Final Score : Frankfurt Galaxy 42 - 35 Scottish Claymores OVERTIME
The Frankfurt Galaxy came in to Scotland on the back of a tough loss in Amsterdam meanwhile the Claymores were riding high following their 48-14 blowout over Berlin. This game, however, was to prove immensly entertaining if a little disappointingly.
The Claymores fell behind in the first quarter when Jake Delhomme finally showed some of his promise by throwing a 13 yard pass to a waiting Todd Floyd. Early in the second, it was Delhomme's QB partner Pat Barnes who threw a 14 yarder to Mario Bailey in the endzone to extend the Frankfurt lead to 14 without reply from the Claymores.
However, Dameyune sprung into action, narrowing the Galaxy lead to 7 with a 13 yard pass to Arizona Cardinal allocate Kevin Drake in the endzone. Rob Hart's PAT was good with 4 minutes left in the half.
With under a minute left in the half, the Galaxy were deep in Scotland territory looking to put the game away before half time. On the Claymores 13 yard line, Barnes dropped back to throw but was picked off by cornerback Joey Eloms. Eloms sped down the field 87 yards for a touchdown. Miraculously, the Claymores were within a PAT of tying the game. Hart converted and with 3 seconds left on the clock before half time, the Claymores were back on level terms.
For the first, and only time in the game, the Claymores took the lead on Rob Hart's 38 yard field goal midway through the third quarter. Frankfurt were quick to reply with Delhomme leading his team down the field completing his drive with a 3 yard pass to Shawn Scales. Ralf Kleinmann's extra point was good. Galaxy by 4 at 21-17.
The Galaxy extended their lead to 11 on Jermaine Chaney's mammoth 47 yard run at the start of the fourth quarter and it was beginning to look like the end for the Claymores. With Craig at the helm, we should know better though! He marched the team right back into Frankfurt territory and lobbed a 43 yard pass to a waiting Yo Murphy who scored. Head coach Jim Criner elected to go for the two point conversion to put the Claymores within field goald distance. Craig threw a beautiful pass to Donald Sellars for the completion. 28-25 Frankfurt - not out of reach yet, just three points.
With Frankfurt unable to move the ball, the Claymores took over but couldn't get to the endzone, settling instead for a 41 yard Rob Hart field goal that again brought the Claymores level, this time at 28-28. With only 4:24 left in the half, this could have meant overtime right there but the Galaxy had other ideas as Jake Delhomme threw a 39 yard pass to Andy McCullough to again put the German side up by 7 but with only 2:21 left on the clock.
Again, it was up to Dameyune Craig's turn to lead the Claymores and he did so. After a masterful drive hitting Don Sellars 3 times, one a highlight reel catch, he had the Claymores inside the Galaxy 1 with just seconds remaining. On the ensuing play, Craig held onto the ball himself and plunged into the endzone. Rob Hart cooly added the extra point and it was overtime!
In the NFL Europe League, the overtime rules are a bit different to NFL rules. Each team gets one possesion to attempt to score. If, after both teams have had one possesion the scores are stil tied, it is sudden death.
Frankfurt won the toss and elected to receive. They proceeded to march straight down the field and scored on Pat Barnes 2 yard run.
It was a do or die situation for the Claymores. Score a touchdown this drive or the game is over. Dameyune Craig led his troops from their own 32 yard line where Yo Murphy returned the kickoff to. A few plays later, after the two minute warning, Craig had the Claymores on the Galaxy 5 yard line with a first down. He dropped back to pass, scrambled a little and spotted a wide open Jesse Haynes in the back of the endzone. Overthrown.
No problem, 2nd down. Drop back, fumble. Galaxy recover - game over. 42-35.
Comments
Oh this is going to be fun this week!
Let's start on defense. 42 points. What in the world happened? I know the Galaxy have some good receivers but there is no need to give up a league record for yardage in a single game to them!
The secondary gave up 4 aerial touchdown passes after such a good performance last week in Berlin. They really need to tighten this unit up again. If we have a week on, week off type of secondary, we're screwed. One Galaxy player got into double figures on receptions and that really is unforgivable. If there is not improvements in this area by next week we will really have problems as Barcelona can move the ball.
Denorese Mosely, Clifford Ivory and Joey Eloms will be having a tough week at practice this week by all standards after this weekends debacle on defense.
The run, although better, still gave up one too many long runs, Jermain Chaney's 47 yard touchdown scamper being a case in point. I don't want to go off on them too much but believe me, a couple more performances like this weeks.... I don't mind giving up yardage or touchdowns if they play well but I feel this group just has so much potential.
Special teams too has some serious problems, kicking game excepted. The kick coverage was horrible giving the Galaxy good field position on the majority of kickoffs. Frequently the Galaxy found themselves starting drives at or near midfield.
On happier matters - offense! What can you say? This is a superb unit, perhaps one of the best we're had in Scotland. Dameyune Craig had another good, solid game and WR Donald Sellars continues to catch everything thrown his way.
On a down note, the running game still needs to improve to aid the passing game. At least they can rely on Craig to get them out of 3rd and long situations with alarming regularity.
Ok, I'm done. Apart from offense, it was a pretty horrible showing for the Claymores who could have easily won this game with a few alterations here and there. With just one stopped play, overtime would not have been necessary.
Give them credit, the Galaxy played well the whole game and outplayed the Claymores in the first half but I feel that the Claymores could and should have won the game in the fourth quarter.
As a side note, the Claymores are now 1-2 in overtime games, beating London 24-21 in 1996 and losing to Rhein 33-27 in 1995 and now Frankfurt in 1999. The Galaxy on the other hand improve their overtime record to 3-0 after not being involved in an overtime game before 1998.
On to week 4!
FINAL IN OT 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH OT TOTAL
--- --- --- --- --- -----
FRANKFURT 7 7 7 14 7 42
CLAYMORES 0 14 3 18 0 35 FINAL IN OT
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: FRA - TD, TODD FLOYD 13 YD PASS FROM JAKE DELHOMME (RALF
KLEINMANN KICK), 11:27. FRANKFURT 7-0
2ND QUARTER: FRA - TD, MARIO BAILEY 14 YD PASS FROM PAT BARNES (RALF
KLEINMANN KICK), 5:59. FRANKFURT 14-0
SCO - TD, KEVIN DRAKE 13 YD PASS FROM DAMEYUNE CRAIG (ROB
HART KICK), 10:58. FRANKFURT 14-7
SCO - TD, JOEY ELOMS 90 YD INTERCEPTION RETURN (ROB HART
KICK), 14:57. FRANKFURT 14, CLAYMORES 14
3RD QUARTER: SCO - FG, ROB HART 38 YD, 5:50. CLAYMORES 17-14
FRA - TD, SHAWN SCALES 3 YD PASS FROM JAKE DELHOMME (RALF
KLEINMANN KICK), 10:41. FRANKFURT 21-17
4TH QUARTER: FRA - TD, JERMAINE CHANEY 47 YD RUN (RALF KLEINMANN
KICK), 0:39. FRANKFURT 28-17
SCO - TD, YO MURPHY 43 YD PASS FROM DAMEYUNE CRAIG
(DAMEYUNE CRAIG PASS TO DONALD SELLERS FOR
TWO-POINT CONVERSION), 6:11. FRANKFURT 28-25
SCO - FG, ROB HART 41 YD, 10:36. FRANKFURT 28, CLAYMORES 28
FRA - TD, ANDY MCCULLOGH 39 YD PASS FROM JAKE DELHOMME
(RALF KLEINMANN KICK), 12:39. FRANKFURT 35-28
SCO - TD, DAMEYUNE CRAIG 1 YD RUN (ROB HART KICK), 14:29.
FRANKFURT 35, CLAYMORES 35
OT: FRA - TD, PAT BARNES 2 YD RUN (RALF KLEINMANN KICK),
9:13. FRANKFURT 42-35
TEAM STATISTICS
FRA SCO
-------- --------
FIRST DOWNS 33 20
Rushing 8 9
Passing 24 10
Penalty 1 1
3RD-DOWN EFFICIENCY 11-17 5-13
4TH-DOWN EFFICIENCY 0-0 0-0
TOTAL NET YARDS 570 380
Total plays 86 62
Average gain 6.6 6.1
NET YARDS RUSHING 184 126
Rushes 30 23
Average per rush 6.1 5.5
NET YARDS PASSING 386 254
Completed-attempted 36-53 17-35
Yards per pass 6.9 6.5
Sacked-yards lost 3-20 4-22
Had intercepted 3 0
PUNTS-AVERAGE 4-40.3 6-45.8
RETURN YARDAGE 204 268
Punts-returns 3-21 1-21
Kickoffs-returns 8-183 7-149
Interceptions-returns 0-0 3-98
PENALTIES-YARDS 2-20 2-27
FUMBLES-LOST 1-0 2-0
TIME OF POSSESSION 43:56 27:47
PLAYER STATISTICS
Missed field goals: None.
Frankfurt rushing: Jermaine Chaney 13-91, Pat Barnes 5-53, Mark
Kacmarynski 10-33, Jake Delhomme 2-7.
Claymores rushing: Dameyune Craig 6-52, Jesse Haynes 7-28, Ben
Snell 4-15, Emory Smith 2-12, Donald Sellers 1-11, Jamie Reader 3-8.
Frankfurt passing: Pat Barnes 17-30 for 239 yards, 2 INT, 1 TD, Jake
Delhomme 19-23 for 167 yards, 1 INT, 3 TD.
Claymores passing: Dameyune Craig 17-35 for 276 yards, 0 INT, 2 TD.
Frankfurt receiving: Mario Bailey 10-110, Todd Floyd 10-100, Andy
Mccullogh 5-109, Jermaine Chaney 4-38, Shawn Scales 4-23, Mark
Kacmarynski 1-12, Ron Leshinski 1-8, Werner Hippler 1-6.
Claymores receiving: Donald Sellers 7-141, Yo Murphy 6-66, Scott
Couper 2-18, Jamie Reader 1-39, Kevin Drake 1-12.
Attendance: 10,169