Fire withstands Paris' offense - Irons show in Wroclaw
Alex Malchow and Florian Puth
© Maxime LePihifSeason five is here! Week 1 in the European League of Football started with some good Matchups and highlights. Let's take a look at the early games of Saturday 17th May.
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Fehérvár Enthroners @ Wroclaw Panthers: 12:55
The Wroclaw Panthers remain strong in season opening games, winning their first game of the season six out of six times. Quarterback Demarcus "DJ" Irons Jr. in particular impressed in his first game in a Panthers jersey. The A-import added a strong new dimension to the Panthers' offense. The dual threat showed his qualities in both the pass and the run, and opens up a lot of space and opportunities for star running back David Brzozowski through clever play-actions.
Irons scored his first ELF touchdown already on the third play with a strong 26-yard run. In addition to strong footwork, the newcomer also impressed with excellent ball placement. Irons Jr. finished the game with three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns, racking up 117 passing and 77 rushing yards.
Teammate Devin Burrell proved once again why he was named Special Teams Player of the Year last season, scoring another punt return touchdown in addition to plenty of return yards. The A-import also made a crazy 82-yard interception return, during which he broke several tackles.
The Fehérvár Enthroners on the other side made some good plays. In the end, however, they were unable to keep up with the Panthers' offensive power. In addition, they showed some weaknesses on defense. Quarterback Brock Domann still showed a solid game, but was often hold back by the strong defense of the opponent, the bad weather from the second half on and his own offensive line (four sacks).
In the end, the only thing the Enthroners won on this day is the coin toss.
"DJ" Irons impressed. ©Lukasz Skwiot
Watch the Enthroners at Panthers Highlights
Rhein Fire @ Paris Musketeers: 17:15
The Rhein Fire reminded fans that they are still the team to beat in the ELF, extending their win streak against the Paris Musketeers. New quarterback Chad Jeffries made several big plays in this one, both as a runner and a passer. The veteran ran and threw for a touchdown in his Rhein Fire debut.
However, the play of the day came on the defense for the Fire as All-Star homegrown linebacker Flamur Simon made a diving interception with under a minute to go, sealing the game for the Fire.
The defending champions spoiled the debut of new Paris head coach Jack Del Rio and quarterback Jaylon Henderson. The Musketeers out gained the Fire in yardage but struggled in the red zone. Paris had a chance to win the game but costly sacks and a interception ended their hopes of pulling off the upset.
Champion Rhein Fire start the season 1-0. ©Maxime LePihif.