Chad Lucas Had the Chance

[Tarlam!]

To be the hero of the world bowl. Facing 3rd and 11 at about the Frankfurt 35 Lucas lined up with 2 other WR left of the LOS, sprinted down to the end zone. The ball came perfectly thrown, the Safety was beaten. Lucas, slipped, pass incomplete.

With only 120 seconds on the clock, down by 8, Amsterdam went for it on 4th and 11.

Lucas lined up right, again sprinted into the end zone. This time, the ball was thrown even better. The DB and Lucas both went up for what Lucas SHOULD have had, but he came down empty.

On the next series, the Galaxy RB split em for 63 yards. Next play, Frankfurt scores and puts it beyond reach.

Frankkfurt wins. Lucas looked ordinary.

[MJZiggy]

Damn. I had hopes for that kid.

[Tarlam!]

Excerpt from NFL.com coverage:

After a long break for injured King to be taken off the field in an ambulance, Allen picked up 10 yards on the ground to make it to the 26-yard line as the two-minute warning was reached. With two plays to pick up 11 yards Allen twice aimed for Lucas in the endzone, but on both occasions the receiver was well covered, and the passes were broken up.

The failure to convert on fourth down turned the ball over to the Galaxy, who then saw Wallace tear away for a 63-yard run to take the ball all the way to Amsterdam’s 12-yard line with 1:12 remaining. On the next play Frankfurt capped the win with a 12-yard run by J.R. Niklos to score their fourth World Bowl title.

I completely disagree he was "well covered". The Saftey was behind him in the endzone on the first play and the ball was thrown so only he had a chance to catch it. He slipped.

On the second, the ball was again thrown so only he had a chance to catch it. He mistimed his leap and didn't reach the ball at the top of his jump. The ball came late, but it wasn't the throw, it was the leap. He did run a good route to get there on both plays, but once he got there, he messed up...

[packrulz]

I didn't see the game but both teams were without their starting QB's. Sounds like Nichols played well.

Posted May 28, 2006


Packers’ Nichols records safety in World Bowl

By Roy Krammerer
The Associated Press

DUESSELDORF, Germany — Jerome Nichols of the Green Bay Packers helped the Frankfurt Galaxy collect a record fourth NFL Europe World Bowl title with a 22-7 win over the Amsterdam Admirals on Saturday.

Nichols, a defensive lineman, sacked Amsterdam quarterback Jared Allen in the end zone for a safety to give the Galaxy a 2-0 lead with 1 minute, 55 seconds left in the first quarter.

Four Packers — wide recievers Chad Lucas and Vince Butler, tight end Tory Humphrey and safety Atari Bigby — played for Amsterdam.

Lucas caught one pass for 22 yards and Bigby had three tackles. Butler and Humphrey didn’t catch a pass.

Butchie Wallace ran for 138 second-half yards and a touchdown, helping Frankfurt rebound from a 7-2 halftime deficit, the lowest scoring half in the history of the NFL Europe’s showcase event.

“I couldn’t believe it. I kept seeing the holes open up and I kept pounding and pounding,” Wallace said.

Wallace burst off left tackle for 4 yards in the third quarter to give the Galaxy their first lead of the game, 9-7. He carried once for 5 yards in the first half, but finished with 143 yards on 18 carries.

Frankfurt had a league-record 1,750 yards rushing in the 10-game regular season and gained 269 Saturday. Roger Robinson, who also had an NFL Europe record with 1,087 yards, picked up 96 on 19 carries.

“Without a question we are a running team and we did what we do best,” Galaxy coach Mike Jones said.

One fourth quarter drive lasted 8:42, with the ball given to Wallace or fellow running back Roger Robinson nearly every time. It ended with David Kimball’s 37-yard field goal, putting Frankfurt ahead 15-7.

Admirals guard Michael King was taken off the field in an ambulance late in the fourth quarter, delaying the game for several minutes. The injury wasn’t serious.

But Admirals coach Bart Andrus said it may have broken his team’s momentum. The Admirals still had a chance to tie with a touchdown and 2-point conversion.

The injury happened with the Admirals down to the Galaxy 25 with 2 minutes to play. King lay on the ground motionless after Frankfurt defensive end Josh Cooper broke through to sack Allen for an 11-yard loss.

“We weren’t able to overcome that,” Andrus said.

Wallace then had a 63-yard run to set up fullback J.R. Niklos’ 12-yard score to end the game.

The Galaxy, playing in a record seventh World Bowl, denied Amsterdam the chance to become the second team to win back-to-back titles. Jones and offensive coordinator Whitey Jordan became the first to win the game three times.

Both teams were missing their starting quarterbacks, but the pass-oriented Admirals had more trouble coping with the loss of league MVP Gibran Hamdan, who had a record passer rating of 113.4 before his season ended three weeks ago with a broken ankle.

With Hamdan, the team was 6-1 and averaged more than 30 points a game. Since then it went 1-3, averaging 15 points.

Larry Croom scored the Admirals’ lone touchdown in the second quarter on a 12-yard run.

[Tarlam!]

Well, both teams had to come back after the injury delay. I don't know who lost momentum. The drive was the best of the game until that point. Let's not forget the injury occured during a play that was a sack and loss of 15. That will have conributed to the loss of momentum as well...

Plus, they were down by 8. They needed a TD and a 2 pointer just to tie.

[packrulz]

Too bad Chad couldn't be the hero but he did show some flashes of talent in NFLE this year. I hope he can carry it over to training camp.

[MadtownPacker]

He wont forget that play anytime soon. Nothing to hang his head about, it will only make him stronger. Hope he comes back and shows M3 something.

[mmmdk]

I've seen 5-6 games with Jerome Nichols this season and I really like his play. If he can step his level of play up a notch, or rather two, then Packers have a player. Nichols is very active and has a great motor. He's got a shot and that's what counts. Nichols can push the regulars/rookies.

As for lucas; nice player, no really, but he's got no more than a 50% chance to make that #6 spot at WR. McCarthy has often said that he'd keep 6 WRs.

Lastly, I'd rather have Jerome Nichols on the roster than Donnell Washington. Is Nichols eligible for practice squad?