Against all odds and most predictions, the Toronto Defiant have another win under their belts. In the first of many matches that focused Torbjorn over the weekend, the Defiant showed a positive upswing in their playstyle. Rookie main tank Adam “Beast” Denton showed massive strides of improvement while main support Kristian “Kellex” Kellar stepped up to the plate in more ways than one. By efficiently shutting down Corey “Corey” Nigra on Torbjorn — their only real threat on the map they dropped — Kellex ensured that his team could clean up the rest of the justice with ease. A scoreline of 3-1 secured victory for this team on the (possible) upswing.
Previously, this weekend could’ve offered the Defiant a chance at a comeback by shutting down the team to get their first win in the regular season over them. The Houston Outlaws remain to be full of question marks and untapped potential, and last week should have been their time to shine. However, Houston’s loss to the Paris Eternal gives Defiant fans a bit of hope as they march into this weekend.
Photo: Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment
The last time these two teams met, the Houston Outlaws walked away with the upset victory, their first of the season. There’s no doubt that Toronto is looking to even the playing field this Sunday and earn themselves a win. However, that might be a fate that’s easier said than done. This week’s hero bans don’t exactly play into the strong suit of this Defiant roster. With popular off-tank D.Va finally out of rotation, as well as flex support Ana, Toronto could find themselves in a bit of trouble.
Much like last weekend, though, these hero bans could surprise. Flex support Young-seo “KariV” Park is mutli-faceted in his role, and is able to play Zenyatta and even Moira at high levels. Additionally, KariV can and will find success, so long as he’s outplaying Houston’s go-to flex support, Shane “Rawkus” Flaherty. The damage bans — Sombra and Reaper — aren’t anything to worry about, as the meta will likely shift back to Mei and McCree. Both Lane “Surefour” Roberts and Brady “Agilities” Girardi have shown their worth on both of these heroes previously, and are more than up for the job. What it comes down to in the end is how well this team can band together to fight against the Outlaws. Unless Toronto can be prepared for whatever this Texas team throws their way, they might be in trouble.
Toronto’s biggest weakness is their lack of depth on their roster. Therefore, with D.Va out of rotation this week, the Defiant’s off tank Andreas “Nevix” Karlsson needs to perform at top levels. Known mostly for this D.Va centric play, this is Nevix’s chance to show he’s more than a one trick. Previously, fans have seen some Zarya play, which impressed to a certain degree. If the meta surely shifts into something akin to double shield, with Sigma and Orisa, Nevix will have to show he’s honed his skills and practiced all tank roles to secure a win for this team. With off-tank superstar Tae-hong “MekO” Kim as his competition, however, that task might be too big to conquer.
Featured Image Courtesy of the Toronto Defiant twitter.
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