Week 15 South Division Preview

Jun 13, 2012 Tampa Bay Storm

Week 15 South Division Preview

South Division: WEEK 15

In Week 15 of the Silver Anniversary season of the AFL, the South Division, home of the Tampa Bay Storm, features four games, one of which is a South Division matchup between the Tampa Bay Storm and Orlando Predators on Net10 Arena Football Friday on NFL Network.

The Tampa Bay Storm (6-6, 3-3) travels to Orlando’s Amway Center for the season’s second installment of the “War on I-4,” as the Orlando Predators (1-11, 1-3) host the Storm on Friday evening at 8:00 PM. The Storm will look for not only their second win over the Predators this season, but also their first win on the road. Meanwhile, the Predators will look to snap their current six game losing streak.

The New Orleans VooDoo (5-7, 3-1) head to Cleveland to take on the Gladiators (6-6, 3-2). The VooDoo will be looking for the win over the Gladiators in order to earn the head-to-head tiebreaker should both teams find themselves in playoff contention, with their records knotted at the end of the season. Meanwhile the Gladiators are looking to get back on the field after their Week 14 forfeit against the Pittsburgh Power.

The defending ArenaBowl Champion Jacksonville Sharks (6-6, 3-3) host the Philadelphia Soul (10-3, 3-2), and want to bounce back after their disappointing Week 14 loss to division rival Georgia Force. The Soul on the other hand can clinch a playoff spot and win the East Division Championship with a win over the Sharks and Gladiators loss.

Lastly, the Georgia Force (7-6, 3-3) head to Illinois to take on the Chicago Rush (7-5, 3-1) in this inter-conference matchup. The Force, who earned sole possession of first place in the South Division look to continue their winning ways and hold on to the top spot. Last week, the Rush did not have the winner’s luck the Force had, as they look to rebound from the worst loss in franchise history; a 40-point loss to the Utah Blaze.

WEEK 15

FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2012

TAMPA BAY STORM (6-6) AT ORLANDO PREDATORS (1-11) 8:00 PM ET
Series: Storm lead 25-24
Streaks: L 1 | L 6
Coaches vs. Opp: Ewart: 4-4 | Munsey : 2-2
Last Week: L 61-71 at Jacksonville Sharks | L 34-51 at San Jose SaberCats
Last Game: 5/5/2012: Tampa Bay defeated Orlando, 55-31. Tampa Bay’s Rodriguez received 3 passes resulting in 39 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Last Game in Orlando: 5/6/2011: Orlando defeated Tampa Bay, 63-61.
Broadcast: “Arena Football Friday” on NFL Network

NOTES

STORM: This will be the 50th installment of the War on I-4… Tampa Bay holds a slight one game advantage all-time and enters the game having won the past two tilts in the War on I-4… Both Dave Ewart (4-4) and Brett Munsey (2-2) have .500 records against the opponent… The Storm sill hold the #4 seed in the American Conference, despite a bye in Week 14. The Storm hold the tiebreaker over the Cleveland Gladiators based on point spread in head-to-head competition... The Storm have returned a League-high six fumbles for touchdowns this season… The Storm are undefeated at home and winless on the road in 2012…The Storm are 74-10 when scoring 60 or more points…QB NICK HILL was activated from Other League Exempt on May 29, 2012 after a stint with the Green Bay Packers… In his first game back in the 2012 campaign against the Jacksonville Sharks on June 2, Hill replaced QB STEPHEN WASIL after an 0-of-7 start in the first quarter… Hill completed 25-of-32 balls for 321 yards and four TDs. He also scored twice on the ground in the Storm’s loss to the Sharks… He became the second quarterback in franchise history to pass for at least 300 yards in a debut… Hill will return to Orlando for the first time since joining the Storm in the offseason. Hill was the starting quarterback for the Predators in 2010 and 2011… WR AMARRI JACKSON has recorded a catch in 24 consecutive games played… Jackson has caught a touchdown pass in five straight games… Jackson caught 9 balls for 103 yards and a TD in Week 13 against the Sharks… In his last outing against the Predators, Jackson led the Storm in receiving with 11 catches for 135 yards and a TD… In 2012, Jackson has posted 55 receptions for 666 yards and 13 TDs in eight games… WR PRECHAE RODRIGUEZ leads the Storm with 86 receptions for 1152 yards and 28 TDs… In his last outing against the Predators, Rodriquez posted three receptions for 39 yards and 3 TDs… Rodriguez ranks ninth in the AFL in receptions per game with 7.82… He ranks eighth in the AFL in scoring per game with 15.5… Rodriguez failed to score a TD for the first time of his 2012 campaign against the Sharks in Week 13… DB ERICK McINTOSH ranks fourth in the AFL with 18 PBUs in 2012… He ranks 13th in total tackles with 68.5… In Week 13, McIntosh posted 3.5 total tackles, recorded an interception for 25 yards and 2 PBUs… In his last outing against the Predators, McIntosh notched six total tackles and two PBUs… DL PERNELL PHILLIPS leads the Storm with six sacks during his 2012 campaign… DL PAUL GRIFFIN and DL FRISNER NELSON played for the Predators in 2010 and 2011.

PREDATORS: The 11 losses by the Predators are the most in franchise history… The Predators six game losing streak is the longest in franchise history… The Predators lead the League in onside kick conversions, going 5-for-13 on the year... QB CHRIS LEAK took control of the Predators offense during the team’s last matchup against the Storm… In the four games since, he has completed 88-of-153 passes for 1,158 yards and 23 touchdowns… Leak has been sacked 10 times over the last three games… WR TT TOLIVER spent three and a half seasons with Tampa before being traded to the Nashville Kats during the 2005 season. He joined the Predators in 2007… Toliver was named the 24th Greatest WR in AFL History on May 30, 2012… Toliver has recorded 28 receptions for 448 yards and 11 TDs this season… Toliver has a TD reception in seven consecutive games played… Toliver is one TD reception shy of tying Marcus Nash for 14th place all-time on the AFL’s list of career TD receptions leaders. Toliver has 191 TD grabs in his career… WR JARVIS WILLIAMS has hauled in 19 receptions for 199 yards and seven TDs in his last two outings… DB KENNY McENTYRE returned to the Predators on June 6, 2012… DB SIMEON CASTILE leads the Predators in passes defended with 15… In his last game against the Storm, Castile posted an INT… Last week against San Jose, Castile posted two interceptions for 17 yards… DB TRAVIS COLEMAN leads the team with six interceptions… DL RICHARD CLEBERT spent the 2011 season with the Storm… K MARK LEWIS is two field goals shy of moving into ninth place all-time on the AFL’s list of career field goals leaders. Lewis has made 90 field goals in his career.

SATURDAY, JUNE 16, 2012

NEW ORLEANS VOODOO (5-7) AT CLEVELAND GLADIATORS (6-6) 7:30 PM ET
Series: VooDoo lead 2-0
Streaks: L 1| L 3
Coaches vs. Opp: O’Hara: 1-1 | Thonn: 1-1
Last Week: L 46-53 vs. San Antonio Talons | L 0-2 vs. Pittsburgh Power
Last Game: 4/16/2011: New Orleans defeated Cleveland, 34-33. New Orleans QB Wimprine had 36 passing attempts with 22 completions, resulting in 200 yds and 3 TDs. Cleveland QB Rocco had 31 passing attempts with 19 completions resulting in 217 yds and 1 TD.
Last Game At Site: 4/16/2011: New Orleans defeated Cleveland 34-33.
Broadcast: “AFL Live” on Ustream

NOTES

VOODOO: The VooDoo rank first in the AFL in turnover margin with a +18 mark on the year… If the VooDoo defeat the Gladiators and the Predators defeat the Tampa Bay Storm in Week 15, the VooDoo
would move into the #4 seed, based on head-to-head victories over the Gladiators and Storm. The Jacksonville Sharks, however, hold a head-to-head tiebreaker over the VooDoo. If the VooDoo win and
the Storm and Sharks both lose, the Sharks would remain in the #3 seed based on a head-to-head victory over the VooDoo earlier this season… New Orleans ranks sixth in the AFL in total offense with 315.2 yards per game… The VooDoo rank atop the League in pass defense efficiency (96.7)… The team ranks fifth in the AFL in pass offense (301.8 yards per game)… The VooDoo rank second in the AFL in passing yards per completion with 13.4… QB KURT ROCCO, WR QUOREY PAYNE and DB DEMARCUS ROBINSON were teammates together with the Cleveland Gladiators in 2011. Rocco took over the starting QB job after an injury to John Dutton in Week 1… Rocco led the team to an American Conference East Division Championship… Rocco ranks third in the AFL in total offense with 316.2 yards per game… His 312.8 passing yards per game ranks third in the AFL… Rocco ranks second in passing yards per completion with 13.9… In the VooDoo’s loss to San Antonio last week, Rocco completed 27-of-42 passes for 362 yards and six TDs. He also threw an interception… WR L.J. CASTILE has caught a touchdown pass in every game played this year… Castile ranks tenth in the AFL in receptions per game with 7.73… In last week’s loss to San Antonio, Castile posted 12 receptions for 159 yards and a TD…WR JOSH BUSH has recorded at least three touchdowns catches five weeks in a row… Bush recorded seven receptions for 122 yards and 4 TDs in Week 14. He also posted 53 kick return yards… Bush ranks ninth in the AFL in all-purpose yards per game with 145.3… Bush leads the VooDoo in receiving yards (1,117) and receiving TDs (24)… WR QUOREY PAYNE has seven consecutive games with a touchdown
reception… Payne posted eight receptions for 81 yards and a TD last week against San Antonio… Payne
ranks sixth in the AFL in kick return average with 19.8… Payne ranks third on the VooDoo in receiving
yards (906) and receiving TDs (17)… LB ALVIN RAY JACKSON broke his own single-season franchise
record for interceptions after recording his ninth of the year in Week 14. He has recorded at least one
interception in four of the last five games… DB JEREMY KELLEM led the VooDoo in tackles last week
with five… Kellem is tied for ninth in the AFL with 70.0 total tackles… He ranks second in the AFL in
passes defended with 1.92 per game.

GLADIATORS: The Gladiators rank first in the League in scoring defense, allowing an average of 49 points through 11 games this season… The Gladiators rank second in total defense allowing 263.5 yards per game…After forfeiting their Week 14 game against the Pittsburgh Power, the Cleveland Gladiators dropped out of the playoff rankings. Despite a 6-6 record, the Gladiators do not hold the tiebreakers in head-to-head matchups against the Storm or Sharks. The Gladiators became the first team in AFL history to forfeit a game… QB JOHN DUTTON’s 429 pass attempts rank fifth in the AFL in 2012. His 274 completions rank sixth in the League… Dutton’s 12 interceptions ties him for the sixth most in the League this season… Dutton completed 34-of-47 passes for 370 yards and seven TDs in the Gladiators Week 13 loss to the Iowa Barnstormers…FB JERAMIE RICHARDSON has scored a rushing touchdown in seven straight games... WR DOMINICK GOODMAN has recorded a touchdown catch in 10 straight games… In Week 13, he tallied 12 receptions for 114 yards and two TDs… Goodman ranks second in the AFL with 10.45 receptions per game… His 111.9 receiving yards per game ranks fourth in the AFL… WR ROBERT REDD has recorded a touchdown catch in 14 consecutive games, dating back to last season… He tallied 12 receptions for 127 yards and two TDs against the Iowa Barnstomers in Week 13… Redd ranks seventh in the League in all purpose yards with 162.3 yards per game…. DB JOE PHINISEE led the Gladiators with 9.0 total tackles in Cleveland’s loss to the Barnstormers in Week 13… Phinisee has tallied four interceptions for 61 yards and TD in 2012… DB LEVY BROWN ranks sixth in the AFL in interceptions with seven. He has returned one for a TD…Brown is tied for ninth in the AFL in forced fumbles in 2012 with three.

PHILADELPHIA SOUL (10-3) AT JACKSONVILLE SHARKS (6-6) 7:00 PM ET
Series: Series tied 1-1
Streaks: W 3 L 1
Coaches vs. Opp: Plank: 1-0 | Moss: 1-1
Last Week: W 69-62 at Milwaukee Mustangs | L 39-56 at Georgia Force
Last Game: 05/12/12 Soul defeated the Sharks, 59-38. Quarterback Bernard Morris of the Sharks was 20-of-28 passing. Morris scored 4 touchdowns. Quarterback Dan Raudabaugh completed 20 of his attempted 26 passes. He scored 7 touchdowns.
Last Game at Site: First Appearance at site
Broadcast: “AFL Live” on Ustream

NOTES

SOUL: Philadelphia holds a firm grasp on the #1 seed in the American Conference based on number of wins (10). The Soul can clinch a playoff spot and the East Division championship in Week 15 with a victory over the Jacksonville Sharks and a loss by the Cleveland Gladiators… The Soul’s offensive line has not given up a sack in four consecutive games and has allowed just three sacks all season… The Soul have the top ranked scoring offense in the AFL (67.9 points per game)… The Soul’s 883 points rank first in the AFL… The Soul’s 117 total offensive TDs rank first in the AFL… QB DAN RAUDABAUGH broke his own single-game franchise record for passing yards in Week 14 with 379 yards against the Milwaukee Mustangs… Raudabaugh set the previous record of 366 earlier this year, also against the Mustangs… He tied his own single-game franchise record for passing touchdowns with eight in Week 14… Raudbaugh is six touchdown passes shy of Tony Graziani’s single-season franchise record of 90, set in 2005… Raudabaugh’s 86 total offensive TDs rank third in the AFL… In Philadelphia’s victory over Milwaukee last week, Raudabaugh completed 25-of-34 balls for 379 yards and eight TDs… FB DERRICK ROSS has scored a rushing touchdown in every game played this season… Ross tallied two rushing TDs last week against Milwaukee… Ross trails Iowa Barnstormers FB Rodney Filer by one touchdown for ninth place all-time on the League’s list of career rushing touchdowns leaders. Ross is tied with Todd Hammel for 10th place with 64 rushing touchdowns in his career… Ross has rushed for an AFL-leading 452 yards and 25 touchdowns this season… WR TIGER JONES has recorded multiple touchdown receptions in 11 consecutive games and has collected at least one receiving score in every game this season… Jones is one touchdown reception shy of tying AFL Hall of Famer Stevie Thomas for 22nd place all-time on the AFL’s list of career touchdown receptions leaders. Jones has 148 touchdown catches in his career… Jones tallied eight receptions for 130 yards and two TDs… WR DONOVAN MORGAN has caught a touchdown pass in six consecutive games played this season… Against Milwaukee last week, Morgan led the Soul receivers with nine receptions for 153 yards and four TDs… WR JEFF HUGHLEY spent the 2011 season with the Jacksonville Sharks… Hughley is 118 kickoff return yards shy of Steve Smith’s single-season franchise record of 1,425 yards, set in 2005… In Week 14, Hughley tallied six receptions for 84 yards and one TD. He added 140 kick return yards… He ranks second in the AFL in kick returns with 69… DL BRYAN ROBINSON is 1.5 sacks shy of the single-season franchise record… Robinson blocked his fifth kick of the year, one shy of the single-season AFL record… DB RAYSHAUN KIZER recorded his 35th career interception in Week 14.

SHARKS: The Sharks moved into the #3 seed in the American Conference after a loss to the Georgia Force in Week 14. The Sharks hold the tiebreaker over the Cleveland Gladiators based on number of wins in head-to-head competition and over the Tampa Bay Storm based on point spread in head-to-head competition… After recording just one interception in the first seven games of 2012, the Sharks have picked off seven passes over the team’s last five games… The Sharks offense ranks second in yards per game with 32.2…Jacksonville ranks fourth in the AFL in scoring defense allowing 51.2 yards per game… QB BERNARD MORRIS’ streak of consecutive games with a rushing touchdown was snapped at three… Morris set a single-game franchise record with 68 rushing yards in Week 14… His 39-yard run in Week 14 was the longest run from scrimmage in 2012… Morris leads the League with an average of six yards per rush this season… Morris ranks third in the AFL in net rushing yards with 204… He ranks second in the AFL in rushing yards per game with 25.5…For the first time this season, WR TERRANCE SMITH was held without a touchdown catch. His streak of games with multiple touchdown receptions was also snapped at six… Smith ranks third in the AFL in all-purpose yards per game with 179.8… He is tied for third in the AFL in kickoff return TDs with three… Smith is tied for seventh in the AFL in touchdowns scored with 30…WR BOBBY SEWALL has recorded a receiving touchdown in each of the last three games… He is tied for tenth in the AFL in yards per reception with 13.4…WR JAMARKO SIMMONS has recorded a receiving touchdown in each of the last three games… DB MICHEAUX ROBINSON spent the first half of the 2012 season with the Philadelphia Soul before being traded back to Jacksonville… DL AARON ROBBINS has tallied 5.5 sacks in the last seven games combined… He is tied for fifth in the AFL in sacks with 6.5… DL SCOOTER BERRY has tallied a sack in six of the last nine games… Berry ranks fourth in the AFL in sacks with 7.0… Berry also recorded a fumble recovery in three of the last six games… He is tied for third in the AFL in fumbles recovered with three… K MARCO CAPOZZOLI is 8-for-8 on field goal attempts this season. He is 6-for-6 in the team’s last four games.

GEORGIA FORCE (7-6) AT CHICAGO RUSH (7-5) 8:00 PM ET
Series: Force lead 3-1
Streaks: W 1 | L 1
Coaches vs. Opp: Cokinos: 1-1 | McMillen : 1-1
Last Week: W 56-39 vs. Jacksonville Sharks | L 28-68 at Utah Blaze
Last Game: 4/14/2012: Georgia defeated Chicago, 70-49. Chicago’s Morris was voted Riddell Defensive MVP. Georgia’s McRae was voted Russell Athletics Offensive MVP and AFL Playmaker. Benson was voted JLS Ironman of the Game.
Last Game at Site: 5/18/2002: Chicago defeated Georgia, 70-62.
Broadcast: “AFL Live” on Ustream

NOTES

FORCE: Last week Georgia defeated the Jacksonville Sharks 56-39…Their win over the Sharks earned them sole possession of the lead in the South Division and the second seed in the American Conference playoff race…The Force edge the Sharks and the Storm based on total number of wins (7). Should a tie occur between the Force and Sharks, the Force own the tiebreaker based on head-to-head competition. Should a tiebreaker occur between the Force and Storm, the Force own the tiebreaker based on point spread against common opponents…Georgia ranks sixth in rushing offense with 20.8 yards per game, seventh in total defense with 282.9 yards and fifth in pass defense with 257.5 yards per game….The Force rank second in the League in scoring defense with 49.3 points per game… QB RJ ARCHER is 208-of-347 passing with 2,279 yards and 46 TDs… WR LARRY SHIPP leads the team in receptions with 106 catches for 1,268 yards and 26 TDs…Shipp ranks fourth in the League in receptions per game with 8.83, eighth in receiving yards per game with 105.7 and ninth in scoring with 15.2 points per game…In Week 14 Shipp scored touchdowns receiving, rushing and throwing the ball…He has recorded a touchdown reception in every game played this season and two touchdown receptions in five consecutive games played... WR CJ JOHNSON has recorded 77 catches for 828 yards and 13 TDs…He ranks second in the League in all-purpose yardage with 181.2 per game and ranks fourth in the League in kick return average with 181.2 yards per game…He is 145 kick return yards shy of tying AFL Hall of Famer Barry Wagner for 13th place on the AFL’s list of career kick return yardage leaders. Johnson has 6,039 kick return yards in his career… FB MYKELL BENSON leads the team in rushing with 57 attempts…He is tied for fourth in total rushing yards with 118 and ranks ninth in the League in rushing yards per game with 9.8…Benson has recorded 6 rushing TDs in 2012…DB TRACY BELTON still leads the League in interceptions with 10, despite being placed on injured reserve four weeks ago…K CARLOS MARTINEZ has 105 points kicking and is 69-for-79 on PATs…He leads the League in FGs made with 12 and in FG kicking percentage with 63.2…He ranks fifth in PAT kicking percentage with 87.3…In Week 14 he tied the single-season FG franchise record of 12.

RUSH: In Week 14, the Rush fell to the Blaze, 68-28…Their 40-point loss to the Blaze was the worst in franchise history… The Rush are 6-0 at home but just 1-5 on the road in 2012. All five losses have come against teams with winning records…If the Chicago Rush defeat the Georgia Force and the Spokane Shock defeat the Utah Blaze in Week 15, the Rush would move back into the number 4 seed in the National Conference, based on having fewer losses than the Blaze and a head-to-head tiebreaker over the Shock …Chicago ranks ninth in the League rushing defense with 16.5 yards per game, seventh in scoring offense with 58.3 points per game and fourth in pass offense with 304.7 yards per game…The Rush rank fifth in the League in rushing offense with 21.2 yards per game and total offense with 325.9 yards per game…QB RUSS MICHNA is 249-of-362 passing for 3,221 yards and 64 TDs…He ranks fifth in the League in passing average per game with 292.8 yards and in total offense with 296.5 yards per game…He ranks second in the League in pass efficiency at 126.9…Michna is the AFL’s most accurate passer with a completion percentage of 68.8 in 2012…In Week 14 he moved ahead of former Rush QB Matt D’Orazio into 23rd place on the AFL’s list of career passing touchdown leaders. Michna has 258 passing scores in his career…QB LUKE DRONE is 38-of-65 passing with 507 yards and 7 TDs…He has 16 rushing attempts for 21 yards and 10 TDs…In Week 14, Drone scored 14 of the team’s 28 points on touchdown runs…He has rushed for a TD in each of the last 6 games… WR REGGIE GRAY leads the team in receptions with 88 for 1,200 yards and 30 TDs…He ranks fourth in the League in all-purpose yardage with 167.7 per game and is seventh in scoring with 15.5 points per game...Gray has collected multiple TD receptions in 6 straight games…WR JARED PERRY has tallied 86 catches…He ranks seventh in the League in yards per catch with 14.1 and in total reception yards with 1,214…WR TERRANCE TURNER has tallied 59 receptions for 679 yards and 13 TDs…In Week 14 his streak of consecutive games with a TD reception was snapped at 4…LB KELVIN MORRIS leads the team in interceptions with 4…He is tied for first in the League in interception return TDs with 3…He is tied for first in the League in fumble recoveries with 4…He has tallied 26 tackles, 1 sack, 1 pass break up and 1 forced fumble in 2012…K JOE HOUSTON has tallied 28 points kicking and is 25-for-25 on PATs and is 1-for-4 on FGs.

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