Quarterly report:
Record: 4-0 overall record: 8-4
The Monarchs take down division leaders and claw back into the playoff picture.
- Following two straight close losses against AFC powerhouses the Roswell Invaders and Real Kayfabe, London wraps up a three game homestand by hosting the Denver Rocky Mountain Bronx. After a narrow 22-20 win in week six, Monarchs fans may have been nervous entering the matchup, but the boys in Royal Blue put their fears to rest early. QB Matthew Avila connects with WR William Ortiz for a 66 yard TD midway through the first quarter, while star RB Archie Daniels finally scores his first rushing TD of the year from two yards out at the end of the quarter. After a short field goal in the second, Avila finds second year WR Jon Horton for a 15 yard TD just before halftime to effectively end the game with a 24-0 halftime lead. Avila and Horton hook up again for a 17 yard TD in the third, and the Bronx's only sustained drive of the day, a sixteen play 94 yard drive capped by a 12 yard TD pass from Denver QB Robert Arthur to rookie RB Harvey Zelaya spoils the shutout as the Monarchs win 31-7.
- The Monarchs pack their bags for South Dakota in week 10, for a matchup against the NFC South leading Rapid Valley Shadow Dancers. With the Shadow Dancers entering the game on a six game winning streak, it appeared to be a tall order to take down the division leader, but the Tough Blokes defense was up to the challenge. Avila and Ortiz get London on top early once again, thanks to a 8 yard TD catch in the first quarter. However, the specter of London's suspect pass protection raises its ugly head in the second quarter as Rapid Valley RDE Ronnie Perez sacks Avila for a safety in the second quarter, cutting the lead to 7-2. Shadow Dancer QB Francis Norris shakes off a pair of first quarter interceptions to toss a 51 yard score to star WR Claude Payton, giving Rapid Valley its first lead at 9-7. However, London answers right back, as Avila leads a ten play 75 yard scoring drive topped by a 28 yard TD pass to backup RB Ethan Feliciano just before halftime, as the Monarchs retake the lead 14-9. A 48 yard field goal by James Galloway cuts the London lead to two in the third quarter, before the Monarchs step up on both sides of the ball in the fourth. Avila and Ortiz connect for their second touchdown of the game, a 67 yard catch and run score in the fourth quarter to push the lead to 21-12. On the ensuing drive Rapid Valley continues throwing, with disastrous results. QB Francis Norris throws his fourth interception of the contest, which CB Frank Harris takes all the way to the house for his first career touchdown, adding the final points in London's 27-12 victory. Overall London picks off Norris five times, two by veteran CB Frank Ball, but the Monarchs fail to pick up any ground as the Invaders win their sixth straight game with a 41-3 blowout win over Atlanta.
- The Monarchs return to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in week 11 to host the Las Vegas Wraiths. London's comeback trend from earlier in the year seems like a distant memory, as the Monarchs again strike early. RB Archie Daniels starts the scoring with a 12 yard TD run on the game opening drive, and QB Matthew Avila adds a 3 yard TD pass to backup WR Dale Hale on the next possession for a 14-0 first quarter lead. The Monarchs strike again, finishing off their third straight TD drive with a 43 yard TD pass from Avila to WR William Ortiz, his fourth TD in the last three games. A 47 yard field goal by K Brandon Shah just before halftime puts London up 24-0. They maintain control in the second half before a five yard TD pass from QB Willlie Lang to WR Arturo Holloway gives Las Vegas their only points in a 24-6 Monarchs win. London's struggling running game, a negative all season long, finally puts up a strong showing. The Monarchs record a season high 211 rushing yards, with Daniels getting his first 100 yard rushing game since 2035 week 7 with 102 yards and the rushing TD. RB Alvin Dillon adds his best game of the season with 73 yards rushing in London's third straight win.
- Week 12 features a rematch with the team that ended the Monarchs playoff dreams last season, the AFC West leading Brawndo Corp. Dildozers. The Monarchs fumbled away a chance at a playoff upset in a 23-16 loss in the divisional round, despite outplaying the perennial highpowered Dildozers. Any expectations for this game in London couldn't predict a truly wild contest - settle in, this is going to take a while.
At risk of sounding like a broken record, Avila and Ortiz continue their strong opening quarter connection, thanks to a 51 yard TD catch and an early 7-0 London lead. However, Brawndo MVP candidate QB David Bare answers back with a 9 yard scoring toss to WR James Brandt to tie the score at 7. After a field goal gives the Monarchs a brief 10-7 lead in the second, the Dildozer offense begins warming up. Bare finds a wide open RB/WR Tom Wood for a 39 yard score, followed by Brandt's second TD catch of the afternoon from 19 yards out, giving Brawndo a 21-10 lead. Another field goal at the two minute warning keeps London within striking distance, sending the hosts to the locker room trailing 21-13.
The Dildozers keep holding the Monarchs at bay in a back and forth third quarter. Bare and Brandt record their third TD pass of the afternoon, another 19 yard score that pushes the lead to 28-13. London fans don't have to wait long to start cheering again, as the Monarchs need just over two minutes to move 89 yards to the end zone, thanks to a 47 yard scoring pass from Avila to WR Jon Horton, cutting the lead to 28-20. The heavyweight boxing match swings back towards the Dildozers once again on the next possession, when Bare finds Brandt for his fourth TD catch from 9 yards out, once again giving the visitors some breathing room at 35-20. The Monarchs refuse the roll over as another long scoring drive ends with Avila finding RB Archie Daniels for a 10 yard TD catch again making it a one score game after three quarters at 35-27.
Lining up for a routine punt on the first play of the fourth quarter, a seemingly fatal play befalls the Monarchs. Brawndo CB Willard Castilleja slips through the line and blocks a punt by P Jerrod Shepherd, scooping up the ball and returning it 44 yards for a touchdown, stunning the fans and putting the Dildozers up 42-27. While no one could fault the home squad for folding after such a devastating mistake, the Monarchs continue to fight. K Brandon Shah chips in a 30 yard field goal cutting the lead to 42-30 with ten minutes remaining, but instead of looking to milk the clock the Dildozers keep throwing. That move proves costly, as the Tough Blokes strike again with just over eight minutes remaining. Brawndo QB Bare throws his fourth interception of the game at the London 41 yard line, which WLB Robert Williams returns 59 yards for a touchdown, London's second interception return TD in the last three games. A game that appeared lost suddenly is within reach, as the extra point pulls London back to within one score at 42-37.
The teams exchange punts on their next four possessions, two more nearly blocked by Castilleja, before the final drama unfolds. After stopping the Dildozers with a three and out burning their only three time outs, the Monarchs receive a punt from the Dildozers at their own 32 yard line with just 1:14 remaining, still trailing by five. QB Matthew Avila finds Archie Daniels for a 31 yard pass to the Brawndo 37 yard line, and a 17 yard pass to WR Sam Quint gets London to the 20 yard line with 42 seconds remaining. An 8 yard pass to WR Jon Horton moves the Monarchs to the Brawndo 12, and a scoring pass from Avila to backup WR Sean Foster with only :16 remaining amazingly gives London the lead at 43-42, following a failed two point conversion attempt. With the Dildozers on their heels, two final incompletions by Bare sends London pubs into a frenzy as the Monarchs exorcize their playoff demons with their first ever win over the Dildozers since their current owner took over in 2033 (0-2 regular season, 0-2 playoffs).
QB Matthew Avila records possibly his finest game in a Monarchs uniform, throwing for a career high 474 yards, adding 4 TD passes. Without much ground support all year, Avila is pulling London back into playoff contention. The Monarchs fourth straight win, coupled with the Invaders 36-12 loss to the Arkansas Thrashers, snapping a seven game winning streak, moves London within two games of the division lead. The Monarchs currently sit outside the playoff bubble, with matching 8-4 records with the Kayfabe, Argonauts and Teabag Party. After suffering losses to Wilmington and the Kayfabe earlier in the season, London will need some help to return to the playoffs for the second straight year. The Moguls schedule maker has given London a late season gift, with a pair of games remaining against the winless Pennsauken Del Fuego Phoenix, as well as the Denver Broncos (currently on a seven game losing streak) and a home contest against the Charlotte Fire Breathing Rubber Duckies. With ten interceptions in their last four games and Pennsauken's struggling star (?) rookie QB Daniel McCrea on tap to renew the Battle of the Bridges rivalry, the chance for a surprise playoff trip remains intact. Look for an update at the conclusion of the 2036 regular season.