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AFL I Arena Football League (1987-2008)

Week 1 - Preview and Predictions (Pt. 1)

by S.W. Cooley
February 27, 2008 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)


The Arena Football League is going to be big in 2008. The buzz surrounding the season can be felt across the nation, from Orlando to San Jose. Yes, now every season is football season and Week 1 provides four nights of exhilirating indoor pigskin action.

ESPN will use multiple sports media platforms to bring the 22-year old entity to a national audience. The Worldwide Leader in Sports will televise 17 regular season contests and nine postseason games between ABC and ESPN2, all of which will be available in High Definition.

The new season will feature new rules as well. The Jack linebacker, who previously was confined to an imaginary box on the field, will now be able to roam from wall to wall. Many pundits have predicted this will slow scoring until the offenses adapt and that turnover rate will reach an all-time high. The AFL will also become the first professional football league to institute wireless communication to a defensive player.

The predictions and breakdowns below are anything but fearless, they might be more appropriately labeled FEARFUL. Because anything can happen in the Arena League, which adds to the excitement of the game. A desperation Hail Mary off the net, a surprise onside kick or a kickoff ricocheting off the goalposts can shift the momentum of a game suddenly.

NEW ORLEANS VOODOO (5-11) at LOS ANGELES AVENGERS (9-7)

Friday, February 29 - 10:30 (ET)

The VooDoo - Tom Benson saw $100,000 go down the drain when WR Derrick Lewis went down in training camp with a knee injury (ACL tear). Lewis was going to be the star in New Orleans but will have to watch the 2008 campaign from the sideline. With the ancient Andy Kelly retired, former Ohio State quarterback Steve Bellisari will be in full control behind center this season. The southpaw started five games last year (played in all 16), throwing for 2,287 yards, 47 TDs with 12 INTs and went 2-3 as a starter. The big question is will he have elite receiving targets to throw to? Everyone knows that head coach Mike Neu can develop an offensive gameplan with the best in the biz, but is there enough offensive power in the Big Easy without Lewis? James Jordan only played in 10 games in '07 with 69 grabs, 637 yards and 9 TDs but will have to step up and become Bellisari's #1 target. B.J. Barre was a big offseason acquisition from Columbus, a very versatile player who can be effective at WR, DB or KR. Lin-J Shell, who finished third in the AFL in tackles last year (110.5), was also added to the team. The services of DL Henry Taylor (8.0 sacks) will greatly be missed as he departed for the New York Dragons this offseason.

The Avengers - The release of Rob Turner left a lot of Avenger fans scratching their heads as final cuts were made. Turner was L.A.'s top target last year, pulling in 105 balls for 1,229 and 24 TDs. Either something was wrong off the field or head coach Ed Hodgkiss is very confident in the rookie receivers he had in camp. Free agent signee Timon Marshall will be the primary threat for gunslinger Sonny Cumbie this season. Marshall was an electric playmaker for the Rampage last year and is the best kick returner in the game. In 13 games (left prior to season's end after signing contract with Chicago Bears) Marshall compiled 3,050 all purpose yards and 33 total TDs. Former Texas Tech QB Cumbie is in his third AFL season and many predict this could be his breakout year. He is only getting better with experience and threw for 4,370 yards and 83 TDs in 2007 against just 13 INTs. His biggest flaw could be that he sometimes becomes easily flustered in games and then cannot limit the mistakes that lead to the demise of the team. WR Kevin Ingram returns and will probably be the #2 guy and Damen Wheeler (6 INTs) will hold down the secondary. The other big move L.A. made during the offseason was the acquisition of DL Ken Jones. The All-Arena First-Team athlete collected 9.5 sacks last season with Columbus and will shore up the pass rush for the Avengers.

The Matchup - These two teams should both be better than they were last year. Does that mean a 10 win season for L.A. and at least six wins for N.O.? Not necessarily. The VooDoo probably could have been thrown into the "surprise team of the year" bag but without Lewis may fall a step below that again in 2008. Marshall will have a big game in his new arena on Friday night, running back at least one kickoff and hauling in another three through the air. The VooDoo will hang tough through the first three quarters but L.A. will come up with a couple of key stops in the fourth to get the first victory of the 2008 Arena Football League season.

Los Angeles 56, New Orleans 42

DALLAS DESPERADOS (15-1) at GEORGIA FORCE (14-2)

Saturday, March 1 - 1:00 (ET)

ABC

The Desperados - Every year, the Dallas Desperados are SUPPOSED to win the ArenaBowl. But every they get bumped early in the playoffs after outstanding regular season performances. Will head coach Will McClay finally get the monkey off his back in 2008? He has the tools to do it as QB Clint Dolezel returns for the Despos after tossing 107 TDs in 2007, and the fewest INTs in the league (9). Dolezel, who is also the offensive coordinator, retains his primary target Will Pettis. Pettis is no doubt the best two-way player in the game. Last season he started on both offense (130, 1471 yds, 40 TDs) and defense (59.5, 3 INTs) as well as returned kicks (1229 yds, 4 TDs). Dallas didn't do a whole heck of a lot during the down time but did bring in the best kicker in the history of the AFL. Remy Hamilton comes to the Big D from L.A. where he set numerous league kicking records. The defense will be solid with DB Jermaine Jones (7 INTs) signing a contract extension and the imposing Colston Weatherington (10.0 sacks, 5 FFs) on the D-line. This team was #1 in scoring offense last season, putting up 63.5 ppg and much of the same can be expected in 2008.

The Force - Even though the Force still have one of the best in the league with head coach Doug Plank, the team may have taken an enormous step backwards between this season and last. Gone is offensive coordinator Steve Thonn (now head coach of Grand Rapids) who schemed the #1 total offense (323.6 ypg) and #3 scoring offense (62.9) in 2007. Gone are receivers Chris Jackson (Philadelphia) and Derek Lee (Columbus) and these aren't casual replacements either as the two combined to score 67 of the Force's 140 offensive touchdowns. They do still have a couple of stars in QB Chris Greisen and WR Troy Bergeron but losing nearly half of all your offensive production is going to hurt. Bergeron put together a solid season in '07 with 132 receptions, 1736 yards and 41 TDs but also sustained a leg injury in a playoff game that required offseason surgery so how he will bounce back from that is anybody's guess. Greisen had one of the best seasons for a quarterback in the history of the league last year. He tossed 117 TDs with 4,851 yards and a mere 12 INTs. You can bet that he won't put up those kind of digits with his go-to guy and number three now departed however. Georgia didn't do much in the free agent realm either. Their biggest signing was DL R-Kal Truluck who played in the NFL for 6 years, brought in to compliment Ernest Allen (6.5 sacks) on the line. Don't expect the Force to post 14 wins again in 2008.

The Matchup - This game was predicted to be the National Conference title game in 2007. But after Columbus came strolling into Dallas and got a few friendly bounces off the iron, the Despos were left dumbfounded wondering how an 8-9 team just defeated the mighty Goliath. But a 15-1 season and a 13-3 season (2006) just don't happen by chance. Dallas will again be an elite squad to contend with while Georgia could experience a fall from grace. Their inability to hold onto two of their top three receivers and losing their offensive guru will significantly downgrade the Force's scoring capabilities. This wasn't a team that was known for its defensive prowess (15th, total defense) in 2007 and didn't do much to correct that problem this offseason. Dolezel should expose this weakness, hooking up with Pettis and WR Marcus Nash on multiple occassions en route to a rout.

Dallas 66, Georgia 45

TAMPA BAY STORM (9-7) at KANSAS CITY BRIGAGE (10-6)

Saturday, March 1 - 6:00 (ET)

The Storm - Tampa Bay was the team that nobody wanted to see come playoff time in 2007. After losing six out of the first seven games, legendary head coach Tim Marcum surged his Storm to eight wins in their final nine contests of the season and did it will the help of an unlikely hero. The opening day practice squad QB, Brett Dietz, played in the final nine games of the season, throwing for 2,395 yards and 47 TDs with 9 INTs and earning co-AFL Rookie of the Year accolades for his inaugural season efforts. WR David Saunders (68, 550 yds, 18 TDs) was brought in from Columbus during the offseason and should add depth to a formidable Tampa Bay receiving core. FB Torrance Marshall is a beast on the ground (17 rushing TDs) and Lawrence Samuels (122, 1143 yds, 15 TDs) is a veteran wideout who know the angles of this game. Another boost this team got was grabbing Sedrick Robinson from Austin in the dispersal draft who has dynamic kick return skills. This team isn't too flashy but knows how to get the job done as Marcum has five ArenaBowl rings on his hand.

The Brigade - Kansas City is another team that had a lot of turnover between this season and the last. Veteran QB Raymond Philyaw signed a huge offseason contract to become the Cleveland Gladiator savior and his replacement might not have been at the top of everyone's wish list. John Fitzgerald returns from a one-year head coaching hiatus in the af2, the Arena Football League's developmental system, where he led the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz to a playoff berth. Taking a year off and returning isn't recommended in the NFL but some might say it can revive an AFL career. Only time will tell. K.C. did keep their budding star, Charles Frederick, who shared co-AFL Rookie of the Year honors after rushing for 14 TDs and catching another 27. This is a versatile athlete who can make plays in all three phases of the game. WR Mike Horacek was added to the roster which will give Fitz another target after he put together another fine season last year in New York with 102 catches, 1470 yards and 32 TDs. Former Saint and Arkansas Razorback Boo Williams will boost the red zone offense again this season as a big, physical receiver who should be able to out jump the roaming Jack linebacker. The Brigade will put another solid defense on the field, especially with the addition of DB Jerald Brown (5 INTs). The former Defensive Player of the Year came over from Columbus and will only make the number one total defense (253.7 ypg) from 2007 that much more dangerous.

The Matchup - Fully expect both of these teams to return to the postseason in 2008. This out of conference contest will give a big indication of how good these teams actually are and is about as balanced of a game there is in Week 1. Both defenses should keep the offenses in check in a game that will be grinded out in the trenches. As the game comes down to the wire Fitzgerald will make an un-veteran-like mistake giving K Seth Marler a chance to redeem himself from the '07 playoffs and spoil Kansas City's first game in the Sprint Center.

Tampa Bay 49, Kansas City 46

ORLANDO PREDATORS (8-8) at PHILADELPHIA SOUL (8-8)

Saturday, March 1 - 7:00 (ET)

The Predators - Shane Stafford performed below expectations in 2007 and one can only assume that head coach Jay Gruden won't let that happen again. Gruden was an incredible player in this league and just as talented of a coach and even though his QB threw for 4,284 yards and 76 TDs last year, he will expect more production and less mistakes from him heading into 2008. A big blow hit Predator Nation when Jimmy Fryzel was lost for the season after sustaining a knee injury in training camp. So then everyone thought Ron Johnson, Javarus Dudley and T.T. Toliver would be the trio of receivers until Dudley was surprisingly cut after having a breakout year last season. Johnson (69, 733 yds, 12 TDs) is a Sippio-type of receiver at 6-3, 227, who likes to get physical with the DBs but only played in 8 games last year. Toliver is a veteran who led the team with 119 receptions in '08. DB Kenny McEntyre makes his return to the Jungle as the all-time career interception leader after spending last year with the Brigade. DL B.J. Cohen (6.0 sacks) was also brought in from K.C. and will enter his 9th AFL season. The coaching staff also has high hopes for the former NFL DB Ahmad Carroll, who will have to endure the transition from the outdoor game to the indoors.

The Soul - Refraining from mentioning the two celebrity owners of this team because they aren't playing on the field during the games. Chris Jackson was the big offseason pickup Soul fans have been waiting for and think will lead them to the promise land. While this squad will most likely be better than the one in 2007 and will compete at a high level, it probably doesn't have the complete team needed to claim an ArenaBowl title. Jackson and QB Tony Grazianil lit it up in L.A. years ago and now will have the chance to put on the same show in Philly. Jackson was a top 5 receiver in the league in '07, recording 145 receptions, 1915 yards and 47 TDs. Graziani, tabbed as the highest paid player in the AFL, had somewhat of a down season last year after a 2,891-yard, 64 TD, 8 INT campaign. Graz missed four games last season because he couldn't avoid the big hit so this offseason the Soul added depth at the QB position with former Rush playmaker Matt D'Orazio. D'Orazio could be used in short-yardage and goal line packages if his back is healthy as he ran for 12 TDs in 2007 before the injury. DB Eddie Moten had 9 INTs last year and will be the cornerstone of the Soul secondary. Their big loss on the defensive side of the ball was DL Dwayne Missouri who bolted for Utah in the off months. Kenny Henderson (75, 895 yds, 18 TDs) was also picked up this offseason from New Orleans and will prove to be a great compliment to Jackson.

The Matchup - These two teams are pitted in a rematch of the National Conference wild-card round playoff game that witnessed the Soul take down the Predators in a low-scoring 41-26 battle last year. Interestingly, the two met the last game of the regular season (also in Philly) and Orlando came up on the losing end in that as well, 63-49. Head coach Bret Munsey will have his troops fired up for the home opener and Jackson and Graz will connect for at least three TDs. Expect Stafford to have a tough time adjusting to the new floating linebacker but Ron Johnson should be able exploit some of the Soul's smaller secondary and score some junk TDs towards the end of the game.

Philadelphia 66, Orlando 56



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from February 27, 2008


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