Courtesy of Mass Pirates
Kickoff: The Pirates are coming off of a 54-31 win last week over Iowa. The win clinched a playoff spot for the Pirates. Massachusetts won the first meeting against Tulsa on June 21st, 58-37 at the Tsongas Center. The Pirates are 4-1 all-time against the Oilers. 

Here are four keys for the Pirates.

1st Down: Get Bahar to Owens going early: Quarterback Kenji Bahar and wide receiver Thomas Owens have finally started connecting and the Pirates need them to keep the connection going in this game. The Pirates need to be aggressive in the passing game. 

2nd Down: Defense must continue to ball hawk: One of the biggest reasons why the Pirates have turned their season around and made the playoffs has been the play of their defense, especially the secondary. The secondary must continue to force turnovers and give the offense extra possessions. 

3rd Down: Pooka Power: Running back Pooka Williams had 53 yards rushing and a touchdown in the last meeting against the Oilers. He needs to be a factor in this game. 

4th Down: Take care of the ball: Turnovers are usually the difference in games like this. The Pirates must play a fundamentally sound and clean game. Taking care of the ball will be a priority in a game that could come down to one possession. 

Extra Point: The Pirates are scoring 40.8 points per game while allowing 38.6. The Oilers average 41.8 points per contest and yield 39.2.

Final Drive: The Pirates are in but they need this game for seeding purposes, You do not want to start the playoffs on the road if you can avoid it. Getting off to a good start is key. If the Pirates can do that, they should take care of business against a team they have dominated.