LIVE STREAM: Austria – Projekt Spielberg Graz Giants v. Dacia Vienna Vikings (3p CEST, 9a EDT)

AFI | American Football | 06/24/2017

The Projekt Spielberg Graz Giants (5-3) will square off against the 7-1 Dacia Vienna Vikings at Stadium Eggenberg in Graz, Austria their last home game of the season Saturday June 24 and it is a crucial game for both teams.

With two games left in the regular season in Austria both teams are still in playoff battles.

The Giants are in a battle to make the playoffs. Mathematically,Graz could still be eliminated from the playoffs with the 4-4 Danube Dragons in fifth. Should Graz lose today and then also in the final regular season game of the year against the third place Ljubjana Silverhawks and the Dragons beat both Swarco and Vienna, then Danube advances leaving the Giants out of the playoffs. In other words, the Giants need to win their two remaining games to be sure.

Vienna, on the other hand, although assured of making the playoffs, needs to win both their games against Graz and then Danube to stay ahead of Swarco and finish first.

If the Vikings were to lose to Graz and then Danube and the Giants win their final two, Graz overtakes Vienna.

Whew.

The last time these two teams played each other was in the Austrian semifinals in 2016 when Graz edged the Vikings 7-3.

The Vikings enter the game with the top overall offense and defense in the Austrian Football League having scored 412 points in eight games while surrendering 145. Graz is well behind with 272 points scored against 202 allowed.

Vienna quarterback Kevin Burke is the second leading passer in Austria and has thrown for 2,306 yards and 29 touchdowns. In his six games played, Giants signal caller Brandon Gorsuch is not far behind with 1,905 passing yards and 21 touchdown passes. In his latest outing last week in the win against the Danube Dragons, Gorsuch threw for 289 yards and five touchdowns. In fact, since Gorsuch took over as the starter in the third game of the year, Graz has won five of six games losing a tight one to Swarco.

Giants receiver Philipp Sommer is fourth in receiving yardage with 611 but his counterpart with Vienna’s Bernhard Seikovits right behind in fifth with 588.

Graz running back Alexander Sanz is the fifth leading rusher in Austria having rushed for 541 yards and 17 touchdowns. Alexander Hertel of the Vikings is sixth with 531 yards and nine touchdowns.

Defensively, Vienna relies on a true team defense. They have allowed only eight rushing touchdowns in eight games and given up only 12 passing touchdowns. They have also sacked opposing quarterbacks 29 times. The Giants rush defense is in second behind Vienna’s and has only allowed nine rushing touchdowns.

Giants linebacker Thomas Schnurrer is the third leading tackler in Austria with 49.5 total.

The Vikings have reached the Austrian Bowl 22 times in their history and won 13. Graz has appeared in the Austrian championship game 20 times since 1984 and won it 10 times, but the last time was in 2008.