The Brotherhood and Grip N Rip Make Big Statements; Defending Champs in Big Trouble

Saturday started off so well for me. I had picked the Patriots to cover -5.5 over the Chiefs and they did just that. As a Packer fan, I thought they would put up a good fight this time around against a dominant Arizona team so I picked them to cover +7.5. The Packers were up 13-7 (surprisingly) by the time I started warming up for my Div. 2 game with #NR vs. Wolverines. Just as we extended our lead to 32-25 with under a minute to go in our game, I checked my phone really quickly and saw Green Bay had the ball on the Arizona 41-yard line with 0:05 showing on the clock. Well it’s Hail Mary time I thought to myself. Aaron Rodgers throws up a ridiculous pass off of his back foot that defies all physics and flies 60 yards in the air (watch it again). The rest is history; Jeff Janis, the unlikely hero boxes out All-Pro Patrick Peterson and the Packers magically tie the game 20-20 on the last play of regulation. Things were going really well. Or so I thought. Just as I heard the news that Larry Fitzgerald had ended things, the Wolverines marched down the field and down by seven, had one final play to score. Of course, they got it. So came the 2-pointer. We stop this and we move to 2-0 we got this. Nope. Blown coverage. Wolverines win 33-32. A shitty end to a Saturday only got shittier as my two picks for the day (Seahawks and Steelers) both did not cover the spread. Then came the game vs. The Brotherhood. These guys are good. We did not win. However, I left Catalogna feeling like we had given them the game and without numerous key mistakes, this game could have gone the other way (full recap below). Anyways, they won. We lost. And after having seen them first hand, The Brotherhood climb to #1 this week.

 

Recaps

 

Predators Become Their Own Prey

In what was pegged as the game of the week in D3 this week, two powerhouses went at it. The Predators started with the ball and after two incompletions and a sack, faced 4th and 12 in their own end. Opting to go for it, I hit Jacob Bernett who ran a comeback on Theo Ojeaha. Completion good for 13 and the chains were moved. A few plays later, Quaysie Gordon-Maule forced me left and caused an errant prayer to be thrown up and easily picked off by Jamal Gittens. The game started off as a defensive struggle as The Brotherhood jammed the Predators receivers and there wasn’t much room to do much of anything. The Preds looked overwhelmed and overmatched for the first 10 minutes of this game. After The Brotherhood took a 7-0 lead, the Predators finally woke up and scored two quick touchdowns to take a 12-7 lead with two plays left before half. After getting the ball to about midfield, Ojeaha threw up a prayer to newcomer Zack Fitzgerald who pulled a Jeff Janis and out-jumped both Darnell Lovelace and Maxime Giroux in the back of the end zone, somehow coming down with the ball as The Brotherhood took a 13-12 lead into halftime. After a lengthy drive by The Brotherhood, the Preds held the fort on four plays from inside the 5-yard line giving them the ball back at their own 1-yard line. After a quick completion gave them a few yard of breathing room, Alexandre Noel’s next snap was too low and hit the ground for a safety; 15-12 The Brotherhood. Complete momentum killer for the Preds. However, the D stepped up once again and got the ball back for the offense. Now moving the ball pretty well, the Preds got up the field with a few long completions. After a sack, a few completions got them to 4th and 2 from about the 15-yard line. I got the snap, broke the rusher and saw nothing but daylight in front of me as I had the angle for the pylon. All I had to do was run and we had the lead. But this was just not my weekend. Holding the ball too low, I kneed the ball out of my own hands inexplicably and we turned it over on downs. The Brotherhood took no time to answer as Theo found Gordon-Maule for a long touchdown to make it 21-12. On the ensuing drive, the Preds went no huddle and marched up the field quickly and effortlessly and found the end zone. Convert was good and it was now 21-19 with 5 plays left. We needed a sack for a safety or some kind of turnover. Knowing that, we took some chances and Theo ran it in for a touchdown on the second to last play. 27- 19. Game. Set. Match. The Brotherhood. The Preds will be kicking themselves for this loss as huge uncharacteristic mistakes and a few critical 3rd down drops killed them in this game.

It was a costly loss in more ways than one as Jacob Bernett and I both got banged up pretty good in this game and our status for our game vs. Nuggets this week is up in the air. Congrats to The Brotherhood on the W and taking over the top spot in my power rankings. They face Triple Sixers next week in what is the game of the week in my opinion.

 

Grip N Rip Take the Fun Away From the Boys

I watched the first 10 minutes of this game as Fun Boys took early control and scored the game’s first two touchdowns. Sean Avraam’s offense looked stagnant and not much was working. Fun Boys looked dominant defensively and grinded it out offensively with Mahoney buying time and completing some passes downfield to Fred Saleh and Scott Mironowicz. With Avraam struggling mightily to move the ball, the team turned to Vinny Gualano for the final few drives. It seemed to pay immediate dividends as the offense marched right down the field to score. After Grip N Rip got the ball back down 24-20, Gualano danced around in the backfield and toyed with rusher Gabe D’Amico-Mazza before finally hitting Rich Humes who brought it to the Fun Boys 6-yard line. One play left. I look to my brother beside me and we bet on whether they are scoring or not. Doing exactly what I expected him to do, Gualano breaks contain and runs it in to the end zone giving his team a huge comeback victory. 26-24 final.

Grip N Rip look to remain undefeated as they take on Simon Dagenais’ Snatchers this week as the Fun Boys take on undefeated Dark Moose Returns in what should be a tight defensive battle.

 

Killer Instinct’s Killer Defense Silences Sea Assassins; Offense Wakes Up

Finally! The offense for Killer Instinct showed signs of life. The defense was fantastic once again. It held Lazzara’s high-powered offense to just 20 points and allowed last year’s QB of the year to complete just NINE passes. Great stuff. But the story here is the Killer Instinct offense. How good it must feel for Taylor and the rest of the team to finally put up a strong offensive performance. Taylor tossed six touchdowns to four different receivers as Killer Instinct hit the 40-point plateau. A strong start was key to their success in this game as they went up 28-6 at halftime. On the flip side, just as I was starting to believe that maybe Sea Assassins were possibly ready to take the next step, they go out and get smoked by another contender. Tough loss for the boys in black but it is only week 2. There’s still lots of time to grow.

Killer Instinct will look to build on their offensive momentum as they take on the struggling Les Buddays while Sea Assassins look to right the ship against an angry Metamayhem team.

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FanDuel Fantasy:

 

My Week 2 Lineup Results:

 

QB – Shawn Mcgrath, Jumpmans (vs. Westpark Boys) 16/30, 196 yards, 5 TD, 2 INT

= 30.6 points

Snapper – Anthony Da Silva, Grip N Rip (vs. Fun Boys) 9 rec, 61 yards, 1 TD

= 17.2 points

WR1 – Jean-Daniel Chevalier, Wolfpack (vs. Past Our Prime) 5 rec, 93 yards, 2 TD

= 28.6 points

WR2 – Pat Jerome, Triple Sixers (vs. La Sauce) 1 rec, 40 yards, 1 TD

= 13 points

WR3 – James Ohayon, Jumpmans (vs. Westpark Boys)

= **0 points (Did Not Play)**

 WR4 – Dave Chitayat, Dirty Dawgs (vs. Game Changers) 4 rec, 46 yards, 2 TD

= 19.2 points

 Defense – Triple Sixers (vs. La Sauce) 8 TKL, 1 sack, 5 INT, 12 PD, 6 points against

= 35.66 points

 

TOTAL: 144.26 points

 

 

My Week 3 Lineup:

 

QB – Pascal Murray, Wolfpack (vs. Dirty Dawgs)

Snapper – Anthony Da Silva, Grip N Rip (vs. Snatchers)

WR1 – Jean-Daniel Chevalier, Wolfpack (vs. Dirty Dawgs)

WR2 – Francis Lapointe, Wolpack (vs. Dirty Dawgs)

WR3 – Alex Pilon, 2HD (vs. Mercenaries)

WR4 – Joey Vizzi, Jumpmans (vs. Les Eudistes)

Defense – Killer Instinct (vs. Les Buddays)

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Survivor Pool Week 3 Picks:

 

Everyone lives to see another day as the Triple Sixers and Jumpmans both won easily. The FPF experts are trusting three teams this week as Wolfpack (3 votes), Killer Instinct (2 votes) and Predators (1 vote) all got picked.

 *Not permitted to pick team we play on

*Once you pick a team, you cannot pick them again

 

James Floreani: Killer Instinct

 

Paolo Della Rocca: Wolfpack

 

G.M. Kolethras: Killer Instinct

 

Vince Nardone: Wolfpack

 

Simon Dagenais: Wolfpack

 

Justin Blanchard: Predators

 

David Della Rocca: Eliminated

 

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Week 3 Game Predictions

 

James’ lock of the week: Killer Instinct

 Les Buddays haven’t shown that they can move the ball consistently in the first two games. Simon Vallee has tossed 7 interceptions. That’s a recipe for disaster against a top defense like Killer Instinct.

 

Prediction: Killer Instinct 32, Les Buddays 13

 Lock of the Week Record: 2-0

 

Game of the Week: The Brotherhood vs. Triple Sixers

This is my game of the week in division 3. The Brotherhood have the talent to win it all. If Theo Ojeaha can continue to improve throughout the season and put his guys in a position to make plays for him, they will be a very difficult team to beat. On the other hand, Triple Sixers are off to a great start too but haven’t faced anyone yet. If Karim Chaoul can control the tempo of this game with his short quick passing game, then the Triple Sixers will have a chance to pull the upset.

Key Matchups:

 Karim Chaoul’s quick release vs. Quaisye Gordon-Maule’s straight line speed – Gordon-Maule is one of the fastest rushers I’ve played against. He gets a great jump off the snap and is in your face right away. Longer developing plays won’t be feasible for Karim Chaoul in this game. If Gordon-Maule can get into Chaoul’s head early, it could be a long day for Triple Sixers.

 

Pat Jerome vs. Theo Ojeaha the DB – This matchup between WR1 and CB1 will be fun to watch. I like Ojeaha to get the upper hand here.

 

Theo Ojeaha the QB vs. himself – Theo has the supporting cast around him to bail him out. Just be efficient; don’t think too much.

 

Prediction: The Brotherhood 26, Triple Sixers 21

 

Peeze and I once again tied in our week 2 picks ATS. That brings us both to 15-11 on the season. Check out our week 3 picks below.

Matchups	James’ Picks ATS	Peeze’s Picks ATS	James’ Picks Straight Up	Peeze’s Picks Straight Up
Killer Instinct (-7.5) vs. Les Buddays	Killer Instinct	Les Buddays	Killer Instinct	Killer Instinct
Grip N Rip (-9.5) vs. Snatchers	Grip N Rip	Snatchers	Grip N Rip	Grip N Rip
Metamayhem (-2.5) vs. Sea Assassins	Sea Assassins	Sea Assassins	Sea Assassins	Sea Assassins
Wolfpack (-11.5) vs. Dirty Dawgs	Wolfpack	Wolfpack	Wolfpack	Wolfpack
Mongoose (-1.5) vs. OTF	Mongoose	Mongoose	Mongoose	Mongoose
Ball Busters (-10.5) vs. Past Our Prime	Past Our Prime	Past Our Prime	Ball Busters	Ball Busters
The Brotherhood (-3.5) vs. Triple Sixers	The Brotherhood	Triple Sixers	The Brotherhood	Triple Sixers
Laval’s Finest (-2.5) vs. F.O.E.	F.O.E.	Laval’s Finest	F.O.E.	Laval’s Finest
Jumpmans (-4.5) vs. Les Eudistes	Les Eudistes	Les Eudistes	Jumpmans	Jumpmans
Dark Moose Returns (-5.5) vs. Fun Boys	Fun Boys	N/A	Dark Moose Returns	N/A
Game Changers (-6.5) vs. Westpark Boys	Game Changers	Game Changers	Game Changers	Game Changers
Predators (-11.5) vs. Nuggets	N/A	Nuggets	N/A	Predators
B.D. Bandits (-9.5) vs. La Sauce	B.D. Bandits	B.D. Bandits	B.D. Bandits	B.D. Bandits
Two and a Half Dans (-1.5) vs. Mercenaries	2HD	2HD	2HD	2HD
Previous Week	7-6	7-6	6-6-1	7-5-1
SEASON TOTALS	15-11	15-11	16-9-1	15-10-1

 

Power Rankings:

 

1. The Brotherhood (2-0) – Their defense is flat out great. The receiving corps is the best in the division bar none. They have the ability to win any given jump ball too, which was a huge difference on the Hail Mary vs. Predators. They have now also added Zack Fitzgerald to the already stacked roster. Watch out. (Last Week: 2)

 

2. Dark Moose Returns (2-0) – They took care of business in a close one vs. Les Eudistes but fall down one spot due to The Brotherhood’s big win. Justin Blanchard seems to be fitting in just fine. (Last Week: 1)

 

3. Grip ‘N’ Rip (2-0) – Huge comeback win this week vs. Fun Boys. No disrespect to Sean Avraam but this team is so much better with Gualano at quarterback. His escapability in the pocket makes him one of the most frustrating quarterbacks to play against. (Last Week: 5)

 

4. Wolfpack (2-0) – Another game, another dominant performance. Yes, they haven’t really played any contender yet but don’t fault Wolfpack for beating down weaker teams. We’ll see what they got in a few weeks when they face Fun Boys and The Brotherhood back to back. For now, enjoy your stay in the top 5. (Last Week: 7)

 

5. Triple Sixers (2-0) – When you pick off the other team who is missing their two best players (and quarterback) 5 times and only score 25 points, there is cause for concern. Still, they are 2-0 and that’s all that matters. As a reward, they get to face the top-ranked The Brotherhood this week. Can they make a statement? (Last Week: 7)

 

6. Fun Boys (1-1) – They got off to the best possible start but faded down the stretch in their game vs. Grip N Rip. That can’t happen against good teams.  They did lose to my previous #5. I’m not too worried about this team. (Last Week: 3)

 

7. Predators (1-1) – A series of unfortunate and inexplicable mistakes cost them a chance to win against the top-ranked The Brotherhood. Will injuries to key guys derail this team? (Last Week: 4)

 

8. Laval’s Finest (2-0) – In my preseason article I said watch out for this team if Jordan McLaren was a full time player (which I didn’t think he would be). He’s played both games so far and although his stats don’t show it, his presence on the field has been felt. Rod Mashtoub hasn’t had flashy numbers but he has been very Alex Smith-ish, that is efficient and no interceptions. (Last Week: N/A)

 

9. Killer Instinct (1-1) – A brief stint off the top 10 list. Impressive domination of Sea Assassins. If the offense can be consistent, this team will move up quickly because that defense is flat out dominant. (Last Week: N/A)

 

10. Jumpmans (2-0) – They crushed Westpark Boys this week. Solid win against an inferior team but as I mentioned last week, we’ll see what they’re made of this week against an always tough Les Eudistes squad. Can they stay in the top 10? (Last Week: 10)

 

Just missed the cut….

F.O.E. (2-0) – Impressive win over OTF. Kevin Lubin used his legs to the tune of 71 yards and two touchdowns. They got a big game against Laval’s Finest this week. Win that one and you crack the top 10.

 

Ball Busters (2-0) – They upset Two and a Half Dans pretty convincingly despite Dylan Taylor tossing three interceptions, including one returned for a score. That can’t happen against top teams but for now this team is 2-0 and looking to bust some more balls.

 

Sea Assassins (1-1) – Lazzara’s favourite target Zack Jauniaux has been held to just 5 catches, 57 yards and a touchdown through 2 games. They’ll need more production from him as they face a brutal 3-game stretch that includes Metamayhem, Dark Moose Returns and Predators, the latter being the first rematch since the Winter 2014 D4 Championship.

 

Metamayhem (1-1) – Somewhat disappointing loss to Laval’s Finest this week. Giving up 34 points is uncharacteristic for this team. Joel Malkin had a big debut.

 

Mongoose (1-1) – That was a convincing win on both sides of the ball over the Nuggets. Not only did Alexandre Gaudet have more touchdown passes (5) than incompletions in the game (4), he also returned an interception for a touchdown on defense. Talk about stepping up.

 

 

Things We Learned

 

• Who are the Sea Assassins? The team that put on a show week 1? Or the team that got smoked in week 2?

 

• As I said last week, it’s almost impossible to win without a quarterback in division 3. La Sauce only found the end zone once for the second game in a row. Knowing that your QB won’t be there, I really question their strategy of not finding at least an adequate replacement…These blowouts aren’t fun for anyone involved.

 

• The defending champs are in big trouble. Simon Vallee is struggling big time.

 

• B.D. Bandits QB had perhaps the strangest stat line I’ve ever seen in FPF: 6/13, 129 yards, 5 TD’s and 2 INT’s. That’s a very eventful 13 pass attempts!

 

• Alex Pilon looks to be a full time addition to the 2HD roster. That’s huge in the long run but the normally efficient Joey Taylor did struggle against Ball Busters.

 

• Grip N Rip’s Anthony Da Silva is the safest bet for fantasy snapper. Through two games: 15 rec, 109 yards, 2 TD’s

 

• James Ohayon didn’t play this week. Joey Vizzi was the fantasy receiver from Jumpmans I should have gone with!

 

• I was right. Peeze was wrong. J-D Chevalier had a big game for Wolfpack with 5 rec, 93 yards and 2 TD’s. I love when Peeze is wrong.

 

• Snatchers won’t lose all their games! It’s not a win but they’ll take a tie vs. Mercenaries at this point in the season.

 

• Terrence Adams has Joey Taylor’s number. He was the game MVP when his team took down Taylor’s Dans in the Div. C final in the spring and he had a week-high three sacks against Taylor this time around.

 

• Apparently, defense wasn’t a part of the Dirty Dawgs vs. Game Changers tilt late Wednesday night. Yikes.

 

• Game Changers QB Anton Sakiz had a rushing stat line that went like this: 3 rushes, 2 yards, 1 TD. Don’t even know how that’s possible honestly since there is not rushing in the red zone. There’s only one explanation: Sakiz must be a wizard…or just really good at counting down.

 

• If Westpark Boys don’t win one of their next 2 games, we could very well see a winless team in D3 this year.

 

• Whoever a team has played is so much more important than just looking at stats. My power rankings will always reflect that.

 

Best of luck to all teams for week 3! If you want to reach me for any inquiries or to disagree with me, feel free to hit me up at [email protected] or DM me @JFloMusicMTL on Twitter.