Tag: nebraska danger

WEEK 13 PREVIEW/PREDICTIONS

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.

PICK: Rattlers: 77 Strike Force: 35

WEEK 13 PLAYOFF SCENARIOS

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.

WEEK 11 RECAP

Lorenzo Brown carried the Storm to Victory in Week 11 in Record Setting Fashion.
Photo Credit: siouxfallsstorm.com

STORM 59 STEAMWHEELERS 46

Lorenzo Brown tossed a season high 7 touchdown passes in the win for Sioux Falls which moves him into 4th all-time, passing Willie Copeland. Kent Shelby and Brandon Shepard were the main targets for Brown, hauling in three touchdowns a piece. For Quad City their toughest stretch of schedule could not be coming at a worse time. The ‘Wheelers now sit a game back of Tucson for the sixth and final playoff spot with a date against the Barnstormers awaiting them this weekend.

RATTLERS 56 DANGER 46

The first taste we got to see of reigning MVP Drew Powell wasn’t overly impressive, but it got the job done. Powell was efficient, completing 8 of 10 passes for 96 yards and 2 touchdowns against 1 interception. The Rattlers also got a lot of help defensively as Dillion Winfrey added an interception and veteran Bubba Chapman added two more.The Danger tried a new approach against the unbeaten Rattlers, focusing on a ground heavy attack with Tommy Armstrong, Davonte Sapp-Lynch and converted wide receiver Quincy Walden. The Rattler defense slowed down Walden and Sapp-Lynch, limiting them to just 66 yards and a touchdown combined. Armstrong had a strong night on the ground with 73 yards and 2 touchdowns, but his 3 interceptions were too much for Nebraska to overcome.

BARNSTORMERS 43 RIVER KINGS 18

If you have watched a Barnstormer or River Kings game this season, you can guess what went down in Des Moines Saturday night. Daquan Neal continued his MVP caliber season, throwing for 186 yards and 4 touchdowns to go along with 1 on the ground. Wide receiver Ryan Balentine continued to climb the record ladder, moving into 3rd place all-time in receiving yards as he earned 109 against Cedar Rapids, while also catching a touchdown. 4 different Barnstormers caught touchdown passes. Tyrell Pearson also added an interception which gives him a league-leading 6 for the season. As for the River Kings, we haven’t minced words on how we feel about the situation for Cedar Rapids. Ben Wilkerson struggled again. He went 8-20 passing for 93 yards a touchdown and 3 picks. Mark Stoute should probably receiving his walking papers sooner rather than later, and the River Kings will be playing in Oakland next season if things don’t change.

SUGAR SKULLS 54 STRIKE FORCE 34

Good for the Sugar Skulls here, they took an opportunity and made the most of it. despite losing four straight coming into the ball game Tucson did a fantastic job finishing on Saturday, earning the victory behind 3 Rico Brown touchdown catches and moving back into the sixth and final playoff spot. All hope is not lost for San Diego, there are times where this team looks like it’s heading in the right direction. This was the first time they looked like they took a step back in a few weeks. A late season surge is still in the cards for a playoff push but performances like the one seen in Week 11 must be avoided.

BLIZZARD 48 BUCKS 39

Unfortunately the YouTube stream of this game never posted so we have not seen the entirety of this game. With that being said the Bucks are dangerous. They were down 2 points with 3 minutes to go and are going to be the most formidable challenger to Quad City and Tucson for the sixth and final playoff spot. The Blizzard keep doing what they need to do to set themselves up for a home playoff game. At 6-3 they are 1.5 games up on Nebraska for the fourth spot and own the tiebreaker. Lenorris Footman had arguably his best game throwing the football, going 8-14 for 135 yards, 3 touchdowns and most importantly no interceptions.