Rhein Fire with statement win against Sea Devils
Felix Pahl
© Fabio DeinertHamburg Sea Devils @ Rhein Fire - 0:43
Rhein Fire delivered a commanding performance in Week 5, defeating the Hamburg Sea Devils 43–0 and silencing any doubts after a turbulent week off the field. Following the announcement that head coach Jim Tomsula would not return in 2025 and the departure of offensive coordinator Ed Warinner, all eyes were on Fire’s response — and they answered emphatically.
Early control and complete dominance
Quarterback Chad Jeffries wasted no time, leading Rhein Fire to an opening-drive touchdown with a 5-yard pass to Justin Schlesinger. From that point on, Fire never looked back. Their offense clicked from the start, showing no signs of the previous struggles.
Hamburg, meanwhile, had to adjust without quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, who parted ways with the team earlier in the week for family reasons. Homegrown QB Moritz Maack took over but struggled heavily. He completed just 2 of 12 passes for 7 yards and threw 4 interceptions. While running back Chrisman Kyei provided a bright spot with 127 rushing yards, the Sea Devils were never able to turn yards into points.
Watch the Sea Devils at Fire highlights here!
Standout performances on both sides of the ball
Rhein Fire’s new E-import running back Jonathan Scott was explosive, finishing with 135 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns on just 11 carries. The defense also shined — Tony Anderson led the way with 10 tackles and 2 interceptions, while Omari Williams added another interception and returned a punt for a touchdown, extending his lead as the ELF’s all-time interception leader.
Looking ahead
The Sea Devils, now 2–3, will look to bounce back at home next week against a resurgent Prague Lions squad that’s eager to avenge its earlier loss to Hamburg.
Rhein Fire moves to 2–2 and stays in the playoff race. They’ll face a major test in Week 6, traveling to Vienna for a highly anticipated Championship Game rematch with the undefeated Vikings.