Potsdam Royals: In a league of their own?

The Potsdam Royals have been dominating the 2024 German Football League season like no team since the 2014 Braunschweig New Yorker Lions.

However, following their 96-14 bulldozing of the Allgäu Comets last weekend they have entered unknown territory.

So far, in eight games, Potsdam has punished opponents winning games by an average of 48 points. They are scoring a phenomenal average of 62.4 points a game while giving up 14.4. The 2014 Lions beat opponents by an average of 35 points scoring 45.6 while surrendering 10.5.

At this rate, with four games left in the regular season, they will score a total of 748 points.

When the Royals first advanced to the GFL in 2018, they took their lumps, finishing that first season with a 6-8 record. The following season saw them drop to 4-9-1. Then COVID hit. When the GFL resumed playing in 2021, they began their climb finishing the regular season with a 7-3 record good for second in the GFL North. They reached the semifinals that year but were eliminated by the Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns.

The following year saw Potsdam really hit their stride, running through the regular season undefeated scoring an average of 51.4 points a game. They reached the German Bowl for the first time in their history but were again thwarted by the Unicorns. They lost 44-27.

They continued their dominance in 2023 although they did lose a game during the regular season when the Dresden Monarchs defeated  them 59-45. They did not allow that to happen again running the table the rest of the way including a 57-21 thumping of Dresden. This time in the final, facing their nemesis again, they trounced Schwäbisch Hall 34-7 to capture their first ever German Football League title.

For the past two seasons, Jaylon Henderson has been the Royals‘ quarterback and he has brought a level of excellence to the team. In 2023, he threw for 4.036 yards and 49 touchdowns completing an amazing 74% of his passes while being picked off just three times. So far this year, in eight games he has thrown for 3,063 yards and 51 touchdowns against just one interception completing 81.3% of his passes.

The Royals receiving corps have definitely benefited from Henderson’s accuracy but also helped by hanging on to the ball. Brendan Beaulieu is the second leading receiver in the GFL with 57 receptions for 916 yards and 15 touchdowns. Teammate Daniel Pedro has 24 for 579 yards and eight scores while Thomas Jenkins has 34 for 453 yards and 10 touchdowns. Newly arrived Thomas Wilson made his mark in only his second game catching six passes for 172 yards and three touchdowns in the rout of the Comets. He has 242 yards receiving in his two outings.

On the ground, Potsdam is the fifth leading rushing team in the GFL averaging 141 yards a game with Henderson leading the way with 52 carries for 410 yards and six touchdowns.

The Royals defense which surrenders the league’s fewest points per game (14.4) is led by linebacker Arthur Kingdom who with 42 tackles is averaging almost six tackles a game.  Defensive tackle Alan Steinohrt has 38 for the season so far, good for second on the team.

The Royals have yet to face Braunschweig this year but will do in the second last game of the regular season.

After a bye week, Potsdam returns to action this weekend when they face the Berlin Adler, a team they throttled 58-0 in the second game of the year.