Predators Seek Longest Winning Streak in Storied Rivalry
June 23,2016
LAS VEGAS (June 23,2016) - Whether you are relatively new to the Arena
Football League or have been a blue-blood for nearly three decades, you
know that the greatest rivalry in the League is between the
Tampa Bay Storm and the
Orlando Predators.
These two teams genuinely don't like each other, and no matter what
the records are for the two teams when they meet, the games are
seemingly always close. Three of the last six meetings have been
decided by two points or fewer, and seven of the last nine have been
determined by just one score. However, dominance in the win column has
been the theme in this series for Orlando, something the Storm hopes to
change on Friday night.
Predators Look To Secure Longest Winning Streak in Storm Rivalry
This will be the 61st regular season meeting between Orlando and Tampa
Bay. Orlando currently leads the series 33-27 against Tampa Bay, but it
hasn't always been like that. In fact, for years and years, these two
teams were separated by no more than two games and a few mere points
all-time in their duels against each other.
Of late though, it's been all one-way traffic in favor of the Predators.
They have already won each of the first two meetings this season in
this rivalry, and they have a chance to finish off a three-game regular
season sweep for the second consecutive year on Friday night. Neither
team in this series has ever won more than five consecutive games, but
Orlando is a big favorite to reach six straight wins over its rival in
Week 13.
However, there is some hope for Tampa Bay for sure. The Storm only has
one victory against its Sunshine State rival over the course of the last
three calendar years. Orlando started
Bernard Morris that day under center. Morris is likely to take over at quarterback for the Preds for the injured
Randy Hippeard.
All-Purpose Yardage Record in Reach For Toliver
The accolades have been racking up for Toliver this season for sure.
Just in the last two weeks, he has become the all-time leader in
receiving yards and the all-time leader in receptions in League history.
Now, he is on the verge of becoming the all-time leader in all-purpose
yards, too.
Toliver enters this week with 20,974 all-purpose yards for his career.
It is quite fitting that he is very likely to break this record in
Orlando, a place where he amassed well over 10,000 of those yards in his
career. The man's record Toliver is set to break is
Barry Wagner,
arguably the greatest Ironman to ever play this game. Wagner retired
with 21,042 all-purpose yards, and with just 69 all-purpose yards on
Saturday, Toliver will once again etch his name atop the history books
in yet another category.
T.T.'s Triumphs
Toliver knows what it is like to be on both sides of the Orlando-Tampa
Bay rivalry having played for the Predators for a number of years. This
is going to be his 24th game in this rivalry. As a member of the
Predators, Toliver had 80 receptions, 1,131 yards and 29 TDs in 11 games
versus Tampa Bay. As a member of the Storm, he has had 77 catches, 997
yards and 24 scores versus Orlando. Assuming he amasses at least three
yards in this one, Toliver will become the first player in AFL history
to have 1,000+ receiving yards on both sides of any rivalry game.
Consider this as well.
Greg Carr
has 52 receptions, 689 yards and 16 TDs in his career for the Predators
against the Storm, and that makes him the most accomplished wide
receiver in this rivalry outside of Toliver amongst players on the
active rosters of these two teams. Toliver has far better numbers than
that on both sides of this rivalry.
Not only is Toliver one of the all-time greats in the AFL. He's an institution this classic rivalry as well.
Week 13 Milestone Watch
Last week, Jacksonville's Tiger Jones caught
James Roe for fifth place all-time in receiving touchdowns with 281. Jones will go past Roe with his first score this week, while LA's
Donovan Morgan
could catch the former San Jose standout as well. Morgan enters this
week with 279 career touchdown grabs, and two more will tie him with
Roe.
Morgan needs 13 more receptions to catch Mike Horacek (877) for ninth place all-time in AFL history.
Arizona's
Rod Windsor also has two of the all-time greats in his sights this week. With eight receptions against the KISS, Windsor will run down
Siaha Burley
(843) for No. 12 on the all-time receptions list, and with three beyond
that, he will catch Cory Fleming for No. 11. Windsor moved past Greg
Hopkins for No. 13 all-time in receptions last week.
Five TDs would put Windsor in the Top 10 in receiving touchdowns in
League history, too. Windsor enters this week with 242 career scores,
five shy of
Siaha Burley's career mark of 247.
Reggie Gray
is coming off of his best statistical game as a member of the Sharks,
posting 10 catches for 97 yards. Gray is now within sight of 9,000
receiving yards for his career. He needs 156 yards to reach that
plateau, and if he reaches it, he will also go past the great
George LaFrance for No. 17 all-time in receiving yards.
Philadelphia's
Shaun Kauleinamoku needs two TDs to reach 100 for his career. Cleveland's
Collin Taylor also needs two scores to get to 100 all-time. Philadelphia's
Darius Reynolds is sitting on 95 career receiving touchdowns.
Portland's
Jared Perry
needs 163 receiving yards to reach the 5,000-yard plateau for his
career. Just 10 active players have made it to 5,000 receiving yards.
Kevin Guy is set to coach his 155th career game including the regular season and postseason. That mark puts him past
Jay Gruden for the ninth most in AFL history and ties him with John Gregory for eighth.
Steve Thonn
will coach his 200th career game in Week 13. Only four others have
done that, and the list is a de facto "Who's Who" of AFL coaches:
Mike Hohensee (343),
Tim Marcum (310),
Darren Arbet (270) and Danny White (257).
Orlando's
Brandon Thompkins
is still within striking distance of the all-time record for
all-purpose yards in a season. The Predators' star has 2,713 yards
through 12 games, 1,094 more than anyone else in the AFL. He needs to
average just shy of 250 yards per game to catch P.J. Berry, who holds
the League record for all-purpose yards in a single season with 3,708.
Week 12 Quick Hitters
Collin Taylor
extended his streak of consecutive regular-season games with a
receiving touchdown to 27, a Gladiators franchise record. His teammate,
Quentin Sims has scored at least two touchdowns in six games in a row. Only LA's
Donovan Morgan has more games in a row with multiple trips to the end zone with seven.
Jacksonville's
Joe Hills ran his streak of consecutive regular season games with a TD up to 63 in a row.
Hills' teammate, Tiger Jones became the third man in AFL history to
reach the 14,000-yard plateau for a wide receiver. He now has 14,015
for his career and joins
T.T. Toliver and Damian Harrell in the 14K club.
Philadelphia's
Dan Raudabaugh
didn't have a banner game last week against Arizona, but he did toss
seven touchdown passes to get him to 587 in his career. Raudabaugh
moved past
John Kaleo for ninth place on the all-time passing TDs list.
In a battle of surefire Hall of Famers,
Clevan Thomas
got the best of Toliver last Saturday night. Toliver might have become
the all-time leader in receptions on the night, but Thomas picked off
his 81st pass in his career, second to only
Kenny McEntyre in AFL history.
Shane Austin
tossed his 250th career touchdown pass last week in Portland's loss at
home against Cleveland. Five active quarterbacks have now reached that
mark in their careers, including
Nick Davila,
Tommy Grady,
Dan Raudabaugh and
Bernard Morris.
The 80 points the Soul allowed last week to Arizona was the most they have conceded in a game in team history.
By Adam Markowitz
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