STEAMWHEELERS MELT BLIZZARD IN FIRST EVER WIN OVER GREEN BAY
MOLINE, IL – Following a 36-17 win over the Bucks in Bismarck, the Quad City Steamwheelers (3-3) return to the TaxSlayer Center to take on the Green Bay Blizzard (2-4).
RB Kerrion Moore returned the opening kickoff for 30-yards, giving the Wheelers possession at the 12 yard line. QB E.J. Hilliard connected with Moore on second down for a 5-yard touchdown to put the Wheelers up 6-0. Kicker Kimo Naehu missed the PAT attempt, and the score remained 6-0.
Naehu responded with a strong kickoff that pinned the Blizzard back to their own 5 yard line. QB Jake Sheehan answered with a 45-yard touchdown pass to WR Shaquan Curenton. PAT connected, Blizzard up 7-6.
On the following drive, Hilliard delivered a laser to WR Mike Carrigan for an 18-yard gain. WR Keyvan Rudd powered his way into the end zone for a 9-yard touchdown run—arguably, the most physical run of the season. Hilliard connected with WR Londell Lee for the two-point conversion to put the Wheelers up 14-7.
On the following kickoff, Wheelers LB Nate Sheets and DL Teon Burroughs forced a fumble that was recovered by DB Malik Duncan. The offense drove the ball down the field and Naehu connected on a field goal to put Quad City up 17-7.
DE Jaylin Swan sacked Sheehan on the first play of the following drive. Duncan followed it up by taking down RB Toren Young for negative yardage on the next play. Green Bay failed to connect on a 60-yard field goal attempt, giving possession back to Quad City.
Despite moving the ball deep into the red zone, the Green Bay defense held strong and forced a turnover on downs after Hilliard failed to connect on 4th-and-2.
Backed up deep in their own territory, Sheehan fumbled the football and recovered possession, pinning Green Bay back against their own 1-yard line. Sheehan fumbled again on the next play but recovered and connected with Young for 17-yards. Later in the drive, Sheehan hit WR Steven Newbold for another 17-yard gain and Young for a 16-yard gain. Kicker Nick Jaworski ended the drive with a successful field goal attempt to bring the score to 17-10.
Quad City responded, picking up yardage in chunks and closing out the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run by Lee. Wheelers up 24-10.
Despite moving the ball down the field on their final drive of the half, Jaworski missed the field goal attempt. Wheelers close out the first half with a 24-10 lead.
The Quad City Steamwheelers entered the second half with a 24-10 lead.
DB Jayvon Wright delivered a strong tackle to Newbold on the opening kickoff of the second half. It set the tone. DL Jamal Paxton jumped up to deflect Sheehan's pass on second down, forcing 3rd-and-long. Swan kept his foot on the gas, taking Sheehan down for the safety. Steamwheelers up 26-10.
Quad City's offense kept their foot on the gas as well, driving the football down the field and closing out the drive with a 9-yard touchdown run by Hilliard. Wheelers up 33-10.
On the first play of the following drive, DL Naquez Pringle smothered Young for a 2-yard loss. On 3rd-and-long, Pringle was all over Sheehan for a big sack. Jaworski failed to connect on a 64-yard field goal attempt, which was returned for a big gain by WR Trevon Saunders. First-and-goal, Wheelers.
Hilliard connected with Rudd, who caught the ball for an aggressive touchdown reception—just his style. Hilliard then connected with OL Joe Krall, who caught the ball and carried it into the end zone. Because he was ineligible, the play was called back and the Wheelers connected on a PAT to put them up 40-10.
On the next drive, Sheehan barreled through defenders for a big gain on the ground to put Green Bay into scoring position. Young's 1-yard touchdown run brought the score to 40-17.
With Green Bay trying to generate momentum for a comeback, Quad City's defense kept pressure on Sheehan. Pringle notched another sack but later in the drive, Sheehan was able to connect with Newbold for a 42-yard touchdown. Score 40-24.
An illegal block penalty negated another Hilliard rushing touchdown on the next drive, but the offense was successful in continuing to drain time off the clock. Naehu attempted a long field goal attempt, which was ruled a miss before Coach Ross challenged the call. It was awfully close, but the ruling was upheld and the score remained 40-24.
Sheehan, desperate to put points on the board quickly, launched the football deep on first down but was picked off by Wheelers DB Tajik Bagley, who returned the ball all the way to the 16 yard line.
With less than a minute left on the clock, Moore rushed for a 5-yard touchdown and Naehu connected on the PAT to put the Wheelers up 47-24.
Naehu wasn't done. On the next kickoff, he put the ball through the uprights to put the Wheelers up 49-24.
Sheehan threw a touchdown pass to WR Damian King Jr., bringing the score to 49-31, but with 0:20 left in the fourth quarter, it was too little, too late.
The Steamwheelers left the TaxSlayer Center with another victory and a 4-3 record 7 games into the 2022 IFL season.