Division 6/6D Quarterfinal Report

Peeze’s Playbook

Quarterfinal

By Paolo Della Rocca

 

Those who have followed my work will know that I hate making predictions.  Sports media is as littered with predictions as it is the C grade students that work in the industry.  It’s lazy and easy to talk about things that may never come to pass.  I don’t respect prediction columns at all.

 

So, I’ve listed my predictions because, well, people do seem to like the form.  However, instead of mindlessly guessing what will happen I did include what I think each team needed to focus on to ensure victory.  So, win-win?  

 

For those interested in actual journalism and recaps (you know covering things that actually happened), please watch last week’s podcast where we covered all of the first round’s games.  Here’s the link:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwIJWNvUlvg 

 

Division 6

1. Dirty Landry vs. (12) MACDO

 

• MACDO are a talented team and they are off the heels of a huge upset win in overtime.  Victor Nolin is poised and makes good decisions in his flood heavy system.  Dirty Landry will need to fool him and rusher Johnny Frechette will need to contain him and ensure that he doesn’t buy time.
• I kept saying you need to contain the brother’s Keiller; they scored all the passing touchdowns against Pension Plan in the first round.
• MACDO’s snapper Julien Proulx suffered a gruesome mouth injury last week.  He may return this week.  Either way, I’m curious with regards to what impact this will have.

Prediction: Dirty Landry 26-Macdo 24

 

2. Warriors vs. (9) BBallers

 

• Warriors played a good game against Vultures, Mitch Fergenbaum was nearly perfect and the defense did just enough. This week they’re facing a different group of athletes entirely. BBallers looked simply overwhelming in the divisional round.
• The question heaidng into the post season was always, who will stop Warrior’s star receiver Benji Zeigler.  The answer last week was no one.  However in a game that sees Charles Verrault and Gab Wiseman on the field BBallers may just be able to stop Zeigler.
• This game will be a race to 40+.  Gianni Casati’s offense is difficult to manage.  His vision, arm strength and intelligence makes for a tough matchup. 

Prediction: BBallers 45-Warriors 38

 

3. Vick in a Box vs. (7) Unknown Talent

 

• This is the third in a slate of great matchups in division 6.  Vick in a Box plays a smart and aggressive defensive style that may prove problematic for new-ish QB Alessandro Barazzoni.  They bait, they jump routes and they always adapt to the offensive scheme laid before them.  Expect Nicholas Sanche and Craig Browning to be names appearing on the defensive stat sheet if VIB are successful.
• Alessandro Barazzoni has a lot of hungry mouths to feed for UT.  He needs to continuously look for the open man and avoid forcing it to keep players happy. Sebastien Gomes, Nicky Farinaccio and Nicolas Gomes-Risso are thoroughly overwhelming. 

Prediction: Dirty Landry 26-Macdo 2

 

(4) Dawg Pound vs. (6) D2: The Mighty Ducks

 

• Matt Domon seems more at ease with this receiving corps than he ever has with any other team he’s played on. Dawg Pound will need to find a way to manage Alexandre Croteau, Martin Jackson, Renaud “Big Ren” St-Laurent was tough for Los Siete Amigos to deal with and Dawg Pound know they have a ton to deal with.
• D2 are a gifted and skilled team with a lot of size.  However, they do lack top end speed.  Shayne Feinberg will need to stretch the defence and attack the intermediate zones where D2 struggles in coverage.  
• Shayne Feinberg needs to chill.  He’s putting too much pressure on himself and it’s leading to mistakes.  The advantage he typically has is size (embodied in Alex Finkelstein).  This won’t be the case in this game.  D2 need to take away Feinberg’s quick reads and force those mistakes.

Prediction: D2 26-Dawg Pound 20

 

Division 6D

 

(1) 7th Rounders vs. (13) Brewers

 

• Brewers were very sloppy last week.  They beat Green Monster 8-6 and Jeffery Lefevbre was continually under pressure.  If he relaxes he should be able to dissect and attack their defence.  7th Rounders have another good rusher in Terry Babalis.  Lefebvre will need to stay calm and play as well as he has for large parts of the season.
• Last week 7th rounder QB Charles Duchesne completed oner 50% of his passes against a struggling Past Our Primetime defence.  Brewers defence isn’t exactly the ’85 Bears but it is an upgrade form what he’s seen. He’ll need to avoid mistakes and recognize that his strength is not throwing the ball downfield.  7th Rounders will need to employ a slow, ball control offence if they expect to be successful.
• Expect snapper Angelo Mourelatos to have a big game.  He is the receiver of the Mediterranean after all.

 Prediction: Brewers 20-7th Rounders 14

 

(2) Hurricane SZN vs. (12) Bud Knights

 

• Unlike when my podcast host mindlessly proclaims a team to have a great defence, I mean it when I say it.  Hurricane SZN are a very, very good defence.  Last week Stefano Spagnuolo, and Bradley and Brandon Parent all intercepted Sean Martin.  Mathieu Kieljan had a 2:1 touchdown to interception ratio during the season and he’ll need to keep the ball away from defenders in order to have a chance.
• Brad Evans is a smart player (while his fashion choices leave a lot to be desired).  He doesn’t have the horses to run with the opposing offence.  He’s going to need to confuse Hurricane SZN prior to the redzone because once they get there Brandon Parent will be unstoppable.
• Shawn Babin went off for three touchdowns for Bud Knights in the first round.  However, I think that BK need to be less predictable against a quick and adaptive defence in the quarterfinal.

 Prediction: Hurricane SZN 32- Bud Knights 26

 

(3) Fourth and Twenty vs (11) Potatoes

 

• Ok so it/s the most obvious analysis but for 420 Blazin’ to win this game it all rests on the shoulders of Jason Draicchio.  His rush will be key in order to rush decisions by Potatoes quarterback Samuel Lamothe.  Lamothe is a developing quarterback with poor footwork (takes one to know one).  Draicchio will need to get him in situations where he’ll have to pivot and this will cause him to throw off his back foot
• Four receivers caught touchdown passes for Potatoes in the divisional round.  Same Lamothe may struggle to use all go his weapons.  Hopefully JJ Cosentini will be at this game because the 1-2 punch of Cosentini and Jeremy Pelltier will need to put the team on their back in order to win this game.

 Prediction: Fourth and Twenty 20-Potatoes 12

 

(7) Trailer Park Boys vs. (9) Llamas Pyjamas

 

• Last time they played it was a tight, low scoring game.  That’s a dangerous game for Llamas Pyjamas.  Trailer Park Boys rarely score more than three touchdowns.  In essence, for Llamas Pyjamas to have a chance, they’ll need to put points up.  Olivier Goddard is out but in his absence, Matthew Rossy looked great last round.  Rossy will need to keep the ball moving in order for Llamas Pyjamas to have a chance.  Rossy should keep a quick pace and ensure that they’ll have enough drives to ensure that they’ll put enough points on the board.
• Trailer Park Boys find ways to win.  Antoine Meunier is still learning how to make things work for him in the pocket.  However, the has the ability to take off at any time.  Alexandre Meunier didn’t score last round but I would be surprised if he’s kept out of the end zone again.
• Phil Ramsey must be licking his chops at the idea of intercepting a back up quarterback.  If he ends a couple of drives prematurely, Llamas Pyjamas will be licking their wounds after a playoff loss!

Predicition: Trailer Park Boys 19- Llamas Pyjamas 6

 

Saturday’s Snarky Sensei 

 

As members of the media get eliminated from playoff contention.  Unfortunately, I was welcomed to the roadshow this past weekend. Sad face emojis all around. As always please feel free to talk to me about your game by reaching me at [email protected] @ Peeze Della Reeze on Facebook. 

 

For further analysis, tune in to the official FPF podcast Calling the Audible, where Moe Khan Simon Dagenais and I work to annoy each other  as we discuss what adjectives actually do, how dumb antivaxers actually are and why axe throwing is sweeping the nation!

 

Tune in to Facebook live on the FPF Facebook page on Thursday nights at 7:00pm, watch it later on www.youtube.com/flagplus or download the podcast on iTunes or Podomatic!

 

Thank you all, falettinme be mice elf agin.