Brigade Take on First-Place Soul Saturday
Thursday April 27, 2017
Baltimore heads to Philadelphia for a matchup with the defending champions
The Brigade (1-1) travel to Philadelphia to take on the defending champion Philadelphia Soul (2-0) this Sat., April 29 at 7 p.m. at Wells Fargo Center. The Brigade are coming off their first bye week of the season, which was preceded by the franchise’s first-ever victory, a 52-49 win in Cleveland on April 16. The Soul are looking to carry momentum from last weekend’s matchup, a 49-31 win over the Washington Valor. At 2-0, the Soul are the only remaining undefeated team in the AFL.
BRIGADE PLAYER TO WATCH: WR Reggie Gray – With double digit receptions in both of the Brigade’s first two games, Gray is showing signs of his 2015 self, a year in which he won Cutters Wide Receiver of the Year and was named First Team All-Arena. Gray opened the season with 12 catches for 139 yards, both leading the league that week, and a touchdown. In Week 2, the veteran wideout hauled in 10 catches for 92 yards and three touchdowns. Gray ranks second in the league in receptions per game and third in yards per game.
SOUL PLAYER TO WATCH: QB Dan Raudabaugh – Opening the season with five touchdowns in each of his first two games, Raudabaugh carries the load for the Soul offense, which ranks second in the league in points per game. The 2015 AFL MVP, Russell Athletic Offensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Arena QB ranks second in the league in passing touchdowns and third in both passing yards and QB rating.
MATCHUP TO WATCH: BRIGADE DEFENSIVE LINE vs. SOUL OFFENSIVE LINE – It will be strength versus strength at the line of scrimmage this weekend as the Brigade defensive line, which is tied for the league lead with seven sacks, clashes with a Philadelphia offensive line that has allowed only one sack this season, the fewest in the AFL. Khreem Smith and Dexter Davis lead the way for the Brigade defensive line, ranking first and second in the league in sacks, respectively (Smith, 4; Davis, 3). Smith also leads the AFL in tackles for loss while Davis ranks third.
BROADCAST INFORMATION: Saturday’s game will be broadcast live on CBS Sports Network.