Last season, I wrote an article about my team and my thoughts and experiences on our games. I left that article on a bit of a cliffhanger. The Minnesota Grey Ducks were a week out from the playoffs where they were heavily favored against the London Royals. I talked about how much I had enjoyed the regular season and how I wished for nothing more than to see the Grey Ducks in Ultimini. Now that that’s all over with, I can talk about the actual ending. The Grey Ducks were upset in a tight, nailbiter game that saw the Royals win in overtime with a field goal 13-10. My experience on the Grey Ducks can best be described as getting the car you’ve always wanted. At first, you realize that it’s not what you initially expected it to be. But as time went on, you adjusted more and more to it and came to love it all over again. Then, one day, you see a rock in the road. Not a big rock but a rock that you believe will not affect your car in any way. You then drive over that rock and BAM...it slashes a tire, you swerve off the road, and you hit a tree.
When I first entered the league midway through S21, there was no team I wanted to be on more than the Grey Ducks. While my expectations were subverted after a not-so-great first season, once we started winning in S22, I felt enamored with being on the team. I loved being a Grey Duck. If I could do it all over again I absolutely would. But the immense amount of passion I had for the Grey Ducks organization only increased the damage of the blow I felt with our loss in the playoffs. No disrespect to London, by the way. They were the better team that day and we had nothing to put up against them. But I still haven’t recovered from that loss, to be completely honest. I’m not even a Grey Duck anymore and I’m still reeling. Hopefully the feeling will pass at some point as I am on a new team now. So why don’t I talk about them? After the end of S22, I had no clue what my future held. Would I play another season in Minnesota? I honestly would’ve loved to but I would be playing without many of my friends that I had made early on. They were all getting called up left and right.
The Baltimore Hawks underwent a culture change, of sorts, after S22. Their GM had decided to leave and they were in the process of hiring his replacements. It was a bit of shame as he was the same GM who drafted me. I understood that it took some time for anyone to reach out to me about playing in Baltimore for S23. But it was getting scary after enough time. With almost an hour to go before the call-up lists were due, Huskies, the new Baltimore GM, reached out and asked me the question I had been waiting to hear for a while. I graciously accepted and I was officially a Hawk. It was tough to leave behind a past that I enjoyed wholeheartedly. But life should always be about moving. It’s not fair to all the other great things this world has to offer by staying in one place forever. Now, I’d like to take a look at my experience this season playing as a Baltimore Hawk.
Week 1: @ Yellowknife Wraiths
While I wouldn’t exactly have called this matchup David vs. Goliath, it did have a similar feeling. For starters, the Yellowknife Wraiths were one of the most heavily touted teams heading into S23. We...were not. Not that anyone said outright that we were going to be awful but compared to the Wraiths we were chump-change. All bets are off at the beginning of the season, however. We’ve all had a lot of time to rest and think about what we want to happen when we get back onto the field for realsies. We were fully rested...as were they. But regardless of where we are in the season, I’m still gonna be working to win. And it was clear to me that my whole team was the exact same way.
The first quarter proved a lot of the prognosticators right. The Wraiths drove down the field for an early touchdown during their first possession of the game. The Hawks responded by working their way to Yellowknife’s 11 yard line. Unfortunately, our QB Chika Fujiwara fumbled while being sacked. The Wraiths scooped up the ball and drove down the other way for a field goal. The first quarter ended 10-0. We were already working on our epitaphs. But after another Wraith’s field goal to put them up 13-0 in the 2nd quarter, Chika Fujiwara led a fantastic 77 yard drive that ended in the touchdown to put us on the board 13-7. We got the ball to start off the 2nd half and Fujiwara, once again, led a strong drive down the field to give us the lead 14-13. A bit later into the 3rd, we were able to score again with a field goal to increase our lead 17-13. We were fully ready to prove all the doubters wrong. And that lit a fire in Yellowknife.
Right after the field goal, the Wraiths worked off of a great kick return, a penalty, and a 13 yard pass to reclaim the lead 20-17. After several possession changes, the Wraiths scored, once again, off of a field goal to increase their lead 23-17. After a Baltimore punt followed up by a Yellowknife punt, I witnessed one of the longest drives I had ever seen in a football game. Baltimore worked off of short passes and runs to arrive at the Wraiths’ 10 yard line. The pass on 1st down went incomplete. As did the pass on 2nd down. We knew we were going to have to go for it so I expected to see a run on 3rd. Instead, Fujiwara found Nick Kaepercolin in the endzone for a touchdown. The lead was ours, once again. It was a jubilant moment, but I knew the game was far from over. After we forced a Yellowknife punt, the Hawks had nowhere to go against the Wraiths defense and were forced to give the ball back with less than 3 minutes remaining.
Crunch time in sports reveals the true intangibles of an athlete. You may be the fastest or the strongest person in a league but that doesn’t mean you can (and will) get it done when it matters most. Yellowknife’s first play was a 20 yard completed pass with 2:41 remaining. The game was in the defense’s hands now. And we weren’t going to squander it. After forcing 3 incompletions on the first 3 downs, Ben Stackinpaper broke up a pass on 4th to force a turnover on downs and seal the game for the Hawks. I’m still in disbelief that we pulled away with this game. That final drive was practically served up on a silver platter to the Wraiths. I had nothing but the utmost admiration for our defense after that final incompletion. Hawks take Week 1 24-23 over the Yellowknife Wraiths.
Record -- 1-0
Week 2: vs. Colorado Yeti
Heading into our home opener off of a win against who many believed was the best team in the NSFL was a fantastic feeling. But the Yeti made us dial back on any confidence we had very early into the game. Like the game against the Wraiths, the Yeti went up by double digits in the first quarter. After a Yeti touchdown and 2 field goals, Colorado led 13-0 heading into the 2nd quarter. At that point, the defense was getting roasted and the offense couldn’t move. We did start off the 2nd quarter with a field goal to lessen the bleeding a bit. After another drive was stopped short but within kicking range, we were able to get another field goal to make it 13-6. Now we may actually be in it, we all thought. The Yeti responded on the ensuing drive with a field goal of their own. On the first play of the next drive, Chika Fujiwara threw an interception that allowed the Yeti offense to drive down the field for another touchdown. After being flayed for most of the game, the Hawks defense finally got a bit of a hope spot with an interception by CJ Riley. The Hawks were able to respond to the pick by punching it in for our first touchdown of the contest. The defense was able to prevent the Yeti from scoring as time expired for the 1st half.
Scoring 13 points in one half of football against one of the league’s best defenses is very respectable. However, allowing that team to score 23 points in response is not the same case. The 2nd half was a much better outing for the defense than the first. However, the Yeti were still able to score 10 points and take the lead 33-20 with less than 11 minutes left in the 4th. The offense was able to muster up a convincing drive down the field in response and scored a touchdown to make the game 33-27. The lead was still with the Yeti but as a defense it was just as much our game as theirs. We were able to force an incompletion on 3rd down with less than 4 minutes remaining to set up our offense with a final drive. Unfortunately, the Hawks got to 4th and 1 and were unable to make ground against a wall formed by the Yeti. We were able to force another punt but it was too late at that point. The Colorado Yeti beat us 33-27.
Record -- 1-1
Week 3: @ Philadelphia Liberty
So...let’s dive into this one. I led the defense in tackles in this game. That’s...pretty much the only positive takeaway I have from this game. So after upsetting a powerhouse in week one and losing a nail biter in week two, we were awarded with an absolute shellacking in week three. The Philadelphia Liberty were known to have one of the better offenses in the league. However, we did not expect them to be...that dominant. We scored 14 in the first half. A decent outing, especially against one of the league’s best defenses. But they weren’t too fazed as they put up 27 points in the first half. Well, it would’ve been 20 points but the final play of the 2nd quarter was a pick six off Fujiwara. While we were able to respond with points, we all felt decimated after the first half. The offense was getting swarmed, the defense was getting roasted, and all our the team strategy was being thrown out the window. We had to be dominant in the 2nd half. It was our only choice.
The Hawks scored 3 points in the 2nd half. It was a lot more of the same. Turnovers, sacks, penalties, blown coverage, you name it. When the dust settled, the Philadelphia Liberty had dropped 51 points on us. As I said, I had a...decent day. 12 tackles is alright, and not looking at the final score makes it seem a lot better. It’s hard to recover from a massive loss like this. We knew the Liberty were going to be good but I don’t think any of us expected this. Neither did they, I’m sure. They got a lot of good setups from their defense off turnovers. That’s what really killed us. As a defensive player, you may think that the last thing you’d want is for the opposing offense to have a good day. Truth be told, I’d rather the opposing offense has a great day than the opposing defense has an even decent day. Week 3 will absolutely be remembered in Philadelphia. As for Baltimore, many of us are still in therapy.
Record -- 1-2
Week 4: @ Chicago Butchers
I think we all knew that Week 4 was a must-win. After the embarrassment the previous week and the loss in the week prior, something had to give for the Hawks. You can argue all you want about how much value is given to a team between the offense and the defense. I think it’s hard to argue against the fact that an offense creates leads. The defense’s job is to prevent that from happening, not (exactly) to create leads themselves. But when you allow 51 points to be scored on your team, you better do all you can the following week to make sure that point total doesn’t even get close. The game against Chicago did not start off great. Chika Fujiwara got sacked and then threw a pick on the following play. The Butchers took the ball and drove down for a field goal to take the early 3-0 lead. On the ensuing Baltimore drive, Fujiwara threw another pick. This game was already showing eerily similar signs of the previous week’s contest. Luckily, the defense did not allow any more Chicago points in the 1st quarter. The 2nd quarter was a ton of punts and penalties that ended with a Baltimore field goal to finish the half.
The 2nd half had to be different. We were playing fine but we were being helped out by a lot of penalties going towards the Butchers. We knew that there was a good chance it wouldn’t be the same way in the 2nd half and that we had to be more attentive on both sides of the ball. After a bunch of changes of possession to start the 3rd, Walt Green picked off a Chicago ball to set up the Hawks within striking distance of the endzone. The Hawks, unfortunately, could not punch it in and had to settle for a field goal to take a 6-3 lead. After a huge sack by Nuniq Annastesia on the ensuing Chicago drive, the Hawks drove the ball 66 yards to the house to increase the lead 13-3. After Fujiwara threw 2 picks in the first half, our defense responded by creating a bunch of turnovers of our own in the 2nd. The 2nd play of the 4th quarter was a forced fumble by Terry Taffy. Later in the quarter, Derred de Ville picked off a pass from the Chicago QB. We responded to their 2 forced turnovers in the first half by forcing 3 turnovers ourselves in the 2nd half. Not much went on offensively, however, as the final score was 16-3. We felt greatly recharged defensively after allowing 51 points one week and then only 3 the next. It was a great high to ride into Week 5.
Record -- 2-2
Week 5: vs. Sarasota Sailfish
All of our games up to this point were either very close or dominations where we weren’t the victor. Our Week 5 game against Sarasota took some time to ease into. After a few changes of possessions, the Sailfish were able to be the first team on the board with a touchdown in the later stages of the 1st quarter. Luckily, some great play by Chika Fujiwara and Darrel Williams allowed us to punch it in for a touchdown of our own to make it 7-6 (PAT was missed). After we were able to get a stop on defense, the Hawks brought it to the house once again for a touchdown (with the kick good this time!). Take that sentence and repeat it a few times. That was, pretty much, the remainder of the game for us. A lot of us were still reeling after the blowout against the Liberty. However, this game definitely served as a refresher. I don’t think any of us expected to have a performance like this during the season. In the end, we were able to take the win at home 40-7.
As great as the offense was in this contest, the defense was just as good (if not better). Everyone was playing their role bountifully and contributed well to what turned out to be a fantastic defensive outing. No one, stat wise, really stuck out on our defense. But I consider that to be a good thing, honestly. Considering the day were we having, it was clear that our play was a team effort and that everybody was getting their licks in. This game also put us over .500 for the 2nd time this season. After dropping our next two outings after our big win Week 1, it was great to get back into the groove of winning. All was well as we headed into a road game in Arizona.
Record -- 3-2
Week 6: @ Arizona Outlaws
I was instilled with a lot of hope very early into this game. Baltimore began the game with the ball and immediately drove 63 yards for a touchdown. This was the first time in the whole season that we were the first team to score. Yeah, five games without scoring first. While nothing matters more than the final result, it was still shocking to me that we weren’t a great opening team. But this game already felt different. We got to play with the lead this time. The Outlaws were able to respond with a field goal later in the 1st, but we were able to respond not too long after. Halfway through the 2nd quarter, Nuniq Annastesia stripped the ball free from an Arizona RB and recovered it for a turnover. Several plays later, the offense was able to extend their lead with another touchdown to make it 14-6. Arizona was clearly upset by the fumble and responded on the ensuing drive with a touchdown of their own to make it 14-12. It was a two point game heading into the break.
The Outlaws got the ball to start the 2nd half and immediately brought it to the house to take the lead 19-14. We needed to respond in some way. The defense was able to prevent any more bleeding for the rest of the game. However, the Arizona defense was just as viscous towards our offense. With less than 90 second left in the game, after being sacked twice in the same drive, Fujiwara was found for the third time, this time in our own endzone. The Outlaws were awarded a safety, extending their lead 21-14 and giving them the ball to sit on. I felt a massive surge of momentum after our Week 4 win followed by a defensive masterclass Week 5. We got the lead early against the Outlaws. Unfortunately, we clearly didn’t know what to do with it.
Record -- 3-3
Week 7: vs. Orange County Otters
It didn’t take long for me to realize that we were kinda a weird team. Not that anyone specific on this team is weird. But as a collective...we’ve accomplished some weird stuff. Of course, our week one win against Yellowknife makes enough of a case towards our weirdness. But it wasn’t until Week 7 that I really started to realize just how bizarre our season could be. In the ASFC, many consider the Orange County Otters to be the top dogs. While you could argue that New Orleans has better claim to that position, there’s no denying that the Otters are a very good team. We had the advantage of playing at home but that was about it, in my opinion, as far as advantages went. Even if we played better as a unit than them, I still only saw them winning. We were the first team to score, once again. Of course the first time in the whole season that had happened was last week...where we lost. So I was already a bit nervous knowing that we would have to play with a lead.
The Otters drove the ball 80 yards early in the 2nd quarter to tie up the game 7-7. After the Hawks got a field goal midway through the period, the Otters responded with a field goal of their own on the ensuing drive. After a Baltimore drive went nowhere as time expired in the half, we were tied 10-10 with Orange County. It’s tough heading into the locker room with a tie. It’s the same feeling as heading into the locker room with a score of 0-0. The stalemate had to be broken and the defense was ready to make sure that the Otters couldn’t put any more dents in the scoring column. After a Hawks drive ended in a punt to start off the 3rd, the Otters went nowhere on the ensuing drive that ended with a Matt Hole sack. The very next drive, the Hawks took it to the house to go up 17-10. After stopping the Otters once again, the Hawks drove down and scored a field goal to make the lead double digits. Once again, the Otters got the ball and were trapped. They were forced to punt. On the very first play of the ensuing Hawks drive, Chika Fujiwara uncorked a 43 yard pass to Asher Quinn for our third touchdown on the day.
The rest of the game was more of the same. Dominating drives on offense and swarms of Hawks on defense. In the end, the Baltimore Hawks took a game that many saw having the opposite outcome. We scored 33 against one of the league’s finest teams and only allowed 13 in response. Many considered our one point victory against the Wraiths to start off the year to be a bit of a fluke. But a 20 point victory over another powerhouse was no fluke. It really is odd to have victories over the (arguably) top teams in each division and still have trouble against the less powerful groups. I still don’t know what happened that day. Everything went right for us, I guess.
Record -- 4-3
Week 8: vs. San Jose SaberCats
That statement about being great against the best teams and struggling against teams we know we can beat never rang more true than Week 8. Staying at home after the huge win last week already created a major advantage for us. The SaberCats were also struggling up to that point in the year, only winning 1 of their last 6 games. A lot of us believed that this game was grounds for being a cakewalk. We were, once again, the first team to score. This was now the third week in a row it had happened. The first time we lost and the second time we won. So I was interested to see what the result would be this time. We went into the 2nd quarter up 3-0 with the defense feeling pretty confident in their performance up to that point. Early in the 2nd quarter, however, Fujiwara was stripped of the ball and it was recovered by San Jose. They were able to drive down the field and score a field goal to tie up the game 3-3. We were immediately able to respond with a field goal of our own on the next drive. They responded on their next drive with yet another field goal. 6-6 heading into the break. Just like last week, we were at a stalemate.
In situations where nothing has given, accountability falls on everyone. It’s not the defense’s fault, exactly, because the offense has been sustainable enough to keep the score even. So taking the lead is, now, everyone’s problem (as it should be but more so in this instance). Unfortunately, our scoring in the 1st half was all we were able to put up for the rest of the game. San Jose worked off of great defensive play that forced turnovers and made big stops. Their offense still struggled against us, however, but they were able to slip 10 additional points by. In the end, we lost 16-6 in what we all expected to be a leisurely stroll in the park. It’s games like these that make me respect every individual football team equally, regardless of record. I try not to believe that a team of some of the world’s best athletes could be inherently bad. But sometimes, my brain makes me believe that a game is going to be easier than it actually is. This was a perfect example of games like that.
Record -- 4-4
Part 2 coming soon!
When I first entered the league midway through S21, there was no team I wanted to be on more than the Grey Ducks. While my expectations were subverted after a not-so-great first season, once we started winning in S22, I felt enamored with being on the team. I loved being a Grey Duck. If I could do it all over again I absolutely would. But the immense amount of passion I had for the Grey Ducks organization only increased the damage of the blow I felt with our loss in the playoffs. No disrespect to London, by the way. They were the better team that day and we had nothing to put up against them. But I still haven’t recovered from that loss, to be completely honest. I’m not even a Grey Duck anymore and I’m still reeling. Hopefully the feeling will pass at some point as I am on a new team now. So why don’t I talk about them? After the end of S22, I had no clue what my future held. Would I play another season in Minnesota? I honestly would’ve loved to but I would be playing without many of my friends that I had made early on. They were all getting called up left and right.
The Baltimore Hawks underwent a culture change, of sorts, after S22. Their GM had decided to leave and they were in the process of hiring his replacements. It was a bit of shame as he was the same GM who drafted me. I understood that it took some time for anyone to reach out to me about playing in Baltimore for S23. But it was getting scary after enough time. With almost an hour to go before the call-up lists were due, Huskies, the new Baltimore GM, reached out and asked me the question I had been waiting to hear for a while. I graciously accepted and I was officially a Hawk. It was tough to leave behind a past that I enjoyed wholeheartedly. But life should always be about moving. It’s not fair to all the other great things this world has to offer by staying in one place forever. Now, I’d like to take a look at my experience this season playing as a Baltimore Hawk.
Week 1: @ Yellowknife Wraiths
While I wouldn’t exactly have called this matchup David vs. Goliath, it did have a similar feeling. For starters, the Yellowknife Wraiths were one of the most heavily touted teams heading into S23. We...were not. Not that anyone said outright that we were going to be awful but compared to the Wraiths we were chump-change. All bets are off at the beginning of the season, however. We’ve all had a lot of time to rest and think about what we want to happen when we get back onto the field for realsies. We were fully rested...as were they. But regardless of where we are in the season, I’m still gonna be working to win. And it was clear to me that my whole team was the exact same way.
The first quarter proved a lot of the prognosticators right. The Wraiths drove down the field for an early touchdown during their first possession of the game. The Hawks responded by working their way to Yellowknife’s 11 yard line. Unfortunately, our QB Chika Fujiwara fumbled while being sacked. The Wraiths scooped up the ball and drove down the other way for a field goal. The first quarter ended 10-0. We were already working on our epitaphs. But after another Wraith’s field goal to put them up 13-0 in the 2nd quarter, Chika Fujiwara led a fantastic 77 yard drive that ended in the touchdown to put us on the board 13-7. We got the ball to start off the 2nd half and Fujiwara, once again, led a strong drive down the field to give us the lead 14-13. A bit later into the 3rd, we were able to score again with a field goal to increase our lead 17-13. We were fully ready to prove all the doubters wrong. And that lit a fire in Yellowknife.
Right after the field goal, the Wraiths worked off of a great kick return, a penalty, and a 13 yard pass to reclaim the lead 20-17. After several possession changes, the Wraiths scored, once again, off of a field goal to increase their lead 23-17. After a Baltimore punt followed up by a Yellowknife punt, I witnessed one of the longest drives I had ever seen in a football game. Baltimore worked off of short passes and runs to arrive at the Wraiths’ 10 yard line. The pass on 1st down went incomplete. As did the pass on 2nd down. We knew we were going to have to go for it so I expected to see a run on 3rd. Instead, Fujiwara found Nick Kaepercolin in the endzone for a touchdown. The lead was ours, once again. It was a jubilant moment, but I knew the game was far from over. After we forced a Yellowknife punt, the Hawks had nowhere to go against the Wraiths defense and were forced to give the ball back with less than 3 minutes remaining.
Crunch time in sports reveals the true intangibles of an athlete. You may be the fastest or the strongest person in a league but that doesn’t mean you can (and will) get it done when it matters most. Yellowknife’s first play was a 20 yard completed pass with 2:41 remaining. The game was in the defense’s hands now. And we weren’t going to squander it. After forcing 3 incompletions on the first 3 downs, Ben Stackinpaper broke up a pass on 4th to force a turnover on downs and seal the game for the Hawks. I’m still in disbelief that we pulled away with this game. That final drive was practically served up on a silver platter to the Wraiths. I had nothing but the utmost admiration for our defense after that final incompletion. Hawks take Week 1 24-23 over the Yellowknife Wraiths.
Record -- 1-0
Week 2: vs. Colorado Yeti
Heading into our home opener off of a win against who many believed was the best team in the NSFL was a fantastic feeling. But the Yeti made us dial back on any confidence we had very early into the game. Like the game against the Wraiths, the Yeti went up by double digits in the first quarter. After a Yeti touchdown and 2 field goals, Colorado led 13-0 heading into the 2nd quarter. At that point, the defense was getting roasted and the offense couldn’t move. We did start off the 2nd quarter with a field goal to lessen the bleeding a bit. After another drive was stopped short but within kicking range, we were able to get another field goal to make it 13-6. Now we may actually be in it, we all thought. The Yeti responded on the ensuing drive with a field goal of their own. On the first play of the next drive, Chika Fujiwara threw an interception that allowed the Yeti offense to drive down the field for another touchdown. After being flayed for most of the game, the Hawks defense finally got a bit of a hope spot with an interception by CJ Riley. The Hawks were able to respond to the pick by punching it in for our first touchdown of the contest. The defense was able to prevent the Yeti from scoring as time expired for the 1st half.
Scoring 13 points in one half of football against one of the league’s best defenses is very respectable. However, allowing that team to score 23 points in response is not the same case. The 2nd half was a much better outing for the defense than the first. However, the Yeti were still able to score 10 points and take the lead 33-20 with less than 11 minutes left in the 4th. The offense was able to muster up a convincing drive down the field in response and scored a touchdown to make the game 33-27. The lead was still with the Yeti but as a defense it was just as much our game as theirs. We were able to force an incompletion on 3rd down with less than 4 minutes remaining to set up our offense with a final drive. Unfortunately, the Hawks got to 4th and 1 and were unable to make ground against a wall formed by the Yeti. We were able to force another punt but it was too late at that point. The Colorado Yeti beat us 33-27.
Record -- 1-1
Week 3: @ Philadelphia Liberty
So...let’s dive into this one. I led the defense in tackles in this game. That’s...pretty much the only positive takeaway I have from this game. So after upsetting a powerhouse in week one and losing a nail biter in week two, we were awarded with an absolute shellacking in week three. The Philadelphia Liberty were known to have one of the better offenses in the league. However, we did not expect them to be...that dominant. We scored 14 in the first half. A decent outing, especially against one of the league’s best defenses. But they weren’t too fazed as they put up 27 points in the first half. Well, it would’ve been 20 points but the final play of the 2nd quarter was a pick six off Fujiwara. While we were able to respond with points, we all felt decimated after the first half. The offense was getting swarmed, the defense was getting roasted, and all our the team strategy was being thrown out the window. We had to be dominant in the 2nd half. It was our only choice.
The Hawks scored 3 points in the 2nd half. It was a lot more of the same. Turnovers, sacks, penalties, blown coverage, you name it. When the dust settled, the Philadelphia Liberty had dropped 51 points on us. As I said, I had a...decent day. 12 tackles is alright, and not looking at the final score makes it seem a lot better. It’s hard to recover from a massive loss like this. We knew the Liberty were going to be good but I don’t think any of us expected this. Neither did they, I’m sure. They got a lot of good setups from their defense off turnovers. That’s what really killed us. As a defensive player, you may think that the last thing you’d want is for the opposing offense to have a good day. Truth be told, I’d rather the opposing offense has a great day than the opposing defense has an even decent day. Week 3 will absolutely be remembered in Philadelphia. As for Baltimore, many of us are still in therapy.
Record -- 1-2
Week 4: @ Chicago Butchers
I think we all knew that Week 4 was a must-win. After the embarrassment the previous week and the loss in the week prior, something had to give for the Hawks. You can argue all you want about how much value is given to a team between the offense and the defense. I think it’s hard to argue against the fact that an offense creates leads. The defense’s job is to prevent that from happening, not (exactly) to create leads themselves. But when you allow 51 points to be scored on your team, you better do all you can the following week to make sure that point total doesn’t even get close. The game against Chicago did not start off great. Chika Fujiwara got sacked and then threw a pick on the following play. The Butchers took the ball and drove down for a field goal to take the early 3-0 lead. On the ensuing Baltimore drive, Fujiwara threw another pick. This game was already showing eerily similar signs of the previous week’s contest. Luckily, the defense did not allow any more Chicago points in the 1st quarter. The 2nd quarter was a ton of punts and penalties that ended with a Baltimore field goal to finish the half.
The 2nd half had to be different. We were playing fine but we were being helped out by a lot of penalties going towards the Butchers. We knew that there was a good chance it wouldn’t be the same way in the 2nd half and that we had to be more attentive on both sides of the ball. After a bunch of changes of possession to start the 3rd, Walt Green picked off a Chicago ball to set up the Hawks within striking distance of the endzone. The Hawks, unfortunately, could not punch it in and had to settle for a field goal to take a 6-3 lead. After a huge sack by Nuniq Annastesia on the ensuing Chicago drive, the Hawks drove the ball 66 yards to the house to increase the lead 13-3. After Fujiwara threw 2 picks in the first half, our defense responded by creating a bunch of turnovers of our own in the 2nd. The 2nd play of the 4th quarter was a forced fumble by Terry Taffy. Later in the quarter, Derred de Ville picked off a pass from the Chicago QB. We responded to their 2 forced turnovers in the first half by forcing 3 turnovers ourselves in the 2nd half. Not much went on offensively, however, as the final score was 16-3. We felt greatly recharged defensively after allowing 51 points one week and then only 3 the next. It was a great high to ride into Week 5.
Record -- 2-2
Week 5: vs. Sarasota Sailfish
All of our games up to this point were either very close or dominations where we weren’t the victor. Our Week 5 game against Sarasota took some time to ease into. After a few changes of possessions, the Sailfish were able to be the first team on the board with a touchdown in the later stages of the 1st quarter. Luckily, some great play by Chika Fujiwara and Darrel Williams allowed us to punch it in for a touchdown of our own to make it 7-6 (PAT was missed). After we were able to get a stop on defense, the Hawks brought it to the house once again for a touchdown (with the kick good this time!). Take that sentence and repeat it a few times. That was, pretty much, the remainder of the game for us. A lot of us were still reeling after the blowout against the Liberty. However, this game definitely served as a refresher. I don’t think any of us expected to have a performance like this during the season. In the end, we were able to take the win at home 40-7.
As great as the offense was in this contest, the defense was just as good (if not better). Everyone was playing their role bountifully and contributed well to what turned out to be a fantastic defensive outing. No one, stat wise, really stuck out on our defense. But I consider that to be a good thing, honestly. Considering the day were we having, it was clear that our play was a team effort and that everybody was getting their licks in. This game also put us over .500 for the 2nd time this season. After dropping our next two outings after our big win Week 1, it was great to get back into the groove of winning. All was well as we headed into a road game in Arizona.
Record -- 3-2
Week 6: @ Arizona Outlaws
I was instilled with a lot of hope very early into this game. Baltimore began the game with the ball and immediately drove 63 yards for a touchdown. This was the first time in the whole season that we were the first team to score. Yeah, five games without scoring first. While nothing matters more than the final result, it was still shocking to me that we weren’t a great opening team. But this game already felt different. We got to play with the lead this time. The Outlaws were able to respond with a field goal later in the 1st, but we were able to respond not too long after. Halfway through the 2nd quarter, Nuniq Annastesia stripped the ball free from an Arizona RB and recovered it for a turnover. Several plays later, the offense was able to extend their lead with another touchdown to make it 14-6. Arizona was clearly upset by the fumble and responded on the ensuing drive with a touchdown of their own to make it 14-12. It was a two point game heading into the break.
The Outlaws got the ball to start the 2nd half and immediately brought it to the house to take the lead 19-14. We needed to respond in some way. The defense was able to prevent any more bleeding for the rest of the game. However, the Arizona defense was just as viscous towards our offense. With less than 90 second left in the game, after being sacked twice in the same drive, Fujiwara was found for the third time, this time in our own endzone. The Outlaws were awarded a safety, extending their lead 21-14 and giving them the ball to sit on. I felt a massive surge of momentum after our Week 4 win followed by a defensive masterclass Week 5. We got the lead early against the Outlaws. Unfortunately, we clearly didn’t know what to do with it.
Record -- 3-3
Week 7: vs. Orange County Otters
It didn’t take long for me to realize that we were kinda a weird team. Not that anyone specific on this team is weird. But as a collective...we’ve accomplished some weird stuff. Of course, our week one win against Yellowknife makes enough of a case towards our weirdness. But it wasn’t until Week 7 that I really started to realize just how bizarre our season could be. In the ASFC, many consider the Orange County Otters to be the top dogs. While you could argue that New Orleans has better claim to that position, there’s no denying that the Otters are a very good team. We had the advantage of playing at home but that was about it, in my opinion, as far as advantages went. Even if we played better as a unit than them, I still only saw them winning. We were the first team to score, once again. Of course the first time in the whole season that had happened was last week...where we lost. So I was already a bit nervous knowing that we would have to play with a lead.
The Otters drove the ball 80 yards early in the 2nd quarter to tie up the game 7-7. After the Hawks got a field goal midway through the period, the Otters responded with a field goal of their own on the ensuing drive. After a Baltimore drive went nowhere as time expired in the half, we were tied 10-10 with Orange County. It’s tough heading into the locker room with a tie. It’s the same feeling as heading into the locker room with a score of 0-0. The stalemate had to be broken and the defense was ready to make sure that the Otters couldn’t put any more dents in the scoring column. After a Hawks drive ended in a punt to start off the 3rd, the Otters went nowhere on the ensuing drive that ended with a Matt Hole sack. The very next drive, the Hawks took it to the house to go up 17-10. After stopping the Otters once again, the Hawks drove down and scored a field goal to make the lead double digits. Once again, the Otters got the ball and were trapped. They were forced to punt. On the very first play of the ensuing Hawks drive, Chika Fujiwara uncorked a 43 yard pass to Asher Quinn for our third touchdown on the day.
The rest of the game was more of the same. Dominating drives on offense and swarms of Hawks on defense. In the end, the Baltimore Hawks took a game that many saw having the opposite outcome. We scored 33 against one of the league’s finest teams and only allowed 13 in response. Many considered our one point victory against the Wraiths to start off the year to be a bit of a fluke. But a 20 point victory over another powerhouse was no fluke. It really is odd to have victories over the (arguably) top teams in each division and still have trouble against the less powerful groups. I still don’t know what happened that day. Everything went right for us, I guess.
Record -- 4-3
Week 8: vs. San Jose SaberCats
That statement about being great against the best teams and struggling against teams we know we can beat never rang more true than Week 8. Staying at home after the huge win last week already created a major advantage for us. The SaberCats were also struggling up to that point in the year, only winning 1 of their last 6 games. A lot of us believed that this game was grounds for being a cakewalk. We were, once again, the first team to score. This was now the third week in a row it had happened. The first time we lost and the second time we won. So I was interested to see what the result would be this time. We went into the 2nd quarter up 3-0 with the defense feeling pretty confident in their performance up to that point. Early in the 2nd quarter, however, Fujiwara was stripped of the ball and it was recovered by San Jose. They were able to drive down the field and score a field goal to tie up the game 3-3. We were immediately able to respond with a field goal of our own on the next drive. They responded on their next drive with yet another field goal. 6-6 heading into the break. Just like last week, we were at a stalemate.
In situations where nothing has given, accountability falls on everyone. It’s not the defense’s fault, exactly, because the offense has been sustainable enough to keep the score even. So taking the lead is, now, everyone’s problem (as it should be but more so in this instance). Unfortunately, our scoring in the 1st half was all we were able to put up for the rest of the game. San Jose worked off of great defensive play that forced turnovers and made big stops. Their offense still struggled against us, however, but they were able to slip 10 additional points by. In the end, we lost 16-6 in what we all expected to be a leisurely stroll in the park. It’s games like these that make me respect every individual football team equally, regardless of record. I try not to believe that a team of some of the world’s best athletes could be inherently bad. But sometimes, my brain makes me believe that a game is going to be easier than it actually is. This was a perfect example of games like that.
Record -- 4-4
Part 2 coming soon!
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