Deadwood Undertakers (17-2 - West #2 Seed) at Foy Destroyers (17-2 - East #3 Seed):The smoke has almost cleared as Semi Pro Casual Elite #1 has nearly completed season 33. The lone Championship game remains and it will pit the Deadwood Undertakers against the Foy Destroyers. Thought I would throw something together to at least say I did the entire playoffs for the season. Now, it only my team had the same motivation!!!!
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ROAD TO THE TITLEUndertakers - Had a very difficult road to travel with games against Blatz Beer, YPT, and against SIC (who had a 49 game win streak going and were the defending champions from Elite last season (DW lost to the title game last season to SST)). No game they played was easy but one thing I notice is this team has just gotten better and better with each playoff game: round 2 they beat a very good YPT team by 27 and in the CC they bounce back from a 40 point regular season loss to win by 13. That's not luck or lolregular season - that's a team playing better.
Destroyers - I don't think many would argue the three amigos were Syracuse, Porto, and Foy with any of the three having a legit shot to be playing in the title. Foy was able to beat both in route to their championship game appearance. However, a tough first round game (26-17) over the WORLD LEAGUE gave them a shot to continue their playoff march. Second round saw a flat out war against the Bulldogs and a 9-6 W. The CC had a lot of hype but the Destroys laid the wood to Porto 47-6. Having to travel to both Syracuse and Porto certainly toughened up the Destroyers who now final get a home game.
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WHO'S GOT THE EDGE - I won't be jumping into the regular season to pull stats as there are just too many blowout games so I'll be only looking at the three previous playoff games.
PPG: Undertakers 26.7 and Foy 27.3.
Points Allowed: Undertakers 8 and Foy 9.7
QB Play: Undertakes (see Hidden Jem)
Running Backs: Destroyers (pretty even stat wise but Foy's OL is playing better).
Passing Game: Destroyers
Defending the Run: Undertakers (just more missed tackles 43-29 for Foy which could lead to some issues against Destroyers)
Defending the Pass: Undertakers (pretty even - I literally flipped a coin - a dime)
Special Teams (returns): Even (no return TD's by either and better average on KR for Undertakers and on punts by Destroyers). A play made by either unit could pay some big dividends in the outcome.
Special Teams (kicking): Destroyers - neither K has missed but Foy's kicker is 2-2 on 50+ and that could be huge.
Special Teams (punting): Even
Hidden Jem: Undertaker QB Speedy McNeedy - This rushing QB was the difference maker in upsetting SST as he rushed for 390 yards and two TD's. If Foy can't slow him down the Undertakers will roll. It doesn't look like the dot is boosted unless he didn't boost those first three prior to S28's start.
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Winner will be: Either team can win this game but I'll be sticking with the Western bias and take the Undertakers. I liked what they pulled out in the CC game and suspect in their final game they will pull out all the stops to get the gold. Foy is battled tested this post season so they will not go quietly into the night. I suspect there will be more FG's than TD's and if that unfolds throughout I'd go with Foy (
this way I really can't be wrong).
Undertakers 16 Destroyers 15Good luck to both teams.