Originally Published: May 27, 2008
Look who's back at No. 1
There's a new No. 1 in Power Rankings.
Who's the best team in the AFL? Scouts Inc.'s Gary Horton has watched all the film and ranks every team, Nos. 1 through 17.
1. Dallas Desperados (10-2) | Previous: 3 | Week 13: Beat Orlando 67-41 | Next: at Cleveland The Desperados played a gutsy game in an impressive road win over Orlando. With 25-unanswered points in the third quarter that included two safeties and great special teams play, plus a gritty effort by Ironman Will Pettis (5 tackles, 1 receiving TD, 1 rushing TD, 1 passing TD, and 1 INT return for TD ), Dallas showed its character in a win that helps in the battle for playoff seeding.
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2. Philadelphia Soul (10-3) | Previous: 2 | Week 13: Lost to Kansas City 57-47 | Next: Bye
The Soul are in a free fall as they suffered their third loss in four games. They let rookie QB D. Bryant play a mistake-free game versus their battered defense and botched a last-second play that could have tied the game. The good news is the Soul has a week off to regroup.
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3. Chicago Rush (9-3) | Previous: 1 | Week 13: Lost to Utah 54-47 | Next: vs. Kansas City The Rush appeared to be flat at Utah. Their usually explosive offense was not clicking, but the defense probably played well enough to win. As good as the Rush are, they are not good enough to mail it in and must avoid coasting to the playoffs.
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4. San Jose SaberCats (8-5) | Previous: 5 | Week 13: Beat Colorado 59-42 | Next: at L.A. The SaberCats got a big game from QB Mark Grieb (8 TD passes) and clinched their ninth playoff berth in a row. San Jose's defense held the Crush to 3-of-12 conversions on third- and fourth-downs and also broke up an incredible 10 Crush passes.
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5. Orlando Predators (8-5) | Previous: 4 | Week 13: Lost to Dallas 67-41 | Next: vs. Arizona The Predators went cold in the third quarter as Dallas scored 25 unanswered points. The Orlando offensive line had its hands full and the Predators don't seem to be stable at QB as Shane Stafford and Jake Eaton both played, but with only average results.
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6. Georgia Force (7-5) | Previous: 8 | Week 13: Beat New Orleans 40-29 | Next: vs. Tampa Bay The Force defense dominated this game with three key defensive stops in the fourth quarter and held a struggling New Orleans offense to only six points in the second half. Not one VooDoo receiver scored a TD. Georgia also got a solid effort from QB Chris Greisen as the Force are marching to the playoffs.
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7. Cleveland Gladiators (7-5) | Previous: 7 | Week 13: Lost to Tampa Bay | Next: vs. Dallas The Gladiators ran into a very hot Tampa Bay defense that held them to 202 passing yards, although QB Raymond Philyaw played well despite a lot of defensive pressure by the Storm defensive line. The smaller Cleveland defensive backs really struggled to match-up physically with the bigger Tampa Bay receivers.
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8. New Orleans VooDoo (7-5) | Previous: 6 | Week 13: Lost to Georgia 40-29 | Next: vs. Columbus The VooDoo continue to struggle and they showed no offensive explosiveness in a one sided loss to Georgia at home and they were shut out the last 19 minutes of the game and they did not have a TD by a WR and the New Orleans offense was only five for 13 on third and fourth down conversions.
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9. New York Dragons (6-6) | Previous: 9 | Week 13: Lost to Columbus 43-41 | Next: at Colorado The Dragons pass offense could not put enough explosive plays together, especially in the second half, even though QB Aaron Garcia put together a good statistical day over a Columbus defense that played better than expected. Plus, the usually aggressive Dragons defense did not put a lot of pressure on Columbus QB Matt Nagy.
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10. Tampa Bay Storm (6-6) | Previous Rank: 10 | Week 13: Beat Cleveland 58-48 | Next: at Georgia The Storm are winning right now with good defense and they have held their opponents to under 50 points for the third time in five games. Tampa Bay also received a solid game by QB Brett Dietz, who found seven different receivers in the win.
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11. Arizona Rattlers (6-6) | Previous: 11 | Week 13: Beat Grand rapids 52-48 | Next: at Orlando The Rattlers are getting close to wrapping up an improbable playoff berth and they put together a strong fourth quarter to beat Grand Rapids. They got a good defensive effort with eight passes broken up and QB Jeff Smoker played a solid game.
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12. Colorado Crush (4-8) | Previous: 12 | Week 13: Lost to San Jose 59-42 | Next: vs. New York QB John Dutton put up decent numbers versus a good San Jose defense, but he could not get anything going in the fourth quarter. He struggled to make third- and fourth-down conversions (only 3 for 12) and also had 10 passes broken-up.
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13. Utah Blaze (3-10) | Previous: 14 | Week 13: Beat Chicago 51-48 | Next: at Grand Rapids The usually offensive-minded Blaze made some stops on defense and even played well on special teams to upset Chicago. This Joe Germaine-led offense keeps Utah's improbable playoff hopes alive.
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14. Grand Rapids Rampage (3-9) | Previous: 15 | Week 13: Lost to Arizona 52-48 | Next: vs. Utah The Rampage could not make enough plays in the fourth quarter and QB James MacPherson had eight passes broken up by an opportunistic Arizona defense. The Rattlers also exposed the Grand Rapids defense with five rushing TDs.
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15. Columbus Destroyers (3-9) | Previous: 16 | Week 13: Beat New York 43-41 | Next: at New Orleans Columbus got solid a games on offense by QB Matt Nagy and WR C.J. Johnson and a strong defensive effort by DB Matt Thomas . The Destroyers held a usually-strong New York offense to only six points in the second half in a much-needed home win.
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16. Kansas City Brigade (3-9) | Previous: 17 | Week 13: Beat Philadelphia 54-47 | Next: at Chicago The usually underachieving Brigade played their best game of the year with an excellent performance by rookie QB D. Bryant and they made plays when they had to. This is a quality road win for a struggling team.
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17. Los Angeles Avengers (4-8)) | Previous: 13 | Week 13: Bye | Next: vs. San Jose Despite their mediocrity, the Avengers still look playoff bound in the watered down American Conference, but unless they regain stability at QB and also start making some defensive stops, they will be one and done in the postseason.
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Gary Horton, a pro scout for Scouts Inc., has been a football talent evaluator for more than 30 years. He spent 10 years in the NFL and 10 years at the college level before launching a private scouting firm called The War Room.
