The Carolina Cobras (2-1) travel south this week for their first rematch against the Jacksonville Sharks. With their only loss this season coming in their home opener, the Cobras will no doubt be looking for redemption in the shark tank this Saturday night.

The offense, being led by Charles McCullum, will be looking to put points up like they have the past two games, scoring 55 and 56 repectively. The offensive player of the week for the past two weeks has thrown over 10 touchdowns and and three rushing TDs to go with them is looking to found his groove in Greensboro. Exciting Cobra fans and aggravating defensive coordinators, expect to see McCullum to continue lighting up the scoreboard.

Coach Schmidt's defense has as also started to come together after giving up 55 points to the Sharks in their first bout. Cedric Poole has come alive and freshly signed quarterback, Adrain McPherson, is going to have his hands full with Dwayne Beckford and Tony Pulu causing havoc this past week for the Pirates offense.

Even with the good football the Cobras are playing, you can't count the Sharks out. After signing Adrian McPherson, who is  in his seventh season of arena football, most playing for the Los Angeles KISS in 2015. He's a 6'3" 220lbs gunslinger, completing 51% of his passes for 18 touchdowns while only throwing one interception. The Sharks also added wide receiver Tom Gilson, a six year verteran, who in 2017 with the Cleveland Gladiators, caughtw 18 passes for 200 yards and a touchdown. In 2016, with the Portland Steel, he caught 132 receptions for 1300 yards and 14 touchdowns. With these two signings, it's apparent that the Sharks are wanting to turn around this two game skid they've been on a return to their winning ways.

If you are in the Jacksonville area, make your way out Saturday night at 7:00 to Veterans Memorial Arena for what will be no doubt a fast pace, hard hitting, high scoring game. If you aren't able to make it to the game, it's available for live stream on YouTube.

​The big news out of Greensboro, North Carolina this Saturday was the no-show of Massachusetts Pirates star quarterback Sean Brackett and wide receiver Orlandus Harris. Of course, you wouldn’t know this watching the Cobra commentator who repeatedly referred to Southwick and Kent as “Bracket under center.” Give me a break. If these guys followed Arena Football Talk on Facebook or read our blog they wouldn’t sound so misinformed. But I digress.

The loss of Pirate offense superpowers, Brackett and Harris made the face off between Massachusetts and Carolina a competitive fair fight. Fill-in QB’s Danny Southwick and Robert Kent were as last minute as ever which created fury of confusion for my swashbucklers. Understandably, Pirate frustration was apparent from the field as well as the sidelines. The yellow laundry flew more often in the second half of Saturday’s match-up then at both preceding Pirate games combined! In almost ironic fashion, the captain of the pirate ship, Coach Ameer Ismail, drew his own laundry twice and then ejected from the game. No comment from Camp Pirates but we fans assume Coach Ameer was upset at the uneven penalty calling by the National Arena League (NAL) zebra’s. 

So, how did our last minute ball throwers preform? Danny Southwick started the night with several long bombs, driving the Pirates down field and sealing the opening drive with a Robert Kent to Lamont Bryant 5 yard touchdown pass. In the first half, however Southwick seemed to struggle making simple throws and dealing with Cobra pressure. Carolina’s coverage was loose and their pass rush was spotty at best. This was a defense Brackett would have taken to the cleaners. 

Nevertheless, Robert Kent seemed to have won the QB job for the Pirates, starting and finishing the second half. Kent was able to scramble from the closing pocket and complete several impressive passes like a 35 yard blamo! touchdown to Levon Pearson and another 40 yard slammer! to Devonn Brown in the third quarter: A moment Pirate Nation breathed a temporary sigh of relief because Brackett’s replacement had arrived. But, it was not to be. 

Thus, the unfortunate conclusion commenced with a Kent backwards pass fumble disaster recovered by Carolina. Ugh. Without Bracket, Pirates need to get back to work, catch Kent up on operational plays because Lehigh Valley is coming to play.  

The Jacksonville Sharks traveled to Columbus, GA in 2017 Championship Rematch. From the beginning of the game to the end, the relationship between both teams was very chipping. Throughout the game, there was pushing, shoving, and fighting that took place, and it even got to the point where players were taunting their opponents. In the fourth quarter, defensive back Marvin Ross for the Sharks was tossed from the game with 5:35 left in the game on a Double Unsportsmanlike conduct call. The arguments and smack talk was back and forth all game long; from the announcer yelling "overrated", to fans yelling in opposing players' ears, and even players talking to each other. At one point in the game two teammates got into an argument, which shows team chemistry is out of whack. The Columbus Lions won a great game 51-41 at home, getting their revenge after last year's loss vs the Sharks in the Championship Game.

After the game, it was reported that there was some over excessive conflict that went down in the parking lot. Sources are reporting that a Jacksonville Sharks player, which was later identified as WR/DL Leon Mackey,  was arrested by Columbus Police Officers after his reckless activity in the parking lot took place.  Reportedly, Mackey possessed a gun and fired shots in the parking lot during the altercation. The mayhem started taking place when a Lions player was walking to his car and exchanged some words with a Sharks player. Once words were exchanged, shots were fired, but no punches were thrown. When police arrived on scene the bus was searched and it was reported than drugs were found. There is a circulating rumor that two players were arrested for drug possession, but there has not been an official confirmation on who was arrested. 

Week 3 of the 2018 Season for the National Arena League has passed by. It was a very exciting week once again for the NAL and the fans.  We will give you the run down on what took place in all three match-ups on this article, plus some news regarding some of the teams signings and roster moves.

2018 Week 3 Game of the Week
(2017 Championship Rematch)
Jacksonville Sharks @ Columbus Lions
Starting off with the game of the week, the Jacksonville Sharks traveled to Columbus, Georgia in the rematch game of the 2017 National Arena League Championship.. After last week's loss to the Pirates, the Sharks enter "The Jungle" looking to beat the Lions, and improve the 2-1 on the year. On the other hand, the Columbus Lions enter Week 3 undefeated, 1-0 on the year, as they destroyed the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks last week 50-18 in "The Jungle". The Arena Football Talk staff members picked this game as the game of the week over the two other games because of the fact that it is a 2017 Championship rematch.

From the beginning of the game to the end, the relationship between both teams was very chipping. Throughout the game, there was pushing, shoving, and fighting that took place, and it even got to the point where players were taunting their opponents. In the fourth quarter, defensive back Marvin Ross for the Sharks was tossed from the game with 5:35 left in the game on a Double Unsportsmanlike conduct call. The arguments and smack talk was back and forth all game long; from the announcer yelling "overrated", to fans yelling in opposing players' ears, and even players talking to each other. At one point in the game two teammates got into an argument, which shows team chemistry is out of whack. The Columbus Lions won a great game 51-41 at home, getting their revenge after last year's loss vs the Sharks in the Championship Game.

After the game, it was reported that there was some over excessive conflict that went down in the parking lot. Sources are reporting that a Jacksonville Sharks player, which was later identified as WR/DL Leon Mackey,  was arrested by Columbus Police Officers after his reckless activity in the parking lot took place.  Reportedly, Mackey possessed a gun and fired shots in the parking lot during the altercation. The mayhem started taking place when a Lions player was walking to his car and exchanged some words with a Sharks player. Once words were exchanged, shots were fired, but no punches were thrown. When police arrived on scene the bus was searched and it was reported than drugs were found. There is a circulating rumor that two players were arrested for drug possession, but there has not been an official confirmation on who was arrested. 


First Quarter:
The beginning of the game started off very chippy with pushing and shoving, with some penalties being enforced as a result. To start the game #19 Brandon Behr kicked the ball of for the Sharks, and on the squib kick, the Sharks recovered their own kickoff to start the game. Behr was recently signed by the Sharks to kick as a result of Nick Belcher's suspension. Meanwhile, Ryan Walker was the starting quarterback for the Sharks, as a result of Patrick McCain being put on the IR. On the Sharks first drive of the game, Walker's attempted pass to Gilchrist was intercepted by Kyle Griswould for the Lions who was pushed into the boards at about the 15 yard line. Following the interception, the Lions scored with 8:24 left in the 1st Quarter on 2nd and goal, when Espinosa threw a 10 yard touchdown pass to Fortson in the endzone. Following the touchdown pass, Wolfe made the field goal and the Lions jumped out to the early 7-0 lead. Before the end of the quarter, with 1:58 left, the Sharks turned over the ball on a 4th and goal opportunity, which later resulted in the Lions scoring.

Second Quarter:
As a result of the Sharks turning over the ball, the Lions started the 2nd Quarter with a bang, as Espinosa threw a long 25 yard midfield pass to the endzone to Fortson for another touchdown, and the Lions ended up taking a 14-0 lead. The Sharks finally woke up and stuck back, with a 13 yard pass from Walker to Vaughn for a touchdown, and the Sharks narrowed the Lions' lead to 14-7. On the Lions next possession, Lindsey Wolfe made a long 54 yard field goal on a 4th down to put the Lions up 17-7. Following Wolfe's FG, the Sharks took over the ball and scored on a quick pitch from Walker to Vaughn, and the score was now 17-14 with Columbus ahead. With 33 seconds left in the quarter, Espinosa had a QB sneak touchdown into the endzone on 2nd and goal, and the Lions extended their lead to 24-17. With 0:19 left in the quarter, Ryan Walker threw a pass from midfield to Howard who was at the 10 yard line and caught the ball and ran it in to score, and the game was now 24-21, as the Lions lead going into Halftime.

Third Quarter:
To start off the quarter, a pass from Walker to Howard was fumbled by Howard and then Columbus' Tyler Stephenson recovered the ball and the team took over possession. Wolfe and the Lions attempted another long field goal, this time 60 yards, and Wolfe missed it as the Lions' had a turnover on downs. The Sharks took over the possession, and Walker passed a 10 yard pass to Howard for a touchdown and the Sharks took the 28-24 lead. Like they did all game long, the Lions responded quickly from a 8 yard touchdown pass from Espinosa to Fortson and Columbus was back on top 31-28. After the Lions touchdown, DB Marvin Ross was tossed from the game on a Double Unsportsmanlike conduct call. On the kickoff, Columbus ended up recovering their own kickoff on the 1 yard line and on the next play scored on a 1 yard run from Grizwould. The FG from Wolfe was no good after the touchdown, but the Lions still extended the lead to 37-28. Following the Lions' score, Walker threw a wide open touchdown pass to Howard from the 19 yard line and they narrowed Columbus' lead to 37-35. With 0:29 remaining in the quarter, Espinosa connected with Neal on a 25 yard touchdown pass and the Lions now were ahead 44-35.

Fourth Quarter:
An incredible 30 yard pass and diving catch from Espinosa to Purifoy highlighted the start of the final quarter of play. The Lions extended the lead to 51-35. With 9 seconds left in the game Walker had a 5 yard touchdown pass to Gilchrist and the followup two point conversion was no good and the game was over. The Lions won 51-41.



Massachusetts Pirates @ Carolina Cobras
(Section Written by: John Paul York)
Last night the Cobras hosted the Massachusetts Pirates in what was an exhilarating game. Through the first half, neither team could really gain the upper hand. After winning the coin toss, Carolina wanted the ball and they did not disappoint. First play from scrimmage was a completion to Fabian Guerra setting up a Tyron Laughinghouse touchdown. Newly signed quarterback Robert Kent Jr responded with a short touchdown of his own and then Pirates kicker, Ali Mourtada, hit a deuce on the kickoff giving the Pirates a 9-7 lead. On the Cobras ensuing drive, a flag for illegal defense on a fourth down play kept the drive alive and Charles McCullum took advantage connecting with a wide-open Guerra for a touchdown making the score 14-9 at the end of the first.

After a defensive stop on fourth and goal, the Cobras offense would struggle through the second quarter. After a sack and a couple of incompletions, Craig Peterson’s field goal came up short and the Pirates returned it for a touchdown. Mourtada hit another deuce on the kickoff putting the Pirates up 18-14. The Cobras then gave the ball back after failing to score but the Pirates gave it right back after an interception by Keith Lewis. On the first play after the interception, McCullum threw an interception that turned into a scramble in the end zone and the play being ruled a safety. It was overturned on review because the defender gave himself up before the fumble. Some great coaching and defensive hustle held the Pirates to just a field goal giving the Pirates a 21-14 lead. The Pirates then tried to catch the Cobras sleeping with an onside kick. The failed attempt set McCullum up to strike again before the half ended. Connecting with Laughinghouse again with just 17.3 seconds left in the half, the score was tied up 21-21 at halftime.

The third quarter started off for the Pirates with a long touchdown pass but a missed PAT. The Cobras would answer with a touchdown to Tyrell Goodman. The Pirates once again would hit the deep pass, again Mourtada would miss the PAT but redeem himself on the kickoff by hitting his third deuce of the night. To round out the third quarter, the Cobras and Pirates exchanged touchdowns and missed PATs. The Pirates led going into the fourth 41-34.

The opening of the fourth quarter would see a strike to Laughinghouse that would set up another touchdown for Goodman as he pushed his way through the Pirates defenders. The Pirates next drive would end with a short 2yard touchdown run. On the first play after the kickoff, Guerra would find the end zone again. The Cobras defense held strong on fourth down, setting up McCullum to find Guerra (again) on what was a spectacular one-handed catch. After missing the PAT, the Pirates head coach, Ameer Ismail, was ejected after another scuffle with the refs. On the kickoff after the ejection, Peterson came through with a deuce after coming so close many times before. In the waning minutes, down by 8, Kent attempted a backwards pass that was muffed and recovered by Toni Pulu with 51.5 seconds left in the game. After a couple of short offensive plays, the Carolina Cobras would get their first home victory by a score of 55-47! 

The Cobras, now 2-1, travel next week to Jacksonville to take on the Sharks in a week 1 rematch. The Sharks coming off a loss this week to Columbus will be looking for redemption. Even though it's early in the season, the Cobras are showing that they're contenders to make a playoff run in their inaugural season!


Maine Mammoths @ Lehigh Valley Steelhawks
The Steelhawks had their home opener in front of a very thin crowd, coming off of a miserable season opening loss to the Lions. This game was a Week Three head-to-head matchup of two teams who are eager for their first victory of the season. The Mammoths recently fought a close fight against the Carolina Cobras and the Steelhawks lost to the Columbus Lions 50-18 in Week 2.

Going into this week three matchup, many people didn't pay much attention to this game. Both the Mammoths and the Steelhawks have shown their early season mishaps, and no one expected this game to be the greatest, In the end, as many people expected, the Maine Mammoths showed that they are the better team clearly, after beating the Steelhawks 45-24. Finally, Quarterback Johnathan Bane and the Mammoths offense had a great game showcasing their great capabilities. On the other side of things, it was no shocker as the quarterback issues for Lehigh Valley continued. Coach Bob Kohler needs to realize that his team needs to make adjustments now, and find a new reliable quarterback. Although Walton looked a bit better than last week, the rookie still can't seem to find his ways and fit in, in the game of arena football. As long as the Steelhawks continue making the same mistakes, the outcome will be the same.

Saturday morning and hours before gameday, a very unexpected announcement was made by the Massachusetts Pirates. The Pirates announced that star quarterback Sean Brackett and wide receiver Orlandus Harris Sr were invited to attend mini-camp with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL beginning this weekend (April 21st-April 25th). For both Brackett and Harris Sr, it was an opportunity that they couldn't pass up on, as they will get an opportunity to move up to the next level of football. There is no guarentee that either will be signed, but they will showcase their abilities to Saskatchewan and the CFL in hopes of being signed to a contract. Although it leaves a good impression on the team and shows that they are full of talent, the absence of these two players could hurt the team. Both players left on game-day, and the Pirates were set to face the Cobras. Loosing Sean Brackett will hurt the team more than loosing Harris. There are a lot of wide receivers on the Pirates team, so the loss of Harris will not have too bad of an effect. Now without the leadership of the QB Brackett, the Pirates had to scramble to find someone new.

The Pirates made two bold corresponding signings, as they added two veteran quarterbacks Danny Southwick and Robert Kent Jr. The team has not yet specified which QB will get the start in the Week 3 game at Carolina, but both quarterbacks have a deep and experienced resume.


Danny Southwick
Danny Southwick, a native of Provo, Utah, began his pro football career in 2008 with the AF2 Louisville Fire. Southwicl played his senior season of college football at Occidental. Southwick's college statistics, excluding post-season play, include 271 completions out of 478 passes (57%) for 3,804 yards, and 29 touchdowns with 23 interceptions. As a starter in college, during the regular season, Southwick compiled a record of 13 wins and 5 losses.

Over his many years of playing pro football, he has been with so many different arena football teams. Two of his best years of his carreer came in 2015 with the LA Kiss and 2014 with the Portland Thunder.

Here is a look at all the teams he has played for:

• Louisville Fire (2008)
• Oakland Raiders (2009)
• Dallas Vigilantes (2011)
• Tampa Bay Storm (2011)
• San Jose Sabercats (2012)
• San Antonio Talons (2013)
• Chicago Rush (2013)
• Cleveland Gladiators (2013)
• Portland Thunder (2014–2015)
• Spokane Shock (2015)
• Los Angeles KISS (2015)
• Portland Steel (2016)
• Los Angeles KISS (2016)
• Orlando Predators (2016)
• Cleveland Gladiators (2017)

Robert Kent
Robert Kent Jr, a native of Indianola, Mississippi, began his pro football career in 2004 when he was drafted by the Tennessee Titans after not being drafted. Kent was a four-year starter at quarterback for the Jackson State Tigers of Jackson State University. In 45 games, he completed 825 of 1539 passes for 11,797 yards, 104 touchdowns and 58 interceptions, and had an average 262.16 yards per game. Kent's 11,797 yards passing ranked fourth in NCAA Division 1-AA history.

Some of the most notable moments of his career so far are as followed.

• Leading the AF2 Lubbock team to its first playoff berth while completing 274-of-505 passes for 4,100 yards, 86 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. He was also the team’s second leading rusher with 189 yards and 16 touchdowns.
• Recording a 19–1 record while starting for the Houston Stallions in 2011 and 2012.
• Helping the Corpus Christi Fury advance to the Ultimate Indoor Football League championship game in the team’s inaugural season.
• In 2016, he was named the 2016 CIF MVP and Offensive Player of the Year.

Here is a look at all the teams he has played for:

• Tennessee Titans (2004)
• Montreal Alouettes (2005)
• Birmingham/Alabama Steeldogs (2006–2007)
• Lubbock Renegades (2007)
• Toronto Argonauts (2007)
• Lubbock Renegades (2008)
• Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz (2008–2009)
• Abilene Ruff Riders (2010)
• Houston Stallions (2011–2012)
• Corpus Christi Fury (2013)
• San Antonio Talons (2013)
• Corpus Christi Fury (2014)
• St. Louis Attack (2014)
• Texas Revolution (2015–2017)
• Dallas Marshals (2017)
• Monterrey Steel (2017)

This Saturday the Maine Mammoths will travel 400 miles to Allentown, Pennsylvania to face off against the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks. With two loses the trunk-equipped land dwellers could really use a “W” to build momentum. The Tusks faced two fierce opponents to start the National Arena League (NAL) season, the currently undefeated Massachusetts Pirates and the Carolina Cobras. But there’s no particular reason why the expansion Mammoths are cursed to lose. The Mammoths showed they’re contenders on the first play of the first possession against the Cobras. Jonathan Bane went deep to Derrick Macon for a 35 yard blamo! touchdown. It was single-handedly the biggest throwing play I’ve seen this season in the NAL. Bane went on to throw for 246 yards and 5 touchdowns. Needless to say this is a team with a big offense. 

The Mammoth defense, on the other hand had several blown coverage's and couldn’t stop the Carolina offense from repeatedly marching down the field. Also, their kicking game needs flat-line style CPR. Almost every Mammoth touchdown was followed by a missed extra point. Leaving free points on the table is truly unacceptable at the high NAL level. Fortunately for the Portland team the season is 16 weeks with plenty of room for adjustments.

The Lehigh Valley Steelhawks lost their season opener to the Columbus Lions in week 2 with a depressing score of 50-18. Like the Mammoths, defense was a worm the Steelhawks couldn’t find. Afterward, they signed defensive back Brandon Fuentes, who spent the last couple months with the Albany Empire of the Arena Football League (AFL). Maybe Fuentes is the answer to the Steelhawks defensive woes. But, this is an organization that’s been around for since 2011. First in the Indoor Football League (IFL) then the Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL) in 2013. Following their championship season the team joined American Indoor Football (AIF) for the 2016 season. Thus, the Steelhawk ownership has been through a roller coaster ride of various leagues, rules and ego’s! Let’s hope the soaring birds have found their NAL nest, and are here to stay.

So, this is a game I’m gonna watch via YouTube on Saturday at 7:05pm. I like the idea of two underrated, regrouping teams battling it out and fighting for survival. Good luck guys, I’ll be rooting for you!

The showdown in Jacksonville was a high intensity collision of football superheros and arena awesomeness. The National Arena League (NAL) should be proud of the entertaining package that was unleashed between the defending champions, Jacksonville Sharks and expansion Massachusetts Pirates. Both teams came to play and came to win. Unfortunately for the Florida coast town, the Pirates were able to hook a few sharks. 

Although the score would not suggest, strong defense was the catch of the day (ugh, another bad pun). Jacksonville Sharks had several huge goal line stops and defensive plays that stalled the Pirates momentum. None of this was surprising coming from Jacksonville who claimed bragging rights receiving NAL’s defensive, special teams and offensive player accolades for week one. Some suspicious few would suggest these rankings may be slightly rigged toward the league's golden child, but others would say the Sharks are just that good. Jacksonville’s Charlie Hunt was named Defensive player of the week; Jamar Howard was named Offensive player of the week; and Nick Belcher was named special teams player of the week after their win over another expansion team, the Carolina Cobras. 

But the Massachusetts Pirates had an answer for NAL champion. Sean Brackett, the arena football veteran who once donned the the infamous “JAX” on his chest put up some huge numbers for the Pirates. Brackett threw for 258 yards and 5 touchdowns and only one interception. It goes without saying those are big league numbers! 

And of course, the Sunday game recap headline from the NAL read “Pirates Steal Win in Jacksonville” giving the impression that the Pirates offered no chance of winning. Brackett and company showed up to play, and play they did. 

And let me just say for the record, Jacksonville didn’t lose the game, the Pirates won it. There was nothing the Sharks could have done better to put a “W” in their column, it’s just the Massachusetts Pirates are the real deal. Get over it, and get ready for a great season in Pirate Nation! 

Week 2 of the 2018 Season for the National Arena League has came and gone. All 6 teams from the NAL were in action this weekend, April 13-14th. We will give you the run down on what took place in all three match-ups on this article.

2018 Week 2 Game of the Week
Massachusetts Pirates @ Jacksonville Sharks
Starting off with the game of the week, the Massachusetts Pirates traveled to Jacksonville, Florida in the 2017 Defending NAL Champs Home Opener. The Sharks raised their banner and celebrated their success in 2017, with the Pirates in town. It was the clash of two of the undefeated teams in the league with Jacksonville beating Carolina in Week 1, and the Pirates beating the Mammoths. Both the Sharks and Pirates showcased their talents in the game vs each other, but in the end Sharks fans went home heartbroken. The Pirates won last night's game 63-56 in a very back and forth game. The result was a shocker to many, but for some people, they were not surprised at all. The Pirates QB Sean Brackett showed off his power and strength and WR Devon Brown had an outstanding game. The Pirates are for sure not a team to mess with. Lets take a look at how the game went down!

First Quarter:
On the first possession for the Sharks, Patrick McCain threw a 25 yard touchdown pass to Antonio Vaughn, and the TD was followed up with a completed FG from Nick Belcher, and the Sharks took the 7-0 lead. With 8:36 left in the 1st, QB Sean Brackett ran the ball 1 yard into the end-zone for a quarterback sneak touchdown to put the Pirates on the board. Ali Mourtada made the extra point following Brackett's pass and the Pirates tied the game 7-7. Later on, Sharks QB Patrick McCain was intercepted by the John Hardy-Tuliau and the Pirates took over the ball at the 22 yard line, but they ended up having a turnover on downs on the drive after Charlie Hunt sacked Brackett on 4th Down. Patrick McCain went on to throw another touchdown pass in the first quarter to the same player as he threw to earlier, Antonio Vaughn  with 2:44  remaining on the clock. Blecher made the extra point and the Sharks took the lead again 14-7. On the kickoff, Orlandus Harris returned the ball all the way to the 26 yard line, which put the Pirates at great field position. Following the huge kick return, Brackett had a 24 yard pass to Devon Brown. Mourtada made the extra point after the touchdown, and the game was tied 14-14 to end the first quarter.

Second Quarter:
To start of the scoring in the second quarter, Derrick Ross ran a four yard touchdown with 11:37 on the clock and put his team ahead. On the point after, Belcher missed the FG and the score was 20-14 after the touchdown. After the Sharks turned over the ball on downs with 1:40 left in the quarter, the Pirates now had a first and goal opportunity at their fingertips. Easy enough, Orlandus Harris walked into the endzone for a 1 yard touchdown to tie the game 20-20. Ali Mourtada put his team ahead following his extra point 21-20. Immediately on the next drive, the Sharks answered back, as Patrick McCain threw a 12 yard pass into the end-zone to Sam Charles to put the team ahead 26-21 and after the touchdown, Belcher once again missed the field goal and the score remained 26-21. Following the touchdown and missed field goal, the Sharks decided to onside kick the ball and the Pirates FB Harris recovered it on the 9 yard line. On the drive, Brackett connected to Lamont Bryant for a 9 yard catch and run touchdown, followed up by a completed field goal to put the Pirates ahead 28-26. In the final seconds of a crazy second quarter, McCain threw an interception to Pirates' John Hardy-Tuliau for the second time this game. John Hardy-Tuliau ended up with a pick-six before halftime. Mourtada ended up missing the point after, but going into halftime the Pirates were still ahead 34-26.

Third Quarter:
Nick Belcher started off the 3rd Quarter with a bang, and made up for his two missed field goals, as he nailed a deuce right after halftime making it 34-28! With 13:02 on the clock, Brackett threw his first interception of the night to Damion Jacobs, who ended up with a pick-six, followed by Belcher's extra point to help the Sharks lead by 1 point,  35-34. Once again, Belcher made another deuce and the Sharks took the lead 37-34. A huge touchdown pass was thrown by Brackett later on in the quarter, a total of 45 yards on a touchdown pass to Devon Brown, and the extra point was good, which made it 41-37 in the favor of Massachusetts. Almost 6 minutes later in the quarter, McCain passed the ball 25 yards on a corner route touchdown to Antonio Vaughn for Vaughn's 3rd touchdown of the game. Once again, Belcher nailed a field goal and the Sharks had the 44-41 lead going into the fourth quarter.

Fourth Quarter:
To start the scoring in the final quarter of play, Derrick Ross had 1 yard touchdown, and once again Belcher missed the field goal, but the Sharks extended their lead to 50-41. With 8:30 left in the game, Brackett found Devon Brown once again for another touchdown, this time it came on fourth down! Mourtada followed up the pass and made another field goal which narrowed the Sharks lead to 50-48. Jacksonville had to make a quarterback change with 7 minutes remaining in game, as McCain left the field limping after being sacked hard. The new quarterback Walker took over McCain's spot for the rest of the game. The final minute of the game was very hectic, and the Pirates kicker made a field goal with 56 seconds remaining to put the Pirates ahead 51-50. With 19 seconds left, Walker threw a touchdown pass to Antonio Vaughn, but after the touchdown the Sharks failed to convert the 2 point conversion, making the score 56-51. With their backs against the wall and only 8 seconds to work their magic, Brackett threw a touchdown pass to Devon Brown. The Pirates were stopped on a two point conversion even though they still had a 57-56 lead now. Then, with 2 seconds left, the Sharks sent out Belcher, with an attempt to win the game. Belcher's kick was blocked by Bill Vavau and it was recovered by Pirates' DL Kenny Jackson for a touchdown to end the game at the buzzer. The Pirates beat the Sharks 63-56.

Next week, the Pirates will travel to Carolina to face the Cobras, and the Jacksonville Sharks will play at the Columbus Lions in a 2017 NAL Championship rematch.

Lehigh Valley Steelhawks @ Columbus Lions
The Steelhawks traveled down to Columbus, GA, as it was the 2018 Season Openers for both teams. The Columbus Lions are coming off of a great 2017 season, as runners up of the National Arena League.

Entering the week, the Steelhawks had the backs against the wall, facing adversity. Quarterback Caleb Walton was the new starter for LHV coming weeks after the departure of Warren Smith Jr. No one expected anything special from Walton, and really no one knew a thing about who he was and where he has played. Walton and the Steelhawks struggled miserably in the match-up. Caleb Walton ended up only 1 touchdown pass that came in the third quarter when he passed it to Renford for a 25 yard touchdown. Otherwise, Walton ended up  with one interception on the night, and lots of turnovers happened in the game. Coach Kohler made a switch at the QB position with 11:15 left in the fourth quarter as he put in Seth Higgins, former QB at Morgan State. Higgins ended up with 1 score on a QB sneak in the fourth quarter after fumbling the ball earlier in the quarter. On the kicking side of things, Spencer Hoatling had 2 field goals, 1 duece, and 1 missed field goal.

On the other side of things, Mason Espinosa got the start at QB for the Lions. Espinosa passed for 5 touchdowns, with 3 of them being thrown to Jarmon Fortson. Espinosa ended up with a close to 100 passing yards on the night. Former SEC QB from Auburn Jeremy Johnson made his much wanted Lions debut in the 4th Quarter and ended up having a 4 yard touchdown pass on his first touchdown pass as a Lion whit 5:32 left until the end of the game. Jarmon Fortson stood out for the Lions, with 4 touchdowns (one from a trick play from a pass by Purifoy) and 51 receiving yards. Former Georgia Bulldogs FB, Quayvon made his debut with the Lions with 16 receiving  yards, 2 fumbles, and around 50 yards rushing. On the kicking side of things, veteran kicker Lindsey Wolfe ended up with 6 made field goals on 7 attempts.

In the end, the Columbus Lions demolished the Steelhawks 50-18. There are evident issues that the Steelhawks will need to get to work on at practice. Bob Kohler's debut as the new Lehigh Valley head coach was a rough one, as it will be hard for him to follow up on the success of former coach Chris Thompson. The Lions will stay at home next week to face Jacksonville in a 2017 NAL Championship rematch and the Steelhawks will host the Maine Mammoths.

Carolina Cobras @ Maine Mammoths
The Carolina Cobras traveled up to Maine to face the Maine Mammoths, with both teams entering the game 0-1 on the season. The Cobras lost a hard fought game in Week 1 at home vs Jacksonville, but showed that they still are a very good team. On the other side of things, the Mammoths were demolished in Week 1 by the Pirates and many people noticed their many issues.

The Carolina Cobras and their dominant offense rolled over the Mammoths, but it was back in forth for a little while. Quarterback Charles McCullum ended up with 14 passing completions on 27 attempts. Also, McCullum had a total of 5 touchdowns, 0 Interceptions, and was sacked 1 time. To start the game off, McCullum ran the ball in to put his team ahead. The WR's for Carolina once again stood out on the night, and even Jordan Jolly returned from the IR to make his 2018 NAL debut. Defensively, the Cobras had some issues stopping the Mammoths quarterback, but DB Cedric Poole had an interception in the 2nd Quarter of play.

Things looked more promising for the Mammoths on offense early on. Mammoths Quarterback Johnathan Bane ended the game with 15 passing completions on 29 attempts, 2 interceptions, 5 touchdowns, and 1 sack. But in the end, it came down the defense. The Maine defense couldn't stop the powerful Cobras offensive squad. The Cobras beat the Mammoths 56-42. Mammoths fans are probably angry about the loss, but on the positive side of things, the team competed and fought unlike their loss to the Pirates were they let up and stopped competing. Could've Coach Fuller implemented a new mindset for the Mammoths? The team fought hard and looked better than week 1. Improvement is evident for the team, as they'll look to beat Lehigh Valley next week for their first win on the season.

oThe Carolina Cobras got their first win in team history last night on the road against the Maine Mammoths! After winning the coin toss, the Cobras wanted the ball to start the game and it only took Charles McCullum a few passes to get down to the goal line. On short yardage this game McCullum would not be denied, running it in for for the games first score. Jonathan Bane would answer with his own touchdown. Before the end of the first quarter, McCullum would strike again, this time hitting Tyron Laughinghouse on a 15 yard pass!

The 2nd quarter began with the Mammoths kicking a field goal to make the score 13-9 but the rest of the quarter would belong to McCullum. Adding two more rushing touchdowns, even though Petersen pulled the PAT's, the defense stepped up with Cedric Poole getting an interception to stifle a Mammoths drive. 

The 2nd half of the game turned into a shootout between McCullum and Bane. Whenever Bane would hit a receiver for a score, McCullum would answer back. The turning point for me was in the 3rd quarter when Darius Thomas picked off Bane in the endzone and returned it to the 5 yard line. Try as they might, it was too much for the Mammoths to overcome.  The Cobras would go on to get their first win in team history, 56-42.

Next week the Cobras are back at home against the Massachusetts Pirates. Who had a thrilling victory over the defending Jacksonville Sharks. I'm hearing people say that the championship this season will probably be between the Pirates and the Sharks but I say not to count out the Cobras just yet! Coach Billy Back knows how to put points on the board and whenever Jordan Jolly returns, it will provide McCullum another threat. Coach Brain Schmidt's defense is growing into their own, stopping offensive drives and creating turnovers! It's going to be an exciting season...Stay tuned for it all!