We are heading into the 4th quarter of the 2001 regular season so it's time to look at the playoff chase. The American Conference field is broken down into 7 teams with at least a 2 game lead on the other 9 teams. In the National Conference it's reversed, 9 teams have a 2 game lead on the other 7.

Pacific San Jose and Los Angeles are tied with 8-4 records and they split their season series. The SaberCats have a better division record although both teams seem headed for the playoffs. Honolulu sits at 6-6, hoping to go on a winning streak to make the playoffs but they need to make up 2 games in 4 weeks.

West Portland has a 4 game lead with 4 to go so with their next win or next Oakland loss, they win the division. Oakland is in second place with a 5-7 record and seems unlikely to qualify.

Southwest Oklahoma is 12-0 and leads the toughest division in the league. Memphis and Houston are tied for 2nd place with 8-4 records and they both look like they'll be 2 of the 3 wildcard teams. San Antonio isn't eliminated yet but they will have a heck of a time making up 3 games in 4 weeks. The Gunslingers are easily the best last place team in the league.

Midwest Michigan is 9-3 and has clinched the Midwest. They will be anywhere from the #2 seed to the #4. Detroit and Cleveland need to make up 3 game deficits with 4 to play.

National Conference coming shortly.

Current Playoff Seeding

American Conference

1) Oklahoma
2) Michigan
3) Portland
4) San Jose
5) Memphis
6) Los Angeles
7) Houston
____________

8) Honolulu



National Conference

1) Orlando
2) New Orleans
3) Pittsburgh
4) Philadelphia
5) Jacksonville
6) Shreveport
7) New Jersey
______________

8) Florida
9) Washington

Southeast Orlando leads the division and conference with an 11-1 record, enjoying a 3 game lead on Jacksonville. The 8-4 Bulls are the current #5 seed and they are 1 game ahead of the Florida Blazers, who are currently on the outside looking in according to MFN.

South New Orleans is 10-2 with a 3 game lead on current #6 seed Shreveport.

Atlantic Pittsburgh was 0-16 last season, but a change of ownership changed their fortunes. The Maulers are 9-3 with a 3 game lead on the Washington Federals. Washington is 1 game out of a wildcard spot so they still have a chance to get into the tournament.

East Philadelphia beat New Jersey in week 2 to take control of the division and haven't looked back since. New Jersey won the rematch to start the current 2 game slide of the Bell, but the Generals also lost last night to Los Angeles, keeping Philadelphia in first place by themselves. New Jersey still has to play the top 2 seeds in the conference so the door remains open for Florida and/or Washington to come on in.

The American Conference teams are almost set, and the 4 divisions have all been clinched. The standings glitch is here but this is the easiest one to interpret what's really going on.

Honolulu needs to win their last 2 games and have either LA or Houston lose their last 2 to get in. The Hawaiians have to beat 2 division winners to do it (Portland and San Jose), but if they do they would win the tiebreakers over LA and Houston if either team loses their last 2. LA has to play the suddenly hot Southern California Sun and the New York Stars while the Gamblers finish with the defending champs San Jose and Chicago.

Not sure how the tiebreakers would play out between Honolulu and Memphis

American Conference Playoffs

#1 seed/BYE: Oklahoma Outlaws

Division Winners: Portland Storm, San Jose SaberCats, Michigan Panthers

Likely Wildcard Teams: Memphis Showboats, Los Angeles Express, Houston Gamblers

In the Hunt: Honolulu Hawaiians

The National Conference has 9 teams fighting for 7 spots but if you factor in who has clinched divisions, we have 6 teams fighting for 4 spots. We have New Orleans and Orlando fighting for the #1 seed with Pittsburgh right behind them. The East division is the only one not decided yet, with Philadelphia holding a 1 game lead on New Jersey.

In the wildcard race, Jacksonville and Shreveport are 9-5 while Florida, Washington, and New Jersey are 8-6.

National Conference Playoffs

Division Winners: Orlando Renegades, New Orleans VooDoo, Pittsburgh Maulers

In the Hunt: Philadelphia Bell, Jacksonville Bulls, Shreveport Steamer, Florida Blazers, Washington Federals, New Jersey Generals

Remaining Schedules

Los Angeles: vs SC (6-8), vs NY Stars (2-12)
Houston: @ SJ (10-4), vs CHI (3-11)
Memphis: @ SHR (9-5), vs SA (6-8)
Honolulu vs POR (11-3), vs SJ (10-4)

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Philadelphia: vs BAL (1-13), vs SC (6-8)
New Jersey: vs BOS (4-10), vs ORL (12-2)
Jacksonville: vs ORL (12-2), vs FLA (8-6)
Florida: @ PIT (11-3), @ JAX (9-5)
Shreveport: vs MEM (9-5), vs NO (12-2)
Washington: @ MICH (10-4), vs DET (6-8)

American Conference

#1 Seed/BYE: Oklahoma (15-0)

Division Winners: Portland (12-3) Michigan (11-4)

Wildcard Teams: Houston (10-5) Memphis (10-5)

In the Playoffs, Status TBD: San Jose (10-5) Los Angeles (10-5)

We know which 7 teams from the American Conference are in the playoffs but we still need to determine the winner of the Pacific division. One of San Jose/Los Angeles will be the #3 or 4 seed and division winner while the other will be a wildcard.

National Conference

Division Winners: Orlando (13-2) New Orleans (13-2) Pittsburgh (12-3)

In the Playoffs Status TBD: Philadelphia (10-5) New Jersey (9-6)

Wildcard: Shreveport (9-6)

In the Hunt: Jacksonville (9-6) One of Florida or Washington (8-5) https://usflwfl.myfootballnow.com/forums/1/2569?page=1#15824 This links to the Standings Glitch post where I explain this.

I ran through the possible scenarios and have determined that Shreveport and New Jersey will make the playoffs regardless of the standings glitch. New Jersey can still win the East with a win and Philadelphia loss but they're in regardless.

New Orleans and Orlando are tied at 13-2 for the #1 seed but the VooDoo beat the Renegades heads up, meaning New Orleans just has to win to secure the BYE while Orlando has to win and hope the VooDoo lose.

A Philadelphia loss and New Jersey win would give the Generals the East due to better division record.

Jacksonville needs a win to get in to avoid having to rely on tiebreakers as a loss could see the Bulls slip to 3rd in the division which puts Florida in the tiebreaker mix. As explained here https://usflwfl.myfootballnow.com/forums/1/2569?page=1#15824, this all depends on the tiebreaker order used by MFN which I don't know exactly.

Regardless of whichever 9-7 team represents the Southeast (only 1 team per division allowed in wildcard tiebreakers), Shreveport and New Jersey will get in. Shreveport would have a 9-3 conference record, the best of the bunch. In that case we go back to the start of tiebreakers where New Jersey would have the better conference record and get the next wildcard spot.

Here is where it gets tricky...if Jacksonville is the 2nd place team in the Southeast with a 9-7 record (a 10-6 record gives them a spot), they lose tiebreakers to Shreveport, then New Jersey before another tiebreaker round could be possible against Washington (a win by the Federals makes them 9-7). Jacksonville beat Washington head to head and would claim the #7 seed.

However, if it's Florida representing the Southeast at 9-7, I think they need Washington to lose to get in. Just like Jacksonville, Florida would lose the first tiebreaker to Shreveport, and the second to New Jersey. A Washington loss would mean the last spot goes to Florida since the Blazers and Bulls would be the only 9-7 teams left and the division tiebreaker eliminated Jacksonville already.

A Washington win though puts them at 9-7. They too lose tiebreakers to Shreveport (conference record) and New Jersey (head to head loss). The last spot comes down to Florida/Washington and the Federals 8-4 conference record would put them in.

Follow all that? I didn't either haha.

So...Go Blazers! And Go Wheels!