Categories: Division E

Inside the Red Zone (Div E) – Week 4

There is one thing that Division E fans and players possess more than any other division in FlagPlus Football and that is patience. I will start by apologizing for the tardiness of my columns. It was a crazy couple of weeks, however the storm has been weathered. It’s time to get back to business.

 

A lot has happened in the last few weeks and it’s tough to believe Dat’s Big are 1-3. They are underachieving given their roster. On the other hand, Los Banditos are striving and sit at 3-1 after four weeks of play. A lot of movement can still happen as we are waiting for Show Me Your TDs, Maccabi, BBQ Time Travellers and the N W O to turn their seasons around. There is so much potential but a few adjustments are needed (you can read my mid-season review for a closer look).

 

So let’s start and look at all that happened since you read my last column and it definitely does seem like it has been a while!

 

Sunday June 2nd, 2013

There were three games on the docket and it started with the BBQ Time Travelers defeating Maccabi for their first win of the season. Although I did predict that the BBQ Time Travelers would win, they still have a lot of work ahead of them if they intend to go anywhere in Div E. In this game, QB Mike Bagnato threw for five interceptions which on MOST nights will earn you a loss. He did even it out with 5 offensive TDs (4 passing, 1 rushing). I will not throw any more salt on the wound because a win is a win and I hope they’ll use it as a confidence builder. As for Maccabi, I am sure they felt this loss because they figured that with both teams throwing 5 INTs each, it would be anyone’s game however it didn’t work out that way. The good news is that it was their best offensive performance in two seasons so hopefully things are looking up. They’re missing some direction and perhaps Brad Evans might be the answer to their problems, we’ll just have to wait and see.

 

Los Banditos won an easy one against the N W O, however that could have been expected as N W O are still finding their way. It was an impressive performance by Alex Guertin as he threw for 199 yards and 6 TDs. He’s looking better and better every game and it won’t be long before he’ll be turning many heads. His favorite target, Gobi Nadesh, caught 85 yards and 2 TDs but how about FPF’s own Mathieu Domon who had 3 INTs on defense. I am developing a little bromance for this team!

 

The last game of Week 3 saw the Golden Girls defeating Dat’s Big. Is anyone shocked that Dat’s Big hasn’t won a game since week 1? Now 1-3, they seem to be going towards a slump. On the weekly podcast, Peeze said Dat’s Big is struggling because they have an inexperienced pivot in Moe Khan and while there is some truth to that, they shouldn’t be doing this bad. They have now lost back to back games against the top two Division E teams and it’s a little disappointing because there is enough talent on their team to win (especially since Daron Basmadjian had an INT), despite having an inexperienced quarterback. On the other side, J-Flo didn’t have the BEST numbers by his own standards but his 5 offensive TDs (4 passing, 1 rushing) got the job done and for a third straight week, he also had an INT on defense.

 

So the third week ended with Dat’s Big hoping to figure things out and overcome their struggles while Golden Eagles, FOTC and Eskimo Brothers stay undefeated. Los Banditos are on the rise and the rest seems to be status quo for now.

 

Wednesday June 5th, 2013 (Week 4)

It was the battle between two undefeated teams and when it was all said and done, it wasn’t much of a battle. Golden Girls destroyed the Eskimo Brothers by a score of 40-12. WOW! I actually picked the Eskimo Brothers to win and boy I was totally off (it doesn’t happen very often). So what went wrong for the Eskimo Brothers? Two things that come to mind right off the bat are Mitchell Muir throwing 2 TDs, 2 INTs and Shawn Steen totaling less than 50 yards. A lot of credit goes to the Golden Girls for shutting it down defensively. Of course J-Flo did what J-Flo does best and that is dominate games on both sides of the ball. He had 6 offensive TDs (4 passing, 2 rushing) and 2 INTs (fourth straight game with at least an INT).  Golden Girls are still undefeated and it looks as though they’ll be very tough to beat.

 

Thursday June 6th, 2013 (Week 4)

Maccabi and the N W O entered this game with zero wins on the season so it is almost certain that one team would leave that night with their first win. Maccabi rose to the occasion and won convincingly against the N W O. As I mentioned before, Brad Evans, who took a few snaps last week but was starting this game at QB, might be answer to their problems. He had a strong outing, throwing for 169 yards and 4 TDs. They had a balanced attack and what a great defensive effort as they held N W O’s offense to only 37 passing yards. With Evans at QB, I like Ofir Levy as a full time receiver because it’s a better fit for him. Will they be a Cinderella team? Only time will tell.

 

Sunday June 9th, 2013 (Week 4)

Tomahawk Nightmare, after losing the last two weeks, finally earned a win are now 2-2. They defeated the BBQ Time Travellers in a close affair. Mike Bagnato (BBQ TT) had a mistake free game, especially after a Tony Romo like performance in the previous week, and that could mean he’s finally taking steps in the right direction. It could also mean he’s playing too conservatively, trying to avoid turning the ball over because he only had 91 passing yards and was sacked 7 times. Evan Ely Nolet was acquired to provide some depth on offense at center and he’s done his job for a second straight week. Tomahawk Nightmare executed a few more plays to pull out a victory.

 

Jean-Francois Marquis had an average performance of 3 TDs and 2 INTs, however he did a run a little (28 rushing yards). The ball was distributed well and at least four receivers caught 2 passes each. I don’t know what to make of this game because both teams are very up and down being that they are both new teams. Last week, it seemed like BBQ were about to turn things around and now this week, it seems like Tomahawk Nightmare will do that instead. So I will continue to monitor both teams to get a better feeling of their true abilities.

 

FOTC and Los Banditos took care of business by defeating Show Me Your TDs and Dat’s Big, respectively. Can anyone believe that Dat’s Big are 1-3? I certainly cannot because I had high hopes for this team. They have not won since the opening game of the 2013 Spring Division E season. Perhaps a change at the QB position is needed if they intend to save their season. Another interesting stat is the reduction of Moe Khan’s rushing yards.  Similarly Show Me Your TDs are also 1-3 and are battling it out for the cellar.

 

As for the FOTC, they remain undefeated and have an all-important match up in week 5 against the only other undefeated team. It’s really tough to put the spotlight on any one specific player and that is why they are so dangerous. They are epitome of chemistry and execution.

 

And as for Los Banditos, you remember the story of Maurice Richard where he had to move on game day and everyone figured he would be a nonfactor for the game? Well long story short, he ended up having a career night. Alex Guertin followed in the Rocket’s footsteps because he allegedly moved all day and then stepped on to the field and delivered a great performance. The bromance continues!

 

So what have we learned after four weeks of football in Division E? A lot! It is all about the pivots as the top teams in Division E have great QBs. You can get away with an average supporting cast if the QB is elite. Most important, the top teams are at the top for a reason. There are no fluke teams and even though eight out of ten teams will make the playoffs, I do not see any upsets from the bottom-seeded teams at this point (whoever they may be at the start of the playoffs).

 

That’s it for this edition of Inside The Redzone, but as promised my next column will be published Tuesday morning. It will have week 5 recap and mid-season review. If you have any suggestions or criticism (even if it’s about Peeze) just contact me at [email protected], inbox me on Facebook or send me a tweet (@RehanFPF). You can also listen to the Division E Calling the Audible podcast at http://podomatic.fpf.com

 

This is Ron Starwars reminding you to stay classy Division E!