New Orleans Defeats SaberCats, 72-43
April 6, 2008 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
San Jose SaberCats News Release
NEW ORLEANS, La. - The New Orleans Arena has yielded both the good and the bad for the San Jose SaberCats in recent years. Saturday night was a case of the bad.
After winning their third Arena Bowl championship in six seasons on their last visit to the Crescent City, the SaberCats came nowhere close to putting on a championship performance as the New Orleans VooDoo had their way en route to a 72-43 win over the defending AFL champions in front of 14,236 fans.
It was the fifth straight win for the VooDoo, who lead the Southern Division of the National Conference with a 5-1 mark after dropping their season opener to Los Angeles. Meanwhile, the SaberCats, which entered the game atop the Western Division standings of the American Conference, evened their record at 3-3 as they prepare to play host to Philadelphia April 12.
"We did not play well offensively," San Jose coach Darren Arbet said. "But that is something we will get corrected. We just need to execute and catch the ball."
Catching the ball is something the SaberCats did well with their first possession of the game. San Jose QB Mark Grieb completed five of his first six passes of the game, the final one capping a six-play, 35-yard drive to give the SaberCats the early lead. Grieb connected with Cleannord Saintil from four yards out with 11:33 left in the opening quarter.
That was the watershed mark for the defending league champions.
The VooDoo, which upended San Jose 67-54 last year in New Orleans, tied the game on their first possession. Danny Wimprine hooked up with Javarus Dudley, who found himself wide open behind the San Jose defense, for a 47-yard score to tie the game just moments later.
From there is was virtually all New Orleans, which led 14-7 after the opening period and 41-17 at halftime.
"They're a good team," said Arbet of the VooDoo. "We didn't do what we needed to do on offense or on defense."
There was another area that Arbet singled out as being a difference in the contest: the play of the New Orleans secondary.
"Their DBs are playing great right now," said the SaberCat coach after watching New Orleans' Calvin Spears and Norman LeJeaune each return an interception for touchdowns in the win.
It was just one of several areas where the VooDoo excelled against Arbet's club. The New Orleans defense did allow Grieb to throw for 330 yards (38-55), which was better than the 291.4 yards per game he was averaging entering the game. But the VooDoo picked off the veteran signal caller three times in the contest, to bring his season total to 10.
More importantly, Grieb and the SaberCats simply could not get anything going on offense, while the New Orleans offense, led by Wimprine, scored seven touchdowns to go along with the two interception returns the first nine times the VooDoo got their hands on the ball.
"You have to give (New Orleans) respect," Arbet said. "They can get up the field and their defense rushes the passer well and is very good at creating turnovers."
Jason Geathers finished with 188 receiving yards on 18 catches and a pair of scores for the SaberCats, while Saintil finished with 10 catches for 74 yards and three TDs. Frank Carter added two catches for 12 yards and one touchdown for San Jose.
Wimprine led the way for the VooDoo with 222 yards (19-29) and five touchdowns through the air, while also adding another score on a 2-yard sneak with the first score of the final quarter for the VooDoo. He was not picked off in the game.
Jordan led New Orleans with nine catches for 67 yards and three touchdowns, while Tyronne Jones, Dudley and Wendall Williams each found the end zone once. Jones caught six passes for 59 yards, while Dudley (4 catches) and Williams (2 catches) finished with 91 and 48 yards, respectively.
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 6, 2008
- Rush Falls To Predators In Overtime, 57-56 - Chicago Rush
- Dragons Defense Stuffs Grand Rapids 63-34 - New York Dragons
- New Orleans Defeats SaberCats, 72-43 - San Jose SaberCats
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