The field was really nice and we were sporting our new uniforms. We got new pants last week, but this week we were also wearing our new white jerseys. You can check out the pictures.
We got the ball first and the game started out well. We ran 3 plays, 2 passing one running and scored a TD spanning about 70 yards. 7-0. Then the defense stopped the Butchers going 3 and out. I'll be the first to say that the defense won the game for us today. They were on top of their game. After the first impressive drive, our offense went a little downhill. For some reason we just didn't have it today. For example, on the first drive in the second quarter there was a span where we had 4 penalties in a row. It was either holding or a block in the back everytime. I think we got backed up to our own 8 yard line and it was 2nd and 40 something. We pretty much killed ourselves the entire day. Scott thinks we had 150 yards in penalties in the first half.
I played my worst game over here by far. I wasn't on the same page with the receivers and my arm forgot to come to the game today. I had 2 interceptions... one was my fault the other one I couldn't do anything about. The first one got tipped up in the air at the line of scrimmage about three stories high and 3 linebackers were there like sharks waiting for the piece of meat to drop. The other one was a play-action and I about got decapitated but threw it to our TE in the flats who I thought was all alone, but lurking in the shadows was a linebacker that took it to the house. #@#%&!!!
Back to the story... after the drive that had the 2nd and 40 something in it, their team got really pumped up and scored on three plays. So at halftime, we were pissed off and the score was 7-7. Also in the first half, I threw a touchdown to Antti from about 30 yards out, but we had a holding penalty so that got taken away. In the third quarter, the guy lurking in the shadows made it 14-7 Butchers.
The after another failed attempt on offense, our punter Satola, pinned them inside the 5. The Butchers tried to run a toss and we got a safety. 14-9. God only knows what happened on the next drive for the offense. The Butchers broke a huge run but Satola ran him down and they had to settle for a field goal. So it is now 17-9 and the offense hasn't done anything since the first 3 plays of the game.
I had been pissed off the whole game till right before that drive in the 4th quarter then I got my mind right. Satola again saved the day and caught a deep post for a TD from about 50 yards out. Right after the TD we are down 15-17, so we had to go for two. We ran a play that we haven't run in a few weeks and two of the receivers asked what they did in the huddle, cause we hadn't practiced it in a while. I really didn't know because the play was designed for the other side. So I told one guy to run and and the other to run out. After the fake to Scott the fullback, I realized the primary receiver isn't running his route. I turned back to the guy I had just told to run an out, big TE Klaus, and lofted one... he caught it and we got the 2 point conversion. That's what they call drawing one up in the dirt. Game tied 17-17 sometime in the middle of the 4th. The defense stops them again, and we get the ball but cant do anything with it, one key drop pass for a first down. Then Satola again punts it to the half yard line. So the Butchers are backed up all the way to their own endzone. They get no where again and have to punt.
Then Pemi, who is from Porvoo, had a huge punt return and took it down to the 20 yard line. We ran the ball and got it to about the 5 yard line. With 24 seconds left in the game, Satola came up huge again and knocked the game winning field goal through to put us up 20-17. On the following kickoff, Scott was the first one down the field and layed out the Butchers kick returner and did a little dance. That pretty much sealed the victory.
Even though it wasn't pretty we still got the W. Sometimes there are games in football where one side of the ball can't do anything, like our offense today. However, we still got the win. I think this win gave our team some character and a little wake up call after beating the Roosters last week. We came from behind by 8 points in the 4th quarter and won it. That's pretty good under any circumstances. Again, the defense played awesome and won the game for us. The MVP was obviously Satola who caught, punted, and kicked us to a victory.
We were still missing some good players from our team: at least one lineman, a linebacker, and CB Rio who is on a business trip in Germany. We found out some bad news that our starting middle linebacker Janne is out for the season with a torn pec muscle. However, our defense hasn't missed a beat. I'll get the offense going again next week in high gear as we take on Rajaritarit. (I dont how how you say that). Our team is 5-0, but this is me and Scott's 4th game
I'll have an update on my week in Pori in the Week 5 journal...
(Trojans website)