Quick Thoughts on the Soul's Win over the VooDoo

It wasn't the start that Soul fans were expecting, but it worked since the Soul were able to squeak out the 1 point victory thanks to the not so spectacular kicking of the VooDoo's Josh Shene. Shene was 6 of 8 on PAT attempts, not counting his other miss when Soul LB Dusty Bear ran into him drawing the penalty, which proved to be the deciding factor in Sunday's contest. He also couldn't launch the VooDoo's last second field goal attempt because of Soul DL Bryan Robinson's excellent penetration of the VooDoo's line which led to the game sealing block. Here's some other quick notes on other important aspects of Sunday's win:

• The Soul offense was just as advertised scoring on every drive that the Soul held onto the football. It was Morgan's and Hughley's fumbles that led to the VooDoo's only stops of the heralded Soul offense.
• WR/KR Jeff Hughley set the Soul's team record for all-purpose yards (357) and kickoff return yards (265) in today's game. His 92-receiving yards led to 2 touchdowns along with his kickoff return touchdown. This signing should pay off huge dividends as the season progresses and teams are even more competitively matched.
• The Soul's defense on the other hand didn't perform so well. After stopping the VooDoo's first drive, the defense gave up touchdowns on basically every other drive in the game. The VooDoo ran out of clock in the 1st half that led to the defense's second stop and with just 15 seconds left the VooDoo were forced to kick a field goal that was blocked. In drives that didn't end each half, the VooDoo scored on 9 of those 10 drives.
• If you think of the Soul's defensive performance in a different light, they did show up when it mattered most, but it seemed more like luck than anything else in my opinion. Too many times VooDoo receivers were left wide open deep. I'm not sure if they were caught cheating on under routes or that they got burned by the VooDoo receivers, but regardless the DB's have to improve.
• The Soul's defensive line also didn't get nearly enough pressure on VooDoo QB Kurt Rocco being that he was barely put under direst all day. It's the one area of the team that the Soul didn't add to this season, but if the three 2011 holdovers don't produce soon look for the Soul to find players that will.
•  Penalties. I understand it was the first game of the season, but 12 penalties for 90 yards is way too much for a title contending team. The VooDoo only had 2 penalties for 11 yards and didn't commit any turnovers which were main reasons why they only lost by 1 point.
• As I warned before the game, just because the Soul have big names it doesn't mean that it'll translate on the field. The offense/kick return game was sharp, besides the two fumbles, but the defense did not look as advertised. They performed like the slower and less experienced team out their even though we all know that's not the case. 

In all I'm glad the Soul escaped with the victory and hope that they pick things up for next week's away contest versus fellow division leader the Pittsburgh Power who might as well be playing their first game of the season after the "strike game" debacle.