Quad City Steamwheelers coach Cory Ross and his staff are hoping to lead the team back to the Indoor Football League title game for the second time in four years.
TJ Johnston The game
The Eastern Conference championship and a trip to the Indoor Football League title game are on the line this Saturday when the top-seeded Quad City Steamwheelers (12-5) host the second-seeded Green Bay Blizzard (11-6) in the Eastern Conference finals. Kickoff at Vibrant Arena at The Mark is set for 7:05 p.m.
The playoffs
The winner of this game faces the Western Conference champ in the Aug. 23 title game in Tucson, Arizona. No. 4 San Diego (11-6) or No. 3 Vegas (11-6) will be the opponent.
History
Green Bay has had the upper hand in this series - not just this year, but all-time. The Blizzard have won two of this year's three games (outscoring QC 142-116) and hold a 9-6 all-time edge. Green Bay comes in with a two-game win streak in the set, winning 58-52 the last time the teams played in the downtown Moline arena.
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Rushing: RB Kymani Clark 100-423 (47.3 yards per game), 17 TDs, QB Max Meylor 142-725 (42.7 yards per game), 26 TDs.
Passing: QB Max Meylor 218-356-9, 2,665 yards, 47 TDs.
Receiving: TJ Davis 62-802-21 (47.2 yards per game), Lowell Patron 51-635-12 (37.4 ypg), Andre Williams 31-448-10 (28.0 ypg).
Tackles: Nijul Canada 53-50-78.0, Andre White 35-60-65.0 (7.5 TFL).
Quad City leaders
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Rushing: QB Daquan Neal 130-685-21 (42.81 yards per game), Jarrod Ware Jr. 102-426-15 (26.63 ypg).
Passing: Neal 151-250-9, 1,919 yards, 41 TDs.
Receiving: Jordan Vesey 41-634-16, (37.3 yards per game), Keyvan Rudd 38-414-6 (29.57 ypg), Ware 38-312-3, (19.5 ypg), Tamorrion Terry 19-349-6 (43.6. ypg).
Tackles: LB Bubba Arslanian 66-109-120.5 (7.0 TFLs, 1.5 sacks, 4 INTs, 2 fumble recoveries), Chris Chukwuneke 47-60-77.0 (3.0 TFLs, 3 INTs), KeShaun Moore 39-59-68.5 (16.0 TFLs, 8.0 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 5 PBUs).
Game notes
Both teams made a couple of roster moves this week. QC placed DL Qaadir Sheppard on Short Term IR and activated WR Davion Johnson off Season IR. Johnson was a full participant in practices this week. Green Bay placed LB Cornelius Montgomery on Short Term IR and activated WR Terrell Carey off Short Term IR. ... QC LB Brian Lee Jr. remains on Short Term IR. ... The Wheelers played last week's playoff opener without a backup quarterback rostered or dressed, despite signing Braden Wingle after Seth Morgan left the team for a coaching job. ... QC RB Jordan Ware had his string of eight games with a rushing touchdown snapped last week, but he did catch a TD pass. ... Green Bay QB Meylor will be a focus of QC's attention. In three games against the Wheelers this year, he completed 41 of 68 passes for 460 yards and 8 TDs with one interception. He ran 30 times for another 149 yards and 5 more scores. "We need to try to confuse him," said QC coach Cory Ross. "If you can find a way to get him to think is when he finds problems and turns the ball over." ... In the last five weeks, when they have gone 3-2 and alternated wins and losses, QC's offense has averaged 53.0 points per game, outscoring foes 265-228.
By the numbers
Green Bay leads the IFL in scoring, averaging 52.7 points per game, and total yards per game (249.6; 92.6 rushing, 157.0 passing). The Blizzard had the league's No. 10 scoring defense, allowing 44.4 points per game. ... QC comes in with the league's No. 3 scoring offense, averaging 45.9 points per game and the No. 11 team in production (218.4 per game; 94.3 rushing and 124.1 passing). Defensively, QC is tied for No. 6, allowing 41.1 points per game.
They said it
"I don't think we can afford any mistakes - up four touchdowns or down a touchdown, we can't have any mistakes; this team will capitalize. Max is a great quarterback, they've got tremendous skill players and (head coach Corey) Roberson has that defense ready to play. He's seen Ross' system since 2019, so he knows what he likes and vice versa - Ross knows what Roberson likes.
"It's just a battle of the minds when it comes to them. Like I've always said, either someone's gonna get the best of the other team and win like how we won last week or it's going to be a close game; all of our games with Green Bay have primarily been like that." - QC WR Keyvan Rudd
-- Compiled by Tom Johnston
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