Coach from the Couch: AFL Week Five Wrapup

In the world of Arena football, where offense is the Sun, and everything revolves around it, week five was unusual from one perspective; the outcome of two games were decided directly from defensive plays.  Additionally, three games were decided by three points or fewer.  Two teams remain undefeated at 5-0.  Two teams remain totally defeated at zero and totally defeated.  All these fun factoids translate into a very interesting week five in the AFL. 

Game to end all Games for week 5 – The New Orleans Voodoo, fresh off a victory of previously undefeated Cleveland and riding a three game winning streak, traveled to Denver to take on the Colorado Crush.  The Crush, traveling in the exact opposite direction at 1-3, played New Orleans tough.  At the half, the Voodoo led by three.  That point spread would prove to be the margin of victory.  The second half scoring registered even-steven for both the third and the fourth quarters.  The Crush, with four minutes left in the game, led by four, but the Voodoo scored with less than three minutes left to take the lead.  Game over?  Not hardly!!  The Crush drove the length of the field, and had a first and goal with very little time on the clock.  Two incompletions later, they faced a third and goal on the last play of the game.  Up went the pass, interception, Voodoo, and time expired.  Definitely a wild finish to a hotly contested game.  Voodoo move to 4-1 on the season and lead their division.  The Colorado Crush drop to 1-4.

Defensive Play of the Week besides the Defensive Play just Mentioned -  Dallas traveled to Long Island to take in the New York Dragons.  Only one of two teams left sporting a perfect record, Dallas emerged victorious in a low scoring contest decided on another defensive play.  With the game tied at 31, and a little over six minutes left, it appeared neither offense was up to the task of traveling fifty yards and getting into the end-zone to break the deadlock.  As it turned out, neither offense was!  On a fourth down field goal attempt by the Dragons, Weatherington broke through the line, and blocked the field goal attempt, batting it back through the end zone and out of bounds for a safety.  This two point swing ended up being the margin of victory for Dallas.  They win 33-31 and move to 5-0 on the season.  New York drops to 1-4.  Dallas returns home next week to take on a bye-week rested Cleveland team in a big divisional matchup.

Close Game of the Week Part Three -  Orlando traveled to Columbus to play out a game that sounded like two Arnold Swartznegger movies battling each other; ie : The Predators vs. the Destoyers.  Arnolds’ Predator side beat his Destroyer side, 47-44.  The victory was an important win for Orlando as they kept pace in the National Southeast Division, staying one game back of streaking New Orleans.  This time offense won the game when John Vaughn, the rhyming named kicker, booted a field goal as time expired, giving Orlando the three point victory.  Orlando is 3-2 on the season, while Columbus drops to 1-4.  Orlando is also the ESPN2 Sunday game of the week next week, as they host the Chicago Rush in what should be a hotly contested game.