Saturday, January 28, 2017

AFL: Orlando Beats Milwaukee in OT, 26-20

MILWAUKEE-Ramon Roden threw three touchdown passes, including the game winner in overtime. to give the Orlando Predators a 26-20 victory over the Milwaukee Mustangs in Week 15 of the AFL season.

Milwaukee started the game with a 20-play, 80-yard drive that ended with Rock Philbrook kicking a 20-yard field goal to put the Mustangs up 3-0 with 6:34 left in the first quarter. The Predators would strike back with a 5-play, 80-yard drive. Roden put an exclamation point on the drive with a 64-yard touchdown pass to Steven Thompson to give Orlando a 7-3 lead with 4:11 left in the first.

On Milwaukee's next possession, Ringo Flack stripped the ball from JC George on a sack and recovered it on the Orlando 49-yard line. Following an 8-play, 27-yard drive, Abel White scored on a 41-yard field goal to make it 10-3 with 12:01 remaining in the second quarter. The Mustangs would answer with a 7-play, 47-yard drive that ended with a 29-yard field goal by Philbrook to cut the lead to 10-6 with 8:07 left in the half. The Predators then moved 25 yards on 8 plays, ending with White drilling a 51-yard field goal making it 13-6 with 3:58 to go in the second quarter. Milwaukee looked to drive for another score, but Philbrook's 33-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Franklin Read and the half ended with Orlando up a touchdown.

Punting dominated much of the third quarter until the Predators finally started to move the ball, driving 55 yards on 7 plays. Roden finished the drive off with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Farren Smithson, extending Orlando's lead to 20-6 with 2:15 to go in the third quarter.

After a pair of punts, Milwaukee began to move, driving 67 yards on 10 plays. George put an end to the drive with a 2-yard touchdown pass to C.C. Cage, his 11th touchdown catch of the season, to make it 20-13 with 10:31 to go in the fourth quarter. Following another Orlando punt, the Mustangs went on a 13-play, 80-yard drive that ended with George throwing a 7-yard touchdown pass to Chester Brice tying the game at 20 with 1:21 left in regulation. The Predators had to punt, and the game went into overtime. The Mustangs got the ball first, and looked to score, but Silas Garris picked George off and returned it 32 yards to the Milwaukee 38-yard line. Six plays later, Roden threw the game-winning touchdown pass, a 13-yard strike to Gene Crosby at the 9:25 mark of overtime to give the Predators the 26-20 win.

Orlando (7-8) gained 290 yards of total offense. The Predators ran for 104 yards on 30 carries. D.J. Giles led the team with 49 yards on 14 carries. Roden was 13-of-26 passing for 209 yards and 3 TD. He was sacked three times, losing 23 yards. Thompson caught 3 passes for 93 yards and a TD. The Predators will wrap up their season next week hosting the Chicago Rush.

Milwaukee (7-8) gained 423 yards of total offense. The Mustangs ran for 76 yards on 27 carries. Brice led the team with 45 yards on 14 carries. George went 33-of-52 passing for 364 yards, 2 TD and 1 INT. He was sacked three times, losing 32 yards. Heinie Clausen was Milwaukee's leading receiver with 11 catches for 111 yards. The Mustangs will finish out their season next week on the road against the Tampa Bay Storm.

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