2019 Postseason
AFC Wild Card Game: San Diego (10-6) at Cleveland (10-6)
The Chargers are new to this whole “playoff” thing, but their QB Kelly Bryson is not. He lead the Titans to the title in 2017, just two seasons ago, after a long and distinguished career with the Bills. WR Brett Chapman is their best offensive weapon, behind a solid OL. Defensively, they don’t impress me much at all – I don’t see a lot outside a couple solid player up front. I really can’t see how this team won ten games. (They admittedly have two solid defenders on the injured list and out for this game, which helps to explain things a bit)
On our first drive, we are stalled, but punt down to their 3 yard line. Brock hits Sellers later in the fist quarter for our 7-0 lead, but we can’t really pull away. We get on the board again close to halftime, and lead 14-3 at the break. We score again in the third quarter, and while we aren’t piling it on, our defense has surely come to play. We notch a solid 34-6 win, and comfortably move into the divisional round, where we’ll have to go on the road.
AFC Divisional Playoff: Cleveland (11-6) at Kansas City (11-5)
KC has a solid young QB in Otis Parker, and an excellent RB in Eddie Carr. Those two, taken in rounds 2 and 1, respectively, of the 2016 draft, are their offensive leaders and the main reasons why they are looking so tough. They have an outstanding secondary, and are tough on defense overall. They might be vulnerable to the run, and we’ll send them a heavy dose of Gus Stewart early and often.
In the first quarter, we convert following a Kirk Weed interception, and take the 7-0 lead. LB Andrew Wallace causes a fumble on a sack of Otis Parker, and DT Tommy Allen falls on the ball at the KC 9 yard line. Stewart gashes right in for the 14-0 lead. Van Harmon gets a 67-yard punt return to set up a short drive, where he catches the TD pass himself. We are suddenly up 21-0 with only ten minutes down.
We cool off a bit, and KC gets momentum – making it 21-10 at the halftime break. The opening drive of the second half gets them another FG, and it’s a one-possession game. Big interception by Cottle in the lat third quarter ends another threat, but we seem to be playing on our heels. We finally et something going, and with 11 minutes to go, we top off another drive with a TD to Harmon again, and take a solid 28-13 lead.
We add a FG after forcing them three and out, but the Chiefs then march for a TD, getting the score to 31-19 (they miss the two-pointer). From there, we wind things up, and get a nice playoff road win to move on to the conference championship.
AFC Championship: Cleveland (12-6) at Buffalo (12-5)
Martin Tate is the Bills QB, and their featured player, of course. They have lots of offensive role players behind a sturdy run-blocking offensive line. A strong defense against the run is their key up front, and they have a solid zone scheme in the secondary, including an old player of ours, S Deron Ellery. They are solid, don’t really on any one player too much, and are installed as two point favorites here at home.
Brock goes to the air on our first drive, hitting Pritchett for a big first down, then getting Gus Stewart loose on a swing pass for the 37-yard TD play. Looks great. Buffalo grinds out field position to get a field goal after two possessions, and the first quarter ends with us leading 7-3. We jump on a fumble in the second quarter, and Pritchett makes them pay with the 21-yard home run on the very next play.
We get the ball back, but return the favor – Stewart fumbles, and they drive afterward for a TD to get it to 14-10. That’s where it lies at the halftime break – not a terribly well-played game so far, with lots of penalties and critical mistakes on both sides.
The field position battle rages through the whole third quarter – punt after punt. We finally get something going in the fourth quarter, and a clutch pass to Stewart sets up a TD pass to Harmon, and we take a nice 21-10 lead. Buffalo keeps alive with a time-consuming drive that gets them a FG, and they trail 21-13 with just below four minutes left.
We surprisingly go to the air, and collect two first downs on passes from Deion Brock to TE Karl Sellers. Safe passing gets us another first down, and we have all but eaten the clock away. We wrap it up with a FG, and Kenneth Eskridge seals it with a late pick, to secure the 24-13 win and our berth into our fifth Superbowl.
Superbowl: Cleveland (13-6) vs. Philadelphia (14-4)
The two teams with the best historic records – both of us have won over 60% of our regular season games, and each has won two Superbowls. Here we clash for the championship.
When we were 9-6, and needed one last win to sneak into the playoffs, it wasn’t clear that we could do this. But now, we have done what we could not do in the regular season – win four in a row. We’re at the big game again, for our record fifth appearance.
For Philly, they really lack an offensive star – with QB Billy Redmon filling in for injured Herb Parker, their regular starter. But, they have rallied around their team-oriented philosophy, and have made a nice run through this season and playoffs. They are made a 3 point favorite in this game.
QB Deion Brock is dinged up, but he will play. I expect we will tone down the passing a bit, and try to pound the ball against them – their outside run defense might be the place to attack.
Philly gets the ball first, and they promptly convert on two 3rd-and-7 chances. On their next play, though, Redmon goes into the flat, and Kenneth Eskridge picks it off, taking it all the way back for the opening score. What a cap to a phenomenal season! The angry Eagles drove, but miss a FG and we get our first chance to take the ball.
Stewart runs, and we give rookie Sims a shot outside – but the youngster fumbles, and the Eagles get it right back. They convert two more third downs, and set up for a FG to get within 7-3. On our next possession, the tables turn – Brock scrambles from the pocket, but is stripped of the ball, and Philly’s LB Roberts takes it all the way back for the TD. Two defensive touchdowns, and it’s 10-7 as the first quarter winds down.
After trading punts, we engineer a nice drive, and get Pritchett into the end zone on a short pass, to take the 14-10 lead. LB Kurt Dodge makes a nice interception in the flat, which halts their progress and gives us one last shot to score before the half. A 39-yard pass to Pritchett sets up a field goal, and it’s 17-10 at the break.
On our opening possession, looking to push even farther ahead, Brock gets sacked and they recover yet another fumble. They miss on a FG attempt, though, and we dodge the bullet. We rive and miss our own FG, and the field position struggle continues. Pritchett comes up with a huge third down conversion, and we manage to drive in for the score – rookie RB Daryl Sims redeems himself with a great TD catch from Brock. It’s 24-10 with three minutes left in the third quarter.
Philadelphia needs a response, and they move to midfield, but our star safety Kenneth Eskridge comes up with a great interception, and stalls their progress. Another monster play by Don Pritchett sets us up for a potential “dagger” score, and Daryl Sims again hauls in the tally.
Philadelphis drives again to near midfield, but again we get a pick – this time it’s Kirk Weed with the ballhawk. Leading 31-10, things are looking very, very good right now. We keep them in check down the stretch, and then CB Ty Enochs picks off another Philly pass, and takes this one back for the score as well. That all but seals the deal – but the excellent defensive performances all around obfuscate the great game by S Kenneth Eskridge, and the powers that be see fit to award the game MVP to our QB, Deion Brock. Hooray, Cleveland has now won its third Superbowl!
Season Wrap-up
Code:
2019 Awards List
Award Player Team
Player of the Year Eddie Carr KCY
**Front Office Bowl MVP Deion Brock CLE
Coach of the Year Not Yet Awarded
Legend of the Game Not Yet Awarded
Offensive Player of the Year Eddie Carr KCY
Defensive Player of the Year Heath McIntyre DAL
Offensive Rookie of the Year Lee Bergsman SFO
Defensive Rookie of the Year Donovan Brocklebank MIN
All-League First-String Quarterback Broderick Poplawski TEN
All-League First-String Running Back Eddie Carr KCY
All-League First-String Fullback Josh Halvorson HOU
All-League First-String Tight End Johnnie Jennings CIN
All-League First-String Wide Receiver Reggie Abrams BUF
All-League First-String Wide Receiver Jamal Feusse TBY
All-League First-String Center Desmond Harden PIT
All-League First-String Offensive Guard Leslie McIntyre TEN
All-League First-String Offensive Guard Ted Freeman OAK
All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Moe Yost BAL
All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Dave Gaylor KCY
All-League First-String Punter Matt Hughes NYG
All-League First-String Kicker Marcus Morrison NOS
All-League First-String Defensive End Duane Sheen NYG
All-League First-String Defensive End Calvin Carter GBY
All-League First-String Defensive Tackle Kendrick Pardo SDO
All-League First-String Defensive Tackle Marshall Porter HOU
All-League First-String Inside Linebacker Norman Liwienski NYJ
All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Heath McIntyre DAL
All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Mo Sellers SDO
All-League First-String Cornerback Phillip Nelson ATL
All-League First-String Cornerback Zack Cooley KCY
**All-League First-String Safety Kenneth Eskridge CLE
All-League First-String Safety Jermaine Pierce MIA
All-League Second-String Quarterback Courtney Schwake NOS
All-League Second-String Running Back Jim Rayburn PIT
All-League Second-String Fullback Eric Pritchett TEN
**All-League Second-String Tight End Karl Sellers CLE
All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Jeff Quinn BAL
All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Lorenzo Zimmerman BAL
All-League Second-String Center Dexter Gaylor PHI
All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Aaron Jacobs ARI
All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Kirk Copeland BUF
All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Don Barbour TEN
All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Korey Russell MIA
All-League Second-String Punter Gus Farley SEA
**All-League Second-String Kicker Mo Crain CLE
All-League Second-String Defensive End Clifton Irwin DAL
All-League Second-String Defensive End J.R. Westbrook BAL
All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Lenny Palmer PHI
All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Drew Worsham TEN
All-League Second-String Inside Linebacker Brian Flores IND
All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Leon Coughlin ARI
All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Matthew Ingram CIN
All-League Second-String Cornerback Karl Hulton PIT
All-League Second-String Cornerback Butch Gephart NED
All-League Second-String Safety Jim Foley NYJ
All-League Second-String Safety Luther Stoutmire NYG
League's Fastest Man George Baker BUF
League's Strongest Man Ricardo Jordan CAR
I’m a little disappointed with the awards list – both QB Brock and RB Stewart had slightly lesser years than last season, but I thought they might get in anyway. S Eskridge made it, but lost out DPOY to a 134-tackle LB from Dallas. Alas.
Regardless, we cannot look at this season as anything but a smashing success—after a shaky regular season, we got hot at he right time, and went all the way to our third title! Woo hoo!