The Pittsburgh RiverRats struggled early, getting out to an 0-3 start and scoring an average of just 24 points per game. However, behind the arm of 2006 AIFL MVP quarterback David Dinkins and a coach who was always adding talent to the roster, the Rats won five of their final eight to earn the #4 seed in the North Division playoffs. The Reading Express bounced the Rats from the postseason, 42-24, after the Rats trailed by three at halftime. The franchise moved to Erie and replaced the Freeze in 2008. Former University of Pittsburgh Quarterback Rod Rutherford led the team to a 10-4 regular season record and postseason appearance. Despite forcing a division tie with Reading, the Express won the season series against Erie and hosted the Rats in the playoffs. With time winding, down, Erie trailed 61-57. Rutherford had two chances from inside the Express ten yard line, but threw an interception, which was returned for fifty yards and a score. The Express defeated the Rats 67-57. The team moved to Erie in 2009, after the Freeze had been gone for a year. Unfortunately, success did not follow the team. Five players split time at quarterback, throwing for 43 touchdowns and 35 interceptions. The team scored just 466 points on the season, losing eleven games by an average of 21 points. The team's final game of the year was a 60-20 win at home against the defending champion Florence Phantoms. The Erie Storm became the third incarnation of AIFA football in Erie. The Storm hosted their games at Tullio Arena and drew decent crowds. The team went 1-3 to begin the year, but would rebound to win six of the next seven. Nine games were decided by ten points or less, and Erie won six of these. Rod Rutherford quarterbacked the Storm, throwing for 2,567 yards, 48 touchdowns and 22 interceptions. Rutherford also led the team with 167 yards and ten touchdowns. Eugene Baker and Dewayne Dixon combined to catch 33 touchdowns. With two wins over Reading, the Storm beat out the Express for the final playoff berth in the East. Erie would fall to Harrisburg for the fourth time, 52-48, to end the year. The team moved to the SIFL for the 2011 season.