Georgia Pass Rush too much for Avengers
Steven Herbert
Sunday March 2, 2003
The Avengers (3-2) came away scoreless on two first-and-goal situations, turned the ball over on downs once and quarterback Tony Graziani threw an interception on a fourth possession as they were held to season lows in points and yards, 232, after averaging 61.2 points over their first four games.
"We didn`t come to play," Graziani said. "You have to give them credit. "They played harder than we did and they won. That`s the bottom line. We just did not play hard."
When asked the reason, Graziani said, “I don’t know what our problem is right now. We’re going to fix it though on Wednesday. That’s for sure. We’re going to practice harder, prepare, and we’re going play a lot harder than this. This is ridiculous.”
Los Angeles coach Ed Hodgkiss said a key reason for the problems was his team’s pass blocking problems.
"They were rushing, and we couldn`t protect," Hodgkiss said.
Some of the pass blocking problems stemmed from pre-game warm-ups when the Avengers lost two players Hodgkiss called among his best pass blockers. Fullback/linebacker Mathis Vavao injured a rib and offensive lineman/defensive lineman Tony Plantin had his back tighten up.
The Los Angeles offense opened the game by scoring on a five-play, 39-yard drive on its first possession, capped by Graziani’s eight-yard touchdown pass to Chris Jackson. The touchdown extended Jackson’s streak of scoring a touchdown to all 38 Arena Football League games he has played.
However, the problems began to surface the next time the Avengers had the ball. A 31-yard pass from Graziani to Greg Hopkins gave Los Angeles a first-and-goal from the Force`s four-yard line. Graziani then threw three consecutive incomplete passes.
Remy Hamilton`s 19-yard field goal attempt went off the right rebound net to Avengers offensive lineman Mike Ulufale at the six, who ran to the one, then fumbled the ball out of the end zone.
Graziani ran one yard for a touchdown on Los Angeles’ next possession.
Hamilton was forced into trying a 35-yard field goal on the final drive of the first half, which went wide left, as Georgia (3-2) led 21-14 at halftime.
The Avengers pulled into a 21-21 tie on Graziani’s 31-yard touchdown pass to Jackson on its first possession of the second half, but it would not score again until there were 53 seconds remaining in the game.
The Force took a 28-21 lead on Donnie Davis’ 20-yard touchdown pass to Markeith Cooper, the start of a stretch of 22 unanswered points for the Force.
On its next possession, Los Angeles had a second-and-goal at the Force three. Fullback Kevin Clemens was stopped after a one-yard gain and Graziani, under a rush from Darryl Hammond, threw an incomplete pass out of the end zone, setting up a fourth-and-goal.
Hodgkiss opted to go for the touchdown on fourth down. Graziani dropped back to pass, found himself in Georgia lineman Jermaine Smith`s grasp, threw a pass into the end zone that went off the bottom of the right rebound net and intercepted by Kevin Gaines in the end zone.
The Avengers turned the ball over on downs on their next possession. Gaines made another interception the next time Los Angeles had the ball, setting up Steve McLaughlin`s team-record 49-yard field goal, which put the Force ahead, 43-21 with six minutes, five seconds to play.
"They just kept putting the pressure on us and we couldn`t get it done," Graziani said. "For some reason, the last two weeks we were flat, including myself."
Graziani completed 19 of 37 passes for 245 yards and four touchdowns.
"I didn`t play well," Graziani said. "I`ve got to stand in there and make the throws and I didn`t do that today. I should be able to make those throws. The quarterback is the main guy and I’m not getting it down right now."
Steven Herbert began covering Arena Football in 1988, the league’s second season. He has covered the sport for The Associated Press, Arizona Republic, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Providence Journal-Bulletin, Palm Beach Post, Daily Oklahoman and other publications. Herbert has also written on college and NFL football for The Washington Post and spent five years as a Los Angeles Times staff writer.
