Division C: Divisional Round Preview

Welcome to the Divisional Round of the FlagPlus Football Spring Season.

The playoffs, or the Real Season as I like to call it, is a special time in any sport, particularly in football, and especially here in football FPF.

I’ve been playing football since I was 13 years old. I love the game, the life lessons it teaches, the memories it has given me, and the friendships I have made throughout.

In the words of the great Bill Parcells, this is why you lift all those damn weights, this is why you do all that shit.”

The NFL Hall-of-Famer, was right on with his quote. Of course, if he were talking to today’s players, he would include plyometric, core training, balance, nutrition etc. You get my point.

That same quote can be applied to numerous players in FPF, especially come playoff time, which is the beauty of the quote. We all do what we need to do to get through the regular season, and all of the hard work ideally, pays off in the playoffs.

 

Before we go any further, let me say thank you to the Backyard Bullies, A-Squad, Stoics, Gym Class Heroes, Junkyard Dogs, All Hooks, Sweat & Beers, and The Huffmen, for coming out and playing ball this season.

Unfortunately for those eight teams, somebody has to miss the playoffs, and this season, it ended up being them.

Congrats to Easy-Jake-Oven, Keyport Lock, Mercenaries, and Simon Says, on grabbing the four well-deserved first round byes. Enjoy the rest.

Now, with all that being said, welcome to the Real Season. Twelve teams, one championship, here we go…

 

 

Divisional Round

 

Conference A

 

(3) GloGang versus (6) KGP

Previous Meeting: KGP (41-40) Week 9

As you can see by the score, the previous meeting between both teams was a shootout, that went down to the wire. Both teams traded big play after big play, and each Quarterback threw six touchdown passes, as they combined to put 81 points on the scoreboard.

Despite coming out on the losing end, nobody had a bigger night than Alexandre Gravel. The GloGang Receiver, had a game, and season-high 7 receptions for 123 yards and 4 touchdowns. How can you ask for more than that?

His teammates, in Theodore Seaborn, Francisco Perez, and Brandon Gourgon, contributed as well, with the threesome accounting for 12 catches for 128 yards and 2 TDs.

For KGP, while the team didn’t get any 100 yard receiving performances, it did receive some solid numbers from their ppass-catches, starting with Joseph Hopmeyer, who registered 5 grabs for 75 yards and 2 TDs, leading his team in all three categories.

Also helping the team in the hard-fought victory, was James Acker, Julien Paiement, and sub Mathieu Houle, of last year’s Div C champs, The Alpha-T’s. The trio would go on to record 13 catches for 139 yards and 4 touchdowns, two of which were scored by Houle.

While the KGP defense wasn’t able to generate an interception off of GloGang QB Arno Desjardins, they were able to produce 4 sacks, curtesy of Rusher Julien Paiement.

The added bonus for KGP in the upset win, is that they needed it to keep their playoff hopes alive.

After the successful outing versus GloGang, KGP, made it two in a row, and three out of their last four, as they beat the Backyard Bullies (24-20), in a win-and-your-in showdown, last Wednesday night at Bois-de-Boulogne.

Needless, to say, KGP, enters the post-season as one of the teams with the most momentum in all of Division C.

Luckily for us, we get to see a rematch of that instant classic just a short two weeks later.

This game resembles the old versus the new, as KGP, is loaded with a lot of FPF veterans, and GloGang, is a team full of relative newbies in the league.

Despite their experience however, KGP, only has one member of their team with a championship, in Paiement.

The key to victory for GloGang, will be patience. Their opponents are just as fast as they are, but they will have a short bench, as only seven players from their roster are playoff eligible. So knowing when to pick their spots will be huge for GG.

The GloGang defense, will also need to limit the damage of dual-threat QB Phil Cutler.

In their last meeting, Cutler, was near-perfect, throwing for 214 yards 6TDs and 1 INT, on 16 of 18 passing. He also averaged 12 yards a carry, as he ran the ball three times for 36 yards Getting the veteran off his game, and interrupting the timing of the KGP offense will be key.

For the KGP offense, they will need to keep the GloGang defense guessing as to where the ball is going on virtually every play. Cutler, will have to mix in the run and pass as he successfully did last time.

Most importantly, they will have to make the GloGang defense pay, when they are too aggressive.

On the other side of the ball, while I highly doubt that they will surrender another monster performance like the one submitted by Gravel, the KGP defense, will have to take away the deep ball from Desjardins, and force him to check the ball down and eat away at the clock, thereby controlling the pace of the game.

Make no mistake about it, both squads have speed, firepower, and big time playmakers, that can take over a game a moment’s notice. I expect this to be a fun one, but with a little less scoring, and a different outcome, as KGP won’t have extra reinforcements this time around.

 

Prediction: GloGang (32-21)

 

 

(4) Game Changers versus (5) Dream Breakers

Previous Meeting: Dream Breakers (24-21) Week 9

This game was a tight low-scoring affair, that was also a battle of backup Quarterbacks, as the Game Changers, were without Anton Sakiz, and the Dream Breakers, were missing Sebastian Dallaire.

In their place was Hugo Henderson, and Jasmin Prince respectively. As expected, both replacement passers struggled in the first half, as they each threw only one touchdown pass.

Business finally started to pick up in the second stanza, as both QBs grew comfortable, and were able to establish a rhythm on offense.

Led by Henderson, the Game Changers offense, was able to pick up chunks of yardage, and march down the field, as he did a great job of mixing up the intermediate and long passes, while keeping all of his receivers involved in the game.

The former Les Eudistes starting Quarterback, finished the game 15 of 32 for 174 yards 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Not bad at all, for someone who hadn’t thrown a pass the 2017 Winter Season.

Helping out Henderson, were Receivers Jordan Panetta, Gabriel Marcoux, Ludwick Jananji, and Louis-Philippe Paquette. With the exception of a Shawn Bant eight yard catch, the foursome caught all the other passes their QB threw, which accounted for 166 yards, and all three touchdowns.

For the Dream Breakers, Jasmin, had an even stronger game, as he finished a near-perfect 17 of 22 for 156 yards, 4 touchdowns and 1 interception.

The third year player, was able to hit Pierre-Alexandre Taché four times for 56 yards and a TD.

While that impressive, it was Prince’s connection with Receiver Francçois Dessureault, that really stole the show, as the duo combined for 97 yards and a game-high 3 touchdowns.

The Game Changers defense also had a solid game as well. Not only did they hold a high-scoring team to 24 points, but the rushing duo of Brian Eudoxie, and the aforementioned Louis-Philippe Paquette, were able to sack Prince, three times, and caused him to have to hurry a number of throws.

Speaking of defense, the biggest key to the Dream Breakers upset win, was the two turnovers they were able to force, on interceptions by Prince, and Youri Belanger. If the Game Changers had been able to score on either drive, the outcome of the game would have been completely different.

 

Fast forward to tomorrow’s matchup, I expect both regular starting Quarterbacks to be back, and if they are, I feel that this game will be just as close as the last meeting, but we will see a few more points put on the scoreboard.

The main matchup will be Pierre-Alexandre Taché, and Fraçois Dessureault, versus Jordan Panetta, and Louis-Philippe Paquette. All four players have made big plays all season long for them respective teams. Who will step it up tomorrow?

There are two other important questions that must be answered. Firstly, will the Dream Breakers offense, be able to make enough plays on Game Changers fourth ranked defense, that should have the presence of the underrated Alvy Mizelle, who was absent last time.

Secondly, will Sebastien Dallaire, be able to avoid turnovers, which have plagued him this year?

 

In seven starts, the fifth year player has thrown an interception in four of them. That number could possibly be higher, had the A-Squad not forfeited their regular season finale versus the Dream Breakers last Wednesday.

If you dig a little deeper, you will see that during those four games in which Dallaire has thrown an INT, he has tossed a minimum of two each time, with his team going (0-4) in the process.

Simply put, Dallaire, must avoid turning the ball over, if he and his squad want to win. I don’t think he can.

 

I also think the return of Sakiz, who was one of the best QBs in Div. C, will be too much for the Dream Breakers to handle.

 

Prediction: Game Changers (36-21)

 

 

 

Conference B 

 

 

(3) Pineapple Express versus (6) P.O.P

Previous Meeting: Pineapple Express (39-34) Week 10

Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but in football (at least in tackle), it is extremely hard to beat a team twice in a row, especially in back-to-back weeks. Well, that’s exactly what Pineapple Express, will try to do to P.O.P, tomorrow night at Stade de Montreal.

The game was decided on a touchdown pass from Chris Olson, to Shyanne Stewart, before P.O.P, added a late score by Wide Receiver Tony Lalla, to make the final score a little bit closer.

One of the keys to victory for Pineapple Express, was the play of their defense, as they were able to pick off opposing Quarterback Craig O’Brien, three times, on passes that fell short to targets who were wide open.

Pineapple Express Defensive Back Dom Benevento, was the biggest beneficiary of the evening, as he produced two interception, while Joel Malkin, recorded the other INT.

One of the things that did work offensively for P.O.P, was the ability of their Receivers not named Matt Kirouac, to step their game up. While the reigning Receiver of the Year, was solid as always, with 6 catches for 54 yards, last Sunday, was the first time this season, that the FPF Hall-of-Famer was held out of the endzone.

Picking up the slack, was Angelo Kalaidopoulos, and the aforementioned Tony Lalla, as the duo combined for an impressive 11 receptions for 102 yards and 5 TDs.

Two-way player Patrick Jauzon, also made an impact, with 3 catches for 48 yards, and an interception as well.

Besides the interception by Jauzon, the defensive side is where things went wrong for P.O.P, especially on the deep ball, as miscommunication led to a number of long completions for their opponents.

P.O.P, also took a huge penalty on third and long in the endzone, which gave Pineapple Express the ball, and a first down from the P.O.P 1 yard line, which of course they capitalized on.

Looking to tomorrow night’s rematch, in talking to Two-Way players Tony Lalla and Matt Kirouac, while writing the article, they both had similar, and somewhat different views on the out come of the game.

Lalla, felt that for P.O.P to win, they must first and foremost protect the ball.

He also felt that while their defense played good overall, they need to do a better job communicating, and limiting the effectiveness of PE Quarterback Chris Olson, who he felt had a good game.

Kirouac, also felt that the team made too many mistakes, but if they clean them up, the rematch will be totally different.

“Last game we made a few too many mistakes, and if we play near perfect, we’ll smash them.”

Big time words, from a big time player.

In speaking with Joel Malkin of Pineapple Express, he felt like the key to victory for his team, would be a similar path, in that they would have to limit the turnovers. Malkin, also felt that and controlling the clock on offense would be key, against a veteran squad like P.O.P.

I think this game is a serious matchup of speed versus craft. For the most part, although QB Chris Olson, likes to sometimes hit slants, and quick hooks, Pineapple Express, on both sides of the ball, are based on speed, and big play abilities.

P.O.P on the other hand, likes to march the field, and dink and dunk their way to the endzone, with well-designed crafty plays, that might not always look pretty, but have the desired result.

Three turnovers are hard to come back from against any team, but when you take on a team like Pineapple Express, it is almost impossible. O’Brien, is a three-time champion for a reason, and I don’t think he will toss that many picks the second time around.

As for Chris Olson, he has been solid, and sometimes even great the entire year, as he threw for a career-high45 touchdown passes. The playoffs however, are a completely different beast.

In his last three seasons as a full-time starting QB, Olson has gone (1-1) in the post-season, while missing the dance twice. Time will tell if the pressure and bright lights of the playoffs are too big for him.

I expect another close game, and while playing perfect is impossible, being near flawless isn’t. I smell an upset.

Prediction: P.O.P (30-28)

 

 

(4) Jagerbomb versus (5) The Commission

Previous Meeting: Jagerbomb (34-14) Week 7

The only game that was a blowout, among the this week’s slate of rematches.

Simply put, Jagerbomb, laid a beating on The Commission back in Week 7. While TC, was missing two of their best players in MMarc-Andé Lapointe, and Nicolas Nicolas Gendron-Vallée, a three touchdown victory, still speaks for itself.

Without Lapointe, and Gendron-Vallée, TC Quarterback J.F Marquis, struggled, scoring a season-low one touchdown per half.

The TC Receivers didn’t do their QB any favours, as they dropped at least two would-be touchdowns.

The team’s defense wasn’t much better, as they couldn’t get off the field on third and long on at least two Jagerbomb drives.

The Jagerbomb offense, looked solid throughout, as QB Simon Duchesne, went 18 of 28 for 163 yards, and 5 touchdowns. The veteran passer threw two TDs apiece to Jeremy Cloutier, and Jean-Felix Daloze.

Daloze, would also add an INT on the other side of the ball.

Francois Hogue, had the biggest day of all Receivers, as he caught a game-high 7 passes for 82 yards and 1 TD for Jagerbomb.

Looking ahead to tomorrow night’s rematch, there isn’t too much to take away from the first meeting between both squads. One team was missing some firepower, while they other worked the clock, picked apart the holes in their opponent’s defense, and then played an aggressive prevent defense when TC had the ball.

In the rematch, the key to victory for Jagerbomb, will be in the ability of Simon Duchesne, to spread around the ball effectively, and keep the TC defense guessing. He will also need to scramble around to buy time to his receivers to get open, which is his specialty.

On defense, when Jagerbomb switches to zone, as they often do, they must make sure to cover up the holes that sometimes pop up.

For The Commission to win, they will firstly need to score more than 14 points.

Secondly, Marquis, will need to relax, and not panic when his first or second read isn’t there.

Most important of all, is Marquis, can not turn the ball over.

On defense, the team will have to communicate, and avoid blown coverages, which has killed the team all year, especially against a team like Jagerbomb, who are aggressive, and like to run a lot of crossing routes, wheel routes, and double moves.

The Commission, will be ready for the rematch. They will have their full roster, and there is no way they can play as bas as they did the last time out.

For the guys that were apart of TC last summer, the Semi-Final loss to Jagerbomb, still leaves a sour taste in their mouths, and that alone is all the motivation they should need.

Two good teams. Each has made it to the Div. C in the Finals the last two years. The Commission, won it all in 2017, while Jagerbomb, fell short last season. Who will advance to next week?

 

Prediction: The Commission (25-22) via Terry Tam

 

 

Picks

GloGang vs KGP – GloGang

Game Changers vs Dream Breakers – Game Changers

Pineapple Express vs P.O.P – P.O.P (My pick for Game of the Week and Upset Special)

Jagerbomb vs The Commission – The Commission (Terry Tam’s Pick)

 

Last Week: (6-3)

 

Regular Season: (57-32-4)

 

Terry Tam (0-1)

 

That’s it for this week. At first glance I was a little annoyed that the Div. C playoff games were on a Monday, but the extra day of rest, and working out is worth it, so it’s all good.

 

Just a reminder, that the Quarter-Finals will kickoff next Monday (July 29th) at Stade de Montreal as well.

 

Good luck to everybody in their games tomorrow night.

 

I would also like to say, to all those complaining about the heat…please SHUT UP!!!! Enjoy the weather, because in about 12-14 weeks, it’ll be snowing, and almost everybody including yours truly, will be MISERABLE!!!! That is all.

 

More importantly, congratulations to everybody that was nominated to be an All-Star, and to those who made it, which are the following:

 

Matt Kirouac (WR)

Isiah Allard (Two-Way)

Olivier Suri (Def)

Simon Dagenais (QB)

 

Once again, welcome to the Real Season.

 

If you loved the article, hated it, or simply felt like I left something out, feel free to contact me at [email protected] or on Twitter@BADNEWSB51

 

Cheers!