ArenaBowl V
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Date | August 17, 1991 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Arena | Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan | ||||||||||||||||||
MVP | Stevie Thomas, WR/LB, Tampa Bay
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Attendance | 20,357 | ||||||||||||||||||
Winning coach | Fran Curci | ||||||||||||||||||
Losing coach | Tim Marcum | ||||||||||||||||||
TV in the United States | |||||||||||||||||||
Network | Prime Network | ||||||||||||||||||
Announcers | Bill Land, Tony Hill | ||||||||||||||||||
ArenaBowl '91 (or ArenaBowl V) was the
Game summary
In the first quarter, the Storm struck first with Quarterback Jay Gruden getting a one-yard touchdown run, yet the Drive responded with Quarterback Art Schlichter completing a 10-yard touchdown pass to WR/DB Gary Mullen and a 32-yard touchdown pass to OS George LaFrance.
In the second quarter, Tampa Bay struck back with Gruden completing a 13-yard touchdown pass to WR/LB Stevie Thomas. Detroit responded with FB/LB Alvin Rettig, the Storm began to take control with FB/LB Lynn Bradford getting a three-yard touchdown run, while Gruden and Thomas hooked up with each other again on a 42-yard touchdown pass.
In the third quarter, the Drive answered with Schlichter completing a 13-yard touchdown pass to WR/LB Will McClay, while the Storm replied with Gruden completing a 37-yard touchdown pass to WR/DB Darren Willis. While Detroit could only answer with Kicker Novo Bojovic getting a 46-yard field goal, Tampa Bay increased its lead with Gruden hooking up with Thomas again with a 17-yard touchdown pass.
In the fourth quarter, the Drive tried to come back with Schlichter and Mullen hooking up again on a 23-yard touchdown pass (with a failed PAT) and FB/LB Aric Anderson getting a one-yard touchdown run (with a failed two-point conversion), the Storm wrapped the game up with Gruden and Thomas hooking up with each other once more on a 35-yard touchdown pass.
With the win, not only did Tampa Bay win its first-ever ArenaBowl title, but they also prevented Detroit from winning its fourth consecutive league title.
Scoring summary
1st Quarter
- TB - Gruden 1 run (Hickert kick)
- DET - Mullen 10 pass from Schlichter (Bojovic kick)
- DET - LaFrance 32 pass from Schlichter (Bojovic kick)
2nd Quarter
- TB - Thomas 13 pass from Gruden (Hickert kick)
- DET - Rettig 2 run (Bojovic kick)
- TB - Bradford 3 run (Hickert kick)
- TB - Thomas 42 pass from Gruden (Hickert Kick)
3rd Quarter
- DET - McClay 13 pass from Schlichter (Bojovic kick failed)
- TB - Willis 37 pass from Gruden (Hickert kick)
- DET - FG Bojovic 46
- TB - Thomas 17 pass from Gruden (Hickert kick)
4th Quarter
- DET - Mullen 23 pass from Schlichter (Bojovic kick failed)
- DET - Anderson 1 run (Schlichter pass failed)
- TB - Thomas 35 pass from Gruden (Hickert kick failed)
Trivia
- On the Arena Football League's 20 Greatest Highlights Countdown (which was shown on arenafootball.com during the AFL's 20th season), this game is a #5.[1]