The Desperados find themselves in an unfamiliar position as the Arena Football League playoffs begin tonight.

Dallas, the No. 3 seed, meets the New York Dragons, the No. 6 seed, in a wild-card playoff game at American Airlines Center. Kickoff is 6:30 p.m.

The previous two seasons, the Desperados have started the postseason as the No. 1 seed. They've owned home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and were among the favorites to win a championship.

But all they have to show for it is heartache.

In 2006, the Desperados were eliminated in the conference final. In 2007, after a regular-season league-best 15 wins, Dallas was knocked out of the divisional round.

"We're going in a different way this year," linebacker Duke Pettijohn said. "That might be good for us. It's a different focus that we need to have. It's right now, instead of we have a week off. We have no rest. No lull."

The Desperados swept the two regular-season meetings against New York, though it was by a combined four points. Dallas has defeated New York six straight times. And the Dragons have lost their last three playoff games.

But don't expect New York to be pushovers.

New York has the second-ranked pass defense and has allowed the second-fewest touchdowns in the league. Quarterback Aaron Garcia has thrown 78 touchdowns and just nine interceptions this season.

And beating a team three times in the same season could be difficult.

Quarterback Clint Dolezel played for Grand Rapids in the 2001 season. The Rampage beat Chicago three times, twice in the regular season and in the opening round of the playoffs.

"It doesn't bother me at all," said Dolezel, who has played in nine playoff games during his 15-year career. "They might be using that on their side psychologically. They really don't believe that. But if we jump on them, that scenario will go right out [the window]."

At the start of the season, the Desperados were considered among the best teams in the league. But injuries to key players, including to Dolezel and standout wide receiver Will Pettis, brought adversity.

Coach Will McClay said that makes for a hungry team.

"I think it was a good season because of all the things we had to overcome," McClay said. "It will determine how good the regular season was by how we do in the postseason."