Monarchs Face Pride vs. Pragmatism In Week 14

London (AP) - The years-long drought is over.

Since the last time the London Monarchs were in the playoffs, the Montreal Machine appeared in three World Bowls, winning two. The Paris Musketeers moved to Cologne, and then moved back again. All while the Monarchs endured back-to-back losing seasons, changed quarterbacks repeatedly, and appeared mired in neutral (at best.)

The team capped a marked turnaround with a nail-biter of a victory over the Paris Musketeers, 20-17, boosting its record to 9-4 and guaranteeing the team of the #3 seed in the EFC playoffs. Now, London's coaching staff must deal with that most double-edged of football gifts, the dreaded "meaningless game."

This Friday's tilt against the Dragons in Barcelona has zero impact on the team, and some doubt whether the squad needs further tuning after such a high-strung victory against the competitive Musketeers. The team's injury list is clear, making it all the more tempting to keep key players off the Spanish pitch and saving them for the key playoff matchup against either Amsterdam or Frankfurt, depending on the outcome of Friday's action.

But there is pride to consider. At 9-4, London is enjoying its best season in years, completing a sweep of the EFC East for the first time in team history. A victory would give the team 10 wins for just the second time in its history--the first came in season 2, when many current Monarchs were still in high school.

"Taking nothing for granted, we would love to have a double-digit number in the win column--any team would, at any time," says London GM Jason Compton. "But we'd love even more to bring some playoff victories and titles to the London faithful, and that's the most important thing of all."

Despite the compressed playing schedule the team has not yet announced any changes to the Week 14 depth chart. If his teammates are to be believed, however, one Monarch plans to take the field under any and all circumstances.

"Matt [Lytle] said to us, 'If they want to take me off that damn field, it better be on a stretcher,'" confided wide receiver L.C. Stevens. Unlike the past two seasons which saw him repeatedly yanked from the lineup, Lytle has not only started every game but taken every offensive snap for the Monarchs, giving him a chance to be the first quarterback in team history to accomplish that feat.

It is generally believed that this will be Lytle's last year as a full-time starter in the league, whether he remains with London or moves elsewhere. With his five-year legacy highly suspect (just one playoff game in the first four years, in the first season of his tenure), this may be the veteran quarterback's stand to cement himself as a worthy successor to the shoes of FWL and WLAF MVPs Stan White and Stan Gelbaugh.

Lytle has refused to speak to reporters since the difficult win at Wembley, making it impossible to verify this tale. Lytle's performance was characteristically mixed, and saw him engineer crucial scoring drives but also give up two interceptions and put the ball on the ground two more times.

Home Sweet Home

The Monarchs closed out what is likely the final home game of the season (barring a series of playoff upsets) with a thrilling win and a 6-1 record overall, matching their home record of Season 11.