2nd-and-Short (Div D) – Week 1

One week down, nine to go. It’ll go by fast, trust me. For those that lost in Week 1, it makes it all the more important to fix what needs to be fixed earlier rather than later. For those that won, keep doing what you’re doing. And for those two teams that tied—you did it once, that’s okay, what happened happened. Now, step away from your sister…

 

Recap

CAN Trap This

Well, sort of. Credit goes to Trapstars for winning on Sunday, though it should be mentioned they did so against a T.C.O. team missing key players, none greater than starting quarterback Doug McKernan. But that’s what it says on paper and that’s all that really matters at the end of the day. Chris Millar, who stepped in for an absent Doug McKernan at QB for T.C.O., had a rough outing in his first full-game start at the position, throwing just two touchdowns to four interceptions.

But there is nonetheless a silver lining for T.C.O., and that’s the promising performance of their defence. Though the scoresheet says they lost 19-12, one of those scores was a pick six, and they were able to keep Trapstars QB Vincent Richard from getting into any rhythm throughout the night as they held him to a 40% completion rate.

It’s not exactly a consolation prize, but it’s a positive sign for T.C.O. nonetheless.

 

By the Skin of Their Dientes 

As the 13-12 final score indicates, this one was a defensive struggle from start to finish. For the most part, Los Banditos would get the ball, and QB Alex Guertin would try forcing the ball deep and get intercepted. Pardon My Swag would then unsuccessfully try to move the chains, and Los Banditos would get the ball back. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Both teams adapted in the second half, with PMS QB Gianfranco Ranaudo and Guertin each starting to take what the defence was allowing and move their way upfield. The game came down to the wire, with Los Banditos leading 13-6 before Ranaudo was able to throw his second touchdown of the day to make it a one-point game.

Going for the two-point conversion, Ranaudo found some room and tried running the ball in for the win, but was tackled just shy of the end zone to seal the win for Los Banditos.

 

Ball Busters Deflate Tune Squad’s… Ball

Considering Ball Busters scored 38 points behind a 20-of-29 performance by QB Hai Minh Luong, you never would’ve guessed Sunday’s game against Tune Squad was Luong’s first with the Busters.

But it was, and boy was it pretty.

It didn’t take long for the former J’s signal-caller to get his timing down with his new receivers, finding the end zone four times in the first half alone, including one right before halftime to make it 26-19 Ball Busters.

Tune Squad didn’t let up, however, coming back strong in the second half behind the deep ball of former Division 2 QB Scott Kelly. But the latter went to the well one too many times, throwing his first interception of the day on a deep throw late in the game to clinch the 38-33 win for Ball Busters.

The game was technically a forfeit win for Ball Busters considering Tune Squad started a QB with an offensive rating over 80. But the Busters stepped up to the challenge, and more importantly conquered it.

 

Power Rankings

1. Les Rois Lions: You score the most points in Week 1, you get the top spot.

2. Les Affreux: Their first win was a gritty win—the kind I expect from Les Affreux.

3. Loose Cannons: Last season, without Gabriel Côté at QB, this former Division 5 team started 4-2 before losing its last four games. Now, with Côté calling the shots, that’s one fate that certainly won’t be repeated. 

4. Backyard Bullies: I doubted Backyard Bullies’ ability to win without Vinny Gualano. Boy was I wrong. 

5. Ball Busters: I wasn’t sold on having Hai Minh Luong at QB and Dylan Taylor move to receiver. That was before the latter caught four of the former’s six touchdowns in Week 1.

6. Fun Boys: Your QB hitting just eight of 20 targets is worrisome, but winning regardless sure isn’t. 

7. The BrotherHood: Five touchdown passes in your first game ever as a QB in FPF, that’s a sign of great things to come. 

8. Primetime: A nearly unstoppable offence, a nearly unbreakable defence. In Week 1, you couldn’t ask for much more.

9. Los Banditos: Guertin throwing four picks= bad. Los Banditos winning nonetheless= good.

10. Tyrants: Their opponent helped them out with some big mistakes, but Tyrants did their part in capitalizing on them. 

 

Quick Picks

I thought Week 1 was mine for sure seeing as I finished 9-5. Then I saw Mat Domon finished with the same record. Looks like this’ll be tougher than I thought.

Loose Cannons vs. T.C.O.

Primetime vs. Fools of the Country

Tune Squad vs. Lobster Dinner (N/A)

Big Blue Wrecking Crew vs. The Dirty South

Backyard Bullies vs. Angry Birds

Les Blues Branleurs vs. Longhorns

Jagerbomb vs. Tomahawk Nightmare

Recipe 4 Disaster vs. Fun Boys

Trapstars vs. Monstars

Los Banditos vs. Les Affreux

Les Rois Lions vs. Scared Hitless

Pardon My Swag vs. The BrotherHood

Warriors vs. Show Me Your TDs

Grip n Rip vs. Tyrants

Ball Busters vs. Speed Demons

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That’s all for today. As always, you can reach me on Twitter @JBlanchFPF or by email at [email protected]. Talk to me about your team, send me some trash talk, cry with me about the Habs, or do all three. See you at the fields!