Upset Alert

The number six seed in the National Conference in the Arena Football League beat the number three seed in the AFL wild card playoffs, just moments ago. The Columbus Destroyers, who finished the regular season 7-9 (the only team with a losing record in the playoffs this year), upset the number three seeded Tampa Bay Storm (9-7). It was an exciting back and forth game. It ended after TB kicker Seth Marler missed a 56-yd gield goal attempt with 3 seconds left.

The game could have gone into OT, if Marler hadn't missed the PAT after TB rookie QB Brett Dietz threw a 17-yd TD pass to receiver Hank Edwards. The missed PAT ended up being the difference. Columbus, and Tampa Bay were neck and neck the whole game, both teams scored the same amount of points in the first three quarters (14, 7, 21), and both teams scored two TD's in the fourth quarter but because of the missed PAT the Destroyers out scored the Storm in the fourth 14-13, and won after the missed FG.

If you really think about it, you would say that it wasn't REALLY an upset, because the storm only won two more games than the destroyers during the regular seaon, plus the storm had a rookie QB under center. But Columbus was doing horrible before today, losing five of their last six games of the regular season, and TB was the definite favorite. And, although he is a rookie, Dietz is a spectacular QB, and was supposed to carry the storm to at least a wild card victory.

Columbus will play the Dallas Desperados on Saturday July 7th at 8 P.M. on ESPN. If you havn't heard yet, the Philadelphia Soul beat the Orlando Predators 41-26 last night, and the soul will play the #2 Georgia Force on Sunday July 8th at 7P.M. on ESPN2. And right now the Colorado Crush are at Kansas City playing the Kansas City Brigade, and on Monday July 2nd the wild card round wraps up as the Utah Blaze take on the Los Angeles Avengers.