Brigade Host Valor Friday in First Matchup Since Week 1

June 22,2017

Washington heads to Baltimore as playoff race intensifies

 

The Baltimore Brigade and Washington Valor face off on Fri., June 23 at 7 p.m. at Royal Farms Arena, marking the teams’ second matchup of the season and first in Baltimore. The Valor are coming off a bye week while the Brigade look to rebound from their 59-48 Week-11 loss to the Cleveland Gladiators. The Valor won the teams’ Week 1 matchup, 51-38, at Verizon Center.

 

The teams have revamped their rosters since their April 7 showdown, each ushering in a new signal-caller behind center. Brigade rookie QB Shane Carden took over late in the team’s Week 1 matchup with the Valor and has since established himself as the unanimous favorite for AFL Rookie of the Year. For the Valor, QB Sean Brackett has taken command of the offense following Erik Meyer’s hamstring injury against Tampa Bay in Week 7 and has since put together three of the best passing performances of the season.

 

BRIGADE PLAYER TO WATCH: WR JULIAN TALLEY – The second-year wideout enters the weekend having hauled in two-or-more touchdown receptions in each of his last six games, tied for the second-longest streak in the AFL this season. He leads the team in receiving yards (669), receiving touchdowns (13) and ranks second in receptions (40). Talley ranks sixth in the league in touchdown receptions, playing in one game fewer than any of the top-five performers.

 

VALOR PLAYER TO WATCH: QB SEAN BRACKETT – In three games this season, the third-year AFL veteran is completing 62.1 percent of his passes and averaging 274 yards and 5.3 touchdowns through the air. In his most recent outing, Brackett completed 26-36 passes and threw for a career- and franchise-record 299 yards and seven touchdowns. This will be his first game against the Brigade.

 

MATCHUP TO WATCH: BAL QB SHANE CARDEN vs. WAS DB TRACY BELTON – Carden enters Friday’s game fresh off the best game of his career, setting personal and franchise records of 359 passing yards and seven passing touchdowns. It was the most passing yards in a game by an AFL rookie since 2012. The former East Carolina Pirate ranks third in the league in passing yards per game and passing touchdowns per game. Opposite the line of scrimmage will be veteran DB Tracy Belton, who leads the Valor defense and ranks T-1 in the league in interceptions (3) and T-5 in total tackles (38.5).

 

BROADCAST INFORMATION: Friday night’s game will be broadcast live on Monumental Sports Network.