No Time For Predators To Feel Down After Losing To Rattlers

Adam Markowitz
Sunday April 28, 2013

If you're walking around in Downtown Orlando this week, don't mind the black cloud that you see at 302 Graham Avenue. That's just the stench of one of the worst games in team history for the Orlando Predators. An 82-42 loss to the Arizona Rattlers on Sunday night in Phoenix marked the second worst defeat in team history, and the 82 points allowed was the second most that the team has ever conceded in a game.

I think the appendectomy I went through on Monday was less painful than this game was.

Matters are really dull right now for Orlando for sure. The Preds have opened up the season with five losses in a row for the second straight campaign, and they are just one loss away from tying their longest losing streak in franchise history. They have been outscored 196-110 over the course of their last three games, easily the worst three game stretch in team history. The previous worst stretch of three games was getting outscored by 66 points last season in successive losses to the Jacksonville Sharks, Philadelphia Soul, and San Jose SaberCats.

We could dig deeper as well. The offense has turned the ball over 16 times in five games, and QB Kyle Rowley already has 11 interceptions in essentially just three and a half games under center. (The whole Iowa Barnstormers team only threw 11 interceptions all of last year!) The team has basically already given up on Rowley as well, as Orlando traded for QB Aaron Garcia who, at least as of this point, hasn't reported to the team since the trade from San Jose earlier this week.

The Preds have allowed 312 points this year in five games. To put that in comparison, they allowed 281 points over the course of a full 10-game season in 1992. It's not quite the worst five-game stretch from a defensive standpoint in team history, but it's certainly close. Last year's team allowed 326 points in five consecutive games, all of which were losses.

After four paragraphs of complaining about how badly the first five games of the season went though, the last thing that the 2013 Predators should do is hit the panic button. Yes, the team is 0-5, but as laughable as it seems, a win next week against the Pittsburgh Power, and they are right back in the thick of the playoff race in the American Conference.

We can talk about how comical it is that either the Predators, the Power, the Cleveland Gladiators, or the New Orleans VooDoo will get into the playoffs this year another time (or you can just go back and read This Musing from a few weeks ago), but the rules are the rules, and this is what we're stuck with. These four teams have combined for three wins this year, two of which came against each other, but alas, one of them is going to ultimately get into the playoffs.

Obviously, at 0-5, this isn't a situation where we're analyzing whether the glass is half empty or half full in Orlando. If there is a cup with a few drops of water left in it, there definitely are some positives with which to look at beyond the fact that the rest of the conference outside of the Jacksonville Sharks, Tampa Bay Storm, and possibly the Philadelphia Soul is one gigantic joke that no one is laughing at.

For starters, we do have to remember that the Preds have played against four playoff teams already this year. There has been just one game against the lousy teams in the American Conference, and there are still five of those hideous games left to play. Going 4-1 in those games, as sad as it sounds, would probably be enough to get Orlando in the playoffs.

Whether Garcia ever decides to report to Orlando or not, the return of QB Chris Dixon to the lineup in a few weeks will at least be a shot in the arm to the team from an emotional standpoint if he has to play. It is clear that the team wanted to play for Dixon, whereas the team as a whole just doesn't have the same energy level when Rowley is on the field. Regardless, there is no way on this planet that the quarterback play could possibly get any worse for the Predators than Rowley has been.

In his last 82 pass attempts, which basically covers two full games worth of time on the field, Rowley has gone 38-of-82 for 424 yards with four TDs and six INTs. Prorate that over a full season, and you've got a 46.3% completion rate for 3,816 yards with 36 TDs and 54 picks. Just let those numbers marinate for a second. They need no discussion.

The 2013 Orlando Predators need to take some baby steps. The season is only just over a quarter of the way over with. There is still plenty of time to get back on the horse. It's only going to take five or six wins in all likelihood to at least challenge for a playoff spot, and going 6-7 the rest of the way isn't totally out of the question if the psyche of the team could improve. Though there is clearly a black cloud hovering over the team, there is no reason to throw up the white flag at this point. It's going to take a heck of a lot of changes and some patience, but the season most definitely isn't over yet.

Author's Note: I would like to thank the ArenaFan community for the support that you all offered me following my appendectomy on Monday night. I appreciate each and every one of your thoughts and well wishes. Know that I am at home resting and getting stronger each day, and I will be back on the AFL Tonight podcast with my co-host and good friend, Tim Capper this week. Thank you all once again from the bottom of my heart.