The Dallas Fuel have adapted to the new 2-2-2 role lock. Their DPS players have done well with the likes of Mei and Reaper. The tank line continues to improve on Orisa. Support has been solid.

What the Fuel haven’t been able to do is adapt to their opponents. And that’s been a big Fuel storyline for much of the past four months.

The Fuel know this. But it's one thing to know your problems and another to solve them. So with the season on the line against the San Francisco Shock at 5:30 p.m. CDT Sunday, the Fuel (10-14) have little time after Friday's loss to the Gladiators to save their season.

Win against San Francisco (19-5), and there’s just enough hope that the Fuel can sneak into the playoffs. Dallas needs to win at least three of its last four matches for a chance. Not only would it be a crucial win, but it would be a win against one of the top teams in the league. This should be the toughest match of the regular season remaining for Dallas.

“I’m still pretty confident,” Fuel head coach Aaron “Aero” Atkns said. “The Shock are a good team, but I think that everyone has weaknesses. And everyone has things that can either be exploited or maybe done not too well. So I think we still have a good shot.”

Optimism from the head coach isn’t unexpected. It’s part of his job to rally the troops. But can the Fuel really pull off the upset?

Dallas has been close to beating top teams over the past six weeks, losing in heartbreaking fashion to New York and the Gladiators, both in five maps (and both after leading 2-0). But Dallas hasn’t beaten a current top-10 team since the first stage, when it did it four times (Seoul, Philadelphia and Shanghai twice).

Since then, Dallas’ season has cratered. An 0-7 Stage 4 isn’t out of the realm of possibility.

“I think it will be very difficult for them, especially the way Shock’s looking,” Gladiators coach David “Dpei” Pei said. “ In this 2-2-2 meta, it looks like there’s more room for upsets. So if you have a good day, bad day -- it’s definitely can happen for the Fuel.”

So how can the Fuel do it?

Park “Crusty” Da-hee, head coach of the Shock, has been impressed with Zachary “ZachaREEE” Lombardo this stage. His Mei play has been lauded across the board, with some great ultimate judgment. But Lombardo’s renewed presence won’t be enough.

The game could come down to which team counters Orisa better.

“Orisa is just OP this meta,” said Crusty, whose team still has a chance at a top-two seed.

Orisa has been the most-utilized hero this stage -- even more so on escort and hybrid maps, where the Fuel have struggled during their now eight-match losing streak.

The Fuel have rotated Son “OGE” Min-seok and Ash “Trill” Powell as main tank.

“Everybody has been working very hard to make sure that both their Orissas is something we’re all confident in,” Atkins said. “We’ve been working really hard at it, and I think they’ve come a long way since the start of this stage.”

How far they’ve come could be the difference Sunday.

On Twitter: @TommyMagelssen

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