Tier 4: Divisional Round Preview

Hey everyone, the Wildcard round ended Wednesday night and there was a lot of great action from all 16 teams. Unfortunately for those playing, 8 teams were sent home and 8 are now in the final 16 which will be played this Sunday. I will recap the Wildcard games and also give my predictions for the Divisional Round but before that, let’s go over the fantasy lineup from this week:

QB: Dante Gerardi (vs The Peckers)

➡️ Stats: 15/27 142yds, 2 TDs, 2 INTs

WR: Jonathan Bottazzi (vs Dragon Magique)

➡️ Stats: 7 rec, 93yds, 3 TDs, 2 PDs

WR: Carl Murray (vs Briscoe Hawks)

➡️ Stats: 5 rec, 29yds, 1 TD, 1x 1pt convert

Rusher: Alain Keb (vs Monstars)

➡️ Stats: no stats

DB: Amine Encina (vs Super Troopers)

➡️ Stats: 4 rec, 62yds

DB: Fabrice Agelus (vs Sour Puss)

➡️ Stats: 3 PDs, 2 TKLs, 1 rec, 40yds, 1TD

Flex: Ben Arnovitz (vs Team Ethnik)

➡️ Stats: 2 rec, 14yds

Flex: Olivier Lledo (vs Ball Hawks)

➡️ Stats: DNP

Defence: Bend Don’t Break (vs Brewers)

➡️ Stats: 2 INTs, 4 PDs

The first game of the playoffs featured a matchup between two efficient QBs. Finding out that rusher Winny Foko for Briscoe Hawks would be missing due to a potential season-ending injury late in the regular season questioned how the rush would affect Franco Russo. Standly Williams took the challenge and his quick speed was evident with 3 sacks. Briscoe Hawks’s offence was clinical as Alex O’Neill threw 6 TDs on four incompletions. Brandon Kerr would have 2 TDs with five different players scoring. The defence would pick off Franco Russo once but also had 11 PDs. The score seems worse than what it was but a lot of the offensive struggles came from the pressure from Williams as rusher to Franco and several drops by the receivers.

It was a back and forth game between two solid teams but William Seguin would use his legs to score a 11yd run in the final minute to break the tie and pull the upset. No team would score consecutively and the final TD would be the deciding factor. Both Seguin and Garner Ross would throw 4 TDs alongside 2 INTs. Jesse Dym would lead TuneSquad with 3 receiving TDs and Justin Caisse would match that with 3 of his own for Not Fast Just Furious. It was a disappointing ending for TuneSquad and for Not Fast Just Furious, the dramatic run (not ironically😂) has just begun.

Dragon Magique would score three straight times to open the second half to erase a first half deficit against Chomedey Chodes for the win. Émile Bolullo played efficiently with 4 TDs and no interceptions, having a different receiver scoring each time. Guillaume Boulanger would be the reliable WR in this one with a TD on six receptions. On defence, Dragon Magique would get 4 sacks, two from Émile Bolullo and the other two from Vincent Bolullo, in addition to the unit getting 3 INTs. For Chomedey Chodes, Jonathan Bottazzi was able to do whatever he wanted as he finished with 7 receptions and 3 TDs in the loss. Chris Drukker would be a good support with 4 catches and a TD too. The constant rushing from Dragon Magique would result in Matthew Bottazzi having his 2nd lowest rushing total of the year.

I predicted this game to be a high scoring game and had a bit of doubt with Team Ethnik controlling Charles Presser and his duel-threat ability. Presser did rush for 53yds but it didn’t matter as Angelo Mourelatos would pick him off twice, including a pick-6 on the final play. Presser would also return the favour with a pick-6 of his own on Benoit Lawlor in the first half. Outside of two INTs, Lawlor was able to keep the ball control towards a 6 TD performance, three of them going to Mourelatos who would finish with 4 total on the day. With 46pts, Team Ethnik showed that even though they might give up points on defence, their offensive fire power might be too much for teams to contain in future rounds.

After this game, it’s guaranteed that we will get a new Tier 4 champion after Super Troopers would pull off the upset win after a TD caught by Giovani Antonacci with 3 seconds left. Kenny Boutilier would manage the clock well after Mike Phillips would score for NoFlagsGiven with just under two minutes left in the game. Antonacci would be clinical as he finished with 2 TDs, an area where he should be the center of attention for every defence, especially in the redzone. Martin DeSousa was also key with 2 sacks for Super Troopers. For NoFlagsGiven, it wasn’t the season they wanted and while watching the game, there were several times where Tyler Stewart either missed receivers with inaccurate throws and tough passes. Nevertheless, I’m sure NoFlagsGiven will regroup in the off-season while Super Troopers will look to climb into the top 8 and should use my prediction as fuel to pull another upset 😂.

The hungry defence of Bend Don’t Break would be too much as they will win easily against Brewers. Bend Don’t Break had a solid defence but I felt the composure and experience from Brewers would keep the game closer but a 20-0 lead at the break would erase that. Luke Moreau was great as he finished with 4 TDs, including his main target in Dominic Weidner having 3 TDs, being a true safety blanket. Moreau leads the team in INTs on defence in the regular season but it was Owen Bruemmer who would use his height to have 2 INTs on the day. For Brewers, it was a tough outing from Peeze Della Rocca with only 1 TD and 2 INTs. It seemed that every time Brewers would build momentum on offence, they would either get stopped on 4th down or throw an INT. Bend Don’t Break looks to move on in hopes towards winning a Tier 4 championship.

After a 6-7(don’t insert the meme now) lead at the break, Ball Hawks would control the 2nd half and win the game 20-7, shutting out First Down Snifflers in the half for the win. After an early 1st half TD by Charles-Étienne Guay, the offence would be shut down for the remainder of the game. It was a tough game for Mathieu Couturier as he would only have 9 completions and wasn’t as strong in the rushing game as he normally is. This game showed the difference of experience between both teams. For Ball Hawks, Richie Mondesir started the game rocky with two INTs, including a great one handed grab by Jacob Pilon which was captured by @crv.media. Once Mondesir got the bad throws out the way, he was able to be more accurate, including 3 TDs to Jerome Mergenord, being wide open on nearly every catch he made. Ball Hawks is a team who play off the emotions of each other and once they were in a rhythm, it was too much for their opponents to handle. Let’s see if their win streak continues into the top 16.

My prediction went very off the rails but once the game went on, it became almost too much for Rum & Coke to handle. Within the first half of the game, both Matteo Gerardi and Felix Clairmont were ruled out of the game with respective injuries, including a more serious one for Gerardi who I wish he gets better soon. Without two top receivers and solid defenders, The Peckers would control everything, especially on offence. Noah Lieblein would only have one incompletion with 5 TDs, two of them going to Ethan Cohen and the other three going to Lewis Epstein. Cohen would also get a pick-6 in the first half, moving the lead for The Peckers. Benjamin McMahon would do his best to keep Rum & Coke alive with 7 receptions and 1 TD but the second half had The Peckers controlling the game on both sides, opening the flood gates for the 27pt victory.

Not Fast Just Furious pulled the biggest shocker of the Wildcard round but as a reward, got matched up with the undefeated Nut N’ Run. Not Fast Just Furious were able to win a nailbitter against TuneSquad but they will need to be perfect on both sides of the ball to pull off the biggest upset yet. Seguin will need to avoid turnovers and score when he gets his chances. The biggest challenge for NFJF is their defence in an attempt to stop the high powered offence led by Nicolas Katerelos. Nut N’ Run average just under 40pts a game and have scored under 30 just twice whereas NFJF have let their opponents score 30+ six times this season. With a solid top 4 receivers, I just find it too much for NFJF to maintain the offence of Nut N’ Run. 

Super Troopers come into this game with momentum after a clutch victory against the former champs. In a game where I felt that it would be close throughout, Kenny Boutilier was able to keep his team in reach and when it came to the final moments, was the better QB in the victory. Their opponents have had three one-score victories in their route to a 9-1 record in Reborn Prospects. McRodly JeanMarie has been solid with 42 TDs but what makes Reborn Prospects especially dangerous is their 23 INTs and 13 sacks. With four players with at least 4 INTs and two players with at least 6 sacks, their big plays come from several players, showing few weaknesses on defence. For Boutilier and company, they can’t give a chance for Reborn Prospect to get INTs. That means accuracy, efficiency and maybe Boutilier using his legs so he can’t lose the ball. For Reborn Prospects, what concerns me is their play against top teams as they have victories but they are in close games. If Boutilier can keep the ball and if JeanMarie doesn’t have an efficient game, I can see the upset happen, however, I will take Reborn Prospects but in a very close game.

Studz are looking to win their 2nd title after winning the Spring Division E championship in August. They have the number one offence as they have scored over 30pts every game they had one after their season opener loss and also score 50+ in half of their games after that same loss (I don’t count the 60-0 forfeit win). They have assumingly the QB of the Year in Philippe Gélinas who has only thrown 1 INT all season. In their matchup in Week 6, Gélinas threw 6 TDs whereas Bend Don’t Break didn’t have Luke Moreau in the lineup. I do think Studz would have won that matchup with Moreau in the lineup but it could've been much closer. Bend Don’t Break plays with a level of confidence that if they are on their game, they are more than capable of keeping this game close. It’s a great game between the cautious offence and aggressive defence of Bend Don’t Break and the big play ability from Studz. Dominic Weidner will need to have a great game on offence for Bend Don’t Break or else I don’t see this game being close. For Studz, they need to keep composure and not let bend Don’t Break get into their heads. This game will be close but I will take the better offence but not in a blowout that they are accustomed to all year. 

The Peckers dismantled a depleted Rum & Coke team in order to get a matchup with the surging Texas Whales. When you think of it, if The Peckers never forfeited those two games in the regular season, they could’ve been tied for the 4th seed with Texas Whales. We can’t talk in the world of what-if but they have the matchup now. Texas Whales have finished with their best record in their history and have been impressive in doing so. Tyler Cousins played his best season as QB with 41 TDs having a dangerous duo with Elio Cariglia and newest addition in Daniel Alessandro. What also strikes me is that even though they have 2 forfeit wins, Texas Whales’ defence still only allowed 21.1pts per game. The Peckers are the team with the biggest first round win and I think that will challenge them. For their opponents, The Peckers are riding on a high, attempting to prove that they belong. They will have their hands full with Cariglia, Alessandro and can’t forget Chazz Pisanelli. If Tyler Cousins can protect the ball then Texas Whales can be in control for most of the game but I think when Noah Lieblein and The Peckers are on their game, they have a bit more depth on both sides of the ball to hang on to a win.

These two teams met early in the regular season and combined for 83 points and I think they can match that in this game. Team Ethnik are coming into this game after a 46pt outburst in the Wildcard round and Benoit Lawlor looks like he can carve any defence. He has only had one game all season where he threw for less than 200 yards and even in losses, he can get 4+ TDs. Uncle Rico’s Ryders are a high powered offence in their own right under the arm of Mathew Yanakoulias’ 57 TDs and 2224yds. With Justin Lerner leading the team with 16 TDs and 515 receiving yards and Peter Bakopanos leading with 48 receptions, the offence is spread out and anyone can have a big game. Lucas Diamantopoulos had 10 sacks for his team and the defence had 16 INTs in the regular season. Uncle Rico’s Ryders’ only losses were against teams who are in the playoffs and the margin of those losses were a combined 9 points. I don’t think either team’s defence will stop their opponent’s offence. I think their defences are quite even but I think the better depth of receiving Uncle Rico’s Ryders have will be the reason why they win another shootout.

Unlike the game above, Dragon Magique against Glogang will rely more on defence. Both strive due to their top respective defences. They are 1st and 2nd in sacks and in the top 8 in both INTs and points allowed. Dragon Magique are in this spot after defeating Chomedey Chodes where they knew their whole gameplan. It doesn’t matter how close or how big of a win they got, they are here in the Divisional Round. For Glogang, they had a strong regular season and even picked up the earlier matchup against Dragon Magique after a 2nd half TD caught by Shayen Boisvert. The defence of Glogang is quick, aggressive and smart. Dragon Magique might not be as aggressive but they have a lot of experience and can keep the game in their control if Glogang aren’t on their game. I want to see the matchup between Neil Loisel against either Émile or Vincent Bollulo as rusher and how accurate Loisel can be when throwing. Loisel opens the field whenever he’s able to move freely in the pocket but Dragon Magique are more than capable of making that difficult. I think Dragon Magique will be able to contain Loisel and the offence of Glogang and the efficiency of their offence will be able to full away late for the payback victory.

After losing their first 3 games, Ball Hawks are on a 8-game win streak, looking to make the top 8. After a defensive victory against First Down Snifflers, they now face a team who lives on making big plays on offence. Adam Malinoff is throwing for Richter and in games that he has thrown, Nicolas Di Maulo is feasting against any defence. I think Di Maulo is the best talented receiver in this division and having Malinoff throwing to him is a defence’s nightmare. I expect Di Maulo to be the number one option every play but who can be a supporting cast in this game when Ball Hawks change their focus to him? Scott Binns has always been a safety option and Jason Rossie is always reliable hands but will that be enough? Richter’s defence throughout the season hasn’t been the top whereas Ball Hawks has been. Ball Hawks have been on a heater but their first 3 losses were all against teams who average more than 30+ points and Richter averages over 34. Key for Ball Hawks is their defense as I think if Malinoff has a near perfect game, Ball Hawks can’t match it, even with the weaker defence Richter has. For Richter, Di Maulo needs to dominate and his connection between him and Malinoff needs to be on point. In addition, if Richter can capitalise with one or two turnovers, it might be what they need. This will be close but I expect it to be high scoring where Richter will end Ball Hawks’ run.

The closest seeded teams meet where even though they haven’t played one another this season, players from both teams have either played together or currently do in Tier 3. Briscoe Hawks didn’t get the bye and had to play Sour puss where they took care of business easily whereas Sophomore XL Exchange Student had the two week break. The XL Exchange Students were able finish the season strong after a 3-game losing streak in the middle of the season and have the possibility of having both the receiver and defensive player of the year on the team in Ryan Vanslet and Anthony Moustache. Alex O’Neill has proven to be one of the most efficient QBs in the division but now faces the team with the most INTs and also the tallest rusher in FPF in Michael Schiller who is always trouble. O’Neill will need to rely on his quickness and not be bothered by the distraction Schiller will give as a rusher. For the Exchange Students, their opponents are smart and can score points when needed. Briscoe Hawks might not have Winny Foko rushing due to an injury but Standly Williams did have 3 sacks in their Wildcard victory. If Vaughn Vanslet can execute like he has most of the time this season and the receivers can limit drops, it makes it more difficult for Briscoe Hawks to keep up. Both teams are talented and right before this game, Mamaz Boyz in Tier 3 will be playing which has 4 players (2 from each team) who are playing together and then will be against themselves right after. I will be playing for Sophomore XL Exchange Students for the remainder of the playoffs so I won’t make any game predictions with my team in it from now on but I do expect the team with the most mistakes will lose this one. 

QB: Mathew Yanakoulias (vs Team Ethnik)

WR: Dominic Weidner (vs Studz)

WR: Samuel Tejera (vs The Peckers)
Rusher: Rodney Merisier (vs Richter)

DB: Tyron Jules (vs Dragon Magique)

DB: Anthony Moustache (vs Briscoe Hawks)

Flex: Vincent Malo (vs Not Fast Just Furious)

Flex: Giovani Antonacci (vs Reborn Prospects)

Defence: Dragon Magique (vs Glogang)

The Wildcard round brought great action from high scoring games to last second victories and upsets. Each team moving on from the games earlier this week will look to get an upset to be in the top 8. For the teams who were on a bye, will the rust play into effect or will each team be back in their best season form and defend their “home field?” See you next week after we cover the games from Sunday’s results. If you have any comments or suggestions, you can always reach out to me on Facebook or Instagram @keyoncyrus!