The Pirates started out the season strong, winning their first 2 games in high scoring affairs. However, losing 2 of the next 3 to Kensington and Bestine left the Pirates at 3-2, not in 1st place, and questioning their identity. But the worrying was for naught as they rattled off 7 straight wins – highlighted by a 195.91 spot on the hapless Colliders – before losing the regular season finale to DownState. But they had already clinched the #1 seed.
For the 2nd straight season, Marshfield and Madtown shared the first round byes – this time with the Pirates earning the #1 seed in thanks to 180.46-174.36 barnburner victory in Week 2. However, when the 2nd round rolled around, the Pirates were very thin with 7+ players out for the season and a very limited budget. They dropped all the players that they could and put a $5.94 bid on former Pirate Knowshon Moreno, who was instantly inserted into the lineup for Round 2 against Sullivan Island. The result was magical. Moreno scored 10.9 more than the alternative – WR Torrey Smith – which was the difference in the Pirate 162.08-153.3 victory. DE Muhammid Wilkerson blocked a FG on Monday night for good measure.
The Championship game was a Week 3 rematch with the Kensington Dragons who, after a 7-3 start, literally snuck into the playoffs on a 3 game losing streak. No one gave the Dragons much of a chance against the Colliders, who they ironically knocked into the 4th seed by virtue of their 196.06-192.34 victory in Week 9. Well, lightning struck again in a 141.92-141.63 upset. While Batavia GM Josh Hammond was still crying foul and submitting mock lineups, Kensington was busy shrugging off another 34+ point performance by an opposing player to beat Madtown and earn the matchup with the Pirates.
The game looked grim for the Pirates early as the Dragon LB trio of Russell Allen, London Fletcher, and Perry Riley combined for 40 and then Matt Forte, Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker combined for 4 TDs in the afternoon games to give Kensington a 131.77-108.1 lead going into the final Sunday night game. Pirate GM Jason Enright gave his concession speech a little too early as he forgot he had 4 players playing in the 49er/Seahawk game. The 4 players combined for 49.8 points and the Pirates coasted to a 151.18-131.77 victory and their first Championship.
Regular Season MVP: Tom Brady. Proved once again he’s as good as they come and scored more than everyone except freak-of-nature JJ Watt.
Defensive MVP: NaVorro Bowman. Sat out the whole first half of the season, but did his best work when it counted in the playoffs.
Playoff MVP: Marshawn Lynch. Huge final 4 games (17ppg) to carry the team to the Championship.
Best FA Pickup: Knowshon Moreno. Yeah, he only played 2 games, but they were the most important.
Biggest Surprise: Andre Johnson. Nope, not Lynch. Not VJax either. AJ was injured all last season and at his age (31) and the fact the Texans are a running team, most thought he was washed up. Marshfield stuck with him, reconstructed his contract and it paid off with close to a top 10 finish.
Biggest Disappointment: LeSean McCoy. Not his fault, but he wasn’t available when the Pirates needed him most and only scored above 10 points 3 times all season.
A Look to 2013: A lot of big questions remain for the Pirates in 2013. Surely Tom Brady will be franchised, but who gets the call between NaVorro Bowman and D’Qwell Jackson? Will Knowshon Moreno finally wrest the starting job next season from aging Willis McGahee? What will the Pirates do with their picks in the first 3 rounds? Stay tuned!
© 2012, Jason Enright. All rights reserved.
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