Xpress Roll Over Tigers
The Atx Tigers came to Dallas with upset on their mind, what they received was the most lopsided lost of their season, the Tigers came in with the best 1-2 punch running game in the League, The Xpress defense is ranked number 1 against the run, and the Tigers found out why. The Xpress arguably has the best run defense in the NMLF shut down the Tigers powerful run game with help from the weather, and strong linebacker play from all star nominee Sam Crawford and Quenton Sarpy and excellent defensive line support. The Xpress got on the board first when QB Tre Fields scored from 1 yard out. The Tigers offense could not move the ball on their next possession. The Xpress got the ball back and Fields hooked up with All Star wide receiver Chris Choice on a 27 yard T.D. reception to put the Xpress up 12-0. On The Xpress next offensive possession Fields hooked up with Rashard Manning on a 57 yard T.D. Pass, the 2 pt conversion pass to John Pope was good and the Xpress had a 20-0 lead by the middle of the 2ND quarter. The Tigers tried to move the ball on their next offensive possession but couldn't get it going. Fields again went to the air this time a 13 yard strike to wideout Melvin Harris who had a career high 4 catches and 1 score to push the lead 26-0. The next Xpress offensive possession Fields hooked up once again with wide out Rashard Manning on a 46 yard T.D. pass to go into halftime leading 32-0. The start of the second half brought new life to the Tigers, they were able to move the ball on the Xpress defense to get to the Xpress 38 yard line, where the Tigers running back got loose on a 38 yard T.D. run that put the Tigers 6 pt's closer and the score was now 32-6. The next Tigers series which saw them deep inside their own 10 yard line they decided to throw the football and the pass was intercepted by All Star nominee defensive end Jeremy Rutherford who ran untouched for a T.D. that push the score to 38-6. After the Xpress defense made another stop Fields then found T.E. David Steele on a 33 yard T.D. to push the lead to 44-6 with 10 mins left to go in the game. That's when mother nature took over and the rain and lightning started getting very intense the game had to be called with the Xpress leading 44-6 over the Tigers. The Xpress finished the regular season 8-2 and a 4th seed in the playoffs, and the Tigers finished 5-4-1 and a 5th seed. Both teams will match up again in the second round of the playoffs on 5/16/09 at the Josey Ranch sports Complex in Carrollton.
