Power Look For Lucky 13 Against Disrespected Predators
Adam Markowitz
Saturday August 2, 2014
ORLANDO -- The Orlando Predators and the Pittsburgh Power started off the 2012 season against each other with scabs playing on the field for both sides instead of the regular players. Both franchises were devastated from the chaos caused from starting the season with replacement players, and the two teams combined to win nine games that year, two of which came against each other and one which was won by Pittsburgh by forfeit. Amazingly enough, just two seasons later, both have a legitimate shot of winning the ArenaBowl this year going into Sunday's first round playoff game at CFE Arena.
The Predators have spent their season feeling incredibly disrespected. You can tell every time that team takes the field that they are playing with a chip on their shoulder.
"They said we would win four games this year," said Coach Rob Keefe in the locker room during Week 20's game against the Arizona Rattlers. More accurately, I said that they would win four games this year, but that's alright; I said that Cleveland was "going to be a train wreck" this year as well. Not the first time I've been wrong, nor will it be the last. If the team wants to run on the Jumbotron at the start of this game my quote about Orlando winning just four games this year, more power to it.
There is no doubt that this is a team that has had more heart this year than I ever would have imagined, and things are setting up well for next season when most of the team will be able to be resigned under rookie contracts for a second season. That's what made the Gladiators so darn good this year, too.
QB Bernard Morris, who once upon a time played in Pittsburgh, would have been an MVP candidate this year had he played more than 8.5 games for the team. He threw for 47 TDs against six picks, and his 123.1 QB rating was a career-best as were his 12 rushing TDs on the year.
However, on the flip side of things, the Predators really haven't beaten much of anyone either. Their only win against a playoff team this season came against Arizona last week, a game which was played with virtually nothing on the line for either side. Aside from that, there were two wins against New Orleans, three against Jacksonville, three against Tampa Bay, one against San Antonio, one against Iowa, and one against Los Angeles. Orlando's strength of schedule this year was just .410, easily the lowest in the entire league this year, and the average team it beat this year posted just a .353 winning percentage, again, the worst mark in the league.
Pittsburgh meanwhile, has rolled off 12 consecutive wins, the longest winning streak for a team ending a regular season in league history, yet it is becoming the first team with a winning percentage beyond .800 to have to play on the road in the opening round of the playoffs.
The Power went 7-3 this year against playoff teams, and six of the 12 games which they won in this winning streak were against teams which got into the postseason. Pittsburgh even beat the snot out of the Philadelphia Soul last week in a game which meant absolutely nothing to it and everything to the Soul.
The Power have an MVP candidate of their own in QB Tommy Grady. Grady was second in the league this year in touchdown passes with 115, and he chucked the ball 710 times over the 18 games, an average of 39.4 times per game. If there is a concern with Grady, it is that he isn't the most efficient passer in the world, as a 60.4 completion percentage just isn't as good as it needs to be in order to win in the playoffs.
Both of these quarterbacks have the knock against them that they just can't win the big time games. Morris has been beaten and beaten badly in the American Conference Championship Game in each of the last two seasons as a member of the Jacksonville Sharks. Grady, in spite of all of his gaudy numbers, has only won one playoff game in two tries in his career.
These two teams played a back and forth affair in May, and clock management proved to be the difference. Pittsburgh scored with 0:06 left in the first half and with 0:01 left in the game, and that proved to be the difference in a 62-61 triumph. Neither team led by seven points at any point over the course of the game.
Morris threw for five TDs and rushed for three more for Orlando. Grady threw eight TD passes for Pittsburgh. Former Preds WR Prechae Rodriguez was the leading man of the day for the Power, hauling in 13 catches for 148 yards and four scores against a completely overmatched Orlando secondary.
The winner of this one will either travel to Cleveland or host Philadelphia next week.