Long Island EFL Week #6 Buccaneers (3-2) at Jaguars(1-4) and Saints (1-4) at Titans (1-4)

[Long island EFL]

(Long Island Electric Football League Week #6 Game Write-Ups Continue). Written by Levi Vick and Joey Pizz. November 19, 2023. As we continue the writeups of games played in the LIEFL Week #6 season, there is a lot of chatter around the league about what will come of the league when Commissioner Billy O'C retires. O'C owns all the 67-Big Man teams, and coaches sort of lease the teams mentally, but he owns everything, including a good ten game boards. He deserves credit for running an organized 32-team amazing historic professionally run league with no BS. It's a mighty undertaking to organize a league with 32-teams, as many of our readers can relate because of the work they put into their own leagues. Some of the talk from the coaches in the LIEFL is about how amazing the league is run when it comes to statistics. The stats are a benchmark for each of us as we strive to get better, and numbers can help a coach to set and achieve goals.

J A G U A R S  ROAR TO VICTORY WITH CONVINCING WIN OVER BUCCANEERS 14-7!

 Buccaneers (3-2) - Jaguars (1-4)

Last season the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were on the rise with bending upsets over the LA Rams in Week #3, and then they beat the New York Jets in Week #6 in the Game of the Week, which unhinged those two teams. During that time, LA Rams Coach Billy O’C called it “the curse of the Buccaneers” and the mystique of the league. Nobody is safe in the league from being beaten.” That theme carried over until the Bucs were beaten last week by division rival, the Carolina Panthers 34-28 in OT, in a game that saw nine touchdowns with 905 total yards dished out between the two teams. The Bucs can play with any team in the league.

We saw Tampa Bay improve in every way, inching closer to becoming a force in the NFC South competing with the Falcons and Panthers for the division. Coach Paddy Brannigan said, “You could see it coming that the Bucs were out for blood to ruin teams. This year, I think they are even better!”  

Rookie Coach Bobby Biggs Jacksonville Jaguars are cornered between who to get rid of and who to keep. LIEFL All-Pro running back Fred Taylor seems in the woods alone at times. Biggs has underperformed as a coach when facing complex offensive opponents, and he's been a disaster at managing the speedy setups and clock of the LIEFL, but credit him for never quitting. Instead, Bobby Biggs is a fast learner, so that next season he restructures his approach to electric football. There are some warriors in this game and the merciless approach of the coaches is because of the $3200 dollar payout in winning a Super Bowl. Biggs (3-12) in the LIEFL, and has yet, to comment about the competition. Billy O'C loves Biggs and his spirit. He thinks Biggs is a master coach.

Coach Johnny-Freeport said, "Who cares what Biggs thinks, or what anyone thinks about our league. What matters is the fierce competition and the money for me. You think I care about someone's past rule book when there is no cashout in a Super Bowl? Bobby Biggs is coming from a league where the setups have countdowns, the defenders are turned to chase the receivers after the catch, and he is totally lost with this one-stop intense league when it comes to the competition. He is an incompetent coach in my book. I am hunting down a trophy and the money." Biggs didn't appreciate the remarks from Freeport, but he vows to take his teams out at every chance he gets. "Let him keep running his mouth. Payback will pain Chucker," said Biggs.

KICKOFF:

They say, payback is a B%#%$@%, but the Buccaneers came for the jugular and the roaring Jaguars were armed and ready with a frontline to pave the way for LIEFL All-Pro Freddie Taylor. Taylor launched 11 all-purpose touches for 178 yards with a touchdown in the game.

This was a game that Tampa Bay (3-2) desperately needed, and Jags coach Bobby Biggs hasn't forgot some of the things Pizz said about his coaching. Biggs said, "It was a great honor to shut down Tampa Bay with my (2-4) team, and every chance I get to play and beat this coach will be an honor." Pizz said, "We didn't play well.  Usually Jimmie Giles has game, and they really stuffed Ricky Bell to a level I didn't expect, but credit their defense who played great.

The Bucs were handled well by the Jacksonville Jaguars front line led by Lineman Tony Boselli who's now has six tackles along with a combatant year against opponents. Boselli is gaining some respect around the league. He opened holes on the line, putting on a HomeTown whipping on Tampa Bay 14-7, holding Bell to just three yards rushing!

From the outset Freddie Taylor had winning on his mind with big runs of 13, 8, 26, 10, and a 1-yard touchdown run on the first drive. Jimmie Giles didn't see the light of day against a tough Jaguars defense who have been up and coming. While the Jags have made mistakes, they've also made some big plays in 2023.

Tampa Bay's Dave Moore had a 59-yard first down reception on a rocket thrown by Coach Pizz. This play was followed by a 4-yard Mike Alstott touchdown to tie the score in the second half at 7-7, but it was Freddie Taylor's 56-yard kick return followed by a 24-yard run and a Jimmy Smith 32-yard pass reception for a touchdown that gave the Jaguars the win over a playoff contending Tampa Bay Buccaneers football team, 14-7!

The Buccaneers will have a rough go at making the playoffs, and even though they play the Cowboys at home in the season finale, both NFC SOUTH division rivals Atlanta and Carolina have home games. The Bucs are still alive in the hunt for an outside shot at a playoff slot, but we'll see what Dallas has in mind. The unpredictable Cowboys play on Thanksgiving  Day, hosting the Giants in a huge game.

Will the Bucs and Cowboys, or Giants fall and fold, or do they take a Giant step into the playoffs?

The Jaguars have had a decent season, but they gave up the costly big plays when they need their defense the most. Everyone in the league respects Jacksonville's tackles Rob Meier and Charles Spencer, but the Jaguars need to strengthen at Linebacker in this February's LIEFL Draft so that Freddie Taylor gains free access to the inside running game that Boselli and company have built. The countdown to the final game next week has heightened intensity as they coaches compete for the right to compete in LIEFL Super Bowl XVIII on December 30th!

B JONES RUNS WILD FOR 215 ALL-PURPOSE YARDS ON SAINTS IN TITANS 17-14 WIN!

 Saints (1-4) - Titans (1-4) ... We have to reflect a bit more and realize that it has been an intense battle between coaches in the LIEFL from the start. Lots of contentious coaching and criticism can be revealing when it comes to rivalries. The biggest question is what how else can coaches improve? Some of the coaches in this league play in other leagues after the LIEFL season as well, just not with LIEFL teams. 

The season did not turn out the way some coaches predicted, especially if we look closer at this game between the Saints and Titans. The Saints won all the draft picks a team could use, and the Titans are rebounding off of a playoff year that they would build on. Both teams failed miserably in meeting their projected goals, but don't fault the coaches so much as the improvement in the league through the LIEFL Draft. But still, the end result was disappointing. Titans Coach Kevin Mack said, "I really thought that after the season we had last year making the AFC Wild Card spot, and Derrick Henry winning Rookie of the Year, we would end up competing for the division, but I made some bad plays that cost us, and now I just have to salvage some wins for pride and respect in the league."

As for the matchup on paper, you couldn't find a better matchup for pride in Rookie Coach Bobby Biggs Saints (1-4) against Kevin Mack's Titans (1-4). That is the love for the league in that these coaches are competitive no matter the situation.

This is a game with nothing to lose, but the loss, and except for the embarrassment of a (1-5) record, so the game has significance. Bobby Biggs rests at the bottom of the LIEFL at (3-12), but that won't stop him. He told us that in his first year his record is not important. Next year he will play differently because his girlfriend takes lots of notes and she records his games every week for Biggs Seahawks, but Seattle couldn't get it done this season. They host the Rams this week.

THE GAME:

This game was electrifying and a better game than expected. Tennessee came out with the swinging with fireworks lighting up the field by kick returner Brandon Jones who had a wild day, complimented by 215 all-purpose yards on five touches, including a 55-yard touchdown pass for the speedy receiver. After Tennessee scored on the 1st set of downs, Saints powerstar and playmaker Reggie Bush ran back 100-yard kick return for a sizzling touchdown run to tie the score at 7-7 in the first half, but Tennessee wasn't having it. Although Titans second year running back Derrick Henry had 20-yards rushing with a touchdown, it was Brandon Jones all day who ran back kick returns of 55, 53, and 52 yards including two 50-yard pass receptions which gave the Tennessee Titans the 17-14 victory over rookie Bobby Biggs struggling Saints. Both lines in the trenches performed well, including three outside tackles by Jeremy Shockey who played a great game. Shockey also had an 18-yard touchdown catch.

We keep waiting for New Orleans to show signs of life but their situation will need much more patience. Don't forget, if you are following the LIEFL, Miami had a three season span of 3 wins and 18 losses before regaining their powerhouse reputation after nearly trading their entire team away and starting over.

MUCH MORE WILL FOLLOW TO COMPLETE WEEK #6.