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| (photo credit: Orlando Predators/Twitter) |
The Sharks (5-6) came in looking to repeat history from last year, where they beat the Predators (10-2) on their home field to get their sixth win and possibly propel them to another Arena Bowl berth. However, Orlando reminded everyone why they were fighting for the top spot in the American Conference, and held on for a 44-34 win.
The game started out well, as both teams traded touchdowns throughout the first half. Dexter Jackson got to Orlando quarterback Randy Hippeard on the first play of the game for a sack, but Greg Carr got behind the defense for a 46-yard catch to open the scoring. Jacksonville used a short and intermediate passing game to march down the field for the tie, and both teams began using the sidelines to not only control the tempo, but to ensure higher-percentage passes.
The tactic worked as the teams matched each other for six straight possessions, but the one facet emerging as a tiebreaker was special teams. Predators wide receiver Brandon Thompkins was a thorn in the Sharks' side all night with the ball in his hands, while Reggie Gray couldn't get an open lane to return his kicks.
Where special teams started to fail, defense picked right up. After a Derrick Ross touchdown, LaRoche "Action" Jackson intercepted Randy Hippeard (only his 12th pick of the season). But, as usual with this rivalry, tempers slowly bubbled up and flags started to fly.
Two Orlando penalties nullified what would've been only the 3rd sack Jacksonville gave up all season, but instead it turned into a first down. Two holding penalties pushed the Sharks back into a 1st-and-25, however, and although they managed to get it to 4th-and-7, Joe Hills couldn't make the catch, and the turnover went to waste.
The Predators had one good chance to take the lead before halftime, but the Sharks defense kept Orlando on the ground, and earned a stop thanks to Greg Reid breakups against Greg Carr.
Jacksonville quarterback Tommy Grady stayed steady and efficient to start the third quarter, but the tenuous special teams crumbled even further at the end of another touchdown drive. Kicker Lindsey Wolfe missed the extra point, then kicked off out of bounds, giving Orlando the ball in Sharks territory after an unsportsmanlike penalty on Moqut Ruffins after the extra point.
With the short game grinding down the tempo, points were even harder to come by in the second half than in the first. After Brandon Thompkins found the end zone to give the Predators the lead, Jacksonville slowly worked into the GEICO® Blue Zone, but aggressive defense struck again.
After Moqut Ruffins caught a quick pass, the tight end rumbled towards the goal line only to be stripped from behind by Logan Harrell. The Predators recovered, and used a 30-yard bomb (the second longest play of the night, and the longest since the first touchdown of the game) to Thompkins to get into Jacksonville territory. The defense made sure that was as far as they got, as the Sharks earned another stop and forced a turnover on downs.
The momentum didn't transfer over, as defensive end Darryl Cato-Bishop finally got the elusive sack, and stripped the ball that traveled all the way to the back wall, giving Orlando their second safety in as many weeks.
Now down by three early in the fourth quarter, the onus was even more on Jacksonville's defense to give their offense one or two more chances to earn a win. Randy Hippeard, who saw Sharks in his face the entire night, faced even more of them on the ensuing drive.
After finding a way to get back in the Blue Zone, Neefy Moffett busted through the offensive line to sack Hippeard. Pushed back into a 4th-and-goal, Greg Reid appeared to make the one last play to give his team the ball. But, the referees saw otherwise, and defensive pass interference gave Orlando new life.
The Predators nearly squandered the opportunity thanks to two fumbles, but they pounced to recover both. The second of which could be the costliest of the entire season, as defensive end Khreem Smith got to Hippeard's arm for the fumble, and Hippeard landed awkwardly on the ground. After several minutes of treatment, he was carried off the field by his teammates, and did not return to the game.
Bernard Morris, facing his old team, came in and needed only one play to create some much-needed distance. Morris found Greg Carr in the end zone, and the lead was suddenly 10.
Jacksonville stayed in the fight as fans left the arena, but the best they could do was trade touchdowns for the rest of the game. Tempers kept flaring and flags kept flying until the end, and Joe Hills was ejected thanks to a personal foul penalty away from the play on Varmah Sonie with 20 seconds left. A fitting end to a brutal game.
Tommy Grady had a quiet night, completing 29 of 40 passes for 303 yards and four touchdowns, along with an interception and a sack. Randy Hippeard wasn't comfortable even before his injury, as he only completed 18 of 30 passes for 180 yards, four touchdowns, and an interception. He was sacked four times, and could be feeling the effects of the game for weeks. Bernard Morris only needed two passes to throw for two touchdowns and 22 yards.
Derrick Ross and John Martinez each had a good ground game, both carrying the ball four times. Ross outgained Martinez 17-13, and Ross got the lone touchdown between the two.
Both teams had their target receivers, as only five between both teams caught at least seven passes. Joe Hills and Brandon Thompkins caught 11, tying for a game high. Hills had a game-high 128 yards to go along with three scores, while Thompkins only netted 93 yards and two touchdowns. Reggie Gray came close with 10 catches for 97 yards, and Tiger Jones caught the other touchdown pass on seven catches for 59 yards.
On the other sideline Greg Carr only caught four passes for 75 yards, but all four ended in the end zone.
Despite Khreem Smith and Dexter Jackson each registering 1.5 sacks (and Neefy Moffett getting one of his own), Varmah Sonie led everyone in tackles with seven.
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