AF1 Week 8 Picks

Arena ball is in full swing and we had a FULL slate with every team in action yet again. We had a team literally score 100 points, a game go over by the skin of our teeth and a game go under like a game of limbo.

Here's how the Week 7 picks went:  

AF1 Week 7 Review

Salina-Billings Over 78.5 - Winner

• Combined for 80 points... phew

Albany -5.5 - Winner

• Albany wins 100-12, covers by 82.5 points

Oregon -6.5 - Loser

• Washington wins outright, 41-30

Nashville-Southwest Kansas Over 80.5 - Loser

• Combined for 78 points

Another ballerina week* sighes. Nashville-Southwest Kansas not going over 80.5 is criminal. Nashville had the ball on the one yard line in the final minutes of the game and had multiple opportunities to punch it in and push it over, but they just couldn't get it done.

*I'm trying to make that a thing when someone goes 2-2. Help me spread the word. thx

But these struggles are what the picks games is all about. There's heartbreak, triumph and moments in between -- but we always have next week's slate (usually).

The AF1 slate kicked off last night -- where the newly arrived Outlaws players formerly in Corpus Christi would be making their debut, and folks... I was drinking the kool aid:

Hand up, I was hypnotized by the bells and whistles of what Darius Prince would bring to the offense, what Terrence Ames would bring to the OL & what Dwayne Hollis would bring to the secondary -- I forgot that they still have the same QB issues. Whoops!

But enough self pity, we've got a job to do. LET'S FIND SOME WINNERS!

2025 AF1 Record: 13-10

Salina Liberty vs Albany Firebirds (Sunday 5/4 @ 4 PM ET)

The Play: Salina +12.5

I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW. Why am I doing this to myself? Why am I setting myself up for a "of course they won by 20+, you IDIOT" moments after this game?

A couple schools of thought here:

1) Rakeem Cato is slated to get the start at QB for Salina (assuming any pregame situations do not arise)

• Cato got the start for Nashville against this same Albany team, in which it was an 8 point game in Nashville. Cato has experience facing this same team.
  

2) Albany DB Derrick Jones is out with an injury

• Bonez Jones has been a game breaker for the Albany defense and was shown on social media with his arm in a sling and alluding to missing some time.

3) Albany's 100 point explosion last week is stretching the line

• I honestly don't feel like the gap between these two teams roster wise is not nearly as wide as you would think. Salina has a ton of veterans and the Albany Hundo Game last week is probably adding a one or two to the line -- that's called value, folks.

4) It will be so fun if it hits.

This will age like or age like milk -- only one way to find out.

Prediction: 45-39 Albany

Oregon Lightning vs Washington Wolfpack (Sunday 5/4 @ 7 PM ET)

The Play: Washington -4.5

I can't pick Oregon again. I just can't. Watching them attempt to put together an offense last week was just painful. I hope they switch up their approach for the sake of the national audience that will be watching on Vice TV.

The Wolfpack offense looked great for the first 3 quarters last week when these two played behind a renewed focus on running the ball (!!), but really want to see a full 4 quarters of an offensive assault from Washington in this spot. The Wolfpack could be a spicy playoff team if they can build on what was going right for them last week.

Pick the Wolfpack // fade the Lightning

Prediction: 45-29 Washington

Let's have ourselves a Sunday. Agree? Disagree? Are you riding or fading?

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