Erik Meyer was sensational in Cleveland. If there was any rust in his game after missing most of the 2012 season, Meyer didn’t show it as he methodically carved up the Cleveland Gladiators’ defense. Meyer was 32-42 passing for 284 yards and 8 touchdown passes. Meyer’s quick release was on display a number of times, threading passes into tight coverage for scores. Head coach Andy Olson even took a page from the Seattle Seahawks playbook, having Meyer channel his inner Russell Wilson and run a naked bootleg after a fake handoff to hit pay dirt. Much of the credit for Meyer’s strong outing can be attributed to his offensive line. Despite losing offensive lineman Tyrone Novikoff early in the 1st quarter and having to move one of his defenders to replace him, Spokane’s offensive line nonetheless kept Meyer upright and clean in the pocket for the entire game.

                

Unfortunately for Cleveland Gladiators quarterback Brian Zbydniewski, his offensive line failed to provide the same protection. Zbydniewski was under siege all day by a relentless Shock defense, rarely finding enough time to provide his receivers with accurate passes. He could only manage four touchdown passes on the day, to go along with being sacked four times. One of those sacks was courtesy of Beau Bell, the experienced heart of the Spokane defense. Defense was a big problem for the Shock in 2012. The improvement is already apparent.

                

Even if Cleveland had managed to muster more offense, it likely would have been moot thanks to Adron Tennell. Cleveland had no answer for the high flying receiver from Oklahoma. He corralled seven passes on the day, four of which ended with Tennell standing alone in Cleveland’s end zone. Tennell even added an additional rushing touchdown early in the contest. Rookie Kamar Jordan also looked sharp, reeling in nine balls for a couple scores. Spokane loves to spread the football around; four Shock receivers ended up with at least five receptions on the day.

                

Spokane’s win in Cleveland was textbook: Play stifling defense, protect the quarterback, and win the turnover battle. If the Shock can accomplish all three of these tasks on a regular basis, this win will be the first of many in the 2013 AFL season. Spokane continues its three game road trip next Sunday with a visit to the Chicago Rush, who dropped their home opener to the Iowa Barnstormers 63-41. Kickoff is set for 1:00 PM PST.     

Jeffrey Giuliani is a sports journalist from Renton, Washington. He is a senior at Western Washington Univeristy where he is studying journalism. Giuliani is currently the sports editor for his college paper, The Western Front and hopes to move on to a daily after obtaining his degree. This will be his third season covering the Spokane Shock for ArenaFan.