Bellisari Keys Win In First AFL Start
April 13, 2007 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
San Jose SaberCats News Release
NEW ORLEANS (Apr. 13, 2007) - New Orleans quarterback Steve Bellisari threw seven touchdown passes and ran for another and the VooDoo forced four San Jose turnovers to post a 67-54 victory Friday night in an Arena Football League game.
One week after throwing four interceptions in relief of Andy Kelly, Bellisari got his first career AFL start and did not turn the ball over leading the VooDoo (4-3) to its highest scoring total since May 14, 2005.
San Jose (3-3) took a 7-0 lead on a 3-yard run by Phil Glover, but Bellisari hit James Jordan on a 43-yard scoring play on the VooDoo's second play from scrimmage to tie the game. The pair hooked up on a 38 yard scoring play late in the first to give New Orleans the lead for good at 21-14.
Bellisari completed 17-of-28 passes for 267 yards while Jordan had four touchdowns and 144 yards on just six catches. Jacques Rumph also had six catches and added a touchdown.
San Jose's Mark Grieb threw for a team record and career-high 445 yards completing 35-of-54 passes with six touchdowns. But his three interceptions and lost fumble on a sack proved to be the difference in the game.
James Roe and Rodney Wright each had 12 receptions for San Jose with Roe and Ben Nelson hauling in three scores. All three receivers (Roe-165; Nelson-135; Wright-130) had over 100 receiving yards in the game.
San Jose got within seven points at 35-28 to end the first half, but the VooDoo scored 17 unanswered points to increase its lead to 52-28 at the end of three. Several failed onside kick attempts by San Jose in the fourth quarter led to 12 VooDoo points.
The SaberCats return home next week to begin a stretch of four straight games against Western Division rivals. San Jose hosts Los Angeles on Saturday, April 21 at HP Pavilion.
NOTES: Mark Grieb three 3 interceptions in a game for 7th time in his career...The SaberCats allowed the most points in a road game since Mar. 28, 2005 when Las Vegas scored 75 times...New Orleans DB Clarence Curry kicked off after the VooDoo's last TD...A moment of silence was held prior to kickoff to honor former coaching great Eddie Robinson...Grieb's 35 completions are the second-most in team history. He now has the top three marks with all acquired this season...Phil Glover scored two TDs on three rush attempts giving him 75 for his career...DE Ron Jones sustained a hamstring injury in the first half and didn't return...Ben Nelson had his 150th career reception...A.J. Haglund did not attempt a FG and extended his streak of made PATs to 18 before having a try blocked. He later had another attempt blocked.
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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 13, 2007
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