BMEFA 07-08: Meet the new boss ...

[RooMorgans]

... same as the old boss.

The BMEFA concluded its third professional season on Saturday at Larry Fryer's house in Maryland. First, thanks to Larry and his wife for putting up the league for the day, feeding everybody, and making sure everyone had a great time. We are lucky as a league to have members that go all out like Larry does to make sure we can have days like we did yesterday.

Eight teams qualified for the 1-off playoff battles. With three coaches unable to appear, three alternates in the 9-11 seeds took over to find their place to the playoffs ... and as it turned out, that wasn't good news for some of the favorites.

QUARTERFINALS
No. 1 Dallas (8-0) vs. No. 11 Philadelphia (2-6)
COWBOYS 21, EAGLES 0
* Coach Adrian Baxter's Cowboys got two touchdown passes from Troy Aikman, and a scoring run by Tony Hill, in a 21-0 victory in the first round. The Eagles threatened a bit, getting 59 yards through the air, but weren't able to break the shutout.

No. 2 Pittsburgh (7-1) vs. No. 10 Buffalo (2-6)
BILLS 7, STEELERS 0
* The wide-awake Bills had every answer for the sleepy Steelers, who saw their vaunted shotgun attack, led by Offensive Player of the Year Ben Roethlisberger, reduced to a squirt. Sean Carter's Bills scored just before the half, after Pittsburgh failed on a 4th-and-1 from its own 35. The Steelers tried to rally on the game's final possession, after denying Buffalo on a 4th down for the second time in the game, but couldn't get across midfield.

No. 3 New Orleans (5-3) vs. No. 9 Houston (3-5)
TEXANS 14, SAINTS 7
* The wild-card Texans, coached by Larry Sharpe, joined the Bills in dethroning a division champion, as a 48-yard touchdown pass early in the second half was enough to put Houston over the top and into the semifinals. Matt Schaub was 7-of-10 for 180 yards and 2 touchdowns in the win for Houston, while New Orleans saw a fine season come to an end at 5-4. But for his effort, New Orleans boss James Martin was named BMEFA Coach of the Year.

No. 4 Detroit (5-3) vs. No. 5 Oakland (5-3)
RAIDERS 13, LIONS 0
* In the regular season, these teams played a 35-35 thriller, but in the playoffs, things usually tighten up and that was the case in this one, as it was the Raiders that found the offense, with one air score and one running score, in the win. Detroit's Special Teams Player of the Year, KR Darrian Ross, was held to 59 yards on two chances and Oakland's tough defense did the rest. Coach Will Travers advanced to the semifinals.

SEMIFINALS

No. 1 Dallas (9-0) vs. No. 5 Oakland (6-3)
COWBOYS 21, RAIDERS 7
* Dallas moved on to its second consecutive Super Bowl with a dominating passing performance, as Aikman was 10-of-11 for 185 yards and 3 touchdowns to 3 different receivers. League Defensive Player of the Year Jim Jeffcoat had two sacks and forced a fumble. Oakland scored a touchdown late to get within 14-7, but couldn't recover an onside kick. Oakland finishes a fine season at 6-4.

No. 9 Houston (4-5) vs. No. 10 Buffalo (3-6)
TEXANS 21, BILLS 7
* More points to be had in this one, though the Bills had their chances. In a 7-7 game, the Bills got to the Houston 17 midway through the first half on a long pass where the receiver fell with nothing but the end zone in front of him. Buffalo couldn't push it any further, then had a field goal blocked. Houston scored two plays later on a 74-yard pass to Andre Johnson, and the game was forever changed. Johnson caught 4 passes for 181 yards and 3 scores, as Schaub threw for 221, and the Texans advanced to Super Bowl III.

SUPER BOWL III
No. 1 Dallas (10-0) vs. No. 9 Houston (5-5)

By day, the Houston Texans were a gritty wild-card team featuring a blistering passing game that had marched its way toward the sport's biggest game.

By night, they found out what every other team in the BMEFA had already learned.

Adrian Baxter's Dallas Cowboys - the "Silver Surfers" - are pretty good.

Dallas scored twice through the air in the first half to take a 14-0 lead, then shut down Houston in the second, including a sack for a safety, as the Cowboys beat the Texans, 23-0. It marked the second shutout in Super Bowl history, as well as the most points scored and the widest margin of victory. The safety was the first defensive score in Super Bowl history, as well.

Dallas threw for 226 yards on just 5 completions, and held Houston to -6 total yards on the strength of 8 sacks (2 each by Jeffcoat and Charles Haley).

Dallas also became the second team to finish a BMEFA season as undefeated Super Bowl champions, going 11-0. Pittsburgh went 10-0 and won Super Bowl I, also by shutout, over the Baltimore Ravens. Dallas beat Pittsburgh, 7-3, in Super Bowl II.

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That completes the third season of BMEFA football and we plan on being back for a fourth, fifth, and 20th. There are many good teams in our league, as the playoffs proved, and everyone sees the bar they have to reach to take home the hardware.

Thanks to everyone who made the season great, and thanks to everyone here who followed along.

We hope to have some pictures up in the near future.

Roo