Week 6 Game Preview: NY/NJ HITMEN (1-4) @ SAN FRANCISCO DEMONS (3-2)

NY/NJ HITMEN (1-4) @ SAN FRANCISCO DEMONS (3-2)
Sunday, March 11, 2001 – 4:00 p.m. (ET)
Pacific Bell Park
TV: TNN

NY/NJ HITMEN NOTES:
OUTLOOK: The New York/ Jersey Hitmen head west to take on the number three ranked offense in the league, the San Francisco Demons. The Hitmen enter this week’s contest fresh off a 22-7 thumping by the Los Angeles Xtreme at Giants Stadium.
GAME PLAN: On offense, the Hitmen improved last week with RB Joe Aska rushing the ball for 93 yards and QB Wally Richardson completing 14 of 22 passes while rushing for 68 yards. In order for the Hitmen to have success against the Demons’ top-rated defense, they must continue to use the versatility of Richardson, while establishing a running game with Aska. On defense, the Hitmen’s two-deep zone will need to improve if they want to stop QB Pat Barnes and the Demons arsenal of receivers. The Hitmen can’t forget the Demons’ newly-discovered running game, after RB Juan Johnson rushed for 101 yards last week.
INJURIES: DOUBTFUL: LB Tyrell Peters (Groin). QUESTIONABLE: WR Anthony DiCosmo (Bicep), LB Haven Fields (Neck), RB Dino Philyaw (Foot), LB Bernard Russ (Leg), G Troy Stark (Knee). PROBABLE: LB Michael Barber (Wrist), CB Butler B’ ynot’e (Concussion), G David Camacho (Knee), LB Ben Hanks (Knee), LB Ron Merkerson (Concussion).
NEWS AND NOTES: QB Wally Richardson is averaging a whopping 11.3 yards per carry and completing 64 percent of his passes, as the Penn State product has brought stability to the quarterback position. He earned team Offensive Player of the Week accolades for the second consecutive week. Running back Joe Aska established a trio of team rushing records against the Xtreme: most yards rushing in a game (93), longest run from scrimmage (42) and highest average yards-per-carry (minimum 10 carries -- 8.5)… Having starting LB Ron “Big Merk” Merkerson back from a concussion will help. Without Merkerson in the lineup last week, NY/NJ surrendered nearly 300 yards passing and its highest point total of the season.
OFF THE FIELD: Hitmen OG David Camacho (Hawthorne), DT Christian Maumalanga (Torrance) and CB Damen Wheeler (Sacramento) all boast roots in the Golden State….TE Marcus Hinton has been in and out of football the past five years. He was originally drafted by the Oakland Raiders 1995, but has been employed outside of football the past couple of years. In 1997, Hinton worked in a sawmill in Wiggins, Mississippi and last year was employed as a substitute teacher in the same town.

SAN FRANCISCO DEMONS NOTES:
OUTLOOK: The San Francisco Demons seeks its second win in a row at home as they entertain the Hitmen. The Demons are flying after blowing out the Birmingham Thunderbolts, 39-10, last Saturday.
GAME PLAN: When QB Mike Pawlawski went down with a neck injury, many wondered how the Demons would react; how would they score points with QB Pat Barnes at the helm, and without a running attack to support him. All those questions were answered last week with QB Pat Barnes led the Demons to its highest scoring output of the season (39 points). Barnes was aided by Demons RB Juan Johnson, who rushed for 101 yards. On offense, the Demons will look to attack the Hitmen secondary, which was picked apart last week by Los Angeles. But the Demons also rushed for a season-high 163 yards last week, while only passing for 100 yards, marking the first game this season in which the Demons passed for less than 200 yards. On defense, the XFL’s Defensive Player of the Week Jermaine Miles and his league-leading defense will look to shut out the Hitmen’s running game and force QB Wally Richardson to beat them with the pass.
INJURIES: OUT: WR James Hundon (Neck). DOUBTFUL: DE Jomo Cousins (Rib), C Curtice Mcfarlane (Knee), QB Mike Pawlawski (Neck). QUESTIONABLE: RB Juan Johnson (Ankle). PROBABLE: WR Travis Moore (Quad), CB Terrell Sutton (Hamstring).
NEWS AND NOTES: Miles was a thorn in Birmingham’s side throughout a 39-10 blowout on Saturday night at San Francisco’s “Hell Hole,” Pac Bell Park. Miles recorded two quarterback sacks and forced a 15-yard loss and fumble on a backward pass from Casey Weldon to James Bostic, which the Demons’ converted to points in the first half. Miles sparked the Demons defense, which held the Thunderbolts to just 177 total net yards for the game.…QB Pat Barnes accounted for San Francisco’s first three touchdowns Saturday night to pace the Demons to the convincing victory.…Quarterbacks Mike Pawlawski and Pat Barnes have continued to spread the wealth in the passing game, hitting all 13 receivers available to them during the first five weeks of the season…. Cornerback Kevin Kaesviharn (three interceptions on the season) is one of only seven XFL defensive backs with more than one interception through five games and trails only Las Vegas’ Brandon Sanders, who has four picks.
OFF THE FIELD: Facing the Hitmen this week, XFL Defensive Player of Week Jermaine Miles is a native of Brooklyn, New York and was stand out football player at Canarsie High School in Brooklyn.

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

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