AFL I Arena Football League (1987-2008)

Key Conference Matchups Headline Week 13

Published on May 21, 2008 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release


NEW YORK - The Mitsubishi Motors Drive to ArenaBowl XXII New Orleans continues to gain momentum as key conference matchups headline Week 13 in the Arena Football League. Three teams have an opportunity to clinch playoff berths with five weeks remaining in the regular season.

The New Orleans VooDoo (7-4), No. 6 in this week's Schutt Sports Poll, returns from its bye week to host the Georgia Force (6-5), No. 8, in a National Conference matchup on Russell Athletic ESPN Arena Football Monday, May 26 at 8 p.m. ET (ESPN2 HD, ESPN360.com).

New Orleans, Georgia, Cleveland and New York are all separated by one game in the National Conference.

A win by Georgia would tie the Force with New Orleans for second place in the Mitsubishi Motors Southern Division. A victory will also mark Georgia's first four-game winning streak of the season.

The VooDoo is one of only two teams that are undefeated at home (5-0, Philadelphia, 6-0), and can stay within one-half game of Orlando for the division lead with a win.

Georgia leads the all-time series 5-2 and can sweep the VooDoo for the third consecutive season with a victory on Monday.

The Dallas Desperados (9-2), No. 3, travel to Amway Arena to face the Orlando Predators (8-4), No. 4, on Friday, May 23 at 7:30 p.m. ET (SIRIUS Radio - Channel 130) in a National Conference matchup.

Dallas has won 37 of its last 43 regular-season contests and can establish its fourth 10-win season in the team's seven-year history with a win.

A victory, coupled with losses by New York and Tampa Bay, will clinch the Desperados third consecutive playoff berth.

Orlando is 4-1 at home this season and can maintain a one-half game lead ahead of New Orleans for first place in the Southern Division with a win. The Predators are in first place after Week 12 for the first time since 2006, when they advanced to ArenaBowl XX.

The all-time series is tied 3-3 with Dallas having won the last three.

For the first time since 2003, the Storm (5-6), No. 10, meet the Gladiators (7-4), No. 5, on Friday, May 23 at 7:30 p.m. ET (Catch 47 Local - Live, CSS - Delay at 5/24 at 12 p.m. ET) at St. Pete Times Forum in a National Conference matchup.

Cleveland is 4-3 against conference opponents this season and can extend its winning streak to four games for the first time since 2004 with a victory. A win will give the Gladiators their eighth win of the season, one more than their win total from the previous two seasons combined (5 - 2006, 2 - 2007).

Tampa Bay, having qualified for the postseason in 19 of the teams 20 seasons, enters Week 13 one game out of the sixth and final playoff position. A win will give the Storm its first three-game winning streak of the season.

Tampa Bay WR/LB LAWRENCE SAMUELS can make history on Friday as he needs 15 receptions to pass BARRY WAGNER and become the AFL's all-time receptions leader with 992 career. Tampa Bay leads the all-time series 4-3 although Cleveland has won the last two contests.

The Philadelphia Soul (10-2), No. 2, welcomes the Kansas City Brigade (2-9) to the Wachovia Center on Thursday, May 22 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Philadelphia can become the first National Conference team to clinch a playoff berth with a win. A victory would also clinch the Soul's third consecutive playoff berth, and capture the team's first 11-win season in franchise history.

Philadelphia holds the League's best home record at 6-0 and is undefeated against the American Conference (4-0). The all-time series is tied 1-1 with each team winning on the road.

The Colorado Crush (4-7) travel to HP Pavilion to face the San Jose SaberCats (7-5) on Saturday, May 24 at 10:30 p.m. ET (FSN Rocky Mountain Local - Live) in an American Conference matchup.

The SaberCats can clinch their ninth consecutive playoff berth with a win, or losses by Kansas City or Arizona. San Jose leads the all-time series 7-0 and is 2-1 against the Central Division this season.

Colorado is currently in fourth place in the American Conference standings and can extend its lead to one game ahead of Los Angeles (4-8) with a win.

The Chicago Rush (9-2), No. 1 in this week's Schutt Sports Poll for the first time this season, travels to EnergySolutions Arena to face the Utah Blaze (2-10) on Saturday, May 24 at 10:30 p.m. ET (AFL NET, ESPN360.com, CSN Chicago - Delay on 5/25 at 4 p.m. CT, KJZZ Local - Live, SIRIUS Radio - Channel 130).

The Rush can clinch home-field advantage throughout the American Conference playoffs with a win combined with a San Jose loss.

Chicago leads the all-time series 1-0 and is the only AFL team that is undefeated in its division (5-0) and conference (8-0).

Utah is 1.5 games out of the sixth and final playoff position.

This week's other games include: New York at Columbus (AFL NET, Columbus Sports Net Local - Live) on Saturday; Grand Rapids at Arizona on Saturday. BYE: Los Angeles

Following is each team's postseason-clinching scenario for Week 13:

The CHICAGO RUSH clinches home-field advantage in the American Conference with the following scenario:

1) Chicago Rush win + San Jose SaberCats loss

The SAN JOSE SABERCATS clinch an American Conference playoff spot with the following scenarios:

1) San Jose SaberCats win, or

2) Kansas City Brigade loss, or

3) Arizona Rattlers loss

The DALLAS DESPERADOS clinch a National Conference playoff spot with the following scenario:

1) Dallas Desperados win + New York Dragons loss + Tampa Bay Storm loss

The PHILADELPHIA SOUL clinch a National Conference playoff spot with the following scenario:

1) Philadelphia Soul win

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from May 21, 2008


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