Lions Look To End Losing Skid This Saturday
Published on April 11, 2013 under Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL)
Columbus Lions News Release
COLUMBUS, GA (April 10, 2013) - On Saturday two reeling teams both losers of two-straight will face-off when the Columbus Lions (1-2) of the Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL) travel to Lake Charles, LA to take on the Louisiana Swashbucklers (0-2).
It's been a frustrating couple of weeks, even more considering the Lions have played just three games in the season's first month. With only one win to show for it, come Saturday Columbus will take on an opponent who may be reeling even worse than them.
"Football can be a painful game, and sometimes it leaves marks on both body and soul," says Columbus Lions Head Coach Jason Gibson. "The two-week layoff didn't do us any justice. With lackluster practices our game execution ultimately paid the price in our loss to Alabama."
That was the case last Saturday for the Lions, whose performance in a 72-45 loss to the Hammers won't be easy to forget because there were a lot of "evers" involved.
In terms of margin, it was the worst loss ever in franchise history. It was the most points ever scored by an opponent in a regular season game and the first time since 2008 in which a team hung more than 70 on Columbus. Dominated in all three facets of the game, Hammers WR Mico McSwain torched the defense grabbing nine receptions for 201 yards and five touchdowns.
Meanwhile, the offense couldn't play catch-up as QB Marcus Jones threw four interceptions completing just 45% of his passes. Even the usually reliable special teams struggled forcing the Lions to make a mid-week move bringing in former Albany Panthers K Geoff Boyer (6'0 165, Middle Tennessee St.). Last season, in eight games Boyer scored 118 points going 19-24 on field goal attempts, 49-54 on PAT attempts, while notching 12 Uno's.
Like Columbus, the Swashbucklers are rooted deep with a winning tradition having made the playoffs every year since their inaugural season back in 2005. However, the current Bucs no longer resemble the teams that advanced to their league's championship game in five consecutive seasons (2007-2011).
Louisiana has gotten off to a rough start losing games to Albany and Lehigh Valley. But what makes those losses sting even more was that they took place on their home turf, a venue in which they entered the 2013 season with a career 47-6 record.
"Historically Lake Charles has been a tough venue for opposing teams," continues Gibson. "We know that for a fact having lost our only two appearances there."
In their two previous appearances in Lake Charles, Columbus lost 51-31 back in 2010 as well as last season letting a 10-point 4th quarter lead slip through their fingertips ultimately losing 61-57.
Louisiana is led by their all-around prolific WR Jordan Rideaux (5'9 165, Louisiana College). Last season, Rideaux led the PIFL in all-purpose yards (1,305) and through the Swashbucklers first two games he leads the team in receptions (18), yards (220), and touchdowns (3).
Saturday's game is the first of two meetings between the Lions and Bucs with the next game taking place in two weeks in Columbus (4/27).
Coverage of Saturday's game against Louisiana will begin at 8:00 PM ET, to follow all of the action, log on to www.columbuslions.net and click on the Listen Live icon.
Professional Indoor Football League Stories from April 11, 2013
- Lions Look To End Losing Skid This Saturday - Columbus Lions
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