JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Sharks are preparing to close out the regular season against the New Orleans VooDoo on Saturday, August 8. Kickoff from Sea Best Field at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena is set for 7:00 p.m.
This week's game will not affect the playoff picture, as Jacksonville (9-8) is locked into the No. 3 seed in the American Conference, and New Orleans (3-13-1) has been eliminated from contention. In fact, the American Conference matchups are set, as the Sharks will travel to face the Orlando Predators next Saturday, while the top-seeded Philadelphia Soul host the Cleveland Gladiators.
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While the stakes of this week's matchup pale in comparison to next week's postseason showdown, Saturday's game will serve as a chance for the Sharks to regain their form following last week's loss in Orlando. Entering last Saturday's game, Jacksonville remained in control of its own destiny for the South Division title, but a 64-50 result allowed the Predators to clinch their second straight division crown.
Going forward, the Sharks will look to eliminate costly turnovers. Against Orlando, Jacksonville had built a 17-0 lead, but an interception return for a touchdown allowed the Predators to quickly pull within striking distance. In all, the Predators returned two picks for scores, brought back a kickoff for a touchdown and forced a fumble that resulted in a safety. The Sharks cannot afford to yield those types of swings this week.
This is the third matchup between the Sharks and VooDoo this season, as the teams split a pair of early-season meetings in New Orleans. In the season opener, the Sharks fell behind by a 20-0 count, battled back to take a fourth-quarter lead, but ultimately fell by a single point, 51-50. In Week 9, Jacksonville returned to the Big Easy and emerged with a much different result, putting forth a dominant effort en route to a 70-41 victory.
That victory in New Orleans exemplified the Sharks' path to success this season. With a plus-19 turnover margin in2015, the Sharks have been at their best when creating turnovers and quickly capitalizing on those extra possessions. Against the VooDoo in Week 9, the Sharks held a 21-20 lead late in the first half when efensive back Greg Reid came up with an interception, leading to a Jacksonville touchdown and an eight-point halftime advantage.
Then, in the third quarter, the Sharks' offense opened with a touchdown. On the ensuing kickoff, Reid forced a fumble with a thunderous hit on New Orleans' kick returner, and two plays later Tommy Grady hit Moqut Ruffins for a 13-yard touchdown. On the second play of New Orleans' next drive, Joe Sykes sacked VooDoo quarterback Brian Reader, forcing a fumble that Sykes recovered himself. Derrick Ross punched it in on the next play from scrimmage, and just like that the Sharks led 49-20 and never looked back. That is the type of surge that Jacksonville will hope to replicate, both this week and in the postseason.
Focusing on this week's matchup, the VooDoo have undergone transition at quarterback since their last matchup against the Sharks. Starting quarterback Adam Kennedy, who missed the second meeting between the teams due to injury, has returned to the VooDoo lineup. Kennedy has led New Orleans to a win each of the last two times he has squared off against the Sharks, and is a dynamic player who is also New Orleans' leading rusher this season. Jacksonville will look to neutralize both Kennedy's passing game and his scrambling ability this week.
One key to slowing down the New Orleans offense will be a consistent pass rush, an area in which the Sharks could have a significant edge. AFL single-season sack record holder Joe Sykes has more than twice as many sacks (17) as New Orleans' team has recorded this season (8). Facing a VooDoo offensive line that has yielded 31 sacks this season, Sykes and the Sharks' pass rush will look to affect the quarterback early and often.
The Sharks must also be wary of VooDoo receiver Roger Jackson. A rookie who has racked up 71 receptions and 16 touchdowns in just 10 games, Jackson caught eight passes for 122 yards and two scores in the last meeting between the teams.