Categories: DivisionDivision CMen'sSpring

Playing For Keeps: Rush for the Playoffs

We’re heading into week 9 and the battle lines for the playoffs are drawn…or are they? The top of the divisional rankings has seen more volatility than Tesla shares in the past few weeks, while teams on the playoff bubble have less security than Sears’s employees right now…If only someone could stop Sean Avraam…Oh wait…That’s so last week…The Bullies have been swimming in a bigger pond over the past two and suddenly look less intimidating…SMYTD have now won 4 straight as Jessie Dupuis looks more and more like The Truth…Don’t look now, but conference B is quickly supplanting conference A as the division to beat…Could Jagerbomb be more…meh?…Could Red Wave be the best team in FPF to not make the playoffs this year?…Read below to find out more:

This is Playing For Keeps: Week 8 edition.

 

Highlights:

Commission immediately relinquish the top spot

Some teams shine under the burden of the top seed (Bullies weeks 1 through 6), others prefer to do their damage from the shadows. It seems like Commission may be in the latter category, as a week after they upset the Bullies and shook up the stagnant power rankings, they immediately yield their first loss of the season to SMYTD (32-28) and fall back into their preferred second position.

That’s not to take anything away from SMYTD, winners of 4 straight who own perhaps the hungriest defense in the division and now finally have the explosive offense that they’ve search for all along.

 Alexis Gaumont was the star of this game, making one highlight play after another and tearing Commish apart for 136 yards and 3 TDs on 8 catches! Julien Bellavance’s presence tilts the tide for this team, as he is one of the most well-rounded option B players in the division and adds impeccable depth to this roster. He did it again this week with 45 yards and 1 TD on O and sturdy zone coverage and tackling on D. Jesse Dupuis was Captain America for this team, as he sliced and diced his way to 194 yards passing and 5 TDs to only 1 INT, while creating a critical turnover on defense.

All season long Sean Avraam has been playing up to an unconscious level of QBing that is seldom seen in this league. Every week we would watch his stat line, half expecting a regression to the mean. Well at last he had his first “off” game of the season, and it terms of “off” games it was still pretty good. 177 yards and 4 TDs with 2 INTs is considered a solid day at the office for many in this league, but it would not be enough to deliver his team their 8th win of the season.

I think this is the game where Jordan Allard dropped the mic on the WROY talk. 91 yards and 2 TDs on 7 catches should help solidify him the spot as the premier receiver in div C this season. Go close out the season and collect your award young man! Eddy Lee stepped up to keep this game close down the stretch, with 41 yards and 1 TD receiving, to go along with 5 tackles and a PD on defense.

 

Red Wave drop key game to Royals

Red Wave were one of the hottest teams that no one wanted to face coming into this game, winners of three straight. They would need to continue that execution and employ a well-devised game plan to defeat the Bad Boys of conference B, who’ve been running the tables on div C so far this season.

The game plan was on point, as Mario Porreca marched the field smoothly and controlled the time of possession. The execution, however, left a lot to be desired. Ugly drops and mistimed patterns between WR and QB left far too many points on the field and allowed Royals the opportunity to steal the victory. You cannot give a team like the Royals that many extra lives and expect to win, they are tough enough as is.

The Royals offense struggled to establish their normal rhythm on this night, yielding 3 INTs in the game. Travis Moses was able to pick off Cory Johnson twice and Jeremy Anderson added 1 as well, giving their offense numerous chances to seal the deal. A wide open TD drop by Raffi Di Tella hurt Red Wave, as did a quiet game overall by Jordan Moses.

On the Royals side, Chris Milard put up a strong game offensively, with 61 yards and 2 TDs on 4 catches, but all world receiver Justin Mclean was largely shut out by the Red Wave defense. GM Kolethras made a big impact in the win with 3 catches for 20 yards and a crucial TD, once again showing his veteran moxie.

Red Wave now fall back into the glut of teams in conference B fighting for a remaining playoff spot. Read below for a full description of what they need to qualify. As for Royals, they finally assume the top spot in the power rankings. Their consistency and ability to close out games this season has been off the charts, as they gear up for a battle against Backyard Bullies this week.

 

Playoff Scenario:

Here we are 8 weeks in already and things are starting to get interesting. The summer holidays are officially in our rearview and that means back to business for FPF teams looking to solidify their spots in the playoff bracket.

*Please consider this as a primer for playoff standings. Not all possible scenarios will be covered below and there are bound to be some missing scenarios for each team. It REMAINS SOLEY YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to study and understand the playoff scenarios for your particular team. If you have a particular question regarding your team’s playoff scenario, please message a league representative for further clarification. 

 

Conference A

                   
 

EQUIPE

GP

W

L

PF

PA

PTS

+/-

DIV

1

The Commission

8

7

1

290

200

14

90

[6-1-0]

2

Backyard Bullies

8

6

2

237

184

12

53

[6-1-0]

3

Junkyard Dogs

8

5

3

236

171

10

65

[4-3-0]

4

Show Me Your TDs

8

5

3

215

200

10

15

[4-3-0]

5

Jagerbomb

8

4

4

218

254

8

-36

[4-3-0]

6

noname©

8

3

5

161

203

6

-42

[3-4-0]

7

Blue Chips

8

2

6

250

241

4

9

[2-6-0]

8

Home for the Hollandaise

8

2

6

181

252

4

-71

[2-5-0]

9

Going Deep

8

1

7

113

239

2

-126

[1-6-0]

 

  • Seeds 5 through 8 remain on the bubble right now, as a whole host of scenarios can transpire that sees teams who thought they were sitting comfortably being rapidly unseated.
  • Jagerbomb (5th)
    • They just need a win or a tie to clinch.
    • But two tough games lay on the horizon against the hottest teams in the division: Bearskins and SMYTD.
    • Should Jager lose both games and Blue Chips and HFTH win out, Jager will STILL maintain their playoff spot due to Div Record.
    • DOOMSDAY: Should NoName go undefeated in final 2 and HFTH win out, Jager will be ELIMINATED with a double loss.
  • NoName (6th)
    • They have a game in hand and hold the head-to-head against BOTH Blue Chips and HFTH.
    • They need to win 1 game to qualify.
    • Should they lose both and Blue Chips AND HFTH win out, NoName will be ELIMINATED.
  • Blue Chips (7th)
    • Dug themselves a hole by losing to Jager, NoName and HFTH.
    • Also cannot improve Div Record and will finish with the worst of the bunch.
    • POSITIVE is that they play Nuggets and Smash Bros, both winnable games.
    • They will NEED to win both and hope NoName losses both and HFTH loses at least 1 game to QUALIFY.
  • Home for the Hollandaise (8th)
    • Upcoming games against Texas Baremanz and Going Deep are both WINNABLE.
    • They should be the actual 7th seed right now, despite current website rankings, since they own the head-to-head vs Blue Chips.
    • They’re IN TOUGH because NoName will own ALL TIEBREAKERS against them, so they cannot win 1 of 2 and hope to survive.
    • Will NEED to win BOTH games and have NoName LOSE both.
    • However, if they win both and Jager LOSES both they will own the tiebreaker with Jager.

 

Conference B

 

EQUIPE

GP

W

L

PF

PA

PTS

+/-

DIV

1

Royals

8

8

0

272

141

16

131

[7-0-0]

2

BearSkins

8

7

1

238

196

14

42

[6-1-0]

3

Impeccable D

8

5

3

239

194

10

45

[5-2-0]

4

Smash Bros

8

4

4

190

176

8

14

[4-4-0]

5

Friends in Low Places

8

3

5

166

219

6

-53

[3-4-0]

6

Red Wave

8

3

5

208

209

6

-1

[2-5-0]

7

Nuggets

8

3

5

173

221

6

-48

[2-5-0]

8

Texas BareManz

8

2

6

183

221

4

-38

[2-5-0]

9

MVE

8

2

6

193

242

4

-49

[1-6-0]

 

  • A bit more complicated than Conference A, seeds 4 through 9 remain on the playoff bubble heading into the final 2 weeks.
  • Smash Bros (4th)
    • Need to win 1 remaining game to clinch.
    • DOOMSDAY: Should they LOSE both, the only way they could BOUNCE is if FiLP and Nuggets win out AND Red Wave wins 1 of 2 games.
  • Friends in Low Places (5th)
    • Two extremely difficult games remaining against The Commission and Bearskins.
    • DOOMSDAY: If they lose both, it will only take 1 Red Wave and Nuggets Win or Tie to BOUNCE.
    • If they win 1 and Red Wave and Nuggets BOTH win 1, THEY will PASS due to Div record.
  • Red Wave (6th)
    • Remaining games against SMYTD and Nuggets.
    • They own the H2H with Smash Bros in the result of a two-way tie.
    • They lost the H2H with FiLP in the result of a two-way tie.
    • Week 10 game vs Nuggets will have HUGE playoff implications, as winner will hold the H2H over the loser. More importantly, the winner of that game will improve their Div Record, making them more competitive with FiLP. If they had to choose 1 of 2 to win, it would be week 10.
    • In the case of a three way tie with Smash Bros and FiLP, should Red Wave win week 10 they will nullify the H2H with FiLP and would push the tiebreak to PA, which they presently own.
  • Nuggets (7th)
    • Remaining games vs Blue Chips and Red Wave are both winnable.
    • They own the H2H vs FiLP and Texas Baremanz, but lost the H2H vs Smash Bros and MVE.
    • They will need to defeat Red Wave in week 10 if they were to only win 1 of 2 games. This would give them a competitive Div Record.
  • Texas BareManz (8th)
    • Remaining games vs HFTH and Royals.
    • They will likely need to win week 10 vs Royals in order to improve their Div Record.
    • If they can win 1 of 2 (week 10) and FiLP and either Red Wave/Nuggets would lose both, this would push the tiebreak to PA. All three teams are currently in the same ballpark in terms of PA.
    • A similar scenario would transpire should they win both, and FiLP and Red Wave/Nuggets were to win 1 each.
  • MVE (9th)
    • Remaining games vs Going Deep and Impeccable D.
    • Will likely need to win both to have a serious chance, as their Div Record will prevent them from passing with only 1 win and crossed fingers.
    • Should they win both, they will need FiLP and Red Wave/Nuggets to lose both, and Texas BareManz to lose at least 1.

 

 

Weekly Fantasy Football:

Horrible week for me, as all my top picks turned up as busts, except for Juwan Edgehill, who would have been fantasy MVP for a second consecutive week if not for the even more beastly performance dropped by Jonathan Grizzley.

All my high profile receiver chose this week to put up duds. The same would be true of Danny’s team however, if not for the sneaky smart pick of Alexandre Noel, who produced a gem.

NoName’s defense was the straw that broke the camel’s back for me, as they filled up the stat sheet like cheap gas. I’ll need a big week to bounce back from this one, but I’m running out of time…

Week 8 (Final)

Alex                                                     Danny

QB: Sean Avraam (19.78)                   QB: Danny D’Amour (21.2)

WR: Jad Aridi (7.2)                             WR: Justin Santillo (4.1)

WR: AJ Gomes (9.2)                           WR: Travis Moses (7.2)         

WR: Marcus Mitchell (3.3)                   WR: Alexandre Noel (20)      

2W: Juwan Edgehill (29.5)                  2W: Jonathan Grizzley (34)

DEF: Impeccable D (20)                      DEF: NoName (33.5)              

Final Score: (88.98)                          Final Score: (120)

Record: 4-3 Danny

Overall Score: (768.22 – 733.54 Danny)

 

Week 9

Can last week’s heroes reproduce? That’s what I’m hoping as I had first pick of the litter this week. I’m crossing my fingers with Gab Cote here, in need of a miracle.

Danny seems to be playing it safe and steady, with consistent performers who can help protect his lead. I’m impressed by his picks, but let’s see if they pan out.

 

Alex                                                     Danny

QB: Gabriel Côté                                QB: Jesse Dupuis

WR: Ryan Aridi                                   WR: Jared Buck

WR: Alexis Gaumont                           WR: Julien Bellevance           

WR: Nicolas Saro                                WR: Mathieu Rene    

2W: Sasha Papich                               2W: Francois Hogue

DEF: MVE                                           DEF: Smash Bros                    

 

***The standard scoring will apply as follows:

QB: 25 pass yards = 1 pt, 1 pass TD = 4 pts, 1 INT = -2 pts

Receiving/Rush: 10 yards = 1 pt, 1 TD = 6 pts, 1 REC = 1 pt

DEF: 1 TKL = 0.5 pt, 1 SK = 2 pts, 1 PD = 1 pt, 1 INT = 3 pts, 1 TD = 4 pts

Points Allowed (0): 15 points

Points Allowed (1-6): 11 points

Points Allowed (7-13): 9 points

Points Allowed (14-20): 7 points

Points Allowed (21-27): 5 points

Points Allowed (28-34): 3 points

Points Allowed (35-41): 0 points

Points Allowed (42+): -3 points

 

Power Ranking

 

  1. Royals (8-0): The only undefeated team remaining. Finally at the top of this chart, probably a position they deserved to hold many weeks ago. They can solidify their ranking with a win vs Bullies this week.
  2. The Commission (7-1): They finally had an ugly game after looking so perfect so far this season. Sean Avraam looked like a mere mortal for once. That’s okay, best to get it out of their system now and recalibrate for playoffs.
  3. Bearskins (7-1): Has there been a hotter team of late? They are finally full and look like the terrorizing squad we anticipated all along. Knocking off the defending champs was definitely an impressive feat.
  4. Backyard Bullies (6-2): How the mighty have….stumbled? Two straight losses versus the best of the best may seem a bit concerning from our perspective as couch pundits, but I doubt these guys are sweating it. They only have eyes for the playoffs at this point.
  5. Impeccable D (5-3): Remain as impeccable as always with a steady win over Texas. This week vs JYD will be interesting as it’s a battle for the top spot in tier 2 of this ranking.
  6. Junkyard Dogs (5-3): Nice veteran victory staving off a desperate Blue Chips squad this past week. They have a chance to make a statement this week against the team directly above them. This game will be a good indicator of where they stand in the grand scheme of div C.
  7. Show Me Your TDs (5-3): I’ve been standoffish on them in recent weeks due to roster inconsistencies. But it now looks like Jessie Dupuis is their full time starter and I can’t ignore the massive upset over the previous number 1 ranked team. That defense is smothering.
  8. Red Wave (3-5): Tough loss in a hard fought game versus Royals. But taking them to the brink was enough to keep them on this list. They aren’t out of the forest just yet as they still need to solidify their playoff spot. A tough game versus one of the hottest teams in the division lies ahead this week.

 

Weekly Awards

QB:

Gabriel Côté – MVE:

11/20 – 185 yards – 7 TD/1 INT – 105.2 QBR

WR:

Alexis Gaumont – SMYTD:

8 catches – 136 yards – 3 TDs

DEF:

Simon Laporte – NoName:

1 TK – 6 Sacks – 1 PD

2WAY:

Mathieu René – MVE:

5 catches – 111 yards – 2 TDs

2 TK – 1 INT – 1 TD

 

Most Valuable Player Race:

With two weeks remaining allow me to take the time to run through the top three candidates for each individual award. This is solely my opinion and remains an unofficial ranking. Similar to the winter season, players competing in higher divisions will be eligible for Div C awards, as long as they do not win the same award in a higher division.

 

QB of the Year:

  1. Sean Avraam – The Commission

1738 Passing Yards – 44 TD/3 INT – 67.9% Completion – 126.5 QBR

Even after a small stumble this past week vs SMYTD, he remains so far ahead of the pack that it would take an epic two game collapse to prevent the Dad Bod from taking home his first QBOY award. I don’t see it happening, as he’s been far too dominant this year. This will be the second individual award of the year for the rejuvenated Avraam, who also won the DPOY in Div 4A this past winter.

 

  1. Jeff Rosenblatt – Impeccable D

1615 Passing Yards – 34 TD/4 INT – 65.4% Completion – 118.1 QBR

He’s gone under the radar for the most part this season, but has nonetheless produced an incredibly efficient and turnover-free stats sheet. You have to admire his consistency, as his numbers don’t blow you away each week, but he always does enough to put his team in a position to win games.

 

  1. Cory Johnson – Royals

1324 Passing Yards – 34 TD/7 INT – 73.6% Completion – 117.6 QBR

Really started out like a bat out of hell, as he was by far the best QB in division over the first month of the season. His considerable second half slowdown is the main culprit for his third place ranking. His per game numbers have dipped over the past 4 games, although he continues to lead his team to victories every week. Some may argue that his missed stats from week 2 due to jersey violation should be considered (261 Yards – 5TD/1INT), but the rules are in place for everyone and it will go down as lost potential. He’s still had a remarkable follow up season to his Winter div 5 championship and will be a hot commodity heading into next season.

 

WR of the Year:

  1. Jordan Allard – The Commission:

47 Catches – 592 Yards – 18 TDs

The best WR is creates the best QB, or the best QB creates the best WR…either way, this guy deserves it big time for a truly dominant season offensively. A rising star in this league for the past few seasons, Allard has officially arrived and will no longer pass under the radar of opposing defenders and recruiters.

  1. AJ Gomes – The Commission:

29 catches – 440 Yards – 14 TDs

The best offense in the division sports the top QB AND the top 2 Wideouts! I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed such single handed dominance by one team before. Last week I made an argument that he could reasonably be top dog due to per game stats…Well he proceeded to put up a quiet game while Allard distanced himself further and made the conversation moot. Still a fantastic season for the 1-B of this offense and certainly one that will thrust him onto the main stage in seasons to come.

  1. Laurent Foucault – MVE:

33 catches – 503 Yards – 12 TDs

It’s awesome to see a snapper at this spot, producing the type of yardage totals that this guy has throughout the season. He’s the top option on MVE’s aerial attack, and at many times throughout the season single handedly put the team on his back during struggles. It’s also pretty cool to see a snapper run a beautiful corner route like this guy, since the position is often typecast as dump off hooks and slants. He’s a major weapon who helped redefine the position with swagger.

 

Defensive Player of the Year:

  1. Steve Sanner – Backyard Bullies

20 Tackles – 6 INTs – 4 PDs – 1 TD

Even though he’s missed the past two games, his mid-season brilliance still keeps him at the top of this ranking heading into the final stretch. He put up INTs in bunches this season, as a loaded Bullies defense forced opposing QBs to throw his way…which proved to be costly.

  1. Vince Nardone – Royals

19 Tackles – 5 INTs – 9 PDs – 2 TDs

He’s the orchestrator of the Royals award winning defense, and deserves as much credit for the genius play calling as for his statistical dominance. He’s neck-in-neck right now with Sanner for his third DPOY award, which would tie him for second ALL-TIME in that category. You’re sharing the field with an FPF legend here, folks.

  1. Sanders Armand – Blue Chips

18 Tackles – 6 INTs – 4 PDs

Many times throughout the season he’s been the last line of defense for an otherwise lackluster Blue Chips defense. Long and rangy, in only his third FPF season he’s already making a name for himself as one of the premier defenders in the middle divisions. I’d like to see him make a huge push in the final 2 game stretch and make this a difficult decision for us pundits come award season.

 

Two-Way Player of the Year:

  1. Marco Bertoldi – Bearskins

34 Catches – 524 Yards – 15 TDs

20 Tackles – 3 INTs – 4 PDs – 1 TD

The expression “Jack of all trades, master of none” does not apply to him, as he is a master of all trades in FPF. His name has become synonymous with excellence on both sides of the ball, as he inches closer to winning his second career 2 WAY award.

  1. Justin McLean – Royals

28 catches – 376 Yards – 12 TDs

21 Tackles – 4 INTs – 2 Sacks – 7 PDs – 1 INT

If there was a draft for div C tomorrow and you had the number 1 pick, this guy would be on the shortest short list of players to select. Known primarily as an unstoppable receiver over the past few seasons, he’s diversifying his game and blossoming into a major impact player on defense as well. His versatility is simply off the charts.

  1. Jonathan Grizzley – NoName

22 Catches – 259 Yards – 9 TDs

22 Tackles – 5 INTs – 1 PD

If I could start a team with these three guys, I would be content filling up the roster with walk-ons, knowing that we would be in good hands on both sides of the ball. The fact that he’s put up these numbers in only 6 games is astounding. Furthermore, his arrival provided NoName with the springboard they needed to lift themselves out of the cellar and make a playoff push. In terms of absolute value to their respective teams, he may be the most valuable player in the entire division given the gap NoName displayed with and without him.

  

 

Predictions

 

  1. Alex (47-23)
  2. Danny (46-24)

 

Alex                                                     Danny

Royals                                                 Bullies

JYD                                                      Impeccable D

Blue Chips                                          Blue Chips

NoName                                             Smash Bros

HFTH                                                   HFTH

SMYTD                                                 SMYTD

MVE                                                    MVE

Bearskins                                            Bearskins

Commission                                        Commission

 

That’s it for this week! Week 8 of FPF is officially in the books, and week 9 is set to start up soon. See how fast it goes! Enjoy your time on the field because summer season passes by in a blur. If you have any feedback, concerns, comments or just want a shoulder to lean on you can reach out to me @alexholowach1 on Twitter, or hit me up on Facebook. If you’re craving more div C content please check out the Calling the Audible podcast featuring GM and Justin, it’s a healthy dose of sophisticated silliness to get you through the week. Thanks for taking the time to read this, and make sure to check back next week to find out how week 9 shook out!