Welcome to the new Beta version of the MyFootballNow website! Please note that while using the Beta website, some features may not work correctly and other features are not complete. Some elements, such as notifications and chat, may act strangely during the time that both versions of the site are available. If you need to return to the old version, click on the button below.
I'll do my usual playoff previews in the morning after work but I still want to put something out there now. We had 6 of 8 division champions repeat from 2004: San Jose, Portland, Orlando, New Orleans, Baltimore, and Philadelphia. Houston was a wildcard in 2004 before winning the tiebreaker against the Outlaws to win the Southwest this season. Oklahoma is a wildcard while the other 2 wildcards this season are Honolulu and Oakland.
In all, only 4 of 7 American Conference playoff teams repeat from 2004: San Jose, Portland, Houston, and Oklahoma. The Chicago Blitz won the Midwest this season while last year's champ Cleveland fell to 6-10. Honolulu and Oakland replace Los Angeles and Memphis as wildcard teams.
Things were more status quo in the National Conference, as all 4 division champs repeated from 2004: Orlando, New Orleans, Baltimore, and Philadelphia. New Jersey is a wildcard again, while Georgia and Pittsburgh replace Birmingham and Washington as the other wildcards.
Current Playoff Streaks
San Jose 16 seasons (Last Missed in 1989) Honolulu 1 season (2004) Portland 17 seasons (1988) Oakland 1 season (2004) Houston 24 seasons (1981) Oklahoma 8 seasons (1997) Chicago 1 season (2004)
Orlando 7 seasons (1998) New Orleans 6 seasons (1999) Georgia 1 season (2004) Baltimore 2 seasons (2003) Pittsburgh 1 season (2004) Philadelphia 5 seasons (2000) New Jersey 17 seasons (1988)
I'm in the process of getting my notes together and I have to stop and give props to amalric7. He got Oakland into the playoffs for the first time since 1978. Wolveraider missed the playoffs in our first season, 1974 before winning World Bowl II. He left Oakland after their 3rd season, a wildcard berth. Wayne 110 took over and had 2 straight post season appearances before this long drought.
Oklahoma Outlaws (14-2) @ San Jose SaberCats (10-6)
Point Spread: Oklahoma -3
Oklahoma: Offense 2nd Defense 10th San Jose Offense 3rd Defense 1st
Last Playoff Appearance:Oklahoma 2004 San Jose 2004 Playoff Records:Oklahoma 12-11 (1-1 World Bowl) San Jose 9-15 (1-0 World Bowl)
Head to Head: Oklahoma beat San Jose 13-7 Week 10 of this season. Oklahoma is 3-0 vs San Jose in the post season.
Injuries:Oklahoma 4 probable, 2 questionable San Jose 8 probable, 1 questionable
Prediction:San Jose 11 Oklahoma 10
Two MFN heavyweights duking it out in the post season. This is a coin flip game and I'm picking San Jose because they have yet to beat Oklahoma in the post season. All 3 of the Outlaws wins over the SaberCats in the playoffs have been AG against Smirt. That fact certainly means extra lab time for Smirt, which could push him toward victory. _________________________________________________________________________________
Last Playoff Appearance:Honolulu 2003 Chicago 2002 Playoff Records:Honolulu 0-11 Chicago 5-10 (0-1 World Bowl)
Head to Head: Honolulu beat Chicago 20-3 Week 15 of 2004. Chicago is 1-0 vs Honolulu in the playoffs.
Injuries:Honolulu 8 probable, 1 questionable Chicago 4 probable, 1 questionable
Prediction:Honolulu 27 Chicago 24 (OT)
Talk about limping into the playoffs, this particular game should be sponsored by Mobility Scooters as Honolulu comes in losers of 6 of their last 7, including 4 in a row while Chicago has lost 4 of their last 5. I'm picking Honolulu to get their first ever playoff win in USFL because why not? One of these teams is gonna get off the schneid. ________________________________________________________________________________
While it's true they split this season, Oakland won last week as Portland, with no hope of a BYE, played their backup QB who threw 4 INTs. Oakland has won 7 of 9 down the stretch so they can pull the upset, but I think the playoff veteran roster of Portland will have enough to win this game and advance.
Orlando is coming off an 81-24 win over Florida, but the 2 games before that they got swept by Pennsylvania, losing to Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. The Maulers lived up to their name with a 28-0 shutout victory Week 14. The playoffs are a different animal and I expect a closer game, but so far, the Maulers only lose to Baltimore. _________________________________________________________________________________
New Jersey Generals (12-4) @ New Orleans VooDoo (13-3)
Point Spread: New Orleans -9
New Jersey: Offense 7th Defense 8th New Orleans: Offense 4th Defense 9th
Last Playoff Appearance:New Jersey 2004 New Orleans 2004 Playoff Records:New Jersey 42-23 (4-6 World Bowl) New Orleans 24-20 (1-5 World Bowl)
Head to Head: New Orleans beat New Jersey 41-15 Week 13 of this season. New Jersey is 7-2 vs New Orleans in the post season.
Injuries:New Jersey 1 probable New Orleans 9 probable, 2 questionable
Prediction:New Orleans 23 New Jersey 19
If I owned a different team I might pick the Generals to pull the upset, as they are way healthier, have comparable team stats and have won 7 of their last 8. That one loss was to New Orleans however, and the VooDoo had won 5 straight before losing to Philadelphia in the Battle For The Bye. All of the losses both teams have suffered this season have come at the hands of other playoff teams. That head to head win plus the Generals penchant for turning the ball over have me picking New Orleans to advance. ________________________________________________________________________________
Georgia finished 1-6 vs playoff teams while Baltimore was 4-2. The Stars are on a 10 game win streak where they've outscored their opponents 238-67, including a pair of double digit victories over 14-2 Pittsburgh. Only Oklahoma is hotter than the Stars right now, and I expect Baltimore to advance.
I'm just stating facts, as San Jose had a history of playoff one and dones before you took over. HollyHH had great regular seasons but didn't do much in post season here
