Let’s try this again – Alliance of American Football (Week 3)

Hey folks,

Long time, well, sort-of. This is a third attempt for some Alliance of American Football coverage (I have been watching all of the games!). Week One, couldn’t get content in on time because I got violently ill (too much?) and because of said illness I am now on a doctor recommended Whole 30 elimination diet, and I am incredibly cranking now because of it, so be nice. Week Two, I wrote previews for all of the games, but had a hard time getting them up to the site before the games were played (we all have other lives that don’t entail blogging about a Spring Football league). Whatever, it’s all good, we’re here, it’s happening, hugs to everyone involved. So, welcome to all new weekly AAF content that is new to you, but has been happening in my life for two weeks. We’re doing it.

I will spare you recaps of everything that has happened in the league for the first two weeks because I am writing this at my desk at work, and my fingers are a little cold, and the thought of typing a giant recap, feels daunting (did I mention I am cranky because of my elimination diet?). Therefore, let’s just get to my picks, and I think you will see from my in-depth analysis that I have both watched the games, but I also can update you on the league, and prove how great I am. Don’t argue that with me. Did I mention I am cranky because of my elimination diet?

Here we go:

Arizona Hotshots (2-0) at Salt Lake Stallions (0-2), Saturday at 12pm PST

Okay, so you see that one team is undefeated, and then another that is defeated, and you probably think that this game is going to be a walk for the Hotshots, right? Possibly. Salt Lake does have two losses, but they were without their starting quarterback, Josh Woodrum, last week against the Birmingham Iron, a game they lost by the blazing score of 12-9 (note: you have to go for two for every extra point in the AAF, so you get some pretty bonkers scores).

The first week, Salt Lake lost to these same Arizona Hotshots in game that was close until the fourth quarter when Arizona pulled away. Woodrum is supposedly back for the Stallions, and it’s the home opener for them as well. They have lost two close games, and are kind of due. Arizona came down to Earth last week, after looking pretty dominant Week One, with their quarterback, John Wolford, throwing four touchdowns and being named the Week One AAF Offensive Player of the Week.

Last week against the Memphis Express, a team that scored all of 0 points in Week One, Arizona had a hard time moving the ball, and found themselves down 18-6 going into the fourth quarter. Two touchdowns later, they sneaked out a win, 20-18, and found themselves undefeated. I think that ends this week.

Prediction: Wyld Stallions

Memphis Express (0-2) at Orlando Apollos (2-0), Saturday at 5pm PST

Okay, let’s be real here, the Apollos are by far the best team in AAF. Their quarterback Garrett Gilbert has thrown for 620 yards and four touchdown in two games, and was named the Offensive player of the week for Week Two.  The Defensive Player of the Week for the two weeks in the AAF come from the Apollos. They are balanced, and are already clicking on all cylinders.

Contrast that with the Memphis Express. They are averaging 9 points a game (reminder, they scored zero points the first week of the season), and their quarterback, Christian Hackenberg has thrown for 189 yards in two games, with no touchdowns and one interception. Hackenberg is set to start again this week. Soooooooooooooooooooooooo. Do the math.

The Express did boast the AAF’s first 100-yard rusher, Zac Stacey, who reached this plateau last week, so the Express are not totally inept on offense, I just feel against the Apollos defense, it may seem that way on Saturday.

Prediction: The Ole’ Ball Coach (in case you didn’t know, Steve Spurrier is the head coach of Orlando). Spoiler alert: he still wears visors.

Birmingham Iron (2-0) at Atlanta Legends (0-2), Sunday at 1pm PST

Holy shit, this is the third game between an undefeated team and a defeated team. HELLO! (sorry for that joke. Did I mention that I am cranky from my elimination diet?). Anyway, this game pits what is probably the worst team in the league, against probably the worst undefeated team. That being said I could see a place where both of these teams could put it all together in a week or two.

Birmingham has some players, but hasn’t been able to put it all together yet. For example, their quarterback, Luis Perez, has looked good, and apparently already has gotten a lot of looks from NFL teams. However, he has yet to throw a touchdown. Former University of Alabama running back Trent Richardson, has three rushing touchdowns, but is averaging only 50 rushing yards per game. So there is potential there, we just aren’t seeing it yet. That’s basically the same deal with the Atlanta Legends, but they just seem a few more weeks away.

Quarterback Matt Simms has looked good at times and bad at times, and they also are having a hard time getting their running game going. I feel like this game might be pretty ugly. Watch the Oscars Red Carpet after this game, to feel beautiful after.

Prediction: Birmingham wins in an ugly one.

San Antonio Commanders (1-1) at San Diego Fleet (1-1), Sunday at 5pm PST

Hey look, two one and one teams! We did it. We did it everyone. Cool. Good-bye. See ya!

Just kidding.

This is another rematch of the first week of the season, when the Commanders defeated the Fleet, 15-6 (reminder, no PATs, so these games have very silly scores) and produced probably the highlight of Week One, maybe the season (Check it out here). Well, last week the Commanders lost to the aforementioned best team in the league, and the Fleet pulls off a victory against the aforementioned worst team in the league, and the Fleet provided the highlight of Week Two, but definitely not the season (check that out here).

The Fleet have the league’s best rusher, and former Humboldt State Lumberjack (“big ups to the Cal State University System!”…is a sentence no one has uttered until now), Ja’Quan Gardner, who is 5-7, and a ton of fun to watch. He also rushed for 100 yards last week (after Zac Stacey), and scored two touchdowns. The Commanders however, have the best run defense in the league, and were leading against the best team in the league for a bulk of the game. They get solid quarterback play from Logan Woodside, have some good receivers, and may have found a pretty good running back in Kenneth Farrow.

This game is probably the game of the week, and were it not during the Oscars, I would definitely try to go to this one (I do plan on going to at least one Fleet game this season).

Predicition: I’ll be a Cali boy and a homer and say that the Fleet somehow win this one.

That’s it for this week. Check back with me on Monday to see how wrong I am, and please don’t bring up pizza, cake, sugar, bread, burritos, butter, because I can’t eat any of those things because of my elimination diet. Did I mention that I am on an elimination diet?