2023 Long Island EFL NFC Wild Card Game: Chicago Bears (4-3) at Los Angeles Rams (6-1)

[Long island EFL]

LONG ISLAND E F L    T  O  U  R  N  A  M  E  N  T  O  F  C  H  A  M  P  I  O  N  S

(Long Island Electric Football League). Written By Levi Vick. The NFC Wild Card Game between the gritty  #7 Chicago Bears (4-3) and the #2 Los Angeles Rams (6-1) is a great one. The Rams return to the spotlight this season is because of hard work and strategic decisions by Coach Joe Bino on the field. Bino took over for Billy O'C after O'C played just ten games, and he's done a terrific job winning!  Bino is (16-4) in his 20 games coaching this season, and he is the guy to beat in the league at the moment. Of course, Ed Viggs at (20-8) is right there again as the Top Dog! The big news is all four of Bino's teams qualified for the playoffs. The Rams, Dolphins, Bills, and Colts, who just edged the Las Vegas Raiders 35-28 to advance to the Divisional Game. Bino said, "This is a great Rams team, and if they're on, stay out of their way. Matching up against the Chicago Bears is a better matchup than people think, but the game will be won managing the clock. I love the Bears too, and Paddy Brannigan has finally crossed over to the elites. He is an excellent coach."

 BEARS (4-3)

(HISTORY: 101-73 LIEFL Rank #5 All-Time)

RAMS (6-1)

                                              (HISTORY: 90-88 LIEFL Rank #11 All-Time) 

With LIEFL-Super Bowl XVIII scheduled for December 30, it is official! All of the coaches in the LIEFL voted in favor of the single coach $3200 payout to the winner of this year's Super Bowl.

The Los Angeles Rams sit at (90-88) in their LIEFL career as a showcase team, and they know a little about Super Bowl's and winning. Since 2016, the Rams are (27-16). They've won four division titles since 2008. Of the nine times Coach Billy O'C's Rams have qualified for the playoffs, they have won two LIEFL-Super Bowls! Los Angeles won back-to-back LIEFL Super Bowl's in 2018 SB XIV, and 2019 SB XV, but it's been a while for Los Angeles because the league competition has improved dramatically through a great draft system.

In the first ever LIEFL Tournament of Champions in 1976, the Rams lost to the then Oakland Raiders 21-14, and the Chicago Bears beat Oakland Raiders in LIEFL-Super Bowl II, 20-19! Back then we were trading players in our league. In looking at the records we had Mercury Morris, Lawrence McCutcheon and Lydell Mitchell who were the running backs at one point in the Rams lineup during the early seventies.

Who could forget Tudor's nicely painted players of the era. We almost wished we never sold all of the original teams because of what might be their worth today. The player bases were super and still being used today on our offensive running players today! Rams running back Wendell Tyler still has his original player base. Tyler is a key staple to LA's offensive success along with the Reverend Isaac Bruce, who came out of the 2018 Draft.

Los Angeles has the #9th best offense in the LIEFL and on defense they soured at #4! While Wendell Tyler didn't cap top-ten in rushing, he rushed for 298 yards on 46 rushes, but the number that concerns the Rams is his two touchdowns. Tyler sits at #14 in NFC rushing compared to last season where he ranked #7 with 48 rushes for 459 yards, plus nine touchdowns. That is a big difference.  

file:///C:/Users/willi/Downloads/1976%20Long%20Island%20Electric%20Football%20Championship%20Tournament%20(2).pdf

The Bears on the other hand have been a BOOM in the NFC with the resurgence of a power style running game behind linemen and bad boys  Wally Chambers, Don Hampton, and Richard Dent. Chicago has been very consistent this season, just like the Rams. The way Willie Gault and Walter Payton have rallied, gives Chicago a better than average shot at beating these Rams in an upset. Gault has been explosive at #6 in the NFC with 23 touches for 1350 yards with seven touchdowns, including four 100-yard touchdowns, and a trip to the Pro*Bowl! 

This number #2-#7 seed slot is a dangerous position to be in as the Rams very well know, especially after being upset by the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Wild Card Game 2020 tournament 51-45, after Los Angeles won two back-to-back Super Bowl titles. They missed out on the threepeat. This game will not be a walk over for anyone, and it may very well turn into a nailbiter! Chicago Coach Paddy Brannigan said, "The Bears could surprise. We will come back like the midnight Express. This rebuilding process for us has been three or four seasons in the making. We've banged on the door, but we couldn't breakthrough into the tough NFC playoff bracket of elite teams. Now we are here and we are going to play our best. My guys Gault and Payton, have to compete with a four-man-threat in that LA offense. Nobody talks about our tight end Mike Ditka, but he is alive and well. Ditka is just waiting for the call to get busy. I love the ambience of where we are playing today in Levi Vick's basement. He has a huge completely finished basement.  It is like a Sports Memorabilia Trophy Hall with a huge set up of Vick's own electric football and NFL jersey collection. It's beautiful."

The Bears are no stranger to winning a title in this league, winning LIEFL-Super Bowl II, beating the Miami Dolphins in LIEFL-Super Bowl X, 45-38 in OT! But the question is, can the Bears win with this team at (4-3)? Which powerhouse will rise to the occasion? Lots of coaches think the Redskins will be upset by the Falcons, and they also think the Chargers, who are at 99 wins, will be upset by Denver, but Coach Ed Viggs said,"The guys in this league said stuff like this when my Packers were in question before we beat the Dolphins in Super Bowl XVI in 2020. It's mostly Johnny Freeport doing all the talking, but what else is new, no worries. I like the Broncos and we have been neck-and-neck as rivals. One thing I have to be able to do is run the ball. I wasn't happy with LaDainian Tomlinson's first outing when we beat them 21-14. LT only had 41 rushing yards with a touchdown in that game. The Denver defense is the best we have seen in this in a long time. But in his new role returning the football, Lance Alworth will be the game breaker that we feel will get us to the next level. He has blazing speed and his set-up's are as good as anyone in this league. And, I still have Kellen Winslow as the secret weapon." 

The Kansas City Chiefs last year became one of the elite teams, only to fold this season. To think that that team last season, who put on such a show throughout the 2022 playoffs, did not qualify to make the playoffs this season, is mind boggling. That shows the continuous growth and evolution of the league. But we have to contend that the 14 teams involved in the Tournament of champions made it here uncontested.

 

The weakest team out of the 14, because before yesterday, they didn't have much of a running game, was the Las Vegas Raiders. We were so wrong about the Raiders running game. Watching Raiders running back Bo Jackson rush for 186 yards against an elite defensive team like the Colts was a sight that exposed the REAL Colts under pressure. What a game it was! There has to be a balance or the teams would never have made it this far, and the Raiders pulled off some stunning victories and earned back the respect for their play.

 

The Redskins are the team to beat and they might be one of the best teams we've seen in a long time. 

BEARS COME OUT ROARING!

KICKOFF:

This has to be one of the most exciting and anticipated matchups in the NFC. The Rams opened the game with an Isaac Bruce 46-yard kick return. It took nine plays for Los Angeles to get into the end zone. On three first downs, Los Angeles marched their way downfield to the 8-yard line using the entire first quarter to kill the clock and score. With 40 seconds left in the first quarter, Wendell Tyler went right up the gut of the Bears defense for an 8-yard touchdown run to score the first points of the game. Rams 7- Bears 0 as the first quarter comes to a close!

 0  7

Second Quarter:

The Bears answered right back with an explosive kick return of their own. Willie Gault bolted from the endzone for a beautiful 100-yard kick return for a touchdown on the Bears first possession! Gault is on the first squad Pro Bowl team for a reason. Gault exploded towards the Middle of the field, but with a Little help from Brian Urlacher he swiveled left through the Rams defense into the endzone to tie the score at 7-7, with 14:42 remaining in the first half. In one play someone came to play today! Gault is on fire!

 7  7

Los Angeles stormed right back though, with a stunning 80-yard kick return by the Reverend,  Isaac Bruce, who rant out of bounds at the 20-yard line of Chicago. It only took one play for the Fab-Five to get going as they opened up a hole on the right side of the field for Wendell Tyler, who then cut left running right into the corner of the end zone to make the score 14-7, with 11:40 remaining and a half! This is a war!

 7  14

The points are racking up fast as we watched Bears star Willie Gault take his second consecutive 100-yard kick return into the end zone to tie the game at 14-14, with 10:05 remaining in the half! Gault is untouchable! He got a Little help from Tackle William "The Refrigerator" Perry who turned him right towards the left side of the field as Gault sped away with the return!

14  14

On the ensuing kickoff Isaac Bruce had a great setup, taking the ball 59-yards to the Bears 41-yard line. On first down for Los Angeles it was Wendell Tyler again who crushed through the Bears defense for a 26-yard first down. Chicago's defense rose to the occasion. Willie Gault made a great play in the backfield tackling Wendell Tyler on second down, behind the line of scrimmage for a loss on the play. But on 3rd down Tyler exploded 20-yards into the end zone for his third of the game with 4:22 remaining in the half to give the Rams the go-ahead lead 21-14! Both teams look outstanding! We could already feel that this is going to be a heartbreaker!

 

 

14  21

On the Bears next kick return, Willie Gault returned another beautiful kick 60-yards to the Rams 40-yard line, with 2:27 remaining in the half as the Bears called their first time out!

 

On Chicago's first actual running play of the game from scrimmage in their third series, Walter Payton ran for six yards and then the Rams called their first time out of the half with one remaining at 1:56. On second down, Payton exploded around the right side of the Bears offense for an 18-yard first down to the 17-yard line of the Rams with 1:38 remaining in the half. The Bears were forced to take their second time out. We've seen LIEFL All*Pro Walter Payton do this all year with his sudden bursts of power through the line as he runs in stealth mode behind his blocker Brian Urlacher. Payton has been spectacular!

 

To kick off the second half the Bears have the advantage of the receiving team so this one should be very interesting. 

And on first down the Bears wasted no time. Willie Gault burst into an open field on the right side of the field to score on a 17-yard pass play, tying the game at 21-21! The Rams called a timeout with 1:27 remaining in the half! This is a game! Coach Bino has not played under this kind of pressure in a long time. Gault has scored his third touchdown of the game!

 

On the Rams final kick return of the half Isaac Bruce ran back a beautiful 50-yard kick return, but he was smashed by "The Fridge" William Perry for Perry's fourth tackle of the game! The Bears are going wild!

 

In what would become the key play of the game, with 1:18 remaining on the clock to end the half, Los Angeles Coach Bino decided to go for it all instead of kicking a field goal, but all the Rams managed was a first down on a Wendell Tyler 11-yard catch. What a mistake by Coach Bino, and it could be a costly one. The two teams headed into the locker room with the game tied at the half, 21-21!

21 21

Third quarter action

Wendell Tyler racked up the yards with 13 carries for 116 yards with three touchdowns on Coach Bino's ground offensive. Willie Gault has three touches for 260 yards with two touchdowns, both 100-yard returns, and he also has a 17-yard catch for a touchdown! Gault quickly showed his star power!

 

The third quarter kicked off with a blazing Willie Gault 42-yard return with blazing speed. Gault was met by Wendell Tyler on the collision at the 42!. Chicago wasn't about to back down to the Rams. Running back Walter Payton carried the ball three times but the Rams stopped him at the line of scrimmage each time. But on third down, Coach Patty Brannigan unleashed Mike Ditka, who might have make one of the biggest plays of the game with a great pass by Brannigan which hit Ditka right on his number. Ditka took the reception 58-yards into the end zone for the score, walking the nose of the sideline to give the Bears the lead 28-21 with 8:35 remaining in the third quarter! Unbelievable! Chicago has the lead for the first time in the game!

28  21

 

Championship teams never quit! Bino's Rams came rolling right back with a 52-yard kick return by Isaac Bruce to set up Wendell Tyler. Tyler ran for 11, 7, and then three yards for the first down. Then Tyler exploded on a 28-yard run right through the left side of the field again for its fourth touchdown of the game to tie the score at 28-28 with the third quarter coming to a close! It's a nailbiter! 

28  28

With 15 minutes left in the 4th quarter between the Los Angeles Rams and the Chicago Bears in this NFC Wild Card Game has been fantastic. The matchup was as good as we thought. Everything looks good on paper until the teams get on the field.

On Willie Gault's next kick return, he ran into a wall of Rams who stopped him at the 36-yard line with nowhere to run. But the Bears would not give in. Chicago had an offensive wall of their own.  Walter Payton had runs of 14 yards, then 10, three, and he exploded for a 20-yard first down to the your line with 8:18 remaining in the game with the clock still running! 

The Bears continued to work the clock down with big runs by Walter Payton. The Rams defense came up big on the first three plays of the next series, but it was Willie Gault, yet again, who broke free at the 30-yard line of Los Angeles to score his fourth touchdown of the game! What a play by the Bears! Chicago retakes the lead 35-28, with 2:42 remaining in the game!

35  28

The Rams were forced to take their first of two timeouts in the second half. Paddy Brannigan's Bears gave the Rams all that they can take in a very strategic battle. Los Angeles needs a huge play here. They took all their timeouts with seconds left in the game, and on a huge high pressure play for Coach Bino, Isaac Bruce crossed over the middle and of the field, but there wasn't enough time left for the Rams to score the touchdown, so instead, they had to settle for a field goal!

 

What an amazing surprise for the Christmas Bound Chicago Bears (5-3), as the Bears pull off a major upset over the Los Angeles Rams (6-2) 35-31, ending the Rams hope for a third Super Bowl appearance!  The Bears played an unbelievable game! This room is going wild!

 

Chicago now advances to the NFC Divisional Game to face the winner of the Dallas Cowboys-Carolina Panthers game! After the game Bino said, "Hey you can't win them all. The Bears are a great team, and I made one mistake that cost me the game." Coach Paddy Brannigan said, "Hats off to Bino.  He hasn't played under this kind of playoff pressure, and especially in these fast paced games, a coach has to make split-second decisions that could be the deal-breaker or maker in the game. That's the LIEFL!" 

 

For the Bears, Willie Gault finished the day with seven touches for 385-all-purpose yards with four huge touchdowns, two of them for 100-yards as the Bears offensive leader! The Los Angeles Rams were cut just short of advancing in the playoffs. Isaac Bruce had seven touches for 351-all purpose yards, and Wendell Tyler produced four touchdowns on 17 carries with 165 yards on the ground game.

NFC Wild Card Game: FINAL SCORE:

35  31

 

 

[nefgm.org]

Man!! I absolutely love the graphic enhancements that you guys do on the photos.