in Other Betting Trends

Putting it together

When the AFL season started, it looked as though Nick Browder’s career was pretty well over.

A star quarterback at Valparaiso, Browder had been kicking around the Arena League since 2000, but had not lived up to expectations.

The 6-foot-1 pivot began last season as the starter for the Grand Rapids Rampage, but after a horrible first game, he was benched and then eventually released.

The native of Waukegan,Illinois subsequently became a high school football coach in Grand Rapids. But it wasn’t long after he finished his first season as coach that fate came knocking.

The New York Dragons began the season with Aaron Garcia as their quarterback with Juston Wood as his backup.

Garcia, an AFL star, was off to a fantastic start and led the league in numerous statistical categories, but then he broke his leg in Week 5 and was out for the season.

Garcia was replaced by Wood, and Browder was signed by the Dragons to be his backup. Two weeks later, in only his second start, Wood dislocated his kneecap early in a game against the Austin Wranglers.

That’s when Browder got the call. The 30-year-old QB made the best of his opportunity completing 21 of 39 passes for 222 yards and five passing touchdowns. He also ran for a score.

The Dragons ended up winning the game 59-56 as 9.5-point road dogs. For the Wranglers, it was just their second loss of the season.

As it turns out, Wood required surgery and is out for the season. Browder has assumed the role asNew York’s starter.

In his first start, Browder threw six TDs and completed 23 of 36 passes for 293 yards, but the Dragons were slain by the Tampa Bay Storm 60-44.

The following two weeks, Browder was equally impressive leading the team to victories over the Kansas City Brigade and his former team, the Rampage. In those two games, Browder tossed 10 TDs and only one interception.

“I’m playing the way now people thought I would play earlier in my career. I’m finally showing people and I’m playing at ease,” Browder told the Grand Rapids Press prior to the Dragons’ 48-24 pounding of the Rampage.

“There was a point I didn’t know if I would get another opportunity and if I did I just wanted to make the best of it and not worry about the things I couldn’t control.”

The Dragons are now 6-4 straight up (SU) and 5-5 against the spread (ATS). The team sits in second in the Eastern division behind the Dallas Desperados, who are 8-2.

This Sunday, the Desperados will be in New York to face the Dragons in a division tilt that will be televised on NBC (1 p.m. ET).

The Desperados have the top record in the league thanks in large part to their quarterback Clint Dolezel. The 11-year veteran is having a tremendous season having thrown a league-leading 67 touchdowns through 10 games.

Last week, Dolezel was named the Offensive Player of the Game after completing 22 of 37 passes for 279 yards and five TDs in the Desperados’ 51-30 shellacking of the Columbus Destroyers as 9-point home favorites.

While impressive, the 36-year-old pivot out of East Texas State was even better three weeks ago when he matched his own AFL record by completing 11 touchdown passes as Dallas beat down the Orlando Predators 87-62 as 2.5-point road dogs. The performance earned him AFL Player of the Week honors.

Dolezel, who was Dallas’ biggest free-agent signing in the offseason, is now only the third passer in league history to surpass 35,000 career passing yards.

In addition to the league’s top SU record, the Desperados also have the best betting record in the AFL at 8-2 ATS. Dallas is enjoying much of its success on the road where it is 5-0 both SU and ATS.

Although it has the top-scoring offense in the AFL, the Desperados have seen only four of 10 games top the posted total. The Dragons also had only four games go OVER.

In a second game televised on NBC this Sunday, the Chicago Rush will visit the Philadelphia Soul (1 p.m. ET).

The Rush are currently 4-6 SU and sit in third in the Central division. The Soul are 5-5 SU and are tied for last in the Eastern division.

Against the number, Chicago is 3-6-1 ATS and the Soul are 6-4 ATS. Both teams have only seen three of 10 games top the total.  Note: BetUS is the proud sponsor of seven Arena Football League teams.  Comments or Questions? Email FaceOff@BetUS.com.