Great Britain: Battle of the Titans – London Blitz and London Warriors clash

In the matchup everyone in Great Britain’s American football world has been waiting for, the London Warriors and London Blitz face each other Sunday May 14, for the first time this season, at the Blitz’s home field, Finsbury Park. Many predict this to be the preview of the 2017 Britbowl.

The two leading programs in the UK have battled for supremacy for the past six years with the Warriors coming out on top the last four times.

The last time these two teams faced each other was the 2016 Britbowl when the Warriors triumphed 36-15. During the 2016 regular season the Warriors surprisingly rolled over the Blitz 48-9.

The Warriors have won both their Premiership games against the Bury Saints and Farnham Knights and also defeated Denmark’s Copenhagen Towers in Northern European Football League play. Their only blemish was a 32-12 loss to the Carlstad Crusaders from Sweden in the second round of the NEFL.

The Blitz have also opened the British season with two wins, beating the Bury Saints as well as the Bristol Aztecs, the only other team to defeat them in 2016.

Quarterback Joe Thompson runs the Bltiz offense and relies on receivers Henry Charlton-Reed and Jasper Van Dooren. A stable of running backs  – Glen Toonga, Gabriel Quartey, Dwight Caulker and Temi Oduyemi – are a key to the Blitz offense.

The Warriors are quarterbacked by Jerome Allen whose mobility will give the Blitz problems. Dwayne Watson’s punishing running combined with the sure hands of wide receiver James Cherry, who had 164 yards in the loss to Carlstad, as well as receiver Taylor Burke, give the Warriors a potent attack.