2015 Postseason
AFC Divisional Playoff: San Diego (10-7) at Cleveland (14-2)
SD is led by QB Carlos Wynn, and they pound away with RB Bennie Bridges. S Louie Shipway leads a solid defense – actually I’m a little surprised that this team isn’t better than they seem to be. We’ll take them seriously.
We yield a 36-yard pass on their first play, but bottle them up after that and force a punt. They get it back near midfield, and drive for an opening FG to lead 3-0. late in the first quarter, we convert a turnover into a short TD drive, and the pass to Norton makes it 7-3. We add a FG early in the second quarter, but the Chargers roll down the field and tie it up with a TD pass, and it’s 10-10 midway. Mo Crain hits his second after the next drive, and we lead 13-10 at the half, despite being outgained by some 110 yards.
We start the second half with a nice drive, aided by two key penalties, and get in on a short TD pass from Houston to Causey – and lead 20-10. Eskridge gets an interception, but they return the favor, and nearly score on the return. They finish it off in one play, and it’s 20-17, and this game is not wrapped up at all. Crain misses a 51-yard kick, but San Diego’s Maumau hits a 52-yarder, and it’s tied up as we start the fourth quarter.
We get a great drive midway through the quarter, and penetrate to the 12 yard line. Penalties mar the possession from there, but we do kick a 21-yard FG to take the lead again. We trade punts, and San Diego gets probably their last chance, taking over at their 12 with 2:28 left. Facing a fourth down on their 32, they commit a hold, and it becomes fourth and 16. We stop the pass play, and take over on downs. Workhorse Gus Stewart is awarded the game ball, with 116 yards rushing and 57 receiving.
AFC Championship: Jacksonville (9-9) at Cleveland (15-2)
Jacksonville is led by the “Big QQ” – QB Quentin Quinn. Their top player, though, is rookie RB Winfred Mandzuk, who topped 1,000 yardds and is their bright light for the future. I like a lot about their defense – this looks like an intriguing up-and-coming team to me. Getting to the conference championship a little ahead of schedule is fine, of course. We aim to end the story here.
The Jags come our fired up, stuff us on our first possession, and then go down the field and score right away to lead 7-0. We do everything wrong – bobble the kickoff, then commit holding on a big run play, and have to punt again. It’s late in the first quarter when we finally get going, and get a long FG from Mo Crain to get within 7-3.
At the JAX 20, Kirk Weed strips the ball and CB Douglas jumps on it, and we get our first big break. A TD pass to Causey on the second play gets us ahead 10—7. LB Davis gets a pick at the JAX 22, and we convert again on a pass to Tilton to lead 17-7. But Jax gets it right back – the first play of their next possession is an 81-yard bomb, getting them to 17-14. Later in the quarter, Gus Stewart breaks off a 36-yard run, getting us into scoring position once again. But we miss a 46-yard FG, and stay only 3 points ahead. JAX drives for a tying FG, and it’s 17 all as we approach the half.
We mount a late drive, though, and get into position for a big play. We make one last run to set up the FG, but Stewart breaks loose with a block from T Heinlein, and rolls all 26 yards home to the go-ahead TD. Huge play to end the half, up 24-17.
In the third quarter, up a TD, Houston throws into the flat, but is picked off – and the JAX defender takes it 60 yards for the score. Bad snap from center was part of the problem there. Tie game, again.
I have QB Deion Brock in the game now – Houston suffered an injury along the way. We drive for a go-ahead FG, and lead 27-24. Early in the fourth quarter, though, JAX capitalizes on a field position edge, and kicks the tying FG to even up at 27. Neither side can do much, and we trade punts until the clock reads 5:36. Our ball near midfield.
Brock hits Causey and Norton for first downs, and we have our first offensive momentum in a while. We connect on a 42-yard FG to go ahead 30-27, with 3:10 left.
Our defense holds up well, but then yields a 17-yardd completion on 4th and 16 – you just can’t do that. It’s then 4th and 15, and this time we do hold, as LB Frederick gets his mitt on the ball and bats it down at the line. We rumble for the key first down, and wrap up our win – punching our tickets to our second Superbowl.
Superbowl: Cleveland (16-2) vs. Atlanta (15-3)
Every team has its traditions, which build up over time. Our team is no exception. Our deepest tradition is having our starting QB sitting on the sidelines while we play critical playoff games. No exception here – James Houston is out for the big game, and we will go with the oh-so-green Deion Brock in the biggest of them all. Deion Brock was a college standout at Akron (harrumph) but has fairly little experience in big games. Last week, he led our edging out Jacksonville with pretty smart play (7 of 13, no turnovers) – we’ll call on him to do more of the same this week against the mighty Falcons.
QB Brett Shimada is a top pick who leads the Falcons, and is the reigning first team all-pro, with good enough stats to repeat there. They have an excellent OL, and can air the ball out with the best of them. Defensively, they pressure the passer a lot, and are centered by veteran MLB Cedric Goodwin – a longtime anchor for our Cleveland defenses. Goodwin has suffered injuries, but he is healthy for this one.
Cleveland is favored by 5 points in the official line – but without our starting QB available, we will need a few tricks to get this one done, I think. RB Stewart will be called upon again to do heavy lifting.
Our first possession yields nothing, but we stop the Falcons after only one first down. A big pass from Brock to old-timer Alex Garcia gets us past midfield, and we are in position to score. But, TE Norton fumbles after making a catch, and the Falcons take over. We rough the kicker to keep an ATL drive alive, but then CB Callens picks off Shimada to save the threat again. Scoreless after the first quarter.
We continue the field position battle, and set up a long FG midway through the second quarter. Mo Crain nails it from 43, and we lead 3-0. We run a two-minute drive, all passing, to get another kick up, and take the 6-0 edge into the locker room. We have an embarrassing tally of only 15 yards rushing for the entire first half – Atlanta has been crushing the box and daring Deion Brock to beat them. So far, it’s been working pretty well, without a few big plays from our defense, we’d be in real trouble.
On Atlanta’s opening drive, we get another big defensive play – they bobble the kickoff, and gunner Harmon jumps on it at their 32. Again, it’s just a FG, but now we are ahead by two scores, 9-0. Atlanta drives quickly to get into position, tries a FG, but they botch the snap and hold, and we watch it sail wide left. We take advantage of the good fortune, and mount our best drive of the day – and Stewart tops it off with a 20-yard scamper. At 16-0 late in the third quarter, we are starting to take control of this one.
Shimada connects on a long pass, and we are lucky to push the receiver out at our 2. He gets the TD pass two plays later, though, and then Atlanta connects on another short pass for the 2-point conversion. It’s now an 8-point lead, as we start the fourth quarter. Not so much under control any longer.
Deion Brock goes to the air to push us downfield, and we end up topping off the drive on a short pass to Stewart. The 23-8 margin is much better, and we ate nearly 7 minutes in the process. After swapping punts, Atlanta gets it back – 4:07 remaining. They need to score twice, and do it quickly. Our defense holds, and they actually punt – now, it looks all but academic. Our offense eats most of the clock from there, and then they cannot score with their fleeting last few plays… and the final score holds up: Cleveland 23, Atlanta 8. That’s it, folks, Cleveland is finally a champion!
Season Wrap-up
What an ending to a great season – we have to edge out all three playoff games, but we get them all, and get the ring we sought.
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2015 Awards List
Award Player Team
**Player of the Year Gus Stewart CLE
**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 Gus Stewart CLE
Defensive Player of the Year Leon Coughlin ARI
Offensive Rookie of the Year T.J. Robertson ARI
Defensive Rookie of the Year Charles Curtis DEN
All-League First-String Quarterback Jarod Russell NOS
**All-League First-String Running Back Gus Stewart CLE
All-League First-String Fullback Stan Busby IND
All-League First-String Tight End Cory Gomez PIT
All-League First-String Wide Receiver Harry Wulfeck DAL
All-League First-String Wide Receiver Hugh Haley STL
**All-League First-String Center Monty Nunley CLE
All-League First-String Offensive Guard Jeremy Sinclair DEN
All-League First-String Offensive Guard August Dempsey ATL
All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Moe Yost ARI
All-League First-String Offensive Tackle Dave Gaylor JAX
All-League First-String Punter Archie Gibson NYJ
All-League First-String Kicker Scott Schultz NOS
All-League First-String Defensive End Willie Chenoweth DEN
All-League First-String Defensive End Mitch Murray NYG
All-League First-String Defensive Tackle Cary Drake BAL
All-League First-String Defensive Tackle R.J. Jahr NED
All-League First-String Inside Linebacker Marcus Chryplewicz HOU
All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Leon Coughlin ARI
All-League First-String Outside Linebacker Jamie Stevenson NOS
All-League First-String Cornerback Dave Greene SDO
All-League First-String Cornerback Harris Jacobs NOS
All-League First-String Safety Edward Johnson PIT
All-League First-String Safety Mitchell Floyd CAR
All-League Second-String Quarterback Mercury Shoemaker PIT
All-League Second-String Running Back Roger Ramirez DAL
All-League Second-String Fullback Derek Carr ATL
**All-League Second-String Tight End Devin Norton CLE
All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Paul Murray ARI
All-League Second-String Wide Receiver Butch White STL
All-League Second-String Center O.J. Owens SEA
All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Kirk Copeland NYJ
All-League Second-String Offensive Guard Carl Clodfelter CHI
All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Lorenzo Schafer IND
All-League Second-String Offensive Tackle Norm Sinclair IND
All-League Second-String Punter Norman Greene SEA
All-League Second-String Kicker Alonzo Sepanski STL
All-League Second-String Defensive End Skip Bromley MIN
All-League Second-String Defensive End Brian Kavanagh BAL
All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Isaac Timmons JAX
All-League Second-String Defensive Tackle Jamie Curtis KCY
**All-League Second-String Inside Linebacker Curtis Davis CLE
All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Greg Daveria SEA
All-League Second-String Outside Linebacker Dan Winn PHI
All-League Second-String Cornerback Dan Hamilton ARI
All-League Second-String Cornerback Brad McElroy DAL
All-League Second-String Safety Gino Tuinei GBY
All-League Second-String Safety Louie Shipway SDO
League's Fastest Man Blake Moss CAR
League's Strongest Man James Schneider MIA
Heh, QB Deion Brock beats out RB Gus Stewart for Superbowl MVP, and in the process denies him the superfecta of four awards in the same year. C Monty Nunley (nice FA pickup) and LB Curtis Davis (good re-signing) also earn their laurels in this championship season. TE Devin Norton is honored again – but he will be looking for big money next season, I’m certain. We’ll have our challenges ahead, I know.