Shock back from bye to take on Sharks

Spokane hopes to handle its second post bye-week game better than its first. Last month the Shock lost 69-35 to San Jose coming off a bye week. This time, Spokane returns from a week off to face Jacksonville tonight in Florida at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena. Both teams are 2-3. “We came out pretty sloppy with San Jose,” coach Andy Olson said, “so we’re really harping on our guys about the mental aspect of the game.” The Shock played some of their best football of the 2012 Arena Football League season prior to the most recent bye. They crushed Milwaukee 57-26 and led Arizona most of the game before committing a costly turnover late in a 57-53 loss. Jacksonville’s and Spokane’s seasons have followed a similar path. Both started out 1-3, including a loss after a bye week, and won in their last outing. Sharks quarterback Omar Jacobs has tossed 18 touchdowns and zero interceptions in the last three games. Former University of Florida standout Chris Leak started the season opener when Jacobs was injured. Leak was traded to Orlando on Wednesday. Jacobs tossed four interceptions in a blowout loss to Georgia in Week 2. Jeron Harvey, who leads the Sharks with 48 catches, 450 yards and 11 touchdowns, was placed on injured reserve earlier this week. Jacksonville won the AFL title last year, defeating Arizona on former Washington State Cougars quarterback Aaron Garcia’s touchdown pass on the final play. Garcia now plays for San Antonio. “Jacobs is playing extremely well and they’re putting up more than 60 points a week (over the last three games),” Olson said. “They’re not quite where they were last year but they’re getting better every week.”