What. A. Game.
Wow. Words almost can't express how amazing the game was Saturday night – easily the most exciting game of the year. Frankly, after three in a row, if the Power isn't careful, people might mistake them for a top-tier team.
In another stunning upset, the Power handed Dallas their first loss of the season at home in an old-West, no-holds-barred, dirt-street, high-noon shootout that went the full four quarters. Dallas came in with a relentless, nearly flawless aerial attack that, frankly, the Power was completely unprepared for. In response, Morris and company kept their cool remarkably well and methodically answered every punch they took – even if it took a lot longer to accomplish each time. For the first time this season, Pittsburgh broke the 60-point barrier, with the final score being over 150 points total.
This was by no means an easy game, and that is what made it so exciting. There was only one point in the game where either team led by more than 7 points, as nearly every touchdown and PAT (or miss there-of) was matched by the other team. For a time, Dallas lead by 14, but the Power came clawing back to regain the lead.
The real excitement – more so than usual – came in the last minute of the game, which saw five touchdowns scored. Late in the forth, Dallas made its first two of what I consider their three major mistakes of the game. Dallas scored and tied the game up at 55, at which point, their offense did their impression of a bobsled team in the end zone to celebrate, costing them 10 yards on the end of the next kick return. Following this, their kicker booted it past the nets and out of the end zone, placing the ball on the 20 yard line – plus the ten from the previous penalty, giving the Power amazing field position, which they took advantage of.
On the surface, this was just a quick score for the Power, and not much different than the rest of the game. Looking deeper, it was a major psychological victory for them. At this point in the game, Pittsburgh was getting tired, worn down and running out of gas. For every long drive for a score that the Power had, Dallas would come right back on the next one and score in one or two plays. Pittsburgh was holding their own, but at a cost. With this quick score, you could see the weight lifted from their collective shoulders, coupled with some indignant anger at the show-boating that the Vigilantes were displaying over one touchdown.
It turned the tide.
After a few more exchanges of points, it came down to a real nail-biter and the the third mistake. With ten seconds left, Dallas decided to go for 2. Now, a lot of people will argue with me over this being a mistake, but I just frankly don't often agree with them. Maybe this is because I'm not a “Go big or go home” kinda guy. I'm more of a “Go home a winner and look at my face in the mirror the next day” kinda guy. I could count the number of situations where I feel going for two is the right call on one hand, and still be able to thumb a ride. If you're down by two and it's the only way to catch up, so be it – otherwise, go for the tie and take your chances in overtime, especially since Arena Ball gives both teams a possession.
But, I'm not a coach, and Clint Dolezel knows the game a hell of a lot better than I do – it just didn't pan out for him this time. First attempt, Dallas got hit with a false start and had to do it over. Second attempt, they missed, but Pittsburgh interfered on the pass. Third attempt, the pass failed.
You didn't need to be Nostradamus to see the onside kick coming. Dallas recovered it, and I thought I was going to watch this game slip away. The Power hadn't pulled off many stops in this game, and Dallas had scored in less than nine seconds several times in the game already – but the Power D came up big and forced the field-goal attempt. The failed field-goal attempt.
Game over.
This was a game that, on paper, we should not have won. Dirty Dan Raudabaugh was money this whole game. 28 for 36 with well over 400 yards and ten passing touchdowns on the game, along with two rushing. Anthony Jones had almost as many yards receiving as the Power had as a team. Between those two, and DeAndrew Rubin, our defense just plain didn't have an answer for them. There was almost zero coverage on them to begin with, and even less once Gary Butler got himself bounced from the game late in the 2nd.
What won this game was perseverance. The Power kept struggling against the clock and scoreboard, no matter how much Dallas was putting up, and kept their cool. Also, the pairing of Morris and Mike Washington has been officially cemented as the clutch combo on this team. Joystick hauled in four and ran for a fifth in this game, as well as a very respectable 184 yards.
I think this game really brought Pittsburgh to the spotlight in the league, and we're going to start hearing some talk of being contenders. This marks a three-in-a-row streak that would have been unthinkable at the beginning of the season. Even more importantly, with Cleveland losing in the Snake Pit, we are now – please brace yourselves – tied for first place in the division.
First. Place.
Remember last week when I was talking about Pittsburgh being in a possible position to ruin Cleveland's day? Well, next Saturday is that positional day. We'll see the first match-up (at home, no less) against our rivals down the road in a game that will decide who will be in sole possession of first place in the division.
No pressure.
Elsewhere in the league
- Just a reminder – Cleveland lost a tough one against the Rattlers, leaving us tied with them for first place.
- The Sabercats dropped their forth in a row, lowering them to bottom half of their division.
- The Sharks continued their march of death across the league by winning their ninth game in a row. I'd say that the playoffs are all but written in stone for them.
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