Week 2 Game Preview - Blackjacks vs Destroyers
Thursday May 2, 2019
The Atlantic City Blackjacks look to get into the win column in Week Two against the League’s other expansion team, the Columbus Destroyers. Like the Blackjacks, the Destroyers also fell short in their season opener. Both these teams will be hungry for a win so expect to see some sparks. The game will take place on May 4 at 3:30 p.m. inside Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall. Fans can watch live on NBCSP+ or listen live on 97.3 ESPN.
“Columbus has a strong group of veteran players and are well coached,” said Ron James, Head Coach of the Atlantic City Blackjacks. “We will have to play with better energy and discipline this week to come out victorious. We are very excited about playing our first ever game in Boardwalk Hall in front of all our fans this weekend!”
The Blackjacks demonstrated that they are a legitimate team in this League last week against one of the better teams in Philadelphia. The Blackjacks put up a great fight but came up just one score short. If the team can sharpen up some areas of play leading up to this game, they should be in good shape. The Destroyers defense gave up 230 passing yards in Week One while intercepting Albany Empire quarterback Tommy Grady once.
The receiving core of the Blackjacks hasn’t really been dipped into just yet, only three players caught passes against Philly. Look for Rashad Still and Tyron Laughinghouse to have bigger games. Even though the two are rookies, they were able to get their first AFL game under their belt and have a better feeling of what to expect on gameday. The Destroyers cornerbacks will try and slow down Atlantic City’s hottest player from Week One, LaMark Brown. Brown had 90 receiving yards with three touchdowns in his Blackjacks debut, so Hippeard should have some open looks to his other receivers.
The second key matchup will include the Blackjacks secondary. After Marvin Ross went down, fans can expect the cornerbacks to play a little harder for their teammate. Destroyers quarterback Danny Southwick threw for only 123 yards, 23 yards less than what the Blackjacks let Soul quarterback Dan Raudabaugh throw for. Southwick also threw two interceptions in Week One against Albany.
Week One showed a lot of promise for the Blackjacks secondary, they didn’t give up many plays deep and that trend should continue in Week Two. Arthur Hobbs had nine tackles and Kiante Northington pitched in with six of his own. This core will only grow as the season moves on and that’s a good thing for Blackjacks fans. Look for LaRoche Jackson to have a big game, the veteran always comes to play and having the home crowd at his back should elevate his play that much more.
The final key matchup up to watch is going to be how the Blackjacks can stop Destroyers receiver Anthony Amos. Amos had seven receptions for 98 yards and four kick returns for 72 yards giving him 170 all-purpose yards. The Blackjacks special teams will need to limit his big return numbers if they want to give their defense field to work with.
The Blackjacks special teams did a nice job in week one limiting the Soul’s kick returns to a minimum. Nick Haag also came up with a big fumble recovery in the early stages of last week’s game for the Blackjacks and will need him to keep up the positive play. Mark Lewis has a knack of surprising opponents with his onside kicks and if used in the correct times, could play a big part in the Blackjacks drive to victory. On the other side of special teams, Kendrick Ings will look to have himself another big day on kick returns. Ings had four returns for 76 yards and is always a threat for opposing special teams. The smaller but shifty receiver always seems to find open space with his quick feet. Expect to see him more involved on the offensive side of the ball as well, he should have himself a big day.
Fans can secure their season tickets for the Atlantic City Blackjacks now with a $50 deposit per seat ($75 for VIP seats) by calling 609-783-9494 or by going to ACBlackjacks.com. A team representative will contact those that have submitted a deposit within a week to select your specific seats, which will be done in order in which deposits were received.
About Atlantic City Blackjacks
The Arena Football League’s newest franchise, the Atlantic City Blackjacks will begin play in Spring 2019 at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall. Season memberships for the inaugural 2019 season are on sale now. For tickets, contact the Atlantic City Blackjacks sales department at (609) 783-9494 or by going to ACBlackjacks.com. Follow the team on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @AFLBlackjacks
About the Arena Football League
The Arena Football League enters its 32nd season in 2019. Since its inception in 1987, the AFL showcases a fast-paced, exciting game to millions of fans in a myriad of markets. With the addition of two new teams in Atlantic City, N.J., and Columbus, O.H., the League totals six teams for 2019: Albany, Atlantic City, Baltimore, Columbus, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. Each team will play 12 regular-season games in 2019. One can find the League on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using the handle @OfficialAFL.
About Spectra
Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall and the Atlantic City Convention Center are owned and funded by the New Jersey Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA). Spectra provides both Venue Management and Food Services & Hospitality to Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall and the Atlantic City Convention Center. Spectra is an industry leader in hosting and entertainment, partnering with clients to create memorable experiences for millions of visitors every year. Spectra’s unmatched blend of integrated services delivers incremental value for clients through several primary areas of expertise: Venue Management, Food Services & Hospitality, and Partnerships. Learn more at SpectraExperiences.com.
