Division D Week 7 Article

Unfortunately, my plan to poke my head out, write my one article and then disappear again was foiled by another vacation. Corey is off enjoying Miami while I pushed writing this to the last minute and am trying to finish it up before Monday’s games start. Fortunately for me though, I still like writing about FPF and maybe putting out a second article for the season wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

 

Extended Context & Recap: Smokin Axolots 39, MTL Freshmans 24

 

I’m sure that I’m not the only one who paid some interest to the aftermath of the Smokin Axolots/The BrotherHood Game of the Week. Watching the GOTW showcase not only players’ abilities but also being able to witness the drama that unfolds both on the field as well as in the comments section afterwards is one of the many things that I feel makes FPF not just great but unique as well. It’s been a while since we’ve seen some chirping over FB – Terry Tam’s been quiet this spring. The Axolots’ Nim Jenikovsky seemed to fill that void for time being, not only with the recurring (and appreciated) praise of the CTA podcasts but also with the comments antagonizing The BrotherHood.

 

Knowing that I would be filling in for Corey this week and that I’d have to talk about Div D, I saw that SAs played right after me at Stade on Monday and made sure to stick around. I wanted to see whether the talk would be backed up on the field. Nim had been calling attention to himself, so I told fellow staff members on the sidelines that I was perfectly ready to provide praise or shower scorn. Putting up zero stats and getting exposed doesn’t look good when you’re trying to get noticed. Unfortunately for Nim, I saw him get beat twice for two TDs – once on a long bomb and once in the redzone. Fortunately for Nim however, football is a team sport and Smokin Axolots came out with the win regardless.

 

“In your article, can you say that MTL Freshmans’ QB pissed the game away?” – Stefano Berardi

Yes Stefano, yes I can. The MTL Freshmans’ (I really don’t know if I should be pluralizing that) woes continued, but this game also had to do with Jordan Rossie leading on both offense and defense as well as capitalizing on the inexperience of the Freshmans. Few players in FPF show up early and put the prep and work in quite like Jordan – it was apparent early on even watching Jordan warm up on the sidelines that he was very much in the zone for this game – throwing 6 TDs and adding 2 INTs on defense to lead by example. Emile Plante had some solid moments throughout the game, however it’s hard to win when throwing 4 INTs and those picks really did come at awful times. Captain and usual workhorse for the Freshmans Jimmy Marneris was notably quiet, however recent addition Mitch José was the silver lining on this game and looks to be a promising prospect. Having played in two games for the Freshmans (including their lone win) and having put up 4 TDs and 2 INTs in 2 games, the Freshmans will need to make sure to get him playoff eligible if they want to make a push into the postseason.    

 

 

 The GM’s Scouting Report

 

Like my midseason rundown in Div A, it’s probably best for me to do a high-level examination of a bunch of teams and give whatever insight I can along with a heavy dose of bias. I’m banking on my FPF expertise to hope that I can carry that same insightful look from the Div A article down to Div D1. I’m definitely not able to do a full rundown of the entire divisions, so l chose the title of this segment to scout and feature those top teams in Div D1 who have been doing well and caught my attention.

 

10: Comeback SZN – Don’t call it a comeback, he’s been here for years. Being lucky enough to play with Khalil Kerr in his first FPF season, it was apparent early on just what a dynamic playmaker he was and would continue to be. Now in his second full season at QB, Khalil has turned into a phenomenal dual-threat who can run and gun with ease. Following the TOPSZN formula, captain Andel Thomas-Gordon has given Khalil the tools to succeed. Hasani Worrell’s ridiculous numbers aside, those around him on the offense are all just as essential to the team’s success. If teams play deep, Kevin Donnet has potential every play to take those usual neglected routes by a centre up for BIG gains, and Benjamin McMahon punishes those defenses who think about favoring Hasani by sneaking past and hauling in TDs. Backed up by a ferocious and energetic defense, CBSZN are a worthy foe – my only knack is that while they’re dynamic when they’re on, they need to adapt a bit better when things don’t go their way if they hope to make it through the postseason.  

 

9: The BrotherHood – An effective way to build around a core and make it easier to keep players as their ratings and cap hits increase, taking a star D1 player and moving them to QB is now on its way towards TWICE working successfully for the Majids. First with Theo Ojeaha and now with Jamal Gittens, The BrotherHood have managed to stay intact and those who were role players are now called upon to lead the team. Already having beaten his W18 statistical output on the first offensive drive in Week 1, Ryan Dobbs-Garnett has emerged as the top offensive weapon on this team. Familiar names in Jeremy Ronsin, Omar Jackson as well as Ahmed and Saad Majid have all seen their roles increase in this new-look offense. While Jamal’s throwing motion definitely looks a bit unorthodox and shows his baseball roots, those passes come in hot and have been cutting up defenses.   They’ve struggled against top dogs, but can the top teams hold The BrotherHood off as Jamal gets more and more comfortable at the quarterback position?

 

8: Half-A-Stars – I mentioned earlier on that few players prepare and put the work in quite like Jordan Rossie…well Andrew Langburt is probably one of the few that would contest that title. Armed with a tripod to review his game film afterwards and learn, it’s evident how Andrew has picked up the quarterback position so quickly as well as so effectively. Pair that with 7 INTs that all come from recognizing plays and an understanding of the game that allows Andrew to be literally everywhere on the field.  Around him are key players from familiar teams who have been keys to those teams’ success and now seem to fit together perfectly. AJ Rashkovan provides reliability as a playmaker anywhere on the field as well as being the backbone of the defense with a relentless rush that throws any QB off of their game. Derek Sigler (Mean Machine) and Eli Saleh (Dirty Dawgs) are both players who have been part of the essential 1-2 puch of their respective teams, Bryan Fuchs is a legitimate Div A talent as well as an absolute steal compared to his rating. Quietly making their way along, Half-A-Stars seem to be a whole lot more once you take a closer look.  If you’re a fan of darkhorse teams, Half-A-Stars would be the team to bet on come playoffs.  

 

7: Show Me Your TDs – Taking substance over style every time, SMYTDs are a collection of smarts and consistency. Including a game where he went toe-to-toe with one of the division’s top teams, Mike Addona has looked great for the most part; his struggles have only come against former teammates who intimately know his offensive playbook. Stats are spread across each and every player showcase the depth of SMYTDs and that there’s no one person that you can pick on or ignore. A triple-A receiving corps in Adam Parasuco, Anthony Addona and Alex David are usual names moving the chains however it’s the new addition that has piqued my interest. With Julien Bellavance having a cap hit of 78 on both O and D, Shawn Fontaine has been the replacement in that role for SMYTDs by impressively matching Bellavance’s output while coming in for 12-15 points less on each side of the ball. Unfortunately, Danio Addona’s injury hurts this team tremendously – while Mathieu Houle has already put up great numbers in his first game he will not have enough games played to be playoff eligible and SMYTDs will be one less in the postseason.

 

6: Homosapiens – I’ve mentioned before that there are certain matchups that Homosapiens excel against and some that they struggle with, however this season has overwhelmingly been a positive surprise. As a captain, there’s nothing better than having a team that you love playing alongside also do well. Francois Deslauriers’ understanding of the quarterback position is better and better with every week and it almost seems as if he reads defenses in slow-motion, scanning matchups in the blink of an eye and releasing the ball almost the moment that it touches his hands. With this core being familiar together, Francois knows exactly what plays to call from the opening spot to the redzone that make the most of his receivers and the matchups that they excel at. Defensively Homosapiens look strong but have given up points too easily when it’s crunch time and the game is on the line. While their two losses have come to teams ahead on them on this list, this team has enough FPF experience and knowledge to know that they’ll have to work out their remaining kinks or expect an early exit.  

 

5: Gotham Knights – With a forfeit loss due to missing players, the -30 and 1 out of their 2 losses make the Gotham Knights a little bit less dangerous than they actually are. Chris Rivest has been playing lights-out this season; if you take into account his rushing touchdown, Chris is tied with Francois Deslauriers for having thrown the most touchdowns in the division this season. A rhythmic offense is paired nicely with a conservative defense that puts their opposition out of their comfort zones where they often end up turning over the ball being unable to convert a first down. While being more known for his exploits and championships at QB for Mongoose, Alexandre Gaudet is somehow never talked about enough for his playmaking ability at receiver and on defense. The Knights currently sit in 2nd place in Conference B and have a favorable remaining schedule which will put them in a prime spot come playoffs, look for them to continue rolling and picking up speed.

 

4: BD Bandits – Their one loss having come while missing their quarterback, BD Bandits were edged out of the top by the 3 teams with better records but are equally deserving of the praise and should not be underestimated. Having tied a Lavigne-less All Hooks is a small asterisk on their record, but they boast a stifling defense that shuts down the opposition and allows Corey Walwaski to calmly lead the offense down the field drive after drive. Meissa N’Garane and Jaylan Greaves have been fantastic offseason additions and definitely look right at home alongside the usual core. Steve Sanner continues to show his worth in every aspect, from being an offensive and defensive leader and workhorse for this team and even filling in at QB when called upon. With their remaining 3 games being against similarly-structured teams, the BD Bandits have the perfect opportunity to finish strong and give themselves a great playoff position.  

 

3: Super Saiyans – Chalk that first loss up to early-season rust because it looks like they have righted the ship since then and look like they can run with pretty much anyone. While we don’t get to measure them in the regular season against Ice Up or All Hooks (through no fault of theirs) the Saiyans have made work of everyone else in their way. Jordan Allard seems to have found that perfect mix of run and pass – he’s put up 5 rushing TDs in addition to the 23 that he’s thrown while still being super protective of the ball and only turning over 1 INT. A plethora of players who can stretch the field deep or take short passes up for TDs, it becomes pick-your-poison against what to defend against. Rich Humes has come up big with 5 INTs so far on defense, and the relentless rush of Gianni Johnston is the best in the division. We’ll see how they fare against the ‘top dogs’ come playoffs, but for now it seems to be easy sailing for the Super Saiyans.

 

2: Ice Up – A team of dynamic personalities and playmakers across the board. I’ve mentioned Jordan McInnis’ strengths at QB in the past, however his connection at receiver with QB Jack Zergiotis has been quite the tandem to marvel as they put on a show and look to have Jordan break the Div D receiving TD record. It’s a rare sight to see each and every player on the offense currently over 10 yards/reception – averaging a first down any time that anyone catches the ball isn’t something that a whole lot of teams in FPF can claim. This is probably the team to measure up against if you’re wondering if your team has depth…but odds are, Ice Up are deeper. Expect to hear their name more and more often as the postseason progresses.

 

1: All Hooks – Kind of but not really biased since I just came off of losing to them, All Hooks are indeed the real deal. C-O Lavigne is a phenomenal talent and would probably be the top QB in the division had he played in every game. Usually when you have a young team filled with athleticism, the argument is that they don’t always have the football smarts that some of the more experienced teams do. Well All Hooks break that adage and are phenomenal from top to bottom. A defense that steals drives from their opponents with ease, the defense has already scored 3 TDs to go with their 13 INTs and 11 sacks. Thomas Coutu is a monster at the rusher position and should seriously be considered for Two Way Player of the Year if this continues. Considering that their only tie (not a loss!) came without their QB, I don’t know who can hang with them in this division when they’re at full strength. Beware.

 

 

Game Predictions

 

Since I don’t play in Div D2, I couldn’t scout those teams as well to give a top 10 countdown, but I still have a close eye on what’s been going on to give my thoughts on the matchups. So, with that in mind, here’s a rundown of all the week’s games in D2 and my thoughts on who will win each one.

 

Green Lantern Corps vs. Les Bleus Branleurs – Green Lantern Corps are playing some of their best football to date; LBB are talented but inconsistent and GLC should take this one with ease.

 

Dream Breakers vs. Voodoo – Voodoo have the experience and playmaking ability, but Dream Breakers match up very well across the board against them and I’m thinking they pull this one off in a cross-conference matchup of the two 4th place teams.

 

Vick in a Box vs. Blazed and Confused – Vick in a Box’s personnel issues aside, B&C’s inexperience unfortunately has been showing each week as teams continue to prey on them. Despite Angelo Mourelatos’ leadership on defense, look for that trend to continue.

 

Touched By An Angeletti vs. Team Ethnik – TBA have been in a bit of a downward spiral with the loss of Gordon Hogan, but managed to right the ship last week. However, look for the depth of Team Ethnik to edge them out in this one.

 

Browns de Boucherville vs. Grabuge – I actually like Browns de Boucherville for this one; pick them not just for the upset but also their first FPF win!

 

Longhorns vs. Sunday Touch Boys – Longhorns have struggled mightily this season, but I’m not ready to write them off yet. I’m picking them in hopes that they turn it around before season’s end.

 

Full Senders vs. Baby Kangaroos – Proof once again that the Joey Taylor system works, this Baby Kangaroos team continue to excel regardless of who is behind center.

 

CheatCode vs. Ball So Hard U – I’d pick against BSHU because I apparently don’t like Dan Lazzara. If I did like him, I’d probably say that a player of his caliber and the rest of the team are all dynamic playmakers and should be playing better than they have been. But nope, it’s not that I don’t hold them to a higher standard…I’m just a jerk. Give me CheatCode in this one.

 

Adonis A’s vs. Wrecking Crew – A matchup that will be huge for either teams’ potential playoff spots, I like Adonis A’s to take this one and pull a bit further away in the standings.

 

Mutation vs. Hot Boys Hotline – Two teams with LOADS of talent who just seem to refuse to adapt when things don’t go well. Give me HBH in what will probably be a rough one for both sides.

 

Tough Lungs vs. Thunder Buddies – Thunder Buddies have been solid but tend to struggle mightily against the top dogs of the division. I’m thinking that might continue here and Tough Lungs edge them out.

 

 

Well, hopefully that’s it for me for the season…but the way things are going I’m sure I’ll find myself once again agreeing to things that I’ll have trouble following-through on! It’s been fun though – for more insights, make sure to tune into Calling the Audible Thursday nights!