Defense

One week after praising the offensive coordinators, we need to change our tune to the defensive side of the ball. Those coaches stepped up their game this weekend and put a stop to all of the offense.

Only two teams crossed the 400 yard mark this past weekend and they played each other. New Haven and Southern Connecticut had 473 and 439 yards, respectively in the Chargers' 38-20 victory.

A little bit of mother nature affected the games as wet and soggy conditions were in the New England area but that has not stopped teams before. It is a credit to the defensive coordinators and their staffs for finding a way to slow down the offenses and make them look average.

Defense, Part Two

Bentley is the surprise team of 2016 thus far and that continued on Saturday as they defeated Pace 28-0. They improved to 3-2 overall and 3-1 in the NE-10, good enough for a tie for second place.

It is also the third straight time that the Falcons have blanked Pace in Waltham. Back in 2012, Bentley won 42-0 and in 2014, the Falcons won 31-0 at home.

Bentley dominated on the defense side as they limited the Setters to 155 yards and just a mere six first downs. They also scored a touchdown on a pick six and set up two other short drives for the offense.

Bentley will welcome Assumption next Friday night in a battle of second place teams in the NE-10.

Defense, Part ThreeDefense, Part Four

They are always part of the defensive accolades as American International defeated St. Anselm 30-10. The defense caused four turnovers and completely frustrated the Hawk offensive unit.

Devonte Dillon picked off two passes and Daquan Holmes picked off a pass for his 18th career interception. He is one shy of tying the all-time NE-10 record.

St. Anselm was held to 254 total yards and a mere two for 13 on third downs. Those are far from typical numbers for the Hawks but again credit the American International defense.

They bring the intensity week in and week out. They get after the quarterback and take advantage of the opposing offense's mistakes. It has been a hallmark of the Yellow Jackets for many years now.

American International returns home this weekend to face Stonehill in a battle of 2-3 overall and 2-2 NE-10 teams.

Defense, Part Five

Stonehill seems to have the secret to stopping the Merrimack offense and last Saturday was no difference. The Skyhawks scored the final 31 straight points in route to a 31-6 victory. But it was the defense that was the star again.

After yielding an opening touchdown drive, the defense stepped up and completely held the Warriors in check. They had just 151 yards on the afternoon including just one for 13 on third downs.

The Warriors also make big plays but were limited to just a handful of plays 10 yards or greater. Stonehill beat them twice in North Andover last year and have won six straight games in this match-up.

The Skyhawks hit the road next week as they travel west to face American International.

One Undefeated Team

With LIU Post's 19-18 victory, we are down to one undefeated team in the NE-10. LIU Post is now 5-0 overall and 4-0 in the NE-10. But looking at their opponents over the first five weeks, this undefeated record is even more impressive.

Virginia Union has rebounded to a 3-2 overall record and has won three straight. Three NE-10 are 3-1 in the league and their lone loss is to Post. Those teams are New Haven, Bentley and now Assumption. They have played the top half of the league and taken care of business thus far.

"It is a great feeling to be undefeated," Collins said. "It puts us in a good situation right now. The front of our schedule was very tough and to come out at 5-0; I am very pleased."

As their schedule gets easier on paper, it is not time for the Pioneers to get off of the gas pedal. They still need to win games and take care of business. This season is far from over and one misstep could be costly.

Turn the Page

Assumption suffered their first NE-10 league loss since last September when they lost on the road to LIU Post. That snapped a streak of 12 games and head coach Bob Chesney was ready to turn the page right after the game.

"They are a good team and we are a good team," Chesney said. "We left some opportunities on the field. The loss is already in the past. We walk into Sunday meetings looking ahead whether we win or lose."

It was tough loss for the Greyhounds who were able to excel in late game situations over the past several years. This team is very talented and it is just one game. But they need to refocus quickly as they have a trip to Bentley this Friday night.

Elm City Cup

New Haven retained the Elm City Cup for the seventh consecutive season with a 38-20 victory over cross town rival Southern Connecticut. The Chargers led the entire afternoon and have now won three straight games after dropping their opening two.

Ajee Patterson continues to play strong as he tossed three touchdowns and Andre Anderson was the star on the ground with 151 yards and two scores.

The Chargers have won three straight games after dropping their first two. They are always a dangerous team and expect to be in the mix for the NE-10 championship game.