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2000 Season Game 3 (4/29/00): Albany vs Tampa Bay |
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'Birds step on Storm
ALBANY -- The Albany Firebirds played much more in step Saturday night, while the Tampa Bay Storm five-stepped their way to oblivion.
Wide receiver/linebacker Greg Hopkins, returning to his old dual role, caught 12 passes for 124 yards and four touchdowns, and lineman Joe Jacobs tied a team record with three sacks as the Firebirds routed Tampa Bay 67-34 in an Arena Football League game at Pepsi Arena.
Defending league champion Albany (3-0) handed the Storm (0-3) its most lopsided loss since the franchise moved from Pittsburgh to Tampa Bay in 1991. It's the first time the Storm has lost its first three games in a season.
The Firebirds didn't have a single sack in wins over Nashville and New England to open the season. Against Tampa Bay, they had five.
Jacobs said it's because previous opponents had their quarterbacks drop back only three steps and get rid of the ball quickly. By comparison, Tampa Bay quarterbacks Thad Busby and John Kaleo dropped back five steps, especially in the first half, to give their receivers time to get open deep. As a result, Albany's linemen had more time to get at Kaleo and Busby.
"It wasn't what I was doing,'' Jacobs said. "The first two games, (Nashville and New England) three-stepped us to death. You can't get to the quarterback. For some reason, (Tampa Bay) wanted to come in here and five-step. They can't stand a chance against us.''
After falling behind 10-0, the Firebirds scored 36 of the next 43 points, including a torrent of 22 unanswered points during the second quarter. They took the lead for good at 21-17 on a 2-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter by Van Johnson, playing his first game at offensive specialist in place of Hopkins. Johnson had seven catches for 49 yards.
Jacobs, who had no sacks and two tackles in the first two games, had the three sacks, a forced fumble, a safety and seven tackles Saturday, and shared Ironman of the Game honors with Hopkins.
Jacobs also pressured Busby into a first-quarter interception that Albany's Carl Sacco returned 15 yards for a touchdown and a 14-10 lead. Sacco bruised his left shoulder later in the game and will undergo X-rays today.
Busby started at quarterback for Tampa Bay, throwing a pair of interceptions, before Kaleo, whom the Storm acquired on Monday, replaced him with 2:19 left in the half and Albany holding a 27-17 lead. Jacobs sacked Kaleo on back-to-back plays, the second one for a safety and a 29-17 lead with a minute left.
"Jacobs was making plays no matter how many steps we took,'' Tampa Bay coach Tim Marcum said.
In general, the Firebirds looked much sharper against Tampa Bay than they did in their previous game against New England, a 41-31 victory in their first game after Eddie Brown abruptly retired April 19. Quarterback Mike Pawlawski got better protection Saturday and completed 24 of 35 passes for 243 yards and eight touchdowns, earning MVP honors.
One of his shortest passes turned into his longest, a 47-yard score to fullback-linebacker Tim Brown on a screen pass for a 27-17 lead in the second quarter. Brown gave the credit to his receivers and offensive coordinator Ed Hodgkiss.
"Ed hit it right on the nose,'' Brown said. "Everybody (for Tampa) was basically standing around. I just hit it and the receivers had some great blocks downfield. (Lineman) Sean Tremblay locked up their (linebacker) and there was so much room.''
Hopkins, meanwhile, moved back to wide receiver/linebacker Saturday, a role he is accustomed to. He replaced Eddie Brown at offensive specialist in the New England game.
"It's easier for me to feel that kind of comfort when I'm on the field that many minutes,'' Hopkins said. "Last week, I was coming out (on defensive plays). This week I was playing a lot of minutes, got some balls early. Mike (Pawlawski) and I were on the same page early.''
It didn't hurt that Tampa Bay played much more man-to-man coverage than New England did last week, allowing Albany to win one-on-one battles in the secondary.
Derek Stingley's interception for a touchback helped turn the tide of the game when Albany led 21-17.
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