Tuesday Evening Kicker: 2017 Week 1 Recap

Week 1 of the 2017 MFFL season is in the books! As is the case with most opening weeks, surprises were plentiful. The North Division exerted its early dominance with all three teams picking up victories, while the East Division failed to tally a win. Meanwhile, in the South and West Divisions, three of the top four scoring teams from a season ago — San Juan, Bangkok and Turkey — look to be power players again as each notched a Week 1 victory.

Russia Renegades 130.83, Nagasaki Kamikazes 105.75 — Looking to rebound from a dismal 2016 campaign, the Renegades busted out of the gates with a strong Week 1 performance. It nearly wasn’t meant to be, however, when the Renegades left rookie running back Kareem Hunt on the bench. The 6th-overall pick in the 2017 Draft scored 48 points, second-most in the MFFL and tops among non-defenses. The Renegades instead got a boost from running backs LeSean McCoy (25.3 points) and Jordan Howard (18.2) as well as wide receiver Stefon Diggs (27.9). The Kamikazes were led by wide receiver Antonio Brown with 29.2 points. Quarterback Drew Brees followed up with 19.45 and running back Carlos Hyde added 15.5. Up next for the Kamikazes is a Week 2 date with the Greenland Monsters, who led the league in scoring in Week 1. The Renegades have a divisional matchup with the Ukraine Grainers.

San Juan Scorpions 122.95, Egypt Pharaohs 101.23 — The Scorpions picked up where they left off last season — when they finished with the highest win percentage in the league — by securing an important Week 1 victory over the Pharaohs. San Juan was led by a balanced attack, which was sorely needed when star running back David Johnson (14.4 points) left the game early with an injury. The Green Bay Packers defense led the way with 27 points, followed by tight end Zach Ertz (17.3), quarterback Kirk Cousins (13.55) and wide receivers A.J. Green (12.5) and Rishard Matthews (12.1). For the Pharaohs, their home opener after relocating from Ethiopia did not go as they had hoped. Wide receiver Golden Tate picked up 21.8 points to lead the team in scoring. Quarterback Derek Carr added 20.83, and running back Marshawn Lynch and the Houston Texans defense each contributed 13.8. The Scorpions take on Turkey Jerky in a high-profile Week 2 matchup. Egypt will do battle with the Blitz.

Bangkok Blitz 155.08, Ecuador Ewoks 105.97 — The Ewoks ran into a juggernaut in Week 1 when they succumbed to a Blitz team scoring the second-highest point total in the league. All nine starters for the Blitz scored in double digits. Running back Todd Gurley (24.4), quarterback Marcus Mariota (23.98), the Cincinnati Bengals defense (21.4), and wide receiver Jordy Nelson (20.9) led the way for Bangkok. Interestingly, the Blitz did not need much help from their highest-paid player, wide receiver Julio Jones, who scored a team-low 10.6 points. The Ewoks got solid efforts from a handful of players including running back Ezekiel Elliott (23.8), quarterback Aaron Rodgers (22.87), the New York Giants defense (15.1) and kicker Matt Bryant (13.3). But low-scoring outputs from wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Tyler Boyd as well as tight end Tyler Eifert — who scored a combined 5.5 points — hampered their chances at winning. Next week, the Blitz will look to continue to roll when they take on the Pharaohs in Egypt while Ecuador looks for their first victory when they take on the Jerks of Jamaica.

Turkey Jerky 139.2, Jamaica Jerks 128.1 — In a rematch of last year’s Super Bowl, the Jerky got a measure of revenge when they defeated the defending champion Jerks by 11.1 points. The Jerky led the way with their defense, receiving 46.5 points from the Baltimore Ravens. Five other players scored in double figures, including wide receivers Amari Cooper (17.2) and Pierre Garcon (14.1), running backs LeGarrette Blount (14.5) and Devonta Freeman (14.3), and quarterback Tom Brady (13.3). Jamaica had a solid defensive effort as well with 37.9 points from the Philadelphia Eagles. Quarterback Philip Rivers pitched in with 19.9, followed by wide receivers Corey Coleman (16.3), Terrelle Pryor (12.6) and Brandin Cooks (11.8). The Jerky have a tough Week 2 matchup against the San Juan Scorpions and the Jerks will fight the Ewoks with each team trying to earn its first win.

Ukraine Grainers 124.57, Vietnam Velociraptors 97.27 — The Grainers scored a big Week 1 victory by downing the Velociraptors by 27.3 points. Rookie running back and 5th-overall pick Dalvin Cook led the way for the Grainers with 21.1 points. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (19.57) and wide receivers DeAndre Hopkins (18.5) and Keenan Allen (14.6) were also big contributors to the victory. The Velociraptors got a solid effort from running back Melvin Gordon in the loss. He led the way with 22.5 points. The Arizona Cardinals defense (19.6) added to the effort. Running back Isaiah Crowell (14), quarterback Russell Wilson (10.17) and wide receiver Doug Baldwin (10.2) also topped double digits. The Grainers have a divisional matchup with the Renegades in Week 2 while the Velociraptors will try to score their first victory under new ownership next week against the Wookiees.

Greenland Monsters 178.25, Wake Island Wookiees 81.22 — In the most lopsided contest of the week, the Greenland Monsters — the highest scoring team of the week — defeated the Wake Island Wookiees — the lowest scoring team of the week — by nearly 100 points. Having finished the 2016 season winless, the Monsters are already well on their way to a much better 2017. The Jacksonville Jaguars defense scored the most points in the MFFL in Week 1 with 54.6 points for the Monsters. But the scoring didn’t stop there. First-overall draft pick Leonard Fournette (26.6), wide receiver Adam Thielen (24.7), tight end Austin Hooper (20.8) and quarterback Matt Ryan (20.65) all topped 20 points for the Monsters. New quarterback Blake Bortles, claimed off waivers by the Wookiees last week, led the way with 11.82 points for Wake Island. Wide receiver Ted Ginn added 10 points and receiver Jordan Matthews followed up with 8.1. Next week, the Monsters will look to continue their high-powered scoring attack when they take on the Kamikazes. The Wookiees will try to hit the win column when they face Vietnam.