345 days have passed since the Rhein Fire hoisted the Championship trophy after defeating the Stuttgart Surge in the 2023 ELF Championship game. 

Since that day the Stuttgart Surge and Rhein Fire have seemed to be on a year-long collision course to meet again in the playoffs. Whether it was an October re-signing of stars such as Reilly Hennessey or Glen Toonga. Or the recruitment of elite homegrown players and European talents, the two seemed to match each other on and off the field week in and week out. 

Glen Toonga's 2024 Dominance

The 2023 Rhein Fire were led by quarterback Jadrian Clark who threw six touchdowns against the Surge in the title game last year. This year however, there is a new captain of the Fire in running back Glen Toonga. If the Surge want to slay the Giant that is the Rhein Fire, they will have to stop their best player and likely MVP - something no team has been able to do this season.

Simply put, the Brit has been the face of the ELF this season, putting up a new record 31 total touchdowns and averaging 124 yards a game on the ground. The veteran tailback has been the driving force of the Rhein Fire’s 11-1 record and dominant showing once again last week versus Madrid in the Wildcard Round.

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Stuttgart's Defensive Line is Key

If the Surge are looking to enact revenge it has to come from the defensive line. Lining up across from one of the league’s best offensive lines, the Surge’s front four is the key to this game.

If Chirs Mulumba, Simeon Okonta-Wariso, Raphael Zistler, Maxilmilian Dommermuth, and others can disrupt the play and slow down Toonga before he crosses the line of scrimmage that may be their best hope. We’ve seen what Toonga can do to Linebackers and Safeties when getting through the line of scrimmage clean, and the Surge know it as well as anyone.

Mission: Slowing down the league's best running back

Make no mistake, Stuttgart’s defense is no pushover, they had the second best rushing defense in the league. However, they often played with a lead and are more known for their explosive secondary featuring Mitch Fettig, Raheem Wilson, and Chad Walrond. Stuttgart faced off against top rushing teams like Munich and Tirol, but lining up across Toonga and a dominant Rhein Fire offensive line is another challenge.

Stuttgart's Co-defensive coordinators Johannes Brenner and Cody Pastorino will certainly be up late gameplanning this week as they know the game and another shot at the title will come down to slowing down the league's best running back. 

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