With roughly two weeks remaining in the regular season, the majority of teams already know their playoff fate. We do have a few teams currently fighting for one of the final spots, which should make for an exciting remaining two weeks of flag in 5B. Today, I will be looking at some of the teams that are either officially eliminated from playoff contention or on the cusp. I’ll give my overall review of them and how I can see them bounce back if they decide to return in the spring. I also have fantasy football back for Week 13, featuring my QB from McGill Swim Team and good friend, Vaughn “Big Sexy” Vanslet.

The Outside Looking In

Rampage (1-8)

Rampage was a team that I didn’t know much about at the beginning of the season. I did have my eyes on Dernst DuBuisson-Desmornes, as he was a solid rusher pre-COVID and is a fast receiver. This was a large roster at the start of the season, and from experience, I see that a lot with new teams. I always tell people that when starting in FPF 6v6, you should have no more than eight players if everyone is committed to being there. Maybe add a ninth if certain players are only playing one side of the ball, so everyone can get a good amount of reps and continue to improve. Jack Basch started the season at QB, but it was clear the 5B competition was too much. DuBuisson-Desmornes took over in Weeks 8, 9, and 12, which wasn’t much of an improvement, if any. For a team that didn’t seem to have a clear QB identity, starting in Division 6 may have been a better option if not for cap issues. If this team decides to come back in the spring, finding their QB should be the top priority. It would be tough to drop to Division F considering they do have some veterans, but having a QB with FPF experience can take pressure off their playmakers, such as Emmanuel Figaro, who leads the team in both TDs scored and INTs. 

7eleven (1-8)

When I spoke to Marc-André Côté in the pre-season, he mentioned that this was a team made up mostly of free agents and knew each week would be an uphill battle. I admired the passion from their captain to take on the challenge of 5B, but it looks like it was a bit too much for 7eleven to handle. It’s tough because they are a group of individuals with FPF experience, but because of that, they couldn’t fit into Division 6. I would say they showed promise in certain games, such as their one-point loss to Green Monster Family or even their lone win over The Perplexors. Even though they got blown out by teams you would expect, like Bend Don’t Break or Angry Birds, teams around their level such as Jamaican Bobsled Team or TD BLITZ also handled them fairly easily.

With the current experience on this roster, similar to Rampage, finding a QB and shortening the roster should be priorities. They currently have 10 players who have played over four games, but I’ll give them some grace since they are primarily a team of free agents. This team can come back to Division E in the spring and improve, but without a change at QB, it’s tough to see a better outcome. I would say Ousmane Guindo has been their best overall player, and his stats back that up. I do see 7eleven in a better spot moving forward than Rampage due to their experience, but more work needs to be done.

Jamaican Bobsled Team (1-8)

What JBT has over the teams previously mentioned is their chemistry. This group started together in Division F last spring and even played in Tier 5 last fall. Even though they finished 7-3 in Division F, they had a few players with prior FPF experience, such as captain Giulio Scarpetta, to help build that foundation. They were also able to develop players like Roberto Picciola, who ended up winning DPOY in the fall.

I’ve seen this team since the spring, and while they were having success, it was always in the lowest division, which is great for a new team. However, there was always going to be a point where they moved up and faced stronger competition. Division 5B is filled with teams that have won championships, made deep playoff runs, and have players who likely compete in Division 4 or higher.

JBT may be 1-8, but I think a lot of that has to do with their schedule. They’ve faced four top-eight teams, which is great for development but tough for a team not used to that level yet. I didn’t play them when McGill Swim Team faced them recently, but I spoke with Picciola after the game. Their defence wasn’t terrible aside from a few deep plays allowed, but offensively, outside of a tipped catch by Kosta Moskiou, they struggled to generate much.

Steven Polizzi has always had turnover concerns, and in 5B, he currently leads the division with 24 interceptions thrown. He has a solid arm, but simplifying his reads could help, especially since my defence played very soft early, where short routes could have forced adjustments. This team should move to Division E next season, where I believe they will find more success. They’re a tight group of friends, still developing, and have a solid foundation to build on.

Puff Puff Pass (2-7)

A team that also played in Tier 5 last season, I had concerns about them moving up to 5B early on. Austin Yazbek MacDonald had two strong seasons with Puff Puff Pass but only played once this winter. Kevin Donnet continued to use his high-level FPF experience to lead the team across multiple categories on both sides of the ball.

Without a true WR2 after losing MacDonald, it made things more difficult for QB Stefano Spagnuolo. I expected Matthew Canuel to fill that role, but he has only about half the targets MacDonald had last fall. Coming off a 32 TD season, Spagnuolo is now looking to reach 20 by the end of their final game. He improved his completion rate by 8% and has only been sacked twice all season, but the increase in interceptions has hurt him. He finished Tier 5 with 15 INTs, which was already high, and now sits at 22 with one game left.

PPP had a mediocre defence last fall, so limiting extra possessions was crucial. They have the ability to compete in this division, but they had more bad games than expected. Their two wins came against playoff teams in Swiffer WetJets and Deep Zone Penetrators, but they also suffered a heavy loss to Rampage. Aside from that game, they faced playoff teams all season, so with a slightly different schedule, they might have been in the playoff mix. I see this season as a learning experience, and they can definitely compete in this division moving forward with better balance and consistency.

The Perplexors (2-6)

A team that also played in Tier 5 last season, I had concerns about them moving up to 5B early on. Austin Yazbek MacDonald had two strong seasons with Puff Puff Pass but only played once this winter. Kevin Donnet continued to use his high-level FPF experience to lead the team across multiple categories on both sides of the ball.

Without a true WR2 after losing MacDonald, it made things more difficult for QB Stefano Spagnuolo. I expected Matthew Canuel to fill that role, but he has only about half the targets MacDonald had last fall. Coming off a 32 TD season, Spagnuolo is now looking to reach 20 by the end of their final game. He improved his completion rate by 8% and has only been sacked twice all season, but the increase in interceptions has hurt him. He finished Tier 5 with 15 INTs, which was already high, and now sits at 22 with one game left.

PPP had a mediocre defence last fall, so limiting extra possessions was crucial. They have the ability to compete in this division, but they had more bad games than expected. Their two wins came against playoff teams in Swiffer WetJets and Deep Zone Penetrators, but they also suffered a heavy loss to Rampage. Aside from that game, they faced playoff teams all season, so with a slightly different schedule, they might have been in the playoff mix. I see this season as a learning experience, and they can definitely compete in this division moving forward with better balance and consistency.

TD BLITZ (2-7)

The Perplexors are the team I expected the most from this season. With players like Zachary Mastromonaco, Brandon Kerr, and even George Spano at QB at times, I thought they would perform better than 2-6. They still have two games left, but both are against playoff teams, which makes it difficult.

Davide Bartolucci is having one of his best seasons, with four receivers over 20 receptions, showing the offence can spread the ball effectively. The concern is on defence, where they only have nine interceptions in eight games, making it difficult to generate extra possessions.

I played them in Week 11, and surprisingly, my team recorded five interceptions off George Spano, who is usually very composed. They’ve had games where they defend well but struggle to score, and others where they score over 30 but allow even more. They currently allow the most points in the division, which is surprising given Bartolucci’s improved decision-making.

This is a disappointing season given the talent on the roster, but there may be factors I’m unaware of. Either way, this team is better than a 2-6 record suggests, and I expect them to bounce back in the spring.

Green Monster Family (2-6)

Green Monster Family still has a chance at the playoffs if they win out and get some help. This group is adjusting to 6v6 after winning a 5v5 Recreational championship last winter. As Patrick Jazon mentioned earlier in the season, “most teams are new to us.”

With a nearly -11 point differential, it’s been a tough season. They’ve beaten teams like Rampage and narrowly defeated 7eleven but haven’t been able to win against playoff-caliber teams. They’ve had close games against Angry Birds and Chateauguay Community College but couldn’t finish.

A major factor has been Jazon’s absence over the last three games, likely due to injury. Jude Sambour has stepped in, but the offensive production hasn’t been the same. With no receiver over 20 receptions, moving the ball consistently has been a challenge. Defensively, they only have five interceptions, although Kevin Paul-Emile has been strong with nine sacks.

It’s difficult to fully evaluate this team without Jazon, but if he returns healthy, Division E could be a good opportunity for them to bounce back and push toward a .500 record or better.

Week 13 Fantasy Football Lineups

Team Vaughn

Team Keyon

Closing Remarks

Thanks to Vaughn for being part of this week’s article. If you don’t agree with my take, I’m always open to hearing what you have to say so don’t be shy and approach me! After this week, we only have one more full week of regular season play before playoffs so make sure you get your 5 games and DO NOT FORFEIT or else you lose your playoff spot. As always, if you didn’t get a chance to respond or want to be included in future pieces, you can reach me on Facebook or Instagram @keyoncyrus.