LIVESTREAM Austria: Week 2 ramps up the competition in the AFL
The second half of week 2 in the Austrian Football League will see three highly competitive games as six teams battle it out for supremacy in a snowy Austria.
Salzburg Ducks vs Projekt Spielberg Graz Giants (GAME POSTPONED DUE TO POOR FIELD CONDITIONS!)
The Ducks were the second team to feature in the opening weekend of the AFL last week as they went up against the Danube Dragons and lost 31-21. Although the game got away from the Ducks in the second half, quarterback Kris Denton showed the rest of the league that he has an arm and wasn’t afraid to use it.
In his 2022 opener, Denton threw for 174 yards and two touchdowns, picking up a further 76 yards with his legs. And this was against one of the league’s favorites. He will, however, be going up against the other league favorite in the Graz Giants.
The Giants were an offensive force last year. Returning receiver Darrell Adams led the league in yards, picking up 823 yards and 11 touchdowns in just eight games. He will however be without his quarterback Connor Miller who has left for France. In his place will be Tyrone Williams, Adam’s teammate at Azusa Pacific.
Watch the game live here. Salzburg Ducks vs Graz Giants, April 3, 14:00 CET (2 pm, 08:00 am EDT).
Atrium Traun Steelsharks vs Danube Dragons
The Dragons were the other half of the opening-week matchup in the AFL. Despite a slow and rocky start, the Dragons managed to turn it around in the second half and score 17 unanswered points to beat the Ducks 31-21.
Cam Lewis was undoubtedly the star of the day, going for 117 yards and two touchdowns on top of a kick-return for a touchdown. The Dragons leaned heavily on the run even with an import receiver and quarterback. But their confidence in the running game proved fortuitous as Dominik Mattes rushed for 156 yards on 27 carries.
On the other side of the field are the Steelsharks, a squad who have been up and down in the AFL and division 1 for the past few years. They have also consistently put up points and yards on the Dragons defense, whose secondary are currently reeling from a COVID outbreak.
Prague Black Panthers vs Mödling Rangers
The final game of week 2 will see one of the two teams from Czech Republic in the AFL this year, the Prague Black Panthers, take on the Mödling Rangers.
The Black Panthers will undoubtedly feel this may be the first year that a team from outside Austria can win the Austrian title. The Black Panthers finished last year beating the Swarco Raiders 16-7 in the final game of the season.
The team has always put out a strong physical defense and will now hopefully be able to match that on offense with the addition of first year quarterback Javarian Smith. Smith had an outstanding career at Lake Erie College (NCAA Div. II), throwing for over 5,300 yards and 29 touchdowns.
The Mödling Rangers will be looking for something different this year as they went winless last season. With the departure of the Vienna Vikings and Innsbruck Raiders Tirol to the European League of Football and the addition of eight teams from the lower leagues, the Rangers will feel they can start to get some numbers in the W column this year.
Heading the charge will be Austrian quarterback and now Rangers veteran Benjamin Bräuer.
Graphics: Igor Lazarevic
