B.D. Bandits Destroy Killer Instinct; Sea Assassins Manhandle Triple Sixers

It’s early Saturday morning and I just went for a nice run on beautiful Miami Beach. It’s funny how every time I’ve been on vacation and when I lived in British Columbia, I had no issues getting up in the morning at the crack of dawn to workout and go for a run. In the winter in Montreal? Forget it. You’d have better odds winning the next Powerball jackpot than to get me out. Only afternoon or night for me. Is it something in the air? What was in the air this past week in FPF division 3 action was the smell of desperation for some teams looking to stamp their tickets to the postseason. Some teams rose to the occasion (Sea Assassins, Mongoose, Les Eudistes, Mercenaries, Predators) while others faltered find themselves out of contention (Snatchers, Westpark Boys) or fighting for their playoff lives (Triple Sixers, Killer Instinct, F.O.E.). The top 5 teams in conference A have clinched while the top 7 in conference B have clinched. Only one week to go and there is still so much to be decided. Good luck to all the teams playing for their playoff lives!

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 PLAYOFF STANDINGS

 

Conf A	Team	GP	PTS	W(P-F)	DIV	PA		Conf B	Team	GP	PTS	W(P-F)	DIV	PA
1	The Brotherhood	9	16	8	[6-0-0]	153		1	Fun Boys	9	14	7	[4-2-0]	259
2	Laval’s Finest	9	16	8	[5-1-0]	229		2	Wolfpack	9	12	6	[4-2-0]	306
3	B.D. Bandits	9	14	7	[4-2-0]	202		3	Ball Busters	9	13	6	[4-2-0]	245
4	Sea Assassins	9	12	6	[4-2-0]	276		4	Two and a half Dans	9	13	6	[3-2-1]	212
5	Predators	9	12	6	[5-1-0]	304		5	Dark Moose Returns	9	12	6	[5-1-0]	225
6	F.O.E	9	10	5	[4-2-0]	221		6	Grip N Rip	9	12	6	[4-2-0]	266
7	Killer Instinct	9	10	5	[3-3-0]	199		7	Les Eudistes	9	11	5	[5-1-0]	223
8	Triple Sixers	9	10	5	[3-3-0]	258		8	JumpMans	9	8	4	[3-3-0]	270
9	Mongoose	9	10	5	[3-3-0]	264		9	Mercenaries	9	7	3	[2-3-1]	260
10	OTF	9	6	3	[1-5-0]	256		10	Game Changers	9	6	3	[1-5-0]	278
11	Les Buddays	9	6	3	[1-5-0]	258		11	Snatchers	9	6	2	[1-3-2]	287
12	MetaMayhem	9	4	2	[2-4-0]	323		12	Westpark Boys	9	4	2	[2-4-0]	325
13	Nuggets	9	2	1	[1-5-0]	322		13	Dirty Dawgs	9	2	1	[1-5-0]	371
14	La Sauce	9	0	0	[0-6-0]	317		14	Past Our Prime	9	4	2	[1-5-0]	344

 

Week 10 Previews for Other Intriguing Games with Playoff Implications:

 

Killer Instinct vs. Grip N Rip

After such a hot start to the season, Killer Instinct has not looked good on their recent losing streak. Nathan Taylor face-planted hard throwing six interceptions in an ugly loss against B.D. Bandits, more than he had thrown all year up to that point.

Grip N Rip have been an enigmatic team all season long. They go out and look amazing against top teams one week, then come back and look terrible against subpar teams the next. It makes no sense but the lack of consistency is a dangerous thing. In the playoffs, you need to be consistent from week to week in your quest for a championship. After their worst outings of the season, how will Nathan Taylor and Vinny Gualano respond?

 

Ball Busters vs. Triple Sixers

Even when this team kept winning and was 6-0-1 at one point, I wasn’t convinced on them being for real. I expected their true colours to come out the last three weeks of the season and two losses in two games later, they’re in danger of dropping from 1st seed last week to as low as 7th seed if they can’t beat a desperate Triple Sixers squad. Can Dylan Taylor step up and play turnover-free ball to avoid a three game losing streak to close out the season?

The Triple Sixers got dominated on both sides of the ball by the Sea Assassins this past week. It’s always the same thing with this team; they are not consistent. One week, they look like they can beat any team, while the next, they look like they can lose to any team in D3. It’s worrisome that in a game that had such important playoff ramification that you quarterback threw as many touchdowns as interceptions against a defense that isn’t exactly a top defense. This is another game they must have with Mongoose breathing down their necks. Can Karim Chaoul elevate his game and carry his team to a playoff berth?

 

F.O.E. vs. Jumpmans

With an uncertain quarterback situation for F.O.E., their dominant defense will be as important as ever in this game. The reason why this team was so successful early on was the defense, and a strong defensive performance will be key to clinch a playoff spot. They gave up 34 points to the Predators and it could have been more had it not been for a tipped ball that landed right into Travis Moses’ hands for an interception. The stats don’t lie. They’re now 0-3 when they give up 30+ points. Can the defense step up and help out whoever is under center, whether it’d be Kevin Lubin or Jordan Moses?

Jumpmans have been one of the most interesting teams this season. They have that x-factor a lot of teams lack. They have the explosive plays and they have a deep talented roster all across the board. They’ve had no trouble causing interceptions this season on defense and have consistently put up points behind wide receiver of the year (yes, he’ll win it) Joey Vizzi’s domination. It seems like they’re a year or two away from being a championship contender but they can play with anybody. Their loss this week was brutal because they fell short even though they won the turnover battle 4-0. I’ve never seen a team that caused four interceptions and didn’t throw any lose an FPF game before but that’s exactly what happened against Wolfpack. With more experience, they’ll learn how to close out those games. With a classic win and you’re in scenario, can they get the job done?

 

Mercenaries vs. B.D. Bandits

I wasn’t too high on the B.D. Bandits this season simply because even though they sported an awesome defense, I wasn’t convinced that their offense could keep their end of the bargain. I also wasn’t convinced on their performance against the top teams. Well, after the ugly loss to The Brotherhood, this team has really stepped up and played extremely well. Can they stay hot and enter the playoffs as a dangerous team full of confidence?

Mercenaries was a team that I thought would be a middle of the pack team prior to the season but the way their season was unfolding, I really didn’t expect them to finally put it together this late in the season and pull off some impressive wins. A win combined with a Jumpmans loss would get them the 8th seed in conference B. Can the Mercs pull off a remarkable season turnaround and cause some damage to the higher seeds in the playoffs?

 

James’ lock of the week: Mongoose

It’s simple for Mongoose. They need a win and some help to get in the big dance. But first, they have to take care of business against the Game Changers and I think they do just that. Game Changers have lost four in a row by an average margin of 14 points per game. The offense has put up three touchdowns or less in five of their nine games so far. That is just unacceptable if you want to be a winning team in division 3. After their debacle against Laval’s Finest, Mongoose has found its way winning three straight and scoring 39 points/game in the process. I think Alexandre Gaudet will do enough to give his team a chance at the playoffs and hope that the teams in front of them falter.

Prediction: Mongoose 32, Game Changers 25

Lock of the Week Record: 8-1

 

Game of the Week: Laval’s Finest vs. Les Eudistes

Week 10 has a lot of great games on the docket but to me, this one stands out the most. It features the hottest team in division 3 in Laval’s Finest facing off against a talented team that has finally woken up and could very well pull off some upsets in the playoffs in Les Eudistes.

 Key Matchups:

Rod Mashtoub vs. Les Eudistes Defense – Mashtoub has been on fire as of late but Les Eudistes’ defense, which features Marc-Andre Paradis and Raphael Casey, is no pushover. If Les Eudistes can get Mashtoub into an early mistake, they’ll have a chance, as Mashtoub is a streaky quarterback. When things go well, they go really well, but if you can make him get off his game early, he tends to struggle for extended periods of time. Can Paradis and Casey jumpstart the defense or will Mashtoub continue to roll?

 

Jordan McLaren vs. Marc-Andre Paradis –McLaren is a beast. The thing about him is that he might not be “open”, but he’s still open. You can always just throw it up to him in good coverage and he’ll find a way to come down with the ball. That’s such an invaluable trait to have as a receiver because it gives your quarterback that much more confidence to let win those 50/50 balls because more often than not, McLaren will win. Paradis is no slouch either. He was dominant last year and he’s been dominant this year as well. Simply put, he makes plays. He’ll need to make some in this game and slow down McLaren if Les Eudistes want to win this game.

 

Theo Bekelis vs. the rest of the defense – By now, we all know that Rod Mashtoub loves his underneath routes. Whether it’d be Jad Aridi in D2 or Bekelis in D3, Mashtoub’s most trusted weapon will get a ton of targets. Both Aridi and Bekelis are guys that are so smart in running their routes. They’re guys that understand zones and seem to just always be open for their quarterback. They’re the Julian Edelmans for Mashtoub and he relies on them heavily. Knowing this, Les Eudistes’ defense has to make the necessary adjustments because if they don’t stop Bekelis, they have no chance.

 

Prediction: Louis-Christophe Lafortune has done a pretty decent job taking over for Hugo Henderson under center and has led his team a nice little winning streak to clinch a playoff spot. However, they haven’t faced a team like Laval’s Finest as of yet and I just don’t see how they can keep up offensively.

Laval’s Finest 34, Les Eudistes 27

 

Week 10 Game Predictions

It’s been a fun year in division 3 and it’s been a pleasure battling it out with my arch-nemesis all season long. With one week left, I have a six-point lead in both the ATS and straight up predictions so I’m in pretty good shape. It’s okay, he’s used to losing he does so much of it on the field!

Matchups	James’ Picks ATS	Peeze’s Picks ATS	James’ Picks Straight Up	Peeze’s Picks Straight Up
Grip N Rip (-0.5) vs. Killer Instinct	Grip N Rip		Grip N Rip
Ball Busters (-2.5) vs. Triple Sixers	Triple Sixers		Ball Busters
Fun Boys (-2.5) vs. Sea Assassins	Sea Assassins		Sea Assassins
OTF (-1.5) vs. Westpark Boys	Westpark Boys		Westpark Boys
F.O.E. (-0.5) vs. Jumpmans	Jumpmans		Jumpmans
Mongoose (-3.5) vs. Game Changers	Mongoose		Mongoose
Snatchers (-2.5) vs. Les Buddays	Les Buddays		Les Buddays
Dark Moose Returns (-5.5) vs. Metamayhem	Dark Moose Returns		Dark Moose Returns
2HD (-7.5) vs. La Sauce	2HD		2HD
Wolfpack (-5.5) vs. Predators	N/A		N/A
The Brotherhood (-8.5) vs. Past Our Prime	The Brotherhood		The Brotherhood
Dirty Dawgs (-1.5) vs. Nuggets	Dirty Dawgs		Dirty Dawgs
Laval’s Finest (-3.5) vs. Les Eudistes	Laval’s Finest		Laval’s Finest
B.D. Bandits (-3.5) vs. Mercenaries	B.D. Bandits		B.D. Bandits
Last Week’s Record	9-4	8-5	10-3	9-4
SEASON TOTALS	68-49	62-55	75-39-3	69-45-3

 

Power Rankings:

 

1. The Brotherhood (8-1) – It was a closer game than most anticipated but that’s due to the fact that they were missing their quarterback and went with the Jamal Gittens/Khalil Kerr tandem under center. The defense was lights out again. One final tune-up before the real season begins and the title chase begins. (Last Week: 1)

 

2. Laval’s Finest (8-1) – What a performance. As I said last week, this team gets better by the week and this week they proved just that by absolutely dismantling OTF 49-12. When both sides of the ball are playing as well as they have been, you’re going to be almost impossible to beat. Laval’s Finest is that team right now. (Last Week: 2)

 

3. Fun Boys (7-2) – They stepped up on both sides of the ball and came away with a convincing win against a team that was in front of them in the standings. Impressive win. (Last Week: 6)

 

4. Dark Moose Returns (6-3) – Fred Morissette and Co. took advantage of the worst defense in division 3 in the Dirty Dawgs and put up 40+ points for the first time this year. It should be a nice confidence boost going forward. (Last Week: 8)

 

5. Grip ‘N’ Rip (6-3) – Way to reward my faith in you guys by stinking it up against the Mercenaries. I’m looking at you especially Vinny Gualano. (Last Week: 3)

 

6. Sea Assassins (6-3) – They put it together on both sides of the ball and were dominant in doing so. In such a critical game in their season, they needed their defense and they stepped up giving up just three touchdowns and forcing three interceptions. If the defense can keep playing that well, they can do a lot of damage in the playoffs. (Last Week: 9)

 

7. B.D. Bandits (7-2) – The defense was absolutely suffocating giving up as many points as they forced interceptions (6). What a performance to make everyone take notice. Is this team finally over the hump? (Last Week: 10)

 

8. Predators (6-3) – After yet another slow start, they stepped up and took over this game outscoring F.O.E. 34-18 until the meaningless last touchdown. They play Wolfpack without their quarterback this week in a game that does not mean much to them in the standings. (Last Week: N/A)

 

9. Wolfpack (6-3) – I ‘m not sure how but they somehow managed to win a game in which their quarterback threw four interceptions while not getting any themselves. (Last Week: N/A)

 

10. Ball Busters (6-2-1) – The second game of their all-important three-game stretch was no better than the first. This time, the Fun Boys had their way with them forcing three more Dylan Taylor interceptions and putting up 46 points on their usually strong defense. Are we finally seeing the Ball Busters’ true colours these past few weeks or will they be able to turn it around? (Last Week: 5)

 

Just missed the cut….

 

Killer Instinct (5-4) – What has happened to this team? They got hammered by the B.D. Bandits 31-6 this past week. Nathan Taylor threw as many interceptions as Killer Instinct had points (6). This current losing streak and this loss especially has raised plenty of red flags. Can Taylor and the offense turn it around in time for playoffs? (Last Week: 4)

 

Two and a Half Dans (6-2-1) They crushed a team they were supposed to crush. The Dans look to go into the playoffs hot.

 

F.O.E. (5-4) – For the second week in a row, Jordan Moses took the majority of the snaps and had a pretty good game. The game wasn’t as close as the score indicates as F.O.E. scored a touchdown + 2-point conversion on the last play of the game to make it 34-32. The defense, which is supposed to be a strong point, did not do much of anything other than intercept a ball that went of a Predators’ receiver’s hands. (Last Week: 7)

 

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Things We Learned

• C’mon Man! of the week: Nathan Taylor throwing a season-high 6 interceptions; he had thrown 5 all year prior to that.

• Vinny Gualano might have just jinxed himself by telling me to vote for him as QB of the year a few days before he had a very forgetful performance

• Props to the Mercenaries for continuing their unexpected run. One more win combined with a Jumpmans loss gets them the last playoff spot.

• Props the B.D. Bandits for an impressive victory over a contender.

• Really disappointing end of season for OTF. It looks like they mailed it in.

• F.O.E. has a quarterback controversy. Who do they turn to? Kevin Lubin or Jordan Moses?

• Metamayhem finally ended their mind-boggling losing streak at 7 games by putting up a 50-burger on the Nuggets. End the season on a high note and come back stronger next year.

• Les Eudistes kept their winning streak alive. Can they keep playing with consistency?

• Sea Assassins, B.D. Bandits, Predators and Les Eudistes, congratulations on clinching a playoff spot.

• Westpark Boys, Snatchers, Game Changers, thanks for playing. They have all been officially eliminated from playoff contention.

 

Best of luck to all teams for week 10! If you want to reach me for any inquiries or to disagree with me, feel free to hit me up at [email protected] or DM me @JFloMusicMTL on Twitter.