2nd-and-Short (Div4) – Week 6 (Midseason Breakdown II)
21-02-2014 12:00 AM
Part II (because Roman numerals make anything epic) of my midseason review, consisting of the East and West subdivisions:
26. Les Affreux (0-5): It’s just been one of those seasons for Les Affreux. There was little doubt in my mind this would be one of the best teams in the division considering the team’s core was a game away from the Division D final last year. But that quickly changed when I learned they’d be going with a first-time quarterback in Karl Lavallée, and it was obvious this team was in trouble when two key starters in receiver Mat Domon and defensive back Yvon Laramée went down with long-term injuries after just one game. Still, this team isn’t completely dead in the water. It seems Mathieu Dubois will be replacing Karl Lavallée the rest of the way, and considering Dubois threw for four touchdowns in a seven-point loss in his season debut at the position last week, there’s still hope this team can do the improbable and finish 5-5. It’s just very, very, very slim hope.
Prediction: 1-9
25. Trapstars (1-4): Considering Trapstars finished 1-9 in Division 4 the last time they played under the name in Winter 2012, I can’t say I didn’t expect the team would be struggling this season. A quarterback switch from Pedro Pana to FPF newcomer Vincent Richard hasn’t done much to change the team’s fortunes, signifying that the overall team, not just a single player, may be overmatched for this level of competition. The fact Richard dazzled for a four-touchdown performance in the team’s only win this season shows this team has the potential to compete in D4. But the fact the team has been blown out in just about all of its losses shows it just doesn’t seem to be have reached that potential yet.
Prediction: 1-9
24. The Junks (1-4): Essentially last year’s Division 3 High Rollers with the addition of some players new to the league, this is another team unfortunately performing as I expected. High Rollers went 1-9 in Division 3 last winter and 2-8 in Division 4 the previous winter, giving me the impression that the team is still some time away from competing in the middle tier. That being said, I do like the team’s base. QB Philippe Carier performed surprisingly well when he took over the position for the team last winter, throwing seven touchdowns in his debut, and is surrounded by some good talent in former Vanier Cheetah Yannick Magloire and McGill recruit Stéphane Baganizi. It just hasn’t yet translated into wins.
Prediction: 1-9
23. Jaggerbomb (1-5): It’s undoubtedly frustrating to be 1-5 six games into the season. But I can’t imagine how frustrating having such a record is when every single one of those five losses were by a single score, two of which were by a single point. With one of those losses coming to Broccasion, another to Zoo and a third to BearSkins, Jaggerbomb have proven to me they can compete with some of the division’s best teams. All that’s missing is closing the deal. And that’s not something fixed by talent—not that Jaggerbomb are in dire need of any with a great corps of receivers featuring Jean-Felix Deloze, Gabriel Moreau-Paquette and Maxime Marsan among others. Sometimes, the chips don’t fall your way. That’s just football.
Prediction: 2-8
22. Pickle Fiasco (1-4): Though Chris Niphakis, Avi Yayon and Edward Shoshan were all part of the Toute Garnie team that made it all the way to the semi-finals last winter, it’s clear this team is nowhere near the same level as last year’s. For one thing, there’s no more Timothy Godber or Brian Eudoxie. For another, Yayon taking over the quarterback position from Shoshan means the loss of a receiver who caught 36 passes for over 270 yards and six touchdowns. Unfortunately, while the players who have come in to replace last year’s top-notch receiving corps have performed admirably, they simply don’t compare, and unless your name is Tom Brady, it’s tough to put up points otherwise.
Prediction: 2-8
21. Fools of the Country (1-4): Coming off an 8-2 season in Division E this past spring and a semi-final appearance in the playoffs, I expected more from Fools coming out of the gate. This is a team that consistently put up at least 30 points a game last season, but has hit the 30-point mark just once so far this season. Many on the team have played in Division 4 or higher before. QB Étienne Guilmain’s isn’t one of them, however, and it’s possible the reason for the team’s struggles is simply that he hasn’t yet adapted to the higher level of competition. With more time all of that could change. But I think that time will come later rather than sooner.
Prediction: 2-8
20. Playground (0-5): Having given up the most points against with 206 through five games, it’s understandable why Playground are 0-5 despite quarterback Mathieu René averaging over four touchdown passes a game. It should be mentioned that defensive back Maxime Mercier, who led the team this past spring in interceptions with six is no longer with the team. But it’s not like he was the entire defence— the team had 21 picks last season. But with just two total picks so far this year, either the Playground defence has regressed or the competition they’re facing this year is better. Either way, it certainly hasn’t resulted in the kind of season Playground had hoped for.
Prediction: 3-7
19. Flying Comics (2-3): Flying Comics played just about as good a game you could ask for in Week 1, with both offence and defence doing its part. But it’s been mostly downhill from there. Whether it’s Jonathan Brown at quarterback or Frank Grenier, the team just isn’t putting up points the way it needs to if it hopes to go far this season. That being said, if they hope to do so they’re likely better off sticking with Grenier at QB the rest of the way and keeping Brown at receiver—especially considering he’s had 107 catches for over 1,200 yards and 30 touchdowns over the past two seasons with the team.
Prediction: 3-7
18. Gotham Knights (1-4): We’re over five weeks into the season and I’m still puzzled by their lack of success. This is the same team that made it all the way to the quarter-finals last spring season. Speedster Kendal Mayers, touchdown machine Mikey Candussi, jack-of-all-trades Chris Rivest, the sure-handed Alex Provencher-Rivest and cannon-armed Bruce Candussi are all back. So why are they underperforming? Honestly, your guess is as good as mine. At this point, it seems to me their tough season is merely the result of the FPF gods’ wrath. The good thing is they’re improving, going from two ugly losses to three competitive games, the last of which came down to the last play. I think they’ll finish better than they started, but I don’t think it’ll be enough to make up for all the lost ground.
Prediction: 4-6
17. Les Prédateurs (2-4): Essentially the next generation of the Collegiate Division 1 Vieux-Montreal Spartiates—some of whom have even represented Canada at the international level—I have to say I expected a lot more out of this group of young athletic football players. Of course, real football talent doesn’t necessarily translate to guaranteed success on the FPF field, and the Prédateurs’ 2-4 record in their debut season in the league is a clear reminder of that. That being said, I firmly believe if this group is in it for the long haul that it’s only a matter of time before they get accustomed to FPF-style football—you can learn better plays, but talent like theirs is hard to come by.
Prediction: 4-6
16. Checkmate (2-3): Fresh off their beatdown in the Game of the Week last Saturday, it’s time for Checkmate to do a little soul searching on offence. New quarterback Mike Addona, in just his second season ever as a full-time FPF quarterback after leading Show Me Your TDs to a respectable 5-4-1 record in Division E this past spring, has some room to grow at the position. Though some strong defensive showings have allowed the team to get by with scoring barely 20 points, I fear their inability to keep up with such offences as KGP Lite’s and Les Maloudes’ will be their downfall if they’re to make the playoffs.
Prediction: 4-6
15. Mustangs (2-3): It took five weeks for Mustangs to lose their first game last season, a tight 38-33 battle. This year, a 39-6 walloping to start the season was surely not what they expected coming off a divisional round appearance in the playoffs last year. QB Simon Vallée hasn’t seemed to find quite the same level of success throwing the deep ball as he did last year, despite the fact the same four guys who led the team in receptions in winter 2013 are the same ones leading the team in receptions this season. Tougher competition is the likely culprit considering all three of the team’s losses were against two undefeated squads and a 4-1 team. That said, you have to show you can beat the best if you want to be crowned the best.
Prediction: 5-5
14. Lockdown (2-3): After narrowly missing out on the Division D playoffs last spring, team captain Alex D’Aquila did his best in the offseason to make sure that wouldn’t happen two seasons in a row. D’Aquila brought in some new weapons for QB Gianfranco Ranaudo in the form of Vincent Barrière and Jason Charbonneau. Other additions to the team include defensive back Alex Gauthier and last year’s D4 sack leader, Julien Paiement. Unfortunately for Lockdown, injuries and other absences have seen these most of these new members play barely three games so far, making chemistry hard to develop and wins even harder to come by.
Prediction: 5-5
13. Les Maloudes (3-3): Despite the fact they’ve already played six games, I feel like I won’t get a true grasp of this team’s potential until Week 10. The biggest reason: lack of consistency. Les Maloudes have not yet won two games in a row this season, but nor have they lost two games in a row. All of their wins have been by two scores or more, but all their losses have been against winning teams. They definitely seem to have struck gold with the addition of Sebastien Thibault, who leads the team in receptions, yards and touchdowns so far, and new QB Zach Quiviger has played mostly well aside from a four-interception game against BearSkins. The fact three of their last four games are against some heavyweight teams doesn’t bode too well, but I’m nonetheless optimistic they can steal one or two of those wins en route to a playoff appearance.
Prediction: 5-5
12. 69ers (3-2): 69ers looked poised to make the postseason last winter when they started off 5-3, but two straight losses to close out the season closed that door. One year later, currently at 3-2, they once again look headed for a playoff spot, but this time I’d be surprised if they didn’t make it. QB Shea Harbour has improved week to week, and you could chalk up last week’s loss to the fact he didn’t play. These guys know each other well and know what it takes to win. A playoff spot awaits.
Prediction: 5-5
11. Ball Busters (3-2): Their resume as subdivision winners in winter 2013 tells me this team is a winner in Division 4. What I’m seeing out of the team so far this season is telling me a slightly different story. Yes, Ball Busters are 3-2 and currently holding onto a playoff spot. But a closer look at that record leaves me still unconvinced. All three wins have come against teams with a combined 1-14 record. Both losses have come against undefeated teams—one against a team starting a sub at QB, and the other a 38-point drubbing. However, I do like what QB Dylan Taylor brings to the table with his ability to beat you with either his legs or his arm, and the way in which the team uses solid play-calling that takes advantage of a team’s weaknesses rather than basing itself on a single star receiver. If we consider that loss to Sea Assassins to be a fluke, Bull Busters have a good chance to make some noise in the playoffs this year.
Prediction: 6-4
10. Angry Beavers (3-2): Angry Beavers have been flying under the radar a bit, and that’s normal for a team made up mostly of newcomers to the league. That said, they’re not a team to be underestimated—these guys are a lot stronger than their 3-2 record might suggest. This is a team that makes its living getting consistent defensive stops and efficiently grinding its way upfield, and it’s worked extremely well up to this point: the defence has allowed over 30 points just once while QB Pier-Luc Beauregard has turned the ball over in just two of the team’s five games so far. Considering this marks their first season as a team, things can only get better for the Beavers moving forward.
Prediction: 6-4
9. Backyard Bullies (4-2): There’s no doubt Brennan Burke has been everything the team expected and more as he’s played almost flawlessly throughout much of the first half of the season—of course, it helps when you’re throwing to a former Division 1 player in Vinny Gualano and one of the division’s most underrated receivers in Rich Humes. Surely a solid regular season record awaits Backyard Bullies. But coming off a 20-point walloping by KGP Lite, I just wonder if their regular season success will translate to playoff success.
Prediction: 6-4
8. ZOO (4-1): I don’t like the fact that they won by only one-point over a 1-5 Jaggerbomb team and suffered a 25-0 shutout at the hands of the best team they’ve played. But I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: this team has a gameplan fit for FPF, and when it works mistake-free, it’s nearly impossible to stop, even when you know exactly what’s coming. It’s led them to make the playoffs in winter 2012 in Division 4 with a 7-3 record, in spring 2013 in Division D with a 5-3-2 record, and barring a major collapse, looks very likely to lead the team to yet another playoff appearance this year. The only question is whether they’ll finally be able to get past the quarter-finals this time around.
Prediction: 6-4
7. BearSkins (4-2): If last week taught us something, it’s that Neil Etinson is indeed human. If the four weeks prior to that taught us anything, it’s that he’s also a darn good quarterback. Also, it’s not like his first loss as a quarterback came to a bad team—La Sauce have arguably the best defence in the division. But back to BearSkins. I was left feeling their offence was one just a step away from putting up big points, and the switch to Etinson at quarterback has allowed the team to finally take that step. If Etinson can keep the interceptions to a minimum and Aleksander Papich continues to dominate on both sides of the ball as he always does, the BearSkins could quickly go from a once bottom-tier Division 5 team to a serious Division 4 playoff contender.
Prediction: 7-3
6. Outlaws (4-1): I may not give them much love in my articles, but it might soon be time for me to do so. While I’ve been blabbing on about Sea Assassins and Broccasion and Predators, Outlaws have not only won four of their first five games this season, but they’ve done so in dominating fashion, winning all their games by at least two scores. Granted, Outlaws have yet to take down one of the division’s elite teams, but they’ve done their job and done it well. Specifically, that’s meant use of a balanced attack that goes deep as often as it goes short and gets everyone involved on offence—seriously, everyone who’s played at least four games on the team this season has at least nine receptions. If they can prove they can contain the explosive offences they’re set to face the last four weeks of the regular season, Outlaws may prove to be quite the dangerous team come playoff time.
Prediction: 7-3
5. KGP Lite (4-2): QB Phil Cutler’s left-handed lasers weren’t able to keep up with BearSkins and Les Prédateurs earlier in the season, but since that 1-2 start this team has won three straight and has definitely re-captured my attention, especially after topping Broccasion last week. I like how this team’s core has been together for years, I like how receiver Fred Saleh scores either one touchdown or three touchdowns in a game, but never zero, and most of all I like how this team has scored no less than 39 points per game. Of course, the fact they’re allowing almost 30 points per game could be a cause for concern. That said, this is an offensive league, and as long as KGP continue to score at least 31 points week in and week out they should have little to worry about.
Prediction: 8-2
4. La Sauce (6-0): Upon seeing La Sauce’s game versus Checkmate live last week, it’s obvious they deserve their crown as the top defence—and I’m not just talking about the fact they’ve allowed the least amount of points so far. These guys mix up their coverages often, are there every step of the way with your receivers in man-to-man, and play with their instincts, as represented by their division leading 15 interceptions. What I am weary about, however, is the offence. Their inability to put up points is the reason why they were bounced out of the playoffs early last year, and I fear the same could happen again if the defence is unable to force turnovers against a particular team, if François Raymond matches up against a rusher who’s able to keep up with spins as he’s buying time looking for a receiver, or both. That being said, their formula is one that has worked perfectly so far—who am I to judge?
Prediction: 9-1
3. Six Fast Guys Plus Ryan (5-0): I hate talking about my own team, so I’ll keep it short: a good team is one that can win without its quarterback, and having won with three different ones all with their own systems should give you an idea of how strong this team’s core is. While no one player on the team has jaw-dropping stats per se, all are fast enough to take a short pass to the house or beat you on a long bomb—well, everyone but Ryan that is.
Prediction: 9-1
2. Broccasion (5-1): They may have dropped a close game to KGP Lite two weeks ago and beaten a then-1-4 Jaggerbomb team by only a score, but if you catch this team when they’re at their best, chances are you’re coming out on the losing end. QB Kristian Cerantola is on pace for his best season statistically, having thrown 25 TDs to just one interception through six games. Add to that the fact he’s also leading the division in rushes, rushing yards and rushing touchdowns and you’ve got yourself a defence’s worst nightmare—shut down the pass, Cerantola will just run all over you and vice versa. And that’s without even mentioning the fact that five of the nine players on the roster have played in the league together since winter 2010 and that the team made it all the way to the D4 championship final in winter 2012.
Prediction: 9-1
1. Sea Assassins (5-0): What’s that saying? The best defence is a great offence? Yeah, well, this is exhibit A everybody. In just his second season playing FPF football Daniel Lazzara has quickly become Division 4’s Peyton Manning, showing that his 2,000 yards and 51 touchdowns passing last year were no fluke as he’s already surpassed the 1,000-mark and thrown for 30 scores at the midway point. This is a team that likes to chuck it deep and does it better than anyone. In my eyes, the only thing keeping this these assassins from making it to the big game is themselves.
Prediction: 10-0
Random thoughts:
-What’s the deal with playing with a knit cap (or in good Canadian, a tuque)? I’ve now played against two different teams with a player who plays with one on. Why? It doesn’t give you any style points and your head probably feels like it’s an inch away from the sun. Which is cool if you’re into that kind thing I guess.
-A friendly note to any newcomers to the league or first-time rushers: don’t ever jump when rushing the quarterback. Sure, you might get a pick six once in a million rushes (shout out to Hermes Zepeda). Those other 999,999 times you do it you’re essentially giving the opposing team a free play. The 1:38 mark of this past week’s Game of the Week is a pretty good example of what I mean.
-Fun Boys are 1-5 with a +/- of 4. 1-5 in itself isn’t fun. 1-5 and that close to winning games? Not fun, not fun at all.
-I didn’t mention it in my last article, but let it be known that I beat Simon Dagenais head-to-head in fantasy this past week not only in Division 4 but also in Division 3. It really puzzles me how one can be at once great at picking winning teams but be oh so terrible at fantasy football.
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Finally. Freedom. Apologies to all teams about not doing any recaps this week, I saw some games that were definitely worthy. Not to worry though, I’ll be back to my usual format next week. Until then, remember, you can always reach me by email at [email protected] or on Twitter @JBlanchFPF, and don’t forget about this week’s Division 4 podcast with Peeze and Brent Callender at http://www.theunclehood.com/division-4-week-6-2/. And of course, no FPF week is complete without sending Simon Dagenais some hate mail, which you can do at [email protected]. See you at the fields!