Two rookies, one expected, one out of nowhere, and a second year player looking to insert himself into the league’s MVP conversation were the IFL’s best in week one. There wasn’t much competition to win this week’s awards, but it didn’t make their performances any less impressive.
OFFENSE: EJ HILLARD
The Steamwheelers signal caller was the selling point in the IFL’s kickoff showcase against the Cedar Rapids River Kings last week. Hilliard didn’t put up the huge passing numbers we came to expect from him last season, but took what the River King defense gave him, and that was a lot of high percentage throws, and running lanes near the goal line. The 2019 IFL Offensive Player of the Year completed 8 of 12 passes for 125 yards and 1 TD, and ran for another 47 yards and 3 touchdowns. Hilliard leads the league in rushing yards and touchdowns after week 1.
DEFENSE: DAQUAWN BROWN
Brown is a guy who get very well not be in the IFL in a few weeks. This isn’t because of his lack of skill, it’s for his abundance of skill. Many IFL players have already gotten a chance to move up to the XFL, and Brown may be the next one called. For the time being he’s a member of the San Diego Strike Force and he dominated in week one. Brown made a game-high 10 tackles (2nd in league), a tackle for loss, and interception, and 4 pass breakups (1st in league). By the way, this was his first professional football game.
SPECIAL TEAMS: ZURIL HENDRICK
Hendrick was a relatively unknown player before week one, and if anyone was watching he no longer is. Hendrick was a Division II All-American at Edinboro University and is turning out to be an absolute steal for Bismarck. The rookie made four tackles and an interception in the season opener but made his biggest contributions on special teams, returning two missed field goals for 90 yards, the first went 40 yards down the left sideline, setting up a Bismarck touchdown. The second was the longest play in Buck history, 50 yards for the rookie’s first career touchdown.
What a start for Bismarck. They were able to utilize some huge names they didn’t bother announcing they had signed (Shad Thornton) to build a 14-0 lead after Ryan Feiss set the tone with a 26 yard kickoff return which led to an Eric Lauderdale 3 yard touchdown plunge. They then used a huge missed field goal return by Zuril Hendrick to set up a Taz Wilson touchdown run from 9 yards out. These two short touchdown drives successfully masked the fact that Bismarck had no passing game on Sunday. San Diego finally woke up on a busted play where Nate Chavious got to show off his speed down the sidelines for a 31 yard catch and run for the first score of 2020 for SD. The play of the half came on rookie quarterback Michael Carrillo’s second touchdown of the half, and best throw of the day, a 42 yard bomb to Marques Rodgers to give the Strike Force a 21-17 lead at the break.
San Diego received the second half kickoff poised to go up two scores. That’s when Zuril Hendrick stepped in front of a Carrillo pass for the Bucks’ second interception of the day. That led to the Bucks’ lone passing touchdown of the day as Wilson found Shad Thornton on a wheel route from 12-yards out to go up 28-24. That lead lasted all of 1 play as the 109 Special Teams Player of the Year, Rodgers returned the ensuing kickoff 45 yards for the go-ahead score.
After a stop on the following drive San Diego had a chance to put the game away, but refused to take advantage, fumbling in their own endzone for a safety. Cody Barber then made an impossible 40 yard field goal to give Bismarck the lead back at 29-28. Bismarck’s inexperience showed itself on the next San Diego drive as a busted coverage allowed Carrillo to easily find wideout Donta Armstrong in the endzone from 19 yards out as the Strike Force went up 35-29. That’s when things got fun.
After both teams traded stops San Diego lined up for a 53 yard field goal attempt off the leg of Bryce Crawford. Crawford’s kick fell short and Zuril Hendrick made what looked like the best play in the franchise’s young IFL history, breaking multiple tackles en route to a 50 yard touchdown return to give Bismarck a one-point lead with 2:23 remaining. Just when it looked like San Diego had their backs against the wall, Isaiah Bernard fielded a muffed kick by Nate Chavious and weaved nearly untouched for yet another go ahead kick return touchdown.
Bismarck had one final shot but failed to gain positive yardage and turned the ball over on downs. Nate Chavious added another touchdown from 6 yards out for good measure as the Strike Force improved to 1-0 for the first time ever.
FINAL THOUGHTS
SAN DIEGO: This secondary was the pride and joy of the 2020 offseason, and they showed out with the rest of the defense on Sunday. Daquawn Brown, Malcom Lee, and backup QB Rudy Johnson each had multiple pass breakups. The offense still provides a huge question mark. Nate Chavious could be in for an All-IFL type season if used correctly. Everytime he has the ball in his hands there is big play potential. He only carried ten times on Sunday and that number should increase. Michael Carrillo played solid football but has plenty to improve on. Finally, the play at the center position was hoorendous as Carrillo had to crouch down to field just about every snap. Things looked better as the game went on but that needs to be cleaned up.
BISMARCK: If Taz Wilson completes a deep throw just twice on Sunday the Bucks are 1-0 and we look like complete idiots. Instead, for whatever reason, Wilson continuously overthrew open men and somehow got worse as the game went on. He completed just 5 of 22 passes for 36 yards. That just simply won’t cut it and it’s a shame because the defense was fantastic, forcing multiple turnovers. Special teams was phenomenal. This loss falls on Wilson’s shoulders. Fortunately, if he plays well this looks like a somewhat talented Bismarck squad.
GAME AWARDS
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME: RB Nate Chavious (SD): 10 att. 39 yards, 2 TD, 2 rec. 26 yards, 1 TD.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME: DB Daquawn Brown (SD): 10 tackles, TFL, 4 PBUP, INT.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE GAME: DB Zuril Hendrick (BIS): 2 missed FG returns, 90 yards, LONG: 50, 1 TD.
PLAY OF THE GAME:
STAT LEADERS
PASSING YARDS: Michael Carrillo (SD): 132
PASSING TOUCHDOWNS: Michael Carrillo (SD): 3
PASS COMPLETIONS: Michael Carrillo (SD): 9
PASS INCOMPLETIONS: Taz Wilson (BIS): 17
COMPLETION PERCENTAGE: Michael Carrillo (SD): 52.9%
There was excitement, there was energy, there was hope this would be a new River Kings team. That lasted all of six seconds, as Keyvan Rudd returned the opening kickoff of the 2020 IFL season for a touchdown. Cedar Rapids did make things interesting in the first half as the new-found athleticism of Victor Mann’s squad showed itself when Chris Franklin returned a kickoff for a touchdown to pull the River Kings within six. After another QC touchdown Derrick Bernard scored on an impressive 21 yard touchdown run. That’s when the wheels fell off and Quad City does what they do so well, answer quickly. Hilliard threw a beautiful ball downfield to Rudd from 34 yards out to give the ‘Wheelers a two-score lead which they turned into a four-score lead by halftime as Hilliard scored on the ground from one and ten yards out.
The second half saw the River Kings take out some of their first half frustrations and turn things into a game in the third quarter. Cedar Rapids was able to score 26 points in the half, thanks to an improved passing game as Bernard threw two touchdown passes, while Javin Kilgo threw his first career IFL touchdown. The only turnover of the night came on a fumble recovery in the endzone in which River King Diante Thomas fell on a ‘Wheeler fumble for a score. In the end, the River Kings were a much more intriguing team on Saturday night but the quick strike offense was too much for the inexperienced River Kings to overcome.
RIVER KINGS CONFUSION
The second half can be summed up with a “What if?” The River Kings did a fantastic job battling their way back into the game after halftime only to throw in the towel. There were three instances which come to mind. Derrick Bernard finally got going after a 5/15 first half, throwing for two touchdowns, only to be benched for Javin Kilgo. While Kilgo played well, Bernard provided a much bigger threat for a comeback and he wasn’t given that opportunity. Second, the team chose to not kick onside down 54-33 with 39 seconds remaining, and then didn’t attempt an onside kick again down just two scores, 54-39 with 32 seconds left. Lastly, the team had a chance to get the ball back if they were able to tackle Quad City behind the line of scrimmage and use their final two timeouts but instead let the clock run out as the River Kings failed to win their fourth consecutive season opener.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I was a bit dissapointed in the ‘Wheelers tonight. They did get the win which is their job, not to entertain me. They took what the River Kings gave them which was a lot of short throws and we didn’t see a whole lot of what we expected, which were the deep throws we saw last season from QC. Cedar Rapids is going to be such a fun team to watch this season whether they win a lot or not. They are athletic, and passionate, and are a perfect underdog story. If they can find their identity they can be dangerous. One thing is for sure, they need to clean up A LOT of things defensively.
STAT LEADERS
PASSING YARDS: EJ Hilliard (QC): 125
PASSING TOUCHDOWNS: Derrick Bernard (CR): 2
RUSHING YARDS: EJ Hilliard (QC): 47
RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS: EJ Hilliard (QC): 3
RECEPTIONS: Marcus Bagley (QC), James Harden (CR): 4
While breaking down and predicting every team’s 2020 record it is incredibly hard to predict the entire outcome of a season before the opening kickoff of any sport. The IFL has to be an increased level of difficulty. There’s no guarnaty every player finishes a season because of injury, but now with the birth of the XFL, teams have an increased chance of losing their stars than ever before. Again, these are simply predictions and it is not a perfect science. Let’s do it.
1-SEED: ARIZONA RATTLERS (12-2)
The Rattlers will fall twice in 2020, after a 7-0 start they’ll lose a hard-fought matchup on the road against the Tucson Sugar Skulls before the Spokane Shock pull a bit of an upset on their own in the Rattlers’ penultimate regular season game.
2-SEED: SIOUX FALLS STORM (12-2)
The only reason Sioux Falls doesnt have the 1-seed is because of a tie-breaker with Arizona, as the Rattlers avenge their 2019 United Bowl loss and continue to play well against the Storm in the regular season like they always have. Sioux Falls will also slip up in Moline against a Steamwheeler club which always plays well at home.
3-SEED: FRISCO FIGHTERS (11-3)
The schedule sets up so nicely for the first year franchise which may have the most talent of any team in the league both on the field and on the sidelines. Experience is the only question mark for this squad. After an up-and down start to the year we predicit the Fighters rack up 7 wins in a row, winning 8 of their last 10.
4-SEED: TUCSON SUGAR SKULLS (10-3)
Daquan Neal and Dixie Wooten are already lethal together, now the question becomes can they become one of the all-time great duos in IFL history? The only thing missing last year was a ring and they have an opportunity to get it this season with an increased playoff bracket and only 13 regular season games. They’ll be on upset-alert early against San Diego but finish the regular season on a 4-game winning streak.
5-SEED: SPOKANE SHOCK (9-5)
Charles McCullum is back in the IFL and the Shock are the most intriguing team in 2020. There’s plenty of big names both from the outdoor, and indoor game. The only question is if they can all mesh. The Shock have a brutal three-game stretch midway through their schedule, facing Sioux Falls, Tucson, and Arizona. A three-game win streak will give them some momentum heading into the tournament.
6-SEED: GREEN BAY BLIZZARD (8-5)
Corey Roberson showed last year that he can really coach and he has his signal caller back in Lenorris Footman, his dangerous secondary has returned, and all of Footman’s weapons are back in GB as well. There won’t be much different of a look on the field for Green Bay, the question is can they win the close game and can they win the big game? The Blizzard are handed a relatively favorable schedule in 2020. They’ll have to face the big dogs in the playoffs.
7-SEED: QUAD CITY STEAMWHEELERS (7-7)
Quad City was electric in 2019, they just didnt make enough stops. That is projected to change in 2020, and with an entire offense back they will make some serious noise. The league is just so talented at the top it’s tough to get wins. Quad City will get enough of them though to make the IFL playoffs for the first time. The highlight of their regular season will be a win over Sioux Falls.
8-SEED: IOWA BARNSTORMERS (6-8)
The final playoff spot will belong to Iowa. There’s nothing flashy about the Barnstormers but Ameer Ismail is too good a coach and the organization has too much talent to not win enough games to get in. Even with 8-teams they project to be the only team with a losing record who will make it in.
ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
9: Oakland Panthers (4-10)
10. San Diego Strike Force (4-10)
11. Duke City Gladiators (3-10)
12. Cedar Rapids River Kings (3-11)
13. Bismarck Bucks (1-13)
Before I began I thought there would be no way Oakland misses the playofs with the amount of talent they’ve put together and I thought San Diego would be extremely close to making it. Duke City won a championship last year and has a great coaching staff. This process proved how deep the league is this year and I believe coaching will have more of an edge than ever before. This is why Oakland is on the outside looking in. A lack of experience on the sidelines. For San Diego they play a tough schedule and will start 2-0 but I don’t think they know how to win just yet. Duke City has a tough draw playing mostly the West Coast powers and I don’t think the roster is talented enough to compete for a playoff spot. Cedar Rapids and Bismarck will surprise some people. The River Kings will be extremely competitive, picking up two wins over playoff teams, Bismarck will get their lone win over Iowa.
PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS
ROUND 1
1. Arizona def. 8. Iowa
2. Sioux Falls def. 7. Quad City
6. Green Bay def. 3. Frisco
4. Tucson def. 5. Spokane
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
4. Tucson def. 1. Arizona
2. Sioux Falls def. 6. Green Bay
UNITED BOWL
2. Sioux Falls def. 4. Tucson
PLAYOFF RECAP
Sioux Falls is just too good and they may be even better than last year. The amount of talent may be higher than ever before. Green Bay is a sneaky good team and I think they have potential to make it to the semi-finals as a team others overlook. Arizona and Tucson play so much and I think Tucson will figure out Arizona by the time that championship comes around. In the end, this may be the best Sioux Falls team ever. It won’t look like that because of the level of competition but they are ultra-talented and our pick for 2020 IFL champions.
Some teams have their signal caller already penciled in for 2020. But there are a few teams that may be a solid QB away from turning the corner in a league where it may be harder to do so than in any other form of professional football. Today we’ll predict who will start under center for each of the IFL’s 13 teams, as well as breakdown who will back them up, or come gunning for their spot once the season gets underway.
ARIZONA RATTLERS: DREW POWELL
Drew Powell and DaQuan Neal will go back and forth all season to decide not only who is the league’s best signal-caller but most likely who will win the league’s 2020 MVP. With an injury-free year, Powell will most likely already build a resume to get him into the hall of fame in just 3 and a half seasons. The question becomes, where does Verlon Reed fit into all this? He played receiver at Ohio State so we know he’s capable. We should also keep an eye out for Jaylen Lowe who dominated under center while at Langston University but will get some wideout looks during his rookie year.
BISMARCK BUCKS: DOMONIQUE HARRIS
The Bucks never could figure it out in 2019. Once they would build some form of momentum things quickly fell apart. There are plenty of new faces in Bismarck for their second IFL season, one of which is the imposing presence of 6’5″ 250 lb. QB Domonique Harris. Harris very well could be one of the most important free agent signings for any team this offseason. He poses the same threat Drew Powell does with how big and strong he is. It’s a skillset we aren’t used to seeing in the IFL. The other QB on the roster is Taz Wilson, who played well for the team in the final few games of the regular season but if Bismarck is here to compete for a playoff spot, it’s worth seeing what Harris can bring to the table.
CEDAR RAPIDS RIVER KINGS: DERRICK BERNARD
Even though he didn’t win a single start in 2019, he was must-see TV when taking the field for the San Diego Strike Force. He has a rocket arm and is one of the best improvisation artists the league has to offer. He brings a wealth of experience to an extremely young River King squad in 2020, the issue will be turnovers. His interception total was the reason he lost his job in San Diego before finishing 2019 in the CIF. If that does happen, Javin Kilgo will be next in line. Kilgo offers a similar skill set to Bernard, but only attempted 9 passes last season for Duke City in the CIF.
DUKE CITY GLADIATORS: NATE DAVIS
He’s the only IFL Quarterback in 2020 to have thrown an NFL pass. Although that pass came in a preseason game, Davis is a well-traveled veteran, entering 2020 at the age of 32. Davis played for three different NFL teams, spent some time in the AFL, and now will be tasked with trying to make Duke City the surprise of the IFL. The job is Davis’ and will be unless injury bites the former Ball State Cardinal.
FRISCO FIGHTERS: DEVANTE KINCADE
When we predict our end of season awards Devante Kincade will most likely appear as our pick for rookie of the year. This kid is the real deal. Began his career at Ole Miss before injuries sent him to Grambling where he nearly led the Tigers to an HBCU national championship. He’s got the tools to play outdoors but we’re not complaining about getting to see him indoors. The disadvantage Kincade has during training camp is his competition is Jonathan Bane. Bane played QB for the Tampa Bay Storm before leading the Jacksonville Sharks to a 2019 NAL title. The QB room is loaded in Frisco, with that being said, Kincade is the man. The skill-set is too special to sit on the bench.
GREEN BAY BLIZZARD: LENORRIS FOOTMAN
Footman kept us holding our breath all offseason long, but finally confirmed he will suit up for the team in 2020. Footman was electric in 2019 but could establish himself as one of the league’s top 3 quarterbacks if he continues to grow. However far Footman goes, will be how far Green Bay goes in 2020. The team also found some depth in Eystin Salum who is the most prolific QB in Colorado Mesa history.
IOWA BARNSTORMERS: KURT PALANDECH
Marquel Wade and Palandech were the two bright spots on a pitiful 2019 Cedar Rapids ballclub and unfortunately, Palandech was unable to complete the 2019 regular season. Fortunately, he’ll return in 2020 to quarterback the Iowa Barnstormers. Ameer Ismail will bring a new look to the Barnstormer offense in 2020, much different than the read-option look Dixie Wooten ran in Des Moines over the last few seasons. Caleb Holbrook and Vincent Espinoza will fight for the backup role, and you’d have to give the edge to Holbrook given his many years of indoor experience. However, Espinoza does bring a dual-threat skill-set to the table. With that being said, Palandech should be expected to be near the top of the league’s passing yardage list if he remains healthy and is given the starting role as we expect he will.
OAKLAND PANTHERS: BRYAN HICKS
When we originally published this article JuJuan Lawson ws our pick to lead the Panthers. We were just informed he is no longer with the team which makes this a two-man battle between arena veterans Bryan Hicks and Diondre Borel. The advantage goes to Hicks because he has arena experience at QB. Borel played QB at Utah State but has primarily been a Wide Receiver throughout his professional career, which includes a United Bowl title in 2017. Only recently has Borel returned to the QB position and I am unsure if he’ll be used as a QB at all in 2020. Hicks gives the Panthers a much-needed veteran presence on a talented, yet vastly inexperienced squad in Oaktown.
QUAD CITY STEAMWHEELERS: EJ HILLIARD
EJ Hilliard is THE dark horse for MVP this season. If the ‘Wheelers can find their way to a top-3 seed in the 2020 playoffs Hilliard will have as good a chance as anyone to win the award. He throws one of, if not the best deep balls in the league and has the ability to run if the play breaks down. Expect a big year out of EJ. QC will have one of the better QB rooms in the league this year as Hilliard’s backup is former LSU Tiger Caleb Lewis. Lewis has had some looks at the NFL level and provides a great football mind behind Hilliard.
SAN DIEGO STRIKE FORCE: RUDY JOHNSON
Johnson is electric. If you haven’t seen his indoor highlights yet you need to check them out. Johnson has the upper hand in the competition because of his indoor experience alone. The other quarterbacks on the roster include Montana Tech’s Quinn McQueary who has to be next in line to Johnson and may perform well enough in training camp to earn a starting role as he does have some indoor experience at the highest level with the Albany Empire, and with the AAF’s Arizona Hotshots but didn’t attempt a pass for either team. Michael Carrillo rounds out the quarterback room but is extremely raw.
SIOUX FALLS STORM: LORENZO BROWN
This is the competition we’re all looking forward to. 2019 IFL Rookie of the Year Tommy Armstrong has entered the conversation after signing with the team following the folding of the Nebraska Danger. It appears Armstrong will now take over as the next franchise quarterback in Sioux Falls, but as long as the future IFL Hall of Famer Lorenzo Brown is on the roster, I don’t see how he won’t be the starter out of respect alone. A third QB has been signed if the Storm decide to roll with three in 2020. Damian Williams was highly recruited out of high school in New Orleans but failed to live up to the hype in college. If given a chance he has the arm talent to resurrect his career. In the end, Armstrong will a good amount of snaps but if we’re deciding who the starter will be, we’ll put our money on Brown.
SPOKANE SHOCK: CHARLES MCCULLUM
He’s one of the best to ever do it, Of course he’s the starter. The question is, who will back him up? The answer will come down to two former SEC Quarterbacks in Alabama’s Blake Sims former Heisman Trophy candidate Jeremy Johnson. Johnson could rack up big rushing touchdown numbers as a big body in goal-line situations. He also has previous indoor experience in the NAL. As for Sims, he’s still trying to find his niche at the professional level and the IFL may be the perfect place to do it. He’s bounced around at QB in the CFL, RB in the NFL, and did a little bit of everything in the AAF. Sims has a great skill-set for indoor football and will be a factor at whatever position he lines up at. We’ll give the backup nod to Sims for now.
TUCSON SUGAR SKULLS: DAQUAN NEAL
Can Daquan Neal replicate his magical 2019? Hopefully. It doesn’t matter now though. He’ll be the starter in Tucson. Two other quarterbacks are on the roster in former Vanderbilt signal-caller Johnny McCrary and Tulane QB Jonathan Banks. Banks has been trying to find himself a roster spot in the XFL but that has yet to happen. McCrary was an early free-agent signing and at one point looked like he had the potential to dominate the SEC as a freshman. The ceiling is higher for McCrary but when Banks is on, he’s on. We’ll give the backup nod to McCrary but it’s a toss-up.
It’s time to explain. It’s time to understand. It’s time to discuss a rule that every year plays a major factor in who hoists the United Bowl Trophy, and for some reason is never talked about. It’s time to explain the Indoor Football League’s “vet” rule.
WHAT IS THE RULE?
The IFL’s “vet” rule states that each team may only have seven player’s on their roster who have played four or more seasons of professional football in any league.
WHAT CONSTITUTES A SEASON?
Once a player has appeared in four games that constitutes a full season. This means that a player could potentially only appear in 16 career games before being considered a veteran by the league.
OPINION
The IFL was established the way all indoor leagues need to be, as a developmental league. When the IFL was established in 2009 there were many other places for players to jump, the NFL and CFL obviously, but the AFL as well as the now defunct UFL. Times have changed though, and it’s time for the IFL to change with them. The league is competing directly with the National Arena League to see who can become the fourth major football league behind the NFL, CFL, and XFL. The IFL should no longer be looked at as a developmental league alone, it needs to be looked at as a long-term option. Obviously the pay-structure must change but that’s a topic for a different time. It’s hard to make a career out of something if you only get four years to do it. Of course there have been exceptions who have made a career in the IFL, Lorenzo Brown and Ryan Balentine are the two current players who come to mind. The league has done an excellent job inserting itself into large markets such as San Diego and Oakland, now it’s time to take the next step and allow players to become the faces of their cities in the Spring, that step is to eliminate the veteran rule.
With a win in Week 13 the Blizzard will head to the playoffs for the first time since 2012. PHOTO CREDIT: Green Bay Blizzard
The playoff push is officially upon us. Three playoff spots remain up for grabs and every team is in action in a week 13 slate spread out over three days. Here’s a preview of all five games this weekend.
RIVER KINGS (1-9)@ STEAMWHEELERS (3-7)
Friday May 17th 7:05 PM
The playoffs may not officially begin for another few weeks but this game has all the importance of a playoff game with none of the excitement. With a loss the River Kings season is mathematically over. With a loss the Steamwheelers are on the verge of elimination. We all know that isn’t going to happen. EJ Hillard is going to have a huge day while Ben Wilkerson and the Cedar Rapids River Kings will yet again struggle to do ANYTHING offensively, and in turn be eliminated from IFL playoff contention.
PICK: Steamwheelers: 63 River Kings 25
SUGAR SKULLS (5-5) @ BUCKS (2-7)
Saturday May 18th 6:05 P.M.
This is a game with a lot of intrigue to it and a lot of the importance for Tucson will be based on how things go down the night before in Moline, Illinois. Tucson controls their own destiny for a playoff spot in their first season, keep winning, and you’ll be in the playoffs. Jake Medlock and Matt Behrendt split time under center last week, yet again opening up a Quarterback controversy out West. Behrendt was the more impressive of the two and would be my pick to start for the ‘Skulls in week 13. Neither team sports an overly impressive record and neither team has managed to defeat a team with a record at .500 or above yet this season. The Bucks are a team on a mission, they defeat a team with a .500 record in front of the home crowd and keep their momentum moving. They’ll pull the upset to stay alive in the playoff hunt.
PICK: Bucks: 48 Sugar Skulls: 45
DANGER (5-5) @ STORM (8-2)
Saturday May 18th 7:05 P.M.
The Nebraska Danger are an interesting case. They have all the talent in the world and have for the most part, managed to piece it together nicely. A rough schedule has done them no favors and this week will be no different. This should be a back and forth contest but the Sioux Falls Storm are in playoff mode now, I expect a big night from Davonte Sapp-Lynch but I also expect some Tommy Armstrong Jr. interceptions, 2 to be exact. Lorenzo Brown will tear up the Danger secondary (a solid one at that) and the Storm will get it done sending Nebraska back below .500.
PICK: Storm: 66 Danger: 56
BARNSTORMERS (9-1) @ BLIZZARD (6-4)
Sunday May 19th 3:05 P.M.
If you follow the page you know by now that I’ve beaten to death the fact that if the Blizzard win this weekend they’ll make the playoffs for the first time since 2012. The only problem, they have to beat the defending IFL champions. Sorry Green Bay, but we’ll have to wait at least one more week before we punch your ticket to the big dance. The Barnstormers I think finally found their mojo with a last second win over the Steamwheelers last week. This could also be the game where Daquan Neal locks up MVP honors. Green Bay hangs tough thanks to their defense, but Iowa will pull away at the end.
PICK: Barnstormers: 49 Blizzard: 34
RATTLERS (9-0) @ STRIKE FORCE (1-9)
Sunday May 19th 7:05 P.M.
Why waste space? It’s the end of the article and my fingers are cramping. Arizona won this game 5 weeks ago. Taylor Genuser has done a fantastic job with this Strike Force offense this season so they’ll put up some points but Drew Powell is going to tear San Diego’s defense apart. Hopefully with the game being on a weekend the Strike Force can improve attendance which has struggled all season.
Green Bay Blizzard can lock up a playoff berth this weekend for the first time since 2012 PHOTO CREDIT: OurSports Central
For the majority of teams in the Indoor Football League only 4 games remain for them to try and improve their playoff standing. The exceptions are the Arizona Rattlers and Bismarck Bucks who each have 5 games left on their schedule. For the remainder of the season until the playoffs come around we will be giving you scenarios to look for in each week of action which will set the 2019 IFL playoff bracket. 6 teams will make the playoffs.
TICKETS PUNCHED
The Arizona Rattlers, Iowa Barnstormers, and Sioux Falls Storm have clinched spots in the IFL playoffs leaving three spots still open.
TEAMS ON THE CUTTING BLOCK
Both the San Diego Strike Force and Cedar Rapids River Kings are on the verge of becoming the first two teams eliminated from playoff contention. If the River Kings lose to the Steamwheelers they will be eliminated from playoff contention. If the Strike Force fall to the Rattlers they will be eliminated. Even if both teams win they’ll need some help to stay alive. A win by the Sugar Skulls against the Bismarck Bucks and a win by the Nebraska Danger over the Sioux Falls Storm would eliminate both teams immediately.
CLINCHING SPOTS
The Green Bay Blizzard will have their opportunity to clinch a playoff spot for the first time since 2012 this weekend. The Blizzard who currently sit at 4th in the standings can lock up a playoff berth with a win over the Iowa Barnstormers or a Quad City Steamwheeler loss to the Cedar Rapids River Kings.
5 SEED UP FOR GRABS
While there is no question who the more talented team is, the Nebraska Danger and Tucson Sugar Skulls are tied in the standings sharing the 5th and 6th spot. If Nebraska wins against Sioux Falls they will hang on to the 5 spot no matter the outcome of Tucson’s game. However, if the Sugar Skulls knock off Bismarck and the Danger lose to the Storm the Danger would fall back to the 6th spot and the Sugar Skulls would move up to number 5.
MOST IMPORTANT GAME OF THE WEEK
Who would’ve thought the Tucson Sugar Skulls and Bismarck Bucks would be playing in a game with playoff implications. A win for the Sugar Skulls all but eliminates Bismarck from postseason play as the Sugar Skulls will have then swept the season series. With a win Bismarck would put themselves 1.5 games behind Tucson for the sixth and final playoff spot, and with a Storm victory over the Danger the Bucks would be 1.5 behind Nebraska. The Danger do own the tiebreaker over the Bucks.
Daquan Neal continued his MVP Caliber season in Week 12. PHOTO CREDIT: pictureiowa.com
REALLY GOOD OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
IOWA BARNSTORMERS QB DAQUAN NEAL: Neal had a memorable performance in week 12. One of the greatest single-game performances in IFL history. The play everyone will remember is the IFL Rookie’s game winning touchdown as time expired to give his team a berth in the 2019 IFL playoffs. (you can watch the play by clicking the link.) Neal scored 10 total touchdowns, 6 of which came on the ground which is tied for 3rd all-time for a single game. He also threw 4 through the air to go along with 199 yards.
REALLY GOOD DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
GREEN BAY BLIZZARD LB DAYSHAWN TAYLOR: Despite the effort coming in a loss, Taylor had a breakout game against the Sioux Falls Storm. Taylor tallied a team high 11 tackles to go a long with a sack. The total is the highest which Taylor has tallied this season and was also his first sack of 2019.
REALLY GOOD SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
SIOUX FALLS STORM DL MALCOLM GOINES: In a seven point game every play is obviously important. It would be interesting how this 44-37 victory could’ve turned out differently for Sioux Falls if not for an effort from Defensive Lineman Malcolm Goines. In the late stages of the first quarter Green Bay Blizzard kicker Ed Ruhnke lined up in his own endzone for a 61 yard attempt. Goines burst through the Blizzard line, blocking the kick and then fell on it himself for a touchdown.
The Iowa Barnstormers have clinched a spot in the 2019 IFL playoffs. PHOTO CREDIT Iowa Barnstormers Facebook
BARNSTORMERS 59 STEAMWHEELERS 56
This is going to be the game of the year in the IFL and if it isn’t it’s going to take one of the all-time classics to top it. The Barnstormers continued their flare for the dramatic, using a Daquan Neal touchdown scamper to give them their second last second victory of the season, clinching the defending champs their fourth straight playoff apearence. This is probably going to be the game that ends up winning Neal MVP honors, among others. The first year IFL signal caller threw only 3 incompletions on 17 attempts, 199 yards and 4 touchdowns to go along with a staggering 6 on the ground. The Steamwheelers most likely have run out of time because of this loss. The team sits at 3-7 and are 2 games behind Tucson for the 6th and final playoff spot. With that being said, this is an incredibly fun team to watch. EJ Hilliard, tossed another 4 TD strikes, and still has only thrown 1 interception this season. No QB in IFL history has thrown less than 2 in a season. Quinton Pedroza hauled in 2 of Hilliard’s 4 touchdowns bringing his league high total to 21. This connection is arguably the best in the league and they’ll have a must win game against Cedar Rapids this weekend to keep their hopes alive.
STORM 44 BLIZZARD 37
The final score was only a 7 point margin but the ending of the IFL’s battle for third place ended a bit anti-climatically. With 2:13 left the Blizzard opted to kick the ball deep instead of trying for an onside kick. The Blizzard never got the ball back and fell to 6-4. Despite the loss Lenorris Footman continued to improve as a passer, throwing for 160 yards and 3 TD’s. His 1 interception proved to be costly though as Lorenzo White picked Footman off, in what would turn out to be the deciding possession of the ball game. As for Sioux Falls, Lorenzo Brown was held to under 100 yards passing for the evening, and no player rushed for more than 65 yards. The defense won this game for Sioux Falls, and clinched the IFL’s greatest franchise yet another playoff berth.
SUGAR SKULLS 65 STRIKE FORCE 48
The good news for the Strike Force is they went into the fourth quarter against the Sugar Skulls down 44-41. The bad news, they allowed their expansion counterparts to outscore them 21-7 in the fourth, and the momentum the Strike Force had after a win against Cedar Rapids on April 14th is now a distant memory. Jihad Vercher was solid, throwing for 3 touchdowns. The Achilles heel for San Diego continued to be turnovers as Vercher threw a pick and the normally reliable George Moreira coughed up the ball on a pivotal fourth quarter drive. As for Tucson nothing they did was overly impressive against San Diego. Jake Medlock and Matt Behrendt combined to throw five touchdowns, but most importantly the Sugar Skulls never turned the ball over. Kick returner Jeremiah Harris was impressive yet again as he continues to make his case as a late runner at an all-IFL returner spot, totaling 181 yards on 8 attempts for a 22.6 YPR average with a long of 44 yards.
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