The Pittsburgh Power head West for Week 9 of AFL action to take on the Spokane Shock this Friday night at the Veterans Memorial Arena. Kickoff is scheduled for 10:00 pm ET. The game can be viewed nationally on ESPN3 and will also be broadcast on TribLIVE Radio with Dan Dudley and Dom Errico calling the action.
THE GAME:
Pittsburgh Power (4-3) at Spokane Shock (5-2)
Friday, May 9 – 10:00 p.m. ET
Veterans Memorial Arena – Spokane, WA
TV: ESPN3
Radio: TribLIVE Radio
All-Time Series: Tied 1-1
LAST WEEK:
Pittsburgh pulled back above .500 with a win at home over their in-state rivals, the Philadelphia Soul, 65-57. The Power swung momentum in the first half when defensive lineman Jake Killeen forced a fumble that his teammates were able to fall on. The win marked the Power’s third-straight win at home.
Despite losing 2013 Arena Football League MVP Erik Meyer to injury in the game, the Shock took down the Los Angeles KISS in dominant fashion, 70-21. Spokane’s defense came up huge forcing two fumbles and intercepting two KISS passes to improve to 4-2 on the season.
POWER TO WATCH | OFFENSE:
In his first home game with the Power, wide receiver Rodney Wright put on a show. He hauled in 16 passes for the Black and Gold amassing 163 yards and five touchdowns. His reception and touchdown total were both personal highs and his yardage was the second highest of his career.
Quarterback Tommy Grady had a big bounce-back game against the Soul. He completed 32 passes for 318 yards and eight touchdowns. His performance brings his season totals up to 1,817 yards and 40 touchdowns.
SHOCK TO WATCH | OFFENSE:
Spokane took a big blow in their win over LA, with Erik Meyer’s season ending injury. They did however learn that they have a playmaker in Rashaad Carter. The wide receiver stepped in as the signal caller and contributed six total touchdowns. Although he won’t be in at quarterback this week, the J. Lewis Small Playmaker of Week 8 will surely be utilized when playing against the Power.
Pittsburgh’s defensive backs will also have their hands full with Adron Tennell. The Shock’s receiver leads the team with 11 touchdown grabs in 2014. Last season, Tennell led the league with 49 touchdowns which is the seventh most in a single season in AFL history.
POWER TO WATCH | DEFENSE:
Arvell Nelson is coming off a monster game at Jack linebacker. He led the Power in their win over Philadelphia last week with eight tackles. Nelson is second on the team with 27.5 tackles and also has tallied three fumble recoveries and an interception so far this season.
Defensive Back Virgil Gray leads all Pittsburgh defenders with 32 tackles. His six interceptions are a League high.
SHOCK TO WATCH | DEFENSE:
Spokane defensive back Paul Stephens was one of two Shock defenders to pick off a pass in Week 8, taking his 51 yards back to the house for the score. He finished the game second on the team in tackles with four and added a forced fumble in the contest.
Terrence Moore leads Spokane on the season with 34.5 tackles. The Shock’s secondary plays ball hawking defense with 12 picks on the season including defensive back Terran Sanders’ five which is tied for second-best in the League.
About the Pittsburgh Power
The Pittsburgh Power is a professional arena football team in the Arena Football League based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Founded in 2010, the team is owned by entrepreneur Matt Shaner, NFL Hall of Famer Lynn Swann, and Trib Total Media. The team plays all their home games at CONSOL Energy Center, which also is the home to the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins. Tickets and Sponsorships are available for the 2014 season. For more information visit our website at www.pittsburghpowerfootball.com or call 412-697-7846. You can also follow the Power on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, and YouTube.
About the AFL
Since its inception in 1987, the Arena Football League has showcased a fast-paced and exciting game to millions of fans in a myriad of markets across the country. CBS Sports Network will broadcast an AFL National Game of the Week on Saturday nights for the entire season. The AFL schedule then culminates with the ArenaBowl Championship game pitting the American Conference Champions versus the National Conference Champions for the James F. Foster Trophy.