Rowley Withstands Storm, Gets Ultimate Payback on Predators
Adam Markowitz
Saturday June 29, 2013
As if it wasn't enough that these two teams are separated by a two and a half hour bus ride… As if it wasn't enough that Jeff Bouchy and Brett Bouchy weren't the respective owners of these teams… As if it wasn't enough that it was still conceivable that both of these teams were playing for a division title… As if it wasn't enough that Aaron Garcia was playing against his old team… As if all of that wasn't enough…
Then RJ Archer got hurt…
Prior to Saturday night's game, there was already no love lost between the Jacksonville Sharks and the Orlando Predators. The intensity of this budding rivalry has officially been kicked up a notch. In what very well could be a playoff preview, the Sharks beat the Predators 62-55 to take a commanding two and a half-game lead in the Southeast Division with just three games to play.
Of course, when Archer got hurt, it was up to Kyle Rowley to save the day. Rowley of course, was the quarterback for the Predators at the start of the year. He was on every billboard in town with the now dubious words "We will win: GUARANTEED." However, just as he was jettisoned by the Pittsburgh Power right at the outset of last season, he was essentially run out of town in Orlando as well after posting just a 71.4 quarterback rating in his first five games of the year, leading the team to an 0-5 record.
The Sharks picked up Rowley after losing starting quarterback Bernard Morris to an ankle injury. He started last week, getting benched in the fourth quarter of the game after throwing three TDs and three picks. Rowley was the backup quarterback on this night to Archer, who had a good game in his own right before getting hurt. Archer went 16-of-20 for 187 yards with three TDs.
The introduction to the game for Rowley was a rude one. The Predators picked up a roughing the passer penalty when three of the front four hit him late. Two plays later, Rowley was roughed again, but this time, he connected with WR Jeron Harvey for a five-yard touchdown on the play with just 0:02 left in the half.
Rowley would unofficially get hit seven times in the game to go along with those two roughing the pass penalties.
"I knew with one quarterback down, that's what it was going to be like," said Rowley after the win. "If they get me out of the game, they're pretty much going to get a win.
Rowley balked at my insinuation that perhaps the late shots were personal, stating simply that he "didn't see the nameplate" of the men that knocked him down.
Jacksonville's quarterback did state though, "It felt like a little bit of retribution. You never want to lose to a team that let you go. They pretty much told you they don't need you."
Rowley finished the night 13-of-24 for 130 with three scores and no interceptions, marking the first time this season in which he didn't throw an interception in a game. He won JLS Playmaker of the Game honor for his efforts.
For Jacksonville, the win was a crucial one, as it got the team to 10-5 going into its bye week. The team can lock up the Southern Division title with any combination of three wins or losses by the Tampa Bay Storm. A win in Week 19 against the Storm would also win the division title and guarantee the team a home game in the playoffs. More importantly, the Sharks are three wins away from claiming home field advantage throughout the American Conference playoffs.
The loss dropped Orlando to 5-9. It is now just a game in front of the New Orleans VooDoo for the last playoff spot in the American Conference. The VooDoo come to Orlando in Week 19 in a game that is already shaping up to perhaps be for a bid into the postseason. The Preds have to face the Arizona Rattlers next week, and in all likelihood, that will drop them to just 5-10 with three games to play.
Orlando was stymied offensively from the get go. The team didn't score its first offensive points until the 3:21 mark of the second quarter, and through the first 20:27, it had a grand total of zero yards of offense with a turnover on downs and an interception.
The news wasn't all bad for the Predators, though. DB Dominic Jones had a kick return for a touchdown in the first quarter, marking his fourth kick return for a score on the campaign. That ties the team record, currently held by Barry Wagner (1999) and Siaha Burley (2001). TT Toliver had a relatively quiet day, though he did lead the team in all receiving categories with six catches for 79 yards. With the six receptions, Toliver moved into seventh place all-time in total career receptions with 878. He surpassed Mike Horacek, who had 877 receptions for his career.
The loss also ensured that the "Predators Performance Guarantee" will be in play for the 2014 season, as Orlando can no longer post a winning record in 2013. For each loss from here on out, the Predators will be issuing credits for next season in the amount of 10% per game.
