Jackson making Georgia an offensive Force
Why did Ryan Leaf turn out to be one of the biggest busts in NFL history? The answer may be found in the Arena Football League.
In his junior year at Washington State University in 1997, Leaf received wide credit for leading the Cougars to the Rose Bowl. Yet, Leaf would not have looked so good if it were not for a receiver named Chris Jackson.
That year, Jackson, a senior, snagged 49 passes and had 11 touchdowns, which set a single-season scoring record for the Cougars.
His most memorable performance was in the annual Apple Cup versus rival Washington. In that game, Jackson caught eight of Leaf?s passes for 185 yards and two touchdowns, including a 50-yard sprint into the end zone.
The Cougars ultimately beat the Huskies 41-35 as 6-point road dogs. The win secured WSU a berth in the Rose Bowl where they lost to Michigan 21-16 as 7-point dogs.
The next year Leaf left for the NFL where he was a spectacular flop. Jackson, meanwhile, visited a few NFL training camps and spent some time on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? practice roster in 1998, but never played a game.
He eventually joined the Arena League where he blossomed into a star. In 2000, he was named the AFL?s Rookie of the Year after receiving 91 passes for 1,325 yards and 26 touchdowns while with the L.A. Avengers.
A couple of years later, he was named the league?s Offensive Player of the Year after snagging 117 passes for more than 1,700 yards and matching an AFL record for most TDs in a season with 46.
Since his arrival in the league, Jackson has caught more passes, gained more receiving yards and scored more touchdowns or points than any other player in the AFL.
Now with the Georgia Force, Jackson is still lighting up the scoreboard. Last week, he caught four TD passes and ran in another to lead the Force past the Kansas City Brigade 55-47 as 10-point road favorites.
In just eight games this season, Jackson has 27 TDs, third most in the league. The man responsible for getting him the ball is quarterback Matt Nagy.
The 6-foot-2, 220-pound pivot out of Delaware is having a solid campaign having tossed 55 TDs and logging a 127 passer rating, second best in the league behind Dallas? Clint Dolezel (128.5).
Together, Jackson and Nagy form the core of one of the Arena League?s most potent offenses. The Force are averaging 56.3 points per game, second most in the league. In fact, if you remove kicking from the equation, the Force have the top offense in the AFL with 81 TDs and 486 points.
The Force, who lost to the Colorado Crush in last year?s ArenaBowl, are currently 6-4 straight up (SU) and 5-5 against the spread (ATS). With such a prolific offense, many of Georgia?s games have been high-scoring with seven of 10 having topped the posted total.
Heading into Week 11, the Force sit in second place in the Southern division behind the Austin Wranglers, the team they will be visiting on Sunday (4 p.m. ET, AFL Net).
In contrast to the Force, the Wranglers, who are 7-3 SU and 5-5 ATS, have one of the best scoring defenses in the AFL - Austin is allowing the second-fewest points per game at 45.3.
Leading the charge on the Austin defense has been defensive specialist Damon Mason, who is tied for the league lead in interceptions with eight.
Although he?s only 5-foot-9 and weighs just 195 pounds, Mason also leads the team with 63 tackles (9th in the league). Last May, Mason broke the all-time AFL record for tackles which was 698.
Despite Mason?s accomplishments and the Wranglers? success at limiting their opposition from scoring, the team has not been great against the pass this season. They are allowing 283.9 yards per game, 15th most in the 18-team league.
That should benefit the Force?s powerful pass offense come Sunday.
This game opened as a pick ?em.
Also on Sunday, there will be two games televised on NBC. One of those games will be an Eastern division tilt between the Dallas Desperados and the hometown New York Dragons (1 p.m. ET).
The Desperados lead the division and have the best record in the league both SU and ATS at 8-2. The Dragons are second in the division at 6-4 SU (5-5 ATS).
Dallas is 5-0 SU and ATS on the road. The Dragons are 3-2 SU and 2-3 ATS at home. The Desperados opened as a 4.5-point road favorite.
In the other NBC game, the Chicago Rush visit the Philadelphia Soul (1 p.m. ET). The Rush are 4-6 SU (3-6-1 ATS) and are third in the Central. The Soul are 5-5 SU (6-4 ATS) and are tied for last in the Eastern.
The Soul opened as a 5-point home favorite.
----Perry
Lines Dept of
BetWWTS.com
Why did Ryan Leaf turn out to be one of the biggest busts in NFL history? The answer may be found in the Arena Football League.
In his junior year at Washington State University in 1997, Leaf received wide credit for leading the Cougars to the Rose Bowl. Yet, Leaf would not have looked so good if it were not for a receiver named Chris Jackson.
That year, Jackson, a senior, snagged 49 passes and had 11 touchdowns, which set a single-season scoring record for the Cougars.
His most memorable performance was in the annual Apple Cup versus rival Washington. In that game, Jackson caught eight of Leaf?s passes for 185 yards and two touchdowns, including a 50-yard sprint into the end zone.
The Cougars ultimately beat the Huskies 41-35 as 6-point road dogs. The win secured WSU a berth in the Rose Bowl where they lost to Michigan 21-16 as 7-point dogs.
The next year Leaf left for the NFL where he was a spectacular flop. Jackson, meanwhile, visited a few NFL training camps and spent some time on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? practice roster in 1998, but never played a game.
He eventually joined the Arena League where he blossomed into a star. In 2000, he was named the AFL?s Rookie of the Year after receiving 91 passes for 1,325 yards and 26 touchdowns while with the L.A. Avengers.
A couple of years later, he was named the league?s Offensive Player of the Year after snagging 117 passes for more than 1,700 yards and matching an AFL record for most TDs in a season with 46.
Since his arrival in the league, Jackson has caught more passes, gained more receiving yards and scored more touchdowns or points than any other player in the AFL.
Now with the Georgia Force, Jackson is still lighting up the scoreboard. Last week, he caught four TD passes and ran in another to lead the Force past the Kansas City Brigade 55-47 as 10-point road favorites.
In just eight games this season, Jackson has 27 TDs, third most in the league. The man responsible for getting him the ball is quarterback Matt Nagy.
The 6-foot-2, 220-pound pivot out of Delaware is having a solid campaign having tossed 55 TDs and logging a 127 passer rating, second best in the league behind Dallas? Clint Dolezel (128.5).
Together, Jackson and Nagy form the core of one of the Arena League?s most potent offenses. The Force are averaging 56.3 points per game, second most in the league. In fact, if you remove kicking from the equation, the Force have the top offense in the AFL with 81 TDs and 486 points.
The Force, who lost to the Colorado Crush in last year?s ArenaBowl, are currently 6-4 straight up (SU) and 5-5 against the spread (ATS). With such a prolific offense, many of Georgia?s games have been high-scoring with seven of 10 having topped the posted total.
Heading into Week 11, the Force sit in second place in the Southern division behind the Austin Wranglers, the team they will be visiting on Sunday (4 p.m. ET, AFL Net).
In contrast to the Force, the Wranglers, who are 7-3 SU and 5-5 ATS, have one of the best scoring defenses in the AFL - Austin is allowing the second-fewest points per game at 45.3.
Leading the charge on the Austin defense has been defensive specialist Damon Mason, who is tied for the league lead in interceptions with eight.
Although he?s only 5-foot-9 and weighs just 195 pounds, Mason also leads the team with 63 tackles (9th in the league). Last May, Mason broke the all-time AFL record for tackles which was 698.
Despite Mason?s accomplishments and the Wranglers? success at limiting their opposition from scoring, the team has not been great against the pass this season. They are allowing 283.9 yards per game, 15th most in the 18-team league.
That should benefit the Force?s powerful pass offense come Sunday.
This game opened as a pick ?em.
Also on Sunday, there will be two games televised on NBC. One of those games will be an Eastern division tilt between the Dallas Desperados and the hometown New York Dragons (1 p.m. ET).
The Desperados lead the division and have the best record in the league both SU and ATS at 8-2. The Dragons are second in the division at 6-4 SU (5-5 ATS).
Dallas is 5-0 SU and ATS on the road. The Dragons are 3-2 SU and 2-3 ATS at home. The Desperados opened as a 4.5-point road favorite.
In the other NBC game, the Chicago Rush visit the Philadelphia Soul (1 p.m. ET). The Rush are 4-6 SU (3-6-1 ATS) and are third in the Central. The Soul are 5-5 SU (6-4 ATS) and are tied for last in the Eastern.
The Soul opened as a 5-point home favorite.
----Perry
Lines Dept of
BetWWTS.com
