VooDoo win home opener over SaberCats, 62-61
February 13, 2005 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
New Orleans VooDoo News Release
NEW ORLEANS--San Jose K Dan Frantz' 32-yard field goal attempt as time expired went just wide right as New Orleans beat the defending ArenaBowl champion SaberCats, 62-61 in the New Orleans Arena.
The VooDoo (2-1) took a 62-61 lead with 26 seconds remaining as QB Andy Kelly threw his club-record eighth TD pass of the game, a 21-yarder to OS Aaron Bailey. The VooDoo went for two, but Kelly's pass attempt was knocked away in the end zone.
San Jose (1-2) took over at their own 7 and QB Mark Grieb, after a offensive holding call, found WR/DB Rashied Davis with a 14-yard pass to their 17 with 13 seconds to play. Grieb then hit FB/LB Matt Kinsinger with a nine-yard strike to the VooDoo 24. Then, Davis caught a nine-yard pass to the New Orleans 17 with three seconds to play.
Frantz trotted on for his field goal try. After a VooDoo timeout, Frantz' kick went over the right upright, but just wide to the right as the home crowd of 12,226 celebrated in the "Graveyard".
Kelly, who was selected as the contest's Offensive Player of the Game, completed 33-of-47 passes for 340 yards and eight TDs, three of which came in the final quarter. He led the VooDoo to nine TDs in 10 offensive possessions.
The SaberCats took the opening kickoff and needed just four plays to take a 7-0 lead when Grieb hit WR/LB James Roe on a 13-yard TD strike with 12:42 remaining.
New Orleans tied the game on their first possession as Kelly threw a seven-yard TD pass to WR/LB Thabiti Davis with 9:01 to play in the quarter which completed a five-play drive.
San Jose retook a 14-7 lead with 2:50 remaining in the quarter as WR/LB Shalon Baker took a pitch from Grieb and went around left end for a one-yard TD run which capped a seven-play drive.
Kelly hooked up on a long 20-yard pass to the back of the end zone to Bailey as the first quarter came to a close as New Orleans tied the game, 14-14.
The New Orleans defense, thanks to a sack by OL/DL B.J. Cohen of Grieb at the SaberCats 2, forced a 64-yard field goal attempt by K Dan Frantz. He pooch-kicked the attempt and DS Denario Smalls returned it five yards back to the San Jose 22.
Two plays later, Kelly lofted a 22-yard TD pass to Bailey in the back corner of the end zone with 10:27 to go in the second quarter as the VooDoo led, 21-14.
Grieb threw his second TD pass of the day to Roe, a seven-yard strike, as San Jose tied the game, 21-21 with 7:00 to go in the first half.
Four plays later, New Orleans pushed ahead again, 28-21, as Kelly completed a 12-yard TD pass to WR/DB Lamont Moore with 3:29 to go in the half.
Kinsinger bulled in from two yards away with 49 seconds to play before halftime as the SaberCats tied the game, 28-28.
San Jose attempted an onsides kick and the ball bounded off a VooDoo defender back into the hands of Frantz at the SaberCats 7. Three plays later, Grieb went up top for Roe again, this time from 27 yards out, as San Jose took a 35-28 lead with 24 seconds before the half.
New Orleans scored just before the half as Kelly and Bailey hooked up on their third TD of the game, a 16-yarder, with 11 seconds to go as the VooDoo and SaberCats went to halftime tied, 35-35.
In the third quarter, the VooDoo went on a 12-play, 32-yard drive that took 9:47 as Bailey took a handoff from Kelly and dove over from one yard out as New Orleans took a 42-35 lead with 4:32 left in the period.
Grieb tied the game at 42-42 for the SaberCats with 1:21 to go in the third quarter as he threw a four-yard TD to Davis.
After the VooDoo were stopped for the first time in the game on downs, Roe caught his fourth TD pass from Grieb, a 12-yard catch down the middle as San Jose led, 49-42 with 12:02 to play.
Kelly threw his sixth TD pass of the game, a 12-yarder to Davis with 6:07 remaining as New Orleans tied the game, 49-49.
WR/LB Shalon Baker gave the SaberCats a 55-49 lead with 4:36 to play. After a holding penalty on the extra-point try by San Jose, Frantz hit the upright on his second attempt as the SaberCats led by six points.
Davis, who had 10 receptions for 86 yards and two TDs on offense and three tackles on defense for New Orleans, was selected as the U.S. Army Ironman of the Game.
Cohen, who finished with two tackles and the key sack of Grieb, was selected as the ADT Defensive Player of the Game for the VooDoo.
Roe led all receivers with 13 catches for 168 yards and five TDs. Bailey led all New Orleans receivers with 12 catches for 166 yards and four TDs.
Grieb finished 30-of-39 passing for 352 yards and seven TDs for the SaberCats as the New Orleans defense held the SaberCats scoreless on three of their 12 possessions.
New Orleans will be back in action next Sunday (11 am CT) vs. the Philadelphia Soul in the New Orleans Arena. San Jose will travel to Los Angeles to take on the Avengers next Saturday at 3 pm PT.
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from February 13, 2005
- Soul's new additions pave way to win - Philadelphia Soul
- Kats Comeback Falls Short in Philly - Nashville Kats
- VooDoo win home opener over SaberCats, 62-61 - New Orleans VooDoo
- Desperados Outlast Columbus, 35-31 - Dallas Desperados
- Crush Falls to Rush, 49-48 - Colorado Crush
- Turnovers prove costly as Destroyers fall to Desperados, 35-31 - Columbus Destroyers
- New Orleans Edges SaberCats In Home Opener - San Jose SaberCats
- Rush, Gispert boot Crush, 51-48 - Chicago Rush
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