SaberCats Improve To Franshise Best 5-0 With Win At Orlando
May 17, 2002 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
San Jose SaberCats News Release
ORLANDO, Fla. (May 17, 2002) -- The San Jose SaberCats reached the 70-point mark for the second week in a row and won their fifth straight game to improve to a franchise-best 5-0 with a 77-45 victory over the Orlando Predators in front of 11,871 at TD Waterhouse Centre on Friday night.
San Jose quarterback Mark Grieb threw three first quarter touchdown passes and former Predator Barry Wagner scored the first of his three touchdowns on a 1-yard run as San Jose built a 26-0 lead early in the second quarter. Wagner was named Ironman of the game.
Grieb tossed scoring passes of 18 and 30 to James Hundon and connected with Matt Kinsinger on a 17-yard scoring play to give San Jose a 20-0 lead after the first quarter. The SaberCats were never threatened after that. Grieb finished the game 17 of 29 for 190 yards and six touchdowns and extended his streak of pass attempts without an interception this season to 154.
Wagner, who played eight seasons with Orlando before signing with San Jose, also scored on a 4-yard run and caught a 10-yard pass. He added 6.0 tackles on defense.
Former Orlando head coach Jay Gruden, who returned to the field as the Predators starting quarterback this season, completed 27 of 46 attempts for 299 yards and seven touchdowns but was intercepted twice. Both picks by San Jose led to scores.
Anthony Cobbs picked off Gruden on Orlando's first possession of the second half and two plays later Kinsinger scored on a 5-yard run to give San Jose a 42-7 lead early in the third quarter. It was the first career interception for Cobbs. Omarr Smith returned an interception 39-yards for a score with just under a minute and a half to play in the game to give San Jose its final scoring total.
The Predators outgained San Jose 299 to 234 in net yards, but in an effort to overcome their 30-point deficit Orlando had to attempt onside kicks in order to gain possession. The strategy was successful once as consecutive touchdowns narrowed Orlando's deficit to 56-33 early in the fourth quarter.
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from May 17, 2002
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