AK vs Thunder
Last week AK did something that no other team has come close to doing in a long time. They broke the single game scoring record by putting up 75 points on Cobra Kai! We are thinking that that record will stand for a longggggggg time. AK has put up an impressive 139 point thus far and we are only going into week 4. Against Cobra Kai, we didn’t see any weaknesses on AK’s offense and we certainly didn’t see any on defense with that suffocating man defense. We don’t know if they will continue to use man but against the weaker teams in the league it seems like a winning formula. On the offensive end, AK needs to continue what they are doing and make, if any, minimal adjustments. If Sims is present in this game it will be a long day for the Thunder defense. Let’s see what defensive scheme they will use against Thunder this week…..
Thunder
Thunder had a tough game last week against the Savages who are clicking on all cylinders at the moment. They lost 40-13 and it definitely hurt. Thunder had a lot of hype going into the season. They lost a close one to the Elites, beat up on Cobra Kai and then got beat up themselves against Savages. Another tough matchup against AK this week. What we do know is that the Thunder have been getting better each week. With Justin QBing, Jesse and Curtis making big catches and Adam leading the way they will look like a formidable team as the regular season dwindles down. The adjustments really need to come on the defensive side. If Thunder can tighten the screws on defense they will give their offense something to fight for.
INJURY ALERT: Mohamed Soliman out until further notice with a fractured hand. Soliman has been one of the big contributors on both sides of the ball this year so this is a BIG loss for Thunder at the current moment.
MATCHUP
This is a great matchup for AK. AK has been building momentum ever since week 2. They have one goal in mind this year and that is to destroy anyone and any team that steps in their way. If Thunder even wants to stand a chance they really need to buckle down on defense. They cannot allow lapses and broken coverage to occur if they do well than it will most likely result in a TD. Thunder should not test AK’s QB, Sims, because he will make them pay dearly. If Thunder can light a fire in their belly, make their offense flow and don’t allow turnovers they have a chance at scoring some meaningful points in this game. How many?……
AK 48 – Thunder 26
Browns vs Underdogs
Browns
Browns right now are looking like they are in midseason form already (is it midseason? Almost!) Browns are currently 2-1 with 1 loss coming from the red hot Savages. After that loss we saw a lot of fighting within the team. Leadership was able to pull them out of a slippery slope and it showed against the Bandits. So confident that they put in Sohel Vaid as QB! He didn’t do that bad. A little bit of an awkward throw but he gets it there. But I digress….Browns have put up 136 points so far 2nd most in the league. But the 1 number that is sticking out (which was mentioned in the podcast earlier this week) is the amount of points the defense has given up. Browns defense, right now, is relying way too much on their offense. If the Browns offense struggles at all a lot of pressure than falls on their D. Lets see if they can turn it around.
Underdogs
The Underdogs have been somewhat of a disappointment going into Week4. They won 1 game against a Bandits squad that have a lot of new faces. Since then, they have lost to the Gators and AK. Two very tough teams to compete against but we thought it should have been a little closer. In any case, we still feel that they can make a run at any moment they just need a spark. Looking at the numbers, the Underdogs are in the bottom half of the league with respect to offensive production and are only behind the Browns in Points Allowed. They need to start reversing the inverse relationship between PF and PA. We are not counting the Dogs out just yet. They still have a lot of new guys on that team and the momentary lapses that they are facing might not be there when the season ends. They have a lot of studs on this team Alex, Rob, Rameez, Omar, Rauf, Waqas, the list goes on and on. On paper, IMO, they are one of the most stacked teams. We aren’t sure exactly what’s missing but the Dogs need to figure it out quick.
MATCHUP
This can potentially be a make or break game for the Dogs. If they get blown out they will have to really reassess their team’s strategy moving forward. If they can keep it close it won’t demoralize them. If they can win than the rest of the league needs to be on alert. We talk about it again and again the Dogs have the personal and they have the spirit they just need to put it together. The Browns, on the other hand, are the favorites. They have been playing very well over the course of the season even though they took one L, the game was still very close. With the addition of the Brothers of Doom, Mark and Alexi, and the consistent nature of Ken, TJ, Nafi and Christian the Browns have taken it to the championship level. We expect the Dogs to put up a good fight but we think the Browns will take this one.
Browns 35 – Underdogs 21
Bandits vs Gators
BANDITS
The Bandits have lost 2 in a row which puts them at 0-2 for the season. They have had a tough time being on the same page. BUT, we think things will change and definitely for the better. They have strong leadership at the top and as the Power Rankings alluded to earlier in the week they are throwing things at the wall and seeing what sticks. Luckily for them what stuck happened a lot earlier than expected. Although they got beat by the Browns last week there were some bright spots. QB Jason was out last game and Obaid (new to the league) stepped up and put up a good fight. If the Bandits can utilize Obaid correctly he might be the spark that they need. We are also hearing rumors that another star player might be joining. It is speculation but it could definitely help them right now. Harvey has done a decent job taking over the defensive responsibilities but we need to see more out of him directing traffic. The Bandits are still finding their identity and hopefully for them this is the game they find themselves. They have made some good pickups in Jason, Miguel Osamah, Frank, Zobi, and Musaib. These are the guys that need to step up in order for the Bandits to have success.
Gators
The Gators are another team that have been slowly climbing the ranks over the last few weeks. The lost 1 game to the Browns in an overtime classic. They have all the tools to go all the way. They have good leadership, an excellent QB in Richie and receivers who don’t drop the ball much. A perfect recipe for success. The Gators find a way to adjust and win games which is a credit to Captain Ramy. By the numbers, they have scored 110 points and only let up 80, a healthy ratio. With the addition of Megatron (Sardar), they added another dimension to both their offensive and defense. The Gators are known to play short staffed but the question remains how long they can keep that up?
MATCHUP
This is one game that’s hard to predict. The Gators play defense like how the Bandits used to play defense. Tough, gritty and aggressive. The Gators are clearly the favorite in this one but we have to ask ourselves does Burhan and Co have any more tricks left up their sleeve? If they do than now would be the perfect time to reveal them. We feel that the Bandits will come out pumped for this game but will get deflated when it’s all said and done. The Gators have too much firepower and we don’t think the Bandits can handle it. Going to be a long day for the Bandits and maybe it’s time for them to hit that dusty trail and ride out into the sunset….
Gators 42 – Bandits 28
Cobra Kai vs Elites
Cobra Kai
Cobra Kai took a lickin’ last week. One thing that we noticed though was that they were in high spirits. We think this team realizes its strengths and weaknesses and won’t let the losses bog them down. We have high hopes for this team because they have extrememly strong leadership at the Top with Fabio. As Cobra was taking the beating we were able to see Fabio crack a smile from the heckling (jokingly) from Harpal. That showed us the character of this team. It will take some time for them to work out all the kinks but we think that once they figure it out they will be a team that no one will want to face. They added some great players in Kevin, Anthony, Brian and Naeem. If these guys can step up and give Fabio some good depth at receiver they will be in good hands. The matchup against the Elites couldn’t have come at a better time but believe us it is not a gimmie game. Cobra Kai will have to play tough on every down to even think about winning this one.
Elites
The Elites are one of our favorite teams. They are young, energetic, and enthusiastic and all the other words you can use to describe youth. Compared to most of the league their average is below 25. They can out run you all day long. Now the question remains, are the Elites elite? This game will tell a lot about how this team will end up. If it ends up being close the Elites might have to reevaluate how they go about the rest of the season a lot like how the Underdogs might have to do that as well. We think that with all of the new additions especially at QB the Elites have a good chance of winning this game. As long as they don’t take it for granted they will win. Aldo really needs to step up in this game get the ball to his receivers quick and let them make the plays. He will have a lot of help with the likes of Anas, “The Squirrel”, Kaiser, Muhaymin and Rasheef.
MATCHUP
Both teams sorely need a win. Cobra Kai needs this win to prove that they can hang and the Elites need to win to show that they have grown. Cobra Kai has a little more age to them which can either help or hurt. Elites are young which can help but also hurt. This is another game that’s hard to predict because we are still so unsure about Cobra Kai and the Elites. Even though it’s hard we are going to go with the Elites because they have more games under their belt and they have a veteran QB who has had success in the past. We are going with experience in this one. Can Cobra prove us wrong?
Elites 28 – Cobra Kai 13
