LAS VEGAS (AFLWA) – On the strength of throwing nine touchdown passes, New York Dragons quarterback Aaron Garcia is the Arena Football League Writers Association's Player of the Week for the second consecutive week and for the third time in four weeks.

Garcia

In a 62-57 win over the Kansas City Brigade on Sunday at the Nassau Coliseum, the Dragons improved to 4-7 and kept themselves alive for a playoff spot in the National Conference. They face a crucial matchup this week when they travel to New Orleans on Monday night, in likely what will be an elimination game.

Against the Brigade, Garcia started hot, as he has in the two previous times he was chosen as Player of the Week. On Sunday, he threw six touchdown passes in the first half in leading the Dragons to a 42-28 lead.

Garcia's favorite target was Kevin Swayne, who caught 10 passes for 130 yards and five touchdowns.

Garcia is the only player this season to win back-to-back Player of the Week honors and is the only player to win the award three times. Chicago's Bobby Sippio (Weeks 5 and 10) and Dallas' Will Pettis (Weeks 4 and 6) have been selected twice.

San Jose quarterback Mark Grieb, who passed for 311 yards and nine touchdowns, was a close second to Garcia this week.

The AFLWA, founded at the start of the 2004 season, is a national organization made up of media members who cover the Arena Football League. The association will name an AFL Player of the Week each week throughout the 2007 season. The AFLWA has presented this weekly award since its inception during the 2004 season. Mark Anderson of the Las Vegas Review-Journal is the AFLWA's founder and executive director.