Flo’s Midseason Report: Team Report Cards
13-02-2016 12:00 AM
Flo’s Midseason Report
Remember the good old high school days where you would be anxious to see your report card? Maybe your parents promised you a puppy or something if you had a good report card. Maybe they promised to ground you and make your life miserable if you didn’t have such a good report card. Whatever the case may be, receiving your report card was always an exciting, anxious time for all. In honour of the Super Bowl bye week, I filled out report cards and comments for every team in division 3 as well as a final prediction for how each will finish the season. Remember if you don’t like what I have to say, I didn’t do this to you, you did this to you! Without further ado, let’s get into it.
CONFERENCE A EAST
The Brotherhood (4-0)
With the insane talent they have on this roster, I’m not one bit surprised with how dominant they’ve been. I stated in my preseason article that only elite offenses would be able to hit the 20-point mark against that defense. The most they’ve given up in a game? 19. They are the Denver Broncos of FPF right now. Through four games, they have 12 interceptions and 18 passes defended…insane. Their offense has been able to step up and has complemented the defense nicely. Looking at their remaining schedule, I see the only undefeated team left in division 3 finishing undefeated.
Midseason Grade: A+
Preseason Prediction: (8-2)
Midseason Prediction: (10-0)
Key Players: Theo Ojeaha, Quaysie-Gordon-Maule, Marco Masciotra
Killer Instinct (3-1)
We knew the defense would be top-notch. The questions were on the offensive side of the ball. With each passing week, it’s becoming apparent that those concerns are being put to bed. Nathan Taylor is the only quarterback in the division who has yet to throw an interception and his offense has hit the 30-point mark in the last three games (I’m hoping saying it twice un-jinxes you Nathan!). Like The Brotherhood, their offense complements a dominant defense nicely and if the offense continues to put up 30 points per game, they’ll continue to win most games.
Midseason Grade: A
Preseason Prediction: (7-3)
Midseason Prediction: (8-2)
Key Players: Nathan Taylor, Adam Bailey, Stephen Osman
B.D. Bandits (3-1)
In previous years, the B.D. Bandits were always a tough out in division 3 because of a very strong defense but were held back by their offense. This year, Mark Belvedere has come out firing and scoring points has not been an issue as it has been in years past. He’s been able to spread the ball out nicely and his defense has been able to create turnovers. They have a tough schedule the rest of the way but they’ll be a playoff team.
Midseason Grade: A
Preseason Prediction: (5-5)
Midseason Prediction: (6-4)
Key Players: Evan Cook, Steve Sanner, Mark Belvedere
Sea Assassins (3-1)
The thing about the Sea Assassins is that they score quickly and they get scored on quickly as well. That leads to a lot of shootouts. However, they really struggled against Killer Instinct, a team that has the personnel that matches up well against their high-octane attack. They face two other teams this season with similarly strong defenses in The Brotherhood and the Fun Boys. If they don’t adjust their style of play accordingly, it’ll be tough to compete in those types of games.
Midseason Grade: B+
Preseason Prediction: (7-3)
Midseason Prediction: (6-4)
Key Players: Daniel Lazzara, Quaid Johnson, Zach Jauniaux
Triple Sixers (2-2)
They’ve been up and down so far this season. However, their only wins have come against teams that have zero combined wins. They’ve got some nice pieces all over the field and an aggressive defense to boot but they will only go as far as Pat Jerome takes them.
Midseason Grade: B-
Preseason Prediction: (5-5)
Midseason Prediction: (5-5)
Key Players: Pat Jerome, Alexandre Giroux, Karim Chaoul
Les Buddays (0-4)
I did expect them to feel the loss of Frederic Dupuis but I didn’t think they would suffer this much. Then again, when your quarterback is constantly giving the other team the ball, it’s tough to win games. It’s been a disappointing start to the season for the defending champs but they have shown signs of life recently. If Simon Vallee can continue to improve and limit interceptions, they might be able to salvage their season. However, 0-4 is a really tough hole to climb out of.
Midseason Grade: D-
Preseason Prediction: (6-4)
Midseason Prediction: (2-8)
Key Players: Vincent Coiteux, Gabriel Pare, Sebastien Simon
La Sauce (0-4)
Yes, I predicted La Sauce to go 5-5 in my preseason article. No, I was not aware of Francois Raymond’s absence. As a result, this team is 0-4 getting blown out in every game so far despite their defense playing pretty well. That’s the reality for an FPF team without a QB. If they do not find a suitable replacement for Raymond, the nightmare season will continue for this talented team.
Midseason Grade: D-
Preseason Prediction: (0-4)
Midseason Prediction: (0-10)
Key Players: Cory Kennedy, Louis-Phillip Thibodeau, Hendrick Ambroise
CONFERENCE A WEST
F.O.E. (3-1)
After getting to watch their win against Laval’s Finest, I walked away very impressed with what I saw. Their defense has been lights out and Kevin Lubin is quietly enjoying an efficient season under center. They really missed Travis Moses in their loss last week but with him supposedly set to come back this week, F.O.E. should continue their winning ways.
Midseason Grade: A
Preseason Prediction: (4-6)
Midseason Prediction: (7-3)
Key Players: Travis Moses, Jordan Moses, Kevin Lubin
Laval’s Finest (3-1)
The only time I saw this team play, they looked absolutely terrible on offense. I guess I might just be a bad luck charm for this team seeing as they’ve won every other game this season. Considering the fact that they’ve had no pushovers on the schedule so far, their 3-1 start is impressive. I wasn’t sold on the supporting cast nor if Jordan McLaren would be a full time addition to the team. Those concerns are gone and when Rod Mashtoub is on his game, this team will be tough to beat.
Midseason Grade: A-
Preseason Prediction: (4-6)
Midseason Prediction: (7-3)
Key Players: Rod Mashtoub, Jordan McLaren, Nick Bekelis
Mongoose (2-2)
Their defense is a known commodity as it is season in and season out. They have great chemistry together and all complement one another very well. Their success as I had mentioned would come down to Alexandre Gaudet’s performance. Through four games, mixed results. He’s averaged four touchdown passes per game but he’s also tossed nine interceptions, five of them in their close loss to OTF. That just can’t happen; you cannot win that way. Can Gaudet find more consistency as the season goes on? If he can, this team can be a sleeper in the playoffs.
Midseason Grade: B
Preseason Prediction: (6-4)
Midseason Prediction: (6-4)
Key Players: Cedric Nuckle, Maxime Theroux, Alexandre Gaudet
OTF (2-2)
I expected more from OTF honestly. They have great talent on both sides of the ball yet find themselves at .500 through four games. Mario Porreca has been up and down but they’ve gained some momentum winning their last two games. Dariusz Golebiowski’s return to the lineup cannot be underestimated. Maybe this is what propels OTF to play more consistent ball and finish the year strong.
Midseason Grade: C
Preseason Prediction: (7-3)
Midseason Prediction: (6-4)
Key Players: Justin Julien, Yadel Meshesha, Kendal Mayers
Predators (2-2) (Written by Simon Dagenais)
With a pretty stacked roster, most expected Predators to pull another upsetting season after the spring ’15 season. Although their only defeat with James Floreani under center came via Brotherhood’s elite playmaking ability, his absence his very troublesome. It’s easy to dismiss one team’s action via one player’s inability, but James Floreani is the heart and soul of the Predators and missing its QB + Safety is a much larger credential than most would expect. After a very bad outing versus Sea Assassins, Predators need to bounce back in a serious way to credit themselves a “playoff contender” team with or without James Floreani under center. Allamano is a capable QB, but he’s not Floreani and the team could sink much deeper than it should without his leadership and guidance. Faster than expected, Predators could be out of the playoff picture before James is back under control…!
Midseason Grade: C-
Preseason Prediction: (7-3)
Midseason Prediction: (6-4)
Key Players: James Floreani, Jacob Bernett, Maxime Giroux
Metamayhem (1-3)
Maybe it’s the curse of last year’s D3 finals participants but like Les Buddays, Metamayhem has struggled big time out of the gates. Their defense, which is usually a strength, has been brutal. What hurts about this awful start even more is that their schedule the rest of the way is no cakewalk. They dug themselves a big hole and getting back to .500 will be a feat in itself.
Midseason Grade: D
Preseason Prediction: (6-4)
Midseason Prediction: (4-6)
Key Players: Jeremy Anderson, Danny D’Amour, Alex Holowach
Nuggets (0-4)
This team is actually pretty stacked. They have athletes all over the field. They got size, speed, athleticism and they are aggressive to the ball. I’m not too sure how they struggle so much it’s strange. They have a pretty tough schedule the rest of the way but I do see them pulling off at least one upset.
Midseason Grade: D
Preseason Prediction: (2-8)
Midseason Prediction: (1-9)
Key Players: Laurent Ladouceur, Timothy Godber, Vincent Ladouceur
CONFERENCE B EAST
Wolfpack (3-1)
Another former division 2 team that has started on fire but had their momentum completely halted by the Fun Boys last week in a blowout loss. Although they lit up the scoreboard the first three weeks, the three teams they beat have a combined four wins so far. The defense has also been an issue. Their next game against The Brotherhood will tell us a lot about whether or not these guys are legit contenders.
Midseason Grade: B+
Preseason Prediction: (6-4)
Midseason Prediction: (7-3)
Key Players: J.D. Chevalier, Francis Lapointe, Pascal Murray
Dark Moose Returns (2-2)
They are probably the biggest disappointment in division 3 at this stage. My preseason #1 has been unimpressive all year, got hammered against a top team and got upset by a previously winless team. The defense has lived up to their end of the bargain for the most part but the offense has been curiously struggling. They added Justin Blanchard to an already loaded roster but the results have just not been there. Frederic Morissette and the gang have to step it up or this will be another wasted season for this franchise. Perhaps a date with the allergic-to-defense Sea Assassins will be the perfect remedy to put them back on track.
Midseason Grade: D
Preseason Prediction: (9-1)
Midseason Prediction: (7-3)
Key Players: Justin Blanchard, Frederic Morissette, Jonathan Lyristis
Jumpmans (2-2)
After getting off to a torrid start blowing out their first two opponents, they’ve come crashing down to earth in the last two against experienced squads. They’ve got some great athletes but their own experience is a concern right now. Can they learn from the last two weeks and make a playoff push?
Midseason Grade: B
Preseason Prediction: (3-7)
Midseason Prediction: (4-5-1)
Key Players: James Ohayon, Joey Vizzi, Joseph Cecere
Game Changers (2-2)
Firstly, props to this team for challenging themselves in division 3 this season after losing two key players in Terrence Dobson and Justin Filteau. The new guys they added are pretty good in their own right however and they won’t be an easy out. Sakiz’s 46.4% completion percentage just won’t cut it.
Midseason Grade: B-
Preseason Prediction: (3-7)
Midseason Prediction: (3-7)
Key Players: Salim Cherkaoui, Alvy Mizelle, Anton Sakiz
Les Eudistes (1-2-1)
Every year, Les Eudistes break your hearts. They have all the talent in the world but can never seem to make that lead to wins on the field. They’ve played some tight low-scoring games against great teams and recently tied an undefeated team so there is reason for optimism. What’s to say they don’t just fall back to their habits and continue disappointing?
Midseason Grade: C
Preseason Prediction: (7-3)
Midseason Prediction: (4-5-1)
Key Players: Marc-Andre Paradis, Raphael Casey, Louis-Christophe Lafontaine
Dirty Dawgs (1-3)
Total insanity to see a team with Jelani McLaren, Ryan Lelinowski and Dave Chitayat on the roster be so awful (and I don’t if awful does it justice) at defense. In their three losses, they’ve given up 50+ points in each one of those games. In their one win, they scored over 50 points. Hence, when you play the Dirty Dawgs, expect a shootout. As a quarterback facing the Dirty Dawgs defense, expect to pad your stats nicely.
Midseason Grade: C-
Preseason Prediction: (5-5)
Midseason Prediction: (3-7)
Key Players: Dave Chitayat, Ryan Lelinowski, Jelani McLaren
Westpark Boys (0-4)
With the current quarterback situation, they wouldn’t even compete in division 4. It’s unfortunate because they do have talent on the team and with a capable quarterback, they would be a pretty decent team. Until then, expect blowouts week in and week out.
Midseason Grade: D-
Preseason Prediction: (2-8)
Midseason Prediction: (0-10)
Key Players: Ameet Pall, Wesley Joseph, Babacar Seye
CONFERENCE B WEST
Ball Busters (3-0-1)
I underestimated these guys this season as they’ve been impressive so far. Terrence Adams is making life for opposing quarterbacks hell and Carmine Pollice has been Dylan Taylor’s safety blanket as everyone expected coming in. However, they have one of the softest schedules in the division. The last three games of their season will tell us what kid of team the Ball Busters truly are and get them ready for the playoffs.
Midseason Grade: A
Preseason Prediction: (4-6)
Midseason Prediction: (6-3-1)
Key Players: Carmine Pollice, Terrence Adams, Jamie Ojeaha
Fun Boys (3-1)
Coming into the season, this roster was one of the most impressive in division 3 and I expected big things from them. So far, they’ve lived up to my expectations. Minus a last play loss to Grip N Rip, they’ve been coasting through and will only get better as time goes on. Looking at the rest of their schedule, they should win out. Definite championship contender.
Midseason Grade: A
Preseason Prediction: (8-2)
Midseason Prediction: (9-1)
Key Players: Vince Nardone, Liam Mahoney, Phil Cutler
Two and a Half Dans (3-1)
With a default win over Mercenaries, they stand at 3-1 after four weeks of play. We’ll see what the Dans are really made of rather soon as they face a very tough 3-game stretch. If they can win just one of those games, they will be in great position to sneak into the playoffs.
Midseason Grade: A-
Preseason Prediction: (5-5)
Midseason Prediction: (6-4)
Key Players: Danny McFee, Danny Aylward, Foti Evangelista
Grip N Rip (3-1)
I believed in this team when no one else did and I still do. They’re smart, they’re instinctive, they can win ugly, and with Vinny Gualano entrenched as the starter now, Grip N Rip is ready for a nice playoff run. Note: Anthony Da Silva has counted for 42.4% of the team’s receptions. Safety blanket much? Insanity.
Midseason Grade: A
Preseason Prediction: (8-2)
Midseason Prediction: (8-2)
Key Players: Vinny Gualano, Anthony Da Silva, Rich Humes
Snatchers (2-1-1)
Simon Dagenais’ squad already has more wins after four weeks than I thought they’d have the whole year! I got to give it to them, they’ve played some good football this season and their upset of GnR was impressive. If Dagenais can continue to limit interceptions and his defense can continue playing the way they have been, they might just hover around the .500 mark for the season.
Midseason Grade: A+
Preseason Prediction: (1-9)
Midseason Prediction: (4-4-2)
Key Players: Gabriel Wiseman, Jean-Daniel Joly, Georges Eli-Voyer
Past Our Prime (1-3)
They had a really rough start to the season giving up 40+ points in each of their three defeats. Things finally started clicking last week as the defense held Dark Moose Returns to 19 points en route to their first victory. After throwing 8 interceptions in his first three games, Craig O’Brien also found his rhythm not throwing an pick and leading his team to that all important first victory. Past Our Prime will look to build on that momentum and dig out of the early hole they dug for themselves.
Midseason Grade: C
Preseason Prediction: (5-5)
Midseason Prediction: (3-7)
Key Players: Darren Bicknell, Hinsley Adams, Kevin Wilson
Mercenaries (0-3-1)
This team is all but dead in the water if they don’t beat OTF this week. Their last-second loss to Snatchers and their default loss against Two and a Half Dans are absolute killers in the grand scheme of things. They’ve got some big-time players on the roster yet have just not looked good at all this season.
Midseason Grade: D-
Preseason Prediction: (5-5)
Midseason Prediction: (1-8-1)
Key Players: Shawn Haney, Serge Pilon Jr., Jonathan Grizzley
Best of luck to all teams for week 5! 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.