FlyQuest vs Evil Geniuses

A clash between FlyQuest and Evil Geniuses is important in more ways than one. This isn't just for the bragging rights, or a spot in the playoffs (although both are on the line); this is also a fight between two teams that are trying their hardest to crack Top 3 and enter the LCS pantheon -- the very same place that was forever reserved for the likes of Cloud9, Team SoloMid and, as of recently, Team Liquid. FlyQuest and Evil Geniuses did finish second and third back in Spring, but with TSM and TL imploding, their success, while concrete and commendable, always had an asterisk next to it.

This time around, the stakes are much higher and so is the opposition present in North America. Team SoloMid and Team Liquid have both bounced back in quite spectacular fashion and currently have a bit more hype and momentum than FlyQuest and Evil Geniuses, in no small part because of their passionate fan bases and stacked line-ups. Where does that leave EG and FLY, two top-tier challengers who've struggled mightily during the halfway point of the split?

In short, they're fighting for relevance, and they're doing so in more ways than one. FlyQuest are sitting comfortable in fourth place with nine wins and six losses, whereas Evil Geniuses find themselves in sixth place, barely clinging on to their playoff hopes. They've just dropped a couple of games and while they did look fairly solid overall, there's definitely a reason for concern. They have FlyQuest, Golden Guardians, and 100 Thieves lined up next, and they could, at worst, lose all three games. It's fair to assume they'll win against 100 Thieves, but the first two match-ups will present an almost insurmountable challenge, given just how exploitable and inconsistent Evil Geniuses have been recently. They're mostly great until they simply aren't -- there's always something in the way, an egregious mistake or two that costs them the game or a botched team fight that leaves them vulnerable. Against mid-tier teams that's not such a big deal, but the best teams out there only need an inch to turn things around and seal the deal.

Overall, FlyQuest are favored and with good reason. They're simply better across the board and have done more than enough to warrant everyone's benefit of the doubt. They're not perfect, but they're knocking on Top 3 and have looked rather fantastic over the last two and a half weeks.