NFL Europe Week 9 Recap
The penultimate week of action in the
NFL's developmental league saw the World Bowl contestants decided and
therefore rendered next week's action completely meaningless. Only
slightly less meaningful than every other week of the season, then.
However, I will continue to keep you informed about the important and
interesting bits.
The Berlin Thunder (featuring Jets allocated
RB Little John Flowers and WR Terrence Stubbs, who is injured) will
face the Amsterdam Admirals in this year's World Bowl, as the league's
other four teams have all now been eliminated following this weeks
action. Berlin has contested 4 of the last 5 World Bowls.
The Thunder booked their place with a 31-24 win over the increasingly impressive Kevin Eakin's
Frankfurt Galaxy team. Eakin quarterbacked the Galaxy into a lead with
a superb first half display, but then as he sat out the third (such as
has been the norm since he won the starting QB job), poor defense from
the Galaxy allowed Berlin to come back and win.
Eakin completed
19-of-29 passes for 273 yards and 3 TDs and outperformed Berlin QB Dave
Ragone (Hou), the only QB in the league with a better passer rating.
Franfurt are playing the Buffalo K-Gun offense and, aided by QB coach
Alex Van Pelt, Eakin has shown he can be effective even in the
no-huddle. He has the decision making ability and the arm strengh and
has improved his confidence and accuracy as the season has gone on. He
doesn't have great size, but has shown strength in the pocket and an
ability to throw under pressure. I would say he might challenge Brooks
Bollinger for the third-string QB spot (or back-up clipboard holder)
but Brooks has the advantage of working with Heimerdinger in camp,
while Eakin has been learning a completely different system.
Eakin's
three TD passes were impressive. His first, an 8 yarder to TE Mark
Annelli (Atl), who had a big day, was a side-armed bullet into the
end-zone as he was hit in the pocket. He then found Annelli again for a
nine-yarder as he was patient in the pocket and threw high at the
goal-line where only the receiver could catch it. His third TD pass, a
3 yarder, came as his first option was covered so he was flushed out of
the pocket and threw back to the back of the end zone in the middle of
the field. Eakin makes good use of the Galaxy's decent crop of tight
ends.
Other points of note from this game:
* Berlin got back
into the game when ex-Jet QB Chris Finlen's pass was deflected into the
air, right to the league's fastest player, Michael Jennings (NYG) for a
freak 59 yard TD pass.
* Flowers rushed for 27 yards on 9 carries
(including an 8 yard gainer on a nice cut back run one play before
Jennings' TD) and scored what was basically the game winning TD with
9:33 to go on a two yard plunge over right tackle.
* WR Aaron Boone
(Car) had a solid game (over 100 yards and a TD) against Lamont
Brightful (NYG), who is one of the better return men in the league and
also is amongst the leaders in interceptions, but he will have to hide
the tape of this game from the Giants coaching staff if he wants to
make the team.
* RB Cal Murray (SD), who splits time with Flowers,
broke six tackles on a 30 yard catch and run to set up his own
one-yard, game cliching TD run. Whilst it was a spectacular run, the
tackling by the Galaxy was very Mousey-esque. Murray, along with Ahmad
Galloway of Frankfurt will head off to San Diego this summer to try and
beat out Ladanian (BLT) Tomlinson. Good luck with that, guys.
*
Woody Dantzler (Dal) had a spectacular 50 yard kick-off return as the
Galaxy tried to mount a comeback, but after a great pass by Eakin,
Annelli fumbled to effectively end the threat.
Amsterdam booked their World Bowl place with a 27-10 win over Hamburg. Here's what you need to know:
*
Kurt Kittner (Chi) threw three second-half TD passes as the Admirals
roared into a 27-3 lead. All three TDs were caught by Ruvell Martin
(SD).
* Jarrett Payton (Ten) did not score and is now tied with
Flowers for the league lead in rushing TDs with 7 each. Martin leads in
total TDs with 10.
* DT Tim McGill had his most productive outing of the year so far with 4 tackles.
Finally, Cologne were eliminated by a surprising Rhein Fire team, who beat them 28-16. Here's the key notes from the game.
*
Scott McBrien (GB), although he did throw one horrible interception,
was pretty consistent and threw three TD passes, including two to Glenn
Martinez (Det), who also had a long punt return.
* According to
NFLEurope.com (ex-Jet) Matt Walters blocked and recovered a punt to set
up a Cologne TD and cut the score to 21-16. In fact, someone else
blocked it. He did recover it though, then fumbled as he tried to run
with the ball. Oh, well. If you want the facts, keep coming here.
*
Down five, the Centurions had a chance to win, but Kevin Thompson's
(Buf) pass was picked off and returned for a game clinching score.
This weeks show also included a special feature on the Jets. Unfortunately, it was the Coventry Jets.
