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| David Schmitt, QB, San Jose SaberCats |
The San Jose SaberCats are back in the thick of the playoff race, thanks to David Schmitt.
The San Jose quarterback threw five TD passes Thursday as the SaberCats nipped the Boston Breakers, 38-34. The win improved the SaberCats to 3-2, putting them a game behind the Los Angeles Express in the Pacific Division race. San Jose was 12-4 in the league's inaugural season, then dropped off the face of the earth for two seasons.
Schmitt was taken by San Jose with the ninth pick of the first round of the 1975 draft. His QBR has improved from 60.20 as a rookie to 82.00 in 1976 and 99.69 so far this season.
He directed an 81-yard march Thursday that culminated in a game-winning 23-yard TD pass to WR William Kendrick with 29 seconds to play. Schmitt was a perfet 6-for-6 passing on the final drive (one completion was called back due to a holding penalty).
In other Week 5 games:
- Detroit QB Mario Valencia fired a pair of TD passes in the final 8 minutes and the Wheels rallied to beat the Portland Storm, 31-23. The win kept Detroit in first place in its division and knocked Portland out of first place in its division. The Storm drove from their 25 to the Wheels' 15 with 47 seconds to go, but two incomplete passes were followed by DT Daniel Hawes' interception.
- Oakland (4-1) took over sole possession of first place in the West Division when the Invaders defeated the Denver Gold, 44-19, and the other three teams all lost. QB Les Lacy fired four TD passes for Oakland.
- Tampa Bay WR Edward Conner caught a pair of TD passes as the Bandits held off the Orlando Renegades, 38-23, in a key Southeast Division battle. Tampa Bay led, 31-10, with just under 11 minutes to play before Orlando rallied to make it close.
- Michigan FS David Oxford recorded 10 tackles and DT Ronald Shull had a pair of sacks as the Panthers kept Chicago in the Midwest Division cellar by beating the Blitz, 24-17. CB Stanley Thomas iced the victory when he intercepted a Daniel McKee pass with 1:06 to play.
- The Florida Blazers picked up their first win, and knocked Shreveport out of first place in the South Division, by beating the Steamer, 17-13. Florida's Barry Litchford intercepted two passes and MLB Jamie Seymour was credited with 11 tackles.
- The Baltimore Stars (3-2) are over .500 after five games for the first time in franchise history. The Stars beat the Washington Federals, 27-15, as Hector Morris caught a pair of TD passes and Les Lynch recorded his league-leading 10th sack of the season.
- James Tolentino of Honolulu also has 10 sacks after recording two during a 33-3 drubbing of the Southern California Sun.
- The Memphis Showboats improved to 7-0 all-time against Houston by outscoring the Gamblers, 34-24. Houston turned the ball over five times and Memphis RB Gregory Shea ran for 135 yards, giving him a league-high 603 rushing yards this season.
- Jacksonville Bulls CBs Ian Rosenbaum and Justin Armstrong picked off two passes apiece in a 13-7 win over the Birmingham Stallions
- Oklahoma QB Dale Brown also threw five TD passes in a 42-3 win over the New Orleans VooDoo, giving him a league-high 19 for the season.
Week 6 Preview
Division leaders clash when the Los Angeles Express (4-1) travels to Detroit to meet the unbeaten Wheels (5-0). Two of the league's best teams meet in Oakland when the Invaders (4-1) host the unbeaten Tampa Bay Bandits (5-0). The Arizona Wranglers (3-2) are at the San Jose SaberCats (3-2) in a game important to both teams' playoff aspirations.Coach's Profile
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| Pacman327 |
Playing MFN Since: What feels like 1 minute ago (January 2018)
Hometown (town, state): Westchester County, NY
Current residence (town, state): Hudson County, NJ
Day job: Financial analyst
Favorite teams (all sports): Yankees, NY Football Giants, Knicks
A real-life sports experience: Yankees, 2012 ALDS, Raul Ibanez game-tying HR in 9th and walkoff in 12th!
A fantasy sports experience: Won a fantasy baseball auction league in my first year
Coach's Corner: (tip for a new MFN coach): Who knows (lol)? I'm still trying to figure it out!
