I intended to do this yesterday, then again this morning after work but distractions and life you know. Anyway...

American Conference Wildcard Round

Houston Gamblers (11-5) @ Michigan Panthers (11-5)

Point Spread: Houston -4

Houston: Offense 2nd Defense 6th
Michigan: Offense 18th Defense 22nd

Last Playoff Appearance: Houston 2000 Michigan 1999
Playoff Records: Houston 35-11 (8-0 World Bowl) Michigan 7-13

Head to Head: Houston is 4-1 vs Michigan in the post season. Michigan beat Houston 22-16 in OT Week 4 of this season.

Injuries: Houston 5 probable, 1 questionable Michigan 8 probable, 2 questionable

Prediction: Houston 27 Michigan 13

Despite the Michigan regular season win, I have a hard time picking against Houston in the playoffs. They do have the better team stats and better health so why buck my trend?
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Memphis Showboats (11-5) @ Los Angeles Express (11-5)

Point Spread: Even

Memphis: Offense 9th Defense 9th
Los Angeles: Offense 14th Defense 13th

Last Playoff Appearance: Memphis 2000 Los Angeles 2000
Playoff Records: Memphis 26-12 (5-0 World Bowl) Los Angeles 9-9 (1-0 World Bowl)

Head to Head: Memphis and Los Angeles have split their two post season games. Memphis beat Los Angeles 20-9 Week 10 of the 2000 season.

Injuries: Memphis 4 probable, 3 questionable, 1 doubtful Los Angeles 4 probable, 2 questionable, 1 Out

Prediction: Memphis 20 Los Angeles 17

This is a pretty evenly matched game with Memphis having a slight statistical advantage. Los Angeles has injury problems at RB which may impact the game. I would not be surprised if the Express win but I gotta pick somebody.
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San Jose SaberCats (10-6) @ Portland Storm (13-3)

Point Spread: Portland -6

San Jose: Offense 7th Defense 2nd
Portland: Offense 5th Defense 5th

Last Playoff Appearance: San Jose 2000 Portland 2000
Playoff Records: San Jose 5-11 (1-0 World Bowl) Portland 23-16 (3-2 World Bowl)

Head to Head: Portland is 3-1 vs San Jose in the post season. San Jose defeated Portland 26-11 Week 9 of this season.

Injuries: San Jose 4 probable, 6 questionable, 1 doubtful Portland 8 probable, 1 questionable, 1 doubtful, 1 I.R.

Prediction: San Jose 16 Portland 13

I wouldn't be surprised if Portland wins but San Jose beat Portland earlier this year and they're the defending champs so I'm picking them. Both teams are pretty banged up injury wise so whomever wins might struggle to field a healthy 46 next round.

National Conference Wildcard Round

New Jersey Generals (10-6) @ Philadelphia Bell (11-5)

Point Spread: Philadelphia -3

New Jersey: Offense 4th Defense 15th
Philadelphia: Offense 10th Defense 8th

Last Playoff Appearance: New Jersey 2000 Philadelphia 1994
Playoff Records: New Jersey 37-19 (4-5 World Bowl) Philadelphia 1-4

Head to Head: New Jersey and Philadelphia split their regular season games. New Jersey is 1-0 vs Philadelphia in the playoffs.

Injuries: New Jersey 6 probable, 1 questionable, 1 I.R. Philadelphia 3 probable, 2 questionable

Prediction: Philadelphia 23 New Jersey 19

The last time Philadelphia was in the playoffs in 1994, they had to travel to New Jersey, where they were sent home by the Generals. This time the game is in Philly and the fans would love nothing more than to send the Generals home with a loss. This is the first career post season appearance and start for both starting QBs, Antonio Martinez and Bryant Smith.
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Jacksonville Bulls (10-6) @ Orlando Renegades (13-3)

Point Spread: Orlando -6

Jacksonville: Offense 21st Defense 10th
Orlando: Offense 8th Defense 7th

Last Playoff Appearance: Jacksonville 2000 Orlando 2000
Playoff Records: Jacksonville 5-11 Orlando 7-8 (0-1 World Bowl)

Head to Head: Orlando swept Jacksonville this season and this will be their first ever post season game against each other.

Injuries: Jacksonville 1 probable, 2 questionable Orlando 6 probable, 1 questionable, 1 doubtful, 1 Out

Prediction: Orlando 24 Jacksonville 10

It's tough to beat a team 3 times in a season and Jacksonville is the healthier team so my prediction could be way off base. The Renegades are the statistically better team though and they did win 3 more games than the Bulls so that's my pick and I'm sticking to it.
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Shreveport Steamer (9-7) @ Pittsburgh Maulers (13-3)

Point Spread: Pittsburgh -8

Shreveport: Offense 13th Defense 25th
Pittsburgh: Offense 3rd Defense 1st

Last Playoff Appearance: Shreveport 2000 Pittsburgh 1997
Playoff Records: Shreveport 9-13 Pittsburgh 11-11 (0-1 World Bowl)

Head to Head: Pittsburgh is 2-1 vs Shreveport in the post season. Shreveport beat Pittsburgh 23-0 Week 10 of the 2000 season.

Injuries: Shreveport 4 probable, 1 questionable, 1 doubtful Pittsburgh 4 probable, 2 questionable, 2 doubtful, 1 Out

Prediction: Pittsburgh 31 Shreveport 10

Pittsburgh has the 3rd ranked offense against the 25th ranked defense of Shreveport. On the other side of the ball, the Maulers have the #1 defense so it seems like it could be a long day for the Steamer.

American Conference Divisional Round

San Jose SaberCats (11-6) @ Oklahoma Outlaws (16-0)

Point Spread: Oklahoma -6

San Jose: Offense 7th Defense 2nd
Oklahoma: Offense 6th Defense 4th

Last Playoff Appearance: San Jose 2000 Oklahoma 2000
Playoff Records: San Jose 6-11 (1-0 World Bowl) Oklahoma 6-9

Head to Head: San Jose beat Oklahoma 14-13 Week 6 of 1999. Oklahoma is 2-0 vs San Jose in the post season.

Injuries: San Jose 12 probable, 3 questionable Oklahoma 4 probable, 1 questionable, 1 doubtful

Prediction: Oklahoma 20 San Jose 12

I would have probably picked Oklahoma over a healthy San Jose team given their 16-0 record, but with 15 players on the injury report, the SaberCats will be hard pressed to keep up in an expected physical game. I could still see an upset happening as San Jose are still the defending champions.
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Memphis Showboats (12-5) @ Houston Gamblers (12-5)

Point Spread: Houston -4

Memphis: Offense 9th Defense 9th
Houston: Offense 2nd Defense 6th

Last Playoff Appearance: Memphis 2000 Houston 2000
Playoff Records: Memphis 27-12 (5-0 World Bowl) Houston 36-11 (8-0 World Bowl)

Head to Head: Memphis and Houston split their regular season games this season. Houston is 3-2 vs Memphis in the post season.

Injuries: Memphis 5 probable, 2 questionable Houston 5 probable, 2 questionable

Prediction: Houston 21 Memphis 17

If this were real life we'd all be sick of hearing how these teams are a combined 13-0 in the World Bowl. We have only had 27 champions and their combined 13 is almost half...quite impressive. They split their games this season, have similar season stats, identical won/loss records and injury reports, doesn't get much more even than that. I wouldn't be surprised by whatever the outcome is unless one team blows out the other. I expect a close game throughout and I'm picking Houston because they're at home.

I almost didn't game plan/exert the energy, however, that's not how my DNA is wired.

National Conference Divisional Round

Jacksonville Bulls (11-6) @ New Orleans VooDoo (14-2)

Point Spread: New Orleans -9

Jacksonville: Offense 21st Defense 10th
New Orleans: Offense 1st Defense 3rd

Last Playoff Appearance Jacksonville 2000 New Orleans 2000
Playoff Records: Jacksonville 6-11 New Orleans 15-17 (0-4 World Bowl)

Head to Head: New Orleans beat Jacksonville 25-3 Week 2 of this season. New Orleans is 2-0 vs Jacksonville in the post season.

Injuries: Jacksonville 5 probable New Orleans 3 probable, 2 questionable, 1 doubtful

Prediction: New Orleans 27 Jacksonville 13

New Orleans has beaten everyone on their schedule except Oklahoma and Houston and they should be able to beat Jacksonville. No disrespect intended toward the Bulls but the VooDoo have been the best team in the conference all season and I can't pick against them.
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New Jersey Generals (11-6) @ Pittsburgh Maulers (14-3)

Point Spread: New Jersey -3

New Jersey: Offense 4th Defense 15th
Pittsburgh: Offense 3rd Defense 1st

Last Playoff Appearance: New Jersey 2000 Pittsburgh 1997
Playoff Records: New Jersey 38-19 (4-5 World Bowl) Pittsburgh 12-11 (0-1 World Bowl)

Head to Head: Pittsburgh beat New Jersey 32-13 Week 1 of this season. New Jersey is 3-1 vs Pittsburgh in the post season.

Injuries: New Jersey 5 probable, 1 I.R. Pittsburgh 4 probable, 4 questionable, 1 doubtful

Prediction: Pittsburgh 24 New Jersey 21

Pittsburgh is in the final leg of their journey to the biggest one season turn around in league history (unofficially, that is...I have not fact checked this statement). Wherever their journey ends this post season, the Maulers are a team to be reckoned with now and the near future. I'm sure the playoff veteran Generals will make it difficult but I expect the better team to prevail and give New Jersey a Pittsburgh Loss bookend to their season (we lost to Pitt Week 1).

From 1979-2000 (22 years), either Houston or Memphis played in the Conference Championship game in 17 of those years but the 2 teams only played each other twice in the game.

American Conference Championship

Memphis Showboats (13-5) @ Oklahoma Outlaws (17-0)

Point Spread: Oklahoma -8

Memphis: Offense 9th Defense 9th
Oklahoma: Offense 6th Defense 4th

Playoff Records: Memphis 28-12 (5-0 World Bowl) Oklahoma 7-9

Head to Head: Oklahoma swept everyone this season, including both games against Memphis. Memphis is 2-1 vs Oklahoma in the post season.

Injuries: Memphis 6 probable, 1 questionable Oklahoma 4 probable, 3 questionable

Prediction: Oklahoma 19 Memphis 10

In my original playoff preview post I predicted the two #1 seeds to advance to World Bowl XXVIII and I will stick to that since they're both still playing. Memphis is more than capable of pulling an upset since they play the Outlaws twice a year.
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National Conference Championship

New Jersey Generals (12-6) @ New Orleans VooDoo (15-2)

Point Spread: New Orleans -10

New Jersey: Offense 4th Defense 15th
New Orleans: Offense 1st Defense 3rd

Playoff Records: New Jersey 39-19 (4-5 World Bowl) New Orleans 16-17 (0-4 World Bowl)

Head to Head: New Orleans beat New Jersey 27-13 Week 14 of this season. New Jersey is 6-2 vs New Orleans in the post season.

Injuries: New Jersey 3 probable, 2 questionable, 1 doubtful, 1 I.R. New Orleans 4 probable, 2 questionable

Prediction: New Orleans 24 New Jersey 17

Like I said above, I'm sticking with the #1 seeds to reach World Bowl XXVIII since I picked them from the beginning of the playoffs. No matter what I'll be half right since the winner will be New something, but the VooDoo are the better team and they beat the Generals in last season's conference championship.