2nd-and-Short (Div D) – Week 11

We’re only one week into the playoffs, and already we’ve seen a no. 1 seed upset by an 8 seed, two games coming down to overtime, and other hard-fought battles.

However, the opening round also featured a forfeit, a team fielding only five players, and another missing its top two receivers.

The latter is a result of the Spring season’s notoriety as being the one in which players generally struggle to be available for their games.

The former? Simply a matter of playoff football. And it figures to only get better.

 

Recap

Running into a Train

Making the playoffs in your first season as a team, with a QB playing his first-ever season at the position, should be looked at as only an accomplishment. It just so happened that they drew the best team in the division in round 1.

Vinny Gualano made it look easy against the overmatched Dirty South defence, buying just enough time in the pocket to find his teammates downfield. Defensively, David Polynice was no match for rusher Mike Zenobi, the former showing his inexperience by often making just one read before pulling it down looking to run. It worked a few times, including once for a big 30-yard gain. But even with it, Grip n Rip never really looked in danger of losing this game, going up 20-6 at the half before coasting to a 26-13 win.    

Grip n Rip move on, and The Dirty South’s first-ever season in FPF ends in disappointment. But even if their season didn’t end the way they’d hope, that doesn’t mean they should look at it as a complete failure. I’m expecting big things from them next year.

 

Lobster Dinner Eaten for Dinner

One week after playing perhaps our best game as a team, Lobster Dinner turned around and played one of its worst of the season in an ugly 37-25 loss to Fun Boys.

LD were without Matt Young, who suffered a knee injury in Week 10, and lost Todd Fisher to injury when he got knocked out early in Thursday night’s game. Those proved to be big blows to the team defensively, as Fun Boys QB Scott Mironowicz had zero trouble hitting receiver Terrance Morsink to move the chains again and again and again.

Nonetheless, the game was competitive to start, with both teams trade scoring drives throughout the first half. But the game-changing moment came when Fun Boys scored on the last play of the half on a beautiful toe-tap grab by Terrance Morsink in the back of the endzone, and then scored again on the first drive of the second half to go up two scores.

From there the game essentially saw LD fight and claw its way downfield and score in the redzone to get back within a touchdown, only to see FB come back and find the endzone in a matter of seconds.

It was a frustrating finish to an otherwise superb season for LD. Fun Boys, meanwhile, sent a clear reminder to everyone that it’s a brand new season come playoffs.

 

Sweeter the second time around

I had high hopes that Monstars vs. Show Me Your TDs part II would be just as hard-fought as the first time around, when Monstars won 33-25 a few weeks ago.

And indeed it was—for all of two minutes.

SMYTDs looked headed for the upset win when defensive back David Rompre picked off two-way player of the year Rod Mashtoub on the game’s first play. It led to a superhuman touchdown catch by receiver Alex Russell on the ensuing drive, out-jumping Jeffrey Lefebvre for the score to give SMYTDs an early 6-0 lead.

But Lefebvre made up for it with a 40-yard touchdown grab on the very next play, and from there Monstars were in total control, going on to put up 26 points in the half en route to a convincing 39-19 win.

It must be mentioned that SMYTDs were without brothers Anthony and Danio Addona, who combined for 74 catches for 729 yards and 19 touchowns on the season.

But considering how easily Mashtoub and his receivers sliced up the SMYTDs defence, it’s difficult to say the brothers’ presence would’ve made that much of a difference.  

 

Playoff Picks

Conference A:

2) T.C.O. vs. 8) Fun Boys

Previous matchup: N/A

20 minutes have gone by, and I still don’t know who to pick in this game.

On the one hand, Fun Boys’ Terrance Morsink’s speed, size and hands make him a matchup nightmare for the T.C.O. defence. Yes, the biggest weakness of one-man teams is that if you shut down the one man, chances are you’re winning the game—but shutting down Morsink is easier said than done.

On the other hand, T.C.O. have fielded one of the top defences in the division week after week this season. This is a group that doesn’t exactly have one star defensive player on the roster, but all are excellent at what they do. I have faith they’ll draw up a solid gameplan to at least contain Morsink.

If they do that, this game should be theirs to lose.

Prediction: T.C.O.

 

5) Backyard Bullies vs. 6) Los Banditos

Previous matchup: N/A

Los Banditos had it easy in round 1 of the playoffs, beating up a five-man Tomahawk Nightmare team 48-19. Backyard Bullies had it even easier, as they didn’t even have to play their opening round game because Recipe 4 Disaster couldn’t even field five players.

Both were underdogs in their respective games. In other instances, when two underdogs advance and play each other, it makes you wonder who remains the underdog and who becomes the favourite.

There is no doubt as to which team holds which title in this game.

Los Banditos may have put up 48 points against a five-man Tomahawk Nightmare, but the only other time they scored anywhere near that this season is when they put up 40 against the hapless Scared Hitless. The Banditos have otherwise struggled mightily offensively this season.

On the other side is a Bullies offence that has made mincemeat of just about every team they’ve played this season, led by a QB that has thrown 24 touchdowns to just two interceptions in his last five games.

Look for both trends to continue.

Prediction: Backyard Bullies

 

Conference B:

1) Grip n Rip vs. 6) The BrotherHood

Previous matchup: Grip n Rip 31, The BrotherHood 18

In the only quarter-final matchup featuring two teams that have already played each other this season, the fact this is a playoff game and that BrotherHood have markedly improved since their Week 5 loss to Grip n Rip should make it a good one.

BrotherHood QB Jamal Gittens is depending less on his legs to make plays, while the team’s defence hasn’t allowed over 30 points since that loss to Grip n Rip.

You would think two teams with as much firepower as Shakeel Phinn and Omar Smith-Jackson on one side, and James Donald and Matthew and Anthony Da Silva would result in a shootout, but I think this will be a surprisingly low-scoring game. Much like the first time around, I think it’ll come down to whoever wins the rushers’ duel. Both Quaysie Gordon-Maule and Mike Zenobi finished with three sacks a-piece the last time these two teams faced off, but it was clear Zenobi gave Gittens a much tougher time than Gordon-Maule gave Gualano.

I think history will repeat itself.

Prediction: Grip n Rip

 

2) Primetime vs. 4) Monstars

Previous matchup: N/A

Primetime have been the beneficiaries of some insanely lucky wins these past few weeks, starting with a crazy Hail Mary catch by Dilan Daoust on the last play of their Week 9 game against Loose Cannons, continuing into Thursday night’s epic 5-4 OT win over FOTC in which they started down 0-4.

But it takes skill to beat a team like Monstars. Unfortunately for Primetime, I don’t think they’re on the same level.

Rod Mashtoub has developed into a complete quarterback, his receivers are among the most underrated in the division, and defensively this team allows few passes over its head.

Primetime have struggled in their few games against contenders this season, and in my mind simply aren’t as polished a team as Monstars are—not yet, anyway.

Prediction: Monstars

 

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That’s it for me this week. As always you can reach me by email at [email protected] or on Twitter @JBlanchFPF. Be sure to check out Monday night’s podcast at www.theunclehood.com/flag-plus-football to see Peeze and Brent give their own thoughts on the playoffs. Good luck to everyone tonight!