LIVESTREAM Germany: Saarland Hurricanes @ Marburg Mercenaries, July 31, 15:00 CET (3 pm, 09:00 am ET)

| American Football | 07/31/2022

The Marburg Mercenaries (1-5) head to Saarbrücken, Germany Sunday, July 31 to face the Saarland Hurricanes (2-4) in a key matchup for both teams as the German Football League winds up its 10th weekend of action.

With only four games to go for these two GFL South teams, both badly need a win to have any chance at all of post season play.

This is the second meeting between these two teams this season. Marburg won the first 24-14 in early June.

Marburg enters the game with a new head coach, Augie Stevens, who takes over from Joe Tricario. Stevens will also take over the offense.

Hopefully this coaching shakeup will help the struggling Mercenaries who enter this matchup on a four-game losing skid after losses to the Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns 38-13, Allgäu Comets 28-21, Munich Cowboys 37-7 and Straubing Spiders 43-17. They opened the season with a 19-7 loss to the Cowboys but then downed Saarland 24-14.

Apart from the loss to Marburg, the Hurricanes lost to the Unicorns 48-14, Cowboys 28-21 and Spiders 64-48. Both wins were against the lowly Frankfurt Universe, 56-3 and 42-20.

Marburg quarterback Sonny Weishaupt has only thrown for 675 yards in the six games and nine touchdowns. His main target has been Devon Smith who has 20 catches for 288 yards and six touchdowns. Marburg’s starting running back, Joshua Mack, has left the team and there is no word as to who will replace him.  The Mercenaries offense will be hard pressed today averaging just 14.7 points a game.

Saarland has opened the season with a revolving door at quarterback as original starter Jack Lindsey went down with a season-ending injury in the opening game against Schwäbisch Hall and it wasn’t until Daniel Smith (Villanova) arrived in the fifth game against Frankfurt that the problem was solved. In between, three other quarterbacks were used. Smith started his first game last week in the 64-48 loss to the Spiders throwing for 241 yards and five touchdowns. He also led the team in rushing with 14 carries for 93 yards and another score. In other words, the Saarland offense has started to click.

Defensively, the Hurricanes are led by linebacker Teo Knight who is the 11th leading tackler in the GFL with 42 tackles.

Both teams have gone through a turmoil-filled season so this one is a toss up.

Saarland Hurricanes @ Marburg Mercenaries, July 31, 15:00 CET (3 pm, 09:00 am ET)

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