The Alliance of American Football (AAF) kicks off its inaugural week on Saturday, February 9th. The San Diego Fleet travel to the San Antonio Commanders in a game where no one knows what will happen. Fleet head coach Mike Martz has a ton of NFL coaching experience, coordinating the former St. Louis Rams “Greatest Show on Turf” offense. Mike Riley is more known for his college days but usually comes up big when the games count, boasting a 7-3 bowl game record in the NCAA. They will both pull out all the stops to get their team a victory and take advantage of the momentum to start the season.
AAF Week One Preview: San Diego Fleet at San Antonio Commanders
Setting the Stage
This matchup pits two teams with similar themes against each other. San Antonio is a city sometimes referred to as Military City USA, with a huge Army and Air Force presence. The Fleet hail from San Diego, a city many call a transplant town due to their huge Navy presence. The matchup will take place in San Antonio’s own Alamodome. Combine all of this, and it won’t be a surprise if many fans are getting pregame images of intense military battles.
The Quarterbacks
Just a month or so ago, it would have looked like the San Diego Fleet had the full advantage at quarterback. With the first overall pick, the Fleet selected quarterback Josh Johnson. However, the NFL’s Washington Redskins came calling after the team had a flurry of injuries at quarterback. Johnson came in and played well enough that now the Redskins want to re-sign him, leaving the Fleet without their number one pick.
Mike Bercovici, Alex Ross, and Phillip Nelson battled it out throughout training camp, with Bercovici winning the job – narrowly. The position is far from established and could be a weak point for the team early in the season.
Dustin Vaughan is expected to be the lead guy under center for the Commanders. At six foot five and 234 pounds, the former West Texas A&M quarterback certainly looks the part. He’ll be throwing to a former college quarterback, Greg Ward Jr., who many believe could be one of the top players in the league due to his versatility and athleticism. Don’t be surprised if the coaching staff draws up some creative plays that have Ward Jr. throwing the ball as well as catching it.
The Rest of the Offense
The Fleet’s preseason woes on offense don’t end at the quarterback position. Former Tennessee Titans running back Bishop Sankey was supposed to be their starter. However, he suffered an injury during training camp and was put on the exempt list. Now the Fleet will likely have a committee of Terrell Watson, Paul James, and Ja’Quan Gardner. While Sankey is a fast and shifty back, Commanders runner, David Cobb is a bruiser. Coincidentally, Cobb and Sankey were teammates on the Titans in 2015, though neither one of them did much during their time together.
As far as pass catchers, this will be one of the Fleet’s strengths on offense. Wide receiver Kam Kelly and tight end Gavin Escobar are hometown kids, hailing from San Diego State University. Francis Owusu and Dontez Ford are also big targets for the Fleet quarterback. Also, many NFL Hard Knocks Fans will remember Nelson Spruce from his Los Angeles Rams days.
Ward Jr. was already mentioned above as the top receiver for the Commanders, but Mekale McKay will be right there in the mix too. His strong hands and crisp route running will make sure he gets the ball a ton. San Antonio will also have plenty of tight end options, with the hulking Cole Hunt probably at the top of the list. Hunt is six foot six and over 200 pounds, yet showed he could catch just as well as he blocks while at Texas Christian.
Defense
For the Fleet, their defensive strengths start at linebacker, and then their front seven. On the outside, Travis Feeney has looked like their best overall defensive player. Feeney is excellent on blitzes and has great coverage skills as well. On the defensive line, Damontre Moore will be leading the charge in getting to the quarterback. Moore has a good amount of NFL experience and was an all-American in college.
For the Commanders, they have some defensive backs who are getting some buzz. Zack Sanchez and Jordan Thomas both were Oklahoma Sooners, and so far have been wreaking havoc on offenses during camp. Tyrone Holmes and Jayrone Elliott will be starters at defensive end, and both have been impressing their coaches. With two standout corners and defensive linemen, it could spell trouble for opposing quarterbacks.
Last Word on San Diego Fleet at San Antonio Commanders AAF Matchup
Both teams will look to get off to a fast start to gain momentum in their maiden games to start the season and league. Look for both teams to test each other’s secondaries early, but calm down and establish a running game as the game goes along. Martz and Riley will focus on feeling out their teams strengths as the game goes along. Players will be tested in their first game action but will give it their all to try to get fans to keep watching. Football isn’t back, because it never ended!
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