August 8, 2025
By Alex Rubin

1. What magic do the reigning champion Wind Chill have left?

After years of disappointment and heartbreak, the Wind Chill found postseason magic last summer and won the team’s first title. This year, Chicago loaded up to prevent that from happening again. The Union went undefeated throughout the season, led the league in both scores and scores against on a per game basis, and have an air of invincibility to them. Yet, the Wind Chill just simply cannot be counted out after what happened last August. 

Sure, Chicago won their matchups during the regular season by 15 scores combined. Chicago was better in nearly every rate-based statistic in those games. The Union recorded more blocks and fewer turnovers than Minnesota both times. 

Chicago’s advantage is not just in their performance this season, but in their team itself. Daan De Marrée led the league in plus/minus despite playing in just nine games. Ben Preiss turned into a goal scoring machine in his first year on the O-line. Five different players tallied double-digit blocks. The Union roster is so deep that some players who started the UFA Championship game just three seasons ago (the last time Chicago made Championship Weekend) did not make the twenty-person roster for this game. It’s going to take the Wind Chill’s best effort and then some to actually beat Chicago this season in their third try. If there’s any postseason magic left from their stunning run last year, now would be the time to use it.

2. Does San Diego have enough depth for another road upset?

Before the last round of the playoffs, I speculated that San Diego’s upset over Carolina might have been their peak and wondered if they had what it took to win a road playoff game in Austin. With that accomplishment out of the way, is there any chance they can win a road playoff game in Atlanta?

Let’s recap what’s still true:

It’s hard to find two better big game players than Travis Dunn and Khalif El-Salaam, but the Growlers will need another full team effort to overcome a stingy Austin team. Matt Miller is the engine keeping the Growlers’ offense moving. Among playoff participants, Miller finished second this season in total yards. His ascension in his second season with the Growlers is a big reason why they are able to stay competitive with teams who have been to the playoffs more recently. Max Gibson, Jesse Cohen, Marcel Osborne, KJ Koo, and others will likewise have to step up–even if just for a game–to help the Growlers continue their season.​

But this Atlanta team, like Minnesota in 2023 and DC in 2024 seems destined for Championship Weekend. The Hustle have been knocking on the doorstep since 2021. They brought in new talent like Cam Brock and Alec Wilson Holliday to revitalize their offense, and those two plus Adam Miller have sparked a renaissance for a Hustle team that was already quite good, and now looks great. Atlanta has the highest completion percent and hold percent in the league and is poised to ride their stellar offense all the way to Madison. It is almost certain that Atlanta will turn the disc over fewer than the 19 times Austin gave it to San Diego last week, so the Growlers will need to scheme up a way to stop the Hustle or they’ll be in for a long flight home.

3. Can Oakland breakthrough in their third meeting with the Shred?

The Shred and Spiders played twice already this season, in weeks 7 and 10, and Salt Lake won both times. So what could be different this time around? To start with, teams grow and develop in six weeks. To add on, Oakland is coming off a dominant playoff win while Salt Lake has to be fending off creeping reminders of their last division championship game–an untimely home loss to Seattle before last season’s Championship Weekend which was played in Salt Lake.

Oakland has the goods to make it back to Championship Weekend for the first time in a decade. Walker Frankenberg is firmly entering the prime of his career. He now has 40 or more goals and assists each this season. Adam Rees and Leo Gordon (who is not active for this week’s game) revitalized the Spiders’ downfield attack. Rees finished second on the team in plus/minus and goals (both behind Frankenberg). 

At the same time, the Shred can match the Spiders wit for wit. Matt Russnogle and McKay Yorgason are also having a career year. Chad Yorgason’s first season on offense revitalized the Shred attack. The Shred are getting significant contributions from young players like Kimball Pew, Nate De Morgan, and Alex Forsberg–players unheard of on the UFA stage at this point last season.

What both Salt Lake and Oakland have done to integrate new players and build strong teams is impressive, and both should be happy with their season no matter the result of this game. While the Shred have a significant advantage with home field and two wins over the Spiders already on the docket, Oakland absolutely has a fighting chance at pulling off another west division upset.

4. Will an extended break help or hurt Boston?

Last time I asked if DC or New York was better suited to challenge Boston. I correctly suggested the Breeze were the choice, and they did win, but can they actually beat Boston too? DC finished the season strong, winning four of their last five games including two over Boston in that stretch. The Glory meanwhile lost three of their final four games–their only three losses this season–and have not played since July 19, three weeks ago, while DC got to play a tune-up game (I can’t believe that’s what it ended up being) against New York last week.

Tobe Decraene has been nothing short of fantastic in his sophomore season, leading the league in receiving yards and leading Boston in both goals and assists. Since switching to the D-line in June, Jeff Babbitt is a one-person wrecking ball, leading his team with 21 blocks. With Tannor Johnson-Go also on the D-line, the Boston counterattack is lethal. For the first time in their short history, the Glory finally seem to have a team with enough top-end talent, collective buy-in, and cumulative depth to genuinely compete for a spot at Championship Weekend. 

But the Breeze have Championship Weekend experience from last season, and are finishing the season on a hot streak. It’s giving 2024 Wind Chill vibes, especially considering their semifinal loss last season and their middling start to this season. In a game that might come down to an inch here or there, the team that has played more recently and is firing on all cylinders might have a distinct advantage.