AFL Week 6 Game Previews

Kansas City vs Georgia

Kansas City is coming off a decent game against the San Jose Sabercats. The defense stepped up their performance by holding San Jose to only 44 points, but that still wasn't enough in an 8-point home loss. Quarterback John Fitzgerald was unable to make adjustments to the pressure resulting from the Sabercats pass rush as he was forced to scramble on many occasions. He also threw 3 interceptions and the Brigade scored just two touchdowns in the second half on five possessions. Kansas City is currently winless on the season with three of the four losses coming at home. They have released John Fitzgerald and will start D. Albert Bryant at quartrerback this week. Bryant, along with backup Matt Kohn are the two active quarterbacks on the roster. Coach Kevin Porter said, " We feel right now that the two younger QB's give us the best chance to play better."

Kansas City on offense: With the new quarterback changes, anything can happen. Last game, the Brigade tried to implement a ball-control offense, attempting a lot of crossing routes and comeback routes. It seemed like the coaching staff wanted to find out if Fitzgerald could play with consistency, and when he couldn't, that confirmed their decision to go with the younger players. During the game against Grand Rapids two weeks ago, the Brigade tried to become a high-powered, quick-scoring offense and the majority of passing attempts were for 15 yards or more. That may have been because they faced a large decefit early in the first half, but that type of gameplan can't be ruled out anytime soon. Kansas City will probably build on what they did last week, with the shorter and easier routes, but if they fall behind, they may have no choice but to try and score in a hurry.

Kansas City on defense: After allowing a record 92 points to a road team, the Brigade responded by containing the dangerous Sabercats offense, giving up just 44 points. They intercepted two passes off Mark Grieb and held San Jose to just a 33% third down conversion rate. The Sabercats scored touchdowns on five out of eleven possessions, and anything less than fifty percent is considered to be a good defensive performance. This week, the Brigade face a Georgia team that is regaining its offensive spark after a slow start to the year. Kansas City wants to avoid giving up big plays on defense, if they force two or more first downs to be converted before a score, then they are doing their job. That is one of their goals, to make the oppostion drive down the field and be forced to convert third downs. Georgia has traditionally been a big play offense and against Utah, they put up their highest point total. The Brigade will have to get back to fundamentals and tackle well if they want to be competitive.

Georgia showed they can still be the powerful offensive team they were last year, scoring 70 points against Utah in an easy win. They made minor changes to their roster, adding defensive back James Whitley and placing defensive end Will Thompson on injured reserve. Whitley started 6 games for the Force last season. Georgia acquired receiver Damien Groce from the New York Dragons and traded offensive lineman Steve Franklin. They also released receiver Willis Marshall and linebacker Eric Johnson. Groce was the leading receiver in total yards and touchdowns for the Columbus Destroyers in 2007 before starting this year with the Dragons. With all of these changes, the Force are trying to become a faster and more explosive team. Groce can be the big-play receiver that Georgia is seeking and adding another defensive back will bring speed to the defense. The Force want to pick up the pace on both sides of the ball and it looks like nothing will stop them from attempting to do so.

Georgia on offense: The reason why the Force are in the bottom of the AFL in scoring is because they lack a receiver that can catch the deep ball or get a lot of yards after the catch. Losing Chris Jackson meant someone else would have to fill in and make up all those yards and touchdowns and nobody could do it. The Force were not communicating well and receivers were not running the proper routes. Before last week, Georgia had the worst scoring differential compared to the 2007 season. They will be anxious to see how Groce will perform in his first game and will give him plenty of opportunities against a weak Kansas City defense. This game will be a good test of Georgia's offensive capabilities and they should score on nearly every possession. This is the second of back-to-back games against defenses that rank in the bottom three in scoring.

Georgia on defense: They actually play pretty well, but have been ignored because of the struggles on offense. The Force are sixth in points allowed with 50 per game and are near the league average in other categories. The new acquisitions to the defense is an attempt to bring more quickness to the secondary, which will help their pass coverage. The Force only have 4 interceptions and 4 sacks through 5 games, so a faster unit will translate to more interceptions, extra sacks resulting from better coverage, and more stops. Georgia will face a Brigade squad that is using a new quarterback and is unsure of the offense it wants to run, so this is a great opportunity for the defense to gain confidence and put on a good show in front of the fans.

Prediction: Georgia 55, Kansas City 41

Los Angeles vs Colorado

Los Angeles is in free-fall mode and their season could be over in a very short amount of time. After winning two games by 17 and 32 points, the Avengers have lost 3 straight. They are struggling because the defense is not executing well and the players are getting more frustrated and unhappy with each game. The Avengers defense was once the best in the league, allowing just 37.5 points and a 48% pass completion rate. In their 3 losses, the Avengers have allowed 58, 71, and 84 points. In the most recent loss to Grand Rapids, Los Angeles allowed 56 first-half points and a 31 yard kick return average, with 3 Rampage kick returns going for touchdowns. Receiver Kevin Ingram said," We need to take a long look in the mirror. And we have to put this behind us and get ready for the next game." Los Angeles goes to Colorado for another road game, their fourth out of five games this season.

Los Angeles on offense: The offense played better in the last game than they did in the other two losses. Sonny Cumbie passed for five touchdowns and 210 yards before being removed in the second half to give more playing time to the Avengers backups. Kevin Ingram had a superb game with 13 receptions for 148 yards and 4 touchdowns. Backup Tim Hicks threw for 3 touchdowns and 109 yards. Four turnovers by Los Angeles gave too many scoring chances for Grand Rapids and Los Angeles has been turning the ball over a lot in their losses. The Avengers had 11 turnovers in the 3 losses and other drives were also stopped on downs or missed field goals. They are comprised of veteran players and need to get back on track before making the playoffs becomes out of reach. According to Kevin Ingram," We really need to work on all phases of the game, especially our special teams."

Los Angeles on defense: It's obvious that the players and coaches realize serious adjustments need to be made or else it will be an uphill battle for the rest of the year. The biggest observation is the lack of energy and it's allowing offenses to get in stride and build early leads in games. The Avengers trailed by 20 or more points in all three losses and were losing at halftime in each loss. The 155 points allowed in the last 2 games is a team record, along with the 56 points allowed in the first half of the game against Grand Rapids. Coach Ed Hodgkiss said," They played with much more intensity on both sides of the ball", referring to the lazy performance against the Rampage. Los Angeles travels to Colorado, and although the Crush are 1-3 on the season, they have made the playoffs in previous years despite having slow starts similar to this one.

Just like Los Angeles, Colorado has also lost 3 games in a row. Their most recent loss was at home to the New Orleans VooDoo, on the final play of the game. Colorado trailed 54-51 and John Dutton was intercepted in the end zone. The Crush have lost games to three division leaders in Dallas, Chicago and New Orleans. Despite coming up short, Dutton passed for 232 yards and 7 touchdowns. During the second half, there were no defensive stops until the incerception that sealed the win for the VooDoo. Crush head coach Mike Dailey responded by saying," I appreciate a great effort from our players, but the name of the game is winning and we didn't do that." This week the Crush are up against a team having similar problems so the team with the most energy will probably get the victory.

Colorado on offense: The second half has been filled with difficulties for the Crush. In the three losses, they were outscored by an average of 12 points. In the game against the VooDoo, they traded scores but were not able to score the winning touchdown when they had the ball last. The Crush have played competitively in the early stages of each game, but have faltered in the fourth quarter which ends up costing them the victory. John Dutton is having a decent year, with 21 touchdowns and 5 interceptions, and 969 passing yards. In an interview, Dutton said," It was just one of those things. I really don't know what else to say other than we are not playing good football right now and we need to right the ship." They will have that chance as their opponent may be a mirror image in terms of how their season has progressed compared to their preseason expectations.

Colorado on defense: The Crush are a middle of the pack defensive team and the difference between winning and losing often comes down to one or two possessions. The defense plays with energy and they never give up. Colorado is second in yards per play with 5.8, and fifth in total yards with 278 per game. Statistically, they are slightly above average but in real games they have yet to take control and put the outcome out of reach. When the game is tied with five minutes left or when the Crush are trailing by a touchdown in the fourth quarter, that is the time for the defense to step up and make a stop. If the Crush can perform when it matters most, then they will start winning and everything will go their way.

Prediction: Colorado 59, Los Angeles 52

San Jose vs New Orleans

San Jose is currently 3-2 this season that initial expectations for this team was much higher. The defending champs were supposed to continue their consistent play throughout this year, but losses to Chicago and Dallas shows they are not quite at an elite level. Arguably, the only complete performance was the victory against the Arizona Rattlers, as their other two wins were both by 8 points against mediocre teams in Grand Rapids and Kansas City. On paper, the Sabercats are capable of going on a huge winning streak like they did after the 2-2 start last year, but that is yet to be seen so far. San Jose travels to New Orleans, where they won the 2007 ArenaBowl. The last matchup against the VooDoo was a 67-54 regular season loss, and if the offense doesn't wake up, the Sabercats could be in for a similar result.

San Jose on offense: The trademark has always been a high-powered machine that can score at will. During the first five games, San Jose is playing a little below their lofty expectations which were acheived in the previous season. Mark Grieb is having a slightly above average year, but the 21 touchdowns and 7 interceptions through five games is well below the ratio that is wanted by the coaching staff. Compare those statistics to the 100 touchdowns against 12 interceptions in 2007 and you will see the dropoff. Receiver Saintil Cleannord has 569 yards and 7 touchdowns and James Roe has contributed 344 yards and 5 touchdowns to the offense. Kicker A.J Haglund is perfect with 10 made field goals and 34 made extra points in as many attempts. The offense is loaded with experienced and smart players, and winning games is just a matter of executing and stepping on the field with energy. Against the VooDoo, San Jose should respond with an impressive outing.

San Jose on defense: The Sabercats defense is created to do two things, rush the passer and make solid tackles. During one -on-one situations between the ballcarrier and the defender, the advantage usually goes to the defender. San Jose doesn't mind if the receiver catches a short pass if they don't gain a lot of yards after the catch. They just want to keep all of the receivers in front of them, meaning avoiding giving up deep completions and quick touchdown drives. They did all of that last week, now they face a tougher test. San Jose needs to put pressure on VooDoo quarterback Danny Wimprine because it won't allow him to complete the longer routes which have become the foundation of the VooDoo offense. The Sabercats try to take away the best player on the opposition, but New Orleans is a balanced team and will give them problems.

The VooDoo are 4-1 and coming off an exciting win at Colorado. They are one of the biggest surprises this year and the credit has to go to Danny Wimprine and the resurgence of the offense. New Orleans is trying to add to their success by making a few roster moves. They activated receiver DeAndrew Rubin from the injured list, who was a key player on the 2006 Predators team that was the runner-up in the ArenaBowl and also was on the field for some plays as a linebacker. Defensive lineman Chad Ruffin was signed from the practice squad, and defensive lineman Manase Hopoi was released from the team. The VooDoo are hoping to add more experience to the defense, especially to the linebacker position. Every defensive player on the VooDoo has three years of AFL experience or less.

New Orleans on offense: This unit has come out of nowhere to quickly become one of the highest scoring teams in the AFL. Danny Wimprine continued to show why he can be an elite quarterback, with 6 touchdowns, 314 yards and 1 interception in the win over Colorado. New Orleans scored touchdowns on all 6 red zone attepts and converted 4 of 6 third downs. They rank fourth with 58 points per game and will need that type of output against San Jose. They score 6 more points at home due to the additional turnovers forced, which lead to shorter fields for the offense. During home games, the average scoring drive is just 30 yards on length so they excel in kick returns and completing long pass plays. Look for New Orleans to test the Sabercats with a lot of passes to the end zone and more fly or go routes to James Jordan or Javarus Dudley.

New Orleans on defense: The VooDoo already have 12 interceptions, which is 1 more than the total for last year. Lin-J Shell and Calvin Spears bring energy to the team and use their quickness to pick or deflect passes from opposing quarterbacks. New Orleans is very active when it comes to the secondary, the defensive backs are among the best in pass deflections or knockdowns. They exemplify what it means to play as a team, each player feeds of the others to get better. The VooDoo allow 48 points per game, along with a 61% completion rate, both fourth in the AFL. Against a premier offense in San Jose, the VooDoo will have to be at their best and use their amazing home field advantage to control the pace of the game, playing up-tempo and full of energy is what they excel at. The outcome will probably be decided by whoever can make a stop late in the fourth quarter, so New Orleans will have an opportunity for a victory.

Prediction: San Jose 58, New Orleans 55

Tampa Bay vs Columbus

In an early season matchup for AFL supremacy, the Storm fell short in a 59-51 loss to the Philadelphia Soul. Tampa was in contention for the win, they trailed 25-23 at halftime and kept the decefit at that 2-point margin throughout the second half before allowing a Soul touchdown with 38 seconds remaining to give the game its final score. The storm could not convert on its final possession, a Brett Dietz pass fell incomplete in the end zone as time ran out on the comeback attempt. Dietz threw for 6 touchdowns and 400 yards in the loss and Lawrence Samuels caught 10 passes for 123 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Storm outgained the Soul by 87 yards but 2 fumbles allowed the Soul to have additional scoring chances that they took advantage of. This week's game against Columbus is a rematch of the wild card affair which the Destroyers won by a single point last year.

Tampa Bay on offense: The Storm never change their system or play calling too much, they only make minor adjustments to become more effective. Brett Dietz has pretty much seen everything in his extensive AFL experience and is able to guide his team to victory. The offensive plays remain the same, short passes, screens, crossing routes, curl routes, and the occasional pass to the end zone. Hank Edwards and Brett Holmes are the leading receivers on this team, combining for 727 yards and 14 touchdowns. Eight receivers have caught passes for the Storm this season, so they are using new players and testing out their second-string when they have big leads in games. Tampa has too much talent to come up short on offense in three consecutive games, and I expect a lot of scoring from them in this matchup.

Tampa Bay on defense: After a promising start, the Storm are really having trouble playing with any consistency. In the last two games, they gave up 59 points to Philadelphia and 77 points to New Orleans. This team would never be a likely candidate for allowing 136 points in back-to-back games. They have not forced an interception or fumble in the losses and are allowing too many completions to go for first downs or touchdowns. The Storm held both opponents to under 250 total yards. The problem is each opponent had good field position during the game, starting several drives in Storm territory. Tampa put themselves in a bad position because of turnovers and missed opportunities on special teams and offense, and it that happens too frequently, the defense will be playing from behind. Tampa faces a poor offense in Columbus, so they have an excellent chance to regain some of the ferocity and physicality that made them one of the league's best in recent years.

Columbus is struggling to play like the team that made it to the ArenaBowl in 2007. A 1-4 start prompted many changes to both the coaching staff and roster. The Destroyers added Lary Kuharich as offensive coordinator. Kuharich was at the same position last year for the Nashville Kats, which was disbanded before the beginning of this season. He was also a head coach during the 1990's with several teams. Columbus also signed defensive back Chris Pointer and activated defensive lineman Marcus Green and linebacker Peter Lazare-Saunders. Pointer will take the place of E.J Underwood who was released from the team. All of these changes will hopefully reinvigorate the defense, which is struggling along with the other units. The Destroyers will look to pick up their first home win after losing close games to Orlando and Cleveland.

Columbus on offense: The Destroyers are not a bad offensive team or an untalented one, they just are not performing with enough energy and desire. They have one of the most knowledgeable and poised quarterbacks in Matt Nagy, and he has the ability to turn this squad around. On the season, Nagy has thrown just two interceptions, tied for the best in the AFL. The 21 touchdowns is a decent neumber, considering the slow pace of the offense. Derek Lee has been carrying the load as a top receiver, with 576 yards and 12 touchdowns. He has accounted for almost half of the total receiving yards. Columbus can score when they are close to the goal line, fullback Harold Wells has 114 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. When the Destroyers are in goal-to-go or short-yardage situations, they have a reliable rushing attack. The passing game is just not explosive enough and someone besides Derek Lee has to become the second reliable receiver on the team. In this game against Tampa, we will see if the offense performs any better with a new coordinator.

Columbus on defense: The Destroyers have not forced many turnovers and have just 4 interceptions, which ranks towards the bottom of the AFL. The 3 sacks forced are a league worst and it shows they are giving too much time to quarterbacks and allwoing them to throw from comfortable situations. That puts more pressure on the struggling defensive backs and linemen since they have to be in pass coverage for a longer amount of time. The Destroyers are not a speedy defense, they have just 3 defensive backs on the roster with newly acquired Chris Pointer having the most AFL experience with 5 years. Columbus has been a defensive-minded team in past years, but they have to be more effective if they want to establish a new identity and be a legitimate threat to stopping offenses.

Prediction: Tampa Bay 62, Columbus 50

By Chad Fukoka
ProFootball-fans.com Staff Writer

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