We are already at the start of Week 3, but with only five teams in the division and everyone becoming familiar with one another early, I wanted to let each team get a taste of the division before I fully settle back into writing.

For those who don't know me, my name is Keyon. I started writing FPF articles a year ago and Division A was actually the first division I ever covered. Since then, I've had the opportunity to write content across multiple divisions, interview players from all levels and spend way too many hours around football fields.

This summer's Division A looks a little different than what we're used to. With teams such as The Infantry and PartyCrashers moving to 5v5, we're left with just five teams battling it out. Even with the smaller division, there's no shortage of storylines. We have familiar faces returning, established stars looking to add to their resumes and several new players hoping to make a name for themselves at the highest level of FPF.

One of those players will be featured later in this article.

For this first piece of the season, I wanted to keep things simple. We'll take a quick look at each team, revisit how their season ended last year and discuss what to watch for as the summer unfolds.

Braves

What else can I say about Braves?

They added two more championships to an already legendary run and somehow found another way to remind everyone why they're still the standard in FPF. In 6v6, they had absolutely no business winning that championship game. Down 12 points with roughly a minute remaining, the game felt over. I was standing on the sidelines when Jeff Rosenblatt said it perfectly: "If you think this game is over, you're wrong."

Three plays later, Braves had the lead.

The sequence almost didn't make sense. PartyCrashers had controlled large stretches of the game and looked poised to finally end the dynasty. Instead, Braves did what they've done for years: stay calm, make the plays they need to make and capitalize on every opportunity given to them. The final exclamation point came from JD Chevalier, who admittedly wasn't having his best game up to that point. None of that mattered when he came down with the championship-clinching interception and rewrote the narrative of his night.

That's what championship DNA looks like.

The summer season will bring some new challenges. The roster won't look exactly the same every week as several players won't be available for all ten regular season games. On top of that, players such as James Drysdale, Guillaume Beland and Phil Pharand will be competing for one of twelve spots on Team Canada's roster for the World Championships in Germany. 

Their absences at different points of the season will undoubtedly force others into larger roles.

That being said, I actually think the smaller Division 1 field could work in Braves' favour. Several of the teams that historically gave them trouble in playoff situations are no longer in the division, and while the rest of the league continues searching for answers, Braves continue collecting banners.

Through two games, they sit at 2-0 and back on top of the standings, exactly where most people expected them to be. The scary part is that after everything they've accomplished, it still feels like this group has no interest in slowing down.

EZW

Currently sitting at 2-1, this version of EZW may have its best opportunity yet to record its highest finish in the top division. They have speed, size, physicality and, most importantly, confidence. I spoke with Jeremy White several times last season and regardless of the score or standings, confidence was never something this team lacked.

Even though they finished just 2-8 last season, the record didn't always tell the full story. Their playoff loss to the undefeated PartyCrashers was one of the better performances against the eventual champions all year, proving they could compete with the division's elite when playing at their best.

This season presents a different challenge. With each team playing the others at least twice, there is much less room for surprises. Teams will become more familiar with each other's tendencies, strengths and weaknesses as the season progresses. At the same time, summer football can be unpredictable. Vacations, family events and other commitments often impact rosters from week to week, making consistency one of the most important factors for success.

The perfect example came in their season opener against OneStop. With Jeremy unavailable, Philip Orcel stepped in at quarterback and the offence never quite found its usual rhythm. Since Jeremy's return, however, EZW has looked much more like the team many expected entering the season. Over the last two games, he has thrown 10 touchdown passes while leading the team to back-to-back victories.

What makes EZW dangerous is that it never seems to be the same player carrying the load every week. The roster is full of athletes capable of making game-changing plays, which makes them difficult to prepare for defensively. One week it might be a receiver taking over the game, the next it could be a defender creating turnovers or a rusher constantly disrupting opposing quarterbacks.

Fresh off a victory over a shorthanded Fins Up squad, EZW now turns its attention toward what may be its biggest test of the season so far. Next Friday night in Laval, they'll take on the Braves. For a team looking to prove it belongs among the division's contenders, there may not be a better measuring stick than the defending champions.

Fins Up

Fins Up finished 4-6 last winter, a noticeable improvement from their 1-9 campaign in the fall. A big reason for that jump was how the team adapted when Joey Notaro went down for most of the season. Instead of folding, players like DonnDre Borden and Carl Achy stepped into larger roles and developed into a strong receiving duo for quarterback William Power.

This summer, however, the roster looks a little different. Joey appears to be back for the time being as he continues working his way back from a hamstring injury, but DonnDre has yet to suit up for Fins Up. As a result, the offence is still trying to find its rhythm and consistency.

Through three games, Fins Up has scored just 38 points total, which is well below the standard they set for themselves last season. William Power threw three interceptions in his lone appearance so far, while young Frederick Buteau was thrown into the fire for his Division A debut and also finished with three interceptions.

Despite the rough stat line, I wouldn't be too concerned about Frederick in the long run. Anyone who has watched him in the lower divisions knows how much potential he has. He's already shown flashes of being able to compete at higher levels and his athleticism was on display once again when he recorded three sacks as a rusher. The experience of playing against top competition now will only help his development moving forward.

The good news for Fins Up is that it's still early. The roster has talent, they've proven they can compete in this division before and getting healthier will only help. Their next opportunity comes against Vultures next weekend in what feels like an important early-season matchup. With both teams still searching for consistency, there's a good chance one of them uses that game as a turning point for the rest of their summer.

One Stop

Another team that made plenty of noise during last season's playoffs was OneStop. They spent so much of the regular season dealing with missing players that by the time the playoffs arrived, they were still adjusting to finally having most of their roster available. Despite that, they defeated Royaume Luminaire and pushed PartyCrashers in a hard-fought semifinal.

This season, OneStop looks much more settled. Charles Cossette has taken a noticeable leap and appears to be emerging as Michael Caparelli's go-to receiver early in the season. Meanwhile, OneStop players will continue to tell anyone who will listen that Jahnai Lewis remains one of the most underrated players in all of FPF.

The biggest difference so far has been on the defensive side of the ball. Through two games, OneStop has not allowed more than 20 points in a contest. In a division filled with talented quarterbacks and explosive offences, that's an impressive accomplishment.

Tomorrow night in Laval, they'll face what may be their biggest challenge yet when they take on the Braves. If OneStop wants to establish itself as a legitimate contender, this game will provide a good measuring stick for just how elite this defence can be.

Another storyline worth monitoring is the status of AJ Zeppetelli, who has yet to suit up this season. OneStop has often dealt with availability issues in the past, so it'll be interesting to see whether this roster can remain intact throughout the summer. If they can keep their key players on the field, they have the talent to compete with anyone in the division.

At 2-0, there isn't much else you can ask from this group. They've taken care of business so far, and now the question becomes whether they can sustain this level of play as the season progresses. A strong performance against Braves would go a long way toward answering that question.

Vultures

After a solid 6-4 season last winter and pushing Braves to the limit in the semifinals, it's a bit surprising to see Ben McMahon and company sitting at the bottom of the standings at 0-3.

Vultures currently rank near the bottom of the division in several key statistical categories, and Ben has already matched his interception total from last season with three through the first three games. Of course, this roster isn't identical to the one that found success last winter. Players such as Dan Mancini and Anthony Brisebois are no longer on the roster, meaning adjustments were always going to be necessary.

One of the major additions this season is Jeremy Steinberg, who is finally making his full-time Division A debut after recovering from the gruesome elbow injury that cut short his momentum last year. Through two games, Jeremy already leads the division with three sacks, proving he belongs at this level.

According to Jeremy, the adjustment as a rusher has been noticeable. "The biggest difference is how decisive the quarterbacks are," he explained. "They get the ball out much quicker, which puts a greater emphasis on getting into passing lanes rather than simply trying to reach the quarterback as fast as possible like I did in the lower divisions."

That's quite the challenge considering the quarterbacks he'll be facing all summer. Jo Maheu, William Power, Michael Caparelli and Jeremy White represent some of the best signal-callers in FPF. For a young rusher looking to establish himself among the elite, there may not be a better test.

Despite the 0-3 start, Jeremy doesn't see a team lacking confidence. In fact, one thing that has stood out to him since joining Vultures full-time has been the chemistry within the group. "There's clear communication throughout the team, and everyone is brought into the same goal," he said. "It's been fun playing in this environment."

When asked if any teammate had impressed him, Jeremy pointed to Olivier Joly. "Defensively, it's clear he has a great understanding of the game, and offensively he's been productive as well," he said. "He's the type of player who can influence a game in many ways."

The biggest question surrounding Vultures right now is whether they can rediscover the form that made them one of the division's toughest outs last season. The talent is still there, but consistency has been difficult to find through the opening weeks. Jeremy, however, isn't concerned.

"I'm very confident that we can turn things around," he said. "It's a long season, and there are still plenty of opportunities ahead of us. We have the talent to compete with anyone, and if we keep progressing, I believe anything can happen come playoff time."

It's hard to argue with that mindset. This division is too talented for any team to stay down forever, and Vultures have already shown in the past that they're capable of competing with the best. If Jeremy continues disrupting quarterbacks at his current pace and Ben McMahon finds his rhythm offensively, don't be surprised if Vultures become a much different team by the time the playoffs arrive.

Closing Remarks

That's all for this week's article. A big thank you to Jeremy for taking the time to answer a few questions and give some insight into his transition to Division A and the current state of Vultures.

We're still early in the spring season, but the standings are already beginning to tell some interesting stories. Some teams are off to the starts they expected, while others are still looking to find their rhythm. With every team seeing each other multiple times this season, expect plenty of adjustments and rematches that could completely change the standings over the coming weeks.

As always, if there's a player, team or storyline you'd like me to cover in a future article, don't hesitate to reach out to me at the fields or through Facebook and Instagram @keyoncyrus.