Knights Put Steeldogs Down and Keep Playoff Hopes Alive
Keith Murphy
Sunday July 16, 2006
Macon Head coach Derek Stingley says that Birmingham had every right to feel that way, "Because of the way they beat us last game, if I was them I would have that same confidence. If I beat a team by forty-plus, I would think that the next time I played them that I’m going to put the same kind of punishment on them; but, what they needed to understand is that, this is not the same team that they beat when we went up to Birmingham. Yeah, it’s the majority of the same players; but, it’s more. It’s all of Coach Foggie’s offense, and we didn’t have Chavis [McCollister], and we didn’t have Scott Cloman, and the weapons that we have now. It was still difficult to go up against [Birmingham Head Coach, Ron] Selesky, because he’s a great arena football guy. He knows offense and he’s going to coach his players to understand what we are doing out there and make the right read."
Macon, on the other side of the field, was riding the crest of another amazing turn-around season. The May 27 loss at Birmingham marked, perhaps, both the deepest crevasse the team found itself in as, with that loss, the Knights’ record had collapsed to 2-6. Yet, that loss also marked the beginning of the turning point as the pieces all began to fall into place for yet another Stingley-conducted miracle finish. Since that loss, Macon has won four of its last five games, including two wins over squads that are likely playoff bound. With a record that, entering Saturday’s tilt, stood at 6-7, Macon stood a reasonable chance of reaching the af2 playoffs once again.
When the outcome of an individual game is this critical to the future of both teams, it is reasonable to expect that both teams will hit the field bursting with emotion, energy, and adrenaline. Unfortunately for the Knights, they seemed to be lacking that fire as the game got underway. Birmingham came out of the locker room hitting hard and spitting fire. Perhaps the ‘Dogs were hitting a little too hard and running a bit too hot as they were hit with an early unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for a flagrant "cheap shot" in the game’s first few plays. Yet, with the edge in intensity, Birmingham quickly ran up a 21–12 lead against a Macon team that appeared to be a little flat and playing flat-footed.
Stingley, however, argues that appearances can be deceiving: "My team takes on my personality; and you know, yeah they [Birmingham] had they confidence and they were soaring with it, but I’m not a "rah-rah’ type of guy. So, I let my guys get in those ego contests or those shouting matches, sometimes; but, at the same time, I’m shouting, ‘Stop it!’ If you could see me on the sideline, you’d see me saying, ‘Hey, cut it out. That’s enough. Use your time playing the game; don’t waste your energy talking.’ You’ve got to win the game on the field. You can’t win the game running your mouth. That’s just football."
After falling behind on the scoreboard and after being battered by Birmingham’s playground-style antics, a visible change passed over the Macon players. Their collective body language changed, they stopped looking like an exhausted and beaten team and, they started playing like a team that not only thought they could win; they started playing like a team who expected to win. Arena Football League and three-year Knights’ veteran WR/LB, Jamaal Garman, says that the positive change in Macon’s intensity was a direct response to Birmingham’s tactics. "The trash-talk from [Birmingham] really fired us up. We fired ourselves up; but, the trash-talk from them put more fire into us to go ahead and polish them off."
Macon’s turnaround began with just over three and one-half minutes remaining in the first half, when Macon Defensive Specialist Ed Wangler crushed Steeldog quarterback, Robert Kent, with a spectacular sack at the Birmingham 19. Even though the sack occurred on fourth down, the force of Wangler’s hit caused Kent to fumble the ball. Courtney Young recovered for Macon at the Steeldog 16 and, two plays later, Chad Elliott hit Chavis McCollister in stride for a 17 yard scoring strike. By the time Birmingham caught their breath, there was just over seven minutes to play in the third quarter, and Macon had rolled up a 38-21 lead thanks, primarily to stout defense and four consecutive McCollister touchdown receptions.
Wangler’s play, according to Stingley, was a catalyst, "Ed’s been getting off the ball pretty good all year. This has been a breakout year for him. It’s a credit to the defensive backfield as well, they did a good job of covering receivers on that play where Ed got off and got that sack; but, at the same time, you’ve just got to see the confidence with which everyone is playing. Like you said, Birmingham came out with their confidence; but, we had a quiet confidence. Even though the game kind of shot out on their side, we blew a coverage or two that gave them a touchdown or two. Not to take anything away from Birmingham; but, we did some things wrong."
Macon’s attitudinal change wasn’t merely offensive. Prior to Wangler’s sack, the Birmingham offense had, for all practical purposes, been unstoppable. The ‘dogs had scored on their first three possessions; but then, found gaining ground a great deal more difficult as Macon conjured up a turnover, and three stops on the next four Birmingham drives. Stingley chalked up that defensive success to a few subtle adjustments. "What I did was, I know [Birmingham quarterback, Robert] Kent and this is his first year and this was, I believe, his first full game playing the whole game. You know, I wanted to give him some different looks up front with the rush and in the backfield. So, I played a lot of loose man and I played some loose zone and that kind of made him hold the ball for a minute. He was still doing a good job with his reads, but I just wanted to him to hold it for that extra second and maybe we could get that bruch up against him. That’s all I changed up. I started playing a little more zone because the last time we played Birmingham, they were a big-play team on us. I didn’t want them to get the momentum by throwing deep; so, that way, I can make them hold the ball longer and, maybe, make a mistake or two."
Despite Macon’s change of persona, the Steeldogs did not pass gently into that good night. Even after trailing by as many as 17 points in the second half, Birmingham kept chipping away at Macon’s lead. With just over two minutes to play, Steeldogs’ fullback Theo Sanders cut the Macon lead to 52-47 with his four yard touchdown run. Despite giving Birmingham the ball back with 39 seconds left to play, Macon hung on for the hard-fought win.
By the Numbers
This game wasn’t exactly your "pappy’s," pass-happy, arena football game as both teams heavily featured successful ground games. Birmingham’s infantry led the charge as they gained 83 yards and scored four rushing touchdowns. Leading the vanguard was Steeldog quarterback Robert Kent who ran the ball 10 times for 50 net yards and three touchdowns. Kent’s night included a 28-yard scamper that is destined for the all-time Birmingham highlight reel. Fullback Theo Sanders also added four carries for 23 yards and a score. Macon rushed for a paltry 33 yards on 5 carries, led by FB Derrick Lloyd’s four carries for ten yards and a touchdown. FB Lenny Lewis rumbled through the two hole for one carry for 14 yards and a touchdown. Although not a league record, the two teams combined for six rushing touchdowns on the evening.
Stingley explains that, for the fans, a game featuring two teams with balanced offenses in an af2 game, rare as it may be, should be a joy to behold: "For the fans it should be exciting, because you’re going to get a good game. You’ve got both teams with balance. You know Birmingham is probably more of a run and screen [pass] team; but, we try to mix it up as well because we’ve got athletes everywhere and now with Lenny Lucas to run the ball well and an improving Derrick Lloyd. It’s knd of not arena football to see a lot of running; but, if that’s what’s working, why stop? Birmingham does a fine job with it and we’re still trying to find our edge on how we’re going to run the ball more. But, we’re getting better."
Neither quarterback had a stellar evening. Birmingham’s Robert Kent completed 26 of 45 attempts for 274 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for three other scores. He spent much of the game, from the mid-second quarter on, fleeing the Macon pursuit. While he was only sacked twice, he has gotten to know the Knights’ defense much more closely than either he or his coaching staff would have liked.
The ‘dog receivers were led by Erick Harris (6 catches for 62 yards) and Allyn Sheffold (6 catches for 51). Bradly Chavez (2) and Terrel Bowden (1) were the recipients of Kent’s touchdown passes.
Chad Elliott completed just 19 of 30 attempts for 243 yards. Six of the 19 completions went for touchdowns. Thanks to stronger protection and Offensive coordinator Rickey Foggie’s decision to utilize a lot of "quick reads," Elliott wasn’t sacked all night and was only hit a few times.
Macon’s receiving corps was dominated by Chavis McCollister who caught eight passes for 133 yards and five touchdowns. McCollister was also named the Offensive Player of the Game. D. J. Humphries and Scott Cloman (4 for 36 yards) each added four catches of their own. Humphries’ totals (4 for 49 yards) also included a touchdown pass.
Playoff Picture Still Fuzzy
The results of this game, one might think, would go some way towards clearing up the post-season picture for the American Conference of the af2. As far as I can tell, it doesn’t, but my doctorate isn’t in mathematics or the chaos-effect fuzzy-logic of af2 tiebreakers, so, perhaps it really did. However, as of this writing, both Birmingham and Macon are now 7-7. Birmingham holds the tiebreaker over Macon so; they hold their own destiny. If they win their last two games (at home against Memphis and Tennessee Valley), the Steeldogs should be in.
Macon needs to win their remaining games (at home against Tennessee Valley next weekend and at Arkansas on 7/29). However, if Birmingham has won out, Macon will need some help to get into the "promised land" for the fifth time in six seasons. Actually, the Knights would need a lot of help, like one or two teams losing their cool and their last two games of the season. Surprisingly, though, such divine intervention has occurred for the Knights in past seasons, perhaps the football deities are still not deaf to the pleas of Maconites.
Even though the playoff push has to be on the mind of every player, "I refuse to tell them the scenarios," Stingley said. "I would prefer for us to just win out and let whatever happens, happen at the end of the season. We dug this hole and we have got to, somehow, dig ourselves out. If we continue to win, maybe, somewhere along the way, we’ll get some help. The only thing we can control is us winning our next two games. That’s it."
A Look Ahead
With the win, the Knights bring their record to 7-7 and back to .500 for the first time since last season. The Knights will play their final regular season home game next Saturday when thy host the Tennessee Valley Vipers. Macon ends the 2006 regular season July, 29 in Arkansas.
Stingley says that the Vipers, next weekend’s opponent, will be a tougher opponent than their 2-12 record might suggest: "They’re not the same team. Even though I know they haven’t been winning of late; but, they have changed the coaching staff. I haven’t seen much film on them lately. I know that they now have a coach [Milt Theodosatos] who’s involved in arena football for some years with Kevin Guy. Kevin is a great coach and I am quite sure that if Milt worked with Kevin that he knows something about running a team and getting some big wins. On their side, Tennessee may be out of the playoffs; but their motivation will be to knock us out and then it would be more like their championship game. That’s how I would approach it if I were coaching at a Tennessee."
Jamaal Garman says that the player’s goals for the next few weeks are simple, "To win out is our goal. Get to the playoffs and let the playoffs take care of themselves."
Birmingham finishes their 2006 campaign with a pair of home games against American Conference foes. The Steeldogs host Memphis on July 22 and Tennessee Valley on the 29.
Dr. Murphy has nearly 20 years of media experience ranging from radio to the Internet. He has served as webmaster for two AF2 teams and the football team at Fort Valley State University. He is a professor at FVSU and directs www.bunniwerks.org, a non-profit rabbit rescue organization. He has been commissioned as a Kentucky Colonel. Murphy is also serving as a first party editor of af2 stories for ArenaFfan. For more information about Dr. Murphy see: www.keithmurphy.info