Data Watch: How five minutes ended Madrid's Playoff run

The Madrid Bravos are out, while West Division Champion Stuttgart Surge advance to the Semi Finals. Here’s an analysis of how Stuttgart managed to control the league's top-ranked offense.

For one quarter, the Wildcard clash between Stuttgart and Madrid matched expectations. The Bravos, led by former NFL quarterback Reid Sinnett and triple-crown record-holder Aron Cruickshank, exchanged defensive stops with Stuttgart in a scoreless first quarter.

But football is rarely decided by yardage or big names alone. To understand how Stuttgart seized control and Madrid's season ended, we need to look at the numbers behind the story.

Watch the Madrid Bravos at Stuttgart Surge highlights here!

Surge: All units delivered at once

A decisive five-minute stretch just before halftime shifted the game. All three units - offense, defense, and special teams - combined to create momentum for Stuttgart. 

·      Special Teams: Immediately following Madrid’s 3-0 lead, Daniel Pedro's 87-yard kickoff return set up a touchdown, giving Stuttgart a 7–3 advantage

·      Offensive Execution: Minutes later, quarterback Reilly Hennessey led a 77-yard, six-play drive, extending Stuttgart's lead to 14–3

·      Defense: Madrid's answer never came. On their next drive, Stuttgart's defensive tackle Zistler forced a strip sack, Lachmann recovered, and Stuttgart scored again, making it 21–3

Three scores in under six minutes - one from special teams, one from offense, one from defense - turned a tied contest into a commanding lead. Win probability moved from even to over 80% in Stuttgart’s favor and never dropped then.

Surge Offense: Balanced and efficient

Though Madrid outgained Stuttgart 344–328, the Surge were more efficient. They averaged 6.0 yards per play (vs. 4.8), converted 45 percent of third downs (vs. 31%), and were perfect in the red zone (2-for-2 vs. 2-for-4). A 53% run ratio kept their attack balanced even without huge rushing totals.

Bravos Offense: Below season norms

For Madrid, Reid Sinnett and Aron Cruickshank delivered solid individual numbers but they didn't reach their usual high standards. Sinnett threw for 321 yards and two touchdowns (28-of-44, 100.7 rating) but completed only 63.6 percent of his passes and was sacked five times - a noticeable drop from his season marks of 73 percent and 139.9 QB rating.

Cruickshank added 86 yards and a touchdown on five receptions, but Stuttgart controlled his involvement and neutralized his impact.

Without an effective ground game - 79 yards, well below season norms - Madrid became predictable. Lead back Justus Seelig gained only 21 yards on eight attempts forcing the offense to rely heavily on Sinnett. Red zone struggles (50% vs. Stuttgart’s 100%) ultimately sealed their fate.

Watch the Wildcard Recap here!

The real lesson

Madrid’s stars didn’t disappear, but playoffs punish imbalance. Stuttgart didn't need flashy numbers, just a complete, coordinated effort across offense, defense, and special teams. In five decisive minutes, the Surge demonstrated that clean, efficient football wins when it matters most. On Saturday, that was Stuttgart.

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