Inside the Red Zone (Div 3) – Playoffs Week 2
13-04-2013 12:00 AM
And then there were four! It’s down to the conference finals. Congratulations to the Dirty Birds, DK, the B.D. Bandits and Served With Ice for making it this far, however it’s not over yet. It’s always nice to be in the final four but no one remembers third and fourth place finishers. Just think of how you will feel if you lost the game and had a long off-season to think about what could have been done differently and if you gave it everything. It’s that feeling that needs to be used as motivation.
It seems though that Served With Ice has found their own motivation and that’s using my predictions. I have gone 0-2 when I predicted them to lose. Will I finally pick them to win this week? You can find that out a little later but let’s quickly recap the action from last week.
Quarter Finals
By far the most exciting game was DK against the D-Boys, which went the distance into extra time. Rochdi Benabdelkader and Marco Masciotra didn’t’ play their best game. Marco was picked off twice and one has to think the role his injury might have played a role in his performance. Theo Ojeaha continued his domination by accumulating 151 yards and 3 TDs (75% of Marco’s stats for yards and TDs). Rochdi Benabdelkader had one less interception, and he made the right plays in overtime to advance his team to the conference finals. The PBS (Pilon Brothers Show) was on at the same bat time and same bat channel.
The Dirty Birds will join them after they handled their business against Les Eudistes and when I say handle, that’s putting it mildly. Daniele Gentile was 22 of 27 for 256 yards and 8 TDs. The Dirty Birds turned it up in the second half by outscoring their opponents 33-12. The offense had seven different receivers who recorded at least one catch. Jordan ‘F1’ McLaren and Gordan ‘Hulk’ Hogan took care of the defense, as each had one interception each.
The B.D. Bandits made a statement by scoring 52 points against a talented VPC squad. What’s more impressive was their defense picking off Robbie Robinson four times. Scott Kelly and the Bandit offense are firing on all cylinders, while the defense is playing lights out as well. Chris Bridgeman had a great outing and the Bandits are moving on to the next one.
Last but certainly not least, Served With Ice showed the Sandlot Saints they are no ordinary sixth seeded team. Jordan Panetta is the only QB, compared to the other three in the conference finals, without an interception. They played a great game from start to finish against the Sandlot Saints and executed perfectly on offense and defense. Pascal Tshilambo didn’t have the same performance as the week before- he didn’t have to, as other players stepped up. And that proves me wrong on another level when I said they have no depth.
2012 Winter Division 3 Playoffs: FINAL FOUR
Conference A
(1) Dirty Birds vs (3) DK
Head-to-Head: None
Dirty Birds have scored 106 points in two games. Daniele Gentile has passed for 492 yards and 15 TDs with only 1 INT thrown. He has completed 77% of his passes and has a QB rating of 143. He’s definitely playing MVP football and his team is going to new heights. If we sort by yards, the Dirty Birds only have one receiver in the top ten (Matthew Bishara, who also has 3 TDs) and given the fact they have 15 passing TDs in the playoffs, the ball is being distributed and everyone is stepping up.
On the defensive side, they have allowed 71 points through two games. It’s a lot of points to give up in the playoffs. I still believe in the old saying “defense wins championships” even though our beloved league promotes offense. They will have to tighten up if they intend to go all the way. One thing they lack defensively compared to the other top Division 3 defensive teams (D-Boys or B.D. Bandits) is aggressiveness. If you watch the D-Boys, the second the ball is let go, they are on the receiver instantly and they will dive and give up their bodies (case in point Marco Masciotra and Antonio Lanni) to make a simple tackle. Similarly the B.D. Bandits have quite a few ball hawks on their defense that jump patterns and make it to tough for opponents to make every single catch. If the Dirty Birds can acquire that style, they would be a tougher opponent.
Keys to success
-aggressive defense against talent DK receivers
-spreading the ball on offense
-up tempo offense
DK has done everything they knew they were capable of doing. It has been said time and time again that DK’s roster on paper and on the field is phenomenal. They can put up points at will against above average Division 3 teams. Rochdi Benabdelkader has had a decent playoff so far with the following stat line: 487 yards, 10 TDs and 2 INTs. He has completed 70% of his passes. In the process, he has defeated the heavily favorite D-Boys who were probably picked by most (except me of course) to go the conference finals. It goes without saying that he has mastered the FlagPlus league in every aspect except maybe as a rusher.
Here is a list of receivers who contributed on offense against the D-Boys last weekend: G.M. Kolethras, Alex Pilon, Treldon James, Serge Pilon Jr., Oliver Phillip and Enrico Pierre. This is a star-studded line up gifted with athleticism, physicality and football smarts. So far only the D-Boys gave them a challenge and they redeemed the regular season loss with a thrilling overtime win. There is great leadership on DK and Rochdi’s mastermind always brings out the best in his soldiers.
Keys to success
-use different defensive schemes to throw off Daniele Gentile
-use size advantage of receivers on offense
-slow the offensive pace to keep Dirty Birds offense on the sidelines
Analysis: It’s an interesting game to break down because there are many great match ups within the match up such as Rochdi Benabdelkader vs. Daniele Gentile and the PBS against a non-aggressive defense. The Dirty Birds will need to take their game to another level because DK are coming off a big win that has made their squad more confident. Knowing Rochdi Benabdelkader, he always has tricks up his sleeve -or in his hair. The explosive receivers on DK will cause problems for the Dirty Birds’ defense. Furthermore, DK’s defense will find a way to disrupt Daniele Gentile’s flow which will be enough for DK to advance. The game will be close but DK will pull away late in the second half. Winner: DK
Conference B
(2) B.D. Bandits vs. (6) Served With Ice
Head-to-Head: None
B.D. Bandits didn’t just win against VPC but they made a statement ding so. They are the definition of a complete team and they get stronger and better every week. So far in the playoffs, their defense has seven interceptions and four of them came last week against Robbie Robinson. Furthermore, Scott Kelly is playing his best football ever and has the following stat line in the post-season: 421 yards, 11 TDS and 1 INT. He has a 65% completion and 120 QB rating. He is making the plays consistently and knowing that his defense is playing lights out is only fueling his confidence.
Chris Bridgeman has developed great chemistry with his pivot and it’s nice to see him showcase his talents as a receiver because in the past he either had below average QBs or he had to step in as the QB himself. As I have said before, this reunion of Scott Kelly and All Blacks is a match made in flag football heaven. Continuing along, how about Steve Sanner? He won the defensive player of the year for a reason and he’s proving it in the playoffs. He has 3 INTs in the post season (tied with teammate Evan Cook and D-Boys’ Giovanni Lanni). All in all, things couldn’t be looking better for the B.D. Bandits
Keys to success
-continue aggressive defensive play
-Scott Kelly must spread the ball more
-Take and keep the lead early
Served With Ice are proving many of their critics wrong. So far I have picked them to lose every playoff game and I truly believe they used it as motivation. I just hope they don’t have my picture on which they throw darts or Nerf velcro footballs. So what’s the reason behind their success playoff run to date? It all starts with Jordan Panetta. He has passed for 397 yards, 12 TDs and 0 INTs. He has completed 72% of his passes and has a QB rating of 131. These statistics are amazing and anytime a QB can average 6 TDs a game with no turnovers, his team has a great chance of winning. Did I mention that he can also play defense? He already has 1 INT.
But what about his supporting cast? Pascal Tshilambo needs no introduction, although I am sure he would love one. He has performed well but so have his teammates Jean-Daniel Chevalier and Eric Arsenault. Another unsung hero for Served With Ice is Derek Zackard. As a team, they are playing for each other. I said it last week and I’ll repeat it, they’re playing with a chip on their shoulder and it seems to be working for them. They thrive on “us against the world” philosophy and I am more than excited to be a part of it.
Keys to success
-Jordan Panetta will need to be efficient and mistake free
-Will need every receiver to step up against a stingy B.D. Bandits defense
-Show Scott Kelly different looks on defense
Analysis: The B.D. Bandit defense will be the story of this game. They intercepted Robbie Robinson four times last week and Terrance Morsink three times in the first round of playoffs. I am impressed by Jordan Panetta and everything he’s accomplished so far in the playoffs especially the zero interception statistic, however he hasn’t faced a defense like the B.D. Bandits’. Served With Ice will keep it close in the first half but I see the B.D. Bandits getting two defensive stops in the second half and that should be enough for Scott Kelly to take care of the rest. I guess Served With Ice will need to prove me wrong again. Winner: B.D. Bandits
So it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that I am calling a DK vs. B.D. Bandits finals. Will the Dirty Birds and Served With Ice prove me wrong? Come out to Catalogna Soccerplexe and find out for yourself and also get a chance to watch two intense and action filled games. That’s it for this week’s column, hope you all enjoyed. Till next week, stay classy Division 3!