Playoff Preview

Tuesday the Predators make their first playoff appearance in their second session as a team. They qualified with a 5-4 record and a win Tuesday would post their first winning session in the teams history. Their defense has been solid almost the whole session and their offense has improved significantly since their first session. They qualified for the playoffs with the 4th seed and they play 5th seeded Seed Men, who have limped into the playoffs losing four straight after winning their first five. The Predators started the session off 3-0 but were 2-4 down the stretch. They beat up on the non-playoff teams posting a record of 3-1, outscoring those teams 68-13. Their record against playoff teams is 2-3, being outscored in those games 53-91. The good news is that they beat the Seed Men 12-0 in week 8 and know they are a more talented, organized team. The bad news is the Seed Men will play with a chip on their shoulder, hungry for revenge. Their goal was to make the winners bracket and contend for the title. A win Tuesday will assure them a top four finish. But a top four finish isn't what the Predators are looking for. After sitting back and analyzing the session the Predators have been very resilient and answered many challenges.

In week 1 the Predators beat Pat Catan's 8-6. It was a hard fought game and in hind sight, was probably the most important game of the session. The Predators (5-4) finished the session in 4th place. Next in 5th is the Seed Men (5-4), followed by Pat Catan's (4-5) in the sixth and final spot, who beat Seed Men 13-0 on Thursday night to get in and they play third seeded Martindale (6-3, winners of five straight) at 9pm on Tuesday. BAMF (4-5) finished in 7th, one spot out after being in the playoffs the whole session. If the Predators lose that tough, hard fought game on opening night against Pat Catan's, the Predators would be sitting in 7th place, on the outside looking in. It goes to show how every play matters and you have to be focused and tuned in on every down to be successful. In week 4 against BAMF the Predators lost two important players to the teams over all blue print for the session. #42 Clapper went down on offense early in the game and then #50 Price went down on the following defensive series, both suffering knee injuries. The Predators lost the game 0-7 and where left wondering, what happens next? In week 6 after two straight losses, the Predators bounced back beating Evolution convincing and that was the game where the newly vamped offense took form. In week 8 the Predators needed one more win to seal their fate as a playoff team and they suffocated the Seed Men 12-0. The session has had its ups and downs, but the Predators still find themselves in the hunt for the Championship. Many times during the session many teams would have just packed it in and said "our seasons over, it's just flag football." But the Predators don't see it that way. The Predators wouldn't be out there to just goof around and waste the time (and money) they have invested preparing. Who would've thought the team would have changed and adapted to what it is today the first time the Predators were running hills at Green Leaf getting ready for the session? The Predators will look back on the session as a success but now will look ahead to the playoffs where everybody is (0-0). What happened in the regular season stays in the regular season and what happens in the playoffs is up to the Predators. They will need to come hungry and go for the kill because they have a tough Seed Men waiting for them.

Offensively in the first round the Predators will come with #7 Brown at quarterback and #45 Price in certain situations. They will again rely heavily on #2 Long (8 TDs this session) and #27 Clapper (3 TDs in final four games) to do their thing against the Seed Men. They will also need to find the rest of the Predator receivers underneath and continue to convert 1st downs into touchdowns. The playoffs is a time when the unexpected happens and the Predators will need all six offensive players on the field to get open and make plays to help out their quarterbacks. They need to work together and slightly brush a defender to allow a teammate to get open. They also need to focus on not turning the ball over. In weeks six and seven they had it going well, but last week they had four turnovers and in week 8 against Seed Men they had five in a win, something unlikely to produce another win. They will come with a few new wrinkles in the offense, but they will still need to just execute by having fun and playing throw and catch. They will need to be focused and the offense will need to be crisp for the Predators to come out with a win.

Defensively the Predators need to do what they did last time against the Seed Men. Play bend don't brake defense and smother the Seed Men offense. Their last defensive performance against the Seed Men was very impressive and perhaps the most important performance on either side of the ball this session. They stopped the Seed Men on downs in scoring position numerous times and will need another similar effort. #52 Oberhaus (4 Interceptions) has manned the middle the entire session and the Predators are looking for him to disrupt the middle passing lanes and have a big game. The Predators will also be relying on #1 Clark (1 interception) at corner back to continue his progress in his new position by pulling flags and defending passes. At the other corner back the Predators will also need #7 Brown to eye up that quarterback and anticipate the short crossing routes that the Seed Men were successful with in week 8, and step in front of one and take it the other way. They Seed Men ran everyone on a slant to the same side and one player would run underneath in the opposite direction (same way QB was rolling) and the quarterback converted it many times. Something both #1 Clark and #7 Brown will need to be aware of. The Predators will also need #53 Wlotzko (2 sacks) to continue rushing hard and irritate the quarterback. The Predators will get #45 Price (4 sacks) back and he is hungry to hunt down the quarterback. The QB has a rocket arm and likes to scramble, but isn't very fast. #2 Long and #27 Clapper (combine for 8 interceptions) at the safeties will need to be on cue because the Seed Men will test them deep so they need be ball hawks and not allow deep passes down field. If the Predators show up and play to their potential, they will come away with a win.

The Predators are pumped to be playing in their first playoff game. They know it's win or go home and it's a long time til the spring session begins. They don't want their session to end just yet and would love another opportunity to compete on Thursday night to prove again, they belong. Find out what the Predators are made of Tuesday at 8pm when they face the Seed Men.