AFL Quick Hitters

April 24, 2003 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release

GETTING VERY OFFENSIVE: The Arizona Rattlers needed overtime to defeat the Grand Rapids Rampage, 82-81, this past Saturday and became the first team to score at least 80 points in consecutive games (defeated the Los Angeles Avengers 82-76 in overtime during Week 11.) The 80-point plateau has been reached 20 times in the AFL's 17-year history – four have occurred in 2003. This was the first time that both teams reached 80 points in the same game and was the second-highest scoring game (163) in AFL history (New York defeated Carolina 99-68 in 2001).

TOP FIVE SCORING GAME (BOTH TEAMS)
TEAMS DATE TOTAL POINTS
New York (99) vs. Carolina (68) July 7, 2001 167
ARIZONA (82) AT GRAND RAPIDS (81), OT April 19, 2003 163
San Jose (85) vs. New England (76) June 9, 2000 161
Indiana (85) vs. New York (73) May 5, 2001 158
Arizona (82) at Los Angeles (76) April 13, 2003 158
Grand Rapids (80) vs. Indiana (74) June 23, 2001 154

HOLMES 400: Carolina Cobras OS BERNARD HOLMES (5-11, 176, Texas A&M-Kingsville) became the third player to have more than 400 all-purpose yards in one game when he tallied 413 yards in last week's 59-19 loss to the Georgia Force. Holmes recorded 125 receiving yards, 216 kickoff return yards and 72 missed field goal return yards – including a 56-yard missed field goal return for a touchdown. In his last nine games, Holmes has posted 200 or more all-purpose yards each week.

ALL-TIME SINGLE-GAME ALL-PURPOSE YARDS
PLAYER, TEAM OPPONENT DATE YARDS
Barry Wagner, Orlando vs. Iowa June 21, 1996 434
Lamont Cooper, Buffalo at Detroit May 4, 2002 415
BERNARD HOLMES, CAROLINA vs. Georgia April 18, 2003 413
George LaFrance, New Jersey vs. Florida July 22, 2000 397
Hunkie Cooper, Arizona vs. Cincinnati July 23, 1993 388

RACE TO THE FINISH: Since March 1 at Buffalo, Chicago OS ANTONIO CHATMAN has averaged three touchdowns a week. Chatman has scored 24 touchdowns in his last eight games. During the eight-game hot streak, Chatman has caught 53 passes for 790 yards (14.9 yards per catch) and 20 touchdowns. He is averaging 27.5 yards per kickoff return in the eight contests (40-1,099) with four touchdowns.

CLOSE AND COMPETITIVE: In 2003, 21-of-96 games (21.8 percent) have been decided by three-points-or-less. Half of the games (48-of-96 games) have been decided by eight-points-or-less. The AFL has had a total of eight games go into overtime this season.

WEEK-BY-WEEK POINTS BREAKDOWN
Difference 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Total
3 points or less 0 3 3 3 3 0 1 3 1 1 1 2 21
8 points or less 2 6 8 5 3 1 4 4 3 3 5 4 48
9 or more points 6 2 0 3 5 7 4 4 5 5 3 4 48

THE GRUDEN-FACTOR: The Orlando Predators have played half of their games without Hall of Fame QB JAY GRUDEN under center. The Predators are a perfect 6-0 when Gruden starts and 2-4 without him in the lineup. Gruden has completed 101-of-161 (62.7 percent) for 1,287 yards, 30 touchdowns and two interceptions.

WITH GRUDEN WITHOUT GRUDEN
Games 6 6
Record 6-0 2-4
Total Points 343 285
Average Points 57.2 47.5

CRUSHING RECORD? Colorado QB JOHN DUTTON has recorded 58 touchdowns this season. He is on pace to record 79 touchdowns for the regular season – making him No. 2 in touchdown passes by an expansion team quarterback. ANDY KELLY set the all-time mark (82) when the Nashville Kats kicked off in 1997. Dutton can claim the top spot if he averages over six touchdowns in the last four weeks of the regular season.

EXPANSION QB TOUCHDOWNS
PLAYER TEAM YEAR TD
Andy Kelly Nashville 1997 82
JOHN DUTTON* COLORADO 2003 79
Scott Semptimphelter Detroit 2001 76
Andy Kelly Dallas 2002 73
Billy Dicken Chicago 2001 56
*Projected numbers through 16 games.

RUNNING WILD: The San Jose SaberCats have scored at least one rushing touchdown in all 12 games this season and have a streak of 16 straight games dating back to last year's playoffs. During the steak, the SaberCats have scored 48 rushing touchdowns – an average of three per game. The SaberCats have also topped the 30-rushing touchdown mark in a season for the fifth consecutive year and are on pace to lead the League for a fifth straight season.

Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 24, 2003

• J.J. Washington playing role well with L.A. Avengers - Los Angeles Avengers
• AFL Must-See Matchups - AFL I
• 'Birds Return to New York to Face Destroyers - Albany/Indiana Firebirds
• Maddox, Warner Join NBC Broadcast Team - AFL I
• AFL Quick Hitters - AFL I
• Gladiator Girls to teach halftime routine for Sunday's Game - Las Vegas Gladiators
• Cobras Sign WR/DB Aundrae Harris - Carolina Cobras

The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.