The Arena Football League is down to its final regular season week, and unlike any recent season, there are still many playoff spots up for grabs. In all, eight remaining eligible teams will be trimmed down to six playoff qualifiers after the weekend is said and done. The other six spots are already filled, but plenty of sorting on seedings is yet to be determined as well. It should be an interesting couple of days in the Arena Football League. Most of the key action is packed on the Saturday slate, as all six games have some sort of playoff implications surrounding them, and oddsmakers have adjusted, or perhaps over-adjusted their pointspreads to reflect what's at stake. Here’s a look at three of those games from a betting perspective, with predictions and all!

Columbus at Cleveland (-14) - 7:00 PM ET
For Cleveland, the playoff scenario is simple: Win and you’re in. The Gladiators hold a tiebreaker over Orlando who has already finished the season at 9-7 and have the benefit of hosting the National Conference’s worst team in Columbus. Don’t read too much into this however, as oddsmakers are on full alert, establishing host Cleveland as a 2-touchdown favorite. Ironically, these same folks setting the numbers might be digging their own grave, since Cleveland hasn’t been more than a 3-point favorite all season long, and played as a 9-1/2 point underdog just a week ago. Furthermore, Columbus is on a 4-2 ATS run as an underdog, and comes off its best passing game of the season when it gained 383 yards in 39 attempts in a 63-60 loss at Grand Rapids.

The Destroyers are also backed by a potent 4* StatFox Super Situation: Play Against - Home favorites (CLEVELAND) - after 2 or more consecutive wins against the spread, in June games. (33-6 over the last 10 seasons.) (84.6%, +26.4 units. Rating = 4*).

For good measure, Columbus is also playing into a strong revenge scenario: COLUMBUS is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) revenging a same season loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons. The average score was COLUMBUS 52.3, OPPONENT 52.4 - (Rating = 1*)

Remember that just because a team “must-win” doesn’t always mean it will win. Plus, the difference in Cleveland winning here and covering the hefty 14-point chalk line leaves a lot of margin for error. PLAY: Columbus +14.

Grand Rapids at New Orleans (-7) – 7:00 PM ET
The Grand Rapids- New Orleans showdown for Saturday is not only this week’s FREE StatFox FoxSheet, it is the only game of the weekend where both teams need to win to clinch a playoff spot. However, because both teams are in different conferences, there is the unusual scenario where both teams can lose and still get in the postseason as well. With so much at stake, host New Orleans is installed as a 7-point favorite. The Voo Doo and Rampage haven’t met since 2005, so there will be an air of unfamiliarity attached to the contest. Neither team is playing its best football of the year, so one of the clubs figures to back in with a less than scintillating victory. The other will be left to wait. Grand Rapids is 5-10 but did win its last two games after losing its prior five. The two victories came over Colorado and Columbus however, so they were exactly momentum builders. New Orleans is on a 1-5 skid but did throttle Columbus 83-61 in its last game at home three weeks ago.

The best system angle for this game favors New Orleans, or should we say fades Grand Rapids and its horrid defense: Play Against - Road underdogs or pick (GRAND RAPIDS) - with a poor first half defense - 28 or more points per game, after scoring 58 points or more last game. (29-10 over the last 5 seasons.) (74.4%, +18 units. Rating = 2*)

The most significant trend however goes the other way, fading New Orleans: NEW ORLEANS is 6-18 ATS (-13.8 Units) versus good offensive teams - averaging >=6.25 yards/play after 8 or more games since 1996. The average score was NEW ORLEANS 49.3, OPPONENT 56.9 - (Rating = 1*)

In the end, the most convincing information surrounding this contest figures to be on the Total. With the number posted at 112 or more, there are numerous systems indicating to back the under. PLAY: UNDER 112

Los Angeles at Tampa Bay (-7.5) – 7:30 PM ET
Unlike the playoff hopefuls above, Los Angeles doesn’t have complete control over its own destiny. They need to win to even have a chance. Even if they do, they are not guaranteed a spot. They need a win, plus a loss from Colorado, Grand Rapids or Utah. Amazingly, the better team here, Tampa Bay, has no shot at the playoffs coming out of the National Conference, despite being 2-games better than the Avengers on the season. Don’t be fooled by the need to win here for Los Angeles, as oddsmakers have seen through the desperation and have installed the Storm as the rightful 7-1/2 point favorite.
 
Tampa Bay has really come on of late and goes into the season finale on a 5-3 SU & 7-1 ATS stretch. Unfortunately, it all came a little too late as the postseason will have to wait another year. Still, playing spoiler to a team that is much worse than them should stand as some motivation. The Storm won its last head-to-head meeting over Los Angeles on the road back in May ’07, and in that contest, the Avengers gained just 198 yards of offense.

Looking at the Trends, Computer, and Power Ratings on StatFox, everything is pointing to Tampa Bay. The Game Estimator and Power Ratings both indicate double-digit wins for the Storm, who are 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing >=6.25 yards/play after 8 or more games this season.  Again, don’t be fooled by the “must-win” designation. Los Angeles is a poor team undeserving of the playoffs. Though one of this type of team will wind up in the postseason, the Avengers find themselves in the worst spot in Week 17. PLAY: Tampa Bay -7.5