2021 Long Island EFL Set to Kick Off 50th on August 1, 2021

[Long island EFL]

LONG ISLAND EFL WILL KICK OFF ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY WITH A BANG AUGUST 1, 2021 WITH HUGE $$$ PAYDAY ON THE LINE!

May 26, 2021. Long Island, New York.May 26, 2021. (Long Island, NY) Welcome!  We hope that you are your families are well and thanks for sharing another exciting season with the Long Island Electric Football League! We would love to read all about your leagues as well. We may not ever agree on rules, but we sure will agree on our love and passion for the game.  

While we have been playing this amazing hobby for 50 years! This season we will be celebrating our 17th Super Bowl, played again down in Coquina Key, St. Petersburg, Florida at the home of New York Yankees Special Advisor to George Steinbrenner, Ray Negron. After an enormous 2020 season, with the Green Bay Packers (9-1) beating the Miami Dolphins (8-3) 52-49 in LIEFL Super Bowl XVI, what a Week #1 line-up for the Long Island EFL!  It is stacked with a tremendous fiercely competitive schedule and already, season altering games as we refresh, reboot, and attack the challenges of our 7th consecutive 7-game season format!   

This season, Long Island Sports Hall of Fame inductee Andrew Slawson, will again be providing debatable weekly analysis this season.  The stakes are higher this year in terms of the payout $ pool.  There is a $3,200 dollars Super Bowl Pool at stake this year, with funds from league dues matched by USA World Champion Swimmer, Greg Jagenberg. Jagenberg announced that he will also fly the finalist to St. Pete in December for the LIEFL Super Bowl! Coach Ed Viggs has won back-to-back Super Bowls, and he is ready for his three-peat! League Commissioner William O'Connell said, "This will be an amazing season as the world hopefully sees light at the end of the tunnel with Covid.  We have come together as an electric football community rooting for each other and all of the hobbyists who play our game."  

Dallas Cowboys (LIEFL RANK #7) (86-72) Coach: Levi Vick at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (LIEFL RANK #21) (68-90) Coach: Joey Pizz

What a game this is going to be with the returning Eastern Division Champion Dallas Cowboys (5-3), taking on a highly competitive Tampa Bay team who finished (3-4) last season. Tampa Bay needs to find ways to finish strong since their last playoff run in 2016. But boy did Jimmie Giles have a 2020 season to remember! Giles finished the season with a whopping (24-1439-9TD/4x100TD) and he had two major touchdowns of 86 against Denver and 88 yards against Atlanta, showing his breakaway speed. That is a lot of offensive firepower for a 16 touchdown team in 2020! Dallas will has a huge challenge ahead of them trying to stop Giles at home, but equally the Bucs will have to come up big on defense trying to stop Terrell Owens and the running game of Emmitt Smith. The Cowboys success in 2020, was in huge part by Owens who broke out with (21-1196-7TD/4x100TD) in 2020, and he had a 595 yard 4 touchdown game in the Wild Card game against the fierce Washington Football Team and Coach Ed Viggs, which Dallas lost 45-37! This should be one of the best games of the week.

 

SLAWSON PREDICTION: The Buccaneers will edge the Cowboys 28-24.

 

Philadelphia Eagles (LIEFL RANK #22) (67-81) Coach: Matt McQueen at Atlanta Falcons (LIEFL RANK#20) (69-89) Coach: Johnny "Freeport Chucker"

Another Week#1 tremendous game. Count on fireworks in this game as it will be Eagles sensation Harold Carmichael against one of the best in Hall of Famer Gerald Riggs. These two teams are at a step away from competing in a Super Bowl. After his LIEFL record setting 11 x 100TD's and 1696 all-purpose yards in 2019, Carmichael was figured out last season, but he still had (22-1481-7TD and 6 x100TD)! Make no mistake he is a premiere player in the LIEFL and he will be back for more this season as the Eagles finished (4-3) last season. The Eagles will compete!

 

Compared to Philadelphia, the Atlanta Falcons saw a (3-4) season ultimately collapsing on defense to lose the NFC South to the Panthers and dropping their last game of the season to Tampa Bay.  "The Mouth" Johnny Freeport Chucker's Atlanta Falcons keep pressing on, getting better each season on offense. But every season they seem to come up short even though the Chucker brags that this is the year of the Dirty Birds!  Let's see what happens this year. Gerald Riggs had 13 touchdowns last season. He is a flat out beast in this league with (88-1773-13TD), and offense isn't the issue for Atlanta.  They made some adjustments for 2021 and will play hard. This game will be filled with surprises! Chucker said, "We are tired of watching average coaches win.  Coach Viggs is afraid of my Falcons and if he couldn't pass, he wouldn't win in this league, or any league. He is overrated! That $3,200 will pay for a nice down payment for my next car, a Corvette. That is all he has is the pass and the only guy who wants a no stop league because it gives him an advantage. I am not happy with his nonsense of a no stop league. The one-stop makes him have to work harder. We will see who is king this year and trust me, I am performing better in the last few weeks this year than I did last year. That garbage of playing in snow in Green Bay in the Divisional Game was the only thing that stopped my Detroit Lions. Wait and see what Dexter Bussey has in store this year.  I may have fallen short last season, but I am really excited for August!" The league has a rule regarding bashing agreed upon rules and Chucker already owes $20 more the unsportsmanlike remarks.  

 

SLAWSON PREDICTION: Eagles to upset Atlanta 28-24 and their big mouth coach!

 

Pittsburgh Steelers  (LIEFL RANK #6) (92-73) Coach: Paddy Brannigan at  Buffalo Bills (LIEFL RANK #13) (77-80) Coach: Billy O'C

After their championship run in 2017 winning LIEFL Super Bowl XIII, the competition against the Bills in this league has been matched through the revolving Draft--No one is safe!  We thought the Bills would win three straight after OJ Simpson's heightened MVP record setting 623 yard, seven touchdown performance against Detroit, but their dynasty ended after one season. That doesn't mean OJ is thru. In light of a (2-5) season, Simpson still performed with (64-1353-12TD). He is showing up every game and Buffalo will not be walked on. The Bills are switching it up on the kick return game as second year draft, Jay Brown (6-211-1TD) played steady in his rookie season.  The Bills will let him have his run to make this a two-spot offense! The Steelers will have their hands full with Simpson, and the Bills will come in like a storm in the AFC East to compete for the title again in 2021 with a few tweaked players.

 

The Steelers have been building for four seasons and they have to compete harder on the road in order to take on the Ravens in the AFC North. The "Bus" Jerome Bettis will see the ball on almost every carry until Pittsburgh gets into a zone.  The Steelers finished with a disappointing (2-5) record last season. They have some powerful draft picks at Linebacker, so let's see what happens in 2021.

 

SLAWSON PREDICTION: Buffalo 21-Pittsburgh 14

 

New York Jets (LIEFL Rank #25) (60-81) Coach: Joey Pizz at Carolina Panthers (LIEFL RANK #29) (33-34) Coach: Matt McQueen

What a game this will be! The Jets finished very strong at (4-4) last season making it to the playoffs losing a hard-fought battle to the Chargers in the Wild Card Game 52-27. These Jets are on the rise. They never quit in that game against a superior opponent, but lets see if they can correct the mistakes and win the AFC East in 2021! 

 

This is another great matchup in week #1 and the LIEFL. Both Wesley Walker (21-916-3TD) and Le'Veon Bell (28-435-5TD) brought the offense against the Chargers. Bell had 98 yards rushing against the powerhouse Chargers front three, with two touchdowns, and Walker lit it up with 503 yards and a hundred yard touchdown! Never count these Cinderella Jets out!

 

The Panthers have been a fierce competitor for the last three seasons as back to back NFC finalist, losing to the Los Angles Rams both times. Carolina is just one or two players away from going to a Super Bowl. The Panthers DeShaun Foster (46-574-10TD), is next to impossible to stop, and of course who can forget Greg Jones (18-938-2TD), who has been a beast for the Panthers in the past two seasons as he has risen to stardom in the league. This duo are a wrecking crew! Carolina won the division for the third straight season at (4-4) losing a close battle to Detroit in the Wild Card Game 37-34!

 

SLAWSON PREDICTION: Panthers in a war for week one 17-14.

 

Minnesota Vikings (LIEFL RANK #8) (84-79) Coach: Joey Pizz  at Cincinnati Bengals (LIEFL RANK#26) (54-84-1) Coach: Johnny Freeport Chucker

Both of these teams are highly competitive, and both fell short of making the playoffs last season. Vikings running back Adrian Peterson earned (56-1247-8TD) all-purpose yards and Peterson had 308 yards rushing. The defense for Minnesota (2-5) was solid, but they could only muster up two wins in that fierce NFC North Division with the Packers, Lions, and Bears being so competitive. After winning Division titles in 2016, 2017, and 2018, the draft has caught up in the North with the Vikings rebuilding.

 

The Bengals (3-4) are tricky to predict. They had a great upset against the Chargers last season in week one and then they fizzled out. All-Pro Icky Woods played big with (53-546-5TD) rushing yards, and Chad Ocho Cinco Johnson (20-1018-4TD), set a team record for yards and touchdowns by tearing up the AFC North with surprises with 184 yards and two touchdowns against the Chargers and five hundred yard games, including 834 yards on kick returns for Cincinnati. The matchups should be fantastic with 4 time All-Pro Brian Blados at tackle for the Bengals facing tough Carl Eller and Jared Allen. The two teams have not met in years. It should be an interesting season with the NFC North playing the AFC North. 

 

SLAWSON PREDICTION: Bengals 10-7.

 

San Francisco 49ers (LIEFL RANK #17) (66-76) Coach Ed Viggs at  Detroit Lions (LIEFL RANK#16) (72-74) Coach: Johnny Chucker

What a game this will be!  Forget last season. It was a fluke for San Francisco (0-7) with bad breaks, positioning, and mistakes, Coach Viggs swears his 49ers will be bold in the West this season.  He says the Rams are a great team but he will do for the 49ers what he did with his Packers last season and he will do it without talk.

The 49ers did not win a game last year and they earned the top draft picks this season. There's nothing wrong with that 49er football team other than bad luck last season. The 49ers will be back strong, but the Lions also improved and have been competitive for the last five straight seasons turning the entire franchise around. What a matchup between the 2019 record setting Ricky Watters and LIEFL Hall of Famer Dexter Bussey. Watters rushed for (49-587-8TD) in 2020, and the superstar Bussey (55-1863-16TD) was a beast again for the (6-3) Lions!  He keeps getting better and better as the league standards get vetted and better. Bussey rushed for 471 yards and he had another 1322 yards with six 100 kick returns for touchdowns in 2020. The snow game against the Packers in the Divisional playoff game killed the Lions shot at a title. This will be a high-powered offensive game and what a Week#1 matchup.

 

SLAWSON PREDICTION: Lions 31-49ers 28. Nobody is beating Detroit on their home turf and Detroit will win the Division.

 

Seattle Seahawks (LIEFL RANK#27) (54-103) Coach Paddy Brannigan at Indianapolis Colts (LIEFL RANK#15) (74-90) Coach: Billy O'C

What a terrific week one matchup between these two 2020 playoff teams. The Hawks played spectacular last season with major upsets on the road against Philadelphia, Miami, the LA Rams and they lost 24-22 in the Divisional playoff game against Coach Ed Viggs Washington Football Team, but what a season it was! Marshawn Lynch (49-1332-11TD) had an unforgettable season, including a 672 yard 3 touchdown performance with two hundred yard TD returns against Coach Billy O'C's two-time LIEFL Super Bowl Champion Rams, knocking them out of the playoffs for the first time in three seasons in the Wild Card Game 51-45 in the upset of the tournament in OT! Lynch's outstanding season earned the Seahawks some serious respect as a contender in this league under the great coaching of Paddy Brannigan.

 

Billy O'C's Colts (15-6) the past three seasons finished a strong (7-2) in 2020, but they came up short with a 30-22 Divisional Championship game loss to the Chargers. They brought a competitive war with star running back Joseph Addai (74-1654-10TD), who is one of the top five backs in the LIEFL. Another phenomenal game for week one. O'C says no more disappointments for this Colts team.  They gained lots of lessons against the Chargers after pummling the Broncos in the playoffs. They'll be back!

 

SLAWSON PREDICTION: Colts 14-Seahawks 10

 

Arizona Cardinals (LIEFL RANK#23) (67-93) Coach: Kevin Maloney at Tennessee Titans (LIEFL RANK#21) (25-22)  Coach Kevin Maloney (Joe Bino will be the alternate coach for this game).

Every season the Cardinals (3-4) start off explosive only to weaken towards the end of the season. They fell apart last year somehow after losing the last 4 out of five games. This year we think the Cardinals will have a different run. They have too many weapons to bow down to a very tough and challenging Titan team. The big back Otis Anderson (53-439-6TD) is tough to bring down, and the Cards have weapons in Mel Gray (17-966-4TD), and Larry Fitzgerald (5-312-2TD).

 

The Titans (4-4) showed lots of promise last year and they will come out fighting as they usually do taking the South by storm. These Titans have had a great run, losing to Miami in the AFC Wild Card Game 42-20 in 2020. They are stacked with talent with a front three anchored by All-Pro Bruce Matthews. Eddie George had a decent season (49-369-6TD) and the cornermen Brandon Jones (13-510-0TD) and Eron Kinney (10-465-5TD) kept the Titans competitive and filled with surprises. Kinney exploded in Week#1 against Denver with 268 yards and three touchdowns, but he also had touchdowns in big spots against Detroit and Houston.

 

SLAWSON PREDICTION: Titans 21-Cardinals 14

 

Los Angeles Chargers (LIEFL RANK#11) (81-71) Coach: Ed Viggs at Washington Redskins Football Team (LIEFL RANK#2) (107-67) Coach: Ed Viggs (Alternate Coach Joe Bino will play this game).

 

As if the matchups couldn't get any better in Week#1 of the LIEFL, two more terrific playoff teams from the AFC and NFC will be one of the most competitive and watched games of the week. The Chargers (8-2) bring it just like Washington (7-3), and in three seasons Los Angeles has been a force losing such close games against the Bills in 2019, and Miami last season in the AFC Championship Game 32-27, but don't be fooled by their loses. They have won 17 games in the past three seasons! The Chargers will compete for a Super Bowl after losing LIEFL Super Bowl XIV 31-28 to the Los Angeles Rams.

This game features the elite players and best rated coach of the league in the steady and cool Wall Street Guru, Ed Viggs--the guy everyone wants to beat! We already know the two running backs playing in this game are next to unstoppable in LaDanian Tomlinson (64-1640-13 TD) and Washington's Tony Green (62-1190-7TD), and both defenses are outstanding with fierce front line matchups. 

 

SLAWSON PREDICTION: Chargers 20-WTF 17 in the upset!

 

Cleveland Browns (LIEFL RANK#14) (75-72) Coach: Matt "Zoo-York" McQueen at Kansas City Chiefs (LIEFL RANK#19) (68-88) Coach: Matt McQueen, but Joe Bino will be the alternate coach seeing the action.

 

Of all the games in week one this one might be the most unpredictable in two of the most disappointing teams in the Browns (2-5) and Chiefs (2-5).  One thing the Browns have is a defense. In fact one of the best in the AFC allowing a AFC third best 83 points in 2020. On offense they were abysmal with only 64 points landing them dead-last in the LIEFL. Coach McQueen needs to fix this fast.  The Browns went from the #1 Seeded team in 2017 to a team sinking. They had a few bright spots in Mike Pruitt (27-223-4TD) who did most of the rushing in the last three games of the 2020 season and of course, Jim Brown (37-1126-4TD), who came thru on kick returns and set-ups. The Browns defense comes to play, but we have to see some improvement in their offense.

 

The Chiefs with elite running back Priest Holmes (49-468-7TD), are rebuilding yet again for the 4th straight season. Let's see how Holmes makes his way into the first three weeks of the season as the Chiefs rebound from another losing season. 2019 draft, Tyreek Hill (13-650-1TD) has to have a breakout year in order for this Kansas City team to compete. This one will be close.

 

SLAWSON PREDICTION: Chiefs 17-Browns 14

 

Miami Dolphins (LIEFL RANK#1) (151-37) Coach: Billy O'C and New England Patriots (LIEFL RANK#24) (64-82) Coach: Levi Vick

Is this Miami's year after back to back LIEFL Super Bowl loses? Let's see if the Patriots can handle fury of Miami. The Miami Dolphins (8-3) played a great game against Green Bay in last year's Super Bowl, but these division matchups are always a huge challenge. The Patriots have rebuilt and their plan is to take back the east. Nobody is stopping the Dolphin defense who outplayed the AFC last season. Jason Taylor, and Larry Little will be pushed with two great tackles in AJ Duhe and Manny Fernandez this year, and their mentor Bob Kuechenberg will lead the charge. Mercury Morris (54-611-11TD) is back to compete with LaDanian Tomlinson for another rushing title, and superstar Mark Duper (18-1007-2TD) will set up Morris on the offense.

 

New England (2-5) had their most difficult season since 2008 losing  to Miami twice and they lost in an upset at home to the Jets 17-14 which cost them a shot at the post-season. The Pats have one of the best players in the AFC in starting Pro Bowl tight-end Rob Gronkowski (22-1254-3TD), so they need to challenge early on and beat the Dolphins at home to stay in this race. Every game counts big!

 

SLAWSON PREDICTION: Miami will upset New England 20-17. 

 

Green Bay Packers (LIEFL RANK#4) (95-76) Coach: Ed Viggs  at New Orleans Saints (LIEF RANK#12) (80-74) Coach: Kevin Maloney

The Packers (9-1) were the best team in the LIEFL last season. They proved that because of the stellar strategic coach of Ed Viggs who walked away with the prize. Nobody could have predicted the season Green Bay would have in 2020 and big-play stars emerged From Jim Taylor and Reggie White to Ray Nitschke and Sterling Sharpe, the Packers were 6-0 up until their loss to Chicago. Sharpe had a perfect performance in the game against Miami with 11-530-4 touchdowns, including the game winning 100 yard run back to win the game with seconds left of the last possession of the game to earn him the Super Bowl XVI MVP award as Sharpe reached stardom and respect in the league! The Packers found a way to win nine games last season including their winning their first ever LIEFL Super Bowl in three tries with their win over Miami. They dominated the league on defense and when it came time to perform on the biggest stage of the playoffs Coach Viggs stepped up with a game plan to beat the elite teams in both leagues. The Packers made huge statements and stepped up! Coach Viggs traveled the road less known for the past two seasons and this coach wants the big prize. 

 

The Saints (2-5), suffered tough losses in 2020 losing five out of their last six games of the season. The bright spot for New Orleans was Reggie Bush (59-1305-6TD). will be ready for the rebuild saints. Never count the Packers out

 

SLAWSON PREDICTION: Packers 14-Saints 7 in the upset!

 

Denver Broncos (LIEFL RANK#3) (105-64-1) Coach: Paddy Brannigan  New York Football Giants (LIEF RANK#9) (83-73) Coach: Joey Pizz

What a come back season for the once elite Broncos (4-4) and what a devastating season it was for the tough Giants (4-3) in 2020. For the first time in 20 years the Broncos made it to the playoffs losing to the high-octane Indianapolis Colts 27-10, but these Broncos led by the LIEFL leading rusher Terrell Davis (58-1924-15TD+8 100TD) had an explosive breakout year. Davis and the Broncos will show up again to wreak havoc! They will need all the firepower they can get against the Giants because the Giants will play angry this year after being knocked off in the last game of the season losing  Dallas in a tremendous loss 21-17upset forcing them out of the playoffs last season. The tandem of Saquon Barkley (42-505-8TD) and Odell Beckham (15-894-4TD) had some huge performances as they lit up the NFC East as the Giants just missed the playoff run. Beckham had an amazing three hundred yard touchdown performance against Cincinnati with 376 yards in that game for New York and Barkley consistently caused problems for defenders. Another amazing week 1 matchup. It's very tough to win on the road in this league but the elite teams are able to do it and the broncos are trying to get to that level.

 

SLAWSON PREDICTION: Giants 21-14 In a battle but it won't be easy.

 

Chicago Bears LIEFL RANK#5) (94-66) Coach: Paddy Brannigan at Los Angeles Rams (LIEFL RANK#10) (82-82) Coach Billy O'C

What another amazing Week#1 matchup! The Chicago Bears (4-3) were one of the most exciting teams in 2020 and they are back big with their star Willie Gault (23-1340-6TD) leading the offense behind a wall of Bears! The Bears were just shy of making the playoffs and the Rams were upset in the first round by the Seahawks 51-45 in OT after wining back-to-back LIEFL Super Bowl's. Watch for these Rams to return right back to the form that they were in last season as they battle for another division title and Super Bowl. Rams running back Wendell Tyler (62-651-10TD) had a great year and The "Reverend" Isaac Bruce (27-1415-6TD) is unstoppable with that Fab-5 line. Los Angeles is still a major threat and a force to be reckoned with in the LIEFL. They are still the team to beat! 

 

SLAWSON PREDICTION: Rams 28-Bears 21

 

Baltimore Ravens (LIEFL RANK #28) (35-30) Coach: Johnny Freeport Chucker at Las Vegas Raiders (LIEFL RANK#17) (72-80) Coach: Kevin Maloney

A mixed bag on this one. It doesn't matter what anyone says, the Raiders (2-5) won't be the same away from the projects of Oakland and the mean streets of Raider Nation. They've changed and they have been on the brink of trade in this league.  Billy O'C wants the Raiders back and is willing to trade his Buffalo Bills to obtain the Raiders, but Maloney wants either Miami or the Rams. As usual five time LIEFL Raiders All-Pro end Dave Casper (25-1284-5TD), was a beast in 2020 and can he get any better in 2021? Will the Raiders improve at Linebacker? We shall see if their offseason work makes them a contender against a powerhouse Baltimore team in their opener.

 

The Ravens had a terrific year in 2020 only to be upset by their rival Miami in the AFC Divisional Game 52-46! Coach Johnny Freeport Chucker was beyond emotional and was even fined after the game the playoffs after tossing Miami's Mercury Morris. This guy continues to be the league bad boy. Nevertheless his Ravens looked sharp with LIEFL All-Pro Derrick Mason (19-1203-4TD) and  he crushed it on returns with 595 yards along with four touchdowns against Miami in that loss. He is such a bigtime player! a stellar season. The Ravens also have an enormous line which paves the way for All-Pro running back Jamal Lewis (55-568-11TD) who made this team so good in 2020. The Ravens have to come up big this season in the tough spots in order to make their move as an elite team! 

 

SLAWSON PREDICTION:  Ravens on the road 21-17!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 25, 2021 by Long island EFL
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