VooDoo and Predators Fighting for Playoff Spot
July 24, 2013 - Arena Football League (AFL)
New Orleans VooDoo News Release
NEW ORLEANS - The New Orleans VooDoo travel to Orlando, Fla. and square off against the Predators for the right to advance to the American Conference playoffs this Saturday night.
The winner of Saturday's game will grab the conference's final playoff berth. The VooDoo (5-12) beat the Predators (6-11) 51-45 in overtime in the New Orleans Arena in the regular season opener. New Orleans will also be looking for its second win in the Amway Center also known as the "Jungle." The VooDoo are looking at back-to-back trips to the playoffs with the win.
Quarterback Chris Dixon will be facing his former team, as will defensive back Eddie Moten, linebacker James Bryant, and fullback Jeramie Richardson. Dixon was very solid through the air against the Sharks last week, throwing for 262 seven touchdowns, but Jacksonville put him on the ground seven times. His 152 yards rushing this season is third all-time. Dixon's top target Donovan Morgan regained his prolific ways as he caught six balls for 112 yards and three touchdowns. Morgan is currently tied for sixth all-time with 1,264 yards receiving, matching Quorey Payne's 2012 total. Morgan's 27 touchdowns is also tied with L.J. Castile's 2012 total, which is seventh all-time.
The VooDoo will be facing the league's top quarterback in Aaron Garcia, who has a league-best 4,787 yards with 100 touchdowns. Garcia also has two receivers on the AFL leaderboard. T.T Toliver leads the Predators with 1,590 yards (7th AFL) with 27 touchdowns. Toliver shattered his 2012 season total of 1,290 yards and 23 touchdowns. Prechae Rodriguez has 1,509 yards (10th AFL) and an impressive 39 touchdowns (4th AFL). Rodriguez had his best game against the VooDoo with nine catches for 176 yards. He's caught nine or more passes just four times this season.
Defensively, two VooDoo players are within reach of the team's single season sack record. Michael Janac has 6.5 sacks and could tie B.J. Cohen's 2005 record with three sacks or break it with 3.5 sacks. Janac is already tied for third all-time. Marlon Favorite has six sacks and also has a shot at the record. Both have surpassed their totals from last season. Defensive back Cameron McGlenn has a new VooDoo single-season record with 120 interception return yards this season. On Orlando's side, defensive back Marcus Everett leads the team with four interceptions, which is three less than Travis Coleman's 2012 total. Prentice Purnell, a former VooDoo player, leads the Predators in sacks with four. Orlando kick returner Dominic Jones is second in the league with 1,758 yards and a team high four touchdowns. The VooDoo's Payne is fourth in the league with 1,300 yards and has three trips to the end zone. Payne's 2013 totals of yards and returns (66) are second all-time.
VooDoo head coach Pat O'Hara takes on his former team for the second straight year, as well as assistant coach Dough Miller, who was on O'Hara's staff in Orlando. O'Hara also played quarterback for the Predators for six years, winning ArenaBowls XII (1st for Orlando) and XIV. The teams get set to kickoff at 7:00 p.m. ET.
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