WEEK 12 RESULTS

Orlando 35, MILWAUKEE 30

PHILADELPHIA 70, New Orleans 49

IOWA 50, Utah 48

KANSAS CITY 45, Spokane 42

Pittsburgh 76, DALLAS 75

ARIZONA 63, Cleveland 42

Georgia 55, SAN JOSE 49

CHICAGO 49, Tulsa 48

Home team in ALL CAPS

BYE: Jacksonville, Tampa Bay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ORLANDO 35, MILWAUKEE 30

• The Mustangs didn't score an offensive touchdown for the game's first 46 minutes and 40 seconds and the team was actually still in the game thanks to an INT returned for a score and three field goals.
• Orlando didn't fare better as the Preds scored only on one of its first seven possessions.
• Each team was flagged for 12 penalties in this low-scoring game and both starting QBs tossed three picks.
• Predators DB Rayshaun Kizer added two more interceptions to his AFL lead and became the first player with back-to-back seasons with 10 or more interceptions since fellow Orlando teammate and AFL all-time INT king Kenny McEntyre did so in the 2003 and 2004 seasons (The Glove also had back-to-back 10+ INT seasons in 2001-02).
• There were five field goal attempts (Milwaukee was 3/4, Orlando was 0/1).
• The first half featured one touchdown by Orlando and two field goals by Milwaukee with the halftime score 7-6.
• On the third play of the second half, Orlando QB Nick Hill was picked off by Kelvin Rodgers who returned the INT 35 yard for a score, but it was another interception that was the turning point in the game. After taking a 28-24 lead, Orlando was go up by eleven thanks to Kizer's second interception of the game.
• With his final catch of the game, Predators WR T.T. Toliver is now tied with AFL legend George LaFrance for 21st all-time in receptions. Toliver trails LaFrance by almost 1,000 receiving yards and 35 receiving scores.

PHILADELPHIA 70, NEW ORLEANS 49

• The VooDoo had three returns for touchdowns, but didn't have much offense in the 21-point loss.
• New Orleans' only reason to watch a VooDoo game, P.J. Berry, posted his seventh 200+ all-purpose yard performance (270) with three touchdowns, including a 55-yard kickoff return for a score.
• Soul QB Ryan Vena tossed three scores and ran in another, but also tossed two picks (both of which were returned for TDs).
• Vena was picked off on his first pass attempt of each half.
• Philly WR Donovan Morgan caught eight balls for 117 yards with three touchdowns. It marked his AFL-leading ninth 100+ yard receiving game on the year.
• Vena recorded his 50th career rushing TD in the game and is now tied for 15th all-time (third among QBs).

IOWA 50, UTAH 48

• The Barnstormers snapped a six-game losing skid and gave interim head coach J.T. Smith his first win as an AFL head coach.
• All three of Iowa's wins this season have come against Western Division opponents and all were decided by less than seven points (one-point over Spokane; seven points over San Jose and two points over Utah). In two weeks, the Barnstormers head to the desert to take on Arizona.
• With the loss, Utah still has failed to win or lose back-to-back games this season.
• Utah was flagged for twice as many penalties (12 to six) as Iowa.
• Barnstormers QB Brad Banks completed 67.7% of his passes for 223 yards with seven TDs and no interceptions. He ran 12 times for 42 yards. Banks did fumble three times and lost two of them, but his defense didn't allow a point off his mistakes.
• The score was tied at 34 with 30 seconds left in the first half and Utah got the ball back with one timeout, but failed to score any points due to back-to-back penalties.
• Utah was shutout in the fourth quarter with its final three drives consisting of a missed field goal, a turnover on downs and an interception.
• In a losing effort, Utah's Mike Lewis had five tackles (two for loss), a sack and three forced fumbles.
• Blaze QB Tommy Grady completed a season-low 55% of his passes with five scores. On his final seven snaps, Grady was one-of-six for just one-yard passing, an interception and was sacked on fourth down.
• The 48 points scored by Utah marked the first time this season that the Blaze failed to score over 50 points. Iowa's 50 points scored was the third lowest allowed by Utah's defense.

KANSAS CITY 45, SPOKANE 42

• Kansas City is now on a two-game winning streak, while Spokane has lost two straight since losing QBs Kyle Rowley and Bill Stull.
• Spokane tied the game at 42 after a two-point conversion with 4:02 left, but Kansas City used every remaining second to set up the 23-yard game winning field goal as time expired.
• The game's first two touchdowns were returns on back-to-back plays. First, Spokane's Alex Teems scooped up a loose ball and ran it back 19 yards for a TD on the second play from scrimmage. Kansas City then returned the ensuing kickoff 56 yards for a touchdown.
• Spokane's first two offensive drives resulted in no points as QB Casey Hansen was sacked on fourth down ending one drive and kicker Taylor Rowan missed a 30-yard field goal on the team's second possession.
• Kansas City DL Brian Robinson recorded 4.0 sacks and blocked a 47-yard field goal late in the first half.
• The kickers combined for five field goals (two made by KC).
• Spokane's 135 total offensive yards, 133 passing yards, 3.4 yards per play and 3.5 yards per pass attempt rank as the worst by any team in the league this season.
• It was just the second time this season that Spokane didn't turn the ball over (other was the win over Dallas).
• In the past three weeks, the Shock has allowed six kicks to be blocked (zero in the first eight games of the season).
• Hansen has been sacked nine times in his two weeks as a starting QB. Rowley and Stull combined for eight total sacks in the team's first nine games of the season.
• Command QB J.J. Raterink completed 85.2% of his passes (23-of-27) for 207 yards with three TDs and no interceptions.

PITTSBURGH 76, DALLAS 75

• A combined 69 points were scored in the fourth quarter. Dallas scored with 10 seconds left but opted to go for the win instead of potentially forcing overtime. The two-point pass fell incomplete, however, the Vigilantes recovered the ensuing on-side kick and two plays later attempted the would-be game-winning field goal, but the 32-yarder sailed wide right to give the Power the win.
• The combined 151 points scored is the highest in the league this season.
• Neither QB was picked off as Power QB Bernard Morris completed 62.5% for 280 yards with seven scores (also had 41 ground yards and a score) and Vigilantes QB Dan Raudabaugh had more touchdown passes (ten) than incompletions (eight) for 433 yards.
• Raudabaugh became the first QB this season to pass for over 400 yards and his 433 yards are tied with Joe Germaine (did it twice in 2007) for the 13th most in league single-game history.
• His 156.37 passer rating is the highest in league history among players with at least 30 pass attempts in a game.
• Though Dallas FB Derrick Ross was held out of the end zone from the first time this season and to a season-low three attempts for 14 yards, he did move three spots into fifth place in league single-season history in rushing yards (368).

ARIZONA 63, CLEVELAND 42<

• After Cleveland scored the game's first points, Arizona scored three straight touchdowns and did relinquish its lead. Cleveland got within seven entering the fourth quarter but was outscored 21-7 in the final stanza.
• Arizona's Virgil Gray has a 52-yard missed field goal return for a touchdown early in the second quarter.
• Rattlers QB Nick Davila tossed more touchdown passes (eight) than incompletions (five) to go along with 263 yards passing. He was picked off once.
• In a losing effort, Cleveland QB Kurt Rocco tossed for 328 yards with three touchdowns, but was picked off twice. He also had two rushing scores.
• The game featured four receivers with at least ten catches. For the Glads, Thyron Lewis caught 13 balls for 157 yards with two scores and Dominique Goodman has 11 catches for 127 yards a TD. The Rattlers' Jason Geathers had ten grabs for 111 yards with four scores and Rod Windsor nabbed eleven balls for 88 yards and a score.
• Windsor's seven game streak of getting at least 100 yards receiving was snapped but he did record his fifth ten-catch game of the year. Windsor became the first player to post 100 catches on the season.
• In his brief 26-game AFL career, Windsor now has 300 catches for 3,646 yards and 67 touchdowns.
• Each team was called for ten penalties.

GEORGIA 55, SAN JOSE 49

• Georgia took a 55-49 lead with 29 seconds left when QB Brett Elliott connected with Larry Shipp on a 16-yard pitch and catch (and the ensuing two-point conversion).
• As time expired in the game, San Jose QB Mark Grieb heaved a prayer into the end zone and Scott Schoettgen came down with what would've been the game-tying score and his first AFL catch, but a holding penalty by Aaron Kia negated the touchdown and ended the game.
• Kia was called for six penalties, all of which came in the second half. He had three holding calls, two false starts and one unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. On the SaberCats' final drive, he was called twice for holding and once for a false start.
• The Force scored points on all but one drive (seven TDs, two FGs) when Carlos Martinez missed a 26-yard field goal. He nailed FGs from 25 and 47 yards during the game.
• Elliott tossed 368 yards with five scores and no interceptions. He also added a rushing touchdown. It was Elliott's fifth 300-yard passing game of the season.
• Maurice Purify, who was leading the league in receiving TDs entering the game, didn't have a catch and left the game in the second quarter when he landed head-first into a metal railing and then onto the concrete after going after an overthrown pass in the end zone. He returned to the Force bench at the start of the second half in street clothes and his future is uncertain at this time.
• Without Purify, C.J. Johnson picked up the slack and posted a season beat 13 catches for 159 yards with a touchdown. Johnson compiled 240 all-purpose and surpassed the 2,000 all-purpose yardage mark during the game.
• For the SaberCats, Grieb had 358 yards passes and five scores, but was picked off once that lead to a Georgia touchdown late in the second quarter.
• Grieb's favorite target was Mervin Brookins, who nabbed nine balls for 136 yards and three scores. This included a 42-yard score and a 24-yarder as time expired in the first half.
• Brookins, who recently moved to the offensive side due to injuries, played one defensive snap and got a solo tackle, which apparently earned him Ironman of the Game honors. At least Brookins did play defense unlike most of the Ironman of the Game and Week winners the league has christened this year.
• Grieb became just the fifth player in AFL history to post 40,000 career passing yards during the game. He also surpassed 3,000 passing yards on the season (his ninth year doing so).
• San Jose FB Chad Cook added two more rushing touchdowns and now has a league-leading 25, which ranks as the fourth most in league single season history. He also caught two passes for 19 yards to go along with his 14 rushing yards.
• One of the strangest two-point conversions in AFL history occurred in the game. San Jose scored with 1:40 left in the third quarter to tie the game at 41. Then kicker Juan Gamboa's ensuing PAT was blocked by Eric Scott and Leroy Burgess began to return it only to get stripped of the ball by San Jose's Mark Lewis. The ball bounced around and Gamboa fell on it in the end zone for a SaberCats two-point conversion. However, Gamboa fell apart after the play. His ensuing kickoff sailed out of bounds giving the Force the ball at the 20-yard line, then he missed an extra point and a 28-yard field goal.
• San Jose has lost four regular season games for the first time since the 2006-07 season when the team dropped its final two games of 2006 and first of 2007 (the SaberCats also lost a playoff game in that time frame). It does mark the team's first four-game losing streak in the same season in franchise history.

CHICAGO 49, TULSA 48

• As time expired in the game, Chicago QB Russ Michna leapt over the Tulsa defense into the end zone to tie the game. The Rush won it when Chris Gould connected on the ensuing extra point. Michna tossed five touchdowns, but was picked off once, sacked twice and lost a fumble in the game.
• Two weeks after being traded from Philadelphia, Justin Allgood made his first start for Tulsa since leading the AFL in touchdown passes with the Talons last year. He completed barely 50% of his passes for 233 yards with five scores, but was picked off three times that lead to two Rush touchdowns.
• Though Allgood started, backup Matt Bassuener did score the team's first points of the game when he ran in a score from a yard out. He didn't attempt a pass officially, but did attempt a two-point conversion that fell incomplete.
• Rush WR/KR Reggie Gray tied the AFL record for longest kickoff return with a 58-yard return for a touchdown to go with his 220 all-purpose yards and a receiving touchdown.
• Chicago DB Vic Hall posted eleven solo stops and two interceptions. He now leads the AFL with eleven picks.

BREAKING IT DOWN PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Dan Raudabaugh, Dallas QB
It's rare that a player from a losing team earns the Breaking it Down Player of the Week, but Dallas quarterback Dan Raudabaugh's performance against Pittsburgh was nearly perfect. He had more touchdown passes (ten) than incompletions (eight) with a league season-high 433 passing yards and no interceptions. His 156.37 passer rating is a new AFL record (minimum of 30 attempts), breaking the previous record set by Aaron Garcia in 2000 (155.8). The 433 yards tossed is tied for the 13th most ever in AFL history.

2011 BREAKING IT DOWN PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Wk	Player, Team	Stat Notes
1	Mark Grieb, SJ	84%, 222 yds, six TDs, 143 rating
2	Tommy Grady, Utah	67%, 306 yds, 9 TD (7 pass/2 rush)
3	Aaron Garcia, JAX	89.5%, 308 yds, 8 TD, perfect 158.33 rating
4	Brad Banks, Iowa	65%, 383 yards, 11 TD (10 pass/1 rush), 138.9 rating
5	Sergio Gilliam, KC	3 interceptions, 5.0 tackles, 1 pass breakup
6	Rod Windsor, AZ	16 receptions for 217 yards and five TDs
7	Kyle Rowley, SPK	72%, 293 yards, 10 TD (8 pass/2 rush), 1 INT, 126.69 rating
8	Kyle Rowley, SPK	67.7%, 219 yards, 9 TD (8 pass/1 rush), 1 INT, 114.11 rating
9	Tommy Grady, Utah	73.3%, 344 yards, 10 TD, 0 INT, 134.63 rating
10	Nick Hill, ORL	79.3%, 267 yards, 8 TD (6 pass/2 rush), 0 INT, 144.61 rating
11	Tommy Grady, Utah	71.9%, 319 yards 10 TD (9 pass/1 rush), 0 INT, 143.1 rating
12	Dan Raudabaugh, DAL	77.8%, 433 yards, 10 TD, 0 INT, 156.37 rating

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.