'Philadelphia So' Drop Fifth Straight

By: Joel Brennan

The Philadelphia Soul was looking to end a four game losing streak against a struggling Kansas City Brigade (5-4) team that was also in the midst of their own losing streak. However, fate was against them in their efforts as they once again came up short, 53-41, disappointing the sellout crowd of 17, 493.

Brigade quarterback Raymond Philyaw sealed the game with his sixth touchdown pass that left just 52 seconds on the clock. Philyaw finished the night completing 36 of 41 passes for 364 yards. The passing efficiency exposed an obvious weakness in the Soul secondary. Injuries to key players forced rookies into the starting line-up, giving the veteran Philyaw the opportunity to shine.

The injury plagued Soul (4-5) cut the Brigade lead to five with just over five minutes to go in the game. Unfortunately, their defense could not get a much needed stop as the KC offense continued to work on the clock, eventually notching the final score. On the Soul’s next possession, quarterback Juston Wood fumbled the ball while attempting to scramble.

Wood is just one of several players filling in for veterans who are sidelined with injuries, none more notable than Tony Graziani. Graziani suffered a separated shoulder against division rival Dallas three weeks ago and the Soul have been shuffling quarterbacks until he can return, with Wood getting two of the starts. Wood, a second year player in the AFL, went 19-28 with five touchdowns and four turnovers. Wood also led all players with 20 rushing yards, including a touchdown.

Disappointed with his team’s play, Soul owner Jon Bon Jovi visited with the players after the game, a first for him this season. However, Bon Jovi remains confident in his team saying, “We’re the best team in this league. We just got to get healthy.” He’s referring to the significant losses of star quarterback Graziani, receivers Sean Scott and Larry Brackins, and defensive back Mike Brown. “These teams, in the last five weeks, have been playing against the Philadelphia So, not the Philadelphia Soul.”

Despite a porous secondary, the Soul managed to keep the game close throughout the game, though never holding onto a lead at any point. Philyaw picked on rookie defensive backs Brian Mance and Aric Williams. Brigade receivers Jerel Myers and Charles combined for 20 catches, 217 yards, and three touchdowns.

Mance struggled from the on-set, looking confused and out of place. On the first defensive series, Mance had the ball thrown his way four out of six times. He allowed each of those passes to be completed, including the opening touchdown. His night would not get much better as he would give up three more touchdowns and get called for three crucial penalties that extended KC drives. Williams would surrender one and defensive specialist Eddie Moten fell to account for the sixth touchdown.

Head coach Bret Munsey felt that the Brigade accomplished their goals, saying, “They beat us in all three phases tonight.” Specifically, he felt that the defense let the team down. “Defensively, we didn’t play as well as should. We didn’t stop them enough, is the bottom line.”

The defensive did manage to recover two fumbles, that each lead to touchdowns, but Munsey was referring to two fourth down conversions that went for touchdowns as well as two defensive penalties that extended eventual scoring drives. The heartbreaker came late in the fourth quarter when Mance was beaten on fourth down to allow Boo Williams his third touchdown of the night.

Still, the Soul was not out of the game despite the defense inability to get off of the field. When the offense has the ball, they looked for the quick strike which resulted in two interceptions and Wood’s two fumbles. “When we get man coverage, we want to throw the ball down the field,” said Wood. He would explain that miscommunication lead to the first interception, which was the second play of the game. “The one right there at the end of the [first] half was just a bad throw on my part. I didn’t put enough air under it.”

Looking to get an early score, and allow the defense to play with a lead, the Soul looked to get a big play immediately. However, an interception by Kenny McEntyre prevented the quick score. Philyaw went 4-4 on his first drive including a seven yard pass to Williams to open the scoring. On the ensuing kick-off, Williams would be flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. Two plays later, Wood would scramble for ten yards, scoring the only rushing touchdown for the Soul. Kicker Todd France missed the extra point, the only one he would miss.

An illegal defense extended the Brigade following drive, which ended in a Frederick 1-yard run. The Soul would fail to score on a fourth down goal line run, closing out the first quarter trailing by eight.

Looking to make a stop and prevent a further score, the Soul defense would recover a Williams’ fumble at the 10-yard line. On the following play, Soul receiver Charles Pauley was the recipient of a 40 yard touchdown pass that cut the lead to a point. Pauley’s second score would tie the game at 20, with six minutes left in the half.

Philyaw would connect with Myers on a four yard pass to reclaim the lead for KC. Once again, Wood looked for the big play, as the half was nearing an end, and was intercepted by Nick Ward. Another Fredericks touchdown and a missed extra point by Clay Rush, his second of the game, closed the half with the Brigade leading 33-20. This was the fourth time in five games that the Soul was trailing at halftime.

The third quarter opened with a missed field goal attempt by Kansas City. The teams then exchanged fumbles on consecutive possessions. The Brigade’s Dawan Moss lost control as he approached the goal line, which was recovered by the Soul’s Idris Price. The only score of the quarter came when J.J. McKelvey caught a six yard pass from Wood, broke a tackle, and ran alongside the boards for a 24 yard score.

The fourth quarter saw more points scored, starting the first play: a Fredericks one yard run. Wood and Philyaw would exchange TD passes, eventually leading to the Brigade five point lead with 5:13 left to go in the game. The Soul’s inability to force a turnover, allowed Philyaw to continue his precision passing attack and ending the game.

Next up for the Soul is divisional opponent New York Dragons (2-7). In their previous match-up, the Soul defeated the Dragons 65-60, their last win of the season. The team expects to have the services of Mike Brown and Larry Brackins when they host the Dragons. In two weeks, Tony Graziani is expected to make his return against the New Orleans Voodoo (4-5).