Week 5 AFL Matchups - Baltimore Hosts Its First Home Game

May 4, 2017 - Arena Football League (AFL)
Portland Steel News Release


LAS VEGAS - The Baltimore Brigade (1-2) will host its first-ever Arena Football League game when the Tampa Bay Storm (2-1) come to town on Sunday, May 7 at 1 p.m. ET at Royal Farms Arena on CBS Sports Network. The Brigade notched their first AFL victory back on Week 2 of the season and will look to get off to a great start on their home schedule. Brigade quarterback Shane Carden has completed 62% of his passes to go along with 14 touchdowns thrown in his rookie season. On the other side of the ledger, Storm quarterback Randy Hippeard will look to continue his hot hand as he leads the league in passing yards per contest (294.7), is currently the only quarterback to complete over 70% of his passes (71.2%) and 19 passing touchdowns.

Week 5 gets started on Saturday as the Cleveland Gladiators (1-3) host the undefeated Philadelphia Soul (3-0) on Saturday, May 6 at 7 p.m. ET at Quicken Loans Arena streaming on www.ArenaFootball.com. This is the 18th all-time regular season meeting between the two franchises, with the Soul victorious in the last six of seven contests in the regular season series. Coming off their first-win in 2017, the Gladiators will look to keep momentum. Led by quarterback Arvell Nelson, the Cleveland signal caller accounted for five total touchdowns (three passing, two rushing) in their victory over the Washington Valor in Week 4. The Soul were led by a monster of a game by reigning AFL Offensive Player of the Week, wide receiver Ryan McDaniel. In the Soul win in Week 4, McDaniel hauled in eight passes for 123 yards and five touchdowns.

For complete official statistics, game notes and media guides, go to: www.afldigital.com.

WEEK 5 MATCHUPS

PHILADELPHIA SOUL (3-0) at CLEVELAND GLADIATORS (1-3)

Saturday, May 6 - 7:00 p.m. ET (Streaming on www.ArenaFootball.com)

PHILADELPHIA

CLEVELAND

REG. SEASON SERIES LEADER

PHI leads 10-7

STREAKS

W3

W1

LAST WEEK

W 69-34 vs BAL

L 62-61 at TBS

LAST REG SEASON MEETING

83-62 at PHI, 7/9/2016

TOTAL OFFENSE (RANK)

257.0 (3)

314.5 (1)

TOTAL DEFENSE (RANK)

270.7 (4)

237.5 (1)

POINTS SCORED (RANK)

58.0 (1)

49.5 (3)

POINTS ALLOWED (RANK)

39.0 (1)

48.5 (3)

TURNOVER MARGIN (RANK)

+5 (1)

-2 (4)

WHAT TO LOOK FOR: SOUL: QB Dan Raudabaugh has led the Soul to three East Division Championships (2012-13, 2015) and an ArenaBowl XXIX Championship... Raudabaugh was ranked among the top quarterbacks during the 2016 season, completing 339- of-490 passes for 4,303 yards and 101 touchdowns... In 2017, he has completed 62-of-95 attempts for 711 yards, 15 touchdowns and two interceptions... WR Ryan McDaniel comes off a huge week where he caught eight passes for 123 yards and five touchdowns (ties a career high)... The reigning AFL Offensive Player of the Week leads the Soul with 22 receptions for 256 yards and is tied for the team lead with six touchdown catches... WR Sean Kauleinamoku, better known to the team as "SK", has caught 18 passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns in 2017... The ArenaBowl XXIX MVP tallied 99 receptions for 1,304 yards and 26 touchdowns a season ago... DB Dwayne Hollis was named the AFL Defensive Player of the Week after his 6.5 tackle, two interception performance in Week 4... He is one of three players in the league with a pick-six in 2017. GLADIATORS: Cleveland QB Arvell Nelson currently leads the AFL in QB Rating (129.0) and ranks in the league's top-five in completion percentage (65.3%, 2nd), passing yards (692, 3rd) and touchdown throws (12, 4th)... Nelson played in four games against the Soul last season, completing 62-of-94 passes for 827 yards, 16 touchdowns and three interceptions along with a rushing touchdown... WR Quentin Sims caught four passes for 56 yards and a touchdown in the win over the Valor last Friday... In three games, Sims leads the team in receptions (30), receiving yards (383), and touchdowns (8)... His receptions and receiving yards rank first in the AFL with his touchdowns currently tied for first with Tampa Bay WR Joe Hills... WR Brandon Thompkins returned to the field on Friday night, hauling in six receptions for 70 yards and a touchdown in the home win over Washington... Thompkins, the reigning AFL Playmaker of the Year, was very sharp in his Cleveland debut in Week 1 against the Storm, catching eight passes for 98 yards and a touchdown, while also returning seven kicks for 145 yards... Colin Taylor caught four passes for 68 yards and what proved to be the game-clinching touchdown against the Valor last weekend. Taylor pulled down a 39-yard desperation heave from Arvell Nelson on 4th down in the back of the end zone to seal the Gladiators' first win of the season. Through two weeks it's JLB Terence Moore who leads the team in tackles with 20. DB Kelvin Rodgers is now second on the team in tackles after collecting 12 of them in his debut in Week 3. DB Peter Tulloch made eight tackles in his debut with the team while DB Terry Johnson intercepted his first pass as a Gladiator.

TAMPA BAY STORM (2-1) at BALTIMORE BRIGADE (1-2)

Sunday, May 7 at 1:00 p.m. ET (CBS Sports Network)

TAMPA BAY

BALTIMORE

REG. SEASON SERIES LEADER

First meeting all-time

STREAKS

W1

L1

LAST WEEK

Bye

L 69-34 at PHI

LAST REG. SEASON MEETING

First meeting all-time

TOTAL OFFENSE (RANK)

313.3 (2)

207.3 (5)

TOTAL DEFENSE (RANK)

307.7 (5)

267.3 (3)

POINTS SCORED (RANK)

53.3 (2)

41.3 (4)

POINTS ALLOWED (RANK)

52.3 (4)

56.3 (5)

TURNOVER MARGIN (RANK)

+1 (T-2)

-5 (5)

WHAT TO LOOK FOR: STORM: QB Randy Hippeard - Begins his second stint with the Storm... Spent the 2015 and 2016 seasons with the Orlando Predators... Completed 236-of-360 passes for 2,967 yards, 65 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2016... In three games this season, Hippeard has completed 79-of-111 passing attempts (71.2%) for 884 yards, a league-leading 19 touchdowns all of those statistics currently lead the AFL... WR Joe Hills - Was the 2016 Offensive Player of the Year, having caught 161 passes for 2,020 yards and 58 touchdowns... Has scored a receiving touchdown in 71 consecutive regular season game and is coming off a monster 15 catch for 141 yards and four touchdown performance in a losing effort against the Soul in Week 3... WR Kendrick Ings - Spent part of the 2016 season in the CFL...Has 11 career games with 100+ kickoff return yards...Had 209 kickoff return yards and a 55-yard return for a touchdown versus Philadelphia (4/15)... With 346 all-purpose yards in Week 2, Ings broke James Bowden's 17-year single-game franchise record (345)... Ings currently leads the League in All-Purpose Yards (594) and All-Purpose Yards Per Game (198.0)... BRIGADE: QB Shane Carden completed 21-32 passes for 258 yards, a season high for the rookie, and five touchdowns against the Philadelphia Soul a week ago... On the season, the rookie quarterback has completed 62 passes (62.6%) for 614 yards and 14 touchdowns (3rd in the AFL) with four interceptions... His favorite target is emerging in WR Reggie Gray... In three games, Gray has caught a team-leading 24 passes for 268 yards and four touchdown receptions (2nd on the Brigade)... Paired on the other side of the offensive ledger with Laquan Williams who has caught 13 passes for 93 yards and five touchdowns to lead the way for Baltimore... WR Julian Talley led the way for the Brigade in their Week 4 contest against the Soul, hauling in seven receptions for 123 yards and two scores - one of 34 yards and the other, 12. The 34-yard score was the longest passing play of the young season for Baltimore... Week 2 AFL Defensive Player of the Week, DL Dexter Davis, will be facing his former head coach Ron James... In the Brigade's Week 2 victory, Davis tallied three sacks and forced two fumbles... He leads the league with three forced fumbles this season... Brigade defensive lineman Khreem Smith leads the AFL with 4.0 sacks.



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