NFC PLAYOFF PREVIEW

Toronto Maddogs @ Tri-City Outlaws

This one could be a shocker in the making. Tri-City is a three man attack against a very tough defence that has the speed to stop the Outlaws weapons. The Maddogs come into the game having won two or their last three and will not be intimidated by the Outlaws.

The Maddogs were very close to pulling off a shocker in week five, falling 14-7 to Tri-City and will use that as motivation. The Outlaws come into the playoffs of the top ranked team, but they could easily be 4-4 instead of 7-1. Three of the Outlaws seven victories came by seven points or less.

For a first vs. eighth match up this game is difficult to pick. As mentioned earlier, the Outlaws rely solely on three game breakers and the Maddogs have the ability to shut those players down. For the Maddogs to win however; they will either need their offence to show up for once or their defence to score a couple of touchdowns. I feel as though that can happen and this will be a shocker: Maddogs 14 Outlaws 7.


Sarnia Imperials @ Oshawa Hawkeyes

As much as the Outlaws and Maddogs has shocker written all over it, this game could not be more of a polar opposite. After a surprising start to the season, the Imperials have looked a lot like the team that did not win a game all of last year. The Imperials defence has given up an astonishing 292 points this year and the Hawkeyes are not shy when it comes to putting points on the board.

Oshawa had an equal record to the Outlaws at 7-1 but their week one lost to Tri-City cost them first place. The Hawkeyes will be confident coming into this game having won seven straight and knowing that Sarnia is reeling having lost their last four contests. As long as Oshawa can stop the Imperials running game this one will not be close.

The only positive that the Imperials can take into this game is that the two teams have not met this season. This could allow Sarnia to add some plays that Oshawa has not seen and catch them off guard. This scenario however; is very unlikely and the Hawkeyes should have no problems: Imperials 17 Hawkeyes 42


Toronto Raiders @ Sault Ste Marie Steelers

Once again we have an upset in the making. The Raiders took the week one contest between the two teams by a score of 7-3, but things have changed since then. The Steelers finished the season with the most points scored in the league and the least amount given up.

The Raiders will have their work cut out for them but do take the confidence of owning one of only two victories over the Soo this season. If there is a team that is capable of shutting down the Soo it is the Raiders who held the Steelers to their lowest output of the season. And the Raiders also have Ricky Clarke who is arguably the leagues biggest game breaker on special teams.

This one could either turn out to be a defensive battle, or an offensive shootout. Both teams have the ability to shut down their opponents but also put points on the board at will. I will have to take a line from Lee Corso with this one and say it will be ‘closer then the experts think:’ Raiders 14 Steelers 20


North Bay Bulldogs @ Oakville Longhorns

This may be the best game of the first round of the playoffs. Both teams started the season underachieving, as they were each 2-2 by week four. As the season has progressed both have improved dramatically and it sets up to be quite an affair on Saturday. The best part may be that these teams have not met this year so it will be that much more exciting to see how things will turn out.

Both of the teams will come into this game knowing that their seasons could have produced more. The Bulldogs could have entered the playoffs as the top team had it not been for penalties and a week one meltdown. Oakville comes in having won four of their last five, although they are backing in having lost their final game of the season 25-0 to Tri-City.

This one is tough to pick because as good as the Bulldogs have been of late, it is real hard not to see them blowing another game because of a lack of discipline. Oakville will do what they can to get in the head of the Bulldog players with the hopes they will lose their composure. With the losses to Tri-City and Oshawa fresh in their minds and wanting to prove skeptics wrong, the Bulldogs will finally show the discipline needed to win the big game: Bulldogs 26 Longhorns 17