LIVESTREAM: France – Rouen Leopards @La Courneuve Flash Sat. March 10 7p (1p EST)

AFI | American Football | 03/10/2018

Graphic: Igor Lazarevic

The 1-2 La Courneuve Flash will take on the winless Rouen Leopards (0-3) in the French League of American Football Saturday in a game that suddenly has grown in importance for both teams.

The defending champion Flash have opened the season uncharacteristically with two losses, dropping their opening game 23-20 to the Thonon Black Panthers and losing to the St. Ouen Cougars 30-20 last week. In between, La Courneuve whipped the Asnieres Molosses 29-3. So a win today would pull them back into respectability and playoff contention. The Flash are currently fifth in the standings.

The Leopards, who were the surprise playoff team in France in 2017, their first in the top league, find themselves in a desperate situation. Not only have they lost all three of their games, they were shut out in their last game against the Molosses, 36-0. They have managed to score only 23 points in three games while giving up 83. Another loss today would likely spell an end to any playoff hopes they might still have.

Their two quarterbacks, Taylor Palmer and Arthur Flahaut, have combined for a total of 221 passing yards in three games while throwing three touchdown passes against seven (!!) interceptions. They have managed marginally better on the ground with a total of 253 yards rushing, an average of just over 84 yards a game.

The last time these two teams met was in the 2017 semifinals which the Flash won 40-16.

With both teams desperately needing a win, this will be like a playoff game.