What a great week for the IFL. In a time where other leagues are struggling to simply ~exist~, the IFL put out a full slate featuring all 16 teams and produced some REALLY good games over the weekend!
Three games in particular were very, very good and worthy of #OffTheWallCertifiedBanger status, which is a rarity. Some teams got exposed this weekend, while others continued to flex their muscle.
Here's what we learned in Week 9:
Quad City Steamwheelers @ Sioux Falls Storm
Result: 56-49 Quad City
What We Learned: Quad City’s biggest hurdle is themselves & Sioux Falls improved but it may be too late
First off, this game and the SD-VEG game was an INCREDIBLE start to the IFL weekend. Both games were electric from start to finish and it’s always a treat when both games score over 100 points.
Starting with Quad City, all season the issue has been “they need to get out of their own way” and this game was a PERFECT example of just that. They played nearly 60 minutes of mistake free football on offense, with the only hiccups being a missed FG at the beginning of the game and a botched snap near the end that opened the door for Sioux Falls, and this was the best they looked all season.
They even had an UNBELIEVABLE catch that made the SportsCenter Top 10:
The Steamwheelers are a playoff contender in the Eastern conference if they can avoid self inflicted wounds on a consistent basis. QB Mike Irwin looked great with 178 passing yards and 4 TDs & RB a Eddie Vander was the best player on the field in this game with some big time TD catches and another score on the ground. Mix in some special teams magic to start the second half with a Jarrod Harrington kick return TD and this game was a great step in the right direction for Quad City.
On the other side, Sioux Falls also took a step in the right direction despite the loss, but at this point in the season it might be too late. The Storm are 1-6 and in the midst of arguably their worst season ever, which is a shame considering the quality of players that they have on both sides of the ball.
QB Lorenzo Brown Jr had 5 total TDs, but also had a couple of costly turnovers. DL Claude Davis was making plays up and down the field on defense, but then also had to step in on the O-line when a player went down with an injury. They are by no means out of it (statistically) when it comes to the playoff hunt, but unless they can start stringing together some wins quickly, it might be time to start letting the younger players get additional playing time and start to look to the future in Sioux Falls.
This was a very fun game to watch and the drama of the last quarter earned this game an official Off The Wall Certified Banger badge. Congrats Quad City & Sioux Falls!
San Diego Strike Force @ Vegas Knight Hawks
Result: 68-64 Vegas
What We Learned: San Diego might be too aggressive & Vegas’ offense somehow keeps getting better
Vegas’ offense somehow found a way to get even BETTER this week and are now the league leaders in Points Per Game at 54.7 (!!). Vegas produced TEN touchdowns on offense, including 7 on the ground between RB Antonio Wimbush, QB Ja’Rome Johnson, and WRs Caleb Holley & CJ Windham.
WR Quentin Randolph also had a DAY through the air, snagging 7 catches for 123 yards and a TD. This whole game was very impressive by Vegas’s offense, but if you had to point to an area of improvement it would have to be the Special Teams.
The Knight Hawks kickoff team gave up multiple kick return TDs and were giving up nearly 24 yards per return — nearly half the field! If Vegas’ offense wasn’t as potent as it is, this could have been a problem for them. This will have to be a spot that they get cleaned up, but otherwise Vegas showed again why they are the best team in the IFL so far this season.
On the other side, San Diego’s aggressive nature on offense is what makes them so dangerous — they are willing to air it and do things in situations that 80% of teams in the league wouldn’t dare, and it works… some of the time. The Strike Force ended up losing by 4, and those points can be found in those aggressive spots: 3 missed dropkick PATs & 2 failed 2-point conversions — if they go even 4/5 on standard Extra Points in those spots, this is a tie game.
There were a couple of questionable penalty calls on the Strike Force defense in the final minute of the game that ended up icing the game, but this game was in San Diego’s hands — it just slipped through their fingertips. I will say, San Diego is by far the best 3 loss team in the league right now, with their only losses coming to the reigning champs and the currently league leaders.
Now, I don't want to see like a prisoner of the moment but we had 2 games on Friday night and both were INCREDIBLE.. in fact, with 132 points being scored, this game ALSO earned an official Off The Wall Certified Banger badge.
Going 2/2 on Certified Bangers in a single evening like that is quite the feat.
Jacksonville Sharks @ Frisco Fighters
Result: 68-33 Frisco
What We Learned: Frisco is the run away leader in the East & Jacksonville regressed badly
Jacksonville.. man, I believed in y’all. I didn’t think you’d beat Frisco, but dang I thought you’d have a pulse and keep it ~sort of~ close! From the opening quarter, you could tell that the Sharks offense was off: poorly thrown passes leading to INTs, getting stuff on QB sneaks, fumbling kickoffs — they couldn’t help themselves out even a little bit.
Against the Fighters, you have to play as perfect of a game as you can produce and even then it may not be enough. There was not very much balance in the round game and too many errant passes in the passing game to truly mount any sort of a comeback. I thought Jacksonville was starting to turn a corner, but they were met with a buzzsaw to the face this weekend.
On the other side, Frisco just keeps going. MVP QB gets hurt? No problem, they have a very, very good back up ready to step in and a RB combo that will just punish you in the ground game down the stretch.
This is probably the most impressive overall team game played in the IFL this season — all three phases of the game played outstanding football:
Offense scored 9 TDs — 8 on the ground and 1 through the air
Defense snagged 2 INTs and stuffed the Sharks for multiple Turnovers on Downs
Special Teams caused turnovers and even scored a TD themselves
Frisco set itself apart from the rest of the Eastern Conference in this game and are far and away the front runners. Next week’s game vs Green bat is going to be VERY interesting.
Tulsa Oilers @ Green Bay Blizzard
Result: 42-22 Green Bay
What We Learned: Green Bay’s defense continues to impress & Tulsa’s offense is offensive
I am running out of things to say regarding how well this Green Bay defense has performed this season. Tulsa’s offense is explosive and has such a high ceiling (scoring 72 in a game earlier this year), but watching this game you would have no idea. They simply got dominated by this Green Bay defense at all levels, starting at the defensive line and going back. Green Bay got back to their identity of RTDB (with 32 rushing attempts to 20 passing attempts on the day) and just bled out the clock once they had a lead.
This was one of the uglier games of the weekend, but as we touched on time and time again this season — that’s how Green Bay wins! The uglier the better for the folks in the land of the cheddar.
On the other side, Tulsa looked lost on offense at times in this game. Their rushing attack is one of their strengths and they simply could not get anything going — averaging only 1.7 yards per carry on the day. They fell behind early, which probably resulted in an adjusted philosophy, but they didn’t look like themselves.
Green Bay’s defense is the best in the league, that much is true, but in order to be the contenders we though they were, they are going to have to overcome the Green Bay & Frisco teams of the conference eventually. Right now they are able to beat up on the weak but fold under the weight of the top dogs in the conference.
Consistency week to week (and even drive to drive) is needed in Tulsa.
Massachusetts Pirates @ Iowa Barnstormers
Result: 42-34 Iowa
What We Learned: Pirates are in a rut & Iowa may have reverse jinxed Iowa into being good?
Iowa looked BAD BAD in the first 20 minutes of this game. They couldn’t get much going on offense and defensively they were getting gashed by the Pirates playmakers for big plays. At one point in the 2nd quarter, the Barnstormers were down 21-3 and I hit send on this post.
At that exactly moment, everything changed for Iowa. They flipped the momentum of the game and went on a 39-7 run to jump out to a double digit lead late in the 4th and hold on for their second win of the season! WR Tre Long had a quality day with 7 catches for 63 yards and 2 TDs, and Gabriel Rui hit a 40 yard FG, 2 Deuces & went a perfect 5/5 on Extra Points.
On the other side, Massachusetts is in a bit of a rut on offense and I’m not sure what the answer is. Early in the season, they had trouble getting off to a good start but then would claw their way back into games. In the past couple of games, it was the opposite — started strong and slowly fell apart as the game went on.
They had a couple of big plays early that skew their total offensive production numbers, but the offense is missing that extra “umph” in years past. They only have one game so far this season where the offense has scored over 50 points and, with the talent they have on offense, you would expect that number to be a lot higher.
RB Jimmie Robinson is 2nd in the league in rushing attempts and yardage, but they could have benefited from getting the ball into his hands a bit more against Iowa.
Pirates aren’t broken, but they definitely need an adjustment on offense. Maybe if I say they are broken they’ll turn things around? Idk, it worked for Iowa.
San Antonio Gunslingers @ Duke City
Result: 56-53 San Antonio
What We Learned: Sam Castronova continues his MVP campaign & MancusoMania is running wild in the ABQ!
A new era is upon us in Duke City! After going through several starting QBs since the beginning of the year, Duke City signed QB Joe Mancuso (most recently with the Vegas Knight Hawks & Philadelphia Soul before all of that went to hell) right before the bye last week… and folks, let me just say, he’s the guy for the Gladiators
Joe Man-cu-so clap clap clapclapclap
Joe Man-cu-so clap clap clapclapclap
He was ELECTRIC for Duke City and really gave that offense and that entire team some life for for the first time in a month. He ended up with 118 yards passing & 4 TDs, but also added 91 rushing yards & 2 TDs on the ground! He was a dynamic presence that gave their passing game a breath of fresh air and got things going.
When the offense gets back to full strength, they are going to be as scary as 0-6 team can be. Their defense kept them in games all year and they might finally have an offense that can meet them in the middle.
On the other side, Sam Castronova. Don’t really have to say much more than that.
He turned in another MVP worthy performance, going 24/29 for 243 yards and 6 passing TDs, and added another score on the ground. He spread the ball out amongst his team, but he was reallllllly feeling the connection with Kali Rashaad — who finished the day with 10 catches for 122 yards and 3 TDs.
They weathered the storm from Duke City and scored to take the lead with under 10 seconds left, so this was a great team win by the Gunslingers as they claw back from their rough start to the season.
This game was ELECTRIC and was everything that is right with Indoor Football. Go on, take the official Off The Wall Certified Banger badge, San Antonio & Duke City. You've earned it.
Bay Area Panthers @ Northern Arizona Wranglers
Result: 39-36 Bay Area
What We Learned: Bay Area are kings of the ugly win & Northern Arizona’s drives were too long
We started the weekend off with beautiful games, and boy did we end it with some ugly ones. Bay Area has been the kings of the ugly win so far this season, and I mean that in the most endearing way possible. It’s beautiful for them because it fits into the strengths — running the ball and playing defense.
Bay Area RB Shane Simpson had a big day with 14 touches for 120 total yards and 4 TDs and found a way to make big play after big play precisely when the Panthers needed it. I would have liked to see more receivers involved in the passing game, but ultimately a win is a win.
They also brought back an old face at kicker, but their season long kicking issues didn’t go away — missing 3 extra points on the day. Even though it didn’t cost them this past weekend, that doesn’t mean that it won’t in the future.
On the other side, Northern Arizona seemed to have a different approach to this game. They focused on longer, ball control drives — I guess in effort to try to control the game, but I think it ended up hurting them more than helping. One of the strengths of this Wranglers team is their speed and big play ability at wide receiver, buy slowing things down like they did, they kind of neutralized their own strength.
QB Josh Jones got back up to having 50% of the rushing attempts, which we have identified as a problem for NAZ in the past. Arisah McCorker is one of the most dynamic, young receivers in the IFL and he only had 2 catches and 2 rushing attempts on the day. But despite all of this, they hung in there with the defending champs and were a blocked field goal in the first away from this potentially being a tie game or a lead late in the game.
Northern Arizona needed big plays and they just couldn’t find them very often against Bay Area.
Arizona Rattlers @ Tucson Sugar Skulls
Result: 38-32 Arizona
What We Learned: Arizona needs Dalton Sneed if they want to be a contender & Tucson is just not fulfilling their potential on offense
I’m going to very honest with you, the moment that I saw Dalton Sneed was not starting this game for Arizona, I was very sad because I knew what type of game were walking into.
QB Dalton Sneed was dressed for the game, but had an oblique strain in practice a day or two before the game (per the broadcast team) so they sat him out of an abundance of caution and started QB Garrett Kettle. Dalton Sneed is on a different level QB wise than Kettle, and it was apparent in this game. Rattlers ended up leaning on RB Shannon Brooks, who gave them 77 yards and 2 TDs on the ground and helped control the game from the 2nd quarter and beyond.
On the other side, Tucson has the individual talent on offense to put points up in bunches but just haven’t been able to do it with QB Mylik Mitchell sidelined due to injury. When healthy, Mitchell is a deadly ground threat and flashed the potential to be a killer through the air as well. They have a solid RB group with Mike Jones and the recent addition of Davonte Sapp-Lynch that can be a red zone nightmare for teams — just getting to the red zone is the issue.
They need more production out of their receiving corps and their passing game needs to find a way to get big chunk plays early and often.
But with Tucson now sitting at 1-5, the clock is ticking to get it turned around. The Western Conference is very top heavy and the Sugar Skulls cannot afford to fall further behind. If we don’t see a win streak in the immediate future, they’re going to be dead in the water.
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