May 22, 2025
By Sam Weiger
Games are listed in chronological order.
San Diego Growlers at Carolina Flyers
Friday, May 23 - 7:00 PM/ET - Watch link
So, Carolina is 0-3 for the first time ever. What’s going on, and can they fix it against San Diego?
The Flyers' offense is their primary concern. They're struggling to find their flow and are hucking far less than last season.
Allan Laviolette appears to be overextended, trying to both steer the O-line and make red zone plays. If Elijah Long returns, his impact should do wonders for Laviolette and the Flyers offense. If Long remains out, big changes–perhaps making Rutledge Smith their QB1 or shifting D-liners to offense–seem necessary after their poor start.
For the Growlers, this is a "prove-it" game, and a road win against Carolina would be massive. With their three victories this season all against the mediocre Aviators, and a heartbreaking buzzer-beater loss to Atlanta despite a valiant effort, their morale could use a lift.
Unless Carolina's O-line improves, San Diego's defense should hold its own. So the Growlers' offensive strategy is my focal point; they completed just over half of their 17 hucks against Atlanta. Against the Flyers, a possession-based game might be wiser than Travis Dunn taking unnecessary deep shots.
One Big Number:
2 - San Diego has won just two of their last 16 games against playoff-caliber teams since the start of 2023.
5 - The Flyers, who averaged nearly 15 huck attempts per game last year, had just five in each of their last two matchups.
New York Empire at Philadelphia Phoenix
Friday, May 23 - 7:00 PM/ET - Watch link
New York dominated Philly 23-15 in last season's Week 5 matchup. Anyone who dares to predict the outcome of their Week 5 matchup this Friday has my sincere respect, because these are two of the most surprising UFA teams.
Key questions for the Empire loom: Will New York’s defense improve? Will offseason signings start yielding dividends?
New York is giving up scores more often, so I'll be watching for Marques Brownlee or Antoine Davis to ignite the D-line, given their history of defensive clinics in big games.
The other Empire player I’ll be watching closely is Calvin Brown, who has averaged a concerning 4.33 turnovers per game, including some crucial mistakes under pressure.
And for the soaring Phoenix: will they ever come down to Earth? If unexpected heroes like Scott Heyman, Sam Grossberg, and Adam Grossberg continue to flourish, then it’s very unlikely. I’m particularly excited to see if Heyman can sustain his incredible yardage production, fueled by his remarkably accurate deep throws.
One Big Number:
698 - Heyman is second in the UFA in yards per game, with 698.
19.6 - The Empire's current 19.6 goals conceded per game is an uncharacteristically high figure. (17.31 in 2024 and 14.6 in 2023).
Seattle Cascades at Salt Lake Shred | Friday Night Frisbee (Free on YouTube)
Friday, May 23 - 10:00 PM/ET - Watch link
Salt Lake wants payback, Seattle desperately needs a win, and it's all free to watch – does it get any better?
After a gut-wrenching one-goal defeat at home against Seattle ended their season prematurely last year, the Shred now have the opportunity to deliver sweet redemption to their fans.
With 20 days of preparation and extra motivation against Seattle, expect a strong showing from the Shred on Friday.
Despite last year's O-line issues and significant offseason departures at the handler position, Salt Lake's offense has started strong. McKay Yorgason's successful transition into the QB1 role was anticipated, but unexpected QB2 Braden Eberhard has been incredibly efficient as a thrower, and I’m curious to see if that continues.
Another new full-time O-liner, Chad Yorgason, has had an unsurprisingly smooth shift into the O-line. He's been a dangerous two-way weapon for the Shred since 2022, and he made a big difference in their other tough game this year, against Atlanta. I'll be watching to see how noticeable he is on Friday.
Meanwhile, Seattle's entire team will be under the microscope this weekend, as they've looked a bit lost against top-tier opponents so far. The Cascades' increased turnover rate this season, potentially exacerbated by the absence of key players like Khalif El-Salaam and Spencer Lofink, is becoming noticeable. With Lofink out again this week, let’s see if Garrett Martin can carry the offense as he has many times in the past, including last week's game against Oregon.
One Big Number:
20.5 - This season, Seattle is averaging 20.5 turnovers per game, almost four more per game than last season.
70 - The Shred lead the UFA with four O-liners who have an offensive efficiency rating of 70+ over at least two games.
Seattle Cascades at Oakland Spiders
Saturday, May 24 - 6:00 PM/ET - Watch link
Seattle badly wants a win against Oakland after losing twice already this season, but they face an uphill battle with very little recovery time after their Friday night showcase against the Shred.
Meanwhile, Oakland will be well-prepared for this home game, coming off a two-week rest period. The undefeated Spiders have a chance to beat Seattle three times in one year for the first time since 2018.
Seattle's hopes of flipping the script could hinge on Lukas Ambrose. Though underwhelming in their Oakland losses, his recent disruptive form indicates he’s ready to challenge a Spiders O-line that’s expected to be without two key players: Leo Gordon and Jason Vallee.
One Big Number:
82.5 - In two games this season against Seattle, the Spiders O-line has scored on 82.5 percent of their offensive points.
-0.5 - Ambrose had the highest plus/minus per game of any UFA D-liner last year (4.93), but it's a disappointing -0.5 in two games against Oakland this season.
San Diego Growlers at Atlanta Hustle | Game of the Week
Saturday, May 24 - 7:30 PM/ET - Watch link
While the Growlers probably aren't thrilled about facing Carolina just two days before their shot at redemption against Atlanta (after that buzzer-beater), we're still expecting some serious fireworks from San Diego.
The Growlers kept pace with Atlanta offensively in Week 3, powered by a standout performance from Khalif El-Salaam. He's still looking for his first win against his former Hustle team, but San Diego's recurring turnover issues remain a potential weakness. If they continue to struggle, and Atlanta controls their turnovers as usual, San Diego will need to rely on their ability to generate blocks.
A compelling statistic: the Growlers haven't lost a game since 2021 when they've had 11 or more blocks. Keep an eye on Jesse Cohen and Max Gibson, whose defensive playmaking has been transformative for San Diego this season.
But can they rack up blocks against the Hustle?
The key will be focusing on what they can control. Even with their improved defense, it's hard to imagine San Diego stopping standout receivers like Brett Hulsmeyer and Alec Wilson Holliday–the latter having erupted for the Hustle in recent games—from getting their yards and scores.
A crucial element for the Growlers will be disrupting Atlanta's prolific deep game. While a difficult task, winning sky battles on deep throws spearheaded their Week 3 comeback against the Hustle. The Hustle have averaged 12.33 hucks per game over their last three, presenting ample block opportunities.
San Diego's success also hinges on winning red zone battles. While the Hustle are excellent at punching it in, the Growlers lead the UFA in red zone defense, limiting opponents to just a 61.19 percent conversion rate.
One Big Number:
65 - San Diego limited Atlanta to a season-worst 65 percent red-zone conversion rate.
12.33 - The Hustle boast the UFA's lowest turnover rate (12.33 per game) among teams with at least three games played this season.
