August 9, 2024
By Adam Ruffner
There has never been a playoff field this wide open this late into the bracket, and all eight of the remaining squads have a legitimate crack at the 2024 UFA title. Atlanta and DC are playing like the odds-on favorites, but every team has a strength that could carry them to Championship Weekend should they find their stride.
Atlanta Hustle: The total package
With decisive wins over Carolina, New York, Austin, and Colorado, the Hustle have showcased a variety of different ways they can beat opponents.
The Atlanta O-line leads the league in success rate, anchored by MVP hopeful Brett Hulsmeyer, and spread by terrific “shooters” in Austin Taylor, Bobby Ley, and company; think of Hulsmeyer as a Nikola Jokic-type big who can score and pass with equal ease, with Taylor and Ley able to connect from deep seemingly at will. As a result of their offensive balance, Atlanta leads the league in red zone efficiency, while also ranking third in huck rate; to continue the basketball analogy, the Hustle either finish at the rim, or hit from deep.
But as much can be said about their offensive play, the Atlanta defense deserves equal credit for the team’s successes. No opponent has scored more than 19 against the Hustle this season, and they’re one of just seven teams converting over seven breaks per game. Individual defenders like Justin Burnett, Lukas McClamrock, Tyler Randall, and Michael Fairley have been terrific in coverage, and Atlanta has a seemingly endless construction of rotations that can accommodate speed and size matchups.
Boston Glory: The Babbitt effect
“He knows how to win.”
That’s what New York Head Coach Anthony Nuñez said of Jeff Babbitt following the reigning MVP’s Mortal Kombat finishing move against his former team in the first round of the playoffs. And it’s been the undeniable storyline of this team since Babbitt announced his signing on April 1, with Boston getting franchise first wins against New York and DC, and now their first postseason victory. Babbitt fittingly leads Glory in goals and blocks, and more importantly has imported his propensity for making the most gravity-altering plays in the biggest moments.
The big guy’s impact has been immediate and widespread. College teammate Benjamin Sadok is playing the best frisbee of his pro career now re-equipped with Babbitt as a target. Simon Carapella has grown into a terrific transition thrower to complement his goal line finishing abilities as a receiver. Peter Boerth is having one of the best two-way seasons in the Association in 2024, and has emerged as a cover defender for opposing team’s number ones. Orion Cable now pairs with Babbitt as one of the most imposing one-two big tandems in the league’s history. It goes on.
In a single elimination playoff format, sometimes all you need is a little bit of leverage to win any given matchup, and Boston rosters the best player in the league at that skill.
Carolina Flyers: Playoff experience
The Flyers still feature 14 players from their 2021 championship team, with a majority still in starting roles. Four of those players—Allan Laviolette, Anders Juengst, Terrence Mitchell, and Jacob Fairfax—have remained integral parts of the offense, which gives Carolina a clear-cut edge when it comes to navigating big moments deep in the playoffs.
And over their past four seasons of playoff performances, the Flyers have been exemplary in team execution and disc discipline, even in losses. Carolina set the championship game record for fewest turnovers at seven in 2021, had a season-low nine turnovers in the first round against Austin this year, and committed just 32 turnovers combined in their two elimination games in 2022 and 2023. Mitchell is a primary example of the Carolina culture, and has zero throwaways in each of his last four playoff starts.
DC Breeze: All-time great team passing
The 2024 Breeze have assembled the deepest array of throwers in league history, all while completing the fewest hucks per game this season. And if their team completion percentage (95.9 percent) holds out, DC will break their own single-season UFA record for highest completion rate set in 2021.
The system values possession and movement over any individual player, and the Breeze showcase the best flow in the Association on both sides of the disc as a result. Andrew Roy and Gus Norrbom often initiate offensive drives, with Jonny Malks, Rowan McDonnell, Jacques Nissen, Cole Jurek, Tyler Monroe, Jeff Wodatch, and rookie sensation Elliot Bonnet all weaving between throwing and receiving roles with complete fluidity. And though different, the defense has similar depth of personnel and skill in passing positions, with Thomas Edmonds and David Bloodgood tasked with possession, while AJ Merriman has a green light on deep shots. With so many ways to attack in transition, the DC defense leads the league in defensive break efficiency.
Madison Radicals: The return of the Radicals defense
Much like their historic teams of yesteryear, this year’s Radicals have made a living on attacking opposing offenses and scoring in transition. The Radicals lead the UFA in break rate, blocks per game, and break scores per game after two seasons of mediocrity. And with four straight wins in Madison coming into the divisional championship round, it’s the most energy this team has felt in over half a decade.
Eight different Radicals players have registered double digit blocks in 2024, by far the most of any team this season. The feeding frenzy is largely a result of great matchup identification, and perceptive team defense. Jake Carrico has become a mastermind at step-through interceptions by reading the lanes, Mitchell McCarthy is sneaky as a trap mark on double teams, and Sterling Knoche, Joe Leibforth, and Luke Marks can all earn blocks in space with their athleticism. Madison likes to take away what opponents do best, and they have the depth and system to frustrate the alternate options as well.
Minnesota Wind Chill: Untapped potential
Even with injuries, rotating lineups, and up-and-down play on both lines, the Wind Chill registered their fourth straight regular season with nine or more wins, and their second straight divisional title game at home. By the numbers, the Wind Chill rank in the top seven on both offense and defense, and their premier moments this season have certainly made them resemble contenders. But with a couple of dubious losses, and relatively few four-quarter showings, there’s still a real strong upside to be seen from Minnesota.
Just two players have started in all 12 games for the Wind Chill this season, which is at the heart of this team’s variance in play. Heading into the divisional championship game, though, Minnesota has one of its strongest lineups of the season. Young playmakers like Will Brandt and Gordon Larson have elevated in their roles thanks to the stabilizing play of veterans Bryan Vohnoutka, Josh Klane, and Dylan DeClerck, among others. You could see this in the first half of their game against the Empire back in Week 12, with Brandt and Larson providing the spark necessary to punch with the reigning champs.
Most importantly: The defense, which has struggled to produce takeaways in recent games, will have its healthiest lineup in over a month. Minnesota has perennially been one of the best units at getting blocks, and with Sea Foam Stadium rocking on Saturday, the Wind Chill D-line could turn up a few notches.
Salt Lake Shred: Home field advantage
Unlike every remaining competitor, Salt Lake has the opportunity at closing out their 2024 schedule entirely at home. The Shred are formidable in friendly confines, and have constructed a 17-3 record over three seasons at Zions Bank Stadium, with their only divisional losses at home coming against Colorado.
Energized by their faithful Shred Heads, Salt Lake has a strong tradition of jumping all over visitors in the opening quarter, as they did back on July 19 in their first and only meeting with Seattle. The Shred D-line hit the ground running and converted three breaks in the opening frame utilizing team speed and physicality, which stunted the league’s top scoring team and resulted in the Cascades’ lowest scoring output of the season.
Layout blocks and transition scores are often the fuel that gasses up the crowd, and with the Shred pumping in the third most breaks per game in the league this season, Salt Lake will be a dungeon for away teams.
Seattle Cascades: Playing with house money
Having wildly exceeded expectations this season, the Cascades have the talent and moxie to go a long way despite their discernible lack in playoff experience. Lukas Ambrose, Khalif El-Salaam, Zeppelin Raunig, and Garrett Martin headline the highlight factory, but the big plays are no longer empty calories. Like Madison, this Seattle team has a whole internal combustion engine built around opportunism and attacking in transition, and they can turn seemingly every block into a quick-strike score. Seattle has six or more break scores in each of their last seven games, and only the Radicals have a higher break rate this season.
There’s also an uncanny balance and clutch factor to this team. El-Salaam is arguably the best player in any given game and has shown a willingness to swap onto whichever line he can find the best matchup; Tommy Li has consistently come up big in the fourth quarter and has a fearlessness to his play that is visibly infectious for the younger players; and first-year additions like Ambrose, Mikey O'Brien, Aaron Wolf, and Jasper Dean have been some of the best playmakers in the division, if not league.
You can be skeptical of their pedigree, but don’t doubt Seattle’s intent. As six-year Cascades veteran Marc Muñoz said to Evan Lepler following their round one playoff win: “Job’s not done.”
