Categories: Division A-B

Carmine’s Coffin Corner – Week 3 Recap

Week 3 is now in the books. Time to take a look at what happened, if we learned anything, and what lies ahead for week 4 in this whacky division. A few random thoughts will also be shared.

I might just copy/paste my frustrations with attempting to decipher the possibilities due to all of the roster movement. Things get even crazier with the inter-division play as we have a handful of players who must choose which team they will play for.

 

Thoughts & random opinions (league wide)

  • Kevin Wyeth continues to prove why he has all of the hardware. He continues his assault on defences this Spring.

  • If you had told me that, after 3 weeks, Simon Dagenais would be putting up better numbers than Alex Holowach, considering their respective rosters, I would have given you a funny look or twelve. My opinion of Simon has risen dramatically this Spring.

  • Simon had a good week as he also defeated The Commission in DC action.

  • Is it just me or does anyone else find it weird to see the same names TWICE in the stat columns? Paul Lapierre is #1 (2 ½ Alkaholiks) and #4 (#NR) on the Receivers list.

  • Speaking of the Receivers stat list, the TOP 4 receivers all play Center. Evidently the QBs are using the men in the middle this season!

  • Jesse Dupuis had 6 TDs on 9 completions for the Alpha-Ts. Seriously? Defence people!!!

  • Chris Olsen (DC) had himself quite the night going 17-21 with 7 TDs for the Pineapple Express. Great night.

  • Jordan Allard tossed 7 TDs on 16 completions. Almost half of his completions found the end zone.

  • Dream Breakers vs. Huffman. 224 yards of TOTAL offence? That is not going to get it done in any division.

  • Les Voyous vs. Les Finissers was the polar opposite with over 500 yards in their game. Fun things to watch.

 

Division A/B Week #3 review

  • Alpha-Ts leash the Dirty Dawgs 51-25

What I wrote: The Alpha-Ts have done well thus far with 3 out of 4 points gained. Definitely playing better than I assumed they would after making the jump. I originally had them at 0-2 so hats off to Jesse Dupuis and the group. Dirty Dawgs opened with a squeaker last week. Both QBs in this game are mobile and cause problems for the opposing rushers. While Ryan Lelinowski looks to buy time, Dupuis looks to gain yards, and that will be the difference. Early in the season but I am becoming a fan of the boys in orange.

What actually happened: As I mentioned in my jumbled thoughts, Jesse Dupuis only needed 9 completions to hit the end zone 6 times. Guess what happens when you try to play man-to-man and you fail? You give up 6 TDs on 9 completions…LOL. Alexis Gaumont and Mike Pierrecin with 3 TDs each…on their 3 receptions. Jesse also finished with a ridiculous 24-yard average per completion. TO toss in a tad of salt on the wound, Jesse Dupuis also had a PICK 6 on Defence. POTG material indeed. For the Dirty Dawgs they actually had a decent roster for this game, so the end result is a tad surprising. Mike Chityat joined brother Dave for this one but that did not provide the spark required. Ryan Lelinowski spread the ball around, 6 different receivers hit the stat sheet, but simply did not hit the end zone often enough.

 

  • 2 ½ Alkaholiks beat Jasmin N Sons 40-33

What I wrote: Such a tough call this week. 2 ½ have really not impressed in either game. Look at their roster and they should be doing better. JNS got fooled by Lightweight and ANP last week. It was the first game for Fred Viens and Anthony Vendrame and they performed well. Fred is still not pushing the ball downfield yet, but I think that he will eventually adapt. JNS for the win in this one.

What actually happened: It would seem that Joey Taylor is beginning to realize what kind of “fun toy” he has in Paul Lapierre. Paul finished the night with 10 receptions for 115 yards, giving him 17 receptions in the last 2 games…both wins for the drinkers. Somewhat surprising that he did not find the end zone on any of those receptions, but Zach Zwirn and Danny D’Amour profited as they combined for 5 TDs. Joey had a very efficient game going 24-29 with 6 TDs. He did toss an INT to Guillaume Malo but that was his only blemish. On the other side, Frederic Viens put up decent yardage, but drives were not completed and that made the final difference.

 

  • Braves knock off YCSWU 32-26

What I wrote: Game of the week if everyone is there. These are the 2 most complete rosters in the division and, those dreaded words, if everyone is there, will be a heck of a match. Chemistry and size go to the Braves, overall speed to YXCWU. Hard to ever pick against the Braves if they have their full squad.

What actually happened: Fun game loaded with big plays from each team’s big players. No bigger player on this night than the 2-way monster for the Braves, Georges Gariepy. 6 Rec, 2 TDs, 5 tackles, an INT and PD. He made his presence felt on this evening. Chipping in with an INT on defence was QB Jonathan Maheu, back from a 1-week absence (loss). He had an efficient night finishing 18-25 but, uncharacteristically for him, adding 2 INTs to go with his 5 TDs. On the flip side, Alex Holowach put up similar numbers to Maheu but came up one score short. I really wish we tracked 4th down stops as they are just as relevant as any INT that gets thrown. Anthony Vendrame and Justin McLean combined for 13 receptions but only found the End Zone once while Quaid Johnson made the most of his opportunities as he scored on both of his receptions.

 

  • #NR gut punch Dad Bod 34-13

What I wrote: I cannot buy a break in picking games. #NR is a completely different beast without Cory Pecker. The talent is there but he brings a swagger to his offence. Arm problems plagued him last week. If you take him away, you lose Paul Lapierre as your center. Massive (not just literally) shift in your offence. For Dad Bod, is the rust gone? AJ Gomes and Vinny Gualano have the speed to take the top off any defence, but Sean Avraam needs to have the confidence to use them. If Cory plays, then #NR wins the game. If not, the nod goes to the Dad Bod.

What actually happened: Cory Pecker showed up to play and, sorry to say, Sean Avraam did not. Cory had a very solid performance, leaning on his two big men, Paul Lapierre & Jeremy Anderson, for 6 receptions each. Travis Moses did his little “water-bug” act finding the end zone twice to lead the squad. For the Dad Bod the only real good thing to say is that they get a second game this week. While it would be easy to lay the blame on Sean Avraam, he does admit to not playing well at this point, the defence finished with 7 PDs. SEVEN. Gents, sometimes you need to bail your QB out and generate some momentum on the defensive side of the ball.

 

  • Outsiders drink BYOB’s beer 48-20

What I wrote: Kevin Wyeth looks like a man on a mission thus far. While his team is not up to his usual standards, he is asserting himself as the top player in the top division and doing it on both sides of the ball. BYOB had a tough loss in their first game and I expect Stephan Osman to have a plan for Serge Pilon. The Outsiders have proven to be a diverse enough squad to overcome that focus and should walk away with the W.

What actually happened: Simply go back and read the first line above. Then read it again. Wyeth finished 16-18 with 7 TDs. He also threw an INT so only 1 ball left his hands and hit the ground. HELLO?? Anyone rushing?? When Kevin has that type of time you are going to lose. Serge Pilon and J-C M-P each with 2 TDs. Wade Jr. Shallcross was the big performer on defence with 3 tackles and 2 INTs. For BYOB, Mathieu Rene put up yardage but, unless you are finding the end zone, it is all for show. There is a lot of individual talent on this roster, they simply need to find a way to come together as a team if they wish to start winning games.

 

  • Lightweight avoid a nightmare against the Dream Killers 34-26

What I wrote: So, who does Simon Dagenais bring out this week? He seems to be in GM mode a la Gino DiFazio. Really doing a superb job thus far. Dream Killers had a tough loss last week, those pesky PATs, and do not have an easy match up this week. Jeff Rosenblatt should be able to move the ball but Jad Aridi will be catching balls for the opposing QB this season and will make the difference in this game. Again, I think this will come down to converts with Lightweight taking the game

What actually happened: Out goes 2-way demon ANP, and back in comes 2-way demon Justin Lerner. Simon Dagenais had a great first 43 minutes to this game. The last 5 minutes of this game simply emphasized the difference between the QBs at the different levels. Still some decent #s as Simon finished 18-25 for 225 yards. Unfortunately, he waited until the end of the game to toss 2 INTs to turn things into drama to finish things off. Raffaele Morelli finding the end zone on all 3 of his receptions to lead the way on offence. Jad Aridi with a very quiet night catching the ball but he chipped in with a big INT on defence. Jeff Rosenblatt is so used to throwing him the ball that perhaps he forgot that he was on the other team? Jeff had a start to forget on this evening. He finished the game under 50% so do not let the big yardage fool you. Most of that yardage went to Justin McLean who went off for 137 yards and 3 TDs. He also chipped in 4 tackles and a sack on defence.

  • Dirty Dogs get walked by Dad Bod 31-19

What I wrote (in my preview article): Speed vs. Speed. Both teams are fast. Like VERY fast. Dad Bods have been there, done that more often than the DD. Dad Bod for the win

What actually happened: Sean Avraam finally showed up. That sound you heard was the relief from the Dad Bod offence. After two frustrating games, the QB played his style of football. He finished 17-19 with 5 TDs. Putting up 196 yards of offence means that they basically made very few mistakes on the evening and controlled the tempo. 5 different receivers made plays, but Jordan Allard led the way with 3 TDs. He also chipped in a big INT on defence. For the Dirty Dawgs it was Dave Chityat leading the way with 106 receiving yards and all 3 of his team’s TDs. Unfortunately, that is not enough to get it done on most nights. This roster has speed, adding Joseph Sifakis made them even faster, but everyone is fast at this level. Talent is not enough.

 

  • Dream Killers vs. BYOB

What I wrote (in my preview article): This should be another close game. If BYOB can get some pressure on Jeff, then they win this game. Mat Rene CANNOT have an off night. Carefully going to go with BYOB.

What actually happened: Exit Jeff Rosenblatt…enter Mario Porreca & Phil Cutler. There is no way to logically pick games when rosters are so fluid!!! Mario actually fits in better with this squad than Jeff does. He had a very good night finishing 17-25 with 5 TDs. Kendal Mayers was the main Red Zone target as 3 of his 4 receptions found pay dirt. Not to be outdone, Mayers added a sack and PD on defence. Super subs, Phil Cutler & Daniel Farag each chipped in with INTS on defence. Mathieu Rene had his best game of this young season, 15-21 with 4 TDs, but threw 2 more INTs. Former tackle team-mate Thierry Gerville came out to help for this one, but it was not enough on this evening. I wrote above about the defence stepping up to provide momentum for a team and that would be relevant here as well. While the team tackled well there were no sacks/INTs/PDs to be found so they were covering space and not making plays. Some great individual talent that needs to learn to play together…which can take time.

 

Carmine’s Players of the Week (Div A/B)

  • Jesse Dupuis (Alpha-T’s) -> 9/14 for 215 yards & 6 TDs / 2 tackles, PICK 6
  • Joey Taylor (2 ½ Alkaholiks) -> 24/29 for 247 yards & 6 TDs / 6 tackles and a PD
  • Paul Lapierre (2 ½ Alkaholiks) -> 10 Rec for 115 yards
  • Georges Gariepy (Braves) -> 6 Rec for 75 yards & 2 TDs / 5 tackles, 1 INT, 1 PD
  • Kevin Wyeth (Outsiders) -> 16/18 for 198 yards & 7 TDs
  • Wade Jr. Shallcross (Outsiders) -> 3 tackles & 2 INTs
  • Justin McLean (Dream Killers) -> 6 rec for 137 yards & 3 TDs
  • Dave Chityat (Dirty Dawgs) -> 7 Rec for 106 yards & 3 TDs

The week ahead

  • Outsiders take on #NR

All things considered, this will probably be the top game this week. For #NR the team rides and falls with Cory Pecker. They are simply a different beast with him there and the offence is built around his strengths. Unfortunately, he missed a game (loss) and only played the first two drives (both TDs) of another game (loss). Will he be there and is he good to go? If he is ready to play, then I like #NR to take this game. The Outsiders have the TOP QB in DA/B right now, but this is still a team game and #NR will not allow Kevin to go 16/18 this week. I still think that he puts up 5-6 TDs but #NR takes it on converts.

 

  • Alpha-T’s host the 2 ½ Alkaholiks

Jesse Dupuis is playing well right now. He is using both his arm and legs to gain yardage and score points (2 Rushing TDs). They boast the top offence in the division and have held their own defensively thus far. 3 receivers in double digits for receptions already shows they have some balance and opposing QBs must account for Alexis Gaumont at all times. For the Drinkers, the name of the game is ball control. 4 receivers already in double digits and Zach Zwirn is 1 away. While the season is still young their defence has struggled in the take away department. This game should come down to an interesting battle between Jesse Dupuis and Brandon Aylward (4 sacks).

 

  • Braves host the Dream Killers

These cross over games do present challenges. The Braves remain the team to beat when they have their full squad. Maheu, Gariepy, Chevalier, Pierrecin, Paiement, Courchesne, et al are simply fun to watch. The Dream Killers looked good this past week with Mario Porreca at the helm. Unfortunately, he is not their QB. I have a bad feeling that this game will cause nightmares for the Dream Killers.

 

  • Lightweight take on the Dirty Dawgs

Can Simon Dagenais continue his Cinderella season or do the Dirty Dawgs finally get into the WIN column? A large part of the answer will depend on whom Simon mysteriously adds to his roster for the week. He has been effective in selecting his “mystery guests” thus far. All kidding aside, Simon Dagenais has been THE surprise of the young season thus far. #SIMONDAGENAIS has made the rounds of many a chat group, and he takes more abuse than any 3 other FPF individuals combined, but he has played some really good football. The Dirty Dawgs are the faster and more talented roster, but I am staying on the Boys in Blue Bandwagon for another week.

 

  • YCSWU vs. Jasmin N Sons

Ah. The Anthony Vendrame Bowl. Which team does he suit up for? Does he just play offence for both teams? Does he play half a game for each? So many silly questions because of this silly division!! IMHO it will make no difference who he plays for as the supporting cast for YCSWU is much stronger than that of JNS. I think that Alex Holowach finally puts together a 48-minute game and YCSWU take this by 3 scores.

 

  • BYOB vs. Dad Bod

So which Sean Avraam shows up? The one who played well last night or the one who really did not on Tuesday. As Avraam goes, so does this team. It was nice to see Alex Moreau get involved in the action on Thursday and Jordan Allard has carried his share of the load thus far. Unfortunately, they are not Vinny Gualano and AJ Gomes. If you want to win at the upper levels then your big boys need to come out and play, which has not happened yet. BYOB need more consistency than Mathieu Rene has given them thus far. He joins Sean Avraam in that search for the spark that their team needs right now. Hopefully the underperforming Dad Bod defence gives him the opportunity to find it because this might be their most winnable game between now and Week 10. That will make for a long season indeed.

Thanks for reading