Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine

[R. Rich]

Re: Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine

GAME 7: HOME LOSING STREAK CONTINUES AS ASSASSINS LOSE TO JERSEY 19-10

Game MVP Chris Brown rushed for 107 yards on 24 carries, leading a strong ground attack that helped the defending BZFL champions come out w/ a 33:16 to 26:44 edge in time of possession in the game. As a team the Jags rushed for 169 carries on 37 carries while Erie had just 91 yards on 32 carries. Jags' RB Ricky Williams had 28 yards and the Jags' only TD on only 6 carries while Assassin Julius Jones led Erie w/ only 65 yards on 20 carries. The passing game didn't fare much better, as QB Byron Leftwich had a 74.5 passer rating, going 10 for 23 for 120 yards and a TD. Assassins' head coach Kirk Ferentz was upset that his team still hasn't won a game @ home this season, saying, "I know we'd better get something going here. We haven't won a game in front of our home crowd, one of the best in the league despite our performances. They deserve better and we will improve. Bet on it."

Defensively, FS Sean Taylor got an INT and league sack leader Derrick Burgess added another sack to his total, but in general, the Assassins still cannot get the big play from the defense. "We've had our moments when we look good, but then we have breakdowns that you just can't explain," LB Jonathan Vilma, who led the game w/ 12 tackles and added 1 stuff, 1 fumble recovery, and 3 forced fumbles, said. "The consistency is what we need. We have to be able to turn it on and leave it on." The Assassins were able to come up big defensively on third downs, giving up only 4 of 12. They also limited big play QB Carson Palmer to a game where he completed 18 of 21 passes, but for just 171 yards, no TDs and the INT by Taylor, good for just an 80.8 passer rating.

One positive was that once again, the Assassins had no injuries and will now welcome back free agent C Alex Stepanovich, who missed the last 7 games due to injury.

[R. Rich]

Re: Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine

GAME 8: ASSASSINS WIN CLOSE BATTLE OVER REJECTS BY A 20-17 SCORE

Erie ran out to a 17-0 lead by halftime as QB Byron Leftwich, the game's MVP, thew 2 TD passes, one to WR Troy Walter and one to TE Ben Troupe. For the game, Leftwich was 21 of 26 for 193 yards, 2 TDs and no INTs for a strong 123.2 passer rating. The running game was sluggish again, as backup RB Marion Barber finished as the team's leading rusher w/ 51 yards on 17 carries while starter Julius Jones added 42 more on 13 rushes. Troupe was the leading receiver w/ 6 catches for 46 yards and a TD.

The game was won when Rejects' kicker Mike Nugent missed a 29 yard FG w/ 1:32 remaining in the 4th quarter. Assassins' kicker Adam Vinatieri made a 42 yard FG w/ 7:23 remaining in the game for what would be the game winning points.

Defensively, the Assassins were strong, allowing the Rejects to keep the ball for only 22:49 of the game compared to Erie's 37:11. They also forced 2 turnovers: fumbles recovered by LB Derrick Johnson and DE Chris Canty. Canty, in his 2nd start due to the injury to Anthony Weaver, finished w/ 2 tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble to go w/ his fumble recovery. Defensive coordinator Al Golden said of his effort, "Chris is showing why we went after him in the 5th round of last year's rookie draft. I was lucky enough to coach him in college, so I knew already what he can bring to a defense. We're very lucky to have this kind of depth." Perhaps the biggest stat for the Erie defense was the 11 sacks they racked up against the Rejects. LB Karlos Dansby, the team's leader in sacks last season, had a strong effort, leading the team w/ 3 sacks. DT Randy Starks and BZFL sack leader Derrick Burgess added 2 sacks each.

Erie was again fortunate to not have any injuries in this game.

[R. Rich]

Re: Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine

GAME 9: DEUCES WIN IN OVERTIME 27-24<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
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The Erie Assassins overcame another sluggish start, as they were down 17-7 w/ 7 minutes remaining in the second half, and forced overtime when QB Byron Leftwich hit WR Lee Evans w/ a 6 yard TD pass w/ just 15 seconds remaining in regulation. From there, both teams traded scoreless possessions until <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Kansas City</st1:place></st1:City> kicker Jason Elam hit the 33 yard game winner w/ 1:47 remaining in the overtime period. <o:p></o:p>
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Leftwich led an effective, balanced <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Erie</st1:City></st1:place> offense, as he completed 17 of 31 passes for 289 yards and 3 TDs w/ no INTs, a 118.9 passer rating. Evans caught 4 for 74 yards and 2 TDs while Brandon Lloyd had 2 for 66 yards and the other score. TE Ben Troupe continues to have a solid outing this year, as he caught 4 for 45 yards and WR Corey Bradford added another 3 catches for 73 yards, as Leftwich was able to connect w/ 7 different receivers on the game. On the ground, backup RB Marion Barber finished the game w/ 106 yards on 15 rushes while starter Julius Jones added another 94 yards on 26 carries.<o:p></o:p>
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Defensively, the Assassins got sacks from CB Dunta Robinson, LB Karlos Dansby, and DE Derrick Burgess. CB Nathan Vasher, the league’s leader in INTs, got a big one in overtime, but the Assassins were not able to capitalize on it. LB Derrick Johnson led the team w/ 11 tackles. The run defense struggled, as KC’s RB Edgerrin James ran for 147 yards on 32 carries and scored a TD. The pass defense fared a bit better, limiting the effectiveness of QB Eli Manning, who was 23 of 44 for 277 yards, 2 TDs and an INT, a 77.6 passer rating for the game. It was James’ running that did <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Erie</st1:place></st1:City> in down the stretch, as head coach Kirk Ferentz noted afterward. “We just were not able to keep Edgerrin from taking the game over,” Ferentz said. “We did a good job of containing their passing game, forcing them to be a bit more one dimensional, but we just didn’t do enough to stop the run.” <o:p></o:p>
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The only injury in the game was to <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Erie</st1:place></st1:City>’s starting LG Cosey Coleman, who is not expected to miss any time because of it. <o:p></o:p>

[R. Rich]

Re: Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine

GAME 10: <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">NEW YORK</st1:place></st1:State> COMPLETES SEASON SWEEP, WIN 30-14<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
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After last week’s tough overtime loss to <st1:City w:st="on">Kansas City</st1:City>, the Assassins looked like a team that was spent, as <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:State> raced out to a 20-0 halftime lead and then cruised to the win. Daunte Culpepper completed 18 of 20 passes for 255 yards and a TD (a stunning 135.4 passer rating for the day) to lead the Quicksilvers to the victory. <o:p></o:p>
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Offensively, the Assassins got an efficient yet ineffective game from QB Byron Leftwich, who was 12 of 19 for 156 yards and a TD for a 106.5 passer rating on the day. Backup Charlie Batch added 3 of 4 for 20 yards and a score as well. Assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Ken O’Keefe said of the performance, “We had some good points, but not nearly enough of them. We need more of a downfield threat out of guys like Brandon Lloyd, Troy Walters, Devery Henderson, and Lee Evans. We’re getting better, in terms of limiting the turnovers, but now we need to get aggressive in racking up the yards and the points. We now know we have the capability to do so, it’s just a matter of working hard and finishing the task @ hand.” RB Julius Jones continues to struggle behind a disappointing offensive line, as he ran for just 53 yards on 20 carries. Backup Marion Barber added 30 yards on 9 carries. “Our running game has struggled for most of the year,” head coach Kirk Ferentz said. “We have to get a better push from our line. It’s been tough bringing in new guys and losing our leader in Matt Birk, but these are the guys we have, and they know they all need to step it up.”<o:p></o:p>
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The Assassins’ defense did well to keep <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:State> to a 1 of 12 showing on third downs, even though the pass rush was limited to only 2 sacks, one each from CB Dunta Robinson (being used effectively as a blitzer this season) and LB Karlos Dansby, whose play has been improving in recent weeks. Defensive coordinator Al Golden said, “Well, we’ve been tampering w/ the lineup lately, switching from the 3-4 scheme to a more traditional 4-3 in an attempt to use more formations to create more confusion for the opponents. We’ve had a small degree of success w/ working in the 4-3, and we’re evaluating whether or not we’ll keep working it on or stay w/ the 3-4.” The fact that the Quicksilvers had fewer rushing yards as a team (31 total, on 31 carries) than Jones had by himself has to be a positive for a run defense that, while slightly improved from last year’s abysmal effort, is still in the bottom 5 in the league.<o:p></o:p>
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On the injury front, the Assassins came out of this game unscathed once more. <o:p></o:p>

[R. Rich]

Re: Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine

GAME 11: REJECTS RUN AWAY W/ VICTORY BY 27-6 SCORE

Behind a fantastic game from MVP LaDanian Tomlinson, who ran for 161 yards and 3 TDs on 32 carries, the Rochester Rejects evened the score w/ Erie, who beat Rochester weeks ago by a 20-17 score.

Rochester, thanks to Tomlinson's efforts, was able to control the clock in the rematch, keeping the ball for 37:27 to Erie's 22:33. They did turn the ball over twice while Erie had none, but the Assassins' lack of production offensively (159 passing yards, 48 rushing yards) did them in.

Head coach Kirk Ferentz commented, "This was just an ugly game for us. We had no production from the offense and the defense just had no answer for Tomlinson. After getting to w/in a game of 500, we've now lost 3 in a row. We look very much like last year's Assassins: no run defense and an offense that isn't getting things done in clutch moments. We need to seriously consider changing things up a bit on both sides of the ball."

Ferentz may be alluding to the team's use of the 3-4 defense, which has struggled mightily in the past 2 years to stop teams from running the ball. The Assassins have won 3 of 5 games where they have used a 4-3 defensive front while they have lost all 6 games w/ the 3-4 scheme.

Of course, Ferentz could be talking about personnel changes as well. Free agent guard Cosey Coleman has not upgraded the interior line as they had hoped, plus last year's surprise standout, Kendyl Jacox, has been largely ineffective @ right guard. Alex Stepanovich, the free agent brought in to ease the loss of starting center Matt Birk (injured reserve), has had injury problems of his own, and hasn't been very impressive even when healthy. Assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe said of the line concerns, "We've been monitoring the line issues all season. Our interior guys have had a tough go of it, but @ this point in the year, we've got to hope that they'll work harder and get better so that we can find some more running room." Sounds a lot like there's going to be some spots open up front in the offseason. The Assassins have solid depth, but could use an upgrade in terms of starters.

The Erie offense was largely ineffective, as Julius Jones rushed for just 36 yards on 20 carries. Byron Leftwich, who added 9 yards on 5 rushes, threw for 153 yards, connecting on just 11 of 26 throws for a meager 61.9 passer rating. Lee Evans caught 3 for 57 yards, a 19 yard per catch average, and TE Ben Troupe had a team high 4 catches for 58 yards.

Defensively, the pass rush was able to get 3 sacks, 2 from LB Karlos Dansby and 1 from CB Dunta Robinson. They also kept Rochester to a 4 of 11 showing on 3rd downs. Still, there's room for improvement, as the ground game was shredded for 175 yards by the Rejects. Defensive coordinator Al Golden said, "Well, the big guys up front know they have to do a better job of clogging the rush lanes so that our LBs can get in there and make plays. That's just not happening w/ any consistency now. We don't plan to do much tinkering w/ the lineup the rest of the way, so these guys just have to toughen up. We'll work harder to get this fixed."

There were no injuries reported for this game.

[R. Rich]

Re: Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine

ASSASSINS REPORT: TIME FOR A CHANGE?<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
BY: EDITOR

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The Erie Assassins looked like a team that was on their way to becoming competitive @ the end of the first half of the season, winning 3 of 5 after an awful 0-3 start to get their halftime record to 3-5, just a game below the 500 mark. Since then, they’re in a freefall, losing 3 straight games, including this week’s pathetic 21 point blowout to the Rochester Rejects, the same Rejects team that <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Erie</st1:place></st1:City> beat 20-17 back in week 8 due to a fantastic defensive effort which saw the Assassins register 11 sacks in the game. This week? That vaunted <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Erie</st1:place></st1:City> pass rush could manage just 2 from LB Karlos Dansby, who is starting to come around after a horrible start to the season, and another from CB Dunta Robinson, also having a solid year. The run defense that kept the Rejects to 78 yards the first time around? Well, they gave up 175 yards on 40 carries, w/ game MVP LaDanian Tomlinson rushing for 161 yards and 3 TDs on 32 carries. Basically, they were shredded. Again. Same old, same old for a team that came into the year focused on repairing their run defense. Well, they’re certainly not as horrific as last year, when they gave up over 160 yards per game on the ground. This year, they’re keeping their opponents to a mere 129.6 yards per game. Hey, I guess that’s progress. Last year’s run D was dead last; this year’s run D is the 6<SUP>th</SUP> worst in the league. Impressive.
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Offensively, they have improved, especially in the passing game. The Assassins’ front office worked hard this offseason to provide Byron Leftwich w/ the weapons he needed to become more effective and to justify being kept when the team traded away Jake Plummer, yeah, the same Jake Plummer who is the 2<SUP>nd</SUP> rated passer in the league this season on a first place Playas team! Still, they have seen results, as Leftwich is actually rated this year (12<SUP>th</SUP> in the league w/ an 82.7 passer rating) and he’s doing a better job of taking care of the ball (only 7 INTs so far this year to 12 TDs). Lee Evans was the player acquired in the trade, and his stats are solid, but not spectacular: 31 catches (3<SUP>rd</SUP> best on the team after TE Ben Troupe and WR Brandon Lloyd) for 493 yards (2<SUP>nd</SUP> best on the team to Lloyd), a 15.9 yard per catch average (best on team; 8<SUP>th</SUP> best in BZFL) and 3 TDs (tied w/ Troupe for team lead). The major problem is up front; the offensive line. Yeah, the Assassins were conscious of building a solid line @ the outset, as evident by the drafting of tackles Jonathan Ogden and Bryant McKinnie plus C Matt Birk. But, they weren’t as astute in stocking the team w/ interior linemen, and that is what is killing them now. Starting guards Cosey Coleman and Kendyl Jacox have been average @ best. This is surprising in Jacox’ case, as he was one of <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Erie</st1:place></st1:City>’s top linemen last year. But, his play has dropped off tremendously and Coleman, a free agent acquisition brought in to upgrade from last year’s starter Chester Pitts, has not set the league on fire, either.
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When the front office learned of the loss of Birk for the season because of injury, they attempted to replace him in free agency w/ journeyman Alex Stepanovich, who has struggled to stay healthy and has been no better than average when healthy. I believe that this offseason, the interior line should be a high priority for the team, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them go after a pair of guards in free agency as an upgrade to what they have now. Or, maybe even another offseason trade, as they did to acquire Evans to aid the pass offense last year. Either way (or both?), the Assassins need to upgrade their interior line if they want to succeed. I’m sure RB Julius Jones, who could be having a great year but is struggling due to the woeful blocking, would welcome a few better guards and head coach Kirk Ferentz, who was Bill Belichick’s offensive line coach once upon a time, should know better than to try to get by w/ this collection of so-so blockers.
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And now, on to the Assassins’ defense. If ever there were a group of underachievers, this would be it. A team w/ this much talent should not be 3-8 going down the stretch. A defense that boasts stars like CB Nathan Vasher, currently leading the league in INTs, Derrick Burgess, 2<SUP>nd</SUP> in the league in sacks, Jonathan Vilma, among the top 10 in the league in tackles, and other stalwarts like Karlos Dansby, Bob Sanders, Sean Taylor, and Dunta Robinson should not be as awful as they’ve been. Last year’s pass defense was one of the best in the league and was sorely hampered by a run defense that was the worst in the league. This year, the pass D is solid again (3<SUP>rd</SUP> in the league in pass yards allowed) and is getting an all star year out of Vasher in terms of turnovers. Yet, the addition of mammoth run stuffer Ted Washington has done little to stop the team from allowing tons of rushing yards. From 20<SUP>th</SUP> to 15<SUP>th</SUP> in the league is nothing to write home about. Trust me.
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What’s the problem? I believe a lot of it is the 3-4 scheme the team stubbornly adheres to. Ferentz had little to no experience using it, but owner/team president R. Rich likes it, as he played in the 3-4 back in college. Big deal. This is the big time, man. You need to run what works for you, and that 3-4 doesn’t work. Period. When the team won 3 out of 5 to salvage something of the season and get to a game w/in 500, they did so by experimenting w/ a 4-3 front, putting last year’s starter @ LDE, Randy Starks, in as the other DT alongside big Ted. The results? Well, they weren’t great, but they won 3 of 5. In fact, they used that 4-3 in the 3 games they won against the 3-4 in the 5 they lost. Now, they have lost 3 straight since then, including the first 2 w/ that 4-3 scheme, but I do think they play better w/ that 4-3 than w/ the 3-4. I guess the 3-2 record they have using the 4-3 as opposed to the 0-6 record using the 3-4 kinda makes my argument for me, huh? My suggestion would be to stick w/ the 4-3 for this year, then look to upgrade @ DT in free agency for next year. Spend the bucks to bring in one or two big guys who will really stuff the run and force teams to deal w/ a secondary that is as good as there is in the league.
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I think if the Assassins put their attention into upgrading their interior OL and DL this offseason, you will see them perform to the level of their talent, which is certainly much better than this record shows. Now, will Ferentz be able to get the front office, which I feel is a very solid office, to make these moves? Only time will tell, but I know they have been working towards being in the thick of a title chase by Year 3. That’s just around the corner, folks, so they’re going to need to do something now. Doing what they’ve been doing, they have zero chance of any kind of title, be it this year, next year, or beyond.
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[R. Rich]

Re: Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine

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GAME 12: ASSASSINS GET PIMP SLAPPED, LOSE LEFTWICH FOR SEASON IN 31-10 DEFEAT <o:p></o:p>
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Trent Dilfer had a game for the ages, completing 23 of 35 passes for 371 yards, 4 TDs and only 1 INT for a 127.2 passer rating, leading the Pennsylvania Pimps to victory. WR Chad Johnson was the game’s MVP, catching 8 passes for 154 yards and 3 TDs. Steve Smith led the Pimps in both receptions (9) and yards (173) to aid in the win.
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Assassins head coach Kirk Ferentz said of the game, “Our pass defense was horrible today. We weren’t able to generate much of a pass rush today (0 sacks, 4 pressures), and it allowed Dilfer to carve up our secondary. (LB) Karlos Dansby left the game due to injury, and it really affected our pass rush. We rely on both Karlos and (DE) Derrick (Burgess) to provide the heat from the weak side, so w/ Karlos out, they were able to key on Derrick more.” Offensively, the Assassins suffered a huge loss, as QB Byron Leftwich was knocked out of the game and will miss the rest of the season. Backup Charlie Batch gave a solid though not spectacular performance in relief (14 of 24 for 149 yards, 1 TD and 0 INTs for a 90.5 passer rating), but more is needed from the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Erie</st1:place></st1:City> passing game. “We have to find a way to get our guys more involved, and to do so earlier in the games,” Ferentz said. “We’ve been pathetic in terms of first half scoring all season. W/ the weapons we now have @ receiver and TE, there’s no excuse for this.”
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Defensively, the Assassins were able to limit the Pimps to just 57 yards rushing as a team, w/ Jamal Lewis getting 58 yards on 19 carries (a 3.1 yard avg). It was the pass rush and pass defense that didn’t play well though. “We stunk today in terms of stopping the pass,” defensive coordinator Al Golden said. “Only 4 pressures and no sacks isn’t going to work. We can’t seriously hope to beat anyone w/ a pass rush like that. From what the trainers have told us, we don’t expect Karlos to miss any time due to his injury, so that’s a plus. Now, we’ve just got to get after the quarterback better. That’s the key to helping out our secondary: pressure.”
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The injury to Leftwich will keep him out for the remainder of the season. This means Batch will finish the year as the starter.

[R. Rich]

Re: Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine

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GAME 13: BARBER RUMBLES, ASSASSINS’ OFFENSE STUMBLES AS WOOKIES GET PAYBACK 31-16<o:p></o:p>
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The New England Wookies got a measure of revenge @ RICH Stadium, as they defeated the Assassins in the rematch due to a solid effort from Tiki Barber, one of the league’s top rushers. Barber ran 19 times for 175 yards and a 75 yard TD, which put the Wookies up for good w/ 7:55 remaining in the 4<SUP>th</SUP> quarter.
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Offensively, the Assassins again struggled, as they were unable to score any points in the first quarter, falling behind 7-0 after Barber caught an 8 yard score from New England QB Alex Smith. After Smith hit WR Plaxico Burress for a 30 yard score to put the Wookies ahead by 14, <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Erie</st1:place></st1:City> got going. K Adam Vinatieri hit a 21 yard FG, then the Assassins got a defensive TD from LB Derrick Johnson, who returned a fumble 49 yards for a score. Vinatieri added a 20 yard FG to get the team to w/ in a point @ 14-13, but the Wookies were able to get a 44 yard FG from Mike Vanderjagt, in large part due to a 34 yard kick return from Darren Sproles and a huge 28 yard Smith throw to Amani Toomer, who would add a 17 yard TD reception in the 4<SUP>th</SUP> quarter to seal the deal for New England.
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For the Assassins, Julius Jones ran for 89 yards on 21 carries (a 4.2 yard avg) while backup Marion Barber added 37 more on 13 carries (2.8 avg). But, it was the passing game that stalled again, as QB Charlie Batch had a 15 of 21 showing for just 101 yards, no TDs and an INT, a 61.8 passer rating for the game. After the game, Batch said, “This one was on me. I just couldn’t get the offense going. The Wookies did a great job of clamping down on (WR) Lee Evans, so I had to go to our other options. It was tough, but I know I should’ve played much better than this.” Head coach Kirk Ferentz said of the game, “Charlie is being pretty hard on himself, but this was a team loss. Too many mistakes (3 turnovers), not enough toughness up front, and some questionable moves by us in terms of coaching. We just flat out stunk it up today, and our fans deserve better.”
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The defense was able to get to the quarterback this week, getting 4 sacks (one each from Jonathan Vilma, Derrick Johnson, Dunta Robinson, and Sean Taylor) and another pressure (Derrick Burgess), but they also gave up 221 rushing yards to the Wookies, one of their worst performances of the season. “We just need to develop some consistency on defense,” defensive coordinator Al Golden said. “We have times where we defend the run very well, then we come back and play like this. Same thing in the secondary. We shut down a team one week, then give up tons of yards the next week. We know the talent is here, but the effort needs to be there every week. That’s what we’ll focus on from here on out.”
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<st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Erie</st1:place></st1:City>’s only injury in the game was to starting LG Cosey Coleman, but he is not expected to miss any playing time because of it.

[R. Rich]

Re: Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine

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GAME 14: AZTECS DESTROY <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">ERIE</st1:place></st1:City>, USE BALANCE AND BALL CONTROL TO GET WIN IN 30-0 BLOWOUT<o:p></o:p>
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The freefall of the Assassins continued, as the 12-2 Los Angeles Aztecs, in first place in the conference and having the 2<SUP>nd</SUP> best record in the league, shut out <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Erie</st1:place></st1:City>, their first shutout loss of the season.
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The Aztecs were able to control the clock all game, having the ball for an amazing 40:22 compared to <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Erie</st1:place></st1:City>’s paltry 19:38. LA converted 8 of their 15 first downs, compared to <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Erie</st1:place></st1:City>’s 1 for 10 showing (the Assassins also were 0-1 on 4<SUP>th</SUP> down). Aztec QB Kurt Warner had a good game, going 16 of 20 for 224 yards and a TD for a 130 passer rating. Warner used a variety of receivers, as 8 different players caught passes in the game. Frank Gore, the game’s MVP, caught Warner’s lone TD pass and added 37 yards and another TD on the ground.
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Assassins head coach Kirk Ferentz said, “This was about as bad as we’ve ever played. There was no phase of the game where we can say we did well. They outcoached us, and their players outplayed ours. Outside of coming away w/ no more injuries, there’s really nothing positive I can say about this. I’m disgusted @ how we performed today.”
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[R. Rich]

Re: Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine

GAME 15: ASSASSINS BUSHWHACKED AGAIN 42-6<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
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The Erie Assassins, coming off an embarrassing shutout loss in their home finale against the LA Aztecs last week, started their 2 game road stint to end the season in similar fashion, as the defense faltered and the offense failed to show as <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Philadelphia</st1:place></st1:City> completed their season sweep. DeShaun Foster ran for 108 yards and 2 TDs and had 45 receiving yards and another TD to lead the charge for Philly. The Assassins did get a couple turnovers off INTs, w/ Nathan Vasher taking one 50 yards to set up an Adam Vinatieri 36 yard FG in the last few seconds of the first half to close the gap to 14-6. From there, Philly would score 3 TDs in the 3<SUP>rd</SUP> quarter to put the game away.<o:p></o:p>
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Head coach Kirk Ferentz said of the team’s poor showing, “Offensively, we just cannot get going in the passing game. W/out that, there’s no balance and teams can do what they’ve been doing: keying on our running game. Julius Jones had a nice 46 yard run, but only got 20 more yards the rest of the game. We need to do some things differently up front and also need to get better balance so that we can better utilize his talents.”<o:p></o:p>
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Up front is where many of the Assassins’ problems lie, as the team was penalized 5 times in the game w/ 3 of them being on the offensive line, including 2 on C Alex Stepanovich. “The penalties are still killing this team,” Ferentz said. “I think in terms of pass protection, we have improved some, but we still have too many lapses in concentration by our guys and we are really struggling to open good holes for Julius and Marion (Barber).” For the game, the Assassins did average 4.3 yards per rush (29 carries for 125 yards), but they could not sustain any drives and neither Barber (6 carries, 32 yards) nor Jones (17 carries, 66 yards) could get going. Backup QB Charlie Batch continues to perform poorly since taking over for the injured Leftwich, going 10 of 25 for a measly 63 yards and throwing 2 INTs for a 14.6 passer rating. <o:p></o:p>
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Defensively, the Assassins were able to get 3 sacks (1 each from LB Karlos Dansby and safeties Bryan Scott and Sean Taylor) to go w/ the 2 INTs, but could not come up w/ any big plays on 3<SUP>rd</SUP> downs (Phily converted 5 of 9) and could not keep the Bushwhackers from controlling the clock, as they had a huge advantage in time of possession (35:59 to 24:01). FS Sean Taylor did turn in one of his best performances of the season, w/ a team high 10 tackles, 1 sack, and an INT, but it was too little, too late for the Assassins.<o:p></o:p>
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There were no injuries reported.<o:p></o:p>

[R. Rich]

Re: Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine

GAME 16: ASSASSINS FINISH UP W/ ANOTHER BLOWOUT LOSS; <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">ATLANTA</st1:place></st1:City> WINS 44-12<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
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A strong performance by star LB Jonathan Vilma (12 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 INTs, and a safety) was wasted as <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Erie</st1:place></st1:City> completed their second half swoon by being crushed in the Georgia Dome by the Screaming Vikings. Game MVP Shaun Alexander ran for 181 yards and 2 TDs on just 16 carries (a whopping 11.3 yard average), paving the way for the 9-7 Screaming Vikings.<o:p></o:p>
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This was a sloppy win, as both teams combined for 16 penalties (7 from the Assassins) and 6 turnovers (5 from the Screaming Vikings). <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Atlanta</st1:place></st1:City>’s ability to control the clock (39:54 to 20:06) and run the ball (273 yards rushing) was the difference. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Erie</st1:place></st1:City> head coach Kirk Ferentz knew his team was in for a tough game, “We knew this team could run the ball well and they have some explosive players game as well. We went into this game knowing that we had to pressure the QB to have any chance to win. We got some pressure (5 sacks total, including Vilma’s 3), but not nearly enough. Consistency is something we just don’t have. It’s frustrating, because we know we have a team capable of competing. The talent is here. We just all have to do a better job, coaches and players.”<o:p></o:p>
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The Assassins finish the season @ 3-13, matching last year’s win total. The major issue is the second half slide this year, as the Assassins were 3-5 @ the halfway point and looking slightly improved. Since then, they’ve lost starting QB Byron Leftwich to injury, continued to struggle running the ball, and lost every game in the second half of the season. “Going 0 for the second half of the year stinks,” Ferentz said, “especially since we were close to getting to the competitive level we’re striving for. We were 3-5 halfway through, w/ a couple of those losses close enough that we could’ve won w/ the proper adjustments. From there, we just tanked. I’m the head coach, so I take full responsibility for this. We just need to get stronger in a few areas, and that’s what I’ll get to work on w/ (Executive VP/GM) Kevin (Colbert) and (Director of Player Personnel) Phil (Savage) immediately.” <o:p></o:p>

[R. Rich]

Re: Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine

Major Changes For Erie? Count On It!
By: Editor


There has been quite a stir from 7 Assassins Plaza in recent days. Since the end of the season, another lackluster 3 win season that is, there have been plenty of rumors floating around about the Assassins' coaching situation. W/ team owner/president R. Rich announcing a press conference for Tuesday, some of these rumors may be confirmed sooner rather than later. There has been talk of the firing of head coach Kirk Ferentz and having him replaced by someone outside of the organization, meaning Ferentz' assistants are also on the hot seat now. Another big rumor out there is that defensive coordinator Al Golden may be the odd man out and his 3-4 defense may follow him. It is said that Golden may leave to go back to the college ranks as a head coach (perhaps Temple?). Assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe is also under a lot of scrutiny as some believe that Ferentz' only shot @ keeping his job may involve having to fire his good friend. Plenty of drama here leading up to tomorrow's press conference.

On the personnel side, sources tell me that the Erie Assassins were in negotiations to acquire a star QB to replace the oft-injured and underachieving Byron Leftwich, but that the talks broke down due to injury concerns and salary cap issues. It would appear that the Assassins are looking to go in a different direction and feel that Leftwich isn't the guy to take them there. I've also heard that the Assassins are seriously considering trading away their first round pick in the rookie draft (2nd overall......again) in a pick/player type deal. If this happens, look for Erie to go after OL and/or DL help.

I think w/ the moves they made last offseason, and w/ the nice 1-2 puch they get from RBs Julius Jones and Marion Barber, the Assassins are okay in the skill positions. Well, they do have to resolve the QB issue, meaning, they'll need to decide if Leftwich is their QB or if they need to trade for or draft his replacement. And, they may decide to upgrade @ TE also, where Desmond Clark is a fine, but neglected receiving TE. Starter Ben Troupe had a fine year (45 catches, 435 yards, 3 TDs), but the team needs to get more out of the position. My opinion on this is that they could stand pat w/ Troupe and Clark, but they should devise schemes to get both of them out there @ the same time to create mismatches. We thought O'Keefe would do more of that this year, but that didn't happen.

Whatever happens, they know they need much more offensive output than what they've gotten. Only 14 receiving TDs all season and, even worse, only 2 rushing TDs? Those stats are pathetic. Jones (916 yards, 2 TDs) and Barber (442 yards) are both capable of leading a rushing attack that can control the clock and help the defense to rest. A huge move to aid this should be the acquisition of a stud guard or two, be it by trade or free agency. I did like the move to sign FB Ovie Mughelli before the deadline. He's a tough young kid who is an improving blocker. He could be the lead blocker the Assassins lacked all season. I'm sure the RBs appreciated the signing; now get those guys a line that will open holes. The return of Birk from IR will help, but quality guards are badly needed. I expect @ least one of the guards on the roster to be cut this offseason.

Defensively, the Assassins could use another quality corner to help shut down the multiple WR sets they see so often. Vasher and Robinson are good starters, but they need a solid nickel back also. The organization is high on 2nd round pick Antonio Cromartie, but he's young and will need time to develop. They need a guy who is ready to go. Even more than that, the Assassins need a massive run stuffer up front. Whether they decide to continue running the 3-4 or if they do switch to a 4-3, they still need to bulk up their line. Veteran Ted Washington showed signs of wear and tear, and backups Jimmy Kennedy, Randy Starks, and Lional Dalton were nothing special. Other than those moves, all the defense needs is better depth. The LB corps is young and talented. In fact, LB Nick Barnett, the team's MVP last season, is rumored to be on the trading block. The Assassins could use Barnett, a fine young inside LB, to address talent issues up front or in the secondary.

The press conference tomorrow may shed some light on the direction this team plans to go in, or it could be more lip service from the Erie execs. Only time will tell, but a lot of people in this organization (coaches, players, and even the execs) should be concerned, not just for the team, but for their jobs as well.

[R. Rich]

Re: Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine

Assassins Press Conference<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
By: Editor<o:p></o:p>
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Erie Assassins owner/team president R. Rich addressed a few issues Tuesday in regard to the status of the team. Here’s a few highlights:
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On whether or not there will be a new head coach:
“I met w/ (VP/GM) Kevin Colbert and (Director of Player Personnel) Phil Savage to discuss just that issue. Although we had another awful finish to the season, we still feel that Kirk is the right man for the job. We were successful in upgrading our passing game last offseason by adding Lee Evans, Troy Walters, Devery Henderson, and Corey Bradford. Now, we have to be just as successful in bolstering our offensive and defensive lines this offseason. Phil and Kevin are committed to doing just that. Now, that said, Kirk knows that if there is no progress from this year to our next year, I will re-visit this decision.”
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About the possibility of changes in the coaching staff:
“One of the hot ticket issues for us is the 3-4 defense. It’s a defense I’m familiar w/ from my playing days and one I strongly believe in. Bringing the 3-4 to <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Erie</st1:place></st1:City> was one of my goals when I acquired the Assassins. Now, we have struggled in that scheme, as we failed to win one game this year using the 3-4 as our base defense. We plan to continue using the 3-4 and we’ll also incorporate other fronts, such as the 4-3, the 46, and others, into our defensive game plan. Coaching wise, there will be a change, as Al Golden, our defensive coordinator for the first two seasons, has resigned to take the head coaching job @ Temple. This is no surprise, as <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Temple</st1:place></st1:City> expressed interest in him and he was known to want a college coaching job. We will conduct a search to replace Al w/ the best possible candidate, but whoever we hire will be someone w/ experience coaching the 3-4.”
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On the QB issue:
“It was reported that we attempted to trade for another QB here. That is correct. We feel that Byron’s injury will take more time for him to recover from than we originally thought, and we will work hard to bring in someone that will help lead our offense. A major issue for this team was, once again, our inability to score points. We know that by upgrading the offensive line, that will help, but we will also look to get stronger @ QB and we will try to utilize our personnel better. We were able to sign Ovie Mughelli, a good young FB who we feel will be a terrific lead blocker for our combo of Julius Jones and Marion Barber. That’s a step, but we will be taking more steps to get things corrected this offseason.”<o:p> </o:p>
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On possible draft strategies:
“C’mon now, you don’t expect me to tell you what we’re doing w/ our draft pick now, do you? Right now, we’re looking @ who we feel will be available w/ the 2<SUP>nd</SUP> overall pick and trying to determine which player will be the best fit for our team. Once we’ve done that, we’ll work on other situations, such as trading down-where to move down to, and who to take? We’ll also make a list of which players we think will be available if we do move down. Generally speaking, we’ll look to add talent to this team no matter which direction we take in the draft. We want to come out of this draft w/ as few holes as possible.”
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On possible cuts:
“We are going through our roster and the other BZFL rosters to see what our options are. Once we’ve properly evaluated things, we’ll make public our cut list. That may take some time.”
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So, to sum up R. Rich’s comments:
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*Kirk Ferentz stays, albeit on a short leash.
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*Al Golden is out, and the search is on for a new defensive coordinator, one who will continue to use the 3-4 defense.
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*The Assassins will, more than likely, be led by someone other than Byron Leftwich @ QB.
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*No decisions have been made yet on roster moves or trades, but the organization is keeping all options open.
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Sounds like the fun has just begun for the executives @ 7 Assassins Plaza. There’s a lot of work to be done to get this team past the 3 win mark. Can they do it? I believe they can, but it will take a strong commitment and a lot of work. I do think it’s good that they haven’t jumped to any decisions just yet. They need to make sure they are doing things properly and that the Assassins will show the improvement next year that everyone thought we’d see this year. Ferentz knows he’s on the hot seat; it’s his move.

[SABURZFAN]

Re: Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine

On possible draft strategies:
“C’mon now, you don’t expect me to tell you what we’re doing w/ our draft pick now, do you?

YES!!!!!!!! since i'm drafting behind you,i need to know these things.if you don't tell me,i'll beat it out of you when i see you in vegas.

[R. Rich]

Re: Dossier: The Erie Assassins Magazine

Assassins Add New Coach, Make Changes To Upgrade Defense<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
By: Staff<o:p></o:p>
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The Erie Assassins have decided on a coach to replace Al Golden as the new defensive coordinator. Rex Ryan, son of defensive guru Buddy Ryan, will take over as the new coach. “Rex brings a good knowledge of the game and a fresh perspective to the team,” head coach Kirk Ferentz said. “We’re pleased to have him on our staff.”
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Ryan has some more weapons to work w/ as well, as the team engineered a pair of trades designed to improve the defense, ranked last in the BZFL last season in large part due to a woeful run defense (the pass defense was ranked 8<SUP>th</SUP> in the league while the run defense was the 2<SUP>nd</SUP> worst in the league). The first trade the team made was w/ Easton, sending young LB Derrick Johnson along w/ the team’s 3<SUP>rd</SUP> and 6<SUP>th</SUP> round picks in this year’s rookie draft in exchange for NT Jamal Williams and Easton’s 7<SUP>th</SUP> round rookie pick. Williams brings a fierce run defender to a team badly needing one. “It’s nice to get started by adding, arguably, the best nose tackle in the game today in Williams to our squad,” Ryan said. “We’re sure he’ll help improve our run defense and may even help out some in the pass rush, which we intend to revamp a bit here.”
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To aid in that revamping, the Assassins made another trade, sending their 2<SUP>nd</SUP> round pick in the rookie draft to former champion Jersey in exchange for veteran LB Joey Porter. “We’re going to ask a lot out of Joey,” Ryan said. “He’s a hard nosed player and a leader, which we’re going to need. We expect him to take the lead of this defense, and aid us in pass coverage as well as the run defense.” When asked about the possibility of Porter factoring in the pass rush, Ryan said, “That goes w/out saying. He’s as tough a player as there is out there, and is relentless in pursuing quarterbacks. He’ll get his chances to go after them here, that’s for sure.”
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Team owner/president R. Rich is pleased w/ the moves so far. “A lot of people did a lot of talking of our need to get out of the 3-4 scheme,” he said. “I simply said to our guys that maybe we should do all we can to properly staff the team so that we can successfully run the 3-4, which we feel we’ve done here by adding a great run stuffer and a playmaker off the edge, both of whom add veteran experience and have been successful in playing the 3-4 scheme before.” Executive Vice President/General Manager Kevin Colbert, who was in large part responsible for the moves, added, “We are now confident that we can be a good 3-4 defense w/ these moves. Porter and Williams will upgrade two areas of our defense that badly need upgrading, and we’re glad to bring them aboard.”