Japan: Panasonic Impulse and Nojima Sagamihara Rise square off in final round of regular season

In what may be the top game in the final regular season round of Japan’s XLeague, the Panasonic Impulse (5-0) will face the Nojima Sagamihara Rise (3-1-1) Sunday, November 10 at the MK Taxi Field Expo in Suita, Osaka Prefecture.

The unbeaten Impulse sit second in the standings behind the Fujitsu Frontiers while Nojiama are fourth.

The two teams have faced each other four times in the past five years, with Panasonic winning all of the games. However, the 2021 showdown was a come-from-behind victory that wasn’t decided until late in the final quarter.

Panasonic WR Brennan Tsubasa battling for yardage after catching a pass Photo: ©xleague

Panasonic needs a win to remain one of the top two teams in the standings to ensure an easier first round seeding in the playoffs. If Nojima Sagamihara wins, they could move up in the standings. However, a loss will them dependent on the results of the other teams’ final games.

In the playoffs, the #1 seed plays the #8 seed, #2 faces #7, #3 plays #6 and #4 and 5# play each other. Heading into this game, Panasonic is 2nd while the Rise are 4th.

Nojima Sagamihara Rise QB Kurt Palandech Photo: ©xleague

Panasonic enters this game with the third best offense in the 12 team league scoring an average of 37.2 points a game. The combination of quarterback Yuya Araki (891 yards/7 TDs) and wide receiver Risuke Kuwata who has 14 catches for 305 yards and 2 TDs as well as the other receivers has improved with each game. With the Impulse’s strong offensive line, running back Genaki Tachikawa is a constant threat. The Impulse defense gives up a mere 8.2 points a game while defensive back Yoh Yamamoto leads the league with four interceptions in the five games.

In addition, kicker Shintaro Saeki and punter Masahiro Kobayashi, who is averaging nearly 50 yards a punt give Panasonic an excellent special teams unit.

Nojima Sagamihara RB Sho Yoshizawa is the 2nd leading rusher in the league (397 yards) Photo: @xleague

Nojima Sagamihara quarterback Kurt Palandech is the second leading passer in the league having thrown for 1,124 yards and 13 touchdowns while also having rushed for 205 yards and another score.

One of the keys to this matchup will be how well the Rise front seven led by Akiki Okamoto, Yohei Komiya, and Naoyuki Saikawa can control the line of scrimmage against a balanced Panasonic offense.

Another key will be Nojima Sagamihara’s ability to control Panasonic’s returners such as Kuwata, Tsubasa Brennan, and Soma Yamashita.

With this game being so important for both squads, it could well come down to the the team making the fewest mistakes.

Source: XLeague.