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The Uprising can be a really frustrating team to watch. At times they can be world beaters, smashing even the best of teams without breaking a sweat. Then at times they look like their monitors are turned off in the midst of high-pressure games. As we head into a pivotal Stage 3 for Boston, we are hoping that the boys in blue are able to play like the top tier team they can be. The only problem is their difficult schedule ahead.
Stage 3 Schedule
The Uprising will have to play 3 top-8 teams, even having to play Philly a second time in what will certainly be a decisive last game for Boston right before playoffs. As a result, Boston has found itself as the underdog for more than half of the stage. Luckily they get the benefit of playing the struggling Paris Eternal twice, providing some form of relief from tougher opponents. But just how tough is it for Boston in Stage 3? Check out the head-to-head records against each opponent:
| Opponent | Head-to-Head Record |
| London Spitfire (4) | 2-3 |
| Paris Eternal (16) | 0-0 |
| Houston Outlaws (18) | 2-3 |
| Philadelphia Fusion (7) | 3-4 |
| San Francisco Shock (3) | 1-2 |
| Paris Eternal (16) | 0-0 |
| Philadelphia Fusion (7) | 3-4 |
Yikes. Boston does not have a single winning record against their opponents this stage. The most surprising being a losing record against the currently 3-11 Houston Outlaws, a team that has thoroughly played below expectations. While the game against Houston should be relatively one-sided in Boston’s favor, the rest of the schedule will not be so kind.
Strength of Schedule
Here’s a quick glance at how Boston’s schedule compares to the rest of the league.
| Rank | Team | Average Opponent Map Win % |
| 1 | Chengdu Hunters | 0.572 |
| 2 | Dallas Fuel | 0.556 |
| 3 | Atlanta Reign | 0.549 |
| 4 | Florida Mayhem | 0.53 |
| 5 | LA Valiant | 0.522 |
| 6 | London Spitfire | 0.518 |
| 7 | LA Gladiators | 0.513 |
| 8 | Boston Uprising | 0.509 |
| 9 | Toronto Defiant | 0.484 |
| 10 | Houston Outlaws | 0.478 |
| 11 | Vancouver Titans | 0.477 |
| 12 | Hangzhou Spark | 0.474 |
| 13 | Washington Justice | 0.47 |
| 14 | Shanghai Dragons | 0.462 |
| 15 | Paris Eternal | 0.459 |
| 16 | Philadelphia Fusion | 0.455 |
| 17 | Seoul Dynasty | 0.451 |
| 18 | San Francisco Shock | 0.438 |
| 19 | Guangzhou Charge | 0.422 |
| 20 | New York Excelsior | 0.408 |
Ranked 8th in the league in terms of schedule strength, Boston has quite the uphill battle if they want to finish the stage with a positive record. At 7-7, they sit on the playoff bubble with teams like Atlanta, Seoul, and Toronto – all of which share the same record. While Atlanta has the 3rd toughest schedule this stage, Seoul and Toronto have much weaker schedules, adding even more pressure onto Boston to win their tougher match ups.
Match Predictions
San Francisco Shock (11-3)
Coming off of their “Golden Stage” and a Stage Championship,the Shock are easily the hottest team in the league. This is undoubtedly Boston’s toughest match of the stage and it will be a gigantic test for the Uprising.
Prediction: San Francisco 4 – 0
London Spitfire (9-5)
The classic revolutionary rivalry. London absolutely smashed Boston last time around, but since it is the first match of the stage for these two I see this as a statement game for Boston. They can again assert themselves as a team to fear with a win. Then again, Boston is 2-4 in stage openers, so we can only hope they shake off their early stage struggles.
Prediction: London 3 – 2
Philadelphia Fusion (8-6)
Philly is a team that really excels in a DPS-focused meta where they can make use of carpe and eqo’s insane mechanical skills. Expecting more GOATS and bunker comps, Boston’s tank line should be favored this time around. Since they play twice this stage, I wouldn’t be surprised if these two split 2 very close matches.
Game 1 Prediction: Boston 3-2
Game 2 Prediction: Philly 3-2
Paris Eternal (5-9)
The first meeting for these two teams, and we get to see them play twice in the same stage. Paris has seemed lost through the first two stages, showing some really good moments but a lot of bad decision making. Boston should have no problem capitalizing on the mistakes of a weaker team.
Game 1 Prediction: Boston 4-0
Game 2 Prediction: Boston 3-1
Houston Outlaws (3 – 11)
I don’t think there’s a more disappointing team to watch than the Outlaws right now. Their GOATS is just terrible, which is stunning with a normally exceptional Rein player in Muma. Boston needs to expect shenanigans from a desperate Houston team, otherwise we will see another Washington fiasco.
Prediction: Boston 4-0
I think at 4-3 Boston would have a shot at making the stage playoffs, however looking forward to the season playoffs they would certainly have to pull out a few upsets along the way. There is a scenario where Boston upsets London and wins both games against Philly to go 6-1 for the stage, and I think it may be more likely than most people realize.
This is the stage for Boston to truly separate themselves from the rest of the pack of middle-tier teams. With a full stage with rCk under their belt, and a set roster moving forward, this stage is the best opportunity to make some noise in around the league. Last year we saw Boston have a perfect Stage 3, who says they can’t do it again?
Be sure to follow Brock on twitter for more breakdowns and analysis #BostonUp
