Atlanta FaZe asserted their dominance early on with multiple series wins against some of the league’s top teams. They locked down Search and Destroy, adjusted their Domination gameplay, and overall looked unbeatable (until CDL LA rolled around).
After a devastating loss to the Minnesota Røkkr back at CDL LA, their first series loss of the inaugural season, it was time for some adjustments. The extent of their changes has yet to be put to the test; however, after the CDL announced, they would be postponing the league to shift to online-only.
Tied for first alongside the Chicago Huntsmen, FaZe were expected to face their biggest rivals this weekend at CDL Dallas. Although that hasn’t happened, once the league makes its return, CDL might get a Faze vs. Huntsmen match after all.
As one of the best teams in the CDL, Atlanta have proven they can perform well in any tournament setting, LAN, or online. Here are a few thoughts on why FaZe are capable of going the distance in any tournament setting.
— Call of Duty League (@CODLeague) March 12, 2020
Atlanta FaZe: A New Way to Lead
Atlanta will have to find a new way to lead this CDL season. Online runs a lot different than LAN, but that doesn’t mean a FaZe World Championship is out of the question. No LAN events mean no crowd advantage when morale is low. But every team is in the same boat.
Does a home crowd advantage make a difference? Probably not a significant one, but it’s a welcoming distraction. Now that teams are required to compete from the comfort of their own homes or training facilities, it will be a true test of self-discipline. At worst, complacency becomes an issue, at best, Faze win a World Championship, something they are more than capable of doing.
FaZe will be taking full advantage of the downtime after a grueling couple of weeks. Taken from past player and coach interviews, Atlanta are friends inside and outside of the game. They win and lose together as a team, and instead of pointing fingers, they work together to make the most out of their professional careers. With every win, they are practicing, with every loss, they are learning. It is a constant cycle, and the grind never stops.
Complacency is one of the biggest problems a team can face, and it is essential for FaZe to find the perfect balance, so they don’t get burnt out in this short off-season. If they aren’t streaming a tournament in their downtime, they are streaming scrims or warmups where they will spend hours shooting bots or running scrims.
Every person on FaZe has won multiple online or LAN tournaments, so performing well in front of a crowd or, in this case, online, shouldn’t be an issue.
Chris “Simp” Lehr and Tyler “aBezy” Pharris
Chris “Simp” Lehr, one-half of the tiny terrors, shot to fame last year after an impressive rookie year. Before fame, Simp was outperforming several opponents both online and LAN and is no stranger to the main stage. He is calm and collected under pressure and is surrounded by a group of guys dedicated to bettering themselves and their team.
Tyler “aBezy” Pharris is a slower SMG than Simp but is still dropping impressive numbers across all competitive game modes. He recognizes the talent on his team and does what needs to be done to secure a win even if that means getting flamed by the Call of Duty community. Is it too early to compare him to Karma?
McArthur “Cellium” Jovel and Preston “Priestahh” Greiner
McArthur “Cellium” Jovel and Preston “Priestahh” Greiner, two of the best flex players in the game, are the bread and butter to FaZe.
Priestahh is the objective player, an often underrated and misunderstood position. His job is to lock down money hills and carry the bomb, which puts a target on his head. Despite the difficult job, he holds his own and has a dynamic range of play.
Cellium can be inconsistent at times but is capable of turning it around in an instant. He has the power to change the tide of a series and is a pro under pressure. His movement is god tier, and his numbers are MVP worthy (he won MVP at CDL Atlanta).
Michael “MajorManiak” Syzmaniak
MajorManiak has been quiet in respawns, but with all the talent on his team, himself included, he doesn’t need to be that all-star player all the time. From time to time, he will pop off, but all that matters is that he does his job and does it well.
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Featured photo via CDL/Getty Images.
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