Vikings crush Lions, Raiders keep playoff hopes alive
Tim Hanswillemenke & Cara Iden
© Leif VoigtGameday Week 8 kicked off with two clear victories: The Vienna Vikings underlined with their win over the Prague Lions why they’re leading the standings in the East Division, while the Raiders Tirol secured a home win against the back-to-back defending champions Rhein Fire.
Prague Lions (4-3) at Vienna Vikings (6-1): 0-34
The Vienna Vikings dominated the Prague Lions in Austria today, halting the home side’s winning streak with a dominant 34–0 shutout. Prague set the tone early, scoring touchdowns in each of the first two quarters and extending their lead with two field goals to lead 20–0 at halftime. A third-quarter TD sealed the victory.
The Vikings quarterback Ben Holmes had a terrific game with over 300 passing yards and four passing touchdowns without any turnovers. Once again, the American played a pivotal role for his team which now stands at 6-1.
Prague Lions Quarterback Javarian Smith struggled through the air with nine completed passes of 19 attempts, under 100 passing yards and two interceptions. The anticipated close game did not come to life as the Prague Lions were clearly dominated in all three phases of the game in this Week 8 clash.
WATCH THE LIONS AT VIKINGS HIGHLIGHTS HERE!
Rhein Fire (4-3) at Raiders Tirol (5-3): 18-35
Rhein Fire entered the game on a three-game winning streak but were missing nine players on short notice, including five defensive starters and wide receiver Harlan Kwofie. Despite the personnel shortage, the guests had the better start and took a 6–0 lead through a touchdown by halfback Jonathan Scott. The Raiders responded immediately with their special team. Cornerback Dijon Walls scored an impressive kickoff return touchdown. After the first quarter, the Raiders held a narrow 7–6 lead, even though all the stats clearly favored Rhein Fire. In the second quarter, Rhein Fire were able to take the lead again with a field goal, but the score at half-time was 9:14 in favor of the Raiders.
After the break, the guests from Germany actually had the better start again but could only score through a field goal, cutting the deficit to 12–14. On the following drive, the ball was punched out of Raiders quarterback N’Kosi Perry’s hands, resulting in a fumble. Rhein Fire now had the chance to take the lead. However, at the start of the final quarter, the guests made too many mistakes, which the Raiders took full advantage of. Two fumbles by Rhein Fire led to two quick touchdowns and a clear lead for Raiders Tirol. After that, the clock became Rhein Fire’s biggest opponent, and the back-to-back defending champions suffered a clear 18–35 defeat.
With the win, the Raiders Tirol keep their playoff hopes alive in the tough South Division. The team now heads into their first bye week of the season. Rhein Fire, meanwhile, will face the current unbeaten North Division leaders – Nordic Storm – next weekend. The matchup against their former quarterback Jadrian Clark could already be a decisive game in the playoff race for Rhein Fire. To have a real chance in Copenhagen, quarterback Chad Jeffries will need to quickly build a strong connection with his new wide receiver Mark Pope. Pope already showed flashes of his potential and scored a touchdown.