*NSFL Flashback - S13 SJS, Team of (Ill) Destiny

[GoonerBear]

Background

In Season 12, for the second time in franchise history, with their first being Season 6, the San Jose SaberCats advanced to the postseason. They would face off against a very familiar foe, the Orange County Otters, the side who ousted the Cats six seasons earlier in a 32-29 heartbreaker. San Jose had reached another milestone on their franchise building project. Perhaps they could notch an upset over their in-state rivals and go to their first Ultimus.

Or Orange County could beat them down and follow by doubling up the Hawks 48-24 to win yet another championship.

Season 13 was set to be different, though. On offense, Joliet Christ was blooming as one of the best quarterback in the game. Jerrod Canton was building on highly successful early seasons as Christ's backfield mate and Chris Orosz made the backfield a solid rushing committee. In skill positions, Zapp Brannigan provided safe hands at tight end. At wideout, Xavier Flash, Kazimir Oles, and Ty Justice provided options to also throw. Certainly, one could name off deadlier combinations of the day, though this bunch could get you what you needed when you needed it.

On defense, this crew was as stout as they came. D'Pez Poopsie and Xandra Troyski at the corners, the Three Amigos at linebacker Chad Pennington, Ben Horne, and Kolby Deringer, with Horne in the trenches as well alongside Freezer Riposte, Ja'Brill Tuck, and Danny Methane, and in the back, Thad Pennington and Jorel Tuck locked down the last line of defense. This was the crew that, just that last season in Season 12, was the number one scoring defense in the league (250 points allowed) and the number two yardage defense (360.1 yards allowed per game). This team lived and died on its defense.

Oh, and some kid named Neo Donaldson was kicking. He did okay the previous year, I guess. Led the league in field goal accuracy (23/24 for a 95.8% rate). Nailed 10/10 from the 40s and one from 52. Extra points needed some work (38/40 put him 6th out of 8 kickers), though if a game was hinging on an extra point THAT often, other units could pull their weight better.

In short, if there was ever a season for the San Jose SaberCats to finally make the run that would end the drought that hung over their heads since the league's inception, the window was now open. No one knew for how long. They could only guarantee they had this season to attack. It was Ultimus or bust.

Week 1 - San Jose @ Arizona

Week 1 would see this strapping team in a surprising scrap with the Arizona Outlaws. The Outlaws were an alright team. Certainly not one that should have been giving the Cats this much trouble, though this is football. Any day, any game. They at least could still hang their hats on the defense. They pulled it together after Arizona's first drive ended in a touchdown. Arizona would grind out another TD run to regain the lead after the offense finally kicked their way to their second lead of the game at 9-7. The Cats offense would answer quickly, though, with their only TD of the game coming less than three and a half minutes later, with the chance set up by a 46-yard pass to Justice. Canton would punch from 6 yards out on first and goal.

Dean Jackson notched the lead back, though Donaldson came through to get back on top. After a quick three-and-out, the offense hung its hat on its run game. While Christ still had some room to grow, Canton had been ready out of the box day one. Christ could at least assess well throughout his tenure at the helm. They had five and a half minutes to waste as much of as they could. Knocking down first down after first down, even a tense one on 3rd and 13, Christ delivered to Oles for 31 yards. They marched on. Arizona never got to touch the ball after the quick punt with just under 5:30 left.

Week 2 - New Orleans @ San Jose

In hindsight, the home loss to the New Orleans Second Line felt...a bit ridiculous. NOLA was coming off a 4-10 campaign in Season 12, their worst in a while. Their passing offense was still clicking...but that's about all that was. The Second Line jumped out to a 10-0 lead, and despite feeling good for a moment they could bring the game back under control with a touchdown drive, the Line kept marching on. Beat Meoff kept landing field goals from range, and Tana Keita on defense snatched an interception and ran it back right as the second quarter expired. The Cats sat in a 23-7 deficit at the break, disheartened even more by the pick-six before they hit the lockers.

There was one Andy Reid tactic that, surprisingly was working out for the SaberCats in the second. They were going to kick their way back into the contest. Third quarter field goals from Donaldson inched them to within 23-13 after three. They came as close as 23-19. Meoff turned it around in 3 minutes for a crucial field goal that set them a touchdown away. This was the drive it had to happen. Touchdown or bust. 4:16 to do it. In the span of about three minutes, they did it. Christ lofted a 9-yard pass to Orosz. An extra point would almost certainly send the game to overtime.

The moment got to the second-year kicker. Donaldson missed what would have been the tying extra point.

Week 3 - Orange County @ San Jose

They couldn't linger too long on that loss, however. The Otters had come back to town. The seething from both the stunning loss to New Orleans and the embarrassment they endured at their hands the previous postseason was all on display in this matchup. The first quarter was a defensive slugfest, with only a field goal putting Orange County ahead. They would stretch the lead to 10-0 early in the second with a 9-play drive that started before the first quarter was over. Donaldson would notch their first points on a kick from 40 yards. After a quick three-and-out for the Otters, the Cats drove a short punt seven plays for their first touchdown, capped with Orosz punching in from a yard out, and tied the game. That tie would not survive the half, as Teegan Atwell turned on the burners and ran down a pass from Gus T.T. Showbiz for a 27-yard score as time expired.

It was a tight contest Cats fans thought they knew the steps to. Come close, but fall late to their rival.

In the second half, the SaberCats rejected that reality and substituted their own.

Out of the gate, Xavier Flash nearly took the opening kickoff coast to coast, getting dragged down at the Otters' 4. Three plays later, Christ called his own number and tied the game. Orange County started with a decent return as well, though a penalty became the least of their problems, when Ja'Brill Tuck and Deringer sacked Showbiz on consecutive plays. Showbiz would hit Atwell for 15 yards. They needed 27. After another pair of punts, San Jose converted a relatively short field into their first lead of the game at 24-17 with another Orosz short-yardage push.

It would be a defensive play that broke the game wide open. As the Otters were driving to get back into a tie, beginning to navigate San Jose territory, Showbiz fired a pass to Sunnycursed. D'Pez Poopsie stepped in and grabbed an interception at his own 27, turned on the jets, and even outrocketed Orange County's famous receiving corps all the way to paydirt. 73 yards for a pick-six.

Orange County would never get that far again. Their next drive stalled on San Jose's 44, and the Cats milked nearly 7 minutes of clock in 14 plays on the touchdown that sealed the outcome. The big win over their biggest foe rejuvenated a team that had been beside themselves just a week ago.

Week 4 - San Jose @ Philadelphia

This contest turned into a second half shootout. In the first half, it was all Philly. For a while, it had the makings of a domination the Second Line couldn't finish off, though were lucky enough to not let the win slip away. By early in the second quarter, Marquise Brown and LaMarcus Strike had led the charge to a 24-3 lead. The last score in that stretch started off of an interception from Jonathan Towers that almost went all the way back. Strike finished the job in one play from one yard out. Late in the quarter, however, the SaberCats clawed their way back into the contest. First, an 11-play drive ended in a touchdown when Christ hit Flash for 9 yards. Following a quick three-and-out, the Cats only needed 8 plays to pull back within 24-17, the halftime score.

Kulture Fulture sank his second field goal of the day to stop the run and extend the lead to 10. San Jose was still within their means to take their time and march slowly. And slowly, they marched. Almost 6 minutes to score another touchdown, Orosz from 2 yards out, to pull up to 27-24 Liberty. After another three-and-out, they would take almost another 6 minutes to gain their first lead of the game. That 12-play drive ended with a 5-yard pass from Christ to Justice.

Philly responded straight away, however. 11 plays and about 4:30 later, they regained the lead when Brown reached paydirt for the third time that night. The pressure was starting, especially after the Cats didn't even get out of their own red zone on the drive after. The net seemed to close in as the Liberty stepped up, and Adriana Falconi nailed a big pass to Carter Bush to get the Liberty in San Jose territory. Under 7 minutes to go. A touchdown drive would almost certainly spell the end.

D'Pez Poopsie made his second big pick of the season. Falconi went back to Bush's well one time too many, and Poopsie picked up on it. San Jose still had to drive the length of the field from their own 36, but with the ball and just under 6 minutes, it was within reach. In 7 plays, they wasted almost no time. They were only held up once by an incompletion. Christ finished the drive with a pass to Oles for a touchdown, and the Cats took a 38-34 lead. With just over 2 minutes to go, however, Philadelphia had time to drill and snatch victory at the gun. They drove and drove, burning timeouts to keep the clock alive. At last, with no time left to do anything else, Falconi heaved it and intended the pass for Bush, but he dropped it, and the Liberty ran out of time.

The SaberCats had a capable offense. They proved it in a head-to-head contest against one of the best offensive units in the league.

Week 5 - San Jose @ Yellowknife

That offense kept on as best they could. They had a down week in yards against a Wraiths unit with a relatively scant defense. Christ struggled in the pocket, going 12/25 for 95 yards with no touchdowns and two early interceptions. The backfield carried the slack from the passing game that day, totaling 199 yards and 3 touchdowns between Canton (124 yards, 2 TD) and Orosz (74 yards, 1 TD). And yet, even with the Wraiths' passing offense doing much better, with Ryan Applehort ringing up 236 yards, he also didn't find the end zone through the air. The script was similarly flipped in the rushing game. Dick Wizardry would score their only touchdown of the day, though the three who attempted rushes at all didn't even put up 100 yards.

The San Jose defense made it slow going for Yellowknife in Canada. In the first quarter, Orosz would strike first, then the Wraiths would put together a field goal drive and a touchdown drive, though it would be 9-7 after None Forfeit missed the extra point. A longer drive ultimately stalled, and the ball went back to the Wraiths.

In two plays, D'Pez Poopsie made both. The first was a tackle at the end of a 14-yard pass.

The second was his second pick-six of the year, this one from 42 yards out in short order. Cats back on top, 14-9. After a three-and-out, San Jose did their thing ground out what little there was left of the first quarter and half the second quarter in 16 plays. They finished with a Canton TD from 2 yards out. Forfeit and Donaldson would trade kicks to end the first half 24-12. A lead that, while never comfortable, was manageable.

Yellowknife's chance to come back within one was put out quick with a three-and-out. San Jose's next drive took three and a half minutes away to end in a field goal. 27-12 SJS. 5 plays into the Wraiths' drive, they stalled.

Kazimir Oles wanted his turn and took it well. On the ensuing punt, he bolted down the field and almost pulled off one of the most exciting plays in football, though was dragged down at the 1 after bringing the ball back 74 yards. Canton would carry it the final yard. Aside from Forfeit's third field goal of the game, it became a defensive back-and-forth with no one going much of anywhere. And San Jose was just fine with that, heading back home with the win and a 4-1 mark. Here, they demonstrated the power of their defense and running game. Even in a time where the passing game was choked out and they had to rely on the run to get out, which Canton and Orosz delivered on. The defense came up big, the special teams set the offense up with easier situations...the machine could still work even if a unit faltered.

Week 6 - Colorado @ San Jose

Here, the offensive machine ran smooth once more. Christ returned to form with a 22/30 day, 277 yards, 3 TD, and a rating of 135. For reference, a perfect rating is 158.3. It didn't feel like he was starting off well as they went three-and-out after two sacks and a pass that was three yards short of making up for it. After Kyle Corbett struck first for the Yeti and a 3-0 lead, the offense set in motion. Two third down conversions and three big plays ended with Orosz punching in on first and goal from the 4. After a couple of sackfest drives resulting in trading punts, Donaldson edged the lead a little higher to 10-3. Colorado was prepared to engage. They broke back into the contest after a 31-yard pass from Micycle McCormick to Howard Miller set up Mark Grau to finish the job.

The remainder of the second half and most of the third quarter was marked with stalled drives. The Cats tried to regain the lead with a 57-yard field goal attempt that, unfortunately, Donaldson missed. After halting another Yeti advance, San Jose more than made up for the missed field goal with three consecutive big plays launching them into the end zone at lightning speed. Christ got Oles, Canton, and Justice hooked up for big passes of 35, 20, and 22 yards respectively. With Justice's score, the Cats pulled back ahead 17-10 in a tight one.

Corbett would also miss a field goal to try to get Colorado within four and set up a potential "touchdown to win" in the endgame. This didn't spark anything for the SaberCats, who gave the ball back to a Yeti team who, like San Jose earlier in the half, rallied from the missed kick to drive for a touchdown, another short punch-in from Grau. Deadlocked at 17 with about eight and a half to play, the next possession would be key.

Once again, San Jose delivered with the ball in their hands in a high-leverage possession. Methodical and slow, though not too slow, Christ led a drive that ran down a little over five and a half minutes, ending with a 9-yard pass to Brannigan to put the pressure on the Yeti. 2:45 to play. Almost a two-minute drill scenario to tie the game back up.

The Cats defense shut them down before they could get started. On 4th and 4, Deringer dove in and dragged McCormick down at his own 24. Christ set Oles up with a touchdown for good measure. Enough meshed together to pull down another victory. At 5-1, this was starting to shape up into a season where they would meet the hype.

Week 7 - Baltimore @ San Jose

The SaberCats hosted the Hawks in what turned into a defensive grind. Offenses stifled at most turns, two of the most prolific QBs in the game punched in the mouth and rendered average, though were still very much capable of pulling off the one drive that would also render their humanness obsolete.

Future Hall of Fame QB Childish Gambino led an offense built to pass, pass, pass into Northern California to win by trying to challenge the top defense through the air. While he racked up the yardage to do so against most units, he was not against most units. Aside from a 34-yard pass to Errol Maddox, Gambino was held up at every turn in the first quarter. Christ had gotten to a quick start on the opposite side, passing to a touchdown when he connected with Flash on 3rd and 10 at Baltimore's 16. The Hawks would manage a field goal to get their account started, though still behind 7-3.

The second quarter opened equally as brutal, though now the grind was on for the Cats. A drive that started in the first ended in the second on a missed field goal from 47 yards. No one would score the remainder of the half until Alex Frost kicked another field goal to bring the Hawks within one. Otherwise, the two sides traded stalls all throughout the quarter with a low-scoring 7-6 SJS halftime line.

Points remained at a premium throughout the third quarter. Three-and-outs, drive-killing sacks, drive-killing stops...this was a defensive purist's dream game. With about five minutes to go in the third, Donaldson finally broke the drought with a 31-yarder to extend San Jose's lead to 10-6. Baltimore advanced too little, too late, though unfortunately, San Jose went nowhere on the following drive where they might have capitalized.

The following drive lasted two plays. Gambino ended the third quarter with a 54-yard bomb to Vinny Valentine and followed up with a 29-yard touchdown pass to Yulic Nagasawa. Baltimore had their first lead of the game, 13-10, and felt primed to crack the game open. After a Cats three-and-out, the Hawks flipped the field in a hurry in six plays. With first and goal from the SJS 3, a touchdown would make a two-possession game in Baltimore's favor. A margin that, with less than 9 minutes to go, might feel insurmountable at the pace they were going.

They dialed up a pass. A safe hands throw to tight end Declan Harp. Surely, this would be the play to break the Cats and pull off the upset. At 1-5, they needed a spark to revive any hope for their season. They needed something to turn around their hard luck. Three of those losses had come by one possession.

Jorel Tuck was not having it. He intercepted the pass, falling at the one. The bad news is he hadn't fallen into the end zone to give Christ room to breathe. At this point, though, San Jose was more excited at the good news: they were still in the game. That feeling went away in nine plays as they had to give the ball back with less than four minutes to go. They had to trust their defense to get the ball back.

The first two passes were incomplete. One slapped down. One more stop would play right into what the Cats hoped for.

The play, once again, was a safe-hands pass to Harp.

Once again, Jorel Tuck did better than the staff could have reasonably hoped and snatched it away. This time, he got enough of a running start to gain 16 yards. First and goal from the BAL 7. 3:05 to go. The win was right there for the taking.

Then, SJS made it harder on themselves than they had to. A sack to lose 6. A clipping penalty to back them up 15 more. They started thinking "what if we have to go to overtime?" in the stands. They were perplexed as their home team called a short rush for 2 yards. Was the shoe finally dropping?

On third and goal from their own 26, Christ called up a long pass. Baltimore had to expect it coming, and had their set lined to guard the goal line.

Yet still, Xavier Flash found a way once Christ landed the ball right in the receiver's basket. It was close and ultimately, harder than it needed to be. Job done. 17-13 lead. Now, for the defense to clamp down.

Even with only a minute to go, this was still a Hawks offense with great receivers and a great quarterback. Achilles Hondo tried to get the last-gasp drive going with a 44-yard return. Gambino hit Harp for 21 yards. 34 to go.

Their last pass only went for seven.

The defense pulled through, the offense mounted a heroic touchdown in the closing minutes, and at 6-1, this team was on top of the world after one round through the league. No doubt, they were the best team in the league.

Stay tuned for Part 2.

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