IFL 2026 Playoffs Round 1 Picks
- Trey
- Jul 31
- 4 min read
PLAYOFF TIME IS HERE AND WE'VE GOT SOME BANGERS ON DECK!
After a Week 20 that made some fans blood pressure rise while others cruised into the postseason, we've got a big four game slate to determine what teams will clash for in the Eastern & Western Conference Championships next weekend.
Before we dive into the picks for this weekend, let's see how we did in the final week of the IFL regular season.
IFL Week 20 Review
Iowa +10.5 - Winner
San Antonio wins, Iowa covers, 33-26
TUC-SD Under 87.5 - Winner
Combined for 76 points
Tulsa -5.5 - Winner
Tulsa wins big, 66-42
NAZ-Vegas Under 92.5 - Winner
Combined for 74 points
I initially posted the Over, but with some injury updates before kickoff I flipped. I thought I put out a tweet but it got stuck in drafts. That's on me.
Fishers -4.5 - Loser
Orlando wins outright, 67-63
GB-JAX Under 95.5 - Loser
Combined for 107 points
4-2 to cap off a tremendous campaign in the IFL picks circuit. We willed the Iowa Barnstormers to a cover, as they finished 5-3 ATS at home on the year and we saw Tulsa win big to lock in a winning week yet again for the good guys.
A 72-40 record on the year is pretty dang good, if I do say so myself. To put it in a sports perspective, the Los Angeles Dodgers have the best record in the MLB this season with a record of 69-40 (at the time of this blog being punished).
Some people are saying that Off The Wall is better at picks than the Dodgers are at baseball, but if that is what people want to say then I won't stand in their way. Let them speak their minds. #ManOfThePeople
But we've got a very fun slate of games ahead with banger potential across the board. Folks...
LET'S FIND SOME WINNERS!
2026 IFL Record: 72-40
Tulsa Oilers @ Jacksonville Sharks (Saturday 8/1 @ 7PM ET)
The Play: Tulsa +2.5
I've said it time and time again, I love what Tulsa has put together and TJ Edwards is playing exceptional football right now. They are able to beat you on offense in a variety of different ways and have all three phases of the game operating at a high level heading into the playoffs.
Jacksonville has definitely bounced back to trend in the right direction the last two games, but it is difficult for me to pick against this Tulsa team right now.
But the good news for Sharks fans is that my spread picks for Jacksonville games have not been great this year, so if you want to take that into consideration to make you feel better... have it. OR I could finally be due. Tomato, to-mah-to.
Oil 'em up!
Prediction: 48-43 Tulsa
Orlando Pirates @ Green Bay Blizzard (Sunday 8/2 @ 2PM ET)
The Play: Orlando +7.5
These teams have played twice this season, with Green Bay winning both games by a combined 5 points. The first meeting in Green Bay was a 71-68 thriller that saw Orlando score with time left to cover +8.5 in dramatic fashion.
The Pirates have the hot hand on offense right now, but the defense has been getting carved up the past two games against San Antonio & Fishers -- allowing a combined 117 points in the final two games to sneak into the playoffs.
Green Bay will be without RB Kairee Robinson, who has been dynamic for them this year, so that opens the door a litttttttle bit for the Pirates to come in and potential upset the top seeded Blizzard, but the overall body of work from the Blizzard & MVP frontrunner Liam Thompson is too good to ignore.
Gimme the Blizz to win, but Orlando to cover.
Prediction: 57-52 Green Bay
Arizona Rattlers @ Vegas Knight Hawks (Sunday 8/2 @ 5:30PM ET)
The Play: Vegas -2.5
ANOTHER BANGER! The first time these teams met, we got weeks worth of memes and build up to the second clash at the IFL Cup. Vegas won both games, but Arizona has been on a run the last month of this season getting back into that classic Rattlers form for the playoffs.
For Vegas, they will be trotting out arguably the most talent offense in the league, but we haven't really seen them in full force yet with all the pieces 100% healthy and ready to roll. Jayden De Laura at QB, Antonio Wimbush & Josh Tomas at RB, Quentin Randolph Stoudamire, & Senika McKie at WR... what a SQUAD.
On paper, this is a wrecking crew that can put numbers on the board, but they'll face a stingy Arizona defense that has been much improved over the last half of the season.
I think Vegas wins this one in another classic between these two bitter rivals.
Prediction: 50-45 Vegas
Tucson Sugar Skulls @ San Diego Strike Force (Sunday 8/2 @ 9PM ET)
The Play: San Diego -9.5
They called me a mad man when I said San Diego would be the number one seed in the West before the season started, but here we are. San Diego has looked really great this year, but when they haven't it was mostly at their own hand and their own mistakes that put them in tough spots. The offense has been very well balanced since Ed Vander has come back in the final stretch of the season and would expect this offense to roll. The San Diego defense has been playing great ball as well, especially along that D-line and the pressure they have been able to bring. Just like Tulsa, all 3 phases of the game are playing well for them at the perfect time.
Tucson is going to need an A+ game from their offense to defeat this Strike Force squad, but the good news for them is that the 4 seed in the West has defeated the 1 seed several in the first round of the playoffs several times over the past few seasons... so there's that.
Gimme the Strike Force.
Prediction: 51-38 San Diego
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