The Iowa Barnstormers started off the 2016 Season with a 3-1 record, but have since lost three straight games, dropping to 3-4 on the season. With the next two games separated by just five days, it is imperative that the team figures things out this week.
Iowa Barnstormers Push to the Playoffs
Iowa has dropped down to fourth place in the Indoor Football League’s (IFL) United Conference, three games out of first place, and one and a half games out of a playoff spot.
Last season, Iowa dropped a nail-biter to Cedar Rapids about halfway through the season (where they’re at right now), that essentially made the playoffs a far and away dream. To avoid this from happening, the team needs to play to their potential during the next pair of games.
First off, quarterback Donovan Porterie must complete just one more pass than he did in each game during the losing streak, let me explain.
Porterie threw 27-36, that’s a whopping 72% completion rate. However, that goes along with two interceptions on Saturday, and 1.0 per game. Those interceptions came back to haunt the Barnstormers, so the road back to the win column will be relied on there.
“We’ve just got to get back on track, its not like we’re getting blown out, its not like we dont have the team to pick to be able to pick it up and get this thing going again,” Porterie said. “Its just that, we have to continue to put the work in, get in the film room, continue to get stronger and continue to get better.”
However, the Barnstormers need to address another problem before Porterie is faulted for not being absolutely perfect every week. The team’s kickoff squad is abysmal at best.
The last three of four times they have kicked off the ball in the air (that meaning not a squib kick), it has resulted in a touchdown for the receiving team.
Iowa defensive coordinator Jason Simpson was adamant that the team would not kick the ball off inbounds anymore after this week, after the loss to Spokane.
Obviously no one knows what strategy will come from the Barnstormers kickoff team on Sunday, however it might be a focal point.
An injury to standout running back Robbie Rouse, who still may not be back by Sunday’s game against Green Bay, made all this just that much harder. Instead Lucas Hefty, Austin Benson, and Brion Carnes will just have to make it work in the back field in the absence of Rouse.
“We’re just going to continue to correct the mistakes that need to be corrected, capitalize on the good things we did, and just put our best foot forward,” Austin Benson said. “[We’ve got to] forget about this loss, as of right now, and get to work starting with film [Sunday].”
Iowa will face a 1-6 Green Bay team that they beat handedly during the first meeting, then will travel to Nebraska to try and get back at the Danger for the game they stole in Iowa.
The next two games are crucial for the Barnstormers, and the players know that.
“We’ve got to go back to the basics, we’ve got to go back to the things that we know we’re good at, and we’ve got to keep doing it until somebody stops us. Once we get that momentum, once we get that confidence back,” Barnstormers Wide Receiver Bryan Pray said. “Then we can open it back up.”
