SaberCats Smother Blaze, 61-40
April 18, 2008 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
San Jose SaberCats News Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (April 18, 2008) - The San Jose SaberCats held the most prolific offense in the Arena Football League to a season-low point total as the defending champions defeated the Utah Blaze, 61-40, at EnergySolutions Arena on Friday night.
The SaberCats (4-4) defense recorded three fumble recoveries, 2.0 sacks and an interception in the contest while limiting the Blaze (0-8) to 13 second half points. Utah's 212 total yards was the lowest output the top offense in the league has produced this season.
San Jose trailed 10-7 after the first stanza but Jason Geathers caught a 34-yard scoring strike from Mark Grieb to open the second quarter which propelled the SaberCats into taking a 34-27 halftime lead.
The Blaze would get within one five minutes into the third frame after Joe Germaine connected with J.J. McKelvey for a 15-yard TD grab. Following an A.J. Haglund field goal that boosted the San Jose lead to 37-33, Utah threatened to score but Marquis Floyd jarred the ball loose from lineman Devin Wyman as he rumbled towards the endzone. Omarr Smith recovered the loose ball at the one-yard line.
The winless Blaze went on to lose two more fumbles in the final quadrant of the game, both of which were recovered by Geathers who returned one for a TD and earned Ironman of the Game honors for his efforts.
Grieb completed 21 of his 33 pass attempts for 311 yards and 5 TDs. Receiver James Roe tallied 56 receiving yards with all three of his TD catches coming in the second quarter.
Germaine, who came into the game leading the league in passing with 2,235 yards and 47 TDs, was restricted to 21-of-35 passing for 189 yards and 3 TDs. McKelvey paced the Blaze offense in receiving, hauling in 8 balls for 94 yards and 3 TDs.
Head Coach Darren Arbet became the fifth coach in the history of the AFL to capture 100 regular season wins with the victory.
The SaberCats return to the confines of HP Pavilion as they will take on the Los Angeles Avengers in a Western Division matchup on Saturday, April 26, at 7:30 p.m. (PT).
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