Desperados Briggs Named Defensive Player of the Week
May 20, 2003 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Dallas Desperados News Release
The Arena Football League today announced that Dallas Desperados lineman Tom Briggs has been named the league's "ADT" Defensive Player of the Week. The award is the first such honor for Briggs and is the fourth time a Desperados player has been named "ADT" Defensive Player of the Week.
Briggs finished Sunday's game against the Grand Rapids Rampage with two tackles, two passes defensed, a sack, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a quarterback pressure. He also contributed the momentum turning play of the game just before the first half ended.
After Dallas had scored a touchdown to cut their second quarter deficit to 28-21 with 0:22 showing on the clock, Briggs broke through the Grand Rapids line to sack quarterback Clint Dolezel. Briggs forced a fumble on the play, then recovered the ball in the end zone for the tying touchdown as the first half came to a close. This play helped the Desperados outscore the Rampage 48-23 over the final 30 minutes and 22 seconds of the game. The victory clinched the Central Division title for the Desperados, their first division crown in their two-year existence.
For the season, Briggs finished with a league- and career-high 10.5 sacks, a career-high 43.5 tackles, a career-high four forced fumbles, a career-high eight quarterback pressures and a career-high tying three tackles for losses. He also knocked down four passes, recovered a fumble and caught four passes for 42 yards. He was named to the All-Arena first team on Tuesday.
Briggs and the rest of the Dallas Desperados play a first round playoff game against the Georgia Force this Saturday at the American Airlines Center. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. and tickets are available by calling 972-785-4900, visiting metroplex TicketMaster locations or by ordering through the Desperados website at www.dallasdesperados.com. NBC Sports will televise the game nationally.
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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from May 20, 2003
- 2003 AFL Season in Review - AFL I
- Wagner Named Ironman of the Week - San Jose SaberCats
- Rush and Hlavacek Earn All-Arena Honors - Albany/Indiana Firebirds
- Georgia Force Game Notes - Georgia Force
- Dallas Desperados Game Notes - Dallas Desperados
- Grand Rapids Rampage Game Notes - Grand Rapids Rampage
- AFL Attendance Up 15 Percent in 2003 - AFL I
- Rampage Announce 2003 Team Award Winners - Grand Rapids Rampage
- AFL Names All-Arena Teams - AFL I
- Desperados Host Force in First Round Playoff Game - Dallas Desperados
- Three SaberCats Earn First-Team All-League Honors - San Jose SaberCats
- L.A. Avengers place Jackson and Hopkins on All-Arena first team - Los Angeles Avengers
- Rattle the Rattlers Gladiator Fan Bus Set for Phoenix Departure on Sunday, May 25 - Las Vegas Gladiators
- Desperados Playoff Game Changes Date & Venue - Dallas Desperados
- Gladiators' Kicker Steve Videtich Named Second Team All Arena - Las Vegas Gladiators
- Desperados Trio Named to All-Arena Teams - Dallas Desperados
- AFL Names Week's Best - AFL I
- Desperados Briggs Named Defensive Player of the Week - Dallas Desperados
- Fury head to Grand Rapids for First Round of the ArenaBowl Playoffs - Detroit Fury
- Moyer, Chatman Garner AFL Awards - Chicago Rush
- Carpenter Garners All-Arena Honors - Buffalo Destroyers
- Rush Playoff Date Set - Chicago Rush
- AFL Playoff Schedule Announced - AFL I
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