The 3-1 Allgäu Comets take their “Flying Circus” to Marburg, Germany to face the 2-2 Marburg Mercenaries in German Football League action June 10.
The Comets have won three straight games after dropping their opener against the Schwabisch Hall Unicorns, setting passing records along the way. Behind quarterback Justin Sottilare, the Comets are averaging 477 yards passing a game, which is almost 200 yards more per game than any other team, including the Dresden Monarchs. Sottilare set a league record of 84 pass attempts in the second game of the season against the Ingolstadt Dukes while throwing for 542 yards. His 1,810 yards in four games is far and away the best in the league.
Naturally, Comets receivers are enjoying the benefit. Jordan Paul, Martin Emos, Jonatan Gihl and Spencer Cutlan occupy four of the five top spots in the GFL for receptions per game. Paul tops the league in receiving yardage per game with 133 and Emos is fourth with 110.
Allgäu is scoring an average of 41 points a game but still allowing 33.
Marburg enters the game in sixth place in the GFL South but with only four games played. The running back tandem of Silas Nacita and Andrecus Lindley are beginning to get more comfortable sharing the ball. Nacita is Marburg’s leading receiver with 28 catches for 358 yards and four touchdowns. Quarterback Alex Thury is questionable for this game but still might play. He has thrown for 1,085 yards and nine touchdowns, good for sixth in the league, although he is fourth in average passing yards per game with 260 yards a game.
Marburg’s secondary will be put to the test today with defensive backs Josh Clarke and Neil Howey under the gun. Howey is averaging 9.5 tackles per game, third in the league while linebacker Peter Jinkens has 31 tackles, two interceptions, three tackles for loss and one sack.
Although the formula for beating a throwing team like the Comets is to put more pressure on the quarterback and force quicker passes, this has not proven easy quite obviously.
Watch the game live here. Germany – Allgäu Comets @Marburg Mercenaries, June 10, 4p (10a EST)
