SaberCats win opener
February 5, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
San Jose SaberCats News Release
DETROIT (Feb. 5, 2004) - The San Jose SaberCats used defensive heroics and a nearly flawless performance by Mark Grieb to defeat the Detroit Fury, 58-43, in a season opening Arena Football League game on Thursday.
The win was the sixth straight on opening day for San Jose and avenged a 2003 loss to Detroit at home.
Lineman Chuck Reed returned an interception for a score late in the first half to break a 28-28 tie and the SaberCats never trailed the rest of the way.
With Detroit driving with under a minute left in the first half, Reed stepped in front of an Andy Kelly offering deep in his own territory and weaved his way 38-yards for the go-ahead score.
The SaberCats added a touchdown on the first possession of the second half on a 5-yard pass play from James Roe to James Hundon to increase their lead to 41-28.
The SaberCats used a 17-0 scoring run over the third and fourth quarters to post the biggest lead of the game at 58-35 following a 9-yard scoring run by Kevin Buck with 1:48 left in the contest.
Grieb completed 16-of-20 passes for 152 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. San Jose, the league's best rushing offense the past four seasons, tallied 38 yards and four scores on 13 carries.
Buck led the SaberCats with 20 rushing yards and a pair of scores.
The SaberCats take next week off before returning to the field on Sunday, February 22, at Los Angeles.
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