🏈 RZA Weekly Recap – November 8, 2025
🏆 Match of the Week: Champ Chompers 28 – 27 Aberthaw Dolphins

Attendance: 135,477

The Champ Chompers walked into Aberthaw and stole one in dramatic fashion, edging the Dolphins by a single point in a contest that was equal parts chaos and composure.

Aberthaw set the tone early — a 41-yard field goal and a pick-six by Azmi Essa had them up 10–0 before the Chompers even got comfortable. But once Abdullah Khalil settled in, the tide shifted. The Chompers’ QB engineered two crisp second-quarter touchdown drives, both short passes to Jeffrey Brownlee and Jim Spann, putting them ahead 14–10 at halftime.

The Dolphins clawed back in the third behind Paulino Rosillo’s steady hand (25/41, 186 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT), mixing field goals and a short strike to Allan Nokwe to build a 27–14 lead heading into the final frame. But Khalil wasn’t finished. The veteran passer (35/53, 315 yards, 4 TDs, 3 INTs, 83.45 rating) went into overdrive — hitting Hollis Kane from 12 yards out, then capping a late 15-play drive with a 4-yard game-winner to Todd Comer.

Aberthaw’s final push fell flat as time expired, giving the Chompers one of the gutsiest wins of the year.

Key Performers:

🏹 Abdullah Khalil (CC) – 315 yards, 4 TD, 3 INT

🧱 Azmi Essa (ABW) – INT return for TD

🦈 Fred Harrison (CC) – 4/4 PATs, consistent under pressure

Turning Point: The Chompers’ final 76-yard drive capped by the Comer touchdown.

Quote of the Game:

“We got punched in the mouth early, but we kept swinging.” — Coach of the Chompers

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⚔️ Runner-Up Match of the Week: Fargo Knights 28 – 31 Gladiatori Roma

Attendance: 132,577

A classic clash of styles — Fargo’s vertical air assault versus Roma’s relentless rhythm offense — delivered fireworks from start to finish.

Roma QB Igor Biaison carved up the Knights’ defense, completing strikes to six different receivers and tossing four touchdowns. Meanwhile, Cleo Andrus of Fargo countered with highlight-reel throws of his own, including a 71-yard bomb to Frankie Ash and an 80-yard dagger to Louis Colley that briefly gave Fargo hope late.

The difference? Efficiency. Roma dominated the time of possession and converted in the red zone, while Fargo’s turnovers — including a fumble deep in Roma territory — proved fatal.

A 51-yard Saturnino Gibertini field goal late in the third quarter pushed Roma’s lead to 31–21, enough to survive Andrus’ final touchdown drive in the fourth.

Key Performers:

🎯 Igor Biaison (GRA) – 4 TDs, 270+ yards

🚀 Cleo Andrus (FK) – 5 total TDs (4 pass, 1 rush)

🦵 Saturnino Gibertini (GRA) – Clutch 51-yard FG

Turning Point: Gibertini’s field goal extended Roma’s lead beyond reach, forcing Fargo to chase from behind.

Quote of the Game:

“Every yard mattered — and we fought for every inch.” — Igor Biaison, Gladiatori Roma QB

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💥 Upset of the Week: Cinnamon Rolls 20 – 18 Coconuts

Attendance: 97,402

The Cinnamon Rolls pulled off the stunner of the season, outlasting the heavily favored Coconuts in a gritty, defense-first thriller.

The game started ugly — a safety on the opening drive put the Coconuts up 2–0, then QB Nigel Regan immediately answered with a 96-yard bomb to Solomon Jennings. The Coconuts bounced back with a 65-yard touchdown from Hapo Ila to Mackenzie Lindsay, followed by a defensive 20-yard fumble return TD that had them looking dominant.

But the Rolls refused to crumble. QB tandem Nigel Regan and Elisha McGrath traded series and combined for 337 yards and 3 TDs, both posting passer ratings above 145. Their aggressive vertical approach kept the Coconuts’ secondary guessing, and a fourth-quarter 21-yard strike to Junior Pittman put the Rolls up for good.

Coconuts QBs Ila, Manríquez, and Castro all rotated but couldn’t find rhythm, despite combining for 416 yards passing. The offense stalled in the red zone, and a final possession ended in a safety — poetic justice for how it all began.

Key Performers:

🍩 Nigel Regan (CIN) – 10/15, 198 yards, 2 TDs, 149.3 rating

☕ Elisha McGrath (CIN) – 7/10, 139 yards, 1 TD, 145.8 rating

🏃 Rodolfo Romero (COC) – Fumble recovery TD

🛡️ CIN Defense – Held Coconuts to 2 points in the 2nd half

Turning Point: McGrath’s 80-yard touchdown to Dirk McNabb in the 2nd quarter swung the game’s momentum for good.

Quote of the Game:

“Everyone expected us to melt — instead, we baked them.” — Nigel Regan, Cinnamon Rolls QB

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📰 Summary Notes:

Game of the Week: Instant classic comeback win by the Chompers, with Khalil solidifying MVP chatter.

Runner-Up: Gladiatori Roma outlasts Fargo in a strategic slugfest.

Upset: Cinnamon Rolls stun the Coconuts with fearless downfield passing and late defensive grit.

**🏈 Match of the Week: Sydney Sloths 41 – Galaktische Kickers 36

A Heavyweight Escape in a Near-Upset Classic**

When the 12–2 Sydney Sloths walked into M&T Bank Stadium to face the 10–4 Galaktische Kickers, most analysts expected a competitive matchup… but few expected this. In front of a roaring crowd of 117,947, the Kickers pushed the Sloths to the breaking point, delivering one of the season’s most exciting—and almost shocking—near-upsets.

This game was a rollercoaster, a heart-rate test, and a chess match that occasionally devolved into a bar fight. And in the end, the Sloths barely escaped with a 41–36 win that very nearly derailed their strong season finish.

🔥 First Quarter: Sloths Start Like Champions

Sydney didn’t take long to flex their top-seed credentials.

Heath Sexton came out dealing, throwing two early touchdown passes—one a 61-yard bomb to WR Don Saxon, the other a 21-yard strike to Lorenzo Terry. The Kickers answered only with a field goal, and after one quarter it looked like the Sloths were on the verge of cruising: 14–3.

But… that was the last time this game felt comfortable.

⚔️ Second Quarter: Kickers Set the Tone

The Kickers tightened the screws. Their defense began generating pressure, forcing Sexton into shorter throws and stalling drives. They held Sydney to a single rushing touchdown by Oisín Maguire, while adding two Arnfried Richter field goals of their own.

The lead shrank, momentum swung, and suddenly Sydney’s sideline wasn’t quite as relaxed.

Halftime: Sloths 21 – Kickers 12
(And that 12 looked dangerously like “we’re about to wake up.”)

💥 Third Quarter: Punch, Counterpunch, Momentum Chaos

Both teams traded scores—Sydney hitting a 39-yard field goal, Kickers responding with a short rushing touchdown by Hamad Rwema. The Sloths’ bend-but-not-break defense bent a little more than they’d like here, with missed tackles letting the Kickers sustain long drives.

Entering the 4th, the Sloths still led—but the Kickers were officially smelling blood:
Sloths 24 – Kickers 19

🚨 Fourth Quarter: Pure Chaos, Pure Entertainment

The 4th quarter was basically an action movie.

Kickers open with a TD drive

Carlos Brito hit Ismael Aguilar for a 6-yard TD, PAT missed. Kickers take the lead for the first time: 25–24.

Sloths immediately counter

Sydney answers with a Frederic Kristensen 41-yard field goal. 27–25 Sloths.

The Big Swing: 97-yard Kick Return TD

Wáng Hom took the kickoff, exploded through a missed tackle, and went 97 yards to the house.
Fans barely had time to blink — Sloths up 34–25.

But Galaktische WOULD. NOT. DIE.

C.J. Ruby lobbed a risky ball that turned into a 43-yard pick-six the other way for Sydney.
Momentum yo-yo’d so fast the stadium probably tilted.

But Ruby immediately answered with a short passing TD on the next drive, pulling the Kickers back to 41–36.

Final Defensive Stand

The Kickers got one last possession with under a minute left…but Sydney’s defense held the line, forcing the upset bid to crash just short of glory.

Final: Sloths 41 – Kickers 36
A game of fireworks, swings, and two teams refusing to stay down.

🏅 Player of the Game: Heath Sexton (SLO)

27/35 | 218 yds | 2 TD | 0 sacks | 91.3 rating
He didn’t pad the stat sheet, but he piloted the Sloths with icy composure when the game tightened.

💡 Key Stats & Turning Points
Sloths

Zero sacks allowed, giving Sexton clean pockets all day

Balanced offense (218 pass / 83 rush)

Wáng Hom’s 97-yard kick return TD flipped the game

Defense produced two interceptions, including a pick-six

Kickers

Outgained Sydney on the ground: 112–83 rushing yards

WR Kerry Falk: 12 catches, 84 yards, 1 TD, monster chain-mover

C.J. Ruby: 20/22, 117 rating—nearly flawless

But: PAT issues and the missed kick in Q4 proved costly

📉 What This Game Means
Sydney Sloths (13–2)

Survived a scare, but championship contenders need these gritty wins.
Their offense remains elite, but the pass-defense leaks—especially YAC—may be a concern heading into playoff time.

Galaktische Kickers (10–5)

They proved they can punch with the heavyweights.
If they sneak into the postseason, nobody is going to be excited to draw this team.
This was nearly the signature upset of the season.

📣 Final Takeaway

This game had everything: long bombs, huge returns, defensive scores, lead changes, and sheer adrenaline. Sydney escaped, but the Kickers earned league-wide respect by pushing one of the RZA elites to the absolute limit.

A Match of the Week classic, and maybe a playoff preview depending on how brackets fall.

At this point, I'm pretty sure I'm beating a dead horse.. But guys, feel free to participate in forum activity. I'm doing all I can to keep Fire active, but if you guys don't want to participate then enjoy the bots and I'll stop trying. lol

Source: https://imgur.com/a/wCzjgym

🔥 FIRECENTER SPORTS — WILDCARD PLAYOFF PREVIEW

RZA League — November 18th, 2025

“Eight teams enter. Four teams survive. Welcome to Wildcard Weekend — brought to you by FireCenter Sports.”

🔥 GAME 1
Champ Chompers (11-5, ELO 953) vs. Aberthaw Dolphins (13-3, ELO 1,012)

“Defense meets Dolphins — and something’s about to break.”

FC Breakdown:

The Chompers arrive with a sneaky-good defense and one of the best special-teams units in the playoffs. But the Dolphins are a machine — 13-3, high-powered rushing attack, and a pass defense that clamps down when it matters.

FC Key Stat:

Aberthaw owns a 95 TD differential and a 7–1 home mark. They don’t lose often.

FC Prediction:

Dolphins 27, Chompers 23
Aberthaw edges a physical battle to move on.

🔥 GAME 2
Galaktische Kickers (11-5, ELO 636) vs. Fargo Knights (14-2, ELO 1,016)

“A Cinderella dream meets a Fargo freight train.”

FC Breakdown:

The Kickers have earned their 11-5 record, but they walk into a nightmare matchup. Fargo is stacked everywhere — elite offense, elite special teams, elite consistency. The ELO gap alone tells the story.

FC Key Stat:

Fargo holds a 380-point ELO advantage — that’s not a mismatch, that’s a mountain.

FC Prediction:

Fargo Knights 38, Galaktische Kickers 13
The Knights overwhelm early and never let up.

🔥 GAME 3
Gladiatori Roma (13-3, ELO 1,035) vs. Neroverde (12-4, ELO 751)

“Rome looks dominant — Neroverde looks hopeful.”

FC Breakdown:

Roma enters the postseason looking like contenders, not pretenders. Their passing game is elite, their defense is championship-level, and their overall rating is the highest of any Wildcard team.

Neroverde… has heart. But heart vs. Rome rarely ends well.

FC Key Stat:

Roma boasts an 85.5% pass defense, the highest of the eight teams playing this week.

FC Prediction:

Gladiatori Roma 34, Neroverde 10
Neroverde fights; Roma conquers.

🔥 GAME 4
IONS (12-4, ELO 751) vs. Texas Reapers (12-4, ELO 860)

“The FireCenter Game of the Week — buckle up.”

FC Breakdown:

This is the most evenly matched game, at least by record. But stylistically, these teams couldn’t be more different.

IONS can sling it — 80.2% passing, great yardage potential, explosive play threat.

The Reapers?
Balanced. Disciplined. Battle-tested. And with significantly better special teams, which becomes critical in playoff football.

FC Key Stat:

Special Teams:

Reapers: 76.5%

IONS: 63.8%
In the postseason, this difference is enormous.

FC Prediction:

Texas Reapers 30, IONS 24
Your Reapers survive a fourth-quarter push and move into the Divisional Round.

Great writeups as always!

I'm honestly surprised I snuck into the playoffs, and I got the help that was needed.

I have a feeling the Dolphins are gonna want revenge after I squeaked by them 28-27 just a couple games ago. But who knows, maybe I can pull off a second upset here haha.

Yeah.. I would say good luck but by the time I read your post I saw the results. lol But hey, at least you made it and got another game for some more money/exp for the offseason!

🔥 FireCenter Sports – Wild-Card Weekend Recap

“Where the playoffs separate the hunters from the hunted.”

The Wild-Card round did not disappoint.
We had a 59-point explosion, a 66-point avalanche, a dramatic OT finish, and a Texas-sized comeback.
And the best part? We nailed the predictions — all winners correct (even if one “easy” win tried to give everyone a heart attack).

Let’s break it down.

🐬 Aberthaw Dolphins 59 – 17 Champ Chompers

FireCenter Headline: “The Dolphins pull the plug on the Chompers — violently.”

This one was over faster than a two-minute microwave burrito.

The Dolphins came in mean, focused, and not in the mood to let an underdog story develop. Aberthaw dropped 14 in the first quarter, added 10 more before halftime, then detonated a 21-point third quarter that completely iced the Chompers’ hopes.

Champ Chompers had moments early, but Aberthaw’s offense was operating like a Formula 1 pit crew.
Efficient. Fast. Ruthless.

Key Notes:

Dolphins put up 59, the 2nd highest of the Wild-Card round.

Aberthaw’s balanced attack shredded the Chompers at every level.

Crowd of 144,300 got their money’s worth by halftime.

The Dolphins punch their ticket to face the Glizzy Gobblers next — bring popcorn.

⚔️ Fargo Knights 66 – 31 Galaktische Kickers

FireCenter Headline: “Knights roll out the trebuchet and start launching Kickers across the field.”

The Kickers came out hot with a 14-point first quarter, but that was the equivalent of poking a dragon with a stick.

Fargo responded with a 21-point second quarter, and once they seized momentum, the Knights turned this into a medieval siege.

The fourth quarter?
A 35-point explosion that buried Galaktische under a landslide of touchdowns.

The Knights advance to a heavyweight showdown with the Sydney Sloths — a game that could look very different than this one.

Key Notes:

Well, the Knights did score 66 points, the most in a wild card round I can remember.

🏛️ GLADIATORI ROMA 40 – 34 neroverde (OT)

FireCenter Headline: “Roma survives the arena — overtime thriller sends Italian steel onward.”

This game was the wild card WITHIN the Wild-Card Round.

Roma got blanked in the first quarter, then ripped off 20 points in Q2 to get themselves back into the fight.
neroverde refused to go away, tying it late and forcing OT.

In the extra period?
Roma delivered the finishing blow with a clinical TD drive, cementing their place in the Divisional Round.

Key Notes:

Both QBs made clutch plays.

Late-game pressure? Roma handled it like pros.

One of the best playoff openers in recent memory.

Roma now heads into a brutal road test vs Kirky 44’s.

☠️ Texas Reapers 34 – 30 IONS

FireCenter Headline: “Texas says ‘Not today’ — Reapers climb out of an early 13-point hole.”


IONS came out swinging, putting up 10 in Q1 and 14 more in Q3, but Texas did what Texas does — they clawed back with a 20-point second quarter, then slammed the door with a 14-point 4th to complete the comeback.

QB Arif Pieri from IONS actually out-threw both Reaper QBs combined — but turnovers and stalled drives gave Texas the windows they needed.

Key Notes:

Reapers held IONS scoreless in the 4th except for a lone field goal.

Texas’ two-QB rotation did just enough.

All Texas RBs averaged over over 7 yards per carry.

Texas moves on to face the Braska Bangers 09, a matchup built for fireworks.

🔥 Final Wild-Card Takeaways

Every home team won.

All our predicted winners advanced.

The AFC-side games were closer, NFC-side games were absolute carnage.

The Divisional Round matchups are elite:

Texas @ Braska Bangers 09

Fargo @ Sydney

Aberthaw @ Glizzy Gobblers

Roma @ Kirky 44’s

🔥🔥 FireCenter Sports — DIVISIONAL ROUND PREVIEW

“Eight teams remain. Four advance. The pressure just hit playoff altitude.”

The Wild-Card round gave us blowouts, comebacks, chaos, and one overtime classic.
Now the field tightens. The contenders sharpen their weapons. And the storylines?
Oh, they’re downright cinematic.

Let’s break down all four Divisional Round matchups — with full season context, matchup analysis, and FireCenter predictions.

🏈 MATCHUP #1 — Texas Reapers @ Braska Bangers 09
FireCenter Line:

“Texas found their rhythm. Braska never lost theirs.”

📘 Season Storyline

Texas is the most unpredictable team left in the tournament.
Their four losses say everything about their season:

Lost to Dolphins (still alive)

Lost to Bangers (still alive)

Lost to Sloths (still alive)

Lost to Charleston Battery — a massive upset, fueled by multiple QB meltdowns

Those early- and mid-season interceptions defined the Reapers’ inconsistencies…
until now.

🔥 QB Evolution: Why Texas is Suddenly Dangerous

The Texas quarterback (and his rotation partner) struggled most of the season with turnovers.
As his vision improved, the mistakes dropped.
In the Wild Card?

0 interceptions.
From both QBs.

Texas finally looks like the version of themselves they wanted to be all year.

💪 Why Texas Can Win

Their passing game is now stabilized

They have comeback capability

Their offense performs well in pressure situations

They’ve played the toughest schedule of all remaining teams

🧱 Why Braska Holds the Edge

Nearly perfect season

Only loss is to undefeated Kirky

Already beat Texas 35–23 earlier

Extremely disciplined, low-mistake football

Braska is the most balanced team outside of Kirky — and the least likely to beat themselves.

🔮 FireCenter Prediction

Braska Bangers 09 31 — Texas Reapers 27
Texas is dangerous, but Braska’s consistency prevails.

🐬 MATCHUP #2 — Aberthaw Dolphins @ Glizzy Gobblers
FireCenter Line:

“One team is red-hot. The other is hoping the bye week didn’t chill them.”

📘 Season Storyline

The Dolphins’ losses came to:

Fargo Knights

Champ Chompers

IONS

All playoff-quality teams… and two are already gone.
They’ve proven they can hit elite highs — and their 59-point detonation in the Wild Card confirmed it.

Glizzy’s story is different. Their losses?

IONS

Braska

neroverde

And zero signature wins over top-tier playoff teams.

🔥 Momentum Check

Dolphins: Fresh off a 59–17 obliteration of the Chompers

Gobblers: Coming in from a bye with question marks, not momentum

💪 Why Dolphins Can Win

Highest-scoring offense of the postseason

Stronger recent form

Match up well against Glizzy’s inconsistent defense

🧱 Why Glizzy Can Win

Home field

Balanced, patient offense

Bye-week rest (if not rust)

🔮 FireCenter Prediction

Dolphins 34 — Gobblers 28
The Dolphins’ wave is too strong right now — the upset hits.

⚔️ MATCHUP #3 — Fargo Knights @ Sydney Sloths
FireCenter Line:

“Fargo brings the firepower. Sloths bring the trap game.”

📘 Season Storyline

Fargo’s only two losses all season were to:

Kirky 44’s

Gladiatori Roma

That’s it.

Meanwhile, Sydney’s losses came to:

Kirky

Acorns

And the Sloths haven’t shown the same dominance against top-tier teams.

🔥 Momentum Check

Fargo: Coming off a staggering 66-point offensive explosion

Sloths: Rested, but inconsistent late in the year

💪 Why Fargo Can Win

Most explosive offense remaining

Huge 4th-quarter scoring potential

No fear of big moments

🧱 Why Sydney Can Win

Strong pass defense

Home-field advantage

If they control the clock, they can keep Fargo's offense cold

🔮 FireCenter Prediction

Fargo Knights 38 — Sydney Sloths 31
Too much firepower, too much momentum — Fargo moves on.

🏛️ MATCHUP #4 — Gladiatori Roma @ Kirky 44’s
FireCenter Line:

“Roma has slain giants. Kirky is the giant.”

📘 Season Storyline

This is the most compelling matchup of the round.

Kirky 44’s: undefeated, best team in the league

Only team to beat Braska

Dominant on offense AND defense

Roma?

One of only two teams to beat Fargo

Coming off a dramatic overtime victory

Playing their best football of the year

🔥 Momentum Check

Roma: Emotional, gritty OT win

Kirky: Rested, healthy, and terrifyingly consistent

💪 Why Roma Can Win

They rise to elite opponents

Their offense is creative and adaptable

No fear — battle-tested

🧱 Why Kirky Can Win

Strongest roster remaining

No weaknesses

Home-field fortress

Big-game experience without stress cracks

🔮 FireCenter Prediction

Kirky 27 — Roma 23
Roma puts up a fight, but the undefeated titan marches on.

🔥 DIVISIONAL ROUND SUMMARY

Here’s how FireCenter sees the field shaping up:

Projected Winners

Braska Bangers 09

Aberthaw Dolphins

Fargo Knights

Kirky 44’s

Projected Conference Finals

Fargo @ Kirky 44’s
Dolphins @ Braska Bangers 09

Two heavyweight slugfests.