Chicago – (10 February 2001) — After a tough inaugural game against the Orlando Rage, and the practices in Orlando, the Enforcers finally leave Orlando. This time they are heading to battle the Los Angeles Xtreme.
The Enforcers, after losing 33-29 on Feb. 3 to the Orlando Rage, will battle another winless team. The Xtreme lost their inaugural game on the road against the San Francisco Demons, 15-13, by a game-winning field goal. This game will tell which team is really the worst team in the XFL. I’m not bashing either team, but it’s a battle of the winless. Someone will get back to .500 and the other will be 0-2 looking up at the the other 7 teams in the league.
The Enforcers and the Xtreme had great games, but their defenses weren’t strong enough for either team to get the win. The closeness in the point difference was key. The Xtreme kept their game very close, yet they lost by a field goal in the game’s closing seconds. The Enforcers kept their game going back and forth, but the leeway went to the Rage. The power of Jeff Brohm for Orlando and Mike Pawlawski for San Francisco kept both defenses to allow combined stats of 45-69 passes completed, 505 yards passing, and 6 passing TDs. If this trend continues for both teams going through the season, they will have long years.
Both the Enforcers and the Xtreme have good offensive teams. Here are the key matchups for the Enforcers/Xtreme game.
QB: Tim Lester vs. Tommy Maddox
RB: John Avery vs. Rashaan Shehee
WR: Roell Preston vs. Jermaine Copeland
I really think that this game could be the showstopper, but because of what I have been hearing about what might happen between J.R. and the “Guvnah”, it might take away from a good game. But, from a football standpoint, I wouldn’t be disappointed with this match. I expect to see a high scoring game with a few turnovers here and there. But, the Enforcers kept it very close with the Rage. They came back from a Jeff Brohm onslaught to come back, but lose by 4. The Xtreme had control in the game, it’s just that they lost it.
