DA VINCI RESCUES DANISH FROM 10-POINT DEFICIT
BOXSCORE: http://goallineblitz.com/game/game.pl?game_id=7528
Stags Stadium (AP) -- Leonardo Da Vinci found Oliver Newby for a five-yard scoring strike on a broken play with 1:00 remaining and the Danish Contract Killers held off a frantic New York rally Tuesday, winning 31-27 and spoiling the Expats inaugural game in Oceanic A.
Newby, a Level 3 CPU player, had 67.5 total yards from scrimmage, but none was more important than the longest five yards of is life.
Trailing 27-24 and needing a critical stop, Killers' Ethan Hunt batted away a Keegan Carlson (11-for-20 for 175.5 yds, 1 TD), forcing New York to punt it away with 3:31 remaining. After the return, Danish found themselves on their own 37.5-yard-line and Da Vinci (37-for-52 for 287.5 yds, 3 TD) quickly went to work.
After a short run by Max Armstrong, Da Vinci would fire off 11 straight passes, methodically marching downfield to the New York five, where they faced a third-and-goal and needing a touchdown. A creative zone blitz from the weakside by the Expats forced da Vinci to roll far to his right, with no apparent open targets.
With pressure bearing down on him - and channeling the spirit of a younger Brett Favre - Da Vinci turned and fired a desparation pass to the streaking Newby that miraculously found its way over and around six Expat defenders. A. Longkick would convert the extra point, making it 31-27.
Kick returner Fontaine Bojangles sliced his way into Killers territory, giving New York a first down with :39 at the Killers' 47.5. After two incompletions, Carlson would find Christopher Scott (4-43) between three defenders at the Danish 35.
Consecutive completions to Alvin Harper and Fredrick Gibbons gave the Expats a first down inside the Danish 20. But they couldn't put the finishing touches on the drive, coming up empty when Frederick Gibbons failed to stop the clock at the Killers' 13. Unable to stop the clock, New York was left to stare at the dwindling numbers on the scoreboard.
Larry Legend caught six passes for 101.5 yards - including a sensational 56.5 yd pitch-and-toss to put New York up by 10 early in the fourth - backing up the hype around the rookie receiver.
New York's David Hammer led all players with seven tackles.
