Indoor Football League Week 8 viewer's guide: Major conference clashes highlight weekend slate

It’s a big week in the IFL, as this weekend’s slate could easily be a playoff preview. In the Eastern Conference, the top teams may face each other in a rematch, while the Western Conference also promises clashes between its best. The result: one of the most exciting weekends in IFL history.

"In the Western Conference, you have Arizona who has been playing good football lately," Fishers Freight head coach and general manager Dixie Wooten told IFL.com. "Vegas is playing the best ball outside of us and Green Bay. I think both of those games are huge for the IFL. I think both of them should be great games."

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"That's what the league wants," said Vegas Night Hawks head coach and general manager Mike Davis. "That's what the league is trying to get to. This is what you need. You need to have great showings and it will be two heavyweight matchups on both sides. It's nice to sit back and be like okay we're finally getting to where we thought we could get to years ago."

Blizzard general manager and head coach Corey Roberson thinks we should see these same teams in the playoffs.

"It's pretty cool," said Roberson. "I know it's still kind of early and a lot of things can change but I expect these four teams to be competing come end of July going into August."

IFL Players of the Week

For the third time this season, Green Bay Blizzard quarterback Liam Thompson was named Offensive Player of the Week. Thompson finished with more touchdowns than incompletions in the Blizzard’s narrow 71-68 victory over the Orlando Pirates last Friday. He went 16-of-21 passing for 185 yards and six touchdowns.

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The IFL could not single out one player for Defensive Player of the Week in Week 7, so it awarded the honor to the Las Vegas Battle Knights’ entire defense after their 48-12 domination of the New Mexico Chupacabras.

The Battle Knights took every opportunity to give the ball back to their offense, forcing a total of four turnovers, with two fumble recoveries and two interceptions. The defense also filled the stat sheet with 45 tackles, 4 sacks and 6 tackles for loss.

Orlando Pirates kick returner and Week 7’s Special Teams Player of the Week, Pooka Williams, was a threat to score a touchdown every time he touched the ball on special teams. Williams had 129 yards and one touchdown on five returns in the Pirates’ loss.

IFL Coaches Poll

(from IFL.com)

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1. Green Bay Blizzard

2. Vegas Knight Hawks

3. Fishers Freight

4. Arizona Rattlers

5. San Diego Strike Force

6. Jacksonville Sharks

7. Orlando Pirates

8. Quad City Steamwheelers

9. Tulsa Oilers

10. Tucson Sugar Skulls

11. San Antonio Gunslingers

12. New Mexico Chupacabras

13. Northern Arizona Wranglers

14. Iowa Barnstormers

Week 8 schedule, how to watch

(Yahoo Sports Network is streaming 64 IFL games this season. Here's everything you need to know on how to watch.)

Saturday, May 2 (all times Eastern)

5 p.m.: Green Bay Blizzard at Fishers Freight – Fishers Event Center (Yahoo Sports)

6 p.m.: Quad City Steamwheelers at Iowa Barnstormers – Casey’s Center

7 p.m.: New Mexico Chupacabras at Jacksonville Sharks – Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena (Overnght)

8 p.m.: San Diego Strike Force at Tulsa Oilers – BOK Center (Yahoo Sports)

9 p.m.: San Antonio Gunslingers at Tucson Sugar Skulls – Tucson Arena (Overnght)

Sunday, May 3

7:30 p.m.: Arizona Rattlers at Vegas Knight Hawks – Lee’s Family Forum (Yahoo Sports)

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The Week 8 slate in the Indoor Football League features two marquee showdowns that could shape both conferences.

In the East, the Green Bay Blizzard (5–1) face Fishers Freight (5–1) in a battle for conference control.

"They're (Green Bay) the big dogs when it comes to the Eastern Conference," Wooten told IFL.com.  "You have us coming in as the new kids on the block so can the old dogs beat the new dogs.”

Green Bay, the reigning Eastern Conference champions, currently holds the top spot in the conference. Wooten is still trying to go over the Freight’s 51-42 defeat to the Blizzard earlier this season.

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"We talk about that every week," said Wooten. "That's the game we don't want to relive. We came back and we were down by three at one point but it's still a part of that slow start that put us behind the eight-ball."

Three-time Offensive Player of the Week quarterback Liam Thompson leads the way for the Blizzard.

"He's been as advertised," Roberson said. "We knew he was one of the best free agents that was out there in the market and we just knew that he was going to come in and make an impact for us. I didn't know it was going to be this great of an impact right away. He's a student of the game and I couldn't be happier with his play.

Out West, the defending champion Las Vegas Knight Hawks meet the high-powered Arizona Rattlers. Arizona has been one of the league’s most explosive offenses, led by quarterback Max Meylor, who has 853 passing yards and 15 touchdowns, including a 5-touchdown performance in a thrilling 64-63 win over Tulsa.

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Las Vegas counters with quarterback Jayden DeLuca, last year’s championship game MVP, who has thrown for 688 yards and 17 touchdowns.

"He's the best quarterback in the league," Davis said. "I don't think it's even close. Understanding the game, his moxy, his arm talent…I mean, he's a true leader on and off the field and that's what you strive for."

Both games carry major implications, with first place in the East and Western Conference momentum on the line.

Eastern Conference

Western Conference