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Brigade breaks two-game skid with 53-41 win over Philadelphia Soul

May 7, 2007 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Kansas City Brigade News Release


PHILADELPHIA - Momentum is fickle in Arena Football. The winning team doesn't necessarily have the momentum until the game is actually over. The Kansas City Brigade faced that very obstacle Saturday night at the Wachovia Center against the Philadelphia Soul. The Brigade missed opportunities to put away the Soul but still pulled away late for a much needed 53-41 victory (GAME STATS).

Kansas City (5-4) returns to the Hangar Saturday, May 12 to face the Utah Blaze at 7 p.m. on Public Service Appreciation Day. It is a critical American Conference battle as teams begin jockeying for playoff position. The Blaze, losers of three straight, sit at .500 on the season.

The Brigade changed the possession game early against the Soul, forcing two turnovers in the opening quarter. Kenny McEntyre ran under an errant deep ball from Philaelphia quarterback Juston Wood on the first drive of the game that Raymond Philyaw and the offense turned into a touchdown. Philyaw completed all four pass attempts on the drive, the last a seven-yard scoring strike to Boo Williams for a 7-0 lead.

Philyaw's effort on the first drive was a prelude of great things to come. He finished the day 36-of-41 for 364 yards with six touchdowns, setting single-game franchise records for completions, completion percentage (87.8%) and passing yards.

The defense took the ball away again on a goal line stand with the Brigade up 14-6. The Soul offense had maneuvered to fourth-and-goal on the Kansas City one-yard line and sent in its jumbo package. The Brigade unit countered and the strategy worked as Jamarr Ward stuffed Philadelphia fullback Idris Price.

The Soul tied the game at 20 apiece midway through the second quarter, but the Brigade defense would again step up to help the offense build a lead. First, Kansas City had to put together a drive from its own five-yard line to keep the back-and-forth scoring on track.

Philyaw went to the air, completing four-of-five passes to Jerel Myers. In the red zone courtesy of a Soul penalty, Charles Frederick-already with a rushing touchdown in the game-attacked the defense from the ground but without success. Philyaw then went back to what was working, connecting with Myers on a four-yard touchdown pass. Clay Rush converted the extra point to regain the lead at 27-20 with just over one minute left in the first half.

On Philadelphia's ensuing possession, a Wood pass found its way into a Kansas City defender's hands again. He under threw the ball on the second play from scrimmage and Nick Ward, who started at Jack linebacker and also played defensive back in the game, backpedaled far enough to make a leaping grab near the goal line. The offense took over at its own 10-yard line with 47 second to play.

A potential scoring drive looked lost after Philyaw mishandled a snap in Soul territory, forcing a third-and-long with less than 30 seconds on the clock. The offense never doubted itself, though, as Philyaw found Myers for 13 yards to make it fourth-and-one. The call to go for it was an easy one and Frederick was Philyaw's next target. Frederick turned a short crossing pattern up field and dove over a defender at the goal line for a nine-yard score. The Brigade went in to the locker room ahead 33-20 and was set to receive the ball to start the second half.

The Brigade wasn't quite as smooth on offense after the break and attempted and missed a 47-yard field goal on the opening possession instead of going for it on fourth-and-10. The Kansas City defense picked up the slack, harassing Wood from the outset. On the first two plays from scrimmage he was forced to scramble, resulting in a sack and a forced fumble, respectively, which the later the Brigade recovered on the Philadelphia six-yard line.

With a short field the Brigade offense was ready to return the favor to its defense, but on second-and-goal the ball was fumbled on a rush from the one-yard line and the Soul fell on it in the end zone. Philadelphia took advantage of the opportunity to cut the lead, scoring on a catch-and-run to make it 33-27 with three minutes left in the third quarter.

Held scoreless to that point in the third quarter, the Brigade needed to make something happen. The offense was forced to start at its own three-yard line, but determination won out as Philyaw led the team on a six-play, 39-yard drive capped by Frederick's second rushing touchdown of the game-he also had two receiving scores-from one yard out. Kansas City's lead was back at double-digits at 39-27 with almost the entire fourth quarter to play.

The teams traded scores on three consecutive drives, the final touchdown by the Soul with 5:39 left. The Brigade still held the lead at 46-41 and an onside kick by Philadelphia appeared to be the next play. However, the Soul elected to kick it deep which resulted in a touchback, leaving Kansas City with 47 yards to score and put the game on ice.

A defensive penalty put the ball at the eight-yard line and Philyaw moved the offense methodically to help chew clock. He completed three straight passes and aided by another defensive penalty, had the Brigade at the Philadelphia 15-yard line. That's where the drive became interesting.

A completion on first down to Williams was fumbled at the Soul seven-yard line, but Williams recovered it himself. Frederick then rushed for no gain on consecutive downs to force a fourth-and-two at the one-minute warning. A field goal would still allow Philadelphia an opportunity to tie the game, so Kansas City elected to go for the first down. Philyaw took the snap and looked right all the way, where he had two receivers in the pattern. He had to shuffle right to find a gap between the lineman and that allowed Williams to get open in the back of the end zone. Philyaw hit him perfectly in stride for the sealing touchdown, Williams' second of the quarter and third of the game. Rush made the critical extra point that would force the Soul to score two touchdowns to win.

Philadelphia started its ensuing drive with good field position near midfield, but the Brigade defense again came up big. On the first play from scrimmage, Wood dropped back and then stepped up in the pocket, which allowed BJ Cohen to drive up field past his blocker and get back in play. Cohen ended it with a monstrous sack that forced a fumble that was recovered by Chris Demaree.



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from May 7, 2007


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