Fever Look to Build Momentum
March 10, 2016 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Tri-Cities Fever News Release
The Tri-Cities Fever returns to the field Friday night to take on the Cedar Rapids Titans at 7:05 p.m. at the Toyota Center.
The Fever is coming off its third close-call of the season, eking out a 47-41 victory over the Billings Wolves last Saturday night for the first win of the season and first under new coach Ryan Lingenfelder.
Now, the challenges to build some momentum from last week's win.
"We really want to be 2-2 heading into our bye week," Lingenfelder.
The Fever, after Friday's game, do not play again until April 1 at home against the Colorado Crush.
To even its record, the Fever will have to beat a Titans team it has never beaten.
Cedar Rapids holds a 3-0 record against Tri-Cities, including a 56-8 last season. It was the Fever's lowest scoring offensive output since joining the Indoor Football League in 2010.
The Titans also won both meetings in 2014.
The Fever has shown it has the tools to compete with anyone in the league this season. It has just been a matter of closing games out. The Fever was tied with the Empire on Week 1 in the fourth quarter before losing 60-51. A week later at Nebraska, the Fever held a fourth-quarter lead before falling 47-46 to the Danger.
Then just last week, the Fever led by 19 points in the fourth quarter, before having to rally with a touchdown in the final three seconds to be Billings.
"We have shown we keep fighting," quarterback Pat McCain said. "We just have to do a better job of closing games out."
The Fever offense while looked good at times could never quite get rolling. A large part of that was because of a gluttony of penalties. The two teams combined for 36 flags for 275 yards. But it was two big penalties by Billings that set up McCain's game-winning touchdown.
The Titans (1-2) have lost two straight games since opening the season with a 39-15 win over Green Bay. Last week, the Cedar Rapids lost a shootout with Nebraska 78-71.
Notes: The Fever offense ranks eighth in the league in total yards per game at 232.3. Cedar Rapids is ninth at 211 per game ... The Fever ranks third in the league in passing yards at 197 per game ... McCain is tied for third in the league with nine passing touchdowns ... Akeem Foster is second in the IFL with six receiving touchdowns ... Leon Jackson is tied for 11th in the league with 19 total tackles ... Cedar Rapids is led by quarterback Dylan Favre, nephew of Brett Favre, who has thrown for 396 yards in three games to go with nine TDs and five interceptions ... Jaren Elmore and Ryan Balentine lead the Titans in receptions, combining for 30 on the season.
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Indoor Football League Stories from March 10, 2016
- Fever Look to Build Momentum - Tri-Cities Fever
- Preview: Cedar Rapids at Tri-Cities - Cedar Rapids River Kings
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