[Orleanian In Exile]

SEMINOLES 45
RAIDERS 14

For this week, a switch in game format to 40-plays (including kicks) —10-play quarters— (though retaining the four-downs to score/out possession format) saw the first actual blowout of the games I've played so far in this series. The Raiders scored first after receiving the opening kickoff, driving 61 yards for a TD, but the Seminoles evened the score on their first possession. Second quarter saw the 'Noles open a wide gap —after initially being held to a field goal, they put up 14 quick points on a 79 yard punt return for a TD and not long afterward a return on an interception for a second touchdown to take a 24-7 lead into halftime. Second half opens with the 'Noles again driving for the TD on their first possession while inflicting -22 yards on the Raiders initial possession and holding them scoreless for the rest of the 3rd quarter. The Raiders would finally put a second touchdown on the board in the 4th quarter, but the 'Noles mount another successful drive and then start a blitz attack which results in three devastating QB sacks, one of which results in a turnover on downs which gets turned into another TD, and snuffs out the Raiders' fitful rally attempt in a game they lost control of by the middle of the second quarter. The Seminoles were dominant on offence as well as defence: gaining 426 yards to the Raiders 318 and scoring on six TDs and a FG.

No procedural glitches and my timing for setups on downs is improving. Elapsed time for this game clocked in at 2.09, which is slower than I prefer but does open up more scoring opportunities. All-in-all, a successful round in this set of experiments. The next few trials will likely alternate between formats to give me a fuller picture of the advantages and disadvantages of both, but these games have worked out very well for my purposes.