Call of Duty 2021: Los Angeles Thieves' Top Plays, Prize Money from Week 1

Professional Call of Duty is finally back on the menu. And while new players are now sitting at different tables, everyone is trying to secure a cut of this Call of Duty League season's $5 million prize pool.  

Week 1 of the 2021 CDL season was capped off with a tasty matchup between two of the league's most popular teams in the OpTic Chicago and the Atlanta FaZe, but one other beloved franchise deserves a toast: the Los Angeles Thieves.

As Hector "H3CZ" Rodriguez regained control of the OpTic Gaming brand from Immortals Gaming, the former OpTic Los Angeles league spot opened up. Matthew "Nadeshot" Haag, founder of 100 Thieves, was quick to secure the team, unbothered by its porous results in 2020.

In the shift to 4v4 gameplay and Treyarch's Black Ops Cold War, the Thieves shook up their roster while fans shook up expectations. Those hopes dropped in the preseason when Los Angeles got swept by Chicago, but two quick wins in Week 1 earn the revitalized roster some renewed faith.

Call of Duty League Opening Weekend

Thursday, February 11

Minnesota ROKKR 1 - 3 Los Angeles Thieves

Seattle Surge 0 - 3 Dallas Empire

Friday, February 12

Paris Legion 0 - 3 OpTic Chicago

Los Angeles Guerrillas 0 - 3 Atlanta FaZe

Saturday, February 13

Paris Legion 2 - 3 Los Angeles Guerrillas 

Toronto Ultra 3 - 1 Florida Mutineers

New York Subliners 0 - 3 Los Angeles Thieves

Sunday, February 14

Seattle Surge 3 - 2 London Royal Ravens

Minnesota ROKKR 3 - 2 Dallas Empire

OpTic Chicago 2 - 3 Atlanta FaZe

In the preseason, Los Angeles got smoked by OpTic, and neither Kenny "Kenny" Williams nor Austin "SlasheR" Liddicoat posted a single positive kill-death ratio (K/D) in any of the game's three quick maps (per BreakingPoint). That changed dramatically in their first official match against the ROKKR in Week 1.

Against Minnesota, Kenny and SlasheR went huge as the two veteran stars, both back home in 100T branding, posted nasty K/Ds and some deadly plays. In the 3-1 win, Kenny posted a 1.13 K/D while SlasheR posted a 1.03 (per BreakingPoint).

In the second match of their week, it was another former star returning to peak form as Thomas "TJHaLy" Haly put up huge highlights to dismantle the Subliners. Quickly sweeping New York, the Thieves immediately jump back into contention consideration. 

Additionally, that game served as a quality grudge match for former Subliner Donovan "Temp" Laroda, who is playing with a consistency that proved rare during his time in New York.

And adding weight to its win against the ROKKR, Minnesota downed the reigning champions and 2021 favorites Dallas Empire 3-2 on Sunday. While that isn't enough to rank Los Angeles ahead of Dallas moving forward, it does give enough reason to hold the Thieves in much higher esteem than their 2020 failures projected.