American Conference Wildcard Round

San Antonio Gunslingers (13-3) @ Portland Storm (10-6)

Point Spread: San Antonio -3

San Antonio: Offense 2nd Defense 5th
Portland: Offense 7th Defense 15th

Last Playoff Appearance: San Antonio 2008 Portland 2008
Playoff Records: San Antonio 2-5 (0-1 World Bowl) Portland 33-24 (4-3 World Bowl)

Head to Head: San Antonio beat Portland 13-6 Week 10 of this season. Portland is 2-0 vs San Antonio in the post season.

Injuries: San Antonio 4 probable, 1 questionable Portland 5 probable, 1 I.R.

Prediction: San Antonio 23 Portland 16

San Antonio is statistically better on both sides of the ball and has a better regular season resume than Portland. It doesn't mean the Gunslingers automatically win but I'm playing the odds here.
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Cleveland Thunderbolts (10-6) @ Michigan Panthers (13-3)

Point Spread: Michigan -8

Cleveland: Offense 23rd Defense 20th
Michigan: Offense 11th Defense 7th

Last Playoff Appearance: Cleveland 2006 Michigan 2006
Playoff Records: Cleveland 2-9 Michigan 8-15

Head to Head: Cleveland beat Michigan 26-23 Week 2. Michigan beat Cleveland 29-12 Week 12. Michigan is 1-0 vs Cleveland in the post season.

Injuries: Cleveland 5 probable, 2 questionable Michigan 4 probable, 2 questionable

Prediction: Michigan 24 Cleveland 9

Michigan comes in having won 7 in a row, and have not allowed a TD since Week 12 against Cleveland. The Thunderbolts started fast at 9-1 but have lost 5 of their last 6. These teams are going different directions and I expect Michigan to move on.
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Honolulu Hawaiians (9-7) @ Oklahoma Outlaws (13-3)

Point Spread: Oklahoma -11

Honolulu: Offense 12th Defense 11th
Oklahoma: Offense 6th Defense 8th

Last Playoff Appearance: Honolulu 2006 Oklahoma 2008
Playoff Records: Honolulu 1-13 Oklahoma 20-15 (2-1 World Bowl)

Head to Head: Oklahoma beat Honolulu 44-7 Week 1 of 2008. Oklahoma is 2-0 vs Honolulu in the post season.

Injuries: Honolulu 5 probable, 2 questionable Oklahoma 3 probable, 1 questionable

Prediction: Oklahoma 31 Honolulu 20

I think it's safe to say everyone except Armored Giraffe hopes Slick wins but I don't base my picks on hope or want. Statistically speaking this is probably one of Slick's strongest Hawaiians team but having to play Oklahoma isn't easy. Honolulu's defense needs to harass Raymond Settles into throwing some INTs to pull the upset.

National Conference Wildcard Round

Orlando Renegades (10-6) @ Pittsburgh (12-4)

Point Spread: Orlando -1

Orlando: Offense 9th Defense 3rd
Pittsburgh: Offense 14th Defense 4th

Last Playoff Appearance: Orlando 2008 Pittsburgh 2008
Playoff Records: Orlando 11-16 (0-1 World Bowl) Pittsburgh 24-16 (2-2 World Bowl)

Head to Head: Pittsburgh beat Orlando 13-10 Week 6 of 2008. Orlando and Pittsburgh have split 2 post season games.

Injuries: Orlando 2 probable, 1 questionable, 1 doubtful Pittsburgh 2 probable

Prediction: Pittsburgh 34 Orlando 21

Pittsburgh is on an 8 game winning streak where they've outscored their opponents 256-42. Orlando has won 9 of 11 with both losses coming to playoff teams. Both teams are hot but the Maulers are hotter so I'm picking them to advance.
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Birmingham Stallions (10-6) @ Jacksonville Bulls (13-3)

Point Spread: Jacksonville -14

Birmingham: Offense 8th Defense 12th
Jacksonville: Offense 5th Defense 9th

Last Playoff Appearance: Birmingham 2008 Jacksonville 2008
Playoff Records: Birmingham 9-16 (0-1 World Bowl) Jacksonville 9-14

Head to Head: Jacksonville beat Birmingham 51-31 Week 3 of 2008. Jacksonville is 2-1 against Birmingham in the post season.

Injuries: Birmingham 5 probable Jacksonville 6 probable, 1 questionable

Prediction: Jacksonville 30 Birmingham 27 (OT)

I don't get some of these point spreads, especially this one. Their stats are similar yet the Bulls are 2 TD favorites? OK MFN. I smell a possible upset,but I'm going to pick this as a coin flip OT game.
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New Jersey Generals (9-7) @ Philadelphia Bell (14-2)

Point Spread: Philadelphia -7

New Jersey: Offense 18th Defense 15th
Philadelphia: Offense 4th Defense 6th

Last Playoff Appearance: New Jersey 2008 Philadelphia 2007
Playoff Records: New Jersey 42-26 (4-6 World Bowl) Philadelphia 5-11 (0-1 World Bowl)

Head to Head: New Jersey beat Philadelphia 30-16 Week 12 and Philadelphia beat New Jersey 27-17 Week 14. New Jersey and Philadelphia have split 4 post season games.

Injuries: New Jersey 4 probable, 2 questionable, 1 doubtful Philadelphia 3 probable

Prediction: Philadelphia 31 New Jersey 10

Despite what happened in the regular season, I don't think my team hangs with Philadelphia. The Generals can run the ball and stop the pass, but Kevin Via sucks as a QB. If the Generals are to win, Via will need to make plays and I don't think he'll make enough of them.

American Conference Divisional Round

San Antonio Gunslingers (14-3) @ San Jose SaberCats (13-3)

Point Spread: Even

San Antonio: Offense 2nd Defense 5th
San Jose: Offense 1st Defense 1st

Playoff Records: San Antonio 3-5 (0-1 World Bowl) San Jose 11-18 (1-0 World Bowl)

Head to Head: San Antonio beat San Jose 50-17 Week 10 of 2008. San Antonio is 1-0 vs San Jose in the post season.

Injuries: San Antonio 4 probable, 1 questionable San Jose 7 probable, 1 questionable, 1 Out

Prediction: San Jose 20 San Antonio 17

There are a lot of ways this game could go, especially given how Smirt's game plans are quite volatile. Will he run every play? Pass every play? Something in between? How will he treat 4th down? Can his defense hold up against multiple short fields if need be? Brxnivy has had San Antonio playing great football since he took over and a Gunslingers win wouldn't surprise me but I have to pick the team with the league's best offense and defense.
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Michigan Panthers (14-3) @ Oklahoma Outlaws (14-3)

Point Spread: Oklahoma -10

Michigan: Offense 11th Defense 7th
Oklahoma: Offense 6th Defense 8th

Playoff Records: Michigan 9-15 Oklahoma 21-15 (2-1 World Bowl)

Head to Head: Oklahoma won 21-20 Week 12 of 2007. Oklahoma is 2-0 vs Michigan in the post season.

Injuries: Michigan 6 probable, 1 questionable Orlando 5 probable, 1 questionable

Prediction: Oklahoma 27 Michigan 20

Hellbringer has had an excellent first season back with Michigan but they have a tall task trying to stop Raymond Settles and Domenic Winstead. I think the Panthers will put up a good fight but in the end the Outlaws make one more play.

National Conference Divisional Round

Orlando Renegades (11-6) @ New Orleans VooDoo (16-0)

Point Spread: New Orleans -11

Orlando: Offense 9th Defense 3rd
New Orleans: Offense 10th Defense 2nd

Playoff Records: Orlando 12-16 (0-1 World Bowl) New Orleans 30-23 (2-5 World Bowl)

Head to Head: New Orleans beat Orlando 26-7 Week 4 of 2008. New Orleans is 2-1 vs Orlando in the post season.

Injuries: Orlando 3 probable, 1 questionable New Orleans 3 probable

Prediction: New Orleans 23 Orlando 13

Will Orlando play scared, especially on defense after nearly blowing a 27 point 4th qtr lead last week? Or will they play like they have nothing to lose? Will it even matter against the defending champs, who have found a way to win every game this season? The VooDoo have not allowed more than 15 points in any game this season, so the Renegades will need to play mistake free football to pull the upset. I think New Orleans will force a couple mistakes and advance.
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Jacksonville Bulls (14-3) @ Philadelphia Bell (15-2)

Point Spread: Philadelphia -1

Jacksonville: Offense 5th Defense 9th
Philadelphia: Offense 4th Defense 6th

Playoff Records: Jacksonville 10-14 Philadelphia 6-11 (0-1 World Bowl)

Head to Head: Jacksonville beat Philadelphia 23-10 Week 5 of this season. Jacksonville is 2-1 vs Philadelphia in the post season.

Injuries: Jacksonville 4 probable, 3 questionable Philadelphia 1 probable

Prediction: Jacksonville 17 Philadelphia 16

This game looks very evenly matched statistically and the game is at Philadelphia despite the Bell losing to the Bulls back in Week 5. Neither of these owners talk much to the press but their teams speak volumes on the field. If they played a series format like basketball or baseball, I'd expect it to last the full 7 games. I'm leaning Jacksonville based on last season's deep playoff run.

American Conference Championship

San Antonio Gunslingers (15-3) @ Oklahoma Outlaws (15-3)

Point Spread: Oklahoma -5

San Antonio: Offense 2nd Defense 5th
Oklahoma: Offense 6th Defense 8th

Playoff Records: San Antonio 4-5 (0-1 World Bowl) Oklahoma 22-15 (2-1 World Bowl)

Head to Head: Oklahoma swept San Antonio this season, winning 20-13 Week 4 and 13-6 Week 6. San Antonio is 1-0 vs Oklahoma in the post season.

Injuries: San Antonio 3 probable, 2 questionable Oklahoma 6 probable

Prediction: San Antonio 19 Oklahoma 17

This pick is simply me thinking brxnivy won't lose a 3rd time to AG. I may look dumb Monday morning, but that's my pick and I'm sticking to it.
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National Conference Championship

Philadelphia Bell (16-2) @ New Orleans VooDoo (17-0)

Point Spread: New Orleans -7

Philadelphia: Offense 4th Defense 6th
New Orleans: Offense 10th Defense 2nd

Playoff Records:Philadelphia 7-11 (0-1 World Bowl) New Orleans 31-23 (2-5 World Bowl)

Head to Head: New Orleans beat Philadelphia 31-12 Week 7 of 2008. New Orleans and Philadelphia have split their 2 post season games.

Injuries: Philadelphia 1 probable New Orleans 5 probable, 1 questionable

Prediction: Philadelphia 27 New Orleans 24

It would be easy to pick the undefeated defending champions to win, and like my other pick, I may look dumb Monday morning. Joel Jasso is on top of his game right now, Jason Wharton has a pass catching compliment in Von Sustaita, and Frederick Martin is running well. New Orleans has the 10th ranked offense but that's good for 4th best among the 4 teams still playing, while their 2nd ranked defense will be facing a red hot offense.

Nothing personal AG and Legend but I'm kinda hoping both picks are right because that would mean we're guaranteed a first time World Bowl winner.