The Goal Line Stand (Div D) – Week 2
31-05-2011 12:00 AM
I liked writing last week’s article so much I decided to do it again…
Uniforms notwithstanding, UFF is easily the best 0-2 team in Division D. Cursed by the football gods with a difficult opening two opponents, UFF has shown that they’re able to throw around a leather prolate spheroid with the best of them.
An in depth look at their schedule should have them giggling like schoolgirls. Chatting with people around the league, I’ve heard predictions as strong as them finishing 7-3. Although this might be asking a lot from a first year team, I’m very comfortable predicting them going at least 6-4 and roaring into the playoffs as a top-4 seed from Conference A.
Scoring 32 points against a solid Incredibles defense is no easy task. But that’s exactly what Francois Raymond and his offence did, throwing for 5 TDs and only 1 INT. What’s impressive about Raymond is that he’s able to spread the ball around to his receivers on a regular basis. In two consecutive weeks, he’s hit 6 different receivers (8 different roster players total) per game. A rare accomplishment in Division D, this could be the key to their success. A well-rounded offense could make it hard for opposing defenses to plan and strategize.
I talked to another 0-2 team this past Sunday night at Lachine. Mohamed Azab and Joseph Foti of the Replacements were gracious enough to spend a few minutes with me before their game against Limetime. Azab, a former Monstar, is still settling in to his new position as QB. Leadership qualities were never a problem for Azab, as his Monstars were always very well prepared for playoff games (against me, especially). And that’s why I think his transition to the QB position will become more fluid as the weeks pass.
Do not underestimate Azab and his team’s ability to learn from losses. As captain Joseph Foti explained, they’ve been working hard to correct flaws in their game. Practice may not make perfect right away for this team, but a win versus the Average Joes would make for a pretty perfect weekend for them.
Weekly Recap
Dragons Exist
Here’s a game I’m glad I didn’t try to predict. I had expected to see another high-octane defensive game from the Vikings, but what I saw was Simon Dagenais decide he had had enough. Dagenais lit it up on offence and the Dragons’ defense caught Graeme Carr and his offence in a bit of a funk while winning both halves. The first half was especially crushing for the Vikings, losing it 20-7. I see this trend continuing into next week for the Dragons when they take on the Flying Comics. Unfortunately for the Vikings, I think the same can be said about them; they take on a tough UFF team next week.
Send In The Clowns
The Tyrants showed up in a big way this week, beating the Flying Comics 30-6. All the bounces went their way in the first half, and I would not be exaggerating to suggest that they took their foot off the pedal a little in the second. An impressive defensive outing had Chris Kaliotzakis with 2 INTs (3 had it not been for a penalty) and 2 PDs. These wins are important for the Tyrants, as a tough last 7 weeks could have them fighting for a playoff spot. Things won’t get a whole lot easier for the Flying Comics next week as they take on a hot Dragons team.
Moderate Carnage
Maximum Carnage took on Clockwork this week – a team I’ve ranked first in the power-rankings – and even in the loss, showed the league that they can perform. Down 21-13 in the first half with 2 plays left, leader-by-example Bryan Mongeau picked off a pass deep in Clockwork territory. Had Maximum Carnage been able to score on the following play, the game could have been tied and who knows what the second half could have held. The impressive rushing of Matt Kirouac held the usually explosive Jason Lachapelle to only 4.8 yards per carry (a good average nonetheless, but not to Lachapelle’s standards). Marco Masciotra had another game in which the scorekeeper had to send the data away to NASA to calculate the stats. Look for both these teams to have positive week 3’s.
Interviews
Forget CNN, the hardest hitting interviews are on FPF. Week after week I’m out there asking the tough questions and getting the answers you want to know. Eat your heart out, Larry King.
This week I interviewed Frank Grenier of the Flying Comics, Marco Masciotra of Clockwork, Simon Dagenais of the Dragons, Jeff Moscato of Maximum Carnage, and Brad Demers of Limetime. Check it out!
Make sure to check in weekly for the latest updates.
By The Numbers
Last week’s By The Numbers segment contained a few errors. And like all honorable journalists, I’d like to place the blame squarely on my technical team. They’ve been dealt with accordingly, and I will not be providing positive references for their future employment searches.
Here are the corrections for week 1: Alex Nadeau-Piuze’s QB rating was 139.84, not 39.84. Jason Lachapelle ran for 87 yards, not none.
Check out these stats from week 2:
7: Number of teams scoring a rushing TD in week 2.
1.60: Average number of extra points per TD by The Incredibles, most this week.
0: Number of points allowed this week by Les Affreux, the only team to do so.
2.5: Average number of yards per rush against allowed by the Tyrants, best this week.
6: Number of PDs for the Dragons and the Replacements, most this week.
23.81: Percent of snaps resulting in a sack against for Punch Panda’s Anthony Carbone, most this week.
19.05: Percent of throws Average Joe’s QB Ben Joseph was intercepted on, most this week.
Power-Rankings
Various personal commitments be damned, I got out to Lachine this Sunday night to watch a bunch more games. And I’m glad I did. Some teams surprised me the way only an invasive medical procedure could, while others, if I may quote my latest job performance evaluation, did not live up to standard.
Here are the power-rankings for week 2:
1.Clockwork (2-0) – Being ranked 5th last week was a gross under-assessment of this team.
2.Boozers (2-0) – The score against the Wildkittens was not indicative of their dominance.
3.The Incredibles (2-0) – A close game versus UFF drops them down a spot.
4.Lockdown (2-0) – Their game against The Incredibles next week will be telling.
5.Maximum Carnage (1-1) – Earned a lot of respect hanging in versus Clockwork.
6.Les Affreux (2-0) – Unbeaten but haven’t faced a top-tier team yet. They will this week.
7.UFF (0-2) – Tough schedule thus far. Look for things to turn around immediately.
8.Dragons (1-1) – I saw the same Dragons team who finished strong last season this week.
9.Chili Con Carne FFC (1-1) – In tight versus Les Affreux followed by a strong win this week. 10.Tyrants (1-1) – A convincing win against Flying Comics earns them this spot.
The Vikings find themselves on the outside looking in this week. However, a win against UFF next week would shoot them right back into the upper echelon of the league.
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