Firebirds stalk, kill Predators (Full Story)
July 25, 1998 - Final 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Totals Orlando 14 20 12 24 70 Albany 21 17 24 14 79 Firebirds stalk, kill Predators
By STEVE AMEDIO
Gazette SportswriterALBANY - The Albany Firebirds not only earned a first-round home playoff game with their 79-70 victory Saturday over the Orlando Predators, they sent a message in doing so.
The message is that you'd better score plenty of points if you want to beat the offensively potent 'Birds.
The Firebirds scored all 11 times they had the ball in their best offensive production of the season, before a season-best home crowd of 12,345 at Pepsi Arena.
The 79-point explosion was short of the franchise's best of 88, set two years ago, but that couldn't dull the joy of the Firebirds.
"This was a big win . . . a very big win for us," said Firebirds coach Mike Dailey. "We definitely wanted to be home for the first round of the playoffs."
Albany, which has one more regular-season game - Friday night at the New York CityHawks - will host its playoff opener on Aug. 8.
"We talked about what we had to do, and then went out and did it," Dailey said. "We know what an advantage there is in playing at home. We play better at home."
The Firebirds are 5-2 at home this season, and have won four of six on the road.
"Still, you don't want to have to travel," Dailey said. "You're a lot more comfortable when you play at home, when there's a full house yelling for you."
Albany proved that against the Predators, getting the big crowd on its side early when defensive back Tommy Johnson intercepted an Orlando pass three minutes into the game and returned it 35 yards for a Firebirds touchdown.
Orlando got to within 38-34 at the intermission, but Albany scored early in the second half on a Mike Pawlawski 30-yard pass to Greg Hopkins.
The Firebirds had the ball back a play later when Chad Dukes recovered Orlando receiver Barry Wagner's fumble.
Six plays later, Albany had a 51-34 advantage when Paw- lawski hooked up with receiver Jon Krick for a three-yard TD pass.
The teams traded scores after that, but Dukes, named the game's Ironman, made sure the Predators wouldn't overtake the Firebirds by scoring his team's last three touchdowns.
The first came on an electrifying 50-yard kickoff return, the other two on runs from scrimmage of 19 yards and one yard.
"You let a team like Albany get up on you early, and they're tough to catch," said Orlando coach Jay Gruden, whose team fell to 8-5, and must win next week when it hosts Florida to have a chance for a home playoff game.
"We thought our defense was ready coming into this game, but I guess it wasn't. We need to improve that before going into the playoffs."
Dailey said his team's third straight victory provided a nice momentum boost, but the Firebirds have to keep it going against New York, which earned one of its three victories this season against the Firebirds.
