TAMPA-Burton Carmon caught three touchdown passes, including the game-winner with less than a minute to go, to help the Tampa Bay Storm defeat the Orlando Predators 37-32 in Week 3 of the AFL season.
Both teams traded punts to start the game, and the first score would come Darius Talie picked off Orval Stanley and returned it 32 yards for a touchdown. Abel White missed the extra point, and the Predators led 6-0 with 3 minutes left in the first quarter.
Following the interception, the Storm would drive 49 yards on 9 plays. Johnny Quincey put Tampa Bay on the board with a 35-yard field goal to make it 6-3 with 13:50 to go in the second quarter. Orlando subsequently went on a 10-play, 71-yard drive. Woodrow Richardson threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Leonard Irving making it 13-3 with 10:23 left in the half. The Storm then answered with a 4-play, 64-yard drive that ended with Stanley throwing a 28-yard touchdown pass to Carmon to make it 13-10 with 8:06 to go in the second. The Predators then took 5 plays to go 72 yards, ending with a 5-yard touchdown pass from Richardson to Farren Smithson extending their lead to 20-10 with 5:45 remaining in the half. Tampa Bay tried to score again, but Quincey missed a 38-yard field goal attempt. After trading punts, White would miss a 51-yard field goal to end the half.
Orlando opened the second half with a punt, then Willie Zachary would fumble and Ham Sheets recovered for the Predators at the Orlando 44-yard line. Richardson would then be sacked by Charley Voorhees and fumbled. Blue Hanan scooped it up and ran 13 yards to the Predators' 42-yard line. But Quincey missed a 55-yard field goal attempt. Orlando then drove 47 yards on 6 plays, and White would kick a 25-yard field goal to make it 23-10 with 7:22 left in the third quarter.
After trading punts, Tampa Bay would drive 69 yards on 8 plays. Stanley finished it off with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Foster Warhurst making it 23-17 with 13:21 remaining in the fourth quarter. On the ensuing kickoff, RW Warden fielded it at his own 11, and took off 89 yards for a touchdown. White would miss the extra point again, and the score was 29-17 with 13:03 left in the fourth. Allie Navarro would fumble on the Storm's ensuing return, and Al Morton recovered for the Predators at the Tampa Bay 27-yard line. The Predators looked to put the game out of reach, but Drake Cushing picked off Richardson and returned it 38 yards to the Storm 45-yard line. Stanley then ended a 4-play, 55-yard drive with a 27-yard touchdown pass to Carmon making the score 29-24 with 8:33 to go in the fourth quarter. Richardson fumbled on a scramble, and Tito Evers recovered for the Storm at the Orlando 33-yard line. Three plays later, Jefferson Taylor scored on a 3-yard touchdown run. The 2-point conversion attempt failed, and the Storm led 30-29 with 6:46 remaining in the fourth. The Predators answered with a 6-play, 48-yard drive that ended with a 42-yard field goal by White to take a 32-30 lead with 3:16 remaining in the fourth quarter. Tampa Bay answered back with a 7-play, 62-yard drive, and Stanley hit Carmon for an 8-yard touchdown pass with 58 seconds left to take a 37-32 lead. Orlando had one more shot to score a touchdown, but Navarro intercepted Richardson at the Tampa Bay 15-yard line with 32 seconds to go sealing the win.
Tampa Bay (2-1) gained 459 yards of total offense. The Storm ran for 90 yards on 30 carries. Zachary led the team with 41 yards on 10 carries. Stanley was 25-of-40 passing for 391 yards, 4 TD and 1 INT. He was sacked three times, losing 22 yards. Warhust was the leading receiver with 12 catches for 182 yards and a TD. Carmon caught 8 for 138 yards and 3 TD. The Storm host the Chicago Rush next week.
Orlando (0-3) gained 357 yards of total offense. The Predators ran for 46 yards on 13 carries. Richardson led the team with 35 yards on 3 carries. He was 25-of-44 passing for 317 yards, 2 TD and 2 INT. He was sacked once for a 6-yard loss. RW Courier (92 yards) and Irving (54 yards, TD) each caught 6 passes in the game. The Predators will host the Dallas Desperados next week.
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