A win over the Brawlers last week locks up the East Division for the Emperors with three weeks to play. However, we're only 1 back on the top overall seed, so we keep winning and get a little help and we could force the playoffs to go through New York. After clinching the division in Philadelphia last week, we head south to take on the Vulcans in Birmingham, Alabama. They're eliminated from the playoffs, but we still have stakes, so we can't let off the gas, and we'll look good doing it, with the yellow helmets, white jerseys and white pants. Featured this week is CeeDee Lamb, who spent some time hurt earlier this season, but is back to close out the regular season and for our playoff run. #LiveFromNewYork

The post Week 12 playoff picture gave us a bit more clarity, but not a ton.

- Lets start with those eliminated from the playoffs, as that number doubled this week. Despite Arizona's upset of Los Angeles, the wins by Buffalo and San Diego  has eliminated the Scorpions. Kentucky and St. Louis knew they needed to win or have only 1 of a group of 5 teams to lose, but those wins by Buffalo and San Diego has also eliminated the Stallions and Explorers.

- One additional division was clinched, as Chicago got the win they needed and currently hold a two game lead on the Scarecrows and the head-to-head tiebreaker, giving the Cyclones the Central Division title.

- Orlando got a big boost to their division title hopes with Tennessee dropping their game against Buffalo. They currently have a two game lead with two to play, but Tennessee holds the tiebreaker. The Galactics will claim the South Division title with a win this week over Buffalo or a Copperheads loss to St. Louis.

- Orlando can also claim the top overall seed in the playoffs this week. As they hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Cyclones, a win this week AND a New York loss to Los Angeles will give Orlando the top overall seed.

- Kansas City is taking care of business to get their playoff berth locked up. To get in, they just need to win this week against Dallas. They can't get in with a loss because they would need all the 6-6 teams to lose, and one of those 6-6 teams is Dallas, who they play.

- Milwaukee and Carolina are the next that would be eliminated from the playoffs. To stave off elimination, they would need a win (Milwaukee would need to beat Portland, Carolina would need to beat San Antonio) AND they would need a loss from either Buffalo against Orlando, San Diego against Kentucky, or Utah against Chicago.

- Every one of the 6-6 teams could be eliminated from the playoffs (and for Los Angeles, Portland, and Seattle the division title as well) this week. First thing that will eliminate them: wins by the Raptors over the Cyclones, the Bolts over the Galactics, and Destroyers over the Stallions. Then if any of the 6-6 teams lose or tie would be eliminated. This would be the Sabercats to the Emperors, Brawlers to the Scorpions, Bandits to the Scarecrows, and Grizzlies to the Mallards, with 6-6 Boston facing 6-6 Seattle. So, mathematically but unlikely, we could finalize the 8 teams in the playoffs this week.

- As far as they playoffs go, 4 teams have clinched playoff spots at this time: East Division champions New York, Central Division champions Chicago, as well as Orlando and Tennessee from the South.

- We haven't talked a lot about it, but there are three teams that could get the first overall pick in the 2026 Rookie draft, Minnesota, Birmingham, and San Antonio. The Voyageurs can lock that up this week though, as they face the Vulcans. If Minnesota loses, they lost to San Antonio and will lock up the top pick. If Birmingham loses, then we could be looking at a three way tie, which would go off points, though Minnesota has a huge advantage there as well.

The Steelheads came into our game against Utah looking to create chaos, and we certainly did that. It was almost certainly our ugliest game of the season, but a win is a win, and Seattle is now just one game back of both the Raptors and the Destroyers for the division lead. We'll need to keep winning games in order to make the playoffs, but our remaining two games are both against fellow 6-6 teams, so we've got a chance. This week, we host the Boston Nightriders, who like us, will need to win and get some help to stay alive in the playoff race, so it'll be another fascinating one to watch. Unsurprisingly, our featured player this week lives in the trenches, as DL A'Shawn Robinson compiled 7 tackles (1 solo) last week. #GoDeep

Playoff picture following Week 13

With one week left we'll see some rivalry games with some playoff implications, though the field got considerably smaller after Week 13, as only 9 teams remain with a mathematical chance of making the playoffs. Quite a few things are related to seeding, but I'm going to skip those.

Only one additional team is officially in the playoffs, as the Kansas City Scarecrows became the 5th team to clinch a playoff spot when they held on to beat Dallas on the road.

Three teams are still mathematically able to win the West Division, Utah, San Diego and Seattle.
- The Raptors have the clearest path: win. They hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over San Diego, so a win over Arizona this week will give the Raptors the West division title and a home playoff game.
- Utah can also claim the division with losses by all three.
- They'll also get it with a loss, a San Diego loss and a Seattle win (forcing a three way tie) and overcoming their 13.95 point deficit to San Diego while maintaining their points lead over the Steelheads.
- The Destroyers claim the division with a win over Los Angeles and a Raptors loss
- The also will get it if there is a three way tie and they keep the points lead against Utah and Seattle.
- Seattle is in the toughest situation for this one. They're one back, so to win the division they'll need a three way tie, so they'll need to beat Portland and have Utah and San Diego lose. They then would need to overcome the points deficit of 67.55 against San Diego and 53.6 against Utah.

Speaking of those teams from the West, all are also in a battle with Buffalo for the final 2 playoff spots (after we determine who wins the West). We've touched base on who the teams in the West are playing, and Buffalo will be taking on Philadelphia.
- Seattle's easiest path to claiming a playoff spot? Wins by themselves, San Diego and Buffalo coupled with a Utah loss. Seattle's only head-to-head victory in the group is the Raptors.
- If Seattle loses, the results in the Utah-Arizona, Buffalo-Philadelphia, and San Diego-Los Angeles games will not matter in determining who makes the playoffs.
- If Seattle wins and only San Diego or Buffalo lose, Seattle will still miss the playoffs on the head-to-head tiebreakers.
- Seattle is behind all three in points by 53.6 points (to Utah), 67.55 (to San Diego), and 72.75 (to Buffalo), so getting into a three way tiebreaker requires them to outscore one of those teams by more than the current deficit to get a playoff spot.

Now, general modern era "fun facts":
With Kansas City making the playoffs this year, only San Antonio, Minnesota, Arizona, and Los Angeles are active teams that have never made the playoffs in the modern era. Of the inactive teams (Toronto and Miami), Toronto has never made the playoffs.

Two teams have never missed the playoffs in the modern era: New York and Tennessee. Buffalo has only missed the playoffs once in the modern era, though could go to twice based on the outcome of this week.

Orlando has only made the playoffs twice, both in odd-numbered years, and were the 2 seed both times. If the season ended today they'd be the 2 seed in an odd-numbered year again.

Chicago has made the playoffs only twice, but not with the bonus fact like Orlando, and have been the 3 seed both times. If the season ended today they'd be the 3 seed.

Although Dallas will miss the playoffs this year, they do have 3 playoff berths in the modern era and a championship. However, they have not won their division in the modern era holding the distinction of most modern era playoff berths without a division title.