Enable argues why OpTic Chicago are the best they’ve been in CDL 2021

After a middling Stage 3 in the Call of Duty League, OpTic Chicago showed real promise during the Stage 3 Major. The Reverse Sweep crew took note, with Enable arguing that this is the best OpTic has looked in 2021.In Stage 3, OpTic went 2-3 with their only two wins coming against the bottom-dwelling Seattle Surge and London Royal Ravens. Then, in the Stage 3 Major, the team made a serious Losers Bracket run — winning three straight before falling to the Toronto Ultra in Map 5 of Losers Round 4.While Chicago fell short, Ian ‘Enable’ Wyatt took some time to posit that they’re making real progress and are playing better than they ever have in Black Ops Cold War. During the Reverse Sweep, Enable analyzed OpTic’s new form alongside Jonathan ‘Pacman’ Tucker and Katie Bedford.Most agree that the CDL’s top three teams right now are the Atlanta FaZe, New York Subliners, and Toronto Ultra. The question remains: Is OpTic fourth? And, more importantly, are they on the precipice of breaking into the upper echelon?

Although Enable grounds his analysis by affirming that OpTic is likely the fourth- or fifth-best team right now, he believes they’re on the right trajectory: “This was probably their best Call of Duty they’ve played as a team so far in Cold War.”Pacman joined in, explaining how the Stage 3 performance showed a new level of prowess from the Green Wall: “This weekend they had a lot of teamwork, they showed a lot of teamwork. They weren’t over-challing, they were pushing together, so it made them look phenomenal.”

• Read more: Scump reveals biggest reason behind OpTic Chicago’s Stage 3 Major improvement

Both analysts were encouraged by OpTic’s form, but remained cautious. Sweeping Dallas was nice, but it took a 2.15 K/D from Brandon ‘Dashy’ Otell. Going five maps against Toronto was even better, but it took a 1.24 K/D from the flex AR. Enable and Pacman note that the team needs to find ways to compete without relying on such big performances from Dashy.

Even if this is the best OpTic has looked all season, that still wasn’t enough to win a Major and progress still needs to be made. As Pacman cautioned, “I’ve seen them do this before, where they hit this form where they look really good … but then it just disappears.” 

• Read more: CDL Stage 3 Major top 10 plays: Shotzzy stuns OpTic!

Touching on those consistency issues, Enable asserts that all OpTic can do is try and grow on their production instead of slipping back into mediocrity: “They’re so talented, you’ve just got to kind of put it together. And it seems like they’re maybe starting to, maybe they’re on the right track now.”

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OpTic will start their own Stage 4 Home Series off against the Minnesota ROKKR on May 28 before facing a taller test against the Atlanta FaZe on May 30.