This will be your spot for the post game report, and I will have those pics from my trip to Worcester up on Sunday too.

Three Things To Look For ….

1) Will The Revs be able to score on goal line scenerios?

2) How will New England do on their special teams?

3) How will the Revolution’s defensive line play against the very talented Surge offensive attack…. stopping the run & gaining some pressure.

My Prediction: The Revs always play a lot better at home, and how many times do we see upsets for home and home games? I would not be suprised if this game comes down to a defensive showdown with players like Carter, Simmons, and Ford making the difference. Well I am going for it! I see my first Revolution victory as they defeat the one loss(to the Raiders) by a final score 38-33.

See You There!

Going into the game with the Surge the Revolution were sporting a 2-6 record. Yes, that’s double the amount of wins they had last season and their offense was begining to click. Lead by new QB Mike Merit and the skilled position players of Collis Martin and White. They defeated two teams at home the Milwaukee Bonecrushers and the Chesapeake Tide(who they will face later again in the season @ home). After losses to the Outlawz & Silverbacks they were also defeated by Rochester, Chesapeake(on the road), Saginaw, and also Rochester once again on the road.

So with a home and home against the Surge what happened in Worcester? Besides a great halftime show, a professional product done by Lucas and his staff, and also some of the friendliest fans I’ve ever been with really nothing too much.

The Revs offense has shown progression, but their game this past Saturday was filled with misques and dropped balls. If they started digging when I arrived in Worcester(around 1:30) and stop digging when I arrived at the arena(around 5:15) they wouldn’t have created a bigger hole for themselves after the first quarter. Really though it was 21-0 after one, but they continued to fight and fight. With some questionable calls(don’t act like you never heard that before in an indoor game), and just some bad plays down the stretch it became a larger blowout than the game really really was.

On offense the dropped balls and some plays where you go “in a 100 tries that would only happen once” really hurt the team. Collis Martin had a nice run, but the Surge defense at times doubled and shaded coverage towards him to really stop him. Barlow, Edmonds, and White tried their best, but at the end of the day the Surge were able to make more plays on defense. It’s not like the Revs didn’t have chances, but they were unable to put up big points in the goal line.

On defense well on defense they put 7 guys on the field and ummmm ummmm ummmm……. well their defensive backs are young and you can tell. I would love to see this core develop and come out next yr and really show their thing, but at at times you can see their youth shining through. #1 of the Surge really had a field day with our younger staff out there. The defensive line needs to step up their game. What started out good(some nice batted down balls and some good tackles) ended up not so good.

What Looked Good: The kickoff unit/ field goal return unit. Oh okay, the Surge will say how poorly they defended it but the truth is everyone knows they should have kicked it into the boards and let #41 for the Revs scramble and try to make play, but oh well good for us! Second, I thought our tackeling was greatly improved from the past. Yes, we had issues against the sweep, BUT our DB/LB made tackles during the game. Finally, I thought our kickoff return unit for the first time in a long time looked solid through out the game.

The Revolution will take on the Surge at home this Sat. at Mennen Arena. Usual kickoff time. Tickets are $10. Should be a really good crowd out there! Come on no excuses guys my Rays are ahead of the Yanks in the standings so this should be a closer game then you will see on YES!

Watch out for pre game prediction/ wisdom on here probably on Thurs and also some interesting pictures of me, Worcester, and odd stuff I found on my trip.

Cya!

http://www.continentalindoorfootball.com/CIFLForum/index.php/topic,5782.msg69941.html#msg69941 that is the link to the CIFL message boards(you will need a username so show the Revs some love and sign up and talk to owners, players, fans, and F.O. workers from through out the league.) There is no game this week, but in two weeks the Revs will travel out to Michigan to take on the Saginaw Sting a very talented and well coached team.

Our New Jersey Revolution will travel down to the Keystone State to face off against the Lehigh Valley Outlawz. What makes this such a rival game? How about that both the Outlawz and Revolution have familar faces for both orginizations. It could also be that for a lot of these players, coaches, and staff the ride between Allentown/Hellertown and their homes is anywhere from 2hrs and possibly even less.

Offense: Last week, the Revolution were held to 13 points against the Miami Valley(Troy,Ohio) Silverbacks. The biggest question is which offensive starter from last week will step up and have a monster game… could it be Edmonds, Concepcion, Martin, or how about Lawrence? If the Revs can keep up protection of either Hanratty or Theadford then these guys can make plays.

Defense: The defense will rely on experience this week. Ford has always played the Outlawz superbly in the past two seasons. Others names on the defense we might see/hear making plays include the likes of Simmons, Phifer, Carter, and rookie Grasso who had some plays against the ‘Backs. It will all be about fundamentals against an Outlawz team who in the past has proven able to put points on the board. Not missing men on the boards, no blown coverages, and not allowing their QB to gain extra yds.

Special Teams: Only thing I can say is hopefully they are special.

For the Outlawz this will be their home opener, and the third time they faced the Revs for their home opener. The Revs last week lost 56-13 to the Miami Valley Silverbacks.  Outlawz go into the game without a game played in ‘08 after losing to the New England Surge last season in the playoffs. The Revs look for their first win in ‘08 and their first over Lehigh Valley.

Remember the game will be on the CIFL Radio Network & I will have a great in-depth piece coming after the game, but there won’t be updates through out the game like last week…. they will be back against Saginaw Sting in a few weeks.

 3rd Quarter

Update:  On first play, ‘Backs score TD from Oliver to Lee 36 yard TD pass…. and the kick is GOOD. Silverbacks lead 28-7.

Update: Toucdown Silverbacks…. Oliver to Fraiser 12yd TD pass makes …. and the kick is good to bring the score is 35-7… personal foul on the play by Revs.

Update: Revs fumble the ball and ‘Backs get the fumble and recover it all the way down to the 2yd line.

Update: ‘Backs start to blow it WIDE OPEN with a TD run by Green to bring the score….. and the kick is GOOD. Score 42-7.

Update: Keeno Theadford now playing QB for Revs.

Update: TD REVS…. Keeno Theadford runs it in from 2yds out….. with the kick score is now 42-13 as xp no good.

Update: Sorry, I was in bathroom but somehow ‘Backs scored 7pts as the score is now 49-13 to end the 3rd quarter…. right now the Revs need to make this close to start off their season

4th Qtr.

Update: Hanratty fumble…. ‘Backs recover.

Update: And it gets worse… Backe(or something with a B) scored a TD and with the XP brings the score to 56-13 ‘Backs  and a little over 10 minutes until this massacre ends. The ‘Backs players are going into the crowd and making a mockery of this Revs team.

Update: Well there seems to be some delay. The announcer does not know what is going on as Ref. mic is off. Fans don’t look happy, and out comes some sort of binder or rule book. I wonder!

Update: We have ‘Backs being ejected from the game for jumping over the boards that is what the delay was about. So according to the announcer no one from offense of Silverbacks still there.

Update: Interception by Revs by Robert Cadle. Brian Holmes pass.

Update: ‘Backs regain the ball . After getting inside the ‘Backs 5yd line.

Upadte: One Minute Warning.

FINAL

Silverbacks 56 (1-0)

Revolution 13 (0-1)

Both teams will be on the road next weekend. Revs will play against division rival Lehigh Valley Outlawz(their home opener), and ‘Backs will travel to Indiana against Ft. Wayne Freedom. I will have post game wrap up Sunday morning or afternoon.

Well the first half of the Revs third campaign is under way, but right now it seems that not much has changed. Yes, there are new players, a new opponenent, and new coaches, but a lot of the little bits of a football game seem to be hurting the Revolution once again.

Offense: It’s pretty easy to say the Revolution offense is WAY ahead of themselves last season. There are some familar names out there Collis Martin, Kevin Hanratty, and Lloyd Brooks(be it a different squad), and I can’t forget Joel Concepcion & Brendon Edmonds.  Collis Martin had a 25 yd pass from Hanratty on their second possesion. Besides that it seems like 1st game jitters mixed with some newness inbetween the boards seems to have hurt them get that extra score or two…. and they have been so close too. Two missed field goals and interception inside the goal line basically are piercing my heart as we speak, but once again they are moving the ball and bundles ahead.

Defense: The defense seems to have less familar names on it’s squad or maybe the playmakers are being sustained a bit? Sharik Carter had a TD saving tackle, and I have heard the last names of Grasso and a few others a few. Now I am not at the game, but it sounds like there have been a few DB breakdowns as I have heard a few open receivers names being called. The unit has given up 14 pts(7 given up on fumble) which is not bad at all, actually quite good, for a half. They made some necessary stops, but I am looking for that HUGE play to boost some confidence into the game.

Special Teams: Returns have been great they sound. A blocked field goal is never good, but I can’t say this unit is doing a bad job at all.

Overall: Sounds like a good crowd, according to announcer, of 2,000. Doing good stuff for kids it seems. The announcer sometimes sounds a bit out of gas…. where is his partner? That interception that eventually allowed for TD seems to be quite questionable that even Coach D was arguing it for a while.  The score is 21-7 so it’s anybodies game.  The offense needs to stike and the defense needs one big play. MV isn’t overwhelming the Revs, but it seems like both teams will make adjustments…. I am expecting Coach D to make some and this to be a game until the end.

For a fan who a lot of the time is laughed at for being a Revs fan in indoor football circles right now they are making me proud, but we need to fix a few holes at half.

A Kev. Hanratty fumble allowed the ‘Backs to take a 7-0 lead, but the Revs quickly responded the score right now is 7-7 keep you updated!  Revs scored by a 25 yard pass from Hanratty to Collis Martin.

UPDATE: End of 1st… I came a little late into the quarter, the defense seemed to have a nice stop in their own territory and offense is moving the ball better then last yr…… to  begin the 2nd quarter Revs miss a middle-long field goal.

UPDATE: ‘Backs take the lead with a pass from Oliver to someone with last name starting with a B, Kick is good #14-7 ‘Backs.

UPDATE: ‘Backs get the ball back from the Revs on a fumble off the kickoff.

UPDATE: Inside the goal line, Kevin Hanratty throws a questionable pick. Sounds like they fought for it all the way down, but still it’s an interception…  ‘Backs getting the ball with the touchback cause of it.

UPDATE:  TOUCDOWN ‘Backs as Oliver runs it into the endzone…. the kick is good as Silverbacks take a 21-7 lead with 1:32 left in 1st Half…. At the 7yd line  Steve K’s kick is blocked with under a min to go. 

Well We’re At Halftime In the Next Few Minutes I will have a Halftime Report Avaliable both here and CIFL board… (Next post will have halftime report, and later 2nd half updates).

I just wanted to let everyone know that “our” boys the New Jersey Revolution will be in action for the first time in’08 against the Miami Valley Silverbacks(Troy, Ohio Region).

The CIFL Radio Network will be broadcasting the game at this link … but here at The Battlefield I will be posting a quarter update, halftime update, a post game review, and through out the game score updates including who scored for both teams.  Here is a link to the Broadcast http://continentalindoorfootball.com/cifllive.html .

 As of now, I don’t have an official gameday roster from either of the two teams… so a pregame article will be a little difficult. Like most indoor fans know you don’t judge a team by their previous season. This is the first time that the Revs and ‘Backs have met, but on an interesting side note the 2nd consecutive yr they opened their season in Ohio.

Sorry for the lack of updates, but it’s been quite busy around my neck of the woods. So, I hope everyone has got their first arena/indoor fix this past weekend and has kept up with Coach D’s Corner. So now more chit chat here is the roster. For the whole list just go to the Revs Website and click on Team.

Vets

Phifer, DeFalco, Hanratty, Lakin, Martin, Fumando, Howard, Kirton, Ramer, Cadle, Theadford, Ford, Pielech, Goring, Carter, Concepcion, Simons, Adderly, Billington, Drayton, and Edomonds, Lawrence…. I am sorry if I forgot anybody. Now that is a great list of players that features some season 1 all-stars in the mix.

Rooks

Bergen, Campbell, Antonio, Selekis, Wachter, Kelley, McLeod, Pence, White, Iorio, Clark, Grosso, and Kosciukiewicz… and once again if I missed anyone sorry it’s a long list.

On the official website you can also see the Reserve Squad Members.

Watch for an interview coming shortly!

1) The Revs have started, or are about to start, their training camp with a “Mega” Camp Day. If you go to Coach D’s Corner on the official website you will see that I don’t need those dang quotations cause it’s MEGA. On a Jake side note, I would like to add this has to be the most talented roster going into camp that  they ever had, maybe the best that indoor football in NJ has seen!

2) For all of us “entertainment” fans the NJ Nets Dancers , yes the I did not make a typo the always underachieving Nets(not the dancers they are quite  good) will be making an appereance. Now let me add, that is the dance squad not the players, but still VERY GOOD! Double the dancing squads, can you complain?

3) Coach D has a new running article/blog appearing on the official website. It is an interesting read and gives  good inside tips on some training methods and how the Revs are preparing themselves for the sweep.

 THE SWEEP? Tampa Bay did it when both of their professional football teams won their championships. I say the Revs go for the sweep. First the Giants and then the Revolution. I won’t count Dragons ’cause they play all the way in Long Island not the Garden State….. hmmm.