Soul Seal First Win Over Destroyers
Craig T. Mackey
Monday February 23, 2004
The Soul’s set and they set it early. The defense continued the momentum that they started in the fourth quarter of last week’s loss to Dallas. Philadelphia held the Destroyers to a three and out on the first series of the game and to a 17% third down efficiency rate for the game.
Columbus failed on a fake field goal attempt at their own 14-yard line on their first series. After taking over on Columbus’ 13, Nick Browder fumbled the first snap. The Soul would recover and Ken Hinsley kicked a 24-yard field goal to give the Soul the early 3-0 lead.
Despite Browder’s fumble, the offense clicked on all cylinders. The improvement of the offensive line was the most obvious. Last week, the same unit gave Browder hardly any time, but this was a different week.
“Our offensive line really played well tonight” coach Michael Trigg said after game. “We were really able to give Nick a lot more time to get comfortable”.
That comfort allowed Brower to relax and locate all of his receivers.
“Football is a game of the throw and catch,” said Browder, who finished 18 of 22 for 228 yards and five touchdowns. “Tonight I was able to throw the ball to certain spots and my receivers were able to make a play on them”.
Columbus stayed right with the Soul early. The Destroyers would strike right back when Ryan Vena hit Jarrail Jackson for a 25-yard touchdown to give the Destroyers a 7-3 lead. However, that lead would only last for five plays. After a 30 yard kick-off return from offensive specialist Tyronne Jones, Chris “Soul Train” Ryan would use his weight to plunge in from one yard out.
Earl Bruce, looking a lot like Jack McKeon, must have seen something that he could exploit watching game films. Either Bruce thought he could take advantage of the Soul’s secondary or he was just trying to get the Destroyers started early. Whichever it was, Bruce kept taking chances and took them early. The Destroyers went deep on the first play of all three possessions in the first quarter.
On the very first play of the series after Ryan’s touchdown, Vena would connect on one of those deep balls, going to Cornelius White on a 45-yard touchdown. The Destroyers then went for an onside and recovered it, but it was negated by an offside penalty. By rules, the Soul took over on the Columbus 8-yard line. Two plays later, Browder went up top for seven yards to Ricky Ross to give the Soul a 17-14 lead.
The Destroyers’ special teams would then help out the Soul with a penalty. After Steve Videtich kicked a 36-yard field goal, the Soul fumbled the ensuing kick-off. The Destroyers would recover in the end zone for a touchdown, but kick-catching interference was called and the touchdown was taken off the board.
Browder would then take advantage of Sean Scott’s height connecting on 10-yard touchdown for Scott’s first career touchdown. Scott was deactivated the first two games and on the day his former Eagles teammate A.J. Feely was traded out of Philadelphia, Scott seemed to find a place in the Soul lineup.
“I enjoy playing with (Scott)”, Browder said after game. “He is a big target and could be a guy to go to around the goal line”. Scott finished with a game-high five catches for 67 yards.
Another Videtich field goal cut the lead to 23-20. Soul Train would then rumble 2 yards for his second touchdown of the game. Hinsley missed the extra point and the Soul went into the locker with a 9 point lead.
The Soul came out just as hot in the second half. Browder hit Derin Graham on consecutive plays; the later an 8-yard touchdown. The touchdown not only gave the Soul a 15 point lead, but the Soul scoring 35 points entitled each fan to receive 10 free wings at Hooters, giving new meaning to the term “hot route”.
The Destroyers next drive would end after another missed field goal. Ricky Ross would the score on a 3 yard reverse. That would give the Soul their third rushing touchdown of the game, and you thought this was just a passing game. “We were able to run the ball effective tonight and that helped keep some pressure off our defense”, Trigg said.
Defensive specialist DeAnutae Brown intercepted Vina on the first play of the Destroyers next series. Brown read the play perfect and almost took it to the house, getting knocked out at the 1-yard line. The Soul failed to capitalize when back-up fullback Travis McDonald fumbled on the next play.
John Rayborn replaced Vina to start the fourth quarter. Bruce, running out of tricks in his bag, was searching for something to get Columbus going. This, however, was the Soul’s coming out party and they were ready for anything that Bruce threw at them.
Rayborn’s first drive came to an end when Todd Joseph intercepted his second pass of the season in the back of the end zone. Browder would then throw his fourth touchdown pass of the game on a 23-yard pass to Tyronne Jones. The Destroyers finally ended the Soul’s run, but it would be too late.
Craig T Mackey is a an engineer in Philadelphia. He is a huge philadelphia sports fan. He has worked for NFL Films in the past and is a 1999 graduate of Penn State University with a bachelors degree in journalism.
