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Late Score, Opportunistic Defense Fuel 48-41 VooDoo Win at Predators

June 22, 2012 - Arena Football League (AFL)
New Orleans VooDoo News Release


ORLANDO - How fitting it was that in the arena the Orlando Magic call home, it was the New Orleans VooDoo came up with some magic of their own.

With the division lead in their sights, New Orleans emerged victorious over the Orlando Predators, 48-41, on Friday night at the Amway Center.

The VooDoo's third consecutive road win pulled them back to .500 at 7-7, while the Predators dropped to 2-12.

It was also the VooDoo's first ever victory at Orlando in their seventh attempt. Former Orlando head coach Pat O'Hata was on their sidelines pulling the strings for the VooDoo to help accomplish the feat.

New Orleans grabbed the lead for good with 21 seconds left in the fourth quarter on Courtney Smith's second touchdown rush of the night.

On the final VooDoo drive, trailing 41-40 with 48 seconds left, the VooDoo had one last chance in the back-and-forth affair that saw six lead changes in the second half alone. Two consecutive dropped passes brought New Orleans to a precarious position with a 3rd and 10 at their own 11, but Rocco calmly completed a 34-yard bomb to Quorey Payne down to the Predators 5-yard line.

"I had a few guys come up to me, leaders on the team, and say Kurt we need you to pull through. I had a rough half obviously, and they recognized it. I knew it, and I knew I needed to come out playing hard. Our defense won the game, and came up with huge stops for us," said Rocco.

Orlando had one final crack at snatching the victory back but needed to cover 42 yards in the final 17 seconds. That's when the VooDoo defensive line which featured throughout the majority of the night came up with its sixth sack that caused a fumble and a safety when the ball was recovered in the end zone by Orlando offensive lineman Thaddeus Coleman. The credit for the game deciding sack went to Xavier Brown.

The VooDoo recovered Orlando's final onside kick, and Rocco's sneak forward for a yard was enough to run out the clock

"To be honest, I was getting beat all night," said Brown after the game. "I'm just happy that we got the win. I'm happy for my teammates that we stuck together and got the win.

The second half alone saw seven lead changes that could easily play on teams' mental toughness, but Brown was part of a collective effort of physical and mental strength for New Orleans. "Most teams would crumble," Brown bragged. "We were down, but we kept our spirits up and got back in the game."

O'Hara was thrilled with the victory, his second of the season over his former team, and immediately pointed to the defensive line first for praise. "Our defensive line stepped up huge. It's all about pass rush. They did a great job tonight," said O'Hara.

The stage was set up previously when the VooDoo needed a huge stop in the final 90 seconds of the contest, but instead the Predators came up with a big 3rd down conversion. After taking the lead, an onside kick by Phil Marfuggi failed as the kick went out of bounds. To compound the matter, New Orleans was called for offsides on the kick which set up the Predators at the VooDoo 7-yard line. The defense allowed no yards on the first two plays before Leak threw a touchdown pass to T.T. Toliver, his third reception of the night. However, the two-point conversion failed due to a batted ball on a pass from Leak.

Josh Bush scored the go-ahead New Orleans touchdown on a 5-yard reception from Rocco. The drive would have ended earlier on a powerful 10-yard touchdown run from Rocco himself, but a penalty on the VooDoo pushed them back 20-yard line instead. Still, Rocco completed passes of four yards to Syvelle Newton and nine yards to Bush before the score.

O'Hara called for the two-point conversion and Joe Alajajian was judged to have broken the plane after the officials reviewed the play and upheld the on-field decision.

It was a turnover-riddled first half that saw a pair of mistakes from each side. Every one of the errors was turned into seven points.

Orlando started the scoring in the first quarter, after a sack fumble on VooDoo quarterback Kurt Rocco. With a short field to work, Leak found a wide-open Jarvis Williams on a crossing route for a 15-yard touchdown putting Orlando up 7-0.

New Orleans marched right back down the field for their first score on a 7-play, 34-yard drive that was kept alive by a 3rd down pass interference penalty on the Predators. Smith ran the ball in from three yards out to put the VooDoo on the board, but the extra point kick failed. Still, the tide turned in New Orleans' favor as they forced a pair of interceptions off of Leak that were converted into touchdowns.

It was the beginning of a significant night for Smith who came through in a big way for L.J. Castille who was suspended. "Courtney stepped in for L.J. and did tremendous," said Rocco who also had praise for the usual suspects on the offensive side of the ball while looking for ways to improve his game. "Bush and Quorey, they did their part like they always do. Overall, we played alright offensively, but I've got to step it up though."

The VooDoo held a 20-7 lead on the strength of interceptions from Gladel Brutus and Alvin Ray Jackson on consecutive Predators drives. With 20 unanswered points, New Orleans hadseemingly seized control. However, the Predators ended the half with a long drive of their own. Orlando cut the deficit to 20-14 on a 7-play 48-yard drive that ended with a 21-yard touchdown pass from Leak to T.T. Toliver on 4th and 6.

Orlando tried the onside kick, but were flagged for an illegal touching penalty. New Orleans was set up with golden field position at the Predators 9-yard line, but Rocco was picked off while trying to buy time and scramble out the pocket.

The Predators responded with a 7-play 43-yard drive that ended with zeroes on the clock. Leak threw a screen pass from the 1-yard line to Toliver for their second connection of the opening half. With the point after converted, the Predators carried a 21-20 lead into the halftime locker room.

It didn't take long for New Orleans to re-take the lead though. In fact, it happened in only one play. After the opening kick-off was returned by Bush to the 5-yard line, the other 45 yards were covered on a deep route from Rocco to Payne who got well behind the secondary and strolled into the end zone on the opening play of the 3rd quarter. Marfuggi's kicking woes on the night continued with his second missed extra point.

Orlando's next drive was met with the VooDoo's second challenge of the night. After two pass interference penalties kept the drive alive, the VooDoo held Orlando to a 4th and goal from the 1-yard line. Chris Jamison had the carry, and was hit near the goal line. The hit caused Jamison to cough up the ball, but the referee already ruled he broke the plane.

O'Hara challenged the scoring play, but it was ruled that there was inconclusive evidence to overturn the decision according to the officials. The Predators jumped back on top 28-26 after the drive in its entirety took 12 plays and 45 yards while burning over eight minutes off the clock.

After the VooDoo gave the ball back when Marfuggi's 52-yard field goal fell well short, New Orleans was in need of a big momentum shift back in their favor. On the final play of the 3rd quarter, they got just that with their fifth sack of the night and a forced fumble. Leak stepped up in the pocket, and was blind sided by Brian Johnston who forced the loose ball which Derandus Frye quickly recovered.

New Orleans trailed just 28-26 heading to the 4th quarter and jumped back on top 32-28 on the ensuing drive when Bush found the end zone on a toss play from five yards out. O'Hara decided to go for the two-point conversion but fell short on an incomplete pass intended for Bush.

Orlando jumped back on top on the next drive, 35-32, with 7:44 remaining of a game that saw five lead changes to that point (four of those coming in the 2nd half). Chris Jamison had done the honors of putting the Predators up with his second touchdown run of the evening from 6 yards on out on a 3rd and 1 to put Orlando ahead in front of their home crowd. That set up the wild finish which saw the lead change hands on nearly every turn in the second half before the VooDoo secured the victory in the final seconds.

New Orleans was efficient on the night converting six of their nine third downs and both 4th down tries on the contest.

"They're a defensive team," O'Hara said of the Predators. "We had a tough time, and had to convert some critical 3rd and 4th downs, and we were able to do that."

The VooDoo return home with a chance to go over .500 for the first time all season when take on the Jacksonville Sharks in the Graveyard on Saturday, June 30.

Depending on what happens on Sunday, the VooDoo could hold first place in the AFL's Southern Division by the time they kick off next weekend. With mostly divisional games left to play for his team, O'Hara has increased faith in the playoff hopes for his squad.

"When you are able to finish and win 4th quarters like we've done the past two weeks, you've got a chance to do something."

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