Here we go, the regular season is over and 16 games matter for NOTHING but rankings now. Here are your matchups, predictions and team playoff rankings.
My rankings in parenthesis, conference standings rankings immediately next to name
WESTERN CONFERENCE
(1) 1. Austin Lumberjacks v. (15) 8. Tucson Nighthawks – The Lumberjacks play against the exactly perfect Tucson Nighthawks. By perfect I mean they have beat every team below them and lost to every team above them. Cute information to have, but when it comes to needing an upset, it just means it’s not coming. Austin will roll and Tucson will have to bear the heat of the summer tee times soon. Austin 35-10 Tucson
(3) 2. Raving Mad Dawgs v. (14) 7. Phoenix Resurrection – Raving comes into this matchup on a tear, winning 7 in a row including 4 against playoff teams. Phoenix comes in heading the wrong way, losing 2 of 3 including the mix and match in a game where the Resurrection had the only touchdown. Bend but don’t break defense just meant a bunch of field goals and the win for Buffalo. Another Arizona team sent home, Mad Dawgs 23-20 Resurrection
(6) 3. Dallas Strikers v. (10) 6. H-Town Oilers – Dallas is coming off of a huge win that guaranteed the 3 spot and knocked the Crows out of the playoffs. The Oilers took a tough loss at the hands of the #2 overall Canes. These two teams played just 2 games ago and it was Dallas performing huge on defense and running away with the game 26-6. This game will be far closer, and I think this might be the upset of the West. H-Town 20-16 Dallas
(7) 4. Anchorage Maulers v. (11) 5. Las Vegas Legends – Anchorage comes off back to back shutout wins while scoring 109 points. The Legends have righted their ship after losing 4 in a row, but against 3 weak teams. The head-to-head matchup was 7 field goals total, favoring Anchorage by one. The Maulers should fix their turnover issue from the last game with L.V. and will win because of it, but again close. Anchorage 9-7 Las Vegas
Eastern Conference
(2) 1. Miami Canes v. (16) 8. Pittsburgh Soldiers – The Canes match Austin for the longest winning streak of the season at 13 entering the playoffs. Pittsburgh barely snuck in by scoring 20 points more than the MST Gotham City Knights, but thankfully the Soldiers also won that head to head. The Canes rocked the Soldiers in the regular season with a 39 point shutout and it seems they’ve solved their field goal issue too, so this is already over. Miami 41-6 Pittsburgh
(4) 2. New Orleans Golden Kangaroos v. (13) 7. Buffalo Badasses – The Kangaroos knocked off the Badasses in the first game of the year 22-3, but it’s been a while since then. N.O. is entering with a 9 game winning streak to get the 2nd seed while Buffalo has gone 4-1 in their last 5, against 4 playoff teams too. This game is going to be really close and the mythical “chemistry” could play a large part. I don’t see an upset though, N.O. 17-14 Buffalo
(5) 3. San Marcos Rivermen v. (12) 6. New Hampshire Hounds – This is one tough matchup. The Hounds have been sliding and losing four of their last five, but they’re the only team to knock off the Canes. The Rivermen have been rolling, but in their last 5 games, only one team is playoff bound. This could be a big upset as the regular season was just a one point game. Turnovers will be the death of the Hounds though, San Marcos 23-17 Hounds
(8) 4. Key Largo Barracudas v. (9) 5. Collinsville Pirates – A game of teams that perplex me greatly. Key Largo hung with the Rivermen and it was just a 2 possession game against the Canes, but they lost to the non playoff crows and these same Pirates. The Pirates won ten games in a row and now have scored just 3 points in each of their last two games against top teams. I have to go with the previous games winner, Collinsville 27-21 Key Largo
These rankings and predictions leave you with the following matchups for the 2nd round:
WESTERN CONFERENCE
(1) 1. Austin Lumberjacks v. (7) 4. Anchorage Maulers
(3) 2. Raving Mad Dawgs v. (10) 6. H-Town Oilers
EASTERN CONFERENCE
(2) 1. Miami Canes v. (9) 5. Collinsville Pirates
(4) 2. New Orleans Golden Kangaroos v. (5) 3. San Marcos Rivermen
My rankings in parenthesis, conference standings rankings immediately next to name
WESTERN CONFERENCE
(1) 1. Austin Lumberjacks v. (15) 8. Tucson Nighthawks – The Lumberjacks play against the exactly perfect Tucson Nighthawks. By perfect I mean they have beat every team below them and lost to every team above them. Cute information to have, but when it comes to needing an upset, it just means it’s not coming. Austin will roll and Tucson will have to bear the heat of the summer tee times soon. Austin 35-10 Tucson
(3) 2. Raving Mad Dawgs v. (14) 7. Phoenix Resurrection – Raving comes into this matchup on a tear, winning 7 in a row including 4 against playoff teams. Phoenix comes in heading the wrong way, losing 2 of 3 including the mix and match in a game where the Resurrection had the only touchdown. Bend but don’t break defense just meant a bunch of field goals and the win for Buffalo. Another Arizona team sent home, Mad Dawgs 23-20 Resurrection
(6) 3. Dallas Strikers v. (10) 6. H-Town Oilers – Dallas is coming off of a huge win that guaranteed the 3 spot and knocked the Crows out of the playoffs. The Oilers took a tough loss at the hands of the #2 overall Canes. These two teams played just 2 games ago and it was Dallas performing huge on defense and running away with the game 26-6. This game will be far closer, and I think this might be the upset of the West. H-Town 20-16 Dallas
(7) 4. Anchorage Maulers v. (11) 5. Las Vegas Legends – Anchorage comes off back to back shutout wins while scoring 109 points. The Legends have righted their ship after losing 4 in a row, but against 3 weak teams. The head-to-head matchup was 7 field goals total, favoring Anchorage by one. The Maulers should fix their turnover issue from the last game with L.V. and will win because of it, but again close. Anchorage 9-7 Las Vegas
Eastern Conference
(2) 1. Miami Canes v. (16) 8. Pittsburgh Soldiers – The Canes match Austin for the longest winning streak of the season at 13 entering the playoffs. Pittsburgh barely snuck in by scoring 20 points more than the MST Gotham City Knights, but thankfully the Soldiers also won that head to head. The Canes rocked the Soldiers in the regular season with a 39 point shutout and it seems they’ve solved their field goal issue too, so this is already over. Miami 41-6 Pittsburgh
(4) 2. New Orleans Golden Kangaroos v. (13) 7. Buffalo Badasses – The Kangaroos knocked off the Badasses in the first game of the year 22-3, but it’s been a while since then. N.O. is entering with a 9 game winning streak to get the 2nd seed while Buffalo has gone 4-1 in their last 5, against 4 playoff teams too. This game is going to be really close and the mythical “chemistry” could play a large part. I don’t see an upset though, N.O. 17-14 Buffalo
(5) 3. San Marcos Rivermen v. (12) 6. New Hampshire Hounds – This is one tough matchup. The Hounds have been sliding and losing four of their last five, but they’re the only team to knock off the Canes. The Rivermen have been rolling, but in their last 5 games, only one team is playoff bound. This could be a big upset as the regular season was just a one point game. Turnovers will be the death of the Hounds though, San Marcos 23-17 Hounds
(8) 4. Key Largo Barracudas v. (9) 5. Collinsville Pirates – A game of teams that perplex me greatly. Key Largo hung with the Rivermen and it was just a 2 possession game against the Canes, but they lost to the non playoff crows and these same Pirates. The Pirates won ten games in a row and now have scored just 3 points in each of their last two games against top teams. I have to go with the previous games winner, Collinsville 27-21 Key Largo
These rankings and predictions leave you with the following matchups for the 2nd round:
WESTERN CONFERENCE
(1) 1. Austin Lumberjacks v. (7) 4. Anchorage Maulers
(3) 2. Raving Mad Dawgs v. (10) 6. H-Town Oilers
EASTERN CONFERENCE
(2) 1. Miami Canes v. (9) 5. Collinsville Pirates
(4) 2. New Orleans Golden Kangaroos v. (5) 3. San Marcos Rivermen
