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The past four weeks presented the Port Huron Patriots the perfect opportunity to position themselves for the playoffs.
The Patriots faced the top three teams in the Continental Indoor Football League North Division and walked away with a four-game losing streak.
The Patriots lost to the Saginaw Sting (6-0) twice and also fell to the Erie Explosion (5-2) and Chicago Blitz (4-2). The losses have put the Patriots (1-4) firmly on the outside looking in for playoff positioning.
Only the top two teams in the North and South Divisions will qualify for postseason play. Entering today’s home game at 7:30 p.m. against the Northern Kentucky River Monsters (3-3), the Patriots aren’t thinking about the playoffs. They simply hope they can find a way to win and begin the process of turning the season around.
“Offensively, I think we have some stuff to build off of,” Patriots receiver Jose Cannon said. “We have a new quarterback, and there were miscommunications that led to interceptions. We have to do a better job finishing drives. We make good plays and get stymied. We can’t turn the ball over, and we have to score at the end of the day.
“But there are some things we can take away from (the Erie) game. We have some positive things to build off of. We just can’t hurt ourselves.”
Last week in its 65-30 loss to the Erie Explosion, the Patriots introduced a new quarterback. For the most part, James Stallons struggled and finished the game completing 20 of 35 passes for 179 yards and three touchdowns. He also had four costly interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown.
With a week under his belt, the Patriots hope he can take a big step forward this week.
“I have a couple practices under my belt, and I am still trying to get used (to the indoor game),” said Stallons, a graduate of Macomb Dakota High School. “The game is a lot quicker, and you have to get the ball out of your hand in two seconds. It’s definitely a big difference.
“The field is a lot smaller. I’m a big-armed quarterback, and I’m used to throwing deep and long-out routes. I kept telling myself to get the ball out and make my reads before the ball is snapped.”
If Stallons is able to improve this week, it could give the Patriots hope for a quick turnaround. But the defense also will have to play its part.
“It’s all about putting drives together and stops together,” Patriots linebacker P.J. Jackson said.
“That’s what the game is about, anyway. We finished strong at the end of the game (last week). We kept on moving, and that’s something to build off of.”
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