A hasty exit and an explosive return — Call Of Duty League Champs 2021 Day Two takeaways

We were hoping for bangers, and for the most part we got them. Well, at least for two out of four matches. Today was our first day seeing the two top seeds hit the stage, and they didn’t disappoint, but that depends on your definition. We also got to see Simp walk away with MVP, an honor that was arguably stolen from him last year, and he didn’t hesitate even slightly when asked if they were going to win Champs, answering with an emphatic yes. There’s still plenty left to play for, so let’s look at today’s matches and think over what tomorrow may bring.

• Sure, call it an easy win versus one of the lower seeds, but you can only play who is in front of you and boy, did someone get played. Atlanta Faze immediately set the pace, never looking back with a demonstrative 250-149 Hardpoint and continuing on in a 3-0 win over the New York Subliners. Faze’s victory never really looked in danger, and if they’re back to playing this kind of perfect Call Of Duty it spells trouble for everyone else. I doubt they’ll play every game like this, Minnesota Rokkr seem to be waking up, Toronto Ultra showed their clutch gene in an elimination match, and of course, Dallas Empire is Dallas Empire, not to mention waiting to avenge the two Majors losses. The road doesn’t get easier, but the may have come alive right when they needed to.
• Dallas on the other hand had their hands full with a Toronto team that just wouldn’t go down. Everything had the makings of another 3-0 after Shotzzy literally wouldn’t die in a tough Raid Hardpoint, but the boys from the North refused to give up. This game proved Dallas is at least vulnerable if a team adjusts, but they’re definitely going to still be a hard out for anyone on the slate.
• Toronto Ultra has to be somewhat gasping for breath after today. The loss versus Dallas was so close, but they shook it off and took down a reeling Chicago Optic team, punching them square in the chest the same way Dallas did earlier, although without the whole “knockout” thing. If there’s a team smart enough to weather the slate in front of them, it’s Toronto, and they’re probably out for revenge against the Rokkr.
• Rokkr seems to be rounding into form at the right time, but whether they can do it versus the top three is the real question. It’s one thing to finish off a Subliners team that appeared to use up all their juju versus Chicago Optic, it’s another to knock off a wounded tiger in the form of Toronto Ultra. Still… they did reverse sweep them in a best of nine just a few weeks ago…
• Chicago Optic. Man, there’s a lot to say, but I’ve got to contain this in a paragraph. They put their everything into it, but still ended up matching their lowest placement of the year. Scump did everything in his power to drag them to a game 5, but he couldn’t get help from his teammates, and it cost them. Will Scump be back for Call Of Duty: Vanguard? Even if he is, will any of his teammates be back? It’s hard to imagine T2P breaking up, but Formal looks like he’s past his expiration date. I don’t really like him but I definitely agree with Optic fans, Scump needs some help.
• I feel extremely bad for the New York Subliners. I couldn’t tell you why it all went wrong today, but as I mentioned before, it felt like they ran out of energy, expelling all of it versus Chicago and then getting slapped around versus Atlanta. Like Chicgao, the Florida Mutineers, and the Los Angeles Thieves, there are a lot of roster decisions to make. Does Clayster want to stay? Do they want him to? Hydra is a star and your franchise cornerstone, but everyone else could be expendable. How about luring Octane to the Big Apple?

Here’s some things to think about for tomorrow’s games-

• Can Faze do it again? As tough as Dallas is, Faze has beaten them in every tournament this year. It still represents a challenge as Empire aren’t going down without a fight, but if the teamwork Faze has shown is on display tomorrow, we’ll be seeing them on Sunday.
• Can Shotzzy outduel his counterparts and can Vivid be at his best? It’s a tough ask versus Simp and aBeZy, but it can be done. While Shotzzy is important, Vivid may be moreso, given he generally plays the more aggressive entry sub role (yes I know, Shotzzy does that a lot too). The problem is that Atlanta has the personnel to counter just about anyone, so a big game by both is needed.
• Toronto Ultra is a great team, but can they find that gear they did during Major II? The key is probably the subs, with Bance and CleanX needing to do a lot more than they did versus Dallas if they want to move forward. If they make it past Rokkr, it’s either a match with Faze or a rematch with Dallas, so the bois frying would be preferential.
• The Rokkr have wins versus the Los Angeles Thieves and New York Subliners, and a loss versus the Dallas Empire. They’re definitely worthy of top four billing, but going on recency bias I’m not sure anyone would put them ahead of the top three. Can they use that as a chip on their shoulder and take out Toronto? Or is the writing already on the wall?

Lastly, here is the usual bracket and video link to help you watch what will hopefully again contain a few bangers.

DAY THREE-

There are also some awesome viewership rewards to be earned, just head over to this link to set everything up! You can follow the league both live and after hours on the official Call Of Duty League YouTube channel right here. If you want to jump into the game, check out CallOfDuty.com, and if you want to know more about it first, check out our review right here.

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