Jay Gruden threw for three touchdowns and the Tampa Bay Storm won their second Arena Bowl in just three years in the league with a 51-31 victory over the Detroit Drive on Saturday.
The Drive, who were looking for their fifth title, are the only other team to win the championship in the Arena Football League's six-year history. Tampa Bay beat Detroit for the title in 1991.Tampa Bay, which went 12-3 in the regular season, led 30-17 at halftime and turned back Detroit's opening series of the second half after the Drive (13-2) reached the Storm 9-yard line. A delay of game penalty on fourth-and-1 at the 9 left Detroit in a passing situation, but Gilbert Renfroe's throw to George LaFrance sailed high.
The Storm then made it 37-17 when Bobby Byrd took a pitch to the right from Gruden and threw an option pass back across the field for a 9-yard touchdown to Keith Browner. Browner also scored in the second quarter when he recovered a fumble in the end zone.
Renfroe found Grantis Bell for a 34-yard touchdown down the left sideline to make it 37-24 with 4:35 remaining in the third quarter. But the Drive missed an opportunity to get any closer when John Langeloh missed a 37-yard field goal attempt.