ArenaBowl XIX
Encyclopedia
ArenaBowl XIX was the 2005
championship game of the Arena Football League (AFL), and was played at the Thomas & Mack Center
in Las Vegas, Nevada
. The first-ever neutral-site title game in AFL history drew 10,822 fans to see the Colorado Crush
defeat the Georgia Force
51–48 to claim the Foster ArenaBowl Trophy. ArenaBowl XIX is widely considered one of the greatest games ever played.
participants (not counting the Force's appearances in ArenaBowls XIV and XV as the Nashville Kats
, as those games are attributed to the new Kats
franchise), the Crush
claimed the Foster ArenaBowl Trophy in just their third year of existence.
The Crush got out to a 7-0 lead on the first of four touchdown
s by Willis Marshall
and added a Clay Rush
field goal to extend the lead to 10-0 before the Force got on the scoreboard. The teams then traded touchdowns throughout the remainder of the first half, with the Crush leading 24-20 at the break. The first half was especially notable for being the first time in ArenaBowl
history in which neither team threw a passing touchdown.
Crush quarterback John Dutton, the MVP of ArenaBowl XVI
, and Force signal-caller Matt Nagy
would soon change that, however, as the two combined for seven passing touchdowns in the second half. Rookie Derek Lee
caught three touchdown passes in the half for Georgia, but it was not enough to offset the Colorado attack, as Dutton threw two touchdowns to Damian Harrell
and another to Marshall
.
With 18 seconds remaining, Nagy
threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Chris Jackson, tying the game at 48. However, the Crush quickly moved into field goal
range, and kicker Clay Rush
converted his third field goal of the day, this one from 20 yards out as time expired, giving Colorado their first-ever ArenaBowl title with a 51-48 win.
Marshall
was named both Offensive Player of the Game and Ironman of the Game, with six catches for 111 yards and one touchdown in addition to three rushing touchdowns. Ahmad Hawkins
earned Defensive Player of the Game honors by registering the game's lone interception.
Colorado coach Mike Dailey
earned his second championship ring while Georgia's first-year head coach Doug Plank
, the league's 2005 Coach of the Year, came up short in his fourth consecutive ArenaBowl
, having lost the previous three as the defensive coordinator for the Arizona Rattlers
.
2nd Quarter
3rd Quarter
4th Quarter
2005 Arena Football League season
The 2005 Arena Football League season was the 19th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Colorado Crush, who defeated the Georgia Force in ArenaBowl XIX. The AFL changed its playoff format to allow the top four teams per conference to make the playoffs. Previously, the...
championship game of the Arena Football League (AFL), and was played at the Thomas & Mack Center
Thomas & Mack Center
The Thomas & Mack Center is an arena, located on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. For ring events, the capacity is 19,522, for basketball, the capacity is 18,776.-History:...
in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
. The first-ever neutral-site title game in AFL history drew 10,822 fans to see the Colorado Crush
Colorado Crush
Colorado Crush were an Arena Football League team that began play as a 2003 expansion team. The Crush played in the Central Division of the American Conference until the Arena Football League suspended operations in 2009...
defeat the Georgia Force
Georgia Force
The Georgia Force are an Arena Football League team based in Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States that plays in the South Division of the American Conference. The team is owned by Doug MacGregor and Donn Jennings...
51–48 to claim the Foster ArenaBowl Trophy. ArenaBowl XIX is widely considered one of the greatest games ever played.
Game summary
In a matchup of two first-time ArenaBowlArenaBowl
The ArenaBowl is the Arena Football League's championship game. From 1987 to 2004, the ArenaBowl was hosted by either the team with the better regular-season record or the higher seeding in the playoffs. From ArenaBowl XIX in 2005 until ArenaBowl XXII in 2008, the game was played at a neutral site...
participants (not counting the Force's appearances in ArenaBowls XIV and XV as the Nashville Kats
Nashville Kats
The Nashville Kats were an Arena Football League team, located in Nashville, Tennessee. They were last coached by Pat Sperduto, who coached the team's original incarnation to two ArenaBowl appearances prior to the original franchise's move to Atlanta in 2002...
, as those games are attributed to the new Kats
Nashville Kats
The Nashville Kats were an Arena Football League team, located in Nashville, Tennessee. They were last coached by Pat Sperduto, who coached the team's original incarnation to two ArenaBowl appearances prior to the original franchise's move to Atlanta in 2002...
franchise), the Crush
Colorado Crush
Colorado Crush were an Arena Football League team that began play as a 2003 expansion team. The Crush played in the Central Division of the American Conference until the Arena Football League suspended operations in 2009...
claimed the Foster ArenaBowl Trophy in just their third year of existence.
The Crush got out to a 7-0 lead on the first of four touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s by Willis Marshall
Willis Marshall
Willis Thurman Marshall III is an Arena football Wide Receiver / Defensive back for the who is currently a free agent. He was most recently with the Cleveland Gladiators of the Arena Football League...
and added a Clay Rush
Clay Rush
Clay Rush is an Arena Football League kicker currently signed with the Colorado Crush. He has been in the league since 1999.-High school career:...
field goal to extend the lead to 10-0 before the Force got on the scoreboard. The teams then traded touchdowns throughout the remainder of the first half, with the Crush leading 24-20 at the break. The first half was especially notable for being the first time in ArenaBowl
ArenaBowl
The ArenaBowl is the Arena Football League's championship game. From 1987 to 2004, the ArenaBowl was hosted by either the team with the better regular-season record or the higher seeding in the playoffs. From ArenaBowl XIX in 2005 until ArenaBowl XXII in 2008, the game was played at a neutral site...
history in which neither team threw a passing touchdown.
Crush quarterback John Dutton, the MVP of ArenaBowl XVI
ArenaBowl XVI
ArenaBowl XVI was played between the San Jose SaberCats and Arizona Rattlers in San Jose, California on August 18, 2002. A game with considerable expectations given the teams' intense rivalry and respective success that year, the SaberCats surprised everyone by posting the most dominant victory in...
, and Force signal-caller Matt Nagy
Matt Nagy
Matt Nagy is a former gridiron football quarterback in the Arena Football League. He played for the New York Dragons, Carolina Cobras, Georgia Force and Columbus Destroyers in his six season career. He was signed by the Dragons as a street free agent in 2002. He played college football at Delaware...
would soon change that, however, as the two combined for seven passing touchdowns in the second half. Rookie Derek Lee
Derek Lee (American football)
Derek Lee is an American football wide receiver for the Chicago Rush of the Arena Football League. He played college football at Tennessee Tech....
caught three touchdown passes in the half for Georgia, but it was not enough to offset the Colorado attack, as Dutton threw two touchdowns to Damian Harrell
Damian Harrell
Damian Deron Harrell is an arena football wide receiver who is currently a free agent in the Arena Football League. He played college football at Florida State University....
and another to Marshall
Willis Marshall
Willis Thurman Marshall III is an Arena football Wide Receiver / Defensive back for the who is currently a free agent. He was most recently with the Cleveland Gladiators of the Arena Football League...
.
With 18 seconds remaining, Nagy
Matt Nagy
Matt Nagy is a former gridiron football quarterback in the Arena Football League. He played for the New York Dragons, Carolina Cobras, Georgia Force and Columbus Destroyers in his six season career. He was signed by the Dragons as a street free agent in 2002. He played college football at Delaware...
threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Chris Jackson, tying the game at 48. However, the Crush quickly moved into field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
range, and kicker Clay Rush
Clay Rush
Clay Rush is an Arena Football League kicker currently signed with the Colorado Crush. He has been in the league since 1999.-High school career:...
converted his third field goal of the day, this one from 20 yards out as time expired, giving Colorado their first-ever ArenaBowl title with a 51-48 win.
Marshall
Willis Marshall
Willis Thurman Marshall III is an Arena football Wide Receiver / Defensive back for the who is currently a free agent. He was most recently with the Cleveland Gladiators of the Arena Football League...
was named both Offensive Player of the Game and Ironman of the Game, with six catches for 111 yards and one touchdown in addition to three rushing touchdowns. Ahmad Hawkins
Ahmad Hawkins
Ahmad Hawkins is an American football defensive back who is currently a free agent of the Arena Football League. He has also played for the Alabama Vipers. He was signed by the Colorado Crush as a street free agent in 2003...
earned Defensive Player of the Game honors by registering the game's lone interception.
Colorado coach Mike Dailey
Mike Dailey
Mike Dailey was an Arena Football League coach for the Colorado Crush. He has a career record of 88-58, including a 9-5 mark in the postseason. Under his leadership, the Crush won the ArenaBowl XIX in 2005. He is now the defensive coordinator for the McDaniel College Green Terror.-External links:*...
earned his second championship ring while Georgia's first-year head coach Doug Plank
Doug Plank
Douglas Walter Plank is a former American-football safety and coach in the National Football League. Currently, he is the head coach of the Philadelphia Soul in the Arena Football League.- Early life :...
, the league's 2005 Coach of the Year, came up short in his fourth consecutive ArenaBowl
ArenaBowl
The ArenaBowl is the Arena Football League's championship game. From 1987 to 2004, the ArenaBowl was hosted by either the team with the better regular-season record or the higher seeding in the playoffs. From ArenaBowl XIX in 2005 until ArenaBowl XXII in 2008, the game was played at a neutral site...
, having lost the previous three as the defensive coordinator for the Arizona Rattlers
Arizona Rattlers
The Arizona Rattlers are a professional arena football team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Conference in the Arena Football League . The Rattlers were founded in 1992 as an expansion team. They play their home games at US Airways Center...
.
Scoring summary
1st Quarter- COL - Marshall 1 run (Rush kick)
- COL - FG Rush 20
- GA - Nagy 1 run (Garner kick)
2nd Quarter
- COL - Marshall 4 run (Rush kick)
- GA - Aldridge 27 run (Garner kick failed)
- COL - Marshall 3 run (Rush kick)
- GA - Thomas 2 run (Garner kick)
3rd Quarter
- COL - Harrell 12 pass from Dutton (Rush kick)
- GA - Lee 2 pass from Nagy (Garner kick)
4th Quarter
- COL - FG Rush 26
- GA - Lee 34 pass from Nagy (Garner kick)
- COL - Marshall 45 pass from Dutton (Rush kick)
- GA - Lee 27 pass from Nagy (Garner kick)
- COL - Harrell 30 pass from Dutton (Rush kick)
- GA - Jackson 20 pass from Nagy (Garner kick)
- COL - FG Rush 20
Trivia
- On the Arena Football League's 20 Greatest Highlights Countdown (which was shown on arenafooball.com during the AFL's 20th season) this game is tied at #17.http://www.arenafootball.com/mediaPlayer/video.dbml?DB_MENU_ID=&SPSID=38064&SPID=3172&DB_OEM_ID=3500&CLIP_ID=26914&CLIP_FILE_ID=30438&CONTENT_TYPE=ONDEMAND