Inside the Redzone (D4) – Playoff Preview (Round 1)

Welcome everyone to Inside The Redzone, PLAYOFFS EDITION. That’s right, 10 weeks have come and gone, we are now ready to commence the real season. Congratulations to everyone who made the post season, you all worked hard for 10 weeks but now it is time to put all that behind and start all over again. Also, those who didn’t make playoffs just need to use this season as a learning experience and come back harder next season. I encourage everyone to come watch the playoff games because of great intensity, atmosphere and most important the match ups. I will try to break down some key playoff match ups but will focus more on the season that was however before we can do that, we will quickly take a look at the action that transpired in week 10.

 

Week 10 Review

 

Team Ditka 26 – Cowboys 20: Team Ditka not only won this game to ensure themselves a playoff spot but also they put a dent on the Cowboys undefeated season. Hats off to this Ditka squad who came ready for this game and got it done. Billy Seretis, QB of Team Ditka, had another solid game going 11 of 20 for 134 yards, 3 TDs and 1 INT. He also rushed 5 times for 38 yards. Team Ditka’s offense did a good job in finding the holes in the Cowboys defense. On the defense side for Team Ditka, Navid Iravanipour and Adam Lancione had great performances: 4 tackles, 1 INT and 1 tackle, 3 sacks, 1 INT respectively. John Moodie also had a good game throwing for 135 yards and 3 TDs however Cowboys had a chance to tie and go ahead in the last 5 plays but couldn’t punch it in. However both teams will face each other again in the playoffs so this is a great rematch of sorts; round 2 will be quite exciting to say the least.

 

Green Machine knew they had to win stay in the playoff race and they did exactly that, winning a close one over the Trapstars, 24-18. The Green Machine defense came out to play intercepting Pedro Pana 3 times while Patrice Blouin scored 4 TDs (3 passing and 1 rushing) also contributing a sack on defense. For those of you who don’t remember, last winter season, this team made some noise in the playoffs and went all the way to the conference finals. Well they have clinched the number 8 seed and will take on the red hot Gators in round 1. Unfortunately, the Centurions, despite beating the Bulldogs, didn’t make the playoffs due to the wins by Green Machine and Team Ditka however I give a lot of respect to this team, they fought ‘till the end. The last playoff spot in conference B was taken by Raiders who defeated the Longhorns in a close one, 20-14. The Raiders got it done with Mario Choueiri going 11 of 19 for 119 yards, 2 TDs and 1 INT but more important he had a “pick six” special on defense which was crucial to the final score. This Raiders team looks like they are ready for the playoffs but they are about to face the hottest team in Division 4, the 10-0 Dirty Birds.

 

And you’re up to speed in Division 4.

 

Three STARwars of the Week:

 

3rd star: Billy Seretis (Team Ditka) threw for three passing TDs and helped his team clinch a playoff berth.

 

2nd star: Mario Choueiri (Raiders) made some clutch throws on offense but had a “pick six” on defense which helped the Raiders get into the playoffs.

 

1st star: Patrice Blouin (Greem Machine) scored 4 TDs, three passing and one rushing, to beat the Trapstars and guarantee a spot in the big dance.

 

 

Division 4 Season Recap

 

It was definitely a great season for Division 4, better than the inaugural season in 2008. This is in large part due to the fact that there was a lot of parity in both conferences and new teams were stepping up. Teams like Dirty Birds, Cobras, Gators, VPC (without Robby Robinson), Flying Weasels, Marauders, Trojan Knights, Cowboys, Snookers all had amazing seasons as returning teams. Then there were new teams such as Eagles, Those Guys and Triple Sixers who came in and did a great job by making a lot of noise. There were some teams who didn’t do well but there is no reason to hang your heads, this season was very competitive in Division 4 so if anything, I would suggest that you should learn from it and definitely come back with intensity. Another great tool at your service is the Chalk Talk section with Moe Khan and Adi Sharma, in which they break down the Xs and Os of Flag Football so you guys should definitely try to use their experience and knowledge to your advantage.

 

I promised everyone that I will name my ALL STARWAR team this week and I will not disappoint. It will be composed of 12 spots with a QB, 5 receivers, 5 DBs and a rusher. Notice that there is no dedicated spot for the snapper, it is because on my team anyone can snap the ball. These guys in my opinion are the cream of the crop in division 4 and there is definitely a possibility that some players might be on both sides of the ball. Not anyone can make this squad; you have to be a true STARWAR.

 

ALL STARWAR SQUAD

 

Offense

 

QB – Alex Lever (Cobras) had the best offense in Division 4 while also securing the QB Of The Year.

 

Receiver 1 – Ryan Perry (Those Guys) tore up D4 with his speed, athleticism and great hands. On occasions the QB just put up a prayer and Ryan Perry happily answered.

 

Receiver 2 – Nicky McGuire (Trojan Knights) is a solid receiver who is a threat anytime he is on the field.

 

Receiver 3 – Frank Grenier (Cobras) might not look like he’ll cause damage but looks can be deceiving. You turn your back on him and he’ll make you pay.

 

Receiver 4 – Jeremie Roussin (Marauders) did a great job stepping up when star receiver Stephane Lavoie got injured. He finds those holes and also makes clutch catches. He also caught TWENTY THREE TDs this season which earned him Receiver Of The Year.

 

Receiver 5 – Eric Bishara (Dirty Birds) helped his team pull off a perfect season. He has the ability to make great catches to break the games wide open.

 

Defense

 

Rusher – Jon Young (Dirty Birds) had 16 sacks but also 14 PDs. He is versatile and will make you pay if you try to juke him out.

 

Defensive Back 1 – Andre John (Snookers) has a height and vertical advantage over 85% of the receivers in D4 plus he can cover ground on a deep ball quickly.

 

Defensive Back 2 – Dave De Silva (Gators) is the backbone of the Gators defense. He is a ball-hawker and makes great defensive plays at crucial moments.

 

Defensive Back 3 – Etienne Guilmain (Flying Weasels) collected 46 tackles this season so you are not getting back by him.

 

Defensive Back 4 – Louis Richard (VPC) has the ability to be at the right place at the right time. He is a leader on the field and knows that action speak louder than words.

 

Defensive Back 5 – Gordon Hogan (Dirty Birds) is a big reason the Dirty Birds defense was number 1 in the league. He fights for balls and makes great reads.

 

Gentlemen, you are the elite who belong to the 2009 ALL STARWAR SQUAD.

 

 

2009 Division 4 Playoffs

 

Round 1 – This is the elimination round in which most teams who aren’t that strong will be sent packing, pending any upsets of course. Therefore I will break down the match ups more next week when the stronger teams will have moved on.

 

Conference A

 

Gators vs. Green Machine

 

Gators are strong, fast and intense. They make big plays when it is needed. Although Green Machine surprised a lot of teams last Winter season, I don’t see that happening here.

 

Cowboys vs. Team Ditka

 

Cowboys lost to Team Ditka last game of the season but this is a different atmosphere now. The Cowboys team will be ready and focused with one thing on their mind: revenge.

 

VPC vs. Trojan Knights

 

The Knights are having a so-so type of season however with a determined Norman Weeks, their offense should be able to put up enough points to win this game. Let’s not discount VPC who have put together a great season. However if they can’t neutralize Norman and Nicky McGuire, they will have a tough night.

 

Eagles vs. Those Guys

 

Eagles started the season really well but didn’t finish strong. Their defense will have to contain Cody Hemsley and Ryan Perry if they plan on having any chance of staying in this game. Furthermore, the Eagles offense will have to put up points against that stingy Those Guys defense.

 

Conference B

 

Dirty Birds vs. Raiders

 

Dirty Birds were 10-0 for a reason, however the good news for the Raiders is that it’s still March so they have a chance to pull off an upset and shock the D4 world. Let’s be serious though, chances of that happening are slim.

 

Snookers vs. Chaos

 

In week 10, Chaos surprised Snookers with a win however Andre John and a couple others were not at the game. With them back, Chaos team will have to fight harder than last week but will be in tough against a full Snookers squad.

 

Marauders vs. Flying Weasels

 

With Denis Beauregard out, Dave Faucer (rusher of Flying Weasels) will have a great day at the office. It will be a tight game but I give the edge to the Weasels because their chemistry is at its strongest.

 

Cobras vs. Triple Sixers

 

This is a great rematch from week 8. The Triple Sixers seem to be in a state of dissension while the Cobras are looking stronger than ever. Alex Lever will show Triple Sixers why the Cobras offense was number 1 in the league.

 

 

Next week, I’ll break down round two of playoffs while recapping round one. I’ll also have an interesting segment for everyone to read and enjoy. Don’t forget, STAR-AWARDS© will be presented after the finals but more on that in a couple of weeks. Also I would like to congratulate Alex Lever, Jeremie Roussin, Andre John and Jon Young on winning the individual awards, they were all deserving winners. However, the biggest award (no, not the STAR-AWARD) is the championship trophy but who has what it takes to win that? It will take courage, determination and all-out intensity to win that hardware. Everyone should keep their eyes on the prize and leave everything on the field because there is no tomorrow.

 

And that is it for this week’s edition of Inside The Redzone. If you have comments/suggestions don’t hesitate to contact me on Facebook or via email at [email protected]. This is Rehan “J.J” Sarwar signing off and I wish you all luck in your playoff match ups. I’ll catch you all next week but until then, Stay Classy Division Four!