Game Preview: Utah Blaze Vs. Jacksonville Sharks
April 10, 2012 - Arena Football League (AFL)
Utah Blaze News Release
SALT LAKE CITY - The Utah Blaze (2-2) travels to Florida this week to take on the reigning ArenaBowl Champion Jacksonville Sharks (1-2) in a Friday night matchup. Both teams are coming off of bye weeks and will be looking to rebound after suffering losses in week four.
Utah slipped to third in the National Conference's West Division after falling to the New Orleans VooDoo two weeks ago, 72-57. Meanwhile, Jacksonville has dropped its last two contests, mostly recently a matchup with Tampa Bay Storm that was decided on the game's final play. The Sharks rank fourth in the South Division of the American Conference. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 PM (MST) on Friday, April 13th at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena.
Turnovers will once again be a key factor in deciding who comes away with a victory. Last week, Utah turned the ball over seven times against the VooDoo with five interceptions and two lost fumbles. The Blaze has worked hard on correcting mental mistakes in an effort to be more efficient as it prepares to take on a Jacksonville squad that has registered a league-low four takeaways. Both teams hold a turnover margin of (-5).
"We know that Jacksonville is a very difficult place to play and we must take care of the football better than we did in our last game," said President & Head Coach Ron James. "Winning a game on the road in this league is always a challenge. We have to be a more efficient team offensively."
Defensively, the Blaze continues to pace the Arena Football League with 16 sacks on the season. All-Arena defensive ends Mike Lewis and Caesar Rayford are the league's leaders in that category, placing first (6.0 sack) and second (4.5 sacks), respectively. Getting pressure on the quarterback will go a long way in stifling a Sharks offense that ranks 16th in the AFL in total offense (236.0 ypg) and 15th in passing offense (221.7 ypg).
Jacksonville features Omar Jacobs and Bernard Morris at quarterback following the departure of Chris Leak, who left the team after week one. The two have combined to throw for 496 yards with 10 touchdowns and four interceptions. Wide receiver Jeron Harvey has totaled 30 catches for 280 yards and five touchdowns, and ranks second in the league with an average of 10 receptions per game. Opposite Harvey is Terrance Smith, a versatile receiver that has contributed five receiving touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns, and two more scores on kickoff returns.
"Jacksonville has a very good receiver corps," said James. "They are a group that plays at a very high level at home. Defensively, we need to play sound coverage, tackle well, and make sure we pressure the quarterback."
Utah is expecting big things out of quarterback Tommy Grady as it looks to get its passing game back on track. Grady ranks fifth in the AFL with an average of 313.0 yards in total offense per game. In four contests, Grady has thrown for 25 touchdowns and rushed for three more scores to place third in the league in total offensive touchdowns, as he trails Arizona's Nick Davila and San Jose's Mark Grieb by just one score.
Grady's favorite target has been wide receiver Aaron Lesue, who earned Russell Athletic Offensive Player of the Week honors after racking up 15 receptions for 125 yards and four touchdowns against San Jose in week three. Lesue has been on fire this season and is currently tied for third in the AFL in receptions (37), and fourth in receiving touchdowns (12).
The Sharks rank sixth in total defense (276.0 ypg) and passing defense (256.7 ypg). However, Tampa Bay is the only opponent Jacksonville has faced this season that ranks in the top half of the league in passing offense, as the Storm places fourth in the AFL with an average of 302.0 aerial yards per game. In its other two contests, the Sharks have taken on Georgia and Kansas City, who rank 14th (230.2) and 17th (210.5), respectively, in passing yards per game.
"We are looking forward to the challenge of playing the defending AFL champions on their home field. These are the type of contests that can prove our mettle as a football team early in the season."
The Utah Blaze versus the Jacksonville Sharks can be viewed online through the Arena Football League's exclusive partnership with Ustream, the leader in live and interactive video streaming. Visit www.UTBlaze.com/live to stream the game live and at no cost! The game can be heard in the Salt Lake City area on The Zone 1280 AM/97.5 FM, the radio home of the Utah Blaze.
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Arena Football League Stories from April 10, 2012
- Jeremy Kellem Honored by AFL for Role in Win Against Tampa Bay - New Orleans VooDoo
- Soul's Raudabaugh, Goosby Win Weekly Awards - Philadelphia Soul
- Raudabaugh, Simpson, Goosby and Berry Earn Week 5 Honors - AFL
- ArenaFootball.com Features Command Executive Eddie Kennison - Kansas City Command
- Jamarko Simmons Returns to Provide Physical Presence - Jacksonville Sharks
- SaberCats Game Vs. Philadelphia Soul Moved to Saturday, April 14 - San Jose SaberCats
- VooDoo Players Visit Children's Hospital - New Orleans VooDoo
- Barnstormers Launch "Fandemonium" Contest - Iowa Barnstormers
- Predators Add Ben Bennett to Coaching Staff - Orlando Predators
- Game Preview: Utah Blaze Vs. Jacksonville Sharks - Utah Blaze
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