LIVESTREAM Mexico: Dinos de Saltillo @ Raptors Naucalpan April 10, 12 PM CDT (1 pm ET, 07:00 PM CET)
On Sunday afternoon, there is a real chance at history being made for the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional. The Dinos de Saltillo are getting ready for their final game of the regular season. With a win, not only would they earn the number one seed for the playoffs, but they would also become the first team in league history to finish with a perfect undefeated regular season record. The home team, the Raptors Naucalpan, are shaping up and performing like the championship caliber teams of years past and feel like this is their moment to ruin the Dinos’ opportunity.
The Dinos followed up their close 14-6 win against the Galgos on March 26 with a blowout 34-6 victory over the Reyes at home a week later. Basically, Saltillo has been the best coached and most well-balanced team in the entire LFA. But their last game of the regular season may be their toughest challenge yet. Not only is it against one of their rivals, but it is on the road.
In spite of the 5-0 record, the Dinos have struggled somewhat on the road, winning both games by low scores. They beat the Mexicas by three in Week 1 and the lowly Galgos by eight in Week 4. However, head coach Javier Adame knows that his team needs to go out on a high note and carry that momentum into the playoffs as the Dinos likely won’t play again until May 7 when the semifinals begin.
The Raptors have been the best offense in the league over the last two weeks, scoring 60 points combined including 40 from a shutout victory against the Galgos. If anyone has the experience necessary to beat the Dinos and kill their quest for perfection it would be the Raptors. They have both the playoff and championship game experience from head coach, Guillermo Gutiérrez and quarterback Bruno Márquez among others on the roster.
The matchups between the Dinos and the Raptors, known colloquially as the “Duelo Jurásico,” have had a history of upsets in the biggest moments. For instance, in 2017, when the Raptors won first place in the North Division and looked like they would have a rematch with the Mayas in Tazón México II, the Dinos in their inaugural season, beat them in the divisional championship game on the road and advanced. The roles would be reversed a year later in 2018 as the Dinos were the first-place team and got upset in the playoffs by the Raptors, who went to Tazón México III.
In other words, anything could happen today.
