Predators Win Overtime Battle
Jason Lucas
Wednesday April 6, 2005
After the game the Predators celebrated while the Avengers players just seemed amazed the game was finally over. The Predators were visibly tired all throughout the second half and overtime with their depth issues sticking out like a sore thumb. In that second half the Predators were without Michael Brown because of an eye injury and without Marlon Moye-Moore who limped off with an unspecified injury. Earlier in the game Idris Price injured his ankle and he gutted it out the rest of the game at fullback/linebacker. The Predators were also without Justin Skaggs in this game.
Last week I expressed the need for the Predators to defer the opening coin toss and they won the toss and did exactly that. What was not part of the plan was Avengers QB John Kaleo hitting Tony Locke for a touchdown right off the bat.
As for the Predators blowing a 19-point third quarter lead, you can not point a finger at any one player for that happening. Yes, Joe Hamilton threw two interceptions in that time frame, and yes the defense got burned on a few occasions during that time frame. Coach Gruden had a few suspect calls in that time frame as well, and he would be the first to tell you that he wants those two play calls back that were interceptions. They were both misdirection plays in which Hamilton had no time to throw the ball by the time he faked to his fullback.
Coach Gruden he did manage the clock very well in the last minute of the fourth quarter. If not for kicker Brian Gowins missed extra point the game would have ended in regulation.
The Predators and Avengers have played twice before and both games went down to the final play. So was it any surprise when Brian Gowins had to finish off the Avengers on the last play sending the Jungle fans into a frenzy? Heck no!
"We might as well start the game with 30 seconds left and tie it up", said Gruden after the game.
With the win the Predators improved to 7-3 on the season and pulled into a tie with Georgia for the division lead after the Force suffered a loss to the Storm Saturday night. New Orleans also lost Friday night to the lowly Austin Wranglers. Any given Friday?
I nearly forgot to mention Remy Hamilton going 4 for 5 on field goals and 5 for 5 on extra points before he missed the extra point in overtime that opened up the door for the Predators to score a touchdown, kick their extra point and win. We all know Remy Hamilton does not miss many kicks, so maybe it had something to do with the time change. The one he missed in the first half was from 47 yards and it went off the left upright just as the missed extra point did.
Not to say the Predators did not play well enough to win because they did for the first three quarters. The depth issues made some guys play a lot more than they are used to playing and that caused some big problems. The Avengers showed a great winning attitude by coming back and the Predators easily could have had a defeated attitude going into overtime after blowing a golden opportunity to win the game.
This game was a perfect example of why so many people love arena football, and why so many other people do not know what they are missing.
Week 11
The Predators will travel to Tampa Bay this Saturday night for yet another chapter of the War on I-4. For further details stay tuned to my column later this week previewing that game.
Jason Lucas is a part-time freelance writer based in the Orlando, Florida area. A former director of media relations with the Orlando Predators, Jason is making his return to Arenafan.com after a short stint as a public relations assistant with the UFL‘s Florida Tuskers in 2010. Lucas has followed the AFL since 1992 and began covering the Predators for Arenafan during the 2004 season. He held that position until being picked up by the Preds front office after the 2007 season. Jason‘s knowledge of arena football and love of the game is what drives him to continue covering the sport.
