Germany – Offensive stats leaders after 1st round of playoffs offer a couple of surprises

The German Football League quarterfinals produced a couple of unexpected results and a look at the key offensive stats can explain it.

The Saarland Hurricanes knocked off the Cologne Crocodiles to earn a berth in the semifinals and their passing game was an important part of the win. Meanwhile, the Potsdam Royals knocked off the Allgäu Comets behind the league’s best rushing attack and that too is reflected in the stats.

The Hurricanes and Dresden Monarchs had three representatives each among the 15 in the Passing, Rushing, and Receiving categories. Behind them with two apiece came the Cologne Crocodiles, Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns, Braunschweig New Yorker Lions and Allgäu Comets. The Potsdam Royals had one player on the list while the Munich Cowboys did not have a single representative.

Passing

Saarland Hurricanes QB Josh Goldin led all passers in the GFL quarterfinals completing 21 of 29 passes for 312 yards and 5 TDs. In second was Christian Strong of the Cologne Crocodiles who had 285. From then it tails off with Dresden’s JKJ Carta-Samuels in 3rd with 215 while Alexander Haupert of the Schwäbaisch Hall Unicorns was a distant 4th. He threw for 166 yards. Finally, the 5th leading passer in the first round of the GFL playoffs was Jake Kennedy of the Braunschweig New Yorker Lions who had only 129 yards in the air.

Rushing

Not surprisingly, the league’s leading rusher during the regular season, Potsdam Royals’ RB Jake Mayon, led all rushers in the quarterfinal round carrying the ball 22 times for 209 yards and 1 TD. Braunschweig’s CJ Okpalobi rushed for 142 yards on 21 carries, good for 2nd. Well behind in 3rd was John Santiago of the Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns who was only called upon 12 times. He rushed for §§9 yards. Allgäu Comets RB Glen Toonga ran the ball 23 times for 113 yards while Devwah Whaley of the Dresden Monarchs rushed for 87 yards and 2 TDs, good for 5th.

Receiving

Darrell Stewart Jr. of the Dresden Monarchs was the top receiver in the quarterfinals. He caught 5 passes for 127 yards and 1 TD while Cologne Crocodiles WR Aaron Jackson had 8 receptions for 100 yards to place him 2nd among all receivers in the first round of the playoffs. Vic Wharton of the Saarland Hurricanes had 84 yards receiving placing him 3rd while Allgäu’s Brandon Kohn caught 6 passes for 82 yards and 1 TD, for 4th overall. Marian Menden of the Hurricanes was the 5th leading receiver with 72 yards and 1 TD on just 3 catches.

Graphics: Igor Lazarevic