SaberCats Can Clinch Division Friday
May 31, 2007 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
San Jose SaberCats News Release
SAN JOSE, Calif. (May 31, 2007) - The San Jose SaberCats earned a playoff berth by defeating the Nashville Kats last week and the team can clinch its seventh American Conference Western Division title Friday with a win over the Orlando Predators (Live on KNBR 1050; tape-delayed on FSN Bay Area 12:00 am Saturday).
Losses this weekend by Los Angeles and Utah will also give the SaberCats their sixth division title in the last eight years and a first-round playoff bye.
"Our goal is to win a championship," stated head coach and general manager Darren Arbet. "It wasn't to just make the playoffs or win the division, it was to win the ArenaBowl. To do that we need home field advantage in the playoffs so we need to win out."
San Jose's offense will be tested against the No. 1 scoring defense in the league on Friday evening. The Predators are only giving up 44.1 points per game, but yielded their second highest opponent total of the season (65) against the Utah Blaze last week.
"They have the number one scoring defense in the league right now," said Arbet. "Jay Gruden is arguably one of the best ever to play and coach in the game. They are a tough and gritty team that plays hard so it will be a battle."
The all-time series between the SaberCats and Orlando is in favor of the home team. San Jose holds a 5-2 advantage in the seven matches and has won the last three games by a combined 63 points. The last time the two teams met was in the Sunshine State on Mar. 6, 2005, where the SaberCats upset the Predators 57-38.
The last time Orlando won a contest in the series was back in 2001, when current SaberCats backup QB Craig Whelihan was directing the offense for the Predators.
San Jose's defense has probably been the best in the league during their current six game winning streak. They have forced 21 turnovers (12 INTs) and are +16 in the turnover margin during that span. The SaberCats have not allowed a point in the first quarter of their last four games.
Two of the AFL's top sack leaders will be looking to add notches to their belts on Friday. Orlando's Greg White is 1st in the league with 13.0 sacks while Ron Jones of the SaberCats ranks 4th with 7.0.
The kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. and individual game tickets are on sale starting as low as $17. They can be purchased through any Northern California Ticketmaster outlet, by phone at (408) 998-TIXS, online at Ticketmaster.com or by visiting the box office at the HP Pavilion in San Jose. Group tickets are available now by calling (408) 573-5577.
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