Back to football; week 1 previews and recaps

Ah, how I’ve missed you FPF.

It’s only been a little over four weeks, but it feels like an eternity ago I was in the booth in Brossard for the Spring 2017 Road Show.

After a lot of planning and endless discussions, here we are for our inaugural Fall season; the FPF Cup. I know many of you still have questions about how things will go down and what’s really on the line here, but all in due time; breaking down the format every week will feel awkwardly redundant so I’ll try to keep the information as fresh as possible.

All you guys need to know is EVERYONE will make a semi-finals in their respective bowl bracket (the 9th game of the season) and only winners of those semi-finals will be playing the Bowl Game (the 10th game).

Let’s get started.

Week 1

After a very eventful offseason/preseason, we’ve now settled down with 40 registered teams; a lot of familiar faces but many under different banners than the ones we’ve grown accustomed to see them represent. It’s also a time for lower division teams to step up and face higher calibre talent and see how they fare if they’d take a leap in the seasons to come; what could possibly go wrong?

Going with a new article format this season, I won’t be restrained to a particular “tier / division” as I’ll try to cover as much of Tier 2 as I do Tier 1, but worry not as my colleagues (Peeze Della Reeze and Francois Martin) will keep you updated on everything I’ve potentially missed along the way. Our different writing styles meshes up really well and this season’s coverage is bound to be as exceptional as our previous ones!

Thoughts of the Preseason

I can’t help but wonder who will be the first team to “upset” a top dog and cover the spread.
I will consider it a Win for any 4th seed that covers the spread against the 1st seed even if they didn’t actually win the game.
I’m back on the podcasts starting Week 2; look out.
I’ve grown quite lazy when I have an editor. Sadly, it’s not the case anymore.
All these NFL trades are leaving me wondering if every season is just as crazy as this one
I’m sure everyone who got Ezekiel Elliott in their draft are super happy right now; the pain was simply moved forward in time.
Larry Fitzgerald prefers concussions to leg injuries? Hmmm. Does he know something we don’t?
My weekly picks will be featured in our Joint Article released on Mondays.
In Tier 1, Group A has the most potential for upsets, but, all bias aside, the closest games are bound to come from Group C.
With so many new teams in Tier 2, there’s bound to be A LOT of movement in the next few weeks.
X-Men and No Name are the top two rated teams. Can they remain undefeated in the prelims?
Could Sons of Mitches be the most underrated team in Tier 2?
I’m eager to see what can Daniel Lazzara do with such a loaded roster.
Dans & Tams is a better name guys. Well done.
Who will be playing for the top bowl? Who will be left out?

Preseason Preview

For my first article of the season, I’ve decided to pool my efforts alongside Peeze’s (it’s a rare commodity) and touch a bit on each and every team that decided to register for our first ever Fall Season. I’ll be breaking down Tier 1 and Peeze will take over shortly after with his breakdown of Tier 2.

Tier 1

Group A

The Commission: With Sean Avraam now out of the lineup, The Commission reformed and will test Jonathan Goyette and/or Jean Lussier under center as they battle to maintain their 3rd seed in a very tough grouping. Stacked with many underrated stars, this team can only get better as the season goes by.
DK: Currently ranked the #1 seed overall due to having the highest cap, DK should return to former glory with this juggernaut of a roster. Unless they suffer any major setbacks due to players missing games, there’s no way DK isn’t playing for the top bowl this season.
Freshii Superfoods: Stacked with McGill alumnis, this is also Gianni Settino’s return to FPF. Many might overlook this roster, but it’s built to upset some of the top dogs and deal damage in the top bowls. Expect these guys to finish atop the list of second seeds.
Top Secret: Although they, technically, represent the 4th seed of this group, Top Secret is a sneaky good team that could potentially create an upset along the way. They might not get Wins against top dogs, but their defence is good enough to keep games close and they’ll cover the spread in most cases. A well-built team that’ll make some serious noise once the second round begins.

Group B

FPF All-Stars: The Finest was forced to tweak their roster due to many guys missing, but there’s no doubting a Kevin Wyeth offence when he has Akked Moore and Pat Jerome to throw to. If guys like Anthony Vendrame, Chris Milard and Kevin Laliberte can find their roles early, this could very much be the beginning of something great.
Keyport Lock: Setup as the 3rd seed in their current grouping, Keyport Lock has a few uphill battles to overcome before the second round, but there’s no underestimating these guys anymore; they’ve proved time and time again just how talented they truly are. If their chemistry remains intact, they might even surprise a team or two before the next round!
#NR: After their successful season this past Winter, #NR returns with a tweaked roster ready to compete. A quick glance at this roster and you’ll quickly understand why they’re poised to have another great season. Although their defence is poised to be difficult to play against, Cory Pecker is bound to light it up offensively with all those weapons.
KGP Ra: Ranked 4th in their grouping, KGP Ra could offer many different looks with the option of moving Phil Cutler from snapper to QB at different times. With many up and coming talents, they are bound to find success in the second round, but I’m curious to see how they’ll perform within their own grouping and if they can manage to cover the spreads.

Group C

A-Squad: Known for their defensive prowess, A-Squad will finish their prelims well tested both offensively and defensively as they’ll have faced some of the best teams the tournament offers before they advance. Ranked 3rd in their grouping, they should be able to keep most games close and probably pull out of their group with a win in the bank.
Diablos: Stacked in a very tough group, Diablos will have to battle it out and play smart if they want to finish with a point or two before the Prelims end. Nonetheless, the group has proven time and time again that they’ve found ways to win even when the odds were stacked against them; expect a much better squad once they head into the qualifying rounds.
Fine Wine: Probably the team I’m the most intrigued about; D-Boys’ ridiculous roster with Daniel Lazzara at the helm. One of the most loaded rosters of the entire tournament should sweep through the prelims and find their first challenge in the qualifying rounds hoping to play the top Bowl once it’s all said and done.
Dad Bods: A well-rounded team mirroring the very successful Division 3 team from last Winter should be able to be repeat the feat. Equipped with the right pieces, Sean Avraam’s offence should click and having the option to let Vinny Gualano throw in key situations could make this team real nasty real fast.

Group D

BearSkins: Ranked second in their group, BearSkins revamped their roster with the addition of Kyle Lebofsky and Gordon Hogan to, hopefully, replace Sasha Papich without too many hiccups along the way. Their defence should be up to par, but it’ll fall on Neil Etinson’s shoulder whether they sink or swim.
Lightweight: After having drop recent star acquisitions, the Lightweight roster is back to their core. There’s enough talent to be competitive in the prelims pool as long as we don’t suffer too much from roster inconsistencies. Time will tell how we rank and perform.
Top Guns: If Paul Lapierre plays as well as he did during the Spring season, Top Guns should compete in the top groups in the qualifying rounds and possibly play for the top bowl by the end of the season. Without the same star power they’ve had in the past, their chemistry will be key whether they succeed or not.
Friends In Low Places: Possibly the best 4th seed, FILP have the opportunity to upset a few of their upcoming matchups in the prelims and rank higher than anticipated once the qualifying rounds rolls in. Danny D’Amour plays smart football and could very much cover the spread in each of his games.

Group E

Dans & Tams: Formerly known as the Return of the Mak, Dans & Tams (definitely a better name) is poised to allow Joey Taylor to return to his former glory; he’s got the right weapons and the right team to succeed with. Ranked 2nd, they should very well be able to battle their way to potentially 7 points by the end of the prelim rounds.
Smokin Axolotls: The recent success of this team in the lower division could very well uplift their current rank and allow them to face better competition in the qualifying rounds if they play their cards right. With Jason Rossie possibly playing QB also, their new found depth could very well catapult them to new heights.
Urgence Medic: Probably one of the most underrated squad in the tournament, Urgence Medic should allow a bunch of FPF veterans to shine brighter than they ever had before under this new banner. After seeing how efficient The Alpha T’s were last Winter, there’s no doubt these guys will exceed everyone’s expectations
Braves: Looking a lot more like their Winter squad than their Spring, Braves should also rekindle with their former glory in this tournament. Unless they suffer one too many roster hiccup, they should sweep their way into the qualifying rounds. Whether they make it into the top bowl or not is yet to be found, but they’ve got enough potential to upset a few top dogs on their way there.

Recaps

KGP Ra vs FPF All-Stars (-24.5): In a game where all KGP Ra had to do was cover the spread (realistically), they started off on the right foot with a 20 point deficit at half time. Without Phil Cutler nor Fred Saleh in the lineup, KGP Ra were without their top two rated players and their impact would’ve made a difference in this game. The possibility of having Phil Cutler play QB for his team against a squad such as FPF All-Stars was definitely something going through many’s minds, but his absence quickly resolved the debate. All in all, there was no stopping Kevin Wyeth on Tuesday night (although he did throw an interception!) and they quickly turned a low scoring affair into a hurry-up offence that dropped 50 and distributed the ball as much as physically possible. Pat Jerome and Akked Moore were barely targeted as their offence worked on developing chemistry with new weapons, but aside from one touchdown allowed, FPF All-Stars’ defence is on the right path moving forward. It was fun to see guys like Anthony Vendrame, Kevin Wyeth and even Kishon Thompson take reps at rusher in Chris Milard’s absence. Oh, and Kevin Laliberte looked as good as advertised out there defensively.

The Commission (-0.5) vs Top Secret: I had my fair share of doubts coming into this game as to who will be playing QB for either teams and how they’ll perform in their opener, but seeing Jean Lussier take reps under center in Jonathan Goyette’s absence and Alexis Labonté moving the chains changed my view on the matter. In fact, both Qbs didn’t have career nights, but just did enough to set up their teams properly and let their playmakers do the work for them. Helped by a pick-six from Kevin Gauthier in the second half, Top Secret looked to upset The Commission, but couldn’t survive their last drive as Jean Lussier managed to distribute the ball well and get many guys involved (6 receivers with at least a catch). All things considered, these two rosters will have some work to do, but should greatly improve as the season goes by.

All Hooks (-10.5) vs Bruins: Possibly one of the most underrated teams in FPF, All Hooks entered the tournament in Tier 2 with very manageable spreads all around and should put their names on the map soon enough. QB Charles-Olivier Lavigne has been fantastic in the last two seasons and Tuesday night was no different as he picked apart the Bruins’ defence and posted a ridiculous 59 points. Using many trick plays and helped by a ball-hawking defence, All Hooks managed to keep this game under control for most of the game until Nelson Pereira took the reins of the offence and went with a dink-and-dunk offence rather than trying to air it out too often. Posting great numbers, Bruins could be looking to Nelson Pereira to lead the offence in the weeks to come as he moved the chains time and time again and played mistake-free football against a tough opponent late in the game.

Sunday Touch Boys vs Voodoo (-13.5): Facing a brand new FPF team, Voodoo was set to make a strong debut, but fell flat in the first half as they simply couldn’t overcome their early woes and struggled to move the chains. Patrick St-Amand looked uncomfortable under center and was forced to punt more often than he would’ve liked creating a tie game at half. With about 10 minutes left in the game, there was a very possible scenario where Sunday Touch Boys wouldn’t only cover the spread but also upset Voodoo and get their first ever FPF win as no one seemed able to cover Pat Provencher deep and Mark Bellini placed deep throws perfectly time and time again, but everything was about to change for the worse. With a 5 point deficit late in the second half, STB were poised to come back big, but Hugues Surprenant read the pass perfectly as he intercepted Mark Bellini and ran it back for six turning a 5-point lead into a game they simply couldn’t lose anymore. Sadly, the previous missed converts couldn’t set them up to cover the spread and Voodoo walked away with a win, but left a point on the field.

That’s it for me this week. Hopefully this is what you’ve all grown to love and expect out of me for your weekly readings. If it isn’t, you can send any sort of formal complaint to Paolo Della Rocca via twitter (@PeezeFPF) so I can keep tab and act like I didn’t know about it. Otherwise, if you have any comments, feel free to hit me up either via emails ([email protected]) or twitter (@DagenaisFPF). Until next time.