This past weekend was a tale of the entire 2017 season for the DC Breeze. A dominant offensive unit that is nearly unstoppable at home, and a team that struggles to piece together consistency on the road. The conditions and the outcomes were polar opposites in the two playoff games over the weekend.
In Toronto, Canada everything was different for the DC Breeze compared to their match-up on Friday evening. No rain, only a slight breeze, near perfect conditions. The biggest difference was the result. Using an imposing defense, the Toronto Rush dismantled the offensive line for DC, winning 29-26 at Varsity Stadium.
DC Breeze at Toronto Rush
Sunday August 13, 1pm ET — audl.tv/live
Ever since the end of the 2016 season, there has been one goal on the mind of DC Breeze players: take the division from the Toronto Rush. The Breeze will get that chance Sunday at 1:00pm ET when they once again take on Toronto with the East Division title in the balance.
As in every sport, the level of play in the AUDL intensifies in the playoffs. With a trip to the Eastern Division final on the line, hostile weather conditions were simply ignored at Hotchkiss Field. The rain was unrelenting, a two and a half hour lightning delay started 27 seconds into the game(!), and it was a Friday night after many players endured either work or a 10+ hour drive. In the…
Only one team in the East Division won their season series against the DC Breeze during the 2017 campaign. The Montréal Royal bested the Breeze by a one-goal margin after both teams won their home contest. In fact, that one loss in Montréal ended up being the determining factor for the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.
AUDL teams are allowed to add and remove players on their roster throughout the regular season as they see fit, as long as there are only 28 officially on the roster at any given time. As with many other teams, this allowed the Breeze to practice with and rotate among more than 28 players using an extended roster. The Breeze extended roster had 35 top quality players this season.
The final AUDL standings are set following the conclusion of regular season play this past weekend. In addition, with the final standings confirmed, the dates and opponents of the two Eastern Division playoff contests have been announced as well.
Going through playoff scenarios is one of the most entertaining pastimes in sports. It’s no different when it comes to the AUDL. The playoff picture in the East became a bit clearer after the Toronto Rush defeated the Montreal Royal 28-20 in Toronto Saturday evening to secure their spot in the postseason, but first, second and third place are all still up for grabs with only two weeks remaining.
