Time flies, we play our 14th game of the season tonight. Good opportunity to take a quick look at the races. I'll take a more in depth look tomorrow after our game sim runs tonight.

American Conference

Clinched Division: San Jose, Denver

In the Hunt: Houston, Chicago, Oklahoma, Detroit, Portland, Memphis, Los Angeles

San Jose is 13-0 and will win the Pacific. One more win or Houston loss and the SaberCats will get a 1st round BYE.

Denver will win the West and is currently #2 seed.

Houston has a 2 game division lead and can clinch the division with a win over Oklahoma tonight.

Oklahoma currently is the top wildcard and can put pressure on the champs with a win tonight. If they lose, their last 2 opponents have a combined record of 4-22 as they try to hold off Portland, Memphis, and/or Detroit.

Chicago currently leads the Midwest at 9-4, but Detroit is hot on their heels at 8-5 following their 7th straight win.

If Detroit can't catch Chicago, they are in the thick of the wildcard race.

Portland, Memphis, and Detroit are all 8-5, tied for the last wildcard spot. I will not attempt to interpret tiebreakers at this time, but will tomorrow.

Los Angeles is 7-6 and currently out of the playoff picture and their last 3 opponents are a combined 33-6. Ouch. Win those 3 and get some help though, and they could ride that momentum into the post season.

National Conference

Clinched Division: Shreveport

Clinched Playoff Spot: New Jersey, Orlando, Florida

In the Hunt: New York, Washington, Charlotte, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville

New Jersey has the best record in the conference at 12-1 but have yet to clinch their division. Magic number is 1 though, and if they get that, the Generals will also get a BYE.

Orlando and Florida will be in the playoffs, one as the winner of the Southeast, the other a wildcard. The division winner likely will get the other BYE.

Shreveport wins the South already, thanks to sweeping Glen Hampton and the Force.

New York is the current #6 seed and have a 2 game lead. The Stars have a tough game against Chicago tonight.

Jacksonville's best post season chance is to catch New York. If the Bulls win their last 3 , all against sub .500 teams, and New York finishes 1-2 down the stretch, they will be tied at 10-6. The Bulls beat the Stars Week 7 for the tiebreaker.

Washington is just 7-6, but that's good for a 1 game lead over Charlotte and 1.5 games over Pittsburgh. The Federals have the schedule advantage, playing the 1-12 Baltimore Stars twice the final 3 weeks, with a game against Pittsburgh in between.

Charlotte is 6-7, putting heat on Washington. While the Hornets likely fall short unless Baltimore pulls an upset, it's an accomplishment for Charlotte to be mentioned in the playoff scenarios this late in the year. A wildcard berth seems unlikely, as they are 3 games behind New York with 3 to play.

Pittsburgh is still alive for the Atlantic as well, although it's a longshot. Washington's schedule advantage looks too big to overcome.

After Week 14 games...

American Conference

Clinched Division and a BYE: San Jose

Clinched Division: Denver, Houston

In the Hunt: Chicago, Portland, Memphis, Oklahoma, Detroit

San Jose, Denver, and Houston are all in as division winners and the SaberCats have clinched a first round BYE. Denver has the inside track on the other BYE.

The Midwest is undecided with Chicago (9-5) currently 1 game ahead of Detroit (8-6). The loser of this division race could still be a wildcard, but that could be a difficult tiebreaker. We have 3 teams tied for the 2 wildcard spots with 9-5 records. MFN currently lists Portland as the #5, Memphis #6, and Oklahoma on the outside looking in. Fret not Outlaws, as the schedule is heavily in your favor.

Remaining Schedule

San Jose (14-0): vs Orlando (10-4), @ Honolulu (4-10)
Denver (13-1): @ Arizona (5-9), vs Memphis (9-5)
Houston (12-2): @ Memphis (9-5), vs Portland (9-5)

Chicago (9-5): @ Oakland (2-12), vs New Jersey (12-2)
Detroit (8-6): @ Michigan (4-10), vs Cleveland (5-9)

Portland (9-5): vs New Orleans (3-11), @ Houston (12-2)
Memphis (9-5): vs Houston (12-2), @ Denver (13-1)
Oklahoma (9-5): vs Baltimore (1-13), vs Southern California (3-11)

The National Conference is pretty cut and dry, and I think we have a standings glitch. MFN says New Jersey has not clinched the East but I beg to differ. If we both end up 12-4, we split our 2 regular season games and would have identical 5-1 division records. Common opponents are next, which we also tied at 10-2 (take away NJ wins over Orlando/Washington...take away 2 NY losses to Jacksonville/Pittsburgh). New Jersey has the advantage in conference record and net points, so I don't understand why the Generals just have an x.

Additionally, Jacksonville should still be alive. If the Bulls win their last 2 and New York loses their last 2, they would be tied. Orlando is immaterial to this, as they swept the Bulls and would be the #5 seed in a 3 way tie, according to NFL rules (MFN may be different). Jacksonville beat New York head to head for the tiebreaker.

Anyway, these are according to me, not MFN

National Conference

Clinched Division and BYE: New Jersey

Clinched Division: Shreveport

Clinched Playoff Spot: Florida, Orlando

In the Hunt: New York, Washington, Charlotte, Jacksonville

Florida and Orlando have a battle for the Southeast division, but both will play in January. They both play Los Angeles while Florida also plays Tampa Bay and Orlando has to play undefeated San Jose.

Shreveport wins the South and will be the #3 or #4 seed.

Washington's magic number is 1. One more win or one more Charlotte loss and the Federals win the Atlantic.

Remaining Schedule

New Jersey (12-2): @ Georgia (6-8), @ Chicago (9-5)
New York (10-4): vs Philadelphia (7-7), vs Michigan (4-10)

Florida (11-3): @ Los Angeles (7-7), vs Tampa Bay (2-12)
Orlando (10-4): @ San Jose (14-0), vs Los Angeles (7-7)
Jacksonville (8-6): vs Charlotte (6-8), @ Pittsburgh (5-6-1)

Washington (8-6): @ Pittsburgh (5-6-1), @ Baltimore (1-13)
Charlotte (6-8): @ Jacksonville (8-6), vs San Antonio (3-10-1)

Shreveport (9-5): @ Birmingham (5-9), vs Philadelphia (7-7)

Minor mistake. It should be vs Los Angeles :-D

Thanks, surprised I don't do that more often.