Saturday, April 15, 2017

THIS WEEK IN APBA

     It was a wild season-opening week in our APBA Football League. Some games went exactly as expected (Cincy over NE, 35-3; Dallas over Philly by 22), others were surprising. Not so much for the outcome but for how they came about.
     Let's have a look at the week's results and then we'll move on to the highlights, including your Games of the Week.



     Some of the highlights from week 1: A late kickoff return by St. Louis' Ahmad Rashad propels the Cards over the Colts. Daryl Lamonica and Marv Hubbard lead the Raiders over the Steelers, despite a late comback bid. Scott Hunter to Leland Glass was the combo of the day as the Pack edged the Browns. And John Brodie is nearly perfect as the Niners smother San Diego.

     Now for your Games of the Week. The first pits the New York Giants against the Detroit Lions at Tiger Stadium in Detroit.

Bob Tucker catches 6 Norm Snead passes for 202 yards and 2 TDs.
     Let's pick up the action in the 4th quarter. The Lions have just taken the lead on an Altie Taylor run, 27-23. On their ensuing possession, the Giants face a 3rd and 12 from their own 18.
     (Snead drops back... He looks around... Here comes the rush... He delivers...Tucker has it! He crosses the 50...the 40...One man to beat...TOUCHDOWN!!)
     With 9 minutes left, the Giants are up 30-27. But three plays later, from their own 8 yard-line...
     (Landry back to pass...He has Sanders slanting over the middle...It's picked off! Linebacker Jim Files has it! He spins out of one tackle and is pushed out of bounds at the one. First and goal Giants!)
     Fullback Charlie Evans takes it in from there. 37-27, Giants. 7 minutes left.
     Detroit then drives the ball from their own 20. Four Greg Landry scrambles and a 29 yard pass to Charlie Sanders has the Lions in field goal range with 3:45 left. Errol Mann makes the kick and it's now 37-30.
    
Landry takes the snap for the Lions...
     A long kickoff return has the Giants start their next drive near midfield. After picking up a first down they find themselves in field goal range. 3 Ron Johnson runs put them at 4th-and-5 at the Lions 30.
     (Pete Gogolak is on to attempt the field goal. Just over a minute remains....Here's the snap...This one will ice it...The kick is up...It's NO GOOD! NO GOOD! Oh, Gogolak must be sick!)
     The Lions take over at their own 20, no time-outs. Two incomplete passes brings up a third-and-10. Then Landry hits Mel Farr out of the backfield. He runs for 22 and wisely steps out of bounds with less than a minute left. Then:
     (Landry drops back...He's looking deep...But NO! It's a screen. Taylor has it with a convoy of blockers in front of him...He has to get out of bounds...He's down at the 25...The clock is running...Landry hurries to the line...19...18...17...Landry's back....He fires over the middle. It's Sanders at the 10! He has it...TOUCHDOWN!! With only 15 seconds left on the clock!)

Sander hauls in the tying pass!
     Final score: Lions 37, Giants 37. This was hand's down THE GAME OF THE WEEK -- until the Monday Nighter, that is.... (Right after this commercial break...)

Lions-Giants get the season started with a bang!

4 comments:

  1. You make the games come alive. Really glad to hear about that Packer win.

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  2. It was an exciting game! Packers have the Raiders this week. That was the game where the Raiders won on something like a 100-yd fumble return. Time for a little payback...

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  3. The commercial break has lasted 4 months now. Just sayin'... Looks like Erickson may have dropped the ball here. He ain't no Bob Tucker....obviously.

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