PIFL Names Week 11 Players of the Week

The Professional Indoor Football League announces that Louisiana Swashbucklers QB Chris Mitchell, Alabama Hammers DB Cortez Stubbs, and Alabama Hammers KR Charles McClain are the Week 11 Players of the Week.

This past Saturday the Swashbucklers (4-4) moved back to .500 with a thrilling 68-66 double overtime victory over the Raiders (5-3) thanks in large part to QB Chris Mitchell (6'3 208, Alabama St.) and his seven touchdown performance as the Week 11 Offensive Player of the Week.. Louisiana overcame a thirteen point second half deficit with Mitchell completing 19 of 34 passes for 243 yards and five touchdown passes but it was his final of two rushing touchdowns with two minutes left in the 4th that gave the Bucs their first lead of the game since back in the 2nd. In addition to leading his team to their fourth win in five games, Mitchell has a streak of 85 pass attempts without throwing an interception.

Traded from Knoxville just three days prior to Saturday, DB Cortez Stubbs (5'9 185, Concordia) made an immediate impact for his team picking up two fumbles and an interception in the Hammers 70-43 thrashing of the Columbus Lions. Already playing on his third team this season, Stubbs played as a rookie for the Lions in 2012 earning All-PIFL 2nd team honors and was signed through training camp earlier this season before getting traded to Knoxville back in late March. Now in a switch from last-to-first, Stubbs picked up the Week 11 Defensive Player of the Week for his return performance in Columbus.

With teammate WR Mico McSwain racking in all the accolades, often times the forgotten man in Huntsville has been WR Charles McClain (5'9 185, North Alabama). McClain had arguably his greatest performance as professional on Saturday receiving the Week 11 Special Teams Player of the Week by almost single-handedly taking out the Lions with 228 all-purpose yards. In addition to leading all receivers with 146 yards, McClain picked up his second interception of the season and helped put the game out of reach when late in the 3rd quarter he scored on a 54-yard kickoff return.

Which teams will begin making playoff runs? We find out in Week 12 with some possible playoff previews when the first-place Alabama Hammers travel west to face off against the Swashbucklers. Then the reeling Columbus Lions (3-5) losers of three straight try and keep their playoff hopes alive when they hit the road to take on the Richmond Raiders (5-3). After a week off, the Knoxville Nighthawks (2-7) return to try and play playoff spoiler when they meet up against the PIFL's hottest team and winners of three straight in the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks (5-4).