
Word From The Mouth: Crowning Champions Edition!
We are finally here at last week of the season. Last Saturday the weather was the worst I have ever had to play flag in before. It was cold and wet and muddy, and I have no problems playing in these conditions if it were tackle, but how you supposed to grab a flag when you can’t feel your fingers? It is what it is, and both teams have to deal with it. Hope that next season we don’t have to play in these conditions (Ed's note: We'll be finishing two weeks earlier next fall!). This week the conditions should end up being about the same, though I hope not because I would like to see a good finals, where the better team wins and weather has nothing to do with the outcome. I think that if we have good weather it will be a good finals, the first one in a while.
Semifinals Recap
Outlaws vs Revolucion
We had to deal with the weather and in the first game it was almost an upset. Revolucion were up 21-12 at half time it could have been worse if Steve hadn’t mounted a scoring drive right before half. Everything Revolucion needed to go in their favor to win was working in the first half and they got stops and Steve and his small hands (Ed's note: Jesus...) had to deal with a cold and slick ball. Second half they couldn’t keep it up.
Coming out in the second half the Outlaws scored quickly and then managed to get a stop and scored again to go up 26-21. Revolucion on their next drive went down to score and make it 27-26 in their favour, but they left 5:30 in the game. That is plenty of time for almost any team to go down and score. Which is what the Outlaws did, and they were very smart about it. Leaving only 30 seconds on the clock so Ben had a chance to be the hero and help his team get to the finals. That didn’t happen though as the Outlaws defense held it down to go on to the finals.
Trollers vs Gros Coqs
So let me start by saying that if you thought the conditions were bad in the first game then you didn’t stick around for the second one. We knew going into the game if the Trollers wanted to win it was going to come down to stopping Dom from running, and making our tackles, that is easier said than done. I will say that the game ended up being close but it really wasn’t Gros Coqs first 2 scores were on missed tackles, or at least the first one was the second one Dom ran 45 yards for the score which he can do in the best conditions so I’ll chock that one up to 50-50 chance he scores. In the first half Trollers could not move the ball if their life depended on it. They final got some life when Kevin picked off the ball with under 3 minutes left in the first half. Ben made a great catch on the sideline in the end zone on what was the last play of the half. At half Trollers were down 12-6 and I thought that with us getting the ball back to start the second half it was going to be our game to lose, boy was I wrong. We were never able to close the gap on them. We scored to make it 25-18 with 34 seconds left it should be all but over for us now, finally our defense showed up and did the unthinkable and held Les Gros Coqs to a 3 and out plus we save a timeout with a penalty. Trollers got the ball with 18 seconds and 1 timeout left, could they do it again like last season when they had 12 seconds left. Trollers had 2 incomplete passes in a row and on the last play we were trying to rush to get behind the line so we could get 2 plays but we rushed and had a bad snap that ended the game and their chance at a 3peat. Gros Coqs deserved to win that game I wish it was in better conditions but it wasn’t and we’ll have to wait to next season to get back to the title game.
Finals Preview
Outlaws vs Gros Coqs
This finals this is also the fourth meeting this season between these teams and Outlaws have won all 3 previous games so far. Can they make it a clean sweep or will Les Gros Coqs be the spoiler this season and knock off the number 1 team? Steve and Dom have met in the finals once before and it went in Dom's favour, not because of the QB play though as it was Steve's two pick 6s in 8 seconds that made them win. These aren’t the same teams though and both are way better than the last finals they were in and both QBs have become better passers.
QB - What can I say about these guys that I haven’t said already? Dom is going to run around and buy time so one of his guys can get open. Steve is going to get the ball out quickly, but will be stationary in the pocket. So here is how I would stop both of these guys if I had to defend them. Rush Dom quickly but stay under control and keep him in front of you and don’t let him force the line of scrimmage. If you do that then he will throw off his back foot and then you have a chance to pick a ball or two off. For Steve get at him fast and in his face, take the first read away and he will be fluster very early. So if the weather is like it was last weekend the advantage would go to Les Gros Coqs, but if we have nice weather the advantage has to go to the Outlaws, so it all comes down to weather.
WR - For the Outlaws everyone is scared of Smuda, and he is going to get his catches and yards no matter what you do so let him, but don’t let anyone else do anything. Look at what the rest of the team did in the season Remy (12TDs), Adam (9TDs) and Antoine (10 TDs) Smuda only had 6 TDs. Oh and let’s not forget Vince is back and healthy. No matter what you decided to do they have guys who can beat you all day long. Gros Coqs also have a ton of weapons that can all do damage. Not really sure who their go to guy is since they all missed games. Boris had the best stats for them but I still feel Bresse is the biggest threat on the team. The thing about the Gros Coqs is that every single one of them can make plays after the catch. Not sure who you should stop, but know that whoever you pick there will be someone else to step up. I have to give the advantage to Outlaws because I think that the size difference will come into play.
Defense - Outlaws had the best points against this season, but they were solid all over the board. They got 14 sacks, 27 picks, 34 passes batted away, and had 3 pick 6s. I’m not sure who will rush, but I would use Remi or Vince because if Dom takes off I don’t think that Mathieu has the speed to catch him. Les Gros Coqs Had 9 sacks as well with 6 coming from Thomas. They had Boris who was tied for the league lead with 10 picks leading their secondary that took 21 balls away. They also managed to bat 24 balls away, taking 3 of those 21 picks back to the house. The key to this game will be if Thomas can get after Steve fast and consistently. The advantage for the defense goes to Gros Coqs since I feel they are more athletic and a little quicker.
So here it is my final prediction of the season and it’s a difficult one since both teams are evenly matched. This will come down to the play of the QB, and if we have nice weather Outlaws win by at least 9 points, but it we have conditions like last week then I have to give it to the Gros Coqs by 6. So once we get there and see the weather and the condition of the field that will let you know who will win based off my predictions.
All-Stars
This is a new section I figured I’d throw out there. I will be picking 1 player per position and you can not play both sieds of the ball.
Offense
QB- Steve (Outlaws)
WR1- Smuda (Outlaws)
SB1- JC (Revolucion)
Center- Lesniak (Trollers)
SB2- Josh (Trollers)
WR2- Svetna (Deep Threats)
Defense
Rusher- Eric (Revolucion)
Corner1-Max (Trollers)
Middle- Remy (Outlaws)
Corner2- Bresse (Gros Coqs)
Saftey1- Borris (Gros Coqs)
Saftey2- Ben (Trollers)
These are my picks of who should make the all-star team if we had one, but there were a few hard choices to make and I could have gone a different way on a few choices.
Last game is coming up and it’s the only one that counts all season, doesn’t matter if you won 9 games of 4 all that matters is this one. So go out play hard have fun and if you get hurt you have a few month to heal up and get ready for the spring season.
Good luck to both teams. See you Saturday.