Bittersweet Start
March 1, 2008 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Dallas Desperados News Release
Not even an injured right shoulder could prevent quarterback Clint Dolezel from leading the Desperados past Georgia in Saturday's regular-season opener.
Despite landing awkwardly on his right side during a vicious blindside hit from Force defensive lineman Jermaine Smith, Dolezel played out the final 10:48 and threw a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to fend off the Force, 51-41, at the Arena at Gwinnett Center.
But Dolezel's availability beyond Saturday is in question.
Desperados head coach Will McClay said his 37-year-old starter suffered a possible separation to his throwing shoulder and will be re-evaluated when the team returns to Dallas. As of late Saturday, the team expects to be without its All-Arena quarterback for at least two weeks, making backup Chris Sanders the likely starter in next Friday's home opener against division rival Columbus.
"That's what it feels like," Dolezel said when asked about a possible separation. "I've had a total separation and I felt no pain, which is bad usually. So pain is a good thing. I've got pain. It means things are still attached. That was my biggest worry, that it's not longer than a month.
Asked how he managed to finish the fourth quarter, Dolezel said, "In the game, you have adrenaline. You can always finish the game, unless if it's broken or you just can't walk. But it wasn't going to get any worse."
Leading 34-27 after Dolezel's injury, the Desperados maintained at least a seven-point lead the rest of the game. Will Pettis took a shovel pass into the end zone on that drive, Anthony Armstrong caught a 6-yard touchdown with a minute left and Remy Hamilton's 177th career field goal iced the game with 24 seconds remaining.
"It got close there," McClay said. "We've got to play better defense. We blew our protections and there's some things we've got to get better on. It's the first week."
The Desperados' defense forced six stops on Saturday, but Georgia stayed competitive with Chris Greisen's pair of fourth-quarter touchdown passes. Force kicker Carlos Martinez missed a 36-yard field goal try with five seconds left that would've cut the lead to 51-44, however, and the Desperados (1-0) ran out the clock to avenge their only regular-season loss from 2007.
Dolezel finished 27-of-38 for 283 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception. Greisen, Dolezel's former backup who threw a league-record 117 touchdowns last year, was 25-of-40 for 349 yards, five touchdowns and one pick.
Desperados second-year receiver Anthony Armstrong had a team-high 11 catches for 135 yards and two touchdowns, while Marcus Nash and Will Pettis combined for five scores on 14 catches.
Pettis, the reigning Ironman of the Year, started on offense and handled kick returns but did not start at defensive back. Veteran newcomers Johnnie Harris and DaShane Dennis joined Jermaine Jones in the secondary.
Pettis, Nash and Armstrong will be asked to shoulder a heavier load without backup receiver Andrae Thurman, who broke his hand when it jammed against the sideline barrier during a pass interference call.
"As soon as it happened, I tried to move my hand and I couldn't bend down my finger," Thurman said. "I knew it wasn't hurt, but something more than that. It looks like I might not have the surgery. Just cast - three to four weeks."
But Dolezel's injury would be the offense's most significant loss. The 13-year veteran has thrown 219 touchdown passes and the Desperados are 29-4 since he arrived as a free agent in 2006. Losing him for an extended period could make life difficult in the ultra-competitive Eastern Division which now includes a fifth team (Cleveland Gladiators).
Sanders, a Flower Mound, Texas, native, signed with the Desperados in November after playing on four AFL teams since 2003. He had 4,085 passing yards, 71 touchdowns and 21 interceptions in 49 career games prior to signing with Dallas.
"We have ultimate confidence in Chris Sanders," McClay said. "He's a very good quarterback. He's coming home (to Dallas). Maybe he isn't the same type of quarterback as Clint, but he can do some other things."
Desperados chief operating officer Shy Anderson said the team would sign another backup quarterback if Dolezel misses any time.
"He's a warrior," McClay said. "As he goes, the team goes. For him to suck it up through that injury and come on through, it speaks volumes for him."
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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from March 1, 2008
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- Bittersweet Start - Dallas Desperados
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