Conquered by Mount Everett. Power lose 63-40 to Mustangs

The Pittsburgh Power are still looking for answers in the 2012 season after getting blown out 63-40 by the milwaukee Mustangs on Thursday night.

The Power (1-2) were hoping that quarterback Bill Stull had developed more chemistry with his wide receivers in between their last game against the Philadelphia Soul and last night's game.  That wasn't the case. 

The offense stalled on their opening drive and had to settle for a field goal from rookie Collin Wagner.  The next two drives ended in turnovers.  Milwaukee scored on all three of their opening drives and the score was 20-3 before many Power fans could blink. 

Stull finished his day in the third quarter after completing only 13 of his 31 passes for 181 yards, 1 TD, and two turnovers (1 interception, one fumble).  He was also sacked 3 times.  He was continually harassed by the Mustangs defense and many of his passes missed wide open receivers.  Several times alone he failed to find 6'6" receiver Lonnell DeWalt.  It's pretty hard to miss a target that big. 

Andrico Hines entered the game to replace an injured Stull, but his first pass was returned for a touchdown by Marcus Everett.  Everett, the week 3 AFL JLS-Ironman, likely laid claim to the week 4 Defensive Player of the Week award in the AFL.  He finished the day with 2 interceptions and a fumble recovery.

The Power offense did get a little bit going late in the game but not until the game was well out of reach.  Lonnell DeWalt finished with 7 catches for 97 yards and 2 touchdowns, and P.J. Berry crossed the century mark with 104 yards on 8 catches.  Tyre Young also provided a few highlight runs with 6 carries for 41 yards and 2 TD's.

Pittsburgh will look to get back to .500 at home next week against the Iowa Barnstormers. 

Pittsburgh Power at Milwaukee Mustangs Preview

TV: UStream, Pittsburgh's CW (Tape Delay)

Radio: TribLive Radio (Pittsburgh), ESPN 540 AM (Milwaukee)

8:00 PM EST - Bradley Center, Milwaukee, WI.

The Pittsburgh Power (1-1) looked at last week's showdown with Philadelphia as a litmus test for where they stood as championship contenders.  They found out there are still some kinks to work out in their quest for the Foster trophy.  They will travel to Milwaukee on Thursday night to take on their division rivals, the Milwaukee Mustangs (1-1)

Quarterback Bill Stull took over as the starting quarterback for the Power last week and looked strong early, but faltered in the 4th quarter.  He finished the day 26 of 42 for 299 yards, 6 touchdowns and 3 interceptions.  He has to put a halt to the turnovers if he expects to be a successful arena football league quarterback.   His accuracy also seemed to falter a bit in the second half.  Perhaps fatigue played a part in the late struggles. 

Stull will have the full confidence of his teammates and coaches and should fare a bit better against Milwaukee.  His favorite target last week was Randy Hymes.  The former Baltimore Raven had 7 catches for 112 yards and two scores.  His size (6'3" 215 pounds) is a big advantage in the AFL. 

P.J. Berry has had a slow start to the 2012 season so far at least on offense.  I do believe his foot injury has impacted him a bit more than he had hoped, but it's only a matter of time before he has the kind of game Power fans were hoping for when he signed with the team.   This could be the week he finally makes his mark in a Power uniform.

Speaking of making their mark.  Tyre Young left a lasting impression on the Consol Energy Center turf last week after scoring a touchdown.  I'm all for sharing, but I doubt the CEC faithful wanted to share his pregame meal with him quite the way he did.  I think any Young touchdowns from here on out should be sponsored by Stanley Steemer.   All joking aside, Young has shown why he was the best AFL running back in 2010 and he will be a strongly utilized part of the Power offense in 2012. 

Milwaukee's offense funnels through quarterback Gino Guidugli (Pronounced Ga-duel-ee).  The second year quarterback has been strong so far on the season connecting on 43 of 65 passes (66.2%) for 603 yards, 10 TD's and only 2 interceptions.  There were high expectations for Guidugli entering the season and so far he's lived up to them. 

His top target so far has been 6'3" receiver Jared Jenkins.  Jenkins has 17 catches for 248 yards and 4 TD's early on in his AFL rookie season.  He lines up next to another AFL rookie in Jonathan Wilson, who has added 11 catches for 183 yards and 3 TD's.     

Milwaukee has scored exactly 65 points in both of their games this season, and that seems to be a likely scoring level again in this week's contest. 

Defensively last week, the Power did what they had to do to secure victory.  Don't let the 84 points that Philly put up fool you, the Power D had two interceptions and three recovered fumbles.  Anytime you get 5 turnovers as a defense in the AFL you should win handily.  I think linebacker John Green showed a lot of great instincts with the ball, but unfortunately he had a fumble of his own after an interception which negated the big play. 

Bryan Williams and Chris LeFlore seem to be around the ball on just about every play.  No defensive back in the AFL is perfect, but these guys have a chance to make plays throughout the game and that's what you want.  I am very impressed by what I've seen from the Power secondary so far. 

Milwaukee's biggest strength was on defense in 2011, and they held the New Orleans VooDoo to 42 points in a 65-42 victory in the Graveyard last week.  They will pose a strong test for a Power offense still trying to develop a rhythm early in this AFL season.  Luis Vasquez already has 2.5 sacks this year, Dwayne LaFall has added 1.5 sacks, and both Ryan McFoy and Marcus Everett have pick sixes for the Mustangs.

The biggest weakness we saw from the Power last week was the kicking game.  Collin Wagner made his AFL debut and it's one he'd prefer to forget.  He missed three extra points, including one returned for two points the other way, causing a five point shift on the scoreboard.  Some of his kickoffs failed to make it to the rebound nets.  You need to cause some chaos on kickoffs if you're going to have a chance.  I'm not convinced he's the right guy to replace Taylor Rowan.  

Opposite of Wagner, you have Ryan Gates who is 8 of 9 on his extra points and has made the only field goal he's attempted.  AFL games are so close, and often times missed extra points end up being the only difference between two teams.  If the Power keep Wagner in the saddle, he has to improve this week or it could be another loss for Pittsburgh.

Keys to the game for Pittsburgh

• Shake off the mistakes from last week.  This team has a lot of playmakers on offense and they are much better than the six turnovers we saw against the Soul.
• Put the pressure on Guidugli early.  If the Power can force him to make some errant throws, I think Bryan Williams, Chris LeFlore, John Green and company can come up with a few turnovers and get the Bradley Center faithful out of it.
• Lonnell DeWalt, P.J. Berry, Randy Hymes, Tyre Young or even tight end Moqut Ruffins.  Stick with what is working. 

Keys to the game for Milwaukee

• Force Bill Stull to make accurate passes.  Many of Stull's big plays were to wide open receivers against Philadelphia.  Play tighter man coverage against the Power receivers and Stull will have to make the tighter throws for completions.  This may open him up to a few more interceptions.
• Enjoy homefield advantage.  This is such a big thing in the AFL with the fans right on top of the field.  Make it tough early on for Pittsburgh.

I personally think Pittsburgh is a lot better than the final score showed last week against Philadelphia, but we still need to see them prove it on the field.  The week one win over Orlando didn't prove anything just yet, so look for the Power to be very hungry in this one. 

Milwaukee's defense could be key.  I don't think their offense is quite on the same level as what we saw out of the Soul last week.  I also don't think their defense is as strong either.  Not to take anything away from the Mustangs, but I just feel this matchup is a lot easier for the Power.   Milwaukee will get a boost out of the Bradley Center faithful, but I just like the Power's playmakers a bit more.

It'll be close, but I think the Power get the job done on the road.

Power Knocked Out in Keystone Collision

Two weeks after a season opening victory in Orlando using replacement players, and coming off a week 2 bye, the Power finally got their first chance to show the fans what they could do at full strength.  After their 84-59 loss to the Philadelphia Soul, the Pittsburgh Power still have a lot of work to do.

Turnovers were the story of the game for both teams.  Both teams lost three fumbles, and Pittsburgh lost the interception battle 3-2.  The Power also lost the fourth down conversion war too going 0 for 2 in that department. 

Despite all of the momentum killing mistakes, Pittsburgh hung in there tight with the Soul and you started to think they might steal one.  Unfortunately, the mistakes just kept coming.

Quarterback Bill Stull seemed to outplay his Philly counterpart well into the fourth quarter before he was forced into desperation mode.    He finished the day 26 of 42 for 299 yards, 6 TD's and 3 interceptions.  One of the picks was as he was being hit from behind.  He failed to connect twice on fourth down overthrowing his receivers badly. 

Randy Hymes stepped up in this game with 7 catches for 112 yards and 2 TD's.  Mike "The Joystick" Washington also caught 9 passes for 80 yards and a pair of scores.

Despite the 84 points on the scoreboard, the Power did a very good job defensively of containing the Soul outside of Donovan Morgan.  John Green had a huge interception but unfortunately fumbled near the goal line to negate a crucial six points.  Justin Parrish returned a Dan Raudabaugh fumble for six the other way.  Anytime you get five turnovers in the AFL you should win comfortably, but alas this wasn't the case Friday night.

Rookie kicker Collin Wagner had a rough AFL debut missing three extra points, plus one attempt was returned for a two point conversion the other way causing another five point swing towards Philly.

Overall the Power just weren't able to capitalize on the chances the Soul were giving them.  We saw a lot of the same out of the New Orleans Voodoo last week in a narrow 63-62 loss to this same Soul team. 

Perhaps some more practice with the team will help Bill Stull get a better chemistry going with his teammates.

Pittsburgh travels to Milwaukee on Thursday March 29th for a big early season divisional matchup.     

Philadelphia Soul Vs. Pittsburgh Power Preview

8:00 PM EST Consol Energy Center

TV: NFL Network

Radio: WPEN 950AM & 97.5 The Fanatic (Philadelphia), TribLive Radio (Pittsburgh)

Need to get the hatred flowing as a Pittsburgh sports fan?  How about inviting a team from Philadelphia into your house.

The cross-state rival Philadelphia Soul come to town for the Pittsburgh Power's 2012 home opener.  Both teams opened their seasons with a road victory.  Pittsburgh had to deal with the labor dispute and replacement players in a 40-26 win against Orlando, while Philadelphia had to overcome turnovers and penalties to edge the New Orleans Voodoo 63-62

Philadelphia has bragging all offseason about handling their business this year by using the slogan "We Got This."  They brought in a lot of all-arena caliber talent across the board and while that makes them formidable, that doesn't make them unbeatable.

Pittsburgh has already lost a key member of their offseason moves.  Due to the labor struggles, quarterback Kyle Rowley is not expected to play for the Power this year, leaving the Power with unproven Andrico Hines or recently re-signed local star Bill Stull to man the quarterback position.

Given how strongly the success of your quarterback translates to winning in this league, it is vital that the Power get one of them to step up and take care of business. 

Those going to the game tonight will want to arrive early as there will be an indoor fireworks show that's being promoted as "the largest in Pittsburgh history."  Hopefully the fireworks on the field will overshadow the ones off the field.

Philly goes with Dan Raudabaugh at quarterback this year.  Power fans will remember him throwing 433 yards and 10 TD's for Dallas in a 76-75 shootout loss to Pittsburgh last year.  He has a lot of talent and accuracy and should provide a tough test for the Power secondary in their first full game together.

Both the Power and Soul boast a lot of superstar talent at the wide receiver position.  Philly's Tiger Jones was the leading receiver in the AFL last year and picked up right where he left off with 10 catches for 132 yards and 3 TD's last week against New Orleans.  Donovan Morgan also added 86 yards and 2 TD's last week.  Jeff Hughley stood out as the best player in the AFL last week with 4 catches for 92 yards and 2 TD's while also exploding for 265 yards and a score on 10 kickoff returns. 

Pittsburgh's Mike "The Joystick" Washington had 9 catches for 166 yards and 4 TD's in the season opener against Orlando.  Some may try to put an asterisk next to that because of all the replacement players, but we've seen a lot of games like that out of Washington in his time here with the Power.  We're still waiting for a full appearance from Lonnell DeWalt and P.J. Berry, the reigning AFL Ironman of the Year.  Both players should have a huge impact on the Power this season.

One key matchup to look at will be the kicking position.  Soul kicker Phil Marfuggi was a perfect 9 for 9 on his extra points last week.  Pittsburgh will counter with AFL rookie Collin Wagner who will make his arena debut tonight.  How well he adapts to the inside game will go a long way towards determing this outcome.  Wagner played college ball at Penn State.  Nittany Lion fans will likely remember his four field goal effort in awful kicking conditions to lead PSU to a 19-17 win over LSU in the 2009 Capital One Bowl. 

Keys to the game.

For Philadelphia

• Show some discipline.  12 penalties for 90 yards is simply unacceptable in the AFL. 
• Hold on to the football.  The offense is explosive, but putting the ball on the ground twice is a quick way to lose the game.
• Tighten up defensively.  The offense is definitely one of the strongest in the league, but if you can't stop the other team you're leaving a lot to chance. 

For Pittsburgh

• Get everybody on the same page quickly.  They may have gotten a victory in Orlando, but this will be the first full game as a team.
• Keep the crowd involved.  The pregame fireworks show should have the crowd amped up.  Take advantage of that by scoring early and often.
• Take advantage of opportunities.  New Orleans failed to capitalize on the mistakes the Soul made and it cost them big time.  Philly is beatable, but you have to pounce on their mistakes. 

Overall I think the Soul have a bit more talent across the board, and they have the more proven quarterback.  Pittsburgh has the homefield advantage in this one.  I think that will come into play somewhat, but I still think Philly wins it.

Sean, the Saints and the Snitch!

By Guest Blogger: Steven G. Folmar

         When I read online yesterday that the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell had suspended Saint’s Head Coach Sean Payton for the year, my first reaction was “You gotta be kidding me!”, but as I read on it all be came clearer to me and this is how I see it. Obviously, somewhere there Sean lied to someone in the league. He had already been warned once and told the league he was cleaning things up, which he definitely didn’t do. He was also accused of telling people before they went to testify that the organization needed to have their “ducks in a row”. (A threat maybe?) But as we look at the situation here I agree the league had to come down hard. I am surprised they did it harder on Payton than they did for Gregg William’s, but as the head coach, it is your ship. It goes where you tell it to go.

          Now it will be interesting to see the repercussions from this and how it plays out. General Manager Mickey Loomis will be suspended for half the season, though he WILL be allowed to handle the draft, training camp and everything leading up to the season. Payton is gone for the year. Now Ram’s defensive coordinator William’s is gone “Indefinitely”, which is going to be at least a season, I am thinking maybe 2 or 3 unless he gets down on his knees and begs. And I have no love loss for William’s. He showed his ego a few years back with his comment about “Look-Out hits” on Peyton Manning. Even if you do it, what kind of Einstein goes on a radio show and says you are targeting the other teams quarterback in the Super Bowl. This gets even more interesting knowing that Drew Bree’s is already involved in contentious contract negotiations. And the team could very well lose defensive playmaker Jonathon Vilma if they decide, he too, lied to the league. Vilma being the only player named at this point. What quarterback wants to have the franchise tag hanging over their head when they lost their head coach, general manager and defensive leader for at least half a year?
        Finally, comes the question, how did the league know about these accusations? I really have mixed feelings here, and it is hard to debate this fact with a non-sports related person. It just doesn’t make sense to them. Warren Sapp, former pro-bowler and now league analyst for the NFL Network, stated on his twitter that he has very solid sources telling him that the snitch was in fact, former Saint’s tight end Jeremy Shockey. Shockey, of course, denies the claims. Again, I do not argue with any of the punishments, they are all deserved up to this point, but the locker room is hollowed ground for a lot of the people involved. To me it is no different than sitting with your family confessing to a crime, and then finding out your brother or sister went and told the police. And we aren’t talking murder here, maybe a little grand larceny is a better fit. You teammates are your brothers, for some people even closer than that. To know that what you say in a locker room could be open fodder for the media, fans or the league really touches a cord with me. I have coached in arena football, and just about every team I played with had a “sack pot”, or one for turnovers or special teams plays. Though I have never heard of one for actually hurting anyone, big hits were certainly encouraged. I think you also see how sore of a subject it is for former players as well. For Sapp to bring these to light and actually name names, while he is en employee of the NFL, could put his job at risk for revealing whistleblowers, though he says that his information did not come form anyone in the league offices nor would he ask anyone from the league offices.
         This is the kind of punishment that could lead the Saint’s back to the days of the“Ain’ts”. The league set a precedent with this one and the ripples could be felt for years to come as the League puts their foot down, teams have to re-think the way they do business and the players are left to wonder who can they really trust.