Tier 1: Quarter-Final Preview

Welcome to the Quarter-Finals round of the FlagPlus Football Fall Cup playoffs. Last week things kicked off with a fantastic Divisional Round that featured four games that were a mixture of exciting moments, standout performances, one-sided contests, and full of big plays.

In a battle between two teams who have no love lost between them, Blessed and 450 Ballers squared off Monday night in St. Laurent, in a matchup that was filled with physical play and and a lot of trash talking. The two main people at the center of the extra excitement were Marvin Steinberg and AJ Gomes, as both All-Stars lined up against each other several times throughout the game. Things went from being as cold to the weather outside, to as hot as Barbados in July.

After all the talking and excitement was done, the 450 ballers on the shoulders of three touchdowns by Khalil Kerr, and a six TD effort by dual-threat Quarterback Jeanslee Alexis, emerged with a (42-32) win.

The victory for the 450 Ballers sets up with a game against the top seed in Tier 1 in the Cap Friendly Braves tonight at Concordia’s Stinger Dome at 9PM.

(6) 450 Ballers vs (1) Cap Friendly Braves

Previous Meeting: 450 Ballers (40-18) Week 1

This game feels like a lifetime ago, but in all actuality took place back in September. In the game, 450 Ballers QB Dan Lazzara threw eight touchdown passes, while the team’s defense smothered the Cap Friendly Braves offense as they held them to a season-low 18 points.

For as impressive as the win was, it deserves an asterisk beside it as the Cap Friendly Braves were missing two of their best Receivers in Mike Pierrecin and Phil Pharand. When those two game-breakers are in the lineup, the team is (7-0).

This should be the most exciting match of all tonight, as the playmakers on both teams have championship experience, and can takeover a game in a heartbeat. What sometimes gets lost in this league, is defense, and both squads have ballhawks, with the likes of Jonathan Maheu, AJ Gomes, Jarryd Taylor, Kristopher Verreault, Phil Pharand, Jeanslee Alexis, and James Drysdale.

Talking trash to the Cap Friendly Braves doesn’t work for obvious reasons. They are the best team in Tier 1, and their core has over 10 combined championships. Simply put, this is a legacy team, and they will laugh if you run your mouth at them. I have seen it in person plenty of times covering the top divisions in FPF, opponents respect the Braves, and even confident yappy teams (yes, both terms apply to the 450 Ballers) quiet down when they play the best team in the country.  

Unlike Week 1, Dan Lazzara isn’t playing tonight. Jeanslee Alexis has ben phenomenal filling in for the injured QB but asking him to beat the Cap Friendly Braves is something different.

This game will have some big moments and highlight plays, but I think the top seed gets revenge and the victory, as I can’t see the 450 Ballers getting enough stops on defense to get the win if the Cap Friendly Braves have their full squad.

Prediction: Cap Friendly Braves (40-28)

(8) Run It Once versus (3) Blessed

Previous Meeting: N/A

With their loss to the 450 Ballers, Blessed faces elimination when they take on Run It Once. Surprisingly, both teams did not square off in the regular season.

Run It Once got here by eliminating a short-handed Mangoose squad who was missing starting Quarterback Nic Schaffer, who despite being in attendance, was unable to play due to a concussion suffered in his Co-Ed Division 3 game.

Filling in for his injured QB was Receiver Thomas Coutu. The All-Star Receiver tried his best to keep his team in the game, as he threw touchdown passes to both Vincent and Simon Anctil, but he also tossed three inceptions which ended up resulting in scores for Run It Once, who ended up wining the game (26-12).

I had a chance to talk to Run It Once Quarterback Jeff Rosenblatt before his game, and I asked him what have been the biggest factors in his team’s struggles this season, as their roster doesn’t suggest this should be more than a two-win team, and he said that it was a lack of timing and execution.

Both of those things will need to be fixed in a hurry if they want to have any chance of beating Blessed tonight. Run It Once doesn’t lack playmakers with Anthony Brisebois Quaid Johnson, James Ohayon, and Justin Blackie on their roster, but the team has yet to deliver on all the potential. The one question facing their squad, is can the make a play when they need it the most on either side of the ball, against the likes of Will Power, Ariel Librati, Isiah Allard, James Langshaw, Marvin Steinberg, and Jafar Hassan?

Two teams who need a win to keep their season alive. Blessed has been the better team all year, and they will look to make a statement after losing to the 450 Ballers last week. I think they get it done tonight.

Prediction: Blessed (28-21)

(7) Terror Squad versus (5) KGP

Precious Meeting: Terror Squad (30-0) Week 8

Terror Squad advanced to the Quarter-Finals, after a hard-fought victory over Never Overtime, in a game that turned to be the best of Round 1 games. The key to the win for T.S, was their suffocating second half defense that produced one interception, held their opponents to six points, and came up with a huge redzone stand in the final five plays to seal the victory. David Centomo was the player of the game, as he intercepted Quarterback Ryan Kharouf twice.

For Never Overtime, they played a gritty game, and came within a play of tying the contest and possibly forcing overtime. The team got explosive plays out of their dynamic combo at Receiver in Mack Dessources and Rhami Aboud, as the duo combined for a game-high 188 yards and three touchdowns. It’s an unfortunate end of the season for a group that has been improving on a weekly basis the second half of the year and capped it off with their first victory last week in the Wild Card round against #NR. A faster start to the season, and less turnovers on offense will go a long way to helping them win more games. Let’s see if they come back in the Winter Season.

On paper, Terror Squad won the first meeting against KGP, because of a forfeit due to the latter busting the 520 Point Tier 1 team cap, by 2.8 points. On the field, KGP beat T.S (33-30). They were led by a fantastic performance by QB Phil Cutler, who had five touchdown passes, and two-way player Mathieu Lepage, who caught one of those TD passes, while also recording the game’s only interception.

For KGP to get the official win, The key for them will be to spread the ball around on offense like how they did in the first meeting, as five of the team’s six pass-catchers in that game had a TD.

The other key to victory will be limiting the phenomenal Gabriel-Charles Dabe Champagne, who dominated the Week 8 affair with six catches for 92 yards and a game-high three touchdowns. That will be easier said than done, as the rookie has been a legit game-breaker all season and is coming off his first All-Star nomination.

For Terror Squad, they will need to find a way to win the time of possession battle as they did against Never Overtime and keep the KGP offense on the sidelines with long methodical drives, to make this a low-scoring grind it out contest. T.S comes into the games playing their best football of the year, as they are (3-1-1) over their last five games.

Terror Squad has the size advantage, while KGP has the edge in speed. Both teams have veteran and championship experience. If Phil Cutler is behind Snapper for KGP (Joey Taylor replaced him in their Divisional loss to the Maroons 2.0 more on the in a second) I expect this game to be as close as the first encounter, with KGP getting the victory. If it is Taylor for the second week in a row, I am rolling with Terror Squad.

Prediction: KGP (30-29)

(4) Maroons 2.0 vs (2) Royaume Luminaire

Previous Meeting: Maroons 2.0 (40-30) Week 1

The Maroons 2.0 got the win thanks to a six-touchdown outing from Quarterback Chad Byers, and a quick start that saw the team jump out to a (25-6) halftime lead. Royaume Luminaire fought back in the second half to make the game competitive as they outscored their opponents (24-15), but the damage was already done.

I think I am most excited about this game. Veteran teams, big time players, and two rosters that aren’t top heavy. I expect the scoreboard will be working hard today as both squads have players who can find the endzone.

To get the win, Royaume Luminaire will have to show up from the opening whistle. The Maroons 2.0 are too good of a team to not bring you’re A-game against and still expect to come out with the win.

The number seed will also need to avoid turnovers, as Quarterback Jesse Dupuis was intercepted in the Week 1 meeting, by Kevin Laliberte and Guillaume Paquet. A key to those INTs was the rush provided by the non-stop motor of Rusher Zackary Alberts-Gill, who recorded two sacks, and caused Dupuis to have to rush some of his passes.

Royaume Luminaire will also have to match the physicality of their opponents, as Laliberte, Paquet, Anthony Vendrame, and Matt Bond, who can mix it up with anyone, and will do just about anything to make a play on the ball defensively. We know that Dupuis, Marc-André Lapointe, and Alexis Gaumont can bring some juice, but what about some of the team’s newer and inexperienced players in Jimmy Dupuis and Ethan Adrian? We will find out tonight.

For the Maroons 2.0, besides being the more physical team, they will need to duplicate the same offensive game plan as last time, as Byers shredded the Royaume Luminaire defense with both the deep and short passing game. On the six touchdown passes that I mentioned earlier, he spread them around evenly, making sure that everyone who caught a ball found their way to the endzone. Byers is experienced, savvy, methodical, and knows how to take advantages of mismatches. He can throw players open and look off defenders with ease. He is a hard QB to stop. I don’t think Royaume Luminaire can do it tonight.

Prediction: Maroons 2.0 (38-35)

Picks

Cap Friendly Braves vs 450 Ballers – Cap Friendly Braves

Blessed vs Run It Once – Blessed

Terror Squad vs KGP – KGP (If Phil Cutler plays)

Royaume Luminaire vs Maroons 2.0 – Maroons 2.0 (My pick for Game of the Week and Upset Special)

Last Week: (3-1)

Playoffs: (4-1)

Upset Special: (9-6)

That is it for this week. Good luck to everyone in their games tonight.

If you liked the article, hated it, or simply felt like I left something out, please feel free to contact me at [email protected], or on the FPF Facebook page.