It’s all systems go for Apollos as they take on Commanders
After impressive debut, Spurrier’s team looks to build on its success
As opening nights go, the Orlando Apollos came away both a commercial and critical success.
The Apollos finished Week 1 as the Alliance of American Football’s highest-scoring team, ranked second in total defense and No. 3 in total offense. A rainy night might have kept some fans away, but the Apollos still drew the second-biggest attendance of the weekend.
After any opening success, though, come the follow-up questions. Can they sustain the energy? And how will it play on the road?
The Apollos will get a strong indication Sunday when they visit the San Antonio Commanders in the weekend’s only clash of 1-0 teams. CBS Sports Network will broadcast the game slated to begin at 4 p.m.
“San Antonio appears to be one of the best teams,” Apollos coach Steve Spurrier said. “They’re probably saying the same thing I am: that they don’t know how good they can be. But their defense was really outstanding, just like ours was in the first game.”
The Commanders dismantled the San Diego Fleet 15-6 in their opener, which stood tied until Kenneth Farrow’s 3-yard run produced the game’s only touchdown on the first snap of the fourth quarter.
The lasting impression, though, wasn’t about San Antonio’s offense, but its defense. Though San Diego was able to move the ball at times, the Commanders sent a message that they might be the most disruptive defense in the AAF.
Six sacks of (not-so) Fleet quarterback Mike Bercovici were twice as many as anyone else recorded on opening weekend, forcing a pair of fumbles. The Commanders also recorded three interceptions and had a fourth called back by a penalty.
And if there was a rival to the “Orlando Special” throwback TD to quarterback Garrett Gilbert as the top play of the AAF’s opening act, it had to be Shaan Washington’s helmet-popping hit on Bercovici in the opening quarter.
That prompted Fox Sports analyst Shannon Sharpe to Tweet: “They hit’n like this in the new league?”
In the NFL, the hit certainly would have drawn a fine and maybe a suspension. Perhaps even house arrest. In this event, it stood.
“It’s still about player safety,” Apollos linebacker Terence Garvin said with a sly grin. “But anytime you can get a nice little hit, you take it.”
While the Apollos racked up plenty of AAF “firsts” — first touchdown, first interception, etc. — put down the Commanders as catalysts for the first quarterback to lose his job. Bercovici is benched for Week 2.
Now, of course, it’s up to the Apollos to thwart any sort of similar act against Gilbert.
“Their pass rushers are difficult to block, so we don’t need to be holding it a long time back there,” Spurrier said. “Hopefully we can get somebody open.”
Washington, a Texas A&M product who spent two preseasons with the Minnesota Vikings, finished his night with two sacks for 18 yards in losses. Winston Craig added 1.5 sacks from his defensive tackle spot and finished with three QB hits.
As a team, the Commanders recorded 10 hits on Bercovici and replacement Philip Nelson.
“I know what our defense can do,” Commanders safety Orion Stewart told San Antonio media. “We are a very dynamic unit and have a lot of playmakers that love to fly around. The chemistry we have is good.”
Said Spurrier: “Everybody thinks in the Alliance being you can only rush five, the quarterback’s going to be standing back there all day. But that’s not true. You’ve still got to block and tackle even with the rule of rushing five.”
It might mean the Apollos keep their running backs home for blocking duty.
“It’s nothing we all haven’t seen before,” said De’Veon Smith, the biggest of Orlando’s four backs. “Just keep coaching it up and try to perfect it.”
It also wouldn’t hurt if the Apollos could hit on some early success. Orlando managed just 29 yards of offense through the first 13.5 minutes against Atlanta before breaking through on their third possession.
“We need to start faster,” Gilbert said. “We were a little sluggish there in the first quarter.”
Logan Woodside is at the controls of San Antonio’s offense, throwing for 255 yards against the Fleet but completing just 18 of 36 attempts with a pair of interceptions. Mekale McKay had five catches for 80 yards, though it took 12 targets to reach those numbers.
The Commanders also have Greg Ward Jr., making the transition to receiver after a college career as a dual-threat quarterback at Houston. Ward accounted for 91 touchdowns with the Cougars, including 39 rushing.
“They execute,” Garvin said. “It’s not super-crazy how they do everything, but they execute. That’s the thing. They’re a good team, so we’ve got to come out and do our job.”