ISFL NEWLETTER
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The Internet Simulation Football League Newsletter
Volume #24 Issue #20 – January 12, 2021
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Current League Officers
Commissioner: Mark McNeil (blades99@rochester.rr.com)
League Statistician: Mark McNeil (blades99@rochester.rr.com)
ISFL Review Board: Hank
Sienzant, 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. Championship Round
Schedule
VI. Transactions
VII. Other News including Players of the Week
I. MESSAGE FROM THE COMMISSIONER
Four more games in the books as the Divisional Round of games is now
complete. The biggest
surprise is not so much the Giants upset of Kansas City, but the
domination of the game with the Chiefs scoring just 3 points and falling
despite a 14-2 regular season.
New Orleans gets a relatively easy win over the Panthers as Carr
struggles and the Saints score 30 points for the win.
Both AFC games were tight affairs with the winners getting
victory by 3 and 2 points and we set up a matchup of 1 vs 2 on that side
of the bracket. Good luck to all in Championship games, everything is
updated and ready to go!
With the regular season concluded we have finished up the first year of
the new subbing procedure with draft pick incentives and I wanted to say
it was a fairly positive experience with a few kinks to be worked out
before next season. We will
be taking a look at this and making a few small tweaks with an eye
towards using it next year but here are the results of the extra draft
picks that will be assigned for the upcoming draft (at the end of each
round). Overall we added just 12 picks to essentially the final 4 rounds
of the regular draft and they are spread out pretty well between all 4.
(quick update as we missed one teams picks for the games they subbed
for).
4th and 8th Round Picks – NYG, DET, NE
5th Round Pick – NYJ, SEA
6th Round Pick – CHI, LAC
7th Round Pick – DEN, GB, NO
8th Round Pick - BUF
I am now accepting Ballot Proposals for this offseason, though we will
not vote on them until I fill the open team positions (so if you haven’t
told me you will be back or not yet, please do so asap).
See my email for the specifics but I would like to have all of
them in by Sunday, January 17th so I can make up a
preliminary ballot and then get that voted on by the end of the
playoffs.
Also it is time for awards voting as one of the last things I need from
each of you before the end of the season. I would really appreciate if
you could take the time and complete the survey based on this past
seasons results and statistics and once completed I will update the
website to show the winner of each award.
Voting will close on Sunday, January 31st at midnight.
Link is below.
https://kwiksurveys.com/s/kgqqcUWa
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.
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 BOOTS
DENVER FROM PLAYOFFS, 29-26
Rivers Leads
Fourth Quarter Comeback
Nashville, Tennessee, January 10th,
2021: In a game eerily reminscient of last
week's Denver - Pittsburgh game, the two teams exchanged the lead seven
times before the 15-1 Titans emerged victorious over the upstart 12-5
Denver Broncos.
Veteran quarterback Philip Rivers twice
brought his team back in the fourth quarter after trailing by more than
a field goal, twice engineering 75-yard touchdown drives and twice
throwing the go-ahead touchdown pass, with the Tennessee defense and
offense making his final touchdown pass stand up to forge the final
score of 29-26 in favor of the Titans.
The Titans won the toss and elected to
defer. Bad move, as the opening kickoff by Bradley Pinion went out of
bounds and the Broncos took over at their own forty. Seven straight runs
by the Broncos yielded three first downs and moved the ball to the
Titans 20, as the Broncos went for it on fourth and two from the Titans
37 and converted with a two yard run by Elliott. Elliott had five of the
seven runs, picking up 22 yards, and Damien Williams had the other two,
gaining 18. With the Tennessee defense primed for another running play,
Carson Wentz threw a slant across the middle to DeVante Parker for the
20-yard score to take a 6-0 lead, but the Harrison Butker extra point
attempt was unsuccessful, and that miss would affect the game later on.
The opening salvo by Denver took eight plays, 5:16 off the clock, and
gained 60 yards.
It didn't take long for the Titans to
retaliate. With running back Aaron Jones gashing the Broncos defense for
36 yards on three runs, Rivers found tight end Tyler Higbee on an out
route for the 27 yard catch and run for the tying touchdown. Jason
Sanders kicked the extra point and the first lead change of the game put
the Titans up 7-6. The Titans march was only five plays, 75 yards, and
took 3:18.
After a Broncos punt, the Titans mounted
another drive, this one moving 42 yards from their own 41 to the Broncos
17, but Jason Sanders, who had missed five of his 28 field goals in this
past season, missed from 35 yards out to keep the score at 7-6.
After an exchange of punts, the Broncos
took over at their own 27 following an eight yard Golden Tate punt
return. Tate was put to work immediately, connecting on a bomb from the
arm of Wentz good for 38 yards to the Tenneessee 35. A 14-yard run by
Elliott and a 13 yard pass to Parker got the ball to the Titans eight,
but three plays couldn't get the ball closer than the Tennessee three
yard line, and the Broncos settled for taking the lead back at 9-7 after
the Harrison Butker 21-yard field goal with 7:47 left in the half.
Starting at their own 25, the Titans
retook the lead at 14-9 with 1:19 left in the half with a 12-play,
75-yard drive with Aaron Jones punching it it from five yards out to end
the march and the first half scoring. Rivers was five of six for 40
yards on the possession, while Jones ran six times for 35 yards and the
go-ahead touchdown. It was the third lead change in the first half.
The fourth lead change of the game
happened after the Titans were held to a three-and-out and forced to
punt to open the second half.
A Golden Tate 13-yard punt return put
the ball on the Denver 38, and all but four yards on the five-play
scoring drive were gained by Tate. On second and ten, Tate took a jet
sweep around end for 44 yards to the Titans 18, and after an incomplete
to Tate, tight end Jesse James caught a dump-off for four to move the
ball to the Titans 14. On third and six, Tate caught the 14-yard
touchdown pass just inside the goal line for the touchdown to give the
Broncos the lead back at 16-14.
The Titans mounted another long drive
(eight plays, 45 yards) that went for naught because Jason Sanders
missed his second field goal of the contest, this one from 48 yards out
to leave the Broncos in the lead at 16-14.
The Broncos padded their lead to 19-14
on a drive that started late in the third quarter and extended ino the
fourth, with the nine-play, 38-yard drive highlighted by a 20-yard gain
on a checkdown to Jesse James, and a third-and-11 conversion on a 12
yard Wentz to Samuel pass to the Tennessee 29. But the Broncos drive
stalled at the Tennessee 22, and Butker's field goal made it 19-14 with
14:02 to go in regulation.
The Titans, who had been running as much
as passing to this point, crossed up the Broncos and started throwing on
nearly every down, with two Aaron Jones short runs mixed it to keep the
Denver defense honest. On the possession, Rivers was five of six for 68
yards on the 75-yard scoring drive, with the go-ahead score coming from
11 yards out on a Rivers to Jarvis Landry toe drag inside the pylon to
give the Titans a 20-19 lead. It was the fifth lead change of the
contest. A two point pass from Rivers to Sterling Shepard gave the
Titans a three point lead with 9:27 to go.
It didn't take the Broncos long to
regain the lead, just three plays, and the Broncos touchdown marked the
sixth lead change of the contest. After a Zeke Elliott run was stopped
for no gain, Damien Williams took the ball on a sweep around the right
side for a 22-yard gain to the Denver 47. On the third play, Wentz found
Devante Parker running deep with a step on his defender, and delivered a
perfect strike that Parker took to the house for a 53-yard touchdown and
a four-point lead at 26-22 with just 7:40 remaining in the game.
It was more than enough time for the
Titans to effect the seventh and final lead change of the contest. The
biggest play of the possession, aside from Rivers eight-yard topuchdown
pass to Shepard for the winning score at 28-26, was a pass-interference
call against Eli Apply on a third-and-ten incomplete pass intended for
Shepard. All told, the winning touchdown drive went 75 yards in 12
plays, with Rivers going five of eight for 51 yards on the march. Aaron
Jones gained 36 of the 75 yards, with two runs for 14 and two receptions
for 22 more yards. The Sanders extra point made it 29-26 and that's the
way it would end.
The go-ahead score left 3:22 on the
clock, however, and there was still the Denver offense for the Titans to
stop. Stop them the Titans did. After allowing one first down on a
paas-interference call against safety Rodney McLeod, the Titans forced a
fourth and nine decision by the Broncos with 2:18 left in the contest -
go for it or punt? With all three time-outs left as well as the
two-minute warning, the Broncos opted to punt, hoping to get the ball
back. They never did.
Aaron Jones picked up a first down on a
ten-yard run, and then on third and six, Rivers hit Sterling Shepard for
a 30-yard gain to the Denver 28, with Eli Apple getting burned again,
and then losing his cool with a late hit and getting tagged with a
personal foul penalty to move the ball to the Denver 14. Now out of
time-outs, the Broncos could only watch helplessly as Rivers three times
took a knee to end the game.
GAME NOTES: Philip Rivers was the MVP of the game with 27 completions in 38
passes, throwing for 311 yards and three scores, for a 121.7 passer
rating. He wasn't sacked nor picked. Carson Wentz completed only 11 of
25 for 193 yards, and was sacked twice, but threw three touchdown passes
and wasn't picked. He finished with a 110.5 passer rating in the game.
Aaron Jones was the leading rusher in
the contest, with 23 for 126 (5.5) and one score, adding three
receptions for another 29 yards, for 155 yards from scrimmage in the
game. Zeke Elliott was the Broncos leading rusher, with 16 for 67 (4.2)
and one reception for five yards. In retrospect, Damien Williams should
have probably been used more, as he rushed five times for 41 yards (8.2)
in the game and 11 times for 115 yards in the two post-season games.
Sterling Shepard caught seven of nine
for 192 yards and one score as Rivers most dependable target, while
Jarvis Landry (6 for 78, 13.0, one TD) and Tyler Higbee (6 for 77, 12.8,
one TD) had nearly identical stat lines.
Devante Parker caught two of Wentz
touchdowns, catching three in total for 86 yards (28.7). Veteran Golden
Tate, finishing up his tenth and possibly final year in a Bronco
uniform, looked like he was 25 again. He caught three for 59 yards, and
added another 44 yards on a run, for 103 yards from scrimmage. He also
returned three punts for an additional 32 yards, finishig with 135
all-purpose yards.
Tremaine Edmunds was the leading Bronco
tackler from his middle-linebacker spot, adding a pass defensed, a
stuff, and one hurry. Maxx Crosby and Devon Kennard shared the tackle
honors with six for the Titans, with Crosby being credited with two
sacks.
NEXT MAN UP:
The Broncos entered the game short two backups, linebacker Denxel
Perryman and rookie guard Ben Powers. The Titans were missing two key
cogs on offense, impressive rookie wide receiver Michael Gallup and
fullback Kyle Juszczyk. Bronco head coach Hank Sienzant admitted knowing
Juszczyk was out, and Gallup was doubtful made their game-planning a bit
simpler, but admitted, "It didn't matter in the end as we still couldn't
stop them when it counted".
A LOOK AHEAD: The now 16-1 Titans will host either the 16-1 Houston Texans or
the 13-5 Los Angeles Chargers, depending on the outcome of the Chargers
at Texans game. The 12-6 Broncos go home and in addition to
contemplating what might have been, will start preparations for the
upcoming draft. Denver is well situated there, with two firsts, two
seconds, two thirds, and two fourth round picks, as well as their own
picks in the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth rounds. In the first
round, they own their own pick which should be in the early 20s, and the
Miami Dolphins first round pick, which is currently seeded fourth, and
depending on the outcome of the draft lottery, can end up anywhere from
first to eighth.
Chargers lead the Texans 34
-33 with 1:38 to go kick it to Patterson who had returned the previous
kick 105 yards for a TD . This time he returns it to the Texans 47 .
1st and 10 Brady
throws a quick hitch to A.J. Brown for 9 . 2nd and 1 at the
Chargers 45 1:20 to go .Kamara tried the middle and loses a yard . 3rd
and 2 timeout Houston Brady drops and throws incomplete .
4thand 2 at
Chargers 45 .Brady drops hits Kamara for 3 yards and a 1st
down at Chargers 42 .
1st down Brady
drops incomplete 2nd down Brady drops incomplete, 3rd
down 10 at the Chargers 42 with 15 seconds to go .Brady pitches to
Kamara for 5 yards down to the Chargers 37 . Texans call timeout with 3
seconds to go . Josh Lambo comes out for a 55 yard Field Goal . Kick is
up and is it Good .
Houston 36 Chargers 34
Texans advance to play the Titans for the AFC Championship game next
week . New Orleans RB Kenyan Drake runs for 153 yards and
2 TD's to lead the Saints to a 30-10 blowout win. Russell Wilson
is efficient throwing for a TD to Davante Adams who had 100 receiving
yards. David Carr had an unusual poor day ending up with a 56.6
passer rating compared to Wilson's 125.0 performance.
* Playoff * 01-08-2021
Arrowhead Stadium Temp:30
Wind:20-30 *Internet* No
Line MVP:Mack
HFA: ON(
1 2
3 4
Tot
2019 New York (N) (2-0)
0 10
7 7
24
2019 Kansas City (0-1)
0 3
0 0
3
Scoring Summary
2 13:22
New York (N)
FG Boswell 41 (10-40-4:18)
3-0
2
3:11 New York (N)
TD Lock 5 pass to McDonald (Boswell) (11-69-7:07)
10-0
2
0:00 Kansas City
FG Carlson 45 (13-48-3:08)
10-3
3
6:44 New York (N)
TD Mack 4 run (Boswell) (6-40-2:20)
17-3
4
8:32 New York (N)
TD Mack 4 run (Boswell) (15-60-8:20)
24-3
Drive Summary
1 Kansas City
KC 22
9 plays 29 yards
5:05 Punt
1 New York (N)
NYG 5 3 plays
6 yards 1:28
Punt
1 Kansas City
KC 41
8 plays 30 yards
5:17 Missed
Field Goal
1 New York (N)
NYG 37 10 plays 40
yards 4:18
Field Goal, NYG 3 KC 0
2 Kansas City
KC 25
5 plays 21 yards
2:57 Punt
2 New York (N)
NYG 31 11 plays 69
yards 7:07
Touchdown, NYG 10 KC 0
2 Kansas City
KC 25 13 plays
48 yards 3:08
Field Goal, NYG 10 KC 3
3 New York (N)
NYG 6 2 plays
8 yards 0:52
Interception
3 Kansas City
NYG 45 3 plays
0 yards 0:12
Punt
3 New York (N)
NYG 13 6 plays
33 yards 2:52
Punt
3 Kansas City
KC 3
3 plays 2 yards
1:28 Punt
3 New York (N)
KC 40
6 plays 40 yards
2:20 Touchdown,
NYG 17 KC 3
3 Kansas City
KC 25
4 plays 16 yards
1:54 Fumble
3 New York (N)
KC 41
4 plays 6 yards
0:50 Missed
Field Goal
3 Kansas City
KC 43
5 plays 17 yards
1:55 Turnover
on downs
3 New York (N)
NYG 40 15 plays 60 yards
8:20 Touchdown,
NYG 24 KC 3
4 Kansas City
KC 25
3 plays 7 yards
2:21 Punt
4 New York (N)
NYG 20 3 plays
6 yards 2:19
Punt
4 Kansas City
KC 28
2 plays 6 yards
1:39 Punt
4 New York (N)
NYG 12 3 plays
-2 yards 1:48
Game Over
Coming up
this week in the AFC we get a matchup for #1 Tennessee versus #2 Houston
with the best two teams in the conference all year finally getting to
match up head to head to decide who the best team is overall (they did
not meet in the regular season).
Coming up
this week in the NFC after pulling off the upset of the Kansas City
Chiefs the NY Giants get to move on to face the #1 team in the
conference, the New Orleans Saints. Giants beat the Saints during the
regular season in week 15, so the top dog in the conference will look to
prove that they deserve that spot and avenge that earlier loss.
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III. STANDINGS
http://www.blades99.com/ISFL/Standings20.htm
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IV. RESULTS – Divisional Round Results
Denver 26 Tennessee 29
V. SCHEDULE
AFC Championship
Houston at Tennessee
NY Giants at New Orleans
VI. TRANSACTIONS
AFC
BUF –
CLE –
DEN – Returned Ben Nieman and Xavier Su’a-Filo to FA pool.
HOU –
IND –
MIN –
NYJ –
PIT –
TEN – Returned Antonio Calloway and Jakob Johnson to FA pool.
NFC
ARZ –
ATL -
CAR –
DET –
GB -
KC -
LAR -
PHI – Returned Andrew Wingard to FA pool.
SEA –
LAR –
DRAFT PICKS FORFEITED:
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VII. OTHER NEWS:
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK:
WEEK ONE
OFFENSE: Jameis Winston, BUF – 25 of 32 for 406 yards, 5 TDs
WEEK TWO
OFFENSE: Marquise Brown, CAR – 15 catches, 224 yards, 3 TDs
DEFENSE: JJ Watt, SEA – 3 Sacks, 3 Tackles
WEEK THREE:
OFFENSE: Nick Chubb, MIN – 33 carries, 268 yards, 2 TDs
DEFENSE: JC Jackson, SEA – 2 INTs, 3 tackles
WEEK FOUR:
OFFENSE: DK Metcalf, DET – 10 catches, 131 yards, 4 TDs
DEFENSE: Devin Bush, JAX – 1 sack, 16 tackles
WEEK FIVE:
OFFENSE: Carson Wentz, DEN – 18 of 21 for 253 yards, 7 TDs
DEFENSE: Carlos Dunlap, JAX – 3 sacks, 4 tackles
WEEK SIX:
OFFENSE: Dak Prescott, PHI – 38 of 53 for 515 yards, 5 TDs
DEFENSE: Marcus Peters, NE – 2 INTs, 5 tackles
WEEK SEVEN:
OFFENSE: Kirk Cousins, LAC – 27 of 37 for 495 yards, 5 TDs
DEFENSE: Von Miller, NYG – 3 sacks, 7 tackles
WEEK EIGHT:
OFFENSE: Drew Brees, NE – 25 of 31 for 352 yards, 3 TDs
WEEK NINE:
OFFENSE: Mitchell Trubisky, CHI – 31 of 34 for 408 yards, 6 TDs
WEEK TEN:
OFFENSE: Aaron Rodgers, IND – 16 of 24 for 235 yards, 5 TDs
DEFENSE: Patrick Peterson, IND – 1 INT, 15 tackles
WEEK ELEVEN:
OFFENSE: Matt Ryan, SF – 39 of 48 for 437 yards, 6 TDs
DEFENSE: Jordan Hicks, PHI – 2 INTs, 6 tackles
WEEK TWELVE:
OFFENSE: Chris Godwin, LAR – 8 catches, 307 yards, 2 TDs
DEFENSE: Oshane Ximines, CAR – 4 sacks, 7 tackles
WEEK THIRTEEN:
OFFENSE: Josh Jacobs, PIT – 32 carries, 157 yards, 1 TD
DEFENSE: Tre White, LAR – 1 INT, 9 tackles
WEEK FIFTEEN
OFFENSE: Ryan Fitzpatrick, TB – 33 of 41 for 316 yards, 4 TDs
DEFENSE: Sam Hubbard, BUF – 3 sacks, 6 tackles
WEEK
SIXTEEN
OFFENSE: Chris Godwin, LAR – 9 catches, 141 yard,s 4 TDs
DEFENSE: Chris Jones, TEN – 4 sacks, 4 tackles
WEEK
SEVENTEEN
OFFENSE: Matthew Stafford, LAR – 26 of 40 for 389 yards, 4 TDs
DEFENSE: Vic Beasley, Jr, JAX – 4 sacks, 5 tackles
WILDCARD ROUND
OFFENSE: Kirk Cousins, LAC – 18 of 28 for 371 yards, 4 TDs
DEFENSE: Kareem Jackson, DEN – 1 INT, 3 tackles
DIVSIONAL ROUND
OFFENSE: Kenyan Drake, NO – 18 for 153 yards, 2 TDs
DEFENSE: Chris Jones, 2 sacks, 5 tackles, 1 forced fumble
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