AFL Power Rankings: Week 16
John Hoh
Thursday May 12, 2005
One team has now clinched a playoff berth. Many teams are still bunched up. Nashville has made a strong run to remain in contention. They play at Colorado this week, but the Kats also beat San Jose on the road, so who do you go for? Questions, questions. Hopefully we'll have more answers after this week.
Playoff seedings as of the end of week 15:
American:
- Colorado Crush (9-5)+
- Los Angeles Avengers (9-5)+
- Chicago Rush (8-6)
- San Jose SaberCats (8-6)
- Las Vegas Gladiators (8-6)
- Nashville Kats (6-7-1)
- Arizona Rattlers (5-9)
- Grand Rapids Rampage (2-12)
National:
- *Georgia Force (10-4)+
- New York (9-5) +
- Orlando Predators (9-6)
- Tampa Bay Storm (8-6)
- New Orleans VooDoo (8-6)
- Dallas Desperados (7-6-1)
- Philadelphia Soul (6-8)
- Austin Wranglers (6-9)
- Columbus Destroyers (1-13)
* Clinched playoff berth
+ Division Leaders
Herein are the Power Rankings for Week 16.
| Rank | Team | Record | Previous Rank | Next Up |
| 1 | Georgia Force (GA) | 10-4 | 1 | DAL |
| Beats Tampa Bay to take command of division and conference while securing playoff berth. A Force to be reckoned with. | ||||
| 2 | Colorado Crush (COL) | 9-5 | 5 | NAS |
| Crush in lead in conference, but some dangerous Kats are coming to town! | ||||
| 3 | New York Dragons (NY) | 9-5 | 12 | @TB |
| Two more wins moves the Dragons into division lead. 1-1/2 game lead with two to go—another win gives the Dragons the division crown. This year that honor will give them a playoff berth. Of course, they play at Tampa Bay, and the Storm is fighting for a playoff berth as well. | ||||
| 4 | Los Angeles< Avengers (LA) | 9-5 | 8 | LV |
| Avengers retake the division lead. LA win and San Jose loss gives the Avengers their first division title. | ||||
| 5 | Orlando Predators (ORL) | 9-6 | 3 | NO (5/22) |
| Predators still in fight for playoff spot with Tampa Bay and New Orleans. They get a bye week this week before hosting the VooDoo from New Orleans. | ||||
| 6 | New Orleans VooDoo (NO) | 8-6 | 4 | AUS |
| Austin comes to New Orleans. Austin's record isn't too stellar, but they have won some games lately and have beaten some top teams this year. VooDoo needs this game to stay alive for the playoffs. | ||||
| 7 | San Jose SaberCats (SJ) | 8-6 | 2 | @AZ |
| Two straight SaberCat losses leaves San Jose still scrambling for the playoffs. Just when it seemed the SaberCats had put it back together. | ||||
| 8 | Tampa Bay Storm (TB) | 8-6 | 6 | NY |
| Storm still brewing for the playoffs but must get past the Dragons first. Game is in Tampa Bay. | ||||
| 9 | Las Vegas Gladiators (LV) | 8-6 | 7 | @CHI |
| Hope is still alive. Another loss and it's "the team that plays in Vegas stays in Vegas." | ||||
| 10 | Dallas Desperados (DAL) | 7-6-1 | 9 | @GA |
| Dallas has slipped and now must win out for chance at a playoff spot. | ||||
| 11 | Chicago Rush (CHI) | 8-6 | 10 | GR |
| Chicago likely remembers the close call in Grand Rapids. It's doubtful the game at Allstate Arena will be close. | ||||
| 12 | Nashville Kats (NAS) | 6-7-1 | 11 | @COL |
| 5-0-1 in the last six games. Can the Kats continue this trend at Colorado? Can you believe they still have a shot at playoff glory? | ||||
| 13 | Philadelphia Soul (PHI) | 6-8 | 13 | CLB |
| A game with little meaning as the Destroyers come to Philly to meet the Soul. Soul should win and keep alive hopes of avoiding a losing season. | ||||
| 14 | Austin Wranglers (AUS) | 6-9 | 14 | @NO |
| Austin wins a couple games. Should give the team some momentum going into next season. This is the last game for the Wranglers this season. | ||||
| 15 | Arizona Rattlers (AZ) | 5-9 | 15 | SJ |
| After three straight ArenaBowls (and no wins in the three), the Rattlers were snakebit this year. No playoffs and a losing season. Questions still surround the future of this franchise. | ||||
| 16 | Grand Rapids Rampage (GR) | 2-12 | 16 | @CHI |
| Rampage doubles its win total from last year! | ||||
| 17 | Columbus Destroyers (CLB) | 1-13 | 17 | @PHI |
| All Columbus has destroyed are the hopes of its fans. At least they did get a win. Who will the Destroyers pick in the draft? | ||||
John L. Hoh, Jr., is a free-lance writer from Milwaukee who grew up in Appleton, Wisconsin, as an avid Dolphins fan. He followed Arena Football since its inception, at one point watching tape-delayed games on low-powered WAV-TV in Waukesha. His happiest day was when Milwaukee was awarded the Mustangs franchise; his saddest when the Mustangs were contracted out of the league. John is married to his wife Maija (13+ years) and has a young son, Matthew. John pines for the return of the Arena Football League to Milwaukee.
