Sports stats



AFL I Arena Football League (1987-2008)

San Jose Looks for Ninth Straight Win; Dallas Seeks First ArenaBowl Appearance

May 31, 2006 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release


NEW YORK - The AFL is down to its Final Four - the Chicago Rush (7-9, 2-0), Dallas Desperados (13-3, 1-0), Orlando Predators (10-6, 1-0) and San Jose SaberCats (10-6, 1-0) - as the Drive to ArenaBowl XX reaches the homestretch with this weekend's Conference Championship Games.

San Jose, who defeated the Arizona Rattlers 62-48 in last weekend's American Conference Divisional Round game, is one of the final four for the sixth time in the last seven years (2000-2004, 2006). San Jose will face Chicago, who knocked off the defending ArenaBowl Champion Colorado Crush 63-46 last Sunday, at the HP Pavilion in San Jose on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET on NBC. Chicago is among the final four for the third year in a row and fourth time in the last five seasons.

San Jose, who began the season 1-4, is riding an eight-game winning streak that began on April 2 and Chicago has won five of its last six.

San Jose OS BEN NELSON, who was selected the 2006 Rookie of the Year last week, tied the AFL single-game postseason record with six touchdowns in San Jose's 62-48 Divisional Round win over Arizona. Nelson tied the record held by five players, most recently San Jose's KEVIN MCKENZIE on May 31, 2003 vs. Georgia. Nelson also hauled in 202 receiving yards, the third-highest single-game total in AFL playoff history. The AFL record for receiving yardage in a postseason game is 239 yards set by Albany's EDDIE BROWN on August 14, 1999 against Arizona.

This week Nelson can break the AFL record for total touchdowns in consecutive playoff games if he can score five more to reach 11. The record of 10 scores was set by TERRILL SHAW, then with Grand Rapids now with Dallas, in 2001. Nelson also needs 223 receiving yards this week to break the AFL mark for most receiving yards in back-to-back playoff games (424) set by Albany's EDDIE BROWN in 1999.

Chicago's MIKE HOHENSEE, who is one of just three AFL head coaches with 100-or-more career wins, threw the first touchdown in Arena Football League history and played in the first-ever ArenaBowl with the Pittsburgh Gladiators in 1987, but is looking to reach his first big game as a head coach.

Rush WR/LB DEJUAN ALFONZO earned AFL Ironman of the Week honors each of the last two weeks. He has been on the field for every offensive and defensive snap following an injury to WR/DB ETU MOLDEN on the first play from scrimmage in the Rush's Wild Card win over Nashville on May 21.

Dallas, who was just the second team in AFL history to win 13 regular-season games, defeated the Georgia Force, 62-27, last Saturday to advance to the franchise's first-ever National Conference Championship Game. Dallas will host Orlando, who posted a 31-27 win over the Philadelphia Soul in last weekend's Divisional Round matchup, at American Airlines Arena on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on NBC.

Dallas QB CLINT DOLEZEL set a new AFL single-season record in the regular season with 105 touchdown passes. He threw eight touchdowns in the win over Georgia last week. Shaw, who set single-season Dallas franchise records with 111 catches, 1,498 yards and 37 touchdowns in the regular season, recorded game highs with 11 catches for 133 yards and four touchdowns last week.

Orlando Head Coach JAY GRUDEN, who has a 10-4 record as a coach in the postseason, has reached the playoffs in all 16 of his AFL seasons as a coach and player. Gruden, San Jose's DARREN ARBET and Chicago's MIKE HOHENSEE all rank among the AFL's all-time leaders in postseason wins:

MOST POSTSEASON WINS AS AFL HEAD COACH
COACH RECORD PCT.
Tim Marcum 25-10 .714
Danny White 20-11 .645
Perry Moss 11-7 .611
Darren Arbet* 10-4 .714
Jay Gruden* 10-4 .714
Mike Dailey 9-6 .600
Mike Hohensee* 9-9 .500
*Active in 2006 playoffs

Following are the 2006 AFL Postseason Seeds, Wild Card Round and Divisional Round results and the Conference Championship schedule:

National Conference American Conference
#1 Dallas* (13-3) #1 Colorado* (11-5)
#2 Orlando* (10-6) #2 San Jose* (10-6)
#3 New York (10-6) #3 Arizona (8-8)
#4 Austin (10-6) #4 Nashville (8-8)
#5 Philadelphia (9-7) #5 Chicago (7-9)
#6 Georgia (8-8) #6 Utah (7-9)
*Division Winner *Division Winner

WILD CARD RESULTS
#6 Georgia 72 at #3 New York 69 #6 Utah 34 at #3 Arizona 57
Sunday, May 21, 3 p.m. ET, NBC Saturday, May 20, 5 p.m. ET, OLN

#5 Philadelphia 52 at #4 Austin 35 #5 Chicago 55 at #4 Nashville 47 Sunday, May 21, 3 p.m. ET, NBC Sunday, May 21, 3 p.m. ET, NBC

DIVISIONAL ROUND RESULTS
#6 Georgia 27 at #1 Dallas 62 #3 Arizona 48 at #2 San Jose 62
Saturday, May 27, 3:30 p.m., NBC Saturday, May 27, 3:30 p.m., NBC

#5 Philadelphia 27 at #2 Orlando 31 #5 Chicago 63 at #1 Colorado 46
Sunday, May 28, 3:30 p.m., NBC Sunday, May 28, 3:30 p.m., NBC

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
#2 Orlando at #1 Dallas #5 Chicago at #2 San Jose
Sunday, June 4, 3 p.m. ET, NBC Saturday, June 3, 3 p.m. ET, NBC

This Week in AFL History

June 3, 1998: The AFL Board of Directors approves the application of New Orleans Saints owner TOM BENSON to place a team in New Orleans, marking the first AFL team with NFL ownership.

• Discuss this story on the Arena Football League (1987-2008) message board...

Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from May 31, 2006


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central