The Philadelphia Soul (2-6) collide with the Georgia Force (5-3) on Friday, May 13 at 7:05 p.m. (EST) at the Wells Fargo Center, with coverage of the game available on AFL Live and NiftyTV. Both teams will be looking to rebound after losses last week to remain in the hunt for their respective division crowns.
After a 76-62 victory in Iowa to close out the month of April, the Soul fell to the Jacksonville Sharks, 58-42, at home in Week 9. The Soul are hoping to improve to 1-2 at home this season and 2-2 all-time against the Force in the regular season. Soul Head Coach Mike Hohensee is 1-2 against the Force, with the win coming on home turf. Force Head Coach Dean Cokinos is in his second year at the helm of an AFL franchise, first with Georgia, and has yet to play the Soul or Hohensee.
“Georgia is a very good football team that has lost a few close games,” said Hohensee. “They have a very talented defense and a quarterback that is smart with the football. When you have those two components working in your favor in this League it directly translates into wins.”
The Force attack strictly through the air, averaging less than two yards per game on the ground. Quarterback Brett Elliott has spread the ball effectively, completing 169-of-260 passes for 2,261 yards and 50 touchdowns. His top three targets at the receiver position each have at least 50 receptions and 10 touchdowns. Maurice Purify leads the pack with 70 catches for 931 yards and 22 touchdowns.
Offensively, the Soul have relied on their receiving corps, despite the lack of consistency at the quarterback position. Donovan Morgan leads the Soul with 65 receptions for 1,003 yards and 15 touchdowns. He is the first wide receiver in the League this season to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark and also ranks No. 3 with 15.4 yards per catch, and No. 5 with 125.4 reception yards per game.
After three games, rookie wide out Keith Stokes has proven to be a threat catching passes and returning kicks, averaging 162.7 all-purpose yards per game, ranked No. 6 in the League. He has contributed offensively and remains lethal in the open-field with 10 returns for 220 yards and a touchdown. The last time the Soul returned a kick for a touchdown in a regular season game was Mike Brown’s 57-yard runback against the San Jose SaberCats on April 12, 2008.
C.J. Johnson has provided a similar spark in the return game for the Force with his three touchdowns, tied for No. 1 in the League. His 22.3 average yards per return ranks No. 2 while his 759 return yards ranks No. 4.
On the defensive side of the ball, Georgia’s secondary has been able to consistently force turnovers, ranking No. 4 in the League with 15 interceptions. Defensive backs Tracy Belton and Ahmad Hawkins are the primary ball-hawks, both of which have five picks. Belton also leads the team with 50.0 total tackles while Hawkins leads with 12 pass break ups.
In the Soul secondary, Kent Richardson and newly acquired James Sadler must fill the shoes of Tanner Varner, who was injured in Week 8, at Iowa. Against the Sharks last week, Richardson recorded three tackles, a forced fumble, and a pass break up while Sadler was second on the team with five tackles.
The game may very well come down to the fourth quarter, which is an area that both teams have struggled with throughout the season. The Soul have been outscored by 41 points in the final frame, and have lost three games in the waning seconds. The Force have outscored their opponents in the first three quarters by 68 points, but have been outscored in the fourth by 23. Both teams will want to improve in this category in order to claim a victory at the final whistle.
-courtesy of Philadelphia Soul
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