Big Blue Jerualem at Dancing Camel HaSharon
On Friday, at 10:00 AM at the Baptist Village in Petach Tikvah, the 3-0 Big Blue Jerusalem Lions take on the 1-1 Dancing Camel Hasharon Pioneers in this week’s featured Fieldturf IFL match-up. Coming off a break of almost a month, the Pioneers are more than eager to come out and prove that their convincing victory over Haifa in their last game was a sign of things to come, against a powerful Jerusalem team that beat them 46-18 in the season opener and has won its three games by an average margin of 33 points.
While Big Blue has dominated the second half scoring in all of their games, their opponents have demonstrated the ability to keep the score close for most of the first half. Expect Dancing Camel to try and exploit that pattern by looking for quick strikes early in the game to run out to an early lead before Big Blue hits their stride.
With league-leading running back Shmuel O’Neil anchoring their offence, look for Hasharon to run the ball early and often, surely on more than half of their offensive plays. O’Neil’s emergence has given the Pioneers the ability to control the tempo of the game by pounding between the tackles and picking up first downs, and they will need to capitalize on this one advantage of theirs in the running game.
However, with the Big Blue focusing on slowing down the elusive O’Neil, the Pioneers will also use more play-action passes to take advantage of the Lion’s over-aggressive linebackers. Look for quarterback Yoni Mayzel to attack the middle of the field and connect with receivers Ben Gross and Johan Tynell on a variety of seam routes and digs off play-action, especially with star cornerback Gai Van Straten still sidelined with an ankle injury. If Gross and Tynell can get off to quick starts, the running lanes should open up for O’Neil.
On the defensive end, Dancing Camel will have to watch out for Jerusalem’s penchant for creating big plays leading to scores. Big Blue’s offense has the ability to put up points in bunches due to their outstanding talent at the offensive skill positions. To combat this, the Pioneers must attempt to keep the scoring down by playing more conservatively in the back end. Look for them to use an assortment of soft zones to limit Big Blue’s big-play opportunities, as well as using more three and four man pressures to keep Lions’ QB Aryeh Bauman uncomfortable in the pocket.
In response, Bauman will have to find the open seams in the defense by throwing more short and intermediate routes outside, as well as looking to catch Hasharon off guard by mixing in a healthy dose of draws and screens. Running back Moshe Horowitz should see his number of rushing attempts rise as Jerusalem looks to establish its running game, perhaps the one crucial area in which Big Blue has been surpassed by other teams in the IFL in terms of development. Hasharon safety Mike Levy’s effectiveness in sniffing out Big Blue’s offense and roving around the field to close up the gaps and make strong tackles will be key to Hasharon being able to hold the Lions off the scoreboard and keep the game close.
Plenty of tickets are still available for walk-up purchase for this exciting match-up. Next week, on Friday, December 28, the Fieldturf IFL returns to Kibbutz Ein Hashofet near Haifa with a 10:00 AM game between the Real Housing Haifa Underdogs and the Big Blue Jerusalem Lions.
LEAGUE NOTES: This week marks the start of Israel’s first ever coaching certification course in American Football. The course is being run jointly by the Wingate Institute for Physical Culture and Sport and American Football in Israel, and is being taught by IFL Commissioner Eric Amkraut. All students who successfully complete the 20-week course will be certified by the Wingate Institute as Coaches of American Football
Prepared by Uriel Sturm, IFL League Statistician, who has (objectively) viewed and recorded each and every IFL down and game ever played from the best seat in the house – the field! Please feel free to contact at uesturm@gmail.com
