Playing For Keeps: Mid Season Recap; The Dog Days of Summer

Weekly Remarks

Thanks for the awesome feedback on last week’s article, it really was a refreshing joy to write.
Instead of a super cool intro this week, you guys are getting added content with the midseason recap. A guy’s gotta rest at some point, you know.
Shout out to Marc-Andre Deslauniers for standing up for his division and calling me out on my div E comment. I fully respect everyone coming out to play at the top of their competitive ability, regardless of what division that falls into. The future talent of this league is currently cultivating in div E.
The second half of the midseason recap will be out this week. Stay tuned conference B.
Red Wave finally got the monkey off their back and racked up their first win of the season. This team is my pick for most likely to have a second half turnaround. I’ve played enough seasons with this core to know that they can turn it on whenever they choose.
Jagerbomb shocked the hierarchy by taking down JYD. Like many seasons passed, this could be the launching point for Jager’s second half march.
The most impressive win of the week goes to SMYTD, who beat Texas BareManz in their first game without Mike Addona. Mike Roy got sacked on the final 2-point convert to tie, and cursed himself out so loud that it was heard in the parking lot at Papineau.
Smash Bros will look to avoid “they are who we thought they were” comments by bouncing back against Red Wave this week. This will be one of the week’s most intriguing games to watch.
With the end of the NBA and NHL seasons this is truly the dog days of summer. To all of you out there who enjoy watching MLB and Golf, good for you.
Happy father’s day to all the papas out there chasing footballs and to everyone’s papa back home watching sports on the tellie.

1st Half Recap:

Conference A

Backyard Bullies (5-0) – PF: 148 (6th) – PA: 92 (2nd)

Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s:

The defending champs have come into the spring 2017 season with a full head of steam and confidence, taking a perfect record into the mid-season break. The defense looks as mean as ever, led by Steve Sanner with 6 INTs and Vinny Gualano with 3 INTs and 5 PDs. Kevin St-Pierre finally made the impact that was expected of him when he was resigned as rusher on the last day of offseason, registering 5 sacks in last week’s game. It’s hot in the furnace when these guys get in synch.

Still, there are rumblings about some of their “too-close-for-comfort” wins against mid-tier opponents in the first half. Some spectators have even begun questioning their 1st place standing in the power rankings, claiming that teams like the Royals and Commission have shown more dominance to date. I firmly believe the old sports adage that to be the champ, you have to beat the champ. So the Bullies remain in first for now, until further evidence appears to prove otherwise. However, a quick glance at their brutal second half schedule shows that they’ll have to tame a pack of hungry dogs, chomping at the bits for a chance for them to slip.

With a murderer’s row of games scheduled from weeks 7 to 10 against Commission, Bearskins, Royals, and JYD; we’ll have a clear understanding of where our defending champs stand come playoffs.

The Commission (5-0) – PF: 191 (1st) – PA: 108 (T:6th)

The plight of the number 2 headband:

“The One who wears the Number One headband is said to rule the World but to become the Number one you must kill the current Number One. Only he who wears the Number Two Headband may challenge the Number One for ownership of the Sacred Headband.”

The Commission have remained quiet, and patiently wait in the shadows for their chance to usurp the throne. They’ll get the first crack at the champs in week 7, when they meet the Bullies for control of the power rankings.

Sean Avraam has been the best QB in division in the first half. His season thus far has been mesmerizing, with over 1100 total yards and a 29 TD to 1 INT ratio. This is a historically dominant season from the seasoned veteran, who’s paid his dues in this league and deserves major credit for his current excellence. Jordan Allard is hands down the first half receiver of the year, with 320 yards and 12 TDs on 29 catches. Despite the ridiculousness of riches that the Royals possess, this has been the most explosive offense in the first half. Look for them to continue to cruise through the second half, as their offense is systematic and not based on weekly matchups. But for now, all eyes remain fixed on week 7.

Junkyard Dogs (3-2) – PF: 154 (5th) – PA: 108 (T:6th)

Don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater:

We thought we had a good read on this team, going so far as to anoint them “the next ones” after the big 3. Last week’s loss to Jagerbomb has thrown a wrench into that enthusiasm. Still, there’s a lot to be impressed with in this first half for the Dogs. Their +54 differential places them firmly in the top 5 with the division’s elite teams. Jason Rossie is having his best season to date, on pace for 1600 yards and 48 TDs.

Most impressively, the defense looks rock solid. With Marc-André Lapointe anchoring the ship, once they get Jacob Bernett back from vacation they should be back to tormenting opposing QBs for 50 minutes each week.

They’ll have three difficult games down the stretch, weeks 8-10, which will prove to us if they’re ready for primetime come playoffs. They lost their first big test to Commission in week 2, but if they can pull off an upset or two during that stint, they’ll have us believing in them once again.

Blue Chips (2-3) – PF: 175 (3rd) – PA: 145 (T:14th)

“All that is gold does not glitter”:

It would be easy to look at this team’s sub.500 record and dismiss them from contention. However, to do so would be an unfair mistake, considering the trials and tribulations that they’ve faced in the first half. With 8 point losses against Bullies and Commission, the top ranked teams in our division, they’ve battled hard each week and remained competitive throughout roster inconsistencies.

Jordin Mitchell has over 1000 combined yards and 26 TDs at the half, putting him on pace to top the 2K, 50 TD benchmark served to define All Star seasons. This is reflected in their offensive ranking, currently third in the division behind Commission and Royals, pretty good company to keep. Sanders Armand is the beating heart and soul of this team. He’s like the Draymond Green of this roster, he gives you whatever the team needs on any given night, no questions asked. He’s also one of the division’s premier defenders, second in the division with 5 INTs.

With some softer games scheduled ahead in the second half, if this team can get their roster out each week I expect them to make some major noise down the stretch. They’ll definitely be a trap game in the second round of the playoffs for whichever top seed draws them. More to come from this promising young franchise.

JagerBomb (2-3) – PF: 139 (7th) – PA: 166 (18th)

Lest they forget:

We’ve seen this narrative before for Jagerbomb. A slow start out of the gate against a difficult schedule, leading to inevitable questions about if they’ve capped out in terms of potential, begets a red hot second half in which they band together and play some angry football with a chip on their shoulder.

Simon Duchesne is having a typical Duchesnian season, in the top 5 in terms of yards and TDs. I’m starting to think he relishes being in the underdog role. Felix Fontaine-Larouche has been a revelation on offense for this team, reeling in 343 yards and 7 TDs in the first half. In his second season in the Jagerbomb uniform he looks poised to breakout and put the league on notice.

What’s most concerning about this team so far has been the defense, ranking dead last in the division in points allowed. The incredibly difficult schedule they’ve faced certainly had an impact, but the turnover machine from seasons past has been hampered thus far. With only 1 INT per game, they aren’t getting sufficient stops to put their offense in position for the kill shot. They’ll look to correct that in the second half against a much easier schedule than the first 5 games.

NoName (2-3) – PF: 91 (15th) – PA: 112 (8th)

Beware the Slenderman:

Similar to the HBO documentary about the fictional internet boogeyman, with a long, slender frame and no face, who stalks the countryside tormenting his victims, we don’t yet know much about the agonizing power of NoName.

Weeks 1 and 2 saw them fall flat with Yannick Doston at QB. But you can’t put all the blame on the recovering lower-divisional pivot, seeing as they lacked major talent for a div C caliber roster. Since week 3 however, they’ve drastically changed the course of their season. First, 2016 finalist QB Kristian Cerantola stepped in to relieve Doston, bringing a renewed confidence to the position. Second – and most importantly – two-way star Jonathan Grizzley returned to the NoName roster to help bolster his friends and rescue their season. Now, with Grizzley, Robert White and Hainsley Adams, NoName finally looks like a formidable offense, which has showed in their 28 PPG scored in weeks 3-5, versus the measly 3.5 PPG they averaged in weeks 1-2.

This team has all the makings of a dangerous, second half wildcard team that could potentially knock off a contender down the line. They’ll have the opportunity to prove it, with games against The Commission and The Bullies in the second half.

Show Me Your TDs (2-3) – PF: 120 (9th) – PA: 133 (10th)

Don’t mess with the wounded bear:

It can be difficult to remain positive when your long-time QB goes down in the first half of the season with a possible season ending injury. Even prior to that, roster inconsistencies mired the full potential of this SMYTD team. Still, they’ve done a good job weathering the storm, and sit just a game back of .500 going into the break.

Most impressive was their win last week against a hungry Texas BareManz roster. With Jesse Dupuis stepping into the leading role for Mike Addona, the defense stepped up in a huge way, holding an explosive offense to 18 points in the win. Eric Cantin deserves major credit for managing the pieces of this ever changing puzzle defensively. He’s a journeyman short zone defender in FPF, mastering the position like few others in the game. This year however, he has full reigns of the defense, and I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews from his teammates about his defensive play calling and leadership.

Questions now redirect back to the offense. With Jesse Dupuis expecting his first child any week now, he’s literally a QB on call. There have also been rumors of Mike Addona making a heroic push to comeback in the second half, and battle through some aches and pains. That would be a major moral boost for this offense, carried in the interim by Anthony Addona and Alex David. Whatever transpires, they will need to figure out how to get some rhythm on O. With a tough schedule slated ahead, this team will either flame out down the stretch, or become that battle-tested warrior that will make the top ranked teams uneasy come playoffs.

Going Deep (1-4) – PF: 51 (18th) – PA: 153 (16th)

A for effort:

What more can we say for this team, besides the obvious. They rank dead last in the division offensively, and 3rd from the bottom on defense. It wasn’t unexpected, as they entered the division with a roster 50 points below the divisional cap, which would fit comfortably in div D1.

Still, there have been some highlights. They shocked the division by beating SMYTD in week 3. Julien Paiement is a one man wrecking crew at rusher, with 8 sacks so far and causing much more disruption than the stats reveal.

Pat Riot will need to create some magic in the second half if they hope to turn their season around. This has been his worst first half statistically in many years, but you can’t put the entire blame on him. This receiving staff will need to band together and start pulling some weight, as even a quality backup QB like Mathew Bourbonniere-Morin got destroyed in his sole outing with this unit.

There is definitely some unrealized potential on this roster however, which makes them such a compelling draw each week. We never know when their next shocking upset will come, or against who. Like a high speed train wreck, I can’t help keep my eyes on them.

Home For The Hollandaise (0-5) – PF: 81 (17th) – PA 164 (17th)

Stats don’t lie:

Home for the Hollandaise were a wonderful conception when drawn up preseason, from the mind that brought us such stellar FPF teams such as Checkmate, Darksiders, and Supply and Command; the one and only Peeze Della Reeze.

What wasn’t to like? Simon Dagenais was a rising QB, finally coming into the prime of his career. Justin Blachard is a two-way star, capable of impacting games in the second highest division of FPF. Nicolas Saro and Jean-Daniel Joly are underrated talents offensively, and Minh Ton-That is one of the stickiest cover corners in the middle divisions.

Still, all the nice compliments and prior achievements aren’t worth 5 yards on the FPF field once the season starts. This has been an unmitigated disaster. They rank second to last on offense and on defense, but it would be generous to call them the second worst team in the division so far. The offense is a self-perpetuating imbroglio. The receivers aren’t making the big plays necessary to turn the tide, but the quarterback isn’t making enough positive plays to build consistency in the receiving staff. They need a doctor’s intervention to cure their ails, or at least provide them with a note explaining their feeble constitution.

The schedule doesn’t exactly get easier in the second half, as they’ll face a bevy of teams hungry to improve their rank and tune up for playoffs. Still, all the tacit potential from the preseason remains. They can still turn it on in a moments notice. A couple of favorable bounces could help turn the tide and give them the much needed momentum for a second half resurgence. More improbable things have happened in FPF history. They will need to start NOW to have any hope.

Weekly Fantasy Football:

So my Super Team got the win that I was looking for and helped me hold serve, but Danny weathered the storm quite well indeed. Rich Humes vs Mario Porreca ended up being one of the best fantasy QB matchups that we’ve had to date. Humes had an overall efficient game, completing 11 of 13 passes and keeping the INT column clean, he also added some gravy points on the run as he’s known to do. But this week Poerreca chose to steal the show and deliver his best performance of the season. Dropping 230 passing yards and 6 TDs is just money, and I’m fortunate to have survived the Red Wave. Playing Jeremy Anderson ended up being a smart hedge versus Porreca, as I was able to profit off of 2 of those TDs. The Jagerbomb defense is obviously much better than I gave them credit for last article, as they were able to shut down Carmine Pollice for the first time this season, much to the chagrin of myself and the entire JYD team.

Danny scored a huge play with Ryan Aridi, who went off for the second consecutive week with 71 yards and 2 TDs on 5 catches. J-F Daloze had a typically excellent Dalozian game in the biggest upset win of the week. Chris Milard salvaged an OK night due to his sacks, suspiciously done on the guy who picked him in this game. I’ve never seen a QB so happy to get sacked before. But the Royals breezed through FiLP and didn’t need to call upon Chris’s offensive services in this game (apparently he saved it all for his div B game).

The Bullies D is our fantasy play of the week, breaking off a HUGE multi-sack, multi-INT, and Defensive TD performance in the win. MY NAME IS STEVE SANNER, AND I GET BUCKETS. Second consecutive multi-INT game for the mid-season DPOY. I’d like to think those 2 red zone TD targets were intended to get us the fantasy win. Mission complete.

Week 5 (Final)

Alex Danny

QB: Rich Humes (25.72) QB: Mario Porreca (32.4)

WR: Carmine Pollice (5.7) WR: Samuel Phaneuf (NA)

WR: Sasha Papich (NA) WR: Ryan Aridi (24.1)

WR: Jeremy Anderson (19.5) WR: Jean-Felix Daloze (15.7)

2W: Steve Sanner (27.2) 2W: Chris Milard (11.1)

DEF: Backyard Bullies (37) DEF: Red Wave (21)

Final Score: (115.12) Final Score: (104.3)

Record: 2-2

Overall Score: (454.12 – 417.74 Danny)

Week 6

This week is Danny’s serve, and he comes out swinging with Simon Duchesne coming off a hot week. Maxime Giroux has been low-key on fire in recent weeks, currently tied for lead in TDs for the powerhouse Royals. Ryan Aridi paid off so well for Danny last week that he’s re-upping with the remaining Aridi brother this week. That, and Jad catching 6 passes a game in the past 3 games makes him an enticing play here. Its two weeks in a row now that Danny copies my 2WAY pick, this week trying to catch the tail end of Steve Sanner’s hot streak. They say imitation is the greatest form of flattery so I’ll take it.

As for my team, I sensed some opportunity in Danny’s lineup, so I’m attacking aggressively in hopes of closing the overall score gap. This is my best week to use Cory Johnson, I’ve been saving him long enough. I’m trying to hedge his Duschesne pick by playing his top receiver, FFL (who happens to also be on an absolute tear). Trey Grant may be the hottest receiver of the past 2 weeks that no one is talking about. I’m looking for a repeat from him this week against a vulnerable FiLP team. My favorite pick here is Travis Moses. When this guy gets going he is ON FIRE. Coming off a 109 yard 2 TD performance, I’m looking for him to ball out again this week for Red Wave. Bertoldi as 2WAY is a no brainer. Papich has been in and out of the roster this season like a travelling salesman. If he happens to miss this week Bertoldi will bring even more value to the table with this pick. Let’s roll the dice…

Alex Danny

QB: Cory Johnson QB: Simon Duschesne

WR: Felix Fontaine-Larouche WR: Maxime Giroux

WR: Trey Grant WR: Jad Aridi

WR: Travis Moses WR: Maxime Chateauneuf

2W: Marco Bertoldi 2W: Steve Sanner

DEF: Red Wave DEF: Bearskins

***The standard scoring will apply as follows:

QB: 25 pass yards = 1 pt, 1 pass TD = 4 pts, 1 INT = -2 pts

Receiving/Rush: 10 yards = 1 pt, 1 TD = 6 pts, 1 REC = 1 pt

DEF: 1 TKL = 0.5 pt, 1 SK = 2 pts, 1 PD = 1 pt, 1 INT = 3 pts, 1 TD = 4 pts

Points Allowed (0): 15 points

Points Allowed (1-6): 11 points

Points Allowed (7-13): 9 points

Points Allowed (14-20): 7 points

Points Allowed (21-27): 5 points

Points Allowed (28-34): 3 points

Points Allowed (35-41): 0 points

Points Allowed (42+): -3 points

Game of the week:

Impeccable D (4-1) vs Commission (5-0)

QB: Jeff Rosenblatt vs Sean Avraam

These are two of the most efficient, productive, turnover-proof QBs in the division. In the QBOY race you have 2 of the top 3 contenders squaring off in this highly touted encounter. Sean Avraam gets the nod, simply because he’s been lights out in every game so far this season. But you can’t go wrong with either of these two stallions.

Receivers: Big D vs Commission

Talent wise, this is perhaps the most evenly matched battle that we’ve had so far this season. How can you pick between these two fully loaded rosters? The Aridis with Daniel Farag are such a well-balanced attack, capable of controlling all depths of the field at once. The Commission are equally well-balanced, but with several threats at each layer of attack. They also have the best receiver in the game right now, Jordan Allard, so they get the nod here.

Defense: Big D vs Commission

The Commission, which has historically been known as a defensive team, has pivoted due to the demands of the new era and is now the best offense in the game. Big D sits one spot ahead of Commission in the defensive rankings, but ultimately get the nod for their perseverance on defense so far. They’ve relied on their D to win them a few close games this season, which in my mind makes them more battle-tested and gives them the slightest edge heading into this contest. One thing’s for certain in this encounter, the key stop will make all the difference in determining the victor.

Prediction: 33-32 Commission

Power Ranking

Almost the same teams as last week, with some minor shuffling in the middle once again. Going into the halfway mark of the season I see 3 tiers developing on this list. Tier 1 is the big three. Tier 2 is Bearskins, Big D and JYD, with weekly shuffling among them for the top spot. Tier 3 is led by Blue Chips and followed by whoever survives this list. For now that is Jagerbomb, who usurped Smash Bros. I’m proud of this list so far and expect big things for all these teams in the second half. Anyone else who wants a weekly mention can work a bit harder to break into the elite 8

Backyard Bullies (5-0): On cruise control this past week. They have an interesting matchup ahead against a suddenly hot NoName team.
The Commission (5-0): it’s scary how easily Sean Avraam sliced through Blue Chips D this week. Huge hoedown ahead as they head to Big D to square dance with Rose & the Aridis.
Royals (5-0): Defense looked fierce this week against an outmatched FiLP. They’re starting to look scary-balanced heading down the stretch.
Bearskins (4-1): Continue to take care of business with well-rounded victories against decent opponents. Etinson may be beginning to heat up at last.
Impeccable D (4-1): Good win against an upstart opponent and keep the momentum on their side heading into a colossal clash this week.
Junkyard Dogs (3-2): We can’t close our eyes and pretend that the loss vs Jagerbomb wasn’t shocking. They drop 2 spots this week as a result.
Blue Chips (2-3): Have dropped 3 in a row now against tough opponents. An easier second half to the season looms with at least 3 winnable games in the next 5.
Jagerbomb (2-3): I’ve been eyeing them for this list for quite some time. They finally gave me reason to include them. Let’s see if they can remain.

Weekly Awards

QB:

Simon Duchesne– Jagerbomb:

18/29 – 218 yards – 6 TD/0 INT – 124.7 QBR

Yes, he had a top 3 statistical performance this week. But this nod is less about stats and more about who he did it against. Fearlessly battled through injury to lead his team to a massive upset against a divisional goliath. This is why we can never count Jagerbomb out. Incredible game.

WR:

Travis Moses – Red Wave:

9 catches – 109 yards – 2 TDs

When healthy, with the right QB feeding him touches, he can be the most dominant receiver in the division. That’s exactly what he was this week as he headlined Red Wave’s offensive explosion. Their team’s second half comeback will require repeat performances like this one from the underrated superstar.

DEF:

Steve Sanner – Backyard Bullies:

Different week, same result, as Sanner takes down this category for the second consecutive week. He’s the clear headliner for DPOY after 5 weeks, as his stat sheet fills up like an Andre Kirilenko throwback.

3 TK – 2 INT – 1 PD – 1 INT

2WAY:

Marco Bertoldi – Bearskins:

4 catches – 84 yards – 3 TDs

2 TK – 1 INT – 1 PD

There’s a reason we continue to hear the same names repeated at the top each week. The excellence of this elite group of players is defined by their consistent success week-in and week-out. Mr. Two-Way delivers another dominant performance in the win over Nuggets. There are very few in this league who make such an impact to the game on both sides of the ball.

Predictions

Nothing in sports is worse than a draw. This week we kissed our sister as we both put up a 7-2 record. Jagerbomb shocked us both with a win over JYD. We split our remaining differences, as I picked NoName to continue HFTH’s misery, while Danny correctly picked SMYTD to make Texas BareManz scream. Hopefully this week we can be a bit more disagreeable.

Alex (33-11)
Danny (30-14)

Alex Danny

Royals Royals

Texas BareManz FiLP

JYD JYD

Backyard Bullies Backyard Bullies

The Commission The Commission

Bearskins Bearskins

Blue Chips Blue Chips

Red Wave Red Wave

Jagerbomb Jagerbomb

That’s it for this week! Week 5 of FPF is officially in the books, and with it we bring the first half of the season to a close. Week 6 is set to start up soon and all of those looking to right their ships better start pronto. Enjoy your time on the field because Spring season passes by in a blur. If you have any feedback, concerns, comments or just want a shoulder to lean on you can reach out to me @alexholowach1 on Twitter, or hit me up on Facebook. If you’re craving more div C content please check out the Calling the Audible podcast featuring GM and Justin, it’s a healthy dose of sophisticated silliness to get you through the week. Thanks for taking the time to read this, and make sure to check back next week to find out how week 6 shook out!