AFL Power Rankings: 2006 Week 14
John Hoh
Wednesday May 3, 2006
12 teams are still fighting over 7 available slots. Only five teams have secured playoff berths.
Herein are the 2006 week 14 Power Rankings. And remember, these are only my opinions and are not scientific. Any attempt to use this information for betting purposes is solely at the gambler’s discretion.
The Playoff Race
American Conference
1. Colorado Crush (x)
2. San Jose SaberCats(+)(y)
3. Arizona Rattlers
4. Nashville Kats(y)
5. Utah Blaze
6. Chicago Rush
Las Vegas Gladiators
Grand Rapids Rampage
Los Angeles Avengers
National Conference
1. Dallas Desperados (z)
2. Orlando Predators(+)(y)
3. New York Dragons
4. Georgia Force
5. Austin Wranglers
6. Columbus Destroyers
Philadelphia Soul
Tampa Bay Storm
Kansas City Brigade(e)
+ = Divisional leader
x = Clinched division crown
y = Clinched playoff spot
z = Clinched conference playoff home field
e = Eliminated from playoffs
| Rank | Team | Record | Previous Rank | Next Up |
| 1 | Dallas Desperados (DAL) | 12-2 | 1 | @PHI |
| Dallas rolls over the Rattlers to clinch home field throughout conference playoffs. In the process ends New York’s streak of divisional championships at 3. | ||||
| 2 | Colorado Crush (COL) | 10-4 | 3 | @SJ |
| Crush recovers balance after loss to Blaze to tame the Predators. Game at San Jose could clinch home field throughout conference playoffs. | ||||
| 3 | Orlando Predators (ORL) | 9-5 | 2 | @KC |
| Despite loss Preds still lead the Southern Division, which suddenly doesn’t look as formidable as it did weeks ago. Game at Kansas City may be site of Orlando clinching the division. | ||||
| 4 | New York Dragons (NY) | 9-5 | 4 | GA |
| Dragons looking to maintain momentum as they face the Force. | ||||
| 5 | San Jose SaberCats (SJ) | 8-6 | 6 | COL |
| SaberCats seek division title. Need to win against the Crush to keep home field hopes alive. | ||||
| 6 | Georgia Force (GA) | 8-6 | 7 | @NY |
| A Force to be reckoned with must now travel to the Big Apple’s Long Island. | ||||
| 7 | Austin Wranglers (AUS) | 8-6 | 5 | GR |
| Tough loss to the Destroyers at home. Austin needs some momentum going into the playoffs. | ||||
| 8 | Arizona Rattlers (AZ) | 7-7 | 9 | LV |
| Rattlers need to recover from loss to the Desperados to get back into division race. Host the Gladiators next. | ||||
| 9 | Columbus Destroyers (CLB) | 7-7 | 11 | TB |
| Streaking Columbus back on roll with win over Austin. Next host a Storm seeking to stay in the playoff hunt. | ||||
| 10 | Nashville Kats (NAS) | 7-7 | 8 | @LA |
| The Kats suddenly look declawed in their 3 straight losses. They have clinched a playoff berth, but momentum needs to swing back. | ||||
| 11 | Philadelphia Soul (PHI) | 7-7 | 10 | DAL |
| Philly needs to win to stay alive for a playoff berth. Perhaps Dallas will coast having secured home field advantage? | ||||
| 12 | Tampa Bay Storm (TB) | 7-7 | 12 | @CLB |
| Will Tampa Bay miss the playoffs for, well, the first time ever? Or can they rally and secure a berth in the last two weeks and pursue the record set by the NHL Blues? | ||||
| 13 | Utah Blaze (UT) | 6-8 | 15 | @CHI |
| Utah in play as a playoff team. Face Chicago, another team fighting for playoff breath. | ||||
| 14 | Chicago Rush (CHI) | 5-9 | 13 | UT |
| Rush stays in playoff hunt with inside edge. No, really. Yes, with a 5-9 record! | ||||
| 15 | Las Vegas Gladiators (LV) | 5-9 | 14 | @AZ |
| Yes, the Gladiators are still in playoff hunt. They travel to Arizona next in hopes of sneaking a win and keeping hope alive. | ||||
| 16 | Grand Rapids Rampage (GR) | 5-9 | 16 | @AUS |
| Yes, the Rampage are still in playoff hunt with win over the Kats. They travel to Austin next in hopes of sneaking a win and keeping hope alive. | ||||
| 17 | Kansas City Brigade (KC) | 3-11 | 17 | ORL |
| There is always next year. | ||||
| 18 | Los Angeles Avengers (LA) | 3-11 | 18 | NAS |
| Unlike the Brigade, the Avengers still have a slim chance at the playoffs—assuming they can get a lot of help. | ||||
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.
