Deontay Wilder, McCoy Crozier, Mike Improta, Ray Bentley, Ross Napoli
Banner Image by J.R. Lawless

Today marks the halfway point for the SFLm’s opening season, and is an auspicious date. Wednesday the 13th doesn’t have quite the same ring to it as it’s cousin Friday, but with 50% of Season 1 in the books, it could be quite unlucky indeed for some teams if they were to drop a game. This week we have a special guest popping by to share some wisdom from the broadcast booth – our very own beat team and commentating kid extraordinaire, Mike Improta! Enough expository banter though – let’s get to it!

Rank	Team	Record (Movement)	Recap
1	Ottawa Cavalry	3-0 (-)	The Ottawa Cavalry squeaked out a close one this week against The Boise Mud Dogs 20-17. This contest came down to Boise's final possession, and they failed to capitalize. In a match-up where Boise had rushed and out-passed the Cavalry, they couldn't close it out for the win. QB Javier Vasquez completed 80% of his passes and threw for 191 yards in the win. Boise's defense was led by LB Gary Marx who recorded 11 total tackles.
2	Annapolis Navigators	2-1 (▲ 1)	The Annapolis Navigators had no trouble disposing of the Lincoln Rattlesnakes with a 41-13 victory in Week 3. The big story on offense for the Navigators was RB Scott Johnson who carried the ball 18 times for 133 yards and 4 rushing touchdowns. The Annapolis defense had Lincoln QB Jay Cue on the run all afternoon as they recorded 5 sacks on the day. The Navigators controlled this one from start to finish to keep themselves 1 game behind the Cavalry atop the SFLm standings.
3	Albuquerque Atoms	2-1 (▼ 1)	The Atoms would love to have a do-over if it were possible, as they were torn into particles and upset by the Birmingham Fuel 34-10. This is a team that leads the league in turnovers with a total of 6 and struggles to score touchdowns. The run game is second to last and their offensive line has given up 7 sacks. How does this team have two wins? Their Defense is Ranked #1 overall, only giving up a total of 247 yards per game. Linebacker Carson Miller leads the team with 27 total tackles and Defensive Tackle Tina Begin has 8 tackles for losses. If the Atoms want to improve their record to 3-1, they’ll need to find more energy on offense, and take it to the next level!
4	Boise Mud Dogs	1-2 (-)	In the most exciting and entertaining game of the year, Boise played tough against the SFLminor’s best team, Ottawa Cavalry, but came up short on a game saving tackle that would have given the Mud Dogs a walk-off victory. QB Spencer Gordon has three touchdown passes, and the offensive line hasn’t allowed him to be sacked. That’s the good. The bad… he has 6 interceptions. Fox Highwind has run the ball effectively as the league leader in carries and total yards, 71/368 and that seems to be the best way for Boise to move the ball. Defensively, Linebacker Gary Marx is making Pro Teams know who he is leading the Minors in total tackles with 37, an average of 12 per game, and Free Safety Thomas Smith is tied for the most interceptions with two. They’ve lost one, won one, and lost one. This week they’re supposed to win, right? If these Dogs aren’t ready for Lincoln in Week 4, they could get snake-bitten at home, and things could be getting a little muddy in Boise.
5	Madison Lynx	1-2 (▲ 2)	And with that confident win over the San Jose Flight, the Madison Lynx pull back from the brink. Derrick Majors was looking confident with 23 for 27 passes completed for 241 yards and a touchdown, with no interceptions. Danny Stinson was an unstoppable defensive force for the Lynx, garnering 8 tackles to his name. The Lynx hope to continue improving on their 1-2 record as they host the Birmingham Fuel today at 2:00pm.
6	Birmingham Fuel	1-2 (▲ 2)	It was the Birmingham Fuel who dropped the bomb on the visiting Albuquerque Atoms this week, easily outscoring them despite less yardage and time of possession. Zak Ley and Kairo Martinez each crossed Hollywood Blvd. to put up points for the offense, while David Horrell made the sole interception of the game count for 6 as well. The Fuel travel to Madison, WI to take on the Lynx later today, with each team seeking a 2-2 record from the match-up.
7	San Jose Flight	1-2 (▼ 2)	Unfortunately for San Jose, it was the Lynx that flew away with the victory. Quarterback Ace Fenech completed two-thirds of his passes thrown without an interception, but the ground game for the Flight was anemic this week, totaling only 45 yards. Gary Clem and Devin King were causing headaches for the Lynx all game long, though, as the linebacking duo combined for 20 tackles. The Flight take to the skies to take on Albuquerque this Wednesday, looking to turn things around and start soaring.
8	Lincoln Rattlesnakes	1-2 (▼ 2)	Rattlesnakes are creatures used to mountainous, arid territory, so it's understandable that Lincoln slipped up against the at-home Annapolis Navigators; it's just unfortunate that it was to the tune of 13-41. While the Rattlesnake receivers were averaging 9.7 yards a reception, it only translated into one touchdown this game - certainly plenty of room for improvement. Lincoln's defense will need to step up against running back Fox Highwind if they hope to stand a chance against the Boise Mud Dogs later today.