Round 1 Preview: Quad City vs. Jacksonville

sQUAD City, it is time for playoff football! That is right, for the first time since 2007 when the original Quad City Steamwheelers franchise participated in the AF2, playoff football will be played in the Quad Cities. The Steamwheelers will host the Jacksonville Sharks in the opening round of this season's playoffs at XUSD Field at Vibrant Arena at The MARK. This will be the third matchup between these two teams, with the Steamwheelers taking the first game at home, but the Sharks getting revenge in Jacksonville in the second matchup.

Kick-off is at 3:05 p.m. on Saturday, August 2, at XUSD Field at Vibrant Arena at The MARK in Moline, IL. To watch online, head over to the IFL Network. 

About the Steamwheelers

Last week, the Steamwheelers fell in a shootout against the Tulsa Oilers in their final game of the regular season. The Wheelers came out firing as Daquan Neal connected with DeQuan Dudley for a touchdown on the game's first play, followed by a deuce from Kyle Kaplan to take a quick 9-0 lead. Neal added a rushing touchdown, and Jarrod Ware Jr. scored on the ground to help Quad City keep pace in a high-octane first half. A field goal by Kaplan as time expired gave the Wheelers a 28-27 halftime edge. In the second half, Neal found Tamorrion Terry for a touchdown, and backup quarterback Seth Morgan delivered a highlight-reel score when his pass deflected into Keyvan Rudd's hands for a touchdown. Despite a strong offensive showing and 18 points from Kaplan, Quad City fell just short after a missed field goal in the final seconds. Although their offense ranks seventh highest with 43.2 points per game, the offense has scored 45 or more points in six out of their last seven games as Neal continues to strengthen his relationship with the receivers. With their passing offense and their passing yards per game ranking second lowest for a majority of the season, the passing offense has now climbed a spot by averaging 122.5 passing yards per game, with the Sharks falling a slot below them now. Defensively, KeShaun Moore has the third most sacks in the league, totaling seven, while Qaadir Sheppard is tied for the eighth most so far. Moore is also tied for the second most tackles for loss in the league with 19 so far, as the defense continues to get stronger in the trenches. 

QC - Players to Watch

Jarrod Ware Jr. / RB - Despite only having seven rushing yards last week against Tulsa, Ware Jr. caught four passes for 43 yards and remains a great option in the Wheelers' offense and a reliable safety valve for quarterback Daquan Neal. With his rushing score, his touchdown streak was extended to eight games, which makes him a player to watch for in the first-round matchup.

Bubba Arslanian / LB - Arslanian will return to the field after being sidelined for a couple of weeks with an injury he suffered during the Wheelers' home loss against the Green Bay Blizzard. His ability to fly around the field, command the Wheelers' defense, and tackling ability are  crucial to this team. Oh, and by the way, he still leads the league in total tackles despite missing the last two weeks.

About the Sharks

Last week, the Sharks defeated the No. 2 seed Green Bay Blizzard, 63-53, in their last home regular-season game, despite facing an early deficit. After an early touchdown by running back Larry McCammon tied the game, quarterback Tyler Huff sparked the offense with a touchdown run and later added a critical fourth-down conversion and a one-yard tush push for another score. Marcus Rogers scored twice, including a third-quarter touchdown that helped Jacksonville retake the lead. Jaedon Stoshak extended a key drive with a spectacular one-handed catch, and Ka'ron Ashley broke free for a 49-yard touchdown off a screen pass. Defensively, Chris Rice returned an interception for a touchdown, Kivon Bennett recovered a fumble, and Malik Jones sealed the win with an onside kick return for a score. The Sharks are primarily led by their strong offense, which averages 44.5 points per game, ranking fifth-best in the league. Despite having the second-lowest amount of passing yards per game, they average the second most rushing yards per game, with 109.1 rushing yards per game. Quarterback Tyler Huff averages the most rushing yards per game in the league by far, with 84.6 rushing yards per game, while the next closest player only averages 59.7 yards per game.

Jacksonville - Players to Watch

Tyler Huff  / QB - There's no other way around it, but Huff dominated the Steamwheelers' defense the last time these two faced off. Huff completed 10/11 passes for 73 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for 190 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. The Wheelers' defense will need to be able to contain him if they want to stop the Sharks.

Kivon Bennett  / DL - The big defensive lineman is tied for sixth in the league for total sacks, having five so far. Despite the fact that he had a quiet first game against the Steamwheelers in Moline, Bennett dominated the second matchup, recording three tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and one sack. The Wheelers' offensive line should keep an eye on Bennett if they want to continue to dominate on the ground.

Last Time Around….

The Steamwheelers and Sharks last met on 6/21/25 in Jacksonville, Florida, which resulted in a 65-33 Steamwheelers defeat. Despite starting strong with a field goal on their opening drive, the Wheelers struggled to capitalize on key opportunities in the loss. In the first half, a promising deep connection from Daquan Neal to Tamorrion Terry ended in a fumble, and another potential touchdown was lost when DeQuan Dudley fumbled the ball at the goal line. Neal managed to score twice on quarterback keepers and found Keyvan Rudd for a 20-yard touchdown late in the game, and Jarrod Ware Jr. also added a rushing score. Defensively, the Wheelers had several tackles for loss, but couldn't slow Jacksonville's relentless offensive attack.

Additional Fan Experience

For every home game, fans are invited to participate in the Hayman's Ace Post-game Autograph Session, where they can meet their favorite players and coaches on the field!

Don't miss your chance to be part of the Steamwheelers' 2025 season at the Vibrant Arena! Get your tickets NOW at SteamwheelersFootball.com/TICKETS