The tides are changing. The weather is warming.
The birds are chirping. The flowers are blooming.
You feel that?
Off The Wall picks are starting to thaw out after an icy stretch of weeks, and...
we might back?
Week 6 Review
Tucson Sugar Skulls-San Antonio Gunslingers - San Antonio +4.5 - Winner
San Antonio wins outright, 60-36
Sioux Falls Storm-Green Bay Blizzard - Under 81.5 - Loser
Combined for 83 points (FG with less than 2 minutes left to push it over)
Vegas Knight Hawks-Jacksonville Sharks - Over 83.5 - Winner
Combined for 96 points
Arizona Rattlers-Iowa Barnstormers - Over 81.5 - Winner
Combined for 96 points
Massachusetts Pirates-Quad City Steamwheelers - Over 85.5 - Winner
Combined for 97 points
Frisco Fighters-Tulsa Oilers - Tulsa +7 - Loser
Frisco wins 60-32
San Diego Strike Force-Bay Area Panthers - San Diego -2.5 - Loser
Bay Area wins 53-50
Duke City Gladiators-Northern Arizona Wranglers - Over 90.5 - Loser
Northern Arizona wins 39-23
Alright so 4-4 may not be "back", per se. But considering we were ~60 seconds away from being 6-2, I'd say we're pretty heckin' close! Honestly might have to bully myself into picking an Under.
The Tulsa & DC-NAZ picks were dead on arrival and truly never had a realistic chance, but that's the way she goes, bubs.
I LOVED this 8 game slate this past weekend. What's the best way to follow an 8 game weekend slate? How about ANOTHER 8 game slate?
2024 IFL Record: 13-20
Let's go to work and LET'S FIND SOME WINNERS!
Iowa Barnstormers vs Green Bay Blizzard (Friday 4/26, 6:05PM CT)
The Play: Over 77.5
Arnold's Mr Freeze is the simply the best.
I can't pick a Green Bay game to save my life right now.
Unders were 3-0 heading into last week, so I rolled with it -- the Over naturally hits in the dying moments of the game.
Green Bay is 4-0 Against the Spread this year, but with the spread at -11.5, that feels like a trap against a feisty Iowa team that seemed to be putting things together in the 2nd half last week against Arizona. I've either overthought this or thought this out just enough.
I like what Kyle King has brought to the Barnstormers the past couple of games, and I think we'll be in for a bit of a duel between Kyle King & Max Meylor -- a sentence that I never thought that I would type.
Prediction: 50-41 Green Bay
San Antonio Gunslingers vs Frisco Fighters (Friday 4/26, 7:30PM CT)
The Play: San Antonio +16.5
It's Texas Showdown time!
On the latest episode of the podcast I said I would NOT pick against the Frisco Fighters again -- and technically I'm not, okay! I just think 16.5 points is a lot of points against Sam Castronova based on how he has played so far this year.
Do I think Frisco will control the game? Yes absolutely. Do I think San Antonio will find a way to cover in the final moments? Also yes.
This is going to be a very, very fun game and will have lots of action back and forth -- with O/U of 102.5, Vegas seems to think so too.
Prediction: 52-43 Frisco
Duke City Gladiators vs Vegas Knight Hawks (Friday 4/26, 5:30PM CT)
The Play: Under 86.5
What happens in Vegas is streamed globally. It's 2024, folks.
I'm not a fan of picking Vegas Unders, but this one is worthy based solely on how poorly Duke City's offense has performed over the past couple of weeks.
There's no clear indication of who is going to be the starting QB against Vegas, and that's not ideal! It's either going to be Geremy Hickbottom (4/13, 2 INTs last game), Javin Kilgo (IFL leader in INTs) or the newly signed Alphonso Howard, who was signed 24 hours ago. No matter who gets the start, putting them up against Ja'Rome Johnson is going to be incredibly tough to keep up.
Duke City will need miracle game from their defense to have a chance.
Prediction: 48-32 Vegas
Massachusetts Pirates vs Sioux Falls Storm (Saturday 4/27, 7:05PM CT)
The Play: Over 88.5
Preach it, Kenny. We NEED em this weekend!
Neutral site game with a returning face of the franchise QB hoping to turn around an 0-4 start to the season vs a team bouncing back from their first loss of the season last week. This smells like a shootout!
Massachusetts has had trouble getting started on offense in most of their games this year, but has been a great second half team. If the return of Lorenzo Brown Jr can get this Storm offense kick started, it could wake up the Pirates early and get some points on the board.
For what it's worth, they combined for 90 points in their first matchup of the season as well.
Prediction: 52-47 Massachusetts
Northern Arizona Wranglers vs Tucson Sugar Skulls (Saturday 4/27, 8:05PM CT)
The Play: Tucson +5.5
Hyundai gang stand up! The Tucson in the building.
This pick hinges solely on IF QB Mylik Mitchell starts the game for the Sugar Skulls. If he does not play, this can not be held against me. (yes, it will still count against the overall record, calm down).
The Wranglers showed some signs of weakness last week against Duke City and I think the stock for Tucson is at a low right now based off of the egg they laid against San Antonio on a short week's rest.
This might be looked back on as the dumb pick of the week, but they've had 9 days to get several members of their team healthy and back on track, and I think Coach Back should have them ready to roll*
*once again, if Mylik Mitchell plays
Prediction: 53-45 Tucson
Tulsa Oilers vs Quad City Steamwheelers (Sunday 4/28, 3:05PM CT)
The Play: Over 82.5
Insert witty caption here.
Tulsa got ROCKED last week by Frisco, and Quad City's offense erupted for 50+ for the first time this season the last time they played. This should be a very back and forth game, as Tulsa should be able to get their offense going with RB Jarrod Ware Jr & WR Joshua Crockett in the return game as well.
Look for Quad City WR Jarrod Harrington to get involved early and often, getting at least 10+ touches, and hopefully we get another good showing from QB Judd Erickson.
Prediction: 49-42 Quad City
Jacksonville Sharks vs Arizona Rattlers (Sunday 4/28, 5:05PM CT)
The Play: Over 81.5
"So anyway they're on their 3rd QB, but THIS is the one!"
Jacksonville's offense looked much better last week in the first half against Vegas, but fizzled out in the second as the Knight Hawks pulled away. I anticipate seeing QB Fred Payton Jr again for Jacksonville, and he looked pretty good in his debut for the Sharks. The combo of him and RB Boom Williams could prove fruitful against a bad Rattlers run defense as they look for their first win of the season.
Last week, Arizona's defense provided a platform for Iowa's offense to get things sorted out and pop off for 47 points -- could we see it again this week for another lowly, zero win team from the Eastern Conference? (please say yes).
I like the Over, with a little part of me leaning towards Sharks +13.5 (that is not an official pick)
Prediction: 47-40 Rattlers
Bay Area Panthers vs San Diego Strike Force (Sunday 4/28, 5:05PM CT)
The Play: San Diego +3
Me and the boys watching this game.
CALI CLASH PART 2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO! Buckle up folks, this is going to be fun as hell.
I feel foolish yet again picking against the Bay Area Panthers, but San Diego looked like the better team last week when these two teams played. As soon as Nate Davis entered the game in the 2nd quarter, the field tilted in favor of San Diego's offense and you can't help but think how things would have shaken out if he started the game from the beginning.
For Bay Area, will we see QB Daquan Neal? Will we see RB Shane Simpson? A lot of question marks right now, so give me San Diego and the points.
Prediction: 50-45 San Diego
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