Sunday Game Recap
July 15, 2002 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release
INDIANA 56, Los Angeles 53 (12,286)
INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) -- NELSON GARNER converted a 50-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Indiana Firebirds over the Los Angeles Avengers, 56-53.
Garner, who missed his previous three attempts from 61, 52 and 50 yards in the second quarter, split the uprights for his first field goal from 50 or more yards in 11 attempts this year.
DAMEYUNE CRAIG completed 5-of-14 passes for 121 yards and three touchdowns, BRETT BECH had 132 receiving yards with six catches and a score and EVAN HLAVACEK returned eight kickoffs for 184 yards, including a 56-yard scoring return with 3:35 remaining in regulation, for Indiana (6-7).
TONY GRAZIANI went 25-of-38 for 328 yards and five scores and added a pair of rushing touchdowns in the loss for Los Angeles (7-6), which had its three-game road winning streak snapped.
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PLAYOFF PICTURE â Through Week 13
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Here's how the rankings would appear if the playoffs were to begin after 13 games. Twelve (12) teams advance to the postseason; the top four seeds would receive a BYE in the first round. (* Denotes current Division leader; x-Clinched playoff berth; y-Clinched First Round BYE; z-Eliminated from playoffs.)
y-1. SAN JOSE *(12-1)
y-2. ARIZONA (10-3)
y-3. CHICAGO * (9-4)
y-4. NEW JERSEY * (9-4)
x-5. Dallas (7-6)
x-6. Los Angeles (7-6)
x-7. Grand Rapids (7-6)
8. Indiana (6-7)
9. Georgia * (6-7)
10. Buffalo (6-7)
11. Orlando (6-7)
12. Carolina (6-7)
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13. Toronto (5-8)
14. Tampa Bay (5-8)
z-15. New York (2-11)
z-16. Detroit (1-12)
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THIS WEEK IN AFL HISTORY
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July 15, 1994: Miami 66, Arizona 52. Miami Hooters QB JIM JENSON (a former Miami Dolphin) throws for 329 yards and seven scores to lead his team in a victory against the Arizona Rattlers.
July 15, 2000: Iowa QB AARON GARCIA breaks MIKE PEREZ's record of 84 TD passes (1996), tossing nine in Iowa's 77-76 win over the Albany Firebirds. He becomes the fifth player in history to surpass 300 career-scoring passes. In addition, with 285 yards receiving, Iowa OS MIKE HORACEK breaks DWAYNE DIXON's 13-year-old record of 264.
July 16, 1987: Washington's DWAYNE DIXON pulled in a long-lasting league record 20 receptions (yet to be broken) and 264 yards in his team's 64-61 loss to Chicago. In that same game, REGGIE SMITH of the Bruisers set a league record for longest kick return, returning the kick 58 yards against the Commandos.
July 16, 1999: San Jose's STEVE PAPIN registered his seventh kick return for a touchdown, tying the league's single-season record set by WILLIE GASTON of Connecticut in 1996.
July 16, 2001: ABC increased its coverage of the AFL to include an ArenaBowl Playoff semifinal-round game as well as the ArenaBowl for a fourth straight season. The announcing crew of BRENT MUSBURGER, GARY DANIELSON and LYNN SWANN worked both playoff games.
July 17, 1987: Pittsburgh's CRAIG WALLS sets a league record with 4.5 sacks against Denver, while the Gladiators set a single game attendance record (14,644) against the Dynamite. Walls also set the league mark for sacks in a season with 13, which still stands today.
July 18, 1997: CLINT DOLEZEL matched the league standard with 10 touchdown passes against New York.
July 18, 1999: Orlando's PAT O'HARA became the Predator's all-time leading in passing touchdowns, overtaking BEN BENNETT.
July 18, 1999: New England's MIKE BLACK had a string of 63 straight PATs snapped against the Rattlers (previous 62 set by STEVE VIDETICH of New Jersey in 1997).
July 18, 2001: Chicago re-signed 2001 Ironman of the Year DAMEON PORTER to a two-year contract extension. In the 2001 season, he tied the league record with 12 interceptions.
July 20, 1990: In the league's longest run from scrimmage, Albany's JOHNNY JONES advances the ball 37 yards in the Firebirds 37-16 to the Detroit Drive.
July 20, 2001: Grand Rapids staged the biggest comeback in team history by overcoming a 10 point fourth quarter deficit in a 44-40 win over Buffalo, locking up the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.
July 21, 2001: New York's AARON GARCIA threw 9 TDs against Florida, becoming the only pro quarterback to reach 100 or more in a season. He finished with 104, topping his previous pro football record of 92, set the year before.
July 21, 2001: Tampa Bay defeated New Jersey, 44-41, before a sold-out crowd of 19,867 at The Ice Palace, the most fans to watch an AFL game since 25,087 in ArenaBowl XI on 9/1/95 in Tampa's old home, The Thunderdome.
July 21, 2001: Chicago defeated defending champion Orlando, 55-41, to earn a playoff berth, the first true expansion team to do so since the New Jersey Red Dogs and Nashville Kats accomplished the feat in 1997.
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from July 15, 2002
- Players of the Week Named - Portland Forest Dragons
- Destroyers Finale Added On Empire Sports Network - Buffalo Destroyers
- Desperados Close Regular Season at Home - Dallas Desperados
- Sunday Game Recap - AFL I
- AFL Attendance Up 10 Percent - AFL I
- Destroyers Fall In Home Finale - Buffalo Destroyers
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