Stockholm’s undefeated Mean Machines will host the struggling Tyresö Royal Crowns in the Swedish Superserien semifinals this Saturday.
Stockholm was able to finish their impressive season with a 6-0 record whereas the Royal Crowns were only able to earn one win due to many difficult roster changes that came their way.
Stockholm is led by American quarterback Mark Pappas who paced the Superserien in passing yards this past season, throwing for 1,580 yards with his accurate arm. Pappas’ success was in part due to his standout wide receiver Matthew Retzlaff who led the league in receiving yards with 687 to go along with nine touchdowns. Despite their undeniable power through the air, the Mean Machines were also able to produce yardage on the ground. Swedish running back Oliwer Stedt easily outran the competition this season finishing with more than double the rushing yards than any other player. His remarkable 5.1 yards per attempt proved monumental for Stockholm’s efficient offense and gave them control over the pace of their games throughout the season.
The Mean Machines also relied on their exceptional defensive talent to add tallies to their win column this season. Third year linebacker Adam Westin was a force to be reckoned with for offenses, finishing second in tackles and fourth in sacks. Their dependable defensive squad also features a nightmare matchup for receivers in three-time interceptions leader and former defensive back of the year recipient Denny John. Their defense gave headaches to opposing coaches by confusing quarterbacks across the league and allowing the fewest points per game at only 21.5.
The Royal Crowns featured a run-heavy offense this season that often failed to produce enough points to walk away with the win. While the team finished last in passing yards this season, they’ll be playing with new signee Hunter Rodrigues under center for this contest. In his only game for Tyresö so far, Rodriguez put up 202 passing yards while completing 68% of his passes and racking up three total touchdowns. The rookie signal caller won’t have all the pressure on the offensive end as two-time running back of the year Emil Knutsson will look to impact the game as well.
Tyresö allowed the fewest yards to opposing offenses this season while only giving up an average of 21.8 points to their opponents. The defensive is led by Swedish playmakers Victor Benerius Frank and Richard Liljestrand. They’ll certainly have their hands full with this explosive Stockholm offense that’s filled with some of the league’s best talent.
Although Stockholm is expected to win this game and move on to the final, an astute game-plan could give the Royal Crowns a shot at the upset. If Tyresö’s league leading passing defense can slow down Pappas, then their star running back can expose the league’s worst rushing defense and allow Rodrigues to continue his excellent offensive production. Stockholm, on the other hand, will look to reach the finals for their fifth straight year and win the game for the first time since 2019.
Watch the game live here PPV. Tyresö Royal Crowns @ Stockholm Mean Machines, July 2, 15:00 CET (3 pm, 09:00 am ET)
Stockholm Mean Machines roster
Tyresö Royal Crowns roster
