LIVESTREAM: Sweden – Örebro Black Knights @Carlstad Crusaders, Monday, April 22, 3p CEDT (9a EDT)

AFI | American Football | 04/22/2019

Graphic: Igor Lazarevice

The 0-1 Carlstad Crusaders will face the 1-0 Örebro Black Knights, Easter Monday at Tingvalla field in Karlstad in what is already shaping up to be a do or die game for the eight-time champion Crusaders.

The Crusaders enter the game in the strange position of having lost their opening game and then losing their top receiver, Jacob Dahre, who signed suddenly with the Potsdam Royals in Germany.

Carlstad dropped the first game of the year two weeks ago, 33-13 to the defending champion Stockholm Mean Machines.In that game, quarterback Shazzon Mumphrey struggled, completing just 9 of 30 passes for 99 yards. He was picked off three times. Once he gets acclimatized to the offense, things should change though and with his ability to run, he could surprise the Black Knights.

Örebro opened their season up with a 21-7 win over the Uppsala 86ers. In that game, Black Knights quarterback Johhny Knox threw for 216 yards and one touchdown but was also picked off twice. Eric Murphy, who has been converted from linebacker to running back, scored two touchdowns on the ground. Look for the brothers Jönsson, Filip and younger brother Edvin, to make a difference at linebacker.

Where this game might have been a “gimme” for Carlstad in years past when playing at home, things have changed this year. Hopefully for the Crusaders, another two weeks of practice have helped Mumphrey get in sync with the offense. Meanwhile, Orebro is coming into the game with maybe a different attitude.