Aug 1st, 2023 16:00, by Tim Hanswillemenke
Week 9 Power Ranking – Sea Devils fall, Ravens rise
Let’s see where the teams rank before they go into the general bye week!
After Week 9 is in the books, the third European League of Football season begins to take shape. Let’s see where I rank the teams before they go into the general bye week!
Previous: 1
Rhein Fire stay where I had them from the start: at number one!
Previous: 2
The Vikings are going into a second-straight bye week to get healthier and even better for their Week 11 matchup against the Wroclaw Panthers.
Previous: 3
The Stuttgart Surge struggled to keep the Seamen from scoring in the first quarter. But after a few adjustments, the Surge were on a roll in the second half to destroy the Milano Seamen by scoring 78 points and keeping the Italian franchise to no points in the last two quarters. The Surge deserve to stay in the top three!
Previous: 4
Last week, I explained that the Frankfurt Galaxy need a statement win against the Fehevar Enthroners to show that they belong in the top five. With a 46 – 0 victory over the Hungarian franchise, the 2021 champion did just that. The Galaxy head into the bye week ranked fourth on my list.
Previous: 5
The Berlin Thunder were in a bye week together with a few other teams. They had some time to get healthy and will have a legitimate shot at reaching the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.
Previous: 6
The Tirol Raiders announced their new American import players on offense with quarterback Joe Dolincheck and wide receiver Trevon Sidney taking over. The duo could be the answer for the Raiders in the hunt for a playoff spot. We will find out in Week 11 when they face the Helvetic Guards at home.
Previous: 9
The Munich Ravens jump two spots in my weekly ranking because they do what great football teams do. The closer the postseason gets, the better they play. The Ravens were able to stop the three-game winning-streak of the Helvetic Guards who managed to even beat the Stuttgart Surge in recent weeks! It seems like the only thing standing between them and the playoffs is their 4-4 start over the first nine weeks of the season in an ultra-competitive Central Conference.
Previous: 8
The Panthers might have won big against the Prague Lions, but who wouldn’t have? After the Prague Lions announced the change at head coach and at quarterback, the entire team had to adjust to a completely new situation. The Panthers are 6-3 for a reason, but they stay at eight for the moment.
Previous: 7
You have to give up your spot at seven if you barley manage to beat the 2-6 Cologne Centurions. With a miracle touchdown by wide receiver Benjamin Mau and a great punt return by American defensive back Curtis Slater in the fourth quarter, the Sea Devils just managed to escape a neck-breaking loss. Let’s see what they are up to in Week 11 against Rhein Fire! If I were the Sea Devils, I hope that newly signed quarterback Isaiah Green is more of a difference-maker after the general bye week. They really need him to play to his strengths in order to secure a spot in the playoffs.
Previous: 10
The Paris Musketeers were finally able to win big against an opponent. The Barcelona Dragons stood no chance in the return of quarterback Zach Edwards and wide receiver Kyle Sweet! The Musketeers not only produced on offense but also managed to keep the Dragons out of the endzone until the last minutes of the game. Let’s see if this was the start of something big for the Musketeers who still technically have a shot of reaching the playoffs!
Previous: 11
The Guards hype train suffered a huge blow after the crushing loss against the Munich Ravens. But no matter the score, the Guards stay where they are. I am eager to see what the Swiss franchise is able to do against the Raiders in Week 11 when they travel to Austria!
Previous: 12
The Milano Seamen were another team that suffered a brutal loss. The Stuttgart Surge were just too much for the Seamen who were not able to keep up with the Surge offensive pace. But the real problem for the Italian franchise is their defense. Without a shot at the playoffs, the Seamen should focus on upgrading their defense once the offseason starts.
Previous: 14
The Centurions almost manage to make the impossible possible. With a 14 – 3 lead in the third quarter, the German franchise looked like it was on the brink of beating the two-time runner-up. But the Sea Devils came back in the end and took away the win. However, the Centurions defense made plays all day long and kept the German franchise in the game at all times.
Previous: 13
At this point, I’m just wondering where the Dragons magic from the start of the season went? Losing starting quarterback Conor Miller due to injury and then parting ways with American wide receiver Josh Johnston has to be part of the equation. But nevertheless, the Dragons are somehow missing the spark and the fire they used to have when the season started. But it was great to see the poise and urgency at the end of the game to at least score once.
Previous: 16
The Fehérvár Enthroners clearly lost against the Frankfurt Galaxy. But they kept it close in the first half and were fighting until the clock hit double zeros. They do not have the best roster, but they have players who fight and give everything for their team.
Previous: 15
The Prague Loins are facing a major rebuild in the middle of the season. With a new head coach and a new starting quarterback, the Lions are clearly struggling. For now, they have to be ranked last amidst of all the turmoil that surrounded the team in the recent weeks.
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