Game 6 Preview vs Jacksonville

By Timothy Wallis

Following a high-scoring loss on the road last week in San Diego, the Quad City Steamwheelers will return home to the Quad Cities, where the team will face off against an Eastern Conference foe, and a team they are familiar with from last season. The 2-3 Steamwheelers will take on the 2-1 Jacksonville Sharks, a rematch of last season's first-round playoff game, when the Wheelers took home the win at home to advance. 

Kick-off is at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 26, at The Wheelhouse at the Vibrant Arena at The Mark in Moline, IL. To watch, you can go to the Yahoo Sports Network online, or watch on services like Fubo, Amazon Fire TV, Plex, Prime Video and Roku. 

About the Steamwheelers

Last week, the Steamwheelers were unable to keep up in a 73-59 high-scoring road loss, dropping to 2-3 despite a strong offensive showing. Quarterback Daquan Neal led the charge with 270 passing yards and six touchdowns, consistently finding Quian Williams, who finished with 120 receiving yards, four touchdown catches, and a kickoff return score. The Wheelers kept pace throughout the game with multiple quick-strike drives and big plays, including scoring bursts before halftime and early in the second half. Jarrod Ware and Jordan Vesey also contributed touchdowns as Quad City's offense remained productive from start to finish. Defensively, an interception by Kevin Ransom Jr. provided a key moment, but the team ultimately couldn't overcome the Strike Force. Offensively, the Wheelers are led by quarterback Daquan Neal, who is putting up another stellar season, where he currently leads the league with 21 touchdown passes, averaging the fourth most passing yards per game with 170.4 and also has the second most total rushing yards with 216 yards so far this season. On defense, despite a rough game last time out, it allows the fifth-fewest yards per game at 218.8 and shuts down the rush for the most part, allowing only 51.2 rushing yards per game, the third-fewest.

QC - Players to Watch

Jordan Vesey / WR - Last year, in three matchups against the Sharks, Vesey combined for 14 receptions for 215 yards and six touchdowns, while running once for a yard and another score. After catching three passes for 38 yards and a touchdown last week, Vesey will look to continue finding the endzone against a team he killed a few times in the past.

Jamon Williams / DB - Having two interceptions on the season so far, tied for the second most, Williams will look to shut down the Sharks, after the Strike Force threw all over the defense last week. With a two-interception game at Orlando during week three, Williams has shown that he is very capable of producing against Florida teams, and looks to help the Wheelers' defense lock down.

About the Sharks

Last week, the Sharks earned a dominant 68–40 home-opening victory over Orlando to improve to 2–1 on the season and hand the Pirates their first loss. The Sharks jumped out quickly, building a 23–6 first-quarter lead highlighted by a pick-six from DB Dylan Brown that set the tone early. Jacksonville stayed in control throughout the game, consistently capitalizing on big plays and strong field position to maintain its lead. The offense delivered explosive scoring drives, including a key touchdown connection from Sammy Edwards and a strong receiving score by Jaedon Stoshak. Defensively, the Sharks also made pivotal plays, including a goal-line stand before halftime that helped preserve their momentum. On offense, the Sharks' strong attack, scoring the second-most points per game at 52.3, is led by James Cahoon, whose 63% completion rate is the fifth-best in the IFL. Their 76.7 rushing yards, primarily by Jimmie Robinson Jr., are the fourth-most in the league, showing they can not just throw it but run it as well. Defensively, they rank middle of the pack in most stats, allowing 167.7 passing yards per game and 67.7 rushing yards per game, fifth and seventh most, respectively.

Jacksonville - Players to Watch

James Cahoon / QB - Last week against the San Diego Strike Force, the Wheelers let up nine touchdown passes to quarterback Nate Davis, who tied his own IFL record. Cahoon, a very solid quarterback in his own right, will look to pick apart the Wheelers' defense in the same fashion, and something the Quad City defense will have to gameplan for.

Isaiah Major / DB/LB - The rookie linebacker and occasional defensive back has made quite an impact in his first season with the Sharks. In just three games played, the Florida A&M product has racked up 30 tackles, leading the league averaging 10.0 tackles per game. Going against a potent Wheelers offense, Major will undoubtedly do everything in his power to try to shut down the Wheelers.

Last Time Around….

The Steamwheelers and Sharks last met on 8/2/25, during the first round of the playoffs in Moline, where the Steamwheelers won 57-41 to advance to the Eastern Conference Final. After a Sharks' opening kickoff deuce, the Steamwheelers responded quickly, as quarterback Daquan Neal led a scoring drive capped by a touchdown pass to Deion McShane, sparking an early run of offense. Neal continued to dominate, connecting multiple times with Jordan Vesey and Jarrod Ware Jr. for touchdowns as the Wheelers built and maintained the lead. The offense stayed aggressive throughout, with Neal accounting for seven total touchdowns while Ware Jr. and Vesey combined for five receiving scores and over 150 yards. Defensively, key stops, including a fourth-down tackle by JaQuan Artis and a blocked PAT by Malik Duncan, helped preserve momentum late in the game. In the end, the Wheelers sealed the win with a final touchdown pass from Neal to Ware Jr. and a strong defensive stand in the closing seconds.