After losing three consecutive games, the Georgia Force needed to get back on track if they wanted to reach the playoffs. They were able to bounce back last week with a big win against San Jose, but if they were to lose to the Tampa Bay Storm on Saturday night at the Gwinnett Arena, they would be in a deep hole.
That didn’t happen, as the Force was able to calm the Storm 60-49 and the game was really never that close.
“The games that we lost, we really beat ourselves,” Force head coach Dean Cokinos said talking about the three-game losing streak. “Our focus the last two weeks was to limit our mistakes that caused us to lose games. If we do that, we’ll get on a roll.”
Quarterback Brett Elliott had a big day for the Force, throwing for 248 yards and seven touchdowns. But it didn’t look like Elliott and the offense was able to get anything going after the opening series of the game, as they went three and out.
“That set us back,” Elliott said. “They had a good pass rush. Our game plan was to throw quick and try to get the ball out of my hands and let our guys that can do some stuff with the ball do it.”
Georgia got back on track on its next series thanks to a Elliott 30-yard touchdown pass to Larry Shipp to take the 7-0 lead.
After a field goal by Tampa Bay, the Force answered with another score, as Elliott found Maurice Purify for a 9-yard touchdown score to go up by 10.
Both teams exchanged scores later in the quarter, but the Force was able to break the game open, as they scored a safety which was caused by Michael Lindsey catching the kickoff in the end zone, running out of the end zone and then running back in their own end zone where he was tackled by Purify. Georgia was able to capitalize again as Carlos Martinez kicked 26-yard field goal to increase the Force lead by 15 before halftime.
Tampa Bay was able to get the offense going in the third quarter, scoring 19 points including three touchdowns passes from Brian Zbydniewski. However, the Force was able to score 14 points which included two touchdowns passes from Elliott and were both caught by Purify.
“They caught us a couple of plays,” Cokinos said talking about Tampa’s offense. “They have excellent receivers in Whitaker and Edwards, two of the best in the history of the game.”
Purify, who is making his case for best wide receiver in the AFL this season, was named Offensive MVP and Ironman of the game, catching eight passes for 120 yards and five touchdowns. He is currently second in the AFL in scoring, averaging 18 points per game.
The fourth quarter was another strong one for the Storm, scoring 20 points including an interception returned for a touchdown by Michael Hawthorne to cut the Force lead to 10 with 10:30 left in the game. But the Force offense could not be stopped as they scored three more touchdowns including two more touchdown catches by Purify and a rushing touchdown by Benji McDowell to put the Force up by 17 with 2:47 left in the game.
If the playoffs were to start today, the Force would be in as a No. 4 seed because they have the second best record in the American Conference after the division leaders. But their next opponent, the Cleveland Gladiators, are only a half game behind the Force and would love to get a big home win against Elliott and company. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at the Quicken Loans Arena Saturday night.
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