Handicappers Picks

The AFL betting season enters its seventh week of play this week with a full slate of games. Check out how we’re ranking the clubs through the first six weeks of the season!

1: Milwaukee Iron (4-1 SU, 4-1 ATS) (LW: 2) – The Iron solidified themselves as the top team in the game this week when they absolutely pummeled Chicago 71-48. The schedule sets up quite nicely for Milwaukee going forward, as it may not be playing a playoff team until June 19th when it takes on Chicago again.
Up Next: Home vs. Utah

2: Chicago Rush (4-1 SU, 2-2-1 ATS) (LW: 1) – QB Russ Michna and the special teams self-destructed for Chicago in an awful stretch of just over two quarters worth of play that saw the Rush get outscored 64-35 against Milwaukee. Expect some vengeance to be had when the Barnstormers come a calling to the Windy City this week.
Up Next: Home vs. Iowa

3: Jacksonville Sharks (4-1 SU, 3-2 ATS) (LW: 4) – The Sharks could be the best team in the AFL that no one is talking about right now. It took some controversial calls and some timely mistakes by Tampa Bay, but Jacksonville successfully escaped the St. Pete Times Forum with a ‘W’ on Friday night for the biggest win in the franchise’s brief history. J’Ville is now a full game clear of the field in its division.
Up Next: Home vs. Dallas

4: Tulsa Talons (3-2 SU, 5-0 ATS) (LW: 5) – It was yet another game that came down to the wire, but Tulsa made it through their battle with the Vipers to move to a perfect 3-0 SU and ATS at home. The Talons have to hit the road again next week in what could be a very hostile Quicken Loans Arena.
Up Next: Away @ Cleveland

5: Alabama Vipers (3-2 SU, 3-2 ATS) (LW: 3) – Alabama has proven that it can play with anyone in the AFL, but eventually, games like this most recent one in Tulsa have to start going the Vipers’ way. There’s no excuse for a loss next week, as a lousy Orlando team coming off of its first win of the year comes to town.
Up Next: Home vs. Orlando

6: Spokane Shock (3-2 SU, 2-3 ATS) (LW: 8 ) – The Shock pulled the upset in Arizona last week by hanging on by the skin of their teeth. Spokane held two last second touchdown attempts out of the end zone, leading it to a big victory in conference to get over .500 once again. This Sunday’s duel in the Sooner State should be very interesting.
Up Next: Away @ Oklahoma City

And the rest…
7: Tampa Bay Storm (2-3 SU, 1-4 ATS) (LW: 6)
8: Arizona Rattlers (2-3 SU, 2-3 ATS) (LW: 7)
9: Cleveland Gladiators (2-3 SU, 3-2 ATS) (LW: 12)
10: Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz (2-3 SU, 2-3 ATS) (LW: 13)
11: Dallas Vigilantes (1-3 SU, 1-3 ATS) (LW: 9)
12: Iowa Barnstormers (2-3 SU, 2-3 ATS) (LW: 10)
13: Bossier City Battle Wings (2-3 SU, 3-2 ATS) (LW: 11)
14: Utah Blaze (1-2 SU, 1-2 ATS) (LW: 14)
15: Orlando Predators (1-3 SU, 1-3 ATS) (LW: 15)

The AFL betting season enters its fourth week of play this week with just a small four pack of games. Check out how we’re ranking the clubs through the first two weeks of the season! Visit Handicapperspicks.com for more expert arena football news

1: Chicago Rush (3-0 SU, 2-1 ATS) (LW: 1) - Arena Football betting fanatics bet the Rush from +1 up as high as -6 this week, and the end reward came in the form of a two touchdown victory in Arizona. This should easily be a 4-0 team by the time next week’s games are over.
Up Next: Home vs. Utah

2: Tulsa Talons (2-0 SU, 2-0 ATS) (LW: 3) – The Talons were the lone team off last week, and they return to the gridiron on Saturday night with their first road battle of the season after a pair of home wins against solid teams.
Up Next: Away @ Arizona

3: Milwaukee Iron (2-0 SU, 2-0 ATS) (LW: 5) – It wasn’t a guaranteed cover the entire way, but the Iron never really had any doubts about beating Iowa on Friday night. It was another great game for QB Chris Greisen, who threw for 382 yards and seven TDs in a second straight relatively flawless effort. Milwaukee could be ArenaBowl bound if this keeps up.
Up Next: Home vs. Tampa Bay

4: Spokane Shock (2-1 SU, 1-2 ATS) (LW: 6) - Depending on what number you got the Shock at, you could’ve cashed a winning ticket on Saturday against the Battle Wings. The one thing certain about Spokane is that it’s going to score some points every time it takes the field. It has put up at least 60 in all three outings. The question however is the defense, which has now conceded 70+ points twice.
Up Next: Bye

5: Bossier City Battle Wings (2-1 SU, 3-0 ATS) (LW: 4) – Don’t blame QB Raymond Philyaw for the Bossier City loss at Spokane in Week 3 AFL betting action. He threw 10 TD passes, which came up just one shy of the AFL record. Philyaw’s one pick was probably the difference maker in a 78-70 loss, but any time you’re a QB and can drop 70+ points in this league, you’ve done something special.
Up Next: Bye

6: Alabama Vipers (2-1 SU, 2-1 ATS) (LW: 9) - The Vipers went on the road and nailed down a victory against a poor Utah team on Saturday to move into the top half of the AFL power rankings. Alabama FB Dan Alexander had four more rushing touchdowns, giving him 13 on the year. No one else in the league has more than four rushing scores for the entire season.
Up Next: Bye

And the rest…
7: Tampa Bay Storm (1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS) (LW: 8 )
8: Jacksonville Sharks (2-1 SU, 2-1 ATS) (LW: 10)
9: Arizona Rattlers (1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS) (LW: 2)
10: Dallas Vigilantes (0-2 SU, 0-2 ATS) (LW: 7)
11: Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz (1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS) (LW: 14)
12: Iowa Barnstormers (0-2 SU, 0-2 ATS) (LW: 11)
13: Cleveland Gladiators (0-3 SU, 1-2 ATS) (LW: 12)
14: Orlando Predators (0-2 SU, 0-2 ATS) (LW: 13)
15: Utah Blaze (0-2 SU, 0-2 ATS) (LW: 15)

The Move of the Week that Cost You Money
Courtesy of Mike Rose at Handicapperspicks.com

The Jacksonville Sharks came into their Week 2 AFL betting duel with the Alabama Vipers knowing that they could take a commanding lead in the Southeast Division with a win. The AFL odds on the day had the Sharks favored by 3.5 points on the road against the Vipers.

All looked great for this team through two quarters of play. QB Aaron Garcia was throwing darts all over the field. Scoring was easy for Jacksonville, while the Vipers labored offensively. Even though they were kicking off in the second half, the Sharks mustered one stop right at the end of the first half to take a 28-14 lead into the locker.

The second half started off great as well, as Jacksonville got a stop and a score to go ahead by three touchdowns and seemed looked like it was on its way to yet another ‘W’ to move to 2-0 SU on the year.

Think again.

Following a 27-yard touchdown pass from Alabama QB Kevin Eakin to WR CJ Johnson, Alabama HC Dean Cokinos decided to go with an onside kick on the ensuing kickoff. The Vipers recovered.

The wheels simply fell off of Jacksonville at that point. The Sharks only held Alabama one time in its next five possessions and couldn’t score anywhere in between.

Why was that? The Vipers continued their onside kick strategy. After every single score in the second half until the final one, the team executed an onside kick. Though they didn’t recover any of the four attempts, what they successfully did was shorten the field on Garcia.

That being said, WR Jason Willis, who caught two touchdown passes in the first half, wasn’t able to score from long distances away. The defensive backs were given a chance to defend a significantly smaller space, and in the shortened end zones of the AFL, it makes playing defense even easier. The end zones in Alabama are also rounded, cutting off some real estate for wide receivers to work with.

Jacksonville HC Les Moss failed to counter with any answers for his offense, which was ultimately outscored 35-0 in that run.

Though they failed their betting backers in this spot, the Sharks won’t run into this tactic every week. Don’t let that one dismal quarter and a half of football scare you from backing a very solid team in the future.

The Sharks will look to turn the page on this tough loss on Friday night on the NFL Network’s national televised broadcast against the in-state rival Orlando Predators.

Click here for expert arena football picks from Mike Rose

Inside the AFL Week 2 Box Scores
Courtesy of Mike Rose at Handicapperspicks.com

Week 2 of the 2010 Arena Football betting season will forever go down as the week of the underdog. All but one of the five managed to cover the spread with Alabama (+3’), Tulsa (+10’), and Bossier-Shreveport (+2’) all winning outright.

Cleveland Gladiators 56 Chicago Rush 59

This week’s NFL Network broadcast started off with a flurry. The Rush found the end zone on their first offensive snap of the game when QB Russ Michna connected with WR Samie Parker on a 42-yard pass and catch to take a quick 7-0 lead. The Gladiators responded quickly when QB John Dutton and WR Ben Nelson hooked up on a 15-yard scoring strike to tie it up; 14 points were put on the board less than three minutes into the game. The clubs exchanged scoring blows throughout the rest of the first half. Cleveland blew its shot to take the lead at the break when Dutton threw his first INT of the game. Both clubs put 28 points on the board after the first 30 minutes of play. The clubs exchanged leads throughout the 3^rd quarter, but they entered the final 15 minutes of regulation tied at 42 apiece. The Rush grabbed the lead on two occasions before scoring the final points of the game when K Chris Gould split the upright from 12-yards out to move the Rush to 2-0 on the season. Michna was stellar in this one completing 22 of 27 passes for 315 yards to go along with eight TDs and no interceptions. Dutton threw for 379 yards and six TDs, but his three picks ultimately proved to be the Glads downfall.

Jacksonville Sharks 49 Alabama Vipers 63

QB Aaron Garcia and the visiting Sharks held a 28-21 lead at the break. After extending the lead to 14 (35-21) at the start of the 3^rd quarter, the Vipers defense stepped up and kept the Sharks off the board long enough to take a 42-35 lead. With the Sharks already scoring on special teams and Garcia picking the “D” apart through the air, HC Dean Kokinos decided to onside kick the rest of the way. The move paid off handsomely for the home team. The Vipers defense continually kept the Sharks out of the end zone with a smaller field to work with and also recovered a number of onside kicks. When it was all said and done, Alabama outgained Jacksonville 284-190 with QB Kevin Eakin throwing for 244 yards and four TDs. FB/LB Dan Alexander rumbled for 40 yards and four TDs on 13 carries, and the defense forced three Jacksonville turnovers. One of the few teams in the league that utilizes its ground attack, the Vipers dominated the time of possession battle 43:08 to 15:52.

Spokane Shock 68 Utah Blaze 34

In the most lopsided final score of the week, the Shock toyed with the Blaze to bounce back from the Week 1 home defeat they absorbed against Milwaukee. QB Kyle Rowley completed 72 percent of his passes for 224 yards and six scores with WR Huey Whittaker hauling in 12 (2 TD) of them for 95 yards. The Shock took a 35-14 lead with them into the break with the home team Blaze scoring the 14-points by way of special teams. Both Blaze QBs Mike Affleck and Brett Elliott were non factors in this one throwing for a combined 164 yards and two TDs. Spokane gained 310 overall yards and were only faced with having to convert three third downs throughout the games entirety. Utah has plenty to shore up on both sides of the ball if it expects to compete in this league any time soon.

Dallas Vigilantes 59 Tulsa Talons 63

Head coach Mitch Allner and his Talons sit atop the Southwest Division standings along with Bossier after it disposed of the heavily favored Dallas Vigilantes on Saturday night. The four point win was the former AF2’s second win over an original AFL mainstay this season. The team exhibited the passion and tenacity required to upend a loaded squad like Dallas even though the Vigilantes dominated the stat sheet outgaining the Talons 361-188 while holding onto the pigskin for nearly 16 more minutes. Both QB’s Shane Stafford and Justin Allgood tossed five TDs a piece, and their main targets, Derek Lee and Donovan Morgan, had big games. Once Dallas grabbed a 17-point lead (45-28), the Tulsa defense stepped up to force three fumbles to close out the game and secure the impressive outright victory. Tulsa didn’t play well, but it stepped up in the fourth quarter and proved to the rest of the league that it’s an outfit with a never say die attitude.

Orlando Predators 67 Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings 73

The highest scoring game of the week wasn’t nearly as close as the final score indicates. In a game where defense proved to be highly optional, the Battle Wings raced out to a 13-0 lead and never looked back. The teams then traded scores on nine consecutive possessions. The only stop occurred with one second left before the break. Orlando decided to kick a FG, but the move blew up in its face after WR P.J. Berry returned the miss 56 yards for a score. Both QBs were sensational in this one, or the defenses were just simply awful; pick your poison. Bossier QB Raymond Philyaw tossed nine TD passes, of which six went to the aforementioned Berry (Off Player of the Game). Orlando QB Nick Hill had a fine debut throwing for an obscene 380 yards and four TDs. Look for both of these offenses to continue posting lofty point totals in the coming weeks.

Click here for expert arena football picks from Mike Rose