AFL Quick Hitters
Published on May 29, 2003 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release
DRIVE TIME: The Detroit Drive (1988-93) won four ArenaBowl titles and never missed a title game appearance in its six-year existence and posses the best postseason winning percentage in history. The highest winning percentage among active teams belongs to the Orlando Predators (.667), who host the New York Dragons this Sunday (NBC, 3 p.m. ET). The following is the top five all-time:
POSTSEASEASON WINNING PERCENTAGE
TEAM RECORD PCT.
Detroit Drive 12-2 .857
ORLANDO PREDATORS 18-9 .667
ARIZONA RATTLERS 15-8 .652
TAMPA BAY STORM * 18-12 .600
Nashville Kats 5-4 .556
*Includes records from Pittsburgh Gladiators (1987-90)
Minimum of three postseason games
âGO TO' GUYS: Los Angeles OS CHRIS JACKSON leads the AFL in "Go To" percentage by being the main target on 37 percent of the Avengers' total passing plays â the highest percentage in the AFL. New York WR/DB CHRIS ANTHONY is the most efficient of the "Go To" receivers by catching 82-of-115 passes (71 percent) thrown in his direction. Following is the current top 10 "Go To" receivers based on the number of times they are the main target:
GO-TO RECEIVERS *
PLAYER, TEAM REC CHANCES CATCH PCT. GO-TO PCT.
Chris Jackson, Los Angeles 117 187 63.0 37.0
James Roe, San Jose 115 169 68.0 36.0
Freddie Solomon, Tampa Bay 106 161 66.0 31.0
Cory Fleming, Orlando 96 155 62.0 30.0
Tyronne Jones, Georgia 93 160 58.0 25.0
Chris Anthony, New York 82 115 71.0 19.0
Orshawante Bryant, Arizona 68 108 63.0 19.0
Jason Kaiser, Detroit 69 117 59.0 16.0
* Through Wild Card Round
THE NUMBERS DON'T LIE: Three of the Orlando Predators' top players (QB JAY GRUDEN, WR/LB CORY FLEMING and DS KENNY MCENTYRE) are undefeated in their respective playoff careers versus the New York Dragons/Iowa Barnstormers franchise with a combined record of 4-0. The Predators as a team are 2-0 when facing New York QB AARON GARCIA in postseason action.
ANY TEAM CAN WIN: Although the Georgia Force are the 12th-seeded team in the playoffs and travel to San Jose to face the No. 1 SaberCats this Saturday. The Force's current three-time All-Arena WR/LB DARRYL HAMMOND boasts a 2-0-career playoff record when facing the SaberCats as lower seed.
NUMBER ONE: For the second straight season and third time in the last four years, San Jose is the No. 1 seed entering postseason play. San Jose earned the top seed in 2000 by finishing 12-2 during the regular season with a tie-break advantage over Arizona, which was also 12-2. The SaberCats earned the No. 1 seed last season by posting an AFL record 13 regular season victories (13-1).
TEAM NO. 1 SEED SEASONS CHAMPIONSHIP SEASONS AS NO. 1
Detroit Drive 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993 1989, 1990
Tampa Bay 1987, 1995, 1998, 1999 1995
San Jose 2000, 2002, 2003 2002
Orlando 1992, 1994 --
EXPERIENCE COUNTS: Three Arizona Rattlers â QB SHERDRICK BONNER, WR/LB HUNKIE COOPER, and WR/DB RANDY GATEWOOD â are among the top 10 active players in most postseason games played. The Rattlers (11-6) face the Los Angeles Avengers (11-5) at STAPLES Center this Sunday (NBC, 3 p.m. ET). San Jose SaberCats WR/DB BARRY WAGNER is scheduled to play in his record 28th postseason contest, the most by any active AFL player, this Saturday when San Jose (12-4) hosts Georgia (9-8). The six-time Ironman of the Year has played in six ArenaBowls (No. 2), winning two championships and earning Ironman of the Game honors four times.
MOST POSTSEASON GAMES PLAYED
(INCLUDING ArenaBowl appearances)
PLAYER POS CURRENT TEAM GAMES
Barry Wagner WR/DB San Jose 27
Hunkie Cooper WR/LB Arizona 23
Sherdrick Bonner QB Arizona 20
Andre Bowden FB/LB Tampa Bay 18
Randy Gatewood WR/DB Arizona 17
Jay Gruden QB Orlando 17
Cecil Doggette DS Grand Rapids 16
Lawrence Samuels WR/LB Tampa Bay 16
Eddie Brown WR/DB Indiana 14
Bob McMillen OL/DL Chicago 14
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from May 29, 2003
- AFL Quick Hitters - AFL I
- Quarterfinal Must-See Matchups - AFL I
- Q & A with Jay and Jon Gruden - AFL I
- Quarterfinal Playoffs Approach - AFL I
- Carpenter Signs With NFL's 49ers - Buffalo Destroyers
- Shell Named Coach of the Year - AFL I
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