Preds bang out win over Austin

March 17, 2007 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Orlando Predators News Release


Shane Stafford threw for 200 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Orlando Predators to a 45-30 win over the Austin Wranglers on Friday night.

Austin took a 7-0 lead on their first possession, but the Predators quickly tied it up on a 14-touchdown pass from Shane Stafford to Javarus Dudley. Orlando converted an Austin turnover - the first four on the night - into a 14-7 lead on Dudley's 4-yard touchdown run.

The Predators controlled the entire second quarter, taking a 21-7 on Marlon Moye Moore's 1-yard touchdown run. But just 10 seconds left before the half, things would get dicey for the Predators. A desperation pass was partially deflected into the arms of Otis Amey who had fallen down on the play for a 31-yard touchdown. On the ensuing kickoff, Orlando's DeAndrew Rubin muffed the ensuing kickoff and Nate Coggins recovered in the end zone for a touchdown to make it 21-20 - as Austin scored twice in three seconds.

"I was so proud of the way we fought through some adversity. We could have had a three or four score lead at the half and instead we were up by one," Predators head coach Jay Gruden said. "I love the way we came out of the locker room and reasserted ourselves and scored on our first possession."

Stafford led the Predators on a 45-yard, 6-play scoring drive to start the second period. The drive ended on Rubin's six-yard touchdown pass to make it 28-20 at the 10:58 mark. Orlando came up with another defensive stop and Jay Taylor's 19-yard field goal made it 31-20.

Austin cut the gap to 31-27 at the 9:24 mark of the fourth quarter on Adrian McPherson's one-yard quarterback sneak, but Stafford once again answered with a 37-yard touchdown drive that ended on Rubin's 4-yard touchdown reception.

Trailing 38-27 and faced with a fourth and long, Austin's Mark Lewis made it a one-score game again when he blasted a 33-yard field goal to make it 38-30 with 1:05 remaining. The ensuing on-sides kick failed and Stafford went over top on the first play, hitting Dudley from 10-yards out for the 45-30 final.

For the game, Stafford completed a workman-like 19 of 25 for 200 yards and four touchdowns. Dudley and Rubin had two touchdown receptions each, with Dudley adding a third touchdown rushing. For game, Orlando had a season-high 33 yards on the ground and scored two touchdowns.

McPherson hit 23 of 39 passes for 220 yards and two touchdowns, but he was intercepted three times. Derrick Lewis had a game-high 11 receptions for 75 yards with a touchdown and Amey added six for 90 yards and one touchdown.

The win sets up a huge Monday night showdown between Orlando (2-1) and Dallas (2-0) on March 26 on ESPN. Dallas, 14-2 and heavy favorites to win the ArenaBowl last year, saw their season end in the National Conference championship game when the Predators pulled a major 45-28 upset in Dallas.



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from March 17, 2007


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