The SuperBowl bye-week

Many of us were able to indulge in the pleasure of having a bye week and doing non-FPF related things (like celebrate the Eagles’ first ever SuperBowl), but that little vacation is over and we’re back at it now.

With 6 (or 5 for a handful of you) games left, it’s time to kick it up a notch and start taking every game seriously. No one is out of contention and there’s still plenty of time to make a run at that desired playoff seed.

Let’s get started.

 

Week 5

Not much as happened this “week”. Hall of Fame inductions should start rolling out today and there hasn’t been enough games to really say the rankings have shaken up, so here’s your mid-season breakdown and what I think of your team after a handful of weeks!

Late addition: Congratulations to Alex Pilon for being 2018’s first inductee!

 

Thoughts of the Week

• Crazy to think one can get lazy in D1 and still make plays, but Mike Pierrecin could’ve “easily” turned that PD into an INT if his second hand wasn’t acting like dead weight out there.
• Losing is never fun (I know first hand), but you really don’t need to stick around after a loss to mock players in their following game. It just feels petty.
• I’ve decided not to make a players of the week segment; there was only 2 games and it felt a bit weird, but props to JD Chevalier for balling out in his return (113 yards, 3 TD) AND to Chris Milard for sacking Vinny Gualano 4 times in one night!
• Crazy stat of the week: after the SuperBowl break, Akked Moore has 3 receptions for 18 yards. That’s it. Wait, what?
• This week’s “Game of the week” has got to be the FMS vs Monstars clash. It’ll be great.
• Sunday is Served With Ice’s shot to bounce back from a terrible start and make some noise in D2 by taking down the heavily favorite #NR.
• The CLR Forces hate train is in town and Marco Masciotra + Matt Kirouac will have to back up their talk this week. This would, probably, be the sweetest of victories for CLR.
• Waste Yout vs BYOB has my vote for Game of the week in D2.
• I blame the lack of games this week for this segment’s length.

 

Recaps

• You Can’t Sit With Us vs We P.O: Missing a handful of star players, some could say We P.O didn’t have the roster they were expecting to put up a fight against a very underrated YCSWU squad, but you play with who you have and no one can blame YCSWU for beating up “an easier roster”; they don’t choose who they play nor when. That being said, their offence isn’t quite what impressed me here; their defence prowess against what should be a strong offensive team really shined on Monday night. A pick (for six), 4 sacks and 8 Pds in a single evening is monstrous. I wasn’t there personally to see the whole thing, but my sources tell me YCSWU really made Vinny Gualano’s night a disaster and from the stats sheet, I tend to agree. In what could’ve been (and can still be) a very good season for We P.O, they’ve slowly fell off the contender wagon and are looking a little lost in the fray. Two losses isn’t exactly the end of the world and their schedule is favorable moving forward, but can they remain within the top 4 and get a “few” good matchups in the playoffs or will they be stuck playing top teams from the get-go? Time will tell.
• Braves vs Rainmakers: In what started off as a potential offensive shout out, turned into a very uncharacteristic night for the Rainmakers who’s offence couldn’t get any sort of traction all night against the Braves. Similar to how an offence would look when the defence has their entire playbook in their hands, the Braves jumped pretty much every route and made Ryan Kastner’s life a living nightmare for a little below an hour. With an interception on the opening drive by Georges Gariepy and a pick-six to Simon MacMillan on the following possession, Braves had a solid 14-0 lead before Rainmakers were able to get some points on the board and Braves were getting that ball back to begin the 2^nd half. JD Chevalier looked impossible to cover as he torched the opposing defence for 113 yards and 3 TD; most of it came in the first half. With a significant lead and most of their worries behind them, Braves looked calm in the second half and Rainmakers jumped on the occasion to put some points on the board, but they were denied their 4^th TD as Ryan Kastner might have used a play once too often and saw Georges Gariepy read it perfectly for his 2^nd interception of the night sealing the deal for his team.

 

Mid-season Breakdown

Using last week’s Power Rankings (tweaked a bit after this week’s games), here’s your my thoughts on everyone’s season so far. Remember, I didn’t do this to you, YOU did this to you.

**Midseason grades work regarding my preseason predictions; if you aren’t exceeding expectations, don’t expect an A grade. Top tier teams could have C grades considering they’ve fared exactly how I’ve envisioned they would.

 

Division 1

• Monstars (3-1-0)

Predicted record: 8-2-0

Coming into the season, I felt like the Monstars’ roster had a chance to be real special, but they can only go as far as Rod Mashtoub can take them. 5 weeks into the season, there’s no more doubting this squad; Rod Mashtoub can take them just as far as anyone else could, there’s something about this offence that’s really threatening. They’ll, probably, keep playing “Monstars’ football” where they’ll go toe-to-toe with everyone and whoever gets the ball with those final plays will either score or lose the game; it makes for VERY interesting games. With their most recent upset over Montreal’s Finest, they’re here to stay. I can’t wait to see how they fare in the playoffs.

Midseason grade: A+

• Montreal’s Finest (3-1-0)

Predicted record: 9-1-0

I knew no one would go undefeated this season in Division 1, so seeing Finest with a loss isn’t exactly shocking news. Their recent additions of Chris Milard and the return of a few key offensive pieces such a Guillaume Ward and Adam Bailey really helps elevate this team back to their top contender spot. Unless something real bad happens in the next couple of weeks, they’re still the favorite to go all the way and “The Team To Beat” in the playoffs.

Midseason grade: B

• Flag Moi L’Sac (3-1-0)

Predicted record: 7-3-0

I was really excited to see Mikhail Davidson on the roster last Winter and thought they finally had that 1-2 offensive punch they were missing, but was very disappointed when he only played a handful of games. Seeing him full time this season brings back some of that excitement for FMS’ playoff chances. With a few new faces joining the mix and making a name for themselves already, they should remain a top contender the whole way through. Jonathan Beaulieu-Richard is having a stellar defensive season and we all know what Alex Nadeau-Piuze can do in all 3 facets of this game.

Midseason grade: A

• D-Boys (3-1-0)

Predicted record: 7-3-0

After a pretty eventful offseason and a shaky start to their season (offensively at least), D-Boys seem to be back on track to make a push for the D1 Title this season. Sure, they’ve got a handful of new pieces and still some work to do to make it pristine again, but the potential is very much present. They might not finish the season with the prettiest of records, but that won’t matter when end of March comes knocking and you’ve got to play D-Boys in the first round.

Midseason grade: D

• DK (2-2-0)

Predicted record: 6-4-0

With the potential to be a top team in Division 1, DK hasn’t really delivered so far this season. Sure, they’ve beat the teams we’ve expected them to, but the two interesting matchups earlier this season turned into ugly losses and seeing DK in 5^th place right now “feels right”. They could be doing much better and probably would down the line; there’s no way this kind of lineup can go down easy, but they remain very matchup dependent and a bad seeding could have them test Lady Luck once too many times when the real season begins.

Midseason grade: D

• Got-Skills (2-2-0)

Predicted record: 5-5-0

One thing is for sure, Got-Skills will make the playoffs this season. They were off to a bad start, but considering they haven’t played in quite some time makes up for the little bump in the road. They’ve got plenty of talent and can surprise most times when they get hot, but I don’t feel like they’ve quite hit the mark just yet. Considering they’ve got a couple of wins while still being “cold” is pretty impressive; if they can get hot at the right time this season, we might see a repeat of their successful season of recent past.

Midseason grade: C

• Braves (2-3-0)

Predicted record: 4-6-0

I do not know what’s up with Braves and if I had a theory, I’d be the first to say it, but I really don’t. Seeing how they played this week, they are once again in position to be considered a real contender this year, but they’ve had weeks where they do not look the part whatsoever and it still worries me a bit. If they can manage to maintain their current status moving forward, they’ll be just as dangerous as we’ve grown to expect them to be. JD Chevalier’s return is definitely a step in the right direction as he gives this offence (and defence) the kind of weapon they seemed to have missed in recent weeks.

Midseason grade: D

• MNX2.0 (2-2-0)

Predicted record: 4-6-0

Often overlooked, if there’s one thing that’s for sure is that these guys find ways to win even when the odds are stacked against them. They’ve got a handful of new players who are learning the ropes in D1 this season, but there’s enough talent to go around and remain competitive in most games. Pascal Tshilambo is having a fantastic season and is in contention for 2-way player of the year and keeping his team afloat. If their offence can find ways to slow the pace a bit, they’ll force a few key turnovers and render those more impactful on the long run.

Midseason grade: B+

• Top Guns (1-3-0)

Predicted record: 2-8-0

One thing’s for sure, this team’s lack of recent success isn’t Paul Lapierre’s fault. As a QB, he’s been one of the best in recent seasons and he’s working wonders with the group of guys he has every week. The sporadic roster obviously doesn’t help in building chemistry with what used to be a very unorthodox offence and their defence suffers when there’s mismatches to be picked on. Knowing what these guys can do, they will surprise a team or two by the season’s end and it would be ill-advised to consider playing them “an easy win” this season.

Midseason grade: C

• Rainmakers (0-5-0)

Predicted record: 2-8-0

I still firmly believe Rainmakers will NOT go winless and will upset a team by the end of the season. They’ve got a pretty brutal back-end schedule, but we’ve seen Rainmakers beat Finest last Spring in a very unlikely scenario so I don’t see why they couldn’t repeat the feat this Winter. Their current roster inconsistency is truly problematic and they’ve been struggling to field a competitive team week-in and week-out, but with Ryan Kastner at the helm, we all know their offence WILL put up points and keep the game close. One or two plays going their way defensively can change that L into a W.

Midseason grade: D

 

Division 2

• Clockwork (4-0-0)

Predicted record: 9-1-0

For all the criticism Marco Masciotra has received since the Winter season began, none of it seems to affect his abilities in D2 as Clockwork continues to soar and, well, are the #1 team after 4 weeks. All the core pieces remain and there’s no reason to doubt these guys can’t go all the way once again. Although I don’t think anyone will go undefeated in D2 this season, they get my vote for the team that’s most likely to do so.

Midseason grade: B

• #NR (4-0-0)

Predicted record: 8-2-0

After last Winter’s success, it’s tough to qualify this as a surprise, but what #NR has been able to do these past 4 weeks is nothing sort of impressive. The acquisition of Serge Pilon Jr really elevates their defence to one of the division’s best and as long as Cory Pecker is doing his thing, there’s no reason to doubt this team’s success this season. With a brutal back-end of schedule, they will definitely be battle-tested once playoffs come in end of March. I’m curious to see whether or not they’ll remain the #1 defence in D2 when their season ends considering who they’re about to play.

Midseason grade: A

• BYOB (4-0-0)

Predicted record: 8-2-0

The real surprise this Winter has got to be BYOB. After an eventful Winter season (to say the least), Mathieu Rene is back with a team that really suits his style and is tearing it up after 4 weeks. Their offensive prowess has many people in awe and their defence can make plays each and every week. They’ve faced sturdy competition and held up; the rest of their schedule won’t get any easier, but the next two weeks (Waste Yout, #NR) should really define their season.

Midseason grade: A+

• You Can’t Sit With Us (3-2-0)

Predicted record: 7-3-0

After a very up-and-down start of the season, the least we can say is that You Can’t Sit With Us has been very competitive throughout this Winter season. With their most recent upset over We P.O, they are back on my radar as one of the division’s top team and should remain unless they suffer another major hiccup along the way. Liam Mahoney is having a stellar season on both sides of the ball and Chris Milard is on pace to have his best rushing season (career-high 19 sacks). With everyone contributing very well, it’s tough to define a better D2 core than these guys.

Midseason grade: C

• Waste Yout (2-2-0)

Predicted record: 6-4-0

As hot as they can look one week, they fail to produce the next in questionable fashion. With one of the , if not the best QB in the division, Waste Yout should be rolling through the division on their way to an appearance in April, but they’ve hit a handful of bumps in the road and are sitting at .500. Jarryd Taylor is convinced they’ll go undefeated and finish 8-2; I am not. They’ve got a brutal schedule coming up and a lot of these games can go either way. I guess this is where they prove me wrong, again.

Midseason grade: D

• We P.O (3-2-0)

Predicted record: 7-3-0

With a couple of bad losses, We P.O doesn’t quite look like the juggernaut we’ve made them to be up ‘till now. Their defence continues to be their strongest asset, but their offence isn’t exactly as dominant as it should be. With a handful of “easy” games coming up, they should easily bounce back and make these words look foolish in a few weeks. They’ve got the roster to be a true contender in D2, yet failed to execute in prime situations. None of this will matter if they get hot in March though.

Midseason grade: D

• STL (2-2-0)

Predicted record: 6-4-0

Although their record isn’t a good indicator of how strong they really are this season, it still is what it is. They’ve got one of the most brutal schedule in the division and might finish with a record that is below their own standards, but that can only leave room for people to underestimate them going into the playoffs; something that will play in the favour. Justene Edwards is having a stellar season so far leading the team in receiving yards and should provide very interesting depth on both sides of the ball moving forward this season.

Midseason grade: C

• Terror Squad (1-1-2)

Predicted record: 4-4-2

With their only real loss coming by a single point to Clockwork in Week 1, Terror Squad is in pretty good shape after 4 weeks. Although they haven’t displayed the kind of dominance we would’ve liked to see from such a veteran group, make no mistake in thinking Terror Squad isn’t a contender this season. Nicolas Arsenault-Hum and Patrick Chenard gives this team the depth they needed to really make a deep push in Division 2 and there’s no reason to think they won’t be playing in late March to book their ticket for the road show in April.

Midseason grade: B

• S Club Legion (2-2-0)

Predicted record: 5-5-0

One of the most decorated team (tackle football-wise anyways) in Division 2 this season, S Club Legion has a lot of pressure to deliver considering who’s on this team. They’ve got the talent and the know-how, but they’ve failed to execute at times this season. With a big win over Waste Yout last week, I was pretty high on their abilities before they came crashing down against Terror Squad. If they can end this roller-coaster season and become the real offensive powerhouse they can be, they’ll be a dangerous team to face in March.

Midseason grade: D

• Served With Ice (1-3-0)

Predicted record: 3-7-0

Last week’s performance was their saving grace after a dreadful start of the season where their offence couldn’t get much going on and the team stalled on key downs. If Jordan Panetta can keep this groove going (the one he’s been having since week 3), Served With Ice could be poised to bounce back and become a dangerous D2 team once the post-season comes rolling in. They’ve got the right players and they’ve been here before, all that’s left to do is execute something they’ve done before.

Midseason grade: D

• Wolverines (1-3-0)

Predicted record: 3-7-0

Back with a different QB at the helm, Wolverines are better than most people give them credit for. They’ve got a talented QB that has all the right pieces around him to tweak his playbook accordingly and a favorable schedule for him to learn and develop before the playoffs come rolling in at 100MPH. If they can make the most of their opportunity to win a handful of games early, they should be locked in playoff contention by the time March comes around and all they’ll need to do is practice for a few weeks before the real showdown begins.

Midseason grade: C

• Gladiateurs (0-3-1)

Predicted record: 2-7-1

Francois Lebeau is a talented D2 QB and is leading the division in passing yards, but sadly passing yards don’t always get you wins and that seems to be the problem with Gladiateurs recently; their offence is good, but their defence can’t keep them in competitive games. They’ve allowed the most points in the division so far this season, yet have the 6^th best offence. If they can start to get a few turnovers on defence, they’ll quickly change those L’s into W’s.

Midseason grade: C

• Braves 2.0 (0-3-1)

Predicted record: 3-6-1

Looking at this roster, I do not understand what’s wrong with Braves 2.0. I’ve even witnessed some of their games and I’m not quite sure what exactly is wrong with them, but they can’t seem to get it together and turn these games into wins. With way too mnany guys missing every week, Braves are suffering from playing with not enough guys every week and not having their best players when they really need them. With a nicer back-end schedule, they’ve got enough time to turn things around and get a few wins to make the playoffs; once they’re in, who knows what could happen.

Midseason grade: E

• CLR Forces (0-4-0)

Predicted record: 2-8-0

As much as it pains me to say, CLR Forces hasn’t quite been the same powerhouse they once were in recent years. Last year’s “bad luck” seems to continue to unravel as they can’t seem to catch a break and lose games on the last play or on a dropped ball. They’ve got plenty of talent to go around and played some of the best teams in the division so far, so there’s hope for CLR to bounce back and make a run at a playoff seed, but it’s tough to maintain morale when it feels like you’re up against Lady Luck. With a handful of very winnable games coming up, it’s time for CLR Forces to turn their franchise around and return to former glory.

Midseason grade: D

 

Predictions

• Braves vs MNX2.0: Braves
• Top Guns vs D-Boys: D-Boys
• DK vs Got-Skills: DK
• Flag Moi L’Sac vs Monstars: Monstars
• Montreal’s Finest vs Rainmakers: Montreal’s Finest

 

• Terror Squad vs We P.O: We P.O
• Gladiateurs vs Wolverines: Gladiateurs
• Braves 2.0 vs S Club Legion: Braves 2.0
• Served With Ice vs #NR: #NR
• CLR Forces vs Clockwork: Clockwork
• You Can’t Sit With Us vs STL: You Can’t Sit With Us
• Waste Yout vs BYOB: Waste Yout

 

That’s it for me this week. Hopefully this will trigger you just enough to drop me a message either via email ([email protected]), twitter (@DagenaisFPF) or in person. Remember, I didn’t do this to you, YOU did this to you. Until next time…! Find your own french puns, Eags.