ORLANDO-The Orlando Predators have nothing to play for but employment for next season at this point. Having said that, the Predators laid all kinds of pain, blues and agony on the Detroit Drive in a 28-3 blowout in a Week 12 AFL game.
The game started with Patch Brolie returning a short kickoff 30 yards to the Orlando 45-yard line. But the scoring chance went for naught as Cletis Frayer missed a 40-yard field goal. The teams would trade punts through most of the first quarter, then the Predators ended a 7-play, 58-yard drive with Caleb Doering throwing a 51-yard option pass to D.J. Giles on the first play of the second quarter to give Orlando a 7-0 lead.
After the Drive were forced to punt, the Predators struck again. Woodrow Richardson ended a 3-play, 69-yard drive firing a 63-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah O'Connell making it 14-0 with 12:58 remaining in the half. Detroit would punt, and then seemed primed to break through when T.T. Presley picked off Richardson and returned it 56 yards to the Drive 47-yard line. But a holding penalty short-circuited the drive and Detroit punted. Orlando would punt, then Detroit attempted to march for a score before the half, but Frayer missed a 45-yard field goal and the Drive were shut out for the half.
The Predators punted to open the second half, then Detroit drove 69 yards on 16 plays. Frayer would finally connect on a 28-yard field goal to make it 14-3 with 2:51 remaining in the third quarter. Orlando punted on their next drive, then Lou Couch would be picked off by Denver Frakes at the beginning of the fourth quarter on the Drive 30-yard line.
Abel White would miss a 47-yard field goal attempt that was partially deflected by Jamie Whirley. But Couch would get picked off again, this time by Darius Talie who took it back 37 yards to the Detroit 8-yard line. The Predators would lose 2 yards on three plays, but White would connect on a 28-yard field goal to make it 17-3 with 12:05 to go in the fourth quarter. The Drive punted on their next possession, and Orlando marched 94 yards on 12 plays. Stewart Lamons ran in for a 4-yard toucchdown. White missed the extra point, and the score was 23-3 with 4:26 to go in the fourth. Detroit's next possession came to an inglorious end when Couch was sacked in the end zone by Orlan Capaletti for a safety to make it 25-3 with 3:57 left in the fourth quarter. Following the safety kick, the Predators drove 30 yards on 7 plays, and White kicked a 50-yard field goal with 1:15 remaining to make it 28-3.
Orlando (2-10) gained 408 yards of total offense. The Predators ran for 115 yards on 28 carries. Giles led the team with 46 yards on 12 carries. Richardson was 20-of-32 passing for 258 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. He was sacked twice, losing 27 yards. Farren Smithson was the leading receiver with 5 catches for 56 yards. Next week, the Predators visit the Nashville Kats.
Detroit (5-7) gained 138 yards of total offense. The Drive ran for 118 yards on 30 carries. Artie Thom led the team with 57 yards on 11 carries. Couch was 11-of-27 passing for 99 yards and 2 INT (a passer rating of 20.4). He was sacked eight times, losing 79 yards. Vern Kelly led the team with 5 catches for 34 yards. Next week, the Drive visit the Grand Rapids Rampage.
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