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Power, VooDoo Prep for Pivotal Conference Game on CBS Sports Network

April 11, 2014 - Arena Football League (AFL) News Release


PITTSBURGH - The Pittsburgh Power (2-1) host the New Orleans VooDoo (1-2) tonight in a special Friday edition of "NET10 Wireless Arena Football Saturday" action on CBS Sports Network. Kickoff from the CONSOL Energy Center is set for 7:00 p.m. EST.

Both teams come into their Week 5 matchup on the heels of key victories a week ago. The VooDoo earned their first win of the season by taking down the previously undefeated Orlando Predators (3-2), 62-55, last week, while the Power recorded the largest margin of victory in franchise history with a 53-point win over the San Antonio Talons (0-4), 70-17.

The Power are led by 2012 AFL MVP Tommy Grady, who has passed for 718 yards and 15 touchdowns in his first season in Pittsburgh. Grady set nearly every major single-season AFL passing record with the Utah Blaze two seasons ago, completing 507-of-743 passes for 5,870 yards and 142 touchdowns. He will look to make another run at those numbers in 2014 with the help of one of the AFL's most talented receiving trios. Shaun Kauleinamoku leads the team with 25 receptions and 260 yards on the year, while Prechae Rodriguez has proven himself to be the squad's big play threat, collecting seven receiving touchdowns this season and hauling in a score in each of his last 15 games played. Grady's longtime top target, Aaron Lesue, has also recorded 25 receptions and three touchdowns this season and doubles as the team's kick return specialist. The team has also added another wrinkle to the offense with the emergence of fullback Tommy Taggart, who set a single-game franchise record with three rushing touchdowns a week ago.

Kurt Rocco is the man behind center in New Orleans for the third consecutive season. Rocco completed 22-of-33 passes for 259 yards and six touchdowns last week and sits 12 passing yards shy of 12,000 for his career. His favorite target this season has been L.J. Castile, who was voted AFL MVP for Week 4 after tallying 12 receptions for 138 yards and four touchdowns last week. The AFL's leader in receiving yards per game, averaging just more than 120 yards per contest this season, has caught multiple touchdown passes in each of the last three games. Larry Beavers snagged a pair of touchdown receptions against Orlando last week and figures to play a large role in the offense again against Pittsburgh. The team also added veteran receiver and kick returner Dwayne Eley, Jr. earlier this week.

Both squads take pride in their opportunistic defenses. The Power lead the AFL in takeaways with 13 on the year, while the VooDoo have recorded multiple interceptions in each of the last three games.

New Orleans had three picks last week, including a pair by J. Lewis Small Playmaker of the Week, Cameron McGlenn, who returned one interception 49 yards for a touchdown. Jack linebacker Alvin Ray Jackson, who spent last season with the Power, also collected a dramatic interception in the final seconds to seal the VooDoo victory. Veteran defensive back Eddie Moten will also be a player to watch, as he continues to work his way through the AFL record books. Moten needs one interception to bring his career total to 47, which would represent the fifth-highest mark in League history, while he needs 3.5 tackles to move into 10th-place in AFL history with 542.5 career tackles.

Pittsburgh also finds its strength in the secondary. Defensive back Virgil Gray has recorded an interception in each of his last seven regular season games played, the longest streak of its kind since San Jose SaberCats defender Clevan Thomas strung together nine in a row from 2002-03. On the outside, Brandon Freeman led the team with 5.5 tackles, one fumble recovery and an interception against San Antonio last week, while Sergio Gilliam is two interceptions shy of 30 for his career and 12 tackles short of 300.

On the special teams front, the VooDoo have brought in veteran Stefan Demos to handle the kicking duties for injured rookie Taylor Russolino. The Power will rely on the right leg of Julian Rauch, who booted a franchise-long 49-yard field goal in Week 1.

A Pittsburgh win would propel the Power to 3-1 on the year and the best start in franchise history, while a victory for the VooDoo would give New Orleans a .500 record on the year and put the team right back in the mix in the American Conference South Division. Kickoff for Friday's game is set for 7:00 p.m. EST on CBS Sports Network.

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