2016 Week 9 Preview: KISS vs Steel

(photo credit: Los Angeles KISS/Twitter)

This Saturday, the Portland Steel (0-7) travel to Anaheim for the second time in less than three weeks to take on the Los Angeles KISS (3-4) at the Honda Center.

In the first matchup between the two teams, Los Angeles dominated from start to finish en route to a 66-27 rout of Portland. That game was originally scheduled for Portland’s Moda Center, but a scheduling conflict with the postseason schedule of the Portland Trailblazers forced the move to the Honda Center. It was also the only game action of the season for Steel quarterback Darron Thomas, who showed why he wasn’t hotly pursued earlier in the season by throwing for five interceptions.

In their two games since, with veteran Shane Austin at the helm, Portland managed a hard-fought, overtime loss at the Cleveland Gladiators, and followed that with a convincing losing effort against the Jacksonville Sharks.

The KISS have managed a respectable season to this point. In addition to their victory over Portland they have also defeated Jacksonville and the Cleveland Gladiators. Of their 4 losses, two were against the 6-2 Arizona Rattlers, and another to the 7-1 Philadelphia Soul.

Quarterback Nathan Stanley’s 1,560 yards and 30 touchdowns both rank fifth in the league, but his 12 interceptions are four more than the next closest passer in the league. They possess a trio of receiving threats in Donovan “Captain” Morgan, DJ Stephens, and Brandon Collins. All three have at least 500 yards, and Morgan ranks sixth in the league with 17 touchdown receptions.

Portland is hoping to earn their first victory of the season and leave the Tampa Bay Storm as the lone winless team in the league. A win for Los Angeles moves them into a tie with Cleveland for second in the Western Division, just two games behind division-leading Arizona.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. PT on Saturday night.