AFL Week 4 Recap

Another week of arena football has passed, and once again there are some things to notice.

• Chris Jackson dominated the Avengers secondary as he caught 10 passes for 167 yards and 6 touchdowns. He already had 4 touchdown receptions in the first half and added two more in the fourth quarter to close out a spectacular game.
• Philadelphia's defense took control of the game in the second half, limiting the Avengers to only 1 touchdown. The Soul forced 2 fumbles, 2 interceptions, a safety, and a turnover on downs on 6 consecutive stops against the Avengers. Philadelphia outscored Los Angeles 37-7 in the second half.

• Utah lost its fourth consecutive game on a Columbus field goal as time expired. The Blaze gave up a 35-20 halftime lead and lost 52-49. In all four losses, games were decided on the final possession and by 8 points or less.

• New Orleans defeated Cleveland, 63-24. The Gladiators were a perfect 3-0 going into the matchup and had scored 62 points per game. New Orleans held the Gladiators scoreless in the first and third quarters, forced 4 interceptions and 2 fumbles, and took a commanding 42-10 lead into the final quarter.

• Danny Wimprine is having an incredible season. He has guided the VooDoo to 3 straight wins and has thrown for 18 touchdowns and just 1 interception. Other impressive statistics include a 12.5 yards per completion average and a 123.1 quarterback rating.

• Arizona picked up a solid win over the struggling New York Dragons. The shaky defense finally stepped up its game, with 9 defensive stops and only 4 touchdowns allowed in a 62-33 victory. Jeff Smoker tossed 5 touchdown passes and had 22 completions for 240 yards. The Rattlers defense had just 1 interception, but 8 turnovers on downs forced.

• Orlando got a good defensive performance as the Predators slipped past the Force 50-45. The Predators held the Force scoreless on their last 3 possessions in the final 12 minutes of the game. Orlando led 31-28 in a high scoring first half, but the pace slowed down and the Force were stopped on the Predators one-yard line as time expired, in a controversial ending as many fans believe the Force receiver was untouched and not forced out of bounds before he crossed the goal line.

• Damian Harrell broke the AFL career touchdown receptions record with his 304th touchdown reception in a 70-35 win over Colorado. Harrell had 2 touchdowns and 6 receptions for 78 yards. Chicago dominated the second half, outcoring Colorado 30-7.

• Dallas defeated San Jose 59-55, to remain undefeated at 4-0 and end the Sabercats 15 game home win streak that dated back to 2006. Both quarterbacks, Chris Sanders and Mark Grieb, threw for 6 touchdowns and no interceptions, but defensive stops for Dallas, one on the first San Jose possession and one late in the fourth quarter, gave them an opportunity to hold on to their lead.

• Grand Rapids scored 13 touchdowns in a 92-52 victory over Kansas City. James MacPherson threw 9 touchdown passes and the Rampage scored the second highest point total in AFL history. MacPherson completed touchdown passes to 5 different receivers, and the defense created 5 turnovers. The 92 points were the most by a road team and second highest to the 99 points scored by the New York Dragons in a victory over the now-defunct Carolina Cobras.

By Chad Fukoka
ProFootball-fans.com Staff Writer

> Check out Chad's Arena Football Rules & AFL Basics article and see how your team is doing in the 2008 AFL standings as AFL teams continue to battle for a chance to play in Arena Bowl XXII!