PLL Playoff Scenarios: What’s at stake for each team in Denver Weekend

Spots and seeding in the 2024 Cash App Playoffs will be on the line as the PLL heads to Denver this weekend.

With two weeks remaining in the regular season, three teams have secured playoff berths, and one has been officially eliminated from postseason contention. The top six teams at season's end will advance to the playoffs, with the No. 1 finisher in each conference receiving a bye to the semifinals.

Here's what each team will be playing for this Friday and Saturday in the Mile High City:

* Teams marked with an asterisk have clinched a playoff spot. The 1-7 Philadelphia Waterdogs have been mathematically eliminated. 

*New York Atlas (6-2)

A guaranteed playoff spot means little – and a first-round bye, a lot – in a league where any team can upset every team. The Atlas can’t take their foot off the gas against the Utah Archers on Saturday if they want to stay competitive for the first-round bye awarded to the winner of each conference – especially not with the Boston Cannons on their tails.

That’s what the Atlas are playing for now: A chance to bypass the quarterfinals and any chance of a potential upset on Sept. 2. Win out, and win the bye. – Lauren Merola

*Boston Cannons (6-3)

Bye week

As Lauren mentioned, the Cannons are right on the tails of the Atlas. 

A bye this weekend is certainly beneficial in terms of recovery and preparation for the playoffs, but not so much when you’re trying to play catch-up for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

If New York wins this weekend against Utah, that pretty much closes the door on that coveted top seed and first-round bye for Boston. There’s still a slim chance for the Cannons even if the Atlas win in Denver, but the path there is rather complicated. The Atlas would need to lose to the last-place Waterdogs next week in Salt Lake City, coupled with a dominant Cannons victory over the Carolina Chaos to build on their score differential. New York currently holds a 14-point cushion over Boston in score differential -- the first tiebreaker for playoff seeding.

However, if the Atlas lose to the Archers, it's a whole different scenario. If New York loses to both Utah and Philly, that would solidify the Cannons' spot at the top of the East and erase any worries about margin of victory. 

Realistically, I wouldn’t hold my breath on all of those hypotheticals coming together, but there’s no doubt the Cannons will be doing some scoreboard-watching this weekend. Ultimately, their fate will be determined by the Atlas in one way or another. – Sarah Griffin

*Maryland Whipsnakes (5-4)

vs. Outlaws (Friday, 8 p.m. ET)

Clinching the playoffs last weekend was massive, as the Whipsnakes face a hot Denver team in front of its hometown crowd this Friday before having a bye the last week of the regular season.

While the Atlas only need to win one of their final two to (likely) secure the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, the Whipsnakes still want to perform well in Denver and try to build their win streak to four games and carry positive momentum into the playoffs. – Adam Lamberti

Utah Archers (4-3)

vs. Atlas (Saturday, 2:30 p.m. ET)

A spot in the Cash App Playoffs is on the line for the Archers this weekend. Win, and they're in. More importantly, a victory would almost certainly solidify their lead atop the Western Conference standings, while a loss would mean they lose control of their own destiny.

With the Archers tied with the Outlaws at 4-3, their +8 scoring differential gives them the nod over Denver’s +1 differential. That said, Carolina is just a half-game back at 4-4 with a -3 scoring differential. 

If the Archers want to earn the bye to the semifinals, winning out is the simplest path. Beating the league-leading Atlas will be a challenge, but they’re a team Utah will likely need to topple at some point to run it back this summer. – Zach Carey

Denver Outlaws (4-3)

vs. Whipsnakes (Friday, 8 p.m. ET) and Chaos (Saturday, 7 p.m. ET)

The mission is almost complete. Denver is all but locked into a playoff spot, turning around last season’s worst-place finish. The job’s not quite done, but last week’s blowout win over the California Redwoods took a lot of the drama out of the race.

Heading into Homecoming weekend, it’s all about taking care of business. Win either of these two games, and the playoffs are secured. Win both of them, now the Western Conference crown seriously enters the picture. – Topher Adams

Carolina Chaos (4-4)

vs. Outlaws (Saturday, 7 p.m. ET)

The Chaos are in a pretty secure place to clinch a playoff berth with two weeks left. But if things unfold in their favor, they can win the Western Conference. 

If the Chaos win out and move to 6-4 on the season, they would need the Archers and Outlaws to each go 1-2 to earn the top spot. To make the playoffs, the Chaos only need one win or one Redwoods loss over the final two weeks. 

Stacking wins is the best recipe for getting to the playoffs in a comfortable position for Carolina. – Hayden Lewis

California Redwoods (2-6)

vs. Waterdogs (Friday, 10:30 p.m. ET)

The Redwoods came into Maryland with a slim chance of making the playoffs, and they didn’t do themselves any favors by putting up a dud against the Outlaws. 

Now, with a -32 scoring differential, they’ll need a miracle to sniff the postseason. 

The only path for the Woods is for the Chaos to lose their remaining games to the Outlaws and Cannons and get blown out at least once (but preferably twice). Then, the Woods have to do their part: win against the Waterdogs and Archers and beat at least one (but preferably both) of them by a lot.

Considering how unlikely it is, the unethical but reasonable fan may be more concerned with the ramifications of this weekend’s matchup with the Waterdogs, in which the first pick in the 2025 College Draft is effectively on the line. According to Lamberti’s draft board, the loser will be eyeing up the rights to 2023 Tewaaraton finalist CJ Kirst. – Jerome Taylor