Mar 8, 2007, 16:57 GMT
New York, NY - Week 2 of the AFL season is 'Championship Week' as three teams raise their banners in home openers throughout the weekend, and one team hosts its first home contest since the 2005 season.
The 2006 National Conference Champion Orlando Predators are in the spotlight as they host the Los Angeles Avengers during the inaugural Russell ESPN Arena Football Monday this upcoming Monday, March 12 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The Predators got off to a good start in Week 1 by defeating their long-time Southern Division rival Tampa Bay, 52-27. The Predators are led by QB SHANE STAFFORD, who completed 24-of-34 passes for 329 yards and five touchdowns last week in his inaugural game as a Predator. The Avengers look to bounce back from their 66-58 loss to the San Jose SaberCats. Avengers WR LENZIE JACKSON registered 13 receptions for 196 yards and three touchdowns in the loss.
The ArenaBowl XX Champion Chicago Rush will raise its championship banner in its home opener when it hosts San Jose on Friday at 8 p.m. ET. The Rush hope to improve from a 54-41 loss to Kansas City in Week 1. The SaberCats have lost three consecutive games to the Rush and have not won in Chicago since their 71-49 victory during Week 6 of the 2003 season. SaberCats QB MARK GRIEB led the way against Los Angeles last week as he threw for 258 yards and six touchdowns in their 66-58 win. In a rematch of the 2006 American Conference Championship game that saw the Rush punch their ticket to ArenaBowl XX, Chicago jumped out to a 21-7 lead early in the first, and withheld a SaberCats comeback that went down to the final on-sides kick on their way to a 59-56 victory. Rush WR BOBBY SIPPIO scored the game-winner with his fifth touchdown reception with 34 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Rush QB MATT DORAZIO completed 21-of-36 passes for 215 yards and six touchdowns, while GRIEB completed 28-of-36 passes for 314 yards with five passing touchdowns and one rushing.
The banner raisings continue in Dallas as the Desperados lift their Eastern Division championship banner in their home opener against the Tampa Bay Storm on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. (ET) on SIRIUS RADIO channel 119. The Desperados are coming off a 60-7 victory over the New York Dragons last week. The 53-point win ranks as the largest margin of victory in a season opener in AFL history. QB CLINT DOLEZEL completed 21-of-28 passes for 249 yards and seven touchdowns. Tampa opened their season at home with a disappointing loss, 52-27 to Orlando. Storm QB JOHN KALEO completed 24-of-37 passes for 289 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions in his return to the franchise. WR DEMETRIS BENDROSS posted a team-high 10 receptions for 124 yards and two touchdowns in a losing effort.
Utah Blaze head coach DANNY WHITE returns to Phoenix looking for his first win against his former team when the Rattlers host the Blaze this Saturday at 9 p.m. ET (FSN Rocky Mountain- 12:30 a.m. ET and FSN Arizona- 10 p.m. ET). White, who coached Arizona from 1992-2005, lost all three meetings last season against the team he led to two ArenaBowl Championships in 1994 and 1997.
The New Orleans VooDoo return to the New Orleans Arena for their first home game since May 5, 2005, after missing the 2006 campaign due to Hurricane Katrina. All eyes will be on the VooDoo (0-1), who boast a 12-4 all-time regular season record at home. The VooDoo have sold more than 12,000 season tickets to date and the New Orleans Arena is also the site of ArenaBowl XXI on Sunday, July 29, at 3 p.m. on ABC.
The VooDoo host the Columbus Destroyers (1-0), who defeated the Nashville Kats, 58-56, in Week 1 action on Friday, March 9, at 8 p.m. on SIRIUS RADIO channel 119. The Destroyers are led by QB MATT NAGY, who threw for 245 yards and seven touchdowns in his Columbus debut. WR DAMIEN GROCE led the Destroyers with 11 catches for 121 yards and three touchdowns in the win. VooDoo QB ANDY KELLY threw for 285 passing yards, and eight touchdowns in their last second, 63-61, loss to the Utah Blaze.
This weeks games also include: Las Vegas at Grand Rapids on Thursday (AFL Net); Philadelphia at Nashville on Friday (AFL Net); Kansas City at Colorado on Saturday (AFL Net); and Austin at Georgia (FSN Southwest- 12 a.m. ET, FSN Midwest- FSN Sports South- Live) on Sunday.
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