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Five Weeks to Go, Playoff Picture Gets More Interesting

June 25, 2003 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Quad City Steamwheelers News Release


DAVENPORT, Iowa – With only five weeks remaining, the playoff race is starting to heat up, once again, as every week goes by I begin my weekly update of what teams are left, what teams are out and what teams need to do to get into the playoffs.

With each week going by, the cutoff for teams to reach the playoffs will change. This week, the cutoff final record for teams in the American Conference to make the playoffs is 9-7. The National Conference teams would need a 7-9 record to make it to the promise land.

The 12 teams that will qualify for the playoffs is composed of the three division winners in each conference earning automatic bids and in conference, the three remaining teams that have the best records will fill out the field. The first round will feature the top two teams gaining a bye with the remaining four teams battling in a #3 vs. #6 and #4 vs. #5 bout with the #1 seed taking on the #4 vs. #5 winner and the #2 seed taking on the #3 vs. #6 winner.

Below is the breakdown for all 27 teams and what they would need to do to get into the playoffs.

American Conference

Atlantic Division

Cape Fear Wildcats – The Wildcats took a hit this past weekend, losing to the Richmond Speed. They still rank third in the conference despite the loss. Their magic number to clinch still remains at three. If they manage to go 2-3 over the seasons last five weeks, they would need Norfolk to go 4-1 over that same span and either beat the Nighthawks or lose by no more than six. If the playoffs started today, they would host the Nighthawks in the first round.

Norfolk Nighthawks – Made one of the biggest jumps this past weekend with their victory over #2 Albany. Norfolk jumped into the playoff picture in the #6 spot, leaping over Charleston, who lost to Macon. With Cape Fear losing, the Nighthawks have moved one game closer to winning the division, however, they would still need a little help. Trailing by two games with five to be played, the Nighthawks will probably need to go 3-2 and defeat Cape Fear by more than seven with Cape Fear going 1-4 over that same span. Their magic number to win the conference would be five and that is not even a guarantee. Need to finish with a 3-2 record to have a good shot at the playoffs. If the playoffs were to start today, they would travel to Cape Fear.

Charleston Swamp Foxes – Took a hit this past weekend, losing to Macon at home, the Swamp Foxes fell to ninth in the conference and will need even more help now to make the playoffs. They would need to finish with a 4-1 record to have a shot at the playoffs and have a very outside chance at winning the division. If the playoffs started today, they would not make the 12-team field.

Richmond Speed – Did not move from their tenth place spot in the conference, but with many of the borderline teams losing combined with their defeat of Cape Fear, their chances of making the playoffs got a little bit better. As of now, they would need to have a 4-1 record to have a decent shot at the playoffs and have Charleston go 3-2 over that same span. If the playoffs were to start today, they would not make it.

Greensboro Prowlers – Sitting in 11th place overall in the conference with a 4-7 record, the Prowlers would need to go undefeated over their last five games to have a decent shot at making the playoffs. If the playoffs started today, they would not make it.

Northeast Division

Albany Conquest – Despite dropping last week's contest vs. Norfolk, the Nighthawks still held onto their second place ranking in the conference. Mohegan did come one game closer to overtaking the Conquest for first place, so their magic number remains at five. They are very close to locking up a playoff spot, one more win would almost assure it. If the playoffs were to start today, they would have a first round bye and face the winner of the Mohegan/Macon game.

Mohegan Wolves – Moved one game closer to Albany for the Northeast divisional lead. They would need to do the same thing as Albany, just do so one game better as they hold the tiebreaker (as of now) but still have to face Albany this weekend. They would need to either win the division or go1-4 to have a good shot at making the playoffs. They would host Macon if the playoffs were to start today.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers – The Pioneer victory over the Rochester Brigade kept their playoff chances alive, but they would still need a lot of help. They would need to win out and receive some help from Mohegan and Albany dropping the rest of their games. Even if they did win out, their chances at playoffs are still slim. If they started today, they would not make the playoffs.

Rochester Brigade – With a 1-11 record, they have officially been eliminated from playoff contention.

American Division

Tennessee Valley Vipers – still the hottest teams in the af2, the Vipers won their 11th straight and now hold a two game edge in the conference. In order for the Vipers to clinch the #1 seed and home field advantage throughout the playoffs, they would need to post a 3-2 mark the rest of the way. In order for them to win their division, they would need to go 1-4 and defeat or lose by no more than 20 to Macon. They have locked up, at worst, a playoff spot. If the playoffs started today, they would have a first round bye and host the winner of the Cape Fear/Norfolk game.

Macon Knights – With a 56-46 victory over Charleston, combined with a Birmingham loss, the Knights have jumped into the #5 slot and trail Tennessee Valley by four games. In order for the Knights to win the conference, they would need to go undefeated the rest of the way and with the Vipers going 1-5 in that same span. They would need to go 2-3 to have a good shot at the playoffs and if the playoffs started today, they would travel to Mohegan.

Birmingham Steeldogs – Dropping a divisional match-up with rival Tennessee Valley, the Steeldogs took a hit in the playoff chase, falling to seventh place in the conference and if the playoffs were to start today, they would not make it. With that loss, they have been eliminated from a chance to win the division, and would need to go at least 3-2 to have a shot at the playoffs.

Florida Firecats – Florida is sitting right behind Birmingham with the Steeldogs holding the edge with a 38-35 overtime victory over the Firecats back on May 3rd. They sit in eighth place behind the Steeldogs and the teams will play again on July 19th at Birmingham and could decide which of these two teams go to the playoffs. The Firecats would need to do the same as Birmingham, just one game better. If the playoffs started today, they would just miss the 12-team cut.

Columbus Wardogs – With a 3-8 record and sitting 13th in the conference, the Wardogs have officially been eliminated from playoff contention.

National Conference

Central Division

Tulsa Talons – Having played one more game than the Quad City Steamwheelers, the Talons leap frogged the ‘Wheelers to take over the #1 slot for the time being as they hold a 10-2 record compared to Quad Cities 9-2 record. If the two teams finish with the same record, Quad City holds the tiebreaker. The Talons lead their division by three and a half games with only four games left to play. Their magic number becomes one and need either an Arkansas loss or a win to secure the divisional crown. They have all ready secured a playoff spot and would have a first round bye and face the Wichita/Arkansas winner in the second round if the playoffs started today.

Arkansas Twisters – After dropping a 57-35 conference match-up to Wichita, the Twisters fell another game behind the Talons and are almost eliminated from the divisional crown race. They can still make the playoffs and have a good shot at them if they go 1-4 the rest of the way. They sit in fifth place in the conference and would play at Wichita if the playoffs started today.

Memphis Xplorers – With a 52-40 victory over the Louisville Fire this past weekend, the Xplorers improved their chances at making the playoffs moving into seventh in the conference. Their best chance for them to make it would be to go 3-2. If the playoffs started today, they would just miss the 12-team field.

Bossier City Battle Wings – Despite holding a 3-9 record, the Battle Wings are still alive in the playoff hunt and would have a shot if they won out. They currently sit in 11th place in the conference and would not make the playoffs if they started today.

Midwest Division

Quad City Steamwheelers – The second hottest team in the af2, winners of nine straight, the ‘Wheelers had the week off and managed to clinch a playoff spot this past weekend. Their magic number to win the conference still remains at one with Peoria winning this past weekend. They did fall to the #2 spot as Tulsa has played one more game and Tulsa holds a ½ game edge over the ‘Wheelers. The ‘Wheelers do hold the tie breaker over the Talons and if both teams finished with the same records, the ‘Wheelers would have the edge. If the playoffs started today, they would have a first round bye and face the winner of the Hawaii/Bakersfield game.

Peoria Pirates – The only team alive that can still catch the ‘Wheelers in the divisional race. However, they would need to win out and the ‘Wheelers would have to drop their last five games and lose to the Pirates by more than three points. In order for them to have a legit shot at the playoffs, they would need to go 3-2 over the next five games. If the playoffs started today, the Pirates would not make it as they are sitting in eighth spot in the conference.

Cincinnati Swarm – Dropping a 38-24 loss to the Mohegan Wolves, the Swarm will need some help to get into the playoffs. They would need to finish out with a 3-1 record to have a shot at the playoffs. The currently sit in tenth place overall in the conference and would not make the playoffs if they started today.

Louisville Fire – Still have a shot at the playoffs, but would need to win and get some help in order to have a shot. They sit 12th overall and would not make the playoffs if they started today.

Green Bay Blizzard – With a 1-10 record and sitting in 13th place in the conference, the Blizzard have officially been eliminated from the playoffs.

West Division

Hawaiian Islanders – The Islanders needs have not changed since last week, as both they and the Stealth won. They will need to finish one game better than the Stealth as the Stealth hold the tiebreaker. They sit in third place in the conference just one game ahead of Wichita. They have all but locked up a playoff spot. If the playoffs started today, they would face off against Bakersfield.

Wichita Stealth – Despite the win, the Stealth still remain one game behind the Islanders and would just need to make up that one game difference in order to win the division. They would need to go 1-3 to have a good shot at the playoffs. They sit fourth overall and would host Arkansas in the first round of the playoffs.

Bakersfield Blitz – Despite the loss to Tulsa this past weekend, the Blitz still sit in sixth place in the conference. They would need to go 2-2 over the next four weeks to have a good shot at the playoffs. If the playoffs started today, they would travel to Hawaii to take on the Islanders.

San Diego Riptide – They fell to ninth overall with the loss to Hawaii, but still have a shot at the playoffs. They would need to go 3-1 over their last four games to have a good shot. If the playoffs started today, the Riptide would not make it.



arenafootball2 Stories from June 25, 2003


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