One round down and to my surprise I was a perfect 8-0. Only 8 teams still have the dream alive. There were no surprises in Alpha and the Whites upset #4 seed Greyling to move on. Two games from a trophy who will keep their season going? Lets look at the match-ups, shall we?
ALPHA
#4 Austin Wineswilling Fancy Boys (13-4) @ #1 Operation Dot Ball (15-1)
http://goallineblitz.com/game/compare_teams.pl?team1=3528&team2=676
RSM - (105-0) ODB
Highlights> I think the score says it all about this game. ODB bent the Boys over and... well, lets just say it wasn't pretty. ODB had almost 750 total yards and held Austin to just over 150. Turnovers, penalties, ST's TD's. You name it and ODB owned the Boys in every way possible
How they got here > ODB downed #8 SAPL (42-13) in a closer game than the score would show. Fancy Boys bested #5 League of Justice is a blowout (46-7), the score accurately depicts the level of domination.
Thoughts on the match-up> (105-0) is quite a score to try and over come. ODB controlled the LOS and ran all over the Boys. Austin barely beat the Justice in the regular season and blasted them in the playoffs, so I can see this being a lot closer than the first time. Austin does have a top 10 defense and offense, but ODB has a top 5 in both areas.
Prediction> ODB is just too dominant right now, but the Boys act a little more grown up (49-14) ODB
#3 Lampang Lionfish (14-3) @ #2 Guyana Punch Lite (15-2)
http://goallineblitz.com/game/compare_teams.pl?team1=2757&team2=3517
RSM - (27-7) Punch
Highlights> Guyana put on a defensive clinic holding Lampang to under 100 yards total offense. The Lionfish didn't have a defensive answer of thier own allowing the Punch to rack up 400 yards of their own. The score was actually closer than the game was.
How they got here > Guyana blanked the #7 Generals (38-0), and the Lionfish had a repeat beating of the #6 Legends (41-14)
Thoughts on the match-up> I am very familiar with both of these franchises and both are class acts. The Lionfish are playing with house money since they are folding at the end so maybe some builds got rounded off a bit early giving them a small edge. I don't put a lot of stock into regular season meetings, especially ones so close to the end of the season. No one wants to give away anything. Both have top 5 offenses and defenses. Both have top caliber game planners. This is my game of the week pick.
Prediction> Tough to pick against either of these teams, but the Lionfish are gunna sting the Punch (24-21 in OT) Lampang
ZETA
#5 Cape Town Great Whites (11-6) @ #1 Steel City Mafia (16-1)
http://goallineblitz.com/game/compare_teams.pl?team1=5799&team2=2751
RSM - (34-3) SCM
Highlights> Cape Town pulled lame and only ran a few defensive plays trying to fool people into thinking they weren't good this season. SCM dominated this game from start to finish owning TOP 41 to 18, yards 400 to 100, and neither team showed much creativity at all.
How they got here > SCM took #8 Stuttgart to school in a blasting (55-7), and Cape Town pulled the only upset in the first round (one I warned about) containing the Toe and the #4 Goblins (20-7)
Thoughts on the match-up> Rematch from the E#2 Title game from last season. The Great Whites have been in cruise control all season just wanting to make the playoffs just like they did last season when they surprised everyone making the final even though they didn't have a top seed #. Maybe the secret is out and Cape Town can't surprise the Mafia, but SCM's owner is lazy and the Great Whites should just assume they will win and start planning for the next game.
Prediction> Cape Town make things interesting, but SCM gets a lucky sim (24-14) SCM
#3 Amsterdam Space Cakes (15-2) @ #2 Port Harcourt Playmakers (15-2)
http://goallineblitz.com/game/compare_teams.pl?team1=5149&team2=3153
RSM - (17-10) Playmakers
Highlights> Tough close game that had every yard earned, scratched and clawed. It wasn't decided till late in the 4th quarter. Playmakers were a little lucky fumbling the ball 3 times and not losing any. The score tells you exactly how even these two teams are.
How they got here > Playmakers barely edged out the #7 Bulldogs in the closest game of the round for any team (24-21), Space Cakes owned the Pwnies from start to finish (68-10)
Thoughts on the match-up> These two teams are very evenly matched as shown by the first meeting. The Playmakers are a little more balanced with having a top 10 in both defense and offense, while the Space Cakes have a slightly weaker offense than their defense. This game should come down to the 4th quarter again and will probably be decided by a play that makes the other owner go "WTF?"
Prediction> Able to complete the sweep, Playmakers make just enough (20-17) Port Harcourt
Congrats to all 8 of these teams. There will be 4 really solid teams that lose in this round, and any of these 8 teams left have plenty to take home the gold. Good luck to everyone and hope to see you on the other side.
ALPHA
#4 Austin Wineswilling Fancy Boys (13-4) @ #1 Operation Dot Ball (15-1)
http://goallineblitz.com/game/compare_teams.pl?team1=3528&team2=676
RSM - (105-0) ODB
Highlights> I think the score says it all about this game. ODB bent the Boys over and... well, lets just say it wasn't pretty. ODB had almost 750 total yards and held Austin to just over 150. Turnovers, penalties, ST's TD's. You name it and ODB owned the Boys in every way possible
How they got here > ODB downed #8 SAPL (42-13) in a closer game than the score would show. Fancy Boys bested #5 League of Justice is a blowout (46-7), the score accurately depicts the level of domination.
Thoughts on the match-up> (105-0) is quite a score to try and over come. ODB controlled the LOS and ran all over the Boys. Austin barely beat the Justice in the regular season and blasted them in the playoffs, so I can see this being a lot closer than the first time. Austin does have a top 10 defense and offense, but ODB has a top 5 in both areas.
Prediction> ODB is just too dominant right now, but the Boys act a little more grown up (49-14) ODB
#3 Lampang Lionfish (14-3) @ #2 Guyana Punch Lite (15-2)
http://goallineblitz.com/game/compare_teams.pl?team1=2757&team2=3517
RSM - (27-7) Punch
Highlights> Guyana put on a defensive clinic holding Lampang to under 100 yards total offense. The Lionfish didn't have a defensive answer of thier own allowing the Punch to rack up 400 yards of their own. The score was actually closer than the game was.
How they got here > Guyana blanked the #7 Generals (38-0), and the Lionfish had a repeat beating of the #6 Legends (41-14)
Thoughts on the match-up> I am very familiar with both of these franchises and both are class acts. The Lionfish are playing with house money since they are folding at the end so maybe some builds got rounded off a bit early giving them a small edge. I don't put a lot of stock into regular season meetings, especially ones so close to the end of the season. No one wants to give away anything. Both have top 5 offenses and defenses. Both have top caliber game planners. This is my game of the week pick.
Prediction> Tough to pick against either of these teams, but the Lionfish are gunna sting the Punch (24-21 in OT) Lampang
ZETA
#5 Cape Town Great Whites (11-6) @ #1 Steel City Mafia (16-1)
http://goallineblitz.com/game/compare_teams.pl?team1=5799&team2=2751
RSM - (34-3) SCM
Highlights> Cape Town pulled lame and only ran a few defensive plays trying to fool people into thinking they weren't good this season. SCM dominated this game from start to finish owning TOP 41 to 18, yards 400 to 100, and neither team showed much creativity at all.
How they got here > SCM took #8 Stuttgart to school in a blasting (55-7), and Cape Town pulled the only upset in the first round (one I warned about) containing the Toe and the #4 Goblins (20-7)
Thoughts on the match-up> Rematch from the E#2 Title game from last season. The Great Whites have been in cruise control all season just wanting to make the playoffs just like they did last season when they surprised everyone making the final even though they didn't have a top seed #. Maybe the secret is out and Cape Town can't surprise the Mafia, but SCM's owner is lazy and the Great Whites should just assume they will win and start planning for the next game.
Prediction> Cape Town make things interesting, but SCM gets a lucky sim (24-14) SCM
#3 Amsterdam Space Cakes (15-2) @ #2 Port Harcourt Playmakers (15-2)
http://goallineblitz.com/game/compare_teams.pl?team1=5149&team2=3153
RSM - (17-10) Playmakers
Highlights> Tough close game that had every yard earned, scratched and clawed. It wasn't decided till late in the 4th quarter. Playmakers were a little lucky fumbling the ball 3 times and not losing any. The score tells you exactly how even these two teams are.
How they got here > Playmakers barely edged out the #7 Bulldogs in the closest game of the round for any team (24-21), Space Cakes owned the Pwnies from start to finish (68-10)
Thoughts on the match-up> These two teams are very evenly matched as shown by the first meeting. The Playmakers are a little more balanced with having a top 10 in both defense and offense, while the Space Cakes have a slightly weaker offense than their defense. This game should come down to the 4th quarter again and will probably be decided by a play that makes the other owner go "WTF?"
Prediction> Able to complete the sweep, Playmakers make just enough (20-17) Port Harcourt
Congrats to all 8 of these teams. There will be 4 really solid teams that lose in this round, and any of these 8 teams left have plenty to take home the gold. Good luck to everyone and hope to see you on the other side.
