This year was the 26th season of the Arena Football League and was a another great one. Fourteen teams were in play this season, seven in each conference. From the end of March until Arena Bowl XXVI in Mid-August we saw many great catches, clutch plays, and exciting finishes that had us as fans sitting on the edge of our seats throughout it all. Each conference's playoff races were compelling and came down until the final week to be decided. We saw Philadelphia win the east division and the American Conference for the second straight year by defeating Jacksonville who won its fourth straight south division title. Chicago returned to the playoffs after a one-year absence by winning another central division crown. Orlando and Tampa Bay each ended postseason droughts of their own. Spokane and San Jose also made their returns to the postseason in the National Conference. The Arizona Rattlers officially established themselves as a destiny by winning a third straight west division crown, the National Conference for the third year in a row, and by winning a second straight Arena Bowl with their 48-39 victory in Arena Bowl XXVI that concluded an 18-3 season. This season provided 133 games and approximately 8,000 minutes of action that lasted all us Arena Football fans 22 weeks of enjoyment of the game known as the 50-yard indoor war. Now that the season has concluded its time to take a look at the final accolades.
- Arena Bowl XXVI Champions: Arizona Rattlers
- Arena Bowl MVP: Rod Windsor, Arizona Wide Receiver - 10 receptions for 145 yards and 2 TDs
Major 2013 Individual Awards:
- AFL MVP: Erik Meyer, Spokane Quarterback
- Russell Offensive Player of the Year: Erik Meyer, Spokane Quarterback
- Riddell Defensive Player of the Year: Clevan Thomas, San Jose Defensive Back
- Kicker of the Year: Garrett Lindholm, Arizona Kicker
- NET10 Rookie of the Year: Mario Urrutia, Utah Wide Receiver
- Cutters Wide Receiver of the Year: Adron Tennell, Spokane Wide Receiver
- NET10 Head Coach of the Year: Bob McMillen, Chicago
- J.Lewis Small Playmaker of the Year: Reggie Gray, Chicago Wide Receiver
All Arena Teams:
First Team Offense: First Team Defense:
- QB: Erik Meyer, Spokane - DE: Bryan Robinson, Philadelphia
- FB: Derrick Ross, Philadelphia - NG: Tim McGill, San Antonio
- WR: Joe Hills, Tampa Bay - DE: Joe Sykes, San Antonio
- WR: Tiger Jones, Philadelphia - MAC: Francis Maka, San Jose
- WR: Adron Tennell, Spokane - JACK: Jamar Ransom, San Antonio
- C: Brennen Carvalho, Philadelphia - DB: Virgil Gray, Arizona
- OL: Christian Johnson, Philadelphia - DB: Terrance Smith, Jacksonville
- OL: Rich Ranglin, San Jose - DB: Clevan Thomas, San Jose
- K: Garrett Lindholm, Arizona - KR: Terrance Sanders, Spokane
Second Team Offense: Second Team Defense:
- QB: Nick Davila, Arizona - DE: Mike Lewis, Iowa
- FB: Odie Armstrong, Arizona - NG: Jason Stewart, San Jose
- WR: Rod Windsor, Arizona - DE: Jerry Turner, Jacksonville
- WR: Reggie Gray, Chicago - MAC: Aaron Robbins, Jacksonville
- WR: Jeron Harvey, Jacksonville - JACK: Huey Whittaker, San Jose
- C: Billy Eisenhardt, Arizona - DB: Arkeith Brown, Arizona
- OL: Michael Huey, Arizona - DB: Rayshaun Kizer, Philadelphia
- OL: George Bussey, San Jose - DB: Fred Shaw, San Antonio
- K: Carlos Martinez, Philadelphia - KR: Dominic Jones, Orlando
For more on these awards:
http://www.arenafan.com/history/?histleague=1&page=awards
http://www.arenafootball.com/
The 2013 AFL season is in the books and the Arizona Rattlers have been crowned the Arena Bowl XXVI Champions! Thank You everyone for reading and hope you enjoyed all the action and analysis, see you in March 2014!
Saturday, August 24, 2013
2013 Review: Arizona Rattlers
The Arizona Rattlers began 2013 as the defending champs of Arena Football, and ended as the back-to-back champions. Arizona had one picture in mind and that was raising the Foster Trophy in mid-August for a second straight year.
The Rattlers started 2013 strong by winning their first three games by a combined 68 points. Their division rivals Spokane enjoyed a similar 3-0 start, setting up an early season marquee matchup. Arizona and Spokane traded blows for 30 minutes but the Shock pulled away in the third quarter to a 66-49 win, handing Arizona its first loss of the year. The snakes responded like you expect a champion by putting together a nine-game winning streak that featured dominating performances with an 83-40 and a 70-21 wins verse San Antonio, an 82-42 win vs. Orlando, and a 70-26 win vs. Iowa. The Rattlers avenged the week four loss at Spokane with an impressive 59-42 win in the Snake Pit that capped off the nine straight wins. Arizona's attempt at a tenth consecutive victory came up short in week fourteen when a trip to San Jose ended in an ugly 72-42 defeat. The Rattlers responded with back-to-back blowout wins by a combined 65 points to secure another west division crown and home field in the National Conference. All faithful of the desert had a quick panic when Chicago came into the Pit in week eighteen and upset their snakes in a game that Arizona committed seven turnovers. Once again, an experienced and proven team erased an worry with a dominant 84-45 win at Iowa to record their 15th win of the season and head into the playoffs on a solid steam of momentum.
Arizona's path to Arena Bowl XXVI was no easy one, as they had to defeat a pair of western rivals in order to make it to Orlando. In both the conference semifinals and conference championship. The semifinal game vs. San Jose was another compelling chapter among bitter rivals, but a pair of fourth-quarter stops by the Rattler defense secured a tight 59-49 win. It was a similar story in the conference championship against Spokane. The Rattlers trailed by as much as fourteen points in the first half, but used a late onside kick recovery to trim the deficit to four by halftime. Arizona then fed off the momentum to score 37 unanswered points, including a 20-0 margin in the third quarter that featured a pair of defensive stops to spur a 65-57 National Conference championship win. Arizona went through a pair of western rivals en route to a third consecutive appearance in the Arena Bowl. In Arena Bowl XXVI Arizona won a second straight championship by beating Philadelphia for the second year in a row, but this time it was much closer. The first half saw both sides trade blow for blow and the lone difference was a 18-yard field goal by Garrett Lindholm to give Arizona a 24-21 lead at the break. After each quarterback tossed a third quarter touchdown Arizona regained a 31-27 advantage midway through the period. The Rattlers created some space when Jeremy Kellem snagged an end zone interception on the ensuing Philadelphia drive and Nick Davila threw a twelve-yard touchdown to Rod Windsor that grew the lead to eleven early in the fourth. After each side traded a touchdown, Arizona recovered an onside kick with under four minutes to play. The Rattlers looked to have iced the game, but Windsor was hit and fumbled on a receiver sweep that quickly gave the ball back to the Soul with under a minute remaining. Once again the Rattler defense rose to the occasion by forcing a game-saving four-and-out that allowed Lindholm to secure a second straight championship with a 24-yard field goal. Arizona held on to win Arena Bowl XXVI by a final score of 48-39 to earn a second straight title and the franchise's fourth overall.
The Good from 2013:
- The AFL's best record of 18-3, 15-3 in the regular season
- A home record of 8-1, 10-1 with two playoff wins
- 4-2 division record
- A road record of 7-2
- A AFL-best nine-game win streak
- Winning a third straight west division and National Conference title
- Winning Arena Bowl XXVI
- Garrett Lindholm winning Kicker of the Year, Nick Davila being named the Al Lucas AFL Pulse Hero Award recipient, Joe Windham being named the Executive of the Year, and Omarr Smith being named the Assistant Coach of the Year
- Eight All Arena Selections
PLAYER STATS
- Nick Davila 353-541, 4847 yds, 110 TD, 15 Int; 6 rush TD (18 games)
- Odie Armostrong 72 rush, 171 yds, 25 TD; 13 rec, 190 yds, 2 TD (17 games)
- Rod Windsor 110 rec, 1590 yds, 42 TD (16 games)
- Kerry Reed 70 rec, 961 yds, 24 TD; Int FF, Fumb Rec, Def TD (18 games)
- Jared Perry 58 rec, 892 yds, 20 TD (14 games)
- Maurice Purify 51 rec, 740 yds, 9 TD (9 games)
- Tysson Poots 45 rec, 533 yds, 18 TD (8 games)
- Garrett Lindholm 158-167 PAT, 7-12 FG (47) (18 games)
- Virgil Gray 93 tackles, FF, Fumb Rec, 15 Int, 3 Def TD; Kick-ret TD (17 games)
- Marquis Floyd 81 tackles, 2 FF, 2 Fumb Rec, 9 Int, Def TD (16 games)
- Arkeith Brown 79.5 tackles, sack, 2 FF, Fumb Rec, 8 Int, 2 Def TD; 2 Kick-ret TD (18 games)
- Jeremy Kellem 74.5 tackles, FF, 6 Int, Def TD (17 games)
- Marcus Pittman 6.5 sacks, 2 FF, 4 Fumb Rec (16 games)
- Tyre Glasper 5 sacks, FF, 2 Fumb Rec, Def TD (18 games)
TEAM STATS
- Best scoring offense, 66.8 ppg
- Second scoring defense, allowed 48.1 ppg
- Second rush defense, allowed 15.4 ypg
- Second pass offense 292.3 ypg
- Second total offense 309.7 ypg
- Second pass efficiency 122.6
- Best turnover margin +33
- Best opponent pass efficiency 86.8
- Most first downs with 382
- Best 3rd down conversions 50/85
- Fourth in opponent 3rd down conversion 56/140
- Allowed third-fewest sacks with 16
- Sixth 4th down conversions 10/21
- Second 4th down conversions 19/61
- Second red zone offense 100/115
- Third red zone defense 57-76
The Bad from 2013:
- If you win a championship, not much went bad!
PLAYER STATS
- Injuries to Maurice Purify and Tysson Poots that limited their playing time in the regular season
TEAM STATS
- Second-worst pass defense, allpwed 293.3 ypg
- Second-worst total defense 308.7 ypg
- Tenth rushing offense 17.3 ypg
- Allowed second-most first downs 363
- Third-fewest with 19 sacks
Final Take:
The Arizona Rattlers did it! They successfully repeated as AFL champions with an Arena Bowl XXVI title to add to the trophy case. The Rattlers were without a doubt the best team in Arena Football for the second straight year and had the same happy ending in 2013.
2013 Finish: 18-3 (6-2 in West), West Division Champs, National Conference Champs, and Arena Bowl XXVI Champions
For more on the Arizona Rattlers:
http://www.arenafootball.com/
http://www.arenafootball.com/teams/aflrtl/
http://azrattlers.com/
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/03/2013-arena-football-season-kickoff-wild.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/04/2013-afl-season-frist-quarter-anaylsis.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/06/2013-afl-midway-report-west.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/07/afl-turning-into-home-stretch-west.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/08/afl-playoffs-conference-semifinals-recap.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/08/afl-playoffs-conference-championship.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/08/arena-bowl-xxvi-recap.html
http://www.arenafootball.com/sports/a-footbl/stats/2013/CONFSTAT.HTM
The Rattlers started 2013 strong by winning their first three games by a combined 68 points. Their division rivals Spokane enjoyed a similar 3-0 start, setting up an early season marquee matchup. Arizona and Spokane traded blows for 30 minutes but the Shock pulled away in the third quarter to a 66-49 win, handing Arizona its first loss of the year. The snakes responded like you expect a champion by putting together a nine-game winning streak that featured dominating performances with an 83-40 and a 70-21 wins verse San Antonio, an 82-42 win vs. Orlando, and a 70-26 win vs. Iowa. The Rattlers avenged the week four loss at Spokane with an impressive 59-42 win in the Snake Pit that capped off the nine straight wins. Arizona's attempt at a tenth consecutive victory came up short in week fourteen when a trip to San Jose ended in an ugly 72-42 defeat. The Rattlers responded with back-to-back blowout wins by a combined 65 points to secure another west division crown and home field in the National Conference. All faithful of the desert had a quick panic when Chicago came into the Pit in week eighteen and upset their snakes in a game that Arizona committed seven turnovers. Once again, an experienced and proven team erased an worry with a dominant 84-45 win at Iowa to record their 15th win of the season and head into the playoffs on a solid steam of momentum.
Arizona's path to Arena Bowl XXVI was no easy one, as they had to defeat a pair of western rivals in order to make it to Orlando. In both the conference semifinals and conference championship. The semifinal game vs. San Jose was another compelling chapter among bitter rivals, but a pair of fourth-quarter stops by the Rattler defense secured a tight 59-49 win. It was a similar story in the conference championship against Spokane. The Rattlers trailed by as much as fourteen points in the first half, but used a late onside kick recovery to trim the deficit to four by halftime. Arizona then fed off the momentum to score 37 unanswered points, including a 20-0 margin in the third quarter that featured a pair of defensive stops to spur a 65-57 National Conference championship win. Arizona went through a pair of western rivals en route to a third consecutive appearance in the Arena Bowl. In Arena Bowl XXVI Arizona won a second straight championship by beating Philadelphia for the second year in a row, but this time it was much closer. The first half saw both sides trade blow for blow and the lone difference was a 18-yard field goal by Garrett Lindholm to give Arizona a 24-21 lead at the break. After each quarterback tossed a third quarter touchdown Arizona regained a 31-27 advantage midway through the period. The Rattlers created some space when Jeremy Kellem snagged an end zone interception on the ensuing Philadelphia drive and Nick Davila threw a twelve-yard touchdown to Rod Windsor that grew the lead to eleven early in the fourth. After each side traded a touchdown, Arizona recovered an onside kick with under four minutes to play. The Rattlers looked to have iced the game, but Windsor was hit and fumbled on a receiver sweep that quickly gave the ball back to the Soul with under a minute remaining. Once again the Rattler defense rose to the occasion by forcing a game-saving four-and-out that allowed Lindholm to secure a second straight championship with a 24-yard field goal. Arizona held on to win Arena Bowl XXVI by a final score of 48-39 to earn a second straight title and the franchise's fourth overall.
The Good from 2013:
- The AFL's best record of 18-3, 15-3 in the regular season
- A home record of 8-1, 10-1 with two playoff wins
- 4-2 division record
- A road record of 7-2
- A AFL-best nine-game win streak
- Winning a third straight west division and National Conference title
- Winning Arena Bowl XXVI
- Garrett Lindholm winning Kicker of the Year, Nick Davila being named the Al Lucas AFL Pulse Hero Award recipient, Joe Windham being named the Executive of the Year, and Omarr Smith being named the Assistant Coach of the Year
- Eight All Arena Selections
PLAYER STATS
- Nick Davila 353-541, 4847 yds, 110 TD, 15 Int; 6 rush TD (18 games)
- Odie Armostrong 72 rush, 171 yds, 25 TD; 13 rec, 190 yds, 2 TD (17 games)
- Rod Windsor 110 rec, 1590 yds, 42 TD (16 games)
- Kerry Reed 70 rec, 961 yds, 24 TD; Int FF, Fumb Rec, Def TD (18 games)
- Jared Perry 58 rec, 892 yds, 20 TD (14 games)
- Maurice Purify 51 rec, 740 yds, 9 TD (9 games)
- Tysson Poots 45 rec, 533 yds, 18 TD (8 games)
- Garrett Lindholm 158-167 PAT, 7-12 FG (47) (18 games)
- Virgil Gray 93 tackles, FF, Fumb Rec, 15 Int, 3 Def TD; Kick-ret TD (17 games)
- Marquis Floyd 81 tackles, 2 FF, 2 Fumb Rec, 9 Int, Def TD (16 games)
- Arkeith Brown 79.5 tackles, sack, 2 FF, Fumb Rec, 8 Int, 2 Def TD; 2 Kick-ret TD (18 games)
- Jeremy Kellem 74.5 tackles, FF, 6 Int, Def TD (17 games)
- Marcus Pittman 6.5 sacks, 2 FF, 4 Fumb Rec (16 games)
- Tyre Glasper 5 sacks, FF, 2 Fumb Rec, Def TD (18 games)
TEAM STATS
- Best scoring offense, 66.8 ppg
- Second scoring defense, allowed 48.1 ppg
- Second rush defense, allowed 15.4 ypg
- Second pass offense 292.3 ypg
- Second total offense 309.7 ypg
- Second pass efficiency 122.6
- Best turnover margin +33
- Best opponent pass efficiency 86.8
- Most first downs with 382
- Best 3rd down conversions 50/85
- Fourth in opponent 3rd down conversion 56/140
- Allowed third-fewest sacks with 16
- Sixth 4th down conversions 10/21
- Second 4th down conversions 19/61
- Second red zone offense 100/115
- Third red zone defense 57-76
The Bad from 2013:
- If you win a championship, not much went bad!
PLAYER STATS
- Injuries to Maurice Purify and Tysson Poots that limited their playing time in the regular season
TEAM STATS
- Second-worst pass defense, allpwed 293.3 ypg
- Second-worst total defense 308.7 ypg
- Tenth rushing offense 17.3 ypg
- Allowed second-most first downs 363
- Third-fewest with 19 sacks
Final Take:
The Arizona Rattlers did it! They successfully repeated as AFL champions with an Arena Bowl XXVI title to add to the trophy case. The Rattlers were without a doubt the best team in Arena Football for the second straight year and had the same happy ending in 2013.
2013 Finish: 18-3 (6-2 in West), West Division Champs, National Conference Champs, and Arena Bowl XXVI Champions
For more on the Arizona Rattlers:
http://www.arenafootball.com/
http://www.arenafootball.com/teams/aflrtl/
http://azrattlers.com/
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/03/2013-arena-football-season-kickoff-wild.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/04/2013-afl-season-frist-quarter-anaylsis.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/06/2013-afl-midway-report-west.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/07/afl-turning-into-home-stretch-west.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/08/afl-playoffs-conference-semifinals-recap.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/08/afl-playoffs-conference-championship.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/08/arena-bowl-xxvi-recap.html
http://www.arenafootball.com/sports/a-footbl/stats/2013/CONFSTAT.HTM
2013 Review: Philadelphia Soul
The Philadelphia Soul entered this past season with one thing burned into their memories, an Arena Bowl XXV performance that saw them be blown out on national television. Philadelphia wanted to replace that heartbreak with the exact opposite image in 2013. With a roster comprised of mostly familiar faces the odds looked to be in Philadelphia's favor to at least return to Arena Football's biggest stage, but all did not start that way this year.
The Soul struggled to find a consistent level of play through the first half of the season. They began the year with a tough 66-52 loss at Arizona. The Soul responded with back-to-back road wins that had them coming home with a 2-1 record. Philadelphia's home opener looked to be an awesome homecoming with a struggling Cleveland team coming in, but things didn't go as planned as the Soul saw a three-score lead vanish and turn into a 64-57 overtime loss. Philadelphia couldn't afford to let the disappoint home start loom with, at the time, red-hot Jacksonville Sharks came to town the following week. The Soul once again suffered a tight defeat in their own building when Jacksonville escaped with a 55-53 victory. Philadelphia all of a sudden found themselves in a 2-3 hole on their way to Chicago, but the reigning American Conference champs made a statement to the entire league with a 72-41 thrashing of the Rush. The level of inconsistency hit the following week when the Soul failed to close out Pittsburgh in another tough home loss, 53-48, that put them back under .500 and 0-3 in Wells Fargo Center. The Soul would go on to earn their first home victory of the year in week nine when they defeated Orlando, and entered June with a 5-4 record after an impressive 73-55 win at Tampa Bay. In week eleven the Soul had a second crack at Arizona and found themselves with a fifteen-point lead midway through the fourth quarter. A run that saw the defending champions score 22 unanswered points in the final seven minutes stunned everyone in "Soul" blue and sent them back to .500 with a heartbreaking 64-57 loss. A game like that can make or break a team's season, and it looked that way when Philadelphia couldn't catch a break for three and a half quarters against New Orleans the following week. A Joe Goosby fumble recovery and an eleven-play scoring drive that Derrick Ross finished with a one-yard run highlighted a stretch of 17 unanswered points that squeaked out a 65-56 win for the Soul, and also turned their season in the right direction.
The inspiring comeback of week twelve started a string of seven straight wins that clinched Philadelphia its second straight east division championship and had them primed for another postseason run. The Soul only needed a win in week nineteen to lock up home field advantage, but a surprise 42-28 defeat at San Antonio ended those hopes, while snapping the win streak and raising questions of "if the team peaked to early" in all Soul supporters minds. How would Philadelphia respond in the conference semifinals against Orlando!? The Soul fell behind early, but a James Romain interception late in the first half setup a Carlos Martinez field goal that cut the margin to three by halftime. A back-and-forth battle ensued in the third quarter, but the Soul defense put on their best performance of the year when they held Orlando scoreless for the final twelve minutes of the game by making a pivotal goal-line stand and forcing a turnover to seal a 59-55 win. The dominance of the Philadelphia defense carried into the Shark Tank when the Soul forced three turnovers and built a 19-point halftime lead to set the tone early. Jacksonville never got closer than within thirteen points in the second half and Philadelphia earned a second consecutive trip to the Arena Bowl with a dominant 75-59 win. The Soul got their championship rematch with Arizona, but the third time wasn't the charm. The game was evenly played through the first half and Philadelphia took their first lead on Ryan McDaniel's touchdown reception on the opening drive of the third quarter. The game changed into Arizona's favor when Nick Davila led consecutive touchdown drives that sandwiched Dan Raudabaugh's second interception. Despite being on their heels for most of the fourth quarter the Soul's defense gave them a chance to win it at the end, but the offense was unable to gain a first down and as a result suffered a tough 48-39 loss. For the second year in a row Philadelphia has ended their season in heart break on Arena Football's biggest stage to Arizona.
The Good from 2013:
- Won second straight east division and American Conference titles, appeared in second straight Arena Bowl
- A road record of 7-2
- A seven-game win streak from week 12 to week 18
- Being named Arena Football's Support Staff of the Year and the Sports Medicine Program of the Year
- Brandon Mango winning Equipment Manager of the Year
- Seven All Arena selections
PLAYER STATS
- Dan Raudabaugh 390-573, 4699 yds, 96 TD, 14 Int (18 games)
- Derrick Ross 153 rush, 506 yds, 35 TD; 13 rec, 69 yds, 4 TD (18 games)
- Tiger Jones 150 rec, 2121 yds, 37 TD (18 games)
- Andrae Thurman 117 rec, 1197 yds, 17 Total TD (18 games)
- Ryan McDaniel 65 rec, 819 yds, 21 TD (12 games)
- Larry Brackins 27 rec, 243 yds, 15 TD; 2 Int; Kick-ret TD (14 games)
- Carlos Martinez 126-140 PAT, 6-7 FG (47) (18 games)
- Rayshaun Kizer 82 tackles, FF, 3 Fumb Rec, 9 Int, Def TD (18 games)
- LaRico Stevenson 74 tackles, 2 FF, 3 Fumb Rec, 7 Int, 2 Def TD (15 games)
- Joe Goosby 68.5 tackles, 2 sacks, FF, 3 Fumb Rec, 4 Int, 2 Def TD (18 games)
- James Romain 3 FF, 3 Int, Def TD (15 games)
- Brandon Perkins 4.5 sacks, Fumb Rec, Def TD (18 games)
- Bryan Robinson 41.5 tackles (17.5 TFL), 11 sacks, 2 FF (17 games)
TEAM STATS
- Third scoring offense 58.4 ppg
- Third rushing offense 30.9 ypg
- Best scoring defense, allowed 46.8 ppg
- Third rush defense, allowed 17.9 ypg
- Sixth pass offense 264.3 ypg
- Third total offense 295.2 ypg
- Eighth pass defense allowed 257.3 ypg
- Sixth total defense 275.3 ypg
- Third pass efficiency 119.8
- Sixth turnover margin +4
- Fourth opponent pass efficiency 96.5
- Third in 3rd down conversions 55/104
- Allowed fewest first downs 310
- Eighth in opponent 3rd down conversions 56/127
- Fifth with 31 sacks
- Allowed fewest sacks with 7
- Third 4th down conversions 20/35
- Best opponent 4th down conversions 16/53
- Fifth red zone offense 98/119
- Second red zone defense 75/102
The Bad from 2013:
- A 5-4 home record that started 0-3
- Home losses to Cleveland and Pittsburgh
- A 2-2 division record, Cleveland and Pittsburgh both finished 4-14
- An inconsistent first half of the season
- Losing in the Arena Bowl for the second straight year
PLAYER STATS
- Alvance Robinson's struggles to stay healthy this season
- Ryan McDaniel's struggles to stay healthy, but at a smaller scale than Robinson
TEAM STATS
- Ninth in first downs with 352
Final Take:
The Soul came in to 2013 with plans to return to the Arena Bowl, and despite an inconsistent start they were able to do so by winning nine out of ten games to reach Orlando. Philadelphia proved to still be one of the AFL's best teams in 2013 and even though they fell short again, still put together a season to remember.
2013 Finish: 14-7 (2-2 in East), East Division Champs, American Conference Champs, Lost Arena Bowl XXVI
For more on the Philadelphia Soul:
http://www.arenafootball.com/
http://www.arenafootball.com/teams/aflsoul/
http://www.philadelphiasoul.com/
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/03/2013-arena-football-season-kickoff-east.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/04/2013-afl-season-frist-quarter-anaylsis_29.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/05/2013-afl-season-midway-report.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/07/afl-turning-into-home-stretch-east.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/08/afl-playoffs-conference-semifinals-recap.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/08/afl-playoffs-conference-championship.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/08/arena-bowl-xxvi-recap.html
http://www.arenafootball.com/sports/a-footbl/stats/2013/CONFSTAT.HTM
-
The Soul struggled to find a consistent level of play through the first half of the season. They began the year with a tough 66-52 loss at Arizona. The Soul responded with back-to-back road wins that had them coming home with a 2-1 record. Philadelphia's home opener looked to be an awesome homecoming with a struggling Cleveland team coming in, but things didn't go as planned as the Soul saw a three-score lead vanish and turn into a 64-57 overtime loss. Philadelphia couldn't afford to let the disappoint home start loom with, at the time, red-hot Jacksonville Sharks came to town the following week. The Soul once again suffered a tight defeat in their own building when Jacksonville escaped with a 55-53 victory. Philadelphia all of a sudden found themselves in a 2-3 hole on their way to Chicago, but the reigning American Conference champs made a statement to the entire league with a 72-41 thrashing of the Rush. The level of inconsistency hit the following week when the Soul failed to close out Pittsburgh in another tough home loss, 53-48, that put them back under .500 and 0-3 in Wells Fargo Center. The Soul would go on to earn their first home victory of the year in week nine when they defeated Orlando, and entered June with a 5-4 record after an impressive 73-55 win at Tampa Bay. In week eleven the Soul had a second crack at Arizona and found themselves with a fifteen-point lead midway through the fourth quarter. A run that saw the defending champions score 22 unanswered points in the final seven minutes stunned everyone in "Soul" blue and sent them back to .500 with a heartbreaking 64-57 loss. A game like that can make or break a team's season, and it looked that way when Philadelphia couldn't catch a break for three and a half quarters against New Orleans the following week. A Joe Goosby fumble recovery and an eleven-play scoring drive that Derrick Ross finished with a one-yard run highlighted a stretch of 17 unanswered points that squeaked out a 65-56 win for the Soul, and also turned their season in the right direction.
The inspiring comeback of week twelve started a string of seven straight wins that clinched Philadelphia its second straight east division championship and had them primed for another postseason run. The Soul only needed a win in week nineteen to lock up home field advantage, but a surprise 42-28 defeat at San Antonio ended those hopes, while snapping the win streak and raising questions of "if the team peaked to early" in all Soul supporters minds. How would Philadelphia respond in the conference semifinals against Orlando!? The Soul fell behind early, but a James Romain interception late in the first half setup a Carlos Martinez field goal that cut the margin to three by halftime. A back-and-forth battle ensued in the third quarter, but the Soul defense put on their best performance of the year when they held Orlando scoreless for the final twelve minutes of the game by making a pivotal goal-line stand and forcing a turnover to seal a 59-55 win. The dominance of the Philadelphia defense carried into the Shark Tank when the Soul forced three turnovers and built a 19-point halftime lead to set the tone early. Jacksonville never got closer than within thirteen points in the second half and Philadelphia earned a second consecutive trip to the Arena Bowl with a dominant 75-59 win. The Soul got their championship rematch with Arizona, but the third time wasn't the charm. The game was evenly played through the first half and Philadelphia took their first lead on Ryan McDaniel's touchdown reception on the opening drive of the third quarter. The game changed into Arizona's favor when Nick Davila led consecutive touchdown drives that sandwiched Dan Raudabaugh's second interception. Despite being on their heels for most of the fourth quarter the Soul's defense gave them a chance to win it at the end, but the offense was unable to gain a first down and as a result suffered a tough 48-39 loss. For the second year in a row Philadelphia has ended their season in heart break on Arena Football's biggest stage to Arizona.
The Good from 2013:
- Won second straight east division and American Conference titles, appeared in second straight Arena Bowl
- A road record of 7-2
- A seven-game win streak from week 12 to week 18
- Being named Arena Football's Support Staff of the Year and the Sports Medicine Program of the Year
- Brandon Mango winning Equipment Manager of the Year
- Seven All Arena selections
PLAYER STATS
- Dan Raudabaugh 390-573, 4699 yds, 96 TD, 14 Int (18 games)
- Derrick Ross 153 rush, 506 yds, 35 TD; 13 rec, 69 yds, 4 TD (18 games)
- Tiger Jones 150 rec, 2121 yds, 37 TD (18 games)
- Andrae Thurman 117 rec, 1197 yds, 17 Total TD (18 games)
- Ryan McDaniel 65 rec, 819 yds, 21 TD (12 games)
- Larry Brackins 27 rec, 243 yds, 15 TD; 2 Int; Kick-ret TD (14 games)
- Carlos Martinez 126-140 PAT, 6-7 FG (47) (18 games)
- Rayshaun Kizer 82 tackles, FF, 3 Fumb Rec, 9 Int, Def TD (18 games)
- LaRico Stevenson 74 tackles, 2 FF, 3 Fumb Rec, 7 Int, 2 Def TD (15 games)
- Joe Goosby 68.5 tackles, 2 sacks, FF, 3 Fumb Rec, 4 Int, 2 Def TD (18 games)
- James Romain 3 FF, 3 Int, Def TD (15 games)
- Brandon Perkins 4.5 sacks, Fumb Rec, Def TD (18 games)
- Bryan Robinson 41.5 tackles (17.5 TFL), 11 sacks, 2 FF (17 games)
TEAM STATS
- Third scoring offense 58.4 ppg
- Third rushing offense 30.9 ypg
- Best scoring defense, allowed 46.8 ppg
- Third rush defense, allowed 17.9 ypg
- Sixth pass offense 264.3 ypg
- Third total offense 295.2 ypg
- Eighth pass defense allowed 257.3 ypg
- Sixth total defense 275.3 ypg
- Third pass efficiency 119.8
- Sixth turnover margin +4
- Fourth opponent pass efficiency 96.5
- Third in 3rd down conversions 55/104
- Allowed fewest first downs 310
- Eighth in opponent 3rd down conversions 56/127
- Fifth with 31 sacks
- Allowed fewest sacks with 7
- Third 4th down conversions 20/35
- Best opponent 4th down conversions 16/53
- Fifth red zone offense 98/119
- Second red zone defense 75/102
The Bad from 2013:
- A 5-4 home record that started 0-3
- Home losses to Cleveland and Pittsburgh
- A 2-2 division record, Cleveland and Pittsburgh both finished 4-14
- An inconsistent first half of the season
- Losing in the Arena Bowl for the second straight year
PLAYER STATS
- Alvance Robinson's struggles to stay healthy this season
- Ryan McDaniel's struggles to stay healthy, but at a smaller scale than Robinson
TEAM STATS
- Ninth in first downs with 352
Final Take:
The Soul came in to 2013 with plans to return to the Arena Bowl, and despite an inconsistent start they were able to do so by winning nine out of ten games to reach Orlando. Philadelphia proved to still be one of the AFL's best teams in 2013 and even though they fell short again, still put together a season to remember.
2013 Finish: 14-7 (2-2 in East), East Division Champs, American Conference Champs, Lost Arena Bowl XXVI
For more on the Philadelphia Soul:
http://www.arenafootball.com/
http://www.arenafootball.com/teams/aflsoul/
http://www.philadelphiasoul.com/
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/03/2013-arena-football-season-kickoff-east.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/04/2013-afl-season-frist-quarter-anaylsis_29.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/05/2013-afl-season-midway-report.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/07/afl-turning-into-home-stretch-east.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/08/afl-playoffs-conference-semifinals-recap.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/08/afl-playoffs-conference-championship.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/08/arena-bowl-xxvi-recap.html
http://www.arenafootball.com/sports/a-footbl/stats/2013/CONFSTAT.HTM
-
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Arena Bowl XXVI Recap
The 2013 Arena Football season is in the books, as Arena Bowl XXVI has come and passed. For the second straight season it was the Philadelphia Soul and the Arizona Rattlers who did battle on the game's biggest stage for its most glamorous prize.....the Foster Trophy. Were the Rattlers able to make it two in a row, or did the Soul even the score!?
Carlos Martinez kicked the ball deep to Arkeith Brown who made a twelve-yard return to begin Arena Bowl XXVI. Nick Davila led the Rattler offense onto the field and began the game's first drive with consecutive completions that quickly moved the ball to Philadelphia's ten-yard line. After back-to-back incompletions Arizona was faced with fourth and goal at the eight-yard line, but still managed to strike first when Davila found Maurice Purify across the end zone for an eight-yard touchdown. Dan Raudabaugh took over at his own five-yard line and got off to a great start. He completed all of his first three passes to Ryan McDaniel, highlighted by a fifteen-yard strike that tied the game at seven. Nick Davila looked to have picked up right where he left off with three completions to three different receivers to start Arizona's second possession, but an incompletion on first down setup second-and-goal at Philadelphia's eight-yard line. The Soul made the first game-changing play when Davila's pass sailed over Maurice Purify's head and bounced of the rebound nets into Rayshaun Kizer's arms. Dan Raudabaugh and Ryan McDaniel continued their early connection with two completions for 35 yards to quickly move the ball to Arizona's fifteen-yard line. The Rattlers made a quick adjustment that cooled off Raudabaugh, who threw back-to-back incompletions and then hit Andrae Thurman for a seven-yard gain on third down. On fourth-and-three Raudabaugh fired a pass into the end zone, but it was off target and Virgil Gray snatched an interceptions; retuning it to Arizona's 24-yard line. We went to the second quarter with each side having score a single touchdown and recording an interception. The pace picked up with the change of period as Rod Windsor began the quarter with a six-yard reception, then caught a 21-yard touchdown on the next play to give Arizona the lead back. Philadelphia tied the game with a six-play scoring drive that saw Tiger Jones make his first catch of the game and Ryan McDaniel haul in three more passes for 27 yards. Derrick Ross then plunged into the end zone for the game-tying touchdown on the next play. The Soul looked to be on their way to a second stop when a first-down incompletion and a sack setup third-and-fourteen, but Davila wouldn't have any of that when he found Maurice Purify on a crossing route and watched it turn into a 47-yard touchdown. The Soul kept their calm and once again responded with a seven-play, 33-yard drive that ended on Tiger Jones' nine-yard touchdown catch to retie the game with 52 seconds left in the first half. The Rattlers recovered Carlos Martinez's onside kick at Philadelphia's nine-yard line, but the Soul defense made a crucial stand to force Garrett Lindholm to attempt and make an eighteen-yard field goal. Dan Raudabaugh and the offense took the field at their own five with 26 seconds to work, but a one-yard completion to McDaniel and two incompletions quickly ended the threat of a last-second touchdown. Carlos Martinez was sent on to try a 59-yard field goal, but Attajj Hawthorne got a hand up and blocked it to give the Rattlers one final play inside the ten. On a play that could drastically change the ball game, the Soul caught a break when Davila's pass to Rod Windsor fell shy of the end zone and kept the score 24-21 at the intermission.
Philadelphia took its first lead of the game when Raudabaugh found Ryan McDaniel for a twelve-yard touchdown to cap off a seven-play drive to begin the third quarter. The Rattlers didn't trail for long as Kerry Reed brought in a 19-yard touchdown four plays later to put them back in front midway in the third. Arizona created some separation on the next series when Jeremy Kellem intercepted an end zone pass intended for McDaniel. Nick Davila directed a six-play, five-minute drive that gave the Rattlers a 38-27 lead on Rod Windsor's twelve-yard touchdown catch. Dan Raudabaugh responded with three quick completions, cutting the margin to five on a thirteen-yard touchdown to Tiger Jones with 11:31 left in the game; the extra point was missed. Arizona only needed three plays to answer back when Davila found Tysson Poots for a fourteen-yard score. The Soul had little room for error and Raudabaugh answered the call by completing five of six passes on the ensuing drive that setup another one-yard touchdown run by Derrick Ross with 3:34 remaining; Carlos Martinez missed his third extra point of the half that left the margin at six. Arizona recovered the ensuing onside kick and did a great job of running the clock down to the one-minute warning. This championship game took a drastic turn when on the first play inside the warning Rod Windsor got the ball on a receiver-sweep and as he turned the corner was hit which caused him to fumble the ball, giving Philadelphia a chance to steal this one at the end. All of a sudden the Soul where tasting a potential title, but after an eight-yard completion to Emery Sammons to start the drive Raudabaugh's next two passes fell to the ground and created a fourth-and-two with 41 seconds. On the play of the game Dan Raudabaugh quickly fired a pass to Tiger Jones, but Arkeith Brown laid the boom and knocked the ball harmlessly to the ground to force a championship-saving stop on downs. The Rattlers trimmed the clock down to 23 seconds and Garrett Lindholm drilled a championship-clinching 24-yard field goal to make the dream become a realization. The game and season ended when Tiger Jones caught a ten-yard pass and was tackled in-bounds, allowing the final seconds to tick off and strike zero and officially crowning Arizona as back-to-back Arena Football League champions.
The Arizona Rattlers survived a great game, that was on CBS, to win the franchise's fourth total and second straight championship in a thrilling 48-39 victory over Philadelphia for the second consecutive season. Rod Windsor earned Arena Bowl MVP honors with ten receptions for 145 yards and two touchdowns. The Arena Bowl XXVI champions are the Arizona Rattlers.
Stat Leaders:
Philadelphia (14-7) - eliminated Arizona (18-3) - AB 26 Champs
Dan Raudabaugh 31-51, 306 yds, 4 TD, 2 Int Nick Davila 20-29, 315 yds, 6 TD, Int
Derrick Ross 4 rush, 23 yds, 2 TD Rod Windsor 10 rec, 145 yds, 2 TD
Ryan Mcdaniel 13 rec, 137 yds, 2 TD Maurice Purify 4 rec, 83 yds, 2 TD
Tiger Jones 8 rec, 73 yds, 2 TD Tysson Poots 3 rec, 50 yds, TD
Emery Sammons 7 rec, 53 yds Kerry Reed 19-yd TD rec
Rayshaun Kizer Int Jeremy Kellem 10 tackles, Int
Bryan Robinson/Ko Quaye 0.5 sack Virgil Gray 9.5 tackles, Int Attajj Hawthorne blocked FG
Garrett Lindholm 6-6 PAT, 2-2 FG (24)
The 2013 Arena Football season is officially in the books and it ended with the Arizona Rattlers going back-to-back and being crowned Arena Bowl XXVI Champions!
Carlos Martinez kicked the ball deep to Arkeith Brown who made a twelve-yard return to begin Arena Bowl XXVI. Nick Davila led the Rattler offense onto the field and began the game's first drive with consecutive completions that quickly moved the ball to Philadelphia's ten-yard line. After back-to-back incompletions Arizona was faced with fourth and goal at the eight-yard line, but still managed to strike first when Davila found Maurice Purify across the end zone for an eight-yard touchdown. Dan Raudabaugh took over at his own five-yard line and got off to a great start. He completed all of his first three passes to Ryan McDaniel, highlighted by a fifteen-yard strike that tied the game at seven. Nick Davila looked to have picked up right where he left off with three completions to three different receivers to start Arizona's second possession, but an incompletion on first down setup second-and-goal at Philadelphia's eight-yard line. The Soul made the first game-changing play when Davila's pass sailed over Maurice Purify's head and bounced of the rebound nets into Rayshaun Kizer's arms. Dan Raudabaugh and Ryan McDaniel continued their early connection with two completions for 35 yards to quickly move the ball to Arizona's fifteen-yard line. The Rattlers made a quick adjustment that cooled off Raudabaugh, who threw back-to-back incompletions and then hit Andrae Thurman for a seven-yard gain on third down. On fourth-and-three Raudabaugh fired a pass into the end zone, but it was off target and Virgil Gray snatched an interceptions; retuning it to Arizona's 24-yard line. We went to the second quarter with each side having score a single touchdown and recording an interception. The pace picked up with the change of period as Rod Windsor began the quarter with a six-yard reception, then caught a 21-yard touchdown on the next play to give Arizona the lead back. Philadelphia tied the game with a six-play scoring drive that saw Tiger Jones make his first catch of the game and Ryan McDaniel haul in three more passes for 27 yards. Derrick Ross then plunged into the end zone for the game-tying touchdown on the next play. The Soul looked to be on their way to a second stop when a first-down incompletion and a sack setup third-and-fourteen, but Davila wouldn't have any of that when he found Maurice Purify on a crossing route and watched it turn into a 47-yard touchdown. The Soul kept their calm and once again responded with a seven-play, 33-yard drive that ended on Tiger Jones' nine-yard touchdown catch to retie the game with 52 seconds left in the first half. The Rattlers recovered Carlos Martinez's onside kick at Philadelphia's nine-yard line, but the Soul defense made a crucial stand to force Garrett Lindholm to attempt and make an eighteen-yard field goal. Dan Raudabaugh and the offense took the field at their own five with 26 seconds to work, but a one-yard completion to McDaniel and two incompletions quickly ended the threat of a last-second touchdown. Carlos Martinez was sent on to try a 59-yard field goal, but Attajj Hawthorne got a hand up and blocked it to give the Rattlers one final play inside the ten. On a play that could drastically change the ball game, the Soul caught a break when Davila's pass to Rod Windsor fell shy of the end zone and kept the score 24-21 at the intermission.
Philadelphia took its first lead of the game when Raudabaugh found Ryan McDaniel for a twelve-yard touchdown to cap off a seven-play drive to begin the third quarter. The Rattlers didn't trail for long as Kerry Reed brought in a 19-yard touchdown four plays later to put them back in front midway in the third. Arizona created some separation on the next series when Jeremy Kellem intercepted an end zone pass intended for McDaniel. Nick Davila directed a six-play, five-minute drive that gave the Rattlers a 38-27 lead on Rod Windsor's twelve-yard touchdown catch. Dan Raudabaugh responded with three quick completions, cutting the margin to five on a thirteen-yard touchdown to Tiger Jones with 11:31 left in the game; the extra point was missed. Arizona only needed three plays to answer back when Davila found Tysson Poots for a fourteen-yard score. The Soul had little room for error and Raudabaugh answered the call by completing five of six passes on the ensuing drive that setup another one-yard touchdown run by Derrick Ross with 3:34 remaining; Carlos Martinez missed his third extra point of the half that left the margin at six. Arizona recovered the ensuing onside kick and did a great job of running the clock down to the one-minute warning. This championship game took a drastic turn when on the first play inside the warning Rod Windsor got the ball on a receiver-sweep and as he turned the corner was hit which caused him to fumble the ball, giving Philadelphia a chance to steal this one at the end. All of a sudden the Soul where tasting a potential title, but after an eight-yard completion to Emery Sammons to start the drive Raudabaugh's next two passes fell to the ground and created a fourth-and-two with 41 seconds. On the play of the game Dan Raudabaugh quickly fired a pass to Tiger Jones, but Arkeith Brown laid the boom and knocked the ball harmlessly to the ground to force a championship-saving stop on downs. The Rattlers trimmed the clock down to 23 seconds and Garrett Lindholm drilled a championship-clinching 24-yard field goal to make the dream become a realization. The game and season ended when Tiger Jones caught a ten-yard pass and was tackled in-bounds, allowing the final seconds to tick off and strike zero and officially crowning Arizona as back-to-back Arena Football League champions.
The Arizona Rattlers survived a great game, that was on CBS, to win the franchise's fourth total and second straight championship in a thrilling 48-39 victory over Philadelphia for the second consecutive season. Rod Windsor earned Arena Bowl MVP honors with ten receptions for 145 yards and two touchdowns. The Arena Bowl XXVI champions are the Arizona Rattlers.
Stat Leaders:
Philadelphia (14-7) - eliminated Arizona (18-3) - AB 26 Champs
Dan Raudabaugh 31-51, 306 yds, 4 TD, 2 Int Nick Davila 20-29, 315 yds, 6 TD, Int
Derrick Ross 4 rush, 23 yds, 2 TD Rod Windsor 10 rec, 145 yds, 2 TD
Ryan Mcdaniel 13 rec, 137 yds, 2 TD Maurice Purify 4 rec, 83 yds, 2 TD
Tiger Jones 8 rec, 73 yds, 2 TD Tysson Poots 3 rec, 50 yds, TD
Emery Sammons 7 rec, 53 yds Kerry Reed 19-yd TD rec
Rayshaun Kizer Int Jeremy Kellem 10 tackles, Int
Bryan Robinson/Ko Quaye 0.5 sack Virgil Gray 9.5 tackles, Int Attajj Hawthorne blocked FG
Garrett Lindholm 6-6 PAT, 2-2 FG (24)
The 2013 Arena Football season is officially in the books and it ended with the Arizona Rattlers going back-to-back and being crowned Arena Bowl XXVI Champions!
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
2013 Review: Jacksonville Sharks
The Jacksonville Sharks have been one of the premier teams in Arena Football over the last couple of years and looked to remain at the top in 2013. Jacksonville's main goal for this past season wasn't to just win the division, it was to make an appearance in the Arena Bowl.
The Sharks returned most of their division-winning team from 2012, so as expected they didn't take much time to get rolling this season. Jacksonville came out of the gate with six consecutive wins that included a narrow 40-34 victory over Iowa in week five and a dramatic 55-53 win at Philadelphia the following week. Jacksonville's 6-0 start had them as the AFL's last unbeaten team, but a home game against Arizona gave them their toughest test of the year. The Sharks fell behind early and were unable to comeback, dropping their first game of the season 58-48 to Arizona in week seven. The loss sent Jacksonville a step back as they would lose their next two games to fall to 6-3 and have fans wondering if the strong start was a fluke. Jacksonville had to battle a slate of injuries throughout the season, but fought through it to erase any doubt.
With Bernard Morris at the helm, a relatively healthy receiving core, and one of the League's best defenses the Sharks responded by putting together three two-game winning streaks in the second half of the season. Jacksonville's solid run during the summer months of the year was good enough to clinch their fourth straight south division title and also earn home field advantage in this year's American Conference playoffs. In the conference semifinals the Sharks got off to a sluggish start that put them in a 22-point hole entering the fourth quarter, but led by Bernard Morris and the faithful of the Shark Tank they came back to outscore Tampa Bay 36-14 in the final period to escape with a 69-62 win. Jacksonville advanced to their third consecutive conference championship game and had a chance at redemption when Philadelphia also held on in their semifinal game to setup the rematch. Once again the Sharks got off to a sloppy start, but this time against a full-strength Philadelphia squad they weren't as fortunate. The Sharks fell behind by as much as 26 points by the second half and were unable to get closer than within fourteen points, having their season come to an end at the hands of Philadelphia for the second year in a row in a disappointing 75-59 loss. Despite another season falling short of the Arena Bowl, the Sharks enjoyed a successful 2013 that brought them a fourth straight south division crown.
The Good from 2013:
- A fourth straight south division championship
- A 6-0 division record
- A 6-3 home record
- A 6-3 road record
- Reaching their third consecutive American Conference Championship game
- Four All Arena selections
PLAYER STATS
- Bernard Morris 257-394, 2746 yds, 55 TD, 9 Int; 306 rush yds, 11 TD (15 games)
- Rendrick Taylor 49 rush, 173 yds, 10 TD (9 games)
- Jeron Harvey 146 rec, 1593 yds, 35 TD (18 games)
- Markee White 105 rec, 1133 yds, 19 TD (18 games)
- Jeff Hughley 82 rec, 889 yds, 15 TD; 32 rush yds, 5 TD; 59 kick-ret, 1095 yds, TD (13 games)
- London Crawford 23 rec, 243 yds, 6 TD (5 games)
- Shamar Graves 13 rec, 108 yds, TD (1 game)
- Terrance Smith 74.5 tackles, 4 Fumb Rec, 12 Int, Def TD (16 games)
- Micheaux Robinson 78 tackles, 4 Int, FF, 2 Def TD (17 games)
- Tracy Belton 94.5 tackles, 3 Int, 4 FF, 2 Fumb Rec, Def TD (18 games)
- Jamaal Fudge Sack, 5 FF, 6 Fumb Rec, 2 Int, 2 Fumb Rec, Def TD (10 games)
- Marco Capozzoli 109-128 PAT, 6-12 FG (34) (18 games)
- Sack Leaders: Jerry Turner (12), Aaron Robbins (9), Matt Marcorelle (8.5), Rashaad Duncan (6.5)
TEAM STATS
- Eighth scoring offense at 52.3 ppg
- Best rushing offense with 37.0 ypg
- Fourth scoring defense, allowing 49.1 ppg
- Eighth total offense with 279.1 ypg
- Second pass defense with 239.6 ypg
- Fourth total defense with 263.3 ypg
- Fifth turnover margin with +8
- Second in first downs, 374
- Fourth in 3rd down conversions at 50.8%
- Allowed 2nd-fewest first downs, 334
- Second-lowest opponent 3rd down conversions at 39/102
- Lead AFL with 45 sacks
- Sixth in sacks allowed with 22
- Fourth at 4th down conversions, 23/41
- Sixth red zone offense, 83/101
The Bad from 2013:
- Losing three straight games after a 6-0 start
- Being eliminated by Philadelphia for the second straight season
PLAYER STATS
- The minor injuries that cost Bernard Morris three games and Jeff Hughley four games
- The season-ending injury that Rendrick Taylor suffered in week nine
- Missing Bill Alford for part of the second half of the season because of injury
TEAM STATS
- Tenth rush defense at 23.7 ypg
- Tenth pass offense at 242.1 ypg
Final Take:
In 2013 the Sharks won their fourth consecutive south division championship and made a third straight appearance in the American Conference championship game. Bernard Morris showed flashes of elite playmaking ability, but at times was a little carless with the football and had too many turnovers. Jeron Harvey had another great season to headline a solid receiving core that also included Jeff Hughley and Markee White. Jacksonville's defense was atop the AFL all season, registering a League-best 45 sacks and ending the year with a +8 margin in turnovers. If the core of: Jerry Turner, Aaron Robbins, Matt Marcorelle, and Rashaad Duncan is kept together, they should continue to cause havoc against opposing offenses for the near future.
2013 Finish: 13-7 (7-0 in South), South Division Champions, lost in American Conference Championship game
For more on the Jacksonville Sharks:
http://www.arenafootball.com/
http://www.arenafootball.com/teams/aflsrk/
http://www.jaxsharks.com/
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/03/2013-arena-football-season-kickoff_23.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/04/2013-afl-season-frist-quarter-anaylsis_29.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/06/2013-afl-season-midway-report-south.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/07/afl-turning-into-home-stretch.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/08/afl-playoffs-conference-semifinals-recap.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/08/afl-playoffs-conference-championship.html
http://www.arenafootball.com/sports/a-footbl/stats/2013/CONFSTAT.HTM
The Sharks returned most of their division-winning team from 2012, so as expected they didn't take much time to get rolling this season. Jacksonville came out of the gate with six consecutive wins that included a narrow 40-34 victory over Iowa in week five and a dramatic 55-53 win at Philadelphia the following week. Jacksonville's 6-0 start had them as the AFL's last unbeaten team, but a home game against Arizona gave them their toughest test of the year. The Sharks fell behind early and were unable to comeback, dropping their first game of the season 58-48 to Arizona in week seven. The loss sent Jacksonville a step back as they would lose their next two games to fall to 6-3 and have fans wondering if the strong start was a fluke. Jacksonville had to battle a slate of injuries throughout the season, but fought through it to erase any doubt.
With Bernard Morris at the helm, a relatively healthy receiving core, and one of the League's best defenses the Sharks responded by putting together three two-game winning streaks in the second half of the season. Jacksonville's solid run during the summer months of the year was good enough to clinch their fourth straight south division title and also earn home field advantage in this year's American Conference playoffs. In the conference semifinals the Sharks got off to a sluggish start that put them in a 22-point hole entering the fourth quarter, but led by Bernard Morris and the faithful of the Shark Tank they came back to outscore Tampa Bay 36-14 in the final period to escape with a 69-62 win. Jacksonville advanced to their third consecutive conference championship game and had a chance at redemption when Philadelphia also held on in their semifinal game to setup the rematch. Once again the Sharks got off to a sloppy start, but this time against a full-strength Philadelphia squad they weren't as fortunate. The Sharks fell behind by as much as 26 points by the second half and were unable to get closer than within fourteen points, having their season come to an end at the hands of Philadelphia for the second year in a row in a disappointing 75-59 loss. Despite another season falling short of the Arena Bowl, the Sharks enjoyed a successful 2013 that brought them a fourth straight south division crown.
The Good from 2013:
- A fourth straight south division championship
- A 6-0 division record
- A 6-3 home record
- A 6-3 road record
- Reaching their third consecutive American Conference Championship game
- Four All Arena selections
PLAYER STATS
- Bernard Morris 257-394, 2746 yds, 55 TD, 9 Int; 306 rush yds, 11 TD (15 games)
- Rendrick Taylor 49 rush, 173 yds, 10 TD (9 games)
- Jeron Harvey 146 rec, 1593 yds, 35 TD (18 games)
- Markee White 105 rec, 1133 yds, 19 TD (18 games)
- Jeff Hughley 82 rec, 889 yds, 15 TD; 32 rush yds, 5 TD; 59 kick-ret, 1095 yds, TD (13 games)
- London Crawford 23 rec, 243 yds, 6 TD (5 games)
- Shamar Graves 13 rec, 108 yds, TD (1 game)
- Terrance Smith 74.5 tackles, 4 Fumb Rec, 12 Int, Def TD (16 games)
- Micheaux Robinson 78 tackles, 4 Int, FF, 2 Def TD (17 games)
- Tracy Belton 94.5 tackles, 3 Int, 4 FF, 2 Fumb Rec, Def TD (18 games)
- Jamaal Fudge Sack, 5 FF, 6 Fumb Rec, 2 Int, 2 Fumb Rec, Def TD (10 games)
- Marco Capozzoli 109-128 PAT, 6-12 FG (34) (18 games)
- Sack Leaders: Jerry Turner (12), Aaron Robbins (9), Matt Marcorelle (8.5), Rashaad Duncan (6.5)
TEAM STATS
- Eighth scoring offense at 52.3 ppg
- Best rushing offense with 37.0 ypg
- Fourth scoring defense, allowing 49.1 ppg
- Eighth total offense with 279.1 ypg
- Second pass defense with 239.6 ypg
- Fourth total defense with 263.3 ypg
- Fifth turnover margin with +8
- Second in first downs, 374
- Fourth in 3rd down conversions at 50.8%
- Allowed 2nd-fewest first downs, 334
- Second-lowest opponent 3rd down conversions at 39/102
- Lead AFL with 45 sacks
- Sixth in sacks allowed with 22
- Fourth at 4th down conversions, 23/41
- Sixth red zone offense, 83/101
The Bad from 2013:
- Losing three straight games after a 6-0 start
- Being eliminated by Philadelphia for the second straight season
PLAYER STATS
- The minor injuries that cost Bernard Morris three games and Jeff Hughley four games
- The season-ending injury that Rendrick Taylor suffered in week nine
- Missing Bill Alford for part of the second half of the season because of injury
TEAM STATS
- Tenth rush defense at 23.7 ypg
- Tenth pass offense at 242.1 ypg
Final Take:
In 2013 the Sharks won their fourth consecutive south division championship and made a third straight appearance in the American Conference championship game. Bernard Morris showed flashes of elite playmaking ability, but at times was a little carless with the football and had too many turnovers. Jeron Harvey had another great season to headline a solid receiving core that also included Jeff Hughley and Markee White. Jacksonville's defense was atop the AFL all season, registering a League-best 45 sacks and ending the year with a +8 margin in turnovers. If the core of: Jerry Turner, Aaron Robbins, Matt Marcorelle, and Rashaad Duncan is kept together, they should continue to cause havoc against opposing offenses for the near future.
2013 Finish: 13-7 (7-0 in South), South Division Champions, lost in American Conference Championship game
For more on the Jacksonville Sharks:
http://www.arenafootball.com/
http://www.arenafootball.com/teams/aflsrk/
http://www.jaxsharks.com/
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/03/2013-arena-football-season-kickoff_23.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/04/2013-afl-season-frist-quarter-anaylsis_29.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/06/2013-afl-season-midway-report-south.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/07/afl-turning-into-home-stretch.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/08/afl-playoffs-conference-semifinals-recap.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/08/afl-playoffs-conference-championship.html
http://www.arenafootball.com/sports/a-footbl/stats/2013/CONFSTAT.HTM
2013 Review: Orlando Predators
The Orlando Predators are one of Arena Football's proudest and iconic franchises. After reaching the postseason for 19 straight seasons, the Preds had fallen into the abyss and entered 2013 on a two-year playoff drought. Coming into the season Orlando issued a "winning season" guarantee to all season ticket holders, assuring a successful campaign or they would get their money back. It was no secret of the pressure to return to the playoffs, let alone being relevant once again. With the guidance of Doug Plank and a season-changing acquisition of one of the AFL's greatest signal callers....mission accomplished.
Orlando's 2013 season didn't start all that glamorous when Kyle Rowley struggled by throwing eleven interceptions in five games and the defense underperforming to AFL-worst levels that had the Preds sitting at the bottom with an 0-5 record. Doug Plank only knows how to win, so with that being said a change at quarterback was needed and he snatched the opportunity when it came calling to send Amarri Jackson to San Jose in exchange for Aaron Garcia. Kyle Rowley was released in favor of the 18th-year veteran. Aaron Garcia struggled in San Jose, but when he arrived in central Florida the greatest turned back on. He instantly improved the offense and led Orlando to their first two wins of the season in back-to-back weeks; highlighted by an incredible 21-point comeback in Deaf Valley where he threw eleven touchdown passes to beat Spokane 83-82 in week eight. The team was definitely in a better place than they were in the first month of the season, but Garcia's resurgence wasn't enough to overcome three losses by a combined 21 points that dropped the Preds to 2-8 entering week twelve. Just when it looked like any hope of returning to the postseason was dashed, the Predators made some key defensive cuts to bolster that side of the ball as best they could that late into the season.
All of a sudden, a few new faces on defense and a fully orchestrated offense with Aaron Garcia at the helm got hot and reeled off three consecutive wins in weeks twelve, thirteen, and fourteen to jump Orlando up from two games out of the playoff picture to entering July with a one-game lead for the American Conference's final wild card at 5-8. The late season magic wasn't enough for Orlando to pull off upsets of Jacksonville or Arizona, but thanks to the lack of depth in the conference still had them in playoff position despite having ten losses. The Predators won a must-win game against Iowa (55-41) in week 17, but put up a disappointing performance the following week in Cleveland that setup a play-in game with New Orleans in the regular season's final week. Aaron Garcia, T.T. Toliver, Maurice Williams, and Prechae Rodriguez were all unstoppable against New Orleans and gave their defense 71 points to defend; Cortez Stubbs, Tanner Varner and Prentice Purnell all anchored a great defensive effort that sent the Predators to the playoffs for the 20th time with a dominant 71-42 win. Orlando traveled to Philadelphia looking to pull off an upset in a conference semifinal matchup, but fell short 59-55. The Predators started strong and gained an early fourteen-point advantage, but where only able to take a three-point lead into halftime thanks in part to two scores by Philadelphia in the final 90 seconds of the first half. After trading touchdowns for the entire third quarter Orlando was held to just seven points in the final period, and failed to score in the remaining twelve minutes of the game to end their season.
The Good from 2013:
- Ending a two-year playoff drought and earning the franchise's 20th playoff appearance
- The potency of the offense with Aaron Garcia at quarterback
- Overcoming an 0-5 start to make the playoffs
- Finishing second in the South
- Dominic Jones earning Second-Team All Arena honors as a kick returner
PLAYER STATS
- Aaron Garcia 316-484, 4008 yds, 84 TD, 15 Int (13 games)
- Mykel Benson 38 rush, 89 yds, 10 TD; (7 games)
- T.T. Toliver 127 rec, 1659 yds, 29 TD (14 games)
- Prechae Rodriguez 119 rec, 1614 yds, 41 TD (17 games)
- Jason Geathers 94 rec, 1020 yds, 16 TD (17 games)
- Marcus Everett 41.5 tackles, sack, 4 Int, FF, 2 Fumb Rec, 3 Def TD (14 games)
- Tanner Varner 16 tackles, 3 Int, Fumb Rec, Def TD (3 games)
- Dominic James 91.5 tackles, 2 Int, FF, 3 Fumb Rec, Def TD; 89 kick-ret, 1795 yds, 4 TD (18 games)
- Anthony Shutt 41 tackles, Int, FF (6 games)
- Mark Lewis 116-134 PAT, 3-6 FG (23) (18 games)
- Prentice Purnell 5 sacks, FF, 2 Fumb Rec (13 games)
TEAM STATS
- Sixth scoring offense with 53.6 ppg
- Top pass offense at 299.3 ypg
- Top total offense at 311.8 ypg
- Sixth in pass efficiency with 108.4
- Allowed 3rd-fewest sacks 16
The Bad from 2013:
- A home record of 4-5
- A road record of 3-6
- An 0-5 start to the season
- Going 2-4 in the South
PLAYER STATS
- The 11 interceptions by Rowley in the first five games
- The drastic change in the secondary from Travis Coleman, Simeon Castille and Levy Brown
- The season-ending injury to Marcus Everett; would've been fun to watch him and Tanner Varner play side-by-side-----Varner was signed to fill the void left by Everett
TEAM STATS
- Third-worst 12.5 ypg
- Allowed third-most 57.3 ppg
- Tenth rush defense 23.7
- Ninth pass defense 257.9 ypg
- Ninth in total defense 281.6 ypg
- Tenth in turnover margin at (-12)
- Allowed the third-best opposing passer efficiency of 113.3
- Worst 3rd down conversion rate, 32/95
- Allowed the best 3rd down conversion rate of opponents at 51.7%
- 11th with 20 sacks
- Most penalized team in AFL, 153 penalties for 1091 yards
- 11th red zone defense, allowed 78/95 scores
Final Take:
The Predators entered the year with one goal, and that was to return to the playoffs. Mission accomplished Orlando, despite a final record of 7-12 the franchise ended a two-year drought and made it back to postseason play. If Aaron Garcia decides to return for a 19th season, let alone comeback to Orlando, and T.T. Toliver and Prechae Rodriguez also stay put then the Predators might have the AFL's most exciting offense in 2014. The major Achilles heel for Orlando this past season was their struggles on defense. Other than Dominic James, no one suited up for all 19 games because of injuries and lack underwhelming performance. The defense struggled to maintain a pass rush and also wasn't very good in coverage, it will be interesting to see who Doug Plank recruits for next year's squad. Overall 2013 was a success for the Predators because they were fun to watch and also made the franchise's 20th playoff appearance.
2013 Finish: 7-12 (2-4 in South), Lost in Conference Semifinals
For more on the Orlando Predators:
http://www.arenafootball.com/
http://www.arenafootball.com/teams/aflprd/
http://www.orlandopredators.com/
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/03/2013-arena-football-season-kickoff_23.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/04/2013-afl-season-frist-quarter-anaylsis_29.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/06/2013-afl-season-midway-report-south.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/07/afl-turning-into-home-stretch.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/08/afl-playoffs-conference-semifinals-recap.html
http://www.arenafootball.com/sports/a-footbl/stats/2013/CONFSTAT.HTM
Orlando's 2013 season didn't start all that glamorous when Kyle Rowley struggled by throwing eleven interceptions in five games and the defense underperforming to AFL-worst levels that had the Preds sitting at the bottom with an 0-5 record. Doug Plank only knows how to win, so with that being said a change at quarterback was needed and he snatched the opportunity when it came calling to send Amarri Jackson to San Jose in exchange for Aaron Garcia. Kyle Rowley was released in favor of the 18th-year veteran. Aaron Garcia struggled in San Jose, but when he arrived in central Florida the greatest turned back on. He instantly improved the offense and led Orlando to their first two wins of the season in back-to-back weeks; highlighted by an incredible 21-point comeback in Deaf Valley where he threw eleven touchdown passes to beat Spokane 83-82 in week eight. The team was definitely in a better place than they were in the first month of the season, but Garcia's resurgence wasn't enough to overcome three losses by a combined 21 points that dropped the Preds to 2-8 entering week twelve. Just when it looked like any hope of returning to the postseason was dashed, the Predators made some key defensive cuts to bolster that side of the ball as best they could that late into the season.
All of a sudden, a few new faces on defense and a fully orchestrated offense with Aaron Garcia at the helm got hot and reeled off three consecutive wins in weeks twelve, thirteen, and fourteen to jump Orlando up from two games out of the playoff picture to entering July with a one-game lead for the American Conference's final wild card at 5-8. The late season magic wasn't enough for Orlando to pull off upsets of Jacksonville or Arizona, but thanks to the lack of depth in the conference still had them in playoff position despite having ten losses. The Predators won a must-win game against Iowa (55-41) in week 17, but put up a disappointing performance the following week in Cleveland that setup a play-in game with New Orleans in the regular season's final week. Aaron Garcia, T.T. Toliver, Maurice Williams, and Prechae Rodriguez were all unstoppable against New Orleans and gave their defense 71 points to defend; Cortez Stubbs, Tanner Varner and Prentice Purnell all anchored a great defensive effort that sent the Predators to the playoffs for the 20th time with a dominant 71-42 win. Orlando traveled to Philadelphia looking to pull off an upset in a conference semifinal matchup, but fell short 59-55. The Predators started strong and gained an early fourteen-point advantage, but where only able to take a three-point lead into halftime thanks in part to two scores by Philadelphia in the final 90 seconds of the first half. After trading touchdowns for the entire third quarter Orlando was held to just seven points in the final period, and failed to score in the remaining twelve minutes of the game to end their season.
The Good from 2013:
- Ending a two-year playoff drought and earning the franchise's 20th playoff appearance
- The potency of the offense with Aaron Garcia at quarterback
- Overcoming an 0-5 start to make the playoffs
- Finishing second in the South
- Dominic Jones earning Second-Team All Arena honors as a kick returner
PLAYER STATS
- Aaron Garcia 316-484, 4008 yds, 84 TD, 15 Int (13 games)
- Mykel Benson 38 rush, 89 yds, 10 TD; (7 games)
- T.T. Toliver 127 rec, 1659 yds, 29 TD (14 games)
- Prechae Rodriguez 119 rec, 1614 yds, 41 TD (17 games)
- Jason Geathers 94 rec, 1020 yds, 16 TD (17 games)
- Marcus Everett 41.5 tackles, sack, 4 Int, FF, 2 Fumb Rec, 3 Def TD (14 games)
- Tanner Varner 16 tackles, 3 Int, Fumb Rec, Def TD (3 games)
- Dominic James 91.5 tackles, 2 Int, FF, 3 Fumb Rec, Def TD; 89 kick-ret, 1795 yds, 4 TD (18 games)
- Anthony Shutt 41 tackles, Int, FF (6 games)
- Mark Lewis 116-134 PAT, 3-6 FG (23) (18 games)
- Prentice Purnell 5 sacks, FF, 2 Fumb Rec (13 games)
TEAM STATS
- Sixth scoring offense with 53.6 ppg
- Top pass offense at 299.3 ypg
- Top total offense at 311.8 ypg
- Sixth in pass efficiency with 108.4
- Allowed 3rd-fewest sacks 16
The Bad from 2013:
- A home record of 4-5
- A road record of 3-6
- An 0-5 start to the season
- Going 2-4 in the South
PLAYER STATS
- The 11 interceptions by Rowley in the first five games
- The drastic change in the secondary from Travis Coleman, Simeon Castille and Levy Brown
- The season-ending injury to Marcus Everett; would've been fun to watch him and Tanner Varner play side-by-side-----Varner was signed to fill the void left by Everett
TEAM STATS
- Third-worst 12.5 ypg
- Allowed third-most 57.3 ppg
- Tenth rush defense 23.7
- Ninth pass defense 257.9 ypg
- Ninth in total defense 281.6 ypg
- Tenth in turnover margin at (-12)
- Allowed the third-best opposing passer efficiency of 113.3
- Worst 3rd down conversion rate, 32/95
- Allowed the best 3rd down conversion rate of opponents at 51.7%
- 11th with 20 sacks
- Most penalized team in AFL, 153 penalties for 1091 yards
- 11th red zone defense, allowed 78/95 scores
Final Take:
The Predators entered the year with one goal, and that was to return to the playoffs. Mission accomplished Orlando, despite a final record of 7-12 the franchise ended a two-year drought and made it back to postseason play. If Aaron Garcia decides to return for a 19th season, let alone comeback to Orlando, and T.T. Toliver and Prechae Rodriguez also stay put then the Predators might have the AFL's most exciting offense in 2014. The major Achilles heel for Orlando this past season was their struggles on defense. Other than Dominic James, no one suited up for all 19 games because of injuries and lack underwhelming performance. The defense struggled to maintain a pass rush and also wasn't very good in coverage, it will be interesting to see who Doug Plank recruits for next year's squad. Overall 2013 was a success for the Predators because they were fun to watch and also made the franchise's 20th playoff appearance.
2013 Finish: 7-12 (2-4 in South), Lost in Conference Semifinals
For more on the Orlando Predators:
http://www.arenafootball.com/
http://www.arenafootball.com/teams/aflprd/
http://www.orlandopredators.com/
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/03/2013-arena-football-season-kickoff_23.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/04/2013-afl-season-frist-quarter-anaylsis_29.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/06/2013-afl-season-midway-report-south.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/07/afl-turning-into-home-stretch.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/08/afl-playoffs-conference-semifinals-recap.html
http://www.arenafootball.com/sports/a-footbl/stats/2013/CONFSTAT.HTM
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
2013 Review: Tampa Bay Storm
The main goal of the 2013 season for the Tampa Bay Storm was not to just compete, but to end a two-year playoff drought. A few notable offseason acquisitions, the retirement of Stephen Wasil, and a youth movement created a scent of mystery for this year. A former AFL quarterback, Adrian McPherson was brought in to direct an offense headlined by Joe Hills. The Storm also retooled their defense with many young players in hopes of turning things in the right direction.
The Storm began the year with a disappointing 64-55 vs. Jacksonville in their opener, but responded by winning their next two games. Through the first part of the season Adrian McPherson dazzled with incredible runs, moves, and plays that had led Tampa Bay to a stretch where they won five of six games and entered week eight with a 5-2 record. The Storm's hot start was cooled in San Jose when a dominate pass rush had its way to neutralize McPherson's versatility and cruised to a 64-34 win. The Storm never regained their dominance from the first month and a half of the season, splitting their next three games after the loss in San Jose and then finishing the regular season with seven straight losses.
Tampa Bay entered June with a 6-4 record, and thanks to a last-second touchdown hookup by McPherson and Joe Hills in Iowa moved them to 7-4. This ended up being the Storm's final win in 2013 as injuries derailed the roster. Two weeks after the thrilling win, Adrian McPherson suffered what ended up being a season-ending leg injury in a week thirteen loss at New Orleans. This was the biggest of many injuries that plagued the Storm defense and turned the receiving core into a revolving door. By season's end the Storm that were 5-2 were a fraction of themselves by seasons' end with a 7-11 finish that earned them the final playoff spot in the American Conference. Despite all the struggles and new faces, Randy Hippeard did a solid job in taking over at quarterback until he was banged up in a week eighteen loss. Shane Boyd then started the final two games, both against Jacksonville. The Storm ended the regular season with a 52-44 loss at Jacksonville, but had a chance at redemption in the conference semifinals. Boyd had the Storm clicking on all cylinders through the first three quarters, and the defense made a few clutch plays to create a 22-point lead heading into the fourth quarter. Everything pointed to a huge upset, but a dismal period that saw Jacksonville rattle off 36 points while holding Tampa Bay to just fourteen allowed the top seed to escape with a 69-62 win that ended the season for the Storm.
The Good from 2013:
- Adrian McPherson's MVP-caliber season through thirteen games
- What the team looked like when they were healthy
- A 5-4 road record
- Ending a two-year playoff drought
- Joe Hills being named to First-Team All Arena
PLAYER STATS
- Adrian McPherson 238-385, 3151 yds, 59 TD, 5 Int; 428 rush yds, 31 TD (13 games)
- Randy Hippeard 111-186, 1310 yds, 24 TD, 4 Int; 10 rush yds, 5 TD (10 games)
- Joe Hills 133 rec, 1861 yds, 42 TD (16 games)
- Michael Lindsey 73 rec, 820 yds, 12 TD; 90 kick-ret, 1537 yds, TD (17 games)
- Greg Ellingson 71 rec, 987 yds, 16 TD (10 games)
- Chris Davis 71 rec, 759 yds, 11 TD (14 games)
- Chris Smith 70.5 tackles, 8 Int (16 games)
- Jean fanor 66.5 tackles, 5 Int, 2 FF, 2 Fumb Rec, Def TD (17 games)
- De'Audra Dix 5 Int, Fumb Rec (7 games)
- Rashad Barksdale 70 tackles, 2 Int, FF, 3 Fumb Rec, Def TD (13 games)
- Vance Cuff 50 tackles, 2 Int, FF, Fumb Rec, Def TD (12 games)
- Juan Bongarra 91-106 PAT, 1-6 FG (29) (17 games)
- Sack Leaders: Pernell Phillips (5), Demarcus Tyler (5), Rodney Beamon (4)
- R.J. Roberts 27 tackles, 3 sack,s 2 FF, 3 Fumb Rec (10 games)
TEAM STATS
- Seventh scoring offense 53.3 ppg
- Fifth rushing offense 28.7 ypg
- Seventh pass offense 258.6 ypg
- Fifth total offense 287.2 ypg
- Seventh pass defense 257 ypg
- Eighth total defense 279.3 ypg
- Fourth pass effciency 112.9
- Third turnover margin +14
- Third red zone offense 81/94
- Fourth red zone defense 83/107
The Bad from 2013:
- Losing the last eight games of the season
- Losing to Jacksonville all three times
- A 2-4 division record
- A 2-7 home record
PLAYER STATS
- All the injuries that derailed both sides of the ball; mainly the season-ending injury to Adrian McPherson
- The loss of Greg Ellingson to the CFL in the first half of the year
TEAM STATS
- Ninth in scoring defense by allowing 54.4 ppg
- 11th in opponent passer efficiency of 108.2
- 11th in opponent 3rd down conversions at 48.9%
- Second-fewest sacks with 18
- Allowed 2nd-most sacks with 51
- Second-worst opponent 4th down conversions 19/35
Final Take:
Tampa Bay's 2013 season looked like a promising one until injuries derailed the team and forced key lineup changes. Adrian McPherson was on pace to capture this year's MVP, but with his season limited to thirteen games we were all deprived of his playmaking ability. Joe Hills continued his climb to the top class of receivers in the AFL, while some young defensive backs also made their name known across the league. Ultimately, this Storm team never gave regardless of who was able to suit up and accomplished their goal of returning to the playoffs.
2013 Finish: 7-12 (2-4 in South), Lost in Conference Semifinals
For more on the Tampa Bay Storm:
http://www.arenafootball.com/
http://www.arenafootball.com/teams/aflstm/
http://www.tampabaystorm.com/
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/03/2013-arena-football-season-kickoff_23.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/04/2013-afl-season-frist-quarter-anaylsis_29.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/06/2013-afl-season-midway-report-south.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/07/afl-turning-into-home-stretch.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/08/afl-playoffs-conference-semifinals-recap.html
http://www.arenafootball.com/sports/a-footbl/stats/2013/CONFSTAT.HTM
The Storm began the year with a disappointing 64-55 vs. Jacksonville in their opener, but responded by winning their next two games. Through the first part of the season Adrian McPherson dazzled with incredible runs, moves, and plays that had led Tampa Bay to a stretch where they won five of six games and entered week eight with a 5-2 record. The Storm's hot start was cooled in San Jose when a dominate pass rush had its way to neutralize McPherson's versatility and cruised to a 64-34 win. The Storm never regained their dominance from the first month and a half of the season, splitting their next three games after the loss in San Jose and then finishing the regular season with seven straight losses.
Tampa Bay entered June with a 6-4 record, and thanks to a last-second touchdown hookup by McPherson and Joe Hills in Iowa moved them to 7-4. This ended up being the Storm's final win in 2013 as injuries derailed the roster. Two weeks after the thrilling win, Adrian McPherson suffered what ended up being a season-ending leg injury in a week thirteen loss at New Orleans. This was the biggest of many injuries that plagued the Storm defense and turned the receiving core into a revolving door. By season's end the Storm that were 5-2 were a fraction of themselves by seasons' end with a 7-11 finish that earned them the final playoff spot in the American Conference. Despite all the struggles and new faces, Randy Hippeard did a solid job in taking over at quarterback until he was banged up in a week eighteen loss. Shane Boyd then started the final two games, both against Jacksonville. The Storm ended the regular season with a 52-44 loss at Jacksonville, but had a chance at redemption in the conference semifinals. Boyd had the Storm clicking on all cylinders through the first three quarters, and the defense made a few clutch plays to create a 22-point lead heading into the fourth quarter. Everything pointed to a huge upset, but a dismal period that saw Jacksonville rattle off 36 points while holding Tampa Bay to just fourteen allowed the top seed to escape with a 69-62 win that ended the season for the Storm.
The Good from 2013:
- Adrian McPherson's MVP-caliber season through thirteen games
- What the team looked like when they were healthy
- A 5-4 road record
- Ending a two-year playoff drought
- Joe Hills being named to First-Team All Arena
PLAYER STATS
- Adrian McPherson 238-385, 3151 yds, 59 TD, 5 Int; 428 rush yds, 31 TD (13 games)
- Randy Hippeard 111-186, 1310 yds, 24 TD, 4 Int; 10 rush yds, 5 TD (10 games)
- Joe Hills 133 rec, 1861 yds, 42 TD (16 games)
- Michael Lindsey 73 rec, 820 yds, 12 TD; 90 kick-ret, 1537 yds, TD (17 games)
- Greg Ellingson 71 rec, 987 yds, 16 TD (10 games)
- Chris Davis 71 rec, 759 yds, 11 TD (14 games)
- Chris Smith 70.5 tackles, 8 Int (16 games)
- Jean fanor 66.5 tackles, 5 Int, 2 FF, 2 Fumb Rec, Def TD (17 games)
- De'Audra Dix 5 Int, Fumb Rec (7 games)
- Rashad Barksdale 70 tackles, 2 Int, FF, 3 Fumb Rec, Def TD (13 games)
- Vance Cuff 50 tackles, 2 Int, FF, Fumb Rec, Def TD (12 games)
- Juan Bongarra 91-106 PAT, 1-6 FG (29) (17 games)
- Sack Leaders: Pernell Phillips (5), Demarcus Tyler (5), Rodney Beamon (4)
- R.J. Roberts 27 tackles, 3 sack,s 2 FF, 3 Fumb Rec (10 games)
TEAM STATS
- Seventh scoring offense 53.3 ppg
- Fifth rushing offense 28.7 ypg
- Seventh pass offense 258.6 ypg
- Fifth total offense 287.2 ypg
- Seventh pass defense 257 ypg
- Eighth total defense 279.3 ypg
- Fourth pass effciency 112.9
- Third turnover margin +14
- Third red zone offense 81/94
- Fourth red zone defense 83/107
The Bad from 2013:
- Losing the last eight games of the season
- Losing to Jacksonville all three times
- A 2-4 division record
- A 2-7 home record
PLAYER STATS
- All the injuries that derailed both sides of the ball; mainly the season-ending injury to Adrian McPherson
- The loss of Greg Ellingson to the CFL in the first half of the year
TEAM STATS
- Ninth in scoring defense by allowing 54.4 ppg
- 11th in opponent passer efficiency of 108.2
- 11th in opponent 3rd down conversions at 48.9%
- Second-fewest sacks with 18
- Allowed 2nd-most sacks with 51
- Second-worst opponent 4th down conversions 19/35
Final Take:
Tampa Bay's 2013 season looked like a promising one until injuries derailed the team and forced key lineup changes. Adrian McPherson was on pace to capture this year's MVP, but with his season limited to thirteen games we were all deprived of his playmaking ability. Joe Hills continued his climb to the top class of receivers in the AFL, while some young defensive backs also made their name known across the league. Ultimately, this Storm team never gave regardless of who was able to suit up and accomplished their goal of returning to the playoffs.
2013 Finish: 7-12 (2-4 in South), Lost in Conference Semifinals
For more on the Tampa Bay Storm:
http://www.arenafootball.com/
http://www.arenafootball.com/teams/aflstm/
http://www.tampabaystorm.com/
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/03/2013-arena-football-season-kickoff_23.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/04/2013-afl-season-frist-quarter-anaylsis_29.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/06/2013-afl-season-midway-report-south.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/07/afl-turning-into-home-stretch.html
http://nicksblogofsports.blogspot.com/2013/08/afl-playoffs-conference-semifinals-recap.html
http://www.arenafootball.com/sports/a-footbl/stats/2013/CONFSTAT.HTM
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