Indoor Football League 1st Round Playoffs Odds & Picks
By Robert Duff in News
Published:
- The Indoor Football League playoffs get underway Friday, July 22 with two quarterfinal games on tap
- In one quarterfinal, the Massachusetts Pirates are 6.5-point home favorites over the Quad City Steamwheelers
- It’s the Frisco Fighters who are favored by 7.5 points at home over the Iowa Barnstormers in Friday’s other quarterfinal contest
Are you ready for some (indoor) football? The USFL season is done and the NFL regular season is still seven weeks away from kickoff. Gridiron bettors need not go unsatisfied, however. Fortunately, the Indoor Football League playoffs are upon us.
Quarterfinal action is on tap on four fronts this weekend, beginning with two games on Friday, July 22. In one quarterfinal, the Massachusetts Pirates are 6.5-point home favorites over the Quad City Steamwheelers. As well, the Frisco Fighters are a 7-5-point pick at home over the Iowa Barnstormers.
Indoor Football League Quarterfinal Odds
| Game Time (ET) | Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, Jan. 22 | Quad City Steamwheelers | +195 | +6.5 (-110) | OFF |
| 4:05pm | Massachusetts Pirates | -230 | -6.5 (-110) | OFF |
| Game Time (ET) | Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
| Friday, July 22 | Iowa Barnstormers | +235 | +7.5 (-110) | OFF |
| 5:05pm | Frisco Fighters | -280 | -7.5 (-110) | OFF |
| Game Time (ET) | Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
| Saturday, July 23 | Tucson Sugar Skulls | +235 | +7.5 (-110) | OFF |
| 6:05pm | Northern Arizona Wranglers | -280 | -7.5 (-110) | OFF |
| Game Time (ET) | Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
| Sunday, July 24 | Duke City Gladiators | +950 | +17.5 (-110) | OFF |
| 3:05pm | Arizona Rattlers | -1650 | -17.5 (-110) | OFF |
Odds as of July 22 at DraftKings Sportsbook. Get this DraftKings Sportsbook promo code to bet on the IFL
Saturday, it’s the Northern Arizona Wranglers who are set as 7.5-point home favorites over the Tucson Sugar Skulls. Finally, on Sunday, the Arizona Rattlers are established as the whopping 17.5-point home chalk facing the Duke City Gladiators.
All games are being broadcast on the IFL YouTube channel.
In the Indoor Football League’s United Bowl championship odds, it’s the Rattlers who are the odds-on -125 favorites to win the title. At those odds, the Rattlers are given an implied probability of victory of 55.56%. Bet $10 on Arizona to win the United Bowl championship and if the Rattlers go all the way, the payout will be $18.
Pirates vs Steamwheelers Pick
The Pirates, who are the defending Indoor Football League champions, finished second in the East at 11-5. That’s just two games better than the third-place Steamwheelers, who were 9-7. Massachusetts enters postseason play riding a two-game winning streak, scoring 104 points over the two games.
In their only regular-season meeting, it was the Pirates who beat the Steamwheelers 36-25 in Week 2. Pirates wide receiver Thomas Owens scored three touchdowns in the win.
The first round of the #IFLPlayoffs begins this weekend with two games on Friday night, one game on Saturday night and one game on Sunday. Catch all of the action on https://t.co/xNd2rz21QF.#IFL #IndoorFootballLeague #IndoorFL #GoIFL #Football pic.twitter.com/05poeqIXUN
— Indoor Football League (@IndoorFL) July 21, 2022
Massachusetts is 7-1 straight up at home this season. Quad City is 3-5 SU on the road.
On the defensive side of the ball is where the biggest discrepancy exists between these two teams. The Pirates are the #4 defense in the league, allowing 35.8 points per game. The Steamwheelers rank 11th on defense (46.6 ppg). That’s the second-worst defensive performance among the eight playoff teams.
Pick: Massachusetts Pirates -6.5 (-110)
Fighters vs Barnstormers Pick
Iowa enters the playoffs 3-1 over the past four games but just 3-3 through the last six games. One of the setbacks was a crushing 62-42 home-field loss to Frisco.
The Barnstormers were 3-5 on the road during the regular season but they won two of their last three away games. Frisco was 7-1 at home and 8-1 against the Eastern Conference this season. The Fighters won three home games by 18 or more points and four by margins of seven points or less. That includes a pair of one-point victories.
Game winner!!! pic.twitter.com/39UOUMN5bD
— Frisco Fighters (@FriscoFighters) July 17, 2022
Frisco led the East with a 14-2 record. They’ve won nine games in a row. The Fighters are the #2 offense, scoring 48.2 points per game. That’s eight points better than #9 Iowa (40.2 ppg). Frisco scored 109 TDs, one of three IFL teams to garner triple digits in trips to the end zone.
Frisco is the #5 defense (36.9 ppg) and the Barnstormers are #6 (37.8 ppg). But the Iowa defense, allowed only 76 TDs. Frisco’s defense surrendered 82 TDs.
Pick: Iowa Barnstormers +7.5 (-110)
Wranglers vs Sugar Skulls Pick
This all-Arizona showdown is pitting the IFL’s #2 scoring offense against the league’s top defensive unit. Tucson put up 48.9 points per game this season, second only to Arizona (52.9). However, the Sugar Skulls were just #7 in the IFL in offensive yardage gained (209.2 yards per game).
The Wranglers play a smothering defense. Northern Arizona was #1 in the Indoor Football League in scoring defense (30.4 ppg) and total defense (155.5 ypg). The Wranglers were the #1 pass defense (105.9 ypg) and #2 at stopping the run (52.6 ypg). Northern Arizona also led the league with 30 sacks.
The 2022 #IFLPlayoffs are set! The action begins on Friday! #IFL #IndoorFootballLeague #IndoorFL #GoIFL #Football pic.twitter.com/lzKFFortSN
— Indoor Football League (@IndoorFL) July 17, 2022
On the other side of the ball, the Wranglers were the #8 scoring offense (40.9 ppg). However, Tucson is the worst defense in the Indoor Football League playoffs. The Sugar Skulls ranked 12th in scoring defense, allowing 49.3 ppg and 112 TDs. The Northern Arizona defense has only given up 67 TDs.
Northern Arizona was second in the West (12-4), with Tucson finishing third (9-7). In regular-season meetings, the Wranglers took two of three games, winning once at home and once on the road. Tucson outscored Northern Arizona 72-69 at home, while the Wranglers won 36-21 at home and 34-32 at Tucson.
Pick: Northern Arizona Wranglers -7.5 (-110)
Rattlers vs Gladiators Pick
Even though Arizona’s West-leading 13-3 mark is only #2 in the league, it’s the Rattlers that oddsmakers like to wear the IFL crown. They’ve won four in a row heading into the playoffs.
The Rattlers played Duke City three times during regular-season play and swept all three games. Twice they tallied at least 50 points and only once did they allow more than 28. The average margin of victory was 21.3 points per game.
— Indoor Football League (@IndoorFL) July 21, 2022
Arizona is the #1 scoring offense (52.9 ppg), piling up 121 TDs, nine more than any other team. The Gladiators check in as the #4 scoring offense (42.6 ppg). Duke City (159.6 ypg) and Arizona (154.8 ypg) rank 1-2 in passing offense.
Defensively, the Rattlers rate #2, allowing 31.2 ppg. Arizona is also the #2 passing defense (111.0 ypg). Duke City is ranking #10 in scoring defense, allowing 42.9 ppg.
Pick: Arizona Rattlers -17.5 (-110)
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Sports Writer
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
