COLOGNE CENTURIONS (2-5) at AMSTERDAM ADMIRALS (6-1)
Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam, Saturday May 6, 7:00 p.m.
SERIES NOTES
Overall: Amsterdam leads 5-0
At Amsterdam: Amsterdam leads 2-0
At Cologne: Amsterdam leads 3-0
Streak: Amsterdam 5
This Season: Amsterdam 20 at Cologne 15 (Week 2)
TELEVISION
US: DELAY/ NFL Network (8:00 p.m. ET, Saturday May 6).
GERMANY/NETHERLANDS: LIVE/NASN (7:00 p.m. CET, May 6)
UK: DELAY/NASN (5:00 p.m. BST, Monday May 8) Play-by-play announcer CHRIS CARLIN is joined in the broadcast booth by former Minnesota Vikings and Barcelona Dragons quarterback JAY WALKER.
COACHES
DAVID DUGGAN is in his first season as an NFLEL head coach and is still chasing back-to-back wins. Won two World Bowl rings as defensive coordinator of the Berlin Thunder in 2001 and 2002... BART ANDRUS is the reigning NFL Europe League Coach of the Year. Has won 13 of his last 18 games in charge of the Admirals, including a World Bowl victory over Berlin last June. Also won a World Bowl ring as a member of the Rhein Fire coaching staff in 2000. Served as quarterbacks coach of the Tennessee Titans in 1999, the year the club went to the Super Bowl.
GAME NOTES
The Admirals head home needing a victory to ensure they match the club record with seven wins in a row. The last time Amsterdam won seven games in a row was in the opening seven weeks of the 1995 campaign... Amsterdam has scored a league-high 208 points this season. They are on pace to score 297 points this season and following an 18-point showing in Hamburg last week they have fallen off the pace to break the league single season scoring record of 310 set by the 1991 London Monarchs... Amsterdam's quarterbacks have combined to compile a passer rating of 105.3 this season... The Admirals boast the league's top-ranked attack, heading the rankings in yards per game (354.4), passing yards per game (268), yards per offensive play (6.5) and touchdowns scored (25)... Amsterdam has also produced more offensive plays covering 20 yards than any other team in the league (33: 8 rush, 25 pass)... Cologne has yet to enjoy the sweet taste of victory against the Admirals having lost every regular season meeting between the teams in the five-game series... The Centurions have scored a league-low 96 points and 11 touchdowns this season... Amsterdam's quarterbacks have completed a league-high 61.1 percent of their passes this season while Cologne's defense has limited opposing passers to an NFLEL-low 47.0 percent completion percentage through the opening seven games of the year... Cologne boasts NFL Europe's second-ranked rushing attack, averaging 139.3 yards per game. The Centurions jointly lead NFL Europe with an average of 4.6 yards per rush... The Admirals have conceded a league-high 14 sacks this season while the Centurions defense ranks joint-second in NFL Europe with 12 QB takedowns... Cologne is one of three teams not to have scored on a return or recovery this season. Amsterdam has scored 3 touchdowns on returns or recoveries... Cologne's quarterbacks have combined to throw a league-high 13 interceptions this season. The most passes any team has had intercepted in any one season is 21 by the 1995 Rhein Fire... In the first meeting between the teams this year, QB GIBRAN HAMDAN (Seattle Seahawks) and WR SKYLER FULTON (Seattle Seahawks) joined forces on a 65-yard touchdown pass that led Amsterdam to a 20-15 win.
RHEIN FIRE (5-2) at FRANKFURT GALAXY (5-2)
Commerzbank Arena, Frankfurt, Saturday May 6, 7:00 p.m.
SERIES NOTES
Overall: Rhein leads 14-9 (Teams tied 1-1 in World Bowls)
At Frankfurt: Rhein leads 6-5
At Rhein: Rhein leads 8-4
Streak: Rhein 1
This Season: Frankfurt 6 at Rhein 10 (Week 1)
TELEVISION
US: LIVE/NFL Network (1:00 p.m. ET, Saturday May 6)
UK: DELAY/NASN (1:00 p.m. BST, Thursday May 11) The regular FOX NFL Sunday team of CURT MENEFEE and former Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman BRIAN BALDINGER joins forces to call the action from Frankfurt
COACHES
JIM TOMSULA has a 1-0 record in Deutschland Derby games against the Frankfurt Galaxy and a 5-2 record overall in his first season as an NFLEL head coach. Won a World Bowl ring as defensive coordinator of the Berlin Thunder in 2004... MIKE JONES is in his third season with the Galaxy and has a 15-12 record and one World Bowl appearance to his name. Served as a member of the Rhein Fire coaching staff from 1995-2000 and again in 2002-2003, winning World Bowls in 1998 and 2000. Has a 4-1 regular season record against the Fire.
GAME NOTES
The oldest German rivals in the NFL Europe League meet in a game with huge World Bowl implications on Saturday evening... The Galaxy has had the best of the recent encounters. Prior to Rhein winning in Week 1, the Galaxy had won six meetings in a row, including World Bowl XI in June, 2003... Frankfurt takes a four-game winning streak into the showdown while Rhein ended its losing run at two with victory over Berlin last weekend... The Fire has only lost to the league-leading Amsterdam Admirals this season... Frankfurt takes the league's leading rushing attack into the game (162 yards per game at an average of 4.6 yards per carry)... Rhein boasts the league's toughest run defense, allowing just 76.9 yards per game on the ground... Prior to last weekend, the Galaxy offensive line had given up a league-low 5 sacks. Then they allowed Cologne to record 8 sacks in one game, meaning they have given up 13 on the year - the third-highest total in NFL Europe... The Fire defense ranks sixth in NFLE Europe with 10 sacks but first overall in yards conceded (254 per game)... Frankfurt leads the league in fewest points allowed (116) and touchdowns conceded (14)... Rhein leads NFL Europe in average time of possession (32:41 per game) while the Galaxy ranks second in that department (32:25)... Frankfurt quarterbacks have thrown a league-low 3 interceptions this season. The Galaxy has committed a league-low 9 turnovers this term... The Fire leads NFL Europe with 19 takeaways (9 interceptions, 10 fumbles)... Frankfurt ranks second in NFL Europe with offensive plays covering 20 yards with 28 (8 rush, 20 pass), while Rhein rates third with 22 plays (2 rush, 20 pass)... Each of Frankfurt's four successive victories has come by a margin of one score or less (8 points)... Rhein's 12 touchdowns on passing plays rank second in NFLEL... Frankfurt ranks second in NFLEL with an average of 5.3 yards per offensive play... In the first meeting between the teams this season WR CHRIS SAMP (Carolina Panthers) threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to Mexican WR JUAN WONG as the Fire ran out 10-6 winners. The Galaxy was restricted to a pair of DAVID KIMBALL (Oakland Raiders) field goals as ROGER ROBINSON (Arizona Cardinals) rushed for 103 yards but lost 2 of his 3 fumbles.
HAMBURG SEA DEVILS (0-6-1) at BERLIN THUNDER (2-4-1)
Olympiastadion, Berlin, Sunday May 7, 4 p.m.
SERIES NOTES
Overall: Berlin leads 2-0-1
At Berlin: Berlin leads 1-0
At Hamburg: Berlin leads 1-0-1
Streak: 1 tie
This season: Berlin 17 at Hamburg 17 OT (Week 3)
TELEVISION
US: LIVE/DirecTV (10:00 a.m. ET, Sunday May 7)
DELAY/NFL Network, 3:00 p.m. ET, Sunday May 7)
Play-by-play announcer ARI WOLFE is joined in the broadcast booth by former Buffalo Bills wide receiver ANDRE REED.
COACHES
JACK BICKNELL is in his 14th season in NFL Europe and has yet to add to his league-leading regular season victory total of 66 this year. Has slipped below .500 by losing his 70th regular season contest last week. Has one World Bowl ring in his collection having led Barcelona to glory in 1997... RICK LANTZ has lost two games in a row for the first time in his NFLEL head coaching career. Won a World Bowl ring in 2004 and guided the Thunder to the title game last season.
GAME NOTES
Both teams will be playing for pride as they are already out of World Bowl contention... Teams played to only the second tie in league history when they met in Week 3... Hamburg takes the league's sixth-ranked offense into the contest against Berlin's sixth-ranked defense... Berlin ranks fifth on offense while Hamburg ranks fifth on defense... Hamburg has struggled to produce big plays this term. They rank sixth in NFLEL in offensive plays covering 20 yards (16: 4 rush, 12 pass)... Hamburg has led in the fourth quarter in each of their last five games and seen those leads turn into a tie and four losses... Hamburg quarterbacks have completed a league-low 51.5 percent of their passes this season, even though the Sea Devils offensive line has conceded an NFLEL-low 7 sacks in seven games... Berlin's defense has allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete an NFLEL-high 59.6 percent of their passes... Hamburg has been the NFL Europe League's least productive club on third down this season with the Sea Devils converting 35.9 percent of their opportunities... Berlin has been the least successful on fourth down, converting 30 percent of a league-high 10 attempts... Berlin is one of only three teams with a positive turnover ratio at 1 (12 takeaways to 11 giveaways)... Berlin is averaging a league-low 3.6 yards per rush this season...Hamburg is allowing just 3.9 yards per rush to rank second in NFL Europe... Berlin's defense has intercepted a league-low 6 passes this season... Hamburg quarterbacks have thrown 12 interceptions - the second-highest figure in the league this year... The Thunder has converted 77.8 percent of its field goal attempts this term to rank second in the league... In the first meeting this season, the clubs played to the first tie in NFL Europe since the old World League days when the Birmingham Fire and London Monarchs played to a 17-17 stalemate at London's Wembley Stadium... Hamburg jumped out to a 17-0 lead as QB JAMES KILIAN (Kansas City Chiefs) threw touchdown passes to WR RICHARD SMITH (Washington Redskins) and TE WESLEY DUKE (Denver Broncos). Berlin replied with a 2-yard TD pass from QB LANG CAMPBELL (Cleveland Browns) to TE BEN MOA and on a 1-yard run by QB B.J. SYMONS (Chicago Bears). A 27-yard field goal by K XAVIER BEITIA (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) with 2 seconds remaining sent the game into OT.
Courtesy NFL Europe.com
Week 8 TV Schedule (all games on NFL Network)
Saturday, May 6, 2006
Rhein at Frankfurt, 12:00 PM (CT), Live
Sunday, May 7, 2006
Cologne at Amsterdam, 8:00 AM (CT), Live
Hamburg at Berlin, 2:00 PM (CT), Tape Delay
Packers in NFLEL
S Atari Bigby (Amsterdam Admirals) - With seven starts at free safety, leads the team with 45 tackles (30 solo), adding three passes defensed.
Week 7 at Hamburg - Started and led the team with eight tackles (seven solo).
WR Vince Butler (Amsterdam Admirals) - As a reserve WR, has made nine catches for 107 yards and one rush for 13 yards.
Week 7 at Hamburg - As a reserve receiver, caught three passes for 22 yards
CB Therrian Fontenot (Rhein Fire) - Has started six games at left cornerback and is credited with 17 tackles (16 solo) and two interceptions among eight passes defensed...Was dubbed Defensive Player of the Week for Week 2 after a two-interception performance in a 22-0 shutout of Berlin.
Week 7 vs. Berlin - Started at cornerback and made four tackles (three solo) and one pass defensed.
TE Tory Humphrey (Amsterdam Admirals) - Has started six contests at tight end, catching 11 passes for 114 yards and one TD.
Week 7 at Hamburg - Did not play.
WR Chad Lucas (Amsterdam Admirals) - Has started all seven games at wide receiver...Leads NFLEL in touchdowns with eight; is second on the team in receptions with 21 for 355 yards...Was awarded Offensive Player of the Week for Week 4 after catching a league-record four touchdowns in a 38-31 victory over the Berlin Thunder; he finished the game with six catches for 120 yards.
Week 7 at Hamburg - Started and caught six passes for 73 yards and one touchdown
DT Jerome Nichols (Frankfurt Galaxy) - In seven starts at left defensive tackle, has made 17 tackles (16 solo), including three sacks.
Week 7 at Cologne - Started and made one solo tackle.
C Pete Traynor (Rhein Fire) - Has started all seven games at center.
Week 7 vs. Berlin - Did not play.
QB Brian Wrobel (Berlin Thunder) - Serving as backup, has completed 17 of 43 passes for 169 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions, for a passer rating of 39.8...Has ran 13 times for 23 yards and one TD.
Week 7 at Rhein - Completed four of eight passes for 24 yards as the backup.
NFLEL Standings
Amsterdam Admirals: 6-1-0
Frankfurt Galaxy: 5-2-0
Rhein Fire: 5-2-0
Berlin Thunder: 2-4-1
Cologne Centurions: 2-5-0
Hamburg Sea Devils: 0-6-1
Week 7 Results
Amsterdam 18, Hamburg 17
Rhein 27, Berlin 24
Frankfurt 17, Cologne 10
