Playoff Picture Takes Shape After Nail-Biting Week
July 15, 2025 - Indoor Football League (IFL) News Release
Week 17 in the Indoor Football League delivered seven gripping matchups, six of which were decided by a single score. From a double-overtime thriller to last-play heroics, teams across both conferences battled for postseason survival and seeding. With two weeks to go, nearly every game in Week 18 will carry playoff implications. Here's how Week 17 unfolded.
Vegas 54, Bay Area 55
SAP Center - July 11
The Western Conference's top seed is closer to clinched, and in dramatic fashion as Bay Area survived a wild shootout with Vegas. After trading touchdowns in the final two minutes, quarterback Josh Jones found Tyrese Chambers for a 28-yard score with 36 seconds left, then converted a two-point pass to Trevon Alexander to take the lead. Incredibly, Vegas marched down and scored again on the final play but failed a game-winning two-point attempt.
Jones accounted for five total touchdowns, and Joshua Tomas added two scores on the ground, including a stunning 50-yard dash late in the fourth. Vegas countered with four passing TDs from Jayden De Laura and three rushing scores from Ja'Rome Johnson, but it wasn't enough to overcome a missed two-point try.
Next Game: Bay Area travels to Tucson and can clinch the #1 seed with a win or Arizona Loss. Vegas hosts Northern Arizona and can clinch a playoff spot with a win or a Tucson loss.
Green Bay 58, Quad City 52
Vibrant Arena - July 12
In one of the most explosive games of the season, Green Bay edged Quad City in a back-and-forth shootout that featured 110 total points and SEVEN fourth-quarter touchdowns. Blizzard quarterback Maxwell Meylor was electric, accounting for seven total touchdowns-four through the air and three on the ground. His final score, a 13-yard strike to Jalyn Cagle with 59 seconds left, proved to be the difference.
DaQuan Neal led a furious Quad City rally with three fourth-quarter touchdown passes, including two deep strikes to Tamorrion Terry, but time ran out after a last-minute rushing touchdown by Jarrod Ware Jr. Green Bay held slight advantages in yardage (305-277) and time of possession, converting six of ten third and fourth downs to keep drives alive.
Next Game: Green Bay hosts Massachusetts in Week 18. A win clinches a playoff spot; they can also get in with losses by both Tulsa and San Antonio (San Antonio affects strength-of-schedule tiebreaker). Quad City heads to Des Moines to face the Barnstormers (1-13). They can clinch #1 seed with a win AND a loss by both Green Bay and Jacksonville. They can also clinch one home playoff game with a win.
Arizona 46, San Diego 43
Desert Diamond Arena - July 12
The Rattlers erased a 13-point deficit and won a thriller over San Diego with a 7-yard touchdown pass from Dalton Sneed to YoHeinz Tyler in the final minute. Sneed tossed five touchdown passes in total, spreading the scoring to Tyler, Corey Reed Jr., and Jamal Miles as Arizona clawed back from an early 20-7 hole.
San Diego struck quickly and often in the first half, with Nate Davis tossing two scores and the special teams unit adding a 52-yard kickoff return TD from Devin Hafford. But Arizona dominated the second half in both possession and poise, scoring on their final three drives while holding the Strike Force scoreless over the final 5:54, including three goal line stops from the 2 yard line or less with under with under 30 seconds to play.
Next Game: Arizona travels to San Antonio. A win AND San Diego/Vegas losses would secure a home playoff game for the Rattlers. San Diego travels to Indiana to clash with the suddenly hot Fishers Freight.
Fishers Freight 58, Iowa 50
Wells Fargo Arena - July 12
Fishers Freight used a dominant ground game and a key special teams return to hold off Iowa in a high-scoring affair. Quarterback Felix Harper threw two touchdown passes and ran for two more, while JT Stokes added three total scores. A 56-yard kickoff return from Josiah King swung momentum early in the fourth quarter.
Despite being out-passed 205-87, Fishers out gained Iowa 238-215 overall, controlling the line of scrimmage with 164 rushing yards. Burgeoning star, James Cahoon tossed six touchdown passes for Iowa, but the Barnstormers' defense couldn't come up with a late stop as Harper's final touchdown run put the game out of reach.
Next Game: Fishers hosts San Diego in Week 18. The Freight are out of playoff contention, but Fishers will look to finish strong in front of their impressive home crowd. Iowa hosts Quad City.
San Antonio 46, Jacksonville 31
VYSTAR Veterans Memorial - July 12
Joaquin Collazo III lit up the Jacksonville defense for a 90% completion rate and six touchdown passes-three of them to Kali Rashaad-as the Gunslingers played spoiler in the Eastern playoff race. San Antonio controlled the game with 37 minutes of possession, taking the lead for good just before halftime and never looking back.
Jacksonville kept it close in the first half, but two interceptions and a lack of sustained drives doomed their chances. Tyler Huff threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, but the Sharks defense couldn't contain Collazo, who completed 18 of 20 passes while avoiding any turnovers.
Next Game: San Antonio hosts Arizona. The Gunslingers are eliminated, but Arizona is still chasing a home playoff game (see above). Jacksonville travels to Tulsa - Big implications here. The Sharks can clinch a playoff spot with a win OR Massachusetts loss. Tulsa can clinch a spot with a win AND a Massachusetts loss.
Northern Arizona 61, Tucson 55
Findlay Toyota Center - July 12
In a game with 16 total touchdowns, Ramone Atkins and Deshon Stoudemire proved unstoppable. Atkins threw for six touchdowns-three to Stoudemire who added another on the ground, as the Wranglers held off Tucson's late push. The Sugar Skulls got six total touchdowns from Jorge Reyna and one rushing score from Davonte Sapp-Lynch, but their defense couldn't slow the Wranglers' relentless pace.
Despite being eliminated from playoff contention, Northern Arizona spoiled Tucson's hopes by scoring on eight of their last nine possessions. Tucson stayed alive until the final seconds, cutting the deficit to six on a 17-yard score by Sapp-Lynch with 15 seconds left, but it was too little, too late.
Next Game: Tucson hosts the current top seed Bay Area in Week 18. A loss and Tucson's playoff hopes are over. NAZ will look to play spoiler once again in Vegas.
Tulsa 35, Massachusetts 28 (OT)
BOK Center - July 12
Tulsa kept its playoff hopes alive with a double-overtime comeback win over Massachusetts. Sam Castronova accounted for five total touchdowns, including the game-winning toss to Sheldon Augustine in double-overtime. The Oilers rallied from 14 points down, tying the game with under five minutes left in regulation.
Massachusetts jumped ahead early behind three touchdown passes from Kenji Bahar, including two to Thomas Owens, but couldn't protect the lead late. The Pirates were stopped twice in the red zone in the second half, including on their final possession of regulation, and are now on the brink of elimination.
Next Game: Tulsa hosts Jacksonville in a de facto playoff matchup. Tulsa gets in with a win AND a Massachusetts loss; Jacksonville clinches with a win OR Mass loss.
Looking Ahead to Week 18
With just two weeks remaining, nine teams still have playoff hopes, and nearly every game in Week 18 carries postseason weight. From Green Bay vs. Massachusetts to Tulsa vs. Jacksonville and Tucson vs. Bay Area, seeding, berths, and home-field advantage are all on the line. Stream every game live at www.IFLNetwork.com and don't miss a minute of the regular season finale.
Indoor Football League Stories from July 15, 2025
- Playoff Picture Takes Shape After Nail-Biting Week - IFL
- Menas Identifies Encouraging Signs in Pirates' 35-28 Loss to Oilers - Massachusetts Pirates
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