*Muddy's Matchup Review: Week 15

**Muddym13**

Muddy's Matchup Review: Week 15 ISFL

Baltimore Hawks (10-5) VS OCO

Orange County Otters (10-5)

Overview

The red-hot Otters continue their playoff push with a huge win over the Hawks with a final score of 38-23. The first quarter saw an early lead for the Otters when Lloyd Bannings connected with Big McLarge Huge for a 20-yard touchdown pass, setting the tone for their offensive performance. Wolfie McDummy Jr. quickly responded for the Hawks with a 75-yard touchdown pass to Shane Turnbull, but the extra point attempt was unsuccessful, leaving the score at 7-6 in favor of the Otters. The second quarter belonged to the Otters as King Leonidas I kicked a 46-yard field goal, extending their lead to 10-6. Reginald Shrubbery then took over with two rushing touchdowns, from 2 yards and 8 yards respectively, both followed by successful kicks from King Leonidas I, giving the Otters a comfortable 24-6 lead going into halftime. In the third quarter, Lloyd Bannings continued to showcase his passing skills, connecting with Diego López de Castilla for a 23-yard touchdown pass, further widening the gap to 31-6. Master Chief managed to score a 33-yard field goal for the Hawks and Wolfie McDummy Jr. found National Treasure for a 73-yard touchdown pass, bringing the score to 31-16. The fourth quarter saw the Otters maintain their momentum as Lloyd Bannings connected with Big McLarge Huge once again, this time for a 47-yard touchdown pass, making it 38-16. Despite a late touchdown from Jarvis Harbinger-Marjin for the Hawks, the Otters held on for the win.

My Thoughts

Man, I would not want to play the Otters right now, they are looking the sharpest I have seen them all season and it's translating into now 5 games in a row. With this win as well, they have tied NOLA for the 3rd seed in the playoff. With a winnable game against the Copperheads and having the tie-breaker over NOLA, the Otters look like they will be making the playoffs once again. It's only fitting that we have a team on a completely different end of the spectrum in this matchup, now going 2-4 in their last 6, the Hawks. Brutal game for them and not the type of run you want to go on heading into the playoffs. Even though they locked their playoff bid, they are now tied for 1st seed in the NSFC, and potentially losing that very important first-round bye. Hopefully, they can figure out what's going wrong as they are a much better team than this.

Muddy's Player of the Game

OCO

QB Lloyd Bannings (@bowl0)
Stats: 29/36, 363 yards passing, 3 TDs, 1 INT, 124.9 passer rating

Reason: Bannings showcased amazing accuracy throughout the game, completing over 80% of his passes and connecting for three touchdowns. His ability to consistently find his receivers downfield and manage the game effectively played a crucial role in leading the Otters to victory and why this team has been as hot as they are.

Arizona Outlaws (11-4) VS SJS

San Jose Sabercats (12-3)

Overview

The Outlaws dominated the SaberCats in a commanding victory, winning 30-10. In the first quarter, the Outlaws set the tone with a 44-yard field goal by Jayme Jayne Jay-Jaymison, followed by a spectacular 40-yard touchdown run by Bertie Mannering-Phipps, boosting them to a quick 10-0 lead. The Outlaws extended their lead in the second quarter with another field goal from Jayme Jayne Jay-Jaymison, this time from 44 yards out. Donovan Winters III then connected with Jordan Bamford for a 21-yard touchdown pass, further widening the gap to 20-0. The SaberCats managed to get on the board with an 84-yard touchdown pass from Josh Patterson to Orange Julius, but Jayme Jayne Jay-Jaymison added another field goal just before halftime, making it 23-7 in favor of the Outlaws. The third quarter remained scoreless, but the SaberCats attempted a comeback in the fourth quarter with a field goal from Booter McGavin. However, Benjamin Duvernay dashed their hopes with a 45-yard interception return for a touchdown, sealing the victory for the Outlaws at 30-10.

My Thoughts

What a statement win for the Outlaws after the big loss last week. To come out and dominate the 1st seed team like that shows the rest of the league that losing to New York was just a fluke and the Outlaws are still as dangerous as ever. This win puts them one game ahead in 2nd place and sets them up very well going into the final week of regular season action. If they can just seal the deal against Yellowknife, then the Outlaws will be trying to go for back-to-back championships. As for the Sabercats, I have no idea how they lost this bad. They must've heard the news they made the playoffs and just didn't come out to try this week. With the Silverbacks next week, it'll give them a good shot to make back some momentum before the playoffs.

Muddy's Player of the Game

ARI

CB Benjamin Duvernay (@Purpl3Spartan)
Stats: 11 tackles, 5 pass deflections, 1 interception returned for a touchdown

Reason: Duvernay's dominant defensive performance was a game-changer for the Outlaws. He was a force in the secondary, breaking up passes and securing the game-sealing interception that he returned for a touchdown, locking up the Outlaw's win for good. On top of shutting down the passing game with 5 pass deflections, Duvernay reached double-digit tackles as he was all over the field this week. Easy PotG.

Austin Copperheads (5-10) VS NOLA

New Orleans Secondline (10-5)

Overview

In a close and hard-fought matchup, the Secondline sneaked past the Copperheads with a final score of 24-19. The first quarter saw the Secondline take an early lead with a touchdown by Kyle Crane, putting them ahead 7-0. In the second quarter, the Copperheads managed to get on the scoreboard with a field goal by Charlie Brown. However, the Secondline responded swiftly with another touchdown, this time a 6-yard pass from Octavion Speedings to Hank Mardukas, extending their lead to 14-3. Brown added another field goal for the Copperheads just before halftime, making the score 14-6 in favor of the Secondline. The Third quarter saw the Secondline extend their lead further with another touchdown by Kyle Crane and a field goal by Jack Sloth, making it now 24-6. The Copperheads fought back hard in the fourth quarter, scoring two touchdowns - one on a 27-yard pass from Jay Cue III to Penger Tolliver, and another on a 1-yard run by Sean Aldrich. However, their attempt to get the game closer with a two-point conversion failed, leaving the score at 24-19 in favor of the Secondline.

My Thoughts

The Secondline needed this win to keep pace with the Otters and they got it done. In all honesty, it's a little worrying to see the score as close as it is, but they got a win at the end of the day and that's the important thing. Although, looking ahead things become a bit more duller for the Secondline. With the Otters having a winnable game next week, they pretty much need to fumble the bag and lose for the Secondline to get in the playoffs. Reason: tiebreaker. Anything is possible so you never know, they just need to focus on what they can control and secure an easy win against Honolulu next week. As for the Copperheads, it was a good fight but you guys just fell a bit short. NOLA will be cheering you on next week against the Otters so see if you can be season-spoilers.

Muddy's Player of the Game

NOLA

CB Dawelle Wevis (@AW13)
Stats: 6 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 3 passes defended, 1 interception

Reason: Wevis was a defensive standout, making plays all over the field. His forced fumble and interception were crucial in disrupting the opposing offense and helping secure the win for Secondline. The interception late in the game led to a field goal extending their lead to an insurmountable amount.

Colorado Yeti (1-14) VS CHI

Chicago Butchers (10-5)

Overview

The Yeti gave the Butchers a run for their money, with the Butchers emerging victorious by a narrow margin of 23-21. In the first quarter, the Butchers took an early lead with a field goal by David Doug, putting them ahead 3-0. However, the Yeti quickly responded with a safety, making the score 3-2. The second quarter saw both teams trading touchdowns. Painted Penguin connected with Sem'ga Nah'sim for a 12-yard touchdown pass, extending the Butchers' lead to 10-2. The Yeti answered back with a 40-yard touchdown pass from Preston Beatz to Mister Hogmally, narrowing the deficit to 10-9. David Doug added another field goal for the Butchers before halftime, making it 13-9 in favor of the Butchers. In the third quarter, Pete Moss kicked a field goal for the Yeti, bringing it to a one-point game, 13-12. Painted Penguin then connected with Jay Money for a 24-yard touchdown pass, further increasing the Butchers' lead to 20-12. The fourth quarter saw the Yeti mounting a comeback effort, with Pete Moss kicking a 47-yard field goal to make it 20-15. David Doug responded with another field goal for the Butchers, making it 23-15. Preston Beatz then threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Mister Hogmally, bringing the Yeti within two points at 23-21. However, their attempt at a two-point conversion failed, and the Butchers held on to secure the victory.

My Thoughts

The Butchers just couldn't get away from the Yeti this week as they kept themselves in the game the whole way through. The Yeti have nothing to lose at this point so it's not surprising to see them coming out guns blazing, however as the Butchers you should be blowing these teams out. Anyways, with that win the Butchers are now tied for 1st seed in the NSFC with the Hawks. With the Hawks having the tougher matchup between the two, 1st seed is now the Butchers to lose. No matter what happens next week, the Butchers will be playing some playoff football.

Muddy's Player(s) of the Game

COL

WR Mister Hogmally (@iStegosauruz) and COL

LB Donte Darius (@Void_DCXI)
Hogmally Stats: 11 receptions, 119 yards, 2 touchdowns
Darius Stats: 13 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 sack, 2 pass deflections, 1 interception

Reason: These two players both had insanely dominant games that I just had to include both of them, and the fact that they both were on the losing team just shows how well the Yeti played. To start on the offensive side of the ball, Hogmally went off against the Butcher's secondary going for 119 yards and adding the only 2 touchdowns of the game for them. On the defense, Darius went absolutely insane with 13 tackles! With 3 of those being for a loss, a sack, 2 pass deflections, and 1 interception, he had himself a career game.

Sarasota Sailfish (6-9) VS CTC

Cape Town Crash (8-7)

Overview

The game between the Sailfish and Crash ended with Crash securing a 20-13 victory. In the first quarter, both teams were held scoreless. The second quarter saw Crash taking the lead with a field goal by Bob Kickerson, putting them ahead 3-0. The Sailfish responded with a field goal of their own by Swantavius King, tying the game at 3-3. However, Sarasota's defense came up big with Spruce Willis intercepting a pass and returning it for a 20-yard touchdown, giving the Sailfish a 10-3 lead at halftime. After halftime, the Crash managed to tie the game with Thor Bǫllrsveifla scoring a 2-yard rushing touchdown. With both teams getting another field goal, it was 13-13 heading into the final quarter. In the fourth quarter, Thor Bǫllrsveifla connected with Nakiri Ayame for a 32-yard touchdown pass, giving Crash a 20-13 lead that they would hold onto until the end of the game. Despite a strong effort by the Sailfish, Crash's defense stood firm, securing the victory.

My Thoughts

Another close game this week, and luckily for the Crash they were on the winning side to keep their playoff hopes alive. As we sit right now, the Crash are currently tied for the 3rd seed in the NSFC with the Wraiths. Both teams have tough challenges going into the last week with the Crash playing the 2 seed Hawks and the Wraiths playing the 2 seed Outlaws. One of them will have to pull off the upset to secure the final spot. The Sailfish season comes to an end as they won't be making the playoffs this year. With the Yeti as their last game of the year, they will at least end it on a high note.

Muddy's Player of the Game

CTC

QB Thor Bǫllrsveifla (@Thor)
Stats: 18/32 passing, 285 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT | 8 attempts, 19 yards, 1 TD

Reason: Thor Bǫllrsveifla played a crucial role in leading Crash to victory, contributing both through the air and on the ground. His touchdown pass and rushing touchdown were instrumental in securing the win for his team and for that reason, he is my PotG.

Yellowknife Wraiths (8-7) VS BER

Berlin Fire Salamanders (6-9)

Overview

The Fire Salamanders come out with an upset this week winning 17-14 against the Wraiths. In the first quarter, the Fire Salamanders struck first with Golden Foote kicking a 26-yard field goal, putting them ahead 3-0. However, the Wraiths responded with a touchdown, as Maximus Boudreaux connected with Detective Crashmore for a 9-yard pass, giving the Wraiths a 7-3 lead. During the second quarter, the Fire Salamanders regained the lead with Tuna TurnDaBallOva finding Really Creative-Name for a 7-yard touchdown pass, making it 10-7 in favor of the Fire Salamanders at halftime. After halftime, the Wraiths managed to take back the lead when Maximus Boudreaux threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Silence Suzuka, putting them ahead 14-10. In the fourth quarter, the Fire Salamanders' defense stepped up, as Laszlo Forty-Two intercepted a pass and returned it for a 39-yard touchdown, giving the Fire Salamanders a 17-14 lead that they would maintain until the end of the game.

My Thoughts

The Wraiths continue being the Wraiths this week, dropping an easy winnable game when it matters most. With this loss, they are now tied with the Crash for the 3rd seed, which I talk about in the Crash matchup section. Luckily, they are playing the Outlaws for the final week meaning they'll most likely win. That game is going to be very entertaining to watch and I can't wait. Fire Salamanders looked good this week and they are now on a mini win streak to end the year. Positive signs for next year.

Muddy's Player of the Game

BER

SS Laszlo Forty-Two (@C9Van)
Stats: 5 tackles, 1 sack, 2 pass deflections, 1 interception returned for game-winning touchdown

Reason: Forty-Two showed up for when it mattered most for the Fire Salamanders, getting the pick-six to win the entire game and pull off the upset. Add on a sack and 5 tackles to that performance and he did more than enough to earn PotG.

Honolulu Hahalua (2-13) VS NYS

New York Silverbacks (6-9)

Overview

The matchup between the Hahalua and Silverbacks unfolded as a high-scoring affair, with the Silverbacks ultimately pulling away 41-33. In the first quarter, the Silverbacks got on the scoreboard in the last minute, as Blaine Falco connected with Frank Dux for a 1-yard touchdown pass, putting them ahead 7-0. Moving into the second quarter, the Silverbacks extended their lead with Wing Wang kicking a 35-yard field goal. However, the Hahalua quickly responded with a 100-yard kickoff return by Stetson David, followed shortly by Maxwell Jacob Friedman intercepting a pass and returning it for a 19-yard touchdown, swinging the momentum in favor of the Hahalua. Yet, the Silverbacks managed to regain control with two touchdowns of their own, including a 13-yard run by Frank Dux, allowing them to take a 24-17 lead into halftime. After the break, both teams continued to trade blows, with Wing Wang booting a remarkable 63-yard field goal for the Silverbacks, countered by a 26-yard field goal from Ray Baker for the Hahalua. However, the Silverbacks widened the gap with another touchdown, this time a massive 83-yard pass from Blaine Falco to Sean Robinson. Entering the final quarter, the Hahalua mounted a comeback effort, finding the end zone twice, courtesy of Fig Newton's 4-yard run and a 4-yard pass from Lenard McRobinson to Brad Woof. Nevertheless, the Silverbacks sealed the win with a late touchdown pass from Blaine Falco to Frank Dux, securing their victory with a final score of 41-33.

My Thoughts

This game had pretty much everything that could happen...happen. A kick return touchdown, a defensive touchdown, a 63-yard field goal, an 83-yard pass, 74 total points, and it all came from two non-playoff teams. Honestly, I think both teams looked really great in this game and it's hard to find something bad to say about them. If I was a GM for either of these teams I would be very excited about the future.

Muddy's Player of the Game

Too many lol

Reason: I cannot find myself being able to pick a single player of the game for this matchup as there were so many worthy and great performances. So instead, I am just going to list a few that stood out to me and let the stats do the talking:

NYS