AFL Week Two

April 22, 2002 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release

BUFFALO 53, New Jersey 51 (Friday, April 19)

BUFFALO - FRED MCNAIR completed 16 of 21 passes for 191 yards and five TDs as the Buffalo Destroyers defeated the New Jersey Gladiators, 53-51, before a crowd of 7,093 at HSBC Arena. McNair tossed two first quarter TDs to 2001 Don't Blink! Player of the Year LAMONT COOPER, who rushed for another score and racked up 76 yards on two kickoff returns.

Gladiators QB JAY MCDONAGH threw for six TDs and ran for another, connecting on 30 of 47 passes for 299 yards -- including three scoring passes to OS MIKE HORACEK.

Destroyers WR/DB EDDIE BROWN picked off a McDonagh pass midway through the fourth and returned it 23 yards. Two plays later, McNair rushed for a two-yard score and Buffalo led, 53-45.

New Jersey, who finished with a 2-12 record last season, answered with 42-yard scoring drive that culminated with TD strike from McDonagh to WR/DB ALVIN ASHLEY, but were not able to connect on the game-tying two-point conversion attempt.

McNair's performance moved him to seventh place on the AFL's all-time career passing yards list (16,782 yards).

Chicago 47, INDIANA 42 (Friday, April 19)

INDIANAPOLIS (TICKER) -- JOE DOUGLASS caught two TDs and returned a kickoff for another to lead the Chicago Rush past the Indiana Firebirds, 47-42, at Conseco Fieldhouse.

Douglass pulled in 12 balls for 102 yards and TD receptions in the second and fourth quarters for Chicago, which finished its inaugural season at 7-7 last year. Douglass also started the second half with a 55-yard kickoff return for a score to give the Rush a 28-23 lead.

BILLY DICKEN went 28-for-33 with 314 yards and six TDs and DAMEON PORTER, who led the league with 12 interceptions last year, had one of three picks of Indiana quarterback RAYMOND PHILYAW.

Philyaw, the league-leader last year with a 131.8 QB rating, threw for 222 yards and four scores, three of which went to GARY COMPTON. Compton caught seven passes for 114 yards for the Firebirds, who were 9-5 a year ago.

Last year's scoring champion EDDIE BROWN added to his two All-Time records of Receptions (794) and Receiving TDs (266) with four catches, including one for a score. Brown also rushed for a TD early in the first quarter.

LOS ANGELES 43, New York 25 (Friday, April 19)

LOS ANGELES (TICKER) -- TONY GRAZIANI scored five TDs to power the Los Angeles Avengers past the New York Dragons, 43-25, before a crowd of 13,142 at the STAPLES Center. Graziani, who rushed for a three-yard TD, went 26-for-39 for 273 yards and four TDs. He threw all four scores to CHRIS JACKSON, who pulled in 12 receptions for 145 yards and rushed for a two-yard score.

The defense for Los Angeles, which ranked near the top of the league last year in several categories, allowed New York to gain only 176 yards of total offense, forced an interception and collected four sacks.

DANNY RAGSDALE and MATT NAGY each threw a TD pass to Steve Papin, who caught five passes for 58 yards for the Dragons, who were called for 12 penalties in this game.

CLAY RUSH converted four of his six field-goal attempts for New York, which was held far below last year's average of 64.1 points per game.

Dallas 57, CAROLINA 44 (Saturday, April 20)

RALEIGH, N.C. (Ticker) -- ANDY KELLY threw for 259 yards and five TDs to lead the expansion Dallas Desperados to a 57-44 triumph over the Carolina Cobras in the season opener for both teams.

Kelly, who is among the league leaders in several passing categories after spending the past five seasons with the Nashville Kats, completed passes to seven different receivers en route to providing Dallas with its first win in team history and earning game MVP honors.

DIALLEO BURKS caught five passes for 86 yards and two TDs and ANDY MCCULLOUGH hauled in a team-high six passes for 43 yards and one score for the Desperados, who outscored Carolina, 41-25, over the second and third quarters.

AARON SPARROW completed 10-of-21 passes for 101 yards and CONNELL MAYNOR completed 6-of-10 attempts for 49 yards in the losing effort for Carolina, which never led in the contest. CARL BOND caught six passes for 48 yards and two scores in the loss.

GRAND RAPIDS 49, Detroit 45 (Saturday, April 20)

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (Ticker) -- ROD MANUEL caught the deciding score midway through the final quarter to help the Grand Rapids Rampage edge the Detroit Fury, 49-45, and successfully start the defense of their Arena Bowl XV championship, in front of a sold-out crowd at Van Andel Arena.

Manuel hauled in a 15-yard pass from CLINT DOLEZEL with 7:21 remaining in the fourth to give Grand Rapids a 49-39 lead, his only catch of the contest. Dolezel finished 28-of-35 with six TDs and an interception. He threw three straight TDs within the final 4:41 of the second quarter to supply the Rampage with a 42-19 halftime lead.

TERRILL SHAW finished with nine catches for 127 yards and a TD and WILLIE MARSHALL added six for 113 yards and three scores for Grand Rapids, which finished with an average of more than seven yards per play.

RICKY FOGGIE nearly engineered a second-half comeback for Detroit with four TDs, including a 16-yard toss to Robert Gordon with 4:42 remaining in the contest. Overall, Foggie finished 16-for-38 with seven TDs and an interception.

CHUCK LEVY caught five balls for 93 yards and three TDs and Gordon added 100 yards receiving and two TDs for the Fury, who had three extra-point kicks and a pair of two-point attempts fail.

Toronto 51, TAMPA BAY 37 (Saturday, April 20)

TAMPA, Fla. (Ticker) -- CHAD SALISBURY threw for four TDs and TY LAW scored twice and recorded an interception to help the Toronto Phantoms defeat the Tampa Bay Storm, 51-37, before 12,373 fans.

Salisbury completed 24-of-33 attempts for 279 yards in the win. He threw a pair of TDs in the second quarter, including a 14-yard strike to CHARLIE DAVIDSON with 5:29 remaining to give Toronto a 27-21 lead. He added a 26-yard TD pass to Law early in the third to push the Phantoms advantage to 41-27.

Law finished with five catches for 74 yards and JERMAINE YOUNGER and PHIL GLOVER both rushed for a TD for Toronto, which caused five fumbles, including four of which they recovered.

JOHN KALEO completed 22 passes for 292 yards and three TDs and BASIL PROCTOR ran for a couple of scores for Tampa Bay, which racked up six penalties for 122 yards in the loss.

GEORGIA 67, Orlando 49 (Saturday, April 20)

ATLANTA, Ga. (Ticker) -- KEVIN MCDOUGAL completed 13-of-22 passes to lead the Georgia Force to their first-ever win with a 67-49 victory over the Orlando Predators before a crowd of 8,257 at Philips Arena.

McDougal, who spent the past three seasons with the Milwaukee Mustangs, completed passes to eight different receivers and threw for four TDs in the win. MARKEITH COOPER caught a team-high four passes for 31 yards and BEN CROSLAND hauled in two passes for 39 yards and a pair of TDs in the victory.

RON CARPENTER piled up a game-high 143 return yards and also had an interception for Georgia, which jumped out to a 33-7 lead at halftime.

JAY GRUDEN, brother of Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden and playing quarterback for the first time in six seasons after four years as the team's head coach, returned behind center and completed 31-of-51 passes for 331 yards and four TDs.

CLIF DELL and SIAHA BURLEY each caught eight passes in the losing effort for Orlando, which went 8-6 and was bounced from last season's playoffs in the first round. ANDRE COOPER caught a pair of TDs passes in the defeat for the Predators.

SAN JOSE 52, Arizona 51 (Saturday, April 20)

SAN JOSE, Calif. (Ticker) -- JAMES HUNDON scored three TDs, including the game-winning score within the final two minutes off the contest, to lift the San Jose Sabercats to a 52-51 victory over the Arizona Rattlers, in front of 13,622 fans at Compaq Center.

Hundon, who collected 10 catches for 103 yards, snagged an 11-yard pass from MARK GRIEB with 1:40 remaining to help San Jose squeak out the one-point victory.

Grieb finished 27-of-42 for 310 yards and six TDs. JERRY REESE grabbed four balls for 51 yards and three scores and CLEVAN THOMAS racked up 114 return yards and nabbed a interception for the Sabercats, who swept Arizona during the regular season last year.

SHERDRICK BONNER finished with 223 yards, six TDs and an interception in the loss for the Ratters. CHRIS HORN added six catches, 73 yards and four TDs, including a pair of second-quarter scores that helped lead to Arizona's 35-31 halftime advantage.

HUNKIE COOPER had a one-yard TD run with no time left in the third quarter to give the Ratters a 48-45 lead and Chris Sailer added a field goal late in the third to push the advantage to six. Overall, Arizona collected 207 return yards in the contest.

THIS WEEK IN AFL HISTORY

April 21, 2001. With four TDs against Tampa Bay, Nashville QB ANDY KELLY broke AFL's all-time record for career TD passes (343), surpassing MIKE PEREZ' old mark of 341.

April 22, 1987. EDDIE PHILLIPS, a FB/LB from the University of Iowa, signs with the Chicago Bruisers in the first-ever player contract offered by Arena Football.

April 25, 2001. Orlando signed CRAIG WHELIHAN, a former San Diego Chargers QB, to jump in as an emergency starter for the winless team (0-2). The Preds went on to make the playoffs.

April 28, 1988. Season opener draws 16,752 spectators, a new league record for attendance, as Pittsburgh and Detroit combine for 108 points a 57-51 loss for the hometown Drive at Joe Louis Arena.

April 28, 2001. Los Angeles relieved STAN BROCK of his duties as head coach. Defensive coordinator ROBERT LYLES served as interim head coach. Lyles went on to become head coach of the new Georgia Force.

1987. Sports Illustrated labels Arena Football as "Reader's Digest Football" due to the fact that everything is condensed in comparison to the NFL game, except the play.

1992. Expansion continued as four new teams joined the league - namely, the introduction of NBA ownership, as JERRY COLANGELO (Phoenix Suns) and RED MCCOMBS (San Antonio Spurs) purchased licenses to play in San Antonio, Tex. and Phoenix, Ariz.

1994. In an effort to bring the Arena Football game closer to viewers at home, ESPN and ESPN2 will attach a wireless microphone to AFL quarterbacks during every broadcast.

ARENAFOOTBALL.COM POLL RESULTS

Q: Which head coach in his first year with his current team will guide his squad to the playoffs?
Here's the breakdown of coaches, by voting percentage, and how their respective teams fared in Week One.
Fran Papasedero, Orlando - 26% (Lost at Georgia)
Joe Avezzano, Dallas - 24% (Won at Carolina)
Ed Hodgkiss, LA - 18% (Won against New York)
Frank Haege, NJ - 15% (Lost at Buffalo)
Robert Lyles, Georgia - 10% (Won against Orlando)
Mike Neu, Carolina - 7% (Lost against Dallas)

Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 22, 2002

• Phantoms Game Notes - Toronto Phantoms
• Avengers Game Notes - Los Angeles Avengers
• Rampage Game Preview - Grand Rapids Rampage
• AFL Week Two - AFL I
• Phantoms President Guarantees Win to Phans - Toronto Phantoms
• Arena Football League Transactions - AFL I

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