The Introduction of 5v5 to FPF Men’s: Power Rankings

What’s up guys! My name is Jerome Hovington and I will be writing the articles for the new competitive 5v5 division. I will also be writing articles for Division A. Many of you probably know me, but for those who don’t, I play with Dime and Bougie in 5v5 and I also play with Wyeth’s Rejects in Division A. In the past I have written in Division E, Tier 3, and Division 4. It is a pretty big jump in terms of division writing which may cause me some problems as I haven’t played against most of the teams in 5v5, and 5v5 is also drastically different to 6v6. As it might be an adjustment for some of you to play this new FPF format, it might be one for me when it comes to writing articles. I will still do my best and hopefully improve as the season goes on. Let’s get started.

5v5 has finally been welcomed to the FPF world for the men’s divisions. It is a much different game to 6v6 as it features different rules, and will surely create some new strategies and game plans. It will be interesting to see how the quarterbacks who are coming from 6v6 will adjust to a game which will require more aggressiveness and creativity. It is no secret that the teams who have already had the experience of playing 5v5 in tournaments outside of FPF will have the upper hand on those who haven’t. Obviously, Braves seem to be the favorites in almost everyone’s mind but we can’t crown them champions until they are. Two games have already been played, with Braves defeating Party Crashers by a score of 46-42, as well as Flag Moi L’Sac winning 34-20 over The Jamesons.

As there have only been 2 games played so far, and since I haven’t actually played a 5v5 game, there isn’t much for me to write regarding what has happened, so I will be writing today about what might happen. As you have seen from the title, the first ever 5v5 article will be a power rankings one. I will be as honest as possible, with you and with myself, as this list is going to be hard to make due to the different nature of the rules. Regardless, let’s start with my favorites to win it all.

#1: Braves

Probably the least controversial of all my picks, Braves slot into number 1 due to their experience playing in 5v5, and also due to the team having been a staple in the highest divisions of FPF for a while now. QB Jo Maheu has been probably the second best QB in FPF, and now has the best case for number 1 with the absence of Kevin Wyeth this season. But Braves isn’t just Maheu… James Drysdale has been one of the most dominant players for a couple seasons now. Georges Gariepy, Guillaume Beland, Mike Pierrecin, Phil Pharand, Serge Pilon and William Trottier are all great 2-way player. And to add to that, although it seems they didn’t even need him, the team went ahead and got the best rusher in all of FPF, Isiah Allard. This team is stacked from top to bottom, has no clear weaknesses, and showed it with a great win over Party Crashers in week 1.

#2: Flag Moi L’Sac

While Jo Maheu has had more success in the playoffs, it’s impossible to dismiss Alex Nadeau-Piuze as a potential new GOAT of FPF. Nadeau-Piuze has had historical seasons in the last few years, and possesses a game which translates greatly to 5v5. His high-powered, highly efficient offense will be crucial to the team’s success this season. As I’ve talked about with some of my fellow FPFers, 5v5 will require creativity and aggressiveness, and both of those things are true when talking about this offense. Samuel Nadeau-Piuze and Guillaume Paquet will surely be at the top of the stats leaderboards once again. Francois Rocheleau’s speed will surely prove troublesome for opposing defenses in this new format. Guillaume Robert, JD Chevalier, JP St-Pierre and Nicolas Arseneault-Hum are all elite depth pieces who could excel in 5v5. Perhaps the question for this team will be whether their defense can win them games if the offense gets them in trouble come playoff time.

#3: Royaume Luminaire

Jesse Dupuis’ introduction to Division 1 this past winter did not disappoint. He made it all the way to the Championship Finals before losing to who else but the GOAT himself. Dupuis also plays a very efficient game , though perhaps not as electric as Nadeau-Piuze or Maheu. Still yet to play a game, RL will have to face Braves tomorrow, in what will surely be a high-scoring affair. AJ Gomes will assuredly be looking to make his mark, and he will be supported by a great crew of receivers: Alexis Gaumont, MA Lapointe, Quaysie Gordon-Maule and the Semerjian bros. This team also has an elite rusher in Ethan Adrian who will keep proving why he’s one of the best rushers in FPF. This team seems to me like one who might not dominate the regular season but will be a very tough out come playoff time. They play with passion and have the competitive drive that few other teams do.

#4: The Jamesons

This team is led by the man that you can never count out, Jeff Rosenblatt. I’m sure his first game was very disappointing to him as his team lost 34-20 versus Flag Moi L’Sac. He was only able to find the endzone three times, and got picked off twice. Perhaps Rosenblatt’s game is the one which will require the most adjustments, but he’s proven time and time again that he is never to be counted out. He also has the weapons and defensive stars to truly make a mark in 5v5. Anthony Brisebois is one of the most talented players I’ve ever seen, and Dan Mancini, James Ohayon, Jordan Panetta, Khalil Kerr and Sanders Armand are some of the best two-way players. Skylar Bayliff is a player I’ve followed in the past few seasons and who I’ve went up against many times, and he will surely make a great positive impact on this team as well. Naz Dhillon is also a very good rusher who will look to make his mark in the highest divs.

#5: KGP

KGP have been playing in the highest div of FPF for a little while now, but haven’t necessarily had that much success. Phil Cutler is an excellent quarterback, but he hasn’t necessarily hit the level of the QBs mentioned above him just yet. One thing going for this team is the chemistry they do have from playing together for a while now and keeping more or less the same roster year to year. Chemistry will certainly play a huge factor to success in this new division, especially early on, as teams try to adjust to the different nature of these rules. KGP perhaps don’t have that one superstar but are filled with excellent two-way players. Dylan Garber has taken a big step in past seasons. Jonathan Garfinkle, Julien Paiement, Mathieu Lepage, Sebastien Simon, Brendan Parm, Gabe D’Amico-Mazza and James Acker can all make a huge difference, either on offense or on defense.

#6: Party Crashers

It feels weird to put Party Crashers at #6, but the truth is all the teams above them, and the sheer size of their roster has to bring some question marks. Fred Dupuis, unfortunately, is also still a question mark as well. He hasn’t been able to achieve the level of success his peers above have, and his game isn’t as efficient as theirs are either. His game 1 performance didn’t blow anything out of the water, and though the final score was close, 4TDs and 2 picks will not be enough to win most games. Of course, having difference makers like Emile Taillefer, Jeanslee Alexis, Francois Hogue, Mendel Joseph and Vincent Cleroux will help, but as I said, the roster is huge (15 players!), which means there will most likely be issues coming when it comes to playing time and roster rotation. 5v5 has one less player on the field at all times.

#7: Dime and Bougie

This is my team, and I’m not putting us last due to being “humble” or whatever, it’s simply the truth. Jules Regimbald‘s name simply doesn’t belong yet with the other ones on this list. But Regimbald has probably the best arm talent of anyone in FPF, and has shown creativity and dominance in lower divisions. It will 100% be the biggest adjustment any QB will have to face this season, having to learn how to play against elite teams, and learning 5v5. Regimbald has played 5v5 with Team Quebec in the past, and his game is well fitted to these rules. The roster that was put together is also solid. Marvin Steinberg has shown to be a legit superstar and combining Regimbald’s arm talent with his skills may prove to be a matchup made in heaven. Felix Boutet has elite speed and ball tracking, Manu Allard-Roy is one of the smartest and most reliable players, Charles Verreault is one of the most dynamic, and Gab Dabe-Champagne is one of the most athletic. It will surely be a hard road for Dime and Bougie, but the team is young, hungry, and ready to put its name on the map.

Game picks

Braves vs. Royaume Luminaire

Dime and Bougie vs. KGP N/A

The Jamesons vs. Royaume Luminaire

Flag Moi L’Sac vs. Party Crashers

Thank you for reading the first ever article for 5v5, I hope you enjoyed.

Good luck in your games this week!