"Play Vikings football" - Vienna aims for Division title

The Vienna Vikings are 8-1 and coming off a win against the division rival Wroclaw Panthers. Now, all they need is one more win to secure the East Division title. This Saturday, they face the Fehérvár Enthroners in another divisional matchup, and even through their opponent is still winless, the Vikings know the win won’t come easily.

"We know they’re not the same team they were at the beginning of the year," said Vikings head coach Chris Calaycay. "They’ve improved, they’re competitive - but we’ve got to play Vikings football and finish this run strong heading into the bye week."

Upcoming bye week 

Coach Calaycay is really looking forward to the bye week. "It’s an important time of the year when you can take that little mental break after a long time," he said. "When I take three days off, it feels like I haven’t been in the office forever and I’m really wanting to get back and get back into it."

But first, they will face the Enthroners. A win in Hungary would be their fifth win in a row and allow them to return to Vienna as Division Champions for the fourth consecutive time. "Starting the general bye week as a Division Champion, that would be nice," said head coach Chris Calaycay. With the playoff race wide open, the Vikings want to concentrate on their own performances and stay prepared for the decisive phase of the season.

Watch the Hero Play of Week 10 here!

Dennis brothers face off in the game 

For a Vienna Vikings player, Saturday’s game promises to be a special experience. American cornerback Amani Dennis, signed at the start of the season, will face his brother Jalen Dennis in Hungary. Jalen recently joined the Enthroners’ defense as a safety. The two brothers come from Chicago, Illinois, and have a close relationship off the field. Whether the two brothers will actually line up against each other on the field during a special teams play remains to be seen this weekend. It would add a bit of emotional excitement to the game.

Offense in top form

In their first game of the season against the Enthroners, the Vikings suffered two tough losses right at the start. WR Yannick Mayr and RB Karri Pajarinen were both injured within the first two plays. Both players have returned to full fitness and are available to play, much to the satisfaction of head coach Chris Calaycay. "Karri is one of the top running backs in the league. Getting him back into rhythm and having him back is obviously a continued boost for us," he said. "Yannick also continues to get back into form, so having those two guys is a big boost for our offense."

Tomorrow, head coach Calaycay’s players will once again focus on what they can control and take care of their business. "My expectations are to come out there and play our brand of football, to go 1-0, and not to look past anything," Calaycay adds. Quarterback Ben Holmes will look to find his many targets to ensure the team performs like the favorite.

Kickoff for the game is on Saturday at 17:00 CET.

Don't miss a single game – get your Game Pass now!