Soul Have Firm Lead Atop Poll with 14 First-Place Votes
Published on April 25, 2012 under Arena Football League (AFL) News Release
CHICAGO - The top five teams in the Week 7 Coaches' Poll - the Philadelphia Soul, Arizona Rattlers, Chicago Rush, San Jose SaberCats and Utah Blaze respectively - have begun to separate themselves in the standings, as they represent the only teams currently with a winning record. This week that separation is reflected in the Coaches Poll as a large point gap has formed between the top and bottom halves of the coaches' rankings. However, each team will have to win on the road during Week 8's upcoming action.
For the second straight week, the Philadelphia Soul (5-1) sit atop the AFL Coaches' Poll, but this time with a bit more comfort. The Soul tallied 14 first-place votes this week, and 157 total points, 14 points clear of the second-place Rattlers. The Soul dismantled the Tampa Bay Storm last week in the "NET10 Arena Football Friday" on NFL Network, riding quarterback Dan Raudabugh's eight touchdown passes to a 83-48 home victory. Fullback Derrick Ross also helped with two rushing touchdowns, extending his League leading rushing touchdown total to 12 overall. This week, the Soul will travel to the Orlando Predators (1-4) who nabbed their first victory this season with a 27-24 win last week. That game will be Saturday, April 28 at Orlando's Amway Center.
The Arizona Rattlers (4-2) leapfrogged the Chicago Rush (5-1) to take over the second-place spot in the Week 7 Coaches Poll, aided by an impressive 68-34 victory over Aaron Garcia and the San Antonio Talons (3-3). Arizona beat the Talons with a complete performance - forcing four turnovers, scoring on two returns and throwing six touchdown passes. The Rattlers will take on the Georgia Force (3-3) on Sunday, April 29 looking to replicate that effort. Arizona recorded 143 total points in this week's poll and even grabbed a first-place vote away from the Soul.
A last second touchdown pass from quarterback Russ Michna was enough to give the Chicago Rush (5-1) the win in Week 7, but not enough to hold their spot as the second-ranked team. The Rush slipped to third despite the victory, and must travel to San Antonio to take on Garcia and the Talons this Saturday, April 28. The Rush finished with 133 total points this week and also had one first-place vote, but not enough to match the Soul. The Chicago Rush are the only team in the National Conference with five wins.
The two teams rounding out the top five are the San Jose SaberCats (4-2) and Utah Blaze (4-2), who have both been led by stellar quarterback play this season. Mark Grieb of the SaberCats threw six touchdown passes as San Jose took care of Kansas City (0-5) last week, 49-35. The Cats, who are ranked fourth in the Week 7 Poll, must travel to Iowa this week to face an improving Barnstormers (3-3) team - who moved up to sixth in this week's Poll. The Blaze will travel to face the Milwaukee Mustangs (2-3) looking to extend their winning streak to three games. The SaberCats tallied 120 points this week, while the Blaze rounded out the Poll's top five with 95 points.
The bottom half of the poll only saw one new entry, the New Orleans VooDoo (3-3), who checked in at seventh (45 total points). The Georgia Force (3-3) plummeted after a loss to the Predators, down four places to ninth (39 total points). The Cleveland Gladiators remained ranked at eighth (40 points overall), and the Tampa Bay Storm dropped one spot to tenth (28 points total).
WEEK 7 COACHES' POLL
RK Team (1st place votes) W-L Pts Last Week
1 Philadelphia Soul (14) 5-1 157 1
2 Arizona Rattlers (1) 4-2 143 3
3 Chicago Rush (1) 5-1 133 2
4 San Jose SaberCats (1) 4-2 120 4
5 Utah Blaze 4-2 95 6
6 Iowa Barnstormers 3-3 59 7
7 New Orleans VooDoo 3-3 45 -
8 Cleveland Gladiators 3-3 40 8
9 Georgia Force 3-3 39 5
10 Tampa Bay Storm 3-3 28 9
Arena Football League Stories from April 25, 2012
- Shock's Ossai to CFL, Shock Assigned DB Vonzell McDowell - Spokane Shock
- Sharks Acquire OL Ailao Eliapo - Jacksonville Sharks
- Soul Have Firm Lead Atop Poll with 14 First-Place Votes - AFL
- Kansas City COmmand vs. Tampa Bay Storm Preview - Tampa Bay Storm
- Beyond the Gridiron with DB Deonte Bolden - Tampa Bay Storm
- Blaze Assigned Two Arena Football Veterans - Utah Blaze
- New Orleans VooDoo: 21 Questions with VooDoo Mascot Mojo - New Orleans VooDoo
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