FOOD FOR THOUGHT (DIV 3) – WEEK 6

 

Crash and burn are two things pickup artists and FPFers do NOT want to do. Especially at this time of year. Right now, solid squads like the Big TDs and the Snookers are outside looking in. In the Big TDs’ case, look for them to bounce back and have a strong finish.

Meanwhile, some teams have been surprisingly impressive of late. The Bandits, in particular, have won 3 straight since Corey Belliveau came back from suspension. Belliveau leads his team in yards despite having only played half the games…!

Also on a tear are Yari’s Autonomics. With no stars on their team, they have to rely on a solid chemistry and above average role players in order to win. Daron Basmadjian seems to have put together a tightly knit group of individuals who, with a bit of luck, could clinch a surprise playoff birth in the the next weeks.

  

Who IS this guy?

Prestige World Wide hasn’t lost since early January. Why? Because every player on the team is chipping in. Sure Alex Lever and Anthony Comeau are household names but what about their supporting cast?

This week’s player to watch is: Samuel Drapeau

Unheralded since his impact is mainly felt on defense, Drapeau is an integral part of PWW’s top 10 defensive squad. What’s even more impressive is that Drapeau is a rookie in FPF. Anyone who’s been around the league for a while knows how difficult learning to play defence can be. Hats off to this versatile shutdown specialist who is pulling it off in his first campaign!

 

PLAYOFF RACE

 

CONFERENCE A

1. D-Boys (5-1)

2. SWAT (5-1)

3. Green 18s (4-1-1)

4. Sandlot Saints (4-2)

5. Briscoe High Hawks (4-2)

6. Served with Ice (4-2)

7. Park-X Streets (4-2)

8. Yari’s Autonomics (4-2)

————-

9. Big Tds (3-2-1)

10. Knockaround Guys (3-2-1)

11. KGP Champs (3-3)

12. Picksquad (2-4)

13. Dirty Dawgers (2-4)

14. Gold Standard (1-5)

15. Hurricanes (0-6)

16. Fire Breathing Rubber Duckies (0-6)

 

CONFERENCE B

1. VPC (5-1)

2. Dirty Birds (5-1)

3. Terror Squad (5-1)

4. Prestige World Wide (4-1-1)

5. Patriotes (4-2)

6. Bandits (4-2)

7. Eagles (4-2)

8. Rude Bwoys (3-3)

————-

9. CF (3-3)

10. Maniax (2-4))

11. Snookers (2-4)

12. VR6 (2-4)

13. Langers (2-4)

14. Grindteam (1-5)

15. Sons of Cyr (0-6)

16. Souljahs (0-6)

  

OFFICIAL D3 POWER RANKINGS (and predictions)

 

1. Dirty Birds (5-1): The Birds have reclaimed the top spot in my rankings thanks to a gutsy performance against the division’s best defence in the D-Boys. Anticipate another low scoring game against Nathan Taylor and the Hawks.

Predictions: Dirty Birds 26 – Briscoe High Hawks 24

 

2. D-Boys (5-1): With their first loss out of the way, they can now start building momentum for the playoffs. The positives will eventually outweight the negatives from last week.

Predictions: Grindteam 12 – D-Boys 33

 

3. VPC (5-1): Their offence is so strong despite being often dubbed as shallow. Rick Cummins will need to muster every defensive trick he knows if he wants to contain Louis Richard and Robbie Robinson.

Predictions: VPC 31 – Green 18s 19

 

4. Terror Squad (5-1): After a tough game with a rental QB, the Squad’s Alex Giroux showed that it isn’t so hard to throw a TD pass when you have Pat Jérome on your team. Can the baby Stingers knock him down?

Predictions: Terror Squad 32 – Knockaround Guys 25

 

5. Prestige World Wide (4-1-1): Probably the one game to watch this week in D3 (if you can only watch one). Alex Skywalker Lever against the Empire…

Predictions: Prestige World Wide 33 – SWAT 32

 

6. SWAT (5-1): Nathan Thompson’s play is either phenomenal or downright ugly. Will it be Jekyll or Hyde under center this weekend?

Predictions: Prestige World Wide 33 – SWAT 32

 

7. Served with Ice (4-2): « It’s a trap! » is what SWI players should be telling themselves. If Stevenson Bone is back to QB the Maniax for a second week in a row and enough players show up, the game could end up being closer than expected…

Predictions: Maniax 19 – Served with Ice 33

 

8. Briscoe High Hawks (4-2): After a well deserved break last week, the Hawks are up against another formidable foe in the Dirty Birds. Can their offence stay afloat or will it succomb to the Gordon Hogan tsunami?

Predictions: Dirty Birds 26 – Briscoe High Hawks 24

 

9. Big TDs (3-2-1): Against a less athletic team, the Big TDs should, in all logic, prevail. They will need to watch out for likely two-way player of the year Sébastien Pereda if they want to stay above .500.

Predictions: Patriotes 26 – Big TDs 39

 

10. Patriotes (4-2): With few weapons at his disposal, its not surprising that Étienne Chauvin is relying heavilly on Seb Pereda to carry the offence (and the defence…). Can D3’s workhorse battle through another huge workload?

Predictions: Patriotes 26 – Big TDs 39