AFL on the NFL Network: Jacksonville at Orlando
By SCOTT COOLEY
Jacksonville Sharks at Orlando Predators (+4.5)
Intrastate division foes collide on the NFL Network when the Jacksonville Sharks (7-2 SU, 5-4 ATS) head south to take on the Orlando Predators (4-4 SU, 5-3 ATS) Friday in this week’s Arena Football League game of the week.
The Sharks will make a 140-mile bus ride to Orlando Friday.
Prior engagement
These clubs met in Week 3 with Jacksonville cruising to a 57-31 victory as 5-point favorites in the expansion team’s inaugural home game.
The Sharks’ defense harassed Orlando quarterback Nick Hill all night, forcing him into a pair of interceptions and only allowing three touchdowns through the air. Orlando’s stalled offense only managed 4.9 yards per play.
Aaron Garcia dissected the Predators secondary, completing 21-of-29 passes for six touchdowns – disbursing the scores to four different receivers. Jacksonville outscored Orlando 31-10 in the second and third quarters of the game.
What have you done for me lately?
Jacksonville defeated the Rush in Chicago two weeks ago to secure the best record in the AFL and roll into this matchup fully rested off a bye week. The Sharks also enjoyed a bye during Week 4 and defeated Tulsa at home in their ensuing game, 62-60, but failed to cover the spread.
The Sharks are only 3-2 SU and ATS on the road this season but 5-0 in the Sunshine State and 3-0 on the NFL Network.
Orlando comes into this game off a last-second, 53-52, home loss to Spokane. The offense was again inconsistent, averaging a paltry 5.4 ypp in that contest. The Preds posted 24 and 28 points in second and third quarters but were shutout in the first and final frames.
Despite having a lethal receiving corps to work with most of the year, Hill is still going through the growing pains of his first AFL season. The rookie signal-caller has tossed five interceptions in his last three games and has failed to throw an INT in only two of the team’s eight games this year.
Veteran cornerback Kenny McEntyre had some not-so-nice words to say about Hill following last week’s game and it could lead to a division in the locker room.
"There's no excuse to get beat by a bunch of Arena2 players,” McEntyre told the Orlando Sentinel. “Our quarterback has got to get a lot better. Not the offense, the quarterback. One (person) can't hold up the show."
Numbers game
On paper, this is as big of mismatch as one might see in arena football.
The Sharks flaunt the top-ranked scoring (50.1 ppg) and passing defense as well as the No. 2 total defense (266.1 ypg) in the AFL. Jacksonville’s mark of 12.0 sacks ranks fifth-best among league leaders.
On the other end of the spectrum, Orlando ranks 13th in scoring offense (52.6 ppg) this season and give up 1.2 sacks per game. The Preds are second-to-last in third down conversion rate (43.3 percent) while J-Ville leads the league in that category, converting at a 57.8 clip.
Jungle fever
Orlando’s arena, known as “The Jungle” around the league, has created one of the most dynamic home-field advantages for the better part of 20 years.
The cheerleaders are scantily clad, the fans are encouraged to get drunk and harass opposing players and the field is tailored to the home squad’s liking. The Predators use rounded endzones instead of the classic rectangular style which can create problems for visiting receivers who are forced to work in a more confined space.
"Rounded end zones are a defense's best friend," an AFL head coach once said.
Infirmary report
Jacksonville will still be without wide receiver Sale Key who is on injured reserve until next week. Jason Willis returned from a broken arm two games ago and has replaced Key in starting rotation.
One of Orlando’s top receiving options, Bobby Sippio, missed last week’s game and was in street clothes the second half of the team’s prior matchup after suffering a shoulder injury. He hasn’t been placed on injured reserve but is questionable to play. The Preds did place their No. 2 wideout, Derrick Lewis, on IR this week so he will miss the next four games.