Cyclones Visit Splash With Both Sides Shorthanded
Chicago has won two straight and arrives in San Francisco on Thursday night missing its starting cornerback, left guard and left tackle. The Cyclones (5-4) hold the seventh and final playoff spot in their conference, while the Splash (3-5) sit 12th after a 28-21 win at Phoenix last week.
Chicago's 13-9 win at Houston was its second straight, and the Cyclones have lost only once in their last three games, a 22-10 loss to Buffalo. San Francisco's last three results are a 20-19 loss to New Orleans, a 23-20 loss to Philadelphia and the win at Phoenix. The Splash are averaging 349.4 yards a game, well ahead of Chicago's 272.4, but they have also turned the ball over 12 times, five more than the Cyclones.
The quarterbacks have similar numbers. Joel Fianita has completed 170 of 263 passes for 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions, and Troy Cead has completed 175 of 258 for 10 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Adam Hor has carried 136 times for four touchdowns for Chicago, and Grant Thowham, with 48 catches and one touchdown, is the Cyclones' top target. For San Francisco, Sora Shonoka has carried 155 times for eight touchdowns, and A. Thamdale leads the Splash with 54 receptions.
Both head coaches are new this week. Chicago hired Sam Blun as head coach on Nov. 1, along with Evan Tasrick as offensive coordinator and Ford Cridwell as defensive coordinator. San Francisco hired Blake Pel as head coach the same day, with Walker Grairt and Evan Meman as its coordinators.
Chicago will be without cornerback Andrew Femby, a starter, and linebacker Marcus Groockham, the Cyclones' leading tackler with 48 solo stops and three sacks. Left guard Joaquin Sortado and receiver Brady Gronings are also out. The Splash will be missing tight end Oscar Viesondo, left end Carter Searklin and cornerback Joaquin Mirtares.
Bayfront Park Stadium seats 68,000, and the roof will be open. Expect cool, foggy and windy conditions off the bay, with crowd noise at 74 out of 100. Wind and fog can make deep passing harder for both quarterbacks.
Need to know: Kickoff is Thursday, Nov. 5, at 8:15 p.m. ET at Bayfront Park Stadium in San Francisco. Open air with the roof off, cool and foggy conditions expected.
Matchup to watch: Troy Cead's nine interceptions against a Chicago defense that has forced 11 takeaways and will be without Andrew Femby at cornerback. Cead has thrown one interception for every 29 attempts, and the Cyclones' pass defense will have to force turnovers to get the ball back quickly against a Splash offense that has averaged 185 points through eight games.
Stats and stuff: - Chicago averages 272.4 yards a game; San Francisco averages 349.4. - Both teams have 11 takeaways; the Splash have 12 turnovers, the Cyclones seven. - Landon Blarick leads San Francisco with 68 solo tackles and seven sacks.
