Inside the Red Zone (Div 3) – Playoffs Week 1

Welcome to the quarter finals edition of Inside The Red Zone. Just how intense were the first round of 2013 Winter Division 3 playoffs? Let’s put it this way, five games were decided by a TD and three of those five resulted in a missed convert. I have said it a few hundred times over the years that teams should emphasize and work on convert plays because more often than not they decide the outcome in big games.

 

I have decided to keep a record of my playoff predictions so I can further build my reputation as a Division 3 expert. In the divisional round, I was 6-2; thanks to SWI and Les Eudistes who proved me wrong. Also for those who might not remember, I had predicted that the 2013 Winter Division 3 champion will be from Conference A and if I am proved wrong, I’ll include that in the loss column.

 

Quick Recap

 

In conference A, the top three seeds (Dirty Birds, D-Boys and DK) advanced to the next round. Although Les Eudistes advance as the fifth seed; their win against Prestige World Wide was not an upset because they have played well against the top dogs all season long. As a result, all four teams in the quarter finals are worth of their spot and there were no upsets. The next round will showcase a highly anticipated rematch between DK and D-Boys with a little twist but you can read about that a little later in the analysis section.

 

Moving on to conference B, the top two seeds (Sandlots Saints and B.D. Bandits) advance to the quarter finals. The third seeded Rude Bwoys lost to Served with Ice for a second time this season. Once again, the SWI defense did a great job against Domenic Tosi to stop him from breaking the game open and Pascal Tshilambo carried the offense on his back. The fourth seeded Trojans lost to VPC (also for a second time this season) in a one point game. The Trojans just couldn’t find an answer for Robbie Robinson’s explosiveness as he was all over the field on both sides of the ball.

 

If the Sandlot Saints and the B.D. Bandits think they’ll have an easy path to the semi finals because they’re facing lower seeded teams, they better think again. VPC is one of the hottest teams in Division 3 who are walking through teams. Additionally, Served with Ice just took out the number three seed with ease and are playing with a chip on their shoulder.

 

The next round of playoffs will be every bit as exciting as the first round.

 

2013 Winter Division 3 Playoffs: ELITE EIGHT

Conference A

 

(1) Dirty Birds vs. (5) Les Eudistes

Head-to-Head: Dirty Birds won 27-20

 

Dirty Birds – They scored 54 points against Pap N’ Co last week with Daniele Gentile spreading the ball well; five different receivers caught at least one touchdown. The Dirty Birds controlled the game relatively well. The defense did made the key stops including an interception for a TD but still allowed 40 points and that leads to my next point. I don’t know if they will be able score that many points on a weekly basis in the playoffs because the competition will get tougher with each passing round. With the amount of talent they have on their roster, especially with Gordan ‘Hulk’ Hogan, Jordan F1 McLaren, Matthew Beast Bishara and Daniele Scoop Gentile, they should be able to stifle teams defensively a la D-Boys. So they have to tighten up defensively in case Daneile Gentile runs into an off week or gets hurt (just like Marco Masciotra).

 

Les Eudistes – They won a really close contest against Prestige World Wide in what was arguably one of the best games in the first round of Division 3 playoffs. Louis Christophe Lafontaine was Les Eudistes’ pivot and matched Alex Lever’s performance pound for pound with the following stat line: 17 of 22 for 236 yards and 7 TDs with NO INTERCEPTIONS. Essentially the difference was a convert and Les Eudistes defense stopping PWW with three plays left. It was a character win for this squad that has played well with anyone all season long.

 

Analysis: In their first meeting, Dirty Birds won by seven points and Les Eudistes’ defense intercepted Daniele Gentile twice. It was probably Daniele’s worst game of the season. Last week he scored 7 TDs and will look to put up similar numbers in the quarter finals. The question is will Les Eudistes start Louis-Christophe Lafontaine at the QB position for a second straight week? He was efficient against the PWW defense; he used his football smarts and mobility to make big plays. If he starts over Hugo Henderson, I like Les Eudistes chances of winning this game but the Dirty Birds are still the stronger and well rounded team despite who Les Eudistes will have as their pivot. It will be a close game and will come down to the last 2 minutes. Winner: Dirty Birds

 

(2) D-Boys vs. (3) DK

Head-to-Head: DK won 31-13

 

D-Boys – They had a scare against the Dirty Dawgers who almost pulled off an upset a la March Madness. As I had reported last week, Marco Masciotra’s injury kept him out of the game against the Dirty Dawgers and James Crowe, who has previous FPF playoff experience with the Jokers, stepped in and did a good enough job. It’s rare for a QB to have just over 50% completion rate, 56 passing yards, 1 TD and 2 INTs, and be on the winning side especially in a Division 3 playoff game. Thank God the D-Boys have the ability to rely on their strong defensive play led by Giovanni Lanni who came up big by returning an interception for a touchdown. He also caught the lone offensive TD . The D-Boys know how close they came to losing in the first round so they’ll need the services of their superstar Marco Gunslinger Masciotra in the quarter finals.

 

DK – It was a regular day at the office for DK who obliterated Le Loft by a score of 53-25. Rochdi Benabdelkader completed 19 of 21 passes for 6 TDs. The Pilon brothers combined for 3 TDs on offense and 3 INTs on defense and put on a PBS (the Pilon Brothers Show). It’s been great to watch the brotherly duo dominate games on a weekly basis. Adding to the firepower, receiver Enrico Pierre finally came alive and hauled in three TDs. DK’s roster on paper has a little bit of everything and that’s why they’re able to win games by such big margins. The only question or mystery is who should get the credit for building the team, Rochdi Benabdelkader or G.M. Kolethras?

 

Analysis: In their first meeting, D-Boys controlled the game from beginning to end. Since then, both teams have not lost a game and now meet for a highly anticipated rematch. DK knows they could have played better last but now they have a chance to redeem themselves. They have all the tools to be in a tight game against the D-Boys but the key will be execution and Rochdi’s ability to use all his weapons efficiently.

 

As for the D-Boys, Marco Masciotra’s injury might keep him out another week and if he can’t go, the D-Boys’ chances to beat DK diminish a lot. His absence impacts both offense and defense. James Crowe managed to win against the Dirty Dawgers however he will have tougher time against a much stronger squad in DK. The D-Boys defense can cause problems for DK’s potent offense however lack of offense from the pivot position will be the downfall. Winner: DK

 

 Conference B

(1) Sandlot Saints vs. (6) Served With Ice

Head-to-Head: None

 

Sandlot Saints – The number one seed lives to see another week. They took on a depleted GPK roster however that’s not under their control. Dallon Kuprowski passed for 226 yards and 4 TDs; he also had an interception on defense. After the first half, the game was close but the Sandlot Saints took over in the second half and outscore their opponent 14-6. Some might say had Erik Lagarde been the pivot instead of Tam Vilaydeth, GPK would have been a different team and had a better chance of winning. Need I remind you that Tam Vilaydeth is a Division 2 QB and has played well in that role. The Sandlot Saints deserve all the credit in the world for winning because they executed better than GPK.

 

Served With Ice – Alright, I will start by saying that I owe Served With Ice an apology. I didn’t believe they could beat the Rude Bwoys for a second time but they proved me wrong. Furthermore the man who always demands respect definitely played like it. Pascal Tshilambo caught 11 passes for 122 yards and 5 TDs. Served With Ice made good defensive adjustments in the second half by limiting the Rude Bwoys to only 6 points. Serve With Ice made the right plays at the right time and have advance to the quarterfinals. It was a team effort and it’s another positive step in their franchise.

 

Analysis: Both teams are young and athletic and have QBs who do not get enough credit. They have similar styles however Served With Ice lack depth compared to Sandlot Saints. The latter have a better offensive rhythm and Dallon Kuprowski is really finding his comfort level with all receivers. Louis Lafreniere-Dupont (2 way player award winner) barely made an impact in the divisional round of the playoffs but the Saints still won. If the Saints can contain Pascal Tshilambo, it will be make it tougher for Jordan Panetta to get it going offensively. There is also a size advantage in which the Saints a bit bigger and more aggressive. Winner: Sandlot Saints

 

 

(2) B.D. Bandits vs. (5) VPC

Head-to-Head: VPC won 54-37

 

B.D. Bandits – Just like they have been doing all season long, B.D. Bandits defense came up big against Afternoon Delight last week. Eric Cook and Steve Sanner combined for three interceptions. Scott Kelly passed for 3 TDs and had no INTs. B.D. Bandits have been playing playoff football all season long and as a result, they were battled tested and well prepared. Having said that, it might not be enough to score 20 points every week in the post-season and expect a victory but let’s give credit to Afternoon Delight who held Scott Kelly to only 124 passing yards and shutout the B.D. Bandits offense in the second half.

 

VPC – Robbie Robinson is playing MVP football right now. In the last few weeks, he’s playing liked a possessed man.  Against the Trojans last game, he passed for 223 yards and 6 TDs, had an INT on defense and ran for 33 yards. The game came down to a one point difference and once again, it was a convert. It was a double victory for Robbie Robinson who advanced his team to the quarter finals and avenged his 2012 Winter Division 3 finals loss to Nathan Thompson. As I said last week, the 2013 VPC edition is much stronger than last year and they’re on a mission to not only return to the finals but to win it all.

 

Analysis: In week 10, the B.D. Bandits lost badly to VPC. Can they even the score in the quarters? It will not be easy. VPC didn’t win last time by fluke but rather they showed their true potential. Robbie Robinson is very tough to contain on the ground because of his ability to move around and be mobile. He can do it in the air, on the ground and even on defense. As for the Bandits, their defense has been impressive all season long except against VPC. So can the Bandits bounce back and make the necessary adjustments? It will be tough because VPC’s offense can beat you in so many ways and they’ve been the hottest team in FPF in the last three weeks. Winner: VPC

 

So that’s it for the playoff edition of Inside The Redzone. Good luck to the remaining eight teams who will put on a great for us in the quarter finals! DON’T FORGET TO FOLLOW OUR TWITTER SECTION ON THE HOMEPAGE! If you liked what I wrote or completely hated it, please share your feedback by sending me your thoughts/comments/suggestions. You can contact me at [email protected] or on Facebook, twitter or in person. I wish everyone good luck in their upcoming games. Till next time, stay classy Division 3!