Pewter Red
Mike Alstott Joey Galloway
Warrick Dunn Jeff Garcia
Dexter Jackson Tanard Jackson
Jermaine Phillips Barrett Ruud
Cato June Phillip Buchanon
Brian Griese Paris Warren
Some highlights from today's game between the Pewter team and the Red Team:
00:00 minutes into the game
Gene: Galloway won the toss and wants the ball. Now the rules state that there are no ‘kickoffs', rather each team has to punt the ball to their opponents. There is no penalty if the ball goes past the endzone, where possession starts on the twenty. If the ball falls out of bounds on either sideline, the receiving team starts on the thirty. It looks like Alstott is going to punt the ball from his own ten to get this game started.
Lee Roy: This should be interesting. Let's see how well Mike can boot it.
Gene: Well, Alstott's punt is a little unconventional. The ball sails high up at an eighty degree angle. But, the hangtime is out of this world. Galloway jogs up to the forty. You've got to be kidding me, Galloway misses the ball! The sun was right in his eyes and the ball takes a bounce for the pewter team before Buchanon recovers it at the twenty-five yard line.
Lee Roy: That was a booming punt. It looked like that ball just floated in the air and took a nap before coming back to earth.
02:05
Gene: It's third and long, ball on their own twenty. What should we expect from the Red Team, Lee Roy?
Lee Roy: Well, that screen to Warren was a failure. Cato snuffed that play out before the snap and made a terrific pull as Warren attempted to juke his way out of the tackle. I would look for Galloway on either a quick slant and let his speed get you closer to the first down marker at the forty. Remember, it is just third down in a four down game.
Gene: Ruud lines up to snap the ball to Garcia
(Dunn) (Jackson)
30 O O
(Griese) (Jermaine)
25 O O
(Cato)
O (Alstott)
20 O
X X X X X
(Warren, Galloway, Jackson) (Ruud) (Buchanon)
X
(Garcia)
Galloway goes in motion lining up right behind Buchanon. The snap is on target. Warren runs a fly pattern drawing Dunn. Jackson runs a shallow in and draws Griese. Cato drops back as Buchanon runs a sharp slant. Ruud runs a curl that goes about ten yards deep drawing Jermaine. Galloway is now lined up for man coverage against Dexter Jackson. Alstott screams ten Mississippi and launches himself at Garcia. Garcia rolls right and hits Galloway at the forty. Galloway has nothing but open field in front of him. He's at the 30, the 20, the 15, the 10. OOOOOHHHH! I don't believe it. Galloway is down at the three yardline. Jackson dives and rips Galloways' flag before he can make it to the endzone.
Lee Roy: What a play. Galloway ran a perfect flag route and embarrassed Jackson who just expected a simple post. But, you have to hand it to the rookie. He recovered and made an amazing play to prevent the score. Looking at the play in slow-motion, you see that Jackson just grabbed the last inch of Galloway's flag. Those are some hands.
03:15
Gene: First and goal for the Red team. This is an interesting formation. Buchanon is the snapper with a split backfield of Ruud (left) and Jackson (right). Garcia is lined up to Buchanon's immediate right with Warren and Galloway as bookends. Buchanon snaps the ball to Ruud. Ruud runs right and is trailed by Jackson. Galloway runs a short slant to the center and blocks Dunn. Ruud pitches the ball to Tanard who is galloping behind Buchanon and Garcia. HUGE BLOCK by Ruud as he puts Jermaine on the ground. Cato and Alstott go in to grab Tanard's flag but they are too late. Garcia and Buchanon do their job and play interference as Tanrad dives into the endzone.
Hold on, there is a review on the play. The officials are meeting to discuss whether or not Ruud's block was legitimate.
Lee Roy: Come on, let them play the game. Ruud did not tackle the man. It was just their momentum. I mean physics is physics. You can't officiate inertia.
Gene: That is a great way to phrase it. After a short conference, the play stands. TOUCHDOWN Red team!
09:23, score is Red Team 7, Pewter Team 0
Gene: The pewter team is on their second drive with one last chance to score. It's fourth and goal for Alsott's crew and you have to assume that there is only one man that is going to get the rock. They are three yard out and they have the A-train.
Lee Roy: You can hear the fans blowing their whistles. All Mike has to do is bull rush in for three more yards. So far that has worked for them on this drive.
Gene: You can say that again. I have never seen a flag football team commit to gaining short yards like I have with this Pewter team. Between Alstott running and catching short passes, Dunn and Dexter taking screens, their offense has not been able to do much outside of gaining five yards a play. You have to give some recognition to Ruud, Tanard and Buchanon's stingy defense. They are playing stellar games.
Lee Roy: It's true, but the red team is threatening.
09:31
Jermaine snaps the ball to Griese. Griese hands it off to Alstott. He is at the two . . . OH, it's a flea flicker. Griese has the ball back and lobs it to the left corner of the endzone. TOUCHDOWN, Warrick grabs the ball and keeps his feet in bounds. What a play!
Lee Roy: The red team bit on the flea flicker. Tanard came close when he almost swatted down the pass, but Griese did a great job putting it where only his man could get it.
20:00
Gene: We are all set to start the second half. The Red Team leads the Pewter team with a score of 25 to 21. Let's see if Red team's decision to start going for two will hurt them in the second half.
26:07¸ score is Red Team 32, Pewter Team 28
Gene: Garcia is under pressure. Alstott is closing in and the ball is tipped. It goes about six yards forward and it's scooped up by Griese. Griese to the thirty. He is stopped as Galloway steals that flag with authority.
Lee Roy: I don't think I have ever seen Griese run, let alone that fast. He sure started to hoof it there.
28:45, ball on the Red team's 30
Gene: Griese throws a bullet and hits Dunn in the middle of the field at the fifteen. Dunn runs to his left while Galloway pursues him. Dunn does a stutter step causing Galloway to pause. OH MY! Dunn laterals the ball behind him right into the hands of DJax 2.0. He is gone. Touchdown Pewter team. My oh my. A perfectly executed hook and ladder.
Lee Roy: That was fantastic. Galloway bit on Dunn's move giving Dexter the time he needed to run past Joey. I thought Warren might have had a chance to score himself but Dexter is just to fast. What a great play!
29:18, score is Pewter Team 34, Red Team 32
37:59, score is Pewter Team 34, Red Team 32, Pewter team at the 44, 1st and 16
Gene: Neither team has been able to do much since that incredible hook and ladder.
Lee Roy: The red team has to be frustrated. Warren's dropped two catch able balls and Ruud's fumble in the red zone have put them in this position.
Gene: Griese with the ball. He hands it off to Alstott who runs for three yards. It looks like they are going to try and run out the clock.
38:30
Gene: This time Griese hands the ball off to Dunn. Dunn gains one yard. Third and 12 for the pewter team. Lee Roy, this is the ball game. The Red team already used their timeout and if the Pewter team can get a first down, it should be over.
Griese receives the ball from June. He steps back. No one is attempting to blitz. Griese looks to his left, to his right. He can't find an open man. Dunn runs back from a curl. Griese lets it go. INTERCEPTION. Tanard read the play and only has one man to beat. Griese goes for the flag, but Tanard eludes him. He is at the thirty, the twenty, the ten. TOUCHDOWN Red team. Fire those cannons!
38:56, score is Red Team 38, Pewter Team 34
39:41, the Pewter team is at the Red's 15
Gene: The crowd is on their feet. Its first and goal for the Pewter team. Griese takes the snap from Alstott. The red team is playing man coverage. Ruud signals the blitz by counting up using his fingers.
39:52
Gene: Ruud Screams TEN! Instead of staying with the block, Alstott lays a shoulder into Ruud and sprints forward. Ruud stays on his feet and drops back to covers Alstott. Griese looks towards the left corner of the endzone. He launches it. It's tipped by Dexter Jackson, the ball moves out of the endzone and into the hands of . . . Warrick Dunn. Dunn is at the six, the five, the four, the three, the two. Ruud takes him down. So close for the Pewter team.
Lee Roy: With two seconds left, I expect them to call this a game. I really thought that Dunn would have had it there. Out of nowhere he caught that ball and wiggled his way to the endzone. Great effort, but he came up short.
Gene: With your final score, the Red Team wins 38 to 34. Who was your MVP for this game?
Lee Roy: I'd give the ball to Tanard Jackson. Two picks, one returned for a touchdown plus two offensive touchdowns. What more can I say. He displayed great instincts today.
Gene: There you have it. See you tomorrow when the Barber and Brooks meet to decide who plays Galloway's Red team. Can't wait.