Stuttgart Surge dominate Hamburg Sea Devils in defensive masterclass

The Stuttgart Surge (2-1) rebounded emphatically from last week’s narrow loss, overpowering the Hamburg Sea Devils (1-2) 53-14 at Weserstadion in Bremen, fueled by a franchise-record four defensive touchdowns and a revitalized offense.

Defense sets relentless tone
Stuttgart’s defense struck immediately, with Raheem Simiram-Wilson returning Hamburg QB Taulia Tagovailoa’s first pass for a pick-six. The unit forced five total interceptions, including Lasse Engel’s 48-yard return TD, while Berend Grube added a 75-yard score off a blocked field goal. Tagovailoa finished 5-of-17 passing before being benched at halftime.

Hennessey, Geyer reignite offensive spark
Quarterback Reilly Hennessey (3 TD passes) reconnected with Louis Geyer for two first-half scores, while Albert Wiesigstrauch’s rushing set up red-zone opportunities. Geyer’s third TD before halftime extended the lead to 40-0, with Stuttgart totaling 28 points off turnovers.

Second-half adjustments offer little relief
Hamburg’s Moritz Maack replaced Tagovailoa, finding Terryon Robinson and Zinedin Bendjabou for late touchdowns. Stuttgart backups responded, as Kai Hunter and Engel added defensive scores to seal the rout.

Road ahead
The Surge host the Munich Ravens on June 8 at GAZi-Stadion auf der Waldau, aiming to build momentum in the West Division. Head coach Jordan Neuman praised his team’s resilience: “Coming off a tough week, making big plays early restored our confidence. This is the standard we expect.”

Key performers

• Reilly Hennessey: 3 TD passes, 0 turnovers
• Louis Geyer: 3 total TDs (2 receiving, 1 rushing)
• Stuttgart defense: 4 defensive TDs, 5 INTs, 3 sacks

The Surge’s dominant two-phase performance positions them as contenders, while Hamburg must regroup ahead of their Week 4 clash against the Berlin Thunder on June 7..