The Cannons Are An Absolute Wagon This Year And There's Only One Reason Why | PLL Week 7 Preview
The Cannons have been on a tear over the last few weeks. They've won 4 straight games after starting off the season 0-2, and they currently have the best score differential in the league.
What's crazy is the fact that the Cannons lost their best player before the season even started when it was announced that Lyle Thompson would be taking a break from the PLL this summer. In theory, that would be like the Kansas City Chiefs losing Patrick Mahomes for the year in August. So you'd figure the Cannons would be in for a lonnnnnng summer this year. But like I said, this team is a wagooooooon. They can't be stopped right now. Which leads one to ask the question--are the Cannons actually better without Lyle Thompson?
The answer is no. It's purely coincidence in timing right now. The Cannons also brought in a new coach this season, and they also added Marcus Holman and Matt Kavanagh to the offense. There are way too many variables at play here to just pin it on one specific thing. But the fact of the matter is that the Cannons just have the most efficient offense in league history right now.
There are a variety of different reasons, but they're just a better offense in general right now. One of the best offenses we've seen in years, actually. But that won't stop up from having an hour-long debate about Lyle Thompson on this week's episode of The Crease Dive anyway. So on this week's episode we are joined by our good pal Nick Ossello and get into what makes the Cannons so lethal right now, discuss why Lax Twitter is such a shit hole at the moment, and then gives our picks and previews for this weekend's slate of PLL games in Baltimore.
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PLL Week 7 Schedule // Baltimore
Saturday, 3pm // Archers (5-1) vs Atlas (2-4) // ABC
The Archers have only had one week so far we're they've looked human. The rest of the summer they've just been filling the back of the net with ease. They've scored the 2nd most goals in the league and somehow that feels like they're underachieving.
The Atlas have given up the most amount of goals in the league so far this season. The league average is 74.5 goals allowed at this point, and they're sitting at 86. So one of the best offenses in the game going up against the worst defense? It's not rocket appliance to see how this one is going to go. Archers -1.5 and the over.
Saturday, 5:30pm // Whipsnakes (2-4) vs Chrome (1-5) // ESPN+
This is realistically a game that could end the Chrome's season. There are only 3 more weeks left of the season after this weekend, and heading into those final 3 weeks with just one win is a tough hole to climb out of. Granted, 7 out of the 8 teams in the league make the playoffs. But the Chrome have the Archers, Redwoods and Chaos left on their schedule after this week. I don't see them winning 2 of those games. So if they lose this weekend, the best they'd end up is 2-8. That's not getting the job done. So you have to win this game if you're the Chrome, especially against a Whipsnakes team that is still pretty beat up.
With that being said….give me Whipsnakes ML. There is far too much drama going on with the Chrome right now and the chemistry seems to be as shattered as possible.
Sunday, 1pm // Redwoods (3-3) vs Chaos (3-3) // ABC
The Redwoods desperately need to turn things around here. They've had a couple of bad weeks back-to-back here after such a hot start to the season. The Chaos dropped a close one last week against the Whipsnakes, but they've been playing some really consistently solid lacrosse lately. I like this game to be the closest of the weekend, so I'll go ahead and grab Redwoods +1.5. But something tells me that a wild goal from Josh Byrne will end up being the difference maker here.
Sunday, 3:30pm // Waterdogs (4-2) vs Cannons (4-2) // ESPN+
Waterdogs vs Cannons. Potentially a championship preview, and it's a shame this game won't be the ABC game. I think both of these teams are as evenly matched up as possible. Both teams have offenses that snap the ball around and everybody eats. Both teams have a great, cohesive defensive unit that might not jump out at you right away but will grind down any offense throughout a game. The one area where I'd give the Waterdogs a clear advantage is between the pipes, but starting goalie Dillon Ward is still going to be out on paternity leave this week. So I'll call the goalie matchup a wash here as well. All I can say is this game is going to kick ass, and we'll hopefully get treated to a shit ton of gritty goals. Over 25.5 is the play to close out Baltimore week.
And if you're going to be anywhere near Homewood Field this weekend, make sure you get your ass over to the Bar Down Lounge. $22 gets you in the door for a double-header each day, and then anyone 21+ can come over to the beer garden. In this economy? That is thievery in broad daylight.
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