Jesse Dyess 
Bay Area Panthers at Vegas Knighthawks
What’s at Stake
For the Bay Area Panthers, every game is of the utmost significance. After losing to the Arizona Rattlers, They are tied for the lead in the IFL West. If they wish to keep pace with an Arizona team peaking right now, a win against a 4-7 Vegas team is necessary. For the Knight Hawks, 4-7 leaves them in a tie for last place in the west. With 5 games to go, they are not mathematically eliminated, but more than likely they will need to win out and get some help. A win against the Panthers at home could go a long way toward this season around.
The Matchup
For the Panthers to win this game they are going to have to rely on their run game. To this point in the season, the Panthers are 3rd in the IFL in rushing yards, while the Knight Hawk’s defense has given up the most rushing yards. The Panthers passing offense has struggled this season, and against the league’s best-passing defense, I would expect more of the same. On the other side, Vegas has the 3rd best passing attack in the league and is going up against a defense that is toward the bottom against the pass.
Betting Line
The Bay Area Panthers open this game up at 7.5-point favorites with an over-under of 94.5. If I were betting on this game I would take the Panthers and the over. I expect many points to be scored in this game. Both Teams have struggled this season defensively, and have shown the ability to move the ball well, albeit in different ways.
Prediction
The Panthers win 63-50
Quad City Steamwheelers at Iowa Barnstormers
What’s at Stake
The Quad City Steamwheelers currently sit at 7-4 which is good for third place in the east. They are chasing the red-hot Massachusetts Pirates and the Frisco Fighters. With the Green Bay Blizzard and Sioux Falls storm both nipping at their heels, they cannot afford to give up any ground. The Iowa Barnstormers are pretty much playing for pride. Sitting at 2-9 on the season, they are all but eliminated from playoff contention. A win here gives them such much-needed momentum going into next season.
The Matchup
On paper, this looks to be one of the biggest mismatches of the week. Steamwheelers quarterback E.J. Hilliard leads the league in touchdown passes and is in the top 5 in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. It should be a very busy day for the MVP candidate against a bottom-half Barnstormers defense. On the other side, Quad City’s defense ranks toward the top against both the run and the pass. They should have a big day against a struggling, turnover-prone Iowa defense.
Betting line
Vegas has the line for this game set at 11.5 points, indicative of what they expect this game to be. The over-under for this game is set at 94.5 which feels high. In this matchup, I would take Quad City to cover the spread, and the under. I feel this game has the potential to be a blowout. Quad City should continue to do what they have done all season long on offense, and I expect the Barnstormer’s offense to continue to struggle.
Prediction
Quad City Wins 62-20
Sioux Falls Storm at Tulsa Oilers
What’s at Stake
For the Storm, this game could not be any more of a must-win. The current Standings have them one game behind the Green Bay Blizzard for the last playoff birth. The Storm have struggled this season in close games. They are 0-3 on the season in games decided by one score or less, most recently losing a heartbreaker against the league’s best Frisco Fighters. For the Tulsa Oilers, this season has been one that they would very much like to forget. They are sitting at 1-10 on the season, in last place in the east. A wine here would be a building block for next year.
The Matchup
On paper, the Sioux Falls Storm has one of the worst passing attacks in the league, but I feel this number is a bit misleading. Storm quarterback Lorenzo Brown is in the top 10 in most passing categories on the season. Leading up to this week he has thrown for 1351 yards and 28 touchdowns. Wide receiver Donnie Corley Jr. has been electric all season with 568 yards receiving and 16 touchdowns. 16 touchdowns put him 5th in the league on the year. The Sioux Falls defense has also been exceptional this season, ranking 3rd against the pass, and 6th against the rush. The Storm defense has also been great at forcing turnovers, with 13 Interceptions on the season (3rd in the league)
For the Oilers, they have had some very serious struggles. They have the league’s worst rushing attack, and quarterback Vince Espinosa has been good at times, but has struggled to be consistent. Wide Receiver Joshua Crockett has been a bright spot for the Oilers, leading his team with 384 yards and 13 TDs. Their defense hasn’t been much better. While quite respectable against the run, they have the worst passing defense in the league. They are currently tied with the Arizona Rattlers having given up 45 passing touchdowns on the season.
Betting Line
The Storm currently sits at 10.5-point favorites going into this game with an over/under at 92. I take the Storm to cover and the over. Knowing full well that they need this game to have any chance to make the playoffs, I expect the storm to come out and dominate from start to finish.
Prediction
Storm Wins 63-30
Frisco Fighters vs. Northern Arizona Wranglers
What’s at Stake
This looks to at least on paper, be one of the better matchups of the weekend. the Frisco Fighters sit at the number 1 seed in the east, one game ahead of the Massachusetts Pirates. A win here puts the pressure on the pirates to keep up. Last year’s champion, Wranglers, is sitting at the last playoff spot in the west, at 6-5. They are two games up on the San Diego Strike Force with 5 games to play, but a win here puts a lot of pressure on the Force to keep up.
The Matchup
The Frisco Fighters bring the league’s number-one scoring offense in this matchup, averaging over 56 points a game. They are led by T.J Edwards who is currently number 2 in passing yards with 1,717 with 23 touchdowns. He’s been absolutely lethal on the ground as well. He is the IFL’s second-leading rusher with 636 yards and the league leader with 36 touchdowns. Defensively, the Fighter’s defense has been solid all season, ranking 4th in scoring defense, and best in the league against the run. The Fighter’s defense is also tied for the league lead with 14 Interceptions on the season, and has returned a league-best 3 of these for touchdowns.
The Northern Arizona offense has struggled mightily. They average 38.1 points per game, only the Barnstormers have been worse. Despite the numbers, Garrett Kettle has been very effective. his 1610 passing yards and 31 passing touchdowns both rank 5th in the league. His Dual Threat ability also puts him at 495 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on the season. On Defense, The Wranglers boast the league’s best scoring defense, only giving up 39 points per game. They currently rank 3rd against the run, and 6th against the pass.
Northern Arizona’s 15 sacks on the season are tied for the league lead with the Arizona Rattlers and their 11 Interceptions rank 4th in the league. Make no mistake about it, this game is going to be the classic matchup of best offense-best defense. Something is about to give.
Betting Line
Frisco currently sits at 7.5 point favorites, and the over-under is currently at 93.5. I would take Northern Arizona and the Under in this game. Given that both teams have strong defenses in this game, I think this is a very close game, and the scores should be in the high 30s. I think the Wrangler’s very strong defense should be enough to keep this game close
Prediction
Frisco Wins 38-34
San Diego Strike Force at Tuscon Sugar Skulls
What’s at Stake
For both teams, this game is a must-win. For the Strike Force, the addition of Nate Davis from the Gladiators has resulted in a more competitive team. However, it hasn’t quite translated into the realm of more wins just yet. They are currently tied with the Duke City Gladiators at 4-7 in the league. They are not out of playoff contention yet, and a win against the 6-4 Sugar Skull could go a long way toward bridging that gap. The Sugar Skull currently sits at 6-4, a half-game up on the Wranglers for the 3rd seed in the east. A win here feels like a must to keep their seeding in the West.
The Matchup
The Sugar Skull’s offense ranks dead middle in the league in scoring at just over 42 points per game. The offense is led by Ramone Atkins, who has 1336 passing yards on the season and 26 touchdowns. He is also the teams leading rusher with 392 yards on the ground and 10 touchdowns. Wide receiver Carrington Thompson has been unstoppable in this offense as well. His 643 yards receiving put him near the top, and his 19 touchdowns on the season are tied for the league lead.
The Sugar Skulls’ defense has been elite this season, only behind the Wranglers in scoring at just under 40 points per game. Tucson ranks 2nd against the run on the season, however, they are only 8th against the pass. They excel at getting to the quarterback, their 14 sacks are good enough for 3rd in the league.
San Diego
The San Diego Strike Force offense is in the bottom half of the league, averaging 42 points per game. This has mostly been behind the arm of Nate Davis, as they boast the league’s best passing attack. Despite missing time this season, Nate Davis has still thrown for 1349 yards and 32 touchdowns, with only 2 interceptions. His favorite target this year has been Kentrez Bell, who has arguably been the league’s best receiver. His 841 yards receiving and 19 touchdowns are the best in the league at both.
The Strike Force defense has been around the middle of the pack all season. They rank 6th in scoring, 8th against the run, and next to last against the pass. The matchup that will determine this game is how Tucson’s defense performs against Nate Davis. If they are able to get after him and contain the passing attack they will win handily. If San Deigo turns this into a shootout, it could be anyone’s game
Betting Line
The Strike Force is currently a 6.5-point underdog, and the over/under is at 89.5. I believe that the Sugar Skulls will win this game, but I like the Strike Force to cover the spread. With Tucson’s strong defense, this game probably stays with the under.
Predictions
Tucson wins 37-30
Arizona Rattlers vs. Duke City Gladiators
What’s at stake
For the Rattlers, a win last week against the Bay Area Panthers has placed them in a tie with the Panthers for 1st in the division. Since Drew Powell has returned from injury, they have been on an absolute tear. A win here could very well give them the 1st seed in the west. For the Gladiators, they are not technically out of the playoff hunt, but they are 2 games out with 5 to play. They cannot afford any more hiccups, making this game an absolute must-have.
The matchup
The Arizona Rattler’s offense sits at 2nd in scoring offense, only behind the Frisco Fighters. Did I mention Drew Powell yet? Even missing significant time this season, he is near the top of the league with 1235 yards passing and 27 touchdowns. He is also Arizona’s leading rusher with 390 yards and 20 touchdowns. Isaiah Huston has been the Rattler’s most consistent receiver, his 605 yards and 13 touchdowns are top 10 in the league in both.
The defense has been a bit of a problem for Arizona. They are 4th worst in scoring giving up almost 50 points per game. They rank near the middle, 8th against the run, and 7th against the pass, in most major defensive categories. However, they do get after the quarterback well. Their 15 sacks are tied for the league lead, and their 10 interceptions put them in the top half of the league.
Duke City
The Duke City offense currently sits at 9th in scoring, just over 42 points per game. The quarterback has been a bit of a revolving door for them, with Davis being hurt and then traded. Charles McCollum, a bit of a legend in this league, has come out of retirement to lead this team. In 6 games, he has thrown for 880 yards and 20 touchdowns, and run for 143 yards and 4 touchdowns. Not enough can be said about Gary Brown, whose 622-yard receiving and 17 touchdowns are made even more impressive considering the inconsistency at quarterback.
Defensively, the Gladiators just haven’t been there. the 50 points per game they give up is good for 3rd worse in the league. The Gladiators have given up the second-fewest passing yards all season, and are tied for the league lead in interceptions with 14. However, their rushing defense is dead last. Against a dual threat Drew Powell, I expect this to be a serious problem for them.
Betting Line
The Arizona Rattlers are 11.5-point favorites in this game, with the over/under at 104.5. I would take Arizona and the Over. With 2 talented quarterbacks, and both defenses having some glaring holes, I see a ton of points scored in this game. I don’t however, think it will be particularly close. Arizona is 31-5 since 3-time MVP Powell has become their quarterback, and I don’t see them losing here.
Prediction
Arizona wins 70-50
