San Francisco Shock vs Philadelphia Fusion

For our third match of the day we have a very exciting clash between the San Francisco Shock and the Philadelphia Fusion.

A win for the Shock could guarantee their spot in the Stage 4 playoffs - which isn't a small thing. For the Fusion however this could be do or die. They're currently seventh in the overall season standings with 21 wins and 15 losses but a single loss could mean they're out of the playoff picture. Right now for the Fusion, Seoul, the Gladiators and Houston every single map counts.

Philadelphia had quite a lot of momentum going into week three due to their dominant wins but there was always doubt lingering in the back of everyone's mind. Week three was crushing for the Fusion as they were completely outclassed by New York in 4-0 fashion on Thursday and then lost to the Gladiators the very next day.

As a team they're far too inconsistent. Ever since Stage 2 ended, their teamplay has gradually regressed on all fronts and it's evident in every single game they play. Sure they're able to best lower ranked teams with relative ease but when they're up against a top tier team they fumble consistently.

Carpe is their biggest catalyst and he can't do everything alone. When he's able to shine it's a masterclass - seeing him best Pine on multiple occasions was exceptional - but with the rest of his team underperforming it's hard for him to put out consistent damage.

To make matters worse their second DPS EQO isn't in the starting line-up due to a wrist injury and it became evident last week just how big of an impact that change had on their overall level of play.

They can reach the playoffs but it's not going to be easy.

As for the Shock, they quickly emerged as one of the best, most layered and flexible teams in the entire Overwatch League. Sure they're still rough around the edges and they're not immune to illogical moves and calls but they're proving to be quite a formidable opponent even against the very best teams in the League.

Thing is, the Shock don't really play a set way, nor do they abide by the meta that strictly. They can do everything and go for any team comp or strategy that they see fit. The addition of former Boston Uprising coach Crusty instantly improved their play and they're even starting to incorporate Babybay back into the lineup on certain maps like King's Row or Control Point maps.

Speaking of Babybay he was able to pick Dallas Fuel apart as Hanzo on their attack on King's Row. He displayed some insane accuracy on both Hanzo and McCree and fully echoed his Stage 1 level of play. We already knew just how lethal Babybay is, but to see him flourish inside this new and updated roster is just a fantastic sight.

He's taking up the role of DPS specialist much like Pine. Whenever San Francisco need a solid, highly accurate sniper they get Babybay in and switch things up thus making it harder for opposing teams to prepare.

While they're not perfect as a team they're constantly improving and it shows. When their backs were up against the wall against Dallas on Lijiang Tower there was a moment when Architect ulted as Zarya and every single member of the team immediately switched focus even though they were incredibly scattered.

They're also incredibly flexible, with Sinatraa being able to play Zarya, Junkrat, Tracer and even Brigitte on a very high level and with Architect performing at such a high level there are really no limitations for this squad in terms of what they can do and when.

We're going with San Francisco on this one. While the Fusion are a very capable, highly threatening team the Shock are playing at a much higher level right now and they have the tools to take down Carpe and the rest of Philly. That said it might not be a clean win as the Fusion don't go down without a fight.