Soft, Dumb Play Give L.A. Another Loss
Steven Herbert
Sunday June 2, 2002
After scoring on all five first-half possessions in their 74-53 victory at Georgia May 24, the Avengers also reverted to their practice of getting off to a poor start, leaving Hodgkiss to agree with a reporter who asked if the game was really lost early, instead of late.
Los Angeles (4-3) was held without a touchdown in the first quarter for the second time in its seven Arena Football League games this season. The Avengers trailed 14-0 after one quarter, 21-0 eight minutes, 42 seconds before halftime and 31-14 at the half.
"We came out pretty flat,” Hodgkiss said. “We didn`t match their intensity. Dallas was a hungry team looking for a win and we probably rested on our laurels a little too much at 4-2 and they took it to us."
Los Angeles showed signs of life to start the second half, with a 21-point outburst in a 4:38-span putting it ahead, 35-31. The Avengers would later lead 41-38 and 48-45.
Their momentum ended with 7:10 to play when Hassan Shamsid-Deen intercepted a Tony Graziani pass for the second time in the game. Dallas (3-4) increased its lead to 55-48 on Jason Wells’ 16-yard field goal on the ensuing drive.
Chad Dukes returned Wells kickoff 42 yards to the Desperados 14-yard line and Graziani (20-for-34 for 275 yards and seven touchdowns) threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Greg Hopkins on the following play, tying the score, 55-55 with 56 seconds remaining.
Dallas’ Shante Carver returned Remy Hamilton’s onside kickoff attempt four yards to Avengers six, with Patrise Alexander running in for what proved to be the winning score on the next play.
"We didn`t play very well at all," Hodgkiss said. “We didn’t play very hard in the first half. In the second half, the guys came out and they did play hard, which is probably the only positive in the game.”
Examples of Los Angeles’ poor play included 13 penalties and Graziani’s two interceptions, matching his total for the first six games.
“The penalties killed us in the game, especially the offsides penalties,” Hodgkiss said. “All the credit for that has to go to [Desperados quarterback] Andy Kelly. We focused on that this week and I guess I didn’t do a good enough job coaching.”
The Avengers were penalized three times for encroachment and had a fourth encroachment penalty declined.
Areas of improvement Hodgkiss identified were “playing a consistent four quarters” and having all the players be “consistent good performers.”
“In Arena Football, at least 18 guys have to play the game,” Hodgkiss said. “We’re getting a mix of our groups. These guys all have to play at the same level all the time.”
The loss drops Los Angeles from a four-way tie for the AFL’s third-best record to a five-way tie for the fourth-best record and a game against undefeated San Jose coming up Saturday night at Staples Center. The SaberCats (7-0) defeated the Avengers, 78-44, May 11 at San Jose.
“The good news is that we have responded after a loss, coming out the next week and playing well,” said Hodgkiss, whose team has not lost back-to-back games. “That’s what we’re going to have to do.”
Steven Herbert began covering Arena Football in 1988, the league’s second season. He has covered the sport for The Associated Press, Arizona Republic, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Providence Journal-Bulletin, Palm Beach Post, Daily Oklahoman and other publications. Herbert has also written on college and NFL football for The Washington Post and spent five years as a Los Angeles Times staff writer.
