A/N: So with the second game I've decided to incorporate some CFL rules into the game as it is the football game I am most familiar with and it allows me to use some more interesting plays that are not possible with NFL rules. When I use CFL rules I will mention them at the bottom of the update for those who may not be aware of the difference between the leagues. Once again I want to give thanks to DaveTheWordsmith and KODfreak for reviewing and giving great feedback. Everyone you should check out and review their works because there is some great stuff there if you haven't already, especially "Choices" a great fic by DaveTheWordsmith and KODfreak's "The Other Guy". Also check out and review "Life Goes On" by DaBlackGoku one of my favourite fics on the site. Please review this chapter and the one I put up late last night and tell me what you think about both of them as individual chapters and as part of the larger story.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Boondocks, Aaron McGruder and Sony Pictures does.
Chapter 20 – Reagan First Quarter
Riley caught Jazmine's kickoff back at his own fifteen and made a cut toward the sidelines where he could see an opening. He only managed to get about five yards before Jason was on him. Riley faked right to the sideline and tried to cut in left but Jason stayed with him. Jason lunged for Riley, but as he was moving to the left he slipped and his lunge fell short leaving.
With a short mocking laugh Riley continued down field easily dodging around Caesar and then breaking Hiro's tackle before the rest of his team formed up around him. With his wall of players throwing blocks for him as he ran Riley went untouched down the rest of the field. Breaching the Black Panther end zone Riley dunked the ball through the uprights. There were no fireworks this time and he expected cheers but got boos instead. That was what it meant to play in the opposing team's stadium especially when that team was your former team. There would be very few cheers for Riley in this game, but a whole lot of boos.
"Way to go Riley," Alex said as Riley rejoined the team for the extra point. "That's what we want to see."
"Don't worry about the boos. When we have our next game at our stadium you'll get all the cheers you can handle. Besides in a road game boos are better than cheers," Corey added.
"I'm sorry guys. I lost my footing," Jason said as they lined up for the extra point.
"No problem. We all missed him too," Caesar said. "We just need to get the points back."
The Reagan kicker made the easy chip shot and then kicked a hanger for his kickoff to Jason. Determined to replicate Riley's kick return, Jason used his explosive first step to negate the hang time the kicker gave his team and blew past the first Reagan gunner.
Jason hit the wall of players and broke through after a well timed block from Caesar. He didn't make it much further as Riley got a hold of him and dragged him to the ground.
"Damn," Jason cursed getting back to his feet. Not only did he not make it to the end zone, but Riley was the one to bring him down.
"I told ya I'd prove I'm better nigga," Riley gloated jumping back to his feet and giving his closest teammate a high five.
"I want to run a Deep Attack," Huey said in the huddle looking at the card hidden in his wristband. "Jay you line up on the short side."
Huey broke their huddle and set up in his favourite shotgun formation while Jason lined up on the short side against Riley.
"Ya ain't getting' da ball," Riley said as Huey began his count.
"We'll see," Jason smirked as Huey ended his count. Once Caesar hiked the ball Jason exploded past Riley who could not keep up with his explosive first step. Riley did however make up the ground as they ran down the field as Jason had to slow up to time his route with the incoming ball. As he passed into the Reagan secondary Jason cut diagonally into the middle of the field once again put space between him and Riley with his longer stride.
Jason made the easy catch as he connected with ball just beyond the first down marker. Hitting the ball in stride, Jason lost no speed and with a slight stutter step cut straight down the field. In behind the Reagan secondary, Jason had a straight and clear lane t the end zone with only Riley on his heels.
"You're too short," Jason called back stepping up a gear and blowing into the end zone to tie the game at a touchdown each after Jazmine made her chip shot. Knowing it would just enrage Riley more than he already was, Jason imitated his touchdown celebration by dunking the ball through the uprights and he knew the part that got to his rival the most was the fireworks that exploded behind them and the loud cheering from the crowd.
This time Riley did not receive Jazmine's kick as she angled it to the other kick returner and she barely got five yards before Cindy and Johnny converged on her bringing her down at the Reagan's fifteen yard line.
Corey set up his first play of the game with a hand off to Alex who broke through the Black Panther line and into their secondary where Hiro brought him down after a gain of eight yards. On their next drive he handed it off to Alex again who punched it through for the first down.
"Give me da ball," Riley demanded as they came into their huddle.
"Alright," Corey agreed breaking up the huddle.
Jason lined up against Riley again as the Roughbacks hiked the ball. Riley tried a stutter step to shake Jason but Jason stayed on him as he ran a hook. When Riley stopped to cut back in toward the line of scrimmage, Jason was a step ahead of him and got the inside route as the ball came in. He reached out for the ball, but Riley got his hands in the way knocking the ball away before Jason could pull the ball in.
"You won't be getting the ball again," Jason gloated with pumping his fist. Even if he did not catch the ball he had stopped Riley from getting a first down.
Corey lined up his offense again in an 'I' formation and sent Riley in motion. On the defensive side Jason mirrored Riley's moves until Riley hit the line of scrimmage and Corey snapped the ball. Riley suddenly cut to the sideline and Jason followed, but Riley gained the inside lane when he cut back into the middle when he reached the first down marker. Corey over threw his target though and Riley was forced to dive for the ball. Catching it with his fingers, Riley held onto the ball for dear life as he hit the ground. His body bounced off the turf but his gloved hands maintained their grip as Jason touched him on the back to end the play. In the audience the few cheers from Reagan High fans were drowned out by the chorus of boos from Riley's old fans.
"Ya see dat nigga," Riley said to Jason jumping to his feet with the ball. "Dat's how a real nigga does it."
"Then I guess I'm glad my quarterback knows how to the throw the ball so I don't have to do that," Jason returned coolly.
On the next play Corey faked a throw out to Riley who was covered by Jason and Hiro this time and handed the ball off to Alex before the Reagan High captain could reach the line of scrimmage Huey coming on a left side blitz caught his Reagan High counterpart at the shoulders and drove him to the ground.
"That's for last night," Huey said with a scowl as he got off Alex who remained on the ground for a few more second trying to collect his shaken marbles. "And there will be more."
Once Alex was back on his feet, Corey got a fast snap hoping to catch the Black Panthers off guard but it did not work. As Corey dropped back out of the pocket looking for Riley, Caesar broke through the middle of the line and charged him down sacking him six yards behind the line of scrimmage. Caesar jumped to his feet as he was swarmed by his defensive line and as one they all howled up at the sky in celebration.
Setting up for the third down and nearly eighteen yards, Corey did another quick snap looking for Riley down field. Seeing Riley with a little bit of gap on Jason he threw the ball down field. Riley jumped in the air for the catch, but before he could land, Jason speared him in the gut, the force knocking the ball from Riley's hands and brought him crashing to the ground. Rather than taunting Riley as the new star receiver for the Roughbacks had done to him on every play, Jason simply walked away paying his rival no more thought then he would a bug which seemed to infuriate Rriley even more than gloating would have.
Facing a fourth and eighteen situation the Reagan Roughbacks were forced to punt the ball away to Cindy at the Black Panther thirty yard line. With the help of a timely block from Johnny, Cindy was able to make it back to the Roughbacks fifty-five yard line before she was brought down.
Back on the offensive Huey faked a handoff to Cindy who cut off toward the sideline before bringing the ball in and rushing through a hole in the line and into the Roughback secondary where he took the hit to gain the extra yards for the first down.
With the first down secured Huey decided to activate his running game and handed the ball off to Cindy who stutter stepped behind the line creating on opening in the wall as the defence fell for the move and she got six yards before being brought down by one of the safeties and a defensive end. On his next play Huey faked another hand off to Cindy before throwing a short pass to Hiro who had cut just beyond the defensive line to get the first down.
"I want a touchdown on this play," Huey said in their huddle before outlining the play.
Huey broke the huddle and lined up close behind Caesar to accept the ball while Cindy took up her position a few steps directly behind him. Jason lined up on the short side again with what was becoming a standard pairing as Riley lined up against him. On the long side of the field, Hiro, Jazmine, and Johnny were in motion when Huey snapped the ball.
Jason stutter stepped and swerved as he ran down the field to confuse Riley, but his rival managed to stay on his heels as they came into the end zone near the sideline. Huey threw the ball purposely high forcing Jason and Riley to jump for the ball. With his height advantage Jason got the height to grab the high thrown ball but Riley knowing he could not reach the ball decided to return Jason's earlier hit by driving up into his ribs, aiming his arm for the ones he knew were still injured. Unlike Riley though Jason managed to keep hold of the ball but the force threw him out of bounds not even giving in the chance to get his feet in bounds as he landed three feet beyond the edge of the white sideline.
"Oh nigga ya got slammed," Riley shouted angrily at his rival before flexing his arms over Jason who had collapsed in on himself holding his ribs.
"God what the fuck Riley?" Jason groaned rolling back in forth in pain. "What the fuck?"
"It's what ya des..." Riley started to say before someone grabbed him from behind and pulled him away from the hurting teen.
"Get away from my player," Huey said pushing Riley back and kneeling down beside Jason. "Jay are you alright?"
"I'll be fine in a minute," Jason groaned as he stopped rolling. "It's not serious just a little bump."
"Here," Huey said offering him his hand and pulling his receiver back to his feet.
Once on his feet Jason turned to Riley who was still standing off to the side. "You might want to feel this while you can?" Jason said to his rival tossing him the ball he had managed to keep a hold of even while withering in pain. "Cuz I'm coming for ya now."
"Oh JJ can ya go a single game without gettin' hurt," Cindy asked as Jason and Huey joined the huddle.
"I'm not hurt. He just aggravated my ribs. I'm fine now," Jason said with his cocky smirk.
"Alright if we're done with that know. I'm going to rush the ball on this play. They've been leaving holes in their line on every play so far. Cindy I want you to draw the safety off and Johnny I need you to be ready to throw a block if he doesn't bite."
"I got you brah," Johnny said. "But how about some passes my way after that?"
"I'll try," Huey said clapping his hands to break the huddle.
Once again Huey lined up directly behind Caesar with Cindy behind him and to the left while all his receivers were in motion to draw away the corner backs and outside linebackers to make room for Huey's rush. Caesar snapped the ball and crashed into the middle guard pushing up into the middle guard's chest and pushing him back creating a gap for Huey who first faked a handoff to Cindy who charged a corner of the line drawing away one of the defensive ends before charging through the gap Caesar made.
Huey was almost immediately met by one of the safeties but Johnny threw a block and Huey slipped by only to get caught by the second safety that had not gone after Jason who was running a slant to the middle route hoping to draw in both Riley and the safety. Not having a good hold on the ball Huey felt the ball pop out of his hands as he fell to the ground. He watched the ball bounce off the ground in horror hoping one of his teammates could get to the ball first but Jason and Hiro were still up the field and Johnny and Cindy were still busy with their targets.
A pair of gloved hands did get the ball though as it reached the full height of its bounce. The hands brought it into their owner's red and black chest. Caesar who had taken down the middle guard had followed Huey up the field to help throw blocks and when Huey fumbled the ball he was there waiting. He secured the ball and ran straight to the end zone with no thoughts of actually making it but just trying to gain as many yards as he could. When he saw Riley come in to catch him Caesar accepted that he had gone as far as he could go until Jason hit Riley just enough to allow Caesar to get by without taking a penalty. Now behind the defensive line Caesar saw the end zone and made a mad dash for it before the other corner back could catch up having lost Hiro back in the secondary.
The corner back wrapped is arms around Caesar's waist five yards from the end zone, but being so close to his first touchdown, Caesar bulled forward using his size to drag the roughback corner back into the end zone where he spiked the ball and howled to the sky as he had done during the sack. It was the standard celebration the line had decided on before the game for whenever they made a particularly good play like a sack or an interception. None of them had thought they would be using it in the end zone.
"Way to go Caesar," Jazmine cheered as the team swarmed their centre.
"The tank brings it in," Jason laughed.
"I couldn't have done it without your block Jay," Caesar said honestly as they went to line up for the extra point.
"After all the blocks you've thrown for us or holes you've opened it was nothing," Jason said lining up in the edge of the line while Jazmine nailed their chip shot in for a 14-7 lead.
Jazmine kicked the ball back to the Roughbacks but Riley could not get more than five yards before Hiro, Jason, and Johnny brought him down. Corey hurried up his offence throwing a pass down to Riley who escaped Jason after a well placed block from Brooks but after getting twenty yards Johnny caught him and dragged him to the ground.
On the next play Riley lined up as the running back and when he got the ball this time he managed to get away from Jason by running through the line while Jason unfamiliar with being so close to the line got tangled up in the struggle of the line and Riley went on to score a touchdown and even the score. In the end zone to taunt Cindy this time he threw the ball through the uprights and ran up the upright before doing a flip and catching the ball.
Cindy caught the kickoff at her ten yard line but was immediately tackled by the Roughbacks gunner before she could get more than five yards. Huey took the ball after that and with a series of short passes to Hiro and handoffs to Cindy worked his way down the field before throwing a two long passes to Johnny who had largely been forgotten in the shuffle of Riley and Jason's rivalry. Those two passes plus three more small rushes for only six yards brought Huey to the Roughback 28 yard line.
Now on their fourth down with just under a minute left Huey was left with a difficult decision; did he let Jazmine who had yet to make a field goal beyond 30 yards to try for the field goal or did he try for the first down with four yards to go?
"Huey let me kick," Jazmine pleaded. "I can get it this time, just give me the chance."
Huey looked at the determination in her eyes and made his decision. "Go for it."
Jazmine lined up for the kick and took a deep breath as Huey gave the count from his position ready to set up the ball for her. Caesar snapped the ball back to Hey who set the ball down with the laces facing the uprights. Remembering what Jason had taught her on the beach she bent her knees as she took her three steps while leaning forward at her waist. She made good contact with the ball with the inside of her foot but the ball curved to the right like it always did. This time though it was not as bad a curve as usual and the ball struck in the inside of the right upright before ricocheting through the posts for three points.
When the officials threw their arms up to signal a good kick Jazmine jumped up in excitement and Huey caught her on the way done spinning her around.
"I told you, I told you," Jason shouted with his cocky grin.
"Gurl ya finally did it way to hit it outta da park," Cindy said hugging her best friend when Huey put her down.
"Oh big deal she made a thirty five yard field goal," Alex said passing the celebrating team. "Our kicker can make that without a sweat."
"Screw off," Caesar said.
"Leave before I shut you up like we did your players last night," Huey added.
The official blew his whistling to warn the players to line up for the kick off or they would be assessed a penalty and they lined up for the kick off. Jazmine all hyped up from finally making that elusive thirty plus yard field goal smashed the ball into the single digit yards of the Roughback half of the field. Her kick forced Riley to back track to the catch the ball before he started his advance. He only got twenty yards though before Jason and Huey collided into him, knocking Riley on his rear.
With only forty seconds left Corey ran a no huddle offence and tried to connect with Riley near the sideline but once again Jason hit Riley as he was making the catch and Riley could not hold onto the ball.
As the clock ran done Corey turned to his other wide receiver to try and advance the ball before the end of the quarter so they would be in better position with the wind at their backs. Corey connected with Brooks for two medium length catches that moved the chains twice before the clock ran out and the official blew his whistle to end the quarter.
With the first Quarter over can Huey continue pushing his team to victory? Facing defeat what does Alex have up his sleeve to try and get his team back in the lead? With Jason proving a greater challenge than Riley thought can he beat the much taller and more experienced receiver or will Jason make all of Riley's recent decisions worthless?
CFL Incorporation - Motion at the snap
So in the CFL all offensive players in the backfield except the quarterback can be in motion at the snap and may move in any direction as long as they are behind the line of scrimmage. In addition to this the two players at either end of the line of scrimmage, usually the wide receivers can move along the line.
In the NFL only one player can be in motion and cannot be moving toward the line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped.
A/N: As you can tell if you go back to the last game I've actually been using the CFL rule since the beginning since in my opinion it is the better of the two rules and makes for a more exciting game.