Close Game Favors San Jose
Tim Ball
Thursday April 24, 2003
Defense is alive and well in Arena Football, it’s just a different looking creature than most people are used to. The offense, well it seems out of control this season. With most receivers at full speed and most defenders back-peddling, just one or two defensive stops mean certain victory.
 Sam Hernandez has been threatening quarterbacks all season Image courtesy of Ken LaRue |
Indiana was just one play and eleven seconds from overtime when Hernandez supplied the one break San Jose needed to ice the game. On the two-point conversion to tie it up at 73-all, Philyaw was pushed out of the pocket and unfortunately for the Firebirds, right into the path of Hernandez who was breaking around the end.
Having just hit OS Jeremy McDaniel to bring the Firebirds to within a two-point conversion to tie the game, Philyaw went to McDaniel for the game tying two-point try. With Hernandez closing in fast on his right, Philyaw’s sensational night (25 of 37 for 345 and 8 TD’s) ended with an incomplete pass on the attempt.
“I had McDaniels open at the goal-line but Hernandez made a good play to disrupt the angle I had,” said Philyaw. “It’s frustrating, we had a lot of success against San Jose and I felt that we could force overtime and get the win.”
In a game where the offense gets all the advantages, Philyaw let very few opportunities go unfulfilled. Both of Indiana’s first two possession’s needed no first downs as the accurate Philyaw found the endzone on both drives.
“My receivers were running great routes and were open when I needed them,” said Philyaw. “You don’t get a lot of time with the pass rush of San Jose and you have to make things happen when you have the open lane.”
Philyaw finished the night extending his streak to 177 pass attempts with no interceptions on the season.
The Leader of the Consistent
The dramatic and historic matchup between Indiana’s Eddie Brown and San Jose’s Barry Wagner never materialized, but that didn’t stop Wagner ‘s onslaught on the record books. Wagner,once again, was named the game’s Ironman and his milestone accomplishment this night was his 100th rushing touchdown.
Somewhere in Wagner’s attic must be a painting of the superstar showing the signs of aging; because, “Wag’s” isn’t slowing down. In fact, when things get tough for San Jose, look for number two to get the ball.
There are several contenders for the best player to ever play in this league but no conversation starts without Wagner’s achievements starting the conversation. On the night against Indiana, Wagner was on the field for the opening kickoff and on the field when time ran out.
“If they keep calling my number, I’ll keep playing,” laughed Wagner. “It’s great to get my one hundredth rushing TD but it’s better to get the win.”
On the battles this season and the four losses, Wagner was matter of fact. “Things are tough this season but that’s what being the defending champion is all about. I feel that we aren’t yet playing to our potential and we have some areas to improve on. The good thing about the SaberCats is that we are working hard to improve every game. We aren’t taking any game for granted and that’s what this league is all about.”
Having Fun Yet?
San Jose SaberCats’ quarterback Mark Grieb probably won’t be the offensive player of the year this season but may be more dangerous this year than last. Grieb has confidence in the rushing game this year and San Jose has only been held from scorin once in the redzone on a running play.
“We are confident in the running game and we’ve had success this year,” said Grieb. “The name of the game is winning. We still have areas to improve on but the rushing game gives us another aspect to achieve our goals.”
Proving that he has nothing to prove, Grieb’s leadership is more important than ever as the SaberCats have struggled in games and haven’t yet found a rhythm to fuel the domination that Grieb orchestrated last season.
Forcing things in Arena Football is a formula for disaster and Grieb has led San Jose and kept them within victory in every game this season. As the nature of wins and losses take on critical importance in playoff seedings and matchups, this leadership will be of most value.
Though looking at a possible road trip throughout the playoffs, the SaberCats players are showing the fire reminiscent of last season. Players that are not usually in the limelight were playing new roles of stardom. Seldom mentioned players like DS Wendall Davis and WR/LB Kevin McKenzie, both in their second season, never slowed down from start to finish.
McKenzie’s kickoff return for a touchdown was all the more dramatic as it fired up San Jose for the game’s final two minutes of play.
“I thought I was going down,” said McKenzie. “Just as I got to the open hole I was hit and stumbled about ten yards. Once I got my feet under me I knew no one was going to get to me and I just took off. On this team you have to wait for your chance and I’m thankful to have been able to get a runback.”
Not only did McKenzie motivate the SaberCats for the drama to come at the end of the fourth quarter, Davis was flying at top speed for the entire game. Some of the hardest hits of the nights continued to be made by the often-overlooked defensive specialist.
“You can’t let up at anytime. The breaks you get and the plays you make at the beginning of the game are going to count just as a big as at the end,” said Davis. “The games we lost were by just a few points and keeping up the intensity throughout the game is not an option.”
Constant Consistency, the Mandate.
The SaberCats are not playing as good as they are capable and yet are maintaining consistency to a degree that have them in position to be a top seed in the playoffs. Crunch time began with the loss to L.A. in the division and overall it still remains to be seen where they will end up.
It wasn’t a cakewalk for San Jose last season and there were many games that were close. This season has shown that every team in the league had better be prepared for a scoring-fest where nothing is decided until the clock says so.
The SaberCats’ Hernandez is an example of what it will take to be on the right side when the clock stops. Though there is no category to look into for playing hard down to the final deciding play, preparing for the last second of the game cannot be stressed enough.
Hernandez says it best: “You keep going after the other team. Things go your way when you make them happen.”
In 2003 that has proven to be a prepared strategy and not desperation where most games have been decided on the game`s last play. The teams that will get those breaks in the last seconds of the game are practicing and preparing for them right now.
Tim Ball is a writer in the Chicagoland area. Married and father of three, his opinions on Arena Football reflects the positive aspect of the game as a family event second to none in pro sports.
