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Storm at Soul Game Preview

May 13, 2014 - Arena Football League (AFL)
Tampa Bay Storm News Release


TAMPA BAY -The Tampa Bay Storm will head to the "City of Brotherly Love" to take on the Philadelphia Soul this Saturday, May 17 at the Wells Fargo Center. The team will look to recover from a four-game losing streak, its longest since the 2013 season. Kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m.

This will be the eleventh meeting between these two teams, and sixth in Philadelphia. The Soul has a winning record of 6-4 against the Storm, and holds a 3-0 advantage at the Wells Fargo Center. Soul head coach Clint Dolezel has a 2-1 record when coaching against Tampa Bay, with his lone loss coming on April 4, when the Storm defeated the Soul 63-49. Since the teams' last matchup, the Soul has compiled a 4-1 record while Storm has lost four straight.

Last time out the Storm defeated the Soul handedly. The team jumped out to a quick start with the Storm scoring on its first two possessions to take a 14-0 lead. The defense would pave the way and set the tone for the rest of the game. The Storm would go on to apply the defensive pressure, recovering two fumbles and hauling in an interception. The team's lone interception came from Chris Smith, who would also go on to score a touchdown on a 5-yard kick-off return.

This time around, the Storm will look different on both offense and defense. The team will be without its leader in interceptions, Chris Smith, who was placed on other league exempt earlier this week after signing with the Canadian Football League's Montreal Alouettes. The defensive backfield will have to rely on Rod Issac, James Harrell and Terence Mitchell. Last time against the Soul, Harrell led the team with 10 tackles and came up with a key stop on fourth down midway through the fourth quarter.

The offense will also feature wide receivers Joe Hills and T.T. Toliver. Both Hills and Toliver paired with Amarri Jackson could make for a very potent offense. They are three of the top-10 receivers in franchise history and all have the ability to help the team put up some big numbers. While the Storm can score a lot points, it will have its hands full with the Soul's strong defensive line; especially after it has allowed eight sacks over the course of two games. The offensive line will have to protect the quarterback and give him time to throw the ball in order to make plays. The Storm has not scored more than 42 points in three of the past four outings.

Offensively, the Soul is led by quarterback Dan Raudabaugh who has thrown 41 touchdowns and just seven interceptions on the season. Last week versus the New Orleans VooDoo, Raudabaugh went 19-of-26 for 271 yards and five touchdowns. His top target this season has been wide receiver Ryan McDaniel who is in the top-5 of several receiving categories including receiving yards (834), receptions (60), and receiving yards per game (104.2). The Storm defense will have to come out strong if it wants to stop the Soul, a team that is third in the league averaging 57.0 points per game.

A win will help the Storm get back on track and help it salvage a season that started with such promise, while the Soul needs a win for a plus-.500 record. Both teams will come out strong looking for a very important win.

The Five-Time World Champion Tampa Bay Storm enters its 27th season in the Arena Football League. The Storm will host "Military Appreciation Night," Saturday, May 24 when it takes on South Division rival, Jacksonville Sharks, on AMALIE Motor Oil Field at the Tampa Bay Times Forum. For more specific details regarding single-game pricing and availability, please contact the Storm ticket office at 813.301.6600 or visit www.tampabaystorm.com. Season tickets can be purchased by visiting TampaBayStorm.com or by calling 813.301.6600. For group sales fans can contact 813.301.6900. Additionally fans and sponsors can follow the Storm on Facebook (Tampa Bay Storm) or Twitter (@tampabaystorm) for up to date news and exclusive content.



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