Predators going to Las Vegas for ArenaBowl XX
Published on June 4, 2006 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Orlando Predators News Release
DALLAS, TX -- From the beginning it looked like a mismatch. The Predators were taking on the top-seeded Dallas Desperados, a 14-3 team that led the Arena Football League in scoring offense and scoring defense. They were also playing them on the road, serving as underdog in a game where they had four players missing from their starting line-up.
Instead, it was the Predators that played the role of beast - routing Dallas, 45-28, to earn an unprecedented seventh trip to the ArenaBowl. Orlando will seek their third world championship against the Chicago Rush, an upset winner of San Jose yesterday. It will mark the first time in the league's 20 year history that the road teams won both semifinal games.
"Obviously we had some things working against us," Head Coach Jay Gruden said. "I felt our only chance would be dominate the line of scrimmage and I think we were able to do it."
In recording a 17-point win, the Predators avenged an 87-62 home loss to the Desperados earlier in the season. Dallas quarterback Clint Dolezel threw 11 touchdown passes in that game and led his team to 12 touchdowns and a field goal in 13 possessions. On Sunday, it was a different story - the Predators shook Dolezel up early and often -- limiting the first team All-Arena quarterback to just a 28 for 48 night for 280 yards and just one touchdown. The Predators also won the turnover battle - picking off three Dolezel passes and recovering a pair of fumbles.
Preds quarterback Joe Hamilton was more than efficient, completing 14 of 22 passes for 179 yards and four touchdowns. His only turnover - a first quarter interception - came on a pass that hit DeAndrew Rubin squarely in the hands and was bobbled before being picked off.
But it was a game when several relatively unknowns had to standout after the Predators, who found themselves short by four starters. Defensive specialists Jeroid Johnson (hamstring) and Kenny McEntyre (heel) missed the game with injuries. FB/LB Marlon Moye-Moore was held out after cutting his eye on a non-football related incident and WR/LB Jerrian James was serving a one-game league suspension.
And boy how the replacements and lesser known players stepped it up. Khalil Carter intercepted two balls - returning one for a touchdown. DeAndrew Rubin had an interception, returned a kickoff 56 yards for a touchdown and had 1.5 tackles with a pass break-up. Charlie Davidson batted down a ball and had a team-high 10.5 tackles. Lin-J Shell forced and recovered a key fumble. In all, the Predators secondary limited Dallas to just one touchdown pass - a huge improvement over the 11 TD passes they gave up earlier in the season against the Desperados.
But it was the defensive line that made a huge difference. An unrelenting pass rush kept Dolezel off balance all night long and made him earn every yard. "No big scoring plays this time," Gruden added. "Whenever you make a team take eight to 10 plays to score, you increase the opportunity to let your defensive backs make a play. It happened tonight."
It almost looked like it could be a blowout in favor the Desperados. Dallas kicked off to open the game and got a defensive stop to start the game. Dallas was benefited by a pair of plays where it appeared ColstonWeatherington grabbed the face mask on both WR Javarus Dudley and QB Joe Hamilton on successive plays but no penalty was called. After taking over the ball, Dallas needed just three plays to make it 7-0 as Duke Pettijohn scored on a one-yard run.
On Orlando's next possession, DeAndrew Rubin failed to handle a pass from Hamiltom as he dribbled the ball off his hands it fell into the lap of defensive back Hamin Milligan for an interception - giving Dallas momentum and a chance to jump on top 14-0 to start the game. But Orlando turned the tables three plays later as Lin-J Shell forced a fumble after a completion to Andrew Layton and then recovered on the Orlando five-yard line.
The Predators needed just one play to tie the game, as Hamilton hit Javarus Dudley on a 47-yard touchdown to pass at the 3:50 mark. Dallas took kickoff and drove down the field - scoring on the final play of the first quarter on a Dolzel two-yard run to make it 14-7.
DeAndrew Rubin tied it up on the opening play of the second quarter - taking the opening kickoff of the second quarter 55 yards for a touchdown. The Predators then came up with a another huge stop, as Khalil Carter stepped in front of a Dolezel pass and ran it back 33 yards for a touchdown to make it 21-14 Orlando at the 9:14 mark.
The Desperados tied the game at 21 a the 5:51 mark with an eight-yard touchdown pass from Dolezel to Terrill Shaw.
Orlando's next drive stalled but Jay Taylor tacked on a 26-yard field goal made it 24-21 at the 56 second mark. The Predators then came up with another huge stop, holding Dallas on downs to keep a three point lead heading into the second half.
It took more than six minutes, but Dallas reclaimed the lead on a 45-yard touchdown drive that was capped on Dolezel's two-yard keeper on third and goal. The drive took 10 plays and consumed 6:31 seconds.
Orlando claimed the lead back on Dudley's 15-yard touchdown reception at the 4:57 mark. The touchdown capped a five-play, 45-yard drive with Dudley and Jimmy Fryzel catching two passes each on the drive.
The Predators then held Dallas on downs to take possession with less than two minutes remaining in the third quarter. But Orlando netted a -5 yards on three plays and Taylor's 62-yard field goal was well short.
On Dallas next possession, Dolezel failed to handle the snap cleanly on first down and Cory Fleming recovered the fumble on the 11-yard line. One play later, Hamilton hit Greg White on a tight end screen and Orlando took a 38-28 lead at the 12:06 mark.
Dolezel drove Dallas all the way down to the two-yard line on the Desperados next possession, but on first and goal, Rubin intercepted Dolezel in the end zone. Orlando then clicked nearly four minutes off the clock before Hamilton hit Fryzel in the back of the end zone for a touchdown and a 45-28 lead at the 3:46 mark.
Any chance Dallas had a miracle comeback dissolved when Carter intercepted Dolezel for a second time with less than a minute remaining. Orlando ran three balls up the middle of the line and the clock expired.
After traveling back to Orlando on Monday morning, the Predators will leave for ArenaBowl XX on either Tuesday or Wednesday morning. The team, which last won a championship in 2000, will play the Rush on Sunday. "It is going to a very hectic week," Gruden added. "But there is no place we rather be right now. Our only goal this season has been to get to the ArenaBowl and win it. We have one more step to go."
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from June 4, 2006
- Predators going to Las Vegas for ArenaBowl XX - Orlando Predators
- Desperados Fall To Predators, 45-28 - Dallas Desperados
- Chicago to face Orlando in Arenabowl XX - AFL I
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