AFFL2022 Week 3 Recap: Stars Get First Win; Blitz Gets First Loss

Highlight Game of the Week

Guatemala City Stars AT Jefferson Panthers 170 – 126

Messy though it was, the Guatemala City Stars pulled off their first win in franchise history with their defeat of the Jefferson Fighting Panthers. Scoring just 63 on offense, with 49 of those offensive points not coming till the fourth quarter, for a while it looked like the win might be a little dicey. The Stars’ Hot Tamale Defense continue to be the heart of this team, posting 78 points. Guatemala’s full statline was 63 on offense, 78 on defense, 31 on special teams……and 124 on the bench. Guatemala’s first W seemed like it had more to do with the Fighting Panthers losing the game rather than the Stars winning, as Jefferson managed just 126 points after posting 178 and then 252 in their first two games. Jefferson falls from 5th overall in total scoring to 10th in the league. In what’s shaping up to be a really tough Halas division this year, the loss also moves the Panthers from a spot where they were challenging for the group, to last overall in the division. Each of these squads face a tough week 4 as the Stars will be hosting the seemingly unstoppable Wranglers while Jefferson must play a B.C. Blitz franchise just 15 points removed from an undefeated record.

Around The League

Ohio Federals AT Tampa Bay Renegades 190 – 226

Once again the Ohio champs had trouble putting points on the board as they slide to an uncomfortable 1-2 in this loss to the 2020 League Champs.  Tampa was all offense in this one, led by QB Josh Allen and his 42 points, the Renegade receivers added a combined 84 points off of 26 completions for 305 total yards.  In the end, the Renegades’ 3WR offense put 130 points up on the board in the win.  Tampa Bay finds itself moving from last to first with the win, after a crazy week in the Halas Division, and they can hold onto that lead with what’s looking like an easy win next week at New Orleans.  The road will not get any easier on the Feds as they face a brutal stretch starting with the Maulers in week 4, and then the Bulls, Blitz, Bulls again, Gold, Gunslingers, and Outlaws through to week 10.  

San Quintin Showboats AT Pittsburgh Maulers 115 – 217

After stumbling last week, the Pittsburgh Maulers once again look like the team that opened the season by beating last year’s champ.  They are stripped down, lean and brutal, playing 4 yards and a cloud of dust football.  Pittsburgh posted 78 points of offense, but it was their defense that took the Showboats to the woodshed, scoring………………….led by ………….  San Quintin’s 115 points was the lowest outing yet for this rag tag collection of free agent pick-ups, retreads, long shots, and dart throws, and their second game in 3 where they failed to top 130 points.

B.C. Blitz AT Miami Stallions 185-200

In an early season match-ups between divisional powers and likely playoff contenders, the south Florida weather may have played a role as the Stallions were able to outlast the visiting Vancouver squad.  Scoring just a combined 11 points at the receiver position, the Blitz’s QB Jalen Hurts continued his early season MVP campaign with 38 points to rally the offense to 71 points of production.  Brandon Powell contributed another 21 points for the Blitz in the return game without scoring a touchdown, but it wasn’t enough to outscore Miami’s defense.  Paced by Jalen Pitre’s 49 points from the safety position, the Florida Stallions posted 104 points on defense, their second 100+ defensive effort this season, and served British Columbia their first loss of the season.

Italian Wranglers AT Tracy Bulls 235 – 168

The league #1 Wranglers took their show on the road to sunny California where they once more put on a demonstration in how to dominate.  Italy scored in buckets through all phases of the game, with 109 points of offense, including tight end mark Andrews’ 41 points, and another 110 on defense.  Their scoring totals through 3 games have been 230, 203, 235 and they lead the league in scoring; they crossed the threshold of 10,000 all time points – the first AFFL team to do so – with last week’s victory. The Bulls flashed their scoring ability in week 2 with 258 points, but had a lackluster outing this week.  Their 36 points on special teams was a solid contributor, but they’re going to need to generate more offensive scoring to support the dynamic WR duo of Kupp and Diggs.  They’ll look to turn things around against San Quintin next week. 

Sleeperville Outlaws AT Minnesota Gamblers 235 – 172

The still undefeated Outlaws turned on the juice in week 3 just as they did in week 2, scoring over 230 for the second time this season.  Led by QB Lamar Jackson’s 59 points, Sleeperville scored 141 on offense, as Jackson takes the overall league points total and looks like he’s going to make another run at MVP.  With 3 players in the top 20, the Outlaws remain the AFFL’s best offensive unit.  For Minnesota, neither their offense OR defense has managed to get going this season, and they join the surprising list of winless teams in the league as they fall to 0-3. Sleeperville will get a presumably easy match-up in week 4 vs the pilotless Bandits before a showdown in week 5 at high noon vs the Gunslingers in what promises to be a season-defining game for each of them.

SoCal Gold AT AFFL Bandits 180 – 189

The league-sponsored Bandits franchise may have claimed another victim as this contest heads into fantasy overtime. With 76 points from their linebacker trio, the Bandits put up 90 defensive points and took a healthy lead going into the fourth quarter. In a late comeback attempt, SoCal got 24 points from franchise back Saquan Barkley on Monday night to bring the win almost within reach. With a 9 point difference, an overtime reversal would be huge for the Gold, heading into a showdown with the 2-1 Gunslingers in a division where both trail the undefeated Sleeperville Outlaws, If the loss stands, Southern California will fall to 1-4 for 4th place in the division.

Prince George Generals AT New Orleans Raiders 200-158

The Generals are looking unstoppable early this season as they tack another 200 points onto their scoring total – now averaging 212 points per game – and another win onto their undefeated record.  They are 3-0 in Landry Division wins.  Though they were able to generate just 48 points of offense, they field the #1 scoring defense in the league, and this week was no different, as they put up 118 on that side of the ball, their highest to date.  Meanwhile the machine seems to be fully off of the rails in New Orleans.  Last season’s Division Champion is now 0-3 to start the season, and have been able to produce just 505 points through 3 contests.  They parted ways this week with injured quarterback Trey Lance after paying him $35 million dollars over the last two seasons.  He played in just 2 games for the Raiders in 2 seasons for a total of 35 points; $1 million dollars per point, to the decimal.  Securing Carson Wentz on the waiver wire, New Orleans kicked off with high hopes for their revamped offense, but Wentz brought just 4 points to the gameplan and led the squad to a pathetic 37 points of offense. 

Grand Strand Gunslingers AT Winston-Salem Express 161-95

Gunslinger scoring came back down to earth in this one, after scoring 228 points in each of their first two games, the Carolina Cowboys could muster just 161 against their arch rival Winston-Salem.  It was more than enough to topple the Express.  A look down Winston-Salem’s stat sheet reveals scores of 11, 8, 2, 4, 7, 3, 0, 5, 8, 11, 2, and 1 before finally coming to safety Ritchie Grant’s 30 point bright spot.  Some early season predictions gave the Express a 10 win season, but they’ve opened 2022 now with just 1 win in 3, and beating the Raiders doesn’t have quite the cachet that it used to.

Bicton Breakers AT Wisconsin Dells Invaders 196 – 130

The Breakers put up good, solid numbers across the board on the road against the Invaders, including 43 points from their special teams unit.  It’s an all-important Division win, leaving them just a game back behind Prince George.  For Wisconsin, the story of the day was studs not living up to expectations.  Edwards-Hellaire, Kamara, and Javonte Williams combined to produce just 26 points; Shaq Thompson recorded just 4 tackles.  Slipping to 0-3, the Invaders join the Raiders and Express in the basement of the Landry Division 

NOTES:

• Gunslingers fall from #1 to #5 in Total Scoring
• Top 4 scoring teams are within 35 points of each other
• Renegades climb from #15 to #8 in Total Scoring
• Gold climbs from #4 to #2 in Offensive Scoring
• Renegades climb from #14 to #6 in Offensive Scoring
• Maulers climb from #16 to #3 in Defensive Scoring
• Breakers climb from #3 to #1 in Special Teams scoring
• Bandits are #2 in Special Teams scoring
• Federals fall from #1 to #5 in Special Teams scoring
• 3 undefeateds remain (Wranglers, Outlaws, Generals)
• 2 winless remain (Raiders, Invaders, Gamblers)