Playoffs possibilities abound

by Walter L. Johnson II
July 17, 2002 - arenafootball2 (af2)

There are just two weeks remaining in the 2002 af2 campaign, and as the regular season gets shorter and shorter, the stakes are much higher for the teams who want to play beyond the last weekend in July. Well, what are we waiting for? Let's cut to the chase.

In the American Conference Southern Division, the Tallahassee Thunder (9-5) punched their ticket to the 2002 af2 playoffs by downing the struggling Columbus Wardogs (3-11) 58-42 last Saturday at the Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center. The Thunder's work is far from finished, however, as they must travel to Augusta, Ga. this Saturday to host the suddenly struggling Stallions, losers of back-to-back games for the first time this season. Tallahassee can clinch the American South title, as well as the right to host a first-round playoff game, either with a win over the Stallions or a Florida loss at Columbus this Saturday.

Speaking of the Firecats, they needed overtime to defeat a pesky Pensacola Barracudas squad 46-40 last Saturday in Fort Myers, Fla. The win improved Florida's record to 8-6 on the 2002 season. The Firecats could have clinched a spot in the playoffs if they had won and both Charleston and Jacksonville had lost. But the Swamp Foxes handed Augusta its second straight upset loss, 36-34, in North Charleston, S.C. last weekend, while the Tomcats kept the Mobile Wizards winless with a 64-41 rout in Jacksonville. Now, Florida is basically in the same situation it was in last weekend, needing a win and just a little bit of help to get into the playoffs. The Firecats can clinch a post-season berth with either a victory at Columbus, or a Charleston loss at Carolina and a Mobile upset win over Jacksonville. This is mainly because the Firecats swept the regular-season series over the Swamp Foxes, but lost both games against the Tomcats. In other words, should they lose on Saturday, the Firecats would need both the Rhinos and Wizards to pull off upsets this weekend. Given that both teams have struggled all season long, that seems unlikely. Then again, like the old saying goes, anybody can beat anybody else on any given weekend.

Which is what the Augusta Stallions (11-3) have learned the hard way the last two weeks. After seeing their hopes of a perfect season at home dashed by the Firecats 54-29 on July 5, the Stallions were stunned on the road by the Charleston Swamp Foxes (7-7) 36-34 last weekend. Now, Augusta must win its final two games and hope the Macon Knights (12-2) lose their final two contests in order to gain home-field advantage for the first round of the playoffs. Augusta has the chance to get the ship moving back in the right direction against the Tallahassee Thunder this weekend at the Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center.

As for the Knights, they can clinch the American Conference Eastern Division title, as well as homefield advantage for at least the first round should they win against Tennessee Valley next weekend (July 27), or if Augusta loses to Tallahassee this Saturday. The Stallions, on the other hand, could potentially host a second-round playoff game (assuming they win in the first round), if they can knock off the Thunder. Of course, you can do the math from there.

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