Defense Makes it Look Easy for Avengers
Steven Herbert
Sunday March 23, 2003
The Avengers offense was stopped just once when it mattered and its previously much-maligned defense bolstered its credibility with three first-half stops against the AFL’s second-highest scoring team.
"We came out in the first half and played one of the better halves since I`ve been here," Los Angeles coach Ed Hodgkiss said after the victory raised his team`s record to 6-2, matching division rival San Jose, Georgia, Orlando and Tampa Bay for the league`s best mark. "We did a good job against a good team."
The Avengers led 30-13 at halftime, and despite Arena Football`s proclivity for comebacks, the final outcome seemed to be in little doubt, because their defense’s three stops had given their high-powered offense enough of a cushion.
“Their score at the end of the game doesn`t indicate it, but I thought they [the defense] did fabulous,” Hodgkiss said. “They won the game for us today, against a very good offense. We did a good job getting pressure, the secondary did a good job flying around the ball, and especially, we created our own opportunities [and] caused some fumbles.”
After allowing Clint Dolezel`s 46-yard touchdown pass to Willis Marshall on the game`s second play, Los Angeles (6-2) stopped the Rampage (5-3) on three consecutive series.
The Avengers ended Grand Rapids second possession ended when defensive specialist Damen Wheeler forced fullback Chris Avery’s fumble, which Los Angeles linebacker Kevin Ingram recovered.
The Rampage turned the ball over on downs on their next series. Ingram came up with his second takeaway the next time Grand Rapids had the ball, intercepting a Dolezel pass and returning it 24 yards. Ingram then culminated the Avengers` four-play, 32-yard drive by catching a 15-yard touchdown pass from Tony Graziani, giving Los Angeles a 20-6 lead with eight minutes, 39 seconds left in the first half.
"It seemed like we were stuck on six points for the longest time," Rampage coach Michael Trigg said.
The only time the Avengers offense was stopped came in the second quarter when wide receiver Greg Hopkins fumbled the ball away. Graziani completed 20 of 27 passes for 222 yards and seven touchdowns, three to Hopkins and two each to Ingram and Chris Jackson. Jackson has scored a touchdown in all 41 AFL games he has played.
Los Angeles probably did the season’s best job of protecting Graziani, who was not sacked, Hodgkiss said.
“I don’t know if he was even hit all game, and that’s against a group that can rush the passer,” Hodgkiss said.
The Avengers also had a triumph on special teams when kicker Remy Hamilton recovered his onside kick, setting up his 17-yard field goal as the half ended.
“Overall, we just played really well today,” Hodgkiss said. “Hopefully it’s something that we continue to carry over. I was happy to see the carryover from last week and playing well again this week. If we want to be one of the better teams in this league then we have to do this, week in and week out.”
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.
