The defending champion Danube Dragons (2-2) travel to Prague in the Czech Republic to face the Prague Black Panthers (3-2) in a key matchup as the Austrian Football League passes the midpoint of the season.
This is the first meeting between these two since the Black Panthers took a 23-19 decision over Danube early in the 2023 season.
After opening this year with two straight losses,15-7 to the Graz Giants and 28-22 to the Vienna Vikings, Prague has now won three in a row beating the Swarco Raiders 21-0, the Telfs Patriots 83-0 and finally the Salzburg Ducks 34-7. Danube currently sit at 2-2 after opening the season with a close 14-9 loss to the number one ranked team in the Vienna Vikings, with their wins coming 23-7 over the Raiders and Rangers in a 38-0 shutout. Finally, they were surprised by the Graz Giants last week dropping a 28-7decision to them.
Watch live. Danube Dragons @ Prague Black Panthers, May 5, 15:00 CET (3 pm, 9 am EDT)
Prague quarterback Tyler Jacob Jarnagin (#6) (Benedictine University) will likely start but Ondřej Benes (#16) can step in. So far, Jarnagin has thrown for 670 yards and 10 touchdowns while Benes has added 231 yards and three scores. The key targets are Kamil Roba (#3) who has 21 catches for 303 yards and four touchdowns while Jakub Wolesky (#2) has 14 receptions for 173 yards and three scores. Running back Pavel Prokop (#24) has rushed for 273 yards and four touchdowns, good for second in the league while Jakub Brezina (#9) also has 273 yards rushing.
Danube quarterback Alexander Thury (#15) has only thrown for 498 yards in the four games with his main targets being running back Steve McShane (#2) (12 rec, 131 yds, 2 TDs) and Samuel Imarhiagbe (#13) (7 rec., 104 yds) However, McShane has rushed for 128 yards and two touchdowns while Manuel Chytilek (#26) has 36 carries for 115 yards and one score.
The Dragons have the second best rushing defense in the league while Prague boasts the top rushing offense. This will be a battle of the trenches.