Week 18 Preview

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Indoor Football League

Week 18 Preview

July 12, 2024 - Indoor Football League (IFL) News Release


Just two regular season weeks remain, as Week 18 of the 2024 IFL Season has arrived. This week features a six-game slate taking place on an action-packed Saturday evening. In the Western Conference, Bay Area looks to clinch the No. 1 seed with a win, while the Knight Hawks could punch their ticket to the 2024 IFL Playoffs this week if they can take down Northern Arizona. In the Eastern Conference, both Massachusetts can lock themselves into third place with a win, as the Steamwheelers look to secure the last spot in the East against Tulsa. With only two more weeks to go until the playoffs begin, time is running out for teams to make their final push for the postseason.

Kicking off a loaded Saturday evening, the Green Bay Blizzard (11-3) return from their bye last week to take on the Jacksonville Sharks (4-10). With the playoffs looming, both teams have their designation already. Green Bay has secured a first-round home game advantage, while the Sharks have been eliminated from playoff contention already.

Coming into this week fresh off a bye, the Blizzard are well-rested heading into their two final regular season matches. The Blizzard have outscored their opponents 144-92, pairing strong offense with stifling defense. While their offense ranks near the middle of the league with 45.8 points per game, Green Bay has one of the top defenses, ranking first in points (33.4) and yards (195.1) per game. With the top spot in the East still in reach, the Blizzard have no reason to ease up.

To close out their 2024 season, the Jacksonville Sharks have two final games at their home arena, looking to end the year on a high note. Coming off their best game of the season, Kaleb Barker returns to the field for his third start as the Sharks' starting quarterback. In his first two starts, he's gone 26/37 for 330 yards and nine touchdowns. This week will be a good test for Barker, coming in against one of the top units in the league.

In the next slate of games on Saturday, the Sioux Falls Storm (3-11) face off against the Iowa Barnstormers (4-10) in an Eastern Conference matchup. Both teams enter the week eliminated from the playoffs, but with just two games on their schedule remaining, both sides want to end the season strong.

Entering the week on a four-game losing streak, Sioux Falls has two final chances this season to secure a victory. The Storm sport an offense that ranks as the sixth lowest-scoring offense in the league, averaging 41.2 points per week. Defensively, they rank identically among the league, ranking as the sixth-most scored-on defense (46.3) in the league. Losing to the Barnstormers the last time they played, Sioux Falls hopes for a different result this time around.

Iowa comes into this game on a three-game losing streak, looking to bounce back with a win in their final home game of the season at the Wells Fargo Arena. The last time Iowa faced off against Sioux Falls, the Barnstormers won on the road. This week, Iowa hopes for those same results in front of their home fans.

Wrapping up the late-evening slate, the Quad City Steamwheelers (7-7) take on the Tulsa Oilers (5-9) in a contentious Eastern Conference matchup. With a win for Quad City, they punch their ticket to the 2024 IFL Playoffs. However, a win for Tulsa keeps their playoff hopes alive in the final two games of the season.

Looking to clinch their third straight playoff berth, the Steamwheelers come into this week following an overtime win against the Storm. The rushing attack was most prominent, ending with five rushing touchdowns on the night. This week, Quad City takes on a defense that allows the fifth-fewest points per game, averaging 44.1 points per week. The Steamwheelers score an average of 43.6 points per week, coming in as an offense near the middle of the league. Quad City enters Week 18 with a playoff berth on the line.

Facing elimination with a loss, the Tulsa Oilers look to keep their playoff hopes alive with a win at home in their second-to-last home game of the regular season. Tulsa comes in ranked slightly lower than the Steamwheelers on offense, averaging 41.2 points per week. Against a Steamwheelers' defense that allows 46.9 points per game, the fifth-most in the league, Tulsa's offense could bounce back from their dip in offensive production last week. While a win keeps Tulsa in the hunt, a loss means their campaign ends with the regular season.

Kicking off the late slate of games, the San Antonio Gunslingers (7-7) and Tucson Sugar Skulls (2-12) face off in a Western Conference matchup. Neither team has a path to the playoffs, as both teams enter the week having been eliminated from playoff contention. While clinching a playoff berth doesn't come with a win on Saturday, both teams want to end their season right, starting with a win in Week 18.

Throughout almost this entire regular season, the San Antonio Gunslingers have been the highest-scoring offense in the league. At the same time, they're the most-scored-on team in the league, allowing 55.7 points per game. Sam Castronova has had an incredible season thus far, leading in nearly every stat category among quarterbacks. Through 14 games, Castronva's completed 267/385 passes (69.4%) for 3,042 yards and 70 touchdowns. Per game, he's averaging 217.3 yards, and five touchdown passes. The last time these teams faced off, the Gunslingers won convincingly.

Coming into this week on a seven-game losing streak, the Sugar Skulls hope to reverse the outcome of their last meeting, evening the series at one win apiece. On opposite sides of the offensive ranking, averaging 35.5 points per game. However, in favor of Tucson, the Gunslingers are the most-scored-on defense in the league, allowing for a more favorable matchup for the Sugar Skulls' offense. Defensively, the Sugar Skulls allow the second-most yards (243) and the fifth-fewest points (44.1) per game, making them an interesting matchup for the Gunslingers. Last time, San Antonio got the win, but Tucson looks to flip the script this week.

In one of the most impactful matchups of the week, the Vegas Knight Hawks (9-5) take on the Northern Arizona Wranglers in a matchup with major playoff implications. If Vegas wins, they clinch a playoff berth, joining Bay Area and San Diego. However, a win for the Wranglers would give Week 19 even more excitement heading into the playoffs.

The Vegas Knight Hawks come into this week following back-to-back losses, losing by a combined three points in the two games. Offensively, the Knight Hawks are one of the top teams in the league, averaging 51.9 points per game. On the other side of the ball, Vegas comes in allowing 45 points per game, as one of the middle-of-the-pack defenses. One area they shine the most defensively is in the secondary, ranking second in the league in interceptions (18). The last time these teams played, Northern Arizona came out on top. However, with a playoff berth one win away, Vegas looks to even the series with the Wranglers at 1-1.

Following last week's win against Bay Area, Northern Arizona tries to win their second in a row with their playoff hopes still alive. The Wranglers score 49.8 points per week, coming in right under Vegas in the league leaderboard. However, the Wranglers will have their hands full trying to keep Ja'Rome Johnson in check, with Northern Arizona allowing 48 points per game. That ranks fourth-most in the league, making their performance crucial in this matchup. The results of this game will be important in how the Western Conference shakes out this season as two 9-5 teams fight for their place in the 2024 IFL Playoffs.

Wrapping up Week 18, the Duke City Gladiators (2-12) face off against the Bay Area Panthers (11-3) in a game with playoff implications for the Panthers. If Bay Area wins this game, they clinch first place in the West. However, Duke City gave the Panthers a tough battle the last time they met, losing by just two points in a low-scoring affair.

After last week's tough loss to the Wranglers, Bay Area returns for their final home game of the regular season. However, if they win, they'll have at least one more game in the SAP Center, earning home-field advantage for the playoffs. The Panthers come into this week with a defense that ranks in the middle of the league, averaging 44.8 points per week. On defense, Bay Area is one of the top units in the league, allowing 38.1 points and 204.9 yards per week. Against a team that almost upset them once this season, Bay Area looks to avoid that for a second time in efforts to clinch the No. 1 seed in the conference.

Following last week's loss to Frisco, Duke City had an offensive performance that joins just two other times that the Gladiators have scored more than 50 points. On the road this time, Duke City enters hostile territory, as Bay Area has home-field advantage on their mind. Offensively, the Gladiators struggle to find the end zone frequently. This week, they face one of the best defenses in the league, proposing a challenge for the third-lowest-scoring offense in the league. Duke City's defense comes in ranked higher than their offense, ranking near the middle of the league, statistically. The Gladiators allow 45.9 points on average, facing a Bay Area offense that matches up evenly on paper.

Week 18 features a six-game slate across an action-packed Saturday evening with plenty of playoff implications. The action begins at 6:05 p.m. CT on Saturday, as the Green Bay Blizzard make the trip down south to face off against the Jacksonville Sharks. All the Week 18 action can be streamed live on the IFL YouTube Channel.

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Indoor Football League Stories from July 12, 2024


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