Breaking it Down - 2008 Week Seven
Andy Lopusnak
Wednesday April 16, 2008
Five road teams won in the AFL’s seventh week of 2008; Arizona broke the bye-week curse; Philadelphia and Dallas beat division leaders to stay undefeated; and Utah and Kansas City still are winless. This and many other news and notes will be featured in the seventh addition of Breaking it Down.
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WEEK SEVEN RESULTS
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Colorado 69, CLEVELAND 66
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DALLAS 55, New Orleans 44
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LOS ANGELES 79, Utah 62
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Philadelphia 58, SAN JOSE 57
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Orlando 75, GRAND RAPIDS 56
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Arizona 63, TAMPA BAY 62
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NEW YORK 62, Columbus 44
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Chicago 49, KANSAS CITY 42
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BYE: Georgia
WEEK SEVEN’S EIGHT GAMES FEATURED:
- Ten touchdowns scored on returns: fumble (1), interception (2), net recovery (2) and kickoff (5).
- Five players had 200 or more all-purpose yards.
- 14 quarterbacks had 300 or more yards passing.
- Five players had 100 or more yards receiving.
- Two players recorded at least 2.0 sacks.
RATTLERS CHARM THE CURSE OF THE BYE
The Arizona Rattlers became the first team to win a game immediately following a bye. In fact with Colorado beating Cleveland, the first six teams to have a bye this season all lost their first two games after a bye.
RESULTS AFTER BYE WEEK
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TEAM
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1st GAME
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2nd GAME
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3rd GAME
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4th GAME
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Grand Rapids
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LOST
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LOST
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WON
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WON
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Colorado
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LOST
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LOST
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LOST
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WON
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Kansas City
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LOST
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LOST
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LOST
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LOST
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Tampa Bay
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LOST
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LOST
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LOST
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Cleveland
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LOST
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LOST
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Arizona
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WON
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-------
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TWO-POINT CONVERSIONS TO WIN
Arizona and Philadelphia used two-point conversions in the final seconds to win their respective road games this week. The Rattlers scored with three-seconds left, then had defensive lineman Wendall Gaines run in the two pointer for the win. Philadelphia scored with ten-seconds remaining. FB/LB Clifton Smith took a direct snap and rumbled in for the game-winning two-point conversion. Additionally, both the Rattlers and Soul trailed at the end of the first quarter, at halftime and at the end of the third quarter before mounting their comebacks.
KANSAS CITY FINDS ANOTHER WAY TO LOSE
The Brigade dropped to 0-6 after a 49-42 home loss to the Rush on Monday. Five of its six losses have come from eight points or less, including four games against 2007 playoff teams. The Brigade has had an opportunity to win four of these five close games as time expired. Against Chicago, the Brigade allowed the Rush to run down the clock in the final minute instead of using one of its three timeouts to give the Kansas City offense some time after the Rush scored with just six-seconds left in the game.
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FINAL SCORE
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LAST PLAY
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TB 51, KC 49
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00:00 – Martinez missed 37-yard field goal
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NY 50, KC 47
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00:00 – Fitzgerald tosses interception (Levy Brown) in end zone
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SJ 44, KC 36
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00:00 – Fitzgerald tosses interception (Marquis Floyd) in end zone
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GEO 70, KC 63
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00:55 – Georgia recovers on-side kick and runs out clock
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CHI 49, KC 42
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00:00 – Bryant pass in the end zone sticks in iron of net structure (incomplete)
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TOLIVER TIES AFL MARK
Orlando’s T.T. Toliver had 273 all-purpose yards in the Predators’ 75-56 win over Grand Rapids. It was his seventh-straight game with at least 200 all-purpose yards, which tied the league mark for the most 200-yard games to start a season with Lamont Cooper who had 200 or more yards in the first seven games of 2001 with the Oklahoma City Wranglers. Toliver has also had at least 100 receiving yards in all seven games and has been named Offensive Player of the Game in four of the team’s five wins this year. He also has scored at least three TDs in six of seven games.
THE COMEBACK KID
Philadelphia QB Matt D’Orazio started one-of-nine with two interceptions as the Soul trailed 20-0, then after he was sacked and lost a fumble; his team was down 33-7. The ArenaBowl XX MVP bounced back by completing 26-of-37 for 313 yards with five touchdowns after his early slump. He also completed a two-point conversion and even ran in the five-yard touchdown that set up the game-winning two-point conversion to win the game. His team outscored the defending ArenaBowl champions 51-24 over the last 30:10 to stay undefeated.
TAKING THE AFL BY STORM
Tampa Bay QB Brett Dietz became the fastest player to reach 4,000 passing yards doing so in the team’s 63-62 loss to Arizona. It was his 15th regular season game. The previous record was Los Angeles’ Sonny Cumbie, who reach the mark in 16 games earlier this season. Also, Dietz needs one passing score this weekend against the New York Dragons to tie former AFL journeyman Mike Perez for the fastest to reach 80 passing TDs in his 16th regular season game.
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QUARTERBACKS
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GAMES TO 4,000
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Brett Dietz, Tampa Bay
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15
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Sonny Cumbie, Los Angeles
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16
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Adrian McPherson, Indiana, Austin
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17
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Clint Stoerner, Dallas, Nashville
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17
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Mike Perez, Albany
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17
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DENVER 500
Colorado QB John Dutton threw his 500th touchdown pass during the Crush’s 69-66 win over Cleveland. He is just the seventh player in league history. Five of these seven passers have won ArenaBowl titles (Andy Kelly and Aaron Garcia have not won AFL titles). Dutton and Grieb are the only players on the list to start and win at least two ArenaBowls (Bonner was injured for the Rattlers’ 1997 ArenaBowl win).
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QUARTERBACKS
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TDs
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Clint Dolezel, Dallas
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884
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Sherdrick Bonner, Chicago
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854
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Aaron Garcia, New York
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826
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Andy Kelly, Georgia
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809
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Mark Grieb, San Jose
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648
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John Kaleo (retired)
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581
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John Dutton, Colorado
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506
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DOING IT “ALL”
Arizona receiver Siaha Burley moved past Alvin Ashley and Steve Papin into sixth all-time in AFL history in all-purpose yards with 107 yards during the Rattlers’ 63-62 win over Tampa Bay. He is less than 200 yards behind Philadelphia WR Chris Jackson and less than 1,000 yards from fourth place (former Albany/Indiana Firebirds legend Eddie Brown).
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PLAYER
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ALL-PURPOSE YARDS
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Barry Wagner
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21,054
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Hunkie Cooper
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20,587
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George LaFrance
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20,480
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Eddie Brown
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16,437
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Chris Jackson, Philadelphia
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15,630
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Siaha Burley, Arizona
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15,472
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Steve Papin
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15,427
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Alvin Ashley
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15,408
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The league needs to reconsider the twelve-team playoff format. Seven weeks into the season the American Conference has just one team with a winning record. Six of the eight teams in the American Conference will make the post-season and with Kansas City and Utah still winless don’t be surprised to see a team 4-12 making the playoffs this year. In the past two seasons, the league has seen a 7-9 team each season (Chicago, 2006; Columbus, 2007) reach the ArenaBowl with the Rush even winning ArenaBowl XX. On the National side this year, four of the nine teams have winning records. If Cleveland Gladiators were still in Las Vegas, the team would be leading the Western Division and have the #2 seed in the American Conference, but they are now in the National Conference and barely have the #6 seed. Here’s a look at the current playoff standings (special thanks to phillysoul04 on the ArenaFan.com message boards for doing the research).
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NATIONAL CONFERENCE
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AMERICAN CONFERENCE
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SEED
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TEAM
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RECORD
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SEED
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TEAM
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RECORD
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1
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Dallas
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7-0
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1
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Chicago
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5-2
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2
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New Orleans
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5-2
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2
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Arizona
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3-3
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3
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Philadelphia
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7-0
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3
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Colorado
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3-3
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4
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Orlando
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5-2
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4
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Los Angeles
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3-4
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5
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Georgia
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3-3
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5
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San Jose
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3-4
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6
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Cleveland
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3-3
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6
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Grand Rapids
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2-4
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WELCOME BACK BARNSTORMERS!
The Iowa Barnstormers played their first home game since 2001 this past Monday in front of nearly 10,000 fans, but lost to the Lexington Horsemen 43-41. Even though this version of the Barnstormers is just af2, it’s nice to see them back. Des Moines was a great AFL market from 1995-2000 until the team was sold and became the New York Dragons. Oh, and for any fans of the Austin Wranglers, the new af2 Wranglers are 0-3 on the year after losing 65-40 this past weekend against the Amarillo Dusters.
WEEK SEVEN’S TOP STATISTICAL PREFORMANCES
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100-YARD RECEIVERS
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PLAYER, TEAM
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RECEIVING YARDS
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RECEPTIONS
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TOUCHDOWNS
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T.T. Toliver, ORL
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181
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12
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3
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Chris Jackson, PHI
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175
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11
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2
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J.J. McKelvey, UTAH
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171
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11
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5
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LaShaun Ward, LAA
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169
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7
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4
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Hank Edwards, TB
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164
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7
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3
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Ben Nelson, COL
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142
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13
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2
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Jason Willis, NY
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131
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10
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2
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Will Pettis, DAL
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129
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10
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5
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Otis Amey, CLE
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123
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9
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6
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Anthony Hines, GRR
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122
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6
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2
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Rodney Wright, SJS
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110
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12
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2
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Siaha Burley, AZ
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107
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10
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4
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Derek Lee, CMB
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106
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8
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3
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Robert Redd, CLE
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100
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9
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1
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300-YARD PASSERS
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PLAYER, TEAM
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PASSING YARDS
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PASS TDs
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INTERCEPTIONS
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Brett Dietz, TB
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367
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6
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0
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Joe Germaine, UTAH
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362
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9
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1
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Matt D’Orazio, PHI
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327
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5
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2
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Raymond Philyaw, CLE
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316
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7
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2
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John Dutton, COL
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314
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8
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2
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200 YARDS OR MORE ALL-PURPOSE
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PLAYER, TEAM
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ALL-PURPOSE
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TOTAL TDs
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T.T. Toliver, ORL
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273
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4
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Rasheed Marshall, CMB
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251
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2
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Wendall Williams, NO
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231
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1
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Will Pettis, DAL
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227
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6
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Timon Marshall, LAA
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225
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2
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DEFENSIVE LEADERS
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PLAYER, TEAM
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TACKLES
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INT
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SACKS
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FF
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FR
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PBU
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DEF TD
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Rashad Floyd, COL
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10.0
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2
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0.0
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0
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0
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1
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0
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Brandon Hefflin, CLE
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11.5
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0
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0.0
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0
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0
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1
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0
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Rob Schroeder, ORL
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2.5
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0
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2.5
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1
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0
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0
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0
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C. Weatherington, DAL
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2.0
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0
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2.0
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1
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1
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0
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0
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Marquis Floyd, SJS
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6.0
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2
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0.0
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0
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0
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1
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0
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Henry Taylor, NY
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2.0
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0
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2.0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Philadelphia quarterback Matt D’Orazio, starting in place of the injured Tony Graziani, overcame a one-of-nine start (with two interceptions) and a 20-0 deficit (eventually 33-7) to beat the defending ArenaBowl champions in San Jose 58-57. After the bad start, he completed completing 26-of-37 for 313 yards with five touchdowns. Additionally, he scored on a five-yard QB keep with ten seconds left that set up the two-point conversion to win the game.
HONORABLE MENTION: In a losing effort, Tampa Bay quarterback Brett Dietz completed 24-of-32 for 367 yards with six touchdowns. He also ran the ball three times for 21 yards with two touchdowns.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Colorado defensive back Rashad Floyd posted 10.0 tackles, two interceptions and a pass breakup in the Crush’s 69-66 win over Cleveland.
HONORABLE MENTION: Orlando lineman Rob Schroeder posted 2.5 tackles and forced a fumble in the Predators’ 75-56 win over Grand Rapids. Prior to the 2007 season, Schroeder tried out with the Rampage at one of the team’s open tryouts before landing with the Austin Wranglers. A few weeks ago, Orlando picked him up from Utah after trading the Blaze defensive back Damon Mason.
IRONMAN OF THE WEEK
Philadelphia FB/LB Clifton Smith scored the game-winning two-point conversion in the Soul’s 58-57 win over San Jose. He also had a rushing touchdown (on two rushes for four yards) and posted 4.0 tackles (2 solo, 4 assists).
HONORABLE MENTION: Dallas WR/DB Will Pettis recorded 227 all-purpose yards with six total touchdowns and two fourth-quarter tackles in the Desperados’ 55-44 win over New Orleans. The 2007 AFL Ironman of the Year caught ten passes for 129 yards with five touchdowns. He also added a rushing score as well as five kickoffs for 86 yards and an eleven-yard missed field goal return.
Andy Lopusnak is an 11-year AFL front office veteran, spending time with the Tampa Bay Storm, San Diego Riptide and Grand Rapids Rampage. He works as a statistician for NFL and college sports for CBS Sports and is a freelance photographer. Lopusnak received two Bachelor of Arts degrees from the University of South Florida and has been a fan of ArenaBall since its inception.
