Week 3 of the '24 X League Super

Week 3 of Super X League play witnessed
the biggest upset since before the pandemic.

In week 3 of X League Super play there was another shake up at the top of the power rankings as IBM Big Blue knocked off the Obic Seagulls to enter into a three-way tie with the Tokyo Gas Creators for first place in the Eastern Division. For the X League, this was a MAJOR upset, as the balance of power in the league (Fujitsu, Panasonic and Obic being the near perpetual top teams in the league for many years), with second tier teams such as Tokyo Gas, the Nojima Rise, and Mike Phair's Big Blue team now challenging the status quo. As a result, and as stated last week, 2024 might be the first season in many years in which the Rice Bowl will not feature a battle of Japan's top computer brands. Yet despite the upset as the six game season reaches the midway point, the perpetual "have nots" continue to struggle, as is seen clear in the standings. Hopefully in week four, the Suns, Minerva and the Lions can break into the win column. 

Eastern Division Standings

2-1 Obic Seagulls

2-1 Tokyo Gas Creators

2-1 IBM Big Blue

0-3 All Mitsubishi Lions

 

Central Division Standings

3-0 Fujitsu Frontiers

2-1 Nojima Rise

1-2 OrientalBio Silver Star

0-3 FujiFilm Minerva

 

Western Division Standings

3-0 Panasonic Impulse

1-1 Elecom Finies

1-1 Sekisui Challengers

0-3 Pleiades Suns

 

Highlights

IBM Big Blue 24 Obic Seagulls 21

Box Score

In what was clearly expected to be a win by Obic, Mike Phair's IBM Big Blue said otherwise as kicker Yuto Fukuoka hit a walk off field goal to seal the upset. On their way to victory, Quarterback Yuki Masamoto went 17 for 31, with 208 yards and one touchdown pass to Daisuke Kato. All told, there were 11 different passing targets getting receptions (excellent example of using all your passing weapons), while Masamoto and Kato also each ran in for a touchdown, giving their total team ground game 52 yards on the day. On defense, one interception was recorded.  As for Obic, which only had 26 team rushing yards, Tyler Kulka was 16 for 24 with two touchdowns to Jamal Watanabe. Another touchdown was run in by Kota Takahashi on a fumble recovery. The victory by IBM has completely upended the power rankings for the first half of the season.

OrientalBio Silver Star 24 Fujifilm Minerva 17

Box Score

OrientalBio's Devin Phelps truly was the man who wore the star, as he caught seven passes for 88 yards and one touchdown in the Silver Star's victory over Fujifilm. Silver Star quarterbacks Kazuma Ando and Darrius Sample were a combined 15 for 20 and one touchdown (thrown by Ando to Phelps). On the ground the Silver Star had a combined 37 yards rushing, with one touchdown run in by Ueko Ohbare, while another was run in on a defensive fumble recovery by Sugawa Munemitsu. An additional three points from a field goal were gotten via the foot of kicker Umegaki Hikaru. As for Fujifilm, Derek William scored one touchdown and had 55 yards rushing on the day, while quarterback Takashi Suzuki was 13 for 30, 117 yards and one touchdown pass to Tsukasa Kuwahara. Lastly, kicker Ikuya Ohno kicked one field goal. Despite the Silver Star fumbling and turning the ball over once, the Minerva offense coughed up the ball three times, thus helping Minerva snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Fujitsu Frontiers 31 Nojima Rise 13

Box Score

Even with the sound down on the TV, one could hear Fujitsu defensive coach BJ Beatty using a very strong tone of voice as the Rise entered halftime ahead 13-7. Which with a team like Fujitsu only served to piss them off and then toll up 24 points in the second half, led the way of course by Tra'Shaun Nixon's legs (two touchdowns on the day and 95 yards total rushing) and quarterback Tsubasa Takagi's arm (22/32 for 290 yard and two touchdown passes to Grant Somergy and Yusei Kami). The defense was led by Masaki Ninomiya and BJ's brother, Bronson Beatty, both of whom picked off Rise passes. Additional points were added via the foot of kicker Koji Nosho. As for Nojima, Kurt Palandech was 24/27 for 245 yards and a touchdown pass to Tay Cunningham  (who had 85 receiving yards on the day). Seven additional points were added via the foot of kicker Taiki Sato, while on defense, interceptions were recorded by Takumi Iwasaki and Taiga Nagata. 

Sekisui Challengers 42 Pleiades Suns 3

Box Score

The Challengers rolled over the hapless Suns as Garrett Safron was 16 for 21 and 182 yards in passing with three touchdown tosses, while his understudy, Taro Korezawa tossed an additional TD pass.  Boogie Knight led Challenger receivers with ten catches, 111 yards and one touchdown grab, while the remaining scoring catches were nabbed by Akira Kameyama, Takuro Abe, and Ryo Ohtsuki.  On the ground the Challengers' running back committee rolled up 188 yards and two touchdowns (by Endo Shu and Yuto Kato).  The defense intercepted four Suns passes, of which two were collected by Tre'Vaughn Craig, and one each by Toshiki Komura and Hiroki Yamashita. As for the winless Suns, they were held to 160 yards passing, 20 yards rushing, and a lone field goal by Taisei Takagi. 

Tokyo Gas Creators 38 All Mitsubishi Lions 7

Box Score

The gas in the tank of the Creators is that supplied by quarterback Jerod Evans, who, despite his mediocre 50 percent passing completion numbers threw for two touchdowns and ran in for another. Between his legs and his arms, Jerod had a combined 223 of offensive yardage (133 yards passing and 87 yards rushing) as he led his team to victory. The Creators backfield ran for an additional 171 yards, including 90 yards rushing and one touchdown by Ryotro Hoshino. As for touchdown receptions, Justin Hobbs and Hiroki Osaka both caught scoring throws from Evans. On the defensive side, the Lions were held to 60 yards rushing and 135 yards passing, as their quarterbacks were picked off twice by Homa Yamamura and Soichiro Nishikawa  The only Lions score came on a touchdown pass by Yuki Yamanaka to Yamato Nagaoka.  The question for this writer is simply, if Evans unfortunately gets hurt, will Tokyo Gas be able to overcome the loss of his arm and legs, both of which have been instrumental in their victories over IBM and All Mitsubishi, and their close battle with Orix?

Panasonic Impulse 27 Elecom Finies 10

Box Score

The Impulse looked strong in their statement win over Elecom, though it remains to be seen if they can regain their powerful form of the last several years and return to the Rice Bowl.  Panasonic's seven person running squad had a combined 137 yards and one touchdown, while quarterback Araki Yuya was 17 for 26, with 226 yards passing and two touchdowns to Brennan Tsubasa and Touma Yoshiaki. Kicker Shintaro Saeki recorded three field goals on the day, while the defense logged four sacks for a total of 39 yards lost.  For Elecom, David Pindell was 16 of 25, with 189 yards rushing and one touchdown pass to Yuuma Hashimoto, while kicker Kento Tanigawa kicked one field goal, but missed another one.

Image by freepik