The Orlando Apollos advanced to 3-0 in their 21-17 victory over the Memphis Express, but this win looked a little different from the other ones. For the first time all season, Apollos quarterback Garrett Gilbert looked human, at least through the air. The quarterback completed just 50% of his passes for 207 yards and one touchdown. However, like all great teams throughout sports, Orlando keeps finding ways to win. Thanks to D’Ernest Johnson and the run game, Orlando is now more versatile – and more dangerous – than ever.
D’Ernest Johnson the Star Orlando’s Running Game Needs
Orlando entered Week Three on the heels of a disappointing Week Two rushing performance. While the game script of that 12-point comeback stopped Orlando from consistently running the ball, their rushing attack as a whole suffered against the San Antonio Commanders. Orlando ran the ball 18 times for an underwhelming 3.76 yards-per-carry. However, despite the overall lack of success, D’Ernest Johnson was fantastic, running for 57 yards on eight carries. This impressive performance allowed him to steal the starting job from Akeem Hunt in Week Three, and he made his opportunity count.
Earning his first career start, Johnson was the most consistent weapon in the Orlando offense. Carrying the ball 13 times, Johnson recorded 79 yards and one touchdown for 6.1 yards-per-carry. This absurd efficiency on the ground is par for the course with Johnson, as the running back is currently averaging 6.6 yards-per-carry in his short AAF career. Gilbert will bounce back from his mediocre week, but there’s no reason to think that D’Ernest Johnson will notably slow down from this fantastic pace.
Winning In a Variety of Ways
Football is all about winning championships, and that fact stays true in the AAF. Teams that rely on just one way to win are inherently flawed, as they have no way to beat you if an opposing team can stop that one thing. Fortunately, the Orlando Apollos showed that they have the ability to win in a wide variety of ways.
In Week One, Orlando pummeled the Atlanta Legends in every single phase of the game. In Week Two, Orlando turned to Garrett Gilbert and the passing attack to win a dramatic shootout. Most recently, Orlando turned to the ground to overcome a mediocre passing attack. Orlando can beat any given team in a variety of ways in any given week. Shutting down just the run or the pass simply isn’t enough to stop Orlando.
This patented versatility is the reason that the New England Patriots have been so successful over the past two decades. Garrett Gilbert is no Tom Brady and Steve Spurrier is no Bill Belichick, but New England has earned a reputation for changing up their gameplans on a week-to-week basis to exploit an opponents’ biggest weakness. Orlando has a chance to do a similar thing by winning in multiple phases of the game, and appear to be the team to beat after three weeks of play.
Looking Ahead
The Orlando Apollos head into Utah in Week Four to take on the 1-2 Salt Lake Stallions. Salt Lake is coming off their first victory of the season and would probably be 2-1 if Josh Woodrum didn’t miss Week Two. Salt Lake has a strong defense and a decent enough passing and rushing attack. That said, Orlando is built to exploit any team in the league. Don’t bet against them as they go to keep their undefeated season alive.
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
