The Cologne Crocodiles (2-3) and undefeated Berlin Rebels (4-0) face each other for the second time this season Sunday June 11 in a game that could already be crucial for the Crocodiles’s playoff hopes.
Cologne find themselves in fifth place in the highly competitive German Football League North division and a loss would drop them even further behind the top four and hurt their chances of making up the difference in the final eight games.
In the first game a month ago, the Rebels eked out a 14-6 victory behind fourth quarter touchdowns by quarterback James Harris and running back Lawrence McCoy. Cologne’s only points came from two field goals by kicker Florian Mentges.
McCoy, the league’s leading rusher in 2016 was otherwise held to 42 yards rushing in the first game while Cologne running back Kevin Parks rushed for 158 yards but could not find the end zone. In fact, Parks is averaging 142.2 yards per game so far this year, good for second overall in the German Football League.
Cologne defenders corralling Berlin RB Lawrence McCoy Photo: Thomas Sobotzki
Berlin has the third best defense in the league allowing only eight points a game. Cologne quarterback Benjamin Mentges has struggled and only thrown for 711 yards and eight touchdowns in five games and will be hard pressed against a Rebels defense ranked the best against the pass, allowing just 114 yards passing a game.
However, Cologne leads the league in rushing by a wide margin averaging 252 yards of rushing a game while scoring 13 rushing touchdowns.
This game could well be won on the ground.