PREDATORS LOOK TO STOPGAP A THREE-GAME LOSING STREAK AT HOME
After dropping a heartbreaking loss on the road to an in-state rival last week, the Predators hope to get back in the win column at home on Friday night.
The Predators (3-6) will take on the Jacksonville Sharks (5-5) at home in the last game of three against the Sharks. The Sharks took the previous two games when the Predators traveled to Jacksonville, including last week after a second-half meltdown by the Predators led to a 58-26 loss.
“We learned a lot about our team over the last few days,” fullback and linebacker Darius Meadors said. “We are correcting a lot of the errors and stuff and it’s bringing us closer everyday.”
The defense of the Predators remains stagnant, forcing three sacks in last week’s matchup against the Sharks, including one by wide receiver and linebacker Lonnie Outlaw and two by lineman Rashad Miller.
“Defensively we’ve done a nice job,” head coach Jeff Higgins said. “All of our guys have made an impact all year long and I hope they do the same thing tomorrow.”
On offense, the Predators will add a familiar face to the quarterback room in Matt Parsons, who formerly played for the team in previous years.
“Matt is a competitor and we trust him,” Meadors said. “We trust him to get the job done.”
Despite a three-game losing skid, Higgins said no matter the circumstances, the team goes into every game with a 0-0 mentality, with only the incoming week’s game in mind.
“We just need to focus on us,” Higgins said. “We can’t let everything else going on get to us. All of those will sort themselves out.”
With the last home game coming against the in-state rival Sharks, defensive back and wide receiver Caleb Walls said it’s time to turn the tides in the Predator’s favor.
“We want playoffs,” Walls said. “We say ‘0-0’ every week but this week we have to win. It’s must win from here on out.”
The Predators are set to kick off against the Sharks at 7:30 p.m. at the Amway Center on Friday. The game will be streamed via the NAL YouTube Channel.