The first week of the ANFL is in the books

With no expectations to go off of other than the "Power Rankings", we'll be learning a lot about how this league will function moving forward. As of the pre-season, the St. Louis Cardinals are the no. 1 ranked team in the ANFL with an overall of 96. The no. 24 ranked team is the Dallas Cowboys, with an overall of 23. There are only 24 teams in the ANFL this season, split into 2 conferences of teams (the American Conference with 9 teams and the National Conference with 15 Teams). Let's dive into how this week went:

New York Jets @ San Diego Chargers

The first game played in the ANFL happened in San Diego in a tightly contested matchup. RB Aaron Wall rushed for a 2 yard TD with 4:46 remaining in the second quarter for the first score in league history. Unfortunately, K Sione Carr misses the extra point. With New York leading 6-3 at the half, NYJ QB Leonard Smith ran in a 1 yard TD of his own before the start of the 4th quarter. San Diego turned up the pace, with RB Samson Phillips and WR DeMario Coleman finding the endzone and K Alvin Warren making a 36 yard attempt. With 2 minutes left to go, QB Leonard Smith finds Aaron Pierce for 7 yards and an extra point ends the game at 20-19 with a NYJ victory.

New York Giants @ Houston Oilers

The Giants roll into Houston to begin their season, led by 23 year-old QB Davonte' Ogbonna. The first half features each team trading field goals from HOU K Jesse McKinney and NYG K Quentin Sledge, tying it at 6-6. QB Ogbonna sprains his ankle with 2 minutes to go left in the 3rd, allowing backup QB Colby Moore to come into the game. K Jesse McKinney makes a 27 yard field goal to bring the game to HOU 9-6 before QB Clay Thomas completes a 78 yard bomb to TE Theo McCary for the only TD of the game and sealing it, HOU wins 16-6.

NYG QB Davonte' Ogbonna will return in 2 games (sprained ankle).

Kansas City Chiefs @ Los Angeles Rams

The Kansas City Chiefs show up to a Los Angeles Rams home crowd, but aren't ready to handle anything involving running. LAR RBs John Carter, Stewart Ramons, and QB John Pollard each chip in a rushing TD in the 1st half, going up 23-0 to start the game. QB Pollard completes a 54 yard pass to WR Alonzo Scott and make the 2 point conversion to go up 31-0. With the game all but over, KC QB Christian Huff does his best to make this game appear closer than it actually is, completing a 56 yard TD to WR Casey Williams and a 36 yard TD to WR Brett Sweeney. LAR wins, 31-13.

The Los Angeles Rams dominated both sides of the running game, totaling a combined 222 rushing yards on offense and holding the Kansas City Chiefs to only 19 rushing yards.

San Fransisco 49ers @ Boston Patriots

The Boston Patriots are looking to get spooky against the San Fransisco 49ers. The 49ers, led by 28 year-old QB Bennie Banks, take an early 14-0 lead to start the first half. The Patriots make it a 14-3 game thanks to a 54 yard field goal made by K Brody Bolden with 3 seconds remaining in the 2nd quarter. Filmmaker-now-QB Tim Burton completes an eerie 49 yard touchdown pass to WR Anthony Hawley and makes the 2 point conversion with a reception by TE Nolan Foster. With the game now at 14-11, Bennie Banks becomes the Monopoly Man with a 99 yard touchdown pass to WR Glenn Noa. Boston brings it within a score with 7 minutes remaining, but the 49ers win at home 21-14.

St. Louis Cardinals @ Oakland Raiders

The top ranked ANFL St. Louis Cardinals are looking to prove that statement correct as they take on the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders play the Cardinals close all game, taking the first points of the game as QB Paris Shorter completes a 29 yard pass to TE Andrew King for a TD. With 9:27 in the 2nd quarter, RB Phillip Blake is pushed back into his own end zone - the Cardinals secure the 1st Safety in the history of the league! STL RB Tanner Bowles makes it a 9-7 lead at the half. STL QB Davaugh Augustin extends the Cardinals lead with a 8 yard reception for paydirt by WR Mike Kuehl. The Raiders attempt to make this a closer game with K Mike Goddard making a 26 yard FG, but there's not enough time left on the clock to make the comeback. STL Cardinals win a close one, 16-10.

Buffalo Bills @ Detroit Lions

The Lake Effect Bowl is in full effect, with the Bills visiting Detroit this weekend. Detroit K Sam Neville puts the Lions up 6-0 midway through the 2nd quarter, just before BUF RB Adrian Carter puts in a 3 yard stumble into the end zone to put Buffalo up 7-6 to end the half. K Sam Neville keeps doing what he does, nailing a 50 yard FG to put Detroit back up. Not even a minute later does BUF QB Kurt Wood nail WR Nic Boyer for an 89 yard zig-zag to the end zone. BUF makes a field goal later, leading Detroit 17-9 with a full quarter to go. With 10 minutes left to play, DET QB Yuri Ramsey scans the field carefully and decides to not throw it carefully as its picked off by BUF CB Jamal Powell, who sprints 68 yards to run it back for the first Pick-6 in the ANFL! The Lions can't make any forward progress and the Bills kneel it out, a dominant 24-9 win on the road.

BUF QB Kurt Wood had a phenomenal day whilst pressured. Despite being sacked 6 times, he threw 27 passes, completing 70.4% and securing a TD in the 3rd quarter. DET QB Yuri Ramsey, however, struggled, only completing 53.8% of his passes and throwing for under 100 yards.

Minnesota Vikings @ Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Nice wants to try and tussle with Miami Vice. Turns out, being nice doesn't work out too well when you're facing Tony Montana. By 9:20 of the first quarter, the Miami Dolphins find the end zone 3 times thanks to QB Sipo Tago, RB Kevin woods, and WR Donovan Mincey. MIN QB Jonathan Washington-to-WR Denzell Simmons makes it a 20-6 Miami game by the end of the first, but that's the best it gets for the boys in Purple. WR Donvan Mincey finds the end zone two more times before the end of the half, bringing the game to 37-6. While QB Johnathan Washington does find two more TDs before the end of the game, he's matched by RB Nick Baltazar and WR Donovan Mincey with one a piece. A dominant 50-20 home stand by the Dolphins to start the season.

The Sipo Tago-Donovan Mincey Experience™ is the story of the game. With 16 targets, Donovan Mincey was able to secure 14 of them, ensuring 148 yards and 4 TDs. Mincey may be the WR to watch this season if he keeps it up. It also doesn't hurt that Miami put up 220 rushing yards this game as well, ensuring a high-powered yet balanced offense.

Dallas Cowboys @ Baltimore Colts

The Dallas Cowboys visit the Baltimore Colts. While neither team is projected to do well this season, winning this game would be important to see what pieces they have to work with. Dallas starts off the game with RB Thomas Smith turning in a 4 yard TD. Traded FGs make the game DAL 10-3 by half. After what was probably a decent half-time speech, the Colts storm back by scoring 16 straight points on the Cowboys courtesy of QB Conrad Spence throwing to WR Dillion Smith and TE Preston Hardin for 9 and 65 yards, respectively. DAL RB Cameron Cherocci makes it close with a 3 yard TD with 1:37 remaining in the 4th Quarter but Dallas isn't able to get the ball back. BAL wins 19-17.

Prior to the end of the first half, BAL P Tim Route bruised his knee and was unable to return. However, the Colts didn't punt at all in the second half of the game! He'll be out for one more game before returning to the field.

Cleveland Browns @ Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles welcome the Cleveland Browns to begin the season. PHI RB Ed Johnson runs in 2 TDs in the first half, but is matched by CLE QB Alec Garcia TDs to WR Ishmael Noland (68 yards) and WR Lacy Petty (5 yards) to tie it at 14-14. Notably, the Eagles tried an onside kick in the first quarter but could not convert. After a brutal roughing the passer penalty by CLE LB Blaine Toal, PHI QB George Baggarley goes down for the game with a bruised knee midway through the 3rd quarter. The Eagles send in 21 year-old Humberto Dickerson to try and keep the game going the way of Philly. RB Ed Johnson roars in for another TD late in the 3rd as the Eagles take the lead 20-17. CLE RB Keevan Taylor responds with a TD of his own and a 50 yard FG made by K Torian Johnson puts the Browns up 27-20 with only 1:18 left to play. With :53 left in the game, QB Humberto Dickerson closes his eyes and heaves up a prayer... it's caught by Donald Johnson for 74 and the tying score! After sending the game to overtime, the Eagles and Browns go back and forth but are unable to clinch the game for either team, ending the game in a tie.

Denver Broncos @ Green Bay Packers

The Denver Broncos head to the smallest city to have an ANFL franchise - the Green Bay Packers. With neither team looking to be dominant this season, this game will be a strong starting point for the winning team. The Packers score first, led by QB Axel Applegate completing a TD for 5 yards to WR Alex Tupou. Denver matches at the top of the 2nd Quarter with a RB Hunter Hobbs TD. Applegate continues to make magic happen with a 7 yard dot to WR Eric Dublin for a TD. With less than a minute left in the half, tragedy strikes! QB Axel Applegate strains his groin as he's hit from behind. The ball is sent into the arms of DEN S Hakeem Pointer for the interception! The Packers lead at half 14-10, with the Broncos making a FG to end the half. With Applegate unable to return, Green Bay sends in 36 year-old Matt Carman to plug the gap. Any hope of Green Bay keeping this game close is dashed with the Applegate injury as the Broncos run up the score the rest of the game, winning 23-14.

QB Axel Applegate will be out for 1 week with a strained groin.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons host the Pittsburgh Steelers in prime-time to finish this week. Both teams featured strong running games, with PIT having 124 rushing yards and ATL with 211 rushing yards. Pittsburgh landed the first blow, QB Merrill Dreher finding WR Justin Ames for 2 yards and a TD. ATL RB Will Conway starts the 2nd quarter with a TD of his own (9 yards) to tie the game. With the Falcons at midfield with :01 left in the half, calling a series of running plays, RB Conway breaks free from the line of scrimmage and sprints 51 yards for a TD to put the Falcons up 14-7. PIT K Harry Murphy chips in a 28 yard FG to bring it to 14-10 at the start of the 3rd. On the next Steeler possession, QB Merrill Dreher is picked off by CB Tre McDowell who takes it 47 yards to the house for a pick-6! The rest of the game was all falcons as WR Rickey Jones storms in for a 47 yard TD on a jet sweep and K Cam Ransey seals the game with a 25 yard FG, ATL wins 31-10.

ATL CB Cameron Gillespie will be out for 4 games with patellar tendonitis.

PIT S Danny Rodriguez will be out for 11 games with a fractured foot.

DNP: Chicago Bears, Washington Football Team

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