18-Game Schedule Leaves Playoff Picture Wide Open

By EVAN VLADEM (Contributor ROSS APFEL)
05/31/2011 6:41 PM
Dallas, TX - While Week 13 in most football leagues is the tail end of the season and the playoff picture begins to pan out, the AFL is different. On August 30, 2010, Commissioner Jerry B. Kurz and the AFL announced the expansion from a 16-game schedule to 18-games.
“There has never been a better time for the Arena Football League,” Kurz said of the announcement.  “It’s an enhancement; it’s an opportunity for us to have our brand of football in our markets for the fans. “
As a potential move to an 18-game schedule in the NFL caused uproar, the extension seems to be favored in Arena Football.
On Saturday, a case study was conducted on two teams in the playoff hunt, the Pittsburgh Power, then 5-4, vs. the Dallas Vigilantes, then 6-4, inside the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Tx.
After falling two straight games, the Vigilantes looked to rebound against a surging Pittsburgh franchise.
“We are looking to bring intensity to the game,” fiery defensive lineman Dusty Bear said. “We are hungry for this.”
Dallas needed a victory to put the team one game outside of first place in the Central Division. Pittsburgh, on the other hand, needed the win and a Cleveland loss to put them atop the American Conference’s Eastern Division.
“The season is just now ramping up,” Dallas wide receiver DeAndrew Rubin said.
The additional two-games leaves the playoff picture wide open.
“I’m glad we have two extra games,” Dallas defensive end and 11-year veteran Kelvin Kinney said. “That’s two extra wins. It’s a long season. It’s not a race; it’s a marathon.”
With the season being dubbed a “marathon,” issues about player’s health boiled before the season.  Once the season kicked off, the concern turned positive.
“The good thing about the 18-game schedule is dealing with injuries,” Vigilantes center Greg Ryan said. “I went down with an injury against Tampa Bay. With there being so many games, you don’t lose out on the majority of the season. Injured players can recover and come back. They can still keep their team in playoff contention. If you loose a key player for two or three games, it would be significant with the short schedule. That isn’t the case with the 18-game schedule.”
The Power faced a similar predicament and was forced to start three quarterbacks this season. On March 19, starting quarterback Bernard Morris went down with an injury.  Pittsburgh shuffled between Anthony Morrelli and Kevin McCabe and lost three of their next five games before Morris returned on May 7.
“I think the two extra games give us a better chance to gel,” Power Head Coach Chris Siegried said. “The main thing is managing injuries through the long season. Being banged up early in the season definitely gives a chance to come out strong in the second half.”
Still, though, the extra games add wear and tear on player’s bodies.
“With the little ‘ouchies’ and ‘booboos,’ you have to get yourself well for the next week. You deal with it. Everybody signed up for this game, it’s not like they begged us to play. We signed contracts for 18-weeks. You have to get your body ready for the 18-game season,” Kinney said.
Players are also finding that the additional two games is an opportunity to gain more exposure.
“Young players in this League want to go to the next level,” Bear said. “You want to play as many games as possible. Those guys can get film. The 18-game schedule is a great thing for player stats and to showcase what they have.”
Saturday’s shootout was an opportunity to do just that. In a back-and-fourth barnburner, both teams scored on nearly every possession. Dallas quarterback Dan Raudabaugh finished with 433-yards and 10 touchdowns while Morris compiled 280-yards and seven touchdowns. Dallas only stopped Pittsburgh on one possession. Pittsburgh stopped Dallas on three, including the missed field goal that cost Dallas the game as time expired. Pittsburgh went on to win, 76-75, which moved their record to 6-4. For his stellar performance, Raudabaugh was awarded Russell Athletic Offensive Player of the Week in the loss.
“There is no question that we are still in the mix,” Dallas Head Coach Clint Dolezel said after his team moved to 6-5. “We have to play some better football or else it’s going to be a long season.”
A long season, indeed. Already in Week 13, Dallas still has seven games remaining. Pittsburgh has eight.