We’re a month into the Alliance of American football and lo and behold, we’re still playing. Week 4 is upon us and the marquee game Saturday night is the undefeated Orlando Apollos (3-0) traveling to Utah to take on the Salt Lake Stallions (1-2). Kick off is set for 8 p.m. EST inside Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City. The game will be broadcast on the NFL Network.
Since it’s football and there will be a final score, we have a point spread and over-under for your entertainment and betting pleasure. Take a look.
Orlando Apollos at Salt Lake Stallions (+4, O/U: 41)
The Apollos roll into this game after their toughest test of the young season, a 21-17 victory over the Memphis Express. Garrett Gilbert is doing his best to graduate from the AAF to the NFL after putting forth another stellar performance behind center. He was an efficient 14-of-28 for 207 yards and a touchdown against Memphis with no picks. Gilbert has developed a real knack for taking care of the ball and not putting his team in bad position, even when a drive stalls out. He also showed he has some wheels, gaining 43 yards and scoring a touchdown on the ground. If the AAF has an early MVP favorite, it’s probably Gilbert.
At running back, D’Ernest Johnson led the way with 79 yards and a score. His back up did nearly as well, averaging 6.5 yards per carry as Orlando gashed the Express all game long. Smith finished with 52 yards.
Gilbert spread the ball around to eight different receivers, led by Rannell Hall with four catches for 68 yards and a score. Charles Johnson caught three passes for 53 yards.
On defense, Andrew Ankrah and Earl Okine both notched sacks. Terence Garvin and Keith Reaser both picked off passes.
Salt Lake has reason to feel good heading into this game. They just picked up their first win, beating the Arizona Hotshots 23-15.
Josh Woodrum finished 22-of-31 for 178 yards and one touchdown passing. The two-headed running attack of Joel Bouagnon and Branden Oliver ground out 80 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries combined.
De’Mornay Pierson-El did most of his work after hauling in the ball, racking up 61 yards after the catch on eight receptions for a total of 90 yards and a TD.
Defensively, Greer Martini led the way with seven tackles, to passes defended and a pick. Karter Schult, Mike Purcell and Luke Carrezola all put sacks in the stat book.
The Pick
Salt Lake put forth a solid win over a team with some real talent last week, but Orlando is just the class of the AAF on offense. Gilbert is thriving in the Old Ball Coach’s attack and Spurrier is getting plenty of production from the run game as well. The Apollos should just be too much for the Stallions. Apollos 30, Stallions 19
