Teams Turn Calendar To April With Playoffs On Their Mind
01-04-2015 12:00 AM
In a heavyweight bout which saw a few teams hit the canvas, while others saw their arms get raised in glory, the judges have scored the first round of the FPF playoffs in favor of the: J’s, Sphinx, Jagerbomb, Old Guns, Green Lantern Corps, Keyport Lock, The U and Speed Demons. There will certainly be a lot more must-see plays as we get set to take one step further into the tournament this week.
Last of the Flohicans/ Going for no reason Snowing for four seasons/ Messed up my whole weekend I was home, writing solo, in the zone Peaking slow, sipping, couch surfing Ouch, feeling so sheepish/ That’s so facetious, or is it so fictitious
This week’s agenda is as followed:
Recaps: Who’s in and who’s out? / Previews: On to the next one
RECAPS: WHO’S IN & WHO’S OUT?
J’s trounce Junkyard Dogs, setting up a battle with Les Refs in the divisional round
The J’s excelled in the passing game with quarterback Hai Minh Luong distributing the ball to 4 different receivers. He efficiently picked apart the Junkyard Dogs’ secondary and threw for 173 yards with 5 touchdown passes. The J’s jumped to an early lead as Maurice Dykmans hauled in a deep pass in the corner of the end zone on their opening drive. Both teams exchanged interceptions before the J’s jumped out to a two-score lead. Jordan Rossie tried to fire up his team and was a vocal leader, but it wasn’t enough. The J’s took the fight to the Junkyard Dogs and attacked their best defender Jacob Bernett, which translated into two scores in the first half—both off spectacular grabs from Adrien Dusautois. The J’s added a pick-six right before halftime and it was all over from that point on. The J’s secondary held their own against the Dogs’ quarterback Jason Rossie, who went 14-of-31 with only one touchdown and with 2 interceptions.
Sphinx survive as they knock off TDs and Beer
Myles Keiller from TDs and Beer wasted little time breaking the ice as he opened the scoring for his club. A couple of minutes later, Isiah Allard made a clutch interception on what seemed like a promising drive for the Sphinx, giving the ball back to his offence. It was the perfect start Tds and Beer had hoped for. But the Sphinx fought back with two scores of their own and took a one-point lead at the half. Mathieu Fafard had the chance to add to the lead, but his catch in the end zone was ruled out of bounds and the Sphinx turned the ball over on downs. Olivier Dussault regained the lead for TDs and Beer on a perfectly timed jump ball in the right corner of the end zone. That lead was short-lived as the Sphinx held their opponents to only one score in the second half as the defence stepped up.
Jeff Rosenblatt refuses to let Keyport Lock go home. He tossed 7 TDs as his club upsets GG’WP’
A stunning collapse by GG’WP’ has allowed Keyport Lock to advance in the playoff race. Yes, Keyport Lock outplayed their opponents and it was all smiles for Jeff Rosenblatt and company. The veteran began feeding the football to Cory Pecker, Marco Scanlan and Yoni Lehrer. All three receivers combined for 20 receptions and 4 scores. Pecker, who was part of that that one-two punch, led all receivers in the game which helped alleviate some of the pressure off his quarterback. Rosenblatt was productive under centre going 23-of-37 for 246 yards with 7 TDs. Alexandre Noel had another solid outing for GG’WP’ scoring two majors, but it wasn’t enough on that night.
PREVIEWS: ON TO THE NEXT ONE
The Gryphons-Keyport Lock Preview
Overview: The Gryphons made it clear a long time ago that they are for real. Standing on top of division 5 with a perfect 10-0 record, this club has trampled teams by imposing their will on defences averaging 34.5 points per game this season—good for second best behind GG’WP’. Then you look on the other side of the ball and this team has arguably the best defence—at least statistically speaking yielding a division-low 156 points in 10 games.
Translation, Jeff Rosenblatt needs a perfect game. As hot as Keyport Lock have been over the past few weeks, there’s nothing like playing the Gryphons and their number one defence to bring you back down a notch. Connor O’Brien can definitely ball and may be the next most valuable player on his team after Aleksander Papich. Joseph Kano is also good at what he does and knows how to use his frame to get those contested catches. It’s hard to pick against this Gryphons team… and I won’t to that this week.
Gators – Speed Demons Preview
If you’re tired hearing about Eddy Martinez, I’ve got bad news for you: he’s going to be an even bigger factor against the Speed Demons. Of course, this will only be possible if quarterback Steve Sanner plays at the high level that we have grown accustomed to seeing since the start of the winter season. His pocket movement was stellar and provided his receivers with extra time to separate from defensive backs while only taking three sacks in eight games.
A major challenge will be keeping the Speed Demon’s QB Bryan Nguyen contained in the pocket. It helps that the Gators play a lot of zone coverage. Defenders in man coverage turn their backs to the pocket while zone defenders always have eyes on the quarterback. Nguyen rushed for over 70 yards last week and added a score on the ground as well. If the Speed Demons are to win this one, they have to generate more passing yards. I think they can do it as they are clicking at the right time and the Gators haven’t seen the turf in a competitive setting in what seems as forever. Speed Demons.
Les Verges Folles- Green Lantern Corps Preview
Shawn Lafortune did a good job spreading the ball and finding the open receiver as four different receivers on the team have 20+ receptions on the year. They are Kyle Greenbaum, Samuel Chenier, Thomas Chaussé and Vincent Morissette. An area of concern remains with Lafortune’s ability to throw on the run. We saw this on numerous occasions through the year, as well as in the Game of the Week, as he was unable to successfully roll out and deliver a pass before the defender reached him. Standing back in the pocket just isn’t an option against GLC’s pass rush. Kevin Lubin comes in fast from the rusher position, so if Lafourtune’s first option isn’t there, then he better throw it away to avoid taking sacks. He could be in for a long night if that is the case. Mendy Cardichon will need to take care of the football on offence and avoid costly turnovers. They won’t get away with this weekend. If he plays to his ability on both sides of the ball, they can win. Green Lantern Corps with an effective rush on defence and good play-calling on offence will pull off the upset.
Tomahawk Nightmare-Jagerbomb Preview
Tomahawk Nightmare’s Jean-François Marquis seems to be having an identity crisis on the gridiron. He was known for protecting the ball and making smart throws, but that is no longer the case as the signal caller as tossed at least one interception in his last four outings, including four in his last game alone. If Tomahawk Nightmare can avoid those turnovers, the game will come down to the wire with them having a chance. Jagerbomb have been proving me wrong as of late. I must admit, that they continue to impress me. They play with heart and that goes a long way. It’s never a dull game when Jagerbomb is involved. I have to go with the hot hand in this and no question that Jagerbomb is not the same team that started the winter season. They are for real and should be feared. Jagerbomb.
Golden Flashes-The U Preview
Golden Flashes take a ball-control approach on offence and do not give up big plays on defence. That combination keeps you in a lot of games. When The U have only one safety deep, this could lead to the big plays in the passing game the Golden Flashes thrives on. Conversely, The U have the corners to man-up against Golden Flashes’ receivers which make for a good one. The U will have to rely defensively on rusher Cody Sklar, who has come on strong to end the season. He will certainly make life more difficult for quarterback Yannick Doston in the pocket. Curious to see if he can rattle Doston, or if Doston will use the big stage to showcase that he should be mentioned with the elite quarterbacks this division has to offer. The stage is set, let’s see which team is for real. I feel comfortable with the playoff experience of the Golden Flashes.
Les Refs-J’s Preview
The biggest reason for optimism for the J’s is that their QB is playing at a ridiculously high level right now. That is huge, because the J’s receiving corps figures to be the team’s greatest strength. Maurice Dykmans is a tall receiver with excellent speed for a guy his size. Luckily, Les Refs have a lightning-quick defence. The two players that stood out for them all season long have been Patrice Blouin and Weiland Prosper. They will certainly have their hands full trying to stop this offence that is clearly on a roll. The J’s are playing at a high level right now although I do believe their defence can be a tad better. Les Refs should find the end zone in this one and possibly have the J’s on their heels early on. However, I still like the J’s in this one and they should win.
Cougars-Old Guns Preview
Of the two teams, the Old Guns clearly have more room for improvement. They have been slowing down as of late and barely slipped by their round one matchup against KGP Lite. But a win is a win and that is all that matters in this stage of the season. I can’t help but feel that a few players from the Old Guns underestimated the completion last week. That won’t be the case this week. Rehan Sarwar and Stanley Milfort—both playing with the Monstars in a higher division were eliminated last week. I am certain they want to keep playing and will be determined to stay in the tournament. They, as well as the rest of the Old Guns will be motivated. I am going with the upset. Old Guns.
As always, the action continues next week. Look for all your updates, right here. Don’t forget to listen to the Division 5 podcast on Thursday nights at www.theunclemikeshow.com or catch the replay at https://www.youtube.com/user/flagplus Good luck the rest of the way!