AFL Week 7 Game Previews

Colorado vs Cleveland

Colorado snapped their three game losing streak by defeating the Los Angeles Avengers, 67-54, in an important game to stay in playoff contention. John Dutton stated his team had to put together a complete effort, and his teammates responded to that challenge. Dutton threw 8 touchdowns and completed 32 passes for 334 yards. The Crush could not be stopped in the second half, putting up 39 points and 6 touchdowns. Colorado's defense played with more energy, forcing two interceptions and two fumbles, while limiting the Avengers time of possession to just 20 minutes. Colorado will try to get its first road win in a nonconference game against Cleveland. Their two previous road losses were to elite teams in Chicago and Dallas, but the Crush know they can't underestimate the surprisingly strong play of the Gladiators.

Colorado on offense: The Crush have been more explosive and consistent in the last two games. They had an amazing game against the Avengers, scoring ten touchdowns, with eight of them from passes by John Dutton. Receiver Ben Nelson caught 13 passes for 174 yards and 5 touchdowns, while Willie Quinnie had 9 receptions for 81 yards. Along with Brad Pyatt, Colorado had three decent receivers that are reliable and can be expected to perform every week. The Crush use a lot of short crossing routes and hook routes to get small, consistent gains. They just want to keep making first downs and eventually they will drive down the field and score. John Dutton is an experienced quarterback and a strong leader, he often takes the blame for his team's efforts and is always motivating others. Colorado coach Mike Dailey says he appreciates the efforts of each player but they need to finish games on the right note. After a solid offensive performance last week, look for the Crush to keep the momentum going against a resilient Cleveland squad.

Colorado on defense: This was supposed to be a strong point going into the season, and so far the defense is average. During the third and fourth quarters against Los Angeles, the Crush showed they can be a physical and intimidating defense. They held the Avengers to 19 points, but also got penetration against the Avengers offensive line and hit quarterback Sonny Cumbie. Colorado made Sonny Cumbie scramble out of the pocket and he was unable to find his receivers. The Crush can be a good defense if they can pressure the quarterback because they don't have a really talented group of defensive backs and struggle to cover or cut off routes. Cleveland runs a similar offense so the Crush should be familiar with most of the plays and formations, it will come down to whether they can aviod giving up long gains and wide-open completions, something they are prone to do.

After a promising start, the Gladiators have been given a dose of reality, losing consecutive road games to New Orleans and Dallas. Cleveland was competitive in the loss to Dallas, thet trailed by just 4 points at halftime and stayed within 1 touchdown during the fourth quarter. They are not a balanced team at this point in the season, their offense is far ahead of the defense. Cleveland had just two defensive stops in their last game, one forced fumble and one turnover on downs. In their two losses, they have allowed an average of 60.5 points. Cleveland has won both of its home games, as they return home for the first time in five weeks. The Gladiators have a nice home-field advantage because this is their inagural season in a new city, and fans are happy that the franchise has turned around after being one of the weaker teams in the league for a few years. Cleveland will attempt to end their losing streak, and we will find out if their enthusiasm and high-octane offense can offset the experience and determination of Colorado.

Cleveland on offense: If you take away the 24 points scored against New Orleans, the Gladiators are averaging about 59 points per game. They are a dangerous offense because they like to throw the deep ball and score in a hurry. Cleveland has the second most rushing yards per game, they often run the ball in short-yardage situations. They average over 11 yards per completion, and despite having just a 60% completion rate, most of them are going for first downs. Robert Redd and Otis Amey are the leading receivers and both have the ability to run any type of route. Raymond Philyaw understands he is working with a young team, but he says he has faith in his teammates and believes they can contend for the playoffs. This game against an experienced Colorado team is the type the Gladiators have to win to be successful as a franchise and to be considered a serious playoff contender.

Cleveland on defense: It's been difficult for the Gladiators to react to opposing players and be in the right positions on pass coverage since they lack the experience and knowledge that comes with being in game situations. Sometimes they are out of position on pass routes, allwoing easy completions, and in other instances they do not tackle well and give up too many yards. Cleveland has made several changes to their roster. They activated offensive lineman Craig Heimburger and defensive lineman Elex Reed from the injured list. Heimburger played in the first two games this season before being injured and Reed was one of the top players in the development league last year. Defensive lineman Silas Demary and offensive lineman Tango McCauley were both placed on the injured list. Cleveland will have to force turnovers against the Crush since they have been struggling in their pass coverage and are among the weakest in pressuring the quarterback.

Prediction: Colordo 59, Cleveland 55

New Orleans vs Dallas

The VooDoo may have solidified themselves as a top team in the AFL after a convincing victory over San Jose, but now they face another premier team when they travel to Dallas. New Orleans reached the 70-point mark for the second time this year in a 72-43 win over the Sabercats, a matchup in which Danny Wimprine threw 5 touchdowns and had 222 passing yards. James Jordan and Javarus Dudley accounted for most of the receiving, combining for 13 receptions, 158 yards and 4 touchdowns. The VooDoo scored three touchdowns in the final two minutes and have been doing well in closing out quarters and gaining momentum for the rest of the game. New Orleans had two interception returns for a touchdown and have 15 interceptions this year. They are away from their supportive home crowd and play at Dallas, one of the toughest places to get a road win.

New Orleans on offense: The VooDoo are one of four teams to be averaging 60 or more points per game and this offensive dominance is one of the surprises of the 2008 season. They rank third in yards per point, with only 4.8, meaning that their scoring drives don't cover many yards, so they are starting off with good field position. New Orleans starts many possessions already in opponent's territory because they force so many turnovers and are among the best in kick returns. Danny Wimprine and his receivers are energetic and reliable, they can be expected to score on nearly every possession. New Orleans will have to convert on their third down chances, since Dallas is excellent in stopping opponents in that situation. The VooDoo have to make sure they get touchdowns, not field goals in the red zone, because Dallas is at its best when preventing teams from getting red zone touchdowns.

New Orleans on defense: The VooDoo always play with lots of energy and look to make the big play or force a turnover. They are allowing only 47.5 points per game and that can be attributed to their 15 interceptions, which currently lead the league. New Orleans is second in yards per play, with 6.1 and although they don't give up big plays, they are on the field for a pretty long time. The VooDoo average 48 defensive plays per game and even if they substitute players, fatigue can become a factor in a close game. New Orleans is a team built for speed and its defensive backs are very active in forcing deflections and tipped balls. They will have to be at their best to contain Clint Dolezel and the Desperados, possibly the most complete offense in the league.

Dallas is 6-0 on the season, and all of their games have been decided by 11 points or less. It's a good thing because they are able to perform under pressure. Dallas has been consistently scoring touchdowns and Clint Dolezel simply is too smart of a quarterback to make mistakes in a close game. Backup Chris Sanders played well in the four weeks that Dolezel was injured, so Dallas also has a good second-string quarterback. The Desperados defense is at the top of the AFL when it comes to third downs and red zone opportunities, they have been shutting down teams in both of those areas. Dallas forces a lot of incompletions and players know where they are supposed to be on defense. Close games to Cleveland and New York show they may not be as dominant as last year, but for this team, it's all about getting better each week and in the long run that means winning an ArenaBowl.

Dallas on offense: Now that Clint Dolezel is completely healthy, Dallas is at full strength on offense. He has thrown for 12 touchdowns and just 1 interception on the season and is completing 69.2% of his passes. Last season, Dolezel had only 9 interceptions so he rarely makes a bad pass. He calls his own plays and knows where he and all of his receivers should be on every play. The Desperados have four good receivers in Marcus Nash, Anthony Armstrong, Will Pettis, and Josh Bush. Dallas can throw the ball to anyone and it will likely be a completion, that is why they are so hard to stop. The Desperados get first downs to continue a drive and they take advantage of opportunities or mistakes, such as a defender falling down or being a step behind in coverage. Poor execution on defense will probably result in either a touchdown or easy completion. Dallas will have to take whatever is given to them because New Orleans is going to force them to move the ball through short passes.

Dallas on defense: The Desperados allow a league best 42.5 points per game and it is the result of their amazing pass coverage. They take away the best receiver and force teams to throw to their second or third options on the majority of plays. This results in shorter passes and lets defenders be in position to make a tackle. When an opposing receiver catches a pass, a linebacker or defensive back is already waiting to tackle them and limit the yards after the catch. Dallas ranks fifth in yards per pass attempt and first in yards per points scored. They force the worst starting field position for opponents, so teams have to drive down the entire field through short gains if they want to score. Against an explosive VooDoo offense, these team strengths will be very helpful.

Utah vs Los Angeles

This year has been full of close games for the Utah Blaze, yet they have no wins to show for it. Utah is one of only two teams that are still winless and their 0-6 record is a league worst. They suffered another close loss to the undefeated Philadelphia Soul, 64-56. The Blaze held an early lead in the first quarter, 16-7, but they fell short due to the mediocre defensive performance that was once again exhibited by this young team. Joe Germaine passed for 5 touchdowns and 250 yards and Huey Whittaker had 6 receptions for 67 yards and 3 scores. Two Blaze fumbles lead to 14 points off turnovers by the Soul. Utah was unable to get the defensive stop it needed to close the gap late in the game. The Blaze play an opponent that has lost 4 straight games, is struggling on offense, and has a suspect defense. All of these factors combined with their scoring ability may allow Utah to pick up their first win.

Utah on offense: The Blaze are a high-powered, fast-paced offense that is always looking for an opportunity to score. With that in mind, they are also one of the youngest offensive units in the league, all of their receivers have two years of AFL experience or less. J.J McKelvey and Huey Whittaker are the most consistent receivers and both are able to make adjustments during routes to catch the ball. Joe Germaine has already thrown 38 touchdowns in just 6 games, but even that display of offense hasn't been enough. Utah will frequently use deep routes to test the struggling defensive backs of Los Angeles. The Avengers are not forcing any turnovers and have been allowing a very high completion percentage in the last three games, so Utah is in a perfect position to operate their system. The Blaze will score, but will it be enough?

Utah on defense: This unit hasn't been getting any better and now there is nothing else that can make up for it. The Blaze only have 5 interceptions through 6 games because the secondary is either a step behind on most routes, or players are not in the right position or covering their assigned receiver. These problems existed last year but it was overshadowed by the efforts of the powerful offense, which was enough to get some victories. The Blaze are winless and have been exposed as a one-dimensional team. Utah is allowing 64 points per game, last in the AFL. Although they face an Avengers team which has the worst completion rate and is turnover prone in recent games, Utah still has to force a few stops on their own and it starts with tight coverage on every route. If this unit could find the confidence and resiliency that's established on offense, they wouldn't be the worst in the league anymore.

Los Angeles has lost 4 consecutive games and their playoff possibilities are getting worse with each passing week. Turnovers have been a major contributor to this losing streak, the Avengers had 2 fumbles and 2 interceptions in the second half of their most recent defeat at Colorado. Los Angeles had a 34-27 halftime lead against Colorado before those mistakes allowed the game to get out of hand. Backup quarterback Tim Hicks said,"They got two interceptions from passes that I should not have thrown. I'm not happy about that." Sonny Cumbie was resting due to fatigue and discomfort, but he will start this week against Utah. The Avengers are back at home after two road games, and this is a must-win game to stay in playoff contention and to restore confidence in both players and fans.

Los Angeles on offense: The Avengers have had three or more turnovers in all of their losses this season. Many of them result from unforced errors, such as bad passes or miscommunication between players. Los Angeles has also played much worse in the second half, being outscored in each of the last four games. Play caling and strategy changes a lot when a team is trailing, they have to attempt longer passes, run a hurry-up offense, or substitute different players. Basically, Los Angeles has been out of rhythm and is communicating poorly because they have been playing desperately to try to overcome large defecits. They should be able to score on most possessions against an untalented and uninspired defense, but they need to work hard to get good results. Expect a big game from Sonny Cumbie, who wants a win in this matchup at all costs.

Los Angeles on defense: They have allowed 58, 71, 84, and 67 points in their losses, an average of 70 points per game. The Avengers have not forced any fumbles or interceptions in the last two games and are allowing a very high completion percentage. They are letting opponents complete two-thirds of their passes, and creating long-yardage situations and third or fourth down conversion attempts becomes nearly impossible. Los Angeles lets opponents drive down the field or score from good starting field position. Either scenario nearly always results in a touchdown and the Avengers are giving up the second most yards per game. They will have difiiculty in containing the Blaze, one of the better offensive teams. Hopefully the defense shows up because even the players are noticing their own lack of effort.

Prediction: Los Angeles 62, Utah 52

Philadelphia vs San Jose

The Soul are one of two undefeated teams remaining and they play four out of their next five games on the road. The offense is arguable the best in the AFL and it starts with the spectacular performances of Tony Graziani and Matt D'Orazio. Both quarterbacks have thrown twenty or more touchdowns on the season and are the leaders on this team. Philadelphia won a close home game over Utah and the final outcome was never really in doubt. Matt D'Orazio tosses 6 touchdown passes and completed 28 passes for 300 yards in the victory over the Blaze. Star receiver Chris Jackson had an incredible night, with 13 receptions for 138 yards and 5 touchdowns. The 56 points allowed matched a season high and the Soul face another potent offense in the San Jose Sabercats. Philadelphia can't underestimate the Sabercats, despite their 3-3 record, they have lost only 1 home game out of the last 16.

Philadelphia on offense: Tony Graziani may return and play some possessions against San Jose, but even if he doesn't, Matt D'Orazio is more than capable of guiding his team to victory. D'Orazio hasn't had any interceptions in the three games he has started, and already has 21 touchdown passes. He is completing 70% of his passes. Larry Brackins and Chris Jackson are go-to receivers on this squad, both average 100 or more receiving yards per game. Jackson has 24 touchdown receptions, nearly half of the team total. Philadelphia will rely on those two players to carry the offensive load and they will do it once again. The Soul rarely turn the ball over and it's why they can score with such consistency. Don't expect any type of dropoff in the offensive performance, even against a physical Sabercats defense.

Philadelphia on defense: The Soul have been known for their team speed and solid tackling. They are only allowing 48 points per game and they force so many third down conversion attempts that offenses will be unable to convert all of them, and sometimes it results in turnovers. The Soul are good at forcing offenses into long-yardage passing attempts, and when a team has to frequently convert more than five yards on third down, they will struggle to score. Philadelphia ranks second in yards per point, offenses have to gain a lot of yards on each possession before they score a touchdown. The Soul will need to make San Jose take the short passes that's given to them. If they can prevent big plays, they should have a decent chance at winning the game.

San Jose is 3-3 so far, but this is not the same team that won the ArenaBowl last year. They are coming off a 72-43 loss at New Orleans in which they allowed three VooDoo touchdowns in the final two minutes of the first half in route to a disappointing overall performance. San Jose has lost all three games against teams with a winning record, Dallas, New Orleans and Chicago. That elite group of teams is where the Sabercats were originally thought to belong in, especially at the beginning of the season. Offensive coordinator Terry Malley said," We've always talked about that you want to be playing your best football at the end of the season but we're not good enough to turn it on and off either. And that just doesn't happen, you make things happen and you have to force them." If the Sabercats want to get back in the championship picture, it will begin with getting a victory over the undefeated and seemingly unstoppable Philadelphia Soul.

San Jose on offense: Mark Grieb is having a so-so season by his standards and although the 68% pass completion rate and 27 touchdowns are nice, the 10 interceptions show there are mistakes being made during games. In comparison, Grieb threw 13 interceptions in 19 games last year. Cleannord Santil has stepped up as a top receiver on this squad, with several 100-yard receiving games. Jason Geathers is one of the lesser-known players but has made some contributions on offense with 6 touchdowns and 326 yards for the season. James Roe and Rodney Wright are back in the lineup after minor injuries and they are vital to the offense. Each member of the Sabercats offense was asked to write down five things they expected to see from the Philadelphia defense, and it was meant to help players think about what they will see on the field and to make them remember everything that is said by the coaches. The Sabercats should rise to the occasion in this important matchup.

San Jose on defense: The entire team has traditionally started slow to begin a season, but it seems the defense is way behind the offense. The Sabercats are allowing 56 points per game, up from the 48 points per game last year. On paper, the unit looks okay, and the Sabercats are above average when it comes to statistics such as yards per game and completion percentage. In real games, San Jose is struggling to make stops, they force long drives and third down attempts, but still allow opponents to score easily. San Jose is also forcing less turnovers compared to the 2007 unit that created lots of fumbles and defensive stops. When it comes to the intangibles like field position, communicating between players, reading offensive play packages and being energetic on every play, San Jose is not performing like the elite team it was. They will have to do that if they want to gain an impressive victory over a quality opponent.

Prediction: San Jose 63, Philadelphia 59

By Chad Fukoka
ProFootball-fans.com Staff Writer

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