San Jose SaberCats game notes
Published on July 3, 2007 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
San Jose SaberCats News Release
THE QUICK FACTS:
Game: Colorado Crush (8-8; 1-0) at SaberCats (13-3; 0-0)
Date: Saturday, July 7, 2007.
Kickoff: 12:00 noon (PDT).
Site: HP Pavilion at San Jose (14,041).
Officials: Referee: Bill Athan; Umpire: Matt Jordan; Head Linesman: Tim Podraza; Line Judge: Rusty Baynes; Back Judge: Greg Wilson.
Television: Saturday's Divisional Round contest will be televised live on ESPN with Bob Wichusen and Ray Bentley calling the action.
Radio: KNBR-1050 will carry the game live with Grant Napear and Keena Turner on the call. The station will air an extended 2-hour pregame show with hosts Dan Dibley and Ray Woodson live from HP Pavilion starting at 9:30 a.m.
Statistics: Complete team and league stats are available at www.aflmedia.com.
Opening Line: SaberCats -10½ (over/under 113).
Internet: A live webcast is available at www.KNBR.com.
Series Record: SaberCats lead all-time series 6-1.
Series Streak: SaberCats Won 2.
Last Meeting: SaberCats 72, Colorado 44 (April 6, 2007 in HP Pavilion).
Coaches: San Jose, Darren Arbet (9th season; 96-40 reg. season; 10-5 post season; 106-45 overall).
Colorado, Mike Dailey (11th season; 98-66 reg. season; 10-6 post season; 108-72 overall).
OVERVIEW: The SaberCats begin their second season on Saturday by hosting the Colorado Crush in a Divisional Round playoff game. ESPN will televise the game live starting at 12 noon (PT). By winning their second straight Western Division title the SaberCats enjoyed a first-round playoff bye while the sixth-seeded Crush upset the third-seeded Kansas City Brigade on Jun. 30. San Jose captured the division crown and the top-seed in the American Conference with a 13-3 record winning its final 10 regular season games. San Jose set AFL records by scoring 60 or more points in 11 games and winning nine games by 20 or more points. The SaberCats are making their 8th straight playoff appearance, the second-longest active streak in the AFL to only the Orlando Predators, who made their 16th straight postseason trip, and has won at least one playoff game in 7 of the 8 playoff trips. Colorado advanced to the playoffs for the 4th straight season and the teams have combined to win three of the last five ArenaBowl titles. San Jose defeated the Crush, 72-44, earlier this season on Apr. 6 in HP Pavilion and is 6-1 all-time against Colorado. Colorado's only series win came in a Divisional Round playoff game on May 29, 2005 in Denver, the year the Crush won its ArenaBowl title.
THE SCHEDULES
2007 SAN JOSE SABERCATS (13-3; 0-0)
Date Opponent Result Score (Rec)
Mar. 4 @Los Angeles Won 66-58 (1-0)
Mar. 9 @Chicago Lost 45-48 (1-1)
Mar. 24 @Georgia Lost 62-64 (1-2)
Mar. 31 TAMPA BAY Won 69-49 (2-2)
Apr. 6 COLORADO Won 72-44 (3-2)
Apr. 13 @New Orleans Lost 54-67 (3-3)
Apr. 21 LOS ANGELES Won 73-49 (4-3)
Apr. 28 UTAH Won 69-48 (5-3)
May 5 @Arizona Won 56-49 (6-3)
May 12 LAS VEGAS Won 61-34 (7-3)
May 19 GRAND RAPIDS Won 69-44 (8-3)
May 25 @Nashville Won 48-34 (9-3)
Jun. 1 ORLANDO Won 59-52 (10-3)
Jun. 9 @Utah Won 70-49 (11-3)
Jun. 16 ARIZONA Won 66-26 (12-3)
Jun. 25 @Las Vegas Won 73-46 (13-3)
Date Playoff Opponent Time (PT) Radio/TV
July 7 COLORADO 12:00 pm 1050/ESPN
2007 COLORADO CRUSH (8-8; 1-0)
Date Opponent Result Score
Mar. 4 GRAND RAPIDS Lost 42-44 (0-1)
Mar. 10 KANSAS CITY Won 44-40 (1-1)
Mar. 16 ARIZONA Won 56-54 (2-1)
Mar. 22 @Philadelphia Lost 47-71 (2-2)
Apr. 1 NASHVILLE Won 55-48 (3-2)
Apr. 6 @San Jose Lost 44-72 (3-3)
Apr. 15 @New York Won 49-48 (4-3)
Apr. 20 LAS VEGAS Won 63-53 (5-3)
Apr. 27 @Kansas City Won 45-42 (6-3)
May 7 @Chicago Lost 48-59 (6-4)
May 11 @Nashville Won 57-35 (7-4)
May 18 COLUMBUS Won 58-40 (8-4)
May 26 @Grand Rapids Lost 56-58 (8-5)
Jun. 4 @Utah Lost 14-51 (8-6)
Jun. 18 CHICAGO Lost 57-66 (8-7)
Jun. 25 DALLAS Lost 58-77 (8-8)
Date Playoff Opponent Time/W-L Score
Jun. 30 @Kansas City Won 49-42 (1-0)
July 7 @San Jose 12:00 pm ESPN
THE SERIES: The SaberCats lead the all-time series 6-1 with Colorado's only series win coming in the only playoff contest between the clubs, 56-48, in Denver on May 29, 2005. The Crush went on to win its only ArenaBowl title that season...San Jose has won all four games in HP Pavilion, including a 72-44 win in the regular season meeting on Apr. 6...The SaberCats have outscored the Crush 268 to 175 in those four games...San Jose recorded a franchise record point total in its 89-41 win on Apr. 22, 2005. It was also the most points scored by a road team and the third-highest point total in AFL history.
SERIES NOTABLES:
San Jose's 89 points against Colorado on Apr. 22, 2005 set a new franchise-high for points in a game, set an AFL record for most points in a game by a visiting team and was also the third-highest total in AFL history...Two of San Jose's seven 80-point games have come against the Crush...The SaberCats have won their six series games by an average of over 26 points a game outscoring the Crush 422 to 265...Mark Grieb (15-of-15) set an AFL record for most attempts in a game without an incompletion on Apr. 22, 2005 and Grieb and Nick Rolovich (2-of-2) combined for a perfect performance, the first time in the league's 21-year history that a team finished a game without throwing an incomplete pass...Colorado QB John Dutton set a personal-high and tied a San Jose opponent record with four INTs on Feb. 22, 2003...Mark Grieb set the team record for highest passer rating in a game with a perfect 158.3 mark doing it twice against Colorado (3/14/04 and 4/22/05)...Mark Grieb and John Dutton have started against each other in every series game with Grieb throwing for 2,115 yards and 42 TDs with just 3 INTs and Dutton throwing for 1,895 yards and 29 TDs with 12 INTs...San Jose accumulated 86 yards on the ground on Apr. 27, 2003, which is the second-highest rushing total in team history...FB Matt Kinsinger ran for a career high 36 yards reaching 200 for his career and scored on a career-long 20-yard run at Colorado on Apr. 27, 2003...Colorado tied a San Jose opponent's record with six turnovers (four INT, two fumbles) on Feb. 22, 2003...San Jose tied a league and team record with six rushing touchdowns against Colorado on Feb. 22, 2003...Rodney Wright set a career-high with a 45-yard TD reception, had his first career MFG return for a TD and his first career interception (Apr. 22)...San Jose has forced 21 turnovers in the series while committing just 5 for a +16 margin in the 7 games...Clevan Thomas intercepted two passes against the Crush on Apr. 22, moving him past Pat McGuirk for first place on San Jose's career interceptions list. Six of Thomas' 41 career INTs have come against Colorado and 5 have come off Dutton.
LAST SERIES MEETING:
SaberCats Crush Colorado, 72-44
SAN JOSE, Calif. (Apr. 6, 2007) - Mark Grieb threw for 352 yards and 7 TDs leading the SaberCats past the Colorado Crush 72-44. Grieb completed 21-of-23 first half passes with five scores as the SaberCats built a 38-10 lead at intermission. He finished the contest with 33 completions, the second-highest game total in team history. Colorado took an early 3-0 lead on a 20-yard Jason Ball field goal just 2:12 into the game. The Crush failed to score a touchdown after starting the drive from the San Jose 6-yard line after a failed onside kick. Ben Nelson and James Roe each had a pair of receiving TDs following the opening score to give San Jose a 28-10 lead midway through the second quarter. Nelson finished with a game-high 12 receptions for 127 yards and three TDs while Roe added 8 catches for 75 yards and 2 TDs. Colorado's Damian Harrell extended his streak of consecutive games with a touchdown catch to 71 after snaring a 6-yard pass from John Dutton early in the third quarter. Dutton, the former SaberCat, completed 16-of-31 passes for 189 yards and three touchdowns before being replaced by Brandon Kirsh at the start of the fourth quarter. Harrell had just five catches for 26 yards. Brad Pyatt had 188 receiving yards and three scores on seven catches. San Jose improved to 23-1 all-time when scoring 70 or more points in a game. Clevan Thomas and Omarr Smith each had an interception and the SaberCats forced four turnovers and stopped the Crush twice on downs as San Jose allowed just 44 points.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Crush.............................. 3 7 20 14 - 44
SaberCats........................ 14 24 27 7 - 72
SCORING SUMMARY
COL FG Ball 20
SAN Nelson 7 pass from Grieb (Haglund kick)
SAN Nelson 7 pass from Grieb (Haglund kick)
SAN Roe 9 pass from Grieb (Haglund kick)
SAN Roe 18 pass from Grieb (Haglund kick)
COL Pyatt 23 pass from Dutton (Ball kick)
SAN McIntyre 6 pass from Grieb (Haglund kick)
SAN FG Haglund 18
SAN Wright 39 pass from Grieb (Haglund kick)
COL Harrell 6 pass from Dutton (Ball kick)
SAN Nelson 18 pass from Grieb (Haglund kick)
COL Harmon 55 kickoff return (Ball kick)
SAN Johnson 7 kickoff return (Whelihan pass failed)
COL Redd 24 pass from Dutton (Ball kick failed)
SAN Johnson 1 run (Haglund kick)
COL Pyatt 24 pass from Kirsch (Ball kick)
SAN Johnson 1 run (Haglund kick)
COL Pyatt 46 pass from Kirsch (Ball kick)
TEAM STATISTICS COL SAN
First Downs 12 25
Total Net Yards 279 364
Rush Atts-Net Yards 4-(-5) 9-13
Net Yards Passing 284 351
Comp-Att-Int 19-36-2 33-40-1
KO Returns-Yards 5-109 6-95
MFG Returns-Yards 0-0 0-0
INT for-Yards 1-16 2-0
Penalties-Yards 2-10 6-40
Fumbles-Lost 2-2 0-0
Sacks By-Yards 1-1 0-0
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Passing: COL - Dutton 16-31-1-193; Kirsch 3-5-1-91. SJ - Grieb 33-40-1-352.
Rushing: COL - Thomas 2-1; Dutton 1-0; Redd 1-(-6). SJ - Johnson 9-13.
Receiving: COL - Pyatt 7-188; Harell 5-26; Redd 4-44; Quinnie 2-17; Peaua 1-9. SJ - Nelson 12-127; Wright 10-116; Roe 8-75; Johnson 2-28; McIntyre 1-6.
Kick Returns: COL - Harmon 3-109; Harrell 1-0; Quinnie 1-0. SJ - Wright 4-78; Geathers 1-10; Johnson 1-7.
ALL-TIME SERIES SCORES
Date Score
Apr. 6, 2007 @San Jose 72, Colorado 44
May 6, 2006 @San Jose 61, Colorado 56
May 29, 2005 @Colorado 56, San Jose 48 (playoff)
Apr. 22, 2005 San Jose 89, @Colorado 41
Mar. 14, 2004 @San Jose 55, Colorado 35
Apr. 27, 2003 San Jose 65, @Colorado 49
Feb. 22, 2003 @San Jose 80, Colorado 40
THE COACHES
San Jose - Darren Arbet, 9th season
106-45 (.702) overall; 10-5 (.667) post season
6-1 (.857) career vs. Colorado
6-2 (.750) career vs. Mike Dailey
Two-time Arena Football League Coach of the Year and ArenaBowl champion Darren Arbet is in his 9th season as head coach of the San Jose SaberCats and second as the club's general manager. In 2007 Arbet became the fifth head coach in AFL history to win 100 games when San Jose defeated Las Vegas on May 12. Arbet also guided the SaberCats to their eighth straight winning season and playoff appearance by going 13-3, the seventh time in his nine seasons the team has posted a double-digit regular season win total. The team also captured its second straight Western Division title and sixth under Arbet (7th overall). Arbet has compiled the third-best postseason winning percentage (.667) and is one of just six head coaches in league history to amass 10 playoff victories. Under the direction of Arbet San Jose has enjoyed unmatched success vaulting the franchise to elite status in the AFL. Since the start of the 2000 season, Arbet's second as head coach, the SaberCats have claimed two ArenaBowl championships (2002, 2004), compiled the most regular season wins (93), the second-most playoff wins (10) and have averaged nearly 12 victories a season. In addition, the club has set league records for regular season wins in a season (13 in 2002), overall wins in a season (16 in 2002), consecutive wins in a regular season (12 in 2002), regular season wins to end a season (11 in 2000) and the longest regular season win streak (15 in 2000-01). Arbet's ties to the AFL date back to the late 1980s when he played two seasons as a fullback/linebacker with the Los Angeles Cobras (1988) and Maryland Commandos (1989) before a wrist injury that required three surgeries ended his career. During his playing days, Arbet lined up against former Philadelphia head coach Michael Trigg, who was a quarterback with the Detroit Drive, and Georgia Force offensive coordinator Steve Thonn, who played WR/DB with the Chicago Bruisers.
Colorado - Mike Dailey, 11th season
108-72 (.600) overall; 10-6 (.625) post season
4-7 (.364) career vs. San Jose
2-6 (.250) career vs. Darren Arbet
Dailey enters his fourth season in Colorado and 11th as head coach in the AFL, after becoming the Crush's second head coach on June 26, 2003. Dailey joined the Crush following 13 seasons in the Albany/Indiana Firebirds organization, including the final seven as head coach. Dailey's teams have compiled an overall record of 107-72, a winning percentage of 59.8. His teams have also made eight postseason appearances and he has won five division titles and two championships. Following the Crush's 44-40 victory over Kansas City on March 10, 2007, Dailey became only the fourth head coach in AFL history to surpass the 100 win mark. He currently stands as the league fourth all-time winningest coach. In his first season in Colorado, Dailey helped guide the Crush to the largest turnaround in AFL history, inheriting a 2-14 team and leading them to an 11-5 record in 2004. In 1999, Dailey led the Albany Firebirds to their only ArenaBowl championship and was named AFL Coach of the Year. Before being named head coach of the Firebirds in 1997, Dailey served as an assistant in Albany for five seasons.
2007 FINAL TEAM STATISTICAL RANKINGS
Category (Rank) SaberCats Crush
Scoring Offense 63.2 (2) 49.6 (17)
Scoring Defense 47.6 (2) 53.6 (11)
Total Offense 300.7 (7) 282.2 (13)
Total Defense 281.3 (5) 283.6 (6)
Pass Offense 288.7 (6) 275.7 (10)
Pass Defense 266.2 (5) 264.4 (4)
Rushing Offense 12.0 (15) 6.5 (19)
Rushing Defense 15.1 (6) 19.1 (12)
Pass Rating 125.0 (3) 103.7 (14)
Pass Defense Rating 99.1 (4) 108.1 (7)
Interceptions 22 (3) 20 (t-5)
Kickoff Return Avg. 19.7 (4) 16.9 (15)
Field Goal Return Avg. 3.7 (19) 26.0 (1)
Turnover Margin +21 (2) -9 (14)
3rd Down Conversions 54.1% (3) 40.4% (19)
4th Down Conversions 65.0% (1) 62.5% (2)
Sacks By 19 (t-5) 17 (t-8)
Sacks Against 17 (t-10) 6 (t-3)
2007 SABERCATS AMONG AFL LEADERS
Player Category No. Rank
Mark Grieb Pass Avg/Game 288.0 4th
Mark Grieb Completion Pct. 71.0 2nd
Mark Grieb Passing TDs 100 4th
Mark Grieb Pass Attempts 562 5th
Mark Grieb Pass Yards 4,608 3rd
Mark Grieb Pass Completions 399 2nd
Mark Grieb Passer Rating 125.4 3rd
Mark Grieb Total Offense 4,635 3rd
Mark Grieb Total Offensive TDs 102 4th
Mark Grieb Pass Yards/Attempt 8.2 4th
A.J. Haglund Kick Scoring 158 1st
A.J. Haglund FG Percentage 55.6 5th
A.J. Haglund PAT Percentage 92.8 5th
A.J. Haglund FGs Made 10 t-8th
A.J. Haglund PATs Made 128 1st
A.J. Haglund PAT Attempts 138 1st
James Roe Receiving Yards 1,560 6th
James Roe Receptions 127 7th
James Roe Receiving TDs 40 t-7th
Ron Jones Fumbles Recovered 3 t-8th
Ron Jones Fumbles Forced 4 t-9th
Ron Jones Sacks 7.0 t-8th
Ron Jones Tackles for Loss 9.5 t-7th
Clevan Thomas Interceptions 9 t-3rd
Clevan Thomas Passes Defended 30 4th
Clevan Thomas Fumbles Forced 5 t-3rd
Clevan Thomas INT Return Yards 119 6th
Clevan Thomas INT Return TDs 2 t-4th
Phil Glover Fumbles Forced 5 t-3rd
Phil Glover Fumbles Recovered 4 t-3rd
Trestin George KOR Average 23.6 1st
Trestin George KOR Yards 872 9th
Trestin George KOR TDs 2 t-8th
Steve Watson Fumbles Recovered 3 t-8th
Rodney Wright KOR Average 22.9 3rd
Rodney Wright KOR TDs 3 t-5th
Omarr Smith INT Return TDs 2 t-4th
Omarr Smith INT Return Yards 86 10th
Omarr Smith Passes Defended 22 t-10th
Marquis Floyd Passes Defended 22 t-10th
THE IFS...
If the SaberCats defeat Colorado it would...
*Advance them to the Semifinal round for the 7th time
*Be their first playoff win over the Crush
*Be their 3rd straight win over the Crush
*Give them a 7-1 series edge
*Be their 11th consecutive win this season
*Be their 11th playoff victory
*Give them an 11-8 playoff record
*Give them a 10-4 home playoff record
*Give them 136-73 all-time overall record
2007 SEASON REVIEW
New rules, new roster, same result. The SaberCats, like every team in the AFL, faced some uncertainty about the 2007 season with free substitution rules and an opening-day roster that included eight rookies. But things started off smoothly for the defending Western Division champs with a 66-58 win in Los Angeles on opening night, the team's first opening day win since 2004, the last time the SaberCats won the ArenaBowl. The SaberCats lost some momentum from their season opening win when they dropped a tough 48-45 decision at the defending champion Rush. It was also the 4th straight loss to Chicago. Following their off week, the SaberCats traveled again, this time to Georgia and dropped another nail-biter, 64-62, to the Force. The last team in the league to play a home game, the SaberCats got back in the W column with a convincing 69-49 win over Tampa Bay and followed that with a 72-44 defeat of the Crush. But the team's road woes continued the following week with a disastrous 67-54 loss to the New Orleans VooDoo. Four turnovers offset Mark Grieb's 445-yard performance as the SaberCats dropped to 3-3. San Jose would not lose another game. After a pair of home wins over Los Angeles and Utah, the SaberCats were back in a familiar spot - first place in the division. Mark Grieb surpassed the 30,000 career passing yard mark and the defense registered four sacks and five turnovers in a win over the Blaze. San Jose snapped a 2-game road losing streak and beat Arizona for their 3rd straight win, 56-49, on May 5. The defense overshadowed the offense in a win over Las Vegas on May 12, giving head coach Darren Arbet his 100th career victory. Omarr Smith and Clevan Thomas each returned a pick for a score and Marquis Floyd snared a pair of INTs in a 61-34 win. Grieb tossed 9 TD passes and the SaberCats easily defeated Grand Rapids, 69-44, on May 19. Sparked by a relentless defensive effort, the SaberCats posted their first-ever win in Nashville and secured their 8th straight playoff berth with a 48-34 triumph. San Jose forced six turnovers and Marquis Floyd had his second 2-INT game of the year. San Jose finally played a close game and prevailed 59-52 over Orlando clinching a second straight Western Division title and running its winning streak to seven games. At Utah on June 9, Mark Grieb set a franchise record by throwing 10 scoring passes, including the 600th of his career, as the SaberCats posted a 70-49 win over the Blaze. With the top playoff seed in the conference on the line, the SaberCats didn't let up in their final two games, defeating division rivals Arizona and Las Vegas. The SaberCats ended the year with a perfect 8-0 home record, becoming the first American Conference team to go unbeaten at home since the 16-game schedule was adopted in 2003. The SaberCats set league records by scoring 60-or-more points in a game 11 times and winning nine contests by 20-or-more points. They set a team record with 42 takeaways and tied a team record by allowing fewer than 50 points in a game 12 times.
PLAYOFF NOTABLES
The Drive to ArenaBowl XXI New Orleans began last week with the Wild Card Round. The sixth-seeded team in each conference posted upset wins with the Colorado Crush earning a Divisional Round meeting with the SaberCats.
American Conference Wild Card
6/30 (6) Colorado 49, (3) KANSAS CITY 42
7/2 (4) LOS ANGELES 64, (5) Utah 42
National Conference Wild Card
6/29 (4) PHILADELPHIA 41, (5) Orlando 26
6/30 (6) Columbus 56, (3) TAMPA BAY 55
The Divisional Round begins on Saturday with San Jose hosting Colorado. A SaberCats win would advance them to the Conference title game for a second straight season and to the semifinal round for the 6th time.
American Conference Semifinals
7/7 (6) Colorado at (1) SAN JOSE, 12:00 noon (PT)
7/9 (4) Los Angeles at (2) CHICAGO, 5:30 p.m. (PT)
National Conference Semifinals
7/7 (6) Columbus at (1) DALLAS, 5:00 p.m. (PT)
7/8 (4) Philadelphia at (2) GEORGIA, 4:00 p.m. (PT)
PLAYOFF HISTORY - San Jose will be making its 8th consecutive postseason appearance and 11th in the team's 13-year history. The SaberCats are 10-8 all-time in postseason play and boast a 9-4 record in playoff games in HP Pavilion, including an 8-2 mark in their last 10.
SEE YA IN THE PLAYOFFS - The SaberCats are making their 8th consecutive postseason appearance in 2007, the 2nd longest active streak in the AFL and the 4th longest overall. The Orlando Predators own the longest current streak at 16 straight seasons. Tampa Bay had its streak of 15 consecutive playoff trips snapped in 2006 and Arizona made 12 straight playoff appearances form 1993-2004. The Chicago Rush is right behind the SaberCats, appearing in their seventh straight postseason.
BYE, BYE - The AFL's 12-team playoff format brings a first-round bye to the four division winners. The league first expanded the field from 2000 through 2003 and following a return to the 8-team format in 2004 and 2005, returned to 12 teams in 2006. In all six seasons the AFL had a 12-team format with a first-round bye, the SaberCats are the only team to have the first week of postseason action off in every season.
PLAYOFF WINS - The SaberCats are one of just five teams in AFL history to win 10 or more playoff games and with a pair of postseason victories they will tie the Detroit Drive for the fourth-most. With a 10-8 playoff record San Jose sits behind Orlando (22), Arizona (21), Tampa Bay (20) and the Drive (12) for the most playoff wins in AFL history.
AGAINST THE FIELD - The SaberCats have a .500 or better overall record against each of the remaining playoff teams and hold a 21-10 overall record against the three remaining American Conference teams. San Jose is 6-1 all-time against Colorado, but lost the only postseason meeting the clubs back on May 29, 2005 in Denver. San Jose went 7-2 during the regular season against teams that qualified for the postseason.
SEMI FORMAL - During San Jose's previous 7 playoff appearances, the club has won at least one postseason game and advanced to the semifinal round of the tournament six times. The only year San Jose didn't win a playoff contest was in 2005 when the SaberCats were defeated by the Crush in Denver, 56-48, in a Divisional Round matchup.
PLAYOFF TESTED - Of the players on San Jose's 2007 roster (active and IR) who have played in a game this season, seven were members of both ArenaBowl championship teams (2002 & 2004). Clevan Thomas, James Roe, Omarr Smith, Mark Grieb, Matt Kinsinger, Dan Loney and George Williams all have two rings from the SaberCats. Roe and Grieb have played the most playoff contests in a SaberCats uniform of anyone on the team's current roster with 12. Omarr Smith has played in 13 career postseason games three with Tampa Bay in 2003.
AGAINST COLORADO - The SaberCats and Crush will be meeting for the 8th time on Saturday, but just the 2nd time in the postseason. San Jose has won all the regular season meetings between the clubs, including a 4-0 mark at home, but lost the only playoff contest, 56-48, on May 29, 2005 in Denver, the year the Crush captured its only ArenaBowl title. The SaberCats have outscored Colorado 268 to 175 in the four games played in San Jose.
BEEN THERE BEFORE - Playoff experience talk always seems to come up as the postseason gets underway in any professional sports league. The San Jose SaberCats finished the 2007 regular season posting a 13-3 record with a mixture of wily veterans and vigorous youngsters on the squad. Heading into their first playoff game, the veteran experience should provide leadership during the most critical games and the oblivious attitude of the first and second-year players could provide the spark. The SaberCats have 13 players with two or more years of experience in the AFL and those members have played in a combined 80 playoff games. The remaining 10 on the active roster, 6 of them rookies, have yet to feel the excitement of an AFL playoff contest. Omarr Smith has played in the most playoff games (13) with James Roe and Mark Grieb suiting up in 12 apiece.
STREAKING - Entering the playoffs on an extended winning streak has not necessarily been a good thing for San Jose. The SaberCats entered the 2000 playoffs riding an 11-game win streak before being bounced by Nashville in the semifinals. In 2003 the SaberCats were on a 5-game streak entering the postseason before Arizona knocked them out, again in the 2nd round, and last year they were riding a 7-game winning streak before falling to Chicago in the conference championship game. In San Jose's first championship season of 2002, the team split its final two regular season games and in 2004 lost three of their last four regular season games before winning three straight in the playoffs.
TRENDS
HOME COOKIN' - The SaberCats went 8-0 on the HP Pavilion turf this season becoming the only American Conference team to win all its regular season home games since the league adopted the 16-game schedule in 2003. Under head coach Darren Arbet the SaberCats are 66-14 (.825) overall at HP Pavilion and 9-4 (.692) in playoff games.
TAKETH AWAY - San Jose's 5 forced turnovers at Las Vegas on Jun. 25 increased its season takeaway total to a team record 42, the 2nd highest total in the AFL this season behind Chicago's 43. The SaberCats intercepted 22 passes, the 3rd highest total in the AFL, and recovered a league-best 20 fumbles to place 2nd in the AFL with a +21 turnover margin. Over their season-ending 10-game winning streak, the SaberCats forced 34 turnovers and were +24 in turnover margin. San Jose bettered the 1998 team record of 41 takeaways.
THAT 60's SHOW - San Jose's 73-46 win over Las Vegas on Jun. 25 was its 11th game of 60-or-more points this season setting a new AFL record. The SaberCats went 10-1 in those games and are 64-8 (.889) in all games when topping the 60-point mark, including a perfect 5-0 in the postseason when scoring 60+ points. The SaberCats placed 2nd in the league in scoring offense with an average of 63.2 ppg, the highest average in team history and the 4th time since the 2000 season that San Jose averaged more than 60 points per game.
LUCKY 13 - The SaberCats posted 13 regular season wins in 2007 for the second time in franchise history. San Jose established a then AFL record with 13 victories back in 2002, the same year the club went on to win its first ArenaBowl title. The 2002 SaberCats squad was voted the best team in the first 20 years of the AFL by the league's 20th season Historical Committee.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE - Due in large part to their AFL record nine wins by 20 or more points and outscoring their opponents by 192 points in 8 home wins, the SaberCats led the AFL in per game average scoring differential at +15.6 by scoring an average of 63.2 points per game and allowing 47.6 ppg. It's no coincidence that the four teams with the best records in the league rank in the top 4 and 9 of the 12 playoff teams finished with a plus margin. San Jose led the league in average scoring differential for the 6th time in the last 8 seasons and had the largest margin since the 2000 San Jose team ended the year with a +15.9 margin. With a -4.0 average scoring differential, Colorado had the worst margin of any 2007 playoff team.
TOP AVERAGE SCORING DIFFERENTIALS
Team Avg. For Avg. Against Diff.
San Jose (13-3) 63.2 47.6 +15.6
Dallas (15-1) 63.5 50.4 +13.1
Georgia (14-2) 62.9 52.2 +10.7
Chicago (12-4) 54.3 44.9 +9.4
PICKIN IT - After intercepting just 4 passes in the first six games of the year, the SaberCats totaled 18 INTs over the final 10 games and pilfered at least one pass in each game of their season-ending 10-game winning streak outpicking the opposition 18 to 4 over the last 10 games. Clevan Thomas ended the regular year with a pick in each of the last 4 games and returned his INT at Las Vegas on Jun. 25 30-yards for a TD. Thomas and Omarr Smith each had a pair of TDs on INT returns and Marquis Floyd added one giving the SaberCats a league-high tying 5 on the year.
DO THE D - The SaberCats tied a team season record when they allowed just 46 points to Las Vegas in a 73-46 win on Jun. 25. It was the 12th time San Jose held an opponent to under 50 points this year, tying the 1996 team record. San Jose placed 2nd in the league in scoring defense behind Chicago allowing just 47.6 ppg. The SaberCats also reeled off 11 straight wins when allowing fewer than 50 points in a game following their 48-45 loss at Chicago on Mar. 9 and they are 8-0 in postseason when playing when allowing 50 or fewer points in a game.
ON THE MARK - After throwing 9 interceptions in the first six games of the year, Mark Grieb tossed just four in the final 10 games covering 307 attempts. Grieb ended the year with a streak of 97 consecutive throws without an INT.
THE ROARING 20's - Showing its dominance on both sides of the ball, the SaberCats established an AFL record by winning nine games by 20-or-more points during the 2007 season. Seven of those wins came at HP Pavilion where the SaberCats outscored their opponent 538 to 346. Included in those wins was a 28-point victory (72-44) over Colorado on Apr. 6. Five of San Jose's six wins over the Crush have been by 16+ points, four have been by 20 or more points and two have been by 40 or more points. San Jose has outscored Colorado 422 to 265 in its six series wins. The 1998 Tampa Bay Storm held the league record of 8 wins by 20 or more points.
NOTES
CENTURY CLUB - SaberCats' head coach Darren Arbet and Colorado's Mike Dailey both joined the Century Club this season becoming the 4th and 5th members. Arbet posted his 100th win with a 61-34 win over Las Vegas on May 12. Dailey earned his 100th with a 44-40 win over Kansas City on Mar. 10. San Jose's 72-44 win over Colorado on Apr. 6 gave Arbet a 6-2 record in head-to-head meetings with team's coached by Dailey. All five teams with the all-time winningest coaches in AFL history made the postseason.
CAREER COACHING RECORDS
Rk. Coach (Year) Team Record
1. Tim Marcum (19th) Tampa Bay 190-85
2. Danny White (15th) Utah 156-84
3. Mike Hohensee (14th) Chicago 118-98
4. Mike Dailey (11th) Colorado 108-72
5. Darren Arbet (9th) San Jose 106-45
TITLE TOWN - The SaberCats clinched their 2nd straight Western Division title and 7th overall with their 59-52 win over Orlando on Jun. 1 and own the most division crowns of any team since the AFL went to a 4-division format 13 seasons ago in 1995. Arizona, Tampa Bay and the defunct Albany Firebirds each own five titles while Orlando and Iowa have four each. The 2007 Eastern Division champion Dallas Desperados captured their 2nd straight and 3rd overall and the 2007 Southern Division champion Georgia Force won a second title. Chicago won the Central Division title in 2007, its third crown. The AFL's tie-break format was used to determine winners in case of a first-place tie.
JUST WIN - The SaberCats won their 13th game of the season with their 73-46 win at Las Vegas on Jun. 25, tying the 2002 team record for most regular season wins. San Jose's 7 seasons with 10 or more regular season wins matched Tampa Bay for the second-most in AFL history, one behind both Orlando and Arizona. All seven of San Jose's 10+ win seasons have come since the 2000 campaign and the SaberCats have the league's best regular season record over that span at 90-32.
REGULAR SEASON RECORDS SINCE 2000
Team Record Pct
San Jose SaberCats 90-32 .738
Orlando Predators 76-46 .623
Arizona Rattlers 71-51 .582
Tampa Bay Storm 71-51 .582
Chicago Rush (2001) 63-45 .583
Los Angeles Avengers 60-62 .492
Dallas Desperados (2002) 59-34-1 .633
MOVIN' ON UP - DB Clevan Thomas ended the regular year with a pick in each of his final four games and finished the season tied for 3rd in the AFL with 9. Thomas became the 8th player in AFL history to record 40 career INTs with a pick against Arizona on Jun. 16 and tied Kevin Gaines, Corey Johnson and Damon Mason for 5th place all-time with pick at Las Vegas on Jun. 25. Clevan's pick total represents the second-highest in his 6-year career, he had a league record 13 picks in 2003, and he has recorded 5 or more INTs in a season 5 times. Thomas was named the AFL's Defensive Player of the Month for June after totaling 4 INTs, 7 pass breakups and 22.0 total tackles. Thomas picked off a Brandon Kirsch offering when San Jose and Colorado met on Apr. 6, his 6th career pick of the Crush tying them for the 2nd most intercepted team in his career. Thomas has also intercepted John Dutton five times, the most of any QB in the AFL.
MOST INTERCEPTIONS, AFL, CAREER
Rank Player INTs
1. Kenny McEntyre, Kansas City 73
2. Durwood Roquemore, None 50
3. Barry Wagner, None 48
4. Mark Ricks, None 44
5. Clevan Thomas, San Jose 41
Kevin Gaines, Philadelphia 41
Corey Johnson, None 41
Damon Mason, Austin 41
VERY SPECIAL TEAMS - Special teams play proved to be a cornerstone of the team's success in 2007. San Jose's kickoff return unit placed 4th in the AFL with an average of 19.6 yards per return, led by the duo of Trestin George and Rodney Wright. George led the circuit with a 23.6 yard return average while Wright placed third at 22.9. The two combined for 5 KOR scores and the team tied for the league lead with 7. San Jose ranked 2nd in KO coverage with a 16.2 average per return and allowed just 2 KOR scores, one by Colorado's Jason Harmon on Apr. 6. San Jose didn't allow an opponent onside kick recovery in 19 chances while recovering 6 of their own and K A.J. Haglund led the league with 158 kicking points while setting an AFL record with 128 PATs made. San Jose was the only team in the AFL to have four players in the top 20 in special teams tackles led by Steve Watson, who placed 4th with 17.0. Haglund ranked 8th and finished 1st among all AFL kickers with 15.5 while Phil Glover (14.5) and Marquis Floyd (13.5) placed 12th and 15th respectively.
GETTING GRIEBY - Cementing himself as one of the top QBs in AFL history, Mark Grieb reached a few more milestones at the close of his 10th AFL season. With a TD pass in a win over Las Vegas on Jun. 25, Grieb became the 5th player in league history to reach triple-digits and the 4th to do it this year throwing exactly 100 TD passes. Grieb completed 10 passes for 122 yards playing just the first half at Las Vegas ending the year with 4,608 yards making him the 1st QB to throw for over 4,500 yards in three consecutive seasons. Grieb and Colorado's John Dutton became the first QBs to throw for over 4,000 yards in four straight years. Grieb also set a team season record and placed 2nd in the AFL in completions with 399. Since the start of the 2003 season, Grieb has thrown for the most yards of any QB in the league, outdistancing Dallas' Clint Dolezel by nearly 800 yards.
MOST PASS YARDS, LAST 5 AFL SEASONS
Rank Player Pass Yards
1. Mark Grieb, San Jose 22,322
2. Clint Dolezel, Dallas 21,537
3. John Dutton, Colorado 21,065
4. Tony Graziani, Philadelphia 18,648
5. Andy Kelly, New Orleans 18,637
MOST TD PASSES, AFL, SEASON
Rank Player Year TDs
1. Chris Greisen, Georgia 2007 117
2. Joe Germaine, Utah 2007 107
Clint Dolezel, Dallas 2007 107
4. Clint Dolezel, Dallas 2005 105
5. Aaron Garcia, New York 2001 104
6. Mark Grieb, San Jose 2007 100
Aaron Garcia, New York 2003 100
GETTING HIS KICKS - The former af2 Kicker of the Year had another "Kicker of the Year" type of season in his rookie year in the AFL. A.J. Haglund set league and team records on his way to being named to the All-Rookie Team and the All-Arena Second Team. With 138 PATs attempted, Haglund cruised past the old mark of 130 that was set by Dallas' Carlos Martinez in 2006. The Central Oklahoma product hit true on 128 of those 138 PAT tries, which also established a new league record by eclipsing the same incumbent, Martinez, who posted the previous record of 117 in 2006. Haglund also put together one of the highest kick scoring totals in the history of the league. After nailing 10 of his 18 FG attempts (55.6%) and 128 PATs, his point total of 158 holds down the 3rd spot on the all-time kick scoring list behind Remy Hamilton of 2005 (185 pts) and 2006 (173 pts). Haglund's 10 FGs were the most by a SaberCats' kicker since Daron Alcorn made 10 in 2002. Despite his 5-7, 175-pound frame, Haglund was 8th in the league (1st among kickers) with 15.5 special teams tackles.
ROE-LIFIC - James Roe added another prolific season to his AFL resume in 2007, further solidifying his name as one of the top receivers in the league. He elevated all of his team records to new highs while leading the team in every major receiving category. Roe recorded 127 receptions on the year, which ranked 7th among league leaders and also broke his previous team record of 116 that was set in 2005. The Virginia native's 1,560 receiving yards was good for 6th most in the league and also shattered the franchise record of 1,464 held by James Hundon. Roe also grabbed 40 TDs on the season, eclipsing the old club record of 35 and posting the 7th place spot on the receiving TD leaderboard. Dubbed by the local media as "The Difference", Roe collected eight 100-yard receiving games including a string of five straight. He surpassed career milestones of 200 TD receptions, 650 catches and 8,000 receiving yards.
MOST RECEPTIONS, TEAM, SEASON
Rank Player Year Recpts
1. James Roe 2007 127
2. James Roe 2005 116
3. James Roe 2003 115
MOST RECEIVING YARDS, TEAM, SEASON
Rank Player Year Yards
1. James Roe 2007 1,560
2. James Hundon 2002 1,464
3. James Roe 2005 1,440
MOST RECEIVING TDs, TEAM, SEASON
Rank Player Year TDs
1. James Roe 2007 40
2. James Hundon 2002 35
3. James Roe 2006 31
STEVIE WONDER - Linebacker Steve Watson enjoyed an outstanding rookie season in the AFL after playing in the af2 for the last two years. He was aptly named to the All-Rookie Team at the LB position after collecting 59.5 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 3 fumble recoveries, 2.0 sacks, 2 blocked kicks, 1 INT and a PBU in 12 games. Watson's 33 assisted tackles set a new team season record. Seeing action at JLB, MLB, defensive end and on special teams, the former All-af2 athlete accounted for the highest season tackle total in SaberCats' history by a non-DB. In a game at Nashville on May 25, Watson tied team game records with 11 solo tackles and 12.0 total to accompany his 1st career sack and fumble recovery.
MOST ASSISTED TACKLES, TEAM, SEASON
Rank Player Year Ast Tkls
1. Steve Watson 2007 33
2. Shalon Baker 1998 25
3. Omarr Smith 2004 24
Shalon Baker 1999 24
5. Melvin Phillips 1998 23
THREE'S COMPANY - For the first time in SaberCats history, a trio of wide receivers eclipsed the 1,000-yard barrier for the season. James Roe (1,560), Ben Nelson (1,257), and Rodney Wright (1,076) all went over the 1K plateau in 2007. San Jose was the only team to have 3 wideouts with more than 1,000 yards receiving and two players with 100 or more receptions - Roe (127) and Nelson (101). Wright was only three catches shy of getting to 100 on the year and he and Nelson only played in 11 games each. Austin was the only other team to have three receivers break the 1,000-yard mark.
THREE'S COMPANY II - San Jose's starting defensive backfield of Clevan Thomas, Omarr Smith and Marquis Floyd started all 16 games and helped the SaberCats hold opponents to the lowest completion percentage in the AFL at 57.2, one of only two teams to have a percentage against below 60. The trio combined for 54 pass breakups, 20 INTs and 229.5 tackles while placing in the top 10 in passes defended. Thomas placed 4th in the AFL with 30 PDs (9 INTs, 21 PBUs) while Smith (5, 17) and Floyd (6, 16) tied for 10th in the league.
BY GEORGE! - George Williams, otherwise known as "The Big Sexy", played in his 6th AFL season as a lineman for the SaberCats but had his most productive year of his career on the offensive side of the ball. Williams caught 5 passes at the tight end position in 2007 for 16 yards and all 5 were snatched in the endzone. He caught two TDs in the games at Chicago on Mar. 9 and at Utah on June 9 with his solo TD reception coming against Orlando on June 1. Williams set the season record for most TD catches by a SaberCats lineman with 5 - the previous mark (3) was held by Al Noga in 1996. This was Williams's 6th TD grab of his career, which also established the career record for the most ever by a San Jose lineman. Defensively, Williams tied a lineman franchise record with 10 PBUs and also accounted for 15.0 tackles, 6.5 for a loss, 3.0 sacks, 1 fumble recovery and his 1st career blocked field goal.
ROJO - Defensive lineman Ron Jones was a beast for the SaberCats in his first full year in the AFL. In 13 games, Jones finished the year tied for 8th place in the league with 7.0 sacks and tied for 7th with 9.5 tackles for a loss. His tackles for loss total also established a franchise record, breaking the old mark of 6.5 that was held by Joe Jacobs since 2005. Jones was named the ADT Defensive Player of the Week (Wk 9) and was selected as a member of the All-Arena Second Team after posting career-highs of 19.5 total tackles, 9.5 for a loss, 7.0 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries and 3 PBUs.
2007 INDIVIDUAL HONORS
DL Ron Jones, Defensive Player of the Week (Wk9)
DB Clevan Thomas, Defensive Player of the Month (June)
LB Steve Watson - All-Rookie Team
K A.J. Haglund - All-Rookie Team
DB Clevan Thomas - All-Arena (1st Team)
WR James Roe - All-Arena (2nd Team)
DL Ron Jones - All-Arena (2nd Team)
K A.J. Haglund - All-Arena (2nd Team)
WR/LB Jason Geathers - All-Ironman Team
2007 INDIVIDUAL RECORDS
This past season proved to be a record-setting one for several SaberCats. Numerous game and season marks were either broke or tied. Below is a breakdown.
Individual Game Record No.
Brian Johnson Rush Attempts 9 (tied)
Ben Nelson Receptions 14 (tied)
Mark Grieb Pass Attempts 54
Mark Grieb Pass Completions 37
Mark Grieb Pass Yards 445
Mark Grieb Pass TDs 10
Rodney Wright KOR TDs 2 (tied)
Steve Watson Total Tackles 12.0 (tied)
Steve Watson Solo Tackles 11 (tied)
Steve Watson Fumbles Recovered 2 (tied
Ron Jones Tackles For Loss 3.0 (tied)
Ron Jones Fumbles Forced 2 (tied)
Alan Harper Sacks 2.5 (tied)
Clevan Thomas Fumbles Forced 2 (tied)
Individual Season Record No.
Mark Grieb Pass Completions 398
Mark Grieb TD Passes 100
James Roe Receptions 127
James Roe Receiving Yards 1,560
James Roe TD Receptions 40
A.J. Haglund Kicking Points 158
A.J. Haglund PATs Made 128
A.J. Haglund PATs Attempted 138
Omarr Smith Total Tackles 87.5
Omarr Smith Solo Tackles 79
Steve Watson Assisted Tackles 33
Ron Jones Tackles For Loss 9.5
Phil Glover fumble recoveries 4 (tied)
COLORADO PLAYERS TO WATCH
QB JOHN DUTTON - Returns to HP Pavilion where he won his first ArenaBowl title with the SaberCats in 2002. After starting QB Mark Grieb suffered a year-ending injury during the final game of the regular season, Dutton took over leading San Jose to their first league championship and was named ArenaBowl XVI Most Valuable Player after throwing for 5 TDs and 236 yards on 20-of-26 passing in the title game. Dutton also won a championship with Colorado in 2005 and is the only AFL QB to win the big one with two different teams. The Crush signed the University of Nevada product in 2003 immediately following his run with the SaberCats. In seven career games against San Jose, Dutton has thrown for 1,891 yards on 139-of-238 passing with 29 TDs and 12 INTs. Dutton had a sub-par performance in his last outing against the SaberCats on Apr. 6, completing only 16 of his 31 pass attempts for 189 and 3 TDs - he was also intercepted once. Dutton's offense led the league in plays from scrimmage (653) and he finished the season ranked 1st in pass attempts (645), 6th in pass TDs (84) and 7th in passing yards (4,312).
WR DAMIAN HARRELL - Regarded as one of the most dangerous men on the offensive side of the ball, Harrell is a two-time AFL Offensive Player of the Year and was most recently named to the All-Arena First Team squad in 2007. The former Florida State standout led the Crush this season in receptions (132), receiving yards (1,547) and TDs (47). Harrell has collected 39 receptions, 559 yards and 15 TDs in six career games against the SaberCats. In Colorado's last game against San Jose on Apr. 6, Harrell was held in check by the SaberCats' secondary after catching 5 balls for 26 yards and a TD. After 16 games this season, Harrell ranked 4th in scoring (282), 5th in receptions and 7th in receiving yards among league leaders.
DB RASHAD FLOYD - A three-time All-Arena Second Team selection, Floyd set an AFL single-season record in 2007 with 156.0 total tackles. He is in his 6th AFL season, spending two years with the Orlando Predators and four with Colorado. In 4 career regular season games versus San Jose, Floyd has accounted for 24.0 tackles, 2 PBUs, 1 INT and a fumble recovery. When the Crush visited HP Pavilion on Apr. 6 of this season, Floyd posted a season-high 14.5 tackles and an interception. In 16 games in 2007, Floyd recorded 9 INTs - returning two for TDs - and 20 PBUs.
WEEKLY PLAYERS OF THE GAME
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME:
Opp. (Date) Player
@LAA (3/4) WR Lenzie Jackson, Los Angeles
@CHI (3/9) WR Bobby Sippio, CHI; Rodney Wright SJS
@GEO (3/24) WR Chris Jackson, Georgia
v TBY (3/31) QB Mark Grieb, San Jose
v COL (4/6) QB Mark Grieb, San Jose
@NWO (4/13) QB Steve Bellisari, New Orleans
v LAA (4/21) QB Mark Grieb, San Jose
v UTH (4/28) WR Ben Nelson, San Jose
@ARZ (5/5) QB Mark Grieb, San Jose
v LVG (5/12) WR Jason Geathers, San Jose
v GRR (5/19) QB Mark Grieb, San Jose
@NAS (5/25) QB Mark Grieb, San Jose
v ORL (6/1) WR James Roe, San Jose
@UTH (6/9) QB Mark Grieb, San Jose
v ARZ (6/16) QB Mark Grieb, San Jose
@LVG (6/25) QB Mark Grieb, San Jose
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME:
Opp. (Date) Player
@LAA (3/4) DB Omarr Smith, San Jose
@CHI (3/9) DB Jeremy Unertl, Chicago
@GEO (3/24) DB Willie Gary, Georgia
v TBY (3/31) DB Marquis Floyd, San Jose
v COL (4/6) DB Clevan Thomas, San Jose
@NWO (4/13) DL Henry Taylor, New Orleans
v LAA (4/21) DB Omarr Smith, San Jose
v UTH (4/28) LB Phil Glover, San Jose
@ARZ (5/5) DB Clevan Thomas, San Jose
v LVG (5/12) DB Clevan Thomas, San Jose
v GRR (5/19) DB Omarr Smith, San Jose
@NAS (5/25) DB Ahmad Hawkins, Nashville
v ORL (6/1) LB Steve Watson, San Jose
@UTH (6/9) DE Alan Harper, San Jose
v ARZ (6/16) DB Omarr Smith, San Jose
@LVG (6/25) DE Steve Watson, San Jose
IRONMAN PLAYER OF THE GAME:
Opp. (Date) Player
@LAA (3/4) WR Ben Nelson, San Jose
@CHI (3/9) None selected
@GEO (3/24) FB/LB Matt Heubner, Georgia
v TBY (3/31) K A.J. Haglund, San Jose
v COL (4/6) WR Rodney Wright, San Jose
@NWO (4/13) WR/LB Tremaine Neal, New Orleans
v LAA (4/21) WR/LB Jason Geathers, San Jose
v UTH (4/28) WR/LB Jason Geathers, San Jose
@ARZ (5/5) FB/LB Phil Glover, San Jose
v LVG (5/12) FB/LB Phil Glover, San Jose
v GRR (5/19) WR Cleannord Saintil
@NAS (5/25) DB Marquis Floyd, San Jose
v ORL (6/1) FB/LB Phil Glover, San Jose
@UTH (6/9) NG George Williams, San Jose
v ARZ (6/16) K A.J. Haglund, San Jose
@LVG (6/25) WR Rodney Wright, San Jose
THE SABERCATS RECORD WHEN...:
Scoring Allowing
'07 All-Time '07 All-Time
0 - 9 points 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
10-19 points 0-0 0-1 0-0 3-0
20-29 points 0-0 0-7 1-0 18-1
30-39 points 0-0 8-16 2-0 29-5
40-49 points 1-1 19-19 8-1 38-15
50-59 points 2-1 39-14 2-0 28-24
60-69 points 6-1 33-7 0-2 4-15
70-79 points 4-0 19-1 0-0 5-5
80+ points 0-0 7-0 0-0 0-0
2007 All-time
Games decided
by 7 or fewer points 2-0 38-32
by 3 or fewer points 0-2 15-22
Leading after the 1st 12-0 80-19
Trailing after the 1st 1-2 25-32
Tied after the 1st 0-1 20-14
Leading at Half 11-0 93-17
Trailing at Half 1-2 27-42
Tied at Half 1-1 5-6
Leading after the 3rd 12-0 101-12
Trailing after the 3rd 0-3 19-49
Tied after the 3rd 1-0 4-4
Scoring First 11-1 76-32
Opp. Score First 2-2 49-33
More Total Offense 7-2 86-36
Less Total Offense 6-1 39-29
More Pass Yards 6-2 75-37
Less Pass Yards 6-1 49-27
Equal Pass Yards 1-0 1-1
More Rushing Yards 8-0 103-28
Less Rushing Yards 5-3 21-34
Equal Rushing Yards 0-0 1-3
Thursday games 0-0 4-1
Friday games 3-2 35-20
Saturday games 8-1 65-25
Sunday games 1-0 18-17
Monday games 1-0 3-2
vs. Western Division 8-0 49-26
vs. Central Division 3-1 31-17
vs. Southern Division 2-2 26-12
vs. Eastern Division 0-0 19-10
Winning coin toss 5-1
Losing coin toss 8-2
Outscoring Opponent 13-0 125-0
Being Outscored 0-3 0-65
Records are for regular season games.
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from July 3, 2007
- San Jose SaberCats game notes - San Jose SaberCats
- Philadelphia Soul game notes - Philadelphia Soul
- Nagy Named Offensive Player Of The Week - Columbus Destroyers
- Hughley Named AFL Defensive Player Of The Week - Colorado Crush
- Divisional Round Matchups Set - AFL I
- Destroyers Game Notes - Columbus Destroyers
- AFL Wild Card Award Winners - AFL I
- Greg White Named AFL Lineman Of The Year - Orlando Predators
- Orlando's Greg White Named Lineman Of The Year - AFL I
- Elmwood Park Youth Football Feeling The Rush - Chicago Rush
- Colorado Crush Game Notes - Colorado Crush
- Avengers Hand Blaze Playoff Loss, 64-42 - Utah Blaze
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.
