The Denver Outlaws ended last season 1-9 and sat out the postseason. Now, they’re one of the top teams from the Western Conference with an outside shot at a championship. A historic rookie class led by first overall pick Brennan O’Neill led the charge. Veteran leaders like Justin Anderson and midseason pickup Eric Law helped stabilize the young offense.

The veteran defense anchored by Dave Pietramala Defensive Player of the Year finalist JT Giles-Harris stifled opponents and provided a groundwork for this revamped Outlaws franchise to compete.

Why the Outlaws can win the Cash App Championship

The defense is good enough to contend with any offense in the league. With that foundation in the back, Denver just needs strong performances from the offensive core. O’Neill has had monster games this season, and he’s capable of taking over under the right circumstances. Graham Bundy Jr. is a flamethrowing outside shooter who can rapidly change momentum from beyond the arc.

If these guys get hot for a month, they can be unstoppable.

Why the Outlaws could lose in the Cash App Playoffs

Consistency. All season, Denver’s tried and failed to build consistency. The offense will look dynamic in one game, then incapable of scoring in the next.

O’Neill will score seven goals against the Archers in Week 2, then be held without a point when the teams rematched in the season finale. With this young team, there’s a ton of week-to-week variance. What separates the elite contenders like the New York Atlas from the Outlaws is that consistency.

Which Outlaws will show up in the postseason: the group that crushed the California Redwoods 18-5 in Baltimore or the group that limped to a 17-4 loss to the Atlas in Boston? If Denver plays up to its potential, it can hang with the best. But the odds of seeing that for four quarters, three weeks in a row are low.

X-Factor: Brennan O’Neill

He’s the face of the franchise for a reason. In his rookie season, he led the team with 29 points. He’s an incredible talent who’s flashed MVP ability, but can he do it against the best defensemen in the league when it matters most?

Against the Maryland Whipsnakes’ Matt Dunn, whom Denver will see in the quarterfinals on Sept. 2, O’Neill scored one goal and went 1-for-5 shooting. He’s also struggled in high-profile matchups against Gavin Adler and Graeme Hossack. O’Neill is a player who can be the engine of a championship team. Is he ready to do that as a rookie?

Key stat: 27% shooting

The Outlaws have created a high volume of chances all season. Finishing those chances has been another question.

In Denver’s five wins this season, it shot 27% or better from the field. In its five losses, Denver shot 25% or worse. There’s a lot that goes into finishing – goaltending, defense and quality of shot – but the results speak for themselves.

O’Neill and Bundy are streaky shooters who can fluctuate between unstoppable and can’t-hit-the-cage. Law is a stable finisher on the crease, but even he had his lowest shooting percentage since 2021. Shooting percentage is the end product of the Outlaws’ offensive execution. When the ball is moving and the right players are getting the right looks, the shots fall. When things slow down and get jammed, the shots miss.

Will Denver create the right chances, and will the shooters be able to capitalize when the defense gets tighter and the goaltending gets sharper?