Saturday, November 30, 2013

Sweet Victory #9: How the East Was Won



Yes, sweet victory indeed.

The Falcons made us all proud yesterday.  They went into a game they had to have, a one-game contest with everything on the line, and they delivered.  They were ecstatic and they deserved it.  For all the hard work and all the down years--for our seniors including the dismal 2010 campaign--this was a chance to be rewarded, and they did it.

So, for everyone...the coaches and players who made it happen and for those loyal fans who rooted them on the whole way...enjoy it.  We know this is not a given.  Enjoy it.

I think everyone was expecting a defensive struggle and they pretty much got it.  On a play by play basis, both defenses won most of the battles.  The difference in the game was that BG's defense was once again virtually impenetrable...while the BG offense was able to make 4-5 big plays that were the difference in the game.

The first half was certainly dominated by the defenses.  BG took the lead in the first quarter when Travis Greene bolted for 33 yards to the Buffalo 30, but BG had 2 shots to make 1 yard for a first down and could not, leaving Tyler Tate to give BG the lead, 3-0.

Coach Clawson said after the game that the BG game plan was to take the run away from UB...and they were certainly successful, more on that later.  He said we wanted to force the Bulls to pass the ball.  In the 2nd Quarter, they took up that challenge, with Licata completing 4 passes for 58 yards including a 30 yard strike down to the BG 5.  Buffalo converted the TD and Buffalo led 7-3.

BG had opportunities to score before halftime, but they could not get untracked against the Bull defense.  BG had a drive start on the Bull 40, but could not make any yardage at all, so the game was 7-3 Buffalo at the half.

I don't think you could feel too bad.  BG made some mistakes in the first half...a couple dropped passes, an ill-timed illegal procedure, failure to convert a fumble into points...etc.  Not a huge amount of mistakes, but in a game this tight, it was enough to but BG behind.

As we have often seen this season, the 3rd Quarter was different.  

BG started and drove the ball to the UB 19 on the strength of a Johnson-Joplin 31 yard connection, but then Johnson threw a pick and the Bulls had the ball back on their own 21.

The BG defense came to the rescue...UB got 1 first down but was sacked twice and ended up with 7 yards on 5 plays for the drive and a punt.

BG started on its own 29.  In what would become a theme, BG made big yardage on a perimeter vertical route where the BG player appeared to be pretty well covered but Johnson would put the ball in the right place and the BG player would win a personal battle for the ball.  In this case, Alex Bayer for 48 yards to the Bull 21.  Bayer made a great play on the ball...it was impressive for a TE, and BG was in business.  A couple plays later Johnson hit Joplin for 23 yards and the BG TD to give the Falcons the lead, 10-7.

BG kicked the KO OB, but Buffalo chose to make BG kick it again and they paid off, as the Bulls ended up on their own 41 to start.  BG's defense forced a 3-and-out and Buffalo punted BG down to its own 7.

And here is the moment where a division title was won.  BG false started, putting themselves on their own 4.  If Buffalo can get a 3 and out and good field position, they have to figure they can convert something on a short field.  After the game, Coach Clawson said BG called a zone read "kinda sorta" which he explained meant that BG did not usually read someone on the right side of the defense.  However, Johnson saw the UB player "crash" toward the ball and he more or less freelanced and ran the ball around the right side...for 56 yards.

Coach said he had the freedom to make that call, but that reading it was not an assignment for him.  This is what you get when you have a QB like Matt Johnson.  He is just a dynamic player.

That play was by far the biggest in the game.  UB goes from licking their chops in the danger zone to being on their heels.  They rallied, however, and BG faced a 4th and 5 from the 35 after 3 Greene rushes.  On 4th down, Johnson hit Beck for 13 yards to convert the first down (a stop on that play changes everything, too) and then two plays later Travis Greene ran 14 yards for the BG TD.

That was a 93 yard TD drive for a title.

There were about 2 minutes left in the 3rd and with BG up 17-7, you had to feel pretty good.  Here, I think the Rocket game actually helps the Falcons, I don't think focus was going to be an issue.  In fact, BG forced a 3 and out and then Buffalo responded by doing the same to BG.  Buffalo started on their own 27 and made some noise, completing two passes for 29 yards, but the Falcon D buckled down from there, forcing 2 incomplete passes and getting a sack to end the drive.

BG put the game away starting on its own 19.  BG made one first down but was facing a 3rd and 9 when BG went high over the top down the left again, this time to Shaun Joplin for 62 yards, with Joplin making an incredible athletic play to beat his man for the ball.  BG was on the UB 7, Johnson ran the ball in for a TD and the BG seniors started to think about which Gatorade container to dump on coach.

UB finished with 15 first downs...but 6 of them came from this point forward.  Think about that for a second...

Anyway, it was a complete team win.  The defense was outstanding once again, and the offense made big plays to get the team the points it needed to win the game.  More later, but that's how it flowed.

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