Week 4 Game Preview: LAS VEGAS OUTLAWS (2-1) @ SAN FRANCISCO DEMONS (2-1)

LAS VEGAS OUTLAWS (2-1) @ SAN FRANCISCO DEMONS (2-1)
Sunday, February 25, 2001 – 4:00 p.m. (ET)
Pacific Bell Park
TV: TNN (Craig Minervini and Bob Golic)

SAN FRANCISCO DEMONS TEAM NOTES
The Demons return to Pacific Bell Park after a two-game road trip to Orlando and Memphis. The Demons dropped the first road game in Orlando, 26-14, but bounced back last week with a 13-6 win at Memphis.

A great story came out of San Francisco in the form of RB Terry Battle, the reigning XFL Offensive Player of the Week. Battle, who was on the Demons’ practice squad for the first two games, was activated for the first time in week three and responded with a two-touchdown performance to lead San Francisco to a 13-6 win in Memphis on Saturday night. The tailback racked up 145 all-purpose yards on six carries for 35 yards, five catches for 54 yards and two kickoff returns for 56 yards.

Battle was activated before the game to fill the roster spot vacated when TE Brian Roche was placed on injured reserve with a season-ending achilles tendon injury.

After last week’s game against Memphis, QB Mike Pawlawski maintained his standing as the XFL’s leading passer. He has now thrown for all six of San Francisco’s offensive touchdowns and is approaching 1,000 yards through the air after just three games (803).

With the Outlaws being stingy on defense, especially against the run, look for Mike Pawlawski to try to stretch the defense with wideouts Jimmy “The Jet” Cunningham and James Hundon, who have caught a combined 31 balls this season.

When Coach Jim Skipper wanted to find some kicking prospects to audition after Frank Biancamano had fallen on hard times late in training camp, Kicker Mike Panasuk was called out of his drama class at Lebanon (Ind.) High School and he flew to the Bay Area to discuss giving football one more try. When the phone rang in his classroom, he thought the voice on the other end would be a questioner from the television show, “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.” Instead, it was the Demons and his final answer was, “Yes.”

LAS VEGAS OUTLAWS NOTES
The Las Vegas Outlaws, fresh off their first loss of the season, open a three-game road swing at Pac Bell Park against the San Francisco Demons.

The Vegas defense still has yet to give up a single touchdown on the season, and has given up just five field goals on the season.

The Outlaw offense is now in the hands of its fourth QB in the last 7 weeks, as Mark Grieb, an Arena League and NFL Europe veteran who threw for 62 TDs and only 3 INT with the San Jose SaberCats in 2000, is expected to start against San Francisco. Grieb was signed early in the week. Outlaws Head Coach Jim Criner believes that Grieb, who played for him in Europe with the Scottish Claymores, can operate the teams modified West Coast attack.

From starter to finished: QB Mike Cawley, who started last week’s loss against Los Angeles, was waived on Monday.

Against the Outlaws, the Hitmen, Maniax and Xtreme have combined to convert just 8 of 38 third down attempts (21.1%), the lowest in the league. Las Vegas also leads the league in takeaways, with eight (four INT’s, four fumble recoveries).

The Outlaws secondary will be more than ready for the Demons passing attack. The Outlaw secondary combines hard-hitting pursuit in the middle with excruciatingly tight coverage on the outside, evident by the corp’s two sacks and three INTs in two games. CBs Kory Blackwell and Kevin Scott lock down opposing receivers with their NFL experience but don’t lock up their jaws, as both like to talk all game long, while safeties Brandon Sanders and Jason Kaiser bring the wood every play, run or pass.

[Hitmen at Enforcers | Bolts at Rage | Outlaws at Demons | Maniax at Xtreme]

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