AFL Football Betting – Playoff Power Poll

[Shame About Ray]

1) Philadelphia Soul (13-3/1-0) (8-8 ATS) (LW: 2) The Soul let it be known that they’re by far the most dominating team in the league when they went into New York and broke a number of AFL bettors hearts that thought the Dragons would somehow manage to win the game outright. After the dust cleared, Philly pummeled their division rivals by a 59-30 final count and locked up home field advantage throughout the National Conference Playoffs. After storming out to a 4-0 mark against the pointspread through its first four games, the Soul went on to lose eight of their next 12 against the Vegas number to go .500 on the year. They have a “Bye” this week and will welcome in the winner of the Orlando/Cleveland match-up to the Wachovia Center next week. Jon Bon Jovi’s Soul are my choice to hoist the ArenaBowl Trophy come July.

2) Georgia Force (10-6)/0-1) (8-7-1 ATS) (LW: 1) Even though Georgia lost last week’s online gambling affair at San Jose, the Force head into the second season as one of the hottest teams in the league winning seven of their last eight overall. They made the betting public a couple bucks ATS on the year, but they were a cash cow throughout the last two months of the season where they cashed their backers tickets five of eight times (two pushes). The over cashed in nine of their 16 games this season as QB Chris Greisen led the league throwing for close to 5,000 total yards. The defense also turned it up late as well limiting opponents to 55 points in five of their last eight games. They’ll await the winner of the NY/Dallas game this weekend.

3) Chicago Rush (11-5/1-0) (7-7-2 ATS) (LW: 4) Chicago was handed a gift last week when the Desperados benched a number of their starters in the second half once they found out they had nothing to gain after Philly pounded the Dragons into a bloody pulp to secure the Eastern Division crown. However, Chicago made the most of the opportunity and now own home field advantage throughout the American Conference Playoffs. The Rush struggled throughout the L/5 weeks of the season playing with pretty much nothing to gain, and it looked as if they might have fallen to Dallas at home if the Desperados had something to play for in the second half. Their conference is a complete joke evidenced by San Jose being the only team with a +.500 record to qualify for the post-season, so expect the Rush and Sabercats to square off at the All State Arena for the second time this season in a couple weeks.

4) Dallas Desperados (12-4/0-1) (7-9 ATS) (LW: 3) The Desperados lost their field general, QB Clint Dolezel, in a winning effort at Georgia way back in Week 1 but still managed to win their first seven games of the season (5-2 ATS). Oddsmakers had a great handle on this team in ‘08 after they made AFL bettors some nice coin by covering 10 of its 16 regular season games in 2007. The Desperados managed a losing mark ATS this year (7-9 ATS), and cost its backers in seven of their final nine lined games. This club had its hopes crushed after falling to Columbus in the second round of the playoffs last year after posting an impressive 15-1 SU mark. The resolve of this “paper champion” has been questioned for years now, so this veteran club better bring its “A” game with them this week against a NY club they’ve beaten the last six times they’ve squared off.

5) San Jose Sabercats (11-5/1-0) (7-9 ATS) (LW: 5) Another season and another Western Division crown for Head Coach Darren Arbet and the reigning ArenaBowl champs. The Sabercats started off slowly once again losing four of its first seven games SU (2-5 ATS) of the year, but they turned it on in the second half of the year winning eight of their final nine games (6-2-1 ATS). If they would have met up with Chicago later in the season as opposed to Week 1, they might be the rightful owners of home field advantage throughout the post-season. That said, they’ll host a game next week and will most likely get a shot at redemption against Chicago in the Conference Finals.

6) Cleveland Gladiators (9-7/1-0) (8-7-1 ATS) (LW: 6) My hat goes off to the Cleveland Gladiators who churned out a fantastic season after the franchise languished to a 2-14 SU and 4-12 ATS mark in the desert last season. Head Coach Mike Wilpolt did a tremendous job handling the roster the Gladiators brass assembled in the off-season, and parlayed it into the first winning season for the Gladiators franchise since 2002. This club boasts an electric offense that comes into the second season ranked 8th averaging 56+ PPG led by QB Raymond Philyaw who had himself another fabulous season throwing for 4,287 yards and 83 TDs. However, the defense leaves a bit too be desired (#10 at 56 PPG). If they get past Orlando at home for the second time this season, the Glads will square off against the Soul for the third time this year. That one is must see TV as the Glads handed the Soul their first loss of the season, and were a two-point conversion away from knocking them off on the road back in Week 16.

And the rest….

7) New York Dragons (8-8/0-1) (9-7 ATS) (LW: 7)

8) Utah Blaze (6-10/1-0) (7-8-1 ATS) (LW: 11)

9) Arizona Rattlers (8-8/0-1) (8-8 ATS (LW: 6)

10) Orlando Predators (9-7/1-0) (6-9-1 ATS) (LW: 11)

11) Grand Rapids Rampage (6-10/1-0) (8-8 ATS) (LW: 12)

12) Colorado Crush (6-10/1-0) (5-11 ATS) (LW: 13)