Preview:SaberCats Head to Florid to Take on the Tampa Bay Storm
Tuesday April 7, 2015
SAN JOSE, Calif. – In the first two games of the 2015 season, the San Jose SaberCats have outscored their opponents 113-69, an average margin of 22.0 points per game. In the third game of the season, the SaberCats will travel to the “Sunshine State” of Florida, to take on the Tampa Bay Storm.
Tampa Bay (1-1) is coming off a 54-48 victory over the Portland Thunder; while San Jose (2-0) cruised past the Los Angeles KISS 54-28, in their home opener this past week.
The Storm has been led offensively by quarterback Jason Boltus, who has amassed 677 passing yards and 12 touchdowns through two games, ranking him second in the AFL.
After making three appearances for the SaberCats in 2014, wide receiver Jarvis Williams has found a home with the Storm. Williams is the leading receiver for Tampa Bay, with 210 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Expect Williams to play at an elite level against his former team. Opposite Williams is receiver T.T. Toliver, who continues to defy the notion that a receiver’s production declines by the time he is in his late 30’s. Toliver, 38, has an astounding 12 years of experience in the AFL and is coming off a monster performance. Against the Thunder, Toliver had nine receptions for 149 yards and three touchdowns to lead Tampa Bay.
Similarly, the SaberCats have a collection of talented receivers, who have benefited from the addition of quarterback Erik Meyer. Thus far, Meyer has thrown for 11 touchdowns and only one interception, tying him for third in the AFL.
As the SaberCats leading receiver, Reggie Gray continues to shine. Better known as “Big Play”, Gray has totaled 17 receptions for 186 yards and three touchdowns this season. Gray makes would-be tacklers whiff as if he is crossing them over on the basketball court. It must be from Gray’s upbringing in Chicago, idolizing Michael Jordan. Darius Reynolds, Adron Tennell and Ben Nelson have also been mainstays at the receiver position for San Jose. In the season opener against the Las Vegas Outlaws, Tennell and Nelson each hauled in two receiving touchdowns, while Reynolds added another. Against the Los Angeles KISS, Tennell was inactive, Nelson went down in the second quarter with an injury and Reynolds only had one reception for 23 yards. Despite the injuries, San Jose’s offense has continued to roll, averaging 58.5 points per game.
While the focus of the indoor game remains on the offense and with both teams possessing top caliber quarterbacks the SaberCats top ranked defense will be vital to the team’s success.
Leading San Jose is defensive back Virgil Gray. A former First Team All-Arena player with the Pittsburgh Power, Gray continues to produce as a premier playmaker on defense. Gray has had an interception in each of the first two games for San Jose and also has five pass breakups.
Though the secondary of the SaberCats has been stellar, the performance of the defensive line has been equally impressive. Leading San Jose in sacks, defensive end Luis Vasquez is on a mission this season.
“Although we did some good things last season, we fell short of our final goal,” said Vasquez. “With that mentality, it’s about getting after it, setting the tone and try to win a championship.”
Not to be out down, defensive lineman Jason Stewart has been a menace for opposing offenses. Anchoring the defensive front, the 2014 AFL Defensive Player of the Year, registered two sacks against the KISS and has been a disruptive force yet again. San Jose continues to rely on the effectiveness of Stewart’s production in order to find success.
After stints at both defensive back and linebacker last season, David Hyland has fit nicely into his role as San Jose’s starting jack linebacker in 2015. Through two games, Hyland has 7.5 total tackles, an interception returned for a touchdown and surprisingly, a touchdown reception as a receiver. The effort and continuity of the defense has led San Jose to early success in the 2015 season.
“We have a saying around here, coverage sacks and pressure picks,” said Hyland. “It’s the whole team working together and we are really coming together as a unit.”
The SaberCats have five new starters in 2015 and thus far, they have produced at an elite level. San Jose has an opportunity Friday to put some distance between them and the Thunder in the early race for the Pacific Division title.
“We are really coming together as a family so far and it’s paying off,” said Hyland.
ABOUT THE SAN JOSE SABERCATS
The ArenaBowl XVI, XVIII and XXI champion San Jose SaberCats finished their 19th season in the AFL with a Pacific Division Title after making their return in 2011. Fans and sponsors can go to thesanjosesabercats.com or call 408-673-3400 to sign up to receive the latest news and updates about the SaberCats, as well as to purchase 2015 season tickets. Make sure to follow the SaberCats on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest news on the team.
