Division B: Wild Weekend and Double-Dipping Coming Up
This weekend kicks off an important slate of games in Week 10. There are five matchups taking place over the next two days, that will shape the standings as we march towards the end of playoffs which are only three weeks away.
Hard 8 and Camping Sans Boutin will be double-dipping this weekend, as they will be in action both Saturday and Sunday. Let’s begin there with the first day of games.
Hard 8 versus Silent Ticklers
The action get underway with an old school rivalry matchup, that features two teams who know each other well from having locked horns numerous times over the last few seasons, and in the case of Ben McMahon, Daniel Mancini, Jeff Rosenblatt, Tysen Otis-Copeland, Adam Rosen, Marty Freedman, and Jordan Panetta, have played together as well.
Coming into the contest both teams are currently tied with eight points and are two of the six teams that are locked into a tie for second place. The Silent Ticklers might be feeling a little rusty having not played since July 2nd. They beat #NR (32-18), but prior to that, they had lost two in a row.
For Hard 8, they are coming off a two-week bye. They started the break with an entertaining (54-48) loss to Speed Academy back on July 14th.
When looking at the offensive side of the ball, both teams are separated by six touchdowns, with Silent Ticklers holding a 39 to 33 advantage. Each squad has a veteran Quarterback that isn’t afraid to let it loose in Jeff Rosenblatt and Jordan Panetts. They also have game-breaking Receivers who can take over a game at the drop of a dime.
When you have teams with this type of firepower, defense matters. This game will come down to who can get the most stops. Both sides have shown that they have no problem doing that as Hard 8 and Silent Ticklers ranked second and fourth respectively in points allowed, and in the top four in takeaways with a combined 16 interceptions.
I am giving the Silent Ticklers the edge here. They have way more roster consistency than their opponents. That matters on defense, where you need to not only rely on the player next to you, but also have some familiarity with them at this time of the season.
Hard 8 has the deeper squad, but no one knows for sure who will be suiting up for them tomorrow. That can be an advantage, but in Division B, the level of talent is so high, that chemistry is usually a deciding factor.
Hard 8 versus Camping Sans Boutin
A whopping five hours after their game versus Hard 8 wraps up, the Silent Ticklers will take on a red-hot Camping Sans Boutin team who come into tomorrow having won three games in a row.
The key to success during their win streak has been the play of Quarterback Marc-Andre Reeves and his offense. In two out of the three wins, the unit has scored 47 and points 48 respectively. The only time they didn’t surpass 40, was in a (34-18) victory over the Bruins, in which they outscored their opponents (21-0) in the second half.
A big part of the Reeves’ stellar play can be attributed to Receiver Gab Couture. His combo of size and speed allows him to create separation especially in the redzone. The underrated and athletic big man has recorded a touchdown in every game this season. An additional streak he has going on, is Couture has scored two TDs in two straight games. Can he make it three in a row tomorrow?
The main question of course is can Hard 8 slow down the Camping Sans Boutin offense? As I said earlier, that will depend on who takes the field for the former tomorrow. I am going to assume and hope that Rusher Ethan Adrian will be there.
Watching he and Reeves go head-to-head, is always a treat to see as they are two of the fastest players in FPF. (Don’t worry, there will be a poll on IG coming soon to see who people think the fastest player in FPF is)
I will also assume that Bakari Barrett, Rory Semerjian, and Thomas Coutu will be present as well. That leaves some combination of Nico Kwemo, Quaysie Gordon-Maule, Nicholas Groppini, and Khalil Kerr. A rookie, two veterans, and a semi part-time player.
The other side of the coin of course asks the question of can Camping Sans Boutin slow down the Hard 8 offense? All those names that will line-up on defense, will do the same on offense with Rosenblatt. On paper, the team is ranked ninth out of eleven teams, but ignoring the players on the above list would be foolish.
I feel that this will be an exciting contest despite the five-hour break between games for Hard 8. It is in that delay where their opponents will have an advantage, and I think that Camping Boutin will squeeze out a win.
Camping Sans Boutin versus Idaho Udapimps
A win in this contest would see Idaho Udapimps strengthen their already strong hold on first place, as they currently sit four points up on a slew of teams who are tied for second place.
As I mentioned earlier, Camping Boutin have won three in a row, and by the time this game starts, it might be four if they can knock off Hard 8.
The key to victory for Idaho Udapimps will be to attack the holes on the Camping Sans Boutin defense. To do that, Quarterback Brady Ohanessian, will need to attack all three levels of the CSB defenders and take advantage of the speed he has in his receiving corps with names like Marvin Steinberg, Jerome Hovington, Manu Allard-Roy, Nicolas Boucher, and James White.
On defense, Idaho will need to have Rusher Khalil Agrebi, use his length to take away passing lanes and sidearm angles from QB Marc-Andre Reeves. He might not be able to sack the elusive passer, but getting him to throw off his mark, and across his body more than he already does, will be key to disrupting the timing of the offense.
For Camping Sans Boutin, they will need to make their opponents become one-dimensional on offense. They need to jump out to an early lead, and force Ohanessian to have to over-rely on the deep ball to keep his team in the game.
The defense will also need player like Marvin Renaud, Mathieu Gratton, Mickael Forest, and Serge Pilon Jr to bring the physicality and dictate the flow of the game.
I think this game will go down to the wire. I see Camping Sans Boutin pulling off the upset.
KGP Dynasty versus Bruins
This matchup features two teams that are looking to get back on track. KGP Dynasty has lost two straight games, while the Bruins are coming off a tough (34-18) loss to Camping Sans Boutin last Saturday at Concordia.
Both teams appear to be stuck offensively. For the Burins, the 18 points they put up last Saturday were their lowest since they scored just three touchdowns in (52-23) loss to Hard 8 Week 14 of the Winter Season.
KGP Dynasty haven’t been much better as of late. They have scored just 24 points in each of their last two games, which were both losses. In fairness to the team, they were without starting Quarterback Phil Cutler in their game last Saturday versus Speed Academy.
The problem with their offense though isn’t just relegated to a two-game stretch. Except for a Week 6 win over Les Petites Carottes where they scored 53 points, the team has scored more than 30 points one other time this year.
Looking at the standings, KGP is on the outside of the playoffs looking in, as they currently sit in tenth, two points behind eighth place Camping Sans Boutin. The Bruins are in sixth but are tied points-wise with five other teams who are currently in second. A victory by either side would see them climb the ladder.
Whether or nor Cutler is back in the lineup tomorrow, he and his team need to start stacking some wins together if they want to make the playoffs. Yes, they do have a game in hand on most of the teams in front of them except ironically enough, Camping Sans Boutin, but those extra games won’t matter if they come out on the short end of the result.
The Bruins have been the better team and have shown they have the stronger offense this year. I think they find a way to get back on track tomorrow.
#NR versus Speed Academy
This matchup features two teams heading in completely opposite directions. Speed Academy comes into tomorrow winners of two in a row, while #NR has lost a season-high four straight games, and seven of eight overall.
Speed Academy has turned on the switch offensively during their streak. They have scored 94 total points. I score kept their win versus KGP Dynasty last Saturday. They left some touchdowns on the field in the second half, but they showed me that they know how to get the ball into the endzone.
In speaking recently to Two-Way player Nyk Pierre-Masse after their (54-48) Week 8 victory over Hard 8, he told me that the play of the team’s Quarterback in Emile Plante, and having a consistent roster was a big reason for their improved play.
“Emile played an amazing game. He has been taking what the defense gives him and kept us alive in an offensive battle. It also helped that most of our regulars were present. It has led to better and more cohesive play.”
For #NR, there isn’t much to say here except for can they stay out of their own way? Penalties, drops, arguing with officials, turnovers, coverage busts, and missed opportunities, they have all added up to a (1-7) record for this squad.
Both teams are evenly matched as it relates to size, speed, and athleticism. This contest will come down to who makes the least amount of mistakes. I think that will be Speed Academy.
Picks
Hard 8 vs Silent Ticklers – Silent Ticklers (Upset Special #1)
KGP Dynasty vs Bruins – Bruins
Hard 8 vs Camping Sans Boutin – Camping Sans Boutin (Upset Special #2)
#NR vs Speed Academy – Speed Academy
Camping Sans Boutin vs Idaho Udapimps – Camping Sans Boutin (Upset Special #3)
Ice Pack vs FPF's Most Wanted – FPF’s Most Wanted (My pick for Game of the Week)
Idaho Udapimps vs Les Petites Carrotes – Idaho Udapimps
Last Week: (2-1)
Regular Season: (6-9)
Upset Special: (2-2)
That is it for this week. Good luck to everyone in their games this weekend.
If you liked the article, hated it, or simply felt like I left something out, please feel free to contact me at [email protected], or on the FPF Facebook page.