SaberCats Hold Off Avengers, 66-58
March 5, 2007 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
San Jose SaberCats News Release
Los Angeles (Mar. 4, 2007) - Ben Nelson tied a team record with 14 receptions, including four touchdowns, and Rodney Wright scored three times helping the San Jose SaberCats to a season-opening 66-58 win over the Los Angeles Avengers on Sunday night at STAPLES Center.
In a game that saw 124 points scored, it was a defensive stand that preserved the win for San Jose (1-0). Following a missed 25-yard field goal attempt by rookie kicker A.J. Haglund, the Avengers (0-1) gained possession with 22 seconds left in the fourth quarter trailing by 8 points.
After an apparent Los Angeles touchdown was nullified by an offensive penalty with 5 seconds left, a desperation Sonny Cumbie pass off the net fell incomplete. But a defensive holding call gave the Avengers another chance and Cumbie's next pass went incomplete as time expired giving San Jose its first opening night win since the 2004 season.
Nelson opened the scoring on a 6-yard touchdown catch from Mark Grieb just 33 seconds into the game on San Jose's first offensive play after an onsides kick recovery by the Avengers was negated by an offsides penalty. Nelson's 9-yard scoring catch with 5 seconds left in the first half gave the SaberCats a 38-31 lead at intermission.
Grieb and Nelson connected seven times for 97 yards and a pair of scores in the third quarter and Wright scored on a 3-yard run with 1:48 left in the frame to give the SaberCats a 59-45 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
Grieb completed 25 of 37 attempts for 258 yard and six touchdowns for the game. San Jose's offensive line of Dan Loney, Todd Williams and Patrick Afif did not allow a sack and Grieb was rarely pressured.
Wright added a pair of rushing scores and caught 7 passes for 54 yards and a TD. Nelson, Wright and James Roe played the entire game as San Jose's three receivers.
Cumbie threw for 315 yards and 7 TDs on 25 of 41 passing. Lenzie Jackson was his favorite target hauling in 13 catches for 196 yards and three scores.
San Jose travels to Chicago to battle the defending champion Rush on Friday.
Notes: Ben Nelson's 14 receptions tied the team record held by James Roe and James Hundon and his 180 yards is the 10th highest single-game total...Nelson was named Ironman of the Game after recording 2 special teams tackles and recovering an onsides kick...FB Matt Kinsinger rushed for 8 yards giving him 401 for his San Jose career...K A.J. Haglund made all 9 PAT tries and connected on his 1st AFL field goal attempt (26 yards)...Lenzie Jackson's 196 receiving yards is the 3rd most by a SaberCats opponent...San Jose won its 2nd straight game over Los Angeles and leads the all-time series 10-5...
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