Breaking it Down - 2008 Week 17
Andy Lopusnak
Tuesday June 24, 2008
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WEEK 17 RESULTS
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CLEVELAND 47, Columbus 35
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Grand Rapids 86, NEW ORLEANS 70
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TAMPA BAY 72, Los Angeles 47
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COLORADO 51, Kansas City 27
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Utah 62, ARIZONA 45
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SAN JOSE 68, Georgia 62
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Philadelphia 59, NEW YORK 30
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CHICAGO 75, Dallas 63
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BYE: Orlando
WEEK 17’S EIGHT GAMES FEATURED:
- Eight touchdowns scored on returns: fumble (1), interception (4) and kickoff return (3).
- Four quarterbacks had 300 or more yards passing.
- Five players had 200 or more all-purpose yards.
- Thirteen players had 100 or more yards receiving.
WHERE NO ONE HAS GONE BEFORE
Though eleven teams had at least a breakeven record of 8-8 or better, there were three teams with 6-10 records to make the playoffs, while two 8-8 teams did not reach the post season. With the trio of Colorado, Grand Rapids and Utah making it to the second season, the AFL has allowed 18 teams with losing records make the post season in its first 22 years of existence. From 1987-94, there were ten total teams with losing records to make the playoffs, none from 1995-99 and now eight since 2000. To see the scope of this so-not-illustrious accomplishment, the National Football League, founded in the 1920, and Major League Baseball, founded in the 1876, have had a combined two teams make the playoffs with losing records in their almost 200 combined years of play (1982 strike-shortened NFL season had the 4-5 Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions qualify).
SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT
The Tampa Bay Storm and New Orleans VooDoo finished 8-8 and became just the eighth and ninth teams in league history to have at least a .500 record or better to not make the playoffs. Of these nine teams in league history to have .500 records or better and not make the postseason, five have come in the last five seasons. Only one of the nine, have had a record of better than .500 (the 2005 New Orleans VooDoo was 9-7). Three of the nine (includes 2008) have come when a team with a losing record has made it into the playoffs – the 2006 Columbus Destroyers were 8-8, but failed to make the playoffs, while the 7-9 Chicago Rush made the postseason and eventually won the ArenaBowl.
BLAZING INTO THE POSTSEASON
The Utah Blaze went from 0-9 into the playoffs after going 6-1 in the final seven games of the season. It marks the worst start of a season to make the playoffs in AFL history. The previous was the 2000 Buffalo Destroyers started 0-8 and made the postseason after winning five of its last nine. Both the Blaze and the Destroyers’ only losses during their improbable playoff runs were against the San Jose SaberCats.
VOODOO VEXED
On the flipside of the Blaze is the New Orleans VooDoo. The VooDoo started the season 7-2, but one just one of its final seven games and fell out of the playoffs in the National Conference. If the VooDoo were in the American Conference, the team would have qualified for the playoffs in Week Ten and would have hosted a playoff game.
NOT SO HOMEY
In the four seasons since the AFL switched the ArenaBowl from the home arena of the remaining team with the best record to that of a neutral site, the city of the ArenaBowl has not had the home team even make the postseason – 2005 & 2006 Las Vegas Gladiators failed to make the playoffs and the 2007 & 2008 New Orleans VooDoo has failed to do that as well. Good luck Philadelphia in 2009 (just a guess, just a guess)!!! If history repeats itself, the Soul is going to need it next year if the team indeed hosts ArenaBowl XXIII.
YO FIFTY, YOU HOT
San Jose defensive back Clevan Thomas’ fiftieth career interception, which sealed the victory for the SaberCats, 68-62, over the Georgia Force, tied him with Durwood Roquemore for the second most in AFL history. Thomas had two interceptions in the game, the first he returned 35 yards for a touchdown. It was his eighth career pick six, which is tied for the fourth most in league history.
MARSHALL CROWNED ALL-PURPOSE KING AGAIN
After posting the league’s highest all-purpose yardage game of the season, Los Angeles’ Timon Marshall became just the second player in league history to lead the AFL in all-purpose yards for three straight seasons. Marshall’s 382 yards against Tampa Bay put him at the third-most in league history (3,342). In little more than three AFL seasons (54 games played), Marshall ranks 28th all-time in the category with 9,799 career all-purpose yards. His 181.5 yards per game is the second most in league history behind Steve Papin’s 220.4.
NEW COACHES IN THE PLAYOFFS
All three of the head coaches (Arizona, Cleveland and Grand Rapids) that took over programs this season made it to the postseason. All three made improvements in wins (Arizona +5, Cleveland +7 and Grand Rapids +2) from their previous regimes. Two of the three had winning records (Arizona 9-7, Cleveland 9-7), while Grand Rapids slipped into the playoffs with a 6-10 record.
BYE, BYE COACHES
Columbus and Los Angeles have fired/not renewed the contracts of their respective head coaches (Doug Kay and Ed Hodgkiss). Will they be the only ones? Likely not. Looking at the past performances of the VooDoo, Mike Neu has started off strong each of his last four years with New Orleans, but has failed to finish as strong. In 2004, the VooDoo was 9-2, and then lost four of its next six. In 2005, the team went 6-1 then lost six its last nine. After a year away from the game due to Hurricane Katrina, the VooDoo was 4-3 then went 1-8 in the last nine. Then this season, New Orleans jumped out to a 7-2 start, then ended 1-6 and failed to reach the playoffs. Other than Neu, Kansas City head coach Kevin Porter posted a 3-13 record in 2008 after going 10-6 last year. The Brigade had some tough close games, but got blown out in too many. Kansas City’s biggest mistake was letting QB Raymond Philyaw go into free agency. As a result, the team started four different signal callers with none being very effective.
AIN’T IT DOUBLY GRAND
When the Kansas City Brigade and Colorado Crush kicked off this past weekend, it marked the 2,000th regular season game played in league history. Including playoffs and 21 ArenaBowls, there have been 2,153 games played in league history (not including preseason). Just for fun, the 1,000th game in league history occurred in 2001, in which the Carolina Cobras beat the Buffalo Destroyers 53-44 on June 17.
SCORING RAMPAGE
The Grand Rapids Rampage had an AFL-record four games in which it scored 80 or more points (all wins) this season. In the Rampage’s six total wins, the team averaged 80.2 points per game – the highest by any team in league history for their combined wins. Thanks to these six games, the Rampage finished the season with the second most points in the AFL. Take those six games away and the Rampage could muster just 47.1 per game, which averaged out to a 16-game season (754) would be third-to-last in the league (Kansas City, 752; Columbus, 750). Kansas City and Columbus accounted for three of the Rampage’s six victories. Not to be outdone, the Rampage defense gave up the second-most points in the league this season and the most ever by a playoff-bound team (and fourth-most in league history).
GRIEB LEADS IN TOUCHDOWNS AND INTERCEPTIONS
San Jose QB Mark Grieb became just the third quarterback in league history to lead the league in passing touchdowns and passes intercepted (Clint Dolezel, 1999 with Houston; Mike Perez, 1996 with Albany). Additionally, he joined Dolezel and Aaron Garcia as the only players in league history to have more than one season with 100 or more passing scores. He is just the second player to have those seasons back-to-back (Dolezel, 2006-07). There have been eight times that a player has passed for 100 or more TDs in a single-season, six of those have come in the last three seasons.
CLEVELAND “GLAD” FOR WILPOLT
In his first full-season as a head coach, Mike Wilpolt had one of the biggest single-season turnarounds in league history. Last season, the Gladiators posted the worst record in the AFL (2-14) and this year finished 9-7 and will host a playoff game this weekend. The seven-game turnaround tied with the 2007 Kansas City Brigade for the biggest by a team in the 16-game era (since 2003).
SINGLE-SEASON STATISTICAL NOTES
Here’s a list of a few interesting single-season regular season records.
- Colorado QB John Dutton’s 681 pass attempts were the second most in league history (Andy Kelly had 698 in 2005 with New Orleans).
- Utah’s Joe Germaine and Georgia’s Chris Greisen have the top four single-season passing yardage marks in league history. Greisen’s 4,956 yards this season ranks second to Germaine’s 5,033 set last season.
- There were nine QBs with 4,000 or more passing yards – the most in league history. There were just eight in the AFL’s first 17 seasons.
- Three of the five most completions in a season occurred in 2008 – #2 Dutton, 449; #4 Grieb, 416 and #5 Germaine, 411.
- Four of the top eight rushing attempt seasons occurred in 2008, including Cleveland’s Marlion Jackson 105 (#2 all-time) and Columbus’ Harold Wells’ 103 (#3). The top three rushing attempt seasons have occurred in the past two seasons.
- Jackson and Tampa Bay’s Torrance Marshall both ended the year with 23 rushing scores – tied for the third most in league history.
- Chicago QB Russ Michna set an AFL record for highest TD to rushing attempt percentage in league history running for a score 50% of the time he touched the ball (15 TDs on 30 attempts).
- Chicago DB Dennison Robinson tied the league record for interceptions in a season (13).
- Orlando DB Kenny McIntyre set an AFL record with four interceptions returned for touchdowns in a season. He has had seven INTs returned for scores in the last two seasons.
- Los Angeles WR/KR Timon Marshall‘s 100 kickoff returns are a new AFL record. His 1,885 kick return yards led the AFL and is seventh most ever. Marshall’s 3,342 all-purpose yards are the third most in league history.
- San Jose kicker A.J. Haglund posted the second-highest points by a kicker in league history (179) and led the league in points scored, field goals made, field goals attempted, field goal percentage and special teams tackles by a kicker. His 30-point lead over the next closest kicker was the second highest in league history (35 by Remy Hamilton in 2005).
FINAL PLAYOFF UPDATE
The regular season is over and this segment of Breaking it Down is finally over. Here are some interesting tidbits about this year’s postseason class.
- The top seed in the National Conference has failed to reach the ArenaBowl last two seasons – Georgia, in 2005, was the last to do so – and three of the previous four times.
- The American Conference boasts three teams with losing records, including one that will actually host a playoff game. This is the most in league history in a single season and now 18 teams with losing records have made the playoffs in the league’s 22-year existence.
- The team with the second-best record in the AFL (Dallas, 12-4) will play in the first-round of the playoffs while three teams with worse records get byes (Chicago 11-5, San Jose 11-5 and Georgia 10-6).
- The Eastern Division has four of its five members in the playoffs (sorry Columbus).
- Grand Rapids made the playoffs without beating a single team with a winning record.
- Colorado is the first team in league history to host a playoff game with a losing record.
- San Jose is the only team to not lose to a team with a losing record this season.
- Orlando made the playoffs for the seventeenth straight season (an AFL record).
- Columbus became the first defending ArenaBowl runner up to not make the playoffs since the 2001 Nashville Kats (team became the Georgia Force in 2002).
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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 – X
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13-3
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1
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Chicago – X
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11-5
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2
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Georgia – X
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10-6
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2
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San Jose – X
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11-5
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3
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Dallas
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12-4
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3
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Arizona
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8-8
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4
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Cleveland
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9-7
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4
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Colorado
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6-10
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5
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Orlando
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9-7
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5
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Utah
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6-10
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6
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New York
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8-8
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6
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Grand Rapids
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6-10
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X = won division and first-round bye
HOW THE PLAYOFFS WOULD LOOK IF THE FORMAT FROM 1987-2004 WAS USED
If the AFL would have kept the playoffs like they were for the league’s first 19 years, the twelve-team playoff roster would be a more respectable one with eleven teams with non-losing records making it. However since its not, the AFL has two teams with 8-8 records not in the playoffs and three teams with losing records in the postseason. I’m sure New Orleans and Tampa Bay will be adamant when it comes to how the league needs to address this serious problem for next year. Since the league decided to change the playoff system, there have been two teams with 7-9 records make the ArenaBowl, including the 2006 Chicago Rush that actually won the title.
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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 –X
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13-3
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2
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Dallas – X
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12-4
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3
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Chicago – X
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11-5
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4
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San Jose – X
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11-5
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5
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Georgia – Y
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10-6
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6
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Cleveland – Y
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9-7
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7
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Orlando – Y
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9-7
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8
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Arizona – Y
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8-8
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9
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New York
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8-8
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10
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New Orleans
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8-8
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11
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Tampa Bay
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8-8
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12
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Colorado
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6-10
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X – first-round bye
Y – hosts first-round game
WEEK 17’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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Johnson, CMB
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173
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11
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1
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James Jordan, NO
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110
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10
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3
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J. Dudley, NO
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138
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8
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2
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Timon Marshall, LA
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171
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9
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4
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Charles Frederick, KC
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117
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5
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1
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J.J. McKelvey, UTAH
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109
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9
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2
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Siaha Burley, AZ
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113
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7
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1
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Carl Morris, GEO
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182
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10
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4
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Tiger Jones, GEO
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101
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7
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3
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Cleannord Saintil, SJ
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155
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12
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7
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Rodney Wright, SJ
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134
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10
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1
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Marcus Nash, DAL
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114
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10
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3
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Donovan Morgan, CHI
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123
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9
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3
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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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Danny Wimprine, NO
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358
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8
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2
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Brett Dietz, TB
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327
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6
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0
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Chris Greisen, GEO
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390
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8
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3
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Mark Grieb, SJ
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354
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9
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0
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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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TDs
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Johnson, CMB
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229
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1
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J. Pope, NO
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232
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3
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Timon Marshall, LA
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382
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4
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Rodney Wright, SJ
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249
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1
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Josh Bush, DAL
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200
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1
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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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William Haith, GR
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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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Traco Rachal, TB
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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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1
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2
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0
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Rashad Floyd, COL
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8.5
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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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1
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0
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Clevan Thomas, SJ
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6.5
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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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1
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Rod Davis, PHI
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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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1
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0
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1
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Eddie Moten, PHI
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2.0
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2
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0.0
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1
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0
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2
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1
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OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
San Jose receiver Cleannord Saintil caught seven touchdowns during the SaberCats’ 68-62 win over the Georgia Force. Saintil caught twelve balls for 155 yards.
HONORABLE MENTION: San Jose quarterback Mark Grieb tossed nine scores on 27-of-36 passing for 354 yards with no interceptions. He was not sacked and even recorded a tackle after a SaberCats fumble.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Philadelphia defensive back Eddie Moten had two interceptions, one he returned 52 yards for a touchdown, as well as two tackles, two pass breakups and a forced fumble in the Soul’s 59-30 win over New York. Moten’s 77 interception return yards is most in a single game in league history.
HONORABLE MENTION: San Jose defensive back Clevan Thomas had two interceptions - one he returned for a 35 yards for a touchdown and the other to seal the SaberCats’ 68-62 victory over the Georgia Force. Thomas also had 6.5 stops and a pass breakup.
IRONMAN OF THE WEEK
In a losing effort, Los Angeles receiver/kick returner Timon Marshall recorded a league season-high 382 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns in the Avengers’ 72-47 loss at Tampa Bay. Marshall caught nine passes for 171 yards with four receiving scores and had ten kickoff returns for 211 yards. For the third straight season, Marshall has led the AFL in all-purpose yardage (3,342).
HONORABLE MENTION: Tampa Bay WR/LB Lawrence Samuels caught eleven balls for 99 yards and two scores on offense, and then added an interception, a pass breakup on fourth down and a tackle on defense in the Storm’s 72-47 win over Los Angeles.
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.
