Peeze’s Playbook (Div 5) – PLayoffs Week 1

Watching the Blue Jays in the Olympic Stadium on Friday night did hurt my eyes a little. That horrendous stadium is the true home of only one team, the Montreal Expos. Of course it did serve to make me nostalgic and had me thinking of 1994. Seriously, I saw it all in sepia, like film school teaches you to do.

Anyone remember:

Tonya Harding attacked fellow figure skater Nancy Kerrigan #FigureSkatingDrama
Forrest Gump was hauling shrimp like no one’s business
The cinematic masterpiece known as True Lies took over the silver screen along with The Shawshank Redemption, The Lion King, Pulp Fiction and The Mask.
The X Files was all the craze.
The Gallagher Brothers were not yet fighting about things that no one understands and Oasis was one of the most popular bands on the planet.
There was no need to use a numbered suffix for Sony’s Gaming station because the original Playsation was the familiar greay box housed in everyone’s living room. Sorry, Sega Saturn
Google Chrome did not yet exist but Netscape was the bomb
People thought that Friends was an acceptable form of comedy.

However, the most important thing that happened in 1994 was that THE MONTREAL EXPOS WERE ROBBED OF THEIR FIRST WORLD SERIES!

It’s the playoffs folks. Let’s do this!

Individual Award Winners

As always, I’ve renamed the awards after media members that would never win the awards that they’ve been associated with.

If you’ve heard this week’s FlagPlus Bromance you’ll know that Terry Tam and I were critical of the award winners. I wanted to take a moment to remind everyone that while we didn’t agree with some of the choices it should in no part imply that the awad winners were not worthy of winning the awards. These types of decisions are tough to make and as such it does in fact lead to interesting decisions.

The Matt Domon Award – Quarterback of the Season
#4 Anton Sakiz – Game Changers
1883 YDS 51 TD 7 INT 118.8 QBR

Maybe it is my bias but there was no dispute here. Sakiz exploded on to the scene this season. When I saw him play in week 1, I felt that there was something special about him. He has proven that once in a while, I know what I’m talking about. Congrats Anton!

The Peeze Award – Receiver of the Season
#19 Jonathan Petard – Pardon my Swag
46 REC 626 YDS 22 TD

There was a huge discussion about this but overall I can’t disagree that Petard is deserving of this award. His 22 touchdowns have been a huge part of his team’s offensive out put and is an astronomical number. Congratulations Jonathan!

The Eagle at Master Control Award – Defensive Player of the Season
#1 Jourdain Alexis – Shamrocks
9 TKL 11 INT 4 PD

As much as I love to tease Kernan McDoug (by rearranging his name) I think we can all agree with his assessment that Alexis has been the defensive player of the year. 11 interceptions has been huge and he is a large part of the reason that the Shamrocks earned the 1 seed in their subdivision. Cheers Jourdain!

The Terry Tam Award – Two–Way Player of the Season
#23 Samir Dahab – Warriors
41 RED 692 YDS 18 TD/ 16TKL 9 INT 6 PD

This was another case where Terry and I did not agree with the decision, however, it was a tight race and I can definitely see why the votes went his way. Early in the season, Warrior’s quarterback Mike Bagnato told me about Dehab and said that he was a hidden gem on his team. Mike was right; Samir is an elite player. Felicitations Samir!

Conference A

Game Changers (1) vs. Banditos (8)

Keys to Success:

Game Changers: The Game Changers are a fast team. We have talked about it all season long vbut this is the game where we may see it truly come to the foreground. Sakiz is great at buying time with his feet and we saw that the Bandtios struggled against mobile quarterbacks this season (the greatest case was made by Sebastien Thibault of Mad Bears). Anton Sakiz is the quarterback of the year for a reason. He is smart, has a great arm and has carved defences up this season. Justin Filteau, Terrance Dobson and Paul Santache all average over 17 yards per reception and Los Banditos have had trouble covering the deep ball all season. Conversely, I think they have the matchups that they can take away Alex Guertin’s biggest threats.

Los Banditos: The lynchpin of their defense is Yavar Ashrafi. He will need to patrol the deep part of the field and prevent the Game Changers from taking the top off of the defense. On the offensive side of the ball Alex Geurtin is known for getting rid of the ball quickly and this will neutralize rusher Justin Filteau. Aside from that the Banditos have to manage the game well, move the ball down the field, and take what the defense gives them. The Game Changers defense is good but it has looked so imposing this season because they’re hard to beat when they have a lead.

Analysis: I don’t think that Los Banditos match up well against the Game Changers so they will need to win this game using X’s and O’s rather than pure athleticism. I don’t think Los Banditos defense will be able to make the appropriate adjustments and the Game Changers speed and skill will be difficult to contain. Unfortunately, I don’t think you’ll get your first playoff win little brother.

Predicition: Game Changers by 9 points

Centurions (2) vs. Tomahawk Nightmare (7)

Previous matchup: Centurions 42- Tomahawk Nightmare 24

Keys to Success:

Centurions: The Centurionsneed to play their game. They need to take the lead early and force Tomahawk Nightmare to try to force the ball deep against their two towering safeties (Justin Melorse and Sebastien Morin). The last time that these two teams played against each other, the Centurions expanded their lead early in the second half and then the score was a foregone conclusion. This is their script, if they can execute it they will win. Offensively, Jeremy Laporte has to be the boss. He has been all season leaving Tony Danza apologists shaking their heads in bewilderment. His chemistry with JF Cloutier seems to get better each week and the veterans ability to get yards after the catch makes him the hamburger helper of receiving threats.

Tomahawk Nightmare: I have grown fond of Tommy Cauchemar. Despite the incredibly chirpy game that I played against them this past spring, I have grown to like Tomahawk Nightmare’s gritty style. JF Marquis is a smart and talented player. He is developing into one of the top quarterbacks in the lower divisions. In order for him to be successful he needs to stretch the two safeties deep and use smart route combinations to attack the holes in the intermediate zone. The Centurions like to play with a lead, if Tomahawk Nightmare win the early battles they may just win the war. Personally, I’m looking forward to the matchup between Olivier Savage and the two Centurion safeties. He had a big game last time these two teams met the onus is on him to do it again.

Analysis: I think this was the first round matchup that the Centurions did not want to see. Tomahawk Nightmare have gotten stronger as the season has gone on and I think Marquis will have the perfect game plan in store based on what he learned in their first go around.

Predicition: Tomahawk Nightmare by 2 points.

Predicition: Game Changers by 9 points

Cheeseburger Eddy(3) vs. Tyrants (6)

Keys to Success:

Cheeseburger Eddy: I like Jonathan Makris coming into this game with a chip on his shoulder. He is not happy that he did not win receiver of the year and he’s going to let the league know it by trying to put up huge numbers in the playoffs. I also think that he handled the situation with relative grace and he’s done a good job keeping his team dialed in all season. In order to succeed the Seretis/Makris connection needs to be productive but Seretis will need to use his feet, and his other weapons to really wear the Tyrants defense down. Chris Albanis will be snapping in this game and perhaps he can use his experience at this position to gain ground on defenders.

Tyrants: For the Tyrants, they will need to continue to play their brand of tough defense that has become associated with their franchise. They have great communication and some solid playmakers. If they can take Makris’ slants away they can take away a lot of yardage that has been given to Cheeseburger Eddy all season. Phil De Kovachich is an exceptional rusher and he will need to disrupt Seretis timing and keep him in the pocket in order for the Tyrants to win the game. On offense they need to avoid throwing the ball toward Eddy Makrymanolakis who is a game changer on defense. The player who I would target is Karl Belafi because he is a tough receiver and he can match the physicality of Cheeseburger Eddy’s defense. As for John Kaliotzakis, he needs to go out there and be a play maker. Don’t think about being a pocket passer or a runner or making the pretty play. If he goes out there and makes plays he can put his team in a position to win games.

Analysis: I’ve mapped out what the Tyrants need to do to win this game. Unfortunately, I don’t think they will. Cheeseburger Eddy is coming in with a full head of steam and they are ready for the playoffs. I don’t think the week off will impart any rust, but rather they are coming in with a huge emotional edge. The Tyrants have made a nice run and this will definitely be one of the louder games this weekend but I think their run stops here.

Predicition: Cheeseburger Eddy by 16 points.

Gryphons (4) vs. Speed Demons (5)

Previous matchup: Gryphons 31-Speed Demons 13

Keys to Success:

Gryphons: I started off the season really high on the Gryphons and then I was unnaturally hard on them when they broke my heart. However, time heals all wounds and I am a fan again. The permanent move to Aleksander Papich at quarterback makes them a serious threat to take it all. Kevin Paul has to continue to be the redzone threat that he has been this season if they expect success. This game will be tight so they need to avoid making mistakes. In terms of their receiving squad, they do not have any big names but their corps on the whole works well and they will need to capitalize on their familiarity to find the spots to pick apart on the Speed Demon defense. The Gryphons defense is a unit that is not oft talked about. They are up there with the best of them and if they can get Holden to turn the ball over the way they did on the first game this game will get ugly quickly.

Speed Demons: The Speed Demons defense has humbled teams this season. However, their offense has been suspect all season. They scored 22.4 points per game this season and that isn’t enough to win games. They say defense wins championships, however, we all know that that was invented by a coach some 60-odd years ago when he was desperately trying to motivate his team and get them off their lazy rears. In order to win this game it comes down to execution. Holden has to avoid making mistakes, as he is prone to making. Last time, the Speed Demons were able to drive the field about could not finish drives. A 44 minute game is short and not finishing drives is very difficult to overcome. Getting back to their defense, Alex Lewis and Bryan Nguyen can help take over the game if it comes down to it.

Analysis: I think Holden will make a couple of mistakes but the Speed Demons defense will keep it close. Ultimately I think the Gryphons will be slightly better in this game. If you have time do check this game out because it will be fun.

Predicition: Gryphons by 3 points

Conference B

Shamrocks (1) vs. Sphinx (8)

Keys to Success:

Shamrocks: Doug McKernan has combined for a total of 35 touchdowns (31 though the air) which is somewhat low considering how well the team has performed. I think that if they can use some of their bigger bodied receivers such as Derek Mac Arthur and Brandon Taylor to grind out some yards. Then McKernan can use some of his big play receivers such as Zachary and Jourdain Alexis and Sami Beg to get into the endzone. What McKernan does well is he is mobile and he extends plays and this will be the key in this game. Moreover, the Shamrocks are probably the team that has the best balance between the defensive and offensive side of the ball.

Sphinx: The Sphinx kind of limped into the playoffs, which is surprising because I had them pegged as one of the top teams in this division. They lost their last two games and just have not been in synch. Mathieu Fafard is the ex factor here. Most teams use their least athletic players as snappers (don’t knock it, it’s given me an FPF career). However, this isn’T the case with Fafard. He gets open, works well in space and is a matchup nightmare for any defender. Another player that you cannot forget about when playing against the Sphinx is Phillipe ‘Shotgun’ Clouthier. He is a remarkable player and his ability to go and get the ball in the endzone has earned him 16 touchdowns this season. The true key for them is whether or not quarterback Etienne Clouthier can use his other pieces to truly frustrate the Shamrock’s defense.

Analysis: Doug McKernan is going to win the battle against rusher Olivier Ouellet and the Sphinx defense will not be able to guard their receivers forever. The boys in green will get open and will catch the ball. I think it’ll be closer than the Shamrocks want it to be but it will still fall in their favour.

Predicition: Shamrocks by 4 points

Ghosts (2) vs. Pardon My Swag (7)

Keys to Success:

Ghosts: The Ghosts won the toughest sub division (3 teams finished 8-2 and 4 teams made the playoffs). They are road tested and they have largely done it on the arm of Alexis Gaumont. He has not been explosive but he has quietly had a very nice season and leads a very effective offense. If he continues to protect the ball the Ghosts will be one of the front-runners in the division. The team hosts a couple of the most underrated receivers in FPF (Geroges Elie-Voyer and Gabriel Wiseman) and they are difficult matchups for any team. I think this is one game where they will be particularly tough matchups. If Gaumont can exploit this the Ghosts offense will be ready to erupt.

Pardon My Swag: PMS has the receiver of the year in Jonathan Petard. What they do well is allow him to attack the middle of the field with drags and slants. Shawn Mudrosky does a great job of calling plays where Petard can get open. They aren’t a team that stretched the field well and if they can control the pace they won’t need to. They are a frustrating team to play against because they seem to always have the ball and despite the fact that you know that Petard will get it in key moments, teams have been unable to stop him (he didn’t catch 23 touchdowns in 9 games by mistake). On defense they are lead by their spark plug Brad Evans. They will need to play as a unit and communicate well to shut down a very intelligent offense in the Ghosts.

Analysis: This is a game that can get ugly early but I don’t think that will happen. If anything, I believe it may take a turn in the Ghosts favour in the second half and unfortunately Pardon My Swag are built to play with a lead (they haven’t won a game where they trailed at the half all season, moreover they are 1-1 then they go into the half with a tie).

Predicition: Ghosts by 9 points

Mysterious and Magical Men (3) vs. Limetime (6)

Keys to Success

Mysterious and Magical Men- In order to win this game MMM will need to do what they haven’t done all season. They need to make adjustments throughout the game. Devin Daoust is a good rusher and quarterback Gordon Hogan has to be able to find ways to neutralize his ability to be disruptive. That being said the combo of Matt and Eric Bishara pose unique challenges. Eric is particularly difficult to contain as a 3-yard hook can easily turn into a 40-yard touchdown. If they can start to frustrate the Daousts earlythis game won’t be close. The way to do that is play their game and continuously frustrate them. In the past this has caused Limetime to become unwound.

Limetime- Oddly enough, the script is the same for Limetime. The Daoust brothers are a headache to deal with (both because of their talent and their continuous trash talk). If they can frustrate MMM into making early errors I can see Limetime coming out with a huge win. They are a ball-hawking defense and while Hogan has been safe with the ball they will need to force him to make some a-typical errors. David Daoust has had some great performances his first season as a quarterback and he’s coming of his best yet. He needs to be as dialled in as he was on week 10.

Prediciton: Limetime wins 18-13.

Mad Bears vs. Cougars

Previous Matchup: Cougars 40- Mad Bears 33

Keys to Success:

Mad Bears: Sebastien Thibault is probably the most gifted, natural athlete in the league. He is the key for Mad Bears at all time. There is fluidity to his running style and he typically makes rushers look pretty ridiculous and it doesn’t even look like he’s trying. That being said he needs to use this ability to extend plays and keep the defense off balance because I don’t think he can win it from the pocket exclusively. This isn’t a shot at him but rather a credit to his athleticism and the challenges his playing style creates. His 10 rushing touchdowns is something worth mentioning, especially since he is also typically very careful with the ball. He will need to rely on his typical trio of receivers (Raphael Isseri-Guertin, Simon Chouinard-Laliberte and Jeremi Durand-Tremblay). In addition to having enough family names to host two receiving corps, they are all solid receivers and work well within the Mad Bears system. It always seems like one of them rises up to the occasion and helps them secure victories. They will need all hands on deck if they expect to advance to the next round.

Cougars: While they did win their week 9 matchup that saw the two teams combine for 73 points I think that the Cougars need to keep this game a low scoring one. I think they will need to force some key turnovers and Adamo Iadeluca will do what he’s done all season which is to be clutch. I may have had my doubts but I’m converted! If given the chance to win it Iadeluca will step it up.

Analysis: The trash talk has already begun between the Daousts and Mysterious Magical Men’s Terry Tam. I think David Daoust rises to the occasion this week. It will be a low scoring game but I think Limetime will pull out the win. I know I picked MMM early in the week but those who watched the podcast will have seen that I switched my pick during the course of that show. I love the receiving corps of Jean-Jacques Janvier, Gino Conforti, Junior Spera and Erminio Iadeluca. Adamo will need to find his best matchup and continuously exploit it.

Analysis: Last game Mad Bears had no answer for Janvier or Conforti but I think this game may see Spera get a lot of looks. His size will be tough for Mad Bears to deal with while they are focusing on the speedier receivers. Spera will help drive the field and Erminio Iadeluca will tear it up in the redzone. Finally, I think Thibault will have one turnover in his own territory and the Cougars will take advantage

Prediciton: Cougars by 6

Saturday’s Slow-Jam

Keep on top of the most exciting time in FPF by watching our podcasts on www.theunclehood.com. Tune in each Thursday at 7:30pm and catch Calling the Audible leading into FPF Bromance and let Terry Tam I will break down the action, make awkward references and discuss whether it’s peanut butter or jelly that makes the sandwich majestic.

Join the party by tweeting the show live @EagleFPF. You can reach me by emailing me at [email protected] or you can reach me on Twitter @PeezeFPF. Terry Tam (@TerryTamFPF) likes when you send him pictures of animals in sexual poses so please don’t be shy.

Please download and subscribe to ‘Flag Plus Bromance’ our official division 5 podcast, available via iTunes or at http://fpf.podomatic.com. If you haven’t done so by now Uncle Dirty will find you and make you watch. Seriously, the dude has ways of making you watch.