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SaberCats Game Notes

May 28, 2002 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
San Jose SaberCats News Release


THE QUICK FACTS:
Game: SaberCats (6-0) at Buffalo Destroyers (3-3).
Date: Saturday, June 1, 2002.
Kickoff: 4:00 p.m. (PDT).
Site: HSBC Arena (18,457)
Officials: Referee: Riley Johnson; Umpire: Paul Frerking; Head Linesman: Neil Brunner; Line Judge: Paul Engelberts; Back Judge: Bud McCleskey.
Television: NBC3 and WB20 will televise the game live in the Bay Area beginning at 4:00 p.m. (PT). Bob Fitzgerald will call the play-by-play and George Atkinson will supply the commentary.
Radio: San Jose's flagship station The Ticket (KTCT) 1050-AM will broadcast the game live from Buffalo with Grant Napear handling the play-by-play chores and Jack Tatum adding the commentary.
Internet: Log on to www.ticket1050.com to hear a live webcast of the game.
Series Record: SaberCats lead 3-0.
Last Meeting: San Jose 83, Buffalo 54 (July 22, 2002 in San Jose).
Streaks: San Jose Won 3.
Coaches: San Jose, Darren Arbet (36-16 overall, 4th season). Buffalo, Ray Bentley (14-17 overall, 3rd season).

OVERVIEW: The SaberCats hit the road for the first of two straight games when they play at Buffalo on Saturday, June 1. The SaberCats became the first team in Arena Football League history to score 77 or more points in three consecutive games and kept their perfect season intact with a 77-54 win over the expansion Dallas Desperados on May 25. It was also the first time in franchise history that San Jose reached the 70-point mark in three straight contests. The SaberCats are averaging 67.3 points per game and are on pace to shatter the league record for points in a season. The New York Dragons scored 898 points during the 2001 season. At their current pace the SaberCats will produce 942 points on the campaign. One streak did come to an end in the game against Dallas. QB Mark Grieb had his string of consecutive pass attempts without an interception end at 268 dating back to last season. This game will be the first for San Jose against an Eastern Division opponent since May 12, 2000 when the SaberCats lost in New York. San Jose has an all-time record of 11-7 against Eastern Division foes. Since the start of the 2000 season, the SaberCats own a regular season road record of 12-4 (.750).

THE SERIES: The SaberCats have won all three series meetings with the Destroyers and have outscored Buffalo 196-135...The teams have played once in Buffalo with San Jose winning 61-35 on May 19, 2000...The most recent meeting saw the SaberCats put up the second-most points in a game in team history with an 83-54 win in San Jose on July 22, 2000.

WHAT'S AHEAD: The SaberCats finish up their two-game road trip with a visit to the Los Angeles Avengers on Saturday, June 8. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. from STAPLES Center. San Jose's last visit to Los Angeles resulted in the first-ever win for the Avengers over San Jose, a 47-44 decision on June 2, 2001. San Jose won the earlier meeting between the teams, but the Avengers played without the league's leading scorer Chris Jackson.

SERIES NOTABLES: San Jose's career rushing leader, FB/LB Derrick Chachere, is in his second season with Buffalo. Chachere ran for 442 yards in a SaberCats uniform from 1995 to 2000 and his career mark looks to be safe for the time being as Bob McMillen, the closest current SaberCat, has 175 career rushing yards...San Jose QB Mark Grieb has completed 79.5 percent of his passes in two career starts against Buffalo going 35 of 44 for 537 yards and 12 TDs with no interceptions. Grieb did not play the fourth quarter of San Jose's 61-35 win at Buffalo on May 19, 2000, and threw just four passes in the fourth quarter of San Jose's 83-54 win on July 22, 2000...The SaberCats set a team record by scoring 12 touchdowns against Buffalo on July 22, 2000...The 131 receiving yards accumulated by Barry Wagner against Buffalo on July 22, 2000 is the 2nd-highest total in his San Jose career...OL/DL Mike Ulufale scored his only AFL touchdown against Buffalo when he intercepted a pass and returned it 21-yards on July 22, 2000...In three games each against the Destroyers, WRs Jerry Reese and Shalon Baker have combined 25 receptions, 340 yards and 8 TDs.

LAST SERIES MEETING: SAN JOSE 83, Buffalo 54 (July 22, 2000) – The SaberCats clinched their first Western Division title since 1995 and secured home-field advantage throughout the Arena Football League playoffs with an 83-54 win over the Buffalo Destroyers. San Jose tied a league record with its 11th consecutive win and finished the season with a 12-2 mark, equaling the best record ever in the AFL. San Jose's Barry Wagner, who earned Ironman of the Game honors, got the SaberCats on the board first by taking the opening kickoff 46 yards for a score. Wagner added three TD catches and also had a game-high six tackles. QB Mark Grieb, who was named the game's MVP, threw a season-high seven touchdown passes and completed 17-of-22 for 292 yards without an interception. His season-ending 129.9 passer rating was the highest ever recorded in the AFL. Grieb connected with OS Steve Papin on a 45-yard touchdown pass to increase the SaberCats' lead to 42-30 on the last play of the first half ending a flurry of scores in the final 45 seconds. Buffalo kicker Mike Black booted a 19-yard field goal with :45 left to bring the Destroyers within 28-23, Papin snared a 13-yard touchdown catch with :29 remaining, and Buffalo receiver Eddie Brown caught a 7-yard touchdown pass with :06 left on the clock. The game featured several testy moments, including the ejection of SaberCats assistant coach Mike Church for protesting a hit from behind on Wagner late in the second quarter. But the scuffling was unable to keep pace with the offensive outbursts. The second half resulted in more fireworks. Mason hit receiver Terrel Shaw with a 45-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the second half and Papin answered with a 57-yard touchdown return on the ensuing kickoff. San Jose put the game away by scoring the final 21 points. DL Mike Ulufale picked off a Mason offering and scampered 21-yards for his first career touchdown to give San Jose a 76-54 lead with 5:54 left. Ulufale also recorded the game's only sack. The SaberCats set a game record by scoring 12 touchdowns and finished as the second-highest scoring team ever. San Jose totaled 871 points on the season falling two points shy of tying the 1996 Albany Firebirds for most points scored in a season.

ALL-TIME SERIES SCORES
Date Score
July 22, 2000 @San Jose 83, Buffalo 54
May 19, 2000 San Jose 61, @Buffalo 35
July 9, 1999 @San Jose 52, Buffalo 46

THE IFS...:

If the SaberCats defeat Buffalo it would...
*Give San Jose a 4-0 series lead over the Destroyers.
*Be San Jose's 3rd straight road victory this season.
*Be San Jose's 30th regular season road win in history.
*Be San Jose's 64th regular season victory all-time.
*Give San Jose a 12-7 all-time record against Eastern Division teams.
*Give San Jose a 2-3 record in games played in New York State.
*Give San Jose a 20-11 record in June games.

THE COACHES:

San Jose – Darren Arbet, 4th season
34-14 (.708) regular season; 36-16 (.692) overall 3-0 (1.000) career vs. Buffalo
Arbet became the SaberCats' winningest head coach when San Jose beat Arizona in the quarterfinals of the AFL playoffs last year. The win gave Arbet 30 victories in 46 career games. He surpassed former head coach Todd Shell, who posted 29 wins in 57 career games. Arbet owns a 36-16 (.692) overall record and is 34-14 (.708) in regular season games. His regular season winning percentage is currently the 4th-best in the history of the AFL among coaches with at least 10 wins. The SaberCats are 28-6 (.824) in regular season games under Arbet since the start of the 2000 season. He was named the AFL's Coach of the Year in 2000 following a league record tying 12 regular season wins and guided the SaberCats to an AFL record 15 consecutive regular season victories (11 in '00, 4 in '01). Arbet is the only head coach in team history to post a playoff victory.

Buffalo – Ray Bentley, 3rd season (2nd full season)
14-16 (.467) regular season; 14-17 (.452) overall
0-2 (.000) career vs. San Jose
A former NFL and USFL linebacker, Bentley stepped down from the broadcast booth to become the second head coach in Destroyers history five weeks into the 2000 season. Now in his 2nd full season and 3rd overall as the Destroyers head coach, Bentley owns a 14-16 (.467) regular season record and is 14-17 (.452) overall. Bentley assumed his dual roles as coach and GM after Buffalo had started the campaign with a 0-4 mark. Bentley rallied the troops and guided the Destroyers to a 5-5 record the remainder of the year and into the postseason. Bentley works as a broadcaster for FOX sports on its NFL coverage and has also written and published eight children's books.

RECENT RESULTS: SaberCats' quarterback Mark Grieb completed 18 of 24 passes for 211 yards and five touchdowns to lead San Jose to a 77-54 victory over the expansion Dallas Desperados keeping San Jose undefeated at 6-0. While the SaberCats didn't pull away until the fourth quarter, they did become the first team in Arena Football League history to score 77 or more points in three consecutive games. The SaberCats have led after the first quarter in every game this season and Saturday was no different. Grieb got the SaberCats off to another sizzling start, hitting wide receivers Jerry Reese and Shalon Baker on 11- and 14-yard touchdown passes, respectively, on consecutive drives. On the ensuing kickoff, San Jose's Omarr Smith recovered Daron Alcorn's kick on the Dallas one-yard line. James Williams rumbled into the end zone on the next play and recovered his own fumble for a touchdown and a 21-3 SaberCats lead. An early setback was only the beginning of Dallas' woes. Desperados kicker Jason Wells missed a 42-yard field goal midway through the opening quarter. After Grieb hit receiver James Hundon on 21-yard touchdown pass early in the second quarter, the SaberCats held Dallas to a 12-play drive that chewed up nine minutes. Dallas finally scored on a one-yard run by Patrise Alexander to cut the San Jose lead to 28-17. The SaberCats pounced right back as Clevan Thomas returned Wells' kickoff 57 yards for a touchdown. With San Jose leading 42-34 in the third quarter, Thomas nearly broke off another kickoff return before he was forced out-of-bounds by Wells at the Dallas 15-yard line. Thomas, who garnered Most Valuable Player honors in the game, wasn't done. In the third quarter he nailed Dallas wide receiver Andy McCullough from behind to jar the completion loose. San Jose's Sam Hernandez grabbed the loose ball out of the air and returned the interception seven yards to the Dallas eight-yard line. On the next play, Williams scored the second of his three touchdowns as he marched in from eight yards for the score. The SaberCats' defense continued to come up big on the night, holding the Desperados offense to just four third down conversions in 10 attempts. Also, San Jose again held an opposing quarterback to under a 60 percent completion rate as Kelly found a home for just 28 of his 51 pass attempts. For Grieb, it was a night of record-shattering performances, both good and bad. He began the night completing his first 10 pass attempts including a first quarter, 16-yard pass to James Hundon that sent his career passing yards past the 8,000 mark. However, Grieb did throw his first interception of the season to Hassan Shamsid-Deen, his first misfire in his last 268 pass attempts. Baker had a game-high 31 rushing yards on just two carries, caught four passes for 32 yards and a touchdown and added four tackles to capture the Ironman award. Kelly threw for six touchdowns and 324 yards for Dallas, but was intercepted three times.

ABOUT THE OPPONENT: The Destroyers joined the AFL in 1999 as an expansion team and have an all-time record of 15-33...Buffalo has increased its win total in each of the first three years in the league (1 in '99; 5 in '00; 6 in '01)...11 of Buffalo's 15 all-time wins have come at home...Buffalo is undefeated at home (3-0) and is allowing a measly 39.3 points per game to the opposition. The Destroyers set a franchise record for fewest points allowed in a 49-21 win over Detroit on May 11 one week after becoming the only team so far this season to lose to the Fury.

ROSTER MOVES: The SaberCats placed OL/DL Chuck Reed on Injured Reserve on May 24 due to a hip flexor strain. He became the first player to be put on IR since May 2 when the SaberCats place OL/DL Joe Jacobs on IR.

RECENT ROSTER MOVES
Date Action Player
5/24 Placed on IR OL/DL Chuck Reed
5/15 Signed to PS WR/DB Rashied Davis

MILESTONES:

*WR/LB James Roe needs 2 TD catches for 40 career and 20 receiving yards for 1,600 career.
*OS James Hundon needs 9 receptions for 100 career.
*WR/DB Jerry Reese needs 2 TD catches for 70 career.
*WR/DB Barry Wagner needs 1 catch for 800 career.
*OL/DL Mike Ulufale needs 1.5 sacks for 10 career.
*OL/DL Chuck Reed needs 3 sacks for 20 career.
*WR/LB Shalon Baker needs 6 catches for 200 career and 23 receiving yards for 2,800 career.
*K Daron Alcorn needs 4 points for 550 career.
*QB Mark Grieb needs 2 completions for 600 career.

TALE OF THE TAPE: It's safe to say San Jose has the top offensive unit in the AFL. The SaberCats lead the league in scoring (67.3 ppg), rush offense (32.7 ypg) and pass rating (131.1), rank 3rd in total offense (301.3 ypg) and 4th in pass offense (268.7 ypg). San Jose also ranks in the top five in 14 of the 26 league team statistical categories.

INJURY REPORT: Outside of the usual bumps and bruises associated with a professional football game, the SaberCats remain relatively healthy. OL/DL Chuck Reed was placed on IR prior to the May 25 game with Dallas. FB/LB Bob McMillen sustained a high ankle sprain late in the same game. He crumpled to the turf after being tackled following a run play. With all the knee injuries McMillen has had in the past, it was feared to be the same type of injury. McMillen was taken out of the game and did not return.

Player Injury Status
Bob McMillen Ankle Sprain Probable
Frank Beede Turf Toe Out

TRENDS:

EFFECIENCY – The SaberCats have scored 31 touchdowns and two field goals on 37 offensive possessions in their last three games. San Jose scored 10 TDs in 12 possessions against Dallas on May 25. The two non-scoring possessions were interceptions. The SaberCats scored 10 TDs and a field goal on 12 offensive possessions at Orlando on May 17. They ran one play and the final 11 seconds off the clock to end the game in which they won 77-45. Against Los Angeles on May 11, the SaberCats scored 11 TDs and a field goal in their 13 possessions. A missed 39-yard field goal was the only blemish on an otherwise perfect evening.

THREE ELEVENS – With the help of a 39-yard interception return for a TD by Omarr Smith at Orlando on May 17 and a 57-yard kickoff return for a score by Clevan Thomas against Dallas on May 25, the SaberCats have scored 11 touchdowns in each of their last three games.

FAST STARTS – Over the last three games the SaberCats have outscored their opponent 61-10 in the first quarter. After allowing a field goal on Dallas' opening drive, San Jose countered with three straight TDs to build a 21-3 first quarter lead over the Desperados en route to a 77-54 win on May 25. San Jose was up 20-0 after one at Orlando on May 17 and held a 20-7 first quarter advantage over Los Angeles on May 11. On the season the SaberCats have outscored their opponent 103-40 in the first quarter and have not trailed in a game this year after the first quarter.

PLAYING PERCENTAGES – San Jose has held the opposing starting quarterback to a completion percentage of less than 60 percent in each of its six games this season. Dallas QB Andy Kelly tied a San Jose opponent record by attempting 51 passes and connected on 28 (54.9%). Orlando's Jay Gruden completed 58.7 percent (27-of-46) on May 17 for the highest completion percentage of any opposing QB this year. In order to achieve that lofty mark, Gruden needed to complete 66.7 percent (10-of-15) of his fourth quarter passes when his team trailed by as many as 38 points and San Jose was playing a prevent defense.

HEADS OR TAILS – The SaberCats have won the coin toss in five of their six games this season. In each case San Jose has deferred to the second half.

LEADER – Quarterback Mark Grieb has made 26 regular season starts during his San Jose career and the team has a record of 23-3 in those games.

FOUR FOR FOUR – Rookie FB/LB James Williams, who played nine seasons in the NFL as a linebacker, has adapted quite well to being on the offensive side of the football. Williams scored a league season-high 3 rush TDs on 3 carries against Dallas on May 25 and for the season has scored a TD all four times he's carried the ball.

THE HALF CENTURY MARK – Over their last 12 regular season games the SaberCats have scored 794 points (66.2 ppg) and have surpassed the 50-point mark in every one. The team also owns an 11-1 during that stretch. San Jose's lowest point total during its current run came in a 52-51 win over Arizona on April 20.

NOTES:

OFFENSIVE – San Jose became the first team in Arena Football League history to score 77 or more points in three straight games with its 77-54 win over Dallas on May 25. The SaberCats duplicated their 77-point output at Orlando on May 17 and put up 78 on May 11 in their win over Los Angeles. Here is something to consider: If San Jose averages 50 points per game – that's 17 points below their current average – over the remaining 8 games of the year, they will still finish the season with the 8th-highest single-season point total in Arena Football League history (804).

THE RUN RETURNS – After rushing for 5 yards and one TD on 8 carries in their first two games, the SaberCats have totaled 191 yards and 16 TDs on 49 attempts in the last three. The SaberCats continued their ground assault on May 25 against Dallas rushing for 52 yards and 5 TDs on 9 carries. Shalon Baker had a team season-high 31 yards on just 2 carries and James Williams scored each of the three times he carried the ball. San Jose leads the league in rushing with 32.7 ypg and has scored an AFL high 17 rush TDs.

BALANCED ATTACK – The SaberCats have scored 57 touchdowns on the season, 10 more than the next closest team, and have done so with a balanced attack. San Jose ranks 4th in the league in pass offense and is tied with Arizona for the most TD passes in the AFL with 36. San Jose boasts the top rushing offense in the league and has scored a league-high 17 TDs on the ground.

ROOKIE SENSATION – DS/KR Clevan Thomas continues his impressive play and run at the Rookie of the Year award. Thomas totaled a season-high 156 kickoff return yards, including a 57-yard TD return, and had 4.5 tackles and a pass breakup against Dallas on May 25. With his second KOR touchdown of the year Thomas joins Steve Papin and Titus Dixon as the only San Jose players to have more than one in a single season. Thomas also ranks in the top 10 in six different league categories placing 5th in MFG returns (20.0), 6th in KO returns (22.4), 7th in tackles (34.0), 8th in all-purpose yards (125.3) and tied for 9th in pass breakups (9).

THE STREAK ENDS – Quarterback Mark Grieb had his string of consecutive pass attempts without an interception snapped at 268. Grieb completed his first 10 passes and 12 of 13 against Dallas on May 25 before being intercepted in the second quarter by Hassan Shamsid-Deen. "I was trying to throw the ball away, I just didn't throw it far enough," said Grieb of his first pick since July 15, 2001. Grieb was also intercepted in the third quarter and finished with the third two-interception game of his career. Grieb has never thrown more than two picks in a single game. DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS – With all of San Jose's offensive exploits well documented, it's hard to overlook the effort by the defensive unit. San Jose's opponents have had 74 offensive possessions this year and have combined for 38 touchdowns, a TD scoring percentage of just 51.4 percent. San Jose, on the other hand, has scored 53 touchdowns on 70 offensive possessions (75.7%). The SaberCats also have a turnover margin of +8, which is the second-best in the AFL.

PICKER – DS Anthony Cobbs has made the most of his recent playing time. After starting against Arizona on opening night (4/20), Cobbs was a healthy scratch in San Jose's next three games. He returned to the lineup on May 17 at Orlando and tallied his first career interception and a career-high 3 pass breakups. Against Dallas on May 25, Cobbs had two picks and became the 13th player in San Jose history to record multiple interceptions in a game. It was the first two-interception game by a SaberCat since Barry Wagner nabbed a pair at Oklahoma on April 21, 2000.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Two San Jose players have been honored by the AFL as the ‘ADT' Defensive Player of the Week so far this season. FB/LB Bob McMillen garnered the award in Week 2 after returning an interception 46-yards for a game-winning touchdown and adding 5.0 tackles at Tampa Bay on April 27. OL/DL Sam Hernandez was the Week 4 recipient after posting 2.0 sacks and 3.5 tackles in San Jose's 78-44 win over the Los Angeles Avengers on May 11. It was the first 2-sack game for Hernandez since June 9, 2000, and the 12th time in his career he had two or more sacks in a game.

PLAYERS/MATCH-UPS TO WATCH:

OS LAMONT COOPER – In five regular season games against San Jose, Buffalo OS Lamont Cooper has returned two kickoffs for TDs and amassed 726 return yards on 32 attempts (22.7 ypr). The AFL's career leader in kickoff return TDs with 24, Cooper also ran one back against San Jose in a playoff game as a member of the Iowa Barnstormers. During his AFL career, Cooper has played for Iowa, Milwaukee and Oklahoma and has a kick return TD against San Jose as a member of all three teams. The 2000 and 2001 "Don't Blink" Player of the Year is in his first season with Buffalo.

SAN JOSE OFFENSE vs BUFFALO DEFENSE – The SaberCats have scored 11 touchdowns in each of their last three games and set a league record by scoring 77 or more points in all of them. San Jose leads the league with an average of 67.3 points per game and is on pace to break the 2001 New York Dragons record for points in season. At their current pace the SaberCats would score 942 points, shattering the record of 898. Buffalo has allowed just 114 points in its last three games, an average of 38 ppg, and ranks 4th in the league with an average of 47.3 ppg.

BUFFALO QB FRED MCNAIR – The older brother of Tennessee Titans' QB Steve, Fred McNair has been through the AFL wars. An 8-year veteran, McNair ranks in the top 8 in the AFL in career pass attempts, completions and yards. As a member of the Florida Bobcats in 1999, McNair led his team to a 78-56 win over San Jose on April 30. The 78 points represents the most ever scored by a San Jose opponent. McNair completed 18 of 24 passes for 298 yards and 7 TDs in that game.

JAMES HUNDON – Hundon has been the go-to guy for San Jose this season. He currently leads the league in receiving yards (692), ranks 2nd in scoring (108) and TDs scored (18) and ranks 3rd in receptions (46). Jhun had 5 catches and 2 TDs against Dallas on May 25 to extend his streak of games with multiple TD catches to seven straight dating back to last season. Since joining the team in the middle of last season, Hundon has at least one TD catch in all 12 regular season games played. Hundon is more than half way to the team's season record for TD catches, which is 28 set by James Roe in 2001. At his current pace Jhun will have 107 catches, 1,614 yards and 42 TD catches and will obliterate the team season records. Steve Papin holds the season record for receptions (91 in ‘99) and receiving yards (1,256 in ‘98).

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