We played our last game and then had 20 days between games, so naturally we decided to take a vacation from our vacation and head for the south. There was little time to review our last game in that time, but now that we’re back and getting after another game week I’ve taken the time to review our win over the Mean Machine.Two Saturdays ago the two biggest punch throwers of the Super Series stood toe to toe. Whenever the
top two teams of any circuit meet up undefeated it goes without saying that fireworks are sure to be on display. Which, was the case quite literally during the post game celebration. Europe’s 6th ranked Carlstad Crusaders have two guaranteed games per year that they get to gear up for more than usual. Games that mean more to the players of the Red and Black than just another win or loss on the chart. Playing the Stockholm Mean Machine is an opportunity to renew a vowed unruliness towards the most storied franchise in the history of Swedish football. The fans arrived in groups ready for the only time that they will see the Machine on their home turf in 2011 before the playoffs.
The game unlike the buildup was a one-sided affair. The surprise onside by the home team at the opening kickoff set the tone for what was to be a dazzling display of offensive highlights and defensive crushing blows from the Crusaders. Behind the constant push of the offensive line, Eli and Christian Forsman each had a fabulous day rushing the football. Forse glanced off of would be tacklers time and time again with his bowling ball like approach to running the football. He was led off right tackle at the end of the first drive by an onslaught of Carlstad blockers, 3 of which had carried their defenders into the end zone prior to Christian entering it. The Machine’s answer was negated on their third play as intercepted a curl route and returned it for a score, one of 3 takeaways I would have on the day. All three of which I owe completely to my pass rush as they constantly had the Stockholm protectors staring at their quarterback being rushed, hit, and frustrated within just seconds of snapping the ball. The Crusader pass rush is who we thought they were, a Denny Green parody. These guys: Olof Flemstrom, Carl Carlson, Johan Asker, and Alex Thelander violently attacked the run game and pass drop of the Machine unrelentingly. 
There were no tackles to be had by the backers or secondary as our front destroyed all attempts to run the ball by the Machine holding them to 60 rushing yards on 27 attempts equating to just under a half yard per carry. We Crusaders scored touchdowns on our first 7 times with the ball including an interception for a score. At the end of the game Olof Flemstrom who you’ll remember from the do it all game he had at Kiel got our team the special teams edge by blocking a punt.Since this game the Mean Machine and the Royal Crown have each won once bringing their win totals to 3 alongside the Crusaders. The difference is the loss column, where the Crown has dropped 2 games in the first half of the season to SMM and CC, and Stockholm lost to the Crusaders. This is depicted to the right hand side of this blog in the 2011 SAFF standings.
