2007 Arena Bowl Happening Today

Today is the Arena Bowl and the San Jose SaberCats are going for their third straight Arena Football Championship. It’s been a great season for San Jose, but the SaberCats know the regular season won't mean anything when they face the Columbus Destroyers in the Arena Bowl on Sunday.

Columbus has been a different team since barely qualifying for the playoffs with a 7-9 regular-season record. The Destroyers come into the game averaging 63 points in the postseason — an improvement of 13-points over their regular-season average — and with playoff victories over Dallas and Georgia, the teams with the best regular-season records.

"You can't help but have respect for the road that they've gone down," San Jose quarterback Mark Grieb said. "... They've just played gritty football. They've been very opportunistic, and their offense has just gotten it done."

The SaberCats haven't lost in 3 1/2 months and have won two of the last five AFL titles. The Destroyers, seeking their first championship, hope to become the second straight team to win the Arena Bowl after a 7-9 regular season. Chicago did it last season.

During the playoffs, Columbus quarterback Matt Nagy has completed 67 percent of his passes and thrown 14 touchdowns and two interceptions.
Destroyers' wide receiver Damien Groce said it took time for the team to "get in sync" with new players and a new offensive coordinator this season.

"It happened late, but it happened," said Groce, who has scored five touchdowns in the playoffs.

Columbus lost five of its last six regular-season games, including a close game at Philadelphia, before winning their last game, 74-43 over New York.

"We came out of the Philly game and finally started believing," Columbus coach Doug Kay said. The New York game was "probably the thing that put the swagger back a little bit and made them believe they could still be a good football team."
San Jose was 3-3 before winning its last 10 regular-season games and beating Colorado and Chicago in the playoffs.

"You just take your lumps to a certain extent in the early part of the season, but know that by the end of the season you're going to be playing your best football," said Grieb, who has completed 73 percent of his passes this postseason and thrown for 15 touchdowns and one interception.

Receivers James Roe, Rodney Wright and Ben Nelson have combined for 54 catches and 13 touchdowns in San Jose's two playoff victories.
The Arena Bowl is being played in New Orleans, where San Jose and Columbus each posted regular-season losses to the hometown VooDoo this year.

I believe that the SaberCats are just too tough and talented for Columbus, although the Destroyers are hungry and should be ready to play.

My final score prediction: SAN JOSE: 62 COLUMBUS: 52.