Weekday Quarterback (D3) – Week 11

 

If you read this article on a weekly basis, you probably noticed that I was off on a couple of my picks from last week. While that may be true, I think there were more than a few people surprised by the outcome of the first round of playoffs in division three. We saw a couple of the favourites go down quickly including the top ranked Briscoe High Hawks and Served with Ice. They were also joined by the Dirty Birds and the defending champion D-Boys. A week ago, anyone who would have told me they expected to see those four teams out in the first round could have been institutionalized for insinuating such non sense. The playoffs call for absolute mayhem and that is what we saw last weekend at Catalogna. While some underdogs took a huge step last week, they will need an even better effort in week two as teams will up the ante. The past is done and it is time to look at the upcoming weekend’s matchups, which should be extremely exciting.

Round 2 Matchups

SWAT versus Trojans

SWAT made a statement last weekend as they dominated the Maniax, who looked like they could be one of the teams to upset a higher seed. SWAT’s defense allowed only 6 points and showed that not only can they win games on the arm of their star QB Nathan Thompson, but they can get it done in a defensive battle as well. If there is a team that looks like it has found itself over the past few weeks, it is SWAT.

The Trojans got to the second round after a shocking victory over the number 1 seeded Served with Ice. The Trojans also won thanks to a great defensive effort against a team that had very few slip ups this season. While the Trojans only caused one turnover, they made big plays when they needed them and showed are ready for a strong playoff push. Sean Avraam was at his best last weekend as he passed for 171 yards and 5 touchdowns without turning the ball over.

These two teams played each two weeks ago and SWAT spanked the Trojans 39-12. Will SWAT be able to use that to their advantage or are we looking at completely different Trojans team after a huge playoff win? I do not expect it to be a blowout like it was last time, especially since Avraam will be back under center, but I have a tough time seeing SWAT slip up right now especially after seeing how well they played last week against a usually physically dominant Maniax team. SWAT will need a better performance out of Nathan Thompson, but I do not see that being an issue as he rarely has two games in a row where he does not have a strong effort and they’ve managed to win. Sean Avraam and Adam Campini will need to bring a strong veteran presence to this game on both sides of the ball, keep their composure, and set the tone early if the Trojans are to get another upset victory.

Pick: SWAT 28 – Trojans 22

DK versus Rude Bwoys

DK got a win over a team that could not match up with some of its more physical players. Jamal Pierre had a field day against Broccasion’s defense, that just had no answer for a human being of his size and strength. Rochdi Benabdelkader had another strong outing with 5 touchdown passes and no turnovers. Steve Tassy went without a touchdown, but still caught 5 passes for 137 yards. If DK is not taken out of their offensive rhythm, Rude Bwoys will have a very hard time finding a way to win this game.

The Rude Bwoys pulled off one of the big upset victories this weekend, defeating a very good Dirty Birds team that preyed on them in the season’s first meeting between the two. Matt Clow made a huge statement after receiving some criticism from those of us who work on the WEPL, and I was one of his harshest critics. When you criticize someone for their mistakes you have to praise them for their successes and I give Matt Clow all the credit in the world for what he did last week. He stepped up and played what was probably his best game of the season and good on him for that.

The Rude Bwoys won the first matchup between these two, but DK has changed a great deal since then. While Matt Clow did his team a favour last week by playing so well, his defence will need to help him out this weekend against a team that’s offense cannot seemingly be stopped. Can Treldon James be part of the answer for the problem that is Jamal Pierre? That will be a huge question for the Rude Bwoys and if James can cover Pierre, who will hold Steve Tassy in check. This is going to be a real tough matchup and if the Rude Bwoys do not get a few stops early, it could get ugly. Expect to see a fired up Rude Bwoys team that keeps the game close in the first half but I think Rochdi’s experience will be the difference down the stretch.

Pick: DK 32 – Rude Bwoys 23

GPK versus Cobras

GPK found themselves in a shoot-out last week against a feisty Terror Squad team, but in the end it was GPK’s defense that made the difference. They were able to hold Terror Squad to 33 points, which is still a lot, but they scored 50 of their own. Mike Stagg was at his best last weekend and will need to do the same this weekend. Having Erik Legarde play as well as he did last week will go a long way in securing another victory. Legarde had 143 yards receiving last week and really broke out. Can GPK’s defense get a better performance than they did last week? That is the real question.

The Cobras found a way to beat the heavily favoured D-Boys. While Alex Lever did not have his best game, the Cobras managed to get the job done which is a very positive sign. If they can beat a very good team with a sub-par performance from Lever it means they can likely do a lot of damage if he plays a stronger game. Charles Baillargeron scored three touchdowns on offense and chipped in with two sacks on defense. He will be a key piece to the puzzle again this week.

These two teams did not face each other in the regular season and I think that creates even more hype for this game. I think these are two sides that fly under the radar and after this week one of them will be playing for a shot at the championship. I think it comes down to defense for this game. Both QB’s will likely put up a great deal of points, but it is necessary for someone to step up on defense. Moe Khan described best in this week’s episode of the WEPL, whoever gets to 45 points first, probably wins this game.

Pick: Cobras 40 – GPK 36

Warriors versus Darkhorses

The Warriors nearly had a huge slip up last weekend as they came very closing to losing to the Snookers, who led at halftime. That being said, Norman Weeks was his normal excellent self, especially in the second half. Dean Demetriou was stellar last week as he caught 6 passes for 115 yards and 4 touchdowns. The Darkhorses will need to find an answer for him as well as Nicky McGuire who was not at his best last week yet still scored 2 touchdowns. Damien Imhoff made the crucial, “nail in the coffin” interception for the Warriors, who will need another strong performance on defense this weekend against a physical Darkhorses offense.

The Darkhorses knocked off the top team in division three last weekend, thanks in large part to their ability to keep up with the best offense in the league. Leon Holder went pass for pass with Scott Kelly and managed to come out on top thanks to a single conversion. The Darkhorses have to hope that he can do the same because their defense did not look good for most of the game last weekend. They are playing another top flight QB in Norman Weekes, who has won a championship in the past. Sean Kennedy has played excellent football for the Darkhorses and they will need another good outing from him and Kenton Lowe, who can be extremely challenging to cover thanks to his combination of size, strength and speed.

These two teams did not face each other during the season and that is likely irrelevant as both sides have come a long way since early in the year. While I am extremely impressed by how the Darkhorses played last weekend, I think their defense will be a problem for them. Last week they did not play against a strong defense and this week they go up against one of the best in that regard. Add in the fact that the Warriors are led by Norman Weekes, and it becomes a very tough matchup. Leon Holder will need to prove once again that he can compete with the best if the Darkhorses are to have any chance.

Pick: Warriors 32 – Darkhorses 25

 

It was a fantastic round one and we can expect some more great matchups this weekend and, who knows, maybe a few more upsets. We can only hope that division three provides as much excitement and buzz as it did last weekend. Good luck to all the teams involved and make sure to watch the WEPL with Moe Khan, Alex Porras and I which comes out later this week.