Breaking it Down - Week Seven 2011

Andy Lopusnak
Thursday April 28, 2011

Check out my new time lapse of Week Seven's Soul-SaberCats game by clicking here.

Six of the nine games were decided by a seven or fewer points. The biggest point differential was the 12 points that Spokane beat an Orlando team without its top two receivers. Arizona became the first team to go 6-0 since 2008. Iowa dropped its second straight by a last-second field goal. This and more awaits in the Week Seven edition of Breaking it Down. 

Through seven weeks, just three teams have at least five wins. All three won this week. Arizona stands tall at 6-0, the best start in the franchise's history. Followed by Jacksonville, which lost in Week One to Arizona by three points has won five straight since thanks to Aaron Garcia's league leading 72.7 completion percentage and league low four interceptions. Next is San Jose is 5-2 and has won three straight. These three are in the top four in scoring offense. Five other teams have winning records through seven weeks and if the playoffs started today, these eight teams would be in the postseason.  

The Rattlers' start is the best since the Dallas Desperados (7-0) and Philadelphia Soul (9-0) had great starts to the 2008 season. However, Dallas finished the year 5-4 and lost in the first round of the playoffs. Philadelphia did the opposite by finishing with the best record in the regular season (13-3) and winning the ArenaBowl.   

The officials missed more plays that either were TDs or led to scores in close games this week that would have easily been overturned if replay was allowed. However, the AFL continues to give special treatment to NFL Network games that goes directly against the Fans' Bill of Rights. It's completely unfair that some games are treated differently than others. The logistics to make this work is not very hard. Do it just like the league does with NFL Network. If the game is on TV, then the head referee would talk directly the TV truck to ask for each angle. If it's a non-TV game then the head ref would talk to the arena's TV control room. Before the league institutes this, make sure to find out how many cameras each venue uses and the refs look at every angle. Now the league might say that since this is coming from a venue that has a home-team bias, then make sure all teams agree that if it comes out later that an angle was not shown that would've overturned an officials ruling that the home team would be fined as much as the gate revenue for each game. Problem solved. It might not be perfect, but it's better than nothing and would go along with the league's mission statement in "demonstrating the highest character, appreciation and respect for our game." 

Last year, the AFL added a new rule that if a team scored with no time remaining in regulation and the point differential was three or more that the extra point would not be attempted. However, many of the refs apparently don't understand this rule. The PAT was allowed in at least seven games last year. This year, I've counted twice that the PAT was allowed, including this week's Soul-SaberCats game (it wasn't allowed in the Dallas-Tampa Bay game when the Storm scored with no time remaining). I think it's a dumb rule. It prevented us from witnessing a new record for combined points in a single game last year when OKC scored as time expired against Bossier-Shreveport (it's tied for the most). Additionally and most importantly, points are a playoff tiebreaker. When a team misses the playoffs or gets a different seed because of this rule, it's going to be embarrassing for the league.  

In the Power's postgame recap, the team mentioned that Pittsburgh "returned to their winning ways." Entering this game, the expansion Power had more losses than wins in its five-game history. With games against Georgia, Spokane and San Jose in the next three weeks, Pittsburgh is likely not going to be using this cliché again anytime soon.   

This week, the AFL's weekly Offensive, Defensive and Ironman of the Week honors went to players whose teams lost. I'm pretty sure that this is the first time in league history that those awards were swept by players on losing teams. Guess performances by Kyle Rowley (10 TDs) on the road and Rod Windsor (15 catches for 161 yards and three TDs, including the game-winning 38-yarder in OT) are only worthy of the newly minted MVP of the Week.  

With the NFL's on-going labor dispute, players like Windsor's future in the NFL are in jeopardy. With the lockout lifted by court order this week, Windsor hasn't practiced and it's unclear if he'll play this week against Spokane. This is the worst time of the year to lose a player the caliber of Windsor. Arizona's next three games are at Spokane, at San Jose and home against Chicago. The Rattlers have won, but struggled against the best teams like Jacksonville (won by three), Orlando (won by a point) and Utah (won in OT by six) - all of which have been at home. Spokane, which beat Arizona three times last season, and San Jose are the toughest games left on the schedule for the league's last unbeaten. Stay tuned for updates on Windsor's status here at ArenaFan.  

Looks like the Sharks are in the news again. Last week it was for their lame bloody fish bait mascot. This week, the Sharks put out a press release that its upcoming opponent (Orlando) had purchased two derogatory billboards near Jacksonville's arena that reads, "Jacksonville sucks. See you rednecks on April 30. Love the Orlando Predators." With the owners of these two teams being brothers, I think it's a ploy for more buts in seats to help the struggling Sharks that are averaging almost 4,000 fewer fans per game than last year despite the team having the best record in the American Conference. This reeks of typical Predators promotions like inflatable doll night and billboards featuring a scantily-clad woman bent over with the words "get behind your team." Apparently, ticket sales this week have increased for the Sharks and news stories say that when Jacksonville visits Orlando in June that the same will be bought in Mickey Mouse's backyard.  

It just seems weird that a team would do this when it was dominating the recent history of the series. Orlando has beaten Jacksonville its last two times, including in the playoffs last year. I never saw similar billboards in Tampa, where the War on I-4 is one of the great rivalries in sports history. Storm and Preds fans hate each other; and Orlando owner Brett Bouchy does this because a few fans yelled profanities after a game to his family. I'm sure that's never happened at the Storm-Preds game. Fans of losing teams never curse, yell or do anything but drive home sober with say, "by golly, we'll do better next time." Oh, this makes me reminisce on the great quote by former Storm head coach Tim Marcum that rings so true right now, "when cousins marry cousins, an Orlando Predators fan is born."  

The Power is celebrating World Wish Day this week by teaming with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to fulfill the wish of a ten-year old kid. Class act by Pittsburgh, unlike the stupid promotion by Orlando (shocking I know) when the team actually signed a radio personality named Drunky the Bear to the roster and played him illegally in a game last season.                                                                                     

On to the games... 

PITTSBURGH 56, NEW ORLEANS 49

• The VooDoo held the Power scoreless until one-minute left in the first half, but allowed two scores within 15 seconds to go into halftime tied at 14.
• Pittsburgh took it’s the lead with 12 minutes to go in the third quarter and never relinquished it.
• Neither QB gave up an interception, but New Orleans lost three fumbles that resulted in two touchdowns for the Power.
• Pittsburgh QB Anthony Morelli completed 65.7% of his passes for 232 yards with six TDs and no interceptions. He also added 45 rushing yards and a TD on the ground.
• VooDoo WR/KR P.J. Berry had 242 all-purpose yards and three TDs in the loss, including an AFL record tying 58-yard kickoff return.
• New Orleans was six-of-eight on third down and converted its final five tries.
  

KANSAS CITY 58, CHICAGO 51

• Chicago scored first and led 30-21 with less than a minute to go in the first half before Kansas City scored two times to go up 38-30 at the half. The Rush tied it at 44 and at 51 before the Command scored the game’s final points with two minutes left.
• Rush QB Russ Michna drove Chicago down to the Command five-yard line with a few seconds left, but a botched center-QB exchange on fourth and one gave KC back the ball with five seconds left.
• KC QB J.J. Raterink returned to the Windy City, where he was the backup last season, and scored seven TDs (five passing, two rushing), but turned the ball over four times. However, the Rush capitalized on just two of those four takeaways.
• Command WR Steven Savoy caught 14 balls for 136 yards with three TDs.
• Rush DB Jason Simpson led all players with 9.5 tackles and two interceptions. His two picks came within four pass attempts in the third quarter, but team let him down and didn’t score points after these turnovers.

SAN JOSE 68, PHILADELPHIA 61

• With less than seven minutes to go, the Soul trailed by 25 (59-34), but rallied to outscore the SaberCats 27-9 to close out the game, including a touchdown with no time remaining, to make the final score closer than what it appeared in the arena. San Jose never trailed, though the game was tied at seven.
• There were 57 points scored in the fourth quarter (34 by the Soul, 23 by the SaberCats). Philadelphia capitalized on a successful on-side kick to gain a possession and an eventual TD late in the game.
• On the year, the AFL as a whole is just ten-of-65 on on-side kick attempts (15.4%).
• San Jose QB Mark Grieb completed 64% of his passes for 211 yards with five total TDs (four passing, one rushing) and an interception. His INT was the only drive in which the SaberCats did not score points in the game.
• Grieb mishandled three snaps, but recovered all three. His normal center, Robert Powell, went down with an injury in the first half and all three fumbles occurred after Powell left the game.
• San Jose also lost leading receiver Samora Goodson in the second quarter to a shoulder injury when he slammed into the boards going after a ball for a would-be touchdown. He had just a 16-yard catch in the game. Nichiren Flowers and Chido Nwokocha made up the slack catching two scores each. Flowers also added a rushing TD.
• The win was the 100^th in the regular season by the QB-coach tandem of Grieb and Darren Arbet.
• Philadelphia went with Justin Allgood at QB and the 2010 passing TD leader, misfired on three pass attempts and the team missed a long field goal on the opening possession. Allgood completed 62.5% of his passes for 135 yards with two TDs and an interception. On the pick, which was returned for a touchdown, he was hurt and missed the rest of the game.
• Backup QB Ryan Vena came in and had on of his best performances in recent memory. He was 12-of-16 (75%) for 217 yards with five passing TDs, a rushing TD and no turnovers (he’s pretty well known for coughing up the ball). All six of Vena’s total TDs came in the final 17 minutes of the game.
• Soul WR Donovan Morgan limped off the field during pregame warm-ups, but it didn’t seem to faze him at all. Morgan caught eleven balls for 163 yards with two touchdowns.
• The teams combined for five field goal attempts (three misses by the Soul and two makes by the SaberCats).
• There were three receiving TDs of 45 yards in the game: two by Vena and one by Grieb. Vena’s two long balls came within three plays.
• AFL rushing TD leader Chad Cook added two more ground scores for 16 on the young season, which is tied for 21^st place in AFL single-season history.
• San Jose ran for four touchdowns and now lead the league with 20 ground scores. 
• The announced attendance of 8,663 is the worst in SaberCats history. This game was originally scheduled for Saturday night, but was changed for the NHL playoff series between the San Jose Sharks and the L.A. Kings.
• San Jose, the last team to have a bye this season, is off in Week Eight.
  

JACKSONVILLE 56, CLEVELAND 42

• The Sharks extended their win streak to five games, while the Gladiators lost its second straight.
• Jacksonville trailed 42-36 entering the fourth quarter and held Cleveland scoreless in the final 15 minutes, while scoring 20 points. The Gladiators’ fourth quarter drives consisted of two interceptions and a lost fumble. Cleveland also gave up a net recovery for a TD in the fourth quarter. The Sharks took its first lead with 3:35 left in the game.
• The ageless Aaron Garcia completed 72.7% with 277 yards and six touchdowns. He also added a rushing TD. This is Garcia’s fifth straight game completing over 70% of his passes.
• There were three rushing scores to start the game. The first passing TD came with ten minutes to go in the first half. Gladiators QB Kurt Rocco had two of those ground scores. He finished with three rushing TDs and three passing TDs to go along with 309 passing yards. However, he was picked off twice in the fourth quarter that led to 14 Jacksonville points.
• Cleveland turned the ball over four times and gave it up another time on downs.
• The Sharks converted all five of their third down conversions.
  

DALLAS 67, TAMPA BAY 61

• Tampa Bay led 13-0 thanks to two TD passes from Grant Gregory to Huey Whittaker. The Storm extended its lead to 15 points (27-12) with nine minutes left in the first half before Dallas scored the game’s next 21 points to take a 33-27 halftime lead. The Vigilantes led 67-41 with five minutes to go in the game, but the Storm scored the game’s final 20 points.
• Dallas scored two of its TDs on net recoveries. One was on a missed field goal as time expired in the first half and the other was on a kickoff. The Vigilantes also scored on an interception return for a score. 
• In a losing effort, Whittaker caught 15 balls for 193 yards and five touchdowns.
• Dallas FB Derrick Ross now has 263 rushing yards on the season, which is tied for the 20^th most in AFL single-season history. He’s averaging 43.8 yards per game and is on pace for 788.
• The two teams’ kicking game combined for seven misses (Dallas missed three PATs and two FGs. Tampa Bay missed two PATs).
• The Storm scored over 51 points for the first time this season. Tampa Bay also out gained Dallas in total yards (27-17), total yards (377-250) and passing yards (373-195). The Storm converted six of its eight third down conversions. On the two misses, Tampa Bay went for it on fourth down and turned the ball over on downs.
  

SPOKANE 70, ORLANDO 58

• The Shock took a 14-0 lead never trailed in the game.
• Spokane QB Kyle Rowley had ten total touchdowns (eight passing, two rushing). He completed 71.9% of his passes for 293 yards with an interception that the AFL’s all-time INT leader, Kenny McEntyre returned 11 yards for a touchdown.
• McEntyre’s 20 INTs returned for touchdowns is twice as many as the next player in league history (Greg Hopkins). The pick was McEntyre’s 91^st in his career. The next closest player had 41 fewer (Clevan Thomas and Durwood Roquemore).
• All four players to catch a pass for Spokane caught at least four balls for at least 50 yards. Raul Vijil caught seven passes for 88 yards and five touchdowns. 
• Orlando WR/KR Josh Bush had 289 all-purpose yards and three TDs. With star receivers T.T. Toliver and Bobby Sippio out due to injuries, Bush caught 11 balls for 162 yards and three TDs. Prior to this game, he hadn’t had a catch on the season.
• The kickers made of their PATs and FGs, going a combined 18-for-18.
• Orlando’s two losses have come against West Division opponents – first-place Arizona and last-place Spokane.
  

GEORGIA 57, MILWAUKEE 48

• At the end of the first quarter, the Force led 16-0 and extended it to 36-6 before the Mustangs made a late rally to make the game closer than the nine-point final score.
• When Milwaukee finally scored its first points, kicker Garrett Lindholm missed the PAT. From then on, the Mustangs only attempted two-point conversions going three-of-six.
• The Mustangs’ first six drives resulted in three interceptions, a lost fumble, a safety and a touchdown.
• Force QB Brett Elliott, who was injured last week, tossed seven touchdowns.
  

TULSA 61, IOWA 60

• Talons kicker Juan Bongarra hit a 42-yard field goal to win the game.
• It was the second straight game that the Barnstormers have lost by a last-second field goal. Last week, it was an 18-yard FG by Chicago. In those games, Iowa's opponents have scored the game's final 20 points (nine against Chicago and 11 against Tulsa).
• Iowa has lost three straight games - all to division opponents after its lone wins against Spokane and San Jose.
• Talons QB Matt Bassuener missed his first career 300-yard passing game by a single yards and completed a season-high 69.2% with five TDs and two interceptions. He also added 51 yards and two TDs on the ground. Bassuener's favorite target was Troy McBroom, who caught 13 passes for 144 yards and three touchdowns. McBroom has caught 13 balls in each of his past two games.
• For Iowa, QB Brad Banks completed 72.7% of his passes for 324 yards with eight TDs and no interceptions. He also had a rushing TD.
• The Barnstormers didn't turn the ball over and even converted both of their fourth down conversions, but kicker Garrett Morgan missed two PATs and the team also failed on a two-point conversion in the one-point loss. Morgan also missed a 25-yard FG with 25 seconds left that gave Tulsa enough time to go down and attempt the game-winning FG.
• Iowa receivers Jesse Schmidt (13-154-3) and Todd Blythe (6-118-4) accounted for 19 of Banks' 24 completions.
• Iowa head coach John Gregory, like many coaches in this league, managed the clock poorly in the final minute of game play. He had the ball at the Tulsa 15 with 56 seconds left (2nd & ten). However, he decided to throw the ball, which was picked off but offsetting penalties gave him another opportunity. Again, he threw and this time it was incomplete. Then on third down, he ran and Tulsa called timeout to set up fourth down, where Morgan shanked the 25-yard field goal and gave Tulsa the ball at its own three with 25 seconds left. That's too much time in this game and Gregory suffered his third straight loss. You have one of the best running QBs in the game today and you opt to throw the ball when you're trying to kill the clock and win.
  

ARIZONA 67, UTAH 61 (OT)

• Blaze QB Tommy Grady hit WR Aaron Boone on a five-yard score as time expired, then forced overtime when the duo connected on a two-point conversion. However, Grady was picked off in the extra stanza and Arizona won it just a play later when Nick Davila tossed a 38-yard TD to Rod Windsor.
• This is the second time that Davila and Windsor won a game in OT for the Rattlers. Last June, the tandem connected on an 11-yard strike in OT, then Windsor ran in the two-point conversion to beat the Milwaukee Iron (now the Mustangs) for the 68-67 win.
• Up until the interception, Grady was nearly flawless. He completed 30-of-39 (76.9%) for 358 yards with nine touchdowns. He had as many incompletions as touchdown passes.
• The game featured four players with at least 11 receptions and four players with at least 109 yards receiving.
• Windsor posted 15 catches for 161 yards and three scores. Over the last two games, he has had 31 catches for 376 yards and eight touchdowns.
• Blaze WR/KR Alvance Robinson accounted for 252 all-purpose yards (174 receiving and 78 return yards) and four touchdowns.
• Utah defense back Brandon Taylor led all players with 13.0 stops, an interception, a forced fumble and a 30-yard fumble recovery.
• The Blaze is 0-3 on the road (and 3-0 at home). Utah and Milwaukee are the only teams without a road win.
  

BREAKING IT DOWN PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Kyle Rowley, Spokane QBThe ArenaBowl XXIII MVP accounted for all ten touchdowns in the Shock's 70-58 win at Orlando. Rowley completed 71.9% of his passes for 293 yards with eight passing TDs and two rushing touchdowns. He was picked off once, but led the defending champs to their highest point total of the season. In fact over the last three games, Spokane has averaged 64.3 points per game compared to 48.3 in the first three contests.