2008 AFL Playoff picture update

The 2008 AFL Playoff picture is being unveiled more and more each week as teams go out and win big games and others lose critical games that will affect their playoff seeding or playoff hopes altogether. One example is the New York Dragons, who had a seemingly must-win game against a stuggling New Orleans Voodoo team. Now New York is in the hunt for the playoffs after their 58-51 win, but it’s still a really tight race to see who’s going to make the wild card in the AFL's National Conference (check out the entire AFL standings). The Southern Division doesn’t even have a clear cut division champion yet, and it’s possible to make the case for almost every one of those teams to make the playoffs. In the East it’s either going to be the Desperados or the Philly Soul winning that division, as both teams are locks for the playoffs (the Soul won both head-to-head match-ups). Needless to say it’s a really muddled mess in the National Conference and it’s because the growing parity that’s starting to take effect in the AFL.

In the AFL's American Conference you’ve got the defending Arena Bowl Champion Sabercats and the Arizona Rattlers in the wild wild West. It’s not determined who is going to have the division crown and home field advantage in the playoffs, but both teams have already clinched 2008 AFL playoff spots. In the Central Division there’s Chicago that has run away with the division and will have home field advantage in the playoffs while the other teams all fighting for the four wild card spots.

• New Orleans vs. Orlando - A struggling New Orleans Voo Doo team that has lost it’s last 3 games in a row and trying to make it’s case of making the playoffs in a hotly-contested National Conference Wild Card Race. Orlando is also trying to jockey for position in the NC wildcard race as this is the Predators' final game of the regular season.
• New York vs. Dallas - The Dallas Desperados are shooting for moon in this divisional battle, though they lost to the Soul last week. Dallas is trying to rebound and hope the Soul lose down the stretch in hopes of winning the division title, home field advantage and the 1st round bye. Meanwhile the Dragons of New York are trying to burn through these last couple of games to get stay in the fight for the wild card.
• Chicago vs. Georgia - The Chicago Rush have clinched their division and can do another thing that starts with “R,” relax, as they play a Georgia Force team that’s trying to win it’s own division.

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• Cleveland vs. Philadelphia - This game is huge for Cleveland, a team that’s trying to make the wildcard, but they play arguably the toughest team in arena football in the Philladelphia Soul. Will the soul be able to play with heart as their starting Quarterback Tony Graziani left last week’s game with a concussion?
• Colorado vs. Arizona - A tale of two cities unfolds in this bubble battle as the Rattlers are vying for the division championship (though they will need a little help) playing against a Colorado team that’s trying to make it’s way into the wild card.
• Los Angeles vs. Kansas City - This in my opinion is Game of the Week as these two teams are fighting for that chance to make the wild card, the only question is who wants it more?

By Jacob Yesufu
ProFootball-fans.com Staff Writer

> Check out Chad's Arena Football Rules & AFL Basics article and see how your team is doing in the 2008 AFL standings as AFL teams continue to battle for a chance to play in Arena Bowl XXII!