The Uppsala 86ers (2-1) travel to Stockholm to face the Stockholm Mean Machines (0-2) for the fourth Friday Night Football game of the season broadcast on Sweden’s TV4 and Cmore.
The last time these two teams met in 2016, Uppsala won 20-7 after handing Stockholm a 46-7 defeat the week earlier.
In fact, for the past few seasons, the 86ers have not had a problem with Stockholm. This year could be different.
The Mean Machines have Swedish national team quarterback and four-time Swedish champion Anders Hermodsson. Although Stockholm has suffered through a tough opening three games, all lopsided losses, they have, in fairness faced the top two teams right now, the Carlstad Crusaders and Orebro Black Knights.
Uppsala is suffering through its own rough patch with losses to the Helsinki Roosters in NEFL play and a lopsided loss to Carlstad. The win against Limhamn last week helped but Stockholm will be a tougher opponent than last year.
Hermodsson at 6’5″, 250 lb can be a difference maker in this one.
Hermodsson scrambling against Carlstad Photo: Tommy Andersson
The 86ers enter the game likely without starting quarterback Kieran McDonagh, who is still out with a shoulder injury. Backup Fabian Söderberg will start for the second straight game. Söderberg was solid in the 86ers 33-15 win last week against the Limhamn Griffins.
Uppsala running back Victor St Pierre Laviolette is the second leading rusher in Sweden so far this season and a key to the 86ers offense. His quickness can make linebackers miss so the Mean Machines front seven have to be ready. Wide receiver Blake Marklew is the number two leading receiver in Sweden and has four touchdown catches so far.
Uppsala linebacker Joshua Akena leads the league in tackles.
Uppsala 86ers LB Joshua Akena Photo: Moses SH
Mean Machines defensive back Jesper Gregersson is not far behind in sixth.
Stockholm underwent an overhaul in the offseason and, along with Uppsala, was the team that signed the most new players. It takes a few games for this kind of adjustment to take hold and the Mean Machines could well pose a problem for an Uppsala squad undergoing their own difficult transition.
Kickoff is 6:30 pm (12:30 EDT) and the game is being broadcast live on CMore in Sweden (PPV) and shown in a tape delay at 10:20 pm on TV4.
Watch the game live (Pay per View) by clicking here. Click on the button that says “Prova 2 veckor gratis – Try it for 2 weeks for free” . Then fill in your email address, name and password and click Skapa konto, Open account. Add your credit card number. You have two weeks free viewing. After that, if you don’t cancel it costs 99 Swedish kronor, or about $11 per month.