Shock vs. Power - Game Preview

July 24, 2013 - Arena Football League (AFL)
Spokane Shock News Release


SPOKANE, WA - With the playoffs looming, the Spokane Shock will look to cap off the 2013 regular season on a high note against the Pittsburgh Power (4-13, 2-2) Friday, July 26 at 7 p.m. (PST) at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena.

While winning is always the main objective, the focus for Spokane in Fridays matchup may simply be to fine tune any weakness and stay injury-free as nothing is on the line for the playoff-bound Shock after a crazy weekend in the AFL.

Spokane (13-4, 4-2) handled business last Friday night demolishing the San Antonio Talons (9-8, 2-2), 77-30, but still needed some extra help to wrap up the National Conference No. 3 seed and keep alive an opportunity to host a first round playoff game.

And the ways things unfolded could not have worked out more perfectly for the Shock.

First the San Jose SaberCats (12-5, 3-3) fell to the Philadelphia Soul (12-5, 2-2), 65-43, giving Spokane the outright claim to the National Conference No. 3 seed.

With the three seed wrapped up, Spokane then turned their attention to Chicago for the possibility of earning a home playoff game.

With San Antonio's loss to the Shock on Friday, the Chicago Rush had to win one of their two remaining games to come away with the National Conference Central Division title and the No. 2 seed for the playoffs. The Rush did just that as they came away with a huge 63-42 upset victory over the Arizona Rattlers (14-3,4-2) Saturday night at the U.S. Airways Center in Phoenix, Ariz.

Now this is where things get a little crazy, and for Spokane fans, a little lucky.

Although the AFL playoff format calls for division champions to host their first round playoff game, Chicago the No. 2 seed, is a league-owned team, which prohibits them from hosting a home playoff game. Therefore as the No. 3 seed, the Shock will host the first-round playoff game against the Rush at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena Thursday, Aug. 1 at 7 p.m.

Although Spokane may have received their first home playoff bid since 2010 on a bit of a technicality, the way the Shock have performed on the field this season, including Friday against San Antonio, they deserve it.

Spokane's defense reminded San Antonio quarterback Rohan Davey that these weren't the glory days at LSU, forcing the Talon's quarterback into a miserable 18-of-39 passing with five interceptions, including three by defensive back Paul Stephens, while fumbling twice.

The big night from the defensive unit allowed Shock quarterback Erik Meyer to put the offense on cruise control as he threw for only 153 yards and four touchdowns on 8-of-15 passing before being replaced by backup Arvell Nelson in the third quarter of the blowout.

While winning has become quite familiar to the Shock this season, they will meet a rather unfamiliar foe Friday night as they will face the Power (4-13, 2-2) for the first time since May 2011 in a 51-41 Pittsburgh victory at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pa.

And since that matchup two years ago, the Power and Shock seem to be going in different directions. After both finishing the 2011 season with mediocre 9-9 records, Spokane now sits near the top of the AFL as one of the leagues best teams while the Power are tied with the Cleveland Gladiators for the worst record in the league.

Records aside, Pittsburgh will not shy away from hostile territory as they are coming off a 48-37 win against the Tampa Bay Storm in front of the largest AFL crowd this season (16,118) last Saturday at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.

Power quarterback Shane Austin threw for 249 yards and four touchdowns connecting with wide receiver Tyrone Collins eight times for 97 yards and two scores and Mike Washington six times for 109 yards and two touchdowns.

The Shock will not lose much sleep over a Power offense that sits near the bottom of the league in nearly every statistical category including last in scoring offense (40.2 ppg), No. 13 in passing offense (238.2 ypg) and No. 12 in total offense while also giving up a league high 52 sacks.

However, Pittsburgh's defense, which is No.1 in the AFL in total defense limiting their opponents to a meager 255.5 yards per game and first in the league in pass defense yielding only 225.6 yards per game, does impose a major obstacle for the Shock in what will be a great test heading into the playoffs.

Friday's game will be Fan Appreciation Night at the Arena, as fans will receive Shock posters courtesy of Findlay Post Falls. Kickoff is scheduled for Friday, July 26 at 7 p.m. (PST) and will be live on SWX-TV, streaming online at shock.arenafootball.com/allaccess, and available on 700AM ESPN radio. Tickets are still available via TicketsWest or by calling the Shock office at (509)-242-7462.



Arena Football League Stories from July 24, 2013


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