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A Decade of Buzzball
Harrisburg Pro Buzzball League (NFL teams)
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Raiderman wins Buzzbowl X
Well the 2009 HPBL is over and the Raiderman has completed his goal. It took ten years for him to be the Raiders AND win the League but he finally did it. The Oakland Raiders are the 2009 Harrisburg Pro Buzzball League Champions!
Buzzbowl X: Recap
Well the final game of the 10th Pro League season came down to the San Francisco 49ers and the Oakland Raiders in Buzzbowl X. As mentioned in the preview there was a lot of history with the Raiders over the 10 years of the HPBL. This was their fourth trip to the Buzzbowl and it was a memorable one!
The Raiders won the toss and elected to defer to the second half. The 49ers took the kickoff to the ten yard line before getting met by a Raider. Three runs and the 49ers were forced to punt. Oakland handed off to Bo Jackson who took the ball (9) yards on first down. A run for no yards and an incomplete pass on third and one forced an Oakland punt that punt the 49ers on the 4 yard line. Steve Young handed off to Tom Rathman who was tackled in the end zone by Ted Hendricks for a safety! 2-0 Raiders.
On the kickoff after the safety Marcus Allen stumbled at the three yard line and was tackled by the 49ers! Kenny Stabler tucked the ball and ran 6 yards to get the Raiders out of trouble and out the nine yard line. On second down Stabler missed a WIDE OPEN Marcus Allen. On third and four the Raiders went back to their previous play and this time Stabler hit Van Eeghan on a 91 yard pass for a touchdown. 9-0 Raiders.
The 49ers took the kickoff out 15 yards before getting tackled. They ran Steve Young three more times for a three and out and were forced to punt. Stabler hit Casper for (15) yard putting the Raiders in field goal range but they wanted more. Two plays until the half and the play-action pass worked to perfection. Well almost to perfection. The play had Fred Biletnikoff WIDE OPEN but the pass was incomplete!! Raiders kicked a field goal to end the half and lead 12-0.
The 49ers looked to make some defensive adjustments at the half and they needed them to work quick because they had to kickoff to begin the second half. Marcus Allen took the kickoff back 30 yards (much better than his first 3 yard return). On first and ten Marcus Allen took the handoff and went 21 yards. On the next play Pierce Holt sliced the Raiders offense and slammed Stabler on a huge sack putting the Raiders at 2nd and 15. Stabler hit Jerry Rice on the next pass plays totalling 26 yards and on 1st and 10 from the 28 yard line Marcus Allen put the game away when he broke through the 49ers defense and put the Raiders up 19-0.
The 49ers tried another run with Steve Young on 1st and 10 from the 8 yard line after another terrible kickoff return from that same end zone that Marcus Allen stumbled in the first half. On second and 8 Young proceeded to throw two incomplete passes and the 49ers punted again. The Raiders went three and out and punted back to the 49ers.
On first and 10 Steve Young did something he didn't do all game, he completed a pass to Roger Craig who went 14 yards. That was all the offense the 49ers would have for the night as time ran out. Oakland won the game 19-0 and Ken Stabler was named the MVP for the game passing for 127 yards and (1) touchdown.
We talked to the coaches after the game.............
We asked Clint Snyder (49ers coach):
Reporter: Will you be back in San Francisco next year?
Clint: Absolutely and I plan to be in Buzzbowl XI too.
Reporter: Why did you seem to stay with the same plays having Steve Young keep the ball? The Raiders seemed to key in on that.
Clint: It worked so well all season and in previous seasons. I think I just got caught in the moment.
Reporter: Are you upset at the loss?
Clint: Not as upset as my opponent would have been if he lost. (winks).
Reporter: Congratulations on a great season Mr. Snyder. We look forward to seeing your team next season.
Raiderman (Raiders coach):
Reporter: What is the one moment you'll never forget from this game?
Raiderman: Missing TWO WIDE OPEN passes to receivers that would have scored touchdowns!
Reporter: Coach, you won 19-0 are you really upset about those two passes?
Raiderman: We made up for the one miss to Marcus Allen when Kenny hit Mark on the 91 yard pass play but the miss to Fred Biletnikoff before the half cost us 4 more points.
Reporter: Wouldn't you agree that you didn't need those points?
Raiderman: I would agree with you but what if we did? What if the 49ers scored 21 points in the game? We would have lost by two! We can't have this kind of inconsistancy. Not to mention if Kenny would have hit Marcus on the pass play before the one to Van Eeghan I bet Marcus would be in Disney World now as the MVP of the game.
Reporter: Coach, what are you going to do now that the season is over.
Raiderman: Sleep!! It's a lot of pressure to set out to win this League. I slept like crap the last three weeks.
Reporter: Coach, you seem to be a new team every year in this League. Any word on where you're going next season.
Raiderman: I'm headed to a program that has yet to win a playoff game in ten seasons in the HPBL. This program has been a complete disaster for years. They haven't had a respectable coach since 2003.
Reporter: Any hints.
Raiderman: Yeah, start the BUS!
BUZZBOWL X: Preview
What started out with (12) teams back in November is now down to the final two. Ten dreams already shattered and one to go. The question on the table is who will be the 2009 Harrisburg Pro Buzzball League Champion? Who will win Buzzbowl X? First we’ll talk about the history of the two teams playing, then we’ll talk about the coaches, then we’ll break down the game.
The Oakland Raiders may not have had success in the last ten years in the NFL but in the HPBL the Raiders are the most successful team in the AFC. They’ve played in four different seasons under three different coaches and every year they’ve played they represented the AFC in the Buzzbowl. James Crews took the Raiders to Buzzbowl I and won that game 14-10. Raiderman took them to Buzzbowl V and lost to the Cowboys 13-7. George Diamond took the Raiders the following year to Buzzbowl VI and lost to the 49ers 24-21. Now this is their fourth different season and they are back in the Bowl for the fourth time in ten years. Their Buzzbowl record is 1-2.
As for the 49ers they have completed their fourth season in the League. Clint Snyder has been the head coach in San Francisco for three of those four years. In 2005 the 49ers went 11-0 on the year and won Buzzbowl VI riding on the golden arm of League MVP Joe Montana. Their head coach that year? The Raiderman. Then in 2007 Clint Snyder took over the 49ers franchise. They failed to make the playoffs in 2007 but they did secure the #2 seed in the 2008 playoffs. The 49ers knocked the reigning Buzzbowl Champion NY Giants out of the playoffs in round one to make it to the NFC Championship Game. That would be as far as they would go in 2008 losing to the eventual champion George Diamond and his Detroit Lions. Now it’s 2009 and the progress continues for Clint and the 49ers. They have earned the right to represent the NFC in Buzzbowl X.
There is not a lot of history between these two coaches. Clint is a recruit of the Raiderman but they have never played in a game other than a regular season game in the Pro League. They’ve only faced each other twice in the Pro League and Raiderman won both times. One of those times was a 21-7 win this year when the Raiders beat the 49ers in the regular season. In that game the 49ers Steve Young was 8 of 10 passing for close to 100 yards. Steve also had a big run in that game that set up the 49ers only score of the game. The 49ers had trouble with the Raiders defense though as Howie Long and company sacked Young four times in that game. The 49ers defense did play tough but Stabler was 3 for 3 passing and the Raiders ground game was running well that game for close to 75 yards and two touchdowns.
The 49ers rely on their ground game and a stiff defense. They’ve done something no other team has done in the ten years of the Pro League. They shut out both of their opponents in the first two rounds of the playoffs defeating the Eagles 3-0 and the Rams 14-0. No other team has ever done that in the history of the HPBL. Their defense will need to be on their game in Buzzbowl X because they are up against the number one offense in the League.
For the Raiders there’s no telling what they’ll do on offense. They’ve proved that they can run and pass this season. We look for the Oakland offense to be a little more two dimensional then they were in the AFC Championship Game where it was the Kenny Stabler show. The 49ers know they’ll have their hands full on defense but they will need to find an answer to the Raiders defense as well. In their game earlier this year the 49ers allowed four sacks by the Raiders defense.
The history of the two coaches is one sided. While this is Clint’s first trip to the Buzzbowl and only his second post season appearance the Raiderman has been, well, successful. This was his tenth consecutive trip to the post season. This will be his seventh appearance in a Buzzbowl where he is 3-3 in the big game. One thing we can say is that with the exception of Buzzbowl VI (when he was the 49ers) Raiderman has not played well on offense in these games. He scored an average of less than 10 points in five of his last six Buzzbowl appearances.
Buzzbowl I: Lost 14-10
Buzzbowl II: Lost 13-11
Buzzbowl III: Won 10-7
Buzzbowl V: Lost 13-7
Buzzbowl VI: Won 24-21
Buzzbowl VIII: Won 9-3
As for the 49ers, they have a lot on their side as well. The NFC has won the last five Buzzbowl games and six of the last seven. The last time an AFC team won the League was back in Buzzbowl IV when the Chargers won.
Looking at the two coaches and their history this looks like the war between the Israelites and the Philistines when David fought Goliath. You remember who won that battle don’t you?
Buzzbowl X: 49ers vs. Raiders on Tuesday night January 26, 2010 at 7:00. For the second time in five years the 49ers will battle the Raiders for the League Championship. Don’t miss it!
2009 HPBL Conference Championship Games:
NFC Championship Game:
The 49ers were back in the NFC Championship game for the third time in five years. The Rams were playing in unfamiliar territory with either their team or their coach ever making it to the NFC Championship Game. In their first meeting this year Roger Craig ran all over the Rams defense. The Rams were determined to not allow a big running night by the 49ers. The result? Steve Young passed to Roger Craig on a screen pass who took it to the house and gave the 49ers a 7-0 lead. The Rams had many missed opportunities having wide receivers open all night but Kurt Warner could not get them the ball. The 49ers defensive line did a great job stopping the run but their pass defense had receivers open all night. Despite that the 49ers defense intercepted Warner twice stopping both drives by the Rams and eliminating scoring opportunities. Midway through the 4th quarter the Niners put the game away when Roger Craig scored again on a run to give the 49ers a 14-0 lead and earn Clint Snyder his first trip to the League Championship Game. This will be the 49ers second trip to the League Championship in five years.
AFC Championship Game:
Possibly the most anticipated game in the history of the HPBL was the 2009 AFC Championship Game. This game featured two great coaches, a lot of success and two different styles of offense. Raiderman was 5-0 against George Diamond in the playoffs prior to this game but past history showed that the Titans would win the game. The Raiders won the toss and deferred to the second half. The Titans received the opening kickoff and proceeded to keep the ball the entire first quarter before punting the ball away. The Raiders went three and out when Stabler missed a pass to Bo Jackson on 3rd down. The Titans went to work on offense. Kerry Collins hit Derrick Mason on a 40+ yard pass play that put the Titans in field goal range just before the half. Al DelGreco trotted in and made the field goal that gave the Titans a 3-0 halftime lead. The Titans held the ball for 15 of the 19 first half plays. The Raiders received the second half kickoff and Ken Stabler went to work. His first play of the second half was an 82 yard pass to Marcus Allen who gave the Raiders a 7-3 lead. Tennessee went three and out and punted. Two passes later Stabler hit Dave Casper on a modern day rendition of “Ghost to the Post” for 45 yards and a touchdown. The Raiders led 14-3 early in the 4th quarter. The Titans drove the ball inside the (10) yard line but a late interception by the Raiders secured their win and Oakland’s 4th trip to the League Championship Game in ten years.
NFC Championship Game: 49ers @ Rams
Well the venue for the 2009 HPBL NFC Championship Game is set. The Rams will host the 49ers on Tuesday night January 19th. This is the 49ers third trip to the NFC Championship Game in five years. It's also their second consecutive trip in the last two years. This is unfamilar territory for Gabe Bruno giving him and the Rams their first post season win ever in League history.
Although Gabe Bruno probably has more experience in the hobby that experience is not recent. This was Gabe's first trip back to the Harrisburg Buzzball League since 2003. I guess he didn't forget much though because here he is one game away from a Pro League Championship Game. He came back to the League and promptly went 9-1 on the season earning the #1 seed in the NFC. His one loss on the year? To the 49ers!
As for the 49ers and their head coach Clint Snyder this is his second consecutive trip to the NFC Championship Game. Last year his 49ers lost to the Lions 10-0 in the game. This year he looks to make it a different story. Clint took over in San Francisco three seasons ago and although he took some lumps in their first year back since 2005 Snyder has the 49ers rolling. Now they are one game away from their second League Championship Game in five years.
These two faced each other in the regular season and the 49ers managed to give the Rams their only loss this season. While Steve Young was only 2 for 3 passing in that game for 11 yards the 49ers ground game was amazing. They ran the Rams over rushing for over 200 yards and two touchdowns. The Rams never got going that night and although Warner was 6 for 12 passing that night he only threw for 27 yards. This time the Rams are home though so we'll see if the field will matter for the Rams offense (and defense).
The 49ers reached the NFC Championship Game by defeating the Eagles 3-0 in the divisional round of the playoffs. Despite two Eagles wins in the regular season the 49ers were able to adjust and win the game the third time around. Now they'll play the Rams who they dominated in the regular season 17-0. Will the tides turn for the 49ers? Or will Steve Young stop living in the shadows of Joe Montana and his 2005 MVP season?
For the Rams the emotions are running high. The excitement of being this far in a huge playoff atmosphere. Can they settle down and win again in the playoffs? Back in 2004 Gabe Bruno won the College League with Marshall going 8-1 on the year and defeating Florida State 13-10 in overtime. Although that game was a little larger than this one Gabe will need to be focused and stay on top of that 49ers ground game.
Will the greatest show on turf make it to the greatest game of the year? Will the 49ers have what it takes to bring Clint Snyder to his first League Championship Game? These questions and many, many more answered this Tuesday at M&J's in Camp Hill.
AFC Championship Game: Titans @ Raiders
All you can say about the 2009 HPBL AFC Championship Game is WOW! That's it. That sums up this game. You want history? You got it! You want stories? You got it! You want to watch one of the greatest games in the country next Tuesday night? It's happening right in the Harrisburg area of Pennsylvania.
It's only fitting that the 10th Anniversary of the HPBL will feature an AFC Championship Game between the Raiderman and George Diamond. It was 10 short seasons ago that these two formed the Harrisburg Buzzball League at a dimly lit restaurant off of Progress Avenue. Just the two of them week in and week out playing and trying to attract other coaches. After a month of that they had four others join in and the birth of the Harrisburg Leagues was underway. The only thing greater than them playing in the AFC Championship Game would be if they played in the League Championship Game but that cannot happen this year.
Ten seasons ago what started out as a two man show turned into one of the greatest Leagues in the country. Many have come and gone and participated in the Harrisburg Buzzball Leagues. The League has reached out to many youth (which is always Raiderman's focus) and these two have taught sportsmanship for a decade. Some coaches come, some go, so come back, some we never see again. However, one thing has never changed and that is that these two are back year in and year out to participate and have fun playing the game they both love to play.
In ten seasons George Diamond has never used the same team two years in a row. He started out in 2000 with the Bucs, the Redskins in 2001, the Patriots in 2002, the Panthers in 2003, the Chargers in 2004, the Raiders in 2005, the Seahawks in 2006, the Cardinals in 2007, the Lions in 2008 and this year he coached the Titans. In ten seasons George has made the playoffs seven times including each of the last six years and six of the last seven seasons. George struggled early on in the League and it wasn’t until the third season that he made the playoffs. It was in that season that he took the New England Patriots to the League Championship Game in 2002. In 2005 he took the Raiders to the Championship Game. In 2008 he took the Lions to the Championship Game where he captured his first League Title. George has an unbelievable playoff record of 7-5 including three trips to the League Championship Game. You might think that 7-5 is not that great of a record. What you don’t know is that he’s 7-0 against every coach in the League in the playoffs except one. That one coach that handed him his five loses? The Raiderman.
The Raiderman like George is the only coach in the history of the HPBL to play in all ten seasons of the League. He’s played in six of the last nine League Championship Games. He played in the Conference Championship Game in every season except one (2003). His playoff record is 15-6 over the last ten seasons including a 5-0 record over George in the playoffs. Also like George the Raiderman uses a new team every year. He’s used the Piranha in 2000, the Bucs in 2001, the Bears in 2002, the Vikings in 2003, the Raiders in 2004, the 49ers in 2005, the Saints in 2006, the Giants in 2007, the Titans in 2008 and in honor of the ten years of the League he returned to Oakland in 2009 to coach the Raiders another season.
Two coaches and a lot of history. Other interesting facts about these two are that they love to play back-to-back seasons with the same teams. In 2000 George was the Bucs and Raiderman was the Bucs in 2001. In 2004 Raiderman was the Raiders and in 2005 George was the Raiders. In 2008 Raiderman was the Titans and in 2009 George is the Titans. Funny thing about this stat is that each time the other one took over the same team the following year they made it to the Championship Game but lost. Does this mean the Titans will defeat the Raiders next week and lose in the League Championship?
What’s on the line? So you might ask yourself, “What more do these two have to prove?” The answer is nothing. Nothing at all. George and his nemesis Raiderman can walk away from the Harrisburg Buzzball Leagues and it is highly doubtful that no two coaches will ever accomplish what they have in the history of this League. If you know anything about them losing is not an option especially to Raiderman who doesn’t sleep for weeks after a loss. What’s on the line you ask? Despite all of their success neither of these coaches has ever won back-to-back League Championships. George has a chance to be the first coach in the history of the HPBL to win back-to-back League Titles. For Raiderman it’s a personal goal to win the League with his beloved Raiders. He came close in 2004 but lost to the Cowboys in the League Championship Game. In honor of the tenth year he would love nothing more than to bring the title to Oakland.
Two long time friends, many years of history, and a Championship on the line. One game left to get to the 10th HPBL Championship Game and each other in the way. Who wants it more? We’ll find out on January 19th! Titans @ Raiders BE THERE!
2009 HPBL Divisional Playoffs Series
The divisional playoff series kicked off tonight with three of the four games being played. The Vikings coach was stuck in New Orleans so the Vikings will play the Rams on Friday night.
AFC:
The number one seeded Oakland Raiders hosted the New England Patriots and rookie of the year Codie Bogus. The night began with the giving of the rookie of the year award to Codie Bogus who had a great season going 5-5 in his rookie campaign. His first trip to the playoffs was an uphill battle from the first kickoff. The Raiders had great field position all night beginning every drive from at least their own 35 yard line. Ken Stabler led the Raider attack with a couple of TD tosses on their way to a 21-3 win. The Raiders will host the AFC Championship game in Oakland next week.
In a classic #3 vs. #2 seed the Titans headed to Denver to take on the Broncos and the John Elway air attack. In the history of the HPBL the #3 seed wins many times over the #2 seed in the playoffs. This game was no exception. The Broncos came out on fire passing for two first half touchdowns and just missed a third one right before the half. The Titans ground game was too much for the Bronco defense once again in the first half and the Titans led 16-14 at the half. The Titans managed a long time consuming drive in the second half that landed them in the end zone again to secure a 23-14 win over the Broncos. The Titans are headed to the second straight AFC Championship Game.
NFC:
Another classic #3 vs. #2 seed between the 49ers and Eagles in Philly. Let's look back four years shall we? The year was 2005 and the 49ers made their debut in the HPBL. They faced the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game. San Francisco led 10-0 at one point in the first half but the Eagles came back and scored two unanswered tochdowns to take a 14-10 lead into the 4th quarter. Montana hit Rice for the touchdown and the 49ers led 17-14 late in the fourth. The Eagles drove down the field on the last play of the game were one blue stick pass away from defeating the 49ers and spoiling their undefeated season. The pass went off the finger tips of the receiver and the 49ers won. This time it was the same two teams and it was not nearly that exciting! It was such a boring game I had to go back 4 years into the archives and bring up a past playoff game!! The 2009 Eagles did dominate the 49ers in the regular season outscoring them 41-17 but they couldn't do it a third time as the 49ers defense finally contained Brian Westbrook and won the game 3-0. Yes, 3-0 and it was NOT a forfeit win!! The 49ers await the winner of the other divisional game. If the Rams win the 49ers will play the NFC Championship Game in St. Louis. If the Vikings win then the 49ers will host the Vikings in San Francisco.
The Vikings and Rams game was an exciting one but also one with a lot of missed opportunities. The Vikings drew first blood in this one when Chester Taylor punched it in from a yard out to give the Vikings a 7-0 lead. The Rams handed off to Marshall Faulk who broke a huge run for 60+ yards deep into Viking territory. The Rams fullback #33 would get the carry and the fullback took it to the house 15 yards and a tie game 7-7. That score would hold until late in the fourth when Minnesota was in field goal range. The 62 yard attempt failed and the Rams were back in business from the Viking 48 yard line! In three plays they managed a total of -2 yards and were forced to punt. The Vikings kneeled the ball out and sent the game to overtime. Minnesota won the toss and defered. Rams, one play, 50 yards and Marshall Faulk gave them a 14-7 lead! Vikings turn (in the HPBL we play each team gets two plays from the 50). Vikings first play, 10 yard pass. Second play, Chester Taylor catches a white stick pass and shakes two safeties and is headed for the end zone!! Out of no where Dre Bly shows up and makes the tackle preventing the touchdown!! 14-7 Rams in overtime over the Vikings.
2009 Harrisburg Pro League Playoffs
NFC Playoffs:
#4 Vikings @ #1 Rams: The Rams needed a late run in the 4th quarter to beat the Vikings in the regular season 14-10. It was all Marshall, Marshall, Marshall for the Rams. The Vikings rely heavy on the ground game of Chester Taylor and the Rams defense is known for giving up big run plays. Neither coach has ever won a HPBL playoff game so history will be made by the conclusion of this one.
#3 49ers @ #2 Eagles: The Eagles took both games from the 49ers in the regular season and the Eagles ground game steam rolled the 49ers defense. Brian Westbrook rushed for 329 yards in both of the regular season games. The 49ers will need to find a stop to that Eagles power run game or else it will be three and out for San Fran.
AFC Playoffs:
#4 Patriots @ #1 Raiders: Want to get the Raiderman fired up? Mention the Raiders playoff game in the 2001 season when they lost to the Patriots because of the "Tuck Rule." He remembers the Patriots and he doesn't like them. He does however like Codie Bogus the rookie sensation of the New England Patriots in the HPBL. In their week 2 matchup it was all Oakland in a 30-14 win over the Patriots. New England learned a lot since then but did they learn enough to dethrone the Raiders? The Patriots bread and butter is their ground game and that seems to be Oakland's criptonite on defense. The Patriots head into their first playoff game ever while the Raiderman attempts to make his sixth straight trip to a Conference Championship.
#3 Titans @ #2 Broncos: Although the Titans took the Broncos behind the wood shed in week 6 in a 28-0 blowout the Broncos won their division and they will host the Titans in round one of the playoffs. This is a classic three vs. two seed where the three seeds tend to win in the HPBL. George Diamond is the defending Pro League Champion and although he has a new team his playoff record is amazing. He is undefeated in EVERY playoff game that he has ever played in the Pro League except against Raiderman. That is an amazing stat. The Broncos will try to end that undefeated streak in round one of the playoffs. They might want to pack some offense this time.
Week 9 Recap
Week nine decided the final playoff spots and ironed out the playoff scenarios.
We'll start in Kansas City where there was an offensive showdown between the Raiders and Chiefs. Ken Stabler passed for over 200 yards for the Raiders. Marcus Allen running for the Chiefs in this game rushed for 245 yards! The final score was 35-21 Raiders. This capped off the Raiders perfect regular season.
In Chicago the Bears kept their playoff hopes alive for an additional 30 minutes as they defeated the Steelers 12-6. The game opened with a kickoff return for a touchdown by Neal Anderson. Neal added another touchdown later in the game to give the Bears the win and a glimpse of hope for the playoffs.
In San Francisco the the Vikings showed up and took all of their gold with a dramatic 12-6 win to lock up the final playoff spot in the NFC. Chester Taylor proved to be the difference running for a long touchdown and receiving another one as the Vikings knocked out the Bears and secured a spot in St. Louis next week to face the Rams.
In the Game of the Week the Broncos air attack returned as John Elway passed for almost 200 yards and three touchdowns in route to a 20-7 win over the Patriots. The win earned the Broncos the AFC North division and they will host the Titans next week in round one of the playoffs. The loss sends the Patriots to Oakland to face the Raiders in round one of the AFC playoffs.
Week 9 Game of the Week: Broncos @ Patriots
The week nine game of the week is a great one with a lot on the line. The New England Patriots and rookie sensation Codie Bogus has the Patriots one win away from winning the AFC North division! That game takes place in week nine of the regular season.
Codie came into the League this year for his rookie season. He's studied, he's played hard in every game and he never mails it in before the final play. He knocked off the defending HPBL Champion George Diamond 14-13 in New England this year. He also defeated the Broncos 14-6 in their first game this season. Now they are one win away from winning the division as a rookie!
For the Broncos it has been a season of ups and downs. They've passed well in some games and not so well in others. Still the Broncos and Aaron Stewart can win the AFC North division and secure a #2 seed in the playoffs with a win over the Patriots. This will be one great game between two up and coming coaches.
Week 8 Recap
Week 8 had some wacky and wild finishes including a divisional showdown in the AFC North between Pittsburgh and New England as well as a conference battle in the NFC between the Vikings and Rams. The game of the week was a thriller as well and Tennessee and Oakland put exclamation points on their playoff spots. The look around the League from week 8 starts now and it looks like this................
Broncos @ Titans: Well the Broncos air attack came to a sudden stop tonight in Tennessee when the Titans took the Broncos behind the moon shine mill and shot that wounded horse 28-0. Denver had no offense and no answer for the Titans ground game. That loss puts Denver at 4-4 on the season with two games to go. The Titans went to 4-3 on the season and jumped Denver in the standings to #3 because the Patriots won.
Steelers @ Patriots: In a game that featured endless possibilities and continuous missed plays the Steelers and Patriots played to a 0-0 tie after four quarters. This is the first time in League history that this has happened. In the overtime the Patriots responded quickly with a 50 yard TD run to give them the 7-0 lead and eventually the win. With the win the Patriots move to 3-3 on the year and sit on top of the AFC North Division (at least for now until they get their two games made up). Pittsburgh blew a huge opportunity to move into the 4th and final playoff spot.
Chiefs @ Raiders: The Raiders clinched the AFC playoffs and still remain the only undefeated team in the League at 8-0. They will host the AFC playoffs at home this season once January comes. They clinched the AFC with a 31-10 win over the Chiefs in Oakland.
Rams @ Vikings: For the second straight week the Rams are flirting with danger. The Vikings took an early 7-0 lead and held that lead into the fourth quarter. The Rams finally realized they have Marshall, Marshall, Marshall Faulk on their team and quickly handed him the ball twice for 160 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. The Vikings answered on the final play of the game with a tipped pass being caught in the end zone for the tieing score 14-14 at the end of regualtion!! The Rams managed a 46 yard field goal to win the game 17-14 and go to 5-1 on the season. The Vikings dropped out of their playoff spot with the loss because the Bears won their second game.
49ers @ Eagles: Well the Eagles did it again. They showed up, took names and handed the ball to Brian Westbrook who leads the League in rushing. Westbrook put the Eagles on his back on their way to a 21-14 win over the 49ers. Jeremy Maclin added to the scoring when he took the ball 100 yards to the end zone as well. The 49ers had some fireworks of their own when Dwight Clark took it 100 yards to pull within 7 points late in the fourth quarter. The on-side kick failed and the Eagles went to 6-2 on the season with two games to go. They can clinch the NFC East with one win in their final two games OR a 49ers loss.
Week 8 Game of the Week: 49ers at Eagles
This is the second matchup between these two this season. In the first game the kicking problems kept the 49ers out of that game in their 20-10 loss to Philly in San Francisco. Now just a few weeks later the matchup continues and both teams are 5-2 with three games remaining. The first of those three games are against each other on Dec. 22nd. Someone will not have a very Merry Christmas!!
In their first meeting this season the 49ers put up over 200 yards of offense but only scored 10 points. Part of that was due to two missed field goals by Mike Cofer. Steve Young was 6 of 8 passing and he also rushed for 140+ yards that day. Still the 49ers found themselves in trouble on defense as they failed to stop the power run game of Brian Westbrook.
Brian Westbrook seems to be the Eagles "bread and butter" on offense as he leads the League in rushing. Donovan McNabb also has a corp of receivers to throw to and he's passed the ball well this season. The Eagles currently have a 1/2 game lead in the NFC East over the 49ers but this game will play a huge part in who wins the NFC East. A Philly win against the 49ers and one win in their last two games (Titans and Vikings) will win the NFC East division for the Eagles.
For the 49ers it's a little more complicated. In order for them to have the tie breaker over the Eagles they'll need to win the game by 11 points or more. If the 49ers win by less than 10 points then the Eagles will own the tie breaker if they finish the season with the same record. So both teams control their own destiny in the NFC East. This is as big of a game as there is next week!
Week 7 Recap
Week 7 was full of great games and Channel 21 news was in the HOUSE!! Jason Bristol and his team of cameramen were at the Harrisburg Pro League tonight checking it out and getting some footage for a upcoming story that they'll tentatively be airing on Dec. 24th.
In the games tonight the big guns started to seperate the men from the boys. The Broncos continued their air attack tonight throttling the Mosters of Midway 21-3. Chicago could not get their ground game rolling and the Denver defense took the Bears out of their element. John Elway found another weapon tonight in #87 "Easy" Ed McCafferty who hauled in a couple of touchdowns. The Broncos look like they are headed to an AFC North title. They'll get a playoff preview next week when they host the Tennessee Titans.
The problems continue in Kansas City where the Chiefs are still winless after their opening night win over New England. The Steelers picked up their first win of the season beating the Chiefs 17-7 putting them in a possible playoff spot. With two games remaining against the Patriots the Steelers could earn their way into the AFC playoff picture. They'll face New England in each of the next two weeks.
The Philadelphia Eagles continue to baffle their fans with their game play. No matter who their opponent is they are always playing in close games in the 4th quarter. Tonight was another case of nailbiter city for the Philly fans. Eagles led 7-3 before the Cowboys took a 10-7 lead halfway through the 3rd quarter. A key 4th and 10 early in the 4th quarter ignited the Eagles offense and possible League MVP Brian Westbrook gave the Eagles the 14-10 lead midway through the 4th quarter. The Cowboys drove down the field and on the final play of the game Aikman threw a pass in the endzone to Jay Novacek which was just off his fingertips and the Eagles held on to win 14-10 and stay in first place in the NFC East.
In the game of the week it was just that. The 49ers and Titans smacked each other around on defense all night. Steve Young put the 49ers on the board with a huge run for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead. Later in the 3rd quarter the Titans tied it when fullback Lorenzo Neal broke off a 75 yard run for paydirt to tie the game 7-7. The 49ers next drive stalled and the Titans took over. They drove into field goal range and it looked like the Titans would kick the game winner midway through the 4th quarter but the kick was missed! Steve Young put the 49ers in good position to kick a field goal on the final play of regulation but that kick also missed and the game was tied 7-7 going into overtime. The 49ers won the toss and elected to get the ball. Steve Young put the team on his back once again and rumbled 50 yards for game winning score and the 49ers won the game 13-7. The 49ers keep pace with the Eagles in the NFC East. Next week the 49ers will be in the Game of the Week again as they head to Philly where both teams are 5-2 on the year. First place in the NFC East is on the line and what a game that will be!
Week 7 Game of the Week: 49ers @ Titans
The week 7 game of the week is a classic showdown between the San Francisco 49ers coached by Clint Snyder and the Tennessee Titans coached by George Diamond. Clint Snyder and George Diamond faced each other last year in the NFC Championship Game where George's Lions beat Clint's 49ers 10-0. Now it's the 2009 season and both teams come into this game with two losses on the year. Both teams are trying to keep pace with their division leaders and who ever loses this one is almost guaranteed a #3 seed in their Conference playoffs.
The rivalry doesn't go too far between these two. Clint started playing in the League back in the 2007 College League (the year that George won the League with LSU). Since that first year with Colorado he's been coaching Penn State in the College League and the 49ers in the Pro League. One statement made last year in the College League makes this game very interesting. Clint replied to a comment made by George stating, "Yes, but I've done something with Penn State that you've never been able to do; win a bowl game!" George coached Penn State the first three years of the College League.
Well now it's the Pro League and George is the defending Pro League Champion. He's already lost more games this year than he did all last season. Look for the Titans ground game to get back on track at home this week. Look for Steve Young to make the key plays to win the game. If the 49ers want to win this game they'll need to stop the Titans ground game and force Kerry Collins to pass.
Week 6 Recap
For the first time all season it was great to have all (12) coaches in the house and playing their games. I know MJ's loves it when we pack the house! This will be a brief recap as we have (6) games to look back on....
We'll begin in San Francisco where the 49ers welcomed the Cowboys back to the League with a 14-3 win. The 49ers are just a 1/2 game out of first place in the NFC East behind the Eagles.
The Mouth Bowl featured the Broncos and Chiefs. In a battle of emotions the Broncos John Elway had a personal best 271 passing yards on their way to a 28-13 win over the Chiefs. The Broncos improved to 3-3 and are all alone on top of the AFC North Division.
The Patriots used their home field advantage to slow down the Titans ground game and pulled off the 14-13 upset win. A key kickoff return for a touchdown gave the Patriots the lead in the 4th quarter and their defense did the rest on their way to a 14-13 win and a 2-3 record just 1/2 a game out of first place in the AFC North.
The Raiders mixed up their offense a little bit and relied on their defense to beat the Steelers 14-0 in Pittsburgh. The Raiders struggled a little bit on the field but Stabler picked up the slack and tossed two touchdown passes in the first half. The Steelers had some positive things happening despite the loss. Roethlisberger was 6 for 9 passing and he found a new receiver in Randle El.
The Bears first game under interim head coach Chris Mumma shocked the Rams when they jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first half. Neal Anderson proved to be the difference maker with two long touchdown runs. It was brewing to be an upset in the making. The Rams added a field goal just before the half to make it 14-3. In the second half Kurt Warner put the Rams on his back and scored 14 unanswered points and the Rams defense stiffened on their way to a 17-14 win over the Bears.
In the Game of the Week the Minnesota Vikings jumped out to an early 6-0 lead (missed the extra point). The Vikings answered when McNabb hit Maclin for a big pass play that put the Eagles up 7-6. The Vikings answered that call with a field goal that put them up 9-7. Brian Westbrook continued where he left off last week and took it to the house to give the Eagles a 14-9 win in Philly. The Eagles remain a 1/2 game in the lead for the NFC East over the 49ers. That showdown will be played on Dec. 22nd.
Game of the Week for week 6:
The Philadelphia Eagles are back in the Game of the Week for week 6. They are fresh off of a thrilling game against the Oakland Raiders in last week’s Game of the Week. This week they’ll face the only other undefeated team in the League the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings got off to a late start on the season so they are just one game into their season but they are 1-0. This game has huge playoff implications on the line.
The Vikings are also in the NFC East with the Eagles and this divisional game is huge for the Vikings. A Vikings win puts them are 2-0 on the year with them going to San Francisco next week in another divisional showdown. More importantly a win puts the Eagles with three losses on the year.
The Eagles currently sit at 3-2 and are in a ½ game lead for the division over the 49ers who are also 3-2. This is the toughest division in the NFC and possibly even the League. One of these teams could win this division with a 6-4 record and still win the League in February. The Eagles need a win over the Vikings to help put the division in their back pocket and prepare for what looks to be a showdown for the division on Dec. 22nd when the 49ers travel to Philly.
Both teams will try to establish the ground game early. Minnesota uses a one-two punch on the ground with Chester Taylor and Adrian Peterson. Philadelphia mainly runs Brian Westbrook who leads the League in rushing. Which player will take their team to first place in the NFC East?
Week 5 Recap
Week five featured the return of the Vikings, the retiring of the Bears coach and the only undefeated team left threatened.
Titans @ Chiefs: Kansas City continues to struggle on offense as they went their third straight game without any points scored. In the last four weeks they've only scored 3 points (against Tennessee in week 2). In week one they scored 28 but that seems like forever ago with the latest destruction of the Chiefs. Although the Chiefs are struggling they still find themselves in the final playoff spot with the #4 seed in the AFC. Their road has a little relief in the next two weeks when they battle the Broncos and Steelers. Losses to either of these teams could put the Chiefs down for good. The Titans continue to run well and pass poorly. Collins was 1 for 9 last night and threw an interception as well. The ground game is crisp though as both the Titans touchdowns came on the ground in their 14-0 win.
Vikings @ Bears: The Vikings coach returned and the Bears coach retired after the game. The Vikings used the one, two punch of Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor to rack up over 100 yards on the ground on their way to a 14-6 win over Chicago. The game was not for Bears coach Brett Burnell and he said after the game that he's handing the reigns over to Chris Mumma an interim coach for the Bears. Mumma purchased the rights to the Bears for the 2010 season and it looks as though he'll start a little early.
Broncos @ Steelers: In a battle of brotherly love the Stewart brothers went punch for punch (literally) in last nights division battle in Pittsburgh. Terrell Davis was the difference maker as the Broncos went on to win 14-7 over older brother Kyle Stewart. The Steelers lone touchdown came on an Elway interception that Larry Foote took it 70+ yards to the house to tie the game at seven. Terrell Davis put the Broncos in the lead for good and Denver goes to 2-3 on the season and are in first place in the AFC North division.
Eagles @ Raiders: Well all we can say is that the Game of the Week lived up to the hype. The Raiders went into the game as the final undefeated team in the League with a 4-0 record. The Eagles were 3-1 losing opening night and winning the last three games. In the first quarter the Eagles struck early as Westbrook peeled the Raiders defense like a banana and went 87 yards on 3rd and 17 to quickly put the Eagles up 7-0. The Raiders managed a first down in their opening drive but it stalled and they were forced to punt. Two plays later it was Westbrook again for 60+ yards to the endzone and 14-0 lead over the Raiders. James Jett took the kickoff into field goal range just before the half and George Blanda trotted out to kick a 61 yard field goal on the final play of the first half. 14-3 Eagles. The second half started out well for the Eagles when they covered the kickoff well and stopped Bo Jackson for a five yard loss on first down. Stabler changed his cleats and quickly hit a wide open Jerry Rice to answered the call for the Raiders and pulled them to 14-10. The Eagles next drive went three and out and the Raiders were back in action. halfway through the fourth quarter Stabler hit VanEegan for the go ahead touchdown to put the Raiders up 17-14. The Eagles rookie Jeremy Maclin took the kickoff 100 yards to the house to give the Eagles a 21-17 lead with just two plays remaining in regulation! Napoleon Kaufman took the kickoff 72 yards and the Raiders called a timeout. Stabler hit Jon Ritchie over the middle for 25 yards and it was first and goal from the 3. Timeout, Raiders. As many as three plays. Stabler went on to miss two open passes in the end zone on the next two plays. With one play remaining in the game Jerry Rice got open in the end zone and Stabler completed the pass to keep the Raiders undefeated at 5-0 with a 24-21 lead. There may not be a better game in the League this year better than the week 5 Game of the Week.
Game of the Week for week 5:
Week 5 is the halfway point in the season and this week features another awesome game of the week. If it seems like the Raiders are always in the game of the week you’re right! This week is no exception. They are hosting the Philadelphia Eagles in what could be a preview of the 2009 HPBL Championship Game.
The Raiders enter this game 4-0 averaging just over 24 points per game and allowing just over 10 points per game on defense. Although Bo Jackson seems to be the Raiders feature back there’s no guarantee that he will get a certain amount of carries in a game. If the run is working then Bo will get the ball. If it’s not then Stabler will pass. That’s just the way this 2009 Raiders club operates. Jerry rice is Stabler’s favorite target but he’s also thrown the ball to (6) other players this season.
The Eagles are more unpredictable than ever. They lost to the Rams on opening day in a game they were predicted to win. They blew out the Bears as expected in week 2. In week three they beat the 49ers 20-10 in a game they were predicted to lose. Last week they barely beat the Chiefs 7-0 in a game they were predicted to win by 10. So who knows what Eagles team will show up in week 5. What we do know about the Eagles is that they have very good receivers and Westbrook leads all running backs in the NFC with 289 rushing yards.
The keys for both teams are as follows. The Raiders have a hard time stopping the run and unless they contain Westbrook it will be a high scoring night. The Eagles also pass very well so just when you think you have Westbrook contained they’ll open up a long pass on you. For the Eagles it’s a similar task on defense. If you can contain Bo Jackson then that turns Stabler loose to pass all night. Both defenses will have a long night and this should be an offensive showdown.
Coaches: As far as the two coaches go it has been a one-sided series. Eagles coach Jeff Lau has yet to beat the Raiderman in a League game. Jeff did manage a great comeback in the College League when Raiderman’s Virginia Tech team was up 14-0 before kicking a field goal to win the game 17-14. That was the closest Jeff came to winning against RM. However, this could be one of Jeff’s best teams he’s ever had and the Raiders defense looks vulnerable. This could be the night!
On the line: The Raiders are the last undefeated team in the League and sit all alone in first place in the AFC 1-1/2 games ahead of Tennessee. The Eagles are in first place in the NFC East with a 3-1 record and just a ½ game behind the Rams who are also 3-1. Both teams need this game to keep pace for home field advantage throughout their conference playoffs. It’s shaping up to be one of the greatest games of the season so far.
Week 5 Revised Schedule
The following games will be played in week 5.
Rams @ Patriots
Vikings @ Bears
The rest of the week 5 games will be played as scheduled as long as none of you dumb schmucks cancel on me!!
Week 4 Recap
The Cowboys and Vikings are still no-shows but the Vikings have assured us they will be there on Decemeber 1st. Until then we had to revise the schedule a little bit to make sure the coaches that do show up have games to play.
In St. Louis tonight the Rams packed on more points in the latest rendition of the Kurt Warner show. The Rams not only played well on offense they played lights out on defense too holding the Broncos to zero points all night in a 16-0 shalacking.
In Pittsburgh Dan Kreider single handedly kept the Steelers in the game with his two touchdown runs but Pittsburgh could not stop the Tennessee ground game as the Titans got back to their winning ways with a 21-14 win.
The Eagles found the end zone early in the game but had to hold on to that 7-0 lead to win against the Chiefs. Kansas City had many opportunities to cash in late in the 4th quarter but Len Dawson could not connect with his wide open receivers. Three sure touchdown passes fell incomplete and the Eagles held on to win 7-0 and stay in first place in the NFC East.
In the Rookie of the Year Bowl the Bears finally found some offense as well as a defense this week. The Moster of the Midway won 12-2 when Jim McMahon hit a home run to Dennis Gentry to put the game out of reach. Despite the win the kicker struggled all night missing a field goal as well as an extra point. That was they needed though as the Patriots offense could not score.
In what turned out to be the game of the night the Oakland Raiders beat the 49ers 21-7 in Oakland. Ken Stabler and Steve Young went at it but in the end the Raiders made two more big plays than the 49ers and that was really the difference in the game. This was far from a blowout as the Raiders needed the fourth quarter to put the game away when Mark VanEegan took it in the end zone for the score that put the game out of reach. Steve Young roasted the Raiders defense in the first half with big runs and Roger Craig tied the game 7-7 halfway through the second quarter. Perhaps the play that changed the game was just before halftime when Stabler hit Rice for a 70+ yard pass play that put the Raiders up 14-7 at the half. This could have been a League Championship preview two months early. Only time will tell on that as there are still a lot of games left to play.
BREAKING NEWS: Steelers coach resigns
We are saddened to annouce that the Steelers coach Mike Wellman has resigned as the head coach of the Steelers over the weekend. We pray that he will be all right and get through this situation that life has sent his way. We at the HPBL wish you the best Mikey.
Interim coach Kyle Stewart has agreed to step in for the remainder of the season as the Steelers coach. This makes the December 1st game a very good one as the Steelers host the Broncos. The Broncos are coached by Kyle's little brother Aaron. No matter what the records are that will be the game of the week on December 1st.
Week 3 recap
Week three was the week of interception returns for touchdowns. We had three last night. The 49ers, Rams and Raiders all had defensive touchdowns.
In a rescheduled game the 49ers took the Chiefs behind the teepee and beat the feathers off of them 20-0. Len Dawson had a terrible night throwing three interceptions and just 10 passing yeards. On defense the Chiefs gave up one big pass place from Young to Rice for 71 yards and a touchdown but aside from that the defense played very well. The 49ers improved to 3-0 on the season and will go to Tennessee next week in the Game of the Week to play the 1-1 Titans. The road for Kansas City doesn't get any easier as they host the Raiders and Titans in the next two weeks.
The Rams bounced back from their 17-0 loss in week two by putting up 41 points on the Bears. Kurt Warner was on fire with four touchdowns and 246 yards passing on the night. The Bears coach left the game early with an upset stomach and Chicago brought someone in from the stands to coach the rest of the game. Although the Bears did struggle in this game they got a good post game workout and they should be ready for week 4.
The Patriots and rookie head coach Cody Bogus relied heavy on the ground game in week three and took it to Denver 14-6 in their first win of the season. They improve to 1-2 on the year and are all alone in FIRST PLACE in the AFC North division. They will try to improve to 2-2 next week when they host the Steelers in a huge divisional game. The Broncos head to St. Louis where they'll try to get back on track.
In the game of the night it lived up to the hype. The Titans racked up over 200 yards of rushing offense while the Raiders passed all night. The opening two drives by each team resulted in touchdowns and a 7-7 tie. The Titans next possession would cost them the game however. On third and nine McNair threw an out pattern into double coverage and linebacker Phil Vilapiano intercepted the pass and took it to the house for the Raiders and they led 14-7. The Titans would get a huge run on third down right before the half that put them at the Raiders four yard line. They kicked the field goal to end the half with Oakland up 14-10. The second half featured more offense as the Raiders marched down the field and Stabler hit Van Eegan for the touchdown and a 21-10 lead. The Titans got inside the ten yard line but the drive stalled and they were forced to kick a field goal halfway through the 4th quarter to make it 21-13. The on side kick failed and Stabler put the game away when he hit Dave Casper for a first down and kneeled the game out. 21-13 Raiders in Oakland. The Raiders go to Kansas City next week while the Titans are in another game of the week with the 49ers. More to come on that game later.
Week 3 Game of the Week: Titans vs. Raiders
The week 3 game of the week features the Oakland Raiders hosting the Tennessee Titans. Both teams are undefeated at this point in the season and the history between these two coaches is amazing. Not to mention that the Raiderman was the Titans coach last year and they went 11-0 before losing in the AFC Championship Game. George Diamond is the defending Pro League Champion from last year. Raiderman is the Pro League champion from the previous year. So this is another great match up between these two.
As mentioned MANY times in the past that no two coaches have played each other more times in Harrisburg Buzzball League history than George Diamond and the Raiderman. These two are the original founders of the Harrisburg Leagues and they’ve had some great games over the last ten years. This one should be no different.
The Titans showed early in the season that they are relying heavy on the ground game this year. The Raiders have made Bo Jackson their feature back this year and he currently leads the League in rushing and touchdowns. This is very unlike the Raiderman to run the ball this much but last year in Tennessee Eddie George was the leading rusher under Raiderman too. Could the tides be turning? We’ll see this week how many carries Bo gets because when the running gets tough Raiderman falls back to his “bread and butter” and starts passing.
Typically in this series it’s a tough defensive battle between these two. Seldom does a team get in the 20’s against each other. The Raiders offense looks very organized early but they haven’t been tested yet. They’ll be tested this week. For Tennessee the pressure is on them after bringing in Diamond to win them a Championship this year. This should be the first of three meetings between these two this year. They’ll face each other again in week 7 in Tennessee and I would be very surprised if this is not the preview of the AFC Championship Game in January.
Week 2 Recap
Week 2 featured some close games as well as a lousy blowout in the game of the week.
The Titans played their first game of the season after missing week one. They battled the 1-0 Chiefs in a divisional showdown. The Chiefs took a 3-0 lead into the second half. The Titans went on a third quarter drive that landed them in the end zone after a gutsy call on 4th and 2 to go for it from the 4 yard line. #22 Thomas punched the ticket to paydirt as the Titans took a 7-3 lead. That's all they needed tonight to win the game as the Chiefs drive stalled and they turned the ball over on downs late in the 4th quarter.
The Broncos bounced back from their week one loss to Oakland as they hosted the Steelers. Early in the second quarter the Broncos were faced with 1st and goal from the 1 yard line but failed to punch it in and they settled for a field goal to take a 3-0 lead. Pittsburgh answered that with a touchdown of their own when Jerome Bettis took it to the house to give the Steelers a 7-3 lead. Right before the half Elway hit Terrell Davis on a pass that Davis took to the end zone just before halftime. In the third it was more Broncos as they added another touchdown to take a 16-7 lead (they missed an extra point). The Steelers would not go away though and they answered with another touchdown late in the 4th quarter. The onside kick was recovered by Denver and the game ended 16-14. Denver leads the AFC North division with a 1-1 record.
The Eagles hosted the Bears in week two because the Cowboys and Vikings had to reschedule. In Philly it was all Eagles as they found their offense and outscored the Bears 24-6. The Bears one highlight came from a kickoff return for a touchdown to pull the Bears within one point 7-6 because of a missed PAT. From there Philly controlled the ball and put the game away keeping pace with the division leader San Fancisco. They'll face the 49ers in week 3 for first place in the NFC East.
The Raiders went to New England in week 2 and dominated the Patriots. Howie Long added to the mahem with a sack for a safety and Bo Jackson ran the ball well in the first half. In the second half the Patriots matched the Raiders for scores with each team scoring 14 second half points. The 16-0 lead at the half by Oakland is what put the game away though. New England's Stanley Morgan returned a kickoff for a touchdown for the second straight week and the Patriots found a bit of a running game in the second half of this one. The Raiders move to 2-0 and face the Titans in week three in a HUGE divisional matchup and the Game of the Week.
In the Game of the Week for week 2 there is little to talk about. The 49ers walloped the Rams 17-0 leaving Kurt Warner little to throw to all game. Steve Young broke the 3-0 lead in the third quarter when he took a run play right up the gut of the St. Louis defense for a touchdown and a 10-0 lead. The Rams had little response and the 49ers showed why they are the beast in the NFC this year.
Week 2 Game of the Week!
The game of the week features the St. Louis Rams hosting the San Francisco 49ers. Although the two coaches have very little history between them this shapes up to be a great match up in week two with a lot on the line early. This game could have the winner securing home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs in January. It’s too early to tell now but both teams are early favorites to win their divisions.
Gabe Bruno has returned to the pro league for the first time in five seasons. He returned to the Rams this season and he did manage a huge opening day win over Philadelphia. Although he did win the game he’ll need to do better than 2 of 7 passing this week to beat the 49ers. The Rams defense played very tough against the Eagles and they’ll need to be tough on the defensive line this week in order to keep 2008 League MVP Steve Young in check.
Clint Snyder managed to take the 49ers to the NFC Championship game last year. This year he’s the early favorite to win the NFC. Part of that prediction begins this week in St. Louis. We have reason to believe that the winner of this game will have home field throughout the NFC playoffs. The 49ers secondary will need to show up to stop the Rams passing game. Although Kurt Warner only completed two passes last week both were for touchdowns.
We look for this one to be a low scoring affair with both defenses doing well and both offenses struggling.
Week One Recap
Although two of the six games are being played later this month we opened the season with four game in action tonight.
The New England Patriots ate their Flutie Flakes for dinner and Doug Flutie racked up over 100 yards of offense. Too bad Flutie doesn't play defense because the Patriots d-line looked like a bunch of rented defenders tonight allowing Larry Johnson to run all over them. Despite the Patriots loss they did score 19 points (could have been 21 if they had a kicker). Lot's of positive things happened for the Patriots opening game of the season under rookie coach Cody Bogus. For Rodney Barrick and his Chiefs it was a game played to near perfection that featured a little bit of everything including 28 points in the win.
The Chicago Bears took an early 7-3 lead in this game looking to stun the 49ers at home. As the night went on Steve Young took over as he typically does and scored 14 unanswered points in the 17-7 opening day win for the 49ers.
In Oakland the Raiders led 19-0 at the half on their way to a 26-7 win over the Broncos. Bo Jackson led the Raiders ground game with 100+ yards and two touchdowns. The Raiders defense sacked Elway four times including one safety. Denver did manage a late score when Elway hit a wide open Terrell Davis for a 77 yard touchdown.
The game of the night in Philadelphia featured the Eagles hosting the Rams. McNabb led the birds to 3-0 halftime lead but in the third quarter it was the Kurt Warner show. Warner threw two touchdowns in the third to Hakim and Faulk and despite a missed extra point the Rams won 13-6. The Eagles kicked a field goal late in the fourth to pull within seven but the on-side kick failed and the Rams escaped Philly with a win. Next week the Rams host the 49ers in St. Louis in the Game of the Week. This game could mean home field throughout the NFC playoffs.
History of the 2009 HPBL NFC teams in the League
Below is a list of each team in the NFC that is playing in the 2009 HPBL and their success or lack thereof over the last ten years. You might find this interesting......
49ers: The 49ers had one perfect season going 11-0 back in 2005. This was the first time they were used in the League. Last season the 49ers made it to the NFC Championship Game under head coach Clint Snyder in just his second season as the head coach.
Eagles: For many years the Eagles were coached by Matt Burkey. Now that he is off to college the team rights are now with Jeff Strange. The Eagles first entered the League for the first time in 2003 when Matt took them to playoffs but he lost in the first round. In 2004 they were coached by Rodney Barrick where he won rookie of the year and took the Eagles to the playoffs (give it Randall) but lost in round one of the playoffs. In 2005 Burkey was back in Philly where he took the Eagles to the NFC Championship Game but lost to the 49ers in a very close game. In 2007 he took the Eagles back to the NFC Championship Game where they lost to the Giants in another close game. Now it's 2009, and the pattern shows they'll be back in the NFC Championship Game. Can Lau bring them there?
Cowboys: For MANY years in the Pro League when you heard Cowboys it meant Al Kyle was in the house. Al coached the Cowboys for the first seven years of the Pro League where they made the playoffs in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004. Among their success included the NFC Championship Game in 2002 and 2003 and winning a League Championship in 2004. Since then the Cowboys have struggled to complete a regular season. Lonnie Devan took over in Dallas in 2008 where the Cowboys struggled and failed to make the playoffs. Devan hopes to get the Cowboys back to their winning ways of the past in 2009.
Rams: The Rams first entered the League back in 2001 when Gabe Bruno first came on the scene. He took the Rams to the playoffs in 2002 but lost in the first round. After the 2002 season the Rams didn't enter the League again until 2006 where they made the playoffs again under coach Charles Vaughn but lost in the first round of the playoffs. In 2007 the Rams were coached by Dante Vaughn and again they made the playoffs but they lost in the first round again. Now Gabe Bruno is back as the Rams coach in 2009 where both he and the Rams are still looking for a playoffs win in the Pro League.
Bears: The Bears history is very simple. They played two seasons in the Pro League 2002 and 2006. In 2002 they were coached by Raiderman and they simply went 13-0 and won the League and Walter Payton was the League MVP. In 2006 they were coached by Dave Bartels and they lost the first game of the season and won every game after that including their second League title in five seasons. They are back in 2009 for their third season and the hopes are high for rookie coach Brett Burnell.
Vikings: The Vikings have been a common fixture in the Pro League since 2001 but just like the real Vikings they let their fans down every year. In their opening season in the League in 2001 Brian Jeffries coached the Vikes to a playoff birth and a trip to the NFC Championship game where they lost to the Bucs. In 2002 they failed to make the playoffs and in 2003 they were coached by Raiderman. They won the division in 2003 but lost in the first round of the playoffs. They didn't return to the League until 2007 when Warren Ritter took over for the franchise. He did manage a playoff birth in 2008 but lost in round one. Their highlight in 2007 was that they had a player win the League MVP that year.
History of the 2009 HPBL AFC teams in the League
Below is the history of the 2009 HPBL AFC teams from the last ten years.
Raiders: Of all the teams in the AFC in the HPBL the Raiders have a rich history. They were the Champions of the League the first year in the League back in 2000 when James Crews coached them to a perfct 11-0 season. The Raiders didn't return to the League until 2004 when the Raiderman coached them back to the Championship Game but lost to the Cowboys. A year later (2005) the Raiders were coached by George Diamond and went back to the Championship Game but lost again; this time to the 49ers. Now in 2009 the Raiderman returns to Oakland where he hopes to bring the title back for the first time in nine seasons.
Chiefs: Early on in the League the Chiefs were non existent. As a matter of fact it wasn't until 2007 that the Chiefs first played in the HPBL. Although their first year was a disaster their 2008 season went well. They made the playoffs in 2008 but suffered a first round playoff loss. Rodney Barrick has been the only coach for Kansas City and this year should be another playoff run for them.
Broncos: Aside from not winning a League Championship the Denver Broncos have been a huge success in the HPBL. They are one of three very successful AFC teams in the League over the years (Raiders and Jaguars are the other two). They entered the League the first time back in 2003 when Nick Brinson coached them. In 2004 they had the Leagues MVP in Terrell Davis and made it to the AFC Championship Game. In 2005 their receiver Ed McCafferty was the AFC player of the year but they suffered a first round playoff loss and Brinson retired. In 2006 Aaron Stewart took over in Denver and once again the Broncos had the League MVP in Sammy Winder. The Broncos also made the playoffs in 2006. They won two dramatic overtime games over the #1 and #2 seeds (Denver was the #4 seed) to advance to the League Championship Game where they lost to the Bears. In 2007 Denver returned but failed to make the playoffs. The Broncos did not compete in 2008 but they return in 2009.
Titans: The Tennessee Titans have had recent success the last year. They played their first year in the League back in 2004 when Matt Burkey coached them. They failed to make the playoffs that year. In 2008 they returned to the League and finished the season 10-0. They won the first round playoff game but lost in the AFC Championship Game. Now in 2009 George Diamond will coach the Titans in hopes to complete what the team started last year.
Patriots: The Pats joined the League for the first time back in 2002. Then coached by George Diamond they made the playoffs and won both games to advance to the League Championship Game. Their season ended with a loss to the Bears that year. The Patriots did not return to the League until the 2007 season when Jeff Lau coached them. They failed to make the playoffs that year and did not return in 2008. They are back in 2009 and coached by rookie Cody Bogus.
Steelers: The Steelers are one of the original (6) teams that formed the HPBL back in 2000. Keith Miller was their coach in 2000, 2002, 2003. In those three years he failed to take the Steelers to the playoffs. In 2004 there was an interim coach for the Steelers that never finished the season. In 2005 Brian Brinson coached the Steelers to the playoffs but lost in round one. In 2007 Mike Peters made a comeback to the League and coached the Steelers to the playoffs but he also lost in round one. Now in 2009 they are coached by rookie Mike Wellman. Can he bring them a playoff win?
New Rule Changes for 2009 HPBL:
The 2009 HPBL has a few new rules changes for this year. They are listed below. Please make a note of them.
1. You can only use the white felt footballs for throwing AND kicking.
2. For field goals and extra points you must hit the goalpost. Failure to hit it means that the FG or PAT is not successful. (You cannot kick it over the goalpost).
3. Overtime: BOTH teams run two plays from the 50. The team with the highest score OR most yards at the conclusion of the two plays is the winner of the game. If both coaches kick a field goal the coach who kicked the closest field goal is the winner.
4. Forfeit losses are the number one tie breaker at the conclusion of the regular season. If two teams finish with the same record and team A beat team B in the regular season but team B has no forfeit losses and team A does then team B will seed higher at the end of the season.
5. ANY ball carrier that falls over can be stood back up for the remainder of the play. Unless Defense is pushing RB back.
6. Once the game is turned off on offense you have 5 seconds to pick a receiver to throw to or a running back to hand off to. Defense to count once the switch is turned off.
7. Everyone MUST kick the extra point after a touchdown is scored. Two caoches cannot agree to void actually kicking the extra point.
A Decade of Champions
Below is a list of the past Champions of the Harrisburg Pro Buzzball League over the last nine seasons. You'll notice that the NFC has dominated since the AFC won two of the first four League Championships.
I: Oakland Raiders 14 - Central Penn Piranha 10
II: Central Penn Piranha 13 - Tampa Bay Bucs 11
III: Chicago Bears 10 - New England Patriots 7
IV: San Diego Chargers 14 - Cleveland Browns 7
V: Dallas Cowboys 13 - Oakland Raiders 7
VI: San Francisco 49ers 24 - Oakland Raiders 21
VII: Chicago Bears 17 - Denver Broncos 3
VIII: New York Giants 9 - Cleveland Browns 3
IX: Detriot Lions 21 - Jacksonville Jaguars 0
X: ????
AFC Champions: 2 (Raiders, Chargers)
NFC Champions: 6 (Bears (2), Cowboys, 49ers, Giants and Lions)
Independent: 1 (Piranha)
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Harrisburg Pro Buzzball League (NFL teams)
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