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RICK MAUCHThe Storm clinches its 14th consecutive berth in the postseason by beating Dallas 59-57 on the last play. Up next: at San Jose.
DALLAS - In a league dominated by offense, the Storm needed its biggest defensive play of the season to secure a 14th consecutive Arena Football League playoff berth.
Needing a two-point conversion to force overtime, Dallas nearly got it when quarterback Scott Dreisbach caught a deflected pass and took off running. He was tackled just shy of the end zone by Lawrence Samuels and David White to preserve a 59-57 victory for Tampa Bay, the defending AFL champion.
"I thought "Not again. Not again,' " White said. "But that's just a testament to the fact that we never gave up.
"It's also a testament that you're never too far ahead in this league and Dallas proved you're never too far behind."
White had the only rushing touchdown, a 14-yarder with 38 seconds to play. But the Desperados still had life when Ignacio Brache missed the extra point.
Bobby Sippio's fourth touchdown of the game for Dallas, a 10-yard pass from Dreisbach, came as time expired. Then, Storm lineman Nyle Wiren deflected Dreisbach's pass, but what should have been a big play nearly became a nightmare.
"My helmet came down. I didn't see it," Wiren said of Dreisbach's catch. "Thank goodness they were able to make the stop."
The victory completed a turnaround from a 3-7 start for the Storm, which has won five AFL titles (1991, 1993, 1995, 1996 and 2003). Tampa Bay won its final six to extend its league record for consecutive playoff appearances.
The Storm is the seventh seed in the playoffs and plays at second seed San Jose (11-5) at 2:45 p.m. Saturday.
Dallas, which ended 6-10 with seven consecutive losses, was formidable Sunday. The Desperados led 17-7 after one quarter and time and again came back in the second half.
Tampa Bay outscored Dallas 24-0 in the second quarter to take a 31-17 halftime lead. In the second half, the Desperados answered each touchdown with one of their own; three missed extra points by Brache allowed Dallas to creep closer.
"I think I aged 15 years," Storm coach Tim Marcum said. "Don't say how, but how many. It certainly is good to come from where we were."
Storm quarterback Shane Stafford finished 20-for-30 for 259 yards with seven touchdowns and an interception. He threw scores to Freddie Solomon for 9 and 12 yards, to David Saunders for 37 and 11 yards and to Clif Dell for 7 and 18 yards.
Solomon extended his streak of consecutive games with a touchdown reception to 21.
T.T. Toliver also caught a 10-yard touchdown.
The Dallas defense scored twice. Sippio returned an interception 40 yards in the first quarter. In the third, Duke Pettijohn fell on a fumble at the Tampa Bay 1-yard line and rolled into the end zone.
The Storm won for the fourth time in nine games in which it trailed after the first quarter. Tampa Bay improved to 8-2 when leading at the half and after the third quarter. It was also the Storm's first win when turning the ball over more than its opponent. Tampa Bay gave up the ball twice to once for Dallas.
Tampa Bay is 2-1 all time against the Desperados; all three games have been in Dallas. Sunday was also the first time the Desperados scored fewer than 60 against the Storm.