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Showdown With Orlando Wraps Up Regular Season For Soul

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Philadelphia Soul will play the final game of their regular season on Saturday night when they visit the Orlando Predators.

Both of these teams are 12-3. The winner of this game will earn the top seed in the American Conference for the playoffs.

"We know it's going to be a tough battle going to Orlando," Soul head coach Clint Dolezel tells KYW Newsradio. "They are a good football team. Coach (Rob) Keefe has got them playing at a high level. They play hard. He really gets the most out of what he's got there and there is a reason they are 12-3. We know it's going to be a dog fight."

Listen to the entire interview with the Soul's Clint Dolezel:

 

These two teams met back on May 21st in South Philadelphia, the Soul winning that game, 62-54.

Dolezel says Orlando really does bring a lot to the table.

"They do a lot of things well on both sides of the ball," Dolezel says. "And their special teams. Their special teams are probably the best in the league on both sides, as far as their kicking game and their returners. He's got six touchdowns on the year in (Brandon) Thompkins. So we know we're going to have our hands full."

The Soul had a bye last week. Prior to that, they struggled in a win over 2-13 Tampa Bay. Dolezel expects his team to be at its best against Orlando and beyond.

"The guys can see the light at the end of the tunnel so to speak," Dolezel says. "They're starting to get a little more energy back knowing that, hey, we've got five weeks left. That's our mindset. If we're going to get to the championship and win that thing, it's going to be five more weeks of it. So we're starting this week as far as the one game and done."

If the Soul win on Saturday, they will play Tampa in the first round of the playoffs. A Soul loss would match them up with Jacksonville in the opening round of the postseason.

The Soul and the Predators will get underway at 7:30pm on Saturday.

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