Breaking it Down - Week Nine 2011

Andy Lopusnak
Thursday May 12, 2011

Week Nine featured the renewal of league's two greatest rivalries (Arizona-San Jose, Tampa Bay-Orlando). All four division leaders won against division rivals. Utah and Georgia battled in the week's highest scoring and most exciting game that was decided in the final seconds. Recaps of these games, my weekly ramblings and more Hall of Fame thoughts awaiting in Volume Three, Issue Nine of Breaking it Down. 

The last five active teams to win the ArenaBowl (Spokane, Philadelphia, San Jose, Chicago and Tampa Bay) all lost in Week Nine. You would need to go back to ArenaBowl XIV to find an active ArenaBowl winning team that won in Week Nine (Orlando).  

The two active ArenaBowl MVPs had horrible performances this past week. Two-time ArenaBowl MVP Mark Grieb threw a career-high four interceptions and was sacked five times in the SaberCats' 65-43 loss to National Conference leading Arizona.  

Reigning ArenaBowl MVP Kyle Rowley completed just 43% of his passes and was picked off twice in a road loss to expansion Pittsburgh. Spokane was tied with less than a minute to go but ultimately lost by ten after Rowley was intercepted late. The Shock will sit Rowley this week when the defending champs host Dallas. Rowley's backup, Bill Stull, has one career AFL pass attempt - an interception. Defensively-minded Shock head coach Rob Keefe believes the change will motivate his team. By the way, Spokane's defense, which Keefe runs, has posted a league-worst two interceptions, has given up the most first downs and is second-to-worst in total takeaways.  

On Monday, the AFL released all 49 logos submitted by the fans for ArenaBowl XXIV. The league allowed votes on just four of the logos, one of which looks eerily similar to Super Bowl XXXIV's logo. However, they allowed just 48 hours to vote for the logo and didn't even put it as one of its main stories on the website. It's somewhat sad that the league made a big deal about the ArenaBowl "Dream Team" cheerleaders by making them a major part of the website and the logo the game as essentially a side note. Less than 600 total votes were cast for the ArenaBowl logo, but if you go to the cheerleaders' page, there are two that have over 7,000 votes each.

All four ArenaBowl designs are worlds better than the pathetic one from last year (original one, not the NAPA logo). The winner has a similar blotching paint splatter background that the league has been using on its website. I'm not a fan of the text and AFL logo being in monochrome, which was something that I hated in the NAPA design from last year (it had a black AFL logo). I just don't see the NFL allowing its brand to be in monochrome on a major design. Nonetheless, it's still a billion times better than the lazy attempt last year by the league and better than a lot of the previous ArenaBowl logos. I really liked one of the non-finalists that I think with a little modification could make a really cool silver anniversary ArenaBowl design for next year.

Rumors swirled at the beginning of this week that Kansas City QB J.J. Raterink would be traded to Philadelphia for Justin Allgood, but as of this posting both gunslingers are still with their respective teams. If this does happen though, it would reunite Raterink with Soul head coach Mike Hohensee. The two were in Chicago last year when Raterink was the backup QB. Both the Soul and Command are 2-6 and looking for answers. Allgood led the AFL in touchdown passes last year and started off strong in the Week One win over expansion Pittsburgh with 300 yards, five TDs and no interceptions. Since then, he's been benched at least twice and has thrown at least one pick in his other four games played. Raterink has thrown for over 300 yards and had at least six passing scores in five of the eight games, but he's has coughed up the ball 14 times (11 INT, 3 lost fumbles), which has hurt the Command in close losses to Dallas, San Jose and this past weekend against the hapless VooDoo. 

It's been a week, where are the photos from Canton showing off the 1,000th TD ball and Aaron Garcia's jersey? Now back to the AFL Hall of Fame debate. Again, unless the league decides to put all of the eligible players on its "20 Greatest" list, not a single player should even be considered.

Right now, there are 15 players on this list that aren't in the Hall of Fame. Of the top nine, only Jay Gruden has been enshrined. The fine fifteen consists of: #1 Eddie Brown, #2 Barry Wagner, #3 George LaFrance, #5 Hunkie Cooper, #6 James Baron, #7 Sylvester Bembery, #8 Sherdrick Bonner, #9 Stevie Thomas, #11 Aaron Garcia, #12 Kurt Warner, #13 Sam Hernandez, #14 Cory Fleming, #14 Greg Hopkins, #17 Randy Gatewood and #20 Bob McMillen.

Once they're all in, here's my next batch of AFL greats (including active players): QBs Clint Dolezel and Mark Grieb; WR/LB Lawrence Samuels, WRs Damian Harrell, Mike Horacek and Chris Jackson; FB/LB Les Barley, Andre Bowden, Chad Dukes and Bo Kelly; DBs Kenny McEntyre, Tracey Perkins, Clevan Thomas and Damon Mason; and OL/DLs Flint Fleming and Willie Wyatt. Sometime down the road, I can see kickers like Mike Black, Remy Hamilton and Steve Videtich getting in. Other actives and currently eligible players are Hall worthy but this is an impression list and everyone on it were all-time greats of this game.  

Last Saturday, I was getting into my car to head down to the Rattlers-SaberCats game from a photo shoot at the Golden Gate Bridge and turned on my radio to find that the Iowa-Dallas game was on. It was great to hear an AFL game on the radio while I was on my way to another game. Awesome job to all parties involved in getting Calling All Sports to air five hours of AFL coverage on over 400 stations nationwide.  

This weekend, Tulsa and Orlando wore uniforms with a camouflage design. I love alternative uniforms and after looking at these designs, Tampa Bay should have no problem doing a Zubaz 1991 throwback next year. My biggest beef with the designs were the visibility of numbers and names. Orlando's was the worst because the nameplate text was white, which was also one of the camo colors, so the names were nearly invisible if you were five feet away. I loved the Preds logo as an almost watermark on the jersey though.  

Now onto the game breakdowns... 

JACKSONVILLE 58, PHILADELPHIA 42

·         The Sharks won their seventh straight game. In its last three games, Jacksonville's defense have picked off seven passes and gained ten total takeaways.

·         Philadelphia continued to split quarterbacking duties between Ryan Vena and Justin Allgood. Vena started and completed less than 50% of his passes with three TDs, two INTs and was sacked twice. Allgood stepped in on the second series of the third quarter and tossed an interception on his third pass attempt that was returned 41 yards for a Jacksonville TD.

·         The ageless wonder, Aaron Garcia, tossed five touchdowns and 271 yards on 21-of-31 passing with no interceptions.

·         Soul WR Donovan Morgan (9-134-2) became the first player to record 1,000 receiving yards on the season. Likely five to seven players will join him next week.

·         The Soul has yet to win at home. Two other teams (New Orleans and Tampa Bay) are also winless at home.

CLEVELAND 50, MILWAUKEE 41

·         Cleveland never trailed and led by 17 before Milwaukee scored in the final 30 seconds to make the game's final score closer.

·         The Gladiators have not allowed more than 48 points in five of its last six games (4-1 record), which has put Cleveland as the league's best scoring defense (41.4 per game).

·         Cleveland QB Kurt Rocco was hurt in the third quarter for the second straight week. He had 146 yards and a TD before Rocco left the game.

·         His replacement, Dan Whalen ran for two scores and tossed two others in relief, but completed just 38.5% and an interception.

·         Mustangs WR Damian Harrell posted his first 100-yard game of the season (8-102-2).

ORLANDO 63, TAMPA BAY 61

·         This was the 47th meeting of the AFL's greatest rivalry - the War on I-4. Orlando now leads the all-time series 24-23.

·         Orlando came out strong and led 35-21 at halftime, but the game was tied at 35 thanks to a Huey Whittaker receiving score and Whittaker recovering a loose ball on the ensuing kickoff for another TD. The Preds scored the game's next 13 points and the Storm only got close near the end thanks to two Orlando turnovers.

·         Orlando defensive back Rayshaun Kizer posted two interceptions and solo stops. He's tied for the AFL's interception lead (eight).

·         Both QBs tossed over 300 yards (Brian Zbydniewski, 304; Nick Hill, 323).

·         Hill completed 64.9% of his passes with eight touchdowns and an interception. He also ran five times for 26 yards and a TD.

·         Zbydniewski had four TDs and three interceptions.

·         Two Storm WRs had at least ten catches, 100 yards receiving and two scores (Whittaker, 11-117-2; Amari Jackson, 10-146-2).

·         Orlando was led by the tandem of T.T. Toliver (9-140-3) and Bobby Sippio (7-82-2). Sippio passed AFL Ironman Lawrence Samuels in career receiving TDs for 16th most in AFL history.

UTAH 74, GEORGIA 71

·         Utah won its first road game of the season. Only Milwaukee hasn't won a game on the road this season. The Blaze won the game on a two-yard TD pass and catch from Tommy Grady to Aaron Boone with four seconds left.

·         Grady completed 33-of-45 for 344 yards with ten touchdowns and no interceptions. He also ran three times for 11 yards.

·         Boone hauled in 18 passes (third highest catch total in league history) for 196 yards and three scores.

·         Georgia QB Brett Elliott had 374 yards with nine touchdowns and no interceptions.

·         Force WR/KR C.J. Johnson compiled 319 all-purpose yards with four scores (receiving: 11-140-3; returns: 9-179-1).

·         Blaze lineman Caesar Rayford posted three sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

·         There were four lost fumbles in the third quarter (two each). Utah scored twice, while Georgia scored just once on the turnovers.

·         Utah converted five of its six third down attempts. However, the team did convert its lone fourth down attempt.

·         There were back-to-back kickoff returns for touchdowns. First C.J. Johnson returned one 56 yard for a score, then Georgia attempted an on-side kick that Ernest Pierce picked up and ran ten yards for a Blaze TD.

PITTSBURGH 51, SPOKANE 41

·         Power head coach Chris Siegfried was the Shock's head coach for the team's expansion season of 2006 when Spokane was the ArenaCup after a 14-2 regular season.

·         Siegfried has won his last two against the Shock. Last year, he was the offensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Sharks that beat Spokane in the regular season finale.

·         The game was tied at 41 entering in the final minute of game play. Pittsburgh went up by seven with 50 seconds left, then intercepted Spokane QB Kyle Rowley three plays later. That led to a 45-yard field goal with 17 seconds left to give the Power the win.

·         Rowley misfired on his last four pass attempts, including the interception. He completed a season-low 43.2% of his passes with four touchdowns and two interceptions.

·         Spokane scored on the opening kickoff when DB/KR Terrance Sanders returned it 57 yards for the game's first points. Sanders also had four solo stops, a fumble recovery and an interception.

·         Bernard Morris returned as the Power's starting QB after missing five games with an injury. He threw five touchdowns and ran two more in to account for all of Pittsburgh's touchdowns. Morris ran for 66 yards, including a 31-yard touchdown.

·         Spokane's five losses on the season are more than the team posted in its previous two seasons combined (19-1 in 2009; 16-3 in 2010).

·         WTF Power fans! You have 13,904 for the first game of the season and draw about half as much for this game against the defending champs. Guess Bob Gries made the right decision after 1990. You are excessively fickle. Support your team or it'll leave - it's already happened to you once.

NEW ORLEANS 59, KANSAS CITY 52

·         The VooDoo jumped to a 10-0 lead. Kansas City came back to take a 45-38 lead with 13 minutes left. New Orleans re-gained the lead thanks to a 54-yard interception return by Jerron Wishom for a touchdown and scored the game's final points with 2:45 left. Wishom preserved the win with a breakup in the endzone on fourth down with 15 seconds left.

·         Kansas City QB J.J. Raterink tossed 324 yards with four TDs and two interceptions.

·         The Command missed a field goal on its first possession and fumbled on its second drive.

·         By losing to New Orleans (previously the last one-win team), Kansas City takes the mantle as the worst team in the league. Of course, KC's head coach, Danton Barto, has the second worst winning percentage of any head coach with at least 20 games in league history (Dave Whinham was 7-43). 

TULSA 64, CHICAGO 45

·         The Talons overcame a 14-0 deficit to score the game's next 27 points but needed a late first half TD to take a halftime lead. Tulsa outscored Chicago 30-17 in the second half.

·         Chicago lost four fumbles and was picked off once.

·         Talons QB Matt Bassuener tossed three TDs but was picked off three times. He ran in four touchdowns.

·         Rush WR Reggie Gray caught seven passes for 142 yards with three TDs. However, he lost two fumbles.

DALLAS 71, IOWA 57

·         Dallas has won four straight since starting the season 2-2. Iowa has lost five in a row after starting the season 2-1.

·         Vigilantes FB Derrick Ross ran ten times for 29 yards and three TDs. Ross leads the league in all rushing categories. In just eight games, his 81 rushing attempts ranks 16th in AFL single season history; his 314 rushing yards rank 11th; and his 19 rushing TDs is tied for 13th.

·         Dallas WR DeAndrew Rubin caught six passes for 123 yards and three TDs. His first three catches all went for touchdowns and were the Vigilantes' first three scores.

·         Iowa led early, then grabbed a brief 37-34 thanks to a net recovery for a score with 34 seconds left in the first half, but 11 seconds later Dallas scored to re-gain the lead that it never relinquished. 

·         Shocking stat of the week: on the year, Dallas has converted a league-high 16 of its 18 fourth down conversions (an unbelievable 88.9%) but ranks 13th in third down conversions (42%).

ARIZONA 65, SAN JOSE 43

·         San Jose QB Mark Grieb had one of the worst games of his future AFL Hall of Fame career. He threw a career-high four interceptions, completed just 52.6% of his passes and was sacked five times.

·         All three Rattlers that caught passes, caught at least seven of them and had two TDs each.

·         Rattlers LB Kevin McCullough scored the game's final two TDs within a span of 13 seconds. First, he recovered a ricocheted ball off the net structure for a two-yard net recovery for a score. Then on the next play from scrimmage, he picked off Grieb and ran in eleven yards for another TD. He also added two solo stops and a pass breakup.

·         Arizona DL Tyre Glasper sacked Grieb three times and finished with seven solo stops.

·         Rattlers LB Kevin McCullough scored twice with 13 seconds in the final 23 seconds to take an eight-point game to a 22-point blowout. He scored up a missed field goal at the San Jose two-yard line and ran in for a net recovery, then on the next play from scrimmage intercepted Grieb and ran 11 yard for a touchdown. McCullough also posted two solo stops and a pass breakup.

·         Arizona outscored San Jose 34-16 in the fourth quarter.

·         Rattlers QB Nick Davila completed 71.9% of his passes with six touchdowns and no interceptions.

·         San Jose had Otis Amey (6-109-2) and Ben Nelson (6-82-2) played their first games of the season. Both were the top receiver for the Cleveland Gladiators in 2008 (Amey) and 2010 (Nelson). Both were All-Arena performances with at least 100 catches, 1,500 yards and 40 TDs.

BREAKING IT DOWN PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Blaze QB Tommy Grady

The Week Two Breaking it Down Player of the Week recorded his second career 10 passing TD performance in the Blaze's come-from-behind victory at Georgia. Grady completed 73.3% of his passes for 344 yards with ten TDs and no interceptions. He also ran three times for 11 yards. In the last two weeks against teams with winning records, he has tossed 19 TDs to just one interception. Through nine weeks, Grady leads the league in per game averages for passing yards and passing TDs.