Posted on
4/12/2008 1:39:21 PM
AFL Arena Football Wagering - Philadelphia vs. San Jose
By Mike Rose
Non-conference action heats up for online sports betting Saturday night when the undefeated (6-0) Philadelphia Soul invades the HP Pavilion to take on the (3-3) San Jose Sabercats. Philadelphia enters tonight’s game tied for first place in the Eastern Division with the Dallas Desperados who boast the same (6-0) mark. Since covering their first four games of the season, the Soul have dropped their last two against the Vegas line and are 4-2 ATS overall. They’ve won and covered both of their road contests this year in impressive fashion beating Chicago 60-49 as two-point road favorites and Los Angeles 71-34 as 3.5-point road favorites. The defending champs haven’t gotten off to a slow start for the second year in a row, but injuries have played a major role. They come into this spot even at 3-3 SU and a poor 1-5 ATS. They’ve only played two games at home, losing to Dallas 59-56 as four-point chalks and rolling Arizona 63-43 as 16-point favorites. They do however find themselves in the same exact position as a year ago heading into Week 7. It was at this time that the Sabercats found themselves 3-3 SU and off a humiliating loss at New Orleans. They then went on to win 13 consecutive games that culminated with them winning their third ArenaBowl title in the L/7 years.
For the Sabercats to try and repeat its body of work from a year ago, they’ll have to be highly efficient on both sides of the ball since Philadelphia boasts the advantage in just about every statistical category. Philadelphia owns the #1 scoring offense in the league averaging a shade under 66 PPG, while San Jose counters with its 10th ranked defense that’s limited opponents to 56.3 PPG through its first six games. The Soul’s averaged 303 passing YPG on the road this season (#3), while San Jose limited both of its opponents at home to just 272.5 YPG (#8). San Jose will battle back with its 9th rated home offense that’s averaged 53.2 PPG in its only two outings, but Philly counters with the leagues 4th ranked road defense allowing opponents a measly 48 PPG. When the Sabercats look to the air with its 2nd ranked home passing attack at 310 YPG, it will be throwing into the teeth of the leagues 2nd ranked road defense allowing opponents just 234 YPG.
Philadelphia opened up as a 6-point road chalks with the ‘total’ set at 115 for this tasty non-conference affair. BetUS.com currently has both the ‘side’ and ‘total’ for this game posted in the AFL section of its website.
It’s not often that San Jose has been installed an underdog at home. It didn’t happen last year in their Championship season, and they were the decided favorite in their Week 4 match-up with the Dallas Desperados. In their last 13 games within the confines of the HP Pavilion, San Jose is 12-1 SU and 10-3 ATS. As for Philadelphia, they’re 4-2 ATS their L/6 on the road.
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