Post by DiamondThief on Jul 5, 2014 1:34:44 GMT -8
This is a terrific piece from the Arena Football League's official website where the author writes about the Thunder's improvement this season and their push toward the playoffs.
Take a look:
To see the article on the AFL's official site, click here.
Take a look:
By CONOR VOLPE
In the Arena Football League, as in any professional sports league, there is rarely much expected of an expansion franchise in their inaugural season. With new players, new ownership, new coaches and just about new everything, making it through the season in one piece can be an accomplishment in itself.
But in the National Conference this season, there are a couple new teams in their first season not just looking to stay afloat. They’re looking to lock up a playoff spot.
Both the LA KISS (3-10) and Portland Thunder (4-10) are battling for the fourth and final berth into the postseason. The Thunder are one game up on the KISS heading into Week 17, but LA has the head-to-head tiebreaker. In other words, this race is going to come down to the wire.
While neither team’s record by itself looks too imposing, there’s a little more to the Thunder than meets the eye.
Over the course of the season, Portland has improved dramatically. They’ve shown signs of being more than simply the last team in, signs of a team that could make some noise.
After weeks of trying different players out under center, it seems that Head Coach Matthew Sauk has found his quarterback. Though he missed six weeks with an injury, Kyle Rowley picked up where he left off, completing 25-of-38 passes for 362 yards and seven touchdowns in a tough road loss to the LA KISS in Week 15.
In three games for the Thunder this season, Rowley sports a 109 quarterback rating thanks largely to his stellar ratio of 24 touchdowns to three interceptions. Given how important a quarterback is in this League, Rowley’s performance has been invaluable.
Rowley’s success is also not as random as it seems. Rowley was the signal caller for the 2010 Spokane Shock team that won ArenaBowl XXIII as an expansion franchise. And the offensive coordinator for that Shock team? Matthew Sauk, now the head man in Portland. It seems that the band is back together.
And maybe the most important part of Rowley’s play is that incredibly low interception total. One of the issues Portland has been dealing with all year is turnovers. They rank 12th in the League in both total giveaways and team interceptions thrown. If Rowley keeps up his ball security, he could help negate one of Portland’s biggest weaknesses moving forward.
With fewer turnovers from the offense, the Portland defense might fair a bit better. Though they allow League points per game, good for eighth in the league, the unit has shown signs of improvement. They’re the fourth best defense in the league in terms of yards allowed at 259.7 per game and they’re stingy against the pass, allowing only 242.1 passing yards per game.
They also rank well in other defensive statistics. Portland’s defense boasts the fourth best opponents’ third down conversion rate at 42.7 percent, and they lead the league in turnovers, forcing 38 in 14 games this season. So if the Thunder’s new offense under Rowley can stop putting the defense in tricky spots and score on more of their possessions – that by itself might show huge dividends.
As evidenced by their ability to cause turnovers, the Thunder defense has some good defensive playmakers of their own. Eric Crocker, the first overall selection in last year’s AFL Expansion Draft, ranks fifth in the League with nine interceptions. Fellow defensive back Varmah Sonie leads all rookies with 66 tackles, 23 pass breakups and six interceptions. Meanwhile the defensive line is anchored by another rookie in defensive end Donte Paige-Moss, who has racked up seven sacks and nine tackles for loss in 11 games this season.
But of course, all this gets very complicated nothing if they make the playoffs and thus have to take on the buzz saw known as the 2014 Arizona Rattlers (14-1) in the first round. Arizona has beaten Portland in the first two meetings between the teams this season, and it doesn’t look good for anyone when Arizona rolls into town.
Though for Portland, there’s a bright side. Despite their struggles, the Thunder have played better than their record. They beat the Tampa Bay Storm (8-7) on the road earlier this season, and have given divisional opponents like the Spokane Shock and San Jose Sabercats tough games.
Most importantly though, is that they’ve come close to beating Arizona. In Week 13 the Thunder led by as many as 13 points in the second quarter before losing to the Rattlers by a score of 59-70. That’s one of the closest games Arizona has played all season.
That kind of contest shows that Portland isn’t afraid of the Rattlers. And if Arizona wants an easier game in the first round, they’re probably rooting for the LA KISS, a team they’ve beaten twice by a combined score of 153-72.
Now this is not to say that the Thunder should be thought of as the team to end Arizona’s winning ways in the playoffs. Asking any team in the AFL to beat the Rattlers is a tall order, much less an expansion team still finding their way.
But the Thunder could have a troubling recipe. As the San Jose Sabercats demonstrated this past week, having a dynamic defense is key for success in the desert. Considering Portland’s improving defense and their penchant for turnovers, the Thunder might be able to channel some of what San Jose brought to the table.
Of course, the key word there is “might”.
And asking an expansion team to beat a franchise in the midst of a dynasty is unfair. Perspective here is key. A year ago the Thunder didn’t exist, and now they have a shot to not only make the playoffs, but give the Rattlers a test in the first round.
It might not be winning the ArenaBowl, but something sure is brewing over in Portland.
In the Arena Football League, as in any professional sports league, there is rarely much expected of an expansion franchise in their inaugural season. With new players, new ownership, new coaches and just about new everything, making it through the season in one piece can be an accomplishment in itself.
But in the National Conference this season, there are a couple new teams in their first season not just looking to stay afloat. They’re looking to lock up a playoff spot.
Both the LA KISS (3-10) and Portland Thunder (4-10) are battling for the fourth and final berth into the postseason. The Thunder are one game up on the KISS heading into Week 17, but LA has the head-to-head tiebreaker. In other words, this race is going to come down to the wire.
While neither team’s record by itself looks too imposing, there’s a little more to the Thunder than meets the eye.
Over the course of the season, Portland has improved dramatically. They’ve shown signs of being more than simply the last team in, signs of a team that could make some noise.
After weeks of trying different players out under center, it seems that Head Coach Matthew Sauk has found his quarterback. Though he missed six weeks with an injury, Kyle Rowley picked up where he left off, completing 25-of-38 passes for 362 yards and seven touchdowns in a tough road loss to the LA KISS in Week 15.
In three games for the Thunder this season, Rowley sports a 109 quarterback rating thanks largely to his stellar ratio of 24 touchdowns to three interceptions. Given how important a quarterback is in this League, Rowley’s performance has been invaluable.
Rowley’s success is also not as random as it seems. Rowley was the signal caller for the 2010 Spokane Shock team that won ArenaBowl XXIII as an expansion franchise. And the offensive coordinator for that Shock team? Matthew Sauk, now the head man in Portland. It seems that the band is back together.
And maybe the most important part of Rowley’s play is that incredibly low interception total. One of the issues Portland has been dealing with all year is turnovers. They rank 12th in the League in both total giveaways and team interceptions thrown. If Rowley keeps up his ball security, he could help negate one of Portland’s biggest weaknesses moving forward.
With fewer turnovers from the offense, the Portland defense might fair a bit better. Though they allow League points per game, good for eighth in the league, the unit has shown signs of improvement. They’re the fourth best defense in the league in terms of yards allowed at 259.7 per game and they’re stingy against the pass, allowing only 242.1 passing yards per game.
They also rank well in other defensive statistics. Portland’s defense boasts the fourth best opponents’ third down conversion rate at 42.7 percent, and they lead the league in turnovers, forcing 38 in 14 games this season. So if the Thunder’s new offense under Rowley can stop putting the defense in tricky spots and score on more of their possessions – that by itself might show huge dividends.
As evidenced by their ability to cause turnovers, the Thunder defense has some good defensive playmakers of their own. Eric Crocker, the first overall selection in last year’s AFL Expansion Draft, ranks fifth in the League with nine interceptions. Fellow defensive back Varmah Sonie leads all rookies with 66 tackles, 23 pass breakups and six interceptions. Meanwhile the defensive line is anchored by another rookie in defensive end Donte Paige-Moss, who has racked up seven sacks and nine tackles for loss in 11 games this season.
But of course, all this gets very complicated nothing if they make the playoffs and thus have to take on the buzz saw known as the 2014 Arizona Rattlers (14-1) in the first round. Arizona has beaten Portland in the first two meetings between the teams this season, and it doesn’t look good for anyone when Arizona rolls into town.
Though for Portland, there’s a bright side. Despite their struggles, the Thunder have played better than their record. They beat the Tampa Bay Storm (8-7) on the road earlier this season, and have given divisional opponents like the Spokane Shock and San Jose Sabercats tough games.
Most importantly though, is that they’ve come close to beating Arizona. In Week 13 the Thunder led by as many as 13 points in the second quarter before losing to the Rattlers by a score of 59-70. That’s one of the closest games Arizona has played all season.
That kind of contest shows that Portland isn’t afraid of the Rattlers. And if Arizona wants an easier game in the first round, they’re probably rooting for the LA KISS, a team they’ve beaten twice by a combined score of 153-72.
Now this is not to say that the Thunder should be thought of as the team to end Arizona’s winning ways in the playoffs. Asking any team in the AFL to beat the Rattlers is a tall order, much less an expansion team still finding their way.
But the Thunder could have a troubling recipe. As the San Jose Sabercats demonstrated this past week, having a dynamic defense is key for success in the desert. Considering Portland’s improving defense and their penchant for turnovers, the Thunder might be able to channel some of what San Jose brought to the table.
Of course, the key word there is “might”.
And asking an expansion team to beat a franchise in the midst of a dynasty is unfair. Perspective here is key. A year ago the Thunder didn’t exist, and now they have a shot to not only make the playoffs, but give the Rattlers a test in the first round.
It might not be winning the ArenaBowl, but something sure is brewing over in Portland.
To see the article on the AFL's official site, click here.