Post by oipheroes on Mar 16, 2009 12:01:27 GMT -5
*Please note I did not attend this game*
Summary:
The D.C Armor kicked off there inaugural AIFA season in Redding Friday night with a 28 – 51 loss to the Express. Can’t say I am too surprised by the outcome (see week 2 picks) Redding is a perennial AIFA power house and brought back many players/coaches from last year. Redding came out of the gate fast scoring 13 points in the first frame. The Armor defense did a good job did a good job of stopping two Express drives in the first while also causing and recovering a fumble. In fact if you look at Reddings offensive numbers (172 passing 188 total yards) DC actually won those categories. Unfortunately, Armor quarterback Mike Scipione threw four interceptions and provided the Express a short field for numerous scores. Personally I am not angry at Scipione’s production; he had not played an indoor game since 2005. Scipione’s favorite target was former Baltimore Raven Randy Hymes who caught seven passes for 127 yards and three touchdowns. Hymes, one of the most accomplished players in the AIFA (3 NFL seasons) hauled in a huge twenty six yard touchdown before half to cut Redding’s lead to seven points. The Armor scored again in the third quarter, after a Scipione interception was returned for a touchdown the D.C quarterback threw an impressive forty yard TD to Randy Hymes. Scipione would throw one more thouchdown to Ricky Simons in the fourth quarter but the beating had already been delivered. Redding scored thirty second half points to complete the romp.
The Good:
Randy Hymes hauled in over 100 yards and three touchdowns. The complementary receivers Ricky Simmons and Marcus Hill each caught for over fifty yards which was also good. D.C’s offensive line only gave up two sacks and kept Scipione off his back most of the game. On the defensive side Mike Woodhouse totaled 3.5 tackles from his linebacker spot while Kabote Sikyala caused and recoverd the Armors lone turnover.
The Bad:
From reading this board it appears the Armor were on there worst behavior. The team was penalized an astonishing fourteen times for eighty yards. In terms of any procedural penalties I blame the coaching staff and first AIFA game jitters. It has to be expected that you would have multiple procedural penalties in your first AIFA game although, the coaching staff should have done a better job negating them. The personal fouls are uncalled for and dirty play should not be tolerated. Bobby Payne who at one point inked a three year NFL contract should not be getting called for personal fouls during the first quarter near the Armor goal line. The secondary also performed poorly. Each of the Armor’s starting defensive backs (Ahmad Hawkins, William Haith, and Kabote Sikyala) had played AFL football and should have done a better job shutting down Redding’s passing attack. They totaled zero interceptions as a group. It was also brought to my attention that the Armor failed to produce a roster with numbers or name plates for Friday’s game. Those two infractions along with not releasing a thirty man roster on there web-site are inexcusable. It makes the league look bad when you don’t adhere to the rules. Kicker Nick Ellis missed both field goal attempts (twenty five and thirty), you can’t have your kicker leave points on the board. Obviously the biggest flaw was Scipione’s four interceptions but he had not played competitive football since 2005. I think he and the rest of the team will improve before next week.
Next:
@ Erie River Rats March 28th
Summary:
The D.C Armor kicked off there inaugural AIFA season in Redding Friday night with a 28 – 51 loss to the Express. Can’t say I am too surprised by the outcome (see week 2 picks) Redding is a perennial AIFA power house and brought back many players/coaches from last year. Redding came out of the gate fast scoring 13 points in the first frame. The Armor defense did a good job did a good job of stopping two Express drives in the first while also causing and recovering a fumble. In fact if you look at Reddings offensive numbers (172 passing 188 total yards) DC actually won those categories. Unfortunately, Armor quarterback Mike Scipione threw four interceptions and provided the Express a short field for numerous scores. Personally I am not angry at Scipione’s production; he had not played an indoor game since 2005. Scipione’s favorite target was former Baltimore Raven Randy Hymes who caught seven passes for 127 yards and three touchdowns. Hymes, one of the most accomplished players in the AIFA (3 NFL seasons) hauled in a huge twenty six yard touchdown before half to cut Redding’s lead to seven points. The Armor scored again in the third quarter, after a Scipione interception was returned for a touchdown the D.C quarterback threw an impressive forty yard TD to Randy Hymes. Scipione would throw one more thouchdown to Ricky Simons in the fourth quarter but the beating had already been delivered. Redding scored thirty second half points to complete the romp.
The Good:
Randy Hymes hauled in over 100 yards and three touchdowns. The complementary receivers Ricky Simmons and Marcus Hill each caught for over fifty yards which was also good. D.C’s offensive line only gave up two sacks and kept Scipione off his back most of the game. On the defensive side Mike Woodhouse totaled 3.5 tackles from his linebacker spot while Kabote Sikyala caused and recoverd the Armors lone turnover.
The Bad:
From reading this board it appears the Armor were on there worst behavior. The team was penalized an astonishing fourteen times for eighty yards. In terms of any procedural penalties I blame the coaching staff and first AIFA game jitters. It has to be expected that you would have multiple procedural penalties in your first AIFA game although, the coaching staff should have done a better job negating them. The personal fouls are uncalled for and dirty play should not be tolerated. Bobby Payne who at one point inked a three year NFL contract should not be getting called for personal fouls during the first quarter near the Armor goal line. The secondary also performed poorly. Each of the Armor’s starting defensive backs (Ahmad Hawkins, William Haith, and Kabote Sikyala) had played AFL football and should have done a better job shutting down Redding’s passing attack. They totaled zero interceptions as a group. It was also brought to my attention that the Armor failed to produce a roster with numbers or name plates for Friday’s game. Those two infractions along with not releasing a thirty man roster on there web-site are inexcusable. It makes the league look bad when you don’t adhere to the rules. Kicker Nick Ellis missed both field goal attempts (twenty five and thirty), you can’t have your kicker leave points on the board. Obviously the biggest flaw was Scipione’s four interceptions but he had not played competitive football since 2005. I think he and the rest of the team will improve before next week.
Next:
@ Erie River Rats March 28th
