Week Three Game Recaps
Published on May 6, 2002 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release
CAROLINA 46, Tampa Bay 36
RALEIGH, N.C. (Ticker) -- ANDRE BOWDEN recorded a safety and rushed in a score to power the Carolina Cobras over the Tampa Bay Storm, 46-36.
Bowden sacked backup quarterback SCOTT MILANOVICH in the end zone with under a minute remaining in the third quarter to supply Carolina (2-1) with a 26-17 lead against his former team. The AFL veteran then capped off a 45-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown to open the fourth stanza.
CONNELL MAYNOR, the league-leader in passer rating entering the game, was a conservative 15-for-27 with three TDs, an interception and was sacked twice for the Cobras, who captured their second straight victory despite being outgained in yards (275-181).
Milanovich completed five passes for 90 yards and three TDs after replacing starter SHANE STAFFORD for Tampa Bay (0-3), which was held scoreless in the first and third quarters, respectively.
LAWRENCE SAMUELS and MELVIN CUNNINGHAM each caught a pair of TD passes for the Storm, who dominated in first downs, net yards and time of possession, but matched their worst start in team history.
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DETROIT 50, Buffalo 48
DETROIT, Mich. (Ticker) -- RICKEY FOGGIE led the Detroit Fury in a 21-point fourth quarter comeback as they defeated the Buffalo Destroyers, 50-48.
Foggie, who finished 23-for-45 with five touchdowns, threw three TD passes in the fourth stanza, the final one coming on a seven-yard pass to ROBERT GORDON with 5:43 remaining to give Detroit (1-2) its first victory.
CHUCK LEVY caught eight passes for 120 yards and Gordon added eight for 74 yards for the Fury, who were successful on 5-of-8 third-down conversions.
LAMONT COOPER won the game's MVP award despite playing for the losing team with 11 receptions for 202 yards and two TDs. He also returned two kickoffs for a TD for Buffalo (1-3), which has dropped three straight.
FRED MCNAIR, who went 18-for-29 with 276 yards, moved into seventh place on the all-time TD pass list with his five scores for the Destroyers, who lost their first home opener.
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New Jersey 45, ORLANDO 44
ORLANDO, Fla. (Ticker) -- DENNISON ROBINSON and JAY MCDONAGH both rushed for a pair of touchdowns as the New Jersey Gladiators escaped with a 45-44 victory over the Orlando Predators because of a missed extra-point late in the contest.
Robinson, who caught five passes for 44 yards, snapped a 38-38 tie with 2:29 remaining in the contest on a five-yard TD run. McDonagh, who scored twice in the second quarter, finished 25-for-39 for 239 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.
ALVIN ASHLEY caught four passes for 56 yards and a touchdown and MIKE HORACEK added six catches for 44 yards for New Jersey (2-1), which held Orlando (1-2) to just 140 total yards of offense.
JAY GRUDEN completed 14-of-25 attempts for 140 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions for the Predators, who trailed early in the third quarter by 11 points. Gruden nearly brought Orlando back in the final two minutes of the contest on a 13-yard strike to JUNIOR LORD, but DAVID COOL missed his third extra-point kick of the contest.
TOMMY DORSEY had a pair of rushing touchdowns and CLIF DELL added two TD catches for the Predators, who lost for just the second time in seven meetings with the Gladiators. KENNY MCENTYRE collected a pair of interceptions for Orlando.
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CHICAGO 71, Grand Rapids 59
CHICAGO, Ill. (Ticker) -- BILLY DICKEN threw for 254 yards and six touchdowns in a 71-59 victory as the Chicago Rush downed the defending ArenaBowl Champions Grand Rapids Rampage.
Dicken, who had thrown more TD passes against Grand Rapids than any other AFL team, connected with DAMEON PORTER and CORNELIUS BONNER on two scores apiece for Chicago (2-1), which won its home-opener for the second straight year.
ANDY CHILICOTHE and JAIME BOWERS each rushed in a score for the Rush, who scored on their first seven possessions. CLINT DOLEZEL paced Grand Rapids (1-2) with 25 completions for 321 yards and seven TDs, but committed three turnovers. STEVE SMITH and TERRILL SHAW combined for 17 receptions for 258 yards and seven TDs for the Rampage, who have dropped two in a row after winning eight straight going into last season.
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INDIANA 52, New York 45
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (Ticker) -- EDDIE BROWN caught five touchdown passes to help the Indiana Firebirds defeat the New York Dragons, 52-45.
Brown, who connected with RAYMOND PHILYAW five times, finished with 10 catches for 84 yards, winning game MVP honors for Indiana (2-1).
Philyaw, who also was the leading rusher with nine yards and one TD, completed 32-of-49 passes for 291 yards and six scores. Philyaw found VAN JOHNSON in the endzone as part of a 25-point second quarter.
SHAWN FOREMAN picked off a MATT NAGY pass with 47 seconds remaining in the game to seal the victory for the Firebirds, who are tied for first place in the Central Division.
Nagy finished 15-for-30 for 223 yards with five TDs and two interceptions for New York (1-2), which has dropped two straight games to Indiana after winning seven straight.
TODD DOXZON collected five catches for 89 yards and two TDs for the Dragons, who were 1-of-5 on third-down conversions.
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Los Angeles 52, DALLAS 51
DALLAS, Texas (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Avengers defense blocked an extra-point attempt with one second remaining as they slipped past the Dallas Desperados, 52-51.
In the final two minutes, Dallas (1-2) collected a safety and ANDY KELLY connected on a four-yard pass to DIALLEO BURKS, but the Los Angeles (2-1) defense came up big with a blocked extra-point, which knotted the score at 45-45.
TONY GRAZIANI found CHRIS JACKSON from 22 yards out with 12 seconds left to supply the Avengers with a 52-45 advantage. However, Kelly found Burks again 11 seconds later, but the extra-point was blocked and Los Angeles, whose defense is ranked second with 44 points per game, came away with the dramatic victory.
Graziani went 23-of-34 for 312 yards and five touchdowns and Jackson caught eight passes for 127 yards and three TDs, including the game winner.
Kelly completed 21 passes for 256 yards and four scores, but threw three interceptions, and JASON WELLS had three extra-point attempts fail for the Desperados, who dropped their inaugural home opener.
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ARIZONA 58, Toronto 47
PHOENIX, Ariz. (Ticker) -- SHERDRICK BONNER threw for 362 yards and recorded his second seven-touchdown performance in as many weeks to lead the Arizona Rattlers past the Toronto Phantoms, 58-47.
The 33-year-old veteran, who completed 29-of-44 attempts with one interception, found MAURICE BRYANT for three first-half scores and connected with CHRIS HORN twice in the final quarter to seal the victory.
Bryant finished with seven catches for 78 yards and Horn, who had two rushes for five yards, caught seven passes for 97 yards.
RANDY GATEWOOD and ORSHAWANTE BRYANT each caught a TD and BO KELLY rushed for another score for Arizona (2-1), which held Toronto (2-1) to 255 total yards.
CHAD SALISBURY completed 16 of his 27 pass attempts for 260 yards, four TDs and three interceptions for the Phantoms, who had their seven-game regular season winning streak dating back to last season snapped.
DAMIAN HARRELL collected seven catches for 115 yards and, along with KERRY BROWN, caught a pair of TDs in the loss. ANTHONY DERRICKS had seven kickoff returns for 214 yards and a touchdown for Toronto.
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SAN JOSE 59, Georgia 53
SAN JOSE, Calif. (Ticker) -- MARK GRIEB connected with JAMES HUNDON for the go-ahead touchdown with over 11 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter to help the San Jose Sabercats earn their third straight victory by defeating the Georgia Force, 59-53.
Grieb, who completed 24-of-33 passes for 292 yards and six TDs, found Hundon with 11:10 left in the contest for his fifth receiving TD of the contest, giving his team lead for good and Grieb 150 touchdowns for his career.
Hundon finished with 13 catches for 184 yards and MATT KINSINGER and BARRY WAGNER each chipped in a rushing score for San Jose (3-0), which picked up its sixth consecutive home win.
KEVIN MCDOUGAL converted 13-of-23 attempts for 173 yards and four TDs, but was also sacked four times in the loss for Georgia (1-2), which was held to seven points below its season average.
MARKEITH COOPER caught seven passes for 85 yards and three touchdowns and SCOTT THOMAS scored on a 42-yard passing play for his only catch for the Force.
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THIS WEEK IN AFL HISTORY
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May 5, 2001. With a 73-17 win over Oklahoma, San Jose set an AFL record with 15 consecutive regular season victories, surpassing the Storm's 14 straight wins in 1996.
May 6, 2000. Nashville's ANDY KELLY becomes third player in history, joining MIKE PEREZ and TODD HAMMEL, in the 15,000-300 club (15,000 passing yards and 300 TD passes).
May 6, 2000. Nashville holds Arizona to minus-17 yards rushing, the lowest total in league history.
May 6, 2000. The San Jose SaberCats begin a regular season winning streak of 14 games under the guidance of head coach DARREN ARBET - tied for tops in league history.
May 7, 1988. Pittsburgh scores a then-record 82 points against New England (they post 26 points).
May 8, 2000. After dropping their first four games, Destroyers name former Buffalo Bill All Pro linebacker RAY BENTLEY as head coach.
May 12, 2001. New York ended San Jose's league record 15-game regular season winning streak with a 62-58 victory.
May 12, 2001. Chicago QB BILLY DICKEN, who won acclaim by leading af2's Quad City Steamwheelers to a 19-0 record in 2000, tallied 351 passing yards and 8 TDs in his first AFL start, a 72-64 win over the Indiana Firebirds.
May 12, 2001. San Jose returned a missed extra point for two points against New York, the first time in league history that a defensive score occurred on a missed extra point.
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from May 6, 2002
- Rampage Game Notes - Grand Rapids Rampage
- Cobras Game Notes - Carolina Cobras
- Phantoms Game Notes - Toronto Phantoms
- Week Three Game Recaps - AFL I
- Lamont Cooper breaks seven team records - Buffalo Destroyers
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