MAD Lions vs Rogue

Finally, to close out the day, we have an absolute barnburner: MAD Lions vs. Rogue. Had someone told you that this would've been the most anticipated clash at the very end of the regular portion of the split, you would've probably laughed them out of the room and with good reason. MAD and Rogue, while obviously talented in every way, shape, and form, seemingly lacked that extra bit of power that was necessary to compete with the perennial "kings of Europe." But then came a shift for the ages. These young and promising rookies worked around the clock and the "kings" we all knew and love imploded (for a wide variety of reasons). As a result, we're now witnessing a monumental change in the LEC status quo -- the very same status quo that has remained unchallenged for the longest time, and it's quite exciting, to say the least.

Now, whether or not MAD and Rogue have what it takes to remain at the top for the foreseeable future is less important at this point in time. What is important, however, is that they're playing some mind-blowing League of Legends and are downright fantastic in more ways than one. They're aggressive, creative, talented, and above all else: hungry for the spotlight. They know they're in the driver's seat and have shown no willingness to relinquish control.

They are, however, different in regards to long-term potential and sheer mechanical talent. MAD Lions are better, there's just no other way to put it, and they've shown it on more than one occasion throughout recent history. Rogue have what it takes to tango, but there often comes a time when they just implode beyond reason -- like their now patented tendency to throw at Baron. The same thing happened many times throughout the split, and it also happened yesterday against Team Vitality. It is during these hectic nerve-wracking moments that their inexperience ends up being the deciding factor. MAD Lions, while certainly not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, don't have these egregious moments. They're also far more flexible and have shown a much better understanding of the current meta game.

The gap between the two -- at least when Rogue is having a good day -- isn't that noticeable, hence their similar position in the standings. Still, when push comes to shove, MAD Lions have always been better, and this game should be no different. That said, both teams will surely start swinging for the fences from the moment they spawn on the Rift which should result in an insanely entertaining (and quite competitive) scrap. After all, this is the "Match of the Week" for a reason.