Long Island EFL Week #6 Today's BIG Games, LIEFL All-Pro Update!

[Long island EFL]

(Long Island Electric Football League) November 22, 2023. Written by Levi Vick, Joey Pizz, and Commissioner of the LIEFL, Billy O'C contributed. Here's wishing the Electric Football Community and Tudor Games a Happy Thanksgiving Week! The Long Island Electric Football League is getting excited as we wind down the 7th straight playoff season using the seven-game format which has worked brilliantly by our leader Billy O'C! It's the reason why we all stay so committed because it's about all the time we can give, but man it has been an incredible and vibrant run! Prior to the seven game season format, we played ten historic 14-game seasons.

(LEFT: LIEFL 2019 PRO BOWL) It's almost that time to pick our All-Star Players in the LIEFL. This season we will use this star (Right Below) that Coach Matt Zoo-York customized for our LIEFL All-Pro Selections for the AFC-NFC teams. It is a beautiful star because it memorializes the life and career of unforgettable Cleveland Browns running back Jim Brown, by making him the centerpiece of our customized All-Star. After next week's final regularly scheduled games, the AFC and NFC All-Pro Teams will be announced, voted on by the coaches in one meeting and the All-Pro selections will earn this star.

Jim Brown is arguably one of the most influential figures in American sports history. His contributions to the game of football, as well as his impact on the civil rights movement, have had a lasting influence on the world, and his enduring influence on the game of football and society for athletes from many generations, is huge. Brown's legacy in the LIEFL is profound because as kids Jim Brown is remembered as a heroic figure.

We aren't here to preach, we are sharing the value of people and the game we love.

Like most people living in what some people consider the Melting Pot of America, our parents came from immigrants mostly from Italy, Cuba, Germany, Africa, France, and Ireland.They practiced what they preached. All children were welcome in our homes, and our parents were like every other parent in the neighborhood. They worked hard and taught us love and respect for people. They didn't care who people were, just as long as they/we were honest, decent, contributing citizens to our America without reservation and discrimination against others. We are so grateful they brought electric football into the home.

That is the beauty of New York, in discovering our cultural differences. New York is a place where we are subjected to every culture and all ethnic backgrounds because of its vast mixed population. More importantly, we are mindful of our differences, which we embrace.

Although the Browns haven't won a championship in our league, they are one of the most competitive teams we own. Jim Brown passed on May 18, 2023.

Like all of you, we will never forget the first time Mom and Dad left a treasured game board under the Christmas tree. It was the start of an amazing and historic league and hobby for us!

There is a criterion we use to select our Pro-Bowl All-Star teams which is awesome because we thoroughly go through each player on every roster from 32-teams, picking the top 70 of 352 players in our 67-Big Men LIEFL, using the following process:

•  Weight of the team's schedule against playoff opponents or winning teams by wins-losses to determine the best players against the competition.
• We consider player(s) of the week status or huge games against playoff contending teams on a player-by-player basis.
• We rate by statistics, tackles, points allowed as a team, points scored as a team, and rankings determined by the quality of those players at their position vs. all players at their position from each team.
• And the final determination is comparison is by notes, memory, and the persuasion of their coaches by process of elimination to make the final selection and determination.We select First, Second Team All-Pro's from each Conference at Guard the top 9, at Running Back, at Tackle the top 5, at Receiver the top 6, at Linebacker the top 4, and on Special Teams we select the top 5 players.
• We then select an Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year from each conference as well as a Long Island Electric Player of the Year for the entire league. For example, last year's AFC Offensive Player of the Year was Indianapolis Colts Joseph Addai. Addai finished the season with 73 touches for 1730 all-purpose yards with 15 touchdowns. In the NFC it was New York Giants Ahmad Bradshaw who stole the show! Bradshaw was a beast on Special Teams and he added the most value to the Giants run to the NFC Championship Game. He had a blistering 2022, with 21 touches for 1457 all-purpose yards with seven touchdowns, including six electrifying 100-yard touchdown returns in every big spot, and he was Pro-Bowl MVP, earning Bradshaw Long Island Electric Football League Offensive Player of the Year! On defense it was LA Chargers Ironman Earl Faison who earned Long Island Electric Football's Player of the Year Award, and from the NFC it was Arizona Cardinals Conrad Dobler who crushed opponents making huge plays at tackle. 
• That's the top 35 players representing each conference.

The Pro Bowl Game will be played December 29, a day before the Super Bowl. Rosters will be announced at the end of Week #7.

Back to the business of Week #6.

DOLPHINS WIN 5TH OF SEASON IN A PHILADELPHIA BRAWL IN OT!

Eagles (1-4) - Dolphins (4-1) (Long Island Electric Football League). November 2023.  All of the sudden Coach Matt Zoo-York’s Philadelphia Eagles (1-4) want to play football at a playoff level against Alternate Coach Joe Bino's (4-1) Miami Dolphins. Today, the Eagles put up a ferocious battle against Miami. The battle is never ending in the LIEFL and the coaches have to rise to the occasion to cross the finish line. Coach Joe Bino said of Matt Zoo-York's Eagles, "Who Dat?" An Eagles and Vikings fan, Bino said, "Where has Philadelphia been all year? That's the problem, they play when they feel like playing."

Coach Joe Bino, who is substituting for Coach Billy O’C said, “I wasn't surprised at all by the Eagles performance. In fact, I expected it after the way they played last week in their 27-21, overtime win against Seattle. Teams just crumbled in the league. That team is hot! I scouted them well and knew that I would have to make adjustments against Zoo's line and stop Carmichael from destroying us on the kick returns. The Eagles have always been a good football team and when you have players like Byars and Carmichael, you have to try to contain those two guys or it's going to be a long day.”

The same could be said for Miami when it comes to the “Mark's Brothers” Mark Clayton and Mark Duper, but then when you add legendary Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris behind the blocking of a fierce Frontline of Jason Taylor Larry Little, and Bob Kuechenberg, the #1 ranked LIEFL team of all time at (162-40), make the Dolphins a formidable opponent, and they are a quadruple threat for professional ballers. Miami's going to need that powerhouse blocking and more if they're going to beat the Buffalo Bills next week at Buffalo. If the Bills can beat the Chargers on the road today that will twist the power lever of the AFC East, towards Buffalo. Miami lost the division title in an upset to New England last year, but they still made it all the way to the AFC Championship Game as a Wild Card Team before losing to the defending LIEFL Super Bowl XVII Champion Kansas City Chiefs 58-57, in a historic game!

This game came down to the final seconds in regulation, in a nail biter that went to the Miami Dolphins who battled a team of warriors, no matter what the Eagles record is. The Dolphins power front has a different feel to them this season, with Bino at the helm. Less emotional ties to a team show Bino's emotions separate from the skill and talent he has. He loves playing with Miami because of the team. They've been in this league over 50 years when Billy O’C created their dynasty. But every player on the team is different except for the running back so those old faces even though they're here in numbers in spirit, the player bases have changed. These two teams met in a fierce Super Bowl in the 1992 season in LIEFL Super Bowl IX, when the Dolphins edged the Eagles, 20-17. Lets not forget, Miami has been in the last three AFC Championship Games. Could they get back to the show?

The Eagles record only speaks on paper, but it doesn't really speak about the team that they are. They just haven't performed the way they needed to perform on the road this year and that's what's kept them back, a lot of bad breaks. Coach Matt Zoo-York has to do a better job in the draft because these Eagles need to be able to compete in that NFC East which is one of the toughest divisions in the league. Coach Zoo said, "This draft I am focusing on my linebackers because that is the place where we have to win the battles." 

THE GAME: On Miami's first drive LIEFL All-Pro Mark Duper returned the opening kickoff 55-yards. On first down, the Eagles ran through the Dolphins offense, but Bino made several fast adjustments and the Dolphins regrouped by taking charge of the inside game featuring Mercury Morris who rushed for eight, 12, and finally 25 yards into the end zone to give Miami the lead 7-0, with 8:34 remaining in the half!

Harold Carmichael came storming back with a renewed vengeance 47-yards on the Eagles first possession. Philadelphia struggled against the highly touted Miami front line. Keith Byars had three runs for 10-yards, and then on third down it was Carmichael who struck again as he broke free from Larry's Csonka, exploding on a powerful 44-yard into the end zone to tie the game at 7-7, to end the first half. Carmichael has been super in the past few games. Last week in Week #5, Carmichael sprayed the tough Seattle Seahawks with an entourage of numbers. He had four touches for 298 all-purpose yards with two 100-yard kick returns for touchdowns, silencing a playoff hopeful Seattle team! It was the Eagles first win of the season and Matt Zoo-York saw signs of life in his team. They brought a consistent energy in this Miami game. Carmichael broke the 1,000 all-purpose yard mark again this season after today's game!

On the Dolphins next possession, Mark Duper returned the ball 50-yards on the ensuing kickoff. Miami had little time to work with but they moved the ball fast. After four straight runs and 30 yards gained on the ground, it was Mercury Morris who barreled his way in for the  score on a 20-yard touchdown pass to that gave the Dolphins the go ahead lead, 14-7. With under three minutes to go, the Eagles poured it on with a speedy 23-yard kick return by Harold Carmichael who got stuck in the backfield by his own lineman who turned him in circles with an open field in front of him, until Carmichael was then blasted on a hard hit by Dolphins tackle AJ Duhe who made the stop.

The Eagles wasted no time on first down. They threw an amazing bomb to Keith Byars who stunned Miami taking it 77-yards to the Dolphins 1-yard line with just 1:15 remaining in the game. On first down, it was Byars again who followed a wall of white Eagles jerseys, into the endzone for the score, tying the game at 14-14! That score left Miami with just 16 seconds, and not enough time to set up and to run the kickoff back. WOW! What a turn of events in a tremendous nail biter! We're going into overtime!

OVERTIME:

Luck must be on Bino's side today because he won the overtime coin toss for his Dolphins! This has been a game! On the overtime kick off Miami's Mark Duper blazed 75-yards in the big spot on a stunning run to the Eagles 25-yard line. The Dolphins ended it right there with a 25-yard field goal to earn their fifth victory of the season 17-14, in a well fought battle for both teams! Miami (5-1) heads to Buffalo in the final week of the LIEFL season in what will be their first big meaningful division battle of the year. That game may decide the AFC East Champion. Joe Bino has a dilemma. He also coaches the Bills. Buffalo (4-1) is at Los Angeles to play Coach Ed Viggs and his playmaking Chargers (4-1) this week. What a game that will be!

TEXANS SPOIL BENGALS PLAYOFF CHANCES TO STAY ALIVE IN THE HUNT WITH 14-10 WIN!

Texans (2-3) - Bengals (2-3). LIEFL's unpopular Loudmouth Coach Johnny-Freeport's Cincinnati Bengals have battled in every game this season starting with an opening day loss to division rival Cleveland 17-14, then they lost to Denver 21-17 in a see-saw battle. They seem to have found their niche at home though beating San Francisco and then the Browns on their second runaround. Last week, the Bengals lost a tough game to division rival Pittsburgh 17-14, which leads us to today's game against the dangerous and unpredictable Texans. We say dangerous because we don't know who is going to show up. Somehow Levi Vick's Texans lost to the Falcons 14-3, last week when they should have scored more points. That gave Falcons coach Johnny-Freeport more fuel for his trash-talking. Freeport thinks Vick is an average coach, but lets' see him put his money where his mouth is with this Texans-Bengals game on the line.

Cincinnati's Ickey Woods has rushed for 229 yards with four touchdowns, including a 69-yard run compared to last year's Woods, who rushed for 385 yards with five touchdowns. The difference in the Bengals offense though, has been Chris Collinsworth. Collinsworth has 710 all-purpose yards on 13 touches with four touchdowns, including three 100-yard touchdown scampers in 2023. Not to mention, the Bengals have Chad Ocho-Cinco Johnson, who's four touches and 192 yards with one touchdown have added a new dimension to this Cincinnati quadruple threat offense. What makes this game interesting is not just that both of these teams are chasing a playoff run, but their resurgence of their special teams plays is winning games for Cincinnati with seconds to go in the games.

If Levi Vick, Houston Texans coach can help it, they will bring their best today on the road. Houston has their two victories on the road oddly enough. Vick's Texans are gaining ground in the division in the unpredictable and wild AFC South, and it's a division we never know who's going to show up. One thing is for certain, the Texans have improved since the first week of the LIEFL 2023 season. In the upcoming draft Levi Vick has to focus on linebackers get better at covering running backs out of the backfield.

While the Texans have pulled off some surprises like beating New Orleans in the last seconds of the game 14-13 this season, Ron Dayne has been streaky at best. The thing is when he gets hot there are few better running backs in the league that can do what Dayne does on kick returns and running the football in the trenches. "Will the real Ron Dayne please show up in today's game," laughed Levi Vick.

Johnny-Freeport's Bengals opened the game with a Chris Collinsworth 58-yard kick return but the Bengals had their problems from the start. Ickey Woods ran the ball four times and he only had four yards. Cincinnati was stopped on the run so Freeport went to the air where he hit running back Archie Griffin out of the backfield for a key 11-yard first down, and then Cincinnati struggled from that point on in the series relying on an untested Griffin again to earn another first down for 10 yards.

The Texans defense played fantastic once again pounding the pavement with the Bengals offensive line.

We haven't forgotten that this is the same Houston team that got blown out in week one against Indianapolis. Houston then surprised the league with a respectable loss to the Miami Dolphins, 3-0.

Next, Levi Vick made a lot of adjustments with his Texans and they proved to be very effective. On 4th down Cincinnati kicked the 24-yard field goal to take the lead 3-0.

There was no holes barred on this one, the gloves came off. Texans Ron Dayne made it clear that he was coming for the Bengals as he ran back an electrifying 100-yard touchdown run with epic blocking in front of him on the Texans first possession to give Houston the lead 7-3, ending the first half! What a powerful play! 

It was Chris Collinsworth who ran back a 41-yard kickoff to open the second half. Cincinnati running back Ickey Woods started to pick up his running game after Archie Griffin failed on his first two tries running the ball. It took Chris Collinsworth's 20-yard reception to set up Woods, who took the ball back off of Griffin again. This time Woods ran for a 10-yard first down, and on the next play, Woods exploded on an inside run for a 32-yard touchdown run to give the Bengals a 10-7 lead! Wow! The Bengals used up a lot of
time on the drive.

Houston fired right back with a fast 30-yard kick return by Ron Dayne only to be met by LIEFL All-Pro Brian Blados at the 30-yard line on a huge-impact hit. The Texans again worked quick with time running out of the in the game. On first down, Ron Dayne exploded for a 23-yard first down and then, Coach Vick with a minute left to go in the game decided to air it out. He threw a perfect rocket down the right sideline to tight end Ryan Griffin who took the ball 47-yards into the end zone to win the game 14-10, for the hard working Houston Texans! This is a huge upset for the Texans who again, took a team to the final seconds of the game in regulation to pull off a major upset, crushing the Bengals hopes and eliminating them from the AFC Playoffs. Wow! This was a nail biter right to the finish line. It is a reminder that no team is safe from an upset in this league regardless of the team.

 

Ron Dayne finished the day with three touches for 153-yards with one explosive 100-yard kick return for a touchdown. It was Ryan Griffin who won the game for the Texans (3-3), who are still alive in the playoffs. Chris Collinsworth ended the day with three touches and 119 yards, and Ickey Woods had one touchdown run with 46 yards rushing on 6 attempts. The Texans have a huge game hosting the red-hot Panthers (4-2) next week, and the Bengals will head to LA to play the Rams.

BRONCOS DOMINATE IN 15-0 SHUTOUT OVER BEARS!

Bears (2-3) - Broncos (3-2) This will be a fiery game between Coach Paddy Brannigan's Chicago Bears and his Denver Broncos challenges him with a hard choice of which team he will choose to play with. Alternate Coach Joe Bino will make the choice for him by playing with Brannigan's Bears. Bino is (9-2) and Chicago is battling to make the playoffs for the first time in a long time which pressures Denver to capitalize on their defense. Many coaches feel Bino plays much more consistent than Billy O'C. Last week Chicago won their 100th historic career game beating Kansas City 17-14! But the Bears also lost a crucial home game to their biggest rival, Green Bay 24-21 in OT, which may come back to bite the Bears hard.

The Bears are a different performing team because they've established a running game this season. They have played well with Walter Payton carrying the ball while Willie Gault has been nothing less than outstanding as a contributor to this Bears offense. Gault comes into this game with 16 touches for 1010 yards with two receiving touchdowns, and four 100-yard touchdown returns! Payton ranked 5th in rushing after five weeks with 26 carries for an impressive 421 yards with seven touchdowns, including a huge 65-yard touchdown run against the Falcons in Week #1 out of the gate, compared to his 41 carries and 364-yards six touchdown 2022 season. Chicago has not even tapped into Mike Ditka yet. Ditka is an explosive tight end when he's playing. To win this game the Bears are going to have to win some playmaking defense. 

When the Broncos play at home running back Terrell Davis is one of the most electrifying players in the league. The Broncos work hard on both sides of the ball but they'll have to rise to the occasion today and treat this like a playoff game because the Bears are no joke. Should the Bears win this game they will be tied for first place with Green Bay and then the playoff hopes will fall on the last game of the season.

THE GAME:

The Denver Broncos defense made life a lot harder for the Chicago Bears and their survival to make the playoffs. Denver dominated on both sides of the ball not so much by power, but by strategy. Coach Joe Bino had Paddy Brannigan's Bears ready, but the game didn't go the way he thought it would. In the first series of downs it was all Denver. LIEFL All-Pro Terrell Davis launched a spectacular 100-yard touchdown run to open the game for Denver. Broncos 7-Bears 0! Davis just whizzed right toward the middle of the field and then veered right into the end zone for the score.

On Chicago's first kick return Chicago sensation Willie Gault sped 47-yards downfield until he crashed with none other than Terrell Davis. Chicago ran the ball four times and they could only muster up 7-yards total by running back Walter Payton. The Bears passed on 3rd down and Bino had his head elsewhere as Brannigan's Broncos defender Ed McCaffrey tackled quarterback Jim McMahon in the end zone for a safety! Big play for Denver! It was 9-0, Broncos in the lead.

It was a wacky game filled with Bino mistakes. On the safety blunder by Bino's Bears, it was Broncos running back Terrell Davis again who ran back an 82-yards play, making Bino pay for his mistake and setting up Brannigan's Broncos with great field position. But the Chicago Bears defense stood their ground this time, holding the Broncos to just a field goal, 12-0 Broncos!

On the Bears next drive Willie Gault ran back an fast 85-yard kick return, but the Bears couldn't capitalize on offense. Denver's ORANGE CRUSH shut them down and forced Chicago to pass. Bino connected with tight end Mike Ditka on a 37-yard first down reception, and then the Bears were stopped with nowhere to run or pass.

On the Denver Broncos last drive they got the ball close enough to score another field goal from 46 yards away to demolish the Chicago Bears 15-0! Denver goes to (5-1), and they will play their last game at New England against the tough Patriots to end the regular season games! The Bears are (3-3) and they still have a great chance to clinch a playoff spot if they beat Seattle next week at Chicago but as far as this game goes, they wish they could play it again! 

 

VIGGS TIME MASTER REDSKINS REMAIN UNBEATEN WITH TIGHT WIN OVER PATRIOTS 10-7!

Patriots (3-2) - Redskins (5-0) Coach Levi Vick's Patriots will take the field again today, this time against the best Redskins team we've seen in years. Coach Ed Viggs is coming off of a surprising and painful loss at home with his Green Bay Bay Packers, but what about this game? Viggs said, "Levi is a great coach and his Patriots are a solid team, so it's important that we score fast and take away his teams chances of doing damage. And don't ask me about the (5-0) record because I am taking each game as it comes and preparing as hard as I can with the Redskins."

The Skins have really impressed the league giving up just 40 points on defense. And, on offense Tony Green has been a beast! Green has 36 touches for 937 all-purpose yards with six touchdowns, including three 100-yard touchdown returns. Washington Receivers Art Monk and Charlie Taylor make this a three-dimensional offense, and John Riggins is, and always will be the power back with the same player base that helped the Redskins defeat the Dolphins 34-31 in OT, in one of our greatest games, LIEFL Super Bowl VII played in Bay Shore Long Island between Ed Viggs and Billy O'C! Riggins was the MVP! With Riggins paving the way for Green, this team is the best in the LIEFL so far this season. Coach Levi Vick said, "I'll take my risks in this game and test his team. I think we are just as good as them and I can't go in this with a defeatist attitude or we don't have a chance. We've earned respect around the league and we're (3-2) for a reason."

THE GAME: 

Redskins Coach Ed Viggs broke out his traditional "Hail to the Redskins" music before the game as coach Levi Vick looked on and enjoyed the moment. What a battle this game was between the Patriots and the Redskins and Washington is very lucky that they had the home field advantage because we think there was even match-ups in the trenches with Patriots lineman John Hannah clashing with Redskins lineman Dave Butz as they kept each other in check and at a stand-still  the entire game. And this game really could have went either way with the defenses about even. The Patriots defense really impressed and they kept Washington from running the football and gaining ground but coach Viggs still used that running game of the Redskins and that tough front line to keep the game in check by killing the clock.

Washington was able to score on a third down play when receiver Charlie Taylor broke open at the 20-yard line, catching a rocket in his pocket and flying by the Patriots defenders and in for the score. What a beautiful pass by coach Viggs, giving Washington the lead 7-0!

But the Patriots came right back and marched down field on a 65-yard kick return by Patriots star tight end, Rob Gronkowski. Laurence Maroney was able to run the football behind a bolden John Hannah on runs of 8,12 yards in the first half, and then in the second half Maroney exploded on runs of 7, 3, and then a four yard power run behind Hannah into the end zone to tie the score at 7-7!

With time running out in the game Tony Green ran back of 59-yard kick return and then he proceeded to run six times, but the Patriots stopped him five out of six until it was Charlie Taylor again who caught a 47-yard rocket on third down, for the first down, bringing the ball to the New England 4-yard line, but the Skins couldn't punch it in for the score. Washington was not able to move the ball on the Patriots defense and with seconds left in the game they kicked a 30-yard field after losing yards, to win a close one, 10-7!

The Redskins remain undefeated at (6-0), and it has been an awesome season for them. Tony Green broke 1,000 yards for the season again! One number stands out most after the game and that is the Washington defense held New England to just 99 total yards in the game to Washington's 219 total yards.

Coach Ed Viggs said after the game, "It wasn't pretty but we did the job. It won't be awesome unless we finish awesome, but this really is a good Redskins football team, savvy and competitive to the end. The Patriots are super too, and they will compete and be spoilers if they make the playoffs because that is a great defense they have."

The biggest question for New England is how will Miami and Buffalo fair at the finish line, but more important, in order for the Patriots to make the playoffs, teams have to lose. Coach Levi Vick said, "We almost had them, but we will finish stronger than last season in the AFC tournament because we think we can hang with any team in the league, once we get to those one-hour playoff games. We are tough and ready for Denver next week. I built this Patriots team on that theme, Patriotism! We'll be set to take it to the Broncos if my line plays like they did today. Terrell Davis is a real good player, and if you fall asleep on Ed McCaffrey it's going to be a long day. My linebackers have to come up big against them. The key is, we have to score points and 'Gronk' has to give us more!"

Before the Patriots-Redskins game the lower tier playoff teams who the Pats will have to battle and the "spotlight under the microscope" will be on the Texans, Raiders, Ravens and Steelers! The contenders for their division titles are the Dolphins, Bills, Broncos, Chargers, and Colts.

49ERS PLAYMAKERS BEAT CARDINALS 17-14!

 

Cardinals (1-4) - 49ers (1-4) Does anybody know the phenomenon of how an electric football team goes from Super Bowl defender to the bottom of the barrel in just one season? Could it really be just from the draft? Is it the coaching? This is the dilemma for Coach Ed Viggs San Francisco 49ers.

Today's game digs into that issue because the two teams playing today have records that don't support the talent. Coach Kevin Mack's original St Louis Cardinals back in 1977 when they were inaugurated in the LIEFL, were (6-8), and they took third place in our NFC Conference II at the time. Since the seven games season format started in 2008 the Phoenix Cardinals, now Arizona Cardinals, are (23-26), playing close to .500 football. The amazing part of their story is they've been to the playoffs four times in their history, three times since 2008, with their furthest battle taking it to the NFC Divisional Championship Game in 2018 when they lost to the Carolina Panthers 38-35 in overtime. The Cardinals overall career record is (70-102). The team has league favorites that other coaches love watching. Certain players on their team like Mel Gray and OJ Anderson and Conrad Dobler carry the team, and it just seems that an enigma holds them back. But, that's the magic of Electric football, trying to figure out why these plastic heroes do what they do.

Regardless of either team's record San Francisco with Coach Ed Viggs has been up and down with these 49ers. Frisco took the league by storm last season making it all the way to the Super Bowl as a wild card team but this year the 49ers have no excuses. They started the season by winning their first game of the season against division rival Seattle 14-7, and it was the second game that caused them problems against the Cowboys in Dallas when the 49ers lost 10-7. Losing to Cincinnati in Week #3 was not expected, or Baltimore. Following those two games the 49ers then lost on their home field and were embarrassed by the Rams in overtime 16-10. That's where they stand at this moment at (1-4) before this game, after suffering that defeat last week which eliminated San Francisco from the postseason.

Jerry Rice has been shaky at best and Ricky Watters continues to pound opponents but the 49ers line has played lackluster at best. They collapsed a bit under pressure and there's a lot of finger pointing going on on that team. This game today is all about resalvaging and playing for pride, playing hard with nothing to lose. That's why we love the Long Island Electric Football League because like all good leagues, there is a standard. The coaches are intense, sometimes too intense with their trash talk, but we treat it like a professional League. 

THE GAME:

It's funny how when there's nothing to risk you can put it all on the Line, and that is exactly what we expected in this game between the Arizona Cardinals and the San Francisco 49ers. Division rivalries, no matter what the record, are games to watch. Arizona and San Francisco just don't like each other. How can't a team in the same division be envious of the other when they are losing and the rival is winning?

Coach Kevin Mack's Cardinals battle week in and week out bringing the game right to the razor sharp edge only to be sliced off and somehow lose the game. 49ers running back Ricky Watters had just three runs for the 49ers but he accumulated 126 yards with two huge touchdown runs of 67, and 59 yards for San Francisco. Jerry Rice is still a little swollen on the ankle but he did have 115 kick return yards on three touches. The problem is Rice's longest run was 41-yards, and that's just not good enough when you compare him to the sensation that he was last year. Viggs tried that Rice player base again, but it just didn't do what it did last year and maybe it's one of those times that this particular player base was made for that day or that series and no more.

The 49ers offensive line did the job against a tough Arizona defense. Both of these teams have lost four games before this game but the Cardinals fought right back. The 49ers (2-4) host the playoff hopeful Steelers, currently (2-3), in what will be a win or die situation. The Cardinals (1-5) host the Browns who are (1-4).

Cards running back Otis Anderson had 75 yards in the ground game on 9 carries and he had a 35-yard touchdown run in the second half that kept the Cardinals within reach. Return man Mel Gray who's having an offseason, caught a beautiful 54-yard touchdown pass to tie the score with a minute and a half left in the game. San Francisco after their last kick return by Jerry Rice for another 41-yards, kicked the 56 yard field goal to win the game! 

CHARGERS GO TO (5-1) AFTER JOLTING BILLS 17-14!

 

Bills (4-1) - Chargers (4-1) The Bills and the Chargers have to be the biggest game of the week as far as expectations go. They will be testing each other like no other game in the league. The incredible rivalry might be unmatched in this league but it wasn't always the case. It started in a blood feud between coach Billy OC and Ed Viggs. O'C loves those Chargers but in a coin toss he lost them to Ed Viggs when it came time to select teams, and the rest is history. Because of his connection to Los Angeles and his love for Miami and LA, it hit a sore spot for Billy O'C.

In 2019, everything was going smoothly until Billy OC's Buffalo Bills had to meet Ed Viggs LA Chargers in the AFC Championship Game. It was an astounding game with excitement pouring from the semes of the coaches. The game game between the two ticked down to the final seconds when the Bills beat the Chargers 49-48, in one of the games of the century for us. We just knew going into the game it would be a masterful matchup and a game of strategy that would come down to the final seconds of the game but that's where the argument started. Viggs was screaming that the game was over and that Buffalo was out of time, but Pete Porcelli, the Rules judge, overruled because he was at the game, watching the game and calling the game by the second. There was a lot of yelling but the feelings were resolved, but not forgotten, so expect some serious intensity in this one.

When you have a battle of the Titans with OJ Simpson and LaDainian Tomlinson going at it the excitement around the league pours in.

That's why this regular season matchup is so important to both of these teams. A win for Buffalo might give them the advantage next week when they play Miami in Buffalo for a division title. A win for the Chargers could give them the division title because they beat the Denver Broncos who are in second place. The question mark team is the Las Vegas Raiders who have risen to the occasion and are ready to challenge. The Proof is in the beating the Raiders gave Green Bay last week.

So this game is anybody's game and it's going to come down to who executes and manages the clock best.

THE GAME:

Coach Joe Bino's Buffalo Bills came out locked and loaded against coach Ed Viggs who's playing back-to-back games today. Viggs has his Chargers ready to go and it's not the same emotion because Billy O'C is not playing this game so there is only the passion to win for Viggs, not the revenge against Billy O'C's Bills. Bino has done a terrific job with the Bills, and really deep down Buffalo is a team that just knows how to move the football on offense. Nobody needs to tell these two teams how to play. They're ready! Last year's defensive player of the year for the Chargers Earl Faison will face Buffalo's Marcel Dareus in a trench war. And that's not all. Both teams have to leverage the special teams matchups in order to come out the winner in this one. Buffalo's Jay Brown has been slowed up by opponents and the Chargers have one of the best defences in the LIEFL. This will be a game of time management and execution.

On the opening kickoff coach Viggs surprised by giving the ball to Lance Alworth, who ran an electrifying 99 yard kick return to the 1 yard line of the Buffalo Bills to start the game!  Viggs said, "That'll quiet people down for sure." With a full House of coaches tonight for the before Thanksgiving party, the room is going wild. It only took one play for running back LaDainian Tomlinson to run the ball in for the score as the Chargers drew First blood 7-0! That was a very pretty play by Alworth, and now the Bills have to answer.

Buffalo marched right back on a Jay Brown 70-yard kick return followed by a 20 yard first down run by OJ Simpson with 9:01 remaining in the half. The energy and the power is unreal for these two teams. Both of these teams look sensational as we watch OJ Simpson run in for the 10-yard touchdown on second down, game tied 7-7! The Bills offensive line, "The Electric Company" is digging in hard here with 5:58 remaining in the half with Bino stuttering the clock.

It looks like it's going to be one of those games where the Chargers can't stop the Bills and the Bills can't stop the Chargers in the battle in the trenches. They're both just too good. Coach Viggs has to be admired for throwing statistics out the window for wins. These are is a very unselfish battle-hardened teams. The Chargers stayed with Lance Alworth as he blazed back a 70-yards return on the ensuing kickoff giving Tomlinson all he needs to work with with 3:43 remaining in that first half. These are two teams on a mission. On second down, LaDainian Tomlinson exploded to the left side of the field through the four hole for a 30-yard touchdown scamper to give the Los Angeles Chargers the lead 14-7, as the first half ended.

To start the second half, Jay Brown ran back a speedy 44-yard setup for OJ Simpson. Simpson ran for six, 15-yards before he was stopped twice losing 14 yards nearing midfield. On third down Coach Joe Bino threw a great pass to receiver Andre Reed, who broke open for a 47-yard touchdown scamper to tie the game at 14-14 with 6:27 remaining! What a game! With the score tied at 14-14, Coach Viggs put the ball back in Lance Alworth's hands to get the job done. Alworth delivered a 47-yard kick return and the Chargers killed the clock running the ball downfield until they kicked the game winning field-goal to win the game 17-14! Oh what a feeling it was for Coach Viggs, but it was temporary. Viggs said, "We still have a mountain to climb and we've been here before. We just have to finish strong and beating Buffalo is a great start." Coach Bino said, "There is not much to say other than I'm sure we will meet again." The Chargers are at the Lions in the season finale and the Bills host the Dolphins!  

 

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