Weekday Quarterback (D3) – Week 6

If anyone is looking for some entertainment, I have the solution. Watch the video that the Dirty Birds posted of their game with SWAT this past weekend in the FlagPlus Facebook group. While the game was fantastic, it is the way the video is put together that I think you will really enjoy. If you have time after that then I guess you can read this article but don’t expect it to be nearly as engaging. Now that I have that settled, let’s get to this week’s headlines.

Headlines

Dirty Birds guarantee victory over SWAT and back up the talk

Most people would have to be crazy to guarantee a victory over one of the most daunting rosters in division 3, yet the Dirty Birds had enough faith in their game plan to make that guarantee. My colleague Alex Porras made a great point on this week’s WEPL when he said that there are very few teams that can stop the Dirty Birds’ offense when Jon Young is at his best. I think it is fair enough to say that he was at his best this past weekend, passing for 6 touchdowns and going 21 for 25. That was the kind of performance needed when you are playing one of the best teams on the schedule. David Hurley may have played his biggest game of the season with two receiving touchdowns and 83 yards. All that being said, SWAT clearly did not have their best game of the season and even with things not going their way, they managed to be within a score at the final whistle. Nathan Thompson struggled with two interceptions and seemed to miss Shawn Haney, who was playing for the Gators in division 4. Do not expect this loss to slow down SWAT very much, they will most likely bounce back and win their conference. The Dirty Birds deserve a lot of credit for their performance and have clearly established themselves as the leaders in Conference A but they will need to avoid falling into a lull after such an emotional victory.

Rude Bwoys get a rude awakening versus the D-Boys

I have mentioned recently that I felt the Rude Bwoys had not faced a real challenge and that this past weekend was going to be challenge for them. It was more than just a challenge as they got more than they could handle. Daniele Gentile passed for 7 touchdowns and 278 yards against a team that had not lost yet. That says something about a team that was being discussed as a possible conference winner just a few weeks ago. With a few more tough games coming up, I would not be surprised to see the Rude Bwoys fall to the middle of the pack in the playoff race. The D-Boys got an excellent offensive performance from receiver Matt Kirouac, who caught 5 passes for 55 yards three of which were for touchdowns. What is even scarier for the Rude Bwoys is that quarterback Matt Clow went 9 for 29 and threw two interceptions. He will need to bounce back in a big way in order to appease his critics.

Big TD’s win an upset over the Trojans

Big TD’s got their biggest win of the season and they are now starting to get thought of as a bigger playoff threat thanks to a victory over a veteran Trojans team. I know I am not the only one who is baffled by the Trojans recent struggles, but it is starting to become very concerning for a team that we thought could challenge SWAT at the start of the season. The Trojans have lost three in a row and it seemed as though two of those games were very winnable for them. It is hard to pinpoint where the problems are right now. Sean Avraam played a strong game in this week’s loss as he threw for four touchdowns but only of those came in the second half. The Trojans look like they need to get a break and a break could be coming their way thanks to a game scheduled against a team that has really struggled this season in the Rangers. While the Trojans cannot afford to overlook anyone at this point, they will likely get a victory the winless Rangers when they need one most. Like I mentioned previously, Big TD’s has found its way into the playoff picture and if Tom Cesari can continue to provide efficient performances at quarterback, they will win a few more games down the stretch. Big TD’s also has an advantage over some teams thanks to their explosive playmaker, Jamil Springer.

VPC falls for the second consecutive week to the surging Darkhorses

The final score in this game was 33-32 and if I were to tell you that the two quarterbacks in this game were Robbie Robinson and Leon Holder, who would you want behind center for your team? I think the majority of people would choose Robbie Robinson in any game, but especially in a game that is so tightly contested. The reality is that so far this season, both of these quarterbacks have passed for the same number of touchdowns and have thrown the same number of interceptions. Perhaps we are seeing the rise of a new star in Holder, who threw 5 touchdowns in this game without throwing an interception. Robinson threw 4 touchdowns, but threw 2 interceptions and in a game this close, every turnover counts. Aside from the strong play by Holder, the Darkhorses are getting serious production from three players. Wesley Joseph, Kenton Lowe and Jason Edwards are the big difference makers in my opinion. While Lowe did not have his greatest game this past weekend, Wesley Joseph and Jason Edwards both made game changing plays that helped this team sneak out a close victory. Joseph had 3 touchdowns and Jason Edwards came up with a clutch interception to help seal this victory.

Power Rankings

1. Dirty Birds – one loss so far this season and they just knocked off the best team in the league. They earned their spot at the top this week.

2. SWAT – I still have lots of faith in a team that has plenty of superstar players. Nathan Thompson looked a bit rattled in this one but is still one of top 3 QB’s in division 3. They will bounce back from a tough loss

3. D-Boys – Beat the undefeated Rude Bwoys and are getting an MVP season out of QB Danny Gentile. The Lanni’s provide a great group of role players and this group will make a run in the coming weeks.

4. Briscoe High Hawks – Continue to get good performances from Scott Kelly and Gordie Stanway. When Anthony Thompson is in the line-up they are a different team on defense but can always win a game thanks to their offense.

5. DK- Locked in a tie for the division lead with Briscoe. They beat another good team in Terror Squad last weekend. They will be a tough out for anyone down the stretch.

6. Served with Ice – This may even be a little too low in the rankings for them. Led by Vince Nardone this team is a serious contender to win it all.

7. Flight of the Conchords – They have shown some signs of slowing down over the past few weeks but it is another team that tends to win close games no matter who the opponent is.

8. Rude Bwoys – Even though they struggled this past weekend they are still a one loss team that can win a majority of their games. Could it have been a hiccup for them? Possibly. We will find out soon enough.

9. Maniax – Still not sure who is in the line-up on weekly basis, but we know that they will be competitive no matter who is on the field. The fact that they have faced so much roster inconsistency and are still 4-1-1 shows how talented they are.

10. Darkhorses – A big win over VPC gets them in the top 10 this week. They will need to continue to push hard with teams such as the Warriors and Monarchs looking to make a charge.