March 15, 2021 
FL WEEK ONE SURPRISES AND EXCITES THE COUNTRY 
After two years of planning, delays, disruptions and a global epidemic, the Futures Football League, the brainchild of industry rebels Mark Cuban, Vince McMahon and Charlie Ebersol had its big debut this weekend, and what a debut it was.  Smaller venues packed to the rafters but with an energy we have not seen in pro football in a long time. Great action with players clearly ready to show what they have, and TV ratings higher than anyone anticipated. By all accounts the first week of spring football and the FFL was a huge success.  Let’s take it game by game. 



ORL 24  STL 30
The FFL scheduled their first game, a Friday Night tilt in St. Louis, a city jilted by the NFL, and it gave the league exactly what they needed.  The St. Louis Skippers were scheduled to move to a 20,000 seat stadium in 2022, but after their debut at The Dome, where more than 42,000 filled the lower dome and the sidelines of the upper level, the FFL may want to reconsider the move.  St. Louis came out in numbers to see football return to the Gateway City, and their hometown Skippers did not disappoint, snagging a 30-24 victory in overtime after being tied at 14 at half and 24 at the end of regulation with the Orlando Explorers. 

There were many outstanding performances in this one, but the biggest star of the night had to be Skipper QB Paxton Lynch.  The former Bronco threw for 367 yards and 3 TD’s to lead the Skippers over the Explorers. He was aided by a big night from former Eagle & Dolphin, WR Jordan Matthews, who snagged 9 passes for a whopping 128 yards.  For Orlando, the TE’s played the biggest role in their offense, as QB Ryan Finley combined with his top two TE’s, Joran Akins and DeAndre Goolsby for 2 scores along with a combined 127 yards.  Both teams battled back and forth all game, with Orlando LE Bryan Cox and ST. Louis DT Niles Scott each racking up 1.5 sacks.  The defenses rarely won however, as both teams moved the ball well. While their numbers were not huge, STL RB Samaje Perine (17 for 72 yards) and  Orlando’s Karlos Williams (20-69 yards) helped balance both offenses.   

When the whistle blew at the end of regulation, both teams new the first to score would now take it all.  St. Louis won the toss and took the ball on their own 32 after a short bouncing kick. Lynch led the Skippers down the field, and on a 3rd and 7 hit TE Garrett Griffin with a seam route.  Griffin crashed through the attempted tackle of the safety and rumbled across the goalline to seal the win for the homestanding Skippers. It was a fantastic ending to a game that was watched by over 8 million Americans and created instant buzz for the league. 


NOR 7   NJ 21
With fans across the country still buzzing about the Friday night game in St. Louis, more than 19,000 fans braved a cold windy day to sit at Redbull Stadium and root for their New Jersey G-Men as they took on the Krewe from New Orleans.  They did not get the shootout that the folks in St. Louis enjoyed, but still came away impressed by the quality of play and the ferocity of the New Jersey Defense.  It took most of the first half for both teams to settle into the game and neither QB ended up with any TD passes, but NJ proved to be a hard-nosed team and that seemed to thrill the fans almost as much as scoring thrilled fans the night before. 

The biggest factor in the game was the ability of New Jersey to rush the ball, while New Orleans struggled to do the same. Starting HB and former Jet Isaiah Crowell rushed 20 times for 98 yards and the game’s first TD. His understudy Akeem Hunt had only 19 yards on 6 carries, but proved to be a goalline weapon, leaping over the line for one score and racing around the edge for a second.   New Orleans had issues moving the ball all day, and while QB Jordan Ta’amu protected the ball, his 242 yards passing did not lead to any scores.  It was only after a fumble gave New Orleans the ball on the NJ 17 yard line that RB Brandon Oliver managed to score on a 5 yard rush off tackle. It would be the only score on the day as the G-Men bent but did not break all game.  The win, while a bit sloppy, was entertaining for the crowd which oohed and ahed at the big hits just as much as the scoring plays. 


CHI 20  ATL 13
Chicago, traveling to Atlanta for the Saturday 4pm game, became the first FFL road team to snag a win, as they upended the Flight in Georgia State U. Stadium in front of 22,100 fans on a sunny 63 degree day perfect for football.  Chicago came out guns blazing, and with a 13-0 lead at the half, fans were beginning to wonder if the Flight would ever leave the ground. But, a quick Lauletta to McCloud TD pass on the 2nd half’s first drive proved that the game was not close to over.  Atlanta would scrap back to a 13-10 deficit, before Chicago put the game away with a 2nd TD as Chicago’s slot receiver Charles Rogers juked the safety on an out & up route and cruised into the endzone from 21 yards out.   

Earlier in the game it had been Notre Dame QB DeShone Kizer to former Packer Geronimo Allison for the game’s first score.  Two field goals from K Austin McGinnis had built Chicago up to a 13-0 lead. Kixer played an efficient but cautious game, finishing with 178 yards on a 15-25 day, while depending on RB CJ Prosise (19 carries for 61 yards) to keep the defense honest.   Atlanta, playing from behind, had to risk a bit more, and QB Kyle Lauletta finished the game with 339 yards and 2 TD’s but also 2 interceptions, including one with 5:23 left in the game that cost Atlanta a chance to tie the game at 20.

They would get the ball back with only 57 seconds left and when Lauletta’s pass to Malachi Jones was deflected by Chicago CB Sojourn Shelton on 4th and 11 the game was all but over.  The fans, though disappointed with the loss, seemed enthused by the level of play and by some exciting plays both from the strong-armed Lauletta and the elusive running of former NY Giant Wayne Gallman, who finished with 68 yards on 18 carries, including a stunning 17 yard rush in the 3rd quarter that got fans to their feet. All in all a good day for football in Atlanta. 


CAL 28   SD 11
The nightcap of the Saturday games was the first of 2 divisional games on the weekend as the California Condors, representing Sacramento and all of Northern California, headed down the 1 to San Diego to face the Surf.  In this one the Condors got the edge early and never relinquished control of the game, much to the dismay of the 31,300 fans who brought life back to SDCCU Stadium for the first time since the Chargers left town for LA.  Clad as much in Charger powder and yellow as the Surf’s similar Sky Blue, Yellow and Navy, the fans had a blast, even if their hometown team could not match the firepower of the Condor offense.  

The stars for the Condors were many.  QB Davis Webb, reliving his Pac 12 success, threw for 3 TD’s and the combination of RBs Bishop Sankey and rookie Zach Moss rushed for a combined 94 yards and a score.  Webb hit three different receivers with scores as the Condors prooved that their investment in a receiving corps with a lot of NFL experience paid off.   For San Diego, QB Cody Kessler showed a bit of rust, throwing for 3 interceptions, including two in the first half, which helped the Condors build a 14-3 lead at intermission.  The run game also struggled as lead back, the much-touted former Bronco, Devontae Booker, managed only 35 yards on 10 carries. San Diego never really got on track, and even a 2 pt conversion on their only TD (the league’s first) could not spark a comeback as the Condors built up a 17 point lead and simply did not relinquish control.  


WSH 35   BRM 30
While not the biggest marquee matchup of the week, the game between the Washington Sentinels, led by QB Will Grier, and the Birmingham Bulldozers, with their own stud QB in former Steeler Duck Hodges, was an energetic back and forth affair.  No doubt the 37,050 who took up the lower bowl of the cavernous Legion Field were pleased with the game they watched, despite the loss.  No one is going to blame Hodges for the loss, as his elusive pocket presence and rocket arm led the Dozers, with 305 yards passing and 3 TD’s.  

Equal to the challenge, Will Grier also threw for 3 scores, though on only 15-24 and 198 yards. Grier benefitted from the deft running of former Eagle Wendell Smallwood, who racked up 120 yards on 22 carries to take the early league lead in rushing.  Smallwood scored on a 3 yard plunge to put the Sentinels up 28-24 as the 4th quarter started, one of 4 league changes during the game.  Birmingham countered the Smallwood score, taking the ball down the field on the next drive in only 4 plays, led by a beatiful 24 yard catch on the sideline by Dozer wideout Keke Coutee.  2 plays later Hodges hit Coutee again for a 12 yard score and the Dozers were back in front, though a missed PAT did take a bit of the edge off the score.  

Washington, undaunted, started the next drive on their own 11 after a holding call on the kickoff return backed them up.  The combination of Grier’s passing and Smallwood’s tough running got the Sentinels in range to score with 2:07 left. Grier was facing a 2nd and 7 from the 17 when he spotted wideout Cam Phillips crossing the back of the endzone, and hit him with a perfect looping arc to the back right corner of the endzone.  The Sentinels led 35-30 but Hodges would have nearly a full 2 minutes to get a score on the board. Birmingham moved the ball initially, but at the Washington 41 the need to score a TD meant going for it on 4th and 4. Hodges rolled right and tried to squeeze a tight spiral in to TE Malcom Johnson, but the big right hand of Sentinel MLB Hardy Nickerson Jr deflected the pass and ended the hopes for a comeback victory by the home team. 


DEN 14  AUS 29
The final game of the FFL’s inaugural week took place in Austin, Texas where a sellout crowd of 20,500 greeted the Denver Peaks at FC Austin Stadium.  The small venue was rocking from the start of the game to the finish, even though the game was largely won by the end of the 3rd quarter.   Austin combined effective passing from QB Garrett Gilbert (20-34-265-1TD) who had only been named the starter one week earlier, and the dynamic rushing of former Viking Jerrick McKinnon (16 for 71 yards).  But the biggest yell from the crowd came on a fake field goal at the end of the first half.

Down 14-13, everyone thought Austin would settle for a 31 yard field goal, but when backup QB and holder Luis Perez, took the snap and immediately rolled left, the crowd rose to its feet.  The play surprised the Denver D and Perez, a former standout at Texas A&M-Commerce, easily found former Longhorn TE Tyrone Swoopes for the TD that made the score 20-14 Drillers at the half.

With a safety coming as the result of a muffed punt on their first drive of the 2nd half, Denver found themselves down 22-14, and when CB Kris Boyd stripped the ball from Denver RB David Cobb and gave Austin the ball on the Denver 7 yard line, the result of the game was pretty much decided.  Backup RB Kenneth Farrow plunged in from the 2 plays later and Austin had a crowd-pleasing 15 point win. 


But this week was not just a win for 6 of the league’s teams, it was a huge win for spring football.  The FFL was a tough sell 2 years ago when announced by Mark Cuban in a Dallas press room, but after 2 years that have changed sports forever, fans flocked to the league in its inaugural week, and the league responded with high-quality, exciting football that will be sure to sell more tickets and tune in more viewers next week.  A great start for an exciting new football league.  

Last edited by Wideright90 (4/14/2020 12:04 am)

PASSING (Comp-Att-Yards-TD's)
P. Lynch (STL)        31-41, 367 yards, 3 TD, 1 Int
K. Lauletta (ATL)     25-38, 339 yards, 2 TD, 2 Int
D. Hodges (BRM)   25-44, 305 yards, 3 TD, 2 Int
G. Gilbert (AUS)     20-34, 265 yards, 1 TD, 0 Int
C. Kessler (SD)      24-37, 263 yards, 1 TD, 3 Int

RUSHING (Att-Yards-TD)
W. Smallwood (WSH)    22-120-1 TD
I. Crowell (NJ)                20-98-1 TD
P. Barber (BRM)            17-81-0 TD
S. Perine (STL)             17-72-0 TD
J. McKinnon (AUS)       16-71-0 TD

RECEIVING (Rec-Yards-TD)
J. Matthews (STL)      9-128-0 TD
R. McCloud (ATL)       8-101-2 TD
J. Leggett (ATL)          8-55-0 TD
K. Coutee (BRM)        7-86-1 TD
L. Treadwell (NO)       7-69-0 TD

SCORING  (PAT-FG-TOTAL PTS)
N. Rose (AUS)               3-2-9
A MacGinnis (CHI)         2-2-8
R. Blankenship (ATL)     1-2-7
R. Aguayo (ORL)            3-1-6
T. McCann (STL)            3-1-6
M. Ammendola (BRM)    3-1-6

The FFL will provide offensive stats weekly and cumulative defensive stats every 3 weeks throughout the season. 

 

You’re doing great work man. This is a great league to follow. I’m still trying to find my team to support tho. Usually root for the Buckeyes, but I’m not sure if any of those have made it into this FFL league. And the team logos I like best are all terrible on the field so far. Haha. But good work man. I’m impressed with the league.

In case anyone is wondering, on Passing stats, the FFL Score is the league's system for rating a QB.  It is much simpler than the NFL's.  Basically you take the total number of yards and multiply it by the completion percentage.  I may try to figure out a way to add in TD-INT ratio as well, but for now it is yards x completion %. 

ZO82 wrote:

I did the math for the FFL score with the TD-INT added:

(yards*completion %)/(TD/INT)

For Example:

P. Lynch (STL): (588*73%=429.24)/(5/1=5) (429.24/5=85.8)
FFL Score: 86

The only problem with this is that if Lynch throws only 4 TDs his score would be higher. Same with 2 picks.
A better formula would be to multiply it by TDs/INTs or to divide it by INTs/TDs (Both spit out the same number and are mathematically equivalent).