And then there were four…

STAGE IS SET FOR THE FINAL FOUR

Following the round of the ELITE EIGHT, those numbers were cut in half as Maximum Carnage, the Cougars, Les Verges Folles and the mighty Gryphons were all eliminated from the tournament. Yes, the #RoadToBrossard can be a cruel ride so you better keep your eyes on the road. Your CAA gold membership card is not valid on this journey.

Shocking that out of the four games played last Monday, two came down to the wire as The U edged out the Cougars by keeping their opponents out of the end zone on the very last play of the game. That jump ball in the back of the end zone could have easily gone either way. As for the Gators, they needed extra time to pull off their impressive come-from-behind victory in overtime. I myself have been on the winning end of an overtime playoff game and it doesn’t get much better than that. Enjoy it boys, you deserved it.

The other two games on the schedule were not as competitive as the ones listed above. The J’s took the fight to my boys in red as they controlled the entire game against Carnage. A pick-six was the only thing preventing my team from being blanked. Although we did manage to keep the Receiver of the Year relatively in check, his team relied on their other playmakers, which is a testament to the deep pool of talent available on their roster. Congrats to the J’s on a game well played. Last but not least, Jagerbomb did something truly amazing and took down the Gryphons in style.

Not sure if the title of Dark Horse should go to The U or to Jagerbomb at this stage. Not many gave either of them a legitimate shot to be champions.

 

LAST ONE STANDING IN CONFERENCE B MIGHT WIN IT ALL

The victories against the Speed Demons and most recently Les Verges Folles cleared the Gators’ path to the Semi Finals in Conference B. Tomahawk Nightmare and the Gryphons were no match for the Jagerbomb, setting a much-anticipated match in Lachine. I honestly love the fact that following last week’s upset victory over the Gryphons, Jagerbomb were taking photos with their family on the sidelines. They were hype and with good reason. Nothing wrong with showing that passion. Curious as to what they would serve up as an encore should they win on Sunday. But will they have the chance? Keep reading…

 

PREDICTIONS

Gators (10-2) vs Jagerbomb (8-4-1)

Overview: Something drastic occurred following the Jagerbomb’s beat down at the hands of the Cougars back in week 6. It triggered an alarm within. As a result, they have not been the same team since that dreadful outing and have been putting on a clinic ever since. Winners of their last seven games, this team looks confident that they can collect another one under their bright yellow belts. The only thing stopping them is the Gators. And that is not an easy obstacle to overcome.

Offence: Quarterback Simon Duchesne is arguably playing the best football in division 5 right now. Since the start of the playoffs, Duchesne has tossed 17 TDs and just 1 interception in his last 3 games. He is Joe Flacco when it comes to FPF playoffs. We can no longer say that this team is without an elite receiver as well. Jean-Felix Daloze and his 14 receiving TDs in his last 4 games backs that claim.

Defence: Though overshadowed at times by the offence, the Gators defence couldn’t be more confident with their secondary. With the 4th best defence in points allowed during the regular season, this team has the luxury to win games off the arm of pivot Steve Sanner or by the putting the pressure on the shoulders’ of the defensive unit.

 

Head-to-Head:               Advantage

Passing:                            Jagerbomb

Rushing:                            Gators

Receiving:                         Gators

Sacks:                                Tie

Interceptions:                 Gators

Defensive TDs:                Jagerbomb

 

Final Analysis: Jagerbomb strikes me as a case of young talent maturing. In the past several weeks, they have shown that they can adapt and produce quality football of a consistent basis. However, the challenge will be steeper for them this week. Also, I am not the type to follow hype or jump on any bandwagon solely based on a few impressive wins. The Gators have established themselves as one of the most consistent squads in our division since the season opener. They have been playing good ball all season long which is more impressive in my books. It is no secret that the Gators have one of the most talented teams in the division. They will show it once more. Gators.

 

The U (8-4-1) vs J’s (9-3)

Overview: After barely squeaking into the playoffs, The U are becoming a force to be reckoned with. Much like Jagerbomb have come on strong as of late, The U has also found a way to step into the limelight and seek recognition after a slow start. On the flip side, the J’s, similar to the Gators, have been doing this all season long. It certainly has been a breakout year for the J’s and deservingly so. Something’s got to give.

Offence: Two of The U’s top players happen to play the same position. Well, sort of. Dustin White is the team’s official pivot, but Shaq Lattimore has been doing much of the noise under centre by simply dancing his way around would be tacklers. A simple game of “catch me if you can” seems to be much of their offensive strategy. Nothing complicated—yet extremely effective as of late. My question moving forward, how long will this continue to be effective and can this team get the ball consistently down the field?

As for the J’s, they play a more traditional style of offence, that is anything but easy to stop. They have talented receivers across the board, so pick your poison. The J’s also have one of the smartest quarterbacks in the division, who has a knack for reading defences. I call it an open book test.

Defence:

The J’s have yet to face stiff completion in the playoffs. They took care of business in the first half and for the most part, their last two games have been out of reach heading into the second half. It will be interesting to see how they would fair should The U hold their own after 30 minutes or even capture the lead. The J’s are not use to trailing.

 

Head-to-Head:           Advantage

Passing:                            J’s

Rushing:                            The U

Receiving:                         J’s

Sacks:                                The U

Interceptions:                     J’s

Defensive TDs:                  The U

 

Final Analysis: I don’t see The U being able to have much success with White under centre. The J’s will be in a position to stop him. Also with speed and size at their disposal, the J’s might be able to cover The U’s receivers, who traditionally scramble until Lattimore locates one. If the J’s can take that away, this provides hope that the J’s will contend for a championship.

Not much more to say about this one except that expectations just keep growing for the J’s. The U creates matchup nightmares, no doubt about it. But the J’s are scarier on both sides of the ball.

J’s on my feet!

 

The winners of Sunday’s games will be invited to join us next week for the Special Edition Podcast: The Press Conference. Always a fun time. Best of luck to the final four teams remaining!