New Orleans Evens Record At 1-1, Defeats Columbus 52-45 In First Game Back At Arena

March 9, 2007 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
New Orleans VooDoo News Release


New Orleans- In front of a franchise record crowd of 17,001, the New Orleans VooDoo(1-1) hosted their first football game since May 14, 2005 and came away with a thrilling 52-45 victory over the visiting Columbus Destroyers (0-2). The home team, and their enthusiastic legion of fans, celebrated the return of AFL Football to the Crescent City.

The game featured a little bit of everything from the VooDoo, ranging from the ordinary (Head Coach Mike Neus innovate play-calling and the pinpoint accuracy of the Arena Leagues all-time leader in passing yards-QB Andy Kelly) to the pleasantly surprising, which included several key defense stops that started up front with relentless pressure on Columbus QB Matt Nagy and tight coverage in the secondary, with several key plays turned in by DB Chris Brown.

Saints Head Coach Sean Payton and his son, Conner, watched the game alongside Owner Tom Benson and his wife Gayle, as did Owner/Executive Vice President Rita Benson LeBlanc. The group sat at midfield throughout the game and enthusiastically rooted for the VooDoo, along with 17,001 of their closest friends. Payton, who played quarterback for the Chicago Bruisers of the AFL in 1987, spoke to the club this morning during their gameday team meeting at the VooDoo practice facility.

The Destroyers opened the scoring on a pass from QB Matt Nagy to WR Darcey Levy and led 7-0 following the extra point with 9:12 left in the first quarter.

The VooDoo created some magic of their on a nifty inside screen pass on their third play from scrimmage when QB Andy Kelly hit WR Kenny Henderson for a short pass and Henderson and the blockers did the rest, as Henderson eluded one diving Columbus defender and raced untouched the length of the field for the score.

Following a spirited defensive series that forced the Destroyers to settle for a field goal that gave them a narrow 10-7 lead with :41 left in the first quarter, the VooDoo began a drive at their own five yard-line. The VooDoo created a big play with a long pass play from Kelly to Henderson, which set up FB Dan Curran TD run which gave the VooDoo their first lead of the game, 14-10, following the Eric Houle extra point.

The Destroyers again had to settle for a field goal on their third possession which tightened the score, 14-13 early in the second stanza.

The VooDoo patiently began their third drive and capitalized on Kellys pin-point passing and his sure-handed receivers, marching the length of the field primarily on quick passes. The VooDoo failed to convert their a third down pass into the end that forced a 25-yard Houle field goal attempt that narrowly missed wide to the right. The VooDoo alertly pounced on the loose, live ball at the four-yard line and had new life. On the subsequent play, FB Dan Curran bolted off right guard for a score that upped New Orleans lead to 21-13 and gave him his second touchdown run of the night.

The Destroyers struck right back, though, and scored a touchdown with just :15 left, but were unable to convert the extra point and trailed the VooDoo, 21-19. But Kelly connected on a long pass down the middle of the field that allowed Houle the opportunity to hammer a 40-yard field goal as time expired in the first half, giving the VooDoo a 24-19 lead at the half.

The second half started off a bit ragged for the VooDoo, as young teams are inclined to experience, particularly early in the season, and a fourth down incompletion from their own 12 gave the Destroyers a first down at the VooDoo 12.

The Destroyers scored a touchdown on the ensuing play and took a 25-24 lead early in the third quarter. The Destroyers missed the extra point, however, their second missed conversion of the evening.

The VooDoo apparently chaffed at the thought of trailing on a night dedicated to their return and scored on a short touchdown pass from Kelly to Tyronne Jones that gave them a 31-25 lead in the third quarter.

The six point lead though wasnt safe as the invaders from Columbus, as they drove the length of the field but again suffered a special teams meltdown, this time on a mishandled long snap that resulted in a failed extra point attempt.

Thus, through the first 43 minutes of play, the game was deadlocked at 31. That is until Kelly lofted a perfect aerial into the corner of the end zone and the speedy Henderson pulled it in after leaving a Columbus defender turned around some eight yards away. The VooDoo converted the extra point and owned a seven-point lead, 38-31.

The Destroyers turned a third down situation into one of the longest plays of the night, when Nagy hit a streaking Damien Groce on down the sideline for the game tying score on the final play of the third quarter, 38-38.

With the Destroyers poised to take a lead in the fourth quarter, VooDoo defensive back Alex Wallace soared high in the air and made a leaping catch on the cusp of the goal-line, thwarting the Destroyers drive and breathing new life into the VooDoo.

McDonald scored a leaping touchdown in the corner of the end zone with 7:53 remaining in the game, which gave the VooDoo a 45-38 lead.

Columbus displayed their resiliency with another scoring drive that was capped with an off guard touchdown run by FB Dan Greetis and an extra point by Peter Martinez that resulted in yet another tie, this time at 45 points a piece with 3:11 left to play.

Following a 25-yard kickoff return by Tyronne Jones, Kelly drilled Henderson for a 12-yard completion to the Columbus 13. Kelly then hit McDonald for another 12-yard completion down to the one and on the ensuing play FB James Lynch pounded behind center for a 1-yard TD with 1:00 left in the game and Houle converted the extra point.

The Destroyers marched deep into VooDoo territory with less than :20 remaining and had to highlight reel defensive plays, including a diving pass breakup by LB Tremaine Neal and a leaping breakup by Wallace with :11 left that sealed the victory.

Notes: In a statistical coincidence, both quarterbacks had thrown for exactly 192 each through the first three quarters & Curran left briefly in the fourth quarter after absorbing a jarring hit to his back from a blindside defender



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from March 9, 2007


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