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Command Drop Third Straight

May 13, 2011 - Arena Football League (AFL)
Kansas City Command News Release


The Kansas City Command fell to the Tampa Bay Storm Friday night 46-30. Once again, mistakes led to a Kansas City loss, dropping the team to a 2-7 record. 14 penalties, two turnovers, and failing to recover two missed field goals cost the Command an opportunity for a road win.

Another recurring theme this season has been slow starts for the Command and that was the case again Friday night. Tampa Bay got the football to start the game and scored in four plays for an early 7-0 lead. The Command then settled for a field goal on their first drive when it fizzled at the 6-yard-line.

The Storm then scored the next 13 points. Tampa Bay scored two touchdowns with the first of several empty Kansas City trips to the red zone sandwiched in between. The Command had second and goal at the 6-yard-line but three straight incompletions killed the scoring opportunity.

Down 20-3, the Command got back in the game with the first of two long plays to wide receiver Bubby Gill, a 40-yard scoring strike from quarterback JJ Raterink. The teams then traded scores going into halftime and the Command trailed 27-16 at the break.

Kansas City had the ball first to start the second half and got a boost with a 28-yard kick return from Carlton Brown. The Command needed just three plays to score as Raterink found Aaron Hosack from five yards out to cut the lead to 27-23. What followed was a strange sequence, even by the often wild standards of Arena Football.

Tampa Bay drove to the Kansas City 17 on their first possession of the second half but three straight incomplete passes forced a field goal try. The kick from Kyle Chilton missed but the Storm recovered it off the net at the 7-yard-line. Again the drive appeared to stall out but a roughing the passer penalty gave Tampa Bay another first down, one of six first downs via penalty on the night for the Storm. Yet, the Command defense persevered, forcing yet another field goal attempt that again missed and was again recovered off the net by Tampa Bay. This time, on the sixteenth play of the drive, the Storm punched it in to take a 33-23 lead.

"One of those you can excuse," Command coach Danton Barto said after the game regarding the two missed field goal net recoveries. "They happen in this game. But two is inexcusable.

Despite the frustration, the Command were still right in the game but the offense advanced the football to the Tampa Bay one on two straight possessions only to turn it over. On third and goal from the one-yard-line early in the fourth quarter, Raterink tried to hand off to Hosack but the exchange was fumbled. Tampa Bay then seized control by driving for a score to take a 39-23 lead.

The Command again drove to the Tampa Bay one-yard-line when on fourth and goal Raterink, with no one open, forced a pass in the end zone that was intercepted by Michael Hawthorne.

"We were fine at times between the 10's," Barto said. "But we got in the red zone and receivers couldn't get off jams to win individual battles. Then we tried to run and got smashed."

The Storm delivered the final nail in the coffin when quarterback Brian Zbydniewski hit Amarri Jackson from 35 yards out for a 46-23 lead with 1:44 remaining in the game. Jackson finished with 14 catches for 187 yards and four toucdowns. Zbydniewski hit 26 of 44 passes for 277 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions.

The Command scored with Hosack getting his second touchdown reception with :06 seconds left to set the final at 46-30.

Barto pointed to Tampa Bay's two net recoveries as the turning point of the game.

"It was demoralizing," Barto said. "We come out of halftime and score right away, did what we needed to on offense. Then the defense did what they needed to getting a stop. If we can just recover the kick it's maybe a different ballgame."

Raterink finished the night 21-35 for 289 yards with four touchdowns and one interception. Gill, in only his third game and first start of the season, caught seven passes for 159 yards and a touchdown. All three starting receivers caught seven passes for the night and each had at least one touchdown.

Kansas City is back on the road next Saturday for a 7pm game at Tulsa.

"We've gotta make sure that the guys that are here believe in what we're doing," Barto said of his team going forward. "And we've gotta keep adding pieces. Its two things with us right now, execution and talent. We can improve in both areas."

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