NEWS RELEASE
November 2, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Robert Barrett, Director of Communication
barretrs@longbeachsharks.com
Long Beach, CA- The Long Beach Sharks took a tough loss in week 8 against the Phoenix Flames. The final score of the contest was 112.60- 124.36. This loss brings the second loss in a row and the Sharks are now 2-2 in their last four games.
Disappointing showings by the Sharks on offense were a big factor in their loss. The receiving core was not able to have breakout performances as Mike Williams was only able to catch two of his five targets for 19 yards. Also, Chase Claypool caught four of his five targets for only 45 yards. Tight End Mike Gesicki could not find open space with only 48 total yards. Having three of the four receivers under 50 receiving yards in this game will definitely be addressed in practice on Wednesday.
The positive aspect of this loss in the running game. RB Joe Mixon had a stellar performance, rushing for 33 yards and a touchdown while catching four targets for an additional 58 yards and another touchdown. Another RB who had a strong outing was Najee Harris, rushing for 91 and a touchdown while producing 29 yards receiving for the Shark’s offense. The Shark’s offensive coordinator has shown big signals of a power run offense, and the production has spoke for itself over this four game stretch.
Unfortunately for the injury report, Quarterback Dak Prescott was ruled out just hours before the game with a calf strain. This took a major hit on the Sharks, as players with zero chance of production will severely hurt a teams chance to win. Depth on the roster constrained the Sharks as they were unable to fill the QB spot with a healthy player. Prescott is expected to be week to week, and there are credible reports that he will be good to go in week 9.
The Long Beach Sharks currently have a record of 3-5, placing them in 6th place in their division and 11th overall. Every game from here on out is a must win if the Sharks want to have a shot at a playoff run this season. Long Beach has a tough opponent this week in the Orlando Hurricanes (6-2), and their defense has to prepare for big names such as Cooper Kupp, Ja’Marr Chase and Alvin Kamara in order to come out on top in week 9.
About the Long Beach Sharks – The Long Beach Sharks are an up and coming NFL team that resides in Long Beach, California. They play at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California. The Sharks share the stadium with the Los Angeles Chargers as well as the Los Angeles Rams. The stadium holds a whopping 70,000 people which provides a very loud home crowd and advantage for the Sharks heading into the second half of the season.
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