Manic Monday’s Haunt Predators
Jason Lucas
Tuesday March 27, 2007
It was another Monday night game in the Jungle and once again the Orlando Predators (2-2) fell on a non Friday or Saturday night home game. This time it was the visiting Dallas Desperados (4-0) who took it to the Predators coming away with a 70-49 victory in front of 12,525 at Amway Arena.
Going into the game Orlando knew it would be without starting defensive ends Chaz Murphy (Hamstring) and Greg White (Elbow). Both were injured in last week’s game against Austin, ironically on plays where they were chasing Adrian McPherson. The usual pressure the Predators get on opposing quarterbacks was non existent Monday because of the loss of Murphy and White. Their replacements Greg Jefferson and Chris Eggleston were no match for the Desperados large offensive line.
Depending solely on the play of their defensive backs, the Preds defense was toast for Dallas QB Clint Dolezel and the new “Three Amigos” Will Pettis, Andrae Thurman, and Willis Marshall. The trio combined for seven touchdown receptions. Pettis would add two more touchdowns via rushing and a 58 yard kick return in the fourth quarter. By himself, Pettis accounted for seven touchdowns on the night providing a fantasy player’s dream as he garnered Ironman of the Game awards.
The Preds game plan in the first half was simple on offense. Get the ball in the hands of the receivers and let them make plays. Wide receivers DeAndrew Rubin, Jerrian James, and Javarus Dudley started the game fast keeping the Preds in the game until halftime. However, Rubin would break his left arm on the first possession of the third quarter and put a serious dent in the Preds chances to maintain the shootout pace with Dallas.
Orlando would only put 14 points on the board in the second half after Rubin’s injury. Week five will certainly see Charles “Smooth” Lee be inserted into the Preds starting line-up. Lee is a former UCF Golden Knight, Tampa Bay Buccaneer, and Green Bay Packer who should fill in admirably in Rubin’s absence.
The Preds were very pass happy in the second half as they were in their loss to Los Angeles two weeks ago. It is becoming blatantly obvious that the Predators are going to have to run the ball more with their fullbacks if they want to get the offense moving. The Preds rushing game accounted for 32 yards on eight carries and two touchdowns by Marlon Moye-Moore.
Let’s be honest here, the Predators brought some young knives to a loaded machine gun fight Monday night. Playing with 20 fill in the blanks on the roster the Predators had no chance going into tonight. The rash of injuries to the Predators had people like yours truly running to change picks and spreads at a feverish pace. A tie score at halftime was nothing short of a miracle and proves why Jay Gruden is still one of the greatest offensive minds in the AFL.
Also, props to Gruden for not getting ejected tonight when the officials blew back to back obvious calls on Dallas in the third quarter that forced the turnover on downs which helped the Desperados gain their first two score lead. Gruden did get the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, but stayed in the game. When is this league ever going to do anything about the awful officiating?
The common theme after the game on both sides was “We’ll see you in the playoffs”, loosely quoting Jay Gruden and Clint Dolezel who both know the Predators were not at 100 percent tonight.
No More Mondays!
Apparently the Predators need to send a memo to the Arena Football League offices this week. The memo should read, “Please do not sign us up for any more Monday night games on ESPN2 because we will find a way to lose them”, signed, The Orlando Predators.
It is a fact; the Preds are one for forever on Monday nights at home. A narrow week five victory over the now defunct Indiana Firebirds in 2003 is the only victory the Preds have had on a Monday night in the Jungle. Safe the Austin Wranglers game where the Preds simply conceded the loss on a Friday night last season by not playing most starters past the first quarter; The Predators have not lost a Friday or Saturday night home game since March 12, 2004 in a game against the Georgia Force. The starting QB for that game was current Philadelphia Soul Offensive Coordinator Connell Maynor.
It is very safe to say, the Predators home games belong on Friday and Saturday nights. Good news for the Preds, 4 Friday nights and one Saturday night home game remains on the schedule.
Week Five
This Saturday night the Preds will go on the road to face the New Orleans VooDoo who are coming off of a home loss to the Avengers. Another very dangerous quarterback in Andy Kelly awaits the Predators wounded defense that will once again be without White and Murphy. Kelly, like Dolezel, gets rid of passes in a hurry to very skilled receivers and Orlando could once again be in major trouble.
The obvious key for the Predators is to run the ball more frequently to take the pressure off of QB Shane Stafford who once again suffered from pressure tonight when the Preds abandoned the running game. Incorporating first time AFL player Charles Lee at receiver will also be crucial to the success of the Preds offense.
Saturday night Orlando will be trying to extend their division road winning streak to five games dating back to a loss against Georgia to begin last season.
