgun

Wilson drops back to pass

medium fly to Austin inside the 15

double covered

complete

not much daylight

blasted by Scandrick

Scandrick stripped the ball out!

scooped up by Scandrick

he has room to run

at the 30

Touchdown

Good game Ed, well called. Will see you at the draft--Shan

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III. STANDINGS

http://www.blades99.com/ISFL/Standings17.htm

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IV. RESULTS – Wild Card Round Results

 
Tennessee 16 Houston 10

New Orleans 20 Carolina 21

New England 16 Indianapolis 26

Kansas City 20 Detroit 34