The Memphis Showboats (1-6) head to Ford Field this Saturday for a Week 8 showdown against the playoff-bound Michigan Panthers (5-2), with their season essentially on the line.

After a blowout 47-23 loss to the Arlington Renegades last week, the Showboats are just playing for pride at this point. They’ve been outscored by over 15 points per game during their current six-game losing streak.

Quarterback play has been a revolving door in Memphis, with Troy Williams and Case Cookus splitting time under center. Neither has provided much of a spark, as the duo combined for just 230 passing yards, 2 TDs and 2 INTs against the Renegades.

The Showboats’ defensive woes have mounted as well, as they’ve surrendered at least 32 points in five straight contests. Generating any consistent pass rush has been an issue.

On the other side, Michigan is headed to the USFL Conference title game after clinching a playoff berth with last week’s 22-9 win at DC. The Panthers used a balanced offensive approach to take care of the Defenders.

Running back Matt Colburn erupted for 137 rushing yards to power the ground game, while the QB tandem of Brian Lewerke and Bryce Perkins combined for 153 passing yards and a score through the air.

Defensively, standout end Breeland Speaks continued his strong season by recording 1.5 sacks to give him 5.5 on the year, second-most in the UFL.

But the real star was kicker Jake Bates, who drilled three more field goals including one from 51 yards out. Bates has been automatic this spring, connecting on a whopping 18 field goals already.

With a playoff spot locked up, don’t expect the Panthers to let up against the reeling Showboats. Ford Field should be rocking as they continue to gear up for a postseason run and potential championship clash with Birmingham.

Memphis, meanwhile, is simply playing out the string at this point. One of the spring’s biggest disappointments has few reasons for optimism left down the stretch. Avoiding an embarrassing effort against a focused playoff team will be the priority on Saturday.