Cobras Snakebitten Late, Fall to VooDoo 48-31
March 27, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Carolina Cobras News Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA â The Carolina Cobras fell victim to a number of familiar faces as they dropped a 48-31 decision to the New Orleans VooDoo Saturday night at the New Orleans Arena. Former Cobras quarterback John Fitzgerald led the expansion club to its fourth consecutive win, completing 15-of-22 passes for 211 yards and six touchdowns.
Leading 35-28 heading into the fourth quarter, the VooDoo defense posted two defensive stops in the games final nine minutes to pull away for the home win. The scoring output was the lowest of the season for the Cobras, who entered the game averaging nearly 52 points per game.
New Orleans is led by former Carolina head coach Mike Neu and features a roster that includes five former Carolina standouts, including Fitzgerald and Aaron Bailey, who caught four passes for 73 yards and three scores. Ira Gooch led the VooDoo receivers with five receptions for 87 yards and a touchdown, while Monty Montgomery led the defense with five tackles and six passes defended.
The Cobras offense was led by Matt Nagy, who completed 24-of-44 passes for 229 yards and three touchdowns, and Todd Doxzon, who tied a career high with 10 receptions for 111 yards and a score. Jack Walker, Jr. added six catches for 52 yards
The VooDoo offense set the pace throughout the first half as the home team stormed out to a 28-21 advantage behind Fitzgerald, who passed for 126 yards and three touchdowns on just 7-of-8 passing. New Orleans did not face third down once in the first two quarters as they averaged over 12 yards per play, while the Carolina offense held the ball for nearly 18 minutes in the first half. Nagy completed 12-of-23 passes for 116 yards and a pair of scores at the midway point.
On the game's first possession, Fitzgerald found Gooch for an 11-yard scoring strike to put the VooDoo on the board early. Carolina FB/LB Travis Reece capped off the Cobras' initial drive with a one-yard touchdown plunge, his third of the season. Minutes later, New Orleans appeared to be rolling to their second scoring drive of the game when DS Damon Mason stepped in front of a Fitzgerald pass on the goal line to record the first defensive stop of the game. Carolina was unable to capitalize, however, as Rob Bironas was errant on a 27-yard field goal attempt. Former Carolina FB/LB Jason Bratton closed out the frame with a one-yard scoring plunge to give the ho me team a 14-7 lead heading into the second quarter.
Carolina was quick to respond from the first quarter deficit as Nagy found Doxzon in the clear for a 34-yard scoring strike on the second play of the second frame. Fitzgerald helped the VooDoo regain the lead moments later, finding lineman B.J. Cohen for a five-yard touchdown toss and late in the quarter, New Orleans capitalized on Bironas' second field goal miss of the night with an eight-yard Aaron Bailey touchdown reception. Carolina was able to pull within a touchdown with 11 seconds remaining in the first half when Reece reeled in his first scoring reception of the season.
The two squads teamed to consume the majority of the third quarter with a pair of lengthy, time-consuming drives. The Cobras tied the game at 28-28 with a six-minute scoring drive to begin the second half that was capped off with an 8-yard scoring pass from Matt Nagy to Damien Groce. New Orleans responded to take a 35-28 lead heading into the final quarter after an eight-minute effort that was completed with the second scoring reception of the day for Bailey.
The fourth quarter opened with Bironas connecting on a 48-yard field goal attempt to cut the VooDoo advantage to 35-31. New Orleans responded through the air once again, as Fitzgerald and Bailey connected for a touchdown for the third time in the contest to give the home squad a 42-31 lead with less than nine minutes remaining.
Carolina returns to the Queen City this Sunday to take on the New York Dragons at 12:00 p.m. at the Charlotte Coliseum. The contest will be televised on NBC, marking the Cobras first appearance since the AFL on NBC broadcasting partnership began prior to the 2003 season.
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