(AP) The Aces fly to Detroit to face a 2-4 Lions team on a three game losing streak. The Lions have a very depleted lineup with five players out to injury, including their Defensive Captain, LB Julian Peterson.
They have the 3rd worst offense in the league, averaging 12.8 points per game and face the Aces who sit atop the league in points per game at 32.4.
The Aces D will need to focus on two playmakers for the Lions, RB Kevin Smith and WR Calvin Johnson Jr.
DE Kevin Carter will be playing in his first game for Las Vegas, coming back from injury.
KEYS TO SUCCESS The Flop
Stopping Calvin Johnson Jr. may be difficult, but is attainable with CB DeAngelo Smith second in the league with 4 INTs and CB Mike Mickens eleventh in the league with 5 passes defended. The River
RB Lorenzo Booker needs to take advantage of the loss of LB Julian Peterson, especially after his lackluster performance against the Colts in Week 8. The Turn
Protect the QB. He's the franchise and when your team is fourth in the league in sacks allowed, then the franchise is getting torn. This will be crucial for a team without their starting left tackle, Langston Walker.
INJURY REPORT
LAS VEGAS ACES
OT Langston Walker: OUT
RB Warrick Dunn: OUT
RB Ian Johnson: OUT
DETROIT LIONS
WR Adam Jennings: OUT
OT Ephraim Salaam: OUT
DE Jared Devries: OUT
LB Julian Peterson: OUT
CB Eric King: OUT
SWAMI SAYS: 28-10, LAS VEGAS ACES[Reply]
gtm 10:01 PM 11-03-2009
Game 8 Preview
Las Vegas Aces (4-3) @ Detroit Lions (2-4)
(AP) Kicker Mike Nugent has given Coach Charlie Brown fits this season After missing an extra point last week, Nugent missed a potential game winning 27 yard field goal attempt with 1:45 left in regulation. However, after LB Zach Thomas intercepted the come back attempt, Nugent nailed the 36 yard field goal for the win as time expired. He was 4 of 5 for the game.
It is unknown if Nugent will have a job going into the Aces' Week 9 Bye. He is 11 of 16 for the season, with his longest being a 39 yard boot. He is 0 of 3 from 40+ and 26 of 28 from extra points... but the best stat of the season is two consecutive game winners on the season - he kicked a game winner in OT last week against the Colts.
While Nugent's future is uncertain, QB Josh Johnson may be the permanent fixture in Las Vegas' offense. He passed for his first 300 yard game of his career.
IT WAS OVER WHEN...
Aces LB Zach Thomas intercepted QB Matthew Stafford with thirty-three seconds left in regulation after K Mike Nugent missed a potential game winning 27 yard field goal with a minute and forty-five seconds left on the clock. Nugent then kicked the game winner from 36 yards, leaving the fans, broadcasters, and even the coaches scratching their heads.
GAME BALL
DE Kevin Carter played in his first game of the season, registering 3 sacks and 4 assisted tackles.
KEY STAT
The Aces' defense allowed just 7 completions on Stafford's 24 attempts and also held RB Kevin Smith to just 21 yards on 13 carries.
NOTEWORTHY
Aces RB Lorenzo Booker left the game at half time, paving the way for playing time to RB Antone Smith who ran for 89 yards and a TD... LB Zach Thomas had 2 INTs in the game... WR Calvin Johnson Jr. was held without a reception.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Las Vegas heads into their Bye Week in Week 9 with questions about their kicker.
LAS VEGAS STATISTICS
QB Josh Johnson: 21/37, 300 Yards
WR D.J. Shockley: 0/1, 1 INT, 4 Rec, 89 Yards
RB Antone Smith: 19 Rush, 89 Yards, 1 TD
RB Lorenzo Booker: 10 Rush, 34 Yards, 1 TD
WR Brandon Gibson: 6 Rec, 80 Yards
DE Kevin Carter: 3 Tackles, 3 Sacks
LB Zach Thomas: 2 INTs
DETROIT LIONS STATISTICS
QB Matthew Stafford: 7/24, 168 Yards, 2 TDs, 3 INTs
RB Kevin Smith: 13 Rush, 21 Yards; 2 Rec, 74 Yards, 1 TD
WR Derrick Williams: 1 Rec, 15 Yards, 1 TD; 1 KR for TD
DE Cliff Avril: 6 Tackles, 1 Sack, 1 INT, 1 TD
DE Dewayne White: 4 Tackles, 2 Sacks [Reply]
(AP) The newest team in football is 5-3 and is in third place in the NFC West behind the 49ers (6-2) and Cardinals (5-3). They are riding a four game win streak, all under the tutelage of QB Josh Johnson who has been their Go-To Player thus far.
Johnson is currently 7th in the NFL in QB Rating at 100.8 behind the likes of Donovan McNabb, Kurt Warner, and Peyton Manning. He has a 8:1 TD to INT ratio, is throwing 61% of his passes (for 10th best in the NFL), and averages the 8th most passing yards a game at 250.2. Not to mention his 4 rushing TDs make him 6th best in the league.
While his success has been welcomed, K Mike Nugent's roller coaster games have been a headache for the Aces. He was released earlier today as Vegas signed K Matt Prater, who was released by the Denver Broncos a few days earlier. He has not seen playing time this season, but was 25 of 34 for the Broncos last year.
The Aces have also released LBs Buster Davis and Darnell Bing, DT Joe Cohen, and FB Richard Owens, signing LBs Kaluka Maiava and Larry Grant, DE Quentin Mosses, and FB Chris Ogbonnaya.
DE Kevin Carter will move to starting defensive tackle with the emergence of DEs Chris Long and Travis LaBoy.
The Aces will unveil their new roster against the 4-4 New Orleans Saints next week.
[Reply]
CharlieBrown 12:26 AM 11-06-2009
Week 10 Preview
New Orleans Saints (4-4) @ Las Vegas Aces (5-3)
(AP) QB Josh Johnson is young, but very talented and will try to lead his young offensive team to a "W". He will have a tough challenge against the New Orleans Saints - one of the better defenses in the NFL. On the other side of the ball, it seems that every week, a different player will come up big for the Aces. It's just a matter of whose turn is it to be the difference maker.
A LOOK AT THE SAINT'S HAND...
(AP) QB Josh Johnson would certainly love this game back. He played in a mediocre fashion in his 216 passing yard outing - 109 yards due to missed tackles on two 50+ passes to WR Devard Darling and TE Ramses Barden.
QB Drew Brees on the other hand, was stellar, accounting for 5 TDs, completing to seven different receivers.
There was a lot of scoring in this contest, yet not much of a story to be told. Ultimately, in came down to Brees dismantling the Aces D through the air and RB Pierre Thomas on the ground with 169 rushing yards and 2 TDs.
IT WAS OVER WHEN... The Aces stepped on the field thinking they could outscore the Saints.
GAME BALL
The Saints offense showed why they were #2 in the league in yardage, with 520 total yards, 19 first downs, and 56 points.
KEY STAT
QB Josh Johnson threw 1 pick and did not run or throw for a touchdown. His passes and timing were off and he will be closely watched the next few weeks... Life of an NFL QB.
NOTEWORTHY
New Aces K Matt Prater was 3 of 3 from field goal range and 2 of 2 for extra points.
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Aces will play the 6-3 Arizona Cardinals for the #2 spot in the NFC West.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS STATISTICS
QB Drew Brees: 26/36, 338 Yards, 5 TDs, 3 INTs
RB Pierre Thomas: 21 Rush, 169 Yards, 2 TDs
WR Devery Henderson: 6 Rec, 105 Yards, 1 TD
WR Robert Meachem: 6 Rec, 70 Yards, 2 TD
WR Lance Moore: 4 Rec, 95 Yards, 2 TD
DE Will Smith: 3 Tackles, 1 Sack
SS Roman Harper: 2 Tackles, 1 INT
LAS VEGAS ACES STATISTICS QB Josh Johnson: 14/26, 216 Yards, 1 INT
WR Devard Darling: 4 Rec, 64 Yards
TE Ramses Barden 3 Rec, 87 Yards
LB Donnie Edwards: 3 Tackles, 1 INT
CB DeAngelo Smith: 9 Tackles, 1 INT
[Reply]
(AP) First Brett Favre in Week 5. Then Peyton Manning in Week 7. And last week they faced Drew Brees. The Aces have played three powerful offenses so far this season and will face another one with Kurt Warner and the Arizona Cardinals.
So far, Warner is leading the NFL with a 102.6 Passer Rating with WRs Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston at his disposal.
Look for yet another high scoring game, similar to last week's outing against the Saints.
CARDINALS HAND Three of a Kind (Kings) QB Kurt Warner, WR Larry Fitzgerald, and WR Anquan Boldin will be a force to be reckoned with and as kings, will lead the offense and quite possibly rule over the Aces' secondary.
KEYS TO SUCCESS The Flop
Defense is the name of the game. Outscoring a high flying team won't cut it. Just ask the Saints who poured 56 points against the Aces last week.
The River
The Cardinals' Defense have allowed the most yards in the NFL. Capitalize on their defensive mishaps and attack with an efficient offense. The Turn
Vegas has been living and dying with QB Josh Johnson... they need to alleviate the pressure off his shoulders and look for a secondary offensive leader.
INJURY REPORT
ARIZONA CARDINALS
DE Darnell Dockett: OUT
LB Cody Brown: OUT
SS Adrian Wilson: OUT
LAS VEGAS ACES
RB Ian Johnson: OUT
RB Warrick Dunn: OUT
SWAMI SAYS: 42-27, Arizona Cardinals in another shootout[Reply]
CharlieBrown 04:02 PM 11-09-2009
Aces Lose Heartbreaker in Vegas, 31-28
Prater may need a new home after missing GW FG
(AP) K Matt Prater was 0 of 3 in this game, including a missed 39 yard field goal that was set up by a 76 yard reception by WR D.J. Shockley in the waning minutes of the game. In a game of numbers, had Prater hit all three field goals, the Aces would have a 37-31 victory. But hindsight is 20/20 and Prater being released this week should be 100%.
IT WAS OVER WHEN...
K Matt Prater signed a contract to play for the Aces two weeks ago. He missed three "gimme" field goals, including the crucial game winner.
GAME BALL
With WRs Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston getting the majority of the attention from the Aces D, WR Jerheme Urban found some seams in the defense, catching 5 receptions for 128 yards and a TD as the team's X-Factor.
KEY STAT
Las Vegas held Arizona to just 7 first half points, but completely crumbled in the second half allowing the Cards to put up 24 points - 17 of them coming in the fourth quarter.
NOTEWORTHY
SS Gerald Alexander left at the end of the first quarter with an injury to his right hand... DT Kevin Carter was injured in the second quarter and did not return. Both injuries may have aided in Arizona's second half passing attack... QB Josh Johnson struggled again, throwing two picks and fumbling after a sack... FB Chris Ogbonnaya scored his first career TD on a 6 yard pass.
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Aces are now third in the NFC West and will face the bottom dwellers of the conference next week, facing the Seattle Seahawks.
ARIZONA CARDINALS STATISTICS
QB Kurt Warner: 22/31, 406 Yards, 4 TDs, 3 INTs
WR Larry Fitzgerald: 7 Rec, 69 Yards
WR Anquan Boldin: 6 Rec, 128 Yards, 2 TDs
WR Jerheme Urban: 5 Rec, 128 Yards, 1 TD
DE Calais Campbell: 3 Tackles, 2 Sacks
CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie: 4 Tackles, 1 INT
SS Matt Ware: 4 Tackles, 1 INT
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