Weekday Quarterback (D5) – Week 3

 

Just as the NFL season is winding down some of us start to get restless worried that all the great action will be done for another year. I have some good news for all those who are getting worried, the flag season is just beginning to heat up and we still have another 7 weeks until we reach the playoffs. Division 5 continues to offer some real excitement and it looks as though some teams are finally pulling away from the pack and are letting the rest of FlagPlus Football know that they have arrived on the scene. We have a few other teams that have yet to find the win column after week 3. This week we will get to look at a team that is due to get some credit after their hot start and we will also have the first power rankings of the season for Division 5. Let’s start with a recap of some of the week 3 action.

 

Week 3 Recap

In a game that I saw early Saturday night, the Love Cows led by mobile quarterback Kenton Lowe, absolutely pummeled the struggling Wonderslugs. The Wonderslugs look like they could use some reinforcements early in the season but only time will tell if this team can get themselves in a position to win a few games. On the positive side, the Love Cows won their first game of the season and I see good things for this team in the future. The next three weeks should be a time for them to go on a long win streak in order to solidify a playoff position. I estimate that the Love Cows will be 4-2 by the time they meet the Patriots in a few weeks.

Big congratulations to one of the new teams in the league, Pendant Publishing, for their first victory this season over the Wildkittens in a close game. The final score was 19-14. Hopefully this will propel them to a few more victories down the road. The Wildkittens have yet to win a game this season but have come close each week. They are losing tough games by a touchdown or less so do not take this team for granted, or else they might sneak up on a few people. The Wildkittens are the best of the winless teams in Division 5 and should collect a few wins in the coming weeks.

An interesting fact is that we had our first tie in Div 5 this week with Team USA and The Recruits finishing up their game with 12 points apiece.

The game of the week was not much of a game at all. It looked like Affreux might be able to give The Family a run for their money but The Family continues to prove that they are the best team in Division 5 at this point. This was a complete blowout, the final score being 42-13. All that being said, Affreux have come a long way since last season and are still going to be a tough game for any other team in this division. Maybe next week we will have a more competitive game of the week as we will see two 3-0 teams go at it. The Family will be taking on a team that is looking to prove they can win Div 5 and that is Run’n’Wild. Best of luck to both teams next week and hopefully they can put on a show for us.

There are two teams that need a bit of respect this week, both being 3-0. Sphinx and Park-X Streets have not received much credit for how they have played yet but both have proven they can some win some games and they do it slightly different styles. Sphinx’s offense continues to click and if they can put up 25-30 points a game they will be tough to beat every single week. Sphinx QB, Etienne Cloutier, is an early candidate for offensive player of the year and could win that award easily if he stays on pace. Park-X Streets seem to have that good balance with a very good offense and defense that continues to make plays when they need it. They have won two tough games, which shows a lot about their character. Their third victory was a blowout of the Dawgs last week. Other teams need to be on the lookout because both of these teams are going to be looking to pile up the wins in the coming weeks.

Meet Park-X Streets

This week I got in contact with Park-X Streets who are now off to a 3-0 start this season. This is another new team in the league but they have hit the ground running and look as though they could do some major damage in Division 5. I spoke with quarterback Drew Saitanis, who told me this team has great chemistry stemming from the fact they have known each other since they were 8 years old. They all grew up within a few blocks of each other in Park X, hence the team name, and they spent time playing football together in the park. None of them have any other organized football experience but have a ball hockey team with the same team name. They grew up playing football in the park, but Saitanis told me that “nobody on the team has caught a football in 8 years”. That may be true but you would never know with the performances they have put on through 3 weeks. Drew Saitanis also asked me to send a message to some of the other teams in Division 5. He says that Park X are not worried about any of the teams in his conference and thinks that only Sphinx and The Family have a chance to give them a tough time in the finals. Other members of the team tell me that this team eats and breathes football and are going to put in the work to become a very good team for years to come. Better start getting to work if you are in division 5 because these guys are coming hard!

 

Tip Drill

Offensive Tip: Keep your eyes downfield before the snap of the ball

This tip applies to the Quarterback more than anyone else but it is also helpful for receivers at times. Before the QB takes the snap he should not just be looking at the ball waiting for the snap. Watch where the defense is moving pre snap, because more often than not they will show where they will be during the play before the ball is ever snapped. This cuts back on the amount of time a QB has to spend reading the defense during the play. Try and find that whole in the defense before the play has even started. If you think that the team is not playing zone and players are not moving, try motioning a receiver to the other side and see if someone follows him. If someone does follow him across the formation, they are most likely playing man defense.

Defensive Tip: Stopping the Scrambling Quarterback

If you are playing against a team whos QB likes to run every second play to pick up some yards, you may have to try something unconventional that we do not see all too often in FPF. You may want to try and bring 2 rushers in order to contain him if you are almost sure he is going to run. This will cause some scrambling QB’s to panic and to loft the ball up in the air hoping his receivers will make a play on the ball. This gives your defense a chance for an interception. This is the kind of “High Risk High Reward” kind of play that can either win you a game or lose you a game. Use it wisely.

Power Rankings

1. The Family (3-0)

2. Sphinx (3-0)

3. Park-X Streets (3-0)

4. Run’n’Wild (3-0)

5. Affreux (2-1)

6. Recruits (2-0-1)

7. Team USA (1-1-1)

8. Love Cows (1-2)

9. Patriotes (2-1)

10. Monstars (1-2)

 

The Midway point of the season is coming up quickly and for certain teams it is time to get it in gear if they want to make a move this season. We all know how tough it will be to compile wins towards the end of the season because there will surely be teams fighting hard for playoff spots. Once week 6 hits, people will be in real need for victories so make sure that you leave it all out on the field the next couple of weeks. I wish you all the best of luck and look forward to seeing you this weekend. Remember next week is the deadline for submitting money to my colleague Ross Castelton for the Haiti Fund he has started; hopefully everyone can make a small donation.