;

DIVISION 1 analysis Rhinos&Mutiny The worst thing that could have happened to Mutiny is that the Rhinos lost this past Sunday in the exhibition game. Like the Novas, the Rhinos were never really threatened in the regular season. If there was any complacency there its gone for sure now. Mutiny is sitting right about where they should be given the regular season results and teams they played. A 2 point win over the Outlaws early on makes them more deserving to be here than a team that backed in to the 16 seed. The only game against the Rhinos was a 21-0 walloping 2 years ago which was not as close as the score indicates if you know what I mean. Since then Mutiny has gotten better, but so have the Rhinos. Its flashback time. Rhinos 24-3. Outcast&Outlaws Two very evenly matched teams with similar team personalities, fundamentally sound football players. Either team will give the Rhinos a run for their money in round 2. They have split their 2 earlier games with Outlaws knocking them out of the division II playoffs last year 7-6. Look for a similar game here, low scoring and tight to the end decided by less than 3 points. This should be the best game of the first round with Outcast paying back the loss last year. Outcast 10-8. Lazy Sunday&United After a promising regular season finish, United came out flat last year in the first round and went home early. If they come out flat again they will be heading home at halftime due to the mercy rule. I think they will show up prepared. United is a team with a few outstanding play makers that does the best when they play at their own pace. In a close game, they have what it takes to pull out a last minute win. They will be going up against the defending champs in the first round this year and keeping this game close will be a tall order since Lazy Sunday always turns it up a notch for the playoffs. Look for Lazy to go up early and often. Lazy Sunday 27-10. Bad Boyz&Diesel A very interesting match up here. Like Pain, Diesel seems to have overcome some growing pains and got themselves stablized. They are a team heading in the right direction at the right time. Their playoff run last year gives them more of an advantage than other move up teams playing in division 1, but the Bad Boyz are on a serious roll and just beat the Rhinos. Even though the game did not count it is still a confidence and moral booster. The Bad Boyz did not look past anyone in their regular season which is why they finished undefeated. They might be the most athletic team in the top 5. Diesel should find the endzone once but they are not ready to compete a full game with a team of this caliber. Bad Boyz 31-7. Wolves&Goldush We all hear about the Wolves (formerly known as the Lions) not being able to get the job done in the first round but this doesn`t seem to be a pattern overall as much as 2 separate issues in the spring league that happened. I am not an apologist for this team by any means but I do think the only way this is a factor is if it is a mental factor and the Wolves themselves make it one. I don`t think they will. Goldrush is a steady team but one who has never won a division 1 playoff game and they won`t get it this season either as the Wolves defense will be too much for them to handle. Wolves 21-0. All Makes&DWC Both of these teams were hammered in their games against top 4 teams, and DWC was shut out by the Larrys to boot. All Makes is that kind of team that wins even though they are over matched athleticaly most of the time because they find and exploit just enough weakness. They run into trouble against teams that are solidly organized and athleticly superior. DWC may have the athletic edge but they are not organized enough. All Makes 13-7. Playmakers&Larrys If this game was Playmakers against Outcast or Outlaws or DWC I would give a 7 point nod to the Playmakers, but they are playing a very veteren Division 1 team who has a habit of knocking off higher seeded first round teams. The Playmakers fell apart last year in the first round when they were the top seed against another less talented veteren team and the one they are playing this time is even less forgiving. Look for the Larrys to pull off the minor upset in Maryland. Larrys 20-17. Novas&Pain Pain has come a long way in a year and it seems like they are past the rocky road where a lot of moveup teams stall out. They feature size and smarts so you won`t beat them too often at the line, but the Novas coverage holds longer than most teams. The Novas won`t be looking past this game by any stretch and will show up with a full house. This game could be close at halftime but the Novas pull away in the second half for a comfortable win. Novas 24-10. Final4: Quite frankly I don`t think its wide open this year I think its just the opposite. Sorry to disappoint any cinderalla with high hopes. The only question is who wins the Lazy/Bad Boyz game. More on that after round 1.