The simple phrase coming from the Fleet after Sunday’s 32-15 loss to the Arizona Hotshots was that of a Bill Belichick quote: “We’re on to Salt Lake.”
And really, what else is there to say after Sunday’s hot mess? At 3-4, and on a short week, there’s little reason for the Fleet to dwell on the wreckage in the rearview mirror. With only three weeks left in the inaugural AAF season, there is not much time to right the ship and turn it around for a playoff push.
For all their recent struggles, the Fleet still control their own playoff destiny. As bad as they looked last Sunday, the Fleet know that a 3-0 finish lands them in the playoffs with a 6-4 record. If both San Diego (3-4) and Arizona (4-3) go 2-0 the next two weeks, then the Fleet beat the Hotshots at SDCCU Stadium in Week 10, the teams would both finish 6-4 overall and 1-1 head-to-head. But the Fleet would own a better conference record at 4-2 to the Hotshots’ 3-3. That would give them the golden ticket to the playoffs.
The Fleet could even potentially end up with a conference title at 6-4, should San Antonio (5-2) falter in their final three games.
The Alliance standings as Week 8️⃣ awaits. #JoinTheAlliance https://t.co/m1RDIZYEfW pic.twitter.com/fQeyy8QOOD
— The Alliance (@TheAAF)
March 29, 2019 With the rematch against the Hotshots coming in Week 10, the key for the Fleet is to remain no worse than one game behind Arizona in the next two weeks.
The Fleet play at Salt Lake, who are likely looking to play spoiler at (2-5), especially since the last meeting between the teams ended with a Donny Hageman walk-off field goal for the Fleet win, 27-25.
Donny Hageman, the game-winner! @aaffleet | #SLvsSD pic.twitter.com/Zh0pEejmr5
— The Alliance (@TheAAF)
March 10, 2019 Before Wednesday’s practice, the team announced that leading receiver Dontez Ford, and leading rusher Ja’Quan Gardner were both placed on the injured reserve list and are out for the season.
Gardner, who has rushed for 311 yards, with back-to-back 100-yard games in Weeks 2 and 3, injured his right shoulder last week against the Arizona Hotshots, and will have surgery to repair the damage. Martz said Gardner could have potentially played through the injury, but by opting for surgery now, he increases his viability to enter an NFL camp this summer fully healed.
The key for the Fleet will be former Tennessee Titan, Bishop Sankey. He was one of the bigger names coming into the league during the preseason, and is now fully healed and ready to shine in the place of Gardner.
Sankey had 12 carries in his third game off the injured list and rushed for 54 yards, including a big 22-yard run in the third quarter. Expect Sankey to retain a large role in the offense going forward, along with Terrell Watson. Sankey was the biggest name announced on the Fleet roster before training camp began, and he has a chance to be a big part of the team’s comeback, starting this week against the stout Salt Lake rushing defense.
Don't sleep on the @aafstallions defensive line! pic.twitter.com/63cjBHARXo
— PFF_AAF (@PFF_AAF)
March 29, 2019 The Fleet go on the road for a critical Week 8 Western Conference showdown against the Stallions in Salt Lake on Saturday, March 30, at 5 p.m. PT (8 p.m. ET) on NFL Network.
#JoinTheAlliance this Saturday on TNT and @nflnetwork. -- https://t.co/vTXNCAxIsr pic.twitter.com/zY45qJXhYl
— The Alliance (@TheAAF)
March 28, 2019
