The defending champion Rhein Fire will begin their postseason European League of Football title defense at home on Sunday as they host the Madrid Bravos.
This will be the third matchup between these teams this season. In week 3, the Bravos pulled off a shocking upset as they traveled to Germany and defeated the Fire 22-10. That gave the Fire their first loss since 2022 (as they went undefeated in 2023), and it turned out to be their only loss of the 2024 regular season. Three weeks later, the Fire traveled to Madrid and got their revenge, beating the Bravos 40-15. It was a dominant showing from the Fire, as they outgained the Bravos 471-214 on the road.
Photo: @naatagaarcia
Since losing that game, the Fire have been completely unstoppable, as they have won nine games in a row, including many in blowout fashion. The offense is led by last season’s MVP in quarterback Jadrian Clark and star running back Glen Toonga, who led the league in rushing with 1,576 yards. They also have a host of other playmakers and a strong offensive line. Defensively, the Fire conceded the fewest points of any team in the league this season. In particular, their secondary is outstanding with ballhawks like Omari Williams and Tony Anderson.
After a hot start, the Bravos cooled off towards the end of the season, but rallied to clinch a playoff berth with a win in their final regular season game. This is a brand new expansion team that was built from scratch for this season, and they have impressed the league with their performance in a difficult conference. There is no doubt that they belong in the playoffs.
Madrid has a well-rounded squad of talented Spanish players and imports on both sides of the ball. Standouts include running back D’wayne Obi, receiver Willie Patterson, pass rusher Alejandro Fernandez, and defensive backs Luke Glenna and Pablo Araya. Patterson and Fernandez played with the Fire last season, so a win on Sunday would be extra sweet for them.
Bravos WR Willie Patterson catching pass Photo: Madrid Bravos
The Fire will be expected to win this one at home, as they have been the best team in the league since their loss to Madrid. In fact, they could be considered the favorite to win the championship even though they don’t have a first round bye. But they happen to face the only team who has beaten them in the past two seasons. With both teams often relying on their ground games, Madrid will try to get Obi going on offense and limit Toonga and the Fire rushing attack on defense. That was their recipe for success in their previous victory, so they will look to do the same on Sunday.