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Game Preview: Week 6: Portland heads to Philadelphia for the first time to take on 5-0 Soul

April 28, 2015 - Arena Football League (AFL)
Portland Thunder News Release


PORTLAND - The Portland Thunder (2-3, 1-1 in Pacific) travel to the city of 'Brotherly Love' this week, taking on the 5-0 Philadelphia Soul this Saturday at the Wells Fargo Center. Kickoff is set for 3:00pm. Fans can listen on Freedom 970AM starting at 2:30pm, and watch live on ESPN 3 or the WatchESPN.com app.

The first ever match-up between the clubs will see the Thunder looking to shake their current two game losing streak against the American Conference's best team. The Thunder were unable to take advantage of an +18:23 possession time differential, failing to convert on six of their thirteen drives last weekend in a difficult 64-45 loss to the San Jose SaberCats, the AFL's only other undefeated team.

The bright spot of the evening was rookie WR Perez Ashford, who had a breakout performance against San Jose, catching seven passes for 86 yards and two scores, all career highs. The former NIU Husky saw increased playing time due to the second quarter injury to Portland's leading receiver Jamar Howard. Howard did not return in the game, and his status for this week is pending an MRI that was scheduled for Tuesday morning.

The Thunder will depend on Ashford, as well as stalwart receivers V'Keon Lacey and Duane Brooks to provide the offense in Howard's absence. Brooks, placed on recallable reassignment late last week, has been recalled, and should feature if Howard is deemed unable to compete by team physicians Kevin Murphy and Paul Johnson.

For Lacey, this will be his first appearance against his former club. V'Keon appeared in 14 games for the Soul in 2014, catching 41 passes for 447 yards and 12 touchdowns. Lacey is growing close to those totals through just five games this season with the Thunder, with his role is expanding as each week passes. Lacey has developed into Portland's possession receiver, using his 6-4, 215lb frame to out muscle defensive backs and pick up yards after the catch. That brawn, coupled with the knowledge of Soul head coach Clint Doelzel's defensive system, will prove vital on Saturday.

The Philadelphia Soul are undefeated through the first five weeks of the season, and have outscored their opponents by an average 11.4 points per game. Averaging 61 PPG should come as no surprise given the level of play the Soul are receiving from QB Dan Raudabaugh and wide-outs Ryan McDaniel and Marco Thomas. Raudabaugh ranks second in passing yards per game, and first in passing touchdowns coming into the match-up with Portland, while both Thomas and McDaniel rank in the top 10 of nearly every receiving category. Their efficiency is evident, and it will be an up-hill battle for the Thunder's defensive back corps to handle this trio.

The Soul's offensive attack doesn't stop there. An oddity in current AFL offensive trends, Philadelphia is very proficient at moving the ball on the ground. Soul FB Tommy Taggert is a red-zone and short yardage threat, with 6 TD's to his credit already this season.

Transactions: The Thunder have made a fourth change at kicker this week, signing former Oakland Raider Kevin Goessling. Goessling replaces K Michael Braunstein, who was reassigned on Tuesday, following a tough outing in San Jose, where the second year man only converted three of seven PAT's.

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