JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Amongst the smack talk, finger pointing, and ejections, the Sharks and Predators actually played football Saturday night at the Veterans Memorial Arena, and the result wasn't good for the home team.
The Sharks fell 57-50 to the Predators on a last-second kick return by Orlando's Gerald Young. The Predators are now 6-3, while the Sharks fall to 3-6.
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Bernard Morris, who started for most of the year last season for the Sharks, got his first start for the Predators and threw three early touchdowns, putting his team up 20-6 at one point.
But R.J. Archer and the Sharks were a different team in the 2nd half as his 1-yard TD pass to London Crawford tied the game at 27 to start the 3rd quarter. On the ensuing possession, the Sharks took their first lead of the game on Rashad Duncan's safety of Morris in the end zone, making it 29-27.
The teams traded scores until Orlando forced a kick from the Sharks with 13 seconds to play. Jacksonville head coach Les Moss told his kicker to get it out of bounds, but Fabrizio Scaccia kicked it right to the Predators' Gerald Young, who promptly returned it 51 yards for the game-winning score.
The Sharks have now lost 4 of their last 5 games and hope to end that streak on the road next week Saturday against Tampa Bay.