LIVESTREAM Germany: Potsdam Royals @ New Yorker Lions, Aug. 24, 16:00 CET (4 pm, 10 am EDT)
The Braunschweig New Yorker Lions (6-4) will host the Potsdam Royals (10-0) Saturday, August 24 as the German Football League hits the second last weekend of the regular season.
This is the first meeting between these two teams this year.
After opening the season with three straight losses, the Lions have looked impressive winning six of the last seven. They have secured the fourth and final playoff spot in the GFL North. Although with two games left they could still finish 6-6 and potentially in the tie with the Adler, they won the head to head against Berlin last week beating them 17-0 giving them the edge.
They had dropped a close one the week before to the Dresden Monarchs, losing 17-13 after defeating the Berlin Rebels 28-14 in early August. Their winning streak started against the Kirchdorf Wildcats when they downed them 24-3. They went on to beat the Paderborn Dolphins 35-7, the Saarland Hurricanes 37-20 and the Kiel Baltic Hurricanes 29-15. They had opened the season losing to the Dolphins 10-7 , to the Hurricanes 28-14 and then 21-7 to the Monarchs.
The Royals have dominated the GFL like no team since the 2014 New Yorker Lions.
Last week, they powered past the #3 team in the GFL North, the Hildesheim Invaders, 69-14, after defeating the Berlin Alder by a modest 29-15 score. That game was an anomaly though as their average margin of victory is 45.3 points. Just prior to the Adler game, they destroyed the Allgäu Comets 96-14. To open the season, they defeated in succession, the Hildesheim Invaders 56-21, Berlin Adler 58-0, Kiel Baltic Hurricanes 56-23 and the Berlin Rebels 74-20. They then used a strong second half to down the second place Dresden Monarchs 40-19 a month and a half ago after trailing 7-6 at the half. They followed that up by whipping the number one team in the GFL South, the Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns 56-18. They then handed the Berlin Rebels an embarrassing 63-0 before the bulldozing of the Comets.
For Braunschweig, quarterback Donovan Ismo has started the last seven games, but was hurt early in the game against the Adler and his status is not certain. If he can’t go, young David Shafir will step in. Ismo has thrown for 859 yards and six touchdowns. Shafir started at quarterback in the first loss to Dresden before Ismo stepped in. The leading receiver for the Lions so far has been Luc Meacham who has 29 catches for 375 yards and three scores although he did not play in the win against Kiel.
The key to the Royals is their offense and quarterback Jaylon Henderson. Potsdam is averaging a ridiculous 59.7 points a game with Henderson throwing for 3,768 yards and 61 touchdowns against just two interceptions completing 80.6% of his passes. His favorite target, Brendan Beaulieu, is the second leading receiver in the GFL with 70 receptions for 1,203 yards and 19 touchdowns. Teammate Daniel Pedro has 30 for 665 yards and 12 scores while Thomas Jenkins has 38 for 539 yards and 10 touchdowns. Recently arrived Thomas Wilson has also made his mark catching 22 passes for 444 yards and seven touchdowns in only five games.
Not surprisingly, Henderson is the GFL leader in passing touchdowns (61), first in yards per game (376.8) and first in completion percentage with an absurd 80.6%.
The Lions though are the top defensive team in the GFL leading the league in rushing yards allowed, giving up a mere 65.9 yards a game, and passing yards allowed, 178.6.
Both teams have secured playoff spots so this game will be a matter of who deems it most important.
Watch live PPV. Potsdam Royals @ New Yorker Lions, Aug. 24, 16:00 CET (4 pm, 10 am EDT)
