
While most people consider football a fall and winter sport, the game is starting to take on a year-round feel. Football is now played in the spring with the UFL and in the summertime with the indoor version. In Lowell, Massachusetts the indoor game is starting to take on some interest. That’s because the Massachusetts Pirates are making a name for themselves in the indoor arena.
The team has been in business for six years starting in Worcester for five years and coming to Lowell for their first summer. They have been consistent, making the playoffs in all six years, and in 2021, they won an indoor football championship. On Saturday night, the Pirates began their road to another possible title berth with an exciting road win over the Frisco Fighters 53-50. The win put the Mass Pirates in the Eastern Conference Finals this weekend in Green Bay where they will face the Blizzard for the right to head to Las Vegas and a spot in the IFL title game.
The Pirates and Blizzard have met twice during the regular season. They began their seasons facing each other in the season opener back on March 17 in Green Bay. The Irish eyes were smiling on the Pirates that day as they took the game by a 44-40 score. In June, the Blizzard would return the favor by winning in Lowell at Tsongas Center by a 36-33 count. As you can see by both scores, the games were close and were decided by just a few plays either way.
Now comes the game that really counts because of what is on the line. During the season, the Pirates had a hard time scoring points at times, which in the indoor game is a little strange because of the way the game is set up. High-scoring games are the norm in this league. Still, the Pirates are averaging just under 51 points a game while giving up 48 a game.
Another odd thing about this team is the balanced offense they have. They have 140 first downs through the air, which makes sense because the indoor game is more of a pass-first game. However, they have been able to run the ball. Because of that, they have been able to get 90 first downs which has allowed them to keep their defense off the field for longer stretches of time.
RB Jimmy Robinson has been responsible for the team’s ability to run the ball efficiently this summer. He has carried the ball 218 times for 999 yards. He averaged 4.6 yards a carry and has scored 29 touchdowns. He is fifth in scoring at 12.9 points a game and has 34 touchdowns (29 on the ground, 4 in the air).
The Pirates have two quarterbacks on their roster. When the offense is good, it’s because Alejandro Bennifield is under center. He has appeared in 15 games for the Pirates completing 182 of 276 passes for 1,932 yards and 39 touchdowns. He has also scored nine more on the ground rushing for 147 yards on 40 attempts. One of Bennifield’s favorite targets this summer has been WR Thomas Owens who has 50 catches for 530 yards and 19 TD. He has also helped in the kicking game, returning five for 78 yards.
On defense, the Pirates are fifth in the league in sacks (17 for 85 yards in losses. Creating turnovers has been a weak link for this team. They are near the bottom in both forced fumbles and interceptions. They are dead last in fumbles recovery. Thomas Guy is third in the league in tackles for losses (13 solo, 5 assists for 56 yards in losses averaging 1.29 a game). Calvin Bundage is 11th in sacks with four in eleven games.
They do have two of the better pass defenders in the league. Cyrus Fagan is third in pass defense with 11 and three interceptions. Eugene Ford is fifth in this category with eight defenders and four interceptions for a total of 12.
They will face a Green Bay team that has the best defense in the league during the regular season. In 17 games, they have allowed 196 yards per game and a total of 72 touchdowns. Scean Mustin is third in sacks with six solos and three assists for 40 yards in losses. Shawn Steele II is tenth in passes defended with 13 and three interceptions in 13 games. The Blizzard led the league in fumbles forced with four in 13 games. Ravarius Rivers led the league in interceptions with nine in 16 games.
On offense, the Blizzard are led by their QB Max Meylor (228-for-360 for 2912 yards). He has thrown 40 TD and only four interceptions. This is a quarterback who knows how to protect the football. He is 11 in the league in scoring with 10.9 points per game and 29 rushing touchdowns.
Harry Ballard is his favorite target with 50 catches for 681 yards and 14 touchdowns. As a unit, the Blizzard averaged 45.4 points a game. They finished with a 14-3 record good for first place in the Eastern Division. They were 13-3 in conference games. They are the #1 seed while the Pirates are #3 at 9-8, 8-5.
On Friday night, it will be win or go home for both teams. A trip to Vegas is on the line.
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