Week 14 is what we call a mixed bag. The sign ups were robust but we still managed to have personnel issues. The games were competitive but the price we paid may have been heavy. With injuries looming in our QB corps, I write this recap right now with a lot of unknowns about the future. As much as we preach next man up in sports, if Yaron is not around for the rest of season, the ramifications will be deeply felt. We got good news today, but I need to see these guys back on the field and playing well to exhale. 
We started the day with Bron doing fittings on the field as the JB jerseys were revealed last week. He needed to know small, medium, and large as well as cup size. Leading up to the game, Dobs was feeling bleh after a run in with a Chinese prostitute and Pringle revealed a chip in his wrist (get it?). The ominous signs were there. Meanwhile, what many felt was the biggest adjustment was Goldberg entering the fray as deadline for Yaron. Taking nothing from PJs and his valiant effort (a man who knows that when you can get a game in – you get it in and do your best) but Goldberg has evolved into a premiere pass rusher and the effects of his prowess would be felt throughout the game.
That is not to say Prager and Dark could make excuses for the end result. They had weapons. Prager has been the better QB over the past few weeks. Yaron had a losing streak on the line. According to Singer, Colors would need to overcome a lot – Dark was STACKED! But, that’s why you play the game.  
This game was a shut out and shut outs don’t make for exciting recaps (the exciting recap is saved for Game 2). Shut outs kind of sneak up on you. You go down 1 – okay we can tie this thing up. You go down 2 – no big deal, let’s make it a one TD contest. Then you go down 3 and still have not scored and that voice sneaks into your subconscious – uh oh – is this one of those games? Then you go down 4 and not much time left on the clock – yup, it’s one of those games. I cannot take anything away from Yaron. He did what he needed to do as a QB. Big scramble early on. Threw a beautiful timing pattern jump ball to Singer to get the scoring started. He lead his team – they played tough for him and they won this game handedly. They punched and never got punched back. Why? Well, that is what Dark needs to think about all week. Fact is: Prager wasn’t Prager. Careful on the runs and careful pulling flags – understandable because of the wrist. There is physical pain and there is mental hesitation – and it changes the motor settings. That said, his team did him few favors on offense. A few spot on early passes were straight dropped – I recall Vegh being a repeat offender. And when you are hurting and have Munch and Goldberg getting in – dropped passes create exponentially problematic situations. And that was the story all game. The pressure and need to take risks lead to picks. Two of ‘em being of the P6 variety (Singer and Logan). The highlights of the Game for Dark was a Mighty pick that gave Dark some light when it was only 2-0, but it did not lead to a score – instead Colors made a goal line stand. And of course there was an epic sack of Yaron that was a full on tackle by the BEAST. Was a thing of beauty. Toward the end of the game, Yaron went down with a knee and hobbled off the field – non contact injury and he claimed to have heard the mythic “pop.” Of course he hobbled his way back into the game a few minutes later and tried to put up a 5th TD by riding Sam, but the man who manufactures hands has none and could not close that deal. Yaron and Colors win 4-0. Jewball to the line of Munch and Goldberg for being the obvious difference makers in this game – forcing the picks, keeping Solo off Yaron, and holding a potent offense to no scores. 
Now to Game 2. My man Rabin is seeing this recap being posted and saving it to be read in the shower. No need to ruin another pair of scrubs. I would assume if we look to the chronicles we would find an email like this once a season. It is the recap that keeps Rabin going. While 95% of the Recaps tear him apart – call him out for all the deficiencies he exhibits so prolifically as both a human being and a football player – there is that one recap each season that pulls him off the ledge and revives his fading career. Now, cards on the table: Rabin and I are in a very unique space in this game. With B-sh being less of a presence this year, me and that dude are truly the last men standing from Queens. In many ways, I feel like I just met him – but we have been doing this for almost 20 years. I mean, that’s a big a number. It’s been a rollercoaster. The ups and downs of this league – this game. But, there is one thing I am sure of – I would not be playing anymore if it wasn’t for Rabin. Now, of course we are rolling now in the age of Bron and I feel like I’m 22 again and look forward to Sundays like I did back then….but there was some rough years in between. Really rough. Pathetic! And the one thing I can tell you that never faded – not one bit – when all hope was lost: That is Rabin’s enthusiasm for Jewball. It’s truly inexplicable. He has so much love for this game – it cannot be adequately described. It’s not a generous love, no….it is a selfish love, that if for sure (if you all disappeared and a difference set of people allowed him to play each Sunday, he wouldn’t notice) – but it is immense. His otherworldly love for this game is the only possible explanation for how he takes so much shit from us and keeps plugging away. Week 14 was a testament to his drive. I mean, how many people can be told they SUCK at something by everyone over and over again and come out with confidence. I’m not joking – it’s remarkable! The only time I saw Rabin legit lose confidence was in the Croton League. Because that was not his home and he knew it. Jewball is his home. And it is where once a season, he does the impossible….
Week 14 Game 2 was the debut game for a new QB – and a sharp one at that – Yehuda Feit (nickname TBD, if any) came down. I recognized him. He did play in Croton when we played. I mean, he is legit certified QB meat. The guy is a great addition to our game. Welcome! Hopefully he sticks. On paper, this should have been an easy win. Again, no offense Rabin, but….y’know….I’ll leave it at that “No Offense Rabin.” The guy has a propensity for losing. What can I say? And Feit is a real QB. In all honesty, I put Yaron with Rabin thinking he would have to come in. I’m sorry, Rabin – I guess I should believe in you more? I don’t know, but either way – Yaron goes down….so it is all on Rabin – and while everyone else on the field might have seen that as a problem, Rabin would never. 
The first sign of a Rabin quality game is that he does not look inept. What I mean by that is there are games where from the first set, it is like MAYDAY MAYDAY! Like ball is just not coming out right. Or a P6 on opening drive. Stuff like that. So, Rabin was not that version of himself on Sunday. So far so good. He learned some tricks I think from watching Yaron over the past two years. How to use screens and TEs to better affect. Calling a better running game. Keeping it safe and saving the long pass bullets when needed. I don’t remember the first TD, but he was using Prime well – Prime had some legs on Sunday and was doing his thing eating up the sideline. Feit had to learn the hard way that you don’t try to pull Prime’s flag on the sideline – waste of time. That stiff arm is fierce. I do remember a beauty of pass to Salem that was kind of like a wake up moment – showing that Rabin had something in the chamber on this day. BUT. BUT….we have seen this before. A 2-0 lead is not going to cut it for Rabin. We saw a 5-1 lead squandered earlier this season! 2-0 Rabin lead with an hour to play is nothing to worry about. Feit ran a really good huddle and his Colors squad knew it was only a matter of time. And that was the case. Rabin throws his first of 4 picks of the day – it is to Mo and it is a P6. The lead is cut in half. And the picks kept coming. The inevitable was happening. Jordan gets his hands on two tipped balls for interceptions and Feit starts to warm up. Over the middle leaping catch and run by Dobs. Score. Jordan screen with Beast lead blocking. Score. Beast with a pick. Goldberg with a TD. 4 unanswered points and the wheels have come off. Rabin is down 2 scores and his team is just about ready to hang their heads. As mentioned, one thing Rabin never loses is his confidence and spirit. He believes. And he pushes his team to as well – gotta give him that. So it begins with a Prime pick followed by a Prime catch and run 79 yards for a score with Jordan not being able to catch up. Then a Zada pick and Rabin orchestrates a drive that ends in a beautiful wheel route floater to Prime that goes over the defense and falls in perfectly to his awaiting arms in the endzone. Yikes. Tie game. (spoiler alert) Now, I can’t take anything away from Rabin because he won the game in the end, but Colors played soft down the final stretch. Not because they didn’t score – they would have, but they did not play like a team that wanted to win. It starts with a 3rd and long – and with Rabin under pressure and running away from Goldberg to the sideline – he releases a ball that was in the air for an eternity, but it somehow still manages to get to Ari for a huge first down. The drive kept alive, Rabin throws another floaty-ish pass to his TE, Solo over the middle. And there are defenders there. Tom kind of ducks away from the ball so it can get to the receiver. Goldberg kind of stops because I think he was confused by what Tom did. And Solo makes the catch and waltzes into the endzone. Bizarre. Rabin goes up 5-4. Colors gets a shot to tie the game and on 4th and 10, Feit hits an open Goldberg square in the chest. And Goldberg drops it. Maybe he was still thinking about Tom ducking. Anyway, Rabin wins the game, but Prime gets the Jewball for the 2 scores and pick. His skill matched Rabin’s will. 
Feit, Yaron, Pray….heal!!!!
Who wants Week 15?