The 1996 Orlando Predators season was the sixth season for the Orlando Predators. They finished the 1996 Arena Football League season 9–5 and finished the season with a loss in the quarterfinals of the playoffs to the Arizona Rattlers.[1]
Schedule
Regular season
| Week
|
Date
|
Opponent
|
Results
|
Game site (attendance)
|
| Final score
|
Team record
|
| 1
|
April 27
|
at Arizona Rattlers
|
L 52–55
|
0–1
|
America West Arena (14,939)
|
| 2
|
May 3
|
Texas Terror
|
W 52–36
|
1–1
|
Orlando Arena (14,678)
|
| 3
|
May 10
|
Florida Bobcats
|
W 38–20
|
2–1
|
Orlando Arena (16,116)
|
| 4
|
May 18
|
at Tampa Bay Storm
|
L 42–63
|
2–2
|
ThunderDome (16,444)
|
| 5
|
May 24
|
at San Jose SaberCats
|
L 25–42
|
2–3
|
San Jose Arena (15,470)
|
| 6
|
June 1
|
at Connecticut Coyotes
|
W 45–38
|
3–3
|
Hartford Civic Center (7,342)
|
| 7
|
June 7
|
Charlotte Rage
|
W 56–47
|
4–3
|
Orlando Arena (15,127)
|
| 8
|
Bye
|
| 9
|
June 21
|
Iowa Barnstormers
|
L 50–59
|
4–4
|
Orlando Arena (15,613)
|
| 10
|
June 29
|
at Texas Terror
|
W 45–37
|
5–4
|
Compaq Center (8,064)
|
| 11
|
July 6
|
at Albany Firebirds
|
L 41–53
|
5–5
|
Knickerbocker Arena (11,079)
|
| 12
|
July 12
|
Minnesota Fighting Pike
|
W 56–12
|
6–5
|
Orlando Arena (15,107)
|
| 13
|
July 19
|
Tampa Bay Storm
|
W 40–39
|
7–5
|
Orlando Arena (16,236)
|
| 14
|
July 27
|
at Florida Bobcats
|
W 59–27
|
8–5
|
West Palm Beach Auditorium (4,018)
|
| 15
|
August 2
|
Anaheim Piranhas
|
W 50–44 (OT)
|
9–5
|
Orlando Arena (16,096)
|
[2]
Playoffs
The Predators were awarded the No. 6 seed in the AFL playoffs.
| Round
|
Date
|
Opponent
|
Results
|
Game site (attendance)
|
| Final score
|
Playoff record
|
| Quarterfinals
|
August 10
|
at (3) Arizona Rattlers
|
L 48–65
|
0–1
|
America West Center (15,129)
|
[2]
Standings
| Team
|
Overall
|
Division
|
| Wins
|
Losses
|
Percentage
|
Wins
|
Losses
|
Percentage
|
| National Conference
|
| Eastern Division
|
| Albany Firebirds
|
10
|
4
|
0.714
|
4
|
0
|
1.000
|
| Charlotte Rage
|
5
|
9
|
0.357
|
2
|
2
|
0.500
|
| Connecticut Coyotes
|
2
|
12
|
0.143
|
0
|
4
|
0.000
|
| Southern Division
|
| Tampa Bay Storm
|
12
|
2
|
0.857
|
5
|
1
|
0.833
|
|
|
9
|
5
|
0.643
|
5
|
1
|
0.833
|
| Florida Bobcats
|
6
|
8
|
0.429
|
2
|
4
|
0.333
|
| Texas Terror
|
1
|
13
|
0.071
|
0
|
6
|
0.000
|
| American Conference
|
| Central Division
|
| Iowa Barnstormers
|
12
|
2
|
0.857
|
4
|
2
|
0.667
|
| Milwaukee Mustangs
|
10
|
4
|
0.714
|
5
|
1
|
0.833
|
| St. Louis Stampede
|
8
|
6
|
0.571
|
3
|
3
|
0.500
|
| Memphis Pharaohs
|
0
|
14
|
0.000
|
0
|
6
|
0.000
|
| Western Division
|
| Arizona Rattlers
|
11
|
3
|
0.786
|
3
|
2
|
0.600
|
| Anaheim Piranhas
|
9
|
5
|
0.643
|
4
|
1
|
0.800
|
| San Jose SaberCats
|
6
|
8
|
0.429
|
1
|
4
|
0.200
|
| Minnesota Fighting Pike
|
4
|
10
|
0.286
|
1
|
2
|
0.333
|
- Green indicates clinched playoff berth
- Blue indicates division champion
- Grey indicates best regular season record
Awards
| Position
|
Player
|
Award
|
All-Arena team
|
| Wide receiver/defensive back |
Barry Wagner |
Ironman of the Year |
1st
|
[1]
References
|
|---|
| American Conference | National Conference |
| Central Division | Western Division |
- Iowa Barnstormers
- Memphis Pharaohs
- Milwaukee Mustangs
- St. Louis Stampede
| |
|
|
| Eastern Division | Southern Division | | |
|
|
|
|
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|---|
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| Franchise | |
|---|
| Arenas | |
|---|
| Culture | |
|---|
| Head coaches | |
|---|
| Playoff appearances (23) | |
|---|
| Division championships (9) | |
|---|
| ArenaBowl appearances (7) | |
|---|
| Hall of Fame members | |
|---|
Seasons (25) |
|---|
| 1990s | |
|---|
| 2000s | |
|---|
| 2010s | |
|---|
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