AFL Playoffs Betting Preview and Picks
By SCOTT COOLEY
Orlando Predators at Jacksonville Sharks (-7, 108)
The Predators will be without two players in this contest because of a “Malice at the Palace” type of incident that occurred last week.
In the waning minutes of Orlando’s regular season finale, lineman Julius Wilson went into the stands to give his grandfather a football but a fan knocked it out of his hands and a brawl ensued. Wideout Bobby Sippio came to his teammate’s aid and also started throwing haymakers.
Sippio was handed a one-game suspension by the league office while Wilson will miss his next six AFL games. Wilson wasn’t a key player for the Preds but Sippio, a former member of the Kansas City Chiefs, is one of the best receivers to ever play the indoor game. In just 10 games this season, Sippio hauled in 51 passes for 747 yards and 18 touchdowns.
Orlando will not travel far to reach Sea Best Field in Jacksonville, just a 140-mile bus trip, but the Sharks will have a decisive home-field edge in this contest. Jacksonville pummeled the Predators at home in April, 57-31, and are 7-1 (5-3 ATS) at home this season.
With or without Sippio, Orlando really had no chance in this one. The Sharks’ rowdy defense will lock up the opposition and earn a double-digit victory.
Pick: Jacksonville
Arizona Rattlers at Spokane Shock (-7, 112)
These two teams have only met each other twice but already the rivalry is one of the most intense in the AFL.
Prior to the start of the season, Arizona head coach Kevin Guy lured Spokane players to his team with incentives, including All-Arena quarterback Nick Davila. At the conclusion of the teams’ first meeting, a 63-56 underdog win by the Shock in Phoenix, Guy and Spokane head coach Rob Keefe got into a shouting match and nearly came to blows.
The Shock would love nothing more than to knock their nemesis out of the playoffs. The second meeting between these clubs occurred in Spokane on July 2 and the Shock escaped with a 37-36 victory but failed to cover the spread.
The travel to Eastern Washington is always tough but the Rattlers are already stationed in the West so internal clocks won’t need to be adjusted as much. Spokane will likely advance from this heated battle but expect the Rats to keep it competitive throughout.
Pick: Arizona
Tampa Bay Storm at Tulsa Talons (+2, 112.5)
Tulsa has only lost two games at the BOK Center in franchise history. Granted, the Talons were playing against inferior competition in the af2 for most of that stretch but they’ve already defeated the Storm once at home this season.
However, that was Week 1 and this Tampa team is a totally different beast. Tim Marcum’s clubs are notoriously slow starters and the Storm got out to a 2-3 start this season. Since then, the team is 9-2 straight up and 7-4 against the spread.
The Storm have a rich, winning history with five ArenaBowl championships and this is a veteran-laden squad. Look for Tampa’s top-ranked defense to come away with a few key turnovers and propel this team into the next round.
Pick: Tampa Bay
Chicago Rush at Milwaukee Iron (-7.5, 114)
This spread has already moved from an opener of -9 down to its current number. The reason being is because you never want to bet against Mike Hohensee.
“In any coaching matchup in arena football there are a couple of coaches I’m going to trust every time,” Covers Expert Ted Sevransky said. “One is Mike Hohensee and the other is Tim Marcum.”
Back in Week 13, the Rush were forced to play without their starting quarterback and all three starting wideouts. Chicago opened as a 1-point home underdog in that contest but as news surfaced about the absence of key players, the spread moved to 9 points by kickoff. Hohensee and his makeshift lineup found a way to pull off the miracle, winning the game 63-56.
Chicago ended the regular season with nine players on injured reserve and a pair of integral starters left the team. Two offensive linemen and a receiver were the only three offensive players in the Rush’s season finale starting lineup that were in the same positions Week 1.
The Iron have played every home game in the Bradley Center but this contest will take place at US Cellular Arena because of a renovation conflict. New surroundings coupled with Chicago’s ability to achieve the impossible will allow the Rush to cover the spread.
Pick: Chicago