Tampa Bay Storm Hosts Milwaukee Mustangs Saturday, May 26

Published on May 21, 2012 under Arena Football League (AFL)
Tampa Bay Storm News Release


TAMPA BAY - The Tampa Bay Storm (5-5, 3-2) hosts the Milwaukee Mustangs (3-6, 2-1) Saturday, May 26 at 7:30 PM. Tampa Bay leads the all-time series five games to four. This is the first visit by the Mustangs to Tampa Bay since the teams last met July 29, 2000 in a playoff game won by the Storm 72-64. However, the Mustangs have won the last two matchups between the two teams.

Each team enters the game trying to correct a two-game slide, both teams having lost to the Cleveland Gladiators and Georgia Force in the past two weeks. For Tampa Bay both of those games were on the road, however the team is 5-0 at home. Meanwhile, the Mustangs have suffered four of its six losses while giving up the winning score on the final play of the game. A combined 16 seconds remained on the clock in those four losses.

Despite its record, Milwaukee enters the game having played its competition tough, averaging two fewer points per game than it allows (56.1 to 58.1). The Mustangs take care of the ball well, but also don't create many turnovers as the team enters the game with a turnover margin of zero. It is the efficient and effective play by quarterback Gino Guidugli that leads the Mustangs. He is tied as the most accurate passer in the AFL (67.5%) and has the second highest quarterback rating (124.5) largely in part to having only thrown seven interceptions, the third fewest by a starting quarterback in the AFL.

Guidugli's offensive line, anchored by All-Arena performers Raymond McNeil and Adam Tadisch, provides his good protection as he is one of only four quarterbacks this season to have been sacked fewer than 10 times. His primary weapon has been Jared Jenkins who leads the team with 59 catches for 778 yards and 17 touchdowns. But the main threat is newcomer Andrae Thurman. In three games Thurman has recorded 27 catches for 382 yards and nine touchdowns.

Erick McIntosh and company in the defensive backfield will have its hands full trying to stop Thurman and force the efficient Mustangs quarterback into mistakes. Creating turnovers so far this season is not something the Storm defense has done on a consistent basis. The defense will need to work hard to not only create turnovers but get to the Mustangs quarterback. The Storm front four will need to find ways to generate pressure.

Offensively, the Storm need to come out strong, when the offense does, the team wins. Quarterback Stephen Wasil plays much better at home, completing 65.6 percent of his passes at home versus 56.8 on the road. He has also thrown fewer interceptions at home. When Wasil is on, he is hard to stop with the weapons he has at receiver as he does a good job of spreading the ball around to the trio of receivers and taking advantage of what defenses give him. Wasil will need to avoid Marcus Everett of the Mustangs. The Jack linebacker leads Milwaukee with four interceptions, having returned two of them for touchdowns.

Additionally, the offensive line must make sure to stop Dwayne LeFall and Luis Vasquez on the Mustangs defensive line, the two have combined for 11.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, two blocked kicks and a fumble recovery. Defensive back Kelvin Rodgers is also a threat in the return game, as he has returned a kick for a touchdown in three of the past four games.

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