My watching order for the games this week (ok, ok, SF's at Omaha is really my number one because I'm a Beef fan, but I'm trying to be objective here):
1) Bloomington @ Green Bay: Coming in to this game, Bloomington is 7-1 and Green Bay is 5-2. This is the first of two back to back meetings between these two teams. Bloomington is currently in second place in the United Conference behind Sioux Falls and Green Bay sits in third place. Whoever comes out on top in this series will likely win the #2 conference playoff seed and a first round home playoff game. With that much on the line this game is sure to be hard fought.
2) Sioux Falls @ Omaha: Coming in to this game, Sioux Falls is a perfect 7-0 and Omaha is struggling at 3-4. This is the first of two meetings between these teams this year and both are of significant importance to the Beef if they want to keep their 12-year playoff streak alive. Sioux Falls needs a win here to stay atop the conference with Bloomington only a half game behind them and with a much easier schedule. The Storm are also in a race with Tri-Cities for best overall record and homefield advantage through to the title game. For the Beef, it's a matter of survival. Trailing Lehigh Valley by one game for the last playoff berth, and with a much harder schedule, they'll have to pull off upsets like this if they want back in the post season. The Beef have a nice streak of beating Chris Dixon on their home turf, but is this they year that streak ends or can the BEEFense, Grixby, McNear, and Burrell pull yet another one out of the hat?
3) Everett @ Nebraska: Coming in to this game, Everett is 2-5 and Nebraska is also 2-5. This is the second of two meetings between these teams this year, with the Raptors taking it to the Danger in Everett. Both these teams are in the outside looking in at the Intense Conference playoff picture. The good news is that the two teams above them are only a half game ahead and one of them seems to be self-destructing. A sweep of the season series here for Everett would give them a tiebreaker advantage over the Danger and hope for that last playoff spot despite their very tough schedule (hardest in the league:
ezfootballrankings.com/ifl-1.php). The Danger are coming off a road loss in Sioux Falls in which they played pretty well considering they were up against the best team in the league. The Danger's defense is once again playing well and they'll need it to be if they hope to contain Boller for Everett. Everett head coach Sean Ponder was let go as the Danger head coach before the season started last year and Mike Davis was brought in after him. Both were
alleged to be recruiting players against the rules and it
allegedly cost Ponder his coaching job there and got Davis a one-year ban from coaching last season. Ponder still holds his firing against the team and was elated when they got the win in Everett against them. Expect this grudge match to have some fireworks when the action starts in Grand Island this Friday.
4) Allen @ Wichita: Coming in to this game, Allen is 5-2 and Wichita is 2-5. This is the third of four meetings between these two teams. Allen won the previous two meetings this year in well-fought affairs. Allen needs this game to stay ahead of the Ice in the standings, while Wichita needs a win here to get back into contention for the fourth and final Intense Conference playoff spot. No word if T.O. will show or not, or who will be the Allen QB. Avery's proven he's good enough until Printers gets healthy again though.
5) Wyoming @ Colorado: Coming in to this game, Colorado is 4-3 and Wyoming 3-5. This will be the third of four meetings between these teams, with Colorado winning the previous two. Colorado is battling Allen for the #2 seed in the Intense Conference, while Wyoming is battling New Mexico for the final playoff spot in the conference. It's an important game for both teams.
6) Cedar Rapids @ Reading: Coming in to this game, Cedar Rapids is 2-5 and Reading is 0-7. This is the first of two meetings between these teams this year and they are both currently sitting at the bottom of the United Conference standings. As Bas Rutten says on Inside the MMA, "someone's 0, has to go." We're not talking about an undefeated 0 here though. We're talking about a winless-on-the-road Titan team and a winless-period Express team. Both have made significant changes to their team lately, but so far they haven't paid dividends. Both teams have been in the games down to the final wire lately though so there's no give up on these squads. This should be a hard fought slugout here.
7) Chicago @ Lehigh Valley: Coming in to this game, Chicago is 2-6 and Lehigh Valley is 4-3. This is the second meeting between these two teams this year, with the Steelhawks winning in Chicago earlier in the season. Chicago got an upset win over Green Bay last week and is hoping that win can turn around their disappoint season. Lehigh Valley is currently sitting in the fourth and final playoff spot in the United Conference, one game ahead of Omaha. A Chicago win here would definitely give them renewed hope of getting back into the playoff race. Lehigh Valley needs this win to solidify their hold on the last playoff spot, but with their starting QB defecting to the AFL, that may be easier said than done.
8) New Mexico @ Tri-Cities: Coming in to this game, New Mexico is 2-4 and Tri-Cities a perfect 7-0. This is the second of two meetings between these teams this year, with Tri-Cities previously winning a close one on the road at New Mexico. Tri-Cities needs a win here to keep distance between themselves and Allen in the race for the Intense Conference #1 playoff seed. With two games against the Storm coming up, they can't be taking teams for granted. New Mexico is currently holding on to the #4 seed in the conference, but that's a tenuous hold at best. The Stars had two players get arrested immediately after their road loss in Wyoming last week for assaulting a Cavalry player. Allegedly there were more players involved, so the leadership for the Stars definitely needs to take control of the team and get it back under control. With all the distractions they are having, will they have what it takes to go on the road all the way to the Pacific Northwest and come away with a much needed upset?