Arena Football League legends meet again
May 13, 2005 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
San Jose SaberCats News Release
SAN JOSE, Calif. (May 13, 2005) â When San Jose steps onto the field at American West Arena to face the Arizona Rattlers on Saturday night, it will mark the 13th time that legendary AFL quarterbacks Mark Grieb and Sherdrick Bonner will go head-to-head.
Grieb and Bonner belong to an elite club of only eight quarterbacks in league history to have thrown for more than 400 career touchdowns passes. Combined, they have thrown for 1,074 touchdowns and 54,774 yards, and have won three ArenaBowl titles.
These passing superstars have had a long history of classic battles with both quarterbacks putting up comparable numbers. However, Grieb holds the slight edge in both statistics and big games won. In their 12 head-to-head meetings, Bonner owns a 5-7 record and has completed 58.7% of his passes for 2,828 yards and 66 touchdowns with only five interceptions, while Grieb owns a 7-5 record and has completed 62.8% of his passes for 3,087 yards and 67 touchdowns with only two interceptions.
Grieb has out-dueled Bonner in two of their three playoff meetings, including the 2004 ArenaBowl, where he threw an AFL-record eight touchdown passes in San Jose's 69-62 victory over Arizona. In San Jose's quarterfinal playoff win over the Rattlers in 2001, Grieb threw for eight touchdowns without an interception, while Bonner struggled throwing half as many interceptions (2) as touchdowns (4). The lone playoff bright spot for Bonner against Grieb came in 2003, where his eight touchdown, 321-yard performance knocked San Jose out of the playoffs and prevented them from repeating as champions.
Bonner, who has thrown 96 touchdowns in 21 career games against San Jose, will attempt to put a dent to Grieb and the SaberCats plans for repeating once again. Though Arizona will miss the playoffs for the first time since 1992, they can inflict significant damage to the SaberCats playoff hopes with a win Saturday night and Bonner can become the first QB in AFL history to throw 100 touchdown passes against a single opponent.
Grieb and Bonner XIV, it doesn't get any better than that.
HEAD TO HEAD STATISTICS
Player W L Comp Att Pct Yards INT TDs Rating
Grieb 7 5 249 396 62.9 3,087 2 67 124.4
Bonner 5 7 217 370 58.7 2,828 5 66 116.8
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from May 13, 2005
- Last second field goal ends Kats' streak, playoff hopes - Nashville Kats
- AFL week 16 final injury report - AFL I
- Arena Football League legends meet again - San Jose SaberCats
- John Thomas back with Rush - Chicago Rush
- Week 16 games crucial to AFL playoff picture - AFL I
- Destroyers sign FB/LB Deon Dyer to active roster - Columbus Destroyers
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