If ever there was a time for the Cologne Crocodiles (5-4-1) to pull of an upset, this Saturday’s tilt with the Braunschweig New Yorker Lions, Europe #2, would be the time. The Crocodiles play host to Braunschweig at Höhenberg Köln stadion in Cologne in the German Football League action.
The Crocodiles have lost four games in a row,including last week’s disappointing 37-29 decision to the Berlin Rebels. Meanwhile, the Lions have won four straight including a 42-21 doubling up of Cologne on July 8.
In last week’s loss to Berlin, Cologne quarterback Bradley Strauss threw three touchdown passes and ran the fourth in himself.
Cologne running back Shayeen Edwards is the second leading rusher in the GFL with 881 yards and 8 TDs but he was held to 22 yards in the loss to Lions. In other words, as Edwards goes, so goes the Crocodiles offense and in those four losses, he gained a total of 197 yards or an average of 49 yards a game. Strauss is averaging 208 yards passing a game and has thrown 20 touchdown passes in nine games. However, he has only thrown six interceptions so far this year in 268 pass attempts.
The Lions enter the game on a four-game winning streak after beating the Cologne Crocodiles, Dresden Monarchs and the Potsdam Royals twice in comfortable fashion. Braunschweig were surprised by the Berlin Rebels in mid June, losing 24-21.
Braunschweig has the highest scoring offense in Germany averaging 41.1 points a game, while their defense allows just 11.9 points a game, third best in the GFL.
Jadrian Clark of the Lions is one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the country having completed 138 of 234 passes for 2,135 yards and 29 touchdowns against only five interceptions. His favorite target is Justus Holtz who has 555 yards receiving while Christian Bollmann has 360 yards receiving on 24 receptions. In fact, Clark has completed passes to 13 different receivers so far this season.
Interestingly, the Lions have the highest rushing offense in Germany with 1,468 yards in total team rushing but with only one player in the top 10, the injured Lennies McFerrren with his 412 yards. However, for this game, the team will again have Chris McClendon. In his debut with the Lions last week, McClendon had 16 carries for 155 yards and two touchdowns. He led the GFL in rushing in 2017 but after signing with the Lions in the off season, suffered an injury that had kept him out until last week. He will definitely put pressure on the Cologne front seven.
The Braunschweig defense is anchored by linebackers Roni Salonen and Anthony Darkangelo as well as defensive backs Tim Unger, Tissi Robinson and Darius Robinson and sack leader Jakob Schridde. They allow an average of 61.7 yards against the run and 148 against the pass.
Linebacker Tucker Stanley leads the Crocodiles defense with 73 tackles so far and has 10 tackles for loss and two sacks but he did not play against the Rebels last week and may be questionable for this game, which would be a blow for Cologne.
