Des Moines Raiders File Grievance With NAFC League Office Over Playoff Dispute
By Dale Walters and Adam Ireland
The city of Des Moines woke up Tuesday morning not to the smell of fresh-brewed coffee but to the bitter stench of playoff elimination. The Raiders, having battled valiantly all season, now find themselves among the league’s couch dwellers, alongside the Austin Oilers, California Rebels, and the Montana Wombats. Owner Jon Dvorak—a man never known for his restraint—was, predictably, irate.
The Raiders narrowly missed the 2024 NAFC playoffs after dropping a Monday night thriller to the El Paso Red Devils 190.0-187.7. In a game for the ages, the Raiders entered the night needing a win to secure the 3rd seed but instead got a heartbreaking loss that secured them nothing but misery. “The Raiders controlled their destiny,” said one NAFC analyst. “And then their defense controlled absolutely nothing.”
What followed was a firestorm of controversy. The Raiders finished the season 7-7, the same record as the Albuquerque Roadrunners. Crucially, Des Moines defeated Albuquerque head-to-head and outscored them by a whopping 127 points over the season. But thanks to a 4-2 divisional record for ABQ versus DSM’s 3-3, it’s the Roadrunners dancing their way to Atlantic City while the Raiders lick their wounds. Divisional record, the league’s #1 tiebreaker, proved to be Des Moines’ undoing.
And they were not happy about it.
“This is a dark, grim day,” Dvorak told reporters, his voice quaking with what we can only assume was a cocktail of rage and regret. “Maybe it’s because our ownership and staff have been on a rage-filled bender since hearing this news, but we can’t seem to make sense of it. Shame on us for not knowing this and pushing back sooner, but shame on the league for rewarding a cupcake division and a cupcake schedule.”
Dvorak’s grievance, filed late Monday night, pointedly noted:
- DSM beat Albuquerque head-to-head (1-0).
- DSM scored 127 more points than ABQ over the season.
Yet somehow, divisional record—against non-common opponents—trumped both metrics. “How does that make sense when it’s a tie between non-divisional teams?” fumed DSM Head Coach Jason Grady. “Put the best teams in the playoffs. Stop punishing teams for being in a good division and playing winners.”
For context, the Roadrunners’ division included the 1-13 Austin Oilers, whose season could generously be described as a live-action dumpster fire. Albuquerque padded their record with two easy wins against the Oilers. Meanwhile, Des Moines slogged through the Emerald Division—a group so brutal it sent three teams to the playoffs. Had DSM won Monday night, they’d have been the fourth. Instead, they’re left pointing fingers, most of them aimed directly at Josh Peter.
Ironically, even Peter himself expressed doubts about his Roadrunners. “To be honest, I feel like Des Moines should be in the playoffs over us,” he admitted. “I don’t believe my team earned the right.”
Ouch. Imagine getting a playoff spot and still telling yourself you don’t deserve it.
Dvorak, meanwhile, has gone full Al Davis. “ABQ and Josh Peter can GO TO HELL,” he ranted in the locker room, reportedly while hurling a clipboard for dramatic effect. His impassioned plea for playoff reform even drew comparisons to college football controversies. “This is Alabama getting passed over for SMU,” one fan quipped. Except, as others noted, Albuquerque is no SMU; they’re more like Iowa—reliable but uninspiring.
Still, critics argue that the Raiders have no one to blame but themselves. They knew—or should have known—the tiebreaker rules. They controlled their destiny but blew a 45-point lead Monday night, failing to stop Chase Brown and CeeDee Lamb from running roughshod over their defense. “If anyone should be upset,” wrote one NAFC columnist, “it’s the Raiders’ OFFENSE. How do you not score more points when your season is on the line?”
Playoff reform is, of course, a worthy debate. Should divisional records weigh so heavily? Should strength of schedule matter more? Should head-to-head and point differential take precedence? These are questions the NAFC will have to grapple with—likely amid a cacophony of Des Moines grievances.
As for the Raiders, their season is over, and so is their dignity. Whether Dvorak’s tirade leads to meaningful change or simply cements his reputation as the league’s loudest sore loser remains to be seen. For now, the Roadrunners are flying east to face the Atlantic City Aces, and the Raiders are left to stew in what could have been.
And hey, at least they’re in good company with the Oilers, Rebels, and Wombats. Misery loves company, after all.
