Stage 3 of the Overwatch League begins soon with the Atlanta Reign dead even at 7-7 in overall standings. With two dominant wins over New York Excelsior, the southern squad will be under the microscope going into the second half of the regular season. The Reign don’t fair well against teams closest to them in the standings so their mettle will be tested in the first week of Stage 3. Both San Francisco and Vancouver squads have the firepower and aggression to test what Atlanta has done with the long break between stages.
Atlanta has flexibility in their roster so expect Wrecking Ball comps supported by triple DPS heroes. Despite Orisa’s buffs, GOATs will be the mainstay for Stage 3 (unless heard otherwise). Every tank should see some play-time this go around. Atlanta has quite the week ahead of them and these games won’t be easy. This week is important across the board but mostly for teams like Atlanta. Take a look at their opponents and see why.
What better way to kick off Stage 3 than a bout between the San Francisco Shock and Atlanta Reign. The Californian crew led by Matthew “Super” Delisi are fresh off of their Stage 2 finals victory over the Vancouver Titans. This will be the first match for Andrej “Babybay“ Francisty against his former team since being traded to Atlanta in April of this year. Despite the records of each team, this match should still be exciting and closer than the final score would dictate. This will not be like the NYXL games by any means.
Photo from San Francisco Shock
No roster updates on either side means the clubs can truly craft game-plans for their opponent. The Shock might drop a map early on so don’t count Atlanta out of the fight. If the Reign can craft another upset, the narrative could change overnight. Their key to success will be Babybay landing Graviton Surges.
Prediction: San Francisco 3-1 Atlanta
The Vancouver Titans are a juggernaut in most cases, with their only loss in recent memory coming in the Stage 2 finals. Atlanta was able to bait, dissect and punish the New York Excelsior. It remains to be seen if they can abuse Sangbeom “Bumper” Park’s aggressive advances. This game will provide a clearer picture of Atlanta’s strength against the best the Overwatch League has to offer.
Unlike most games, this one will be over fast regardless of outcome. Both teams enjoy playing quickly and the different DPS looks from Atlanta might not need to farm ultimates in order to hang. With the rise in popularity of the Clockwork composition (Orisa, Torbjorn, Mei, Roadhog, Mecry and Ana/Baptiste) the Reign could change the flow of team fights. This variance in strategy could catch Vancouver off-guard!
Prediction: Vancouver 4-0 Atlanta
Featured photo from Atlanta Reign
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