Saturday Night, Brossard.

48 teams registered in Division 4. I’m honestly too lazy to count every single player in the list, but it’s fair to assume we’re close to 500. Out of those 500 individuals who registered in hopes of making the finals and seeing their name on our infamous trophy; only 36 remains (yes, I did take the time to count these ones though).

With the entire thing on the line Saturday night, we’re in for a hell of a show. FPF Finals is always a special event; from live broadcasts to high level attendances, cameras all over the place and the desired reward at the end of the game there’s no doubt you won’t want to miss this.

Division 4A is at 21:30. Division 4B is at 20:30. It will also be available via live broadcast but nothing is quite like being there in person!

Let’s get started.

 

Championship Finals

The last time I wrote an article, we had 16 teams remaining in the race; we’re now down to 4. Get off My D shocked Rancerz, The Alpha T’s pulled away from two close ones to make it here, Blue Chips dethroned Les Blues Branleurs before coming crashing in their Jagerbomb’s rematch (Jagerbomb who surprised more than one by making the finals this season, must I add).

Still Still Teamless clawed their way into the finals by surviving really close ones, Les Maloudes managed to keep both No Name and 69ers at bay in less-than-one-score games, 69ers proved everyone just how talented they really were and Backyard Bullies left it all on the field to make it to the finals, but sadly, they didn’t.

 

Thoughts of the Week

• Every team in the finals (4A and 4B) has 9 eligible players on their roster. Coincidence or is 9 the magic number? Hmm.
• After hearing Lonnie Johnson share his pregame rituals, maybe I should focus more on my own games if I want to start posting those kind of numbers!
• I’d like to give No Name a quick shoutout for surprising pretty much everyone and keeping it THIS close against Les Maloudes (and I mean, they almost pulled off the upset too). Well done.
• What a heartbreaker for 69ers and Backyard Bullies; to lose that way in the semis shows they really were top contenders this season.
• This season, both 4A and 4B were fantastic to follow and I’m happy I had the opportunity to keep you guys up to date with everything going on. Thank you.
• I’ve decided to write a different segment for my finals’ article. Let me know what you guys think.
• So many great quotes from this week’s playoff games. So many things I cannot write or repeat.
• I still have a hard time grasping the idea that the season is ending this weekend. It feels like it’s week 7…!
• Will Justin Blanchard get his 2nd playoffs MVP? God, I hope not. 

 

The Journey

Division 4A

• Les Maloudes

Les Maloudes have had great seasons since their very first championship back in Winter 2013. The team is very different nowadays, but they’ve also moved up divisions and been competitive ever since. With a 9-1 season (their only loss came Week 2 to The Commission 24 – 19 in a game where QB Anthony Beauchamp-Frezza wasn’t playing), we could argue this is by far one of the most impressive seasons they’ve had as a unit.

Technically undefeated with him under center, different pieces have emerged this season rather than the previous one-two punch that was Vincent Morissette (who acted as a sub this season) and Louis-Philippe Paquette. To see guys like Dragann Mallette (leading the team with 269 yards and 15 Tds) and Guillaume St-Amand (240 yards, 6 Tds) take home the honors of being the new one-two punch shows just how much depth and talent this roster truly has.

With the 2^nd best +/- in their division (6^th best offense, Best defense), Les Maloudes have been one of the toughest team to face all seasons starting with great plays from one of the fastest rusher in the league in Sebastien Thibault and a secondary that leaves basically no room to throw (and Francis Janelle wasn’t even there when I played them).

Starting off with a dominant win over Nobodies in the Divisional Round (25 – 6), Les Maloudes looked absolutely unstoppable and finals-bound. The following weekend, they survived a scare against No Name who put up a much better fight than most expected (32 – 28) in a game where their defense got stops, but couldn’t manage an interception (Sebastien Thibault did record 3 sacks which is potentially better than a pick). Their offense got rolling early and their QB’s ability to move around in the pocket with ease (and managed a rushing TD) was definitely an edge that allowed them to move into the following round.

With a last second win over 69ers (41 – 40) in the semis, Les Maloudes solidified their spot in the finals this upcoming weekend, but also showed everyone that their offense is, potentially, better than their defense which is a very scary thought. Their offense showed great depth once again as the two receiving leaders were Sebastien Thibault and Ludwik Jananji (none of which has been previously mentionned, but could most certainly be all-stars on any given rosters).

All in all, Les Maloudes bolstered one of the best franchise track record in recent history and are, once again, up for a shot at a title this weekend. With the division’s best defense and an offense that has been flourishing as of late (and is the reason they’ve made it this far into the playoffs), it’s tough to potentially bet against such a juggernaut of a team.

 

• Still Still Teamless

The only undefeated team in Division 4A makes the finals with quite the impressive season. With the #1 ranked offense in the division and the QB of the Year at the helm, there’s very little slowing down Still Still Teamless this season. With a name that is constantly growing longer by the season (seriously, GM, you need to stop with that), whoever’s in-charge of this team really outdid himself once again with this absolute juggernaut. From the minute I saw the roster, they were top dogs and remained such until, well, now.

Offensively, they bolster probably the best receiving corps imaginable for the division with the two Justins (Blanchard and McLean), the underrated Francois Deslauriers playing center and guys like Alex Lamarche and Vincent Dagenais emerging to make big plays when their team really needs them to. Lonnie Johnson had a wonderful season and has the kind of weapons he needed to make a deep playoff run; taking nothing away from our well he’s played this season (the award does hint in that direction), but I cannot go out and give him all the credit neither.

Defensively, Still Still Teamless has the playmakers to create turnovers and their impressive depth allows for a strong DB in Justin Blanchard to go ahead and rush. If they can’t put up 40+ on you, they’ll keep it a low scoring affair in which they’ll prevail with a decent margin as their defense does rank tied for 11^th with the best +/- in the league. I played them and I’m still uncertain who to pick on, if any on this roster.

Although they did keep a few games closer than they probably would’ve liked (27 – 24 vs Junkyard Dogs week 2, the tie to Eskimo Brothers 35 – 35 in week 6, the 40 – 39 victory over The Tide week 10), they were very rarely in a position to lose any of their regular season games and locked themselves as the first seed quite early. It does help when a guy like Justin McLean isn’t afraid to fight for balls (680 receiving yards, 21 Tds, 5 INTs and 6 Pds) and goes all-out all the time.

Their very first playoff game was an absolute trap game in which the 8^th seed Big Tds came out swinging, but simply couldn’t muster enough to tip over the juggernaut that is SST in a 27 – 20 game. It was one of those rare instances where Lonnie Johnson wasn’t playing his best football, but the defense rallied (Justin Blanchard with 2 interceptions and GM Kolethras solidified his status as a fantastic rusher against pocket passers) and got the job done.

The quarterfinals were a bit of a different story as they got a rematch against Junkyard Dogs (see how I mentioned earlier it was one of those games that was too close for their liking?) and blew them out of the water 48 – 26 as their QB decided it was time to bounce back from their previous encounter and posted astonishing numbers (256 yards, 7 Tds) and just like that, the #1 offense was back on track. It did help that the defense got 2 interceptions to seal the deal.

The semis were as close as it possibly could’ve gotten taking it down the wire in a 33 – 32 victory over Backyard Bullies in a game that saw their defense rally once again and the emergence of different playmakers for their offense (Francois Deslauriers snatching 10 receptions, Alex Lamarche and Vincent Dagenais combining for another 7 and Justin Blanchard only getting 1 catch). They were down, it got gritty, but in the end SST proved just how strong they really were with their backs against the walls and how much they wanted to be in the finals this Saturday.

Overall, since the preseason, Still Still Teamless assembled a juggernaut, played the kind of football that will leave marks in most people’s memories and managed to play up to the hype which is quite the feat. With one last game left to seal off the almost perfect season (that one tie though), they can be proud of what they’ve accomplished this far, that’s for sure.

 

Division 4B

• The Alpha T’s

Over the recent years, it’s difficult to think of a team with a better track record than The Alpha T’s. Although they finished 4-6 in their very first season in FPF back in Spring 2015, they took the nation by storm by making the Semi-Finals in Division D (losing to Jagerbomb 29 – 25). The following Spring season, The Alpha T’s were back in Division D with a vengeance and a change at Quarterback (Jesse Dupuis took the reigns) and finished with a strong 8-1-1 record before winning their very first championship together.

Back at it this Winter with a perfect 10-0 record heading into the playoffs, The Alpha T’s were THE team to beat in Division 4B and they knew it. With the #1 ranked offense and the best +/- in the division, they blew most of their competition out of the water. Although some games were closer than most would’ve expected (33 – 32 against Sandlot Saints back in week 3, 36 – 32 against Get Off My D in week 6) they survived to pull off the impressive feat that is the 10-0 season.

With playmakers like Jesse Dupuis (as a QB and DB), Mathieu Houle, Alex David, Bryan Mongeau, Kory Dugas Beaulieu and Jean Lussier, I honestly wouldn’t know who nor how to cover these guys properly.

Starting with a forfeit victory over Game Changers who couldn’t field a full squad due to recent injuries, The Alpha T’s moved directly into the quarter finals where they faced STL Cougars (39 – 26) in a game that felt much closer than the score would indicate for most of the night. Their defense made QB of the Year Erminio Iadeluca struggle throwing 4 interceptions which really turned the tide in their favor.

The semis offered a rematch to Get Off My D who kept their first game quite close but simply couldn’t get it done as The Alpha T’s prevailed (27 – 24) in a game that gave a lot of importance to converts. Both Qbs struggled against top notch defenses, but Bryan Mongeau’s pick-six was a sight for sore eyes to tilt things in their favor.

Now officially 13-0, they’re looking to add their names to the very small lists of teams that managed to pull off the perfect 14-0 season (ironically, Game Changers who they “faced” in the divisional round is one of the few). With a potential rematch to get rid of the sour taste of that Spring 2015 defeat within reach, The Alpha T’s will leave it all on the field on Saturday night to have their names in lights.

The Alpha T’s entered the season as a clear-cut favorite to make it to the finals and they haven’t disappointed although the expectations were ridiculously high. With the amount of depth that this team has, it’s tough to imagine these guys choking this sort of game away.

• Jagerbomb

Over the years, we’ve grown to know Jagerbomb to be a team that really steps up late in the season and are an entire different entity in the playoffs. With quite a few impressive deep runs in franchise history (including a championship victory back in Spring 2015 in Division D and a championship appearance back in Winter 2015 in Division 5).

With very little coverage at the start of the season (started the season 1-2), they really turned heads around in their Week 7 game against Mud Dogs (30 – 12), as they really solidify themselves as true contenders and ran the tables since Week 4 of the regular season.

Finishing 8-2, they locked themselves as the 2^nd seed in Conference A and showed everyone why they’ve been running the tables as of late with strong offensive performances and a defense that bends but never breaks. Their new additions in Francois Hogue and Felix Fontaine-Larouche really allowed Jagerbomb to kick it up a notch and transform from a above the pack kind of team into a top contender in their respective division.

Their very first playoff game this season turned into an absolute barn burner as they took down Mud Dogs (40 – 38) in a game that saw Simon Duchesne bounce back from costy mistakes, a defense that wouldn’t be intimidated and great clock management overall. Their ability to punch in converts really changed the way the game went down and allowed them to stay on top for most of the night before being given the nudge to move on to the next round.

Their quarter finals weren’t quite as rocky as they “offered” Obamacare a shot at a rematch after their dominant victory back in week 8 and this time around was no different (aside from Jagerbomb not taking the foot off the gas late in the 2^nd) to move on to the next round with an impressive victory (46 – 27). Offense continued to impressve as Simon Duchesne found creative ways to score (2 rushing Tds) and their defense didn’t allow much to fly past them.

With only one game separating them from their 3^rd championship appearance in franchise history, Jagerbomb had a shot at redemption against Blue Chips who completely humiliated them the last time around back in week 3. Although it wasn’t their most impressive offensive performances, they played careful (12 rushes for 68 yards) and their defense really stepped up (both Felix Lafontaine-Larouche and Gabriel Moreau-Paquette got an interception).

Overall, although Jagerbomb doesn’t look that dominant on paper (9^th ranked offense, 5^th ranked defense, 6^th in +/-), they aren’t the kind of team you want to be facing in the playoffs when everything is on the line. Gabriel Moreau-Paquette really turned things around this season as he leads his team in tackles and offensively (462 yards, 13 Tds) and allows previous star power JF Daloze and Karl Forgues to do a little less for their team to still shine as bright.

 

Playoff Matchups

Division 4A

Still Still Teamless (1^st) vs Les Maloudes (1^st)

Previous Matchup: N/A

Analysis: This is the kind of matchup we’ve all grown to expect in Division 4A; the best offense against the best defense. 1^st place +/- versus the 2^nd best. I could go on for days, but I do believe I’ve recapped their glorious season previously. Although Sebastien Thibault tends to be an x-factor in any game he plays in, Lonnie Johnson isn’t the type of QB that gets rattled easy by a rusher and he’ll, somehow, manage to make him feel irrelevant for most of the night. Although Les Maloudes’ offense has the most depth of the two roster and a QB that can buy just enough time to break open every play, SST’s Justin tandem (Blanchard and McLean) is something else in this division alongside Francois Deslaurier playing center which is why I give SST the edge offensively.

Defensively though, it’s a whole different story. With studs like Anthony Beauchamp-Frezza, Francis Janelle and Louis-Philippe Paquette roaming the secondary behind a fantastic rusher forcing hurries, I’m not even sure how anyone could be able to score repeatedly. The recent emergence of Christophe Vezina on both sides of the ball, there will be very little room to navigate. Although they’ve made me (and many other Qbs this season) look terrible this season, Still Still Teamless’ great defense is simply not quite what LM offers and for that reason, the defensive edge goes to Les Maloudes.

Overall, I believe it’s going to be the type of game where both offenses shine bright and a single mistake might end up being the dagger; if both Qbs are unstoppable, the very first interception will turn tides and create the sort of margin one cannot come back from. I expect this to be one of the best final, if not THE best FPF has to offer this season and luckily I’ll be sitting in the broadcast booth watching and commenting the action for the entire hour (or more if necessary).

Predicted game’s MVP: Louis-Philippe Paquette

Predicted score: 38 – 33 Les Maloudes

 

Division 4B

The Alpha T’s (1^st) vs Jagerbomb (2^nd)

Previous Matchup: N/A

Analysis: If anyone would’ve told me earlier this season that Jagerbomb would face The Alpha T’s in the final, I would’ve mocked them in unflattery manners. I did foresee The Alpha T’s fighting for the title this upcoming weekend, but not Jagerbomb. I’ve recently jumped on the bandwagon, so I’ll cease with the jabs; I really like this team.

Offensively speaking, The Alpha T’s have something special going on with Jesse Dupuis buying time in the pocket and finding open receivers when even sideline spectators simply couldn’t. With the almost uncoverable Mathieu Houle alongside the crafty Alex David and speedsters in Kory Dugas Beaulieu and Bryan Mongeau, there’s very little doubt they’ll be tough to stop even once on Saturday. Although Jagerbomb has shown great growth since the beginning of the season and Simon Duchesne is on a high recently posting ridiculous numbers and making every single receiver he has look good, I simply cannot go any other way but to give the offensive edge to The Alpha T’s.

Defensively, TAT has shown over and over that their game starts with a very strong defense (yes, this is the reason why Jesse Dupuis doesn’t have that much offensive yardage; he never gets a full field to work with) and every single defender can rip a game open with a nasty interception. Jagerbomb has been making stops, but their game relies more on their offense than their defense although we cannot discredit Karl Forgues, Gabriel Moreau-Paquette and JF Daloze’s impressive season defensively. TAT also wins the defensive edge.

As much as I’d love to see an upset in which The Alpha T’s loses the finals to Jagerbomb, I believe I’ve previously made my case where The Alpha T’s has the sort of team that is very difficult to match up against. With the way Simon Duchesne’s been playing in this season’s playoffs, I do believe it’ll be a close one and Jagerbomb has a real chance at winning this title. It’ll come down to details and converts (which Jagerbomb are amazing at).

Predicted game’s MVP: Mathieu Houle

Predicted score: 34 – 33 The Alpha T’s

 

That sums it for this week’s article. It’s always a pleasure to write and hear back from you guys. After all, the content is meant 99% for you. I keep a percent for me; ranting here and there is fun after all. You can always reach me via twitter @DagenaisFPF or via email ([email protected]). I’ll be at Lachine every Sunday night and Hebert every Wednesday night scorekeeping so you can stop by and chat. Don’t hesitate. Until next time…! Where were you last night Eagle?