Preds continue domination of Storm

Jason Lucas
Sunday April 15, 2007

Alright, that is it for me—the “War on I-4” is no more. 

Saturday night the Orlando Predators once again proved their dominance in this series with yet another thrashing of the “rival” Tampa Bay Storm. With the 61-37 shellacking of the Storm the Predators improved to 3-3 on the season and the Storm fell to a dismal 1-6. 

For the first time in 41 meetings this once great rivalry has its first four game winning streak. In the last four meetings Orlando has outscored Tampa Bay 229-138; a staggering stat when you consider just seven years ago the teams were separated by around 10 points in the first nine seasons of the rivalry. 

Before the game most everyone figured this had to be the Storm’s best shot if they were ever going to beat the Predators. When the Storm came out and played a pretty good first quarter and led 3-0 going into the second, some had to think it may be their night. 

Nope! From there the Predators would close the first half on a 35-6 tear in which they scored touchdowns on several consecutive mistakes by the Storm. In the final minute of the first half the Preds would score three touchdowns. The first was a seemingly boneheaded score with 56 seconds remaining when QB Shane Stafford connected with Javarus Dudley. 

On the ensuing kickoff the overwhelming expectation was an onside kick coming from the Preds. However, Orlando kicked deep and the Storm’s return men could not handle the ball off the net and the Preds would recover for a touchdown. 

The Storm would get the ball back and began a promising march to the red zone. Storm QB John Kaleo threw a slant route to Lawrence Samuels who would fumble on a hit from Preds linebacker Lance Mitchell. Marlon Moye-Moore recovered for the Predators in the end zone and then realized he was not down by contact and took off down the right sideline for another Predators score; their third in just 41 seconds of the final minute. 

The Predators defense had another great outing against the stagnant offense of the Storm just as they did in week one. The Predators led 7-3 in the second quarter when defensive end Greg White beat Storm offensive lineman Lincoln Kennedy around the corner and sacked Stoney Case, forcing a fumble, recovering the fumble, and returning the fumble 15 yards for a touchdown; White was the Defensive player of the game. 

The defensive line got a much needed lift with White’s return this week since he has sat out the last two games with an injured left elbow. In those two games the Predators had no pressure on Dallas Desperados QB Clint Dolezel or New Orleans VooDoo QB Andy Kelly and got picked apart for two losses in a row. 

Offensively things could have been a lot crisper for the Predators, but when you are playing mix and match with your receivers because of injuries its understandable. Newcomer J.R. Russell had a solid game—picking up key first downs and his first touchdown as a Predator Saturday night. Fullback Kevin Nagle had yet another fumble—I guess those big arms get in his way sometimes but, he is definitely a force in pass protection. 

The offensive line did an admirable job keeping the Storm rush at bay. There were not many times at all where Stafford had to scramble; and the one time he did the Storm were hit with a personal foul for spearing a sliding quarterback. Do you think they realized Stafford was the only true quarterback the Preds dressed last night? 

Overall you had to be particularly impressed with the Predators defense. The offense struggled at times and hopefully with some more practice this week will improve for the next game. 

As for the Tampa Bay Storm—what happened? You come into the Jungle and play a much wounded Orlando Predators squad who was coming off of two straight losses and simply laid an egg. Interceptions, fumbles, botched extra point, blocked field goal try, dropped passes, muffed net returns, no pressure on the opposing quarterback, tons of pressure on your quarterback that forced a safety. 

Does this sound like the Storm team you have known in past years? I tell you one thing; these are not the characteristics of a Tim Marcum coached squad. John Kaleo was not the answer to your quarterback problems to start the season and he is not the answer now. You better be on the phone to some guy who can come in and handle the pressure right away. 

As for this “rivalry”, I am going to refuse to call it a rivalry again until the Storm can finally manage to win one of these. They will probably get their chance in week one next season, right schedule makers? This Storm team has made a complete mockery of what was once the greatest rivalry in Arena Football. 

As of right now the “War on I-4” is over and there is a white flag hanging high above the Tampa Bay Storm’s once proud franchise.