The Dresden Monarchs (3-0) will play host to the Berlin Adler (3-2) in a German Football League matchup Saturday, June 22.
This is the first meeting between these two teams this season. Dresden beat the Adler twice in 2023, 35-12 and 48-36.
The Monarchs opened the season by trouncing the Paderborn Dolphins 38-7 and then beat the Braunschweig New Yorker Lions 21-7 and the Kiel Baltic Hurricanes 22-11.
The Adler are coming off three straight wins after beating the Straubing Spiders 26-21, the Berlin Rebels 27-18 and the Dolphins 44-33.. They had opened the season losing two in a row, 49-42 o the Invaders and then 58-0 (!) to the Potsdam Royals.
Watch live PPV. Berlin Adler @ Dresden Monarchs, June 22, 16:00 CET (4 pm, 10 am EDT)
Dresden quarterback Brock Domann has thrown for 913 yards and seven touchdowns and he has spread the ball around with two Monarchs receivers in the top 15. Ricky Smalling has 18 catches for 314 yards and three touchdowns while Jordi Torrededia has 15 receptions for 203 yards and two scores. However, the Monarchs rushing game leaves a lot to be desired. The team is 15th in the league having rushed for a total of 198 yards in three games, averaging just 66 yards a game.
The Adler offense has looked solid so far but the return of quarterback Zach Cavanaugh to the lineup last week against Paderborn made a difference. He had missed the first four games of the season. He threw for 240 yards and four touchdowns and was a key to the win. Hendrik Scharnbacher had been the starter in his place and threw for 716 yards and eight touchdowns. The top receivers for the Adler include wideout Maylan Bacher who has 25 catches for 325 yards and two scores and Chuka Austin Okpalobi who has hauled in 19 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns. Running back Chrisman Kyei has rushed for 362 yards on 59 carries (6.1 yds/carry).
This may well be the best game in the GFL this weekend.