Untouchables Sink Commas' Playoff Hopes

The Commas entered Week 6 hanging on by a thread in the playoff hunt. Standing in their way was a new team, the Untouchables, who also needed a win to stay alive. The game lived up to the high stakes (well, as high as they can get in touch football anyway), with several lead changes, controversial calls, and a crazy finish.

Thanks to some great performances on defense, both teams found themselves shut out for most of the first half, until the Untouchables finally punched through by working their short game. Later, after another great defensive stand, the Commas got the ball back on their own one-inch line and busted out with a deep pass to Daniel. He would score on the next play, and Alex's conversion would put Oxford in the lead, 8-6. But, with seconds left in the half, the Untouchables managed to score on a deep throw to their ninja-assassin receiver. Immediately after scoring, he disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

The second half was more of the same, with both defenses digging in. Oxford put together a long drive that ended with a touchdown for Iain, tying the game at 14. Later, the Untouchables were robbed of not one but two touchdowns by bizarre calls from the officials. On one of those plays, the head referee, who was working another game, reversed a touchdown by claiming that the ninja-assassin had stepped out of bounds prior to catching a touchdown. The Commas could only shrug.

Oxford tried to take advantage by setting up one of their longest drives of the day, hoping to both score and eat up the clock. The drive stalled when a deep pass to Daniel missed by about a foot (he still made a great catch--take a look). The defense took the field with about twenty seconds left, trying to preserve a tie, but the Untouchables, perhaps getting some karma from the previous blown calls, were able to score with two seconds left. All Oxford could do was launch a Hail Mary, but it didn't make it. Final score: 20-14.

Despite the heart breaker, the Commas, viewing next week through the bottom of a beer glass, hoped to close out the season with three wins, their most in the league.

This week's Inspirational Clip of the Week is from a team that needed a win to get to the playoffs and miraculously got it. Even though we were so close, I'm showing it anyway. Also, in honor of our defense, I'm throwing in this one as well. (Hey, I went this long without any Eagles highlights, so give me some credit.)

Videos are below. Thanks, Gina.

Kari gets things going with a catch.



Matt keeps a drive going.



A pass into the end zone falls short. Immediately afterward, Alex shows that the off-season weight training program has gotten some serious results.



Brian gets a screen pass.



Matt with another catch.



Kari to Robert.



Still mad about this one. I thought that the correct call would be a catch and then a fumble. Instead, it takes the refs a minute to change the call from an incompletion to out-of-bounds on the quarterback.



Kari completes a pass to Brian.



Jon gives chase and the defense holds.



Following the defensive stop, the Commas throw deep from the back of their end zone and complete a pass to Daniel.



On the very next play, Daniel wins a battle of height to put the Commas on the board.



Then Alex scores on the conversion to make it 8-6 Commas.



Overcoming tight coverage by Oxford, the Untouchables retake the lead to make it 14-8.



Jon stops a touchdown at the very last second.



Alex catches a ball. Some guy on the sideline is so impressed that he faints.



Daniel gets yards after the catch.



From the sideline, Brian's mom screams, "Go Brian!" She had PB and J sandwiches waiting for him. With the crust removed, of course.



Iain keeps his cool on a busted play and scores to tie the game at 14.



The most controversial play of the season: the Untouchables try to take the lead, but a TD is nullified by the ref ON ANOTHER FIELD(!) because the receiver stepped out of bounds. The Commas plead innocence and shrug.



Another big catch for Daniel.



Alex hangs on following a big shot from the Untouchables' version of Ronnie Lott.



Another controversial call: did the receiver score, or was he "persuaded" to move out of the end zone by Daniel? I plead the Fifth.



Matt's mom informs us that her son is "on fire."



On the last big drive, Brian moves the team within striking distance of the end zone.



Unfortunately, this was as close as the Commas would come to scoring: missing by a foot on a deep pass to (and a great catch by) Daniel.



The Untouchables take the lead with a few seconds remaining.



On the last play, the Commas try a Hail Mary, but it is batted away from Brian.