National Conference playoff teams set

Andy Lopusnak
Monday July 9, 2012

The National Conference's four playoff teams are set thanks to the San Antonio Talons defeating the Chicago Rush Sunday afternoon.

With the win, the Talons (13-3), winners of ten straight, are the Central Division champions and are guaranteed at worst the #2 seed (and a home playoff game) in the National Conference playoffs.

The Utah Blaze (11-5) and San Jose SaberCats (11-6) clinched playoff berths with the Rush's loss. If the playoffs started today, this is how the National Conference postseason would shape up.

#4 San Jose (11-6) at #1 San Antonio (13-3)

#3 Utah (11-5) at #2 Arizona (12-4)

Prior to kickoff of the San Antonio-Chicago game, ArenaFan broke the news (view it here) that Spokane had been eliminated Saturday night when San Jose won and that Chicago would be eliminated with a loss (thus clinching playoff berths for Utah and San Jose). This wasn't part of the AFL's official playoff scenarios released on Tuesday and wasn't officially acknowledged by the league unti midway through the second quarter of the Talons-Rush game when the AFL tweeted that Spokane was eliminated the night before and that Chicago needed a win to stay alive (view it here). 

With two weeks remaining, any of the three West Division teams could win the division if certain scenarios play out, however, only Arizona (12-4) has a shot at the #1 seed because it plays San Antonio next week and already beat the Talons 68-34 back on April 22 (by the way, San Antonio's last loss). 

In the American Conference, only Philadelphia has clinched a playoff berth and secured the #1 seed in that conference over a month ago. The Soul is the only American Conference team with a winning record. Currently, five teams in the National Confernece have winning records.