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Arena Football League (1987-2008)

Undefeated teams meet when No. 2 Dallas hosts No. 3 Austin Friday night

February 15, 2006 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release


NEW YORK - Texas is synonymous with football and Arena Football is no exception. The state will be the center of the indoor football universe this Friday night when the undefeated Dallas Desperados (3-0) host the undefeated Austin Wranglers (3-0) at 8:30 p.m. ET (FSN Southwest, INHD, NASN). The game pits the National Conference's No. 1 offense (Dallas, 309.7 yards-per-game) vs. its No. 1 defense (Austin, 264.7 yards-per-game).

Dallas ranks second in this week's Arena Football League Writers Association (AFLWA) Schutt Sports Top 12 poll with Austin right behind in the number three slot.

"We have set a goal to be a team that Central Texas is proud of on and off the field," said Austin Head Coach SKIP FOSTER. "Football in the state of Texas is like no other state. Stretching from little league to the professional level, people in Texas bleed football."

Dallas sits in first place in the Eastern Division with an offense guided by their new starting quarterback CLINT DOLEZEL (UFA-Las Vegas), who ranks second in the league with a 132.3 passer rating. Austin, who is playing its third of five consecutive road games, has climbed to the top spot in the Southern Division by playing stellar defense and featuring a powerful running game. FB/LB DANE KRAGER is tied for second in the league with 63 rushing yards, and both Krager and QB JOHN FITZGERALD are tied for second with four rushing TDs each.

In Philadelphia on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET, the 2-1 Soul host the 2-1 New York Dragons in a battle of Eastern Division second-place teams. Soul QB TONY GRAZIANI is expected to return from a Week 2 finger injury. His counterpart, New York QB AARON GARCIA, is coming off one of the best passing performances in AFL history. Against Utah in Week 3, Garcia completed 24 of 26 passes for 354 yards, no interceptions and 10 touchdowns, which ties for the second-most in league history. He was named AFL Offensive Player of the Week.

The "War I-4" between the Orlando Predators (2-1) and Tampa Bay Storm (2-1), one of the most heated rivalries in AFL history, resumes in Tampa on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET (Sun Sports). Last season the teams split two games with each winning on their home field. Tampa Bay holds a slim 19-18 lead in the all-time series including wins in four out of the last five contests. The Storm has been lead by the play of quarterback SHANE STAFFORD, who has fueled the offense with 14 touchdown passes and 884 yards.

Over the Storm's first three games, 11-year veteran WR/LB LAWRENCE SAMUELS has been Stafford's favorite target, hauling in 26 passes for 299 yards and five touchdowns. Orlando counters with a defensive scheme that features DS JEROID JAMES and DS KENNY MC ENTYRE. The pair combined for 42.5 tackles over the first three weeks.

AFLWA No. 4 (tie) Nashville (2-1) plays host to the defending the ArenaBowl Champion & No. 1-ranked Colorado Crush (3-0) on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET (FSN Rocky Mountain). The Kats hope to pull into a tie for first-place in the Central Division and hand the Crush their first loss of the season. Colorado QB JOHN DUTTON leads the Crush's top-ranked offense (63.7 PPG) against OL/DL JAMES BARON and the Kats' top-ranked defense (37.0 PPG).

Utah Blaze (1-2) Head Coach DANNY WHITE makes his return to Arizona this week. White served as the Rattlers (0-3) head coach/general manager from 1992-2004 and amassed 141 regular-season and 20 postseason victories during his tenure in the desert. He also guided the Rattlers to AFL championships by winning ArenaBowls VIII and XI.

Chicago FB/LB BOB MC MILLEN continues his quest to make AFL history this weekend when the Rush travel to Los Angeles to face the Avengers on Saturday at 10:30 PM ET (FSN Chicago, FSN West2, NASN, Sirius Satellite Radio). McMillen has 1,372 career rushing yards and needs 11 to pass LES BARLEY (1,382) as the top rusher in league history.

The other Week 4 match-ups are: Georgia at Las Vegas on Friday, San Jose at Grand Rapids on Sunday (WB San Jose), and Columbus at Kansas City on Sunday (WB Kansas City/Metro Sports).

This Week in AFL History

February 17, 2003: The Las Vegas Gladiators play their first game in Las Vegas and defeat Tampa Bay, 61-55, in front of a crowd of 12,521.

AFLWA Schutt Sports Top 12 Poll

1. Colorado Crush 3-0 (15) 191
2. Dallas Desperados 3-0 (1) 174
3. Austin Wranglers 3-0 141
T4. Nashville Kats 2-1 119
T4. Tampa Bay Storm 2-1 119
6. Orlando Predators 2-1 113
7. New York Dragons 2-1 90
8. Georgia Force 1-2 87
9. Philadelphia Soul 2-1 75
10. Chicago Rush 1-2 54
11.Utah Blaze 1-2 31
12. Las Vegas Gladiators1-2 22

Also receiving votes: Los Angeles Avengers 15, San Jose SaberCats 10, Grand Rapids Rampage 7. Dropped out: Los Angeles Avengers (10).

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