Power hosts the Spokane Shock. Sparks will fly.

Week 9 is upon us, and the Power returns home for their matchup against the defending Arena Bowl champs, the Spokane Shock.

On paper, this game looks like a perfect – yet uninspired – matchup. Both teams are 3-4 on the season. We’re 1-3 at home, they’re 1-3 on the road. The “Power” and the “Shock.” It all goes together so well.

As is often the case, reality isn’t as chipper. Again, they’re the defending champs, which is always something to take in to account. Also, whereas our 3-4 record puts us in second place in our division, it puts them dead last in theirs. That’s a tough, tough division that they’re playing in.

Their season started out pretty rough, dropping three in a row. However, their last four games have included three wins. On one hand, they lost to the Sabercats and the Gladiators, which isn’t surprising for any team this season. On the other, they beat the Predators and took away the “undefeated” title from the rampaging Rattlers.

Branching from this and our season records, we see that the Power has had a fairly soft opening half before achieving this record, but the Shock is at the same point with a much harder season. (It should also be noted that their first half bears much in common with what our second half will be.)

Last week in Arizona, they came up huge on defense against the Rattlers, twice nullifying the Ratts taking onside kicks away from Spokane. The week before that, they had

four sacks, two turnovers and four big stops. We haven’t fared well against any team that can make a wall, and Spokane seems to be able to do it.

They don’t tend to run the ball nearly as much as we do, but they haven’t had to to get the job done. For us, their wall will nullify any run that we’re likely to try. So, in general, I think the running game will be put back in the closet this week and we’ll just pretend it doesn’t exist.

In order to have any chance against the Shock, we’re going to have to go to our strengths. This might seem obvious in any situation, but somehow, it seems the Power needs reminding of this every now and again.

Last week, we were able to surprise the Force with some trick plays and long returns by newcomer Fulton. He probably won’t be a bad bet to utilize again this week. Not over-utilize, but mix him in now and then and see what we can make of it. Willis is there as Morelli’s favorite target for the meat and potatoes, so long as the Shock doesn’t get in their heads – more Morelli’s than Willis’s. And of course, there’s Xavier Lee. He is shaping up to be an explosive player everywhere on the field.

When the Voodoo took down the Gladiators a few weeks ago, that was the type of big win that makes you sit back and slack off afterwards. They were losers who finally won, and took down an undefeated team to do it. In that case, you let out a collective sigh, smile and relax – that’s a big reason why we beat them.

The Shock are coming off a huge win – their biggest since the Arena Bowl – and are building a lot of momentum. Not only did they take down the last undefeated team this season, the #1 team in the league, in a division game on the road – but it was a win that brought them to 4-0 all-time against their rivals. That’s not the kind of win that leads to a self-reflective sit on the front porch with a glass of lemonade – it’s the type that makes a team hungry for blood and ready to tear into the poor bastards they meet next.

Fundamentals and concentration are the only things that are going to get us a much-needed home W. The Shock are going to come into our house spoiling for a fight and that might make them sloppy. If we’re not sloppy ourselves, we can exploit that. If Morelli can stay focused, the team can keep the penalties to a minimum and everyone else just does their job, we have a chance – not a great one, but a chance none the less.

And if we win here, maybe we’ll get a little of that blood-lust ourselves.

Elsewhere in the league

• Unless Garcia gets lazy after his career-highlight game last week, expect the Sharks to roll over Philly. (You’re welcome, Soul – I probably just gave you a win by saying that.)
• Mustangs vs Gladiators is my game to watch Friday. We can afford to wish a win for the last-place Mustangs here to bring Cleveland down another peg. Come on, underdogs!
• NFL game of the week is another Florida grudge match, but not a huge draw for the rest of us.
• The late game Saturday at 10:30 is the 1^st place Rattlers vs the 1-game-behind Sabercats. You bet your ass I’ll be hurrying home from the Consol to catch some of that action.