Hello, everyone! For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Dex Kennedy and I play linebacker for the Minnesota Grey Ducks. I joined in the latter-half of S21 and had high hopes. I was finally in the DSFL and I hoped that the sky would be the limit. I was playing with the reigning DSFL champions who were honed-in on returning to Ultimini. However, things were bumpy after I joined. My first two games with the Grey Ducks were losses and my inexperience with the DSFL style of play did not make me feel like I was contributing much. The Grey Ducks, a major contender too many at the beginning of the year, would finish S21 6-8 and out of the playoffs. It was a rough point for the Grey Ducks and many of us were fearing what would come of the following season. But if there’s one thing the Grey Ducks aren’t lacking in, it’s confidence. We were all able to recoup our efforts over the offseason and charge into a new campaign. Here’s how the Minnesota Grey Ducks’ season went from my perspective.
Week 1: @ Dallas Birddogs
I was riding a massive cloud of ecstasy and jubilation over the offseason. Despite failing to live up to expectations in the previous year, the Grey Ducks locker room was still as lively and confident as ever. Also, the NSFL Draft came around and I was selected by the Baltimore Hawks…with the 69th overall pick. So I was, naturally, a very bright, bouncing boy heading into Week 1. However, the extreme confidence and determination that infectiously spread through the locker room pregame felt a bit familiar, and not in a good way. I was hyped, naturally, but the feeling felt very similar to that of last year when we came in with the same confidence just to be squandered by team after team. I refused to put my head down, though, and kept forging on into the unknown, despite my trepidation.
Unfortunately, my worries were confirmed that week as we handed the game to Dallas. They outscored us 13-2 in the first half. The highlight of that half was, absolutely, the safety by Mario VonPebbles after he caught their punt returner behind the endzone. There’s nothing that hypes up the defense more than when they become the offense. We could’ve run through a brick wall right after that. However, the Grey Ducks offense shanked a field goal on the ensuing drive and allowed the Birddogs to get a field goal of their own right after. We then exchanged the ball a few more times until the end of the half.
In our defense (pun somewhat intended), the offense gave up the ball twice in the first quarter. However, that doesn’t mean we get a free pass. It’s still our job, as the defense, to stop the ball from advancing by any (legal) means. While the offense took a look of blame during halftime, we didn’t feel any the wiser. The second half was more of the same. After a Grey Ducks field goal to make it 13-5, the Birddogs drove 64 yards for a touchdown to make it 20-5. We were able to get another field goal and a touchdown right at the end of the game, but it did not matter as the Birddogs took Week 1 27-15. It’s not a great feeling losing Week 1. Determination and stamina is at a (possibly) all-season high. To squander it is nothing short of embarrassing. Both the offense and defense got their fair shakes from the coaches post-game. We knew we had to rebound somehow.
Record: 0-1
Week 2: vs. Portland Pythons
And rebound we did. The Grey Ducks launched an offensive armada against the Portland Pythons during Week 2. I was able to get a sack on the first drive of the game. That was all I needed to keep myself hot. The offense was able to bring us up 20-3 by halftime. However, this was the defense’s game as much as it was the offense’s. Everyone was locked in and ready to fight into the second half. The Pythons were able to make things interesting by scoring a touchdown mid-way through the 3rd quarter to make it 20-10. However, the Grey Ducks’ offense responded immediately by scoring a touchdown of their own on the very next drive.
After another Grey Ducks touchdown, the score was 34-13 and a victory was in sight. We did end up winning and the score didn’t change...but that wasn’t until we had a TON of penalties in the last few minutes of the game. It was probably the longest 7 minutes of my life watching dead play after dead play. Despite that, the game ended (thankfully) and we had our first win of the season. Along with myself, Mario VonPebbles and Water Chestnut III had sacks. But the true MVP of the game was Jamar Lackson who rushed for 137 yards with a touchdown and an additional touchdown off of a punt return. He was red-hot at that point and I didn’t see any way to stop him. The performance he put up gave me all the confidence I needed in the offense heading into Week 3. We’ll be all good as long as we have Jamar Lackson.
Record: 1-1
Week 3: @ Kansas City Coyotes
Ok...here’s where things get weird. I remember, I swear, that we played both Week 3 and Week 4...and got blown out. Jamar Lackson, the guy who made me trust the offense like they were my father, looked like he was playing after being shot. He could not go anywhere in those two games. As a result, we were decimated. It was embarrassing to be the team that got destroyed twice in consecutive weeks. That was until...it wasn’t.
I swear I’m not crazy, once again, but after the Week 4 game against Tijuana, I woke up, checked my phone...and the date was two weeks before I had last been awake. Weeks 3 and 4 didn’t happen, somehow. They were some fever dream or the result of eating brownies at SnowBow’s house. My first instinct was that I became the first human to time travel and I should really tell my mother about it. My second instinct was not to call my mother because she kinda doesn’t like me. Then I realized that the Grey Ducks had been given a do-over of the two embarrassments of games they had. Also I really needed to see a shrink.
So, Week 3 came around...again...and we were on the road against Kansas City. It was a tight game in the first half. After a TON of penalties, turnovers, and shenanigans, the Coyotes were able to score at the top of the 2nd quarter to go up by a touchdown. After another heckton of penalties, the Grey Ducks were able to respond with a touchdown of their own. We were deadlocked at 7-7 heading into the 2nd half. There was only one word on all of our minds: attack. We were going to take them head-on in the 2nd half and make our dominance known. Nothing can stop us, now.
The Coyotes took the kickoff to the house to go up 14-7 at the top of the 3rd quarter. We, unfortunately, never recovered and gave up the game 17-13. It was extremely close down the line but everyone on the defense agrees that the kickoff return demoralized any willpower we had heading into the 2nd half. Jamar Lackson was, however, looking much more like himself and ran for 137 yards on the ground. However, the Coyotes were dominant on both sides of the ball and left us shaking our heads in a tight defeat. Well...at least we get one more re-do.
Record: 1-2
Week 4: vs. Tijuana Luchadores
War never changes. We went to war against Kansas City and Tijuana in Weeks 3 and 4 and lost both times. We got a do-over...and we lost both times again. Tijuana’s offense was hot in the first half and went up 16-7 heading into halftime. I was able to get a sack early in the game but it did not help as the offense kept on trudging against us. We were killing them, really, with sack after sack. But a bunch of field goals and a pick-6 carried them over us early in the game. I also got a tripping call in the 2nd quarter which is, pardon my french, the most bullshit penalty in football (that and hands to the face).
The 2nd half really didn’t get interesting until the 4th quarter. After another Tijuana touchdown that put them up 23-7, the offense responded early in the 4th with a touchdown to bring up our hopes a bit. Our hopes were quickly dashed by a Tijuana touchdown that put them up 30-15. But the Grey Ducks did not quit. They drove down the field and used a short game to bring us back into the endzone and make the score 30-22. Unfortunately, we were only able to get the ball back with practically no time left at the game ended without a response. It was honestly fitting to lose both of these games twice. However, I was happy that this time we didn’t get obliterated. Now if you excuse me, I have counselling in 5 minutes.
Record: 1-3
Week 5: vs. Norfolk Seawolves
The defense was not looking too hot at that point. We were letting up way too many points and making our offense look embarrassing by proxy. I spent more time with the defense over the offseason than my own family and I expected us to be nothing short of phenomenal. After allowing 30 points against Tijuana, we were worried that we might’ve been exposed. But, as I’ve said, these guys don’t quit and are always flowing with morale. Something kinda clicked in our game against Norfolk. I don’t know what it was...but we started being the defense we knew we could become.
We all were getting after the Norfolk QB that week. Me, Chestnut, Twatford, VonPebbles, and Buck Thornton all had sacks. It was not a pretty game...but it was perfect for us. Everywhere I looked on defense I saw my teammates swarming the Seawolves like a pack of killer bees. Nobody was uncovered on their offense. It was watching a disaster movie but with our defense playing the earthquake or the hurricane. It wasn’t pretty for the Grey Ducks offense, either. They were only able to put up 10 points against the Seawolves. That would be a shame in most other games. However, the Seawolves responded by putting up...0 points.
Record: 2-3
Week 6: @ Myrtle Beach Buccaneers
As good as we believed our defense to be, there was one team who could, arguably, have the actual stake-to-the-claim of best defense in the DSFL: the Buccaneers. We knew we were going to be in for a gunfight in Week 6. Myrtle Beach was every bit as aggressive, nasty, tenacious, and focused as I expected them to be. It was our job to be more than all those things against Myrtle Beach.
Nobody was safe in this game. Everyone was being knocked to their ass play after play. This might’ve been the most aggressive I have ever played as I was only trying to keep up with the aggression being shown by the Buccaneers. We took a 3-0 lead at halftime. However, all of us knew that they were only going to become more ferocious heading into the 2nd half. They were finally able to break our barriers, however, and go up 7-3 midway through the 3rd. The Minnesota offense, however, was not fazed and responded immediately with a touchdown of their own to make the game 10-7. The 4th quarter is still a bit of a blur to me. I remember a lot of penalties on the defense as well as a lot of sacks on the Norfolk QB. Unfortunately, we let our guard down late in the game, allowing Norfolk to strike with a field goal to tie the game at 10. The ball flipped a few times in the final minutes of the game but neither team was able to put anything on the board. Overtime.
After three punts, the Grey Ducks were set up with the ball at our own 20 midway through overtime. After gaining 9 on the first play, Sim SnowBow was sacked on 2nd down. I was more than ready to get back onto the field at that point. That was until I saw a fire in SnowBow’s eyes that I hadn’t seen before. After getting the first down on the ground, SnowBow uncorked a pass to Daymond Brooks for 23 yards. After another pass and some more groundwork, SnowBow found Tychondrius Hood for 24 yards to set us up at Myrtle Beach’s 6 yard line. After a penalty that nearly gave me a heart attack, Jamar Lackson was able to punch it in and give the Grey Ducks the victory 16-10.
I don’t think I’ve ever given more than I knew I had in a DSFL game up to that point. The last time I could think of adrenaline carrying me further than I could ever imagine was playing Oregon in the PAC-12 Championship. I’m not much of a stats guy, but I had 15 tackles, a sack, and a TFL in that game. This might’ve, honestly, been my favorite game of the whole season based on the competitiveness and rage shown by both sides. I had nothing but respect for Myrtle Beach after that game. I also had a lot of admiration for Sim SnowBow based on his heroics. What can, possibly, top a game like that?
Record: 3-3
Week 7: @ London Royals
This game, maybe. We were all absolutely hyped after winning our last two, especially because of how well the defense played. London was one of our big rivals last year and a major reason why we failed to make the playoffs. For many Grey Ducks, they were at the very top of the list of teams we wanted to get our hands on. What ensued...was kinda beautiful.
The Grey Ducks offense was able to take the first drive of the game to the house. After a London punt, the Grey Ducks drove down again and got a field goal to make it 10-0. The next drive...it happened. The Royals were backed up to their own 6 yard line due to a penalty on 2nd down. On 2nd and 15, I blitzed for the Royals’ QB, found an outlet, and brought him down. One of my middle school coaches always told me to swipe for the ball on every tackle I make just in hopes of the ball possibly popping out. It did pop out this time. Bubba Twatford scooped it up and Jamar Lackson punched it in on the next play for a touchdown. Ho--lee--shit. The defense was wild right after that. Guys were shoving me around in admiration and slapping me on the back. It was the best feeling I could’ve ever imagined having while being sweaty and wearing shoulder pads.
The rest of the 1st half was also bonkers. When London got the ball back, they almost immediately threw a pick which resulted in another Minnesota touchdown. The defense’s job is not only to prevent opposing points but also to set up the offense with the best possible field position. We were doing exactly that in droves. The final score was 37-7 and left us all going insane. Revenge is very low on my list of goals to accomplish in a season. But when it is accomplished...it’s a fantastic feeling. Zep Keppler, a recent addition to our team, was also incredible on the ground with 119 yards. The Grey Ducks, after going 1-3 in their first four games, are now on a 3-game winning streak.
Record: 4-3
Week 8: vs. Dallas Birddogs
Ok, maybe revenge is something that I’m always focused on. Dallas, at that point, had the largest margin of victory against teams we had lost to. They also derailed any momentum that he had at the beginning of the season. So they were grounds to get a revenge spanking when they came to Minneapolis. Revenge really wasn’t my main focus in this game. My #1 focus is always winning the game and whatever comes with that. The feeling of revenge never really settles in with me until the very end of a game. But I won’t lie: I was thinking about Week 1 the whole game.
The first half kept us both deadlocked. It was a good blend of offense and defense that led to a close game that any casual football fan would definitely enjoy. For the people playing, however, it was a much different story. After a physical half of play full of sacks, penalties, and scores, the game was tied 14-14. There’s nothing specific that sets me off. It just kinda organically happens. I guess in a situation like this where nothing was giving and something had to happen, I clicked. That or I stopped whining about all the penalties. Either way, the second half was a lot different for me.
The Grey Ducks got the ball at the top of the 3rd and were able to drive down the field for a field goal, taking the 17-14 lead. Then it was our turn. I was able to get to the Dallas QB on first down and then allow short yards on second down. They were still able to get the 1st on 3rd down but their QB was met with a Buck Thornton sack right after. After coming up short on 3rd, Dallas punted.
Dallas was soon given the ball back where they decisively drove to the end zone after a massive 35 yard reception to take the lead 21-17. A few more exchanges took place until Sim SnowBow fumbled. I knew I had to make something happen right then and there. I blitzed down the middle on the second play of Dallas’ drive and brought down their QB once again. They punted after failing to move on third. Once again, however, the Grey Ducks offense were not able to get past the wall built by Dallas and were forced to punt. But not too long after their drive began, Buck Thornton intercepted a pass and set up Minnesota at the doorstep of the endzone. They delivered and took the lead 24-21.
This is when football is at its finest: a one-score game where the heroes will either be the offense or the defense. We were able to force a stop with 2:34 to go but Minnesota were forced to give it right back with 1:20 left. Dallas were able to pull off some short passes to move convincingly while time was winding down. I had enough, at that point. I’m not losing this game off of late-game shenanigans. With time running out, I charged through the o-lineman and brought down the Dallas QB for my 3rd time that game. It was over. We won 24-21. As a defensive player, there aren’t too many scenarios where one can become the hero for their team. But somehow...we did. I know I had the game-sealing sack but that was only a bullet point on the massive list of exquisite plays we made that game. It was a defensive victory and our 4th in a row.
Record: 5-3
Week 9: @ Portland Pythons
We underestimated Portland. We expected them to look sloppy and for us to overpower them with our recent defensive dominance and excellent run game. But that didn’t happen, unfortunately. Ok, to be honest, this game was a bunch of bullshit penalties and embarrassing takeaways. I would dwell on it but, honestly, I’m still not over it. I will say that I did have a newfound respect for Portland after that game. But it was a shame that our winning streak was officially over. It was an ugly game and one that I wish to forget but probably never will. The momentum was dead...for the time being, at least.
Record: 5-4
Week 10: vs. Kansas City Coyotes
Oh yeah...we remembered these guys. After irking away with the victory against us in Week 3, Kansas City was a must-win for the Grey Ducks. We all were anticipating a tight battle that would last until the very last snap. In football, you can never anticipate a thing. A team of highschoolers, for all we know, could drop 40 on us in a game. It’s one’s goal as a player to work around expectations and anticipation in hopes of making things happen for themselves. The defense, as they had been doing in the previous weeks, made this game theirs almost instantly. But don’t let that detract from the offense in this game. They were also on point
I did not have my best game, I admit. Not that I was bad or anything but everyone else on the defense was so dominant to the point where I could’ve read a book if I wanted to. We were able to hold Kansas City to 3 points in the end. This would, generally, result in a win. But sometimes, the offense, despite the play of their defense, may be just as stifled, if not more, than the opposing offense. But...that wasn’t the case. The Minnesota Grey Ducks scored 48 points against Kansas City to take the victory. Highlight of the game, for me, was definitely Buck Thornton picking off the KC QB and taking it to the house. As I’ve said, previously, there is no better feeling for a defensive player than when they become the offense. Easy to say that we were all feeling amazing after that.
Record: 6-4
Week 11: @ Tijuana Luchadores
I try to never imagine that a team could be better than us. Even if they, pound for pound, are, I still refuse to believe it as I don’t want it to become a distraction. But there was no denying the fact that Tijuana was good. Were they better than us? I refused to believe it. But I knew that it was going to be a car crash when we finally had our rematch. On the first drive of the game, Sim SnowBow threw a pick that was brought right to the house to put Tijuana up 7-0. A few drives later, Tijuana was able to score again to go up 14-0 in the first quarter. Going down that much that earlier felt like a death sentence to me. However, as they had been doing the entire season, our offense surprised me tremendously. The 2nd quarter began with a Grey Ducks field goal and later a touchdown on the next Minnesota possession. It was now 14-10. Unfortunately, SnowBow threw another pick that was delivered upon by the Tijuana offense with another touchdown.
The score was 21-10 at halftime. Tijuana had been scoring on us off of great field positions set up by offensive turnovers. But that didn’t stop the defense from agreeing that things needed to change. The aggression was turned up to 10 in the 3rd quarter. The Grey Ducks were able to score a field goal after an interception against Tijuana’s QB. However, Tijuana soon responded with a field goal of their own to make it 24-13. In the 4th quarter, after a ton of punts, penalties, and deadball, Minnesota was able to score with 7 minutes remaining to make it 24-21. With 4 and a half minutes to go, Tijuana’s quarterback threw the ball into the waiting hands of Matt Krause. It was a beautiful play that made us go nuts. We had given the ball back to our team with plenty of time left so they can send this game home.
They started driving on the ground until 2 incompletions forced a punt. It was like watching someone pop a balloon with a knife. The game soon ended without any further scoring. As a defensive player, I refuse to blame the offense for anything. However, their failure to make anything come of our excellent defensive stop was a bit debilitating. I hate pointing fingers but it was hard not to that night. I still feel bad and I feel some relationships have still been tarnished as a result. It sucked to come off of a massive win only to lose an extremely tight contest.
Record: 6-5
Week 12: @ Norfolk Seawolves
Our defense felt a bit all over the place in the previous week. So it felt great to return to form in Week 12 against Norfolk. When Norfolk came to Minnesota, we had beaten them 10-0. We were, absolutely, expecting another close contest that would come down to the wire. We were absolutely right. This game, in my opinion, didn’t really hit its forte until the 4th quarter. After leading the entire game, Norfolk was able to tie it 13-13 after a Sim SnowBow fumble close to our own goalline. I don’t think I’ve ever seen my QB take more of a beating than he had in this game. Norfolk was getting to him every which way. He was only becoming more and more frustrated as things began to slip away from us.
History likes to repeat itself. However, sometimes it has a different result. Norfolk attempted a pass with 4:14 left in the game that was picked off by Bubba Twatford. We had, once again, set up our offense post-interception to win the game. But after last week, our confidence was not as great as it had been. I was extremely worried about SnowBow, especially, as he had been taking a beating the entire game. On his first throw, SnowBow found Tychondrius Hood for a 28 yard reception. Jamar Lackson was later able to punch it in for the Grey Ducks touchdown and a 20-13 lead. Watching that was like watching a child, after falling over on their bike time after time, finally get the pedals moving and riding down the street. I was so proud of my QB that day. And the defense finally felt back to form.
Record: 7-5
Week 13: vs. Myrtle Beach Buccaneers
Our game against Myrtle Beach in Week 6 was, possibly, my favorite game of the entire year. But based on the fight they gave us in Week 6, we were expecting them to only be more nasty as they were then. It was a fight, without a doubt, but what really made this game was the buttload of takeaways and turnovers. Practically every other drive ended in a turnover. It was an ugly game...but not in a good way. They led 17-13 heading into the 4th. Unfortunately, things were not working for us on offense. Penalties and failures to advance the ball forced the offense to give the ball back time after time. Fortunately, the Buccaneers didn’t score for the rest of the game, but neither did we. The final was 17-13. It was a truly odd game that I don’t really feel like dwelling on since it had so many factors that changed it. The defense was still buzzing post-game, though, and for good reason. It wasn’t pretty (nor a win) but we did a solid job against them.
Record: 7-6
Week 14: vs. London Royals
Our final game was kinda a culmination of everything that we had been working for. Playoffs were in our sights and this game would only serve as a tune up for our impending playoffs matchup. Regardless, we were still focused as ever on winning this game. We were able to go up early and it stayed that way through the rest of the game. I could break things down drive-by-drive but I’ll give you the skinny. Sim SnowBow had a phenomenal game, throwing 4 touchdowns off of 193 yards. I know I haven’t been talking about them much, but the 1-2 running back punch we have in Jamar Lackson and Zed Keppler was still just as effective as ever, combining for 217 yards on the ground.
Now, let the toot the defense’s horn. We were getting our hands on the London QB practically every play. Sackson Senior, MVP, Shields, Thornton, and I all had sacks. But don’t let that undersell the amount of close calls and shots after passes. It was a beautiful game for our defense. In the end, we only allowed 13 points as the Minnesota Grey Ducks took their final game of the season 28-13. After the game, one of my teammates, who was looking at the boxscore, told me I had 3 sacks. That was my 2nd game of the season with such an accomplishment. I rarely think about those things, though. The only stat that matters to me is the final score. But a win’s a win and if I had 3 sacks while doing it, I’m cool with it.
Regular Season Record: 8-6
Conclusion
And that was our season. Well, the regular season, at least. The playoffs are, of course, right around the corner. However, I believe that a team which started out 1-3 and got roasted time after time on defense turned things around to finish with the top seed in their division and the best overall defense should be noted. In the end, for me at least, none of this will matter if we don’t win it all. Will we? I still have no clue. All I know is that I’m ready to make some more defensive plays and I hope my teammates are as well. After missing the playoffs last year it feels great to recoup our efforts and make it this year. I knew this roster was way too good to be floundered once again. A linebacker can only do so much but I did everything I could to make this team better.
As I’ve said, I don’t like talking about individual statistics since they don’t matter to me. I’ll say this much. I finished with 12 sacks on the season: the most of any DSFL player. I also led my team in tackles. I was drafted in the 6th round of the NSFL draft since nobody knew how focused I truly am on the game. Hopefully things have changed now. But what I’ve done on the year is nothing compared to what our entire defense has accomplished. As much as I love our offense, hopefully I don’t sound too pompous when I say that we kinda won all those games for you. I’m only kidding, everyone was integral in our wins.
I know that things are still far from over for us but I want to say thank you to the Minnesota Grey Ducks organization for giving me such a fantastic group of teammates. Talent may be one thing but what truly makes all of these guys so wonderful are their personalities and liveliness. Even when we were at our worst, they all still had their heads held high and smiles on their faces. Also, I know this may sound like filler to explain that I’m leaving, but I’ve put zero thought into that so far. Let’s not worry about what uniforms we’re wearing next year and instead forge on to the playoffs.
Go Ducks!
Week 1: @ Dallas Birddogs
I was riding a massive cloud of ecstasy and jubilation over the offseason. Despite failing to live up to expectations in the previous year, the Grey Ducks locker room was still as lively and confident as ever. Also, the NSFL Draft came around and I was selected by the Baltimore Hawks…with the 69th overall pick. So I was, naturally, a very bright, bouncing boy heading into Week 1. However, the extreme confidence and determination that infectiously spread through the locker room pregame felt a bit familiar, and not in a good way. I was hyped, naturally, but the feeling felt very similar to that of last year when we came in with the same confidence just to be squandered by team after team. I refused to put my head down, though, and kept forging on into the unknown, despite my trepidation.
Unfortunately, my worries were confirmed that week as we handed the game to Dallas. They outscored us 13-2 in the first half. The highlight of that half was, absolutely, the safety by Mario VonPebbles after he caught their punt returner behind the endzone. There’s nothing that hypes up the defense more than when they become the offense. We could’ve run through a brick wall right after that. However, the Grey Ducks offense shanked a field goal on the ensuing drive and allowed the Birddogs to get a field goal of their own right after. We then exchanged the ball a few more times until the end of the half.
In our defense (pun somewhat intended), the offense gave up the ball twice in the first quarter. However, that doesn’t mean we get a free pass. It’s still our job, as the defense, to stop the ball from advancing by any (legal) means. While the offense took a look of blame during halftime, we didn’t feel any the wiser. The second half was more of the same. After a Grey Ducks field goal to make it 13-5, the Birddogs drove 64 yards for a touchdown to make it 20-5. We were able to get another field goal and a touchdown right at the end of the game, but it did not matter as the Birddogs took Week 1 27-15. It’s not a great feeling losing Week 1. Determination and stamina is at a (possibly) all-season high. To squander it is nothing short of embarrassing. Both the offense and defense got their fair shakes from the coaches post-game. We knew we had to rebound somehow.
Record: 0-1
Week 2: vs. Portland Pythons
And rebound we did. The Grey Ducks launched an offensive armada against the Portland Pythons during Week 2. I was able to get a sack on the first drive of the game. That was all I needed to keep myself hot. The offense was able to bring us up 20-3 by halftime. However, this was the defense’s game as much as it was the offense’s. Everyone was locked in and ready to fight into the second half. The Pythons were able to make things interesting by scoring a touchdown mid-way through the 3rd quarter to make it 20-10. However, the Grey Ducks’ offense responded immediately by scoring a touchdown of their own on the very next drive.
After another Grey Ducks touchdown, the score was 34-13 and a victory was in sight. We did end up winning and the score didn’t change...but that wasn’t until we had a TON of penalties in the last few minutes of the game. It was probably the longest 7 minutes of my life watching dead play after dead play. Despite that, the game ended (thankfully) and we had our first win of the season. Along with myself, Mario VonPebbles and Water Chestnut III had sacks. But the true MVP of the game was Jamar Lackson who rushed for 137 yards with a touchdown and an additional touchdown off of a punt return. He was red-hot at that point and I didn’t see any way to stop him. The performance he put up gave me all the confidence I needed in the offense heading into Week 3. We’ll be all good as long as we have Jamar Lackson.
Record: 1-1
Week 3: @ Kansas City Coyotes
Ok...here’s where things get weird. I remember, I swear, that we played both Week 3 and Week 4...and got blown out. Jamar Lackson, the guy who made me trust the offense like they were my father, looked like he was playing after being shot. He could not go anywhere in those two games. As a result, we were decimated. It was embarrassing to be the team that got destroyed twice in consecutive weeks. That was until...it wasn’t.
I swear I’m not crazy, once again, but after the Week 4 game against Tijuana, I woke up, checked my phone...and the date was two weeks before I had last been awake. Weeks 3 and 4 didn’t happen, somehow. They were some fever dream or the result of eating brownies at SnowBow’s house. My first instinct was that I became the first human to time travel and I should really tell my mother about it. My second instinct was not to call my mother because she kinda doesn’t like me. Then I realized that the Grey Ducks had been given a do-over of the two embarrassments of games they had. Also I really needed to see a shrink.
So, Week 3 came around...again...and we were on the road against Kansas City. It was a tight game in the first half. After a TON of penalties, turnovers, and shenanigans, the Coyotes were able to score at the top of the 2nd quarter to go up by a touchdown. After another heckton of penalties, the Grey Ducks were able to respond with a touchdown of their own. We were deadlocked at 7-7 heading into the 2nd half. There was only one word on all of our minds: attack. We were going to take them head-on in the 2nd half and make our dominance known. Nothing can stop us, now.
The Coyotes took the kickoff to the house to go up 14-7 at the top of the 3rd quarter. We, unfortunately, never recovered and gave up the game 17-13. It was extremely close down the line but everyone on the defense agrees that the kickoff return demoralized any willpower we had heading into the 2nd half. Jamar Lackson was, however, looking much more like himself and ran for 137 yards on the ground. However, the Coyotes were dominant on both sides of the ball and left us shaking our heads in a tight defeat. Well...at least we get one more re-do.
Record: 1-2
Week 4: vs. Tijuana Luchadores
War never changes. We went to war against Kansas City and Tijuana in Weeks 3 and 4 and lost both times. We got a do-over...and we lost both times again. Tijuana’s offense was hot in the first half and went up 16-7 heading into halftime. I was able to get a sack early in the game but it did not help as the offense kept on trudging against us. We were killing them, really, with sack after sack. But a bunch of field goals and a pick-6 carried them over us early in the game. I also got a tripping call in the 2nd quarter which is, pardon my french, the most bullshit penalty in football (that and hands to the face).
The 2nd half really didn’t get interesting until the 4th quarter. After another Tijuana touchdown that put them up 23-7, the offense responded early in the 4th with a touchdown to bring up our hopes a bit. Our hopes were quickly dashed by a Tijuana touchdown that put them up 30-15. But the Grey Ducks did not quit. They drove down the field and used a short game to bring us back into the endzone and make the score 30-22. Unfortunately, we were only able to get the ball back with practically no time left at the game ended without a response. It was honestly fitting to lose both of these games twice. However, I was happy that this time we didn’t get obliterated. Now if you excuse me, I have counselling in 5 minutes.
Record: 1-3
Week 5: vs. Norfolk Seawolves
The defense was not looking too hot at that point. We were letting up way too many points and making our offense look embarrassing by proxy. I spent more time with the defense over the offseason than my own family and I expected us to be nothing short of phenomenal. After allowing 30 points against Tijuana, we were worried that we might’ve been exposed. But, as I’ve said, these guys don’t quit and are always flowing with morale. Something kinda clicked in our game against Norfolk. I don’t know what it was...but we started being the defense we knew we could become.
We all were getting after the Norfolk QB that week. Me, Chestnut, Twatford, VonPebbles, and Buck Thornton all had sacks. It was not a pretty game...but it was perfect for us. Everywhere I looked on defense I saw my teammates swarming the Seawolves like a pack of killer bees. Nobody was uncovered on their offense. It was watching a disaster movie but with our defense playing the earthquake or the hurricane. It wasn’t pretty for the Grey Ducks offense, either. They were only able to put up 10 points against the Seawolves. That would be a shame in most other games. However, the Seawolves responded by putting up...0 points.
Record: 2-3
Week 6: @ Myrtle Beach Buccaneers
As good as we believed our defense to be, there was one team who could, arguably, have the actual stake-to-the-claim of best defense in the DSFL: the Buccaneers. We knew we were going to be in for a gunfight in Week 6. Myrtle Beach was every bit as aggressive, nasty, tenacious, and focused as I expected them to be. It was our job to be more than all those things against Myrtle Beach.
Nobody was safe in this game. Everyone was being knocked to their ass play after play. This might’ve been the most aggressive I have ever played as I was only trying to keep up with the aggression being shown by the Buccaneers. We took a 3-0 lead at halftime. However, all of us knew that they were only going to become more ferocious heading into the 2nd half. They were finally able to break our barriers, however, and go up 7-3 midway through the 3rd. The Minnesota offense, however, was not fazed and responded immediately with a touchdown of their own to make the game 10-7. The 4th quarter is still a bit of a blur to me. I remember a lot of penalties on the defense as well as a lot of sacks on the Norfolk QB. Unfortunately, we let our guard down late in the game, allowing Norfolk to strike with a field goal to tie the game at 10. The ball flipped a few times in the final minutes of the game but neither team was able to put anything on the board. Overtime.
After three punts, the Grey Ducks were set up with the ball at our own 20 midway through overtime. After gaining 9 on the first play, Sim SnowBow was sacked on 2nd down. I was more than ready to get back onto the field at that point. That was until I saw a fire in SnowBow’s eyes that I hadn’t seen before. After getting the first down on the ground, SnowBow uncorked a pass to Daymond Brooks for 23 yards. After another pass and some more groundwork, SnowBow found Tychondrius Hood for 24 yards to set us up at Myrtle Beach’s 6 yard line. After a penalty that nearly gave me a heart attack, Jamar Lackson was able to punch it in and give the Grey Ducks the victory 16-10.
I don’t think I’ve ever given more than I knew I had in a DSFL game up to that point. The last time I could think of adrenaline carrying me further than I could ever imagine was playing Oregon in the PAC-12 Championship. I’m not much of a stats guy, but I had 15 tackles, a sack, and a TFL in that game. This might’ve, honestly, been my favorite game of the whole season based on the competitiveness and rage shown by both sides. I had nothing but respect for Myrtle Beach after that game. I also had a lot of admiration for Sim SnowBow based on his heroics. What can, possibly, top a game like that?
Record: 3-3
Week 7: @ London Royals
This game, maybe. We were all absolutely hyped after winning our last two, especially because of how well the defense played. London was one of our big rivals last year and a major reason why we failed to make the playoffs. For many Grey Ducks, they were at the very top of the list of teams we wanted to get our hands on. What ensued...was kinda beautiful.
The Grey Ducks offense was able to take the first drive of the game to the house. After a London punt, the Grey Ducks drove down again and got a field goal to make it 10-0. The next drive...it happened. The Royals were backed up to their own 6 yard line due to a penalty on 2nd down. On 2nd and 15, I blitzed for the Royals’ QB, found an outlet, and brought him down. One of my middle school coaches always told me to swipe for the ball on every tackle I make just in hopes of the ball possibly popping out. It did pop out this time. Bubba Twatford scooped it up and Jamar Lackson punched it in on the next play for a touchdown. Ho--lee--shit. The defense was wild right after that. Guys were shoving me around in admiration and slapping me on the back. It was the best feeling I could’ve ever imagined having while being sweaty and wearing shoulder pads.
The rest of the 1st half was also bonkers. When London got the ball back, they almost immediately threw a pick which resulted in another Minnesota touchdown. The defense’s job is not only to prevent opposing points but also to set up the offense with the best possible field position. We were doing exactly that in droves. The final score was 37-7 and left us all going insane. Revenge is very low on my list of goals to accomplish in a season. But when it is accomplished...it’s a fantastic feeling. Zep Keppler, a recent addition to our team, was also incredible on the ground with 119 yards. The Grey Ducks, after going 1-3 in their first four games, are now on a 3-game winning streak.
Record: 4-3
Week 8: vs. Dallas Birddogs
Ok, maybe revenge is something that I’m always focused on. Dallas, at that point, had the largest margin of victory against teams we had lost to. They also derailed any momentum that he had at the beginning of the season. So they were grounds to get a revenge spanking when they came to Minneapolis. Revenge really wasn’t my main focus in this game. My #1 focus is always winning the game and whatever comes with that. The feeling of revenge never really settles in with me until the very end of a game. But I won’t lie: I was thinking about Week 1 the whole game.
The first half kept us both deadlocked. It was a good blend of offense and defense that led to a close game that any casual football fan would definitely enjoy. For the people playing, however, it was a much different story. After a physical half of play full of sacks, penalties, and scores, the game was tied 14-14. There’s nothing specific that sets me off. It just kinda organically happens. I guess in a situation like this where nothing was giving and something had to happen, I clicked. That or I stopped whining about all the penalties. Either way, the second half was a lot different for me.
The Grey Ducks got the ball at the top of the 3rd and were able to drive down the field for a field goal, taking the 17-14 lead. Then it was our turn. I was able to get to the Dallas QB on first down and then allow short yards on second down. They were still able to get the 1st on 3rd down but their QB was met with a Buck Thornton sack right after. After coming up short on 3rd, Dallas punted.
Dallas was soon given the ball back where they decisively drove to the end zone after a massive 35 yard reception to take the lead 21-17. A few more exchanges took place until Sim SnowBow fumbled. I knew I had to make something happen right then and there. I blitzed down the middle on the second play of Dallas’ drive and brought down their QB once again. They punted after failing to move on third. Once again, however, the Grey Ducks offense were not able to get past the wall built by Dallas and were forced to punt. But not too long after their drive began, Buck Thornton intercepted a pass and set up Minnesota at the doorstep of the endzone. They delivered and took the lead 24-21.
This is when football is at its finest: a one-score game where the heroes will either be the offense or the defense. We were able to force a stop with 2:34 to go but Minnesota were forced to give it right back with 1:20 left. Dallas were able to pull off some short passes to move convincingly while time was winding down. I had enough, at that point. I’m not losing this game off of late-game shenanigans. With time running out, I charged through the o-lineman and brought down the Dallas QB for my 3rd time that game. It was over. We won 24-21. As a defensive player, there aren’t too many scenarios where one can become the hero for their team. But somehow...we did. I know I had the game-sealing sack but that was only a bullet point on the massive list of exquisite plays we made that game. It was a defensive victory and our 4th in a row.
Record: 5-3
Week 9: @ Portland Pythons
We underestimated Portland. We expected them to look sloppy and for us to overpower them with our recent defensive dominance and excellent run game. But that didn’t happen, unfortunately. Ok, to be honest, this game was a bunch of bullshit penalties and embarrassing takeaways. I would dwell on it but, honestly, I’m still not over it. I will say that I did have a newfound respect for Portland after that game. But it was a shame that our winning streak was officially over. It was an ugly game and one that I wish to forget but probably never will. The momentum was dead...for the time being, at least.
Record: 5-4
Week 10: vs. Kansas City Coyotes
Oh yeah...we remembered these guys. After irking away with the victory against us in Week 3, Kansas City was a must-win for the Grey Ducks. We all were anticipating a tight battle that would last until the very last snap. In football, you can never anticipate a thing. A team of highschoolers, for all we know, could drop 40 on us in a game. It’s one’s goal as a player to work around expectations and anticipation in hopes of making things happen for themselves. The defense, as they had been doing in the previous weeks, made this game theirs almost instantly. But don’t let that detract from the offense in this game. They were also on point
I did not have my best game, I admit. Not that I was bad or anything but everyone else on the defense was so dominant to the point where I could’ve read a book if I wanted to. We were able to hold Kansas City to 3 points in the end. This would, generally, result in a win. But sometimes, the offense, despite the play of their defense, may be just as stifled, if not more, than the opposing offense. But...that wasn’t the case. The Minnesota Grey Ducks scored 48 points against Kansas City to take the victory. Highlight of the game, for me, was definitely Buck Thornton picking off the KC QB and taking it to the house. As I’ve said, previously, there is no better feeling for a defensive player than when they become the offense. Easy to say that we were all feeling amazing after that.
Record: 6-4
Week 11: @ Tijuana Luchadores
I try to never imagine that a team could be better than us. Even if they, pound for pound, are, I still refuse to believe it as I don’t want it to become a distraction. But there was no denying the fact that Tijuana was good. Were they better than us? I refused to believe it. But I knew that it was going to be a car crash when we finally had our rematch. On the first drive of the game, Sim SnowBow threw a pick that was brought right to the house to put Tijuana up 7-0. A few drives later, Tijuana was able to score again to go up 14-0 in the first quarter. Going down that much that earlier felt like a death sentence to me. However, as they had been doing the entire season, our offense surprised me tremendously. The 2nd quarter began with a Grey Ducks field goal and later a touchdown on the next Minnesota possession. It was now 14-10. Unfortunately, SnowBow threw another pick that was delivered upon by the Tijuana offense with another touchdown.
The score was 21-10 at halftime. Tijuana had been scoring on us off of great field positions set up by offensive turnovers. But that didn’t stop the defense from agreeing that things needed to change. The aggression was turned up to 10 in the 3rd quarter. The Grey Ducks were able to score a field goal after an interception against Tijuana’s QB. However, Tijuana soon responded with a field goal of their own to make it 24-13. In the 4th quarter, after a ton of punts, penalties, and deadball, Minnesota was able to score with 7 minutes remaining to make it 24-21. With 4 and a half minutes to go, Tijuana’s quarterback threw the ball into the waiting hands of Matt Krause. It was a beautiful play that made us go nuts. We had given the ball back to our team with plenty of time left so they can send this game home.
They started driving on the ground until 2 incompletions forced a punt. It was like watching someone pop a balloon with a knife. The game soon ended without any further scoring. As a defensive player, I refuse to blame the offense for anything. However, their failure to make anything come of our excellent defensive stop was a bit debilitating. I hate pointing fingers but it was hard not to that night. I still feel bad and I feel some relationships have still been tarnished as a result. It sucked to come off of a massive win only to lose an extremely tight contest.
Record: 6-5
Week 12: @ Norfolk Seawolves
Our defense felt a bit all over the place in the previous week. So it felt great to return to form in Week 12 against Norfolk. When Norfolk came to Minnesota, we had beaten them 10-0. We were, absolutely, expecting another close contest that would come down to the wire. We were absolutely right. This game, in my opinion, didn’t really hit its forte until the 4th quarter. After leading the entire game, Norfolk was able to tie it 13-13 after a Sim SnowBow fumble close to our own goalline. I don’t think I’ve ever seen my QB take more of a beating than he had in this game. Norfolk was getting to him every which way. He was only becoming more and more frustrated as things began to slip away from us.
History likes to repeat itself. However, sometimes it has a different result. Norfolk attempted a pass with 4:14 left in the game that was picked off by Bubba Twatford. We had, once again, set up our offense post-interception to win the game. But after last week, our confidence was not as great as it had been. I was extremely worried about SnowBow, especially, as he had been taking a beating the entire game. On his first throw, SnowBow found Tychondrius Hood for a 28 yard reception. Jamar Lackson was later able to punch it in for the Grey Ducks touchdown and a 20-13 lead. Watching that was like watching a child, after falling over on their bike time after time, finally get the pedals moving and riding down the street. I was so proud of my QB that day. And the defense finally felt back to form.
Record: 7-5
Week 13: vs. Myrtle Beach Buccaneers
Our game against Myrtle Beach in Week 6 was, possibly, my favorite game of the entire year. But based on the fight they gave us in Week 6, we were expecting them to only be more nasty as they were then. It was a fight, without a doubt, but what really made this game was the buttload of takeaways and turnovers. Practically every other drive ended in a turnover. It was an ugly game...but not in a good way. They led 17-13 heading into the 4th. Unfortunately, things were not working for us on offense. Penalties and failures to advance the ball forced the offense to give the ball back time after time. Fortunately, the Buccaneers didn’t score for the rest of the game, but neither did we. The final was 17-13. It was a truly odd game that I don’t really feel like dwelling on since it had so many factors that changed it. The defense was still buzzing post-game, though, and for good reason. It wasn’t pretty (nor a win) but we did a solid job against them.
Record: 7-6
Week 14: vs. London Royals
Our final game was kinda a culmination of everything that we had been working for. Playoffs were in our sights and this game would only serve as a tune up for our impending playoffs matchup. Regardless, we were still focused as ever on winning this game. We were able to go up early and it stayed that way through the rest of the game. I could break things down drive-by-drive but I’ll give you the skinny. Sim SnowBow had a phenomenal game, throwing 4 touchdowns off of 193 yards. I know I haven’t been talking about them much, but the 1-2 running back punch we have in Jamar Lackson and Zed Keppler was still just as effective as ever, combining for 217 yards on the ground.
Now, let the toot the defense’s horn. We were getting our hands on the London QB practically every play. Sackson Senior, MVP, Shields, Thornton, and I all had sacks. But don’t let that undersell the amount of close calls and shots after passes. It was a beautiful game for our defense. In the end, we only allowed 13 points as the Minnesota Grey Ducks took their final game of the season 28-13. After the game, one of my teammates, who was looking at the boxscore, told me I had 3 sacks. That was my 2nd game of the season with such an accomplishment. I rarely think about those things, though. The only stat that matters to me is the final score. But a win’s a win and if I had 3 sacks while doing it, I’m cool with it.
Regular Season Record: 8-6
Conclusion
And that was our season. Well, the regular season, at least. The playoffs are, of course, right around the corner. However, I believe that a team which started out 1-3 and got roasted time after time on defense turned things around to finish with the top seed in their division and the best overall defense should be noted. In the end, for me at least, none of this will matter if we don’t win it all. Will we? I still have no clue. All I know is that I’m ready to make some more defensive plays and I hope my teammates are as well. After missing the playoffs last year it feels great to recoup our efforts and make it this year. I knew this roster was way too good to be floundered once again. A linebacker can only do so much but I did everything I could to make this team better.
As I’ve said, I don’t like talking about individual statistics since they don’t matter to me. I’ll say this much. I finished with 12 sacks on the season: the most of any DSFL player. I also led my team in tackles. I was drafted in the 6th round of the NSFL draft since nobody knew how focused I truly am on the game. Hopefully things have changed now. But what I’ve done on the year is nothing compared to what our entire defense has accomplished. As much as I love our offense, hopefully I don’t sound too pompous when I say that we kinda won all those games for you. I’m only kidding, everyone was integral in our wins.
I know that things are still far from over for us but I want to say thank you to the Minnesota Grey Ducks organization for giving me such a fantastic group of teammates. Talent may be one thing but what truly makes all of these guys so wonderful are their personalities and liveliness. Even when we were at our worst, they all still had their heads held high and smiles on their faces. Also, I know this may sound like filler to explain that I’m leaving, but I’ve put zero thought into that so far. Let’s not worry about what uniforms we’re wearing next year and instead forge on to the playoffs.
Go Ducks!
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