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AFL I Arena Football League (1987-2008)

Hunt for final four playoff spots heats up

May 19, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release


NEW YORK – The Drive to ArenaBowl XVIII is in high gear with every game being crucial in the final two weeks of the regular season. Eight teams remain alive for the final four spots heading into Week 16 action.

Two playoff-caliber games – New Orleans at Tampa Bay and New York at Orlando – highlight NBC's Week 16 coverage on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET. Arizona's two-time Ironman of the Year and two-time ArenaBowl champion WR/LB HUNKIE COOPER will join AFL on NBC studio host AL TRAUTWIG and analyst GLENN PARKER in the studio for halftime commentary and postgame wrap-up interviews.

The Arizona Rattlers (10-5), Chicago Rush (10-4) and New Orleans VooDoo (10-4) joined the San Jose SaberCats (10-4) and secured berths in the Drive to ArenaBowl XVIII Playoffs. In addition, San Jose and Chicago can clinch a top-four seed and a first-round home game with a victory, while New Orleans needs a win and a loss by either Chicago, San Jose or Colorado to secure a top-four position.

New York Dragons (8-6) and Baby Ruth Real Deal Offensive Player of the Year candidate QB AARON GARCIA (62.2 completion percentage, 3,331 yards and 83 TDs) look for revenge against the team that knocked them out of last year's playoffs when the travel to TD Waterhouse Centre to play the Orlando Predators (8-6) on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on NBC. U.S. Army Ironman of the Year candidate WR/LB CORY FLEMING (109 receptions, 1,374 yards, 28 TDs, 13.5 total tackles and 1 INT) leads the Predators as they try to secure their 13th straight playoff berth.

New Orleans head coach MIKE NEU and the VooDoo (10-4) clinched a playoff berth with last week's victory against Georgia, but will need to travel to St. Pete Times Forum on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on NBC and face the red-hot, defending champion Tampa Bay Storm (7-7) and seven-time ArenaBowl champion head coach TIM MARCUM in an effort to secure a first-round home game.

Coach of the Year candidate MIKE WILPOLT and the Indiana Firebirds (8-7) need a win at Allstate Arena on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET to keep in the hunt for a playoff spot. Rookie of the Year candidates – Indiana QB ADRIAN MC PHERSON and Chicago WR/LB ETU MOLDEN – will lay their claim on top rookie honors as Chicago (10-4) looks to secure a top-four seed and a first-round home playoff game with a victory.

The Las Vegas Gladiators (7-7) and Offensive Player of the Year candidate OS MARCUS NASH (139 receptions, 1,634 yards and 42 TDs) keep their playoff hopes alive and will look to knock off the Los Angeles Avengers (8-6) and Offensive Player of the Year candidate QB TONY GRAZIANI (3,799 yards, 88 TDs and 4 INTs) at Staples Center on Saturday at 10:30 p.m. ET.

First-year Colorado head coach MIKE DAILEY and the Crush (9-5) need a victory to secure a playoff spot and will travel to The Palace at Auburn Hills to battle QB ANDY KELLY and the Detroit Fury (4-10). Offensive Player of the Year candidate OS DAMIAN HARRELL (97 receptions, 1,427 yards and 38 TDs) leads the Crush as they look to tie the best one-season victory turnaround (+8) in AFL history (1988, Chicago Bruisers).

The expansion Austin Wranglers (8-6) travel to The Arena at Gwinnett Center to play the Georgia Force (5-9) on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET. Coach of the Year candidate SKIP FOSTER and former ArenaBowl champion QB JOHN KALEO (63.3 completion percentage, 3,554 yards and 73 TDs) look to join New Orleans and become the first expansion tandem to secure playoff berths in the same season since Chicago and Detroit in 2001.

Games for Week 16 include: Grand Rapids at Carolina, Columbus at Dallas, Philadelphia at San Jose and Las Vegas at Los Angeles on Saturday; Indiana at Chicago, Colorado at Detroit, Austin at Georgia, New Orleans at Tampa Bay (NBC) and New York at Orlando (NBC) on Sunday. Arizona has a bye week.

ARENA FOOTBALL LEAGUE WRITERS' ASSOCIATION (AFLWA) POLL
RANK TEAM RECORD VOTES (FIRST PLACE)
1 Chicago Rush 10-4 127 (6)
2 San Jose SaberCats 10-4 126 (5)
3 Arizona Rattlers 10-5 120 (5)
4 New Orleans VooDoo 10-4 111 (3)
5 Colorado Crush 9-5 61
6 Los Angeles Avengers 8-6 52
7 Orlando Predators 8-6 25
8 Tampa Bay Storm 7-7 19
Also receiving votes: Austin Wranglers 13, Indiana Firebirds 11, New York Dragons 10 and Las Vegas Gladiators 9.

GRAND RAPIDS RAMPAGE (1-13) AT CAROLINA COBRAS (5-9)
SATURDAY, MAY 22, AT 7:30 P.M. ET

Grand Rapids Rampage DS CECIL DOGGETTE leads the League with 24 passes defended... Doggette is tied for No. 15 in the AFL with 61.0 total tackles (43 solo, 36 assists), along with one INT returned for 19 yards... Rampage QB ANTHONY BUICH leads Grand Rapids in passing, completing 189 of his 319 passes for 2,055 yards, 32 TDs and eight INTs... Rampage will be without the services of leading receiver OS STEVE SMITH after he was placed on the injured reserve list this week... Smith leads the team in receiving (59 receptions for 658 yards, 10 TDs) and in KO returns with 63 for 1,514 yards and five TDs (No. 3 in AFL)... He is No. 2 in the AFL in all-purpose yards with 2,333... This season, Carolina OS DAMIEN GROCE has 68 catches for 822 yards and a single-season record 19 TDs... He currently ranks No. 9 in the AFL with 1,735 all-purpose yards and has set Carolina single-season records for TDs (21) and points scored (126)... Cobras WR/DB JARRICK HILLERY is No. 1 on the team with a 19.2 KO return average... OS TODD DOXZON is tied for No. 8 in the League with 89 receptions and No. 13 with 1,021 yards... The Cobras have the No. 4 offense inside the 10, with an 81.4 TD percentage... In 59 trips inside their opponents' 10-yard line, Carolina has scored 48 TDs and six FGs.

COLUMBUS DESTROYERS (5-9) AT DALLAS DESPERADOS (6-8)
SATURDAY, MAY 22, AT 8:30 P.M. ET

Columbus QB RYAN VENA set the franchise record for most rushing yards in a season (197 yards)... Vena has also tied the record for most rushing attempts in a season (54)... Vena needs only three more rushing scores to tie the single-season record... WR/LB CORNELIUS WHITE is the Destroyers leading receiver, catching 72 balls for 1058 yards (No. 12 in AFL) and 22 TDs... Columbus has not lost a game when they have scored 54 points or higher... Ironman of the Year candidate WILL PETTIS has accumulated 2,658 all-purpose yards this season, the most total yards by any player in the League... He currently ranks No. 2 in KO return yards (1,505), No. 4 in missed FG return yards (135) and No. 18 in receiving yards (982)... Currently, Rookie of the Year candidate BOBBY SIPPIO is the League leader among rookies in receiving TDs (27)... He is No. 4 in receiving yards (1008) and receptions (61)... Dallas' 16 point victory over Columbus on 2/29 is the third largest margin of victory in Desperados history... The Desperados held Columbus to seven second-half points... Columbus is one of two teams (Colorado) to have never beaten the Desperados... The Desperados have sacked opposing QBs 17 times... Only two teams, Orlando (28) and Chicago (21) have posted more sacks... COLSTON WEATHERINGTON leads the team with 4.5 sacks... Through 14 games, Dallas has rushed for a club record 224 yards on 76 carries.

PHILADELPHIA SOUL (5-9) AT SAN JOSE SABERCATS (10-4)
SATURDAY, MAY 22, AT 10:30 P.M. ET

The Soul defense is No. 2 in the League in red-zone defense... Soul opponents have had 64 possessions inside the 10-yard line which have led to 44 TDs and five FGs for 316 points.... The Soul is No. 1 in the AFL in KO coverage... DS JOSEPH TODD ranks No. 10 among League leaders in combined tackles (70.5), with 60 solo stops and 21 assists... Todd is also ranked No. 11 in the League in solo tackles and is ranked No. 2 in passes defended (21)... The SaberCats need two wins for 100 overall in franchise history... Head Coach DARREN ARBET needs one win for 70 career... WR/DB BARRY WAGNER led the SaberCats during their 44-35 loss to the Gladiators last Sunday, receiving AFL's Ironman of the Week honors... Wagner recorded five receptions for 49 yards and added five rushes for seven yards and two TDs on offense, while adding an 18-yard KO return... On defense, Wagner tallied 7.5 total tackles and two INTs, including a 50-yard TD return... With his 49 receiving yards, Wagner surpassed EDDIE BROWN to become the AFL's all-time leader in career receiving yards.

LAS VEGAS GLADIATORS (7-7) AT LOS ANGELES AVENGERS (8-6)
SATURDAY, MAY 22, AT 10:30 P.M. ET

The Gladiators are led by QB CLINT DOLEZEL (332-of-508 for 80 TDs, 11 INTs) and boast the league's No. 1 offense... OS MARCUS NASH is on pace to set a new record for TDs this week (46 TDs is the record)... Nash set a new AFL single-season record last week with his 139th reception in a victory over San Jose... Nash is the League leader in TDs (42) and receptions (139 for 1,634 yards)... He has caught an average of three TDs per game this season... The Las Vegas defense has held its last four opponents to 38 or fewer points... L.A.'s six losses this season have come by a combined total of 24 points... The last time Los Angeles and Las Vegas met at Staples Center, Avenger QB TONY GRAZIANI tossed a perfect game against the Gladiators... Graziani has only thrown four INTs this season... He is currently 295-of-458 (64.4%) for 3,799 yards and 88 TDs... In last season's opener versus Las Vegas (2/2/03), he posted a passer rating of 158.3... In the 60-48 victory, Graziani was 18-of-23 for 288 yards... Thirty-eight of Graziani's 88 TDs this season have gone to OS CHRIS JACKSON... Ironman of the Year candidate KEVIN INGRAM is No. 2 on the team in receptions (60), all-purpose yards (1,625) and TDs (20), and leads the team in INTs (four), tackles (60) and KO return yardage (813)... The Avengers currently lead the League, averaging 57.1 points per game and 7.3 yards per play.

INDIANA FIREBIRDS (8-7) AT CHICAGO RUSH (10-4)
SUNDAY, MAY 23, AT 3 P.M. ET

Indiana is half a game behind four teams for the final playoff spot, while Chicago secured a playoff spot with their win over Dallas last week... Rookie of the Year candidate ADRIAN MCPHERSON earned Offensive Player of the Week honors by leading the Indiana Firebirds to a 59-56 victory over the AFLWA's No. 4-ranked Colorado Crush last Sunday... McPherson threw a career-high eight TD passes, including a game-winning 21-yard strike to ANDY MC CULLOUGH with 55 seconds left... McPherson completed 15-of-24 passes for 266 yards and also ran for 19 yards on five carries... McPherson did not throw an INT for the ninth game this season... McPherson ranks No. 2 in the League in rushing, and first among QBs with 244 yards rushing and 18 TDs... He has completed 219-of-364 passes with 58 TDs and five INTs, for 3,045 yards this season... The Firebirds are tied for No. 2 in the AFL in turnover differential at +14... Chicago QB RAYMOND PHILYAW has passed for 2,692 yards, 46 TDs, and only four INTs... OS ETU MOLDEN leads Rush receivers with 89 receptions for 1,117 yards and 20 TDs... Lineman of the Year candidate JOHN MOYER helped lead the Rush to a 45-41 victory over the Dallas Desperados on Sunday... Moyer recorded 2.5 total tackles (including 1.5 tackles for loss), one pass breakup, one INT and his AFL-leading eighth sack of the season... Last season, the Rush defeated the Firebirds in OT to end the 2003 season for Indiana, eliminating the Firebirds from playoff contention.

COLORADO CRUSH (9-5) AT DETROIT FURY (4-10)
SUNDAY, MAY 23, AT 3 P.M. ET

Colorado QB JOHN DUTTON has completed 302-of-473 passes for 3,628 yards, 66 TDs and seven INTs... DS RASHAD FLOYD leads the Crush and the League with 107.5 tackles, including 96 solo tackles... Floyd also has six INTs, No. 3 in the AFL... OS DAMIAN HARRELL ranks No. 3 in scoring (228 points) and receiving yards (1,427)... Fury QB ANDY KELLY has completed 308-of-514 passes for 3,592 yards, 63 TDs and 12 INTs this season... WR THABITI DAVIS has the opportunity to break two Fury receiving records, receptions in a season and receiving yards... Davis currently has 108 receptions for 1,328 yards... He only needs 17 more receptions and 296 yards to tie the franchise records... If Davis can average nine catches and 148 yards a game, Davis could become the Fury's new record holder... DAWAN MOSS needs 10 more rushing yards to have a 100-yard rushing season, the first in Fury history.

AUSTIN WRANGLERS (8-6) AT GEORGIA FORCE (5-9)
SUNDAY, MAY 23, AT 3 P.M. ET

The last time the two teams played, the Austin Wranglers handed the Georgia Force their fourth straight loss with a 42-26 victory... Georgia was held scoreless on six of their 10 possessions... Austin QB JOHN KALEO threw for 247 yards and four TDs, completing 23-of-37 passes... Austin's Rookie of the Year candidate TACOMA FONTAINE racked up a game-high 107 yards receiving on seven catches and one TD... Fontaine is No. 17 in the League for scoring (128 points) and No. 11 in receiving yards (1061)... Wranglers WR/DB CHARLIE DAVIDSON is four away from 100 career receiving TDs... OL/DL TOM BRIGGS is No. 2 in the AFL in sacks (7.5)... The Wranglers are currently ranked No. 1 in the AFL in red-zone offense, scoring a TD 86.9 percent of the time they get beyond the 10-yard line... On 61 possessions in the red zone, the Wranglers have scored 376 points, 53 TDs and two FGs... Their defense is No. 5 in the League, holding opponents out of the end zone 28.1 percent of the time... Georgia Force FB/LB ROBERT THOMAS currently is No. 2 among all rookies in rushing with 198 yards on 44 carries and 10 scores... Averaging 31.3 yards a game rushing, the Force currently rank tied No. 3 in the League in rushing offense... QB LEON MURRAY is No. 3 among all QBs with 176 yards rushing on 43 carries, scoring 12 TDs on the ground... Murray stands No. 8 overall in the AFL in rushing... Georgia OS MARKEITH COOPER has made 75 receptions for 987 yards and 20 TDs, and two TDs rushing on KO returns... He is No. 5 in the League for all-purpose yards (2,054).

NEW ORLEANS VOODOO (10-4) AT TAMPA BAY STORM (7-7)
SUNDAY, MAY 23, AT 3 P.M. ET
(TV: NBC – BOB PAPA, RAY BENTLEY and J.P. PETERSON)

OS AARON BAILEY is No. 4 in AFL scoring (192 points)... FB/LB DAN CURRAN is the leading rusher in the AFL with 77 carries for 300 yards and 21 rushing TDs... Curran's total of 21 rushing TDs is No. 2 in AFL history, tied with Orlando's BARRY WAGNER of Orlando in 1995... Curran has a chance at tying or breaking the AFL record of 26, set by BERNARD HALL of St. Louis in 1996... After winning four straight, the Tampa Bay Storm are still in the postseason race, but are in a must-win situation against the New Orleans VooDoo... In Week 5, the VooDoo returned three INTs for TDs against the Storm in a 55-43 win... Before the bye week, the Storm defeated the L.A. Avengers, 63-55... OS FREDDIE SOLOMON had 10 catches for 182 yards and four TDs... Tampa Bay so far is 4-2 during the second half of the 2004 schedule after going 3-5 in the first eight games... The Storm are a combined 14-7 in the second halves of the 2002, 2003, and 2004 schedules... Overall, the Storm have a 61-32 record in the first half of their regular season schedules since 1991... Tampa Bay has a 68-23 overall record in the second half of their schedules... The Storm are 6-2 this season and 122-16 all-time when outscoring their opponents in the first half.

NEW YORK DRAGONS (8-6) AT ORLANDO PREDATORS (8-6) SUNDAY, MAY 23, AT 3 P.M. ET
(TV: NBC – ALLEN BESTWICK, CHARLES DAVIS and PAT CLARKE)

Dragons KR LINCOLN DUPREE is tied for No. 6 in the AFL with 102-missed FG return-yards and tied for No. 1 with one TD... Dupree ranks No. 10 in KO returns (35 returns for 734 yards and 2 TDs)... Dragons QB AARON GARCIA (250-of-402 for 3,358 yards, 83 TDs and 11 INTs) ranks No. 1 all time with 627 TDs, No. 3 with 30,111 passing yards and No. 4 with 2,336 completions... Last Sunday, Garcia went over 30,000 passing yards... On defense, the Dragons average 46.5 points allowed per game (No. 7 in the AFL), and 15.6 rushing yards (No. 4 in AFL)... They have the number one ranked red-zone defense... The Dragons are scoring 52.8 points per game, No. 5 in the League... The Dragons have won their eight games by an average score of 54-38... Through Week 15 of the regular season, the Predators lead the league in scoring defense (42.8), passing defense (218.9) and total defense (238.7)... With three receptions for 56 yards and one score against Austin last week, WR/LB CORY FLEMING has now caught at least one TD pass in 23 consecutive games with the Predators... Fleming has also scored at least one TD in 29 of 31 career games with Orlando (streaks include playoff games)... A win Sunday against New York would ensure that the Predators finish the 2004 season with a winning overall record for an AFL record 13th consecutive season.

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from May 19, 2004


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