Battling for First Place
For the throngs of avid Fieldturf IFL fans out there, this game needs no introduction. The top two teams in the standings, both extremely hungry, bordering on starving, for this victory. Playing for first place. Winner has the inside track to a first round playoff bye with just a couple of games left in the regular season. The biggest, best and most anticipated regular season game in the young history of the league.
Add it all up and the showdown between the Big Blue Jerusalem Lions and the Real Housing Haifa Underdogs this Thursday evening at Kraft Family Stadium in Jerusalem could go a long way in deciding the IFL champion in March.
The truth is these are two really good football teams who will go at it playing with a combustible mix of motivation on both sides of the field.
Big Blue (5-1) is coming into this game with added incentive in front of their home fans after getting spanked by the Underdogs in their last meeting, in Haifa, for their only loss of the season. The Lions will benefit from playing at close to full-strength for the first time in more than two months after more than three weeks off to rest a number of nagging injuries. This extra vigor and enthusiasm could tip the balance in their favor in a tightly-fought contest that could go down to the wire.
The Underdogs (5-2), on the other hand, are riding a wave of momentum and confidence that is unprecedented, tearing through teams with apparent ease on their current four game winning streak and clicking on all cylinders both offensively and defensively. Look for this positive energy to play a factor in the early stages of the contest if Haifa can take advantage of the Lions’ rustiness with a quick strike to throw them off their game plan and rattle them at the outset, not allowing them to settle into their groove.
The premise of the Underdogs’ coverage on defense will be to make the Big Blue offense earn their points by limiting big plays. Against a passing game that has the most completions of more than 20 yards (16) in the league, Haifa will test Jerusalem quarterback Aryeh Baumans’ patience by sitting in soft zone coverage and conceding short throws. They are willing to let Bauman pass for more than 200 yards, but they want to make him earn it by limiting his big play opportunities.
To this end, not only will they have to guard against the deep bomb, but they will also have to focus on limiting the Lions’ YAC (yards after catches). Big Blue’s passing game excels partly because of their receivers’ ability to pick up yardage after the catch. The Underdogs must combat this by swarming to the ball and making solid tackles in open space.
The Underdogs should also try and keep Bauman off-balance in the pocket by blending in “two-man” coverage with their two-deep package. “Two-man” uses some of the same principles of standard two-deep coverage, but the underneath players lock up with the receivers in man coverage with two safeties over top. When used in conjunction with two-deep, it clouds the read for the quarterback. This could be crucial in confusing the Jerusalem high-octane offense and keeping them off the scoreboard.
Big Blue will try and play off of this strategy by exploiting the Underdogs’ inexperience at safety and attacking down the middle of the field. With Haifa sitting in those types of defensive zones, expect Bauman to manipulate the safeties by looking outside before hitting Yoni Lehrer repeatedly down the seams. I anticipate at least a couple of scores as a result of Haifa’s safeties being pump-faked out of position and unable to recover before the ball arrives.
As well, Big Blue will turn to the running game to handle the Underdogs’ aggressive blitz-package, using Moshe Horowitz on an assortment of sprint draws and powers. It will be interesting to see if the Lions can seamlessly switch between a quick, rhythm passing game to a vertical passing attack complemented by a power running game. Such versatility will not only help them in this match, but will also serve them well during their playoff run because it would allow them to compete in and win any style of game.
Haifa will have their hands full trying to keep up with Jerusalem in a shootout and will attempt to keep the score fairly low in the first half by calling more running plays early to slow the tempo of the game. If they are able to run successfully, they’ll set up their play-action passing game while keeping the Big Blue offensive unit on the sideline. They should look plenty to both Niv Medlinger and Leor Subotnik on the edges where off-tackle zone runs can take advantage of the upfield rushes of the pass-rushers while giving their backs several cutback options.
Jerusalem’s defense is anchored by the dynamic pass-rushing tandem of Yonah Misha’an, just back from the Superbowl, and Avigdor Moore. Expect Big Blue to unleash the duo off the edges on an assortment of blitzes to take advantage of the Underdogs’ suspect play at offensive tackle.
Real Housing must be ready for the pressure and attack it by hitting their receivers on quick slants and fades before the rush arrives. Look for more three-step routes to counter the Lions’ blitz-heavy game plan.
In the end, if the New York Giants taught us anything last Sunday in Arizona it was to have faith and ride the hot and streaking team who peaked at the right time…so why am I so damn uneasy picking Haifa? I’ve been pumping them up for weeks. Because I think these teams are even on offense and defense, but not on special teams. Big Blue has a slight edge there - add that to the home-field advantage and I think they’ll stop the rolling Underdog express and win. 37-35 final score.
Normally I’m fairly well hype-intolerant, but here’s all I know: Jerusalem-Haifa is as good as it gets in the IFL, circa 2008, and I can’t wait to see what drama it all produces this Thursday at 7:00 pm at Kraft Stadium. Lions-Underdogs. Bring it on!
The IFL returns next Friday with an important duel with playoff implications between the Mike’s Place Tel Aviv Sabres and the Dancing Camel Hasharon Pioneers at the Yarkon Sports Complex in the Baptist Village near Petah Tikva with kickoff at noon.
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
