Coming Soon.

Coming Soon.

Coming Soon.

The Patriots were coming off a gutsy performance with only 3 healthy players at the end of last game. With Asghar on the mend, and Noman Laasi lost for the season, this game was anything but a given. However, the Patriots may have found something with the injury to Kumail Meghani – they’re somehow more effective on offense. This is what we expected the Patriots offense to look like all season, and they may be hitting their stride. The offense was buzzing with each receiver having at least one TD, 4 catches, and 3 players with at least 2 TDs. For the Lions, it was more of the same. They were missing some key players, and are unable to get a stop when it matters most, in the red zone. They were finally able to get Ammar Jessa going with 11 receptions and 3 TDs, but he was the lone bright spot. With just one win on the season, it may be time for the Lions to work the phone lines and make a trade or two.

The Chargers had a putrid performance in Week 7 (last week) when Danial’s statline read 3/12 w/ 4 INTs at the half. While Danial Ali didn’t throw an interception this week, the result is still a loss for the Chargers and not much of the blame can be put on his shoulders. The Chargers are often just fielding 6, and when their players have been there, they haven’t produced. Dropped balls have been a theme, and the lack of a #1 receiver without Danial Ali catching is a problem. It’s fair to wonder if the Chargers will be going back to Hani Mamdani at QB, or perhaps make a trade with the Lions for a QB. Alternatively, we’re running out of things to say about the Colts. They remain undefeated, and are now looking at a Warriors-like season. They played without their most dangerous weapon, and still won with relative ease. They have the Steelers next; who gave them their only tie on the season (the only blemish on an otherwise perfect record).

This has been a recap Murtaza Shah has been waiting 3 years for; the last season he played in the MFL. In his first game back in December, he showed us what the league had been missing with a mesmerizing one-handed catch and just like that, he was back. Now, to the game. The Steelers may be the most enigmatic team in the league. At times, they seem like world beaters, giving the best teams a run for their money, and at times, they play down to the level of their competition. While they’ve now won 2 in a row, it hasn’t been impressive. Their 21-14 victory against the Chargers should have been a blowout. The Steelers only led 14-0 at half in a game where the opponent had only 3 completions and 4 INTs at half. This week, they were well on their way to a blowout with an early 14-0 lead, but they let the Jaguars stick around. This should have been a tie, but more on that later. One thing we have to give the Steelers credit for, is the distribution of passes. In the past, Taleb Zaidi hasn’t diversified his attack, and chooses a go-to target, and he gets majority of the targets. There seems to be a concerted effort this year to share the ball, and it showed this game with each player having at least 2 receptions. The Jaguars seemed to have awaken from an early season siesta. They have gone from looking like the worst team in the league, to one of the more potent defensive lineups in the league. The lack of a true #1 receiver may be their shortcoming, but they’ve chosen to do it by committee, where each a different leading receiver feasts. This week, it was Ahmed Al-Waili pacing the team with 7 receptions, and Mohammed Altahan with 3 TDs. This game came down to the wire with the Jaguars scoring 2 TDs in the last 5 minutes. They decided to go for a 2-pt conversion, and they were unsuccessful. The loss drops them down to the 3rd seed. Coincidentally, the team that leapfrogged them in the standings also has a loss due to a failed 2-pt conversion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Steelers and the Jaguars matched up in the early game of Week 3, and early on, neither team wanted to win. We had a total of 6 interceptions in this game where 1 was returned for a TD on a mesmerizing return by Said Samater, earning himself the defensive player of the week. The Jaguars actually had a 2-TD lead late in the game with a great chance to put this one to bed, but the Jaguars really didn’t want to win this game. Said Samater threw a late interception on his back-foot off a designed trick play. If the trick was to find new ways not to win games, Bravo!

The calming influence on the Steelers was Khaleel Kassam. Even after the Steelers were coming up empty handed, and had turnovers, Khaleel came into the huddle and asked his team to rely on their defense to come up with the big plays. Khaleel was instrumental knocking away passes, and coming down with 2 receiving TDs. Ahsan Raza had a monster game defensively, with 2 INTs, the second of which gave the Steelers a chance to tie (which they eventually did). Ammar Dayani had 13 receptions (MFL Season-high), but he promised us 4 TDs this game; so we’d consider this game a dud.

Prediction Alert – The Steelers face the Colts in their next matchup. They were missing Mujtaba Abidi, who is a huge cog for their team. With a full squad, we expect the Steelers to give Colts a good run for their money, but ultimately falling short with a final score of 42-28.

The Lions and the Patriots game was a reunion of sorts. Kumail Meghani & Asghar Molu meeting their teammates of the previous season in Ali Jessa & Mikael Ratansi. But it was a rookie who stole the show. Noman Laasi had his coming out party, starting the game with a long-TD to open the scoring on the very first snap of the game. He would go on to add 2 interceptions, and the game-capping TD against Ammar Jessa. The Lions may actually feel unlucky in this game as the score doesn’t reflect how close this game was. The Lions either had the lead, or were tied for most of the game, and had held the Patriots to 7 pts at half. In fact, after the opening drive, the Patriots were held scoreless for the next 24 minutes of game time. What the Lions couldn’t do, is capitalize on those opportunities. Noor Zia had 3 interceptions in the game, and was largely ineffective; holding onto the ball a second too late in most cases. Ali Jessa wasn’t there at the start of the game, but was otherwise the best player on the Lions. Playing man defense on Asghar, but also moving the chains on offense. 3 games into the season, Ammar has 13 receptions and 2 TDs (after a career-high 23 TDs last season); the Lions have been using his gravitational pull to move the defense, but at this point, they may have to force feed Ammar.

We talked about the possible decline of Kumail last week, and he reminded us that his decline may have been greatly exaggerated. The Patriots were playing with two reserves as they were missing their regulars, and the second half; the Patriots played like we expected them to play like all season. Ho hum, Asghar had another 8 receptions and 2 TDs – what else is new? Jawad Yusufali tied his career-high with 5 receptions, his second consecutive week with 5 receptions, and he also added his first MFL TD.

Prediction Alert – The Patriots will face the winless Jaguars. The Jaguars are coming off their second straight tie, and will be looking to finally get in the win column. And we feel like this won’t be the week. The Patriots figured something out in the second half, and had their offense buzzing, and that will be too much to handle for the Jaguars with a final score of 35-21.

We’d like to welcome Taqi Baig after his year-long hiatus, and he went back to doing Taqi-bhai things, like grabbing 9 flags to lead all defenders. The Colts did target his side a fair bit and were met with quick flags. Early on, the Colts struggled to get the ball rolling, and Ali Haroon had a subpar game by his standards with 3 interceptions. However, when the offense wasn’t rolling, the defense held strong early on limiting the Chargers attack. Khizer Jamal paced the Colts with 6 flag grabs who were missing their captain Muhammad Ali. Hisham Ali was the star offensively with 9 receptions and 2 TDs, and Kazim ‘Baby Rook’ Raza made a couple of electrifying plays to put this game on ice.

When it came to the Chargers, it was more of the same. Hani Mamdani mainly featured Shoaib Mamdani and Danial Ali (both with 7 receptions), but with very little production outside of that offensively. One thing that the Chargers can hang their hat on is their defense. They forced three interceptions, and having Shoaib, Danial and Hani puts them in a great position to be aggressive up front. We should mention that the Chargers were missing Mohamed Railey, and he’s another playmaker on the defensive side of the ball. The Chargers aren’t very far away from joining the elites this year, and we have seen Shoaib-led teams turn it up in the second half of the season. But it will take a giant step forward on offense, for them to do it.

Prediction Alert – The Chargers will face the Lions in Week 4. Sometimes there are winners, and sometimes there are losers… this week, there will be tiers. We’ve had a tie 2 weeks in a row, this week will make it 3 weeks in a row with a final score of 28-28.

The Chargers were coming off an uninspiring loss from the first week of MFL, but they put all doubts away in this game as Hani Mamdani showed that he has still got it with an efficient 25/35 with 5 TDs. Shoaib Mamdani had a productive game with 7 receptions and 2 TDs, and Danial Ali continues his tear as one of the premier players in the league with 7 receptions, 2 TDs, 7 Flag-grabs and 1 INT. Danial has improved his flag-grabs every year in the league since we have tracked the stat, and he was well on his way to career highs in receptions and TDs until he had to switch over as the full-time QB for the Panthers last year. The Chargers will go as far as Danial Ali will take them this year.

The Steelers have one of the best teams in the league, talent-wise. However, it may take them a little while to put it all together. They were missing Khaleel Kassam and Omar Khamissa had to gut it out this week, so we can give them a break defensively. However, there should be no excuse why the Steelers offense should be sputtering. With two of the best route runners in the league in Ammar Dayani and Mujtaba Abidi, and having reliable throughout the roster, the Steelers have to be better. A lot of the responsibility lies at the hands of Taleb Zaidi, who is just trying to get in a rhythm after a long offseason. We’d give them until Week 5, if things don’t turn around, Ahsan Raza may look to shake things up. One thing we can say is, the Steelers don’t lack confidence. They face Jaguars next week, and Mujtaba Abidi has promised 8 TDs (all by himself next week) – but we’re hearing rumors that he won’t be there to see it through. So captain Ahsan Raza and the gang will have to pick up the slack.

Prediction Alert – With the Lions facing a short-handed Patriots, we expect them to get their first victory by a final score of 35-28.

The Lions and Jaguars faced off in what turned out to be the most exciting game of the week. The Lions were glad to have Noor Zia in their lineup for this game, as it gave them their full-time QB. Noor Zia has the strongest arm in the league, and on one of the drives, the average throw distance was two pylons from the other end-zone. His height is yet another distinct advantage, especially in short yardage situation, where he can see over the defense. With that said, his efficiency numbers need to improve as he was 21 for 37 with 4TDs in his MFL debut. The Lions have played their opponents very tough in the first 2 weeks, but have yet to get on the win column. Last week, it was a story about missed opportunities, and they lost by 1 TD. This week, they tied the Jaguars, in a game they probably should have won. They will face the Patriots in their next matchup, who will be fielding a team missing 4 of their starters.

The Jaguars should feel lucky to have tied this game, and they have their defense to thank for it. Said Samater had a rough game going 15/30 w/ 4 TDs and 1 INT. However, Shabbir Rizvi continues to terrorize all offensive players within a 10-yard radius of him. If you’re around him, and have the ball, you can guarantee he’ll get your flag. He also had a strong game offensively with 6 receptions and 2 TDs. He will have to show up more consistently on offense for the Jaguars to compete. Speaking of showing up, or lack thereof, we’re trying to understand how Muzzamil Rizvi notched an 0-fer on the stat-line (0 receptions, flag grabs or ints). Jason Collins & Tony Snell would be proud. And though it may not show up on his stat-line, Ahmed Al-Waili had a very strong game defensively, and also had a receiving TD.

Prediction Alert – We predict that the Jaguars will get their first win this upcoming week against the Steelers – winning a tight game with a final score of 35-28.

This was supposed to be our game of the week, and it sure delivered that in the early going. Both teams played great defense, and the Patriots missed out on some early opportunities in the red zone. By our count, they had 5 red zone opportunities and were not able to deliver in this game, and that very well could have been the difference. Kumail Meghani seems to be struggling with red-zone efficiency averaging only 3.5 TDs per game in the early going after averaging 6.3, 4.2, 5.3 in his last 3 seasons. While drops have been a concern for the Patriots, you may have to wonder that after years of throwing, have Kumail’s past shoulder issues have resurfaced? On the positive side, Noman Laasi had a great overall game for the Patriots getting his first 2 TDs, and his second pick of the season.

The Colts, for a second straight week, seemed dominant. Baby Rook (Kazim Raza) had the catch of the week, Moss-ing Kumail Meghani for a long TD; he had 6 receptions and 2TDs and the early lead in the ROY voting. Hisham Ali had 4 reception and 2 TDs. He was also a nuisance on defense rushing the QB, and adding an INT to his stat-line. Alykhan Gangani was the other standout in this game with 7 flag-grabs. This game, Ali Haroon wasn’t at his best and yet still put 35 points. The Colts also had their first swearing penalty of the season, which serves as a reminder for all player – as it cost them a red zone opportunity and turned the ball over. The Colts will face the Chargers this upcoming week, and we still don’t believe we’ve seen the best of the Colts.

Prediction Alert – We expect the Colts’ offense and defense to click this upcoming week – we predict a Colts’ victory with a final score of 49-21.

The Chargers and the Patriots kicked off the 2019/20 season of MFL, and Raza Mawji had the first TD of the season on a long catch and run from Hani Mamdani. The Chargers didn’t wait long to integrate Hani Mamdani as their QB. He started off hot, but as a whole, had a disappointing day with only 3 TDs and throwing 2 interceptions. However, even with that, the Chargers performed reasonably well against the Patriots. It looks like Kumail Meghani and Asghar Molu continued where they left off last season with the latter having 8 receptions and 2 TDs. The Patriots have the makings on an explosive offense, but it may take a little while for them to integrate the new players. After scoring 4 TDs in the first half, the Patriots were held scoreless in the 2^nd half. Unsurprisingly, a Farhan-led defense was strong in the 2^nd half, squeaking a 1-TD victory.

The Colts came into the season #1 on the power rankings, and the Jaguars were dead-last. But you know what they say, we don’t play the game on paper… however this game, we might as well have.

The Jaguars were missing a couple of pieces, and struggled mightily on offense dropping catch after catch. The Jaguars lack a true #1 receiver, and while we expect their defense to be better once they have the Jafri brothers, we’re not sure this offense has what it takes. One guy who may be ready to take a featured role is Mohammed Altahan. He had a couple of highlight-reel grabs, and is looking to take that sophomore leap into stardom. If he can become a true #1 receiver for the Jaguars, this team’s defense will keep them in games in the future. For the Colts, this will not be their best performance. And that should tell you a lot of what we think about them. They made quick work of the Jaguars, but this team is beautifully constructed offensively with Ali Haroon and budding superstar Kazim Raza. We also have seen flashes from Alykhan Gangani during pickup weeks, and he has an opportunity to become a 1B option on that team. Ex-QB Khizer Jamal is another player who balled out as a receiver – making it a receivers-trio for the Jamal family, the first of its kind in MFL history.

The Lions & Steelers was our game of the week, and for good reason. The two teams are built similarly with each team having a game-changing receiver, and sound defensive principles. Unfortunately, the Steelers didn’t have their full team, and lost Ammar Jessa late in the game. Even against those odds, and after a pedestrian start, they had a shot to tie or win the game with a 2-pt conversion. Mikael Ratansi started the game at QB, and struggled. However, when he stepped in as a receiver, he looked like the Most Improved Player that we saw last season, pacing his team with 6 receptions and 1 TD. The Lions also received contributions from Hussein Champsi and Rizwan Merchant. If there’s one fault, it’s that they didn’t get the ball to Ammar Jessa enough, but the Steelers had something to do with that. The Steelers also had a pedestrian start. And if not for two balls that Ahsan Raza snatched away from the defense for a TD, the Steelers may have looked at this game as a missed opportunity. Ahsan also felt like he was in a giving mood, as he dropped a fumble that was returned for a TD. The star of this game was Ammar Dayani. He had himself a game offensively, as we suspect his TD may be the Play of the Week, however his biggest impact may have been on the defensive side of the ball. Limiting Ammar Jessa to 3 receptions, while playing out of position and showing his versatility.

Salaam,

Welcome to another season of MFL; congratulations to the Seahawks for winning the championship last year. Shoaib Mamdani will be returning as captain looking for a 3-peat… who will stand in his way?

The season will run from November 10, 2019 to March 22, 2020 (there are a couple of buffer weeks in place in case of weather related cancellations).

The season will consist of 15 regular season games, with all 6 teams making the playoffs. The season will be played at the Aurora Sports Dome.

EDIT – Registration is now FULL! If you would like to be added to the Waitlist/Reserve List – please email muslimfootball1@gmail.com with your name, email & contact number.