Breaking it Down - 2008 Week 16
Andy Lopusnak
Wednesday June 18, 2008
All eight games played in Week 16 were decided by seven points or less, seven of which were determined by a field goal or less. Georgia, which began the year 3-5, won its second straight Southern Division title after winning seven straight games. Six teams are still alive for the playoffs, including four that enter this weekend at a paltry 5-10. Much more awaits in the sweet sixteen edition of Breaking it Down.
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WEEK 16 RESULTS
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ORLANDO 51, New Orleans 49
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LOS ANGELES 51, Kansas City 48
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GEORGIA 50, Chicago 47
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PHILADELPHIA 62, Cleveland 61
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Grand Rapids 63, COLUMBUS 60
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DALLAS 51, New York 49
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SAN JOSE 73, Tampa Bay 70
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Colorado 62, ARIZONA 55
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BYE: Utah
WEEK 16’S EIGHT GAMES FEATURED:
- Seven touchdowns scored on returns: fumble (2), interception (1) and kickoff return (4).
- Three safeties.
- Four players had 200 or more all-purpose yards.
- Six quarterbacks had 300 or more yards passing.
- Nineteen players had 100 or more yards receiving.
MINUTE MEN
All eight games were decided in the final minute this week. Five games were determined after a failed on-side kick, two by a failed fourth-down pass and one by a last-second missed field goal. Here’s a look at the last points scored and when the game was decided.
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FINAL
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LAST POINTS
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GAME DECIDED
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ORL 51, NO 48
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07:43 – Dudley 7yd pass – PAT good
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00:44 – VooDoo failed on 4th down
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LA 51, KC 48
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00:34 - Marshall 3yd run – 2pt pass
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00:00 – Martinez 31yd FG missed
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GEO 50, CHI 47
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00:43 – Morgan 3yd pass – PAT failed
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00:43 – CHI failed on-side kick
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PHI 62, CLE 61
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00:05 – Amey 9yd pass – 2pt pass INT
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00:05 – CLE failed on-side kick
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GR 63, CMB 60
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03:47 – Johnson 22yd pass – 2pt rush
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00:02 – CMB failed on 4th down
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DAL 51, NY 49
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00:07 – Willis 2yd pass – PAT good
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00:07 – NY failed on-side kick
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SJ 73, TB 70
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00:07 – Samuels 7yd pass – PAT good
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00:07 – TB failed on-side kick
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COL 62, AZ 55
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00:20 – Burley 3yd pass – PAT good
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00:20 – AZ failed on-side kick
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AIN’T IT GRAND
Tampa Bay WR/LB Lawrence Samuels became the first player in league history (and sixth in pro football history) to record 1,000 career receptions in the first quarter of the Storm’s 73-70 loss to San Jose.
GRIEB FIRST TO REACH 4,100 FOR FIVE STRAIGHT SEASONS
Last Friday, the AFL sent out a press release touting Colorado QB John Dutton having the opportunity to become the first player in league annals to reach 4,100 passing yards for five straight seasons. Though Dutton did achieve the mark on Monday against Arizona, he was not the first to do so. On Saturday, San Jose QB Mark Grieb surpassed the 4,100-yard mark in his team’s 73-70 win over Tampa Bay.
HERE’S TO YOU MR. ROBINSON
Chicago defensive back Dennison Robinson tied the AFL record for interceptions in a single-season after picking off Georgia QB Chris Greisen in the team’s loss to the Force. His 13 picks are tied with Clevan Thomas (2003 with San Jose), Eddie Moten (2006 with Philadelphia) and Ahmad Hawkins (2007 with Nashville). Only Thomas received AFL Defensive Player of the Year. None of the previous three players’ teams made it to or won the ArenaBowl. Another Mr. Robinson, Sedrick from Tampa Bay, became the league’s all-time leader in kickoff return yardage over the weekend.
100-1,000 CLUB
New York became the second team in league history to post three players with 100 receptions and 1,000 receiving yards in the team’s loss to Dallas (Utah’s Aaron Boone, Huey Whittaker and J.J. McKelvey accomplished it earlier this season). Georgia and San Jose can join this exclusive club this weekend when the two teams player each other. For the Force, Troy Bergeron (91-1,247) and Tiger Jones (90-1,116) can Carl Morris (118-1,321). For the SaberCats, James Roe (98-1,026) needs two catches to join Rodney Wright (124-1,323) and Cleannord Saintil (108-1,348).
WEEKLY PLAYOFF UPDATE
Georgia clinched the Southern Division and a first-round bye after winning seven straight games. San Jose also secured a first-round bye with its 73-70 win over Tampa Bay. The Storm joins Columbus and Georgia as eliminated teams despite a 7-8 record that would guarantee a first-round home game if the Storm played in the woeful American Conference, which has four 5-10 teams battling for three playoff spots. Tampa Bay has failed to reach the playoffs for the second time in the past three seasons.
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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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Philadelphia – Y
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12-3
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1
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Chicago – X
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10-5
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2
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Georgia – X
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10-5
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2
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San Jose – Y
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10-5
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3
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Dallas – Y
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12-3
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3
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Arizona – Y
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8-7
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4
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Orlando
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9-7
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4
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Utah
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5-10
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5
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New York
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8-7
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5
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Colorado
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5-10
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6
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New Orleans
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8-7
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6
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Grand Rapids
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5-10
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X = won division and first-round bye
Y = clinched playoff berth
POSSIBLE ARENABOWL PREVIEW IN WEEK 17
At the midway point this season, Georgia was 3-5 and San Jose stood at 4-4. With a week left in the AFL season, these two teams are the hottest in the league and they play this weekend. Georgia has won its last seven, while San Jose has won five straight. The Force has nothing to play for as the team has secured a first-round bye and cannot get the number-one seed in the National Conference. However, the SaberCats do and can clinch home-field advantage for the American Conference playoffs with a win and a Chicago loss.
EIGHT UP FOR SIX
As the regular season ends this weekend, there are eight teams battling for six playoff spots – three in each conference. The biggest noteworthy nugget is that there are four teams with pathetic 5-10 records up for three playoff spots, including a home playoff game. In league history, there has never been a team with losing records that has hosted a playoff game. Either Colorado, Grand Rapids, Los Angeles or Utah will host a playoff game next week with at best a 6-10 or at worst a 5-11 record. Prior to this season, there were 15 teams with losing records to make the post-season in league history. Since 1995, there had been just five teams with losing records to reach the post-season and there will be three more this season.
ORLANDO SITS A WAITS
The Predators (9-7) have a bye in Week 17 and has to keep their fingers crossed to make the playoffs for a league-record 17th straight time. Right now, the team is sitting in the fourth spot in the National Conference playoff race, but can only make it into the playoffs if either New Orleans, New York or Cleveland lose. Orlando was 6-2 at the midway point, but limped to 3-5 in the final eight games. If Orlando does not make it, the team will be the eighth team in league history to be .500 or better to not qualify for the playoffs.
NO LOVE FOR SAN JOSE
With the four division winners essentially set (either Dallas or Philly will win the East this weekend), the AFL released the dates and times for the divisional round. Looking at the times, it seems extremely odd that of all the times that the one team from the West Coast has the worst possible kickoff time – San Jose will play at noon Pacific Time on Saturday, July 5 while locally the other teams will have Prime Time kickoffs and a Sunday 2:00 P.M. local time kickoff on Sunday for Chicago (most of Chicago’s home games are around this time). Though the game will be just the second nationally for the defending ArenaBowl champions, the AFL decided to put the Eastern Division champions (Dallas or Philadelphia) into prime time. Those teams played in front of a national prime time audience a combined nine times (Dallas, four; Philadelphia, five).
WEEK 16’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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Hank Edwards, TB
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165
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7
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5
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Siaha Burley, AZ
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164
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12
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4
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C.J. Johnson, CMB
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162
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9
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4
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Derek Lee, CMB
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157
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8
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2
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Trandon Harvey, AZ
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142
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10
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2
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Levon Thomas, ORL
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139
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12
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2
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Jason Willis, NY
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134
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12
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2
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Donovan Morgan, CHI
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127
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13
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3
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Brent Holmes, PHI
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125
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11
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2
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Ben Nelson, COL
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110
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11
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2
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Robert Redd, CLE
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108
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7
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1
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Kevin Swayne, NY
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108
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10
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2
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Cleannord Saintil, SJ
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107
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12
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4
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Chris Jackson, PHI
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104
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9
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3
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Carl Morris, GEO
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103
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8
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4
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Cole Magner, GR
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102
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9
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2
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Charles Frederick, KC
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101
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10
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1
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Travis LaTendresse, CHI
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100
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6
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2
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LaShaun Ward, LA
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100
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6
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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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Matt Sauk, AZ
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364
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8
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2
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Matt Nagy, CMB
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341
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6
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0
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Raymond Philyaw, CLE
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319
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6
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0
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Brett Dietz, TB
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309
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10
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2
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Aaron Garcia, NY
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307
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5
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2
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James MacPherson, GR
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301
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5
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1
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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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Trandon Harvey, AZ
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297
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2
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C.J. Johnson, CMB
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214
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4
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Sedrick Robinson, TB
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214
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0
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Timon Marshall, LA
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206
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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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Brandon Perkins, LA
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3.5
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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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Gillis Wilson, KC
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5.5
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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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1
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0
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Karon Riley, CLE
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2.5
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0
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2.0
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1
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0
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0
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0
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Michael Landry, CMB
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4.0
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0
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2.0
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1
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0
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0
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0
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Levy Brown, NY
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6.0
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1
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0.0
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1
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1
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1
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0
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Donvetis Frankin, DAL
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8.0
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1
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0.0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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Jeroid Johnson, TB
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7.0
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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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0
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0
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Kelvin Kinney, TB
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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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Clevan Thomas, SJ
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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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2
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0
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Ron Jones, SJ
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1.0
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0
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1.0
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1
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0
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1
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0
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Rashad Floyd, COL
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9.0
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1
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0.0
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0
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1
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2
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1
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John Syptak, COL
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2.5
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0
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1.5
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1
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0
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0
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0
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OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Philadelphia QB Matt D’Orazio accounted for eight of the Soul’s nine touchdowns in the team’s 62-61 win over Cleveland. D’Orazio threw six scores and ran in two more TDs. On the night, he completed 25-of-39 for 283 yards and ran seven times for 14 yards. He was not intercepted.
HONORABLE MENTION: Tampa Bay WR Hank Edwards caught five touchdowns on seven passes for 165 yards in the Storm’s 73-70 loss to San Jose.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
San Jose defensive back Clevan Thomas had two interceptions, two pass breakups and 6.0 stops in the SaberCats’ 73-70 win over Tampa Bay to secure the team’s second-straight Western Division championship.
HONORABLE MENTION: Los Angeles FB/LB Brandon Perkins recorded 3.5 tackles, 2.0 sacks and a safety in the Avengers’ 51-48 win over Kansas City.
IRONMAN OF THE WEEK
Tampa Bay WR/LB Lawrence Samuels tallied eleven catches, including his 1,000th in his career, for 94 yards and three touchdowns in the Storm’s 73-70 loss to San Jose. He also had 3.5 tackles.
HONORABLE MENTION: Georgia WR/LB Carl Morris caught eight balls for 103 yards with four touchdowns in the Force’s 50-47 win over Chicago. Morris also had a solo and assist on defense on the same second-quarter drive in which the Rush did score a touchdown.
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.
