Gladiators coach Steve Thonn had a bad feeling about this one, and for good reason as playoff-bound Cleveland gets blasted by the mediocre Soul.
View full sizePhiladelphia's Darrell Campbell, bottom right, tackles Cleveland quarterback Kurt Rocco during the Soul's 49-21 victory on Friday night. The Gladiators' Jeff Maddux tried to contain Campbell.PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — When you woke up Friday, three things were certain: death, taxes and the Cleveland Gladiators' first-quarter defense.
The Arena Football League's stingiest defense -- allowing just 44 points per game -- had given up less than eight points per game during the first 15 minutes.
They were licking their chops to get a chance to face an average Philadelphia Soul offense, which was without the league's leading receiver, Donovan Morgan, who is done for the season, having been exempted to play in the United Football League.
This game could have been pictured next to "trap game" in the dictionary: likely playoff-bound Cleveland (9-7), with the playoff-fringe Pittsburgh Power on the schedule next week, facing a nothing-to-lose Philadelphia (6-11) team without its star player.
Gladiators coach Steve Thonn had a bad feeling about this one.
"We can't look ahead to Pittsburgh," Thonn said before Friday's game. "It's a hit for them, because [Morgan's] so good. But you don't want to take it like, 'Oh, now we've got them.' Because [Larry] Brackins, the guy that's going to come in, he's capable of catching four touchdowns, too."
The Soul fed the Gladiators a dose of the 6-4, 221-pound Brackins early and often, as Cleveland fell into an early 17-7 hole and scored its fewest points all season in a 49-21 loss.
Donovan Morgan, who?
On the Soul's first drive, Brackins shook a Gladiators defensive back on a double move and hauled in a 15-yard touchdown. Soul quarterback Ryan Vena went back to Brackins on a slant for another touchdown on the next drive, putting the Soul up, 14-0, less than 10 minutes into the game.
In the first quarter, Brackins had five catches for 77 yards and two touchdowns. The backup receiver finished with nine catches for 133 yards and three touchdowns.
As Brackins shined, Gladiators rookie quarterback Kurt Rocco showed he still has a lot to learn, throwing an interception on a long pass to the end zone on Cleveland's first possession.
"He's kind of had his ups and downs like any rookie quarterback," Thonn said before the game. "It's so hard to play quarterback in our league. . . . Usually you don't become a real good Arena quarterback until a year or two into it."
Rocco struggled to move the Gladiators' offense, with his lone highlight coming on a 32-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver Troy Bergeron.
Rocco was clearly frustrated as the points piled up for the Soul in the second half, holding his palms up, arms outstretched, while talking strategy with Thonn after a poor play.
Rocco was scrambling for his life at times and missed throws when he could set his feet.
"It wasn't all Kurt Rocco," Thonn said. "Our offensive line is decimated right now. We had second- and third-string guys [playing], so we're trying to piecemeal a line for him. He got no protection and he didn't play good, but I think he got a little gun shy as it went on."
Offensive lineman Jeff Maddux made his debut at center for Cleveland. Joe Blanks was picked up earlier this week, practiced twice and saw playing time. The usual brick wall of Adam Tadisch and Billy Eisenhardt were missed.
Cleveland's quarterback finished 19-of-33 for 201 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He was also sacked seven times.
The embarrassment boiled over when Cleveland turned the ball over on downs to start the second half. Vena hit Brackins in the back of the end zone for a 17-yard touchdown on the next play.
Consider the Gladiators trapped.
Tim Rohan, The Philadelphia InquirerSource: http://www.cleveland.com/gladiators/index.ssf/2011/07/cleveland_gladiators_aware_of.html
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