TWO OF THE LEAGUE'S MOST PROMISING TEAMS WITH BRIGHT FUTURES MET FRIDAY NIGHT IN A CLASSIC EASTERN CONFERENCE PHYSICAL BATTLE. IN A SEASON THAT HAS SEEN HIGH-SCORING ACROSS THE LFL, GAME 13 OF LFL, FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL FEATURED A TOUGH DEFENSIVE BATTLE AS THE PASSION HELD ON TO THEIR PLAYOFF HOPES WITH A 12-6 WIN.

HAVING ARRIVED AT THE CROSSROADS OF A TOUGH SEASON AT 1-1, PHILADELPHIA HEAD COACH AND THE PASSION LADIES ARRIVED TO SUN CENTER FRIDAY NIGHT KNOWING WHAT WAS AT STAKE. AN ENTHUSIASTIC CROWD AND ALMOST EVERY MAJOR PHILLY MEDIA OUTLET FILED INTO SUN CENTER FOR THE PASSION'S HOME FINALE.

THE 1ST HALF STARTED WITH BOTH TEAMS MARCHING DOWN THE FIELD WITH IMPRESSIVE QUARTERBACK PLAY BEHIND TAMPA'S JENN MYERS AND PHILLY'S JACKIE DANICO. AT THE 14:50 MARK OF THE 1ST HALF, THE PASSION DREW FIRST BLOOD WITH A 8YD DART FROM DANICO TO RB TYRAH LUSBY TO PUT THE PASSION UP 6-0. NOT TO BE OVER-SHADOWED PERHAPS ONE OF THE BEST OFFENSES IN THE LEAGUE IN TAMPA ANSWERED WITH A BRANDYCE TROWELL TOUCHDOWN RUN THAT TIED THE SCORE AT 6-6. FROM THAT POINT, BOTH DEFENSES DUG-IN THEIR HEELS AND REFUSED TO ALLOW ANYMORE POINTS. PHILADELPHIA LOST A KEY OPPORTUNITY LATE IN 1ST HALF WHEN THEIR 2 MINUTE OFFENSE COLLAPSED.

IT ALL CAME DOWN TO THE LAST 17 MINUTES FOR BOTH TEAMS IN THE 2ND HALF. FORTUNES TURNED BAD FOR TAMPA EARLY AS THEIR FRANCHISE QUARTERBACK JENN MYERS WENT DOWN WITH A BROKEN ANKLE. WITH PERHAPS ONE OF THE TOP 3 QUARTERBACKS IN THE LEAGUE OUT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE GAME, TAMPA TURNED TO BACK-UP QB DENISHA CRAWFORD WHO HAD A BRILLIANT PERFORMANCE GUIDING THE BREEZE TO THE REDZONE ON MULTIPLE OCCASSIONS. DESPITE ANOTHER INCREDIBLE OFFENSIVE SHOWCASE, THE BREEZE ONCE AGAIN TURNED OUT TO BE IT'S OWN WORST ENEMY COMMITTING THREE KEY FALSE START PENALTIES INSIDE THE 10YD LINE. THE PASSION DEFENSE BENT A LOT IN THE 2ND HALF BUT NEVER BROKE GIVING UP 0 POINTS.

LATE IN THE 2ND HALF PHILLY ADDED TO THEIR SCORE WITH A RB TABBI HASKINS TOUCHDOWN TO GO UP 12-6. FOLLOWING THE PASSION TOUCHDOWN SCORING DRIVE, TAMPA'S CRAWFORD DROVE THE BREEZE OFFENSE ALL THE WAY TO THE PASSION 1YD LINE TO SET UP AN EPIC 4 AND 1 PLAY TO DECIDE THE GAME.

IT WAS ALMOST LIKE A HOLLYWOOD SCRIPT WITH THE GAME COMING DOWN TO ONE FINAL PLAY. AS THE TEAMS WERE TAKING THE FIELD FOR THE FINAL PLAY IN TRUE PHILADELPHIA FORM, A FAN THREW A BEER BOTTLE AT THE TAMPA HUDDLE. AFTER THE FAN WAS ESCORTED OUT, THE TEAMS TOOK THE FIELD WITH THE FAMED ROCKY THEME PUMPING ACROSS THE SPEAKERS AND THE PHILLY FANS AT A FEVER-PITCH SOUND. TAMPA THREW A PASS OVER THE MIDDLE THAT WAS CAUGHT AND AS THE PLAYER TRIED TO STRETCH OVER THE GOAL LINE THE PHILLY DEFENSE EMERGED AND HELD TAMPA INCHES FROM A GAME-TYING SCORE.

WITH ONLY INCHES TO SPARE, PHILADELPHIA HELD ON TO THEIR PLAYOFF LIVES BEHIND GREAT PERFORMANCES FROM GAME MVP TYRAH 'THE TIGER' LUSBY, RB TABBI HASKINS, CB JAIME DIAMOND AND LB DONNA 'THE TRAIN' FERRY.

PHILLY WILL NOW NEED A WIN IN CHICAGO AND A MIAMI LOSS TO ADVANCE TO THE CONFERENCE PLAYOFFS IN MIAMI.

TAMPA A TEAM WIDELY CONSIDERED TO BE MORE TALENTED THEN TOP LFL TEAMS LIKE PHILADELPHIA, SEATTLE AND CHICAGO, SIMPLY CONTINUES TO BE IT'S OWN WORST ENEMY COMMITTING KEY TURNOVERS AND PENALTIES COSTING THEM POINTS. THE BREEZE WILL NEED A WINS AGAINST NEW YORK AND MIAMI TO FINISH THE SEASON AND LOSS' FROM BOTH PHILADELPHIA AND MIAMI TO HAVE ANY HOPES AT THE POST-SEASON.