July 11, 2024
By Adam Ruffner
1. Atlanta Hustle (-)
Record: 8-2 (clinched playoff spot)
Most recent result: 23-19 at Austin (W)
Next game: July 13 vs Dallas
Player heating up: Lukas McClamrock - Multiple block games in four of his last six starts
The Hustle haven’t committed more than 13 turnovers in each of their last seven outings, and are currently on pace to set a new league record for fewest turnovers per game for a full season. Austin Taylor and Bobby Ley have the most combined assists of any two teammates in the league, and their backfield coordination and command has clearly reached a new level in 2024 for the Atlanta offense. But even with seven straight wins and all the right numbers trending upward, the Hustle still have an upcoming matchup with the Flyers in the final weekend of the regular season that will determine whether the South Division Championship Game is in Atlanta, or North Carolina.
2. DC Breeze (-)
Record: 9-2 (clinched playoff spot)
Most recent result: 25-13 vs Carolina (W)
Next game: July 20 at New York
Player heating up: Thomas Edmonds - Three straight games with zero turnovers and three or more assists on the D-line
After absolutely throttling the Flyers in Week 10, the Breeze are preparing for a pivotal Week 13 meeting with the Empire that will determine who gets a home game in a fierce East Division playoff bracket. And since losing on the road at Salt Lake in Week 1 by three, DC has won nine of their last 10 games, with their sole setback coming by a single goal at Boston. This team can both close out in tight games and rout contenders, and much like the team above them in the rankings, is still in pursuit of their first Championship Weekend appearance.
3. Boston Glory (-)
Record: 8-2 (clinched playoff spot)
Most recent result: 21-20 at Montreal (W)
Next game: July 20 at Toronto
Player heating up: Simon Carapella - Eight straight starts with multiple goals; back-to-back games without a throwaway; has virtually doubled all of his throwing stats from last season
Boston battled and broke down the Royal in overtime in Week 11 to come away with another hard fought win on the road. The Glory are now 3-1 in away games this season, having only lost by a goal at DC on May 10. And while there’s no denying the strength of this Boston team as a whole, and the handful of other deserving players around the UFA this season, Jeff Babbitt is playing like the league MVP once again. The big man played a season-high 31 points in Montreal and managed a staggering plus-nine in a one-goal contest. Oh, and he hasn’t had a throwaway since May 4; of the top 100 players in completions this season, Babbitt ranks fourth in completion percentage (98.4 percent).
4. New York Empire (-)
Record: 7-3 (clinched playoff spot)
Most recent result: 25-14 vs Salt Lake (W)
Next game: July 12 at Minnesota
Player heating up: Oliver Chartock - 11 scores and zero turnovers in his last two starts; eclipsed 3,000 total yards in just nine games this season
With 32 takeaways compared to just 30 mistakes over their last three games, the Empire are flexing their might just in time for another deep playoff run. The New York offense struggled early on, but has been the most efficient unit in the league over the last month-plus of action, and has converted on nearly 70 percent of their offensive possessions in their last six games while juggling a variety of different lineups. The one constant for the O-line all season long has once again been Jack Williams and his unwavering competitiveness.
5. Carolina Flyers (+1)
Record: 8-2 (clinched playoff spot)
Most recent result: 24-19 vs Philadelphia (W)
Next game: July 12 vs Dallas
Player heating up: Allan Laviolette - Four games this season with eight or more scores; averaging 422 yards per game
After three shaky performances on the road, the Flyers got back on track at home in Week 11 with a 10-turnover game against a thin Phoenix defensive front. A big signifier for the success of the Carolina offense has been their deep attack, and against Philly the Flyers unloaded 13 completed hucks on 16 attempts, with Laviolette connecting on 5-of-6 from range on his own. Carolina has been the second best high volume hucking team in the UFA in 2024, ranking third in hucks per game (8.9) and fifth in team huck percentage (64 percent). Stretching the field opens up a lot of avenues for the Flyers stacked lineup of playmakers to create in space.
6. Minnesota Wind Chill (-1)
Record: 8-2 (clinched first seed in the division, will host Central Division championship)
Most recent result: 25-20 vs Chicago (L)
Next game: July 12 vs New York (Super Series)
Player heating up: Leo Sovell-Fernandez - Rookie has just one throwaway in his last five starts, and is second on the team this season in total yards
The Wind Chill offense continued to work in rhythm in Week 11, but the normally stout Minnesota defense went cold and converted their fewest breaks since June 2023. And it’s starting to become more than just a correlation that when Dylan DeClerck isn’t available—as was the case against Chicago—the Wind Chill defense lacks juice in transition. In three games without DeClerck this season, Minnesota has averaged just four breaks per game, which includes both their losses at home. The defensive leader is active this weekend for Minnesota’s mega matchup with New York, and the Wind Chill will need all hands on deck to slow down a rolling Empire offense.
7. Seattle Cascades (-)
Record: 8-2 (clinched playoff spot)
Most recent result: 20-19 vs Colorado (W)
Next game: July 19 at Salt Lake
Player heating up: Lukas Ambrose - 44 blocks in his first 21 regular season games a pro
Much like the Breeze, Seattle has a late season multi-week bye to prepare for their final and all-important games of the schedule. The Week 13 meeting with the Shred in Salt Lake will determine who hosts the West Division championship, and will easily be the biggest game in this franchise’s history since the 2016 league championship. The Cascades on-boarded a ton of talent quickly in 2024, and currently have the league’s best break rate with just two weeks left in the regular season. Obviously adding the league’s block leader helps, but it’s been a total team effort in overhauling one of the perennially weakest defensive units in the UFA.
8. Salt Lake Shred (-)
Record: 8-2 (clinched playoff spot)
Most recent result: 28-17 vs Portland (W)
Next game: July 13 at Portland
Player heating up: Jordan Kerr - Even with a cast on for the past two games, the Shred star kept his 49-game assist streak alive with a four-assist showing vs Portland
The Shred were a scintillating 22-of-22 on red zone chances and poured in 15 breaks against the Nitro last Saturday in an 11-goal home win. But for a third time in the past four games, the Salt Lake offense struggled to find a rhythm. The Shred’s quick pass system is excellent when operating at optimal levels, but there is a rigidity in running it that struggles to overcome in-game obstacles, as well as starting line absences or injuries. And while at a glance their upcoming matchup in Portland looks very winnable, Salt Lake eked out just a two-goal win in their last trip to Oregon on May 5, 2023.
9. Chicago Union (-)
Record: 6-4
Most recent result: 25-20 at Minnesota (W)
Next game: July 12 at Madison
Player heating up: Jeff Weis - 17 scores and just two throwaways in his last four starts; 200 or more receiving yards in three of last four games
The Union theoretically deserve a multi-spot jump given their wire-to-wire win at Minnesota, but the quantity and caliber of Chicago’s losses prevents them (for now) from climbing the rankings for a second straight week. But make no mistake: The Union team that showed up in Week 11 could absolutely grab a spot to Championship Weekend, and make it three times in the past four seasons that Chicago has represented the Central. Weis, John Lithio, and Jack Shanahan are all tall, tough, and talented as both throwers and receivers, and dropping 25 goals against the Wind Chill is a serious badge. Now the Union face one more tough road task before they can effectively clinch the two seed in the division, and a home playoff matchup in the first round.
10. Austin Sol (+1)
Record: 6-5 (clinched playoff spot)
Most recent result: 28-18 vs Houston (W)
Next game: July 20 at Dallas
Player heating up: Evan Swiatek - Fourth straight season with at least 39 goals in the regular season
The Sol clinched their third straight playoff appearance with a solid defensive showing at home against the Havoc. And for the sixth time in their last seven games, Austin committed 18 or fewer turnovers, reversing a problem that plagued them even as they won last year’s divisional crown. And yet: Who the hell is this team going into the South Division bracket? With no wins against playoff-level opponents, the Sol continue to be the biggest mystery heading into the postseason.
11. Oakland Spiders (+1)
Record: 6-4 (clinched playoff spot)
Most recent result: 26-17 vs Portland (W)
Next game: July 20 at San Diego
Player heating up: Jason Vallee - Five straight playoff appearances with three different teams; career highs in virtually every offensive category this season
The Spiders win at home, coupled with the Growlers defeat at LA, put Oakland back in the playoffs for the first time since 2017. That’s an incredible relief for a young Spiders team that still faces a two-game SoCal road trip in Week 13 that has been their undoing the last couple of times through, and now becomes a postseason warmup instead. And while Eli Kerns and Robert Yeagle have had previous stints with the Oakland franchise in the 2010s, no current Spiders player who has played consecutive seasons predates 2021, making this one of the newest cores in the playoffs.
12. Madison Radicals (+2)
Record: 6-4
Most recent result: 21-20 vs Pittsburgh (W)
Next game: July 12 vs Chicago
Player heating up: Anthony Gutowsky - Became the league leader in goals with seven against Pittsburgh; 19 goals in last three starts
Madison has started to reclaim some of their magic at home with two tough finishes over hard-charging challengers in their last two games at Breese Stevens Field. But since 2021, the Radicals have dropped three straight meetings at home against the very same Chicago team they face this Friday. The Radicals are on the verge of their first playoff appearance in six years thanks to the resurgence of their defense, and now franchise legend Kevin Pettit-Scantling is set to make his first start since 2022.
13. Colorado Summit (+2)
Record: 5-6
Most recent result: 18-16 vs Indianapolis (W)
Next game: July 12 vs Los Angeles
Player heating up: Alex Atkins - Four games with 443 or more throwing yards; second in the league in total completions and third in total throwing yards
True to their nature this season, the Summit went down swinging before being eliminated from playoff contention in Week 11. But with back-to-back seasons of decreasing win totals, there will be some tough questions this offseason for a team that had title aspirations entering 2024. The schedule certainly had something to do with it—the Summit entered the season with the third toughest slate—but five losses by three goals or fewer is tough for a team that considers itself a contender.
14. San Diego Growlers (-4)
Record: 4-7
Most recent result: 25-24 at Los Angeles (L)
Next game: July 20 vs Oakland
Player heating up: Travis Dunn - Two assists shy of his third straight regular season with 50 or more assists; three consecutive regular seasons with 3000 or more receiving yards
The Growlers couldn’t hold onto a six-goal lead against the Aviators in Week 11, and with it their playoff hopes, as the loss seals San Diego out of the postseason for the second straight year. Dunn, Matt Miller, and the rest of the Growlers offense can really light it up when they’re clicking, but San Diego allowed 25 or more goals for the third time this season. There’s a lot of upside for this developing team heading into 2025, especially with Dunn showing no signs of slowing down.
15. Indianapolis AlleyCats (-2)
Record: 4-5
Most recent result: 18-16 at Colorado (L)
Next game: July 13 at Detroit
Player heating up: Travis Carpenter - Two passes shy of becoming the fifth player in league history to 3,600 career completions
The Indianapolis defense got things going early with multiple highlight reel blocks in the first quarter in Colorado. But once the D-line had the disc, they rarely knew what to do with it, and ended the night converting just 3-of-13 (23 percent) on their break chances. And yet even with four losses in their last six games, the AlleyCats still have a lot of control in their playoff destiny with upcoming matchups against Pittsburgh and Madison to close out their schedule.
16. Pittsburgh Thunderbirds (-)
Record: 4-6
Most recent result: 21-20 at Madison (L)
Next game: July 14 vs Indianapolis
Player heating up: Will Hoffenkamp - Second on the team in completions in just six starts as a rookie; averaging the most completions per game (47) of any rookie this season, and 10th overall in the UFA
Dealing with an assortment of injuries and absences, the Thunderbirds have dropped three straight and tumbled from third to fifth in the Central Division standings. Opponents have scored 21 or more in each of the last three games, and Pittsburgh has mustered just 19 total takeaways over that stretch. This Sunday at home against the AlleyCats is a must-win if the Thunderbirds are to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2019
17. Los Angeles Aviators (+1)
Record: 3-7
Most recent result: 25-24
Next game: July 12 at Colorado
Player heating up: Pawel Janas - 600 or more completions during the regular season in six of his seven years as a pro; has three times the amount of completions as the next closest Aviator
The Aviators picked themselves off of the mat and dealt a killing blow to their closest rivals in their thrilling comeback last Sunday. LA tied a season low with just 13 turnovers in Week 11, and the defense has 13 breaks in their last two games, both wins. Janas and Sean McDougall have been their superstar selves over the last few weeks, and LA could still pick up another two victories. It’s a nice way to close out the season, but it’s a far distance from LA’s divisional title game appearance in 2023.
18. Philadelphia Phoenix (-1)
Record: 4-7
Most recent result: 24-19 at Carolina (L)
Next game: July 20 at Pittsburgh
Player heating up: Sean Mott - Seven straight seasons with 30 or more assists; currently 32 assists shy of 400 for his career
The Flyers snapped Philly’s three-game winning streak as the Phoenix allowed 20 or more goals for the sixth time this season. The defense has had a tough time all year, but the Phoenix offense has really picked it up over the past month. In their last five games, the O-line is converting at a 62 percent clip, and the team has four performances with 15 or fewer turnovers during that stretch. Philly’s upcoming battle for the Commonwealth Cup with the Thunderbirds could give them a strong finish for the second straight season.
19. Houston Havoc (-)
Record: 5-7
Most recent result: 28-18 at Austin (L)
Next game: N/A
Player heating up: Jimmy Zuraw - Finished with more assists this season (43) than in his previous 24 starts as a pro (33)
Houston went 5-0 against Dallas this season to keep their playoff hopes intact for as long as mathematically possible, but the Sol eventually finished off the Havoc’s last stand. Zuraw, Ben Lewis, and a handful of other Houston players had career years, and there’s definitely a lot of optimism heading into this franchise’s second offseason. But for the second straight season, the Havoc are bottom two in the league in turnovers per game.
20. Montreal Royal (-)
Record: 2-8
Most recent result: 21-20 vs Boston (L)
Next game: July 19 vs Toronto
Player heating up: Tobe Decraene - Leads all rookies in scores and blocks, and is second in total yards
For the second time this season the Royal suffered heartbreak at home against a playoff contender in the East. The loss secures the fifth season in the last six where Montreal has dropped a minimum of eight games, with five of this year’s defeats coming by two goals or fewer. There’s a lot of playmaking pop with this Royal roster that keeps them entertaining, but still too many mistakes on critical drives for the losing to slow down.
21. Portland Nitro (-)
Record: 1-9
Most recent result: 26-17 at Oakland (L)
Next game: July 13 vs Salt Lake
Player heating up: Ben Thoennes - Second year thrower has five or more assists in four straight starts; second in the league with 26 huck completions
Whenever Thoennes and David Barram are active in the Nitro roster, Portland has the capability to pummel opponents from range. But the obvious talent of this team’s young throwers has yet to catch up to their ambitions, and the Nitro are committing nearly seven turnovers per game on hucks alone; Portland mustered just 89 percent as a team completing passes in Week 11. But even while this team has been long eliminated from playoff contention, Portland still has one game apiece against the Shred and Cascades, and could factor into the West Division postseason in curious ways.
22. Toronto Rush
Record: 1-9
Most recent result: 20-16 vs Philadelphia (L)
Next game: July 19 vs Montreal
Player heating up: Kelvin Huang - Multiple scores in last three games on offense; seven games this season without a throwaway
The Rush haven’t scored more than 18 goals in a game since early June, and currently rank second to last in the league in goals per game this season. Toronto does a solid job of controlling tempo, and has just one performance this season where they committed 20 or more turnovers. But with no sustainable scoring options, Toronto has a near impossible time coming back in games once they give away the lead.
23. Detroit Mechanix (-)
Record: 1-8
Most recent result: 31-15 vs Minnesota (L)
Next game: July 13 vs Indianapolis
Player heating up: Jake Felton - Rookie sensation leads the league in assists in just eight starts; two games with 500-plus passing yards in last three outings
Detroit will have to avoid turning into the divisional piñata over the last few weeks Indy, Minnesota, and Chicago will all use their matchups against the Mechanix to increase their goal differential for important playoff seeding tiebreakers. Detroit is the only team in the league to surrender 30 goals in a game in 2024, and the Mechanix have allowed that to happen in two of their last three games.
24. Dallas Legion (-)
Record: 0-9
Most recent result: 15-14 at Houston (L)
Next game: July 12 at Carolina
Player heating up: Alec Wilson Holliday - Three or more goals in all nine starts this season; four straight games with 300-plus receiving yards
Dallas still has three more opportunities to avoid being the only winless team in the league this season, but it is against the three playoff teams in the South Division. The Legion have the second lowest team completion rate in the UFA in 2024, and have 53 turnovers in their last two games alone. If Dallas can get under the 20 turnover mark, they’ll give themselves a fighting chance for the first time this year.
