AFL I Arena Football League (1987-2008)

Central Division Battle on Tap

April 16, 2003 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release


NEW YORK – Dallas Desperados QB JIM KUBIAK brings in one of the AFL's top offenses to face the Chicago Rush and emerging star ANTONIO CHATMAN in a Central Division battle at the Allstate Arena on NBC this Sunday at 3 p.m. ET. The Desperados' (6-5) No. 2-ranked offense (307.7) will try to move the ball against the Rush's (5-6) No. 5-ranked defense (261.6 YPG).

Both the Desperados and Rush trail Grand Rapids (8-3) in the Central Division standings, but each have a game against the Rampage in the final weeks of the regular season.

As a receiver, Chatman has caught 45 passes for 678 yards (15.1 yards per catch) and 16 touchdowns. He has scored 20 touchdowns and is averaging 27.4 yards per kick return in his last seven games (33-905) with four touchdowns. Chicago QB BILLY DICKEN has thrown for 13 touchdowns and only two interceptions in his last two contests, both victories. Dicken has completed 33-of-50 passes for 445 yards in the two Rush victories.

Kubiak has shown that he is effective on 1st down (70.7-percent passing, 34 touchdowns and three interceptions) and perfect on 4th down (5-of-5 with three touchdowns). The former Naval Academy graduate has a solid group of receivers that is led by WR/LBs DIALLEO BURKS (75 receptions and 18 touchdowns) and ANDY MCCULLOUGH (68 receptions and 16 touchdowns).

The Desperados are not just an offensive-driven team. Dallas Head Coach JOE AVEZZANO's defensive front is hitting on all cylinders and is leading the League in sacks (20), guided by Lineman of the Year candidate TOM BRIGGS (8.5 sacks, No. 1). Briggs and company will have to battle an offensive line that has given up only seven sacks (tied for No. 3). Chicago OL/DL JOHN MOYER has been providing the protection on offensive, while adding pressure on defense (6.0 sacks, No. 2).

BRIGGS vs. MOYER PLAYERS TACKLES TFL FF PD INT SACKS SAFETIES Tom Briggs, Dallas 29.0 2.0 1 7 0 8.5 1 John Moyer, Chicago 17.0 0.0 2 3 1 6.0 0

Other games for Week 12 include: Georgia Force at Carolina Cobras and Buffalo Destroyers at Los Angeles Avengers on Friday; Detroit Fury at New York Dragons, Arizona Rattlers at Grand Rapids Rampage and Indiana Firebirds at San Jose SaberCats on Saturday; Las Vegas Gladiators at Orlando Predators (NBC) and Colorado Crush at Tampa Bay Storm (NBC) on Sunday.

GEORGIA FORCE (6-5) AT CAROLINA COBRAS (0-11) FRIDAY, APRIL 18, AT 7:30 P.M. ET

The AFL's youngest head coach, MARTY LOWE (31), brings the Force's No. 1-ranked defense (225.8 YPG) to Charlotte on Friday in this Southern Division showdown. In his sixth AFL season, KEVIN GAINES, who made his return last week after a two-game absence, leads Georgia's No. 1 pass defense (210.6 YPG) with 36.0 tackles, four interceptions, and 10 pass breakups to date. Linemen MARCUS KEYES and JERMAINE SMITH continue strong line play, leading the Force to a fourth-best (tie) 13 sacks. Veteran FB/LB DARRYL HAMMOND (23.5 tackles, two interceptions, four pass breakups, one quarterback hurry, one forced fumble) continue to brush off defenders and challenge opposing offenses, scoring in all but one game this season (No. 1 on team, 86 points). The Force placed the AFL's No. 4 scoring rusher (eight, tie), FB/LB DAN CURRAN on injured reserve this week (left knee MCL sprain). Curran and FB/LB TRAVIS REECE (five) have guided the Force's fourth-ranked rushing offense (19 touchdowns, 21.1 YPG). Rookie QB LEON MURRAY made his first career start for the Force last week, in place of DONNIE DAVIS (concussion), completing 21-of-37 pass attempts for 281 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Georgia OL/DL OSCAR STURGIS leads all AFL linemen in receptions this season with six for 76 yards, placing the Force at the top of the team list with a total of 15. Carolina OS BERNARD HOLMES has recorded 200-or-more all-purpose yards in each of his last eight games. Holmes leads the Cobras in scoring (108 points) and ranks third among the AFL's top kick returners with 1,149 yards. Carolina's offense has been guided by QB STEWART PATRIDGE in their last two contests, but also have capable backup ROBERT HALL, the ‘Slash' of the AFL, who, as a passer, has 6,340 yards and 118 touchdowns (61.7-percent completion) credited to his six-year career. Hall has also recorded 3,012 career receiving yards (54 touchdowns) and 170 career rushing yards (19 scores). In his sixth AFL season, WR/DB TY LAW continues to make his presence felt on both sides of the ball, pulling in 46 catches (six scores) for 436 yards and recording 19.5 tackles and an interception for Carolina. Former Triton College defender DEREK STINGLEY (one interception, 11 pass breakups) and WR/DB LARRY CASHER (50.0 tackles, two interceptions), who is listed as questionable for Friday, lead the Cobras defense. Carolina is third overall in opponents' 4th-down conversions, allowing teams to advance on 2-of-7 attempts (28.6 percent).

BUFFALO DESTROYERS (4-7) AT LOS ANGELES AVENGERS (8-3) FRIDAY, APRIL 18, AT 10:30 P.M. ET (TV: FOX SPORTS WEST 2 – BILL MACDONALD and ARTIE GIGANTINO)

Led by DWAINE CARPENTER and JOJO POLK, Buffalo owns the fourth-most interceptions (16) among AFL teams and is tied for No. 4 in interception returns for touchdowns (three). Head coach RON SELESKY has his defensive unit holding opponents on 4th-down conversions 25.0-percent of the time (No. 2). Buffalo stands at the No. 4 for their red-zone defense -- opponents have scored on 35-of-45 attempts, 77.8-percent. Los Angeles OS CHRIS JACKSON has 83 catches for 1,225 yards and 31 touchdowns. With 98 receiving touchdowns, Jackson is just two away from reaching 100 career, a feat only 13 other players have accomplished in AFL history. Jackson has not caught fewer than two touchdowns in all 11 games this season and is 3-of-3 passing with three touchdowns – all three came in Los Angeles victories. Avengers QB TONY GRAZIANI has a 61.9 first-down passing percentage connecting on 117-of-189 passes and scoring 42-of-69 touchdowns. Los Angeles WR/LB GREG HOPKINS, who is the defending Ironman of the Year, has caught at least one touchdown in 10 straight games.

DETROIT FURY (6-5) AT NEW YORK DRAGONS (4-7) SATURDAY, APRIL 19, AT 7:00 P.M. ET (TV: FOX SPORTS DETROIT – MARK CHAMPION and JIM BRANDSTATTER)

It's a match-up between a pair of the AFL's all-time best quarterbacks this Saturday night when New York's AARON GARCIA and Detroit's ANDY KELLY go head-to-head. The Dragons are averaging an AFL-best 313.5 yards per game (307.7 passing). On pace for a record-setting 113-touchdown, 5,087-yard passing performance this season, Garcia's go-to guy has been the AFL's scoring leader OS MIKE FURREY (252 points), whose nearest scoring competitor is at least 60 points away. Another pair quietly getting things done are WR/DB CHRIS ANTHONY, who catches the ball 75-percent of the time on 3rd-down (four scores) when he is the intended receiver (24-percent) and ranks fifth overall in catch-percentage (75 percent), and WR/DB DAMIEN GROCE, who has 20 receptions on 21 of his 1st-down opportunities (95 percent, three touchdowns) and is No. 2 (tie) overall in catch-percentage. The Dragons' "D" continues to climb the ranks each week led by DONVETIS FRANKLIN (64.5 tackles, tie-No. 2 overall), who ranks second among pass defenders (15 pass breakups, four interception). As New York's kick returner, Franklin has been averaging 23.4 yards per return on kickoffs (No. 6-AFL). Fury QB ANDY KELLY continues his assault on the Arena Football League record books, as he remains the League's all-time leading passer with Garcia and Arizona's SHERDRICK BONNER close behind. Kelly is currently the leader in attempts (3,865), completions (2,380) and passing yards (26,610). The trio of SULECIO SANFORD (73 percent), TY GROVESTEEN (72 percent) and JUNIOR LORD (71 percent) currently rank in the Top 10 in catch percentage – Dallas is the only other team with three in the Top 10. Detroit and New York are the only teams to have six different receivers record at least 20 receptions this season.

ARIZONA RATTLERS (6-5) AT GRAND RAPIDS RAMPAGE (8-3) SATURDAY, APRIL 19, AT 10 P.M. ET (TV: WB61-PHOENIX – TOM LEANDER and GENE NUDO)

Arizona QB SHERDRICK BONNER, who is one of three Rattlers (HUNKIE COOPER and RANDY GATEWOOD) to play both games against Grand Rapids in this series, has completed 33-of-54 for 323 yards, nine touchdowns and two picks. Bonner has thrown eight-or-more scoring passes six times in his career, including three in 2003 against Dallas (8), at San Jose (8) and in last week's victory over Los Angeles (9). Gatewood has caught at least one touchdown in nine straight games,while Cooper leads the AFL with a 79.0 catch-percentage. Since the acquisition of DS MARK RICKS, the Rampage are 3-0. Both Ricks and DS CECIL DOGGETTE have at least one interception since Ricks joined the team (combined for seven interceptions in three games.) Grand Rapids QB CLINT DOLEZEL is 68-of-95 (71.6 percent) for 837 yards, 15 touchdowns and one interception in his last three games – all victories. The Rampage convert 66.1 percent of their third downs (No. 1 in the AFL), while Arizona ranks No. 2 in 4th-down conversion percentage (71.4 percent). A Rampage victory on Saturday, coupled with losses by Buffalo and New York, puts Grand Rapids in the playoffs for a fifth consecutive year.

INDIANA FIREBIRDS (5-6) AT SAN JOSE SABERCATS (7-4) SATURDAY, APRIL 19, 10:30 P.M. ET (TV: UPN 23-INDIANA – ARI WOLFE and CHARLES ARBUCKLE)

EDDIE BROWN and BARRY WAGNER have faced each other 10 times in their AFL careers – splitting the series 5-5. Brown has a total of 95 receptions for 1,285 yards and 29 total touchdowns in those meetings, while Wagner has 77 receptions for 1,116 yards and 38 total touchdowns. Brown is averaging 11 receptions for 152 yards and three TDs in the last three meetings between the future Hall of Famers. In his career as a member of the SaberCats, MARK GRIEB owns a 36-7 regular season record as the team's starting quarterback. The San Jose offense scores a touchdown on 71.2 percent of their possessions (No. 1 in the AFL) and leads the League in scoring (61.6). Wagner, who has had six rushing touchdowns in the last three games, currently has 99 career. His next one would make him the first to reach 100 in AFL history. San Jose OS JAMES HUNDON has caught at least one touchdown in 16 straight games, dating back to 2002 regular season. Indiana is 4-0 in games that QB RAYMOND PHILYAW starts and finishes. Philyaw is also approaching the 8,000-career passing-yard mark (7,808).

DALLAS DESPERADOS (6-5) AT CHICAGO RUSH (5-6) SUNDAY, APRIL 20, AT 3 P.M. ET (TV: NBC – MIKE BREEN, RAY BENTLEY and MARTY SNIDER)

Chicago OS ANTONIO CHATMAN has scored 20 touchdowns in his last seven contests. As a receiver, Chatman has caught 45 passes for 678 yards (15.1 yards per catch) and 16 touchdowns. He is averaging 27.4 yards per kick return in the seven games (33-905) with four touchdowns. Rush OL/DL JOHN MOYER has recorded a career-high 6.0 sacks this season, breaking ANTHONY HUTCH's team record of 5.5 (set in 2001). His 6.0 sacks this season currently rank No. 2 in the League. BILLY DICKEN has thrown 165 career touchdown passes to 16 different receivers. Chatman has become Dicken's favorite target with 35 scoring catches. Dicken has thrown at least four touchdown passes in 28 of his 35 career games. He has never had a game in which he did not throw a scoring strike. In addition, 48 of his touchdowns have come in the fourth quarter or overtime. Chicago WR/LB LINDSAY FLESHMAN has earned Ironman of the Game honors for the last two contest — April 4 in Detroit and April 13 at Colorado. In the two games, he has caught 11 passes for 115 yards and 5 touchdowns. Desperados QB JIM KUBIAK enters the game completing 69.0-percent of his passes while the offense is racking up 302.0 yards per game (No. 2 in AFL). His go-to guy, OS DIALLEO BURKS, has chalked up 18 touchdowns this season, half of which occurred on 1st down. The Desperados are No. 1 in the AFL by converting 75.0 percent (6-of-8) of their 4th-down opportunities. Led by Lineman of the Year candidate TOM BRIGGS (8.5 sacks), the Desperados lead the AFL with 20.0 sacks.

LAS VEGAS GLADIATORS (6-5) AT ORLANDO PREDATORS (7-4) SUNDAY, APRIL 20, 3 P.M. ET (TV: NBC – TOM HAMMOND, PAT HADEN and LEWIS JOHNSON)

In his first game since an injury in February, JAY GRUDEN completed 71.4-percent of his pass attempts (10-of-14) last week and guided the Predators to a ‘W,' halting the team's four-game slide. Orlando's top receiver, scorer and return man – rookie OS TRAVIS MCGRIFF – was inactive last week, but receiver ANTONIO STANLEY filled the role. Policing the backfield for Orlando are the AFL's top tackler KENNY MCENTYRE (70.5 tackles, six interceptions, 12 pass breakups), and RASHAD FLOYD (45.0 tackles, four interceptions, five pass breakups), limiting opponents to an average of 48.5 points each week. The defensive pair collected a combined five interceptions in their last game. Orlando is third for the most sacks this season (16), led by Predators lineman E.J. BURT (five sacks, No. 3 overall), who is also the League leader in forced fumbles with seven. Las Vegas Head Coach FRANK HAEGE brings the AFL 's No. 3 rush defense (13.1 YPG) to face Orlando's No. 3 rushing offense (23.7 PPG). Las Vegas OS MIKE HORACEK is averaging 124 receiving yards and a pair of touchdown catches in his last four games. He currently leads the Gladiators in touchdowns on all down situations, including 11-of-27 touchdowns occurring on 2nd down. In 2003, 13 of QB JAY MCDONAGH's 34 touchdowns have come on 2nd down. Las Vegas is tied at the No. 2 spot overall in fumble recoveries (10).

COLORADO CRUSH (1-10) AT TAMPA BAY STORM (9-2) SUNDAY, APRIL 20, 3 P.M. ET (TV: NBC – ELI GOLD and CHARLES DAVIS)

When first-year head coach BOB BEERS and the Crush face the Storm this Sunday on NBC, they'll battle the AFL's winningest coach, Tampa Bay's TIM MARCUM (152-53) and the League's toughest scoring defense (40.5 PPG). The Storm's No. 2-ranked total defense allows just 242.1 yards per game, including a League-best 7.8 rushing yards per game. Tampa Bay holds the No. 1 defensive touchdown scoring percentage, allowing opponents to get to the end zone on 48.7-percent of possessions (58-of-119). Snaring the most interceptions this season (18, tie-San Jose), the Storm is led by ball hawks (combined 11 interceptions) WR/DB OMARR SMITH and DS COREY SAYWER, who is expected to return this week. Tampa Bay has held its last six opponents (all wins) to less than 40 points and boasts the No. 2 pass defense rating. In those contests, the Storm has outscored the opposition by an average of 20.2 points and currently owns the second-best turnover margin (+11). Tampa Bay not only owns the No. 1 red-zone defense (allowing scores on 35-of-48 attempts, 72.9 percent), but also has the toughest defense on 3rd- and 4th-down conversion, 25 stops on 75 attempts (33.3 percent). The Storm is second in sacks (18) – eight different Storm players have at least 1.0 sack, including leaders LAWRENCE SAMUELS, B.J. COHEN and KELVIN KINNEY with three each. The AFL's sixth-best passer rating belongs to JOHN KALEO (118.6), whose primary scoring target has been OS FREDDIE SOLOMON (126 points). Tampa Bay's rushing offense has been equally effective, scoring 20 touchdowns in its eight-game winning streak, including four last week by veteran FB/LB ANDRE BOWDEN (No. 2 in career rushing attempts, yards and touchdowns). The Crush, in the middle of the pack in touchdown scoring percentage (73-of-130 possessions, 56.2 percent), is hunting for its second win this season. Colorado OS JOE DOUGLASS is tied-No. 2 overall (Grand Rapids' WILLIS MARSHALL) in catch percentage with 77 percent (55 receptions in 71 chances). ArenaBowl XVI MVP and Colorado QB JOHN DUTTON returned to the field last week and completed 21-of-35 (60.0 percent) with five touchdowns (one interception) against Chicago. The No. 6-ranked Crush pass offense is averaging 273.1 yards per game.



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 16, 2003


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