Discuss the Reading Express @ Cedar Rapids Titans Week 12 Matchup here.
Last Edit: May 13, 2012 8:27:43 GMT -5 by Banana Cat
"Minor league pro football is a weird universe filled with bounced checks, unpaid bills, empty promises, out-right lies, empty arenas, endless women, endless booze, occasionally drugs, endless trips on rented buses to towns on the outskirts of the Big Time and, for one night a week, a football game." -- Bill Shea
Cedar Rapids, IA- The Cedar Rapids Titans (2-7) are looking to bounce back from yet another loss last week, their sixth in a row, as they welcome as the team prepares for a rematch against the Reading Express (2-7) on Saturday May 12th. Kickoff on Medicom Field at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena will occur at 7:05p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast locally on KCRG 9.2 as well as online at Americaone.com.
This is the second meeting of the season between the Titans and the Express. In the last game the Titans battled back from a 16 point deficit in the third quarter but were unable to complete the comeback as they fell 51-47. The game was Reading’s first victory of the season. Titans’ RB Andre Crenshaw scored a Titans record five touchdowns in that game. He ran for four touchdowns and caught one as well.
Last week, the Cedar Rapids Titans traveled to Chicago in a rematch from Week 5. The game started well for the Titans as ,Week 11 Special Teams Player of the Week ,DB T.J Simmons returned the opening kickoff 56 yards for a touchdown. The game was a back and forth affair as the Titans took the lead 38-34 with 57 seconds remaining in the game in part to a QB Black 1-yard run. However the Titans gave too much time to Chicago as QB Perry Patterson hit WR Eyad Salem for the game-winning touchdown with just 13 seconds left in the game. Saturday’s game vs. Reading will be a trip home for the Titans where the team is 2-2 on the season.
Reading won its second game in row last week against the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks 37-34. Lehigh Valley led in almost every offensive category but could not get a win as the Express squeaked out its second win of the season. Express DB Marcus Sargeant was honored as the Week 11 IFL Defensive Player of the Week for his three interception, nine tackle performance vs. the Steelhawks.
The big matchup is the Titans scoring offense vs. the Reading scoring defense. The Titans offense ranks last in points per game at 34 while Reading’s defense allows a league-high 55.7 points per game. This game will also be one of the few where two IFL Players of the Week, DB Marcus Sargeant and DB T.J Simmons, face off on competing teams in the same game.
"Minor league pro football is a weird universe filled with bounced checks, unpaid bills, empty promises, out-right lies, empty arenas, endless women, endless booze, occasionally drugs, endless trips on rented buses to towns on the outskirts of the Big Time and, for one night a week, a football game." -- Bill Shea
CEDAR RAPIDS – It took just two plays for the Cedar Rapids Titans to take control and it took a big play by the defense in the final minute to seal the deal.
The Titans scored on the first two snaps of the game, then got a 25-yard fumble return from Tony Tucker with 23 seconds left for the clinching touchdown as the Titans broke a six-game losing streak with a 38-27 win over the Reading Express before a crowd of about 2,500 at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena.
“Oh my God,” exclaimed Titan quarterback Kenneth Black Jr. after the game. “This was a defensive win. They saved us, they really saved us.”
Cedar Rapids’ Devin King sacked Reading quarterback Tim Bailey in the end zone on the first offensive snap of the game. And, after Reading kicked the ball back to the Titans following the safety, Johnnie King III raced 30 yards on a draw play for a touchdown. That gave the Titans a 9-0 lead and they never looked back, but there were some anxious moments as Reading staged a furious rally in the fourth quarter.
The win was Cedar Rapids’ first since a 52-40 home win over Chicago on March 23 and also kept the Titans’ slim playoff hopes alive. Now 3-7, Cedar Rapids is still in the running for the fourth and final playoff slot in the United Conference. Reading, which edged the Titans, 51-47, two weeks ago at home, dropped to 2-8 after winning their last two contests following an 0-7 start.
Cedar Rapids Coach Kyle Moore-Brown was looking for a more consistent effort from all three phases of his team and they responded. The defense, which has been shaky over the past few weeks, held the Express to seven points in the first half, sacking Bailey three times and picking off one pass. They also recovered three fumbles, including the clincher from Tucker. Zxavie Jackson nailed Bailey from behind as the Express were trying to march for the go-ahead score. The ball bounced free and Tucker scooped it up, broke a tackle and scooted down the boards for the touchdown.
“I played with Tucker at Prairie View,” Black said. “I never knew he was that fast.”
Black scored on a 1-yard run late in the first quarter and hit Eric McCain with a 35-yard scoring strike, the only TD in the second quarter which gave the Titans a 22-7 lead at the break.
The run continued to start the second half. After being denied on their first series, the Titans forced a turnover when T.J. Simmons picked up a fumble near midfield, Four plays later, Black hit McCain for another touchdown, this time a 12-yard strike. Scott Enos added the extra point, upping the lead to 29-7. Reading broke the run with a 1-yard scoring plunge from fullback Mike Dell only to see the Titans respond with a 33-yard field goal from Enos, who had his second straight strong game since joining the Titans a few weeks back.
Cedar Rapids’ 32-14 lead appeared safe but Bailey connected on a pair of touchdowns, the second a beautiful 45-yard strike to Ivory Bradshaw with 2:42 remaining to draw the Express with five at 32-27. Reading then held the Titans on defense, giving the offense a final shot.
It looked like Cedar Rapids could be on its way to another heartbreaking loss until Jackson and Tucker came through.
“Every week we gotta play for 60 minutes,” Moore-Brown said. “The guys showed good professionalism tonight and I am proud of them. They fought hard and found a way to win.”
Cedar Rapids played without running backs Travis Rhone and Andre Crenshaw, along with receiver Johnny Gray. All three were out with injuries.
"Minor league pro football is a weird universe filled with bounced checks, unpaid bills, empty promises, out-right lies, empty arenas, endless women, endless booze, occasionally drugs, endless trips on rented buses to towns on the outskirts of the Big Time and, for one night a week, a football game." -- Bill Shea
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