SaberCats clash with Rush in historic season opener

By Andy Lopusnak, ArenaFan.com

March 3, 2008

 

When the San Jose SaberCats and Chicago Rush face off tonight, it will continue the league’s latest great rivalry. First there was Tampa Bay-Detroit, Orlando-Tampa Bay, Arizona-San Jose and now San Jose-Chicago.

 

In this new rivalry, the SaberCats and Rush have battled in the postseason three out of the last four years with the winner advancing to the ArenaBowl and winning it. They renew this feud in the culmination of the first week of 2008 AFL action. It will mark the first time in league history that the previous two ArenaBowl champions will play each other to kickoff a season.

 

With so much history between these two teams, these two coaches and two quarterbacks; this game is poised to be another historic one.

 

IT’S A FAMILY THING

Both San Jose’s head coach and quarterback started their respective careers under current Chicago head coach Mike Hohensee, but down plays his influence on both of them. Darren Arbet began coaching in 1994 as a volunteer assistant with the Albany Firebirds. Hohensee was the head coach. In addition to Arbet, Hohensee had two other current AFL head coaches on his staff - Mike Dailey (Colorado Crush) was the offensive coordinator, while Doug Kay (Columbus Destroyers) led the defense.

 

“(Arbet’s) overcome a lot in this league and in his career,” said Hohensee. “He didn’t play much when he did play (in the AFL). Then started with me as an assistant and really didn’t have any major responsibilities (with me), but learned a lot under Doug Kay working with him.” The next year, San Jose entered the league. Arbet, who was raised in nearby Stockton, joined the SaberCats staff after a recommendation from Hohensee. “(Arbet) flourished being so close to home, learned even more under coach (Todd) Shell, especially how to lead a football team.”

 

Grieb was signed straight out of college by Hohensee back in 1997 when he was head coach of the Anaheim Piranhas. “When we were starting that thing in Anaheim, I wanted a nice young quarterback that would work at it and work on his technique, mastering a system and becoming a leader. He’s certainly done that …I can’t take a bit of credit for (him).”

 

GUNSLINGING GREATS

This game will pit two of the league’s all-time great passers when Grieb and Chicago’s Sherdrick Bonner go head-to-head for the 18th time, but the first time for Bonner while with the Rush – he signed with Chicago in the off season. In the previous 17 matchups, Grieb and the SaberCats are 11-6. Grieb has tossed 98 TDs to just five interceptions, while Bonner has thrown 95 scores with eight picks. Both quarterbacks currently rank in the top six in every passing category.

 

GRIEB	CATEGORY	BONNER
11th	AFL Season	15th
5th most	Passing TDs	2nd most
6th most	Passing Yards	3rd most
2	All-Arena Selections	5
3	ArenaBowl Championships	2
2	ArenaBowl MVP awards	1

 

Bonner and Grieb have another interesting thing in common. Both had their respective backup go on to win a championship after themselves getting hurt in the most important game along the way. In 1997, Bonner was in a back-and-forth battle with the defending ArenaBowl champion Storm when Tampa Bay lineman Sylvester Bembery sacked and snapped his leg. Backup Donnie Davis eventually led the Rattlers to victory in overtime to advance to the ArenaBowl then was named the ArenaBowl MVP. In 2002, the SaberCats were 12-0 when Grieb broke his clavicle in the team’s lone loss of the season. His backup, John Dutton, then led San Jose to the ArenaBowl and too was named the game’s Most Valuable Player.

 

SABERCATS-RUSH SERIES HISTORY

This will be the tenth overall game between these two indoor titans. The SaberCats won the first four games, while the Rush won the next four before San Jose topped Chicago 61-49 last season in the American Conference championship game. In those nine games, the average score was an amazingly tight 55-51 advantage for the SaberCats. Arbet and Hohensee have been the coaches for both teams throughout this series.

 

YEAR	FINAL SCORE
2007	San Jose 61, Chicago 49 ***
2007	Chicago 48, San Jose 45
2006	Chicago 59, San Jose 56 ***
2006	Chicago 54, San Jose 48 (OT)
2005	Chicago 55, San Jose 39
2004	San Jose 51, Chicago 43 ***
2004	San Jose 49, Chicago 35
2003	San Jose 71, Chicago 49
2002	San Jose 74, Chicago 68

Bold = home team            *** = playoff game

 

WELL-TRAVELED CATS, WELL-RESTED RUSH

When the SaberCats travel to Chicago for this game, it will be the first segment in the league’s longest road trip this season. San Jose will travel 13,205 air miles this season, which according to the AFL is the most in the league by nearly 2,000 miles. Chicago will travel the least through the air by over half of San Jose’s total (6,529). In fact, four of the five teams to travel the most this season are from the Western Division, while the Central Division travels the least of any division by almost 20,000 miles.

 

The schedule makers weren’t kind to the SaberCats early with road trips to Chicago, Grand Rapids, Kansas City and New Orleans all within the first six weeks of the season. However, the rest of the season features three short flights to Western Division rivals (Utah, Arizona and Los Angeles) and a May game in the Jungle against the Predators. In the final five games of the season, the SaberCats will travel just once, a short flight to Los Angeles.

 

Meanwhile, the Rush won’t head to the airport until Week Six when the team travels to Orlando in a rematch of ArenaBowl XX, which Chicago won 69-61.

 

	TEAM	2008 AIR MILES TRAVELED
1	San Jose	13,205
2	Los Angeles	11,346
3	New York	10,817
4	Arizona	10,287
5	Utah	9,992
6	Dallas	9,816
7	Philadelphia	9,629
8	Georgia	9,004
9	Tampa Bay	8,895
10	New Orleans	8,432
11	Cleveland	8,043
12	Kansas City	7,627
13	Colorado	7,421
14	Grand Rapids	7,231
15	Columbus	6,724
16	Orlando	6,670
17	Chicago	6,529

 

FIRST ROAD GAME NOT KIND TO DEFENDING CHAMPS

The defending ArenaBowl champion has won its first road game of the title-defense season just twice in the past seven years (Colorado in 2006 and San Jose in 2003). Under Arbet, the SaberCats are 5-4 in the first road game of the season, but have won just one of their last three season-opening road games. Overall, the SaberCats are 7-2 under Arbet in the first game (home or road) of the season.

 

YEAR AFTER TITLE	DEFENDING CHAMP	FIRST ROAD GAME	RESULT – SCORE
2008	San Jose	at Chicago	??? - ???
2007	Chicago	at Kansas City	LOSS – 54-41
2006	Colorado	at Georgia	WON – 61-59
2005	San Jose	at Tampa Bay	LOSS – 63-33
2004	Tampa Bay	at Austin	LOSS – 56-48
2003	San Jose	at Arizona	WON – 49-28
2002	Grand Rapids	at Chicago	LOSS – 71-59
2001	Orlando	at Nashville	LOSS – 50-25

 

“If we go out and beat San Jose, they not going to go ahead and put us in the ArenaBowl in New Orleans,” said Hohensee. “If we happen to lose that football game, that doesn’t mean we can’t get there. When we won the ArenaBowl in 2006, we lost our first two games.”

 

GAME PREVIEW

Since the last time these two teams played in the 2007 American Conference title game, the SaberCats have hoisted the Foster ArenaBowl trophy and return almost the entire title-winning team. Chicago has had to overhaul its skill players with the loss of three of its marquee players in the offseason – quarterback Matt D’Orazio (back injury), receiver Bobby Sippio (NFL) and fullback/linebacker Bob McMillen (retirement).

 

For most teams this would mean a rebuilding year and likely a reverse record from the previous season (Chicago was 12-4 last year). However, the Rush went against this potential dismal outcome and signed not just one of the top free-agent players to fill a void, but signed three top-tier players. Bonner led the Arizona Rattlers to the ArenaBowl five times. Receiver Damian Harrell is a two-time AFL Offensive Player of the Year. Fullback Dan Alexander destroyed the AFL rushing attempts and rushing touchdown mark last season.

 

“I don’t really know if it changes the dynamic of our football team,” said Hohensee about the signings and if they would change a team that was within a game of an ArenaBowl appearance. “I think our team has its own dynamic sense and I think that’s why those players came here. They had to come in here and fit in and I think they have. And I think the end result could be a great season for us.”

 

GETTING OFFENSIVE

While the SaberCats are relatively intact from last season, the Rush has completely refurbished its roster. Only linemen John Sikora and Robert Boss are back from the starting lineup from the American Conference game for Chicago.

 

“We’re very, very new offensively as far as working together,” said Hohensee. Chicago will begin the season with a new quarterback, two new fullbacks, a new center and five new receivers on the roster.

 

San Jose returns six of its eight starters from the ArenaBowl. They lost receiver Ben Nelson (Colorado) in free agency and traded lineman Troy Reddick. In their place, San Jose has moved Rodney Wright from the #3 wideout into Nelson’s void and brought Cleannord Saintil from a reserve receiver to the #3 spot. Additionally, they signed former NFLer Chris Pino to replace Reddick.

 

“We’ve started right where we finished last year with so many guys back (from last year),” said Arbet. “The chemistry has been great.”

 

The Rush’s offense has been predicated on how good the team’s defense has been, as evident of Chicago having the worst offense in terms of total yards and second-worst in passing offense last season. When you lead the AFL in starting field position, it shortens the field and offensive yardage. This was also a reason why the Rush turned the ball over a league-low 17 times in 2007. With Chicago’s skill position players all brand new, San Jose appears to be have the advantage on offense, but Chicago’s one of the best defensive teams in the league in the last five years.

 

2007 OFFENSIVE COMPARISON

SAN JOSE	CATEGORY	CHICAGO
2nd	Points Scored	7th
7th	Total Offense	19th
6th	Pass Offense	18th
3rd	Passer Rating	6th
3rd	3rd Down Conversions	15th
1st	4th Down Conversions	7th
2nd	Giveaways	1st
3rd	Red Zone Offense	6th

 

…DEFENSE WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS

Defenses are always overlooked in the high-scoring indoor game, but Chicago and San Jose have used two of the league’s best defenses to win the last two ArenaBowls. Last season, the Rush and SaberCats were among the league’s best defenses in nearly every single category. San Jose returns every single starter from last season’s championship team. Chicago has six of its eight starters back from the last time these two teams met.

 

To replace EJ Burt and Curtis Eason on the defensive line, the Rush just signed James Baron, one of the best nose tackles to play the game, and moved John Moyer from the Mack linebacker (Dan Alexander is the MLB this year) back to his original position on the line.  Chicago might also get Khreem Smith back on the line at some point during the season. In 2006, he posted eight sacks which earned him a contract in the NFL where he’d been until being released by the Kansas City Chiefs. Smith might not be back in time for the SaberCats game, but will definitely help a defense that went from third in the AFL with him in 2006 to 14th last year in sacks.

 

2007 DEFENSIVE COMPARISON

SAN JOSE	CATEGORY	CHICAGO
2nd	Points Allowed	1st
5th	Total Defense	2nd
5th	Pass Defense	2nd
4th	Defensive Passer Rating	1st
2nd	Total Takeaways	1st
4th	Sacks By	11th
3rd	Interceptions	1st
1st	Fumble Recoveries	2nd
1st	Opp. 3rd Down Conversions	7th
4th	Opp. 4th Down Conversions	12th
1st	Red Zone Defense	6th

 

ISN’T THAT SPECIAL

San Jose was the most improved special teams unit in 2007. The previous year, the team was one of the worst and last year, the SaberCats returned the most kickoffs for touchdowns and were the second-best team in kickoff return coverage. Kicker A.J. Haglund was the lone AFL rookie on the league’s 2007 All-Arena team. The SaberCats return every player to return a kickoff, so look for them to still be among the league’s best. Chicago was in the bottom half of the league in kickoff coverage and field goal percentage. Chicago kicker Dan Frantz won an ArenaBowl ring with the SaberCats in 2004.

 

2007 SPECIAL TEAMS COMPARISON

SAN JOSE	CATEGORY	CHICAGO
2nd	PAT Pct.	6th
7th	FG Pct.	15th
4th	Kickoff Return Average	8th
2nd	Kickoff Return Coverage	17th

 

BETCHA DIDN’T KNOW

Though the SaberCats brought back almost the entire team from the last time the two of these teams met, San Jose will be without two players that combined for more than half of the team’s scoring in the 61-49 win over Chicago to advance to ArenaBowl XXI – Ben Nelson caught four touchdowns and Matt Kinsinger (now with the Rush) added two rushing scores.

 

“(Hohensse’s) always going to have his team prepared and they are going to be good,” said Arbet. “Bonner throws the ball better than anybody has ever thrown it in this league. Harrell’s very tough to stop in the red zone. They are going to be very tough that first game.”

 

“If you don’t bring you’re A-game partner against San Jose,” added Hohensee, “you will NOT win that football game let alone even have a chance.”

 

This game will be the first of seven games for the Rush on ESPN2 this season. It is the lone SaberCats contest on until the postseason when the two are likely to play if history repeats itself.

 

*** ArenaFan.com ***