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.

This was our game of the week with the most on the line. The math was simple. A win, and you get an entry into the semi-finals. The Seahawks came to play… the Patriots were still snoozing. Perhaps the Patriots are still on daylight savings time as they have not won a first game of the week since the time changed.

Mujtaba Abidi attacked the Patriots early and often, and put a nice bow on his season with 11 receptions and 3 TDs. He’s sure to get a lot of votes for Offensive player of the Year. Speaking of impressive performances, Mehdi Nasser was a revelation throughout the season and may have locked up Rookie of the Year with yet another impressive stat-line with 1 TD and 2 INTs.

Overall, this game didn’t live up to the billing as the Seahawks took control of the game early. As soon as the Seahawks went up 14-0, there was a sense they wouldn’t relinquish the lead. Not only that, they thoroughly demolished the Patriots. The Patriots will need to have a short memory, if they win their first round matchup, a rematch awaits.

The Ravens and the Panthers were fighting to stay out of last place. The Ravens would need a win and some help along the way. The Panthers needed a tie to stay out of last place. The Ravens came out firing in this game as the Ammar Jessa took control of the game right off the bat. The first three score for the Ravens were all by Ammar Jessa who had a receiving TD, a pick-6 and a fumble recovery for a TD. The Ravens would get out to an early 21-7 lead. The Panthers looked discombobulated, and frankly, the Ammar factor was overwhelming. In total, Ammar would be responsible for 4 out of his team’s 5 touchdowns.

The Panthers would fight back in this game. When the Panthers are not turning the ball over, they are a dangerous team. Hamood had tried drafting a shutdown defense, and it’s finally starting to show up at the right time. Offensively, the Panthers used a balanced attack with Farhan Jafri and Ahsan Raza having a big week.

The game was tied with 3 seconds left in the game, and Danial heaved the ball towards the endzone. A tipped ball landed in the hands of Ahsan Raza who reached out for the TD before there was a forced fumble. The win secured the 4th seed for the Panthers, and the Ravens fell to the 6th seed.

The Raiders and the Lions were playing in a game that didn’t ultimately matter in the final standings. The Raiders were playing short once again, and the Lions had their full team for only the second time this season. This may be a first in MFL history as the Lions had all of their players with a receiving TD including their QB Kumail Meghani. The Lions have been first in the league standings throughout the season, and put an impressive outing to close out their season with a 63-42 win. Asghar Molu completed a MVP caliber season with 80 receptions and 26 TDs.

The Raiders were led by Ammar Dayani in this game who left everything he had on the table routinely getting behind the defense, and making big play after big play. Rizwan Jafri had a strong game with 7 receptions and 2 TDs. There was very little defense played in this game, as the Raiders & Lions were hoping to escape this game without any injuries. The Raiders will face the surging Panthers, and the winner gets a date with the Lions who are undefeated in their last 6 games.

The Raiders and the Lions was a good matchup on paper. However, the Raiders had a bunch of their top players missing. We got to witness the QB-debut of Mohammed Railey, who by our unofficial count, leads the league in fakes before a throw. Railey had a decent game, but the early picks did him in. The Raiders were no match for the Lions. Asghar QB’d for one possession and was able to find Kumail Meghani for his first receiving TD of the season. The play of the game was by Zolfy near the end of the game. Railey threw a jumpball, and Kumail Meghani almost had his second interception of the game, but Zolfy was determind to get the ball, and wrestled it away for a TD.

Shoaib Mamdani has been really coming on in recent weeks. He started this game with an interception, a TD, and then another TD on the ensuing possession. However, the game hit a lull after that. It was 14-0 for the Seahawks for a while until Farhan Ratansi made a contested catch on a 4th down play to put the Patriots on the board. The Patriots would score again just before halftime to tie this game. The Seahawks would score again early in the 2nd half on a Shoaib Mamdani TD. Emotions were running high in this game – both teams had a lot to say. Both teams are tough defensive minded teams. The reason this game ended in a tie, was actually a defensive miscommunication where Khalil Najarali got wide open, and taunted his way to the endzone. Both teams had multiple opportunities to score, but neither was successful.When you get two evenly matched-up teams, you get an even score.

Welp, we’d be lying if we said we were expecting this game to be close. New QB, no Allawi, and the Ravens looking impressive recently. And we were kind of right, it wasn’t close. Just not the team we thought would be victorious. The game started ominously for both teams. The Ravens had a hand-off gone wrong, and turned into a fumble. The Panthers wouldn’t do much with it, as Hussein Champsi picked off an off-balance throw from Danial Ali. The Ravens actually led this game at halftime, but didn’t score in the second half. The offensive star of the game was Alykhan Gagani, as he earned his first Offensive Player of the Week with 5 receptions and 4 TDs. And while he did his part offensively, he got help from his new teammate on the defensive end. Ahsan Raza had something to prove against his former team. Taleb Zaidi will have a chance to exact some revenge on his former team in the last regular season of the game.