NFL
By: Jeff Barnes
It has been a rough start for the Orlando Guardians. Starting a season with a four-game losing streak can break a team’s spirit, but the Guardians are determined to turn things around. After the 44-16 loss to the Houston Roughnecks, the Orlando Guardians found frustration mounting higher than the opponent’s side of the scoreboard. Yet, this team did not throw their collective hands up in submission. They have continued to remain focused on winning football games.
The Orlando Guardians have a mirror opponent this week in the 0-4 Las Vegas Vipers. Both teams have struggled these first four games. Both are still looking for their first victory. However, the Orlando Guardians are the only ones who have faced the undefeated Houston Roughnecks twice so far. The Vipers have had challenges off the field as well as their stadium has come under fire. The distractions for the Orlando Guardians have been controllable. Other than the dismissal of QB Quinten Dormady, their on-field mistakes have been their undoing. This is an issue that head coach Terrell Buckley has vowed to get a grip on. “We had an Honest Sunday meeting where we went through all the mistakes and addressed them head-on,” said Coach Buckley. He added, “the best way to not have to address a mistake is to not be on the film making them.” The mistakes can be listed in many ways. There is the ever-growing penalty problem, the execution on the field, and the inconsistency in making crucial plays. All of these things have contributed to the Orlando Guardians opening the season with a four-game winning streak.
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After the game, I got to talk to TE/H-Back Cody Latimer and he like many in the locker room was frustrated with the start. However, he stressed that it would take the leaders on the team to get the other players in the locker room to rally together and play better football. Part of the Orlando Guardians struggles has been sluggish starts offensively. The Guardians successfully scored on their opening drive in each of the first three games. Their offense consistently struggled to put up points after that causing them to fall behind and play catch-up later in the game. 1against Houston, the offense struggled early helping the Roughnecks take an early 20-point lead in the 1st quarter. This is a problem that the Orlando Guardian’s most consistent offensive playmaker can put his finger on. “I don’t know why that is happening honestly. We just have to make more plays. It is our job to make plays, we aren’t making enough right now” Latimer added. WR Charleston Rambo was confident that the team can turn it around using a positive mentality. “When you look around the locker room, you see playmakers that can make plays,” said Rambo. “We just have to go out and make plays together and not just one player at a time.” Putting it all together is what the Orlando Guardians’ offense hopes to do against the Vipers.
One solution to the team’s issues is the vow that Coach Buckley stated to us that the Orlando Guardians coaches and players are working to eliminate these mistakes. Not only is it a collaborative effort by the Guardians players to make plays, but it is also on the coaches to help put them in a position to make plays. Coach Buckley stressed that he will take a more active role going forward. Orlando Guardians offensive coordinator Robert Ford stressed that a more disciplined performance will allow the offense to flourish. “We handcuff ourselves when we put ourselves behind the chains with mental mistakes and penalties,” added Coach Ford.
The Orlando guardians travel to Las Vegas for a matchup of winless teams on Saturday, March 18 at 10 PM ET/9 PM CT. The game can be seen on FX/ESPN+/ESPN Deportes with audio on ESPN Xtra on Sirius XM.
