The Overwatch League wrapped up Week 3 of Stage 2 this past weekend. The Guangzhou Charge and Atlanta Reign played one crazy game that set an Overwatch League match point record, and was absolutely thrilling to watch unfold. Heading into the Dallas Fuel Homestand, a lot of teams are cementing their positions for the stage playoffs. Here’s how the TGH crew ranked them.
(MPD= Map Differential, High is the highest an individual ranked the team, Low is the lowest an individual ranked them, and LW= Last Week’s Power Ranking Position)
1. Vancouver Titans – Record: 12-0 MPD: +34 (High: 1. Low: 2. LW: 1st)
What can be said of a team in the middle of a run that makes NYXL’s opening campaign pale in comparison? New York’s loss to the Reign leaves Vancouver with the league’s lone unblemished record and the undisputed top spot in our rankings. They’ve now tied the record for longest map win streak and likely won’t be challenged seriously until Stage playoffs. Their level of consistency is unmatched. Their peaks are as high as anyone’s. How long can heaven last for the Titans? At least a while longer.
– Bradley Long
2. San Francisco Shock – Record: 9-3 MPD: +25 (High: 1. Low: 3. LW: 3rd)
It’s honestly a little stunning to see how far the Shock have come. They were definitely a threat in Stage 1, but in Stage 2 things have been cranked up to 11. 20 map wins in a row is a record, and the Shock may not be done yet. The Fusion and the Dragons will certainly be tough opponents (they play them in Week 5; the Shock don’t play in Week 4), but even they may not be able to stop the Shock’s rampage.
– Sam Putney
3. New York Excelsior – Record 12-1 MPD: +31 (High: 3. Low: 4. LW: 2nd)
I ranked the NYXL a bit lower than average this week only because of their loss against the Atlanta Reign. New York looked lost and confused against the Reign, which resulted in a stunning upset. If they don’t look back and figure out what went wrong, things could continue to go awry for the New York Excelsior.
– Miranda Rodriguez
4. Los Angeles Gladiators – Record: 9-4 MPD: +13 (High: 3. Low: 5. LW: 4th)
The Los Angeles Gladiators had another great week, defeating the Florida Mayhem and the Chengdu Hunters. The Gladiators have improved to 6-0 in Stage 2. They have a bye week in Week 4. The Gladiators continue to prove that they are a top four team, and have a real shot at making playoff run.
– Zach Stenzel
5. London Spitfire – Record 7-4 MPD: +6 (High: 4. Low: 7. LW: 6th)
Last week’s 4-0 sweep against Boston keeps the Spitfire undefeated so far in Stage 2. London’s ability to reliably perform has dramatically improved since Stage 1, helping them take on teams of all skill levels with ease. With matches against the mid-low tier Chengdu and Paris this week, London could very well come into week 5 undefeated.
–Steven Bower
6. Seoul Dynasty – Record: 5-5 MPD: +6 (High: 5. Low: 8. LW: 9th)
Winning in Week 3 was most important for the Dynasty. Heading to Dallas for the homestead and having Playoffs on the horizon. Winning emphatically and taking all four maps decisively was even better. Seoul need all the wins they can take being towards the bottom and just out of the stage play off running. Finding comfort in the new found aggression from Minseo “Marve1” Hwang dissipates thoughts of “where is Chanhyung “Fissure” Baek,” and “if Fissure was here it’d be better.” Having weaker opponents until facing Vancouver in Week 5 can only aid Seoul in making stage playoffs.
-Andy Nekrich
7. Philadelphia Fusion – Record: 8-5 MPD: +6 (High: 4. Low: 8. LW: 7th)
The Fusion have dropped in most power rankings this stage. This is due to their losses against the NYXL and London Spitfire. While the first NYXL game might have been a stomp, the Fusion made a come back during their second one. They were the first team to take a map win off the NYXL before the Atlanta Reign did the improbable later this weekend. While they did not win their match against the NYXL, they did look a lot stronger during this match. In their match against the Outlaws, we saw the Fusion shine. Both Isaac “BoomBox” Charles and Su-min “SADO” Kim were popping off during this game. While the Outlaws are definitely going through a rough patch, this was the most coordinated that fans have seen the Fusion look in quite some time. The Fusion are 7th again this week, but they have definitely shown improvement. The Fusion will not be playing any matches this weekend. Their last match of the stage will be against the undefeated San Francisco Shock. If they can keep the momentum going from their match against the Outlaws, they have a good chance of giving the Shock a decent fight.
– Kate Shepard
8. Boston Uprising – Record: 6-6 MPD: -4 (High: 6. Low: 10. LW: 8th)
The Uprising, as predicted, had a very tough week. Facing two of the top teams in the League meant they fell at the hands of their competitors. It should be noted that they did look strong against the Titans, the undisputed champions of the League right now. With the Homestand Weekend ahead, the Uprising have some time off to regroup, and finalize their strategies against the Gladiators, and the Justice. As of right now, they still sit on the upper half of the scale, and secured wins will tip things in their favor even more.
– Mallory McMahon
9. Shanghai Dragons – Record: 6-6 MPD: -2 (High: 7. Low: 10. LW: 11th)
The league and community has taken notice of the Dragon’s win streak, and it’s not a fluke. Although Houston and Florida aren’t the strongest teams, Shanghai has separated from the lower tier teams and put them in a position to have a stage playoff berth. The odds of Shanghai getting in are higher than people should think, because a bye week will give them an incredible amount of preparation for the Shock in Week 5 (and Washington but that shouldn’t be an issue).
– Jacob Renie
10. Dallas Fuel – Record: 6-5 MPD: -3 (High: 8. Low: 12. LW: 5th)
Dallas may have lost their two games 4-0, but they were against two really good teams. It’s hard to judge how good anyone is against the Titans. As for the Seoul match, poor scouting was Dallas’ major downfall, not their actual team fights. To say that Dallas is dead center after facing two of the best teams this stage seems like a bit of an undercut.
– Ethan Cowan-Kazmi
11. Chengdu Hunters – Record: 5-6 MPD: -6 (High: 9. Low: 12. LW: 10th)
The Chengdu Hunters only had one match this past week, a tough loss against the Gladiators. As the Hunters come back down to earth after a scorching start to Stage 2, they sit comfortably in the middle tier of Overwatch League teams. There still seems to be little miscues that need to be ironed out for the Hunters to challenge their way into a top-tier spot, but they can start by grabbing back-to-back games this weekend in Dallas against the Spark and Spitfire.
– Dalton Jewell
12. Hangzhou Spark – Record: 5-6 MPD: -10 (High: 10. Low: 14. LW: 12th)
The Spark are comfortably in the middle of teams, clawing their way back from the bottom at the end of Stage 1. They still suffer from inconsistency issues, needing a map five to defeat the Charge and handily defeated by the Shock in a sweep. This week in Dallas the Spark will face two other mid-tier teams in the Hunters and Eternal, and with proper preparation should be able to make both competitive.
– Dalton Jewell
13. Atlanta Reign- Record: 6-7 MPD: +2 (High: 12. Low: 15. LW: 15th)
The Atlanta Reign were the team to watch last week. Not only did they place a blemish on the NYXL’s record, defeating them in a stunning 3-1 victory, they also played one of the most entertaining matches in the Overwatch League against the Charge. With a total of 33 points earned throughout the match, it was the highest scoring match in league history. Even though it resulted in a Reign loss, the bulk of preparation this week went into toppling the NYXL. With a week off while some teams head to Dallas, the Reign will have even more time to prepare for the NYXL yet again. Was last week’s performance just a one-off, or can the Reign rise to the occasion once again?
– Dalton Jewell
14. Paris Eternal – Record: 5-6 MPD: -7 (High: 12. Low: 16. LW: 14th)
Paris had the week off in preparation for the Dallas Homestand. Their schedule does not get any easier in Dallas though. They will have to face a reinvigorated London Spitfire as well as a Spark team that has been showing signs of improvement. Hopefully, the extra week of preparation will help Paris in Dallas.
– Eren Erkey
15. Toronto Defiant – Record: 6-6 MPD: -4 (High: 11. Low: 17. LW: 13th)
The Defiant extended their losing streak to four following their loss to the the San Francisco Shock. Their recent fall from grace has been sudden after facing a grueling schedule for Stage 2. Only two matches remain for the Defiant before the stage playoffs. Their match with Vancouver seems all but decided, but the Defiant could finish the stage with a victory over the Paris Eternal. A second berth seems unlikely, but it is not yet impossible.
– Dave Grove
16. Los Angeles Valiant – Record 2-9 MPD: -11 (High: 13. Low:18. LW: 17th)
The Valiant have been on an upwards trend since Week 2, boasting back-to-back wins. However, they were not wins against the best of teams. There have been clear improvements among the squad, but the true test will be during the upcoming week when they take on the Dallas Fuel, and later the Seoul Dynasty. If they can hold their own against even one of these opponents, then they will surely be bumped up in many people’s power rankings.
– Aaron Gerr
17. Guangzhou Charge – Record: 4-9 MPD: -16 (High: 14. Low: 18. LW: 18th)
Guangzhou still sits near the bottom of the pack with only one win to their name and terrible map differential, but this week was certainly an emotional victory for the Charge. After playing a highly back and forth series against Hangzhou, they fought tooth and nail for a win over the Atlanta Reign and finally broke their 7 game loss streak. The Charge still have quite a lot to accomplish, and are completely out of Stage 2 contention, but they’re finally looking alive and if they continue to play as cleverly as they did this week they could begin to rise up the rankings again in due time.
– Ethan Seftor
18. Houston Outlaws – Record: 3-7 MPD: -12 (High: 15. Low: 20. LW: 16th)
Houston have had a rough Stage 2. Whether it’s the absence of Jacob “JAKE” Lyon or just general disarray, it seems that the Outlaws can’t put together the pieces for victory. However, Houston has been looking above-average on defense, it seems that when attacking they are making simple mistakes that shouldn’t happen. The Outlaws have some clear issues they need to work out, whether it’s in their positioning, their ult economy, or just what heroes they should be playing. Despite their past few losses, Dante “Danteh” Cruz continues to shine. If Houston wants to pull out a win when they return to Texas they need to play through him and his Sombra.
– Steven Zamora
19. Washington Justice – Record: 1-11 MPD: -23 (High: 18. Low: 20. LW: 18th)
Washington narrowly edged out Florida for the coveted second to last spot in the power rankings. Each week they show flashes of brilliance and each week the result is the same, usually a 3-1 loss. The roster has talent and the addition of Nikola “sleepy” Andrews should help. The biggest question is, with a 1-11 record are they already only playing only for pride?
– Brian Marr
20. Florida Mayhem – Record: 1-12 MPD: -25 (High: 18. Low: 20. LW: 19th)
The Florida Mayhem have once again found themselves at the bottom of the TGH power rankings. However on the bright side the many memes of collegiate and university level Overwatch teams being better than the Mayhem has subsided. Probably because fans and pundits have once again witnessed a competitive Florida team in both of their matches last week. Florida have a week without a match which will give them an extended period of time to prepare for their next series against the Dallas Fuel. A team that is reeling after two consecutive 4-0 demolitions provided by Vancouver and Seoul. The now fluent Korean communication within the Mayhem team has seemingly helped synergy and target calling. However this roster as it currently stands cannot honestly hope to climb out of the depths of the league standings without some new talent. In the meantime, Florida needs a win or two to remain in with a chance of making the end of year playoffs. Unfortunately for them, a win will elude them for a week longer.
– Sam O’Dwyer
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Our voters for OWL Power Rankings: Preseason- Bradley Long, Kate Shepard, Felipe Labarca, Darby Joyce, Robert Hanes, Katie Gripne, Ethan Cowan-Kazmi, Mallory McMahon, Dalton Jewell, Zach Stenzel, Garrett “Norcetto” Golden, Ethan Seftor, Miranda Rodriguez, Dave Grove, Sam Putney, Aaron Gerr, Steven Bower, Sam O’Dwyer, Connor Knudsen, Jake Renie, Steven Zamora, Brandon Padilla, Eren “Kenobi” Erkey, Andy Nekrich, Brian Marr