New Orleans VooDoo outlast Tampa Bay Storm 48-42

February 26, 2005 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
New Orleans VooDoo News Release


NEW ORLEANS -- WR/DB Jacques Rumph's 12-yard TD catch with 10:24 remaining in overtime and DS Chris Pointer's stop of WR/LB David Saunders inside the VooDoo 1 with 3:06 left gave New Orleans a 48-42 overtime victory over Tampa Bay in the New Orleans Arena.

The first overtime game in the history of the VooDoo was a wild affair as New Orleans rallied to tie the game, 42-42 with 22 seconds remaining in regulation on a three-yard scoring run by FB/LB Leroy Thompson.

In overtime, the VooDoo (4-1) got the ball first and QB Andy Kelly drove New Orleans 45 yards in seven plays and scored on Rumph's TD catch. K Brian Schmitz's extra-point attempt hit the right upright as the VooDoo led, 48-42.

Each team is awarded one possession in OT and Tampa Bay QB Shane Stafford took the Storm (2-2) to the New Orleans 8. A holding call on second down pushed the Storm back to the 18. On fourth and goal with 3:23 left, Stafford went over the middle for Saunders, who caught the ball at the VooDoo 1 and was immediately hit by Pointer short of the goal line as the crowd of 16,503 celebrated in the Graveyard.

Rumph was the Offensive Player of the Game as he had nine receptions for 97 yards and two TDs which went along with a one-yard TD run in the opening quarter for the VooDoo's first points.

Pointer was the ADT Defensive Player of the Game after posting 14 tackles, including the final stop in overtime.

New Orleans OL/DL B.J. Cohen was selected as the U.S. Army Ironman of the Game after four tackles, including a key sack of Stafford midway through the final quarter that forced a Storm field goal attempt.

The Storm, after New Orleans turned the ball over on downs during their first possession, took a 3-0 lead with 9:25 remaining in the opening quarter on a 17-yard field goal by K Matt George.

George's kickoff after the score hit the bottom of the net and bounced away from two VooDoo players and was recovered by DS Tramain Jones at the New Orleans 6. Two plays later, Stafford hit WR/DB Clif Dell with a three-yard strike for a 10-0 lead with 8:09 left in the quarter.

New Orleans cut into the lead on their next possession as Rumph took a handoff from Kelly and bulled in from one yard away with 5:19 to go as the VooDoo cut the margin to 10-7.

On the ensuing kickoff, Dell was stripped of the ball by WR/DB Lamont Moore and OL/DL Brook Miller recovered for New Orleans at the Tampa Bay 7. New Orleans took just three plays to grab a 14-10 lead with 2:43 to play in the period as Kelly completed a six-yard TD pass to OS Aaron Bailey.

The VooDoo got the ball back after a missed 32-yard field goal by George on the first play of the second quarter and five plays later, Bailey weaved through the Storm defense for a eight-yard TD catch with 11:40 to go in the second quarter as New Orleans extended their lead to 21-10.

Tampa Bay cut into the New Orleans lead on a eight-yard TD reception by Dell with 6:19 remaining in the first half as the VooDoo led, 21-17.

In the third quarter, Tampa Bay took their first lead since the opening quarter when WR/LB Lawrence Samuels caught a seven-yard TD strike from Stafford with 10:19 to go as the Storm led, 24-21.

Kelly started the next drive with his 3,000th career completion, a 12-yard pass to Rumph, and ended it with his 650th career TD pass, a 27-yard bomb to Bailey with 6:24 to play as the VooDoo retook a 28-24 lead. Both figures extended Kelly's career AFL records.

Stafford and the Storm offense countered with a three-yard TD pass to Dell with 1:25 remaining in the quarter as Tampa Bay grabbed a 31-28 lead.

Cohen's seven-yard sack of Stafford midway through the fourth quarter forced a 21-yard field goal by George, which extended Tampa Bay's margin to 34-28 with 7:28 to play.

New Orleans got the lead back on a 14-yard diving catch by Rumph in the end zone with 4:41 to go as the VooDoo took a 35-34 lead.

Tampa Bay went back on top with 1:10 remaining when Saunders caught a three-yard pass from Stafford. Stafford then completed a two-point conversion pass to Dell as the Storm led, 42-35.

Kelly drove the VooDoo to the tying score as he completed five consecutive passes to WR/LB Thabiti Davis which set up a three-yard run by Thompson with 22 seconds to play. Schmitz' extra point tied the game at 42-42.

Tampa Bay had one chance to win in regulation, but George's 52-yard field goal attempt was wide right. Dell recovered the ball off the net, but was brought down by a VooDoo defender at the New Orleans 5 as regulation time expired.

Kelly completed 31-of-47 passes for 281 yards and five TDs as the VooDoo won their fourth straight which ties a club record. Stafford was 32-of-54 passing for 274 yards and five TDs for the Storm.

Dell had eight catches for 62 yards and three TDs for Tampa Bay while Bailey had six catches for 56 yards and three TDs for New Orleans.

The crowd of over 16,000 was the second-largest all-time to watch the VooDoo in the New Orleans Arena.

New Orleans will be back in action next Saturday (March 5) vs. the Dallas Desperados in the American Airlines Center (7:30 pm CT). Tampa Bay will host the Grand Rapids Rampage next Sunday (March 6) at 1 pm ET in the St. Pete Times Forum.



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from February 26, 2005


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central