The 5-0 Dacia Vienna Vikings, the #4 team in Europe, play host to the 4-1 Mödling Rangers Sunday, May 6 at Hohe Warte Stadium in Vienna, Austria in a crucial mid-season matchup in the Austrian Football League.
The Vikings enter the game on the heels of a 41-37 loss in the Charity Bowl to the Helsinki Roosters from Finland, the team’s first loss of the season.
Still, Vienna’s offense is averaging over 50 points a game in the AFL and with the Rangers scoring 42 points a game, this game promises to produce fireworks.
The two quarterbacks. Garrett Safron of the Vikings and Mödling’s Dylan Potts are one and two in rushing in Austria and third and fifth in passing. Potts leads all rushers with 727 yards and 10 touchdowns while Safron has carried the ball 55 times for 514 yards and eight touchdowns. Potts has thrown for 1.485 yards and 14 touchdowns while Safron has completed 103 of 144 passes for 1,259 yards and 19 touchdowns.
Vikings WR Bernhard Seikovits makes a leaping catch
Rangers wide receiver Roman Namdar leads the league with 806 yards in receptions. Vikings receiving leader, Berhnard Seikovits has 406 yards on 31 receptions.
So the defenses of both teams need no further instruction. Stop the quarterback and stop the offense.
Easier said than done.
Rangers QB Dylan Potts Photo: Martin Nitsch
Rangers linebackers Barron Miller and Markus Bernas are two of the leading tacklers in the league but the Vikings defense allows the fewest yards per game, 307. In fact, Vienna tops the league against both the run and pass.
Vikings head coach Chris Calaycay:
“”We will meet many familiar faces in this game, both on the player and coaching side. Ivan Zivko [former Danube Dragons head coach] has joined the Rangers as offensive coordinator along with former Dragons quarterback Dylan Potts. Together with top receiver Roman Namdar and the “Wegan brothers”, this will be a special challenge for our defense. We work hard to keep up with the level of play that we have come to expect and to improve in all facets of the game. With a local team like the Rangers in the top three in the league as opponents, a perfect Sunday is guaranteed on the Hohe Warte.”
SonicWall Rangers head coach Armin Schneider:
“The Vikings are the number one team in Austria and we have already shown in recent years that we can keep up at times. However, to challenge the number 1, it is not enough to keep up for a quarter or two. We have to play quality football for all four quarters and we’ll do our best to achieve that.”
