2nd-and-Short (Div 4) – Week 4

Week 3 is in the books, and it was one just as confusing as the last, featuring once again a number of major upsets and unexpected blowouts. Good thing we have a bye week this week—my brain could use a break from all this FPF madness.

 

Recap

Batman Arrives in Gotham

It took three full weeks, but the real Gotham Knights have finally arrived—you know, the ones where the gadget plays work to perfection and receivers Kendal Mayers and Mikey Candussi dominate. 

That was the team that showed up in Brossard over the weekend, taking a one-point lead into the second half of a back and forth game versus Playground.

Both offences were on fire for most of the night, with the two sides playing to a 28-28 tie nearing the game’s end. With just a few minutes left until five plays, Gotham QB Bruce Candussi was able to lead his offence to one more scoring drive, dinking and dunking his way up the field before finding his brother Mikey in the endzone to make it 34-28. Two plays later the game was over, and Gotham had its first win of the season.

 

Prime Time for a Win

Standing at 0-2 entering Saturday’s game against the undefeated Replacements, Primtime rose to the occasion as they not only defeated my now previously top-ranked team, but blew them out of the water.

Things went in Primetime’s favour from the start, with their defence getting a fourth-down stop before QB Cody Hemsley drove his offence down the field and into Replacements territory. There, he found his longtime snapper Adam Keating in the endzone for one of Keating’s two touchdowns on the day. 

Replacements QB Matt Bishara was able to answer back on the ensuing drive, but Primtime did the same with their next possession, with Hemsley running in from the six-yard line on fourth down to make it 13-6 at the half.

The Primetime defence kept their foot on the pedal in the second half, picking off Bishara twice en route to a smooth 31-12 win.

 

Swallowed by the Sea

Anytime your quarterback throws four interceptions in a game, you’re bound to have a tough time coming out on the winning end. Anytime your quarterback throws four interceptions in a game and you’re playing an offence like Sea Assassins’, your new goal might as well be to try and keep them under 50 points. 

The game was an ugly one from the start for Lockdown, with QB Pat Riot throwing two first-half picks as the Assassins cruised to a 27-13 halftime lead behind the rocket arm of QB Daniel Lazzara and defensive adjustments of signal-caller Sean Fiorillo. 

Lockdown did get within eight at one point in the second half, but another Assassins touchdown, followed by Riot’s third interception and then yet another Assassins touchdown put the game out of reach as they went on to win 51-31.

Player of the game—and perhaps of the week—was undoubtedly receiver Alex Blanchet, who hauled in 10 catches for 134 yards and four (four!) touchdowns, and added three tackles, a pick and two pass deflections on defence.

 

Top 10

1. Sea Assassins: The third team in as many weeks to take the top spot in my power rankings. I hope for their sake it’s not about to be four.

2. Predators: The Floreani-to-Brunet connection continues to be an impressive one.

3. La Sauce: 3-0 is quite the feat. I just wonder if it’s the result of playing weak competition considering the teams they’ve played so far are a combined 1-8. 

4. The Replacements: A slip-up this week brings them down, but not all the way out.

5. The Family: A 44-6 win is quite the way to bounce back from a tough loss the week before.

6. Six Fast Guys Plus Ryan: Another win, another week climbing the rankings.  

7. Broccasion: It’s not often you’ll see a quarterback throw for just 32 yards and win. Then again, it’s not often you’ll see a quarterback run for 148 yards in a game.

8. Lynx: A one-point Week 1 loss aside, this new team has played as well as any at this point.

9. Backyard Bullies: QB Brennan Burke has thrown for 13 touchdowns and zero interceptions so far this season. Not bad, not bad at all.

10. Healthy Scratches: They’ve won all their games by a combined 10 points, but something tells me they’re on their way to a solid season.

 

Picks of the Week

18-6 on the week puts me at 39-30 on the season while Simon Dagenais’ 18-7 week keeps him five games ahead at 44-27. I’ll take the battle for now. The war will be won in due time.

Banana Republicans vs. Longhorns

Kingdom vs. Dragons

Project Mayhem vs. Eskimo Brothers

Monstars vs. Fun Boys

X-Men vs. Turf Toe Inc.

 

Quack Attack vs. Primetime

Smokin’ Aces vs. Two and a Half Dans

Knights vs. Kingdom

Coyotes vs. Dragons

Team Ethnik vs. Fun Boys

Predators vs. Turf Toe Inc.

Monstars vs. Project Mayhem

Channel 4 News Team vs. X-Men

57 vs. Eskimo Brothers

KGP Lite vs. Pickle Fiasco

Les Maloudes vs. Checkmate

Banana Republicans vs. T.C.O.

Lockdown vs. Les Affreux

The Replacements vs. Lynx

Outlaws vs. Mustangs

Ball Busters vs. Sea Assassins

The Junks vs. 69ers

Fruit Loops vs. The Family

Fools of the Country vs. Angry Beavers

ZOO vs. La Sauce

Gotham Knights vs. Trapstars

Les Prédateurs vs. Jaggerbomb

Broccasion vs. Backyard Bullies

Longhorns vs. Healthy Scratches

Playground vs. Six Fast Guys Plus Ryan (N/A)

Flying Comics vs. BearSkins

 

***

That brings this edition of 2^nd-and-Short to an end. Apologies for last Thursday’s planned joint article with Simon Dagenais not quite going as planned (in other words, that Simon only posted it yesterday). Hopefully we’ll get the next one up on time (in other words, next Thursday).

Until then, be sure to check out the latest Division 4 podcast with Peeze Della Reeze and Brent Callender at http://www.theunclehood.com/flag-plus-football/division-4/. Don’t forget, you can reach me by email at [email protected] or on Twitter @JBlanch6. Go Broncos!