Underdogs Look To Take OWL Playoffs By Storm
Everybody loves an underdog story. What's even better? An underdog story in the postseason. The Overwatch League playoffs are the perfect example of several underdogs all vying for fans to jump on the bandwagon.
Although their seasons weren't great, these three teams turned it around when it mattered most and fans should keep an eye on each of them. The last-minute meta shift has added an extra layer for teams to adjust to and it seems the underdogs have taken advantage of it extremely effectively.
Washington Justice
The entire narrative around the Justice has been focused on the arrival of Gui-woon "Decay" Jang and his incredible level of play he brings to the team. Overwatch League commentator Josh "Sideshow" Wilkinson has even described him as the best Zarya player in the league on his stream. The rest of the roster features several high-level players, but before Decay's arrival, the Justice failed to put up solid results.
It is difficult to say just how much of this turnaround is from Decay's arrival and how much is from the massive shift in the meta. Still, either way, everyone knows that Decay is a scary, scary player, and the Justice should be on everyone's radar. They have already swept the Titans, Fuel, and the Eternal this postseason while taking the Shock to a Game 5. It is one thing to be an underdog, and it is another to be an underdog sweeping most of your opponents in dominant fashion. This team posted a 4-17 record throughout the regular season and have given themselves a chance for a run at the Finals. There aren't many underdog stories bigger than this.
Seoul Dynasty
The Dynasty were struggling all season long to put up consistent results and heading into the playoffs not much had changed about their expectations. But, maybe it should have. Five of their last six wins have all been clean sweeps. Two of these were in the playoffs over the Hangzhou Spark and the Guangzhou Charge, who were one of the best teams in Asia all year long. They have seemingly figured out their roster for the postseason with Min Seo "Marve1" Hwang and Youngwan "Creative" Kim becoming features of their starting lineup.
This team is made up of many talented players, but their inconsistent play left fans feeling like the Dynasty couldn't win when it mattered. Now, the Dynasty have positioned themselves exactly where they would expect themselves to be at the beginning of the season. They need only one win to earn a spot in the Grand Finals, but a tough match against the Shanghai Dragons is their first test before their chances at the Finals can be discussed.
Even if they lose to the Dragons, they will have a chance in the Loser's Finals against the Guangzhou Charge, who they have already swept, or the New York Excelsior, who struggled to get past the Chengdu Hunters. Marvel, Creative, and the rest of the lineup have a chance to prove they are elite players alongside star DPS Junyoung "Profit" Park. Of all the underdog teams, the Seoul Dynasty shouldn't have been underdogs entering the playoffs based on their preseason expectations and pure level of talent on the team. If they can pull off this wild run, it will be a story to remember.
Click to enlargeAtlanta Reign
It's hard to believe the Reign are underdogs, similar to the Dynasty. But it is even more severe for the Reign who many had as a top-5 team entering the season. They finished 7th out of 13th in the North America region which perfectly sums up their average year.
The Reign have a very talented roster and have put together a string of good results in the playoffs by defeating the Boston Uprising and upsetting the #3 seed Paris Eternal. Jun "Erster" Jong, Taehun "Edison" Kim, and Hugo "Sharp" Salsburg have all been touted as dangerous DPS players, but they have failed to make a convincing impression throughout the season. The Reign have been mixing and matching these three players, similar to other top teams like the Philadelphia Fusion, and it has worked out so far. If the DPS core can continue clicking as they have been, they have a chance at making it through this Loser's Bracket.
They have a long way to go and face a tough matchup with the Florida Mayhem. After that, there is a chance they will have to face the hot Washington Justice, and that is before either the Philadelphia Fusion or San Francisco Shock get knocked into the Loser's Bracket. Fans know this roster has talent though, and these players have the potential to be a top team. If they can receive consistent, high-level DPS play and the rest of their roster plays up to their potential, and this roster could surprise everyone with an underdog run.
Images via Blizzard Entertainment
