Soul Set to Begin 2nd Half of Season Against Reigning Champion Valor

By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor

Coming off of their 47-35 Week 6 win over the then-winless Columbus Destroyers — snapping their three-game skid — the Philadelphia Soul (3-3) will look open for continued success as they open the second half of the season opposite the reigning Arena Football League Washington Valor (3-3) Sunday afternoon at the Wells Fargo Center. The game will be the Soul's second of their season-long three-game home stand.

Last Saturday's Soul win allowed the team to avoid its first four-game skid since 2011, and just its sixth four-game skid in Soul history; also, Clint Dolezel earned his 80th career win as Soul head coach (80-35) and 91st overall — moving into eighth place on the AFL’s all-time coaching wins list, just two behind Washington Redskins head coach Jay Gruden (93).

The Soul defense forced three turnovers, including James Romain’s third pick-six and third interception overall this season. With Soul WR Aaron Wascha sidelined with an injury, rookie WR BJ Bunn stepped up, catching his first two career touchdowns as part of five total catches and 94 receiving yards. Soul DB Torez Jones was named Defensive Player of the Week, recording 8 1/2 tackles, a forced fumble, and a one-handed interception

The Soul are 6-2 against the Valor all-time, despite falling against them, 53-46, in their last meeting — Week 4 at Capital One Arena. The Soul overcame a 15-point deficit to take their first lead of the game with 23 seconds remaining, but on Washington's next possession, the Soul surrendered a 46-yard touchdown, sealing their second defeat of the season.

Last Meeting vs. Valor: Week 4 (Away) — Saturday, May 18, 2019

By the Numbers:

• Dual-threat Valor QB Arvell Nelson posted four touchdowns alone in the first half — two passing and two rushing. The seven-year veteran finished the contest with three more passing touchdowns, logging 331 total yards.
• Soul QB Dan Raudabaugh completed 19 of his 26 passing attempts for 280 yards and a season-high seven touchdowns. Soul WRs Aaron Wascha and Darius Prince each logged 115 receiving yards, along with three and two receiving touchdowns, respectively.
• First Downs: Soul 16, Valor 21
• Rushes-Yards (Net): Soul 4-2, Valor 12-34
• Passing Yards (Net): Soul 280, Valor 295
• Passing Attempts-Completions-Interceptions: Soul 26-19-1, Valor 38-23-1
• Total Offensive Plays-Yards: Soul 30-278, Valor 51-329
• Kickoff Returns-Yards: Soul 7-136, Valor 4-70
• Interception Returns-Yards: Soul 1-24, Valor 1-0
• Fumbles-Lost: Soul 1-0, Valor 1-0
• Penalties-Yards: Soul 6-33, Valor 7-39
• Possession Time: Soul 22:17, Valor 36:54
• Third-Down Conversions: Soul 1/2, Valor 5/9
• Fourth-Down Conversions: Soul 0/1, Valor 1/2
• Red-Zone Scores-Chances: Soul 1-2, Valor 4-5
• Sacks by, Numbers-Yards: Soul 1-7, Valor 0-0

Game Notes:

• The Soul look to become the only team in the AFL with an active, multi-game winning streak.
• The Valor began Week 7 with a league-worst 43.3 points allowed per game (now third-worst), and are coming off a 58-48 loss to the AFL-best Albany Empire — in which they gave up 58 points, their second-most allowed this season (59, Week 1).
• Last week against the Columbus Destroyers, the Soul snapped their eight-game streak of trailing at halftime (11-game stretch overall, including ties), dating back to last season; the team had gone 2-6 in those contests.
• The Soul are averaging 42.5 points per game, second only to the Empire.
• With their 45-30 loss to the Baltimore Brigade in Week 5, the Soul fell below the .500 mark for the first time since the 2014 season. The Soul could climb back above the .500 mark with a win on Sunday.
• What to Watch For:
  • Soul WR Darius Prince looks to score in 10 straight games dating back to the 2018 season; his current nine-game scoring streak is the longest active such streak on the team.
  • Valor WR Doug McNeil III leads the team in receiving touchdowns (7) since returning from injury in Week 4. McNeil matched his career-high four scores in the Valor's loss to the Empire last weekend.
  • Soul QB Dan Raudabaugh has thrown at least five touchdowns (31 total) in each of his five career games opposite the Valor; the veteran has won four of those contests, completing 70 percent of his passes while tossing only three interceptions.
• This past week, Jones became the third Soul player to earn Player of the Week honors, joining fellow DB James Romain (Week 1) and WR Lonnie Outlaw (Week 3).

Soul Transactions:

• Tuesday, June 4:
  • Activated from League Suspension: WR Aaron Wascha
  • Placed on Recallable Reassignment: WR Damon Powell
  • Placed on Reassignment: FB Brandon Cottom, WR DJ Myers
• Thursday, June 6:
  • Assigned: FB Brandon Cottom, WR DJ Myers
  • Placed on Injured Reserve: DL Jake Metz, WR Aaron Wascha
• Friday, June 7:
  • Assigned: OL Chris Boles
  • Placed on Recallable Reassignment: OL Marvis Brown

Soul Injury Report:

• TBA

Broadcast Information:

• Kickoff: 4 p.m.
• TV: NBCSP+, ESPN3
• Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic

What's Next:

• Sunday, June 16, 2019: vs. Atlantic City Blackjacks (3-4), 4 p.m.
  • TV: NBCSP+, ESPN3; Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic