The Cologne Crocodiles, Europe #13, (2-0) head into Kilia Stadium in Kiel to face a desperate 1-3 Kiel Baltic Hurricanes team, May 19 in early round action in the German Football League.
The Crocodiles handed Kiel one of their three losses beating them 32-14 in the season opener in Cologne. Since then, Cologne has defeated the Potsdam Royals in a shootout, 42-41.
Kiel lost to the Braunschweig New Yorker Lions 42-3 last week after dropping a 17-6 decision to the Berlin Rebels the week before. The Hurricanes only win was against the Hamburg Huskies who they defeated 24-14.
In the first game of the season between the two Cologne exploded for three third quarter touchdowns to break open a tight game and then cruise in the fourth quarter. The Crocodiles rolled up 326 yards of offense to Kiel’s 165, holding the Hurricanes to just 57 yards rushing.
Photo: Kiel Baltic Hurricanes
Running back Shayeen Edwards carried the ball 28 times for 108 yards rushing and two touchdowns while quarterback Bradley Strauss threw for 131 yards. His backup Jan Weinreich completed seven of 13 passes for 59 yards and a touchdown. Receivers Dominique Martin and Benjamin Mentges also scored touchdowns.
Kiel quarterback Chad Turner had a long day throwing for 108 yards and a touchdown but he was sacked twice and hurried for much of the game. Running back Julian Ampaw rushed for 36 yards and a touchdown while receiver Benedikt Engelmann scored on a 13 yard touchdown reception.
Cologne enters the game with the sixth best offense (37 pts game) and eighth best defense (27.5) in the league. The Hurricanes defense rivals Cologne’s allowing fewer points per game, 26.2. But the offense needs to improve as they are scoring at a rate of only 11.8 points a game after four games.
PHOTO: FOOTBALLPIX.DE
Hurricanes quarterback Chad Turner has completed 61 of 111 passes for 598 yards and three touchdowns in four games while his counterpart with Cologne, Bradley Strauss is averaging 225.5 yards a game. Crocodiles running back Shayeen Edwards is second in rushing in the GFL with 212 yards.
Cologne lost both games to the Hurricanes in 2017, 27-10 and 65-41. However, in this game, Kiel has its back to the wall. Falling further behind in the tough GFL North division could be difficult to overcome.
