Sports stats



Shock travel to New Orleans for a Saturday, May 2 match-up

April 28, 2015 - Arena Football League (AFL)
Spokane Shock News Release


SPOKANE, Washington (April 28, 2015) - The Shock (1-3, 0-1) will travel to take on the New Orleans VooDoo (1-4, 0-2) for Week 6 Arena Football League action this Saturday, May 2 at the Smoothie King Center with a 5:00 p.m. PT kickoff. This week's game will be available on radio via the Shock-VPI Radio Network on AM 700 ESPN Spokane, and for viewing via the WatchESPN app or WatchESPN.com.

MATCHUP HISTORY

This weekend's matchup will be the fourth all-time between the franchises (Spokane leads 3-0) with the latest having taken place during the 2013 season in a 65-54 victory for the Shock at Spokane Veteran's Memorial Arena. In that win, 2013 AFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year Erik Meyer and Wide Receiver of the Year Adron Tennell connected 14 times for 174 yards and two touchdowns. Despite former VooDoo quarterback Kurt Rocco and wide receiver Donovan Morgan hooking up 13 times for 255 yards and five touchdowns, the Shock were able to force five total turnovers on the night (three interceptions, two fumbles) to help outscore New Orleans 21-7 in the final quarter of play to seal the Spokane victory.

The 2012 match-up between the teams featured a 68-62 overtime win for the Shock. Back and forth scoring between the teams would lead to a tie at the end of regulation, but Spokane would end the game quickly in overtime as former Shock defensive back Terrance Sanders would record his second interception of the game on the VooDoo's opening drive to set up the game winning touchdown by quarterback Kyle Rowley.

The first-ever matchup between the teams took place in 2011 in New Orleans resulting in a 75-54 win under the direction of first-year offensive coordinator Andy Olson, who would take over as Head Coach for Spokane beginning in 2012.

VOODOO SEASON REVIEW

The VooDoo will enter Week 6 of the 2015 AFL season and welcome Spokane in the midst of a three-game home stand and a four-game losing streak after recording their only win so far this season in an impressive 51-50 upset over the Jacksonville Sharks in Week 1.

In New Orleans first East Division match-up of 2015 against the 2015 American Conference Champion Cleveland, the Gladiators jumped out to a 14-0 lead to start the contest and never looked back. Two turnovers by the VooDoo (one interception, one fumble lost) and two failed fourth down conversions created the separation needed for Cleveland to maintain a two score lead at the end of the first half and followed it up by outscoring New Orleans 28-14 in the second half in route to a 70-42 win.

The VooDoo's Week 3 match-up against the Predators stayed close throughout the contest with the largest lead for Orlando coming in the second quarter (11 points) due to back-to-back special teams touchdowns at the hands of receiver Brandon Thompkins. After a VooDoo touchdown, Thompkins took the ensuing kickoff back for 51-yards for the score. On New Orleans' next possession, Thompkins would return a missed field goal off the net for another touchdown. The VooDoo would be unable to close the gap and would fall to the Predators by a final score of 47-42.

In a Week 4 road game against the Storm, the VooDoo would set a new franchise record for least points scored against an opponent in a 13-42 in Tampa Bay. The VooDoo's 13-point outing all came in the first half as the team suffered three turnovers during the game (one interception, two fumbles lost) and failed to convert on three different fourth down attempts.

Last week against the undefeated Philadelphia Soul, the VooDoo fell behind 0-14 to open the game and would be outscored 34-14 in the first half. The team would rally in the second half, but again turnovers (three interceptions) and failure to convert on fourth down (0-3) would hinder New Orleans from closing the game as they would fall 42-55 to the Soul.

SHOCK SEASON REVIEW

For only the second time in franchise history (first time was 2011), the Shock opened up the season with a 0-3 overall record and found themselves at the bottom of the Pacific Division.

During the 2011 season under then Head Coach Rob Keefe, the Shock opened up 0-3 before making changes to the coaching staff and bringing in Andy Olson to take over offensive play-calling duties. Olson would control the Shock offense beginning in their Week 4 game against Kansas City and lead Spokane to a 61-34 win. Despite an injury plagued season in which the team used six different players at quarterback, Spokane still posted 70 points or more in six contests, including a season-high of 76 in a victory over the Utah Blaze in the Joe Albi Summer Outdoor Classic. The Shock would finish the regular season 9-6 (9-9 overall) and earn a playoff berth, losing to the Arizona Rattlers in the divisional round.

Reminiscent of 2011, Spokane was again bit by the injury bug to start 2015. Through the first three weeks of the season, the Shock were forced to play five different quarterbacks.

Starting off 2015 against the defending ArenaBowl Champion Arizona Rattlers was no small task to take on for any team. Shock quarterback Carson Coffman would keep the game within ten points despite the Rattlers scoring on a bar-ball recovery, but on the final series of the first-half Coffman would be taken to the ground and suffer a knee injury that would keep him from finishing the game and the next two contests. He would be relieved in the second half by backup quarterback Jarrett Brown as Arizona would go onto win the Week 1 meeting by a final score of 43-60.

In Week 2 against the Philadelphia Soul, the Shock would split the game between quarterback Jarrett Brown and Matt Bassuener. The two would combine for 10 of 25 pass attempts for 138 yards, three passing touchdowns, and two interceptions. After Philadelphia jumped out to a 14-0 lead to begin the contest, the unstable play at quarterback by Spokane would provide the Soul with an easy 43-54 victory.

The Shock visited Portland for their first Pacific Division matchup of 2015 in Week 3 Spokane acquired veteran quarterback Danny Southwick the week of the game and despite only practicing two-days with the team, started out red-hot as he completed his first 8 pass attempts for 156 yards and four touchdowns. After a strong first-half, Spokane would open the third quarter with two costly errors. Thunder jack-linebacker Bryce Peila would first score on a 46-yard interception for a touchdown on a tipped pass and then follow it up on the Shock's next series with a 3-yard fumble return for a score. The 14-point swing would propel Portland to a 47-43 win after Shock quarterback Danny Southwick was intercepted on Spokane's final drive of the game.

Returning from a Week 4 bye, Spokane hosted the Orlando Predators in what would be their first win of the 2015 season in a 55-56 overtime thriller. The Shock started out the game with a 14-0 lead after defensive lineman James Ruffin would force a fumble on the Predators opening drive of the game. After going up 35-21 with just over three minutes left in the first-half, Orlando would go on to record 14 unanswered points thanks to an onside kick recovery and tie the game at 35-35 to end the second quarter. The two teams would trade scores in the third quarter, before a turnover plagued and scoreless fourth quarter would leave the two teams tied at the end of regulation. Spokane would win the toss in overtime, but elect to play defense first as Orlando would drive the length of the field and score on their opening possession. Electing to go for the two-point conversion, Spokane's defense would jump offside on the initial snap and set up the Predators on the one-yard line. Despite the short field to overcome on the conversion attempt the Shock defense would dig in and hold the Predators on the goal line. Orlando would attempt the onside kick following their initial score, but a Spokane recovery on the nine-yard line would set up the tying touchdown pass from Carson Coffman to Mike Washington and the game-winning point after attempt by kicker Taylor Rowan for the 56-55 win.

GAME PREVIEW

The Week 6 matchup between Spokane and New Orleans will feature two teams at the bottom of their respective divisions looking to make up ground with only one win each through the first five weeks of 2015.

The Shock offense has struggled with rotating quarterback play averaging only 46.2 points per game between the five different players to take snaps from under center this season, but the return of Carson Coffman from his Week 1 injury immediately showed signs of improvement in last week's 56-point game and victory over Orlando. The VooDoo offense on the other hand has seen a consistent starter in quarterback Adam Kennedy, but have struggled to score points (ranked 12th in AFL with 38 points per game) and suffered from inconsistency on fourth down attempts (3 of 11).

The two teams will field struggling defenses through the first five weeks of the regular season with Spokane tied for ninth and giving up 54 points per game. New Orleans is in the middle of the pack within the league rankings at seventh, giving up 52.8 points per game. Despite the fact that the Shock have struggled to keep opposing offenses out of the end zone, the Spokane defense is ranked fourth in the AFL in pass defense efficiency as they have help opposing quarterbacks to a passer rating of 103. The Shock are also tied for third in the league with five interceptions on the year and have given up the second least number of touchdown passes on the season (20). The VooDoo, however, are ranked tenth in the AFL in pass defense efficiency and have allowed opposing quarterbacks to achieve a passer rating of 120.5, while only intercepted those quarterbacks three times this season.

Defensive pressure will be the key for Spokane this weekend as the VooDoo have struggled to protect the football this season and own a negative six (-6) turnover margin. With the return of consistent quarterback play for the Shock, Spokane will look to improve on their negative two (-2) margin on the year. The Shock defensive front awoke with a vengeance in Week 5 against Orlando as they recorded six sacks on the night, moving them up to a third place tie in the AFL with San Jose, Jacksonville, and Cleveland. New Orleans has also allowed the second-most sacks on the year to opposing teams (13).

With a game that could come down to the final few series, kicking will be a highlight of this game after Shock kicker Taylor Rowan missed two field goals last week against Orlando. Rowan has made only one of his three attempts this season and is tied for seventh in the AFL concerting 88% of his PATs (22 of 25). New Orleans kicker Garrett Lindholm has converted on four of six field goal attempts so far this season (tied for first in AFL), while also converting 22 of 25 PAT attempts (88 percent).

• Discuss this story on the Arena Football League message board...

Arena Football League Stories from April 28, 2015


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.

Other Recent Spokane Shock Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central