Post by DiamondThief on May 24, 2016 19:09:33 GMT -8
Portland Steel at Los Angeles KISS
What: The Steel are in Anaheim for the second time in 20 days to face the KISS.
When: Saturday, May 28 at 7 p.m. (PT).
Where: Honda Center; Anaheim, California.
Regional Media: Radio - Freedom 970 FM Portland.
National Media: Stream - ESPN3/WatchESPN.
This season: May 9 - KISS 66, Steel 27. August 1 - KISS at Steel.
Series History: Regular Season - KISS lead series, 4-3; each team is undefeated at home.
Note: The radio broadcast has moved from 750 The Game in Portland to Freedom 970 due to a scheduling conflict of the Portland Timbers game against the Chicago Fire.
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HELPFUL LINKS
Arena Football League Schedule and Results 2016
Portland Steel Schedule 2016
Portland Steel Season Preview 2016
SUMMARY
The Steel are in 0-7, 0-6 on the road and 0-3 in conference play. They are coming off a 65-34 road loss to the Jacksonville Sharks on May 21. They are averaging 34.3 points per game and are allowing 65.3 points per game.
The KISS are 3-4 overall, 2-2 at home and 1-2 in conference play. They are coming off a 47-34 road loss to the Arizona Rattlers on May 21. They are averaging 44.6 points per game and are allowing 46.1 points per game.
BREAKDOWN
First Downs per game - Steel 19.0; KISS 18.4.
Yards per Game - Steel 273.8; KISS 257.9.
3rd Down Conversion - Steel 38%; KISS 47%.
4th Down Conversion - Steel 43%; KISS 48%.
Total Tackles - Steel 139; KISS 197.
Tackles for Loss - Steel 11; KISS 7.
Total Sacks - Steel 8; Rattlers 6.
Fum Rec - Steel 3, KISS 5.
Interceptions - Steel 3, KISS 10.
Had Intercepted - Steel 19, KISS 12.
Note that the Steel and the KISS have each played seven games.
PORTLAND STEEL
Steel WR Tom Gilson (photo courtesy clevelandgladiators.com)
ROSTER
# - name (pos)
1 - Darron Thomas (QB)
2 - Arness Ikner (DB)
3 - Rashaad Carter (WR)
4 - Mike McMillan (DB)
5 - Tom Gilson (WR)
6 - Jared Perry (WR)
7 - Jabin Sambarno (WR)
8 - Terrence Mitchell (DB)
9 - Sergio Gilliam (DB)
10 - Shane Austin (QB)
11 - Dexter Davis (JLB)
12 - Tyrone Goard (WR)
13 - Christian Wise (DB)
17 - Ernesto Lacayo (K)
20 - Bryce Peila (DB)
21 - Tim Shelley (DB)
23 - Reggie Wilson (DE)
59 - Viseisio Salt Jr. (OL)
64 - Jarien Moreland (OL)
66 - Deveric Gallington (FB)
72 - Duke Robinson (OL)
77 - Kevin Myers (C)
79 - John Collins (C)
91 - Brandon Sesay (DE)
99 - Robert Hayes (MLB)
Darryl Thompson (WR)
Ron James - Head Coach
Will Mulder - Defensive Coordinator
Anthony Payton - Offensive Coordinator
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing Yards - *Danny Southwick 742
Passing TDs - *Danny Southwick 14
Passing Ints - Shane Austin 8
Rushing Yards - Shane Austin 33
Rushing TDs - Shane Austin/*Bryson Kelly 2
Receptions - Tom Gilson 71
Receiving Yards - Tom Gilson 688
Receiving TDs - Tom Gilson 9
Tackles - Mike McMillan 25.5
Sacks - Brandon Sesay 3.5
Interceptions - Mike McMillan/Sergio Gilliam/Christian Wise 1
KO Return Ave. - Arness Ikner 19.4
KO Return TDs - Terrence Mitchell 1
* Not on active roster
Note: Roster information is subject to change and is presented here as a basic guide for following the game. Roster information is gathered from the AFL's official website, which is not updated on a consistent basis. Updates will be provided here as soon as they become available.
LOS ANGELES KISS
KISS WR Donovan Morgan (photo courtesy ocregister.com)
ROSTER
# - name (pos)
1 - Donovan Morgan (WR)
3 - Frederick Obi (DB)
4 - D.J. Stephens (WR)
5 - Brandon Collins (WR)
6 - Josh Victorian (DB)
7 - Rayshaun Kizer (DB)
8 - Clevan Thomas (DB)
9 - Dan Buckner (WR)
10 - Nathan Stanley (QB)
10 - Kevin Goessling (K)
11 - Amarri Jackson (WR)
16 - Pete Thomas (QB)
17 - Rodney Fritz (DE)
31 - John Martinez (OL)
32 - Winston Wright (DB)
34 - Rory Nixon (FB)
51 - Jamil Merrell (DL)
54 - Kody Afusia (OL)
55 - Marcus Pittman (DE)
56 - Derrick Summers (DE)
64 - Sam Tupua (OL)
70 - Colin Madison (OL)
71 - Shannon Tevega (OL)
75 - Cornelius Dixon (OL)
92 - Gustave Benthin (NG)
Mike Lewis (DE)
Robert Sands (DB)
Danny Southwick (QB)
Omarr Smith - Head Coach
Walt Houseman - Defensive Coordinator
Daniel Frazer - Director of Player Personnel
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing Yards - *Nathan Stanley 1548
Passing TDs - *Nathan Stanley 29
Passing Ints - *Nathan Stanley 12
Rushing Yards - *Nathan Stanley 148
Rushing TDs - Rory Nixon 4
Receptions - D.J. Stephens 47
Receiving Yards - D.J. Stephens 539
Receiving TDs - Donovan Morgan 17
Tackles - Frederick Obi 40
Sacks - Marcus Pittman/Derrick Summers 2
Interceptions - Frederick Obi 3
KO Return Ave. - Brandon Collins 20.2
KO Return TDs - none
* Not on active roster
Note: Roster information is subject to change and is presented here as a basic guide for following the game. Roster information is gathered from the AFL's official website, which is not updated on a consistent basis. Updates will be provided here as soon as they become available.
ANGI'S TAKES
STEEL
One step forward, two steps back. After forcing overtime before falling to the Cleveland Gladiators two weeks ago, Portland came out flat against the Jacksonville Sharks last week in a 29-point loss. Once again, turnovers and penalties proved costly to the Steel. Additionally, several specialty players went down to injury. Kick returner Terrence Mitchell was the first to go down and, judging from the way he walked off the field, is likely out for this game. Jared Perry was injured against Cleveland and is out. Jabin Sambrano and Arness Ikner were dinged, but could very well be on the field Saturday night. Tom Gilson shook off an apparently ankle tweak to return and provide a bit of a second have spark for the Steel. Newly acquired Darryl Thompson will start at receiver. Quarterback Shane Austin has shown promise in his first two games back, but has tossed 4 interceptions in each of those games. He is averaging nearly 300 yards passing per game and has already thrown 99 passes. It is a heavy load for the fourth-year signal caller, but if the Steel are to win, Austin will need to clean up the mistakes and convert on third and fourth down. Gilson has been magnificant for the Steel this season. He has become the primary target, catching 71 passes for 688 yards and 9 touchdowns. Austin will look to Gilson to have a big game. Tyrone Goard has come on as the complimentary piece to Gilson. However, after catching 14 passes against the Gladiators, he had just 5 grabs for 33 yards against the Sharks. The Steel will need more from him in this game. Defensive backs Ikner and Christian Wise have filled in at receiver and have done the best they can, but Austin will another reliable target tonight. Austin leads the team with 44 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns. Wise, Ikner and Mike McMillan have improved as a unit in the defensive backfield, but they need to improve even more. The KISS will start either Pete Thomas or Danny Southwick at QB, so the Steel backs will need to be opportunistic and create turnovers. Brandon Sesay has been a monster as of late, and leads the team with 3.5 sacks. He, Robert Hayes and Dexter Davis will need to get into the KISS backfield and make Stanley as uncomfortable as they possibly can. A key in this game will be to create turnovers while limiting their own. The Steel will also have to cut down on their penalties, as they have had five touchdowns called back over the past two weeks due to infractions. Player to Watch: Tom Gilson (WR). Wild Card: Christian Wise (DB).
KISS
Los Angeles probably anticipated being in a better position than be in third place in the National Conference, a half game back of the second-place Cleveland Gladiators heading into its eighth game. Make no mistake; there is talent on the roster. The KISS have, at times this season, had difficulty putting it all together. Like the Steel, the KISS have dropped two games to the Arizona Ratters this season. They have taken care of business within the rest of the National Conference, recording wins over the Steel and the Gladiators. After a schedule change gave the KISS an additional home game against the Steel on May 9, they reached a season-high in attendance for the game at 9,235. Nathan Stanley was brought over in the off season after his former team, the San Jose Sabercats folded. Nathan Stanley leads this team, but was injured during the KISS' loss to the Rattlers last week. Pete Thomas filled in, but the team signed Danny Southwick, who started the first three games for the Steel this season and who played for the KISS for a portion of last season. The real talent with the KISS is found in their receiving corps. It is a receiving-by-committee group with each player having the ability for a breakout game. Donovan Morgan is the key. He is just third on the team with 41 receptions and second with 524 yards, but leads with 17 touchdowns. Morgan is the deep threat and is a challenge with which to keep pace for any defensive back in the league. D.J. Stephens has caught 47 passes for 539 yards and six scores, while Brandon Collins has 45 grabs for 506 yards and 9 touchdowns. Either or both can cause nightmares for opposing defenses. Amarri Jackson is number four on the depth chart, but has had strong showings in past seasons in his AFL career. Defensive back Clevan Thomas became just the second player in AFL history to record his 80th interception. He is always a dangerous defender. Frederick Obi paces the defense and is having a breakout year, leading the team in both total tackles and interceptions. Fellow defensive back Josh Victorian has also provided sonme highlights for the KISS. Marcus Pittman and Derrick Summers provide the punch for the defensive line. They will look to make Shane Austin uncomfortable as often as they can. Simply, the KISS will have to limit their mistakes and force the Steel into uncomfortable situations. This game is likely to be closer than the first meeting less than three weeks ago. Player to Watch: Donovan Morgan (WR). Wild Card: Frederick Obi (DB)
SCtoC COMPUTERIZED PROJECTED RESULT
Steel - 40
KISS - 55
QUOTABLE
Steel head coach/general manager Ron James
“I’ve never been involved in a situation where we’ve had this many injuries at the wide receiver position. We started the season with probably one of the stronger wide receiving corps in the league, and it’s turned into a war of attrition.”
James on Tom Gilson
“He’s been phenomenal, a true warrior. He’s played through everything”
James on LB Sergio Gilliam
“It invigorates the whole team to see how much one person can give; like when you see somebody like Sergio giving above and beyond the call of duty.”
James
“We’ve been through about the most tests and adverse situations you can go through, with all the travel, changes, injuries … but we know when we play a complete game we can be as good as anybody in this league. But the hope is only as good as your next game. We have to have a 1-0 mentality, just be undefeated this week.”
FEATURED SOCIAL MEDIA
OTHER AFL GAMES THIS WEEK
May 27 - Jacksonville Sharks 59, Orlando Predators (H) 56
May 28 - Philadelphia Soul (7-1) at Cleveland Gladiators (4-4), 4 p.m. (CBSSN)
May 29 - Arizona Rattlers (6-2) at Tampa Bay Storm (0-7), 11 a.m.*
* Game is available for streaming on ESPN3/WatchESPN
NOTE
The Steel and KISS may forever be linked. The teams each entered the league for the 2014 season and have had a back-and-forth rivalry. The home team has won each of the seven games in the history of the series. Below are the overall historical results of those matchups..
Steel (a.k.a. Thunder) at home
July 12, 2014 -- Thunder 44, KISS 31
March 27, 2015 -- Thunder 42, KISS 37
May 16, 2015 -- Thunder 63, KISS 47
KISS at home
April 5, 2014 -- KISS 44, Thunder 34
June 14, 2014 -- KISS 69, Thunder 61
June 7, 2015 -- KISS 52, Thunder 40
May 9, 2016 -- KISS 66, Steel 27
EXTRA
Steel QB is 1-0 all time versus the L.A. KISS. That came in a 45-42 win over the KISS on May 10, 2014 while he was a member of the Cleveland Gladiators. Austin completed 26 of 41 passes for 252 yards, 5 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. He also rushed three times for 8 yards.
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Graphic courtesy of David.
