Josh Johnson has Turned Around Los Angeles
Johnson has Los Angeles on Verge of Playoffs
April 14, 2019
Carson, CA - The Los Angeles Wildcats faced adversity early and often on Sunday night.
Suffice it to say they figured it out and turned a 17-0 deficit into a 41-34 win over San Antonio at Dignity Health Sports Park.
“It was a test for us, a big test, and we just had to respond,” quarterback Josh Johnson said. The Wildcats saw their offense start out-of-sorts in the first quarter with two turnovers and lackluster play. The game changed with 11:07 left in the second quarter as Johnson hit WR AJ Jenkins in stride for a 54-yard pass, which put them at San Antonio’s 1-yard line. RB Branden Oliver finished the drive and got LA on the board, 17-6.
Despite a botched punt return by the Wildcats at the 8:52 mark that led to another San Antonio TD, which extended the Commanders lead to 24-6, the Wildcats answered with two touchdowns in the final minutes of the first half to make it 24-20 at the break.
The veteran quarterback continued to spread the ball around in the second half, hitting nine different receivers on the night en route to 288 yards and four touchdowns on 20-for-36 passing. His main targets, WRs Jenkins and DaVaris Daniels, accounted for 228 of LA’s 345 yards of total offense. “I see the work every day,” he said. "Those guys are doing a great job of staying focused and locked in and coming to work every day.”
The Wildcats' momentum continued into the second half and a pair of touchdowns gave LA its first lead of the night, 33-24. LA’s defense came alive in the second half and kept San Antonio’s offense in check to the tune of three takeaways. One of those belonged to DL Ja'Gared Davis, who scooped up a fumble by Tim Tebow and ran it back 23 yards for the touchdown -- which moved LA’s lead to 41-27 after a two-point PAT. Giving credit to his teammate DL Kwame Geathers for the sack in a “total (defensive) effort,” Roberts acknowledged a defensive lineman going in for the score is a rare occurrence. “It’s every fat boy’s dream,” he said.
On the following drive, the Commanders marched down the field and scored a touchdown off a 24-yard pass from Tebow to WR MeKale McKay, which cut the lead to 41-34. With a chance to tie and possibly even win the game in the final minute, the Commanders got down to the Wildcats’ 11-yard line. However, Wildcats defensive back Jack Tocho sealed the victory with an interception in the end zone.
“We have a bunch of fighters, and now they understand how to win,” LA HC Scott Milanovich said. “Now, we have to carry this forward.”
Wildcats - 41 Commanders - 34
(4-4)LA: QB Josh Johnson - 20/36 288 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT, RB Branden Oliver - 13 carries, 57 yards, 1 TD, WR AJ Jenkins - 5 catches, 116 yards, 1 TD, WR DaVaris Daniels - 4 catches, 112 yards, 1 TD, WR Donnie Avery - 6 catches, 61 yards, 1 TD
(7-1)SA: QB Tim Tebow - 22/34 300 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs, RB Kenneth Farrow - 31 carries, 124 yards, 2 TDs, WR MeKale McKay - 4 catches, 95 yards, 1 TD, WR Greg Ward - 9 catches, 90 yards, 1 TD, WR Devier Posey - 5 catches, 56 yards
Renegades - 16 Alphas - 23
(5-3)DAL: QB Landry Jones - 10/22 128 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, RB Cameron Artis-Payne - 15 carries, 105 yards, 1 TD, WR Terrence Williams - 2 catches, 78 yards
(4-4)CHI: QB Aaron Murray - 20/27 264 yards, 1 TD, RB Jacques Patrick - 16 carries, 63 yards, RB De'Veon Smith - 15 carries, 60 yards, 1 TD, WR Antonio Callaway - 5 catches, 71 yards, WR Shaq Evans - 3 catches, 51 yards, 1 TD
Roughnecks - 27 Conquerors - 20
(6-2)HOU: QB Jalen Hurts - 25/41 239 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, RB Karlos Williams - 18 carries, 65 yards, WR Cam Phillips - 8 catches, 97 yards, 1 TD, WR Sammie Coates - 6 catches, 53 yards, 1 TD
(4-4)LV: QB Ryan Mallett - 26/41 216 yards, 1 TD, 3 INTs, RB Terrance West - 23 carries, 89 yards, 1 TD, WR Brandon Coleman - 6 catches, 76 yards, WR Jarrett Boykin - 6 catches, 56 yards, 1 TD
Dragons - 18 Stallions - 25
(3-5)SEA: QB BJ Daniels - 18/34 185 yards, 2 TDs, RB Thomas Rawls - 14 carries, 57 yards, WR TJ Graham - 6 catches, 78 yards, 2 TDs
(5-3)STL: QB Paxton Lynch - 28/40 305 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs, RB Christine Michael - 14 carries, 99 yards, 1 TD, RB Matt Jones - 10 carries, 55 yards, 1 TD, WR Kaelin Clay - 5 catches, 76 yards, WR Terrelle Pryor - 2 catches, 57 yards, 1 TD
Fleet - 39 *Generals - 9
(5-3)SD: QB Colin Kaepernick - 18/25 278 yards, 3 TDs, RB Kapri Bibbs - 16 carries, 56 yards, 3 TDs, WR Martavis Bryant - 5 catches, 109 yards, 2 TDs, WR Braxton Miller - 3 catches, 75 yards, 1 TD
(1-7)COL: QB Tyler Bray - 14/28 107 yards, 4 INTs, RB CJ Anderson - 20 carries, 142 yards, 1 TD, RB Charcandrick West - 15 carries, 70 yards, WR Jaelen Strong - 3 catches, 38 yards
*Columbus benched QB Tyree Jackson for backup QB Tyler Bray
Gladiators - 24 Iron - 12
(5-3)CLE: QB Brock Osweiler - 30/41 274 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs, RB Jeremy Hill - 21 carries, 103 yards, WR Josh Doctson - 5 catches, 101 yards, 2 TDs, WR Carlos Henderson - 9 catches, 56 yards, 1 TD
(8-0)BIRM: QB Tahj Boyd - 21/34 204 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, RB Trent Richardson - 27 carries, 99 yards, WR TJ Jones - 6 catches, 81 yards, WR L'Damien Washington - 3 catches, 37 yards, 1 TD
*Express - 15 Soul - 9
(0-8)MEM: QB Brandon Silvers - 20/27 209 yards, 1 TD, RB Zac Stacy - 30 carries, 162 yards, 1 TD, WR Justin Hunter - 4 catches, 64 yards, WR Brice Butler - 3 catches, 49 yards, 1 TD
(0-8)PHIL: QB Kyle Lauletta - 34/43 219 yards, 1 INT, RB Alfred Blue - 12 carries, 58 yards, WR Jordan Matthews - 6 catches, 43 yards
*Memphis benched QB Christian Hackenberg for backup QB Brandon Silvers
Blues - 27 Brigade - 0
(6-2)MIA: QB EJ Manuel - 23/37 264 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, RB Denard Robinson - 23 carries, 84 yards, WR Leonard Hankerson - 4 catches, 95 yards, WR Kevin White - 6 catches, 67 yards, 1 TD
(0-8)BAL: QB Tom Savage - 12/27 95 yards, 2 INTs, RB Eddie Lacy - 15 carries, 71 yards, WR Leonte Carroo - 3 catches, 30 yards
Guardians - 24 Predators - 28
(6-2)NY: QB Josh Freeman - 30/37 284 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs, RB Orleans Darkwa - 31 carries, 92 yards, 1 TD, RB Andre Williams - 11 carries, 44 yards, WR Hakeem Nicks - 6 catches, 77 yards, 1 TD, WR Rueben Randle - 9 catches, 50 yards, 1 TD
(2-6)ORL: QB Garrett Gilbert - 20/31 170 yards, 3 TDs, RB Akeem Hunt - 17 carries, 78 yards, 1 TD, WR Charles Johnson - 8 catches, 63 yards, 2 TDs, WR Donte Moncrief - 4 catches, 50 yards, 1 TD
Storm - 17 Valor - 37
(2-6)TB: QB Brad Kaaya - 21/39 214 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs, RB Alex Collins - 21 carries, 88 yards, 1 TD, WR Kelvin Benjamin - 11 catches, 103 yards, WR Rashad Greene - 5 catches, 61 yards, 1 TD
(6-2)DC: QB Cardale Jones - 23/38 272 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT, RB Lorenzo Taliaferro - 13 carries, 56 yards, 1 TD, WR Rashod Ross - 9 catches, 95 yards, 1 TD, WR Eli Rogers - 4 catches, 67 yards, 1 TD